Tending to & Mending the Fences

farm fencingCaring for a farm always means that there are things that need to be done. Whether you are caring for the animals, picking vegetables, putting out fresh hay in the barn, gathering eggs, or doing some other chore; there is an endless list of things you must do. Then on top of that, you must also work to maintain the property. This upkeep may not have to be done daily, but it is always there; waiting for you to notice that you need to do a little something more. It is especially true for the fences you have around your farm. Without them, your animals may wander away. Therefore, you will most likely need to spend a lot of your time tending to and mending the fences; especially if you have horses to care for.

Fence Troubles

Horse Pushing fenceAll animals love grass. Cows, goats, horses, and all other animals will search for grass and graze on it constantly. Often, they view the fences around them as obstacles and a grazing animal can push a fence to its limit. They are firm believers in “The Grass is Always Greener” and they will do what they can to prove it. They will push against it, put their head through it, and at times; go over it. This means that fence troubles happen more often than you may expect when you first get into raising animals. It also means that you will spend a lot of time looking around your farm’s perimeter in search of issues with the fence.

How Often Should You Check Fences?

fence repairsYou will want to check your fences quite often. However, it depends on the type of fence you have as to how often you will need to check it for issues. Wire fences may not need to be checked for tightness any more than twice a year unless you know you have a rowdy animal. Wooden fences that have been treated can be checked less often than those that have not been treated; especially if they have been treated with fiberglass resin and cloth. A great resource for this process is Epoxy Countertop DIY. Electric fences will need to be checked more often to ensure that grass isn’t touching them. On average, you may want to ride the fence line at least monthly to ensure that your animals do not end up roaming off your property.

The Tools You Need

Repairing a fence requires pretty much the same tools as installing it, but it also depends on the type of fence. A wooden fence may only require you to have a post hole digger and a drill for screwing loose boards back into place. If there is a post that constantly becomes loosened from the dirt, you may want to put in an expandable foam filling instead of concrete and dirt. The same is true for wire fences, but if you have them, you may also want to have a fence stretcher to ensure that it stays tight; no matter how often your animals push against it. Other tools include hammers, nails, fence staples, and more. Luckily, there is nothing hard about fence repair. It simply takes a little time to do and a little searching for issues.