Going Green In The Barn

More barns are making a conscious effort to be mindful of their environment. It is just as important to be good stewards of our planet at the barn as it is at home. With a new year starting soon, what better resolution to make than to help our planet out? Ways you can go green at the barn include:

· Put recycle bins in the barn and encourage boarders to use.

· Buying supplements that come in recyclable containers or eco-friendly packaging

· Donate Smartpak containers. Schools and art programs can use the plastic trays for paint, glue and other crafts.

· Make jumps out of natural items, such as trees and branches. Reuse pallets as jumps.

· Conserve water. Turn hose off when not in use. Install gutters and a rain barrel system.

· Use the water from buckets and troughs to water your plants.

· Buy feed and hay in bulk to reduce delivery trips.

· Old fence boards can be repurposed for various projects, from ship-lapping tack rooms to building chicken coops.

· Supplement containers make ideal storage for nails and screws and other items.

· Baling twine can be used in the garden to create green bean trellis’, temporarily hold up broken fence boards and many other uses around the barn.

· Composting manure will keep it out of landfills. Use the composted material in your garden or on your pastures.

· Keep mud to a minimum to prevent contaminating nearby streams or ponds.

· Keeping pastures weed-free will reduce the need for herbicides. Hand pulling and mowing are green methods to control weeds and there are options to make your own herbicides which are eco-friendly.

· If installing pavers in the barn aisle, use recycled tire rubber.

· If you are building your barn, consider using wood that is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. They certify that wood products are grown and harvested from managed forests for sustainability.

· New barns should incorporate natural light wherever possible to reduce need for electricity as well as to provide natural ventilation.

· Use natural fly control such as Fly Predators or a natural fly spray.

· Welcome barn swallows into your barn as they will eat flies and other pests.

· Reuse feed bags and boxes in the garden to prevent weeds.

· Donate worn out saddle pads and towels to the local animal shelter to use for bedding.

· Provide water fountains or coolers for boarders and discourage wasteful plastic water bottles.

· Reduce electricity use by installing dimmers and timers and switch to fluorescent or LED lighting rather than using incandescent.

It is just as important to incorporate practices at the barn that are good for our planet as one does at home or at work. Horse farms have been notorious for being bad for the environment. Manure piles can result in runoff into waterways, as do herbicides and fertilizers. Overgrazing leaves land barren and unable to regenerate. Horse show competitors and boarders who don’t practice recycling or use reusable water bottles are contributing to the growing pollution of landfills and polluted waterways. But the tide is changing as more farms and even horse show management are working to do better by Mother Nature. By going green in your stable, your payoff will be not just for a better planet, but for your wallet as well. Good environmental practices will help you and your animals live a healthier (and hopefully longer) lifestyle, reduce the amount of pollution entering our soil, water and air, preserve animal habitats and reduce the amount of energy used. It is everyone’s responsibility to do their part to contribute to a healthier and more sustainable planet, and that includes horse farms.