Hiccup Starts...

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Seems getting a project done always includes hiccup beginnings, and getting the electric fence put in was no exception.

As we went out to pound in the three grounding rods, we realized that the fenceline needed to be moved. It had been curving down around the pool area...





It went up again nearer the house, so the horses would have a little more pasture area...





and then went back up again down by the greenhouse frame.





We had been planning on extending the garden area sideways, toward the fruit crop direction, but instead we decided to extend it upward toward the house and move the fence so it would be straight and parallel (as close as you can get in with lopsided everything) to the house area.

We used a hose to mark the straight line we would follow. I took this photo when we were done along this area.





If you remember this amazing contraption my dad built for us last year, we fell in love with it all over again. It made getting the posts out a breeze! This one is dug out because we started that before Michael remembered how to drop the winch down further.





You just park it over a fence post, hang the winch from the ring at the top and wrap a chain around the post.





If you are on a hill, use a board. Some of the hills were so steep, we actually place the frame uphill from the post, right next to it, instead of directly over the top. Start winching...





...and the post comes right out!





We also moved some of the posts to create an interior fenceline inside the original fence. That's where we planted the blueberries. Since the compost bins are down there and we'd like to plant fruit trees along there as well, we are closing it off from the horses.





We dismantled the garden fence so we can redo that. The horses had trampled it down beyond repair, so it will be new and improved with this new electric system.

We also began mowing. Guess who ran over the electric wires we had laid down from the old system? Yeah, me. I was near them, Michael yelled something to me, and I began trying to look and hear him instead of where I was going. I wonder if he was telling me to watch out for the wires...

Here he is untangling the mess.





We don't have a working weed whacker, so we have to rely on sprays along edges of buildings and fences. Usually we have to do it so often that it gets away from us. We decided to invest in this stuff, which is very costly, but we are only going to use it on the most problematic areas, and hope that the one application will last for the whole growing season. The regular Round-Up will have to do for the easier stuff.





These little sprayers are sure uncomfortable on your back. You have to bend down a long way for long periods. So that's what I did while Michael fixed the mower blades.





We both soaked up as much sunshine as we could. I'm sure our Vitamin D levels are horribly low. I've been having a tough time dealing with the dreary weather all winter, so I was so happy to finally be out enjoying a sunny day of 75 degrees in a short skirt and spaghetti strap top. I even got a little sunburned. But we sure feel a lot better!

Today has another list. It's spring break so we are using it to full advantage!

~Faith

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