Old fences and new fences...

Whenever you are raising livestock, fencing is one of the most demanding, expensive and unending tasks that can make or break your farm.  I'll try to find the good country quote about fences a bit later.  But for now the Keyline project adds a new twist on fencing, or should I say curves ;)
Keylines are driven by the terrain, so they're not straight!
That goes contrary to everything we know about country fences.  This big keyline and site development means that we'll make major changes on our fences and many straight fences will be removed and new fences that wind along the keyline swales will be installed.

A little help from my brother for new post holes along the keylines...

Everyone's in on the action :)  Kateri (10) is showing how a farm girl can get it done!
Some cross fences have to go, and new ones put in place along the alleys.

Untwisting old rusted twisties ;)  I think she's got the technique.

OK, I found it in an old Cowboy's guide:

Our Wild West  "cowboys guide to life"

- Don't name a pig you plan to eat.

- Country fences need to be horse high, pig tight, and bull strong. 

- Life is not about how fast you run, or how high you climb, but how well you bounce.

- Keep skunks and bankers at a distance.

- Life is simpler when you plough around the stump.

- A bumble bee is faster than a John Deere tractor.

- Words that soak into your ears are whispered, not yelled

- Meanness don't happen overnight.

- Forgive your enemies. It messes with their heads.

- Don't sell your mule to buy a plough.

- Don't corner something meaner than you.

- It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge.

- You can't unsay a cruel thing.

- Every path has some puddles.

- When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.

- The best sermons are lived, not preached.

- Most of the stuff people worry about never happens.

- Don't squat with your spurs on.

- Don't judge people by their relatives.

- Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

- Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll enjoy it a second time

- Don't interfere with something that ain't botherin' you none.

- Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.

- It's better to be a has-been than a never-was.

- The easiest way to eat crow is while it's still warm. The colder it gets, the harder it is to swaller.

- If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.

- If it don't seem like it's worth the effort, it probably ain't.

- It don't take a genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep.

- Sometimes you get and sometimes you get got.

- The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with watches you shave his face in the mirror every morning.

- If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.

- Don't worry about bitin' off more'n you can chew; your mouth is probably a whole lot bigger'n you think.

- Only cows know why they stampede.

- Always drink upstream from the herd.

- If you're ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there with ya.

- Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.

- Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back in.

- You can't tell how good a man or a watermelon is 'till they get thumped.

- Never miss a good chance to shut up