Desert Fencing

Hey all Im new and am starting out on raw land in the high AZ desert, 5 acres. I need to put up a fence to stop cattle and jackrabbits from coming in and eating any permaculture and water harvesting I want to set up. I am 2 hours away in Las Vegas and am looking at putting up a barb wire fence as cheap as possible, and by or when spring rolls around. I want to begin water harvesting and planting in spring, and want it to be protected.  

I never built a fence before, Im an urban guy trying to run away from the city
Would 8in Diameter end posts (4" dia cross beams) be solid end posts (gate posts)? Also can I put 6ft t-posts end to end, or do I need wooden posts between? Either way, how far between t-posts, or how far between tposts and wood posts? Also, would 3 string be enough, or do I need 5?
Can anyone ballpark a price? I was estimating $2k-3k, is that about right?

Anyone familiar with zoning in NE AZ?

Thanks everyone! I hope to talk to you all more!
Eric

Hi

I'm about 275 miles east of you along the 40.

I use 6 foot t-posts 25 feet apart. I'm eternally broke so when i can i wiil put another post between them to make it 12 1/2 foot apart.
I build as i have the money.

Find a tractor supply store for the price. Don't buy the cheapest barbed wire, you will regret it.

A good time to pound your posts into the ground would be when it's wet.

Palo verde grows along the freeway west of kingman. If you want seeds now, go to yucca and find the honolulu club. South of there on the frontage road.
If you have a drink at the club let me know if you survived.

I use 4x4s for my gates. They don't handle the weight well so i cemented them in place.

One way to keep people out of my driveway was to put up a gate but without fencing.i even chain it.
They get the idea.

On my long perimiter fencing i didn't use any wooden posts. I just braced the corner post with another t-post.

I have a fenced off area in the middle of my property, sort of double insulation should a cow get in. That square has 4x4 posts at the corners. It holds up better than the perimiter fencing.

I have a ten hour drive from LA. Sometimes i wish I'd looked around your area.

8in x 8ft strainers on the ends is a good idea.
Gates are heavy and they handle it well.
We use 6in  strainers on angles.
Along with a box or angle stay to counter the strain of the wire and angle stays at corners to stop the post pulling over.
Fencing is hard work so better to do it once and do it right I feel.
Cheap wire rusts faster and needs replacing sooner.
I hope it's good digging!

kevin stewart wrote:Hi

I use 6 foot t-posts 25 feet apart. I'm eternally broke so when i can i wiil put another post between them to make it 12 1/2 foot apart.
I build as i have the money.

I use 4x4s for my gates. They don't handle the weight well so i cemented them in place.
.

Thanks for the input. Do you have grazing cows or jack rabbits?  How many strands do you have? 3-5?

Also, how is remote permaculture? Im trying it the same way.

Hi
I use three strands cause i can't afford more.
Cattle will stay out of three strand because they Are used to barbed wire.
I'm on a ten year plan, I'll get around to it.

This area is checkerboard. Square miles of private and blm land. A fair number of cattle come by, more in the past. The drought has been hard.

My main enemies are rabbits and kangaroo rats. Though i expect i will bring heads of cabbage on my next visit.what a softie.

Everything i grow is in the greenhouse, I've been fortunate to get my hands on bunches of cloth for free.

It's difficult when you don't live there.

kevin stewart wrote:Hi
I use three strands cause i can't afford more.
Cattle will stay out of three strand because they Are used to barbed wire.
I'm on a ten year plan, I'll get around to it.

This area is checkerboard. Square miles of private and blm land. A fair number of cattle come by, more in the past. The drought has been hard.

My main enemies are rabbits and kangaroo rats. Though i expect i will bring heads of cabbage on my next visit.what a softie.

Everything i grow is in the greenhouse, I've been fortunate to get my hands on bunches of cloth for free.

It's difficult when you don't live there.

Thanks for insight. Im looking at ten years as well, though I want to get started this spring with whatever I can.

The smaller animals can prove tough, but I thought Id just put tree fencing up and try to start with plants the animals wont destroy.