The bus and the fence

We've been continuing to settle into our bus, moving the tool box over for a mini-shop in the back of the bus, wiring and plumbing an electric sink connected to a 50 gallon water barrel outside, fitting a mini-fridge under the counter, adding counter space, finishing the LED up-lighting, and enjoying the new futon couch/bed. 

 

Tilly is working on her fellow animal relations, trying to remember goats and chickens are friends, not biting toys. She's had a dramatic and total haircut recently, leaving her looking more like a normal dog and less like her ridiculous Tilly-teddy bear self. She's been rather annoyed at all the time she has to spend waiting and watching on her leash while we are busy working on the property these days.

We are trying to get the fence up and finished so she can run free again (without making a b-line for the neighbors houses any more...) and after a weekend of hard work, we got through half of one side.

Ariel used the excavator to balance the 200 pound roll of fencing on the high point of the hill, ran around and tied it off to a tree, ran back around and used the excavator to push the roll a little farther up the hill, ran back around and tightened the lines to the tree, ran back around and removed the excavator, ran back around with the come-along and to hoist the roll up to the tree on the corner of the hill and vertical with a line through the center to hold it while unrolling enough to reach back down to the gate. Once that was finally done, it was enough for a day and we went back to work on it over the weekend. Tim's first course of action was to make a path up the hill with a few buckets of gravel so the trip around between the top and bottom of the hill was a little more direct.

As we started putting in t-posts and stretching the fence to conform to the land, there were some doubts our scheme would work, but we pressed on and soon had the start of a good-looking fence! (At least from across the road.)

Together, we unrolled the fence the rest of the way to the corner, leveling land and clearing brush as we went.

By dark we'd gotten the hang of fence building; pounding in t-posts, clipping the fence on, stretching the fence to conform. We also managed to keep our trips to the farm supply store to three for the day.

Now just to do that 7 more times and we'll be done! The plan is to have a fence with gates around the perimeter of the front third or so of the property to keep the animals out of the wetlands and leave the back part of the property more wild with only walking trails. We'll add electric fence and other more temporary fencing dividing up the front section into gardens and animal yards, but that's a long ways off.