Happy Earth Farm

"Nothing but Natural"
  • Home
    • About Us
    • The Farm
    • Gallery
    • Goodies
  • CSA
    • Happy Earth Farm CSA Details
    • What is a CSA?
    • Is A Farm Share Right For You?
    • Become a Member for the 2017 Season
    • Weekly Add Ons
  • Events
  • Blog
  • Master's Golf Rental
    • About Us
    • The Farm
    • Gallery
    • Goodies
    • Happy Earth Farm CSA Details
    • What is a CSA?
    • Is A Farm Share Right For You?
    • Become a Member for the 2017 Season
    • Weekly Add Ons
  • Events
  • Blog
  • Master's Golf Rental
photo 2.JPG

Blog

To Build A Fence

karen fennell February 18, 2016

I imagine that most of you have taken a country drive to enjoy the scenery.  I don’t know if there is anything more picturesque than a rural road, dotted with farmland.  Most of those bucolic scenes have miles and miles of livestock fencing framing the shot.  I don’t know if many give much notice to the fence itself as our eyes are typically drawn to what is on the other side, but the fence is a work of art and probably one of the most significant “tools” on a farm

We have finally completed constructing our cow fence.  It took us about a year, mostly because Steve and I did it alone, but even with assistance, figuring out how to build a fence on a farm is like getting a PhD. 

First we had to determine what type of fence would serve us best.  Fencing for cows differs from those for horses, hogs, chickens or other livestock.  Each critter fence requires unique specifications to be effective. 

Next we had to lay it out and begin the dirty work of digging postholes, driving T-posts and stringing barbed wire.  Trust me, enclosing 12 acres of pasture became a daunting task when we unloaded the supplies in the middle of the pasture.  I swear I almost had a panic attack looking at the mile high stacks. Just getting the boards, posts, metal t-posts, gates, barbed wire, and boxes of fence staples off of the trailer took a couple of days.  The posts alone weigh about 40 pounds each and there were 250 of them.  Week by week the pile began to shrink as we worked our way around the property until the final post was secured and the swing gates installed. 

The final step was to “personalize” the pasture.  We intend on managing the grazing field, meaning we will rotate where the cows can eat.  That means finding a central location for their water source and then creating a pie shaped plan for electrified movable fencing to keep the cows in.  The entire perimeter must be wired so the interior grazing fence can carry a charge.  We drilled holders into each of the 250 posts and then strung wire along the 12-acre parcel.  We completed the final step of burying the charge carrying cable under the 3 access gates this last weekend.  Mission accomplished!

I would love to take credit for the design of this fence, but in reality, it is Steve who spends hours upon hours researching how to make this stuff happen.  His job is to do all the thinking and prep work and my job is to bitch and moan when things don’t go as planned.  We are both gifted in our roles.

So we are officially ready to bring in cows.  As we buried the last of the wire to electrify the fence, Steve turned to me and said, “Holy shit, it almost looks like we know what we are doing.” 

  • Blog
  • Older
  • Newer

farming through karen's eyes

I had no idea that farming was this intense, this insane, this difficult, or this much fun.  Follow along with my misadventures as I attempt to master my skills. I post a blog weekly so click through them all to read about this crazy life I have grown to love. 

Featured
The Way To Everyones Heart......
Rosie
Babies Are Us
Farm Food
Potatoes
steve's Obsession
Grazing Cows and Stubbed Toes
The Accidental Farm Dog
A Relationship Challenged
A Farmer's Dilemma
Day-Tripping To Kingstree, SC
Baby It's Cold Outside
My Own Marriage Quiz
Hornets And Chainsaws
If Only We Could All Live On A Farm
Love? Or Just A Bootie Call?
Beef: It's What's For Dinner
The Thief Among Us
Working On The Night Moves
Turkey Trials
Banded Balls And Pierced Ears
Just Another Adventure In Birthing
Gertie
A Serious Talk
Chicken Irony
Passionate Poultry
Farmer Geeks
Steer Boy
Epic Farmer Fail
Summer Eatin'....It's Almost Here!
  • Contact Happy Earth Farm

 

 

Happy Earth Farm

"Nothing but Natural"