I’m back home in Grass Valley after spending the last 3 days at the new house, figuring stuff out (internet there will be set up on the 26th).
Not having the internet at the new house was interesting… But, in a way, it was kinda fun to take a Starbucks break to check the internet. It made me tear myself away and refresh from it all! And, I got to have a treat, which I loved! Starbucks is only 12 minutes away – I timed it.
This is the Google Earth of the property. It doesn’t show elevations… but the house is on a ridge which means the pastures are below the house on each side. The previous owner cut down all the vegetation and sprayed all the pastures with Roundup except the front, steep pasture. Sigh. Anyway, I have studied this map and finally came up with what I think is the best fencing solution for Phase 1 – getting the horses pastures – safely and economically. As you can see, the neighbor to our right has lots of trees!
THE FENCING REPORT!
I finally found a guy who will do the fencing (Phase 1) starting on Friday! He came highly recommended by the lumber company in town. (The original fence guy recommended by readers didn’t come to our appointment… and the neighbor who said they could help, just didn’t have the time during this busy season.)
Anyway, Juan showed up on time (even early!) on Friday which was a great start! I had everything drawn out and he knew what I wanted and knew how to build it all, and hang the gates. Yay! So, Phase 1 of fencing will happen this coming weekend! Then all I have to do is make the pastures safe (gopher holes) and then BRING THE HORSES!
I spent a lot of time painting dirt and gate contemplations: placement, what sizes and which direction they would swing.
I also had to consider the least expensive way to create the initial three pastures in Phase 1AND create them in such a way that they would integrate into the larger pastures of Phase 2 and 3.
Two long fence runs behind the house that split the upper area into two pastures would be most efficient… and then cross fence the larger pasture to make a total of 3, smallish pastures. In this way, I think I can make the upper pasture into a pasture paradise, once the larger pastures are fenced, later.
When I get established and find some work, I’ll do the rest of the fencing.
By the way, since many of you were not able to open my VoiceOver Demo Reel, here it is again via You Tube. If any of you have anything you need voiced, I’d love to do it! Even phone messages! …Will work for fencing! ;)
I ordered the lumber ahead of time, just in case I found someone to start the fencing…
I do have these three trees that I can incorporate into one pasture… so I’m going to do that! It is a weird jog in the fencing and a bit narrow for my comfort, but Norma and Dodger (the oldies) will greatly benefit from the shade. So, I’m going to do that… You can see the neighbor’s trees on the other side of the existing fence.
My string lines, stakes and paint.
I found two, tiny grape vines hidden behind the propane and water tanks ! They even have drip lines.
More ‘gate direction’ signage.
Scouty was here…
My neighbor, who I have not met yet, has lots of trees. I need to speak to her… I bet she has great ideas.
I’m looking over the front pasture fence and to the left. Our other neighbor has lots of vines (vineyard) and olive trees. I have emailed them but not met them yet.
This is looking straight down over the front pasture that I will fence in Phase 3 (the previous owner did not spray this pasture – Phew! It is too steep to use a tractor so he left it wild, thank Horsegods). Hubby wants to line the driveway with trees. Yay! He will have to figure out a drip system, but our neighbor seems to have done it well so I think we can, too.
DEAD PASTURE OUT BACK
I spent some time measuring the back pasture (Phase 2) and noted how dead it was compared to every other pasture around. Clearly, the previous owner sprayed this entire 10 acres except the front pasture (too steep). This sucks. However, I did take all of those Savory Institute Holistic Managed Grazing Courses and do understand how to bring it back over the next few years. Sad. Why would anyone kill every single plant, insect and life form on such small acreage? – Just to not have to deal with the weeds, I guess. Too bad. Especially because when I went to the very end of the property where the seasonal creek lies, I could see that he had cut the entire property of all trees and bushes, and then dumped all the remnants in the creek. It was awful. The entire creek – from the width of our property – was filled to the brim with dead foliage that had been thriving on these pastures and could have provided some shade.
The dead pasture. 5 acres of Roundup… I’ll be revitalizing it over the next few years. Thank you, Savory Institute, for teaching me how.
DAWN’S FOLLY
OK, we’ve all done this paint folly – or at least I think we have.
You get the swatch from the paint store and it looks perfect! So, you get a few gallons. And then you paint. And it looks…………awful.
So, you go back to the paint store and get a sample of a color you think is perfect… And it, too, looks awful in different natural lighting.
Anyway, I ran out of time to actually put the 4 new samples that I got on my third trip to the paint store on the walls and check them out against the fireplace in the natural light… but I did get the entire room painted with the too yellow paint – as it functioned as an excellent primer. The green blue that was there before was very dark and made the room look even smaller.
My folly… It took 3 trips to the paint store to finally find a match, we think. This is not it. This is what we thought was a match until I got up to the fireplace. I used the yellow as a primer and hopefully, the last 4 samples I brought home will produce a winner. You can also see my bucket of DVDs. We don’t have internet or cable or TV at the house, so we’ve been watching old movies on my laptop. Fun!
MAY BUCKET FUND: THE HUNG HORSES! These lucky surviving horses are very much alive and would greatly benefit from our support! Click here to read their story! Click here to donate!
Click image to read their story!
We have owls! But more would be good, too! Thank you!
Dawn- long term solution for gopher holes: owl boxes.
http://www.spokeo.com/CA/San-Miguel/6175-Buckhorn-Ridge-Pl#expanded_map
shows that someone at some time did run a tractor up and down the front field.
So sorry about the creek, I guess he thought he could stop the erosion, but the force of water is unstoppable without formal planning, filling it with trash will be disasterous if it flows down hill and disturbs someone else’s place.
I love the planning you are doing.
Oh, a side note, the trees on your neighbors are probably planted in rows to get some tax advantage, as in tree farming, as it is not “natural” for trees to grow in rows, lol.
Something for you to consider also, but that would make for difficult mowing, for me, maybe not for a pro!
Happy fencing!
Glad you got this nice place close to hubbies work!