need ideas on fence layout

[bdog]

Attached is an aerial photo. The pond was recently built and has a plastic liner and I do not want the cows to have access to it as their hooves will damage the liner. The road going around the pond leads to my back 15 acres and is the only way to get back there. I also have several acres in the bottom right and I want the cows to be able to roam between the two. The layout worked generally well before the pond was there though the road coming in from the highway was a little tight with the semi right where it opens into the big parking area. If I am going to redo it I would like to make this a little wider.

Let me know what you think. Green is the new fence I am thinking of building, red is the gate, yellow is existing fence and blue is existing fence I will take down.

I would like to have an opening (no gate necessary) to get to the area just west of the pond between it and the existing fence to mow, etc and that is why the gate is there and stops short of connecting to the existing fence. I thought of tearing the fence there down all together but I have employees and other people here frequently and am trying to get grass growing right by the pond and don't want people driving over it.

 

[bcp]

I would simplify the fence and gate lines. Gate hinges on the south post so it is easy to brace. Maybe leave the fence at the straight blue line if room isn't needed.

Bruce

 

[bdog]

Thanks. I thought about doing it like that the only downside I see is the triangular area that would be left outside of the fence south of the gate. It wouldn't get driven on because you would be turning to miss the other fence to the north so what do you do with it? Put gravel anyway, grass, I don't know. The fence in the straight blue line could definitely be left. I have gone in and out dozens of times with the semi it is doable as is just a little tight due to where the curved blue line is.

One plus of your idea is it might give you enough room to exit with a pickup and turn left to get to the highway. The way it is now you have to turn right and make a big loop to leave

Maybe something like this?

 

[plowhog]

That gate location is better. If you fence around the pond like that, I'd be concerned about how to maintain the inner fence area at the edge of the pond. I don't know your plants and terrain, but it seems doing any weed cutting inside that fence, along the pond, is either going to be difficult or a big job?

 

[txdon]

The question is do you want to be able to mow around the waters edge and how steep is the dam. I would try to leave enough space where I could get some type of mower between the fence and water. Unless you will have the water's edge brush hide the fence. I would also take down the fence between the parking area and the pond, unless it serves a purpose. Less fences equal more of an open feeling and less cluttered. Also the second pic where the gate is on the road flows better.

 

[bdog]

Thanks for the replies.

On the west side of the pond I will be able to get at it with a riding mower, get my skid steer in there or whatever. There is no dam and it is flat as a pancake. This pond is basically in a farm field and is fed entirely by a well. No brush or woods. Just grass and weeds to mow. On the east side I plan on putting the fence as close to the waters edge as I can. I really have to in order to have enough room between the new fence and the property fence to get my implements through there. I plan to leave enough room to walk between the fence and water and mow this with a weedeater. I have to use a weedeater anyway close to the waters edge.

I decided on basically the latest revision with a twist. I am making the fence continuous near the gate and made the opening to be able to get in and mow up on the north end. We tore down the fence in the blue areas today and cut the hole for the gate on the north end. All the existing fence is 2-3/8" pipe and the new will be as well.

 

[airbiscuit]

Is it not possible to train employees to stay off the grass?

 

[bdog]

Is it not possible to train employees to stay off the grass?

Not really. If you look at the picture to the lower left of where the fencing is being done you can see a fence on the aerial. This is a pipe rail that is only about 2' tall. Even though there is like a half acre of gravel people would always park in the grass. They were trying to be out of the way they would say. My actual employees I could tell to stay off but then their wife, girlfriend, buddy whatever would give them a ride to work, a salesman or delivery person would show up, whatever and off in the grass they go. It was like a magnet for some reason.

Another plus of having the fence between the gravel area and the pond is it makes a nice hard boundary. Gravel on the west side, grass on the east. We have a lot of machines with rubber tracks and the gravel gets torn up and regraded very often. Having the fence there keeps the gravel where it is supposed to be and it doesn't meander out in to the grass over time.

 

[Dadnatron]

I know I'm late to this party, but why can't you simply cut the fence at the top of the parking lot giving direct access to the road? It seems inefficient and potentially problematic, to be driving all the way around a pond everytime you wish access to the back area. You could simply fence off the entire section for cattle and have the gate access for driving, should you need it.

 

[Texasmark]

On the weed eater work, DR (brand, out of Vermont) makes pull types of various sizes (riding mower, ATV, tractor) made to mow fence lines. I have one I pull behind a 20 hp riding mower for trimming fence lines and pond banks....you can adjust the angle so that the mower runs at or "in" the water and the pulling device is up on solid ground.

The mower, preferring conventional type for the job and good traction with "knobby" after market tires, (or ATV for that matter) is light (I like the conventional as it's lighter than the ZT I have tested......knobby tires are mounted on the front also to improve steering grip) and is perfect for the job. Much, much better for the job as unlike a sickle, when you come to an obstacle, the string mower section is spring loaded and moves out of the way when passing the obstacle and then snaps back to the cutting line.