[Carpenter] Osage Orange Hedge Rows...

[Kevin N Carpenter]

Hi John -

I was thinking of this for my eastern boarder - which is forested on the 
other side of the road.  I've been wanting to reclaim some of the ground 
between the road and the current electric fence.  If a hedgerow worked 
(and I'm still researching that) I wouldn't be bound by having a 
strictly straight fence so could plant it at the required easement 
distance from the road.  Looking at various fences up and down gravel 
roads, I'm guessing that easement is something like 15-20 feet from the 
road edge.  Hmmm, suspect its some distance from the road CENTER... 
don't really know.

Donnie brought up the point that it would help deter roadside poaching 
as well.

The goal would be to build and maintain a proper hedgerow.  I'm not 
quite sure exactly what that is, but I'm guessing its something about 5 
feet high and several feet think - it would require annual pruning for 
sure to keep it from growing wide.

John Murphy wrote:
> 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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