fenc:fences

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fenc:fences [2025/12/05 10:12] – created - external edit 127.0.0.1fenc:fences [2026/03/26 18:33] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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-# Fences+This topic is part of [[gt:gardening|Gardening, smallholding & farming]]. 
 +====== Fences ======
  
  
-![Fences](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/fences.jpg)+![Fences](wiki:fences.jpg)
  
 --- ---
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-## What are fences?+===== What are fences? =====
  
 Fences are reasonably permanent constructions to demarcate a piece of land – usually to keep livestock in or out (or to keep wild animals like deer or rabbits out). Fences are reasonably permanent constructions to demarcate a piece of land – usually to keep livestock in or out (or to keep wild animals like deer or rabbits out).
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 <caption> <caption>
-Standard sheep netting fence with barbed wire at the top. Source: [Agridirect](https://www.agridirect.ie/)+_Standard sheep netting fence with barbed wire at the top. Source: [Agridirect](https://www.agridirect.ie/)_
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 <caption> <caption>
-Post and rail fence with morticed joints.+_Post and rail fence with morticed joints._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-## What are the benefits of fences?+===== What are the benefits of fences? =====
  
 Fences delineate the borders of your land, and prevent your livestock from wandering onto roads etc. However, make sure that you don’t fence across open-access land or public rights of way – or if you do, you’ll have to install a stile so that people (but not animals) can climb over the fence. Fences delineate the borders of your land, and prevent your livestock from wandering onto roads etc. However, make sure that you don’t fence across open-access land or public rights of way – or if you do, you’ll have to install a stile so that people (but not animals) can climb over the fence.
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-## What can I do?+===== What can I do? =====
  
 Fence posts: people have grown their own larch posts, but they don’t tend to last very long (around 6 years). The standard fence post is tanalised softwood (pressure treated with a copper solution and arsenic), that bugs won’t eat, so it doesn’t rot easily. They can last for over 15 years. Fence posts: people have grown their own larch posts, but they don’t tend to last very long (around 6 years). The standard fence post is tanalised softwood (pressure treated with a copper solution and arsenic), that bugs won’t eat, so it doesn’t rot easily. They can last for over 15 years.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Keeping the chickens out of the garden with a [woven birch fence](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/posts/56159-2).+_Keeping the chickens out of the garden with a [woven birch fence](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/posts/56159-2)._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 <caption> <caption>
-Tools and equipment that you’ll need for a standard sheep fence: clockwise from top left – crowbar, hammer, post driver, roll of barbed wire, roll of sheep netting, gripple wire joiner (optional), wire strainer, staple. Source: [Agridirect](https://www.agridirect.ie/)+_Tools and equipment that you’ll need for a standard sheep fence: clockwise from top left – crowbar, hammer, post driver, roll of barbed wire, roll of sheep netting, gripple wire joiner (optional), wire strainer, staple. Source: [Agridirect](https://www.agridirect.ie/)_
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 <caption> <caption>
-For gardens, instead of traditional larch-lap fence panels and concrete posts, you could plant a [living willow](/livw/living_willow_structures) ‘fedge’ (half-way between a fence and a hedge) – seen here just after planting and in summer. It will need to be pruned each winter, and the prunings can be used for kindling or basketmaking. Fedges are a carbon store, and provide food / habitat for insects, and a ‘wildlife corridor’ for creatures like hedgehogs to move around, via the gaps at the bottom.+_For gardens, instead of traditional larch-lap fence panels and concrete posts, you could plant a [living willow](/livw/living_willow_structures) ‘fedge’ (half-way between a fence and a hedge) – seen here just after planting and in summer. It will need to be pruned each winter, and the prunings can be used for kindling or basketmaking. Fedges are a carbon store, and provide food / habitat for insects, and a ‘wildlife corridor’ for creatures like hedgehogs to move around, via the gaps at the bottom._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 <caption> <caption>
-Corner with straining post and two bracing posts. Source: [Agridirect](https://www.agridirect.ie/)+_Corner with straining post and two bracing posts. Source: [Agridirect](https://www.agridirect.ie/)_
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 <caption> <caption>
-You can make a ‘straining box’ rather than a bracing post, with a wooden cross-post and strained wire from the top of the original straining post to the bottom of the other post, for rigidity. Image: [Fanfield Farm](https://fanfield.farm/).+_You can make a ‘straining box’ rather than a bracing post, with a wooden cross-post and strained wire from the top of the original straining post to the bottom of the other post, for rigidity. Image: [Fanfield Farm](https://fanfield.farm/)._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-## Further resources+===== Forum =====
  
 +This topic belongs to the section [[gt:gardening|Gardening, smallholding & farming]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/gardening).
  
 +===== Further resources =====
  
-## Specialist(s)+- [University of Tennessee](https://utbeef.tennessee.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/127/2020/11/PB1541.pdf) - planning & building fences on the farm 
 +- [Allan Shepherd](https://allanshepherd.wordpress.com/2008/05/30/how-to-split-lengths-of-untreated-round-wood-for-making-fence-posts-coppice-crafts-and-other-random-rustic-objects/) - how to split lengths of untreated roundwood to make fence posts 
 +- [Journey to Forever](https://www.journeytoforever.org/farm_library/device/devices8.html) - various tricks when building or fixing gates and fences 
 +- [South West Farmer](https://www.southwestfarmer.co.uk/news/1179086.dont_let_livestock_escape/) - how to make sure that fences don't let livestock escape 
 + 
 + 
 + 
 + 
 +===== Related topics ===== 
 + 
 +- [Gates & stiles](gate:gates) 
 +- [Meadows, grass & pasture](mdws:meadows) 
 +- [Keeping livestock](livs:livestock) 
 +- [Hedges](hedg:hedges) 
 +- [Dry stone walls](drys:dry_stone_walling) 
 +- [Smallholding](smho:smallholding) 
 +- [Hurdles](hrdl:hurdles) 
 +- [Living willow structures](livw:living_willow_structures) 
 + 
 +===== Specialist curators of this topic =====
  
  
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