Constructing a
Homemade Tire Trough
Becky Crabtree
How dry was it this summer? It was so dry the cows
gave powdered milk. It was so dry that the catfish had
ticks. It was so dry that the trees were whistling for the
dogs. It was so dry that one woman folded her clothes
right out of the washing machine. Whoa now, it might
not have been quite that dry lately, but we had just
bought a few acres with no source of water so we were
feeling a bit dusty. We were in the market for ideas on
how to hold enough water for a donkey and a mini-horse
for a few days at a time. An important requirement was
that it didn’t cost much, if anything.
This problem was relayed
to a Monroe County class of
fifth graders, and eleven-yearold Dalton Bradley, farmer-intraining, came up with a plan
that only cost us the price of
a sack or two of concrete. He
had seen his dad create water
troughs from heavy equipment
tires and he got us pointed in the
right direction.
There are some videos
on YouTube that go into a lot more detail, but here are
simplified directions.
Pour water into the tire gently until the concrete is all
covered.
Wait a day or two then bail out the water. The
concrete should be hard as a rock.
Add fresh water.
Heavy machinery tires work well, creating huge
containers. Elaborate plumbing and floats that control
the flow of water can be added. If used in bigger
operations, some recommend that road fabric be placed
under and around the tire and the area outside the tire be
covered with rock to cut down on mud.
Our new trough holds plenty of water for our
needs and the water stays relatively clear. Light doesn’t
penetrate the black rubber sides, so there is less chance
of algae growing. The rubber doesn’t get as hot as metal
and it is flexible against the chest of livestock. Those who
use them say