Friday, August 28, 2009

Building fence, and look what the cows brought home!

Yesterday it was cloudy and damp, but Cliff and I got out there and put electric fence around the newly-planted field. It's on a slope, and if the horses and cows walk around on the soft ground, their footprints can become a place for water to run in and create a ditch, when it rains.

Besides, the horses love to roll in mud; that's what happened here. Not good for little seedlings.

We use little thin posts for electric fence, but the corner posts have to be sturdier; so Cliff drove T-posts first. That post driver weighs perhaps twenty pounds. You lift it up...

then drive it down, with all the force you can muster. When I was raising calves in hutches, I became all too well acquainted with that post driver, every time I moved a calf hutch and its pen to fresh ground.

We got all the electric fence posts in, and the wire is up; as yet, though, it isn't electrified. It's OK, the cows and horses don't know it isn't turned on.

Last night the cows came up and brought a guest along:

the neighbor's Angus bull. I have him penned up now, but he surely isn't liking it much. Here's hoping he doesn't tear down a fence before the neighbor comes to get him!

I'm rather proud of myself, getting the bull trapped in the small pen all by myself while Cliff was at work. I try not to let on, but I'm a little afraid of bulls.

8 comments:

  1. You did good. I am a lot afraid of bulls. Always have been. Helen

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  2. I would have more than a little afraid for sure. I guess he like your cow gals there. Maybe that is why he doesn't mind sticking around.

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  3. Anonymous12:11 PM

    I can't imagine rounding up a bull. You are one gutsy lady. Vicki

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  4. John has a post driver but I want no part of it. Good job getting the bull in. John has a fit if he sees me feeding one of the bulls by hand.

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  5. WOW!! You are a brave lady. the only bull around here is what Hubby throws.

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  6. Most, not all, Angus bulls have a gentle nature unless there is a cow ready for whoopie

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  7. I'm thinking you are wise to be a little weary of bulls. Admiring you and Cliff for all your hard work.

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  8. Once again you bring back a memory ... of my father. There was a dairy here years ago, Cherry Hill Farm & Dairy. My dad used to 'manage' the bulls. We'd go on a Sunday to visit the cows and he'd hop into the bull pen as if there was nothing to worry or think about.

    I'm too chicken to ever do that!

    Hope your neighbors arrived to retrieve their bull.

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