Mending Fences

Last week I pulled in the driveway from work and something was just not right, but I couldn't put my finger on what was wrong.  Then I noticed it.  Popcorn, the Billy Goat, was IN the garden!  Oh no.  The first item of business was to get him out.  I rushed up to him and grabbed him by the collar as he munched on sweet potato vines.  I got him out of the garden and quickly over the bridge and back into the pasture.  Fortunately, he must have just gotten in.  He didn't damage much, besides eating the leaves on the okra plants and stepping all over the freshly planted lettuce.

The second order of business was to determine how he got in and then fix the problem.  It didn't take me long to discover it.  The area of encroachment was the southwest corner.  The goats (and cows) have a bad habit of leaning over the fence and eating sugar cane.  Now I don't see how they do this.  Sugar cane leaves are sharp as razors.  It seems like that would not feel good on your tongue, but to each his own, I guess.

The constant leaning into the fence weakened it, not to mention that I cut corners and instead of using treated 4x4's, I used untreated landscape timbers for fenceposts on all but the corner.  These rotted and on this particular day, when they leaned in to each sugarcane, the post gave way and Popcorn popped right over the fence.  You can see Popcorn in his mugshot standing in front of his handiwork.  You can also see, on his left ear, a gash.  That comes compliment of Belle, our great Pyrenees.  Two weeks ago Popcorn thought it would be a good idea to head butt Belle into the barn.  As it turned out, it was not a good idea.  Belle went after Popcorn with retaliatory precision, biting Popcorn's ear and ripping.  There was weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Popcorn won't do that again.  

I quickly bolstered the leaning fence with a cattle panel until I had time to fix it.  I moved this project to the top of the list and waited for the weekend.

This time, I went to the lumberyard and purchased treated 4x4s.  Using a post hole digger, I dug three holes two feet deep and filled halfway with soil, tamping it down.  I put a level on each side and squared everything and then put quickcrete around the posts and watered.  After letting it set, I used a come-a-long to pull the fencing tight and stapled the fencing to the posts, creating a impenetrable border.  (hopefully)

I realize having a lush garden surrounded by pasture can be a major temptation, but the animals (humans, too, right?) need borders.

The time spent mending fences was a significant investment of time and required some monetary outlay.  Time will tell if, and for how long, the fence will hold up, but I'll remain vigilant to maintaining a strong border fence.  Goats in the garden is never a good thing.