The Fence is FINALLY Complete!!!

All the days start to blur together.  Today was yet another FENCE DAY!!!  It seems like we've had quite a bit of those.  And to think, just a couple weeks ago, I thought I could buy a farm and throw piggies on it a few days later.

NOPE!!!

The goal for today was to complete the fence!!!

A better view of yesterday's project.  This is the south side fence.  We needed to complete the east side today.

Our gate from yesterday.

Dad and I started on the east side.  All we had to do was install three panels there.  We had that done in about 25 minutes.  Hopefully the rest of the day would go this smooth.  My goal was to be done by noon.

NOPE!!!

If you are ever wondering how to haul 16-foot fence in an 8-foot bed, well, sometimes you have to get creative.

The first three panels were up in about 25 minutes!  We were feeling good!!!  It was to be short-lived.

After the east fence, we moved to the northwest corner of the barn.  It was kind of a mess here.  The previous owner had an electric fence that came out of the barn and connected via a braided wire to the fence.  It was a pretty dismal design, but I guess it was functional.  I chose to remove it all.

The electric fence was mounted over those two large posts.  I chose to take it all down.

It wasn't the prettiest.

Also, two gates were installed as fence here.  I only wanted one functioning 18-foot gate.  The other one had already been removed and used on the south side of the barn.  In order to do the project right, Dad and I chose to keep the fence line straight and to move a couple of posts around.  Several of the posts were rotten, so I replaced the one right next to the barn with a solid one.

The large posts are gone, and the wiring has been removed, hence the ladder.

The gate that we moved to the west.  It was used as a fence, not a gate previously.

Then we chose to use an old telephone pole that had been erected in the middle of the pasture.  That proved to be our undoing!!!  This pole was buried FOUR FEET deep!!!  Not only that, but when digging these poles out, I am finding a VERY HIGH water table.  At the bottom of all of these poles is solid water.  It's actually pretty impressive.  I guess the good news is my well will never run dry (I still have yet to find that well, by the way).

At the bottom of the hole is standing water.  This is the same for all the wooden posts we have removed.  I am right over an aquifer!

But Dad and I wore ourselves out trying to get this likely 200-300 lb. pole out of the mucky mess.  We even used long 4x4 posts as pry-bars and still had the hardest time.  BUT where there is a will, there is a way!!!  And we FINALLY got the ol' girl out!!!  We wanted a solid post to mount the swing-gate on.  I tell you, this 10-inch pole is more than enough!!!  I literally laid on the ground and panted after the removal.  This was better than any work-out.

The 4x4 posts we used as fulcrums and levers and everything else to get that post out.  We literally used our bodies as hydraulics.  Ouch.  Just look at the size of that hole!!!

The telephone pole was in the ground more than out of the ground.  This pole sapped all our strength early in the day!

The pole is close to 10 inches at its base.

If you wonder how hard we worked, imagine my surprise when I found these pressure bruises after getting out of the shower.  This is the shoulder that I used to lift up the lever to remove the telephone pole.  You can see the various lines.  All of those are the efforts taken before the successful removal!  That was a surprise tonight when I was brushing my teeth!!!  "What in the world..."?  But we did it!

After having that pole out, that gave me the desire to clean up the rest of the middle of the property.  Just a few days ago, this was all cattle panel cutting across the middle.  Now it's wide open!  I LOVE IT!!!  It really opens up the pasture.

Once that large telephone pole was out, I had motivation to remove the other wooden poles.  The pasture is opening up!

Speaking of pasture, the grass is REALLY turning fast.  What was a black mess of ash a week ago is now turning green!  It's probably 60% green, 40% black.  But it seems like it changes from day to dusk!  I will be needing a mower (and pigs!) before long!

The ash is being replaced by grass rather quickly!

Dad and I broke for lunch.  We were TIRED.  That telephone pole really sapped us.

This farm can be so cruel!  An animal pulled from the barn.

But once back at the property, we kept chugging along!  We looked and looked and looked for another pole to use for the swing-gate anchor (a smaller one), but the farm property didn't have one.  We were trying to get out of some work!  Dad's post-hole digger digs about 8 inches wide.  We needed 10 inches wide.  But finally Dad said, "Let's do it."  So we dug and then cleaned the hole out with a spade.  It was work, but I can assure you that that pole won't rot anytime soon!  We have a SOLID fence!!!

If you ever wonder how deep we dig those holes, here you go!  Dad doing the last turns with the post-hole digger.

The telephone pole is back in!  The gate is moved.  We now have an enclosed pasture!!!

