Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
The back fence between our backyard and the neighbor's yard is chain link because that's what we
had on hand at the time. Nothing goes to waste, and it was easy to finish the yard with the chain
link that we had available. Chain link is also very flexible and often used in suburban homes, but
the typical 4-foot height would not be sufficient to hold a goat. Plus, chain link fencing can be
more expensive than other livestock fencing options mentioned. Price what is available in your area
before spending a lot of money on fencing, and make sure the fence you buy is suitable for the job.
When you are adding fences to your property, you want to allow grazing and foraging animals as
much access to grass and brush as possible. Sometimes, this means it is better to fence in the gar-
den instead of fencing in your animals. If you have room, consider having more than one grazing
area for your animals so you can let one section grow grass while they eat down another area.
Never build a fence without considering your gates. I find misplaced gates to be highly annoying.
And we have one in our backyard that drives me crazy! It is awkwardly placed so you have to go
out of your way to check the goats or get into the pen for milking. You can be sure I'm plotting a
better design for later. Learn from my mistake and plan the gates so they line up with your primary
paths, walkways, and logical flow of traffic!
Also make sure your gates are large enough for whatever needs to go through them. It's great that
your cute little garden gate is big enough for you to get through. But can you get your wheelbarrow
through? Likewise, your goat pen—if your goats eat round bales you will need to be able to get
that round bale of hay into your goat pen because, trust me, those things are heavy if you are try-
ing to roll them across your backyard.
It's not hard to adapt your current situation into a fruitful, bountiful backyard farm. Think creatively
about using the space available to you. Make every plant count. Give each bit of land a purpose. Be
intentional and purposeful about how you move forward in working with your home. I can't wait to
see what you come up with!
