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Across the Fence:  Winter Preperation  |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 03 2007 : 08:55:50 AM
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Hi ladies!
Some of you out there live in climates where preparing for winter isn't really important. You have other natural disasters like hurricanes or earthquakes to prepare for.
But for those of us who live in Northern climates and get a real winter- it is time to start gearing up for the cold season! I know, I know. It seems like summer is still here for some of us, or that has just been a heartbeat since the summer heat was here. But believe me! The cold is coming in and I just have a feeling that it is going to be a doozie this year.
So what do you do to prepare for winter?
Here is what I am going to do, especially with a baby who will need more heat that two adults if the power goes out.
We don't really have the money to go stock up on groceries until January, but I am going to allow more grocery money into the budget and I am going to make sure we have at least a month's food on hand at all times. That might mean shopping twice a month since I always shop for the month ahead, but that if fine.
I am going to make sure that there is at least a flashlight with batteries, candles with lighters, and a sealed jug of water in on easy to get to location. I want to be able to get to it even if the lights go out.
I also think I am going to buy an old lantern and buy lamp oil. My sister used these in Maine when the power went out and one lantern can warm a room. I am concerned about heating the house if power goes because of Nora.
I am going to pull out all my blankets that haven't been used for a while, wash and dry them and put them all in one place (organization is not my forte sometimes)
I am going to wash all the windows so as much of the winter light can come in as possible and I am going to make curtains for the rooms that don't have curtains. I am going to make dark curtains so it will absorb some of the heat from the winter sun instead of reflecting back.
Also I disconnect the dryer vent from the outside vent and attach it to a special water filter so the heat and moisture from doing laundry goes into the house instead of outside. Last year the house got way too moist so this year I am going to go buy some of those water absorbing crystals that you can get in the garden centers. They will absorb moisture out of the air so right next to the water filter I am going to put a dish of the crystals. Hopefully that will help absorb the moisture in the air, all without compromising the heat.
Any other suggestions? All of our windows are double-paned so the shrink wrapping doesn't do much good and all of our windows are so big it doesn't work anyway :(
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora!
http://home.test-afl.tulix.com/aleeandnora/ |
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - Oct 03 2007 : 09:18:24 AM
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Alee--
You never quite know what our winter is going to be like in Kentucky, but last year, it was a cold one for sure, and we had ice storms and several power outages for days.
I usually stock up on canned goods, and before winter really strikes, I make up lots of stews and soups that I freeze, then we always have something on hand to cook that doesn't require much light (you can hold a lantern, and put a frozen chunk of soup in a pot, light the burner and VOILA! A warm and filling dinner.
I have those wind up flashlights and windup lanterns with LED light that really do the trick, in addition to candles.
We just got new windows last year, but our house is still old, so I have those draft dodgers that I made myself, out of pretty flannel patterns stuffed with wool/stuffing that I place at the base of the doors in the kitchen, basement and entryway.
I also try to recaulk around windows, and also fill in cracks in the foundation if any so a) critters stay out), but also to keep out the cold and any more damage with expansion and freezing.
Oh! The biggest thing that helped me in my back rooms were these cutout insulators for switchplates, especially on my walls that face the outdoors. You can feel the cold coming through them, and these little things were like $2.00, and you take off the switchplate, put them in, and screw it back on. Amazing the difference it makes!
Flannel sheets and a down comforter, too!
"She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian. |
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Kati
True Blue Farmgirl
76 Posts
Kati
North Pole
AK
USA
76 Posts |
Posted - Oct 03 2007 : 8:31:59 PM
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Even though we live in Alaska, suprisingly we don't do a WHOLE lot to prepare for winter, inside the house anyway. Most of my afghans stay on the back of the couch or my rocking chair 24/7 anyway, but I generally do wash them after they've been sitting out, unused, all summer. My daughter's window-quilt gets hung on the curtain-rod. Of course, we fill the house's fuel tank (we've got a 500 gal. tank, and only need one fill a year). And the outdoor stuff like getting the hose put away, shutting up the crawl-space, pulling out the old, dead plants, etc. We do have to buy new straw for the dog's houses, the old stuff was cleaned out in the spring.
I kind of wish we stocked up more on food & such, but our house is so poorly designed, as far as storage goes, that there's really not much space to store a lot of canned goods or a drawer just for batteries & flashlights, etc. And I've ALWAYS got a good supply of candles & matches. *grin* |
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Shirlaroo
True Blue Farmgirl
297 Posts
Shirley
Australia
297 Posts |
Posted - Oct 03 2007 : 9:40:55 PM
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It is 86 degrees here today and we are only at the beginning of spring! Most of our black outs occur in the summer with the windy thunder storms.
