This archive brings together practical, experience-led articles from The Backyard Farmer, covering gardening, DIY, indoor growing, foraging, reviews, and sustainable living. Each post is written with real-world use in mind — focusing on working with nature, building practical skills, and making sustainable choices more accessible.
Taking a pallet apart without wrecking the boards comes down to using the right method and not forcing it. Rush the job with a hammer and pry bar, and you will usually end up with split timber, bent nails, and far less usable wood. In
If you’ve ever tackled pallet projects like building your own wood store, you’ll know the satisfaction of turning free wood into something useful. But pallets are just the beginning. Across the UK, there’s a huge variety of reclaimed materials waiting to be collected — from
Free pallets are often available through local giveaway listings or by asking businesses that receive regular deliveries, including independent builders’ merchants, garden centres, warehouses and trade suppliers. Availability changes daily, and many pallets are reused or owned by pallet-pooling companies, so always ask before collecting.
Introduction DIY firewood storage is essential if you want to keep your logs dry and ready to burn. There’s nothing like the warm glow of a crackling fire on a cold evening — but nothing ruins it faster than wet, messy firewood. If you’re fed