We have a few upgrade projects around the homestead that we desperately want to fix up. Just to make it safer for our animals and also easier on us to maintain and nurture them. Last Wednesday, we really went to town and got two huge projects done! We fenced in the last 100 feet in the garden so that we can let the ponies in to graze… (the sheep and goats are too aggressive on our garden plants!) and we re-did the back fence of the sheep and goat paddock. Silly me, I forgot my camera to take a few during and after of the garden fence… but I did remember it when we started on the paddock.
In the beginning, we thought using free pallets would be a great way to fence in and enclose vital areas. I think we must have hauled in a hundred! But they are just not very good in the long run. They break, rot and just look awful in pretty sort time. And we spent so much time trying to keep them going… using so many posts and wire, I think it would have been cheaper in the long run to just go with decent field fence and be done with it!
But, you don’t know this in the beginning and you are learning. And sometimes, its all you have to work with.
I was just tired of the falling down heap as an eyesore as well as dangerous for the babies because they seem to come and go through it as they wish. And it’s just not very stable. 
Evee was helping to supervise and found the ponies’ Jolly Ball in the pasture. She was in LOVE with a ball that had a handle! haha…. it was funny, she was running around with it and just having a blast. We used her in the pasture to keep the goats away from Maggie. They just seem to know that Maggie does not appreciate goats in her face when she works and thus have to be in her face. Evee seems to understand this and it was awesome to see her chase them away now and then, keeping a good perimeter around hardworking Mags!
Duke, on the otherhand, he was just there for the cuddles and to supervise the fencing effort.
Doesn’t it look soooooo much better? Nice and open? We are so excited… I can’t wait to be able to look out from the kitchen window and keep an eye on the flock. Right now, we can’t see back into the weed pasture, so that is just a little unnerving. Our gang is really behaving lately, but then you just never know. It’s nice to be able to just glance out and see everyone behaving.
Maggie is so strong! She can easily tote two big pallets out to the burn pile with ease. I pity the fool that messes with her. She would knock their block off! See Evee keeping the nosy goats away? I just love that she is finally getting the hang of being a helpful farm dog! She’s not 100% at all, but she’s getting closer all the time. She proves very valuable and smart, too! She just seems to kind of understand what we need. Mostly, it’s to keep the livestock from being idiots. She loves to do things right. We reward her with lots of atta’ girls and pats and of course, stick and ball throwing… her favorite.
The three trouble makers checking out the new fence. We would have LOVED to use all cattle panels along the back paddock fence, but alas, they can be a little pricey. We will try and upgrade this area one more time in a year or so. Until then, the last of our big roll of field fence went to good use!
(The problem with field fence in a paddock setting is that the goats, especially, are very hard on fence when they are enclosed in a smallish space. They step on it, stand on it and climb it. 
The new fenceline in the back will give the flock almost double the space for when they are lounging and waiting… staying off pasture to let it grow. Also, if we have to go somewhere for awhile, we usually bring them into the paddock because it’s then two sets of fences protecting them. Much less likely for anything to bother them or for the little buggers to sneak out or escape. 
Maggie bringing everyone in for a test run… it was great! Everyone seemed to love it. The little people were running around like it was all new and fun! The older animals really like laying underneath the big trees.
I just love how nice it looks… no more ugly red falling apart pallet fence! Yah! Moving towards our dream look for everything. We want the place to be clean, tidy and simple… lovely and enjoyable. And best of all, safe for the animals and easy on us! We are getting there!
The landscaping crew after a day’s work in the garden! My sweet little pony boys love to mow the grass. Thank goodness they are not interested in any of the garden boxss and beds… at least right now. Eventually, they will be kicked out of the garden and we will mow the little strips that are left. But right now, it’s growing like weeds so it’s nice to have them utilize the greenery!
They have already gotten the routine. In the late morning, we open up their paddock and they trot out and grab a few mouthfuls of grass near the back. But as soon as they see Maggie or I head towards the garden, they trot right along with us! And they LOVE to get locked in there for a few hours. The new fence allows this to now happen. The old fence was falling down and too short in places and just not safe. Now it is! Yah!
Another great stride in happy, easy homestead!
Rafeka always loves to have his picture taken. I swear, he loves the camera!
Nice and tidy even from the back pasture! I love it…
Well, we have a few more projects in store, but all in good time. We just try to stay moving ahead. It may seem like we have everything in place and done, but it’s not at all. We have lots of plans and a dream for the place how we’d like it. It just will take us a little time, some hard work and great helpful friends!
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