Friends are the best collectables. |
Edited by - Shirlaroo on Oct 03 2007 9:45:08 PM |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Oct 04 2007 : 9:41:56 PM
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We are pretty prepared..we stock up on firewood, and food and have an oil lamp in each room, as well as alot of candles prepared. We are putting in a wood cookstove instead of the franklin wood stove in our family room soon ..which will be fun to use as well as nice if the power goes out. We have weird winters here...lots of wind and lightning storms and snow, but then it can warm up until Christmas sometimes too...and spring comes sometime between the first of March and the first of June..you never know. So we are pretty ready. I am working on the outdoor stuff. We put in a frost free pump for water for the animals a couple years ago..I LOVE that! And we use a tank de-icer in Mona the cow's bathtub water trough to keep it from freezing. That is so so so so so worth the money.
We are supposed to have a storm blowing in tomorrow..snow and high winds..we will see.
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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lisamarie508
True Blue Farmgirl
2648 Posts
Lisa
Idaho City
ID
USA
2648 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2007 : 05:51:44 AM
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We actually prepare for winter all summer and fall. Getting the firewood in, growing lots of fruit and veggies and then hunting. I always have tons of candles and I have a rather large collection of oil lamps and lanterns. We have 2 woodstoves, so if the power goes out, we always have heat and a way of cooking. The pantry is over-full and we're talking about a bigger one when we re-do the kitchen.
We have several newer windows, but I still have to put plastic up on the 3 old windows that are original to the house. For energy efficiency sake, we should replace them, but they have such a charm with the wavy old glass that we've actually been working to save them.
I still have some cleanup in the veggie garden and flower beds and I still have gourds and tomatoes under cover. I have lots of leaves yet to clean up when they finish falling and I'd really like to mow one more time just to get it nice and short. Rose just picked up a couple of bags of bulbs for me at Costco and I'd really like to get those in the ground this weekend. Weather is not cooperating so far, though.
I hope you're right, Alee. I want a doozy of a winter. Last winter was so bad (almost no snow) that we were on water rationing this summer. We dug a bigger pond a few weeks ago in the back yard until we hit the water table. I plan to put a pump in it and use that water for irrigation next year.
my blog: http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
My Website:
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2007 : 12:06:26 PM
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I know a lot of people probably won't be very happy with me, but I want a doozy of a winter too! I know that all of the mountains really need a good dosage of snow. In Wyoming when I was growing up there were huge snow caps on the mountains near our home. Now the ice caps have shrunk so much- it is really sad. I would love to see the mountains all snow capped again all through the summer. A lot of people don't realize how winter moisture feeds the ground all year round.
Plus I am really looking forward to snuggling in for a winter full of crafting and socializing. I have friends who live on a horse farm and this is their slower season so I am looking forward to getting to spend time with them as well!
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora!
http://home.test-afl.tulix.com/aleeandnora/ |
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Kati
True Blue Farmgirl
76 Posts
Kati
North Pole
AK
USA
76 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2007 : 4:33:35 PM
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| Y'all aren't the only ones who want a doozy of a winter. I'd love a lot of snow, but I'd rather not do with a lot of real cold. We can get down to -60 around here, and that's really, really not fun to do ANYTHING in. And it makes it dangerous to do anything outside of the home, while sapping the fuel that keeps the home warm (because the furnace runs almost constantly just to keep a steady temp in the house). However, a lot of snow is great not only for the irrigating properties y'all mentioned, but because it's also insulating. It keeps our outside sewer pipes (we're on city sewer & water) from freezing & busting (as so many did last year), and it insulates the houses themselves, so when it DOES get really cold, the house has a nice warm blanket of snow covering it to trap heat. |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2007 : 5:04:45 PM
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Isn't that amazing Kati? That snow is such a great insulator? Well I hope for tons of snow to insulate us all this winter, refresh the moutain snow caps, fill up lakes and stream and to seep into the ground water system. It really would be lovely to have a "regular" winter again.
