From Bamboo Battles to Building a Beautiful Fence: Our Journey Preparing for Highland Cows

It’s amazing how much effort goes into preparing a property for highland cows. What began as a simple idea quickly turned into a huge undertaking, testing our resolve and resilience. Our adventure kicked off with the daunting task of clearing bamboo, a plant we soon learned was much more than just a harmless green stalk. It became our primary adversary in landscaping.

The Bamboo Battle

If there’s one lesson we learned the hard way, it’s this: never plant bamboo. This seemingly "easy to grow" plant turned into a relentless invader, stretching its roots across our yard. Each attempt to uproot it felt like an uphill struggle—yet we couldn’t give up. After spending countless hours digging and pulling, we knew we needed some help.

That’s when we called in reinforcements. We hired a skid steer to tackle the remaining bamboo. Watching it rip out those stubborn stalks was a rewarding moment!

The land cleared and ready for fence building.

Creating a Bonfire

Now that the bamboo was gone, we faced a mountain of debris. Instead of a tedious cleanup, we decided to make the most of it. Out came the matches, and we built a gigantic bonfire! The fire burned for a number of days as it worked through our pile of debris.

Fencing: The Real Challenge

With the land cleared, we turned our attention to the next big project: building the fence. This task proved to be quite the challenge. We wrestled with rainstorms that frequently interrupted our progress as we laid and painted the fence. For four grueling weeks, the family worked and began to find a groove.

The results of our labor were quickly visible. We constructed a sturdy four-rail ranch fence that enclosed certain sections of our property, giving it a sense of security and pride. It was a significant milestone and served as a grounding area from which we could run t-posts and rotate our pastures.

Blake Sawyer creating holes for each fence post.

Fence construction in progress.

Final Touches and Happiness

Standing back to admire our completed fence felt incredibly rewarding. We couldn’t be happier with the transformation. As we looked over the newly fenced property, our vision of highland cows grazing peacefully became more tangible than ever.

This fence represented more than just physical labor. It symbolized our teamwork as a family. Every nail driven, every board painted, told a story of our unity and resolve.

Our Journey Towards a New Beginning

Preparing for highland cows has been a journey filled with hard work, laughter, and a few frustrations. From battling invasive bamboo to creating a beautiful fence, our experience drew us closer as a family. We learned valuable lessons about perseverance and teamwork through every challenge.

As we gaze over our property, we feel a mix of pride and excitement for what lies ahead. Highland cows are on the way, and we can't wait to welcome them into our family!

We hope to see you soon.

With love,

The Sawyer family