Building a Fence

[CrealCritter]

Next weekend I'll be fencing in 4 acres for pasture.

* Cemented in RR tie H bracing and corner bracing.
* Bucket of Staples
* Lots of 6' tee posts on 10' centers
* 2 16' gates
* I estimate 6 rolls of Bekaert 1348-4 High Tensile Sheep and Goat Fence, 330 ft. - 30 year warranty.
* A box of 1000 Lockjawz fence clips, love these clips even soft handed ladies can install them with no tools.

I have all the RR ties and t-posts done, now the fun begins. My plan is to have this 4 acre pasture more or less as a nursery pasture for younger animals. It's close to the house, has access to the south facing barn door and also has a 20' x 24' lean-to on the back side of the barn. This way I can keep an eye on the younger animals before I put them out to pasture persay.

I'll work over winter to fence in the remaining 10 acres with barbwire and cross fence with gate for two 5 acre pastures for larger animals and pasture rotation. I'm only one man and can only take so much t-post driving per day. My wife is a big help and watches me with a level while I build muscle mass, man handling RR ties and bags of cement

I'll have to also build some kind of shelter for the 10 acres, it has nothing other than a group of trees which doesn't really count as a shelter in my book.

Anyways, I've planned, and re-planed multiple times. Hopefully the end product matches the picture I have in my head. Theres lots of work ahead to realize the picture though, all I can do is take it a step at a time.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[CrealCritter]

Well my planing and replanning, just got replanned again. I'm now doing 2 4 acre pastures and 1 6 acres that won't be fenced but on two sides. It's my neighbor's fault (both of them). They were over today and we got to talking. One of my neighbors grew up on the property and my other neighbor is a farmer.

So farmer said the 10 acres really makes good hay and it would be a shame to fence it all in, animals gotta eat in the winter months. He continued saying, someone obviously planted some good pasture mix in here a long time ago, it's good and established. It would be a shame to not cut some of it for hay. My other neighbor said that someone would be me. I was 14 or 15 when dad plowed and disced this field and I followed up with bags of pasture mix in a hand crank spreader that was strapped to my chest. It took me 4 days to sow this entire field and then dad put me on guard with a shotgun to scare the birds off of it, until the seed sprouted. We both laughed and then he said I still have the exact seed spreader I used back then, you want it?

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[baymule]

Pounding T-posts is good exercise for the whole body. It must be, because the whole body is sore and tired.

You and your neighbors will get all the details worked out on pasture sizes. Making progress!

 

[Mini Horses]

I'm an experienced t- post pounder!! So I mark spot, lay post end on it, lower post to put pounder on it, then lift straight and start slamming. Most days it's 10-13 slams...unless we've had some rain. . 20- 30 posts will make you want to rest. Yeah, some sore shoulders and arms next day!

Some say they push them in with FEL on tractor. Hasn't worked for me. . Sure sounds good.

 

[CrealCritter]

Pounding T-posts is good exercise for the whole body. It must be, because the whole body is sore and tired.

You and your neighbors will get all the details worked out on pasture sizes. Making progress!

Bay I kid you not but I built a fence with my neighbors advise. That I believe would pass even your inspection and you would even be proud of. It's Straight and Tight!

I cleaned out the two 12 by 20 stalls this afternoon. I have one piece of 20' fence left to stretch, staple and tie to partition off the 4 stalls. Then I'll be done with the fence. Cattle will have a nice 24x20 roof over their head right behind the barn. I get the other 24x20 for implements, bobcat and what not storage. I'll be hitching up the hay spear to the tractor and leaving it hitched over winter to feed the cattle. I'll park the tractor in the barn for the winter months and only use it to move hay rounds into the pasture when they need to be fed.

I just wanted to say thanks for insisting on the 4" woven wire berkart fencing. Well worth the extra $ plus 30 year warranty. You steered me in the right direction, I appreciate you.

PS my Wife is more excited than I am to get beef cattle on the pasture. She told me she wants a dexter heffer calf to raise up, then breed with an angus, calf and milk. All I can say is that will be one spoiled heffer, she has her ways...

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[CrealCritter]

I'm an experienced t- post pounder!! So I mark spot, lay post end on it, lower post to put pounder on it, then lift straight and start slamming. Most days it's 10-13 slams...unless we've had some rain. . 20- 30 posts will make you want to rest. Yeah, some sore shoulders and arms next day!

Some say they push them in with FEL on tractor. Hasn't worked for me. . Sure sounds good.

I tried pushing them in with my bobcat. Doesn't works so well. Next to impossible to get straight. So I tied a length of twine to one handle of my t-post driver and then tired a large bolt to the other end. You can spin the driver and check for plumb front to back and side to side. When the bolt touches the ground it driven in to the right depth. Call it what you will crealcritterbillythingamajob but it's so simple, it's brilliant and it actually works. I can drive a line of t-posts have them all straight and at the same depth.

I'm with you... after driving about 30 t-posts, I'm ready for a break.

I'll be beating in plenty more over the winter for the next pasture to fence in.


Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[Britesea]

DH is jealous that you have a Bobcat! I have difficulty imagining soil that only requires 10-13 slams.

 

[CrealCritter]

I dislike going to town. Half way there, I discovered I forgot my wallet. I smacked my self in the head and said gotta go back home and get that plastic. It's been a while since went to town. I must admit it seemed alien to me, like I came out of the bush or something, there were just, so many beautiful people, I really felt overwhelmed. And there were lots of cute kids at rural king, to wave at and high five with. So great start to the day

Just a few quick facts to dwell upon...
Population of USA approximately 334 Million
Population of China approximately 1.4 Billion
Land mass of USA approximately 3.5 million square miles.
Land mass of China approximately 3.6 million square miles.

Jesus is Lord and Christ