Foundations of Fencing

This is a 101 level workshop.

Are you intrigued by the thought of building your own fences? Or, have you tried and need a refresher on how to do it? Fence building is both an art and a science, and properly built fences make for years of happy neighbors and livestock success.

Learn the ropes with Kent Solberg and Jonathan Kilpatrick during our in-field workshop where you will get hands-on experience building permanent fence systems.

Properly installed corners and braces form the foundation of long-lasting fences, no matter the fence type. We will spend a portion of our time going over the basics of permanent fence construction. Then we will actually construct an H-brace corner system and a New Zealand corner and brace. We will teach the New Zealand fencing knot, discuss insulator selection and installation, and string high-tensile fence wire together.

This will be a very hands-on workshop, with plenty of time for you to help dig post holes, install braces and tie insulators on. We are capping the attendance at 16 people to allow for the best instructor-to-student interaction and to allow you to fully participate in the process.

About the presenters: For many years, Kent owned and operated an agricultural fence contracting business. He has used and consulted on both electric and non-electric fence systems for over 30 years. Jonathan has built and maintained many different styles of fencing for various classes of livestock in a variety of climates.

Items to Bring:

• Good fitting leather gloves
• Safety glasses
• Water bottle (water will be provided)
• Sun hat
• Sunscreen

Registration is required; no walk ups, please. $25/person. Lunch provided.

Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).

Refunds for cancellations can be requested up to 48 hours prior to the event.

SFA staff and volunteers occasionally take photos during our workshops, cafe chats and field days for promotional purposes and to use as documentation of events to share with our funders.  If you do not wish to be photographed, please let our event host know — we’ll make every effort to make sure you are not photographed.