The Layering Has Only Begun

From the news reports we will be getting a good dose of winter in the next week. Both cold temperatures and moisture expected for an extended period if I can decipher the lingo, graphs and social media patter correctly.

Besides adding extra layers of protecting clothing for me, there are those wintering projects that need attending to. Luckily the cattle have been busy filling out their winter coats and are ready for the storm systems.

Barn access points for the bulls, the show cows and the newly weaned calves are in need of some good old fashion shoveling before the freezing temps to remove built up muck. The outdoor irrigation line needs to be drained as well as the irrigation pump needing weatherproofing. Hoses need draining and stowed in a way so that they can be used without having to bring them inside to thaw before use. Winter insulated caps are needed around to all outdoor faucets. And the front loader tractor needs to be ready for a lot of use, for the twice daily feedings in the outdoor feeders (that is where I get to ride in the front on top of a load of hay to drop into the feeders), and switching to the bucket to scrape snow from the driveways so we can get around if the snow becomes too deep for the low-slung Gator.

This system is good for our farm, the cold is desperately needed for the fruit trees to drop solidly into hibernation, the ground to freeze enough to kill off those pesky insects that keep trying to take over, and for the fir trees to rest from the very stressful years of intense summers.

Today will be a day of preparation for whatever weather is coming our way and I will continue to hum the Carpenter Tune the whole time…We’ve Only Just Begun, To Layer…