More Adventures in Homesteading - Fencing Edition

 Wow, been a busy couple weeks here. Typical in the spring when the weather warms up a bit. Most of it has been all the non sexy parts of homesteading, like fence repair. We've had to completely replace a corner post set up in one pasture and gate posts in another pasture. I've also had to take down a section of fence, straighten the fence posts and re-stretch the fence, thank you cows.

We have been so, so dry for the last three years and this year isn't looking any better so far. We have a disabled friend with dementia living with us and he came with 2 horses. I already have goats and 2 cows. My pastures were sort of doing okay with my critters, but those horses just decimated things. He was unable to see that, but we did convince him to find them a new home once he realized that he wasn't spending any time with them anymore (physically couldn't) and that he was barely able to even feed them anymore. It was hard for him, which I completely understand! But, between then horses being gone and me finally being able to afford some electric fencing, I am able to move the cows to a heretofore unused part of our land. It should hold them for a month or so, especially if we could get a little rain.

The fencing was more of an adventure than it should have been though, ugh. Middle Little and I, along with Surprise, went out to do the fencing and I asked her if she wanted post duty or stringing wire duty. She opted for wire duty. Great. So I went along planting posts while she followed with wire. I'd gone out a few days before with about 20 posts that we already had (I had to buy the rest and the wire to finish the project) so I had a bit of a head start. I carefully explained how to attach the wire to the post, emphasizing that she should never let wire every touch any metal, in this case the T post next to the electric post.

So, we trundled along at our various jobs, got everything strung up just fine, went back along the fence with a few stakes to support a couple corner posts, double checked the wire making sure it was not too saggy or touching anything it shouldn't after various post moves and fence tightenings. Everything looked good so I hooked up the solar charger and checked my fence with my tester. Nothing. Well, that's frustrating. I went back along the fence, pulling grass all along the line just in case it was too much for the charger to handle, this is my first experience with solar chargers as well as checking everything out again, just to be sure. Still nothing. I though, Hmm, maybe this fence is too long for the charger, although I should be getting some sort of reading.

Next step, go back to the house and get all the stuff required to string high tensile electric and go up to the far property line to string this stuff and tie it in to some other that I already had strung in the main pasture to keep the horses from killing my fences. This wasn't too awfully bad, but it's getting hot at this point and I also had to cut through several large juniper trees to clear a path for the electric. I get that all done and have it turned on and check things with my tester. STILL nothing on the temporary fence. Ugh!

The only thing I can think to do is go back to the other side of the property and check that last 30 feet or so of fence that I had Middle Little check and I eyeballed from where I was working. I'm walking it slowly, going over it with a fine tooth comb, all's good. Then I get to the end. She has tied the dang fence off to the T post and completely bypassed the poly post right next to it. 

No wonder stuff wasn't working. I fixed that and, what do ya know, the fence works great! I really should have checked that first, of course. Oh, well, live and learn. And after all, the cows don't really seem to mind that I spent way more time than I should have getting their new digs ready.