Orchard fencing completed today.

Orchard creek crossing.

 It is done!  The orchard fencing is completed.  Sarah and Monica went out with me today and we installed the wire and a few ton of rocks to hold the embankment in place.  Sarah fetched rocks for four hours while Monica and I built fence.  We used the rocks to stiffen the low spot where the creek had diverted and dug a channel through the orchard.  I filled in about two feet of the ditch last year with the tractor.  Luckily, we only had to add a couple of extra layers of smooth wire just over the white posts to make up for the height difference. 

Orchard far corner,

 The white posts are pressure treated 4x4 from an old fence behind the in-laws house that got torn down this winter.  I am reusing the posts.

We used cattle panel to go down both sides of the creek and across it.  They just seem to work the best for creek crossings.  I have tried other ways but the ability to raise and lower them as the water level changes is amazing.  Plus, it is very had to support a woven fence across open water.  Too much hassle.  I managed to salvage off one full panel and 3 partial pieces after fixing all the fence. 

 

Low spot, repurposed fencing and 3 ton of rocks.

When we went in for lunch the cows ran through the open fencing and down to the school house in the bottoms.  The bull had been trumpeting all morning.  Well we went inside and he ran down to the school house because on the other side of the road there are 20 full size angus bulls.  He got up on the road and stomped up and down making a weird noise somewhere between a sick bull bellow and a bull elk whistle.  It is pretty odd to hear.  Annmarie was just coming back from town and called me on my cell phone.  So we sent Zeke her way and walked down to the school house. There were holes all over the fence down by the road.  More holes to fix when I start in on the perimeter fencing.  My next fencing is to install wire on my new divider I installed last fall.  Once that is done then I will start working on the perimeter fence.  Most likely down by our in laws house.  I need to install a gate and then start putting the sheep fencing back into the fence.