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora!
http://home.test-afl.tulix.com/aleeandnora/ |
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Firemama
True Blue Farmgirl
1731 Posts
Amanda
Medical Lake
WA
USA
1731 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2007 : 5:54:24 PM
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I dont want a doozy, I need nature to go easy on me this winter. I am used to wearing tanktops right now.I have soooo much to do to prepare. I got the kiddos flannel sheets, and down comforters, we still gotta get lots of sox and all that other stuff;)
Mommy to 2
Your FreckleFaced Farm Girl!!
http://myfarmdreams.blogspot.com/ |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2007 : 6:01:17 PM
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Don't worry Amanda! You will all adjust pretty quickly I think! Just buy wool socks when possible- They are light weight and WARM! I love mine!! :D
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora!
http://home.test-afl.tulix.com/aleeandnora/ |
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Woodswoman
True Blue Farmgirl
512 Posts
Jennifer
Altamont
NY
USA
512 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2007 : 6:30:31 PM
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I'm hoping for a lot of snow, also! Besides liking to snowshoe, my plants tend to survive better with a nice blanket of snow on top! We have been doing a lot of the same things you girls have mentioned:
Our primary heat source is wood, so we've been doing a lot of cutting, hauling, splitting, and stacking.
Bringing in and preserving stuff from the garden.
Making sure we have all the oil lamps filled, candles, etc.
And... lots of hot chocolate for snow days!! Definitely one of the perks of being a teacher!  |
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therealshari
True Blue Farmgirl
235 Posts
Shari
Beryl
UT
USA
235 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2007 : 7:02:08 PM
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Like Aunt Jenny, we're readying our place for tomorrow's anticipated snow.
We've been getting ready now for over a month, tripling the stable to accommodate the two new horses, storing as much hay as possible in all the right places, and getting firewood delivered. I've cleaned up our little garden area and laid down a few inches of sheep manure topped by six or more inches of spoiled hay.
We still have to finish the stable addition (roof), store all the greenhouse stuff, split and stack four cords of firewood, trench a 50' ditch from the chicken coop to the sheep pen and install two frost-free hydrants, and build a small workspace for refilling chicken waterers.
All the while, we're rearranging freezer space, canning vegetables and fruit "on demand", and stocking up on staples, paper goods, and emergency supplies.
Shari Thomas
farmer, web copywriter, blogger
Shari's Gone Country
Vote for me at "Blog for a year" |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2007 : 7:36:42 PM
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Shari-
It sounds like you are busy, but in a great way! I would love to be on your ranch right now helping out! It sounds wonderful! What is the ditch for?
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora!
http://home.test-afl.tulix.com/aleeandnora/ |
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kissmekate
True Blue Farmgirl
890 Posts
Kate
Delano
Minnesota
890 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2007 : 8:28:28 PM
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I am starting to wash all the winter linens, coats and going through to make sure there are adequate mittens, gloves, hats, boots-etc.
I have also started to stock up on canned goods and such.
I sleep in the basement. It is finished, but chilly regardless of the time of year, so I open the heat vent (I close it when the AC is on or it gets I will get hypothermia-LOL) and put my flannel sheets on my bed.
I wear sweats to bed all year.
One thing that makes me chuckle is a friend who moved here to MN from Texas asked how much water you add to your wiper fluid. I laughed and said, um, NONE. That is not a place you want to save money. You want to just pour it in straight out of the jug. It took him a minute to realize if you add water it will freeze directly to the window. Not a good thing when you are driving.
He never had to do that before and I guess they dilute their wiper fluid there.
(Or he is a bigger cheapskate than I realized. LOL)
Don't miss out on a blessing, just because it isn't packaged the way you expected. ~MaryJo Copeland |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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La Patite Ferme
True Blue Farmgirl
623 Posts
Jenn
CA
USA
623 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2007 : 10:27:47 PM
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We have two seasons to get ready for - winter and fire season.
In my area of So Cal we get nasty strong hot winds sometimes through Nov. Last year's wildfires came through with a vengence. So we clear brush, make sure no leaves or dried limbs are on the roof, move straw and hay away from the barns. Anything that can catch fire from floating embers has to be dealt with. Trailers, cages and feed is all situated for a fast evacuation - just in case. Sometimes it's not so much the fire but the smoke we're escaping from. A few year's ago it was so thick you could hardly see the house across the street.
I much prefer getting ready for winter. It's kinda theraputic. Today was chilly and very windy. It threatened to rain, but it was just teasing. Darn! I want a good storm.
DD cleaned her livestock trailer last weekend and all the tromped straw and shavings from the sheep was put into the nesting boxes and coop for the hens. In the spring it is cleaned out and put into the garden. All of her equip was cleaned and stored until she gets her next batch of show lambs. Sheep pens in the barn are broken down so we have more storage space for feed. I hate running to the feed store during a storm because we ran out.
