In 2001 the big project was putting in new roads and water lines to connect both halves of the farm. In 2002 my latest attempt to achieve total bankruptcy was new fencing. Fencing, like the road last year, or almost anything else on this farm, is an example of the nasty financial inverse relationship that continues to plague my life – the greater the necessity, the more horrific the expense. In this case, the fencing was a dire necessity, despite the incredible expense. At the beginning of the summer only 15 of the farm’s 50 acres of pasture were fenced.
With 80 hungry and growing sheep, and a worsening drought, the need for more fencing became urgent. The bank laughed when I asked to borrow more money, but luckily friends and family helped out and I was able to get started on about half of the eventually needed fencing. The team from Gold Cup Fencing made the project look easy, and by the end of the summer the sheep were grazing on fresh new pasture, secure behind nearly a mile of new four board fences. Perhaps when I pay off some debts in a few years time I’ll be able to finish the other half.