Growing Up in Bandera

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It’s been sixty years since I worked for my Granddaddy Clark building fences in the area. Let me tell you, not too many things are done the same way today.

Crowbars and hand held post hole diggers have been replaced by welding machines, cutting torches and skid steers with augers. Back in the day the only machine we used was an air compressor with a rock drill. Now that’s a humbling way for every young man to experience what hard work means.

I have even seen videos of a machine that will drive wooden posts into the ground without digging a hole first. You won’t be seeing too much of that one in operation around our area of the hill country. You might say we have been overly blessed with rocky terrain in and around Bandera. If you take note of the many low rock walls that are found throughout the rural undeveloped areas you can rest assured at an earlier time there was a farmer or rancher trying to clear a field for planting crops.

Back in the day I recall numerous lots scattered around town where there would be nice corn crops growing tall. There were gardens of all sizes too and not a deer proof fence to be seen. The standard height of a pasture fence was the norm even in town. I sometimes wonder if the introduction of high fence exotic game ranches somehow contributed to the influx of the native whitetail deer we have in the city of Bandera today. Without a doubt the number of housing projects being developed in rural area around here will continue to drive wildlife to town.

Six foot high privacy fences are common all over town today. They can provide us with a good measure of security as well as privacy while trying desperately to hide the accumulations of several generations of our family members. The older members of our community who survived The Great Depression where nothing was thrown away are becoming scarce but some of those habits live on in a younger generation. The way things are going lately it may be a good plan.

I come from a generation of Growing Up In Bandera where we never threw away baling wire when we busted out square hay bales for the cows. It could make a pretty good gate latch or tailpipe hanger on the old ranch truck. It served as patching material in wire netting too where deer or hogs had left a gaping hole. Try using that new fancy plastic baling string for any such needs. Go ahead. I dare ya!!!