Chiropractor

Back Aches

Lately, we have been visiting our chiropractor kind of frequently. We just can’t figure out why our backs hurt. Honestly, all we have been doing is a little gardening. Really.

What Have We Been Doing?

We have just finished gate installation, on the new fenceline around our garden. so now we can go in and out without untwisting tie wires. First, Pete built three gates out of old 2×4’s we had around, then I painted the wood. Next, he attached pieces of the old fence wire and, “Wa La!” Finishing with three gates ready to install. They are loaded up on the tractor and we go on down to the garden to install them.

When I asked Pete, “Would you like some help with that?”

His reply is, “Nah, I got this.”. Let’s see, is that what you would call a macho reply? It doesn’t seem really easy to me. But, for heaven’s sake do not tell the chiropractor about this.

Each gate is kind of heavy and really awkward to pick up.

fence Gates 12 — drive in gate installed closeup

This 10-foot opening is the “drive-in gate” which has two pieces with each one being five feet wide and about eight feet tall. Next is the single walk-in fence further down the hill.

North Side of the Garden

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We concentrate on replacing the north side of the garden fence. You can tell how bad the old fence was by how many posts are bracing it up. This length of fence is approximately 100 feet long.

The first thing we had to do was go ahead and lean the fence into the garden. We are needing room to clear and level-out the ground where we are going to put the new fenceline. Incidently, it amounts to about 5 feet further out and is a much straighter line.

Thank goodness for the Kubota tractor, with the disc implement Pete is able to till the soil and then smooth it out even where we want to put the new posts.

This picture was taken from inside the garden looking at the big old apple tree.

Doesn’t the new fenceline look good and straight? Yay! That should keep Bambi out of our garden for quite a few years.

West Side of the Fence

West Fenceline (southern) — Southern side of the garden West fenceline

This is the beginning of the west side of the fence for the garden. It is a fenceline that is 53 ft in length stretching out from the south side of the garage.

before of west side on the north — northern side of the west fenceline

Here is how the old fence and gate looked on the other side (northwestern) of the garage. We walked in here to pick blueberries or apples.

Old Northwest fence line removed — old fence is removed

We took down all the wire and pulled the old fenceposts/braces down, then smoothed out the ups and downs in the dirt along the fenceline. So, now we don’t have gaps between the ground and the wire at the bottom of the fence to deal with.

One Kubota tractor with a phenomenal operator can move mountains and valleys. I will never doubt the power of a man and his Tonka toy! Prior to the tractor, we left all the hills and valleys just were they were. Unfortunately, we used to have to put old logs at the base of the fences to keep turkeys out. They would come in every gap where the ground was uneven. Leveling the ground before building the fence, could be thought of as an act of forethought and planning. Wow, that is scary isn’t it? Are we getting smarter in our old age?

west fenceline posts installed — New West fence posts installed

This is the west corner going 50 ft. then turning a 45º angle for 40 feet to go around the apple tree. Covering approximately 70 feet before it makes the turn uphill into the northern side of the fence.

Mystery Tool

Can you identify this mystery tool and what it is used for?

I wonder what part this tool plays in the process of fence building?

Rolling out 150 feet of wire fencing can be hard on your body. Don’t let anyone ever tell you it’s easy. First, my legs get tired from rolling out the wire. Then, the biceps get a good workout from lifting it up so it is vertical with the posts. Honestly, how many times can you walk up and down a fence line in a day before your legs wear out?

I learned how to straighten the wire. It is required that you pull with all you got, then pull again. Following this, my hands, arms, shoulders, abs, and legs are talking to me all night long.

Say hello to my little friend!

Wire Tensioner 01 — Wire Tensioner on top wire south fenceline

A Fence Tensioner

The mystery tool above is called a fence tensioner. I think I am in love. It is an old tool from Pete’s secret stash in the garage. A basic block and tackle assembly with a cogged clamp on one end that grabs the wire, and a dual hook chain on the other side. Pete showed me how to slip the chain around one fencepost, then hook the clamp end to the top wire of the wire and pull the rope. Yahoo! Nail the top in, then repeat for the bottom. This tensioner makes a wobbly crooked fence to a straight line. Sweeeeet!

