# Scored: Free 55-Gallon Plastic Barrels



## Frugal_Farmers

Just returned from the city with a trailer full of FREE 55-gallon plastic barrels. Picked up 15 plastic food grade barrels and 3 metal food grade barrels.

We have previously picked up one or two at a time, but saw there was a mountain of them on Tuesday. Returned today with the trailer. There is enough there for another two trailer loads.

In the summertime, this source is pretty tapped out becauce people get them to use as rain barrels. In the winter months folks just aren't thinking about rain barrels and they stack up. Will be returning next week to pick up additional barrels.

OK, so now you ask "where are you getting these FREE, food grade barrels from"? Great question. 

Although I will not reveal my exact source, I will share a little information with you.

Most food manufacturing plants get a variety of liquid products in these barrels. These particular barrels previously contained cider vinegar and cooking wine. Go a search on google for your area to see if there are any food manufacturing or processing plants or facilities in your area. Get your list and begin calling to see if they use the barrels and if you can obtain a few. I told them that I needed them for rain collection barrels when I began discussing it with them. They told me to get as many as I like, they were a first come first served basis. For us, it is a 50-mile drive to get them, but we normally stop by when we are in the city and pick up one or two if they have them.

I already have multiple uses for these barrels and will be posting some of these uses in the future.

Good luck and happy hunting


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## twiggie

My first thought with the metal barrels, being that you have 3, would be to make a complete brewery. one for a hot liquor tank, one for mash lauter tun, another for the brew kettle.


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## Sonnyjim

twiggie said:


> My first thought with the metal barrels, being that you have 3, would be to make a complete brewery. one for a hot liquor tank, one for mash lauter tun, another for the brew kettle.


You read my mind


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## rflood

I'm big on the free thing and never even thought to seek out a place as mentioned. Looks like I have a weekend project to see who I can find.


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## Clarice

Good for you, I never turn down anything free. A couple of weeks ago we saw a old house in the process of being torn down. We stopped and ask if we could salvage any thing from it. The owner said help your self. Got lots of canning jars, old dishes, an electric churn, 5 one gallon jars, quilts, can't remember what all. I was like a kid at Christmas. Hubby got got a old manual push mower, a stationary bike, 4 metal corner pieces for our soon to be greenhouse, a wood heater and several old hand tools and knives. Why would anyone throw away such useful stuff????


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## Frugal_Farmers

Clarice said:


> Good for you, I never turn down anything free. A couple of weeks ago we saw a old house in the process of being torn down. We stopped and ask if we could salvage any thing from it. The owner said help your self. Got lots of canning jars, old dishes, an electric churn, 5 one gallon jars, quilts, can't remember what all. I was like a kid at Christmas. Hubby got got a old manual push mower, a stationary bike, 4 metal corner pieces for our soon to be greenhouse, a wood heater and several old hand tools and knives. Why would anyone throw away such useful stuff????


Wow--sounds like you make a great score. We have become masters at saving things from the landfill.

We have a neighbor who works for a local manufacturing plant. They receive spools of steel on heavy duty solic oak pallets. The pallets are made from solid oak 4x4s with solid oak 1x6 planks. They are 4 feet by four feet. He delivered another 20 pallets to me today and I gave him 7 plastic barrels and one metal one.

I break the pallets down and have been cutting some to burn in my wood burning stove. They burn hot and clean.

I am also using some of the oak for projects. After removing all of the nails and stapels, I am runnign them through the planer and geting some awesome FREE lumber for projects. Presently using this FREE wood to build additional shelves for the food storage.

We already have a dozen projects lined up for this FREE source of solid oak lumber.


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