The summer bed linens were taken off and changed to flannel, quilts and down comforters.
I'm clearing out the freezer somewhat also. Meat that has been in the freezer too long is being made into soup, chili, cassaroles, etc.
I'll change the filter in the heater also. I don't really like running it, but the warmth from the fireplace doesn't reach the bedrooms.
Tommorrow I am going to get my load of firewood. This has always been my favorite Fall chore. I'm not sure why, maybe because it's the true signal that seasons are changing.
Next weekend our local botanical garden is having their Fall workshop with free compost and mulch for the taking. So, sis and I will load up and top off my veggie and flower beds. I try to do outdoor prep during daylight and save indoor chores for night.
The food I try to have on hand are staples like rice, beans, pasta, noodles, dried fruit. I'll start collecting coupons from family and friends so I can take advantage of the sales as the holidays get closer.
I know there's a lot more, but I think we tend to go on autopilot and just do it.
One more thing - I make sure we have blankets, extra coats, bottled water in the car just in case. You never know where you'll be when the weather changes. Yesterday it was over 85 here and today it never got above 62. |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2007 : 10:56:50 PM
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Jennifer- I forgot to mention the car supplies! Thanks for the reminder! I always make sure my chains are in working order, I take a steel brush to my jumper cables and battery nodes just in case a jump start is needed. I also like to have blankets on hand, a few emergency diaper for Nora, and some high energy foods and a couple bottles of water. You never know when you could get stranded. Even getting stranded on a highway can be scary.
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora!
http://home.test-afl.tulix.com/aleeandnora/ |
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AuntJo
True Blue Farmgirl
117 Posts
Jo
Oklahoma
USA
117 Posts |
Posted - Oct 06 2007 : 08:17:29 AM
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We're getting ready here. Two out of three winters we've been here, we've had nasty ice storms and no electricity for days. The first year caught us by surprise, but we didn't get caught the second time.
I've got oil for my lamps and batteries for the radios. Firewood will be delivered on Monday.
The pantry is almost ready to burst and the deep freeze won't hold another thing. I've been making soups and stews since they take up less room in the freezer and can be heated easily on the woodstove.
We've been taking care of outside stuff like cleaning gutters which will have to be done again once the leaves have finished falling. I've still got peppers in the garden and am trying to stretch my harvest before putting the garden to bed.
I've got the heated water bowls ready for the first freeze. The dog house has winter bedding in it now and now the poor dog is sleeping outside since it's still too warm.I need to stock up on birdseed, cat and dog food before long.
I'm in the middle of rearranging furniture in the bedrooms to get beds away from the windows and then the heavy curtains and plastic are going up. It doesn't seem to matter how much I caulk around the new windows, this 77 year old house has air leaks. Flannel sheets, blankets, and quilts are ready when we need them.
I need to see how my mother is coming in her winter preparations and help her out if she needs me.
I am so ready for winter.
Aunt Jo to 24 nieces and nephews and counting
http://auntjoscorner.blogspot.com/ |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Oct 06 2007 : 09:11:51 AM
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First Snow Fall
The first magical snow storm
the ground melts the snow
And it keeps coming
soon there is a layer of white on the ground
Some giant has dropped some powdered sugar on the world.
Sidewalks now, only things clear
They give back the heat stolen through the day
The sidewalks start turning white
and the grass can no longer be seen
As you look up into the sky,
a dizzying dance of snowflakes,
endless
up to a grey/black sky above.
All is Quiet.
Quiet
Quiet
No birds are singing or chirping,
no buzzing of insects.
All you hear is the almost inaudible
shush, shush, shush
of slow falling and binding your world up in cotton wool.
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora!
http://home.test-afl.tulix.com/aleeandnora/ |
Edited by - Alee on Oct 06 2007 09:17:01 AM |
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kitchensqueen
True Blue Farmgirl
521 Posts
521 Posts |
Posted - Oct 06 2007 : 1:19:59 PM
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I am also really hoping for a proper winter this year with lots of snow. It just doesn't feel like the season if there isn't any.
