[Carpenter] Osage Orange Hedge Rows...

[John Murphy]

Kevin,

This is my .02, and it's worth what you paid for it.

If we could zap a local fellow from 1850 to present day, he would describe how he hated chasing his cattle that escaped through his hedgerow fence and how he longs for hot wire. It might work if your cattle were purchased from a petting zoo, but my guess would be highly inefficient when weaning, or trying to isolate a bull.

I suppose my biggest concern is not necessarily with how tight you can get the hedge trees, but site choice. Keep in mind, the amount of time and money you have spent on clearing woody veg from your grasslands, and how nesting success for grassland birds plummet as they are forced to nest near woody cover. 

Thanks,
John

-----Original Message-----
From: carpenter-bounces at mysticplains.org [mailto:carpenter-bounces at mysticplains.org] On Behalf Of Kevin N Carpenter
Sent: Sunday, September 13, 2009 10:54 PM
To: carpenter at mysticplains.org
Subject: [Carpenter] Osage Orange Hedge Rows...

Just curious if anyone has information on establishing and maintaining 
old fashion Osage Orange hedge rows?   Its my understanding that it 
takes about 4 years to get a fence sufficient dense to be able to 
contain cattle, with an established fence described as "Horse High and 
Bull Tight".  These were apparently VERY popular prior to barb-wire fencing.

I've been considering replacing my eastern most fence with a 5' 
electric, but the idea of a "natural" fence caught my fancy.  I have the 
time to grow one, although I'm a bit concerned about what it takes to 
maintain one.  Still, if they could do it in the 1800s, surely it can't 
be impossible today.

Thoughts?  Links?

Kevin
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