The gate is moved to the west!  And a fence panel is installed off the barn.  So much sleeker.

And that was that!!!  That 18-foot gate was our last piece of the fence!!!  It was quite satisfying, even though we were spent.  We have spent about a week fixing fence for these upcoming piggies.  Dad asked, "So are you excited about the porkers"?  Yes, yes, I am.  I'm still a bit nervous about the fence (I don't want any escapees), but Dad didn't seem concerned at all.

The large area for the pigs to roam!

Mom faithfully came over with much-needed drinks after work.  And, of course, we worked some more!!!  Dad had one of those itches.  "Just like that green tank for you, I want to get that conduit out of the ground."  On the southwest side of the property, the previous owner had run conduit for his electric fence underground (underneath the gate).  Well, since we removed the gate, we didn't need the conduit.  Dad had to scratch his itch.

Mom and Dad removing the underground conduit.

The conduit is out!  Pa's will-power won over at the end of the day!

I elected to burn the bushes from a few days ago.

The neighbors have to wonder what is going on.  Half of the days I have owned this property have involved a large fire!  Tonight was no exception.

Dad headed home around 6:30, and Mom and I hung around a bit more.  I tell you, today was one of the first calm days of the season, and I must say, I LOVE THIS PROPERTY!!!  When the wind is dead, it's heaven!!!  We had a chilly start to the morning again (30 when I woke up), but I shed my jacket this afternoon.  And we had perfectly blue skies.

But there is always work to be done, and I didn't want to waste any time.  So I asked Mom for some help to scratch my itch.  Ever since I took ownership of this property, I had wanted to get rid of a certain poly tank in the middle of the pasture.  It was already destroyed, but I had broken it down some more today (and yesterday).

Dad had asked me after removing his conduit, "Do you have your tank out yet"?

Well-played, sir, well-played.  That comment was enough to light a fire in these tired old bones.

Challenge accepted.

My nemesis this week.  She just had to go.  I had beat on it both yesterday and today.

So I asked Mom for some help.  We loaded up the broken pieces into my truck, and then I connected the tank to my truck with a tow strap.  I then dragged that thing right out of my pasture.  That's right, Pa.  My itch has been scratched, too!!!

I drug that thing right out of the pasture and onto an old grain bin pad!

With that green tank gone, I must say this is the most idyllic setting one could ask for.  Perfect!

And I must say, what a difference!!!  Having junk laying around really just distracts you from the beauty of the pasture.  Just that simple removal alone really made the area clean up nicely.  Of course, I still have my work cut out for me with concrete steps, HUGE decorative stones, telephone poles, and a couple of wooden fences, but this pasture is going to clean up nicely.

I need a tractor to get rid of these massive stones.

Two wooden fences, a metal gate, large landscaping stones.  It's all gotta go.

I mean, let's be honest, we get pigs in just FOUR DAYS, so it's not going to grow a luscious pasture first.  But I really do want this all cleaned up!  It's on the short-term list.

But it's safe enough for the pigs to play in now.  And I love the look.

I lit a fire later this evening and kept feeding it with rotten wooden posts and various wood found throughout the pasture.  It's a never-ending job, it seems.  That pasture still has so much more in it than grass!!!

But I think Pa and I can both say we are not only relieved that the work is done, but we are happy with the work, too.  It really is a beautiful and large piece of land for pigs to roam.  As we were sitting on the patio admiring our day, Dad said, "I wish my dad was here to teach you about how to raise pigs."  Me, too, Pa, me, too.  But his legacy lives on.  Grandpa taught you about pigs, and you have taught me much about pigs, and I will teach Gabe and the girls much about pigs.  That's the beauty and pain of life.  It's so fleeting, yet legacies live on.  Grandpa is not here in person, but I can guarantee he is alive and well on my farm.

As I was taking pictures of the landscape today, I couldn't help but notice his truck in so many of the pictures.  I have so many memories with him in that very vehicle, and it continues to work hard on a farm.  I love it.

So another successful day.  My body is feeling it.  I'm sure Dad's is, too.  But THE FENCE IS COMPLETE!!!  We have pasture growing and ready for piggies!!!

I hope to secure the inside of the barn tomorrow and test out the waterer from a few days ago.  I might even make another one.  I made a call to the feed store today, and I will have 1000 pounds of pig feed waiting for me tomorrow.

So the fence is done.  The waterer is done.  The food is almost done.  All we need now are some porkers, little kids, and some memories.

I can't wait.

A wide open pasture ready for porkers.

A panoramic view of the farm.  The left fence is looking due north.  The right fence is looking due south.  Perfect!