South Fence — First posts in garden south side fence.

South Garden Fence — Posts for half of the south fence

Now all that is left is to staple the wire three times per post. The south side of the garden is about 150 feet long, with 15 fenceposts.

You can see how the wire is drooping down on the top row of wire before we used the wire tensioner.

Dilapidated Garden Fence

Realization

We have a dilapidated garden fence. With the accumulation of snow weight this winter, everything started to really lean. When the snow melted it became obvious. There is no way around it, we had to replace the fence. Dang! This is a view of the 1/4 acre garden that we plant every year with the messed-up old fence.

north side garden — northside garden fence

Over the winter our garden fence started to sag and lean everywhere, till we had placed just as many braces to prop it up as there were fenceposts. Here is a before picture of the Northside fence with all of its braces. You can see how saggy it all is. Guess it really is needing some help isn’t it?

Evidence

This image illustrates how over the years, we have added fences as the garden expanded by simply going around big rocks or trees. There was no long-term plan. Laying out the fence in any kind of straight-line was not a concern so much as simply keeping the deer out of the garden.

It is a good thing we are not competing in any kind of Home and Garden contest because, in the existing leaning lines of fence, there is not even one single 90-degree corner angle in it. We began by trying to lay out the new fenceline with 90-degree corners but finally gave up. Our focus instead is on straight runs with the removal of all possible obstacles. Thank goodness for the Kubota…. thank you, Dan and Ann!

The south border of the garden is the longest continuous stretch of fence at approximately 150 feet long. It is going to also be the straightest stretch of fence in the new. You have seen all of the “before” pictures in our garden fence line replacement project. Now, you know what the Woelk’s in Elk do during quarantine, letting the ultraviolet rays kill all the Covid 19 virus cells as we sweat.

Retirement Woelk Style

RetirementPete06

What does retirement Woelk style, look like? This World’s Best, trophy holding, Woelk just retired…. completing 31 years at Kaiser Aluminum Trentwood, Spokane Washington plant. Friday was his last workday. He has 4 weeks of vacation before his “real” retirement starts. So, he is actually “on vacation” . This is really his first week of vacation. Doesn’t look like a vacation to me, does it look like a vacation to you? Hmmmmm.

RetirementPete05 RetirementPete04

In all honesty, I am glad he is getting the tractor fixed because we need it to finish getting the garden in, but honestly, this is NOT how I picture retirement or vacation. Not even close.

RetirementPete03 RetirementPete02

This Machine Has Needed This

Every nook and cranny of the machine has been inspected, cleaned, greased, and put back together and now he is taking apart the front-end to find the noise it made. Hopefully, it will stay fixed all season after this thorough go-through. This is a Kubota we bought from Ann and Dan when they moved to Arkansas. I pray for safety and protection for him every morning. We own stock in Band-Aid and Tylenol now.

Retiring Woelk Style isn’t Normal

Who Cares? I’ve never really cared much about normal anyhow. I’m Just As Guilty As Pete…I am working in the garden this week. Got the strawberry patch transplanted and spaced so they are not overcrowded. Hoping to be able to replenish the strawberry jam, strawberry syrup, and strawberry juice this year. Un Huh! I will put up the before and after pictures of that in later posts.

Will get on the berry bushes and fruit tree bases-clearing next so that they stay healthy and should be ready for when the tractor is back together and ready to plow and disc the rest of the garden so we can seed. We already have the other starts in the house waiting to go in.

But, I already had steamed asparagus for breakfast this morning. Yummm. Our roses are budding, fruit trees are blossoming, iris are getting ready to do their thing. Love the warm weather and the hummingbirds, life is great in the fast lane here in Elk. Never thought this ski bum would say that, did ya? Neener neener neener!