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Monday, April 23, 2007

Farm Auction

Saturday we drove an hour out into the middle of nowwhere to attend a farm auction. Our goal was a windmill, a plow and a cast iron claw foot tub.

We arrived a little late, we didn't have time to look around before the auction got underway. The men wondered off into the machinery, while we women went into the barn for the furniture and other household goods. Sounds a little old fashion, but that's how it turned out.

I wasn't after the furniture, but did end up with a 1960's green foot stool with storage. I was only a dollar. I had my eye on one thing in that barn, and I would get it. But before we get to that, I also bought 2 boxes of 1960's board games, for a dollar. 2 boxes of fabrics and 2 boxes of crocheting material.

The auctioneers took a break, because they had begun the bidding on the tractors and cars. My sister-in-law approached me and told me that there was hard wood flooring in the barn. She had already told my husband {her brother} and he told her to tell me since I was the one working in that area. I thanked her for the heads up.

Back into the barn. I was going to bid on the canning jars, but m sister-in-law started, so I bowed out of it. I waited quietly until they got to the flooring. I won the bid at $22.50, turns out I was bidding against my brother-in-law without knowing. Ah, well, I wanted that flooring.

I got 7 bee hives for $9,

and a donkey cart for $5.

I didn't bid again until we got to the books. My bookcrossing friends will know how this story ends. I couldn't tell you how many books were there, or how many boxes. I informed my husband that I was going to be a good girl and only get 3 boxes. And I did, for $3 a box. Then my sister-in-law took two. Then no one wanted to bid. I took the remaining boxes, all, for $1. We moved onto the next table full of boxes of books. I didn't bid, I was trying to be good. One man bid and got 3 boxes, then once again no one bid. The auctioneer saw it in my eyes, he had too. He leaned over to me and said, "I will give you all the books and the small bookshelf and the wooden shop table for $1." I looked away, thinking and trying not to jump up and down screaming I LOVE YOU!. Instead I nodded, "one dollar." SOLD! I now have a couple thousand more books.

I told my father-in-law what I did, he shook his head and said that his son wouldn't be happy. But I got the shop table! And a man asked if he could go through my boxes and look for old bibles, I told him he could, but there wasn't a bible in the lot. He did give me $2 for an old encyclopedia.

I also got some milk filters and milking gear, and a few misc items.

I also got the cast iron bathtub, for $9!

and a garden planter for $5 {it still works}

My husband bought the plow
Yes, it is a horse pulled plow

The windmills went for almost $500 a piece, so we didn't win them.

He wasn't mad about the books because I had won my bids, low, on the items he wanted, or was glad I found. He bought 13 bridge boards, and 6 wood planks that were 30 feet long.

We spent a total of $300. Not bad for how much we got. Everything we bought will be used.

Sunday we had to retrieved the lumber. My husband and I did it alone. The bridge boards weighed 250 pounds a piece, and the planks were behind bid piles of someone's lumber inside of a shed. We had to lift and finagle them out, all 7 of them. We were down to 4 when someone came over and helped. It went a lot faster. Still after 3 hours, my arms are now dead weight.
The red gates on top of the lumber are stock racks.

I'll tell you what we are going to do with all that lumber later. It's very cool. . .um I mean hot.

23 comments:

Kathie said...

Wow - what great finds! I'm slightly jealous of the books and canning jars, though I don't need more of either, ha.

cheesygiraffe said...

I just love auctions. We've been to so many. There's lots here in Alabama. I grew up in Kansas and never went to one but it was Kansas City I lived in.
Btw, my hubby loves auctions so much he became a apprentice Auctioneer. He is getting his Auctioneer license this year.
You got some great buys. :)

Cheryl said...

Wow, you did so well! I've never been to an auction, but it sounds like fun.
I can't wait to hear how it goes with the bee hives, that's something I'm really considering for our new place.
Love the tub as well ($9?!). We've had an old one sitting in our garage for the past two years waiting to be installed. I'm so glad we never got around to putting it into this house (though DH's not thrilled about having to move it!).

Unknown said...

Well done, especially with the books & accompaniaments. I've only ever been to poultry auctions & found them so much fun ~ I'd be a liability at farm auctions!

I have a couple of ploughs for horses & another contraption that I'm not sure is complete, but no harnessing for them. Now you need a draught horse & harnessing.... Or could Donkey pull it?! I'm considering trying to train up a harness goat if ever my nannies have kids...

Marina said...

Wow--now that's sort of shopping I'd like to do, although I don't think S would let me in the house with all those books...

Looks like DonkeyFetus is going to have fun with that plow and cart. You going to make the harnessing?

So, how do you find out about these auctions? Newspaper? signs? website?

RAS said...

