The Fence Post

🌍 We Have Amos and Andy and Isabelle!

This is a continuation of Daniel and his three goats.
It wasn’t long before Penny’s delivery time arrived. (Penny was the pregnant goat I mentioned yesterday, but I failed to mention her name!) Daniel checked on her frequently, and one morning, close to lunch, he came and got me from my office to let me know she was in labor.
As a labor and delivery nurse, I was excited to attend the birth.

A Goat Birth Story
As I got to the goat shed, I quickly assessed the situation and could tell she was in trouble. The second kid had managed to get its hoof past the head of the first kid. Donning gloves, I attempted to push the hoof back behind the head, but to no avail. I tried a second time. I tried for a third and final time.
You might wonder what the nanny goat was doing with all this ongoing intervention. She remained calm and unphased, other than her laboring to deliver her goats.
Recognizing we needed professional help, I told Daniel to run to the house and call Eric. (This was before cell phones!) Eric was Ann’s husband and super familiar with cows and goats giving birth. Daniel thought we’d be okay, and I made it clear that we were not! He ran to the house, and within a few minutes, Eric was pulling up in his truck. I was so glad to see him!
Putting on gloves, Eric did what I had been doing—but with much more strength! He succeeded, moving the second kid out of the way, and soon, the first was delivered, followed by the second and then a third!
Triplets!
I just witnessed the birth of triplets, and what a delight and relief. All appeared healthy and robust. Woohoo! I was so excited and blurted out:

“We have Amos and Andy and Isabelle!”


A Nod to the Past
Growing up in the 50s and 60s, Amos and Andy were famous radio sitcoms. My family and I enjoyed many evenings gathered around the radio, listening and laughing. I miss those days of radio productions when you had to use your imagination to paint the pictures in your mind.
It’s one of the reasons I love storytelling with words, not pictures.

Fencing: Painting the Picture First
Planning for your fence projects is precisely the same thing. First, you paint the picture in your mind, then draw it out, and then physically create it on your or your customer’s property.
One of our customers has been super busy with customer projects, most of them involving panels. Wire mesh panels are one of my favorite products. They come in many different sizes and finishes, from:

Galvanized before weld (GBW)
Galvanized after weld (GAW)
Vinyl-coated (VC) in black or green
Stainless steel
Check out Louis E. Page for more information and photos!
Wire mesh panels have numerous uses, from decks to balconies to machine guards. Start planning today!

Warm regards,
Debbie Page
CEO, Louis E. Page Inc.
Woman-owned business and family-owned since 1893.
(Without question, that is 131 years owned and run by our family!)

🌍 Easy and Quick, Brown and Green: Composting Your Way to a More Bountiful Garden

Today, I’m going to talk about composting your way to a more bountiful garden. Watch out for mentions of the Browns and the Greens—read on...

Wire Mesh: The Unsung Hero of Composting
In the realm of sustainable gardening and waste management, finding practical solutions that balance durability and affordability is key. Enter wire mesh—(Tada!!)—a versatile material that’s perfect for creating composting enclosures. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener looking to enhance soil health or a homeowner interested in reducing organic waste, wire mesh offers a solution worth considering.

Chicken Wire vs. Hardware Cloth: Which is Right for You?
Two popular options stand out for constructing compost bins:
🐔 Chicken Wire

Classic hexagonal woven pattern with 1” openings.
Cost-effective and lightweight, making it easy to shape and manipulate.
Best for: Temporary or low-impact composting setups.
Consideration: May lack durability in harsh weather or high-traffic areas.
🔨 Hardware Cloth

Tight welded wire with ¼”–½” openings for enhanced strength.
More durable and long-lasting, ideal for sturdy compost bins.
Best for: Outdoor environments where durability is a priority.
Consideration: Slightly higher cost, but the investment pays off in longevity.

Building Your Compost Bin: Simple Steps
Once you’ve chosen your wire mesh, constructing the enclosure is a breeze:

Measure and cut the mesh to your desired dimensions.
Shape it into a cylindrical or rectangular design.
Secure the panels with zip ties or fasten the ends for a circular bin.
Fill it up with kitchen scraps, garden waste, and other organic materials.
Turn the contents periodically to promote aeration and speed up decomposition.

What Can You Compost?
Composting transforms organic materials into nutrient-rich soil amendments. Here’s a list of compostable materials to get you started:

Fruit and vegetable scraps (peels, cores, rinds, seeds)
Coffee grounds and filters (great nitrogen source!)
Tea leaves and compostable tea bags
Eggshells (adds calcium)
Yard waste (grass clippings, leaves, weeds without seeds)
Plant trimmings (flowers, foliage)
Shredded paper (newspaper, cardboard, paper towels—avoid glossy or colored paper)
Wood chips and sawdust (untreated wood only)
Straw and hay
Nutshells (peanut, walnut, etc.)
Seaweed and kelp (mineral-rich!)
Old potting soil
Hair and fur (human or pet)

Share Your Composting Adventures!
I’d love to hear your clever ideas for composting organic waste. Share your tips, tricks, and pictures—let’s inspire each other to grow greener gardens!

My warmest regards,
Debbie Page
CEO, Louis E. Page Inc.
Woman-owned business and family-owned since 1893.
(Umm, that’d be just over thirteen decades owned and run by our family!)

🌍 Strangeness in the Night: A Camping Misadventure and the Fences That Save Us

The Hazards of Setting Up Camp After Dark
Oh, the hazards of setting up camp after dark. In August 1977, Betty and I drove from Atlanta to NYC and then on to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to visit a friend in New York City and the parents of friends in Coal Center, Pennsylvania. (I’ll save that Coal Center story for another post—it’s a tale all to itself!)
We were getting pretty weary of driving and decided we’d just get a hotel room. For miles, we searched for a room. This was in the 1970s, so there were no cell phones or internet. Everywhere we saw a high hotel sign, we’d exit the highway, park the car, go into the lobby, and inquire about a room.
None were available.
Hotel after hotel.
No room at the inn.
There was some type of colossal car racing event taking place in Virginia, and there were no rooms available for a hundred-mile radius, we were told. It was 1:00 AM, and we desperately wanted sleep.

