Newsletter #181 - The Fence

Trees protecting trees

Recently I built a fence to protect my fruit trees.

I had this idea for a DIY fence made from the abundant supply of eastern white pines on my property, which are 99% terrible trees for various reasons.

I spent several weeks harvesting the wood and constructing the fence with just a few tools.

After it was done, I decided I would write a newsletter about it, where I could share important details like how I didn’t bother using a level or measuring tape.

I could answer all the practical questions, like whether it would actually keep deer out (probably, it depends) and how long it would last (I would guess about two years).

I could brag about my genius idea for a gate that used a buried pipe instead of hinges. (Well, it was actually my friend Josh's genius idea.)

Or about how the whole thing cost me only about $20 in supplies to make.

So I wrote a whole newsletter about it. But after reading back what I wrote, I just wasn’t feeling it. Plus, it was really long. So I decided to scrap it.

It's possible I'll revisit this project in a future newsletter when I can give it the treatment it deserves.

But until then, I'll be outside.

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Kristen Neufeld was inspired by this story to cut down a bunch of eastern white pines.
Zach Vitale has a 60% success rate in breaching the fence.

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