December 11, 2020
At the end of each grazing season, we take down all of our temporary electric fencing, and as time allows we get them ready again for spring. Each fence is 165 feet long with 10 electrified strands of wire embedded string, strung between fiberglass posts 10 feet apart. The fences, also known as netting, are extremely useful for keeping the animals in, or out, of specific areas for short periods of time. We have tall nets that work well for the sheep and very short ones that work well for the pigs, (at least until they learn to jump).
So while nephew Dave and I have been swamp fencing and inoculating shiitake logs, Anne has stoically taken on the task of “mending fences” this year. She unrolls each fence, one at a time, and untangles the tangles, splices the rips, replaces any missing caps, connectors or posts and weaves new wire embedded string as needed. During the summer we move the fencing frequently and by summers end they all become an incorrigible, unmanageable, tangled mess. They constantly get snagged on branches, stumps, rocks, and roots, (insert expletives here) chewed on by raccoons, coyotes or porcupines (presumably when the fence isn't electrified) and perhaps maybe (though it has never been proven) accidentally run over by the tractor (please don't tell Anne).
It's a very time consuming task but it's satisfying when each roll is completed and safely stowed away until spring. Even though I am a firm believer in putting things off whenever possible- (I like to tell myself “that is what tomorrow is for”). - I know, all too well, that once the lambs start arriving in the spring, there is absolutely no time to do anything but keep the little buggers alive and well,- so the time for mending fences is now.