Netting The Orchard

Over the weekend we finally got the bird netting up over the orchard. The orchard is about twenty two by twenty five meters square, and four meters high at each corner, so it wasn’t a small task. Fortunately with the help of my parents, and my parents in-law (as well as the tractor – of course!), we managed to get it done.

We had bought a big roll of netting a few weeks back, but we had to roll it out, cut it into lengths, stretch out the net, and sew the lengths together before we could put it up. Once the net was over the poles and wires, we then had to stretch it down the side and attach it to the fence with cable ties.

Of course it wasn’t as simple as just whacking the net over the frame. There was lots of rearranging netting, and untangling, and pulling, and running around trying to get everything in place. And of course, the kids got sick of helping way before we had finished, and started their own games. Thank goodness they are good at entertaining themselves.

Country Boy still has to go around the edges and put more cable ties on, just to hold everything down properly. Once that is done, all that needs to be done is to put a big gate in, and the whole thing will be bird proof. Hopefully it will only be another year or two until we start harvesting our own fruit – and no pesky birds will be getting our berries and fruit first!

Between fencing the extended garden (which is almost finished too), finishing off the orchard, and getting moving with our house extension, we’ve got some big projects on the go at the moment. Good thing I love a project!