There are a variety of fencing options that hobby farmers can choose from, and it all depends on a customer's preference and needs, one local fence supply store owner says.
Daniel Miller, the owner of Mohican Valley Fence in Butler, has been supplying fencing for nearly 21 years. When it comes to fencing their property, hobby farmers— or backyard farmers, as he refers to them— have a number of options, such as woven wire fencing or wooden fencing; he said in an interview with the Mount Vernon News.
"We do a lot of woven wire fencing, and we do wooden fences like a horse fence," Miller told the News. Mohican also does wooden picket fences. The type of fence "depends on what [the farmers] are using it for." There's different fencing for cattle, goats, alpacas, llamas and other farm animals.
"There are a lot of variety of wire fences— it all depends on what the customer needs," Miller said. His company has approximately one dozen types of fences that it sells. [We] go out to a customer's property and assess their needs. [We] then discuss their options and give them an estimate.
"If they are going for looks, they go for the wooden fence," Miller said; noting, however, that the woven wire fence is more practical.
Miller shared that he recently visited one customer, and when he arrived at the property they had pigs. For pigs, it doesn't take as big a fence as other livestock.
Fencing is an important part of a hobby farm's infrastructure. When choosing fencing, Hobby Farms Magazine identifies four main things to consider: keeping livestock in their pasture, keeping predators out, beautifying the property, and providing the property with privacy.
Mohican is not only a fence contractor; they also install the fences. Additionally, they sell fencing for those who want to do it themselves.
"We do quite a wide variety of fencing," Miller told the News.
Mohican also sells livestock feeders and supplies, such as water tanks and even bedding.
When asked about the effect the COVID-19 pandemic has had, Miller noted that it has had an impact both on his business and also hobby farmers.
"It made us a lot busier," he said. There are a lot more backyard farmers because of the pandemic.
