Up to 12 inches of new snow was forecast for us. We check our weather radio every morning as that often dictates what we’ll be doing. And since we were hearing about a big storm headed directly for us, classed as a winter storm warning, we hustled around to get ready for it.
First, we hauled big round bales out to all the pastures that could use more hay. Then we filled all of the stock tanks and started up the heaters so the ice in them would all melt away. We spent nearly a whole day running water here, there, and everywhere, and drained the hoses so they wouldn’t freeze in-between tanks.
While Will was finishing that up, I got the wheelbarrow and went out to the wood shed and hauled in two wheelbarrow loads of split wood and filled the two wood boxes. Then I got the third — just in case. Of course, we have more than three cords right on the enclosed back porch, but that’s our “emergency” wood and this was just going to be a storm.
I bedded all the animals well with hay and added new shavings to the chicken coop floor and nest boxes. Then I hauled extra hay in to all the animal pens by the house including the goat cottage down by the garden. (It’s a lot easier to haul hay when it’s NOT blizzarding!) I also added an extra bucket of feed to the chicken feeder.
Will hooked the snowplow to the 4×4 truck and I brought the scoop shovel up to the front door and parked the Subaru out of the way of the plow truck, yet still near the house.
I’d just bought grain, so we were fine there. I tucked extra hay in our wolf dog, Yukon’s, houses (he has two!) and gave him some extra dry food. He just wanted to play with me. Yukon looks like a wolf but acts like a dog. He’s such a suck-up! He’ll do anything to please and loves showing off his “tricks” such as jumping up on the dog house roofs, sitting, and lying down.
Then it started snowing. A few floating flakes, then more. It snowed all evening, night, and the next day. But we only ended up with six inches and it didn’t blow. This morning, the sun came out and it was real pretty. No, we didn’t get “the” storm, it went south and east of us. But we were sure glad we were prepared.
Thanks, Jackie!
What a beautiful photograph! I really enjoy coming to your blog to read what you are up to — always busy, always living well. Have a very Merry Christmas.
We’re in west central Wisconsin and we also got the snow predicted for you. We heard we should get 4-6 inches, and ended up with 13. I’ll take it, though, as the most recent storm to match was in February 2011. It’s been very dry here – all of the swampy areas are dry, which is a very bad sign.
I, too, would love to see a picture of your wolf dog!
Cheers and Merry Christmas!
Laura,
Yes, we did hustle for a day or two. But we didn’t kill ourselves, either, just kept plugging along with breaks between. Yes, we always take time to enjoy our fire and our life.
Jackie
Marian,
A good weather radio is a real homestead necessity. We’ve found the weather on ours much more dependable than that on the radio and TV. Ours is years old; a battery/crank unit. Emergency Essentials sells a similar radio. (Get the more expensive of the two; we bought the cheaper one and it doesn’t get our local weather!). The brand of ours is Eton, made (of course!) in China. It also gets local radio stations. You proabably can’t find that brand now; ours is fifteen years old. We paid about $30 back then and you can expect to pay between $50 and $100 now but we’d hate to live without it. We plan our week by it. (Of course sometimes the weather throws us a curve ball, but most of the time it is quite accurate.)
Jackie
Bethany,
This sometimes happens with broth and I really don’t know why. But my jars’ seals have always held after it happened and the broth stayed fine. I wouldn’t worry a lot.
Jackie
It is a great feeling when you are all ready for the snow…we have a wood stacked in the basement, finished cleaning, packaging and canning the venison and are ready for when we get hit by some snow
Jackie, you have been a true blessing in so many ways in helping us achieve our dream. Thank you! We’ve finally gotten our land and are slowing building our home and independence. I can’t wait to get our garden started and can like I used to when my children were young. One of the million things we still need, however, is a dependable weather radio, something we’ve had no experience with. When I read how much you rely on yours, I thought you might once again share your thoughts in choosing one, or maybe even the name of the one you use? Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Many thanks!
we have no snow here in upstate new york- at all(near utica). your picture is so pretty. six inches would do it for me. i’m tired just reading about your preps. but, i would do the same.i enjoy reading about your “neck of the woods”. HAVE A GREAT CHRISTMAS AND A HEALTHY, HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Jackie,your picture is so “Christmas card Perfect”. In some of your posts I’m down right jealous of the beautiful home that you and Will have made. in this post however I’m exhausted just thinking about what you guys have accomplished in a couple of days. I sure hope you two took the time to sit with a nice fire and warm drink to enjoy the beauty of your home and mother natures landscaping.
Warmest wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Peaceful,Prosperous 2013.
Well Jackie we got the snow that was forecasted for you. They had predicted 2-5in for us in the TwinCities, but we ended up with 13in. The snow is beautiful, and my husband (who is recovering from hip surgery) was able to snow blow (called the snow blower his ‘outdoor walker’) and thankfully we loaded up our wood boxes on Saturday eve before the snow, etc came. Have a great day!
Jackie, You and Will set such a great example for the rest of us! No significant snows yet here in our part of Michigan but we are hoping for a bunch this year as we need the moisture so badly! Beautiful picture.
Would you please post a couple of pictures of your dog someday? He sounds so beautiful.
Thank you
Jackie, no snow yet in Nebraska. I am sure wanting some to take my grandson down the school house hill on the toboggan.
I think it has forgot how to snow in the midwest. My pansies bloomed all winter and into the summer last winter. They died when it got really hot. And nothing this year but lots of rain after no rain this summer.
Ever since I was a kid, I noticed that the weather here in the midwest tends to follow a certain pattern. In terms of precipitation, summer follows winter. In terms of severity, winter mirrors summer.
Thus, we had a ridiculously mild summer-without-a-summer, followed by a ridiculously mild winter-without-a-winter. That same winter had little in the way of rain or snow, with some places going weeks at a time without any precipitation, and the summer that followed had a severe drought, with some places going for weeks at a time without any precipitation.
With that pattern in mind, I’ve been praying for snow. Lots of snow.
Jackie, I canned some chicken broth today, and after processing a few of the lids were popping up and down repeatedly. They seem sealed now, but I assume they aren’t safe, since that obviously was sucking air back in, so those are going in the fridge and bringmade into soup tonight. I wondered if you have ever seen this and if you know what I might have done that caused it. Thanks!
Mary Ann,
That’s what preparedness is all about. For us, it’s a simple, commonsense way of life, whether we’re about to have a blizzard or nationwide depression.
We just want to provide for ourselves and our critters the best way we can at all times.
Jackie
No snow yet in the Buffalo area. It has been six years since the last big storm (the type that shuts everything down). We are over due for one for the past few years.
So glad you and Will are well and strong enough to do what needs to be done , every day…It really does take off alot of stress when you know you are prepared for just about anything….PS the picture is pretty..
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