When is our land, not our land?

[cropduster]

Back in the `old` days stock water heaters were small water proof stoves emersed in the water trough.You could use any flammable material in these things.One of my schoolmates tried to light one of these gizmos with some gasoline.....needless to say it did light...but just when he had stuck his face into the opening to see what was going on!!!!!!!!!His scabs healed over before the Christmas concert!!!

[cropduster]

I still have one of those tanks with a heater around here, it was purchased at a farm auction 30 years ago but the heater has never been used. Stock waterers are a lot more conventient although they are also a lot more expensive !!! Imagine your friend learned a good lesson about using gasoline as fire starter !!!

[cowman]

The only winter water I have available for cattle in my corrals is one large well insulated stock tank, serving three pens. The tank is fed from a hydrant that drains the water below frost level once you turn it off. No heated building for a pump, it is wired to a switch. Turn it on and it fills the tank, turn it off and it drains back down the hole. The tank is heated by a tank heater described above. Takes probably 5 minutes a day to maintain. We've got lots of wood around.
There is nothing more frustrating, in my opinion than dealing with a froze up cattle waterer at minus 40 with a south east wind!
My cow herd drinks out of flowing springs so it is only a couple of pens of calves(about 60) and late in winter maybe the bulls. I leave the bulls out with the cows until they start to calve.
This system works well for me as I believe it is less work and expense than messing around with frozen waterers and pressure systems.
Baler twine, used oil, all sorts of garbage go right into the tank heater.