Living in an apartment in the middle of a city, we can still get out to get supplies even in the worst weather, but we try to be as prepared and self-sufficient as possible anyway. We stock up on canned and dried goods during the colder months, and have a few gallons of drinking water on hand. We always have plenty of candles on hand anyway (we prefer beeswax or soy since they have a cleaner burn) and we also have a few battery powered flashlights, plus one hand crank flashlight. We always have lighters and matches. We also keep several cans of sterno and we have a backpacking stove with a couple of fuel cartridges in case the power goes out and we can't cook (we unfortunately have an electric stove). During a serious power outage or emergency, backpacker meals are great-- one pot, just add water. We have a fully stocked first aid kit and medicine cabinet-- I purchase cough drops, extra lip balms and cold medicine when it gets cool out. I also make sure that we have warm hats, gloves, scarves and shoes in the fall; making replacements as necessary.
http://apartmentfarm.wordpress.com
http://shadetreestudios.etsy.com
New Rt 66 blog: http://historyinthemaking.wordpress.com |
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CountryBorn
True Blue Farmgirl
1545 Posts
Mary Jane
New York
USA
1545 Posts |
Posted - Oct 06 2007 : 2:29:10 PM
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We have finished stacking 9 cords of wood. We heat primarily with the wood stove. But we also fill the fuel tank every year. We only use like 125 gallons of fuel oil a year. I use the furnace before it gets really cold enough for the wood stove. I can't take it 80 degrees in the house. We always shop for the month anyway, so food wise we are ok. We have a gas stove, so even if the power goes off we can use the stove top. I have loads of candles (I love them!) I burn them and it makes the house look so cozy. We have many oil lamps so we are ok there. Where we can run into trouble is the water. It is a well and if the power goes out so does the pump. We keep extra water on hand. We have a big tractor with a scoop in front and a pick up with a plow. We are usually plowed out before the main roads if it is a doozy of a storm.Don't forget we live 1800 ft. off the road, and have for almost 40 yrs. So we have sure learned a few things about being prepared!! I can't believe it myself, but I actually have the gardens pretty well taken care of. Just some daffs to plant. The one big job left is getting the water garden ponds cleaned out and refilled and taking the fish out and the frogs. The fish we bring inside and the frogs go to anotner friends large pond.I love fall so I hope we have a nice long one before winter sets in. We could use the snowfall though, it has been very dry here this year.
MJ
There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do. Freya Stark |
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therealshari
True Blue Farmgirl
235 Posts
Shari
Beryl
UT
USA
235 Posts |
Posted - Oct 06 2007 : 5:24:10 PM
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Alee, the trench is so we can lay 50 feet of pvc for the sheep pen frost-free hydrant. It has to be 36 inches deep, so one of our neighbors is bringing his backhoe over. We'll dig the trench, install the first frost free hydrant at the chicken coop, then immediately lay and hook up the water line and frost free hydrant at the sheep pen. Then he'll backfill the trench for us, and tamp it down, too.
Shari Thomas
farmer, web copywriter, blogger
Shari's Gone Country
Vote for me at "Blog for a year" |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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La Patite Ferme
True Blue Farmgirl
623 Posts
Jenn
CA
USA
623 Posts |
Posted - Oct 06 2007 : 9:47:59 PM
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Alee,
Good thinking about the baby. Mine isn't that little anymore so her needs are different. Be sure to have a stash of non-perishable food and drinks or juice also.
When DD was 2 we went to Yosemite for a long weekend. Coming out of the valley we hit black ice and then the side of the mountain (better that than the other side - all downhill). There was a tour bus and 5 other cars in front of us and it took 6 hours to get off the hill.
After that my X stopped complaining about all the crap I hauled in the back of the truck. Mainly, because we used most everything. I don't even want to think what that little adventure would have been like without my stash. |
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Annika
True Blue Farmgirl
5602 Posts
Annika
USA
5602 Posts |
Posted - Oct 06 2007 : 11:07:05 PM
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Alee, I loved the "First snow fall". I love snow AND we need a big deep winter here so badly, this summer has been so dry. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the snow pack gets a major load of the white stuff this year. I was thinking about you, your husband and little Nora. You guys need a propane camp stove! I don't know what they cost new, but maybe one of the pawn shops would have one that was not too spendy. Getting something warm on the inside of you really helps when you are with out power, we've been there!
I've been hauling sweaters, mittens and quilts out of storage and washing them all this last week, trying to get my yard ready for winter (HA! right..) I still have some little shrubs to get in the ground. Gotta plug in the heat tape tomorrow since it is getting down to freezing at night here some nights and get new storm insulation to go around the doors
you girls all gave me so extra ideas though. I need to make some kind of night quilts to go over the windows so our electical bill isn't through the roof this winter.
Annika
http://people.tribe.net/58d06a60-1cdd-4357-b4e3-bc523ed51ff5
http://dredweezul-madramblings.blogspot.com/ |
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Across the Fence: Winter Preperation |
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Winter Preperation
