Friday, October 1, 2010

fence problems corrected... again

Okay, I am almost positive I have the ram pasture fence problems fixed.  I spent the last five hours restretching fence across the creek and adding new panels over the creek in two locations.  I cut the panels to the shape of the creek all the way to the ground!
 I have now figured out that I am not really a fan of high tension wire.  It must have inline tighteners placed or it just goes limp.  The tighteners are around $15-20/each and you need one for each continuous stretch of wire.  So on a 6 wire fence it adds up fast.  They also make a spring you are supposed to insert for another $15.  The lesson here is you want a very long stretch of wire.  I have been thinking about using the high tension wire for my vineyard.  I will definitely use the tighteners and leave the wire loose at the posts so I can tighten it whenever I want. 
So the butcher called today and said they would be out tomorrow to slaughter Speckled Butt and Hershey.  So I herded them all into the loading pen with food.  I had all the sheep in there.  The problem is there was no real way to sort them out.  I had to stand by the gate to operate it.  I got it down to three sheep, then Speckle Butt leaped up at the gate opening just as I was slamming it shut.  Now the sheep managed to be about five feet off the ground and weighs in around 150#.  It would have taken me down!  I couldn't get the gate shut fast enough and he escaped.    So I just locked up the barn lot and came inside to get more help. 
It looks like fence repair will have to be an ongoing effort every year.  I had to fix another gate today also.  I was hoping to leave it alone for the next twenty years...  guess that won't be happening. 

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