saga of neat neighbor & survey

[StoneHeartFarm]

Police are good. Apparently, the locals know about this guy, and might be able to give you at least some cover.

I was going to suggest that this guy may just be playing the intimidation game. There are a lot of people who enjoy being able to intimidate and rarely, if ever actually do anything violent. They just want to "win", and that means getting their own way. But, this guy is starting to sound like a real nut.

Locust sounds good. I've never seen a growing mesquite, so I can't help you there. A growing fence is a good idea. After it is grown, you can start sliding in a more solid fence behind it. I read awhile back about people growing bamboo. Apparently, it will grow here. Don't know how much water it needs or what temps. But, I do know it is not necessarily as tropical as many think. It would be neat if you could get some kind of a crop out of whatever you are planting there. It would also be poetic justice if Mr Clean just happened to be allergic.

How about a berm? Raise a small hill all along the property line and plant the top of it with something thorny.

Hmm, this one might take some thought and research. Let me cook on it for a day or so.

SHF

 

[MarkV]

SHF,
As I have read about Patricks problem, bamboo came into my mind also. I have just heard so many horror stories about how it takes over and once it gets a foot hold, you will never get rid of it.

Patrick, how about us getting a 100 or so tractors together and hold tractor pulls next to this guys lot./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Or, forty of us pull up in formation with post hole diggers and twenty minutes later there is a 6' high fence. Sorry, I know it isn't a funny situation.

MarkV

 

[JohnS]

Pat,

I've been following this saga, and will pipe-in with this suggestion. All the law enforcement buddies in the world, are not going to protect you from drunken Jo-Bob with vengence on his mind. He will intentionaly damage your property when you are not there or worse threaten you or your family directly. Restraining orders and other legal manevors, will just provoke him, will not stop him, and he will declare war on you. It will most likely be a long drawn out ordeal, with no winners.

Given this situation, and need to fence this for cattle, I would erect the pipe fence 8' back from what has been considered the unofficial property line. Use the buffer area between to plant whatever headge is best in OK. Here in the northeast there is this wild rose bush that grows about 7' high and is nice and thick. It would have the added benefit that no human would get through it with clothes and skin attached!

This of course is the most costly to you, fence and property wise. But knowing the type of personality you are dealing with, there is really not many alternatives. If he ends up on the wrong side of a bar fight, or for whatever reason finally vacates this property, you would then have an opportunity to reclaim the land. My 2 cents.

JohnS

 

[patrickg]

Yes, usually police are good. We are at the southern boundary of a north south running county with the county seat (read sheriff's office) at the north boundary. We are step children at best. We have two deputies who pass through here fairly frequently, one because he lives just a few miles west of me and the other to the east. The one to the east is less than a year to retirement and doesn't want to take any chances with a nut (especially a well armed nut with well polished sniper skills). When I first heard about the police action when the neighbor was rampaging and shooting up his wife's tires etc. I went to the deputy to check it out, get ground truth rather than accept the rumors and gosip versions. This deputy, I suppose to curry favor, went to the neighbor (professional courtesy) to let him know I was checking him out. I've since had my neighbor throw that in my face as well. Seems to me he should have been happy I was seeking the truth rather than accepting gossip. I am the only one within a mile or two in any direction that has even tried to get along with him on friendly terms but apparently that was a mistake and a wasted effort. Everyone else just avoids him if able except whoever it was thet put a .30 round through his Jeep while he was leaning across it target shoting. The other neighbors all like that it happened but but disapproved of the bad marksmanship.

I thought about berms and possible water retention legalities. If I thought I could stay out of court or a gun battle I could put an 8 ft corrugated metal (junk yard) fence around him on three sides but that is not within the envelope of how I am willing to treat someone, even a trouble maker. But growing things like Locust trees or whatever until I can't see his house anymore would be well within the envelope.

