Tire Trauma

Like every other rancher I know, when I figure out an improvement I need to make, my next move is to see what I have on hand to use.

Until lately, my eyes typically fell on tires.

Big tires.

Little tires.

Tires with steel belts showing.

Tires that might still make it another 50 miles, if I drive slowly.

Tires that will definitely max out at 49 miles, no matter how I drive.

But the other day, I realized I am running out of used tires.

Running out of used tires is almost as horrific as running out of chocolate chips in my freezer.

It’s worse than running out of duct tape.

It’s not as bad as running out of yellow twine, but that is not even a remote possibility around here so I don’t even consider that apocalyptic crisis.

I’m almost out of used tires because I’ve been building cool structures across the ranch.

The lambs enjoy two new lamb huts, made from a water tank cut in half and tied down on top of a double row of pickup tires. The lambs don’t need the extra height provided by the tires, but if I am ever going to crawl inside, I need the extra height.

I’m building a much-needed windbreak around my lower corral. I’ve seen tire windbreaks before, with the tires buried in the ground vertically. I stack huge tractor and semi tires horizontally and offset each layer. They are heavy so the cows won’t move them. I use old tractor tires with rims for the base. Even the itchiest cows – or a periodic Montana breeze – won’t budge those hefty heroes.

I calculate that I’ll need about 40 tractor tires for that project.

My horses and milk cow wait impatiently.

I don’t know why they are so impatient. They have survived 15 winters of various, unsatisfactory attempts to block the weather. They know how to fight for shelter behind the round bale feeder.

I guess they are ready to move into their Michelin McMansion.

My upper corral needs a windbreak, too. I’ll put several posts in the ground and stack about 35 pickup tires over the posts for that windbreak. The smaller pickup tires won’t use up as much corral space as huge tractor tires would.

Every fall, I wean my calves in my upper corral.

The cows that were weaned there before will be jealous.

I can hear the conversation now: “Kids these days don’t know how easy they have it. Back in my day, we had to put our tails to the wind and tough it out.”

I’ll use pickup tires to help insulate my water troughs, too. The troughs are a height compromise so both cattle and sheep can use them.

As with most compromises, this one creates another problem. These troughs are vulnerable to the impulses of a bovine hurdler.

By planting a post on each of the four sides of the trough and then stacking pickup tires over the posts, the cattle and sheep can drink, but are less likely to attempt a state track championship.

I thought about reinforcing creek crossings with tires, but I’ll have to look for another local source of supplies for that project. It turns out that tires emit poisonous chemicals as they break down in water.

Maybe I’ll use pallets.

Needless to say, I’m concerned about using up my stockpile of valuable project material.

After all, I drive a lot of miles every year, but I need to stay home to finish some of these tire projects.

It’s a dilemma, no doubt.

Fortunately, I have friends in high places.

My world will continue to turn.

Oh! Gotta go!

My tire guy is calling.