We don't have a ton to update on the farm progress this week because we had around 5 inches of rain in the last week or so (maybe more, but I don't have a rain gauge out at the farm). As you can see the picture above the house looks about the same except that it is ready for the concrete slab to be poured. Having the slab down is a huge step because after that our builder can come back in and finish up the windows, doors, siding, and roof. If we can get the concrete done and our other work the basic structure should be done pretty soon. Now we just pray for NO rain (I know I shouldn't say that) and pray that a couple little snags can take care of themselves (the fact that we are first time general contractors pops up every now and again).Other than the building we have good news from the garden. Just like other gardeners and farmers in our area we have been fighting water all spring and summer, but a couple weeks ago we were to put in a few things out at the farm ... for fun if anything. Now we have beans, corn, and pumpkins taking off. We also planted some tomatoes, peppers, and yams that we had been growing in pots since early spring. Of course the upper 80's and the high humidity have helped things really pop.
The last thing that I finished up this week was clearing the grass/brush from the areas where I'm going to put the fence. And, I think I finally have it all planned out... Basically we have slightly less than a half mile of high tensile electric to put up along the roads and then I'm going to just run two or three hot wires along the edge of the woods with steel t-posts. The million dollar question right now is what posts I am going to use for my line posts on the high tensile exterior fence.
For some time I have been thinking about using Powerflex posts ... and I think I do want to go ahead with them even though the cost is a little more. Now I just need to figure out how to get them in Iowa and pray that freight/shipping doesn't kill the deal. Has anyone used Powerflex posts?
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Our new fence looks like it has Powerflex posts, but they are actually just some other brand's fiberglass post. I don't know the exact numbers but I think they worked out cheaper than t-posts. I had seen a display with a t-post and a plastic sleeve over that so that you had a pretty white, all insulated post, so I asked about those but they were much more expensive and they fence builder won't put individual insulators on t-posts if it's a new fence. He said it was too easy to ground out when you only have an inch or less of insulation between the hot wire and a t-post.
So, our posts do NOT bend as well as powerflex posts... I tried bending one over that was not in the ground and it started sounding like it was going to crack. They do flex well enough for you to lay your weight over on the fence and then let it spring back up. They have holes drilled every 2" and that helps alot in getting your wire spacing right. If you drive them all into the ground at the same height you just count the holes to get your spacing.
Down the center of our long rectangular pasture we put in a single strand of high tensile so that we had a heavy wire to hang a reel on. We put in a 6" post on each end only about 4' tall and then a 4" post every 100'. Then about every 25' we put in a cut off, 4', fiberglass "powerflex type" post. We put it at 32" and it is working now, but while the cows were being trained 25-27" would have been better. The yearlings could slip under it pretty easily. What's great about the single wire is that there was no need for H-Bracing on the ends.
Okay, I've rambled long enough... If you have any specific questions about how our's was done, let me know.
OH, and there is a guy about 3hrs from you with some bred and not bred red wattles, even some boars, that he is trying to sell. If you're interested I can give you his info.
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