Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[farmerjan]

I will chime in on the fence.... and you won't like it... I will NEVER EVER put up fence with 12 inch stay wires.... we have it here at the farm DS bought from the widow of our friend where we have been leasing for years. He put it up for the fencing when he did a whole bunch of fencing during one of those cost \share things that one of the gov't programs was promoting. HATE IT with a passion.....
The animals get their heads through it and they will rub and push and it will get all out of whack... making the holes bigger . I have watched the cows get their heads through after just working on getting their noses through and then pushing and eventually getting their heads through. Regardless of fixed knot or square deal type knots... they will work on it. The stay wires will move right or left....
I realize you have sheep.... not cattle.....

Although the bottom strands will be closer horizontals, the 12 in vertical stays will allow more predators to come through up higher.... chickens can go through it also.... not at ground level but still... ground hogs, foxes, and other animals will be able to go through it and a foot off the ground is not very high for any animal to try to go through it.

I get it that the height is important....

Just my 2 cents....

 

[Margali]

Baby lambs go thru 5" × 6" easily I found out. I would go with 6" spacing. It will also be more rigid since it has more strands.

 

[Ridgetop]

Isn’t that on Wood County Electric Co-op? MUCH easier to deal with! That’s who we used in Lindale. The ranch is in Wood County, it should be available to you.

Surprisingly, no. Wood County Electric Co-op only services the opposite side of Highway 154. Crazy, right? just like if we have to call the sheriff or police, we can't call the Sheriff in Sulphur Springs. They are only 10 minutes away BUT they are Hopkins County. Instead we have to call the Wood County Sheriff who is in Quitman which is 20 minutes away.

However, the Wood County Sheriff said they rarely get any calls for our area. Probably because people deal with it themselves without waiting for the sheriff. He can come out later for the clean up.

Instead of clamping another T-post on top of another, ask the men folk about buying rebar, cutting to length, I think Lowes will cut it for you, and using that instead. Cheaper, and less weight on the original T-posts.might go up faster too.

I will talk to them about that - it might be better. we also are bringing a lot of our cross arms with us. They are 10-12' long, creosoted, and measure 4" x 5". We got them when the LADWP training yard relocated. We built our barn with them and our pool deck. If we use a pole driver that attaches to a tractor or skid steer we can just drive them into the ground. If we use the post hole digger attachment, we will dig the hole and set them in concrete. They will be useful for braces. We have quite a few stacked on the field and another dozen or so down the back slope where they used to have fencing attached to them. The ground has eroded around the concrete and we can knock it off the bottoms and drag them up the hill to go to Texas too.

I saw some posts that were made by Fencing Boss - they were made of polystyrene or something like that and came in 10' lengths for boss line posts and braces. When I called the company, I was told that they were very popular and people were still trying to order them, but they are no longer in production. They only had shorter lengths left and when those were gone there would be no more. The company rep did not know why they were not being made anymore but said that division of the company had shut down. Made in the US too. Another section of American industry shot to . . . .

Anyway, I will ask if the guys if they think that the rebar will be sturdy enough to hold the 75" wire. Otherwise, we can set taller T-posts for the taller wire and just keep the shorter ones that are already in the ground for strength on the bottom.

 

[Baymule]

No Wood County Electric Co-op? But you are in Wood County! That’s stupid! I get it about the Sheriff Department, at least your ranch is a straight shot from Quitman.

 

[Mini Horses]

I have similar at my farm...living at edge of counties& cities. I can see the sign at perimeters. Different fire, police, electric and even postal delivery. Closest neighbor has house in one city while front half of yard in another . The mail workers pass one another as they deliver on same road, different sides. Yeah, strange...

 

[Baymule]

I live in a tiny community that used to have a post office. Building is still there, 8x10 building with a window you walked up to, to get your mail. A cousin to my neighbors used to work there until she died in her 80’s. There was no mail delivery, address was General Delivery and she closed at 3:00. So when she died, Postal Service rerouted addresses. My address is screwy anyway, it’s a private road that no longer exists, to a town in the next county over. The route is divided between two sisters, older (ahem) ladies that have put the prime of their lives somewhere and forgot where they put it. My mail winds up at other people’s mailboxes. There is a mailbox next to mine, also for the private road and the dead lady still gets her mail there. Someone comes and gets it. I go through it to see if mine or neighbors mail is in it.
So….. anything important goes to a PO Box in THIS county in a town closer to me than the designated address town. It’s so messed up…..

