Fences – from the Badlands Highway Writer

Why fences?

I was cruising along in deep reflection, as I often do when fences crossed my mind. We don’t usually give fences much thought unless you’re the one holding the post hole digger.

What is the purpose of fences?

Fences have been around in some form or another ever since man decided he needed boundaries. We build fences to keep some things in and others out. Every day our lives are dictated, directed or denied by fences. Fences dictate what’s yours and what’s mine. It’s been said good fences make good neighbors.

Designed by the imagination and purpose

Fence designs are limited only by the imagination and materials available at the time

The most often seen type is the barbed wire fences that delineate the prairie. The typical 3-wire that is used most or the 4-wire government fence bureaucrats like to spend our money on.

Chain link seems to be the preferred method of containing or excluding, the human animal. Windbreak fences have been made from sheet metal, cable spool ends, rough cut lumber.

I’ve seen corral fences made from stacking old tires on posts or circling round bales or welding used oilfield pipe together.

Fences sometimes line the highways in an attempt to keep livestock from wandering into traffic. They surround fields to keep the same livestock from wandering anywhere they might want to go. After all, the grass is greener on the other side.

Man is even so arrogant as to try to fence out snow!