Spring Fencing

 

 

 

Though the weekend was a bit stormy, we were able to begin the first big project of the year~ fencing off pasture ground.  Matt had split the fence posts several weeks ago, using as much locust as he could find and supplementing the last of it with soft maple.  Soft maple won't last as long as locust, so I am told, so we kept the soft maple toward the back of the pasture, in the wooded area.  We'll have to replace them sooner but they will work for a few years, anyway.





I have to say, I upped the ante of 'farm girl' status by running the post pounder.  That thing was scary.  I was SKEER-ED.  Imagine a metal beam slamming down at you full throttle just inches away from your precious hand and then landing with a huge BANG, shoving the post deep into the ground.  It was THAT CLOSE to doing that to my hand.  And then imagine doing it about 4-5 times per post... for over a hundred posts.  Yeah.  This is my lot in life.

And that face up there? Only one of the many facial contortions I mustered throughout the ordeal and by far the least impressive.







Andrew, too, felt pretty empowered when he was able to drive the truck with posts through the field.



8 year old boys like that sort of thing.



It was difficult to decide where to put the pasture.  It seemed silly to put it across the road from the barn since we'll have to be hauling animals twice a day across the road.  But then again, the only running water source (a creek) happens to be BEHIND the house and to put the pasture there means not having to haul 20+ gallons of water a day to thirsty animals in the summertime.  Eventually, Matt just put some posts in the ground and there was no going back.

I don't really prefer the pasture fence being so up close to the house.  I call it the 'prison fence'.  Matt says I have come a long way~ from being a 'city girl' to feeling claustrophobic and boxed in by a pasture.  But there it is. 

I hope to eventually get used to it. 

 

In the meantime, two sides of the pasture are lined with fence posts.  Two more sides to go.  And then Penny (our Jersey) and Skeeter (our mini dwarf horse) can roam free as birds. 

Or as free as Jerseys and dwarf-horses.

May my fingers and hands stay firmly intact throughout the remainder of this pasture project.