Oh my goodness. How did you ever get all that stuff home? I would have had to rent a team of movers or something.

Congratulations!
-Rebecca (I linked here from Emme's blog.)

Stephanie Appleton said...

Wow you did great! I love auctions! Very curious about what you are up to with the boards! :)

Anonymous said...

Katie, I have been going through the books. SCORE! All kinds of DIY books, bee keeping and old old home nursing books. I am trilled. of course I didn't need them, but the thought of them going into the garbage was too much.

Cheesy, I didn't know that, how very cool for your husband!

Cheryl, the tub is in great shape, the porcelain needs work. I was surprised about how low it went, but the guy that buys those items for a living was late.

Killi, the donkey will be able to pull the plow, it is a small garden one, not the large field ones. I am hoping to find harnesses at the next auction, if not we will make one.

Marina, we find them by word of mouth. Also look in your locally own stores bulletin boards. Steve would ban you, ha!

Ras, welcome over! We got most of it home that day, and had to borrow a car trailer to get the lumber home the next.

Stephanie, you of all people will love what we are going to do. I will tell you soon.

The Fool said...

Farm auctions rock. Such a deal on the bee hives and tub (do you know how hard it is to find a good deal on an old cast iron claw foot tub in Alaska? Way to go, Phelan.

Ever end up buying something you didn't intend with a wrong twitch at the wrong moment?

Maggie said...

I am always the one who rifles through the box of books at all yardsales so I understand your excitement. Just remember old books especially ones kept outside are host for all sorts of mites and molds so clean those guys off good before bringing them inside.(sorry my IAQ coming out) Checked out the book crossing site what a great concept.

Dancingfarmer said...

I am envious of your tub. We have two (both for livestock) but set up side by side in the pasture. We "bath" in them in the summer after working in the heat -clothes on--since the neighbors can see :-D We haven't been able to find another recently for less the $100. I would love two more---and for 9 bucks would easily take them.
Good haul on the rest of your goodies too.
Monica

Tim Appleton (Applehead) said...

Smoke house.... she's going to build a smoke house!I think...I am soo jealous...

The Unusual Farmchick said...

Were they complete bee "hives"? all the equipment or just the box's? Either way- major score!

Bob Westbrook said...

Sounds like the kind of auction I like where there's not too many fighting over stuff to drive the price up. Loved to do the farm auctions in Ohio but haven't seen much here in West Texas. There's a plank I picked up in Ohio that was used to keep folks feet out of the mud. 36 inch wide piece of walnut. Got a picture of it on my blog. Sorry I don't know how to do the fancy html stuff but you can see it on the march 6 post. It shows me finishing it, what a piece of wood.

Anonymous said...

What an amazing stash. The beehives in particular caught my attention. Just before I visited your blog, I'd been looking up and contacting local beekeeping associations in Ireland, because I REALLY want to get bees. Seeing your hives is a good omen for my new plans. x

www.sallygardens.typepad.com

Phelan said...

The Fool, I couldn't beilieve I got that kind of deal on the tub! No never bought something with a twitch. Not sure how you do things there, but here, your first bid is a hand up and yell of "'ep!" to get his attention, then nodding and head shaking.

Maggie, I share your concern. And I am glad to see you joined up.

Monica, I plan on using my tub indoors ;)

Tim, I'll tell you later.

Tammi, I thought they were just the hives, but I found the smoker stuffed inside one of the boxes.

Bob, there was some fighting over the windmills, drove them up too high for our taste. I will go check out your entry.

lisa said...

Kudos on your great buys! I just love auctions, but haven't been to one in a long time...too broke from flower garden purchases!

Alexandra said...

Great scores! I love that tub, and you'll have to share about your beehives when they are up. I've always been facinated with beekeeping.

e4 said...

You are my hero.

You found a much cooler auction than I ever seem to, and took full advantage.

I'm off to browse auction ads. :)

Catherine said...

Wow, Beehives! I look forward to hearing the ins and outs of getting that going. Hubby wants bees next year. Great buy on the tub; mine was $100 on e-bay. Auctions sound better than e-bay, hands down. And Phelan, thanks for the comment you left at KentuckyHollers. Made my day that someone actually read my ramblings!

Dwayne Leslie said...

Great story, I have linked back to you from Global Auction Blog

You can find hundreds of farm auctions at our site at Farm Auction Guide

Keep up the great posts.

Anonymous said...

Wow you did very well! I love auctions but they are very dangerous for me....

Robbyn said...

Oh, man, you did GREAT! Don't you LOVE auctions?? I used to go to them when I was younger...it's been YEARS...

Now it'll be sooner! :) (and probably addictive)

Congrats on all the useful and serendipitous finds!

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