When "That'll Do" Doesn't Do

In THIS POST from July, I put forward a tactic we many times employ of not necessarily going to all the expense, time, and trouble of doing things perfectly on our little farm.  Sometimes, a quick and dirty fix works just fine... and sometimes it doesn't.

In that previous post we showed how a Chinaberry tree fell across a fence that separate the bulls from our cows.  When it is not breeding time, we like to keep the bulls in the 'bull pen.'  There are just too much hormones and rough-housing going on to have the bulls together with the cows.  When the tree fell across the fence, it was hot, humid, wet, muddy, and I didn't feel like fixing the fence properly.  Instead, I got some tie wire (there is nothing that can't be fixed with tie wire, duct tape, a cheater pipe and a big hammer!) and simply tied the fencing to the fence post with the wire.  There.  Done.

Except it wasn't.  We arrived home from vacation and the first thing we noticed was one of the goats (Matilda) had wire wrapped around both back legs (she's fine now) and the second thing was that the bulls were with the cows.  They broke down the fence in its weakest point - where I patched it with tie wire.

This weekend I had to fix it right.  I did have a problem.  I got my come-along and tried to pull the hog-wire fencing to the post.  No matter how tight I pulled it, I couldn't get it to a point where I could staple the fencing to the existing post.  I thought of several options.  Should I put a gate there?  No, I don't need another gate.  Should I splice in some fence?  No, it would be weak, and I wouldn't be able to pull it tight.

I decided on putting another post in the ground, pull the fence tight to the new post and staple it.  Then I made a ladder.  It fixes my problem.  It is cheaper/easier than erecting a gate.  It provides a tight, strong fence, with quick access to the bull pen. 

I kind of like the gate fix/ladder.  Clarabull isn't enamored by it.  You can see him looking at it with disdain in the photo above after I moved him back into the bull pen.

Aussie will join Clarabull in the bull pen shortly as soon as we can either determine that the cows are bred by seeing them NOT come into heat during their cycle, or if we decide on having them palpated to confirm pregnancy.  Aussie is staring at the new ladder, too, possibly scheming the next jail break.  I don't think they'll be able to break out again.