Clearing for Perimeter Fence

[Gry2Yng]

I am fencing the perimeter of my farm. East side borders the road, south side borders open field, west and north are tree line. North is very thick.

Looking for thoughts as to whether to place the fence right against the trees or leave a gap. I am concerned that the trees will over grow the fence and I will need to keep them cut back, so should I give myself space to walk between the fence and the tree line or just trim the trees from the inside of the fence?

Trying to do this right. Clearing guys will start next week.

[ReSomething]

Ugh. We have the opposite problem in that our property line is about a foot inside the back neighbors' crappy cow sieve fence, and about a foot inside the tree line of our woods. Also happens to be nice and flat, so we are planning an arena there, eventually. Until then we are fencing the front half and leaving the back woods alone because it is going to be a huge PITA.

I hate leaving any room between my fence and the property line as it feels like an invite to let the neighbors "claim" that section, plus it loses, say a foot, and if you add it up down a long property line that could be a fair chunk of pasture - but if you can't get the neighbors to agree to let you clear back a little, say three to five feet, then you may have to go with not killing yourself to put the fence in and shift it in a foot or so. The trees, that is the tree trunks as they get fatter, will knock over a board fence in time, a wire fence they will envelop, and fast too. The people that subdivided the old farm to make our farmette took a bulldozer and cleared down the property lines ten feet on either side - ugly but far easier to fence.
Hope this gives you some helpful ideas.

[aaussie_gal]

I hate leaving any room between my fence and the property line as it feels like an invite to let the neighbors "claim" that section, plus it loses, say a foot, and if you add it up down a long property line that could be a fair chunk of pasture

We set our pasture fence in 2' from the property line, so no-one could tie into it ... didn't want a future neighbor's animals fussing with ours over the fence. And so the future neighbor couldn't claim that two feet, we put t-posts in along the property line and although we have not run wire, it would not take long to do.

[Gry2Yng]

So clear back as far as I can and set the fence as close to that as I can. Is that the consensus? North side is designated open space that is where the growth is REALLY bad. The first estimate I have for clearing about 300' along that line is $1700. They are going to do another 1,000 feet for about $1/foot. I don't want to clear the west too much, because the trees protect me from the neighbor who has a REALLY big house about 30 feet off the property line. Right now we can't see each other in the summer.

Going for permits today. Should be fun.

[tangledweb]

I'd leave a gap big enough to drive a tractor down if you have the space. If you are somewhere damp and fertile, the woods and undergrowth growing back into the fence will push it down and make it rot much faster than a fence built in the open. You are going to need to fight the regrowth back somehow. If you don't leave a gap you will need to do it often and by walking along with a cahinsaw. If you leave a big gap you can just drive a bushog down it every now and again.

[dmalbone]

Huh, Didn't think it was so common to have fences so close to property lines! What happens if you need to repair your fence and all of a sudden you have an a**hole neighbor who won't let you on his property? I mean, it would take more than 2 ft. to comfortably fix it. We're in a different situation and are sacrificing a lot of pasture area (well... a lot for our little acreage because we're on a busy road. Our fences are 40' off the main road, 20 feet off the side road and 15' off the neighbors property line. He's a farmer who also has an empty 15-20' path to drive his tractor down.

[Robin@DHH]

Another advantage of leaving a tractor wide space outside the
fence (assuming you have enough land to permit that) is that
it gives a nice galloping path on which you can exercise your
horses. We have such a track along two sides of our fences and
that gives us a half mile distance of ground for conditioning
rides without going off the property or through the fields
or woods.

One reason to put the fence right on the property line (in some
states, especially some in the midwest) is that then you and
your neighbor each have obligation to maintain half that fence.
Nice to have someone else to pay for half the cost. Of course,
it can make for poor neighbor relations if your neighbor is
not happy with the situation.

[dmalbone]

One reason to put the fence right on the property line (in some
states, especially some in the midwest) is that then you and
your neighbor each have obligation to maintain half that fence.
Nice to have someone else to pay for half the cost. Of course,
it can make for poor neighbor relations if your neighbor is
not happy with the situation. Yuck. That seems like a huge DISadvantage to me. Yeah, I get the cost savings, but that's way too messy to figure out and maintain. Different fencing preferences, god knows what types of animals on the other side, illnesses of neighbor animals touching noses, stallions vs. mares, neighbors having access to your horses, etc. etc. . No thank you! I can't believe that works out for people.

[equusus]

Definitely leave enough room to drive a tractor around. You will need the tractor to put up the fence in the first place not to mention doing repairs.
I would also try to get the fence on or as close to the property line as possible. It will prevent future headahces about where the property line actually is.

