We are fencing in a little over a third of an acre to start with. The plans are to grow annual type fruits and vegetables, enough to sustain four of us. And when we have extra, we plan on selling it at a local farmers market. The area picked for the fenced in space is where some soil was already removed for the upcoming 50x100 building. So it was a great time to start a garden with freshly turned up soil, so the hay wont grow where I want smaller plants.
But for now, we must build the fence that keeps out the deer as they will eat just about everything I want to grow. They can jump very high, and depending on how dense the population of deer the more agile they become. Around here we have a lot of deer, so needing a tall fence is something that we needed to get.
It showed up on a pallet, weighing over a thousand pounds. The pallet jack in the delivery truck would not budge it. So we had to resort to dragging it out with my Jeep and tow straps. Slowly I pulled the pallet over forty feet to the loading ramp of the tractor trailer. What was a new experience for sure.. I guess they assume whoever is receiving these pallets will have a forklift or whatever to unload.
In the end we got it out without breaking anything (I do not think you can really break a deer fence). And I dragged it a few hundred feet until it was in the middle of the clearing.
Held together with straps and wrapped with plastic I just left it out in the field for a few days until we were ready to start.
First was to mark the four corners of the garden. And measure to make sure we have enough fencing. I bought 500 feet, and we will keep it a little under that so we have more than enough.
Running a string and 100' tape measure, we drive in the ground stakes every fifteen feet.
Driving in poles took some patience, starting off with little taps until its firmly into the ground.
The hard work begun when driving in the stakes, they have to go a few feet into the ground.
My friend is a very hard worker, and honestly I think he drove in more than I did. Glad we only had a few dozen to drive in, if I wanted to fence in an area of multiple acres I would need so many more. So glad we are starting with something smaller. Around 14,000 square feet.
Maybe there is a machine we can buy to do this, but glad both of us could wield a sledge hammer and get it all done.
The little black dots are the ground stakes driven all the way in the ground. Or as far as we could without deforming the holes.
Trading off between driving in ground stakes we got it done in around an hour.
Once the ground stakes are in, the 8 foot poles slide in.
Hah! A little crooked, we tried using levels when pounding them in. But I found it hard to keep them going in straight.
We can see the ground stakes along with one pole in the ground.
The budge is from driving them into the ground. We did not want to rip the pipe open so we stopped when it started doing that.
The sledge driving cap was quite battered by the end. But it held up.
As we were wrapping up for the day, another shipment came in. A 30x30' enclosure, will be having my ducks, chickens and honey bees there in the future. But for now we need to finish building the deer fence. Will also need to purchase a chicken house, a kit probably. But for now I want to get the enclosures up.
What's next?
Next is to rent a skid steer and drill holes in the ground for the corner posts and gate posts. Then we can pour concrete and set them.. Once dried we can finally attaching the welded wire fencing, and mount the gate doors.
Looking good! You have been exceedingly busy and now the place is exploding with activity! Don't be surprised to find a deer in your fenced-in area. As you know, they can fly like they are carrying Santa's sleigh.
I planted my nut trees first because they take so long to mature. Even one or two to get started. I have 17 black walnuts and 17 pecan trees. They bear heavily! I want to put a couple of butternut trees in, I love the sweet buttery flavor of them. I plant peaches everywhere I go, and they bear fruit after the first year. Yay!
I am really excited for you and it looks like you are in business there!
Good luck!
Thanks much, yep things are speeding up now and will get pretty crazy for the next few months building all this out.
Ah okay, well if they do get in I plan on opening the gates so they can escape gracefully. Haha!
Oh nice, I plan on starting some fruit and nut trees. But this 1/3 acre is going to be only annuals for now. Next to the fenced in area I may expand later on and fence in the rest of the clearing to add more long term fruit and nut trees. Hoping we can do that next year.
Nice, I need to find some peach trees that flower later. My peach tree in Georgia would flower too early, frost would kill buds and fruits would rarely form. I think I need the freestone variety.
Best of luck with all your fruit and nut trees.
The type of gas-powered post pounders in this article may be just what you're looking for. Some models of these can be configured to work a variety of different posts.
https://homesthetics.net/best-gas-powered-post-driver/
Oh nice! Yeah I could see myself getting those when I fence in a few acres.
Thanks for the tip
No problem. They also make manual versions of these that are less than $30, and a little easier to operate than a sledge hammer.
Oh nice, I will check some of those out as well.
Holy shit what a project!