 

[Bruce]

Baby lambs go thru 5" × 6" easily I found out. I would go with 6" spacing. It will also be more rigid since it has more strands.

And foxes can drag a large fowl through 6" field fence.

Wood County Electric Co-op only services the opposite side of Highway 154. Crazy, right?

There are 2 power companies on my road. No, we can't choose our company. One runs a distance down from the north. At some unknown (to me) point the other company has the service. Fortunately the power apparently comes from the north and my company does a good job of clearing branches that are near the lines. Power doesn't go out often here but people with the other company lose power more often.

 

[Baymule]

Power company territory lines don’t make any sense.

 

[Ridgetop]

I can order the 6" vertical. It is $146 more a roll so $580 but Sulphur Springs TSC doesn't have the 47" sheep and goat and the next store over is charging $419 for it. So the cost of the 47" sheep and goat @ $419 plus the 39" field fence @ $209-219 comes to $628-638 for both 330 rolls. The cost is up because the TSC with the lower price can't supply it. Putting up 6' height wire once will be easier that doing the 2 layers of wire (top and bottom) to reach that height. We would have to string the first layer - 47" height wire on the lower half of the fence on the bottom first. Then go back and support the weight of the second layer in the air to install it. Even if we have the roll on the back of the truck, it will be very awkward to install it that way compared to installing 6' height once. The fence guy said that the 12" verticals would keep out hogs since the fixed knots don't move. However, the 6" verticals would make a better and tighter fence. I still have to check with the Co-op and McCoys to see what their prices are and if we can get a discount for a large number of rolls. Either way, I think we will be going with this Sta-Tuff 75" wire. Whether we get the 6" or 12" is all that needs to be decided. With FarmerJan's experience and advice we will probably go with the 6" verticals. No point to ask for advice based on experience and then ignore it!

Even at the $580 price it will still be cheaper than the 2 rolls that come to $628 and even with a 10% TSC discount on 10 rolls it would be almost the same price. With the greater ease of installation putting it up it is worth the higher price. Not to mention we might be able to get a discount on a volume buy. I will call both stores and price it out tomorrow while driving to the seminar.

DH finally got our truck back at 5 pm this evening. Too late to get tires on the flatbed trailer - which it needs. We couldn't get the tires on before this since DS2's truck doesn't have a gooseneck hitch. Our truck came home from the engine replacement and went straight into the body shop. It would have been finished but DH decided to get his driver's seat reupholstered because it had a tear on the seam, then decided to get the headliner replaced. I did not know all this was going to be done NOW. DH got irritated when I asked if we would get it back in time but he was sounding a bit stressed as he called the body shop 4 times today about it. I would say he should have taken the trailer down for new tires before taking the truck to the body shop, but why bother? Tomorrow morning he must get new tires on the trailer before we leave for Nipomo and Vacaville. So much for getting there early. I am very glad that I did not pay for the welcome dinner which we would have missed. At this point, I would suggest that we just take the car to Vacaville but we won't get home from the seminar until late Monday. Then DH has a physiotherapy appt Tuesday, we would still have to find time to get the tires on Wednesday then go to Nipomo to pick up the tractor, come home, load both trailers, and then leave for Texas. My only solace is that at this point DH is as disgusted with both the auto repair shops as I am.
Time for another tranquilizer . . . .

Does it seem that God does not want us to actually make this move to Texas?

 

[Baymule]

The chaos you are experiencing sounds about normal, is that not the Ridgetop Way?

The real question is, do YOU really want to make this move to Texas? If this is what you really want, then obstacles will arise, but you will overcome them. You have the natural born ability to roll with the punches and land on your feet. And you do so with that endearing laughter and bright smile.

Maybe you are supposed to lead your family to Texas. Some of your children have already voiced their desire to come too.

Of course you are having second thoughts. This is a big move. You will miss your family. You are the Queen of Notebooks. Use your talent to make a comparison list.
Texas. California
Pro/Con. Pro/Con


Will you be happy staying where you are? It’s getting a little crowded, somebody’s got to go. Will you be happy in Texas? It’s a beautiful place and I know you will make improvements on it. Plus 45 acres, you can do whatever you want.

Go to your seminar and have a good time. Chaos and confusion will attend with you, why would you leave them at home? It’s the Ridgetop Way!