Sheep fencing gone wrong…
This farm is a tapestry of wonderful stories. The stories that have made us laugh are the ones we tell time and time again. Believe me, there are more then a few.
This is one of my favorites….
Remember, I was a single gal with no farming background when this all began. Albeit determined, I had a lot to learn and I quickly figured that out. When I bought the farm there had been cattle here but never sheep. Sheep require much different fencing then cattle. I hired the first fence out but after paying that bill I realized I would starve if I hired out all the fencing that needed doing.
What was this educated capable gal to do? Of course, I’'ll “educate” I thought. I started my search. How was I going to find a class on fencing? For anyone considering a life in agriculture, let me tell you, the resources are truly immence. I stumbled upon a wonderful resource, Warren Wilson College. Of all things they had a fencing class. I put on my perfect farm attire and my newly purchased farm boots and drove to Warren Wilson where I participated in a class on putting up a proper livestock fence. Someone asked if I was the only “girl” there. I don’t recall that being the case. Maybe? The good news is if I didn’t notice that I must have been there for all the right reasons. Notes? I took plenty. It was alot to take in but hopefully I was armed and ready.
I cannot say how long it actually took before I put my new knowledge to work. I do hope it was the next day but I’m doubtful. At that point I was still working off the farm to help support my plans so my days were busy. It does not matter when I made my first stab at fencing, only that I did it. Waiting to apply what I had learned might have been a bit worrisome in that I might forget something. Forgetting was clearly not my problem.
On the day of my grand adventure, feeling so proud and capable, I put on my jeans, boots and t shirt (I loved my new wardrobe) and loaded up Floyd, my vintage Ford PU with the fence posts, fence wire and appropriate fence tools, and headed to the pasture where my second fence was planned.
Hands rubbed together in a gesture of expectation, I began. I walked each post to the spot where it would be placed. One at a time I banged the posts into position. It was a beautiful day and I was no doubt full of myself. It definitely added to my state of mind looking around at these beautiful vistas staring back at me. I felt at one with the great outdoors. Now hands brushed together in a gesture of completion I knew it was time to start a strand of wire. I was pulling and securing the wire in about 250 foot stretches…remember a football field is 300 feet. I had 3 sides to complete. The forth side included a barn and my first fence. Pulling the wire around took no time. Securing the wire with clips took a bit more. I had to wear my leather gloves because the clips could be difficult to bend, even with the coolest possible tools. And we all know, the leather gloves just added to my demeanor! One wire near the bottom, then perfectly spaced, 3 more. 4 clips per post, one row and a time. Before I knew it, the job was complete! DONE!
I cannot tell you the pride! This girl had done it! All those nay sayers, LOOK AT ME NOW! I just put up a farm fence! If I could high five my self I woulda. But I think I understood the cock-a-doodle-do of a rooster, if only for a moment.
I pulled my self up to the tailgate of my Ford F-150 pick up , slid up on that “ farmers throne” to take in what I had accomplished!
Golly Girl!
As I peered around the fence in awe, I realized one MAJOR problem.
I had just spent the day building an awesome fence and there was no gate! Yep, you read that right folks, I hadn’t painted myself into a corner, I’d fenced myself in…. Good Lordy. All I could do is laugh….
If you can’t laugh at yourself, your cooked…Elizabeth Taylor
In the Beginning
-
September 2024
- Sep 10, 2024 Back to basics with sheep healthcare Sep 10, 2024
- Sep 10, 2024 Mac and Cheese Bites Sep 10, 2024
-
August 2024
- Aug 12, 2024 Tales of a female farmer Aug 12, 2024
-
July 2024
- Jul 12, 2024 Caring for sheep hides Jul 12, 2024
- Jul 11, 2024 Cucumber Lemonade Jul 11, 2024
