Hail the conquering hero!

[Well-Prepared Witch]

Mr. WPW is currently digging out the 18"+ of snow on our 700' driveway.  I am eternally grateful - I walked with him and our dog to the barn and back so I could a) make sure we could get the tractor out and b) refill the bird feeder on the way in, and I am BUSHED.  Now, to be fair, I am only just getting over a very bad cold, so I'm not *that* out of shape.  But, I feel like I ran a marathon.

This leads me to really think about what we would do in a SHTF scenario.  Make snow shoes? (I'm not being facetious - this is precisely the kind of snow that snow shoes would work for and the snow is up to my knees.)  Have to stay in the house until Spring?  And how would that work when we have stock?  I'm very grateful we don't already have the chickens because it means we have not had to deal with going out while the snow has been flying to care for animals.  We can just let Velcro Dog out into the yard to do his business and he comes right back in.  (Although it is pretty funny watching him barrel through the snow that comes up to his armpits.  He's loving this weather.)

Extreme weather is going to be a real challenge if and when we are living without access to cheap energy and/or major infrastructure.

[JohnyMac]

Yeah, you and other folks have been getting slammed this year south of the Lehigh Tunnel and all along the coast.

I have snow shoes and have used them but have not had to this year as yet - The winter is still young though  While we have planned so movement outside the cabin is minimal, e.g. where we stacked wood, where the water pump is, etc. it is still a chore.

We