Sunday, April 24, 2022

Fencing time?

Lost and found! While hiking through the woods to go get the mail I squatted down to look at an interesting shape on the ground. Excuse the blurry shot, it was just around sunrise and I just snapped it with my cheapo cell phone:


There is a joke in my household. I often wear odd work gloves as I seem to be able to drop one while hiking and can never find it again. I purchased some cheap and really ugly hot pink gloves a few years ago. That worked. I never lost the mates. I wonder how long this glove sat on the forest floor? I mean look at the moss growth!


When I lose a glove I try to match it up with another lost glove and then I wear two kinds of gloves. When the tips of the fingers wear out, I cut them off.

Saturday, the neighbors messaged me and said they'd walk down and help me move a mattress and do two other simple things that required the strength of two people. Justin moved this log off the fence so I could repair it. He'll come back later with his chain saw to cut it up. 


This tree top had been struck by lightening a few years ago. Each year it loses some part of its top from winds.
Over the winter the top fell. I cleaned up all the branches and burned most of what I could up. I was left with two huge logs that I couldn't cut up.


This spot needs a goat to graze it. There are things that the other equine won't eat that the goat does, so I decided with the mild Saturday temperatures, I'd make a new Goat & Pony yard. 

It sure looks confusing to anyone who doesn't understand my method of madness for rotating critters, but since I do understand it...it makes sense to me.


Three hot wires are needed to keep my little escape artists in, so I set up a temporary fence with gate handles and access for the skid steer and 4 wheeler up. Little Richard is 32" tall at the withers and used to duck under hotwires to escape. He is in his late 20's now and doesn't try to escape as often these days.

Sven will stay with Little Richard and do some very annoying things like chew on his friend's tail until the pony gets pissed and chases him. It is a love/hate relationship that only the two of them understand.

These two are together in a lot I made in 2020 to clean up behind our large machine shed:


They have done a great job! 

I'd say it was a pain to build the fence, but I enjoyed it. I'll probably keep this for a year or so to see if my weed whackers do a good job.


My mules can be sorted into rotational pastures with just one hot wire. I worked on some new sections last year and have an idea for something a bit different in the woods this year.

I do miss the small Dexters cows we had. They were experts at cleaning pastures, but a huge pain to fence in. [Just like goats are!]

Looks like I need to get out to the woods and repair the fence damage the deer did to the hot wires so I can be ready to turn the mules out to the back woods to look for goodies.


8 comments:

  1. You found your glove! I usually just buy brown work gloves...I have been known to wear two lefts...it feels a bit funny on a right hand but it works. As long as you know the rotation and weeds are taken care of so they don't go to see that is a good thing!

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    1. I have trouble finding gloves that fit so I buy them whenever I can find tiny leather gloves.
      Oh those weeds! I will always battle the noxious ones I think.

      Looking forward to some nettle tea this week.

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  2. The livestock keep you busy. The mules will be glad to get out and about in new areas. Goat and horse are friends, seems unusual.

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    1. A goat and a horse or pony can become good friends and company for each other. My mules don't like the goat and chase him!

      Yes, they will be happy once they can get to the summer pastures.

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  3. There is something to be said for always buying the same type of glove. I have gloves given to me by many well meaning friends so if I lose one I just grab a new pair.
    I like that hot wire you use- I have the flat stuff that is about an inch or more wide with wires running through it. I hate it but can't afford to replace it at this time. The little wires in it break when the wind gets fierce and I never know if it's carrying a charge or not. Beamer is such a good boy that he doesn't touch it anyway.

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    1. That wire is some we bought years ago. I am amazed that the only time it breaks down is when trees fall on it. I made the goat & pony pen out of scraps.

      My mules are like your horse, they used to check the fence but now they are so used to their boundaries, they just don't bother!

      I have used that flat tape and loved how visible it was. I agree, the winds whips the wires apart.

      I wear kid sized gloves so finding a good pair is hard, but no one really judges me on the farm for mismatched stuff! :)
      Thanks for stopping in!

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  4. You found a long lost treasure. I am pretty protective of my gloves. I have issues with the skin on my hands.

    It is nice to have helpful neighbors! Sven & Lil' Richard are too cute together, and they are earning their keep!! You must be masterful at fencing! I have helped Brad, but otherwise am pretty clueless with fencing. We also use rope wire, it's great. We bought ours on sale at MW horse fair a few years back and it has held up really well.

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    1. :) I learned by trial and error how to fence. But for me, building grazing specific lots is like playing with Legos. I actually kind of like it.
      I'm notorious for losing gloves. I will set them down in the woods to take a photo and walk away. I used to ride with them on and trim branches with nippers when I rode Badger. I lost them that way too.

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