Winter Systems

It’s been snowing a lot lately. It’s been eight years–nine years!! since we’ve seen any snow, except for a shrinking glacier when we climbed Mount Kenya right after Christmas in 2015. While we lived in Kenya and Ethiopia we usually went to Mombasa over Christmas, but that year we must have been particularly desperate for snow so climbed some 15,000 feet to find some.

This winter’s snow has been nothing short of magical for me. One thing about living in Virginia is that everyone freaks out if there’s any snow and everything shuts down. So Bruce, who drives bus for the Rockingham County schools, has been on an extended, erratic vacation. Added bonus.

Of course the cold weather has meant that we need some inventive systems to keep everyone warm and happy on the farm. Including us.

My first lesson in North American winter comfort is the proper gear. This fall I bought myself a pair of Berne insulated bib overalls. Somehow they make me think of Bernie Sanders, snug in his jacket and mittens, straddling the line between cranky and smug. There hasn’t been enough snow yet this winter to make me cranky. I’m closer to smug, because I’ve never been cold! All winter! The Berne overalls, someone’s old ski jacket I found in the back of the closet, and muck boots make up most of my daily wardrobe.

Winter systems begin with footgear for getting from the house to the car. I don’t want to get my house shoes dirty, or get farm dirt in the car or the house on the return trip, or drag pathogens from place to place. This necessitates at least three pairs of shoes.

First I slip out of my house slippers and leave them in the garage. Then on with the insulated crocs, which are surprisingly warm. Because I’m changing shoes so often I don’t want something I have to tie. I wear these in the car and if there are any errands to run between the farm and house. Sometimes just to shake it up a bit I’ll wear my boots instead.

Whatever I end up wearing en route, I change into my muck boots once I get to the farm. I love these boots. My feet are never cold. I can stomp through puddles, snow, ice, mud, goat pebbles and chicken splats and my feet think I’m still at the beach.

The right gear makes all the difference, and I’m thrilled to be so toasty.

We need a system for water. Everything is frozen solid most mornings. I’ve abandoned my regular waterers for the chickens and quail and have gone to regular gallon milk jugs with holes cut in them, traded out every day. They work great.

Once the quail have their water milk jugs, I change out the black rubber pan I’m using for chicken water and the girls all get a drink.

By now I’m finding ways to economize my morning chores so I’m spending the minimum time possible out in the frigid. Two wild kittens showed up in the hay bales and in the cold weather we’re feeding them, too–just enough to keep them warm, but not so much that they stop hunting for mice and field voles! So my morning feed bucket has chicken, quail, and barn cat food.

Bruce generally feeds the goats while I’m taking care of the poultry. I must confess I’m a bit intimidated because 16 goats absolutely losing their minds all around you like they haven’t eaten since October can just about take out your kneecaps. I’m planning out some systems for them that will allow me to escape into a feed room and feed them across a divider where they can’t get to me. When it gets warm enough to use tools outside again, I’ll ask Bruce to build something like this:

But right now the area in the goat shed that will be the feed room is in use. Because–Luna lives there!

Luna is our new Livestock Guardian Dog, a Great Pyrenees from Winchester VA, and she joined our farm on Sunday.

By now the ground is snow free and the fields are muddy and green with triticale. I hope we get one more big snow before spring. I already miss it.

PARTING SHOT

Our college-aged son Andrew (see Mt. Kenya photo above) and his friend Laurel swinging in the snow. Laurel’s wearing a red velvet cape I made a lifetime ago, and Andrew’s in a men’s tweed coat I found for him at Church Street Surplus in Manhattan in December.