THE RETAQUE FENCE AT CANOA RANCH BY SIMONE HERBERT FOR PIMA COUNTY NATURAL RESOURCES, PARKS AND RECREATION (NRPR)
Located in Arizona, between Green Valley and Amado on the east side of Interstate 19, is the Raul ` M. Grijalva Canoa Ranch Conservation Park, more commonly known as the historic Canoa Ranch. The 4,800-acre property, conserved by Pima County, is a remnant of the original San Ignacio de la Canoa Spanish land grant that covered 17,000 acres and much of what is now Green Valley and Sahuarita. The conservation park is a microcosm of the history of southern Arizona and reflects the lives and works of indigenous people, along with men and women of Spanish, Mexican, European, African and Asian descent.
The retaque fence system at Canoa Ranch is one of its most unique features, and considered the finest example of such a system located in southern Arizona. Used since Spanish Colonial times, this style of fencing derives its name from the Spanish word retacar, meaning to “fill”. Pairs of mesquite posts are set every 4 feet, 18 inches apart. Mesquite limbs are tightly laid horizontally to a height of 5 to 6 feet. At midpoint and at the top, posts are tied with heavy wire to prevent spreading. The result is an extremely solid fence that cattle cannot see through or over, helping them feel secure and reduce the urge to escape. The retaque corrals were constructed in the 1930s and 1940s by the ranch hands. The corrals served to hold cattle
10 :: summer 2018 :: western ag life
while they received treatments, which included branding, dehorning, castration, inoculations and weighing. The corrals are accessed through heavily-built wooden gates, bolted together and reinforced with handmade hardware. Stout hinges are mounted to steel posts located at the ends of the retaque walls. A system of interconnected levers allow many of the gates to operate from both a standing position and while seated on a horse. Today, the corrals and gates are being repaired by staff and volunteers using as much of the original material as possible. There are 52 gates in the corrals, and while a typical gate weighs around 800 pounds, they operate so easily – even a child
has little difficulty moving the gate with one finger. Work on repairing the retaque corrals began in 2016 with staff and volunteers. Volunteers have been key to the successful rehabilitation of the retaque corrals, with staff taking more of a supporting role to keep volunteers supplied with materials, such as vast quantities of mesquite wood for posts and infill, wire, gravel and the varied tools that range from tractors and chainsaws to wiring pliers and crowbars. Replacement mesquite used for repairs comes from the same Canoa ranch land that supplied the original fence, harvested by staff, volunteer crews and special service groups on loan to the county. Tony Salcido (pictured above), now retired
