The T-post.
There are dozens of ways to build a fence…and the field fence in the mid-west is typically 3 or 4 stands of barb wire strung on T-posts every 8 feet or so. When the farm has one pond, there used an interior fence that protected the pod from the cattle. It runs down to the big pond and into the water across part of it — then between the little pond and the road. This weekend had two projects — to take our the main section of fence that runs on the East side of the little pond….the second project was running a bush hog through the deep grass where the tractor might get stuck. Bush hogging thick wild areas takes time and muscle. Along the way, I found a few distractions.
The fence line came out pretty easily. I had the barb wire down in an hour or so for 280 feet more or less. I coiled the old barb wire and set it in the junk file for a trip to the dump.
The T-posts came out with the help of a T-Post puller — a $40 tool I had to hunt all over to find, but when i found one at Harbor Freight, I knew the job would go quickly. 30 or so posts later and the fence above is gone. On the next run through with the mower, it will be a distant memory.
This bush hog has a 30 inch deck — not wide — but I’m not sure I’d want to push more through the waist deep jungle of grass and weeds. Yes, it’s powered, but it takes a strong set of muscles to maneuvers it around and over the ant and termite hills, the fallen trees, and the muck. There is a dear man grip for the propulsion and a second for the blade — which means you grip this tightly for hours on end.
If i were to name this, I’d name it “Jaws”. It eats anything and everything and lays down a carpet or organic mulch. Everyone should own one — but they are $2K – $3K and I rented this one for $70 for the holiday weekend……I can rent many many times for $2K
The ultimate in buffet is the tailgate. I stopped about 5:00 to catch dinner from the pond. I cleaned the fish and cooked them on the Coleman stove using a vintage 1960′s Girl Scout aluminum mess kit.
After dinner, I cut a half mile trail around the ponds and to the end of the property. Halfway back, I looked to the south to watch the sunlight paint the surrounding farms with light.
The farm gently rolls, varying about 50 feet in altitude — or roughly a 5 story building. From the highest point, you can see much of the Eastern and Southern parts of the county. It would be a great place to build a shelter for get aways…or a lookout tower.
