What if your fences are to keep the neighbors them selves out? What if the reason for having a fence is to avoid the neighbors all together. Could we solve more of our communities problems by taking down the fences and being good neighbors ourselves? Could we see our neighbors houses and lives in a new perspective? Not judging how tall the grass is or how often they leave the garage door open. I've never actually lived in a neighborhood where I could even see my neighbors garage door so I don't have the answers to these questions. And sometimes I guess nobody does.
Sorry for the wandering now back to the farm...I think that good fences do make good neighbors but even more so great neighbors just make great neighbors. Seeing that the farmer next to us has real life issues makes us good neighbors. Caring and helping with those isuses makes us great neighbors. Sometimes that means that we just have to take a few miniutes out of our day to stand at the fence and talk about those issues. Asking how the calving season is going, checking to see how the tomato crop is growing. And when things aren't going well lending a helping hand is important.
Now I'm not saying that things here on the farm between neighbors are always perfect. Our chickens tend to wander up and eat the neighbors feed quite often. And a few times there may have been chicken manure on the tractor seat. But when those times happen we have to be willing to do the hard work. To get rid of the offending chicken even if she is a good layer and then we must mend the fences.
I think these same tactics that work out on the farm could work across all fences in our communities if we only take the time to care about our neighbors.
So a big huge thanks to our neighbor for having good fences but more importantly for being a great neighbor!
Rose Hips growing on the rose bush that is in the fence row. It has been cut down a few times yet it keeps coming back and weed killer won't touch it (thank goodness).
Growing Boys Farm gates and barns are all red but the neighbors gates (in the background) are green and the barns are black. Usually the growing boys crew could care less what colors I choose but farm colors are an important decision.
