‘We suddenly seem to have a problem with most of our boundaries'

With plenty of escapees, plus some unwanted visitors, poultry diarist Julian Hammer finds that the fencing at Rose Cottage is in need of some TLC

- Julian Hammer

I can’t overstate the value of good fences. Secure, sturdy fencing must be among the top 10 requirements for a successful smallholding. At Rose Cottage we have a hodge-podge of fencing that has developed over time as our requirements have changed. We have livestock fencing to contain pigs, homemade anti-deer and rabbit fencing to keep the greedy freeloaders out of the veg beds, double-height chicken wire fencing for poultry enclosures, hedges and livestock mesh for the pig loading area, barbed wire to deter walkers from trying to feed or pet the pigs from the footpath and, finally, boundary post and rail fencing that separates our land from our neighbours to the north and the south. Oh, and throw in some drystone walls just for good measure.

The problem with this is that they all need maintenance. Wooden posts eventually rot, chicken wire rusts and tears, and drystone walls succumb to gravity and, before you know it, the pigs and chickens are feasting on pastures new. Or, in turn, something is feasting on them.

I mention this because we suddenly seem to have a problem with most of our boundary fencing. As you may recall, I broke my leg last year in a tussle with a pig which put me out of action for a number of months. My wife, Emma, did her best to keep on top of the endless smallholding chores, but with two pigs, 35 hens, 10 ducks and two beehives, along with the veg beds, greenhouse and polytunnel to look after, something had to give. The casualties were inevitably the maintenance jobs.