[Gry2Yng]

I'd leave a gap big enough to drive a tractor down if you have the space. If you are somewhere damp and fertile, the woods and undergrowth growing back into the fence will push it down and make it rot much faster than a fence built in the open. You are going to need to fight the regrowth back somehow. If you don't leave a gap you will need to do it often and by walking along with a cahinsaw. If you leave a big gap you can just drive a bushog down it every now and again.

Yes, that was my original thought. I only have seven acres and I lose a lot as a PP mentioned, due to a busy road along one of the property lines. don't want to gallop outside the fence as I worry about getting dumped and the horses getting on the road. Lots to think about. Really appreciate all the input. Used my tractor to mow future pasture for the first time today. :D Also got my fence permit and my demolition permits. Maybe by Thanksgiving I will be finished with Phase I.

[foggybok]

Yuck. That seems like a huge DISadvantage to me. Yeah, I get the cost savings, but that's way too messy to figure out and maintain. Different fencing preferences, god knows what types of animals on the other side, illnesses of neighbor animals touching noses, stallions vs. mares, neighbors having access to your horses, etc. etc. . No thank you! I can't believe that works out for people.

Our fence line is the property line. We want to replace it, neighbors don't, so we'll end up footing the whole bill anyway.....

[HungarianHippo]

it's called the right hand rule. We meet at the middle of the fenceline, and I own the fence to my right, the neighbor owns the fence to his right. If you have a jerky neighbor (we don't, around here even if you don't socialize or even particularly like one another, it's still an absolute imperative to be good neighbors), there are county trustees whose job it is to mediate fencing disputes.
Where you have differing fence needs (cattle vs. stallions, etc) you do this crazy thing called TALKING and you simply work it out. I have never encountered a situation where different fencing needs can't be accomodated. If I need a more substantial fence than he does, then one possibility is we agree on the basic fence and the cost, and he pays haof of that. But we actually put in the more expensive fence and I'd cover the add-on value for the special fence. Whatever. It's just not that hard to work out.

[dmalbone]

Where you have differing fence needs (cattle vs. stallions, etc) you do this crazy thing called TALKING and you simply work it out. I have never encountered a situation where different fencing needs can't be accomodated. If I need a more substantial fence than he does, then one possibility is we agree on the basic fence and the cost, and he pays haof of that. But we actually put in the more expensive fence and I'd cover the add-on value for the special fence. Whatever. It's just not that hard to work out.

Huh?? TALKING? What the heck is that weird concept? I've never heard of such a thing... I get it. Truly. :rolleyes: I never said it was hard to work out, I just think it is NOT something I would ever want to do and was just sharing my opinion. I don't doubt that it DOES work out for some people, I just choose to have full control of the fencing for my animals that I have put my hard-earned money into! I have a fantastic neighbor and we get along marvelously, I just prefer to take care of my own property and have a set property line including my own fencing. Who knows when that neighbor or however many you have bordering you move and you have a complete jerk who moves in and wants nothing to do with this fence or complains if it's over the line a foot here or there or god knows what. I've had way too many BAD neighbor stories to know that a situation like this could end up a giant PITA and more trouble than it's worth to save the money at the outset. Congrats to those it works for though, just not my cup o' tea!

[ReSomething]

What Aussie gal said is still an option, it just adds to the cost, and that is basically put up a barebones perimeter fence and a real fence with a 12 or so foot track in between.

We'll be putting the animal proof perimeter fence on the line and subdividing the interior with hot wire. Everything for us is on hold till we can get the post hole drilling issue resolved. (yes we have an auger, yes we have a driller for the tractor, we also have limestone strata 2' below the surface and need this baby : http://www.belltec.net/post_hole.html with a diamond cutter).

[aaussie_gal]

Huh, Didn't think it was so common to have fences so close to property lines! What happens if you need to repair your fence and all of a sudden you have an a**hole neighbor who won't let you on his property? I mean, it would take more than 2 ft. to comfortably fix it. We're in a different situation and are sacrificing a lot of pasture area (well... a lot for our little acreage because we're on a busy road. Our fences are 40' off the main road, 20 feet off the side road and 15' off the neighbors property line. He's a farmer who also has an empty 15-20' path to drive his tractor down.

Existing landscaping (double row of Austian pines) only 62' from property line gave us just enough room for a long narrow pasture ... 60' wide with the 2 ft "gap" between our steel fencing and the property line. Eighteen years later the adjacent land is only occasionally leased out for hay and neighbor is delighted if we brushhog along the property line.

Wish we'd had enough land to leave a bigger "gap" but we didn't and this DOES work. A big wheel weedeater will always fit thru, and any repairs can be down from inside the pasture. Important thing is we control our own secure fencing.

[dmalbone]

I can see that. Our farmer that shares the other side of our path was ecstatic when DH seeded our side and his ended up with nice green grass too! :lol: