Spot on, Larry. And, try to find one of those Osage hedgerows in Southern Iowa today that produced those stout corner posts (and provided habitat for pheasants and quail). As I drove to our farm in Wayne County last weekend for the opener, the question begged by dozens of miles of nothingness was "where in hell does any wildlife nest anymore, let alone spend the winter"?
Very nice, Larry. It's been a long time since I've seen an Upland Sandpiper land on a wooden fencepost and raise its wings. I'd like to see that again.
Been a long time for me, too - in Iowa - although I saw them as a kid on our farm. Very occasionally in the state in the last decade or two. I should have noted that the photo I used was from the Nebraska Sandhills!
Just cleared 1.5 miles of Ringgold County cattle country five-wire* fencerow this fall, neglected for at least 25+ years based upon tree rings in volunteer cedar. Honey locust, the cedar and sumac were predominant and gave my battery-powered Stihls a workout; sprayed ground-level stumps with triple-herbicide chemicals to at least delay re-growth and enable future mowing; will stack and burn the debris in the spring once dried out.
Notes on repair: could not drive staples ("steeples") into 40 year old hedge posts--needed power-drilled clips; fencing tool greatly simplifies wiring to steel posts; leather gloves with cuffs required to prevent slashed wrists; fencerow clearing is better than a couple hours at the gym. The satisfaction of a cleared, straight, repaired fence is hard to describe, and bubbles up each time I drive the gravel road. My Grandfather Shields lived his entire life on 80 acres south of New Market (Taylor Country) and was perpetually critical of unkempt fencerows.
*West 80 rods were woven wire with two strands barbed, totally decrepit, enclosing a small forest and "crick" and given age of trees likely not hog pasture for at least 60 years.
I learned to make new fence and repair old from my father-in-law and husband early in my farming career. The lesson that has stuck with me over the years was resourcefulness. I watched my father-in-law take old bent nails and pound them out straight to reuse. While I no longer build fence, I repeat that lesson of reusing to this day.
Yup! We can reuse posts, fence wire, brace wire, even steel post clips. And I didn't even to the innovative ways to build a "water gap" across the crick that would turn the cattle but not wash out in a big rain.
Spot on, Larry. And, try to find one of those Osage hedgerows in Southern Iowa today that produced those stout corner posts (and provided habitat for pheasants and quail). As I drove to our farm in Wayne County last weekend for the opener, the question begged by dozens of miles of nothingness was "where in hell does any wildlife nest anymore, let alone spend the winter"?
Very nice, Larry. It's been a long time since I've seen an Upland Sandpiper land on a wooden fencepost and raise its wings. I'd like to see that again.
Been a long time for me, too - in Iowa - although I saw them as a kid on our farm. Very occasionally in the state in the last decade or two. I should have noted that the photo I used was from the Nebraska Sandhills!
Just cleared 1.5 miles of Ringgold County cattle country five-wire* fencerow this fall, neglected for at least 25+ years based upon tree rings in volunteer cedar. Honey locust, the cedar and sumac were predominant and gave my battery-powered Stihls a workout; sprayed ground-level stumps with triple-herbicide chemicals to at least delay re-growth and enable future mowing; will stack and burn the debris in the spring once dried out.
Notes on repair: could not drive staples ("steeples") into 40 year old hedge posts--needed power-drilled clips; fencing tool greatly simplifies wiring to steel posts; leather gloves with cuffs required to prevent slashed wrists; fencerow clearing is better than a couple hours at the gym. The satisfaction of a cleared, straight, repaired fence is hard to describe, and bubbles up each time I drive the gravel road. My Grandfather Shields lived his entire life on 80 acres south of New Market (Taylor Country) and was perpetually critical of unkempt fencerows.
*West 80 rods were woven wire with two strands barbed, totally decrepit, enclosing a small forest and "crick" and given age of trees likely not hog pasture for at least 60 years.
Great commentary! Reminds me of Aldo Leopold’s piece “Vegetation and Birds”. How could I send that to you?
Thanks, Josh! You can reach me at lstone@alpinecom.net
I learned to make new fence and repair old from my father-in-law and husband early in my farming career. The lesson that has stuck with me over the years was resourcefulness. I watched my father-in-law take old bent nails and pound them out straight to reuse. While I no longer build fence, I repeat that lesson of reusing to this day.
Yup! We can reuse posts, fence wire, brace wire, even steel post clips. And I didn't even to the innovative ways to build a "water gap" across the crick that would turn the cattle but not wash out in a big rain.