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Farm Tools 8, Fences and Fruit Basket Orchard Part 3

Writer's picture: Teresa Derrick-MillsTeresa Derrick-Mills

Fences as a Farm Tool

Fences can be used to mark a boundary, keep animals in or separated from each other, and to keep animals out.

  • Our two main fences at Chocolates and Tomatoes Farm are designed to keep animals out - specifically deer

    • Sure, there are plenty of other animals that we want to keep away from our crops, but they can dig under fences and fit through fence grids. They can damage our crops too, but most of time we can share reasonably.

  • Pictures of the team putting up our newest fence are sprinkled throughout. We used Profence again. They did a great job both times - on time, on budget, and easy to work with. And, the fences are sturdy, doing what we hoped they would.



Our Row Crop Fence at Chocolates and Tomatoes Farm

When we first moved to our current location in Middletown, MD, we quickly put up a fence (2019) around our main farming field where we planned to grow most of our vegetables.

  • Lots of folks thought we might bring some exotic animals to the neighborhood like Emus or Bison.

  • We were just trying to be sure that the deer didn't eat or trample all of what we were trying to grow.

  • We had grown row-crops in other places and we knew that the deer would wipe us out if we didn't have the fence.



Why Our Fruit Basket Orchard Needed a Fence

When we started up the orchard in 2020, it was our first time planting an orchard. We hoped the deer wouldn't cause as much damage to new trees as they did to row crops. And, we didn't have the funds to build another fence just then.

  • We soon learned that deer can do all kinds of damage to trees

    • young saplings, bark and new growth are tasty morsels -- but stunt growth and may cause tree death

    • slightly sturdier trunks are good for antler rubbing (but not so good for the trunks or the life of the tree)

    • fruit buds are sweet treats (and when eaten no fruit grows)

    • ripening fruit is an irresistible temptation -- and the deer can detect the ripeness before the human so just when you think you will get a nice big harvest, you wake up the next day to find all the fruit gone (in 2024, the deer ate all our apples and some of all our other fruit too)

  • We tried all kinds of things to protect the trees such as:

    • Tree guards

    • Irish Spring soap tied in little bags to the trees

    • Harvesting a little bit earlier than planned

  • Ultimately, we decided that we had to spend the money to protect the original investment or we would never be able to have a mature orchard producing fruits and truffles. And, although we appreciate that we would be good partners with the environment either way, the products of the trees are important to us too.

We think these fences are beautiful too. They allow everyone to see in and through, preserving the wide-open feel of the farm.

New fence stands proud in the snowscape
New Fence Stands Proud in the Snowscape around the Orchard at Chocolates and Tomatoes Farm

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