Living the rural life spares you the hustle of noisy urban areas. However, safety and security are critical no matter where you are, and you can not ignore these two. Did you know homesteads tend to attract unwelcome predators, human trespassers, and other threats? In the US, 18% of respondents admitted that trespassing is the most common crime on farmlands and homesteads. In what ways can you guard against trespassing on your property? Here are a few:
Ensuring Security on the Homestead
Fencing
A well-constructed fence acts as the first line of defense against intruders, predators, and wandering animals as far as security is concerned. For several homesteaders, good quality fencing offers a visual boundary that reduces the incidence of trespassing. At the barest minimum, this barrier around the homestead property offers privacy, reinforces the property’s boundary, and denies unfettered access to your inner perimeter.
There are varieties to choose from as you consider fencing, such as the electric fencing and the chain-link type. For enhanced security protection, some homeowners opt for a mix of these two. For example, you can border on the upper and bottom parts of your chain-link with an electric fence. With this, smaller animals cannot dig underneath it, and neither can any human or creature climb above it. An electric-powered fence can be pretty expensive, but there are cost-effective options available. Solar-powered electric fences are costly only during the initial installation, but after that, you will notice a drastic drop in your electric bill.
Guard animals
The first animal that usually comes to mind is man’s furry best friend – the dog. For any property, especially for farmlands and homesteads, dogs are listed among the best first line of active defense for security purposes. Dogs are naturally intuitive and protective; moreover, they tend to be fiercely territorial. These qualities add to their natural inclination to bark or growl at what doesn’t belong in their space. Despite the massive land space that homesteads tend to have, the dog’s acute sense of smell, vision, and hearing make them the perfect living alert system.
Dogs come in different sizes and breeds; however, go in for big or large-sized ones for the best guard dog. The American Mastiff, for example, is one giant of a dog. At maturity, they weigh anywhere from 120 and 200 pounds and are 28 to 36 inches tall. With their deep, throaty loud barks, you can’t ignore the significance of this guard dog on a homestead.
There are licensed establishments such as the American Mastiff Breeder where you can purchase these canines for security. As a tip, it’s recommended to get Mastiffs when they’re puppies (or relatively young) to get them accustomed to your space.
Adequate outdoor lighting
The peaceful surroundings of a homestead property is one comforting element of rural living. Unfortunately, that silence can come along with possible threats at night, especially with insufficient outdoor lighting. Because predators and trespassers usually use the cloak of darkness to perpetrate their sinister activities, you can’t relax on that. Motion sensor lights can be excellent security options for your large space; most unwelcome animals will run off when sudden light shines in their path.
Secondly, you may want to consider more sophisticated options such as night vision camera-powered outdoor lights. This gadget plays a dual role by illuminating your outdoor space while recording moving images within range. To get the most of it, you must place them in strategic locations. Better yet, most of these are solar-powered, which offers another opportunity to cut down on your power consumption.
Nothing should prevent you from enjoying the peace that comes with living on a homestead. However, the onus rests with you to take all the necessary precautions to improve your safety on these lands.