Tastes So Sweet

While the calendar says it’s Spring, the thermometer is shouting hot as Summer.

And when our area gets hot, staying hydrated is a must. That’s when cool, clear, refreshing water tastes so sweet!

At Tahoe Fence, we understand this well. Digging post holes under the sun is thirsty work. And our crews have been busy finishing an enclosure for another area water tank.

Let us know what you think.

Pictured: Tahoe Fence all brown 8-ft water tank enclosure in Reno (Washoe County.) 2026

Time Will Tell

Remember to set your clocks ahead (Spring forward) 1-hour this weekend for Daylight Saving Time.

Originally started by Germany during World War I as a means to conserve coal, the United States also adopted Daylight Saving Time during the War. And the U.S. began using it again during WWII.

The Uniform Time Act of 1966 introduced national time standards for American cities to follow. Chaotic, domestic transportation schedules became more regulated as a benefit of the Act’s acceptance.

During the extended evening daylight, urban areas typically see an economic advantage with an increase in business and retail sales. And a drop in crime, at least near the beginning of the clock change.

However, in rural and agriculture areas, it can interfere with taking care of livestock which have their own internal clocks. And you have to be extra careful of kids who are waiting for school buses in the early morning darkness!

Time will tell if the benefits outweigh the negatives with Daylight Saving Time. But as the offspring of a dairyman, we so appreciate that extra hour of sleep!

Pictured: Tahoe Fence sheep and goat wire on metal braces and t-posts (about 1,800-ft) in Yerington (Lyon County.)

Full Circle

The incredible weather our area has had this month has provided both a mix of seasons and some amazing views. This last week before the month of March begins, we have even witnessed rainbows.

Maybe it’s just us, but seeing rainbows with St. Patrick’s Day around the corner seems special.

The ancient Greeks believed rainbows were bridges that connected the world of the gods with that of humans. Christian traditions teach rainbows symbolize a promise from God to mankind starting with Noah. And Irish customs view rainbows as fortuitous. Maybe it has something to do with that pot of gold at the end!

Rainbows also have interesting science behind them. No two people see a rainbow exactly the same way because of their position and perspective. And rainbows are full circles. Because of the horizon, we only see the positive arch of a rainbow!

Pictured: Rainbow over Tahoe Fence yard during February storms in Mound House (Lyon County.)

What’s the benefit of having a fence in Winter?

It’s a great way to tell how deep the snow is.

Pictured: Tahoe Fence turned 4×4 cedar 3-rail with 6×6 pressure treated posts in the snow at Star Harbor near Tahoe City (Placer County.)

Romantic Evolution

In case you didn’t remember this weekend is Valentine’s Day.

The day’s evolution originated in ancient Rome where it started as a fertility festival. Then it was adopted by Christianity in the 5th century. The festivities were subdued and the day transformed into a feast day for St. Valentine.

The writings of the English poet Geoffrey Chaucer in the 1380s are credited with linking the day back to romantic courtship. And not that long after, the practice of sending Valentine’s cards started to take hold in Europe. Reportedly, the first known card was from the Duke of Orleans to his wife in 1415, while a prisoner in the Tower of London.

With a card a fencer would love, happy Valentine’s from all of us at Tahoe Fence!

Pictured: Tahoe Fence Valentine’s card featuring a barbed wire heart in a pasture fence at Rancho San Rafael Regional Park in Reno (Washoe County) and a slatted-wire heart cut-out at Tahoe’s yard in Mound House (Lyon County.)

Show Your Mettle

This weekend is both the start of the world’s winter games and football’s big game. And in each, people will be showing their mettle in hopes of achieving the greatest of awards.

While winning sports highest honors is an incredible act, the making of the actual metal hardware is no small feat itself. The prize for the best team in football is made of sterling silver at about 22 inches high and weighing around 7 pounds. A new one, which takes about 72 hours just to fabricate, is handcrafted each year for the winning team.

And nearly 1,200 medals were minted for the world’s winter competitors this year. As in previous years, they are unique to where the events are being held. But this year’s awards were created with all recycled precious metals and 100% renewable energy.

In the tradition of the above-mentioned metal work, Tahoe Fence showed its mettle creating these custom, ornamental steel gates. These industrial gates were made to our customer’s specifications. They were powder coated after fabrication. Then installed and automated in Fallon (Churchill County.)

Special thanks to Awaxx Systems for the access control hardware.

Let us know what you think.

Pictured: Tahoe Fence ornamental steel with custom gates and access controls in Fallon (Churchill County.) 2026

An American Innovation

The origins of split rail fencing go back to America’s first settlers. Used to define boundaries and secure livestock and property with materials that were readily available.

Trees, cleared to make space for growing crops and for animal grazing, were used for structures, fences, furniture, etc. Cedar was and is still preferred for rail fences because of its straight grain which makes splitting logs length wise easier. Cedar’s natural resistance to pests and decay add to its durability and popularity.

Early fences had rails stacked and staggered. This zig-zag design was quick to build, easy to adapt to changing landscapes and terrain, and didn’t require digging post holes. Advances in tools and technologies led to designs more commonly used today with mortise and tenon joints.

Their use was so abundant, there were millions of miles of rail fences covering America’s landscape by the late 1800s.

Tahoe Fence completed this cedar, split rail in Fallon (Churchill County.) Our crews were able to follow the sidewalk as it curved around the property. And the front entry has compelling curb appeal with the addition of an ornamental steel gate. For comparison, we included a picture of an early, settler-style rail fence we took while visiting the historic area around Salem College in Winston Salem, North Carolina.

Let us know what you think.

Pictured: Tahoe Fence Cedar Split Rail in Fallon (Churchill County.) 2026

Two Are Better Than One

Hybrid fences are popular because they combine the best of two materials.

The warmth of natural wood joined with the clean, modern look of metal.

And the added aesthetic effect hybrids have on small, uncluttered spaces is making them appear larger than they are.

You can see a recent example in this Tahoe Fence hybrid redwood and metal-frame, patio enclosure at South Lake Tahoe (El Dorado County.)

Let us know what you think.

Part of Civilization

Fences have existed throughout the ages as part of civilization. Used primarily for protection and delineation, then eventually for some as decoration.

More than 10,000 years ago, Mesopotamian farmers used hedges and stone walls to protect crops. Similarly, American settlers built fences to protect what they needed to grow.

Fences were so important to early settlers, that the Virginia Colony even enacted laws requiring them in the 1600s. As a result, properties had to be enclosed. And owners of cultivated property couldn’t seek damages from grazing animal owners, unless there was proof of an adequate fence.

In the 1870s, the invention of barbed wire and the Industrial Revolution helped America’s expansion in the West and in agriculture. Unfortunately, some of the results of this rapid boom were uncivilized range wars and cut fences between cattle grazers and farmers.

Though we don’t condone cutting fences, even if it is job security, we do think that fencing, as a part of the history of civilizations, is awesome.

Pictured: Tahoe Fence removable redwood & woven wire garden panels before the Winter’s snow at a school in South Lake Tahoe (El Dorado County.) 2025