Adventures of a Modern Farm Family: The fence is up!

In September we put up three rail fence. Some of it is to contain children and some is to contain horses. It is a lot of work and they are having to be very careful where they cross over gas, electric, and phone lines. It went well, but it was a lot of work. I have no room to talk I have mostly just been keeping children out of the way and delivering lemonade and snacks. I did do some actually fencing, but not as much as when we put up the fence at our old house.

Craig hard at work making something for the gates.

One of the gates!

Brad driving the excavator.

Lunch break.

Easier than digging holes by hand.

A pile of posts.

Efren working hard.

Brad being goofy because he spotted my camera.

There were bees in this area...they had to be careful!

If they combined all their skills and knowledge they could start and drive the 4 wheeler, but it hasn't happened yet!

Craig found more trees to take down.

The excavator amazes me!

They tried taking over the mini excavator.

One Sunday after church Brad and Vincent went to get more fencing supplies and started working on putting rails up together. Vincent was so excited to finally have a fencing job that he could help with. Before that the guys had just being setting fence posts which requires with the mini excavator or the excavator and either way it is not a job for Vincent, even if he brings Cecilia or Joel to help him!

Vincent hard at work....in his church clothes. It happens!


Brad and Vincent working together.

So cute!

My hardworking boys!

Vincent splicing together wire.

Cecilia and the apple tree.

Cecilia and Joel!

Grandma Diane stopped by to check on Grandpa.

Joel doing????

Another job Brad has let Vincent help him with his splicing wires together for the electric portion of the fence along the golf course. I really don’t want to get any calls about horses on the golf course, but I am sure no matter what we do it will happen eventually. While Brad and Vincent were working Joel, Cecilia and I were driving around on the Gator picking apples from the two apple trees and taking pictures. At one point Brad went back to the farm and asked me to watch Vincent as he worked on the wires. He was tightening the clamps on the section they spliced. He was working and just so serious about it!

Brad and Vincent working together.

Grandma Diane and Tally

Vincent asked me to come over and watch him and make sure he didn’t tighten it too tight. He was worried about breaking the wire. I assured him I would make sure that didn’t happen. The following is how our conversation went:

Kelli: So this is how you splice the cable. I didn’t know how before now.

Vincent: Yes, Mommy! You are learning a lot from me. Keep watching me and daddy and you will learn a lot.

K: Thanks!

V: You know a lot about cleaning, but not about this kind of stuff.

K: Actually I know a lot about fixing and building stuff, but not as much as Daddy. But I do know a lot about things other than cleaning.

V: (holding up the wrench) Do you know what this end is called? It is called the box end. But I don’t know what the other end is called. I think that the box end should be called ferris wheel end instead!

K: I didn’t know it was the box end. Ferris wheel end would be neat too.

V: You probably have never even used one of these (the wrench) before!

K: Actually I have, just never to build a fence! I know how to use tools!

V: But you just know about cleaning.

K: I know how to do more than clean but I have 3 kids who like to make messes and I have to clean up the messes so I don’t have time to do other things like build things with wrenches.

Brad and Vincent working hard.

Even though it looks like they are having a picnic.

concentrating.

He was very determined to get the job done.

Little hands and a big job!

Cecilia then wondered over from the Gator and Vincent explained things to her and he let her try to tighten up the nut on the clamp. He really is a good teacher even if he is unknowingly giving me a hard time while he teaches me.

showing me what to do.

Cecilia thinks she can do it too!

Vincent shows her how to do it.

Cecilia give it a try.

Brad and Craig worked very hard and build gates for our fence, including the hinges! It ended up being a total of 9 gates so far. Once we put up a barn they will need to make more. They did a great job and they look great! I love being able to have all our horses over in our pasture and they seem to be enjoying it too.