A Campground Surprise
We found a campground via our good old trusty paper map and pulled in. Since it was after hours, the sign said to pick a spot, camp, and pay in the morning. We picked a spot, parked Betty’s green Grand Torino, set up our tent, and fell asleep. By that time, it must have been 2:00 AM.
It hardly seemed like we’d been sleeping when we began to hear footsteps, voices, and laughter. Poking our heads out of the tent, we were astonished to see a steady stream of people. We looked beyond the people and saw the brick building.
Oh, my gosh—we had set up our tent on the pathway to the bathroom.
No wonder people were laughing at six o’clock in the morning. We made haste to get dressed and take down our tent.

Adventure Awaits—Are You Ready?
Isn’t life a barrel of monkeys? Especially when you go on an adventure. As I’ve quoted from The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien before:

“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.”

Where are you going today? Are you ready to be swept off by your sense of adventure?

Fencing: The Unsung Hero of Property and Peace
It’s always the perfect time to think about your next fencing adventure, whether small or grand. We wouldn’t have staked our tent there if that bathroom had been fenced in! (I’m thankful it wasn’t—who wants fences in campgrounds?)
But you have an idea for your property, backyard, or private oasis. If a fence will help you keep intruders out, let’s go for it!
Call our fence expert, Terry. (T2C) She’s been providing fence solutions for 24 years! I shout her accolades from the rooftops!

Why Louis E. Page?
At Louis E. Page Inc., a woman-owned and family-owned business since 1893, we know that fences do more than mark boundaries. They protect, they secure, and they add beauty to your space. Whether it’s for livestock, security, or aesthetic appeal, we’ve got the expertise to make it happen.

All my best regards,
Debbie Page
CEO, Louis E. Page Inc

🌍 The Jackery of Siblings: Did You Survive?

I look back over my childhood with two sisters and a brother and wonder how I survived—especially the pranks and jokes my brother played on me. They’re probably asking how they survived me!

I’ve shared some funny stories about my brother Rick and his pranks, as well as mine. But today, I want to highlight a delightful story from one of our customers, Johnny, in response to yesterday’s email:

*“Debbie,

It’s rough being the youngest child in a 7-child household. That was me.

It will toughen you up.

My dad had an electric fence inside his hog wire fence to keep the animals from pushing on the fence. My older brothers and sisters got a big tire out by the electric wire. They stood on the tire and grabbed the wire. No shock for them because they weren’t grounded.

They said, Johnny, come over here and grab our hand. I was standing in the wet grass, and as the 12 volts flowed through me to the grass, my hair probably did curl up.

Everyone laughed but me.

Your family will toughen you up for life.”*

Fencing: The Ultimate Test of Resilience

Isn’t this typical sibling jackery? I love that it involved a fence—proof that fences don’t just mark boundaries, they create memories (and occasionally, unintended electrical experiments).

What’s Your Fencing Story?

We recently received an excellent order for galvanized-after 16 gauge 1x1 wire mesh. Guess what it’s for? Rodent control! All 234 rolls. Wire mesh plays a massive, often unsung role in our society—from keeping critters out to keeping families safe.

What’s your fencing need? Whether it’s for security, livestock, or even rodent control, we’ve got the solutions. Call Terry at Louis E. Page Inc. (978-486-3116) to discuss your project.

Share Your Stories!

Keep sending your tales of sibling antics, fence mishaps, or creative uses for wire mesh. With your permission, I’ll share them here—because the best stories come from you.

Have a great day, and send me your stories!

Marking Time: The Little Moments That Last a Lifetime

“Let’s go measure your height on the wall!”

“Mama won’t let us write on the wall,” cried Isla.

“Oh, she will for this,” I said.

We marched into the kitchen, where Rachel had already heard the conversation and picked out the perfect wall for our little tradition. The three-year-old backed up to the wall first. I made a pencil mark and wrote his name and the date: 09/17/2024. Next in line was the six-year-old schoolteacher, who corrected me a couple of times before I got it just right. Then came the one-year-old baby. And finally, Dada.

A Feast to Remember

We sat down to a delicious dinner of pork tenderloin and grilled peppers fresh from the garden. Rachel, the queen of sauces, had outdone herself with a lemon caper sauce for the pork that was simply divine. A colorful salad of heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, and fennel rounded out the meal perfectly.

The baby finished eating early and was set free to wander and play. Within minutes, she found the mechanical pencil, toddled over to the marking wall, and started drawing. Wow! She’s smart. I’m grandma, and I’m biased, but this girl is something else!

Daniel quickly grabbed the pencil from her tiny hands and told her, “We’ll save that for next time!”

We all had a good laugh, but it got me thinking...

The Marks We Leave

How much do we measure our lives by the marks we make—not just on walls, but in our daily actions? Every small step we take matters, whether it’s building a fence, protecting our environment, or making lasting memories with family.

At Louis E. Page Inc., we believe in leaving the right kind of mark. Whether it’s our American-made wire mesh, fencing products, or service, we stand by the quality and reliability that our customers can trust. Just like the marks on that wall, we’re committed to helping you build something that lasts for generations to come.

Let Us Help You Leave Your Mark

If you’re ready to start your next project or need help finding the perfect solution, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’d love to be a part of the mark you leave on your world.

All my best regards in gratitude,

Debbie Page

CEO, Louis E. Page Inc. – Woman-owned business and family-owned since 1893