Fruit trees take a while to bear just that so this is a project with a little vision. I have a tough time with rabbits and fuzzy face McGee in the garden. I couldn’t imagine having to content with them if they could jump an 8 foot fence.
Really looking forward to following this adventure as it comes together. Awesome content for #gardenhive (or is it #hivegarden?)
Hah yep it sure well be.
So now I am focusing on annual veggies and fruits, but eventually I will fence in a whole other area for perennial nut and fruit trees.
Luckily I bought a rodent guard to go around the bottom few feet of the fence so hopefully that will help against smaller pests.
Ah yeah will do updates as I have them, figured once I have some plants in the ground I can make some good Hive gardening posts.
That's a lot of work, when I was younger I remember seen my two cousins, in the countryside, build an enclosure for horses at their boss house, that's a lot of work hammering down the posts as you did, not something I would like to do as I'm not a handyman guy 😅, looking good, post photos of the finish work ✌️
Oh man I feel for your cousins, it is indeed hard work. Well hope it all came together nicely in the end for them.
Will do an update post once we make some more progress.
They are grown men so its fine but they were feeling the heat that day jajaja 🤣
Glad you are building a fence for the deer. I swear they are evil once they know where food is. I grew a backyard garden that wasn't fenced in and a deer nibbled here and there but it wasn't a big deal. The next year, s/he told all of their friends and my back yard garden was decimated. So, I hate deer now.
Yeah bud, that is exactly why I am building one. That sucks they decimated your whole garden..
Hope you get to fence one in, one day.
Yeah, it was my in-laws garden. I grew it but used their space. I’m actually looking for land right now to start my own homestead.
A couple years ago I ran across a similar height fence to keep deer out of the road. Something must have been chasing the deer because it smashed into the fence and globs of fire were the only thing left stuck to the fence.
Looks like you got projects that are gonna last forever. Sound like a lot of fun to me, a lot of work but fun. This is gonna be really cool to watch your property take shape.
Oh damn, yeah the fences can be invisible until you get right up on them so I can see how a deer would crash into it. Hoping mine can take a hit like that.
Yeah this phase of building out is going to be hard work, but once done looking forward to enjoying the fruits of it.
This is lot work :)) ... I hope this works also out good in long run :)
Hey bud long time no see, sure is....and thanks man me too.
take care
Npr .... :)) I have been busy also :)) To lot things to look in internet and read all coin news all time :))
If you have to make a line again in the future, a chalk line first and then spraypaint so you can see that you're straight can be super useful. Bit of paint isn't going to hurt the ground any and it can really help keep you going on target!
Ah good idea, I think we lined up the posts well. As long as they are around fifteen feet from each other Im good.
Just their angle driven in is a little off. I was thinking of throwing a tow strap around the bottom of them by the dirt and trying to pull them a little more straight.
Ohh! Yeah, that'd work for sure I think!
Pretty interesting as it helps the enivironmsnt and the people for providing food, keep up the great work!
Wow, this is an amazing project o.o keep it up!
Hah you got it!
That's a lot of work you have to put into this little project but a must-do for sure! As lovely the deers are, as much disaster they can produce in this kind of place that will bring lots of vegetables and fruits alive. Can't wait to see the next step and all the progress!
Sure is, I have just heard too many sad stories of gardens destroyed by them. And there are lots of them around here.
Cool, will do some update posts as it all comes along.
It's a good thing, my friend, that the advances and improvements continue, little by little you will have a good result of all that you have worked for, I love that you have a wide field for your activities.
Yep I think we will get there eventually. All these projects will more or less form into the final farm.
That's the way it will be my friend, keep working hard and as we say in Venezuela, you have to eat the green ones to eat the ripe ones later.
Looks great, man. You've been working hard. I wonder what your property will look like after all this. Look how your friend erected the posts with a sledgehammer! He's so strong 💪.
I see you are making new land for farming, starting from preparing to make fences to providing soil wrapping paper, it is indeed very difficult to make it until it is ready to plant it, but at harvest we can feel the results of our work so far. Thank you for sharing with us. Good luck, friend.
If you have not discovered them yet take a look at a: Bekaert Wire Twisting Tool
The brand does not matter but whoa do they make working with welded wire fencing easier!
Excellent plan @solominer o the cultivation of fruits and vegetables of the annual type, especially if it will be enough to, stay with these crops and logically their products. I wish you much success in your crops, which require a lot of care. I thank you for your visits to my publications.
Doing that job is not easy or maybe I'm a woman. I congratulate and wish you well.