Bamboo, hmmmm, I've grown it before, Giant Forrest Bamboo, over 4" in diameter, over 20' tall but that was in San Diego, CA. I've seen cane of sorts growing over 10 ft tall around here but it seemed to be around water and this location isn't. Hmmm, they do water their lawn a lot so if I plant close to the line it might get enough to grow well. I'll have to look into that. Of course I would sure hate to put a thousand dollars worth of growing thingies along the line and have "an accident" like wind drift of weed killer from some operation of theirs kill it all.

Patrick

 

[Anonymous Poster]

John, I hope you're not referring to multi-flora rose. Every farmer in the midwest would like to shoot the SOB who genitically cultivated that. Wouldn't recommend anyone voluntarily introduce it to their property.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

There is no reason to introduce Locust trees to your property if you do not already have them. I am in mortal combat with Locust trees around here, they have drawn blood. I have stepped on a Locust thorn and had it go all the way into my foot. My tractor tires look like pincushions, if it wasn't for Slime (a tire sealant that is in the tire) who knows how many flats I would have. I would suggest a double row of evergreens instead. Plus, these have the added benefit of providing cover all year round.

 

[JohnS]

PitBull,

I am not sure. It grows wild in a number of spots on my property. It looks to primarily expand through root or shoot systems. With birds probably distributing it outside of its immediate area. I was only considering its particular repelant characteristics. I had a picture in my mind, of Pat's neighbor so entangled in this stuff, he couldn't get out! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

PS: As a general rule, you should not indroduce any non-native species to any area.

JohnS

 

[patrickg]

kubotadriver, We have at least two kinds of locust trees, one with thorns to rival the natal plum. I wouldn't be driving through the "green baricade" and the thorns shouldn't "propagate", I mean they don't "throw" their quills. Choya cactus (many varieties), especially the one known as jumping cactus would be great but I don't think there is anyway to grow that here. That is B A D stuff. Small but deadly. Your boot touches it and a chunk breaks off stuck to you with barbed spines. If you step on it with your other foot to pull it off you just get spines in it too. This stuff would make Uncle Remus's tar baby a much prefered torture. If your pooch touches it he's it had too. They invariably get it in their nose trying to bite it on their foot and on and on. Ah, if only it would grow here. Did I mention they have 5-6 dogs a couple of which have calf chasing tendencies?

Patrick

 

[Anonymous Poster]

John, If you have multi-flora rose, you'd know it! A native wild rose was genitically altered by an Iowa botonist (sic?) to provide a better ground cover for pheasants, rabbits and so forth, worked a little too well. Multi-flora spreads rapidly and will chokeout just about everything. We have stands the 4020 can't even mow through. Tardon worked well if you applied during the flower but its been banned for at least 10 years (should have been banned 10 years earlier). Roundup (ag strength not the garden store stuff) works ok if applied at the right time. If you ever get it under control, regular mowing will eventually get rid of it.

A few years back Colorado's DNR actually talked about introducing multi-flora to their state, don't know if they ever did.

Ditto on the locust trees post.

 

[StoneHeartFarm]

patrickg,

Old doors (the steel pre hung) kind work good for fencing. Look decorative and wear like steel /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif. We have a place about 40 miles from here that sells the doors (seconds) for $40.00 each. Prehung they want $75.00.

Hadn't thought about water rights. Here we don't get into much trouble unless you actually dam the stream. There's a page on the snope website about the Michigan DNR trying to fine a bunch of beavers for building a dam. (true story). Makes you wonder how much they actually get into the field.

If you're willing to plant along the lot line, I take it this isn't what you consider prime grazing territory. How do lilacs grown down there? Or, if you want somthing edible, Sumac? Both propagate from shoots and provide dense, spreading cover. No thorns, but a couple strands of electric fence along the backside would add quite a bit of bite. Next summer, when everything is in full leaf, you can run a pipe fence down the backside.

Only problem with this stuff is it spreads and can be very difficult to get rid of later on.

Whatever you do, don't expect this guy to get any nicer. Sounds like a certified nut.

SHF