- Jul 1, 2024 Cucumber Gazpacho Jul 1, 2024
-
May 2024
- May 23, 2024 Almonds, Sweet and Spicy May 23, 2024
-
January 2024
- Jan 17, 2024 Sheep fencing gone wrong… Jan 17, 2024
- Jan 17, 2024 In the beginning :Tales from the shepherd Jan 17, 2024
-
April 2023
- Apr 3, 2023 The journey to vegetarian, or not? Apr 3, 2023
-
March 2023
- Mar 20, 2023 Making sense of scents, or not... Mar 20, 2023
-
February 2023
- Feb 26, 2023 Lamb Sliders Feb 26, 2023
-
March 2022
- Mar 15, 2022 HOW TO BE THE BEST SHEPHERD: Lessons from a sheep Mar 15, 2022
-
January 2022
- Jan 17, 2022 Lamb Bone Broth /Stock Jan 17, 2022
-
April 2021
- Apr 26, 2021 Farming through Covid Apr 26, 2021
-
June 2020
- Jun 19, 2020 Turning 60 Jun 19, 2020
-
January 2020
- Jan 12, 2020 wool dryer ball transparency Jan 12, 2020
-
September 2019
- Sep 10, 2019 It's hard not to project Sep 10, 2019
-
June 2019
- Jun 21, 2019 Weaning, a whole new meaning Jun 21, 2019
- Jun 17, 2019 Strawberry Balsamic Basil Pops Jun 17, 2019
- Jun 10, 2019 Collard Salad Jun 10, 2019
-
February 2019
- Feb 28, 2019 Shearing Day was not a washout! Feb 28, 2019
- Feb 5, 2019 The life of a sheep! Feb 5, 2019
-
January 2019
- Jan 25, 2019 Lamb Liver Paté Jan 25, 2019
-
August 2018
- Aug 23, 2018 Pokeweed, Friend or Foe? Aug 23, 2018
-
July 2018
- Jul 20, 2018 Cucumbers Galore Jul 20, 2018
-
September 2016
- Sep 5, 2016 Mother Nature's Lessons Sep 5, 2016
-
August 2016
- Aug 23, 2016 Walking the Walk Aug 23, 2016
-
July 2015
- Jul 2, 2015 To Wean or not to Wean Jul 2, 2015
-
February 2015
- Feb 1, 2015 Sustainability & Our Precious Soil Feb 1, 2015
-
July 2014
- Jul 24, 2014 Squash Lasagna Jul 24, 2014
- Jul 24, 2014 Squash Squares Jul 24, 2014
-
June 2014
- Jun 2, 2014 Sustainability...What's it all about! Jun 2, 2014
-
May 2014
- May 29, 2014 What I know now.... May 29, 2014
-
April 2014
- Apr 4, 2014 Is the boss the farmer or the sheep? Apr 4, 2014
- Apr 3, 2014 Felted Chicks Apr 3, 2014
-
January 2014
- Jan 28, 2014 Lamb Ribs Jan 28, 2014
- Jan 26, 2014 DIY Wool Dryer Balls Jan 26, 2014
- Jan 15, 2014 Let the New Year Begin Jan 15, 2014
- Jan 13, 2014 DIY Heat Jan 13, 2014
-
October 2013
- Oct 30, 2013 WHOLEsome Food: EGGS Oct 30, 2013
- Oct 7, 2013 Cinnamon Pickles Oct 7, 2013
- Oct 7, 2013 Dog Biscuits Oct 7, 2013
-
September 2013
- Sep 18, 2013 Peaches, Peaches everywhere Sep 18, 2013
-
August 2013
- Aug 14, 2013 The Spider and the Butterfly Aug 14, 2013
-
July 2013
- Jul 30, 2013 They don't wear galoshes Jul 30, 2013
- Jul 21, 2013 Blackberry Lime Jam Jul 21, 2013
- Jul 11, 2013 Lamb Sliders Jul 11, 2013
- Jul 9, 2013 Our Little Orchard Jul 9, 2013
- Jul 2, 2013 The Hay Bale Fiasco Jul 2, 2013
-
May 2013
- May 17, 2013 My Secret Place May 17, 2013
- May 2, 2013 April. Did I miss it? May 2, 2013
-
March 2013
- Mar 28, 2013 Prada to Carhart Mar 28, 2013
-
February 2013
- Feb 21, 2013 Puttin Up the Fence Feb 21, 2013
- Feb 7, 2013 Lovely Cup of Chai Feb 7, 2013
- Feb 5, 2013 Looking for Llama's Feb 5, 2013
-
January 2013
- Jan 29, 2013 Winter Garden Jan 29, 2013
- Jan 24, 2013 The rams are back in their pasture Jan 24, 2013
-
September 2012
- Sep 7, 2012 Pickles! Sep 7, 2012
-
June 2012
- Jun 13, 2012 Morning Gifts Jun 13, 2012
- Jun 5, 2012 Finding the Words Jun 5, 2012
-
April 2012
- Apr 13, 2012 The girls and a few token boys! Apr 13, 2012
-
March 2012
- Mar 30, 2012 Flavor! Mar 30, 2012
-
October 2011
- Oct 9, 2011 Hay. A little three letter word that packs a PUNCH! Oct 9, 2011
-
July 2011
- Jul 22, 2011 The Glorious Tomato Jul 22, 2011
-
February 2011
- Feb 10, 2011 Shearing Day 2011 Feb 10, 2011
-
November 2010
- Nov 30, 2010 This farm gives me Goose Bumps Nov 30, 2010
-
July 2010
- Jul 23, 2010 Another aHaa Moment in Farming Jul 23, 2010
-
February 2010
- Feb 24, 2010 Farmers Wearing Lace? Feb 24, 2010
- Feb 16, 2010 Girls with no Coats Feb 16, 2010
-
January 2010
- Jan 4, 2010 Midnite on the farm Jan 4, 2010
-
April 2009
- Apr 22, 2009 Hard Day on the Farm Apr 22, 2009
- Apr 15, 2009 Lamb Meatballs Apr 15, 2009
- Apr 14, 2009 Spring Apr 14, 2009
- Apr 14, 2009 Roasted Coffee Marinated Leg of Lamb Apr 14, 2009
- Apr 13, 2009 In the Beginning Apr 13, 2009