Granite fence posts are fairly common in New England. New Hampshire and Vermont have many quarries still in operation.
Splitting a stone is pretty fascinating to watch. A row of holes are drilled, spacing dependent on the depth of the stone. Two steel 'fingers' are set in the hole, and one tapered pin, in between. The man would go down the line of holes, giving each taper pin one tap, then back again. The accumulated pressure along the line eventually split the stone.
I always said you could split ash darn near finished lumber, but granite fence posts are a close second.

We have hunted a lot near DeWitt and Searcy. Some around Marianna and Jonesboro. We will be west of Stuttgart near Tucker this coming weekend. You are fortunate to have a farmer friend. I have tried Bayou Meto - I never have enough time to figure that place out - very competitive. I hope birds are moving.

The plains Indians valued Osage Orange for bow making. As I said, most folks around here call them hedge trees, maybe because they’re often found in the fence lines between fields. And their thorns will flat tear you up!