The Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) hosted their 23rd annual winter conference recently at SNHU. Daniel King, the owner and manager of Clarkridge Farm in Goffstown, NH, presented his recommendations for effective, mobile and low-cost fencing techniques for pigs and cows.
Clarkridge Farm has been in King’s family for a long time now, but he has been the primary owner and manager since 2012. The farm is known for their grass-fed beef, pastured pork, maple syrup and timber production.
King said they raise some dairy cows, usually calves, steers or dried cows, alongside their beef cattle. They are mostly Jerseys, with a few other breeds mixed throughout. Overall, King describes his herd as a mixture of different animals that graze throughout the system.
As a family farmer, King is “always very aware of labor.” He occasionally hires workers to help out around the farm, and when he does, he likes to assign tasks that are easy, straightforward, mobile and lightweight. He’s tried various types of fencing systems throughout the years, each with their pros and cons.
Before King took over the farm, his uncle was the owner and used barbed wire fencing. King doesn’t like this fencing system, as “it’s dangerous, it messes up equipment, the cows [and workers] can get cut” and it’s difficult to remove invasive species that grow around it.
He previously tried using high-tensile fencing that was provided through NRCS, but neighbors and drivers nearby wanted to see a more robust fence. He tried using netting in the past, but it became tangled too easily and was a pain to move around.
Through these fencing trials, King discovered that single-strand polywire fencing with fiberglass posts is his preferred system. It’s a simple system with minimum supplies needed, which is one of the reasons he loves it.
Daniel King, owner and manager Clarkridge Farm in Goffstown, NH, with some of the polywire he uses for fencing. Photo by Kelsi Devolve
All that is needed is a fence reel with polywire, fiberglass posts, a utility knife, a charger for the fence and the ability to make a clove hitch knot.
This fencing system is very easy to store, as it’s not bulky. Although it may get tangled in storage, or even while setting up the fence, King recommends just cutting that portion of wire away and throwing it out. Due to the simplicity of the fencing structure itself, King is “always looking for the fence integrity” – specifically, a good charge.
Polywire fencing has proven to be very mobile, affordable and lightweight. Because the fencing is easy to move around, it’s a great system to use for pigs, as you can guide where you want the animals to go. King finds this fencing system is easier to use on dairy cattle than beef cattle, as they have easier temperaments and respect the wire more.
Installing the fence is fairly easy, but there are some maintenance requirements to keep in mind. The polywire tends to break down over time due to sun exposure, and can even start to sag under the pressure of snow falling.
King said farmers “have to be up on vigilance” when it comes to maintaining these wires, frequently walking the lines to check for damage.
King prefers to use a Ventrac tractor around his polywire fencing, as it’s easy to move around and control. He recommends using a double fence line to accommodate any awkward topography in the field and to strengthen the reinforcement.
Overall, King is aware that this polywire fencing system is not perfect, but it works well for his farm and has produced the best outcome so far.
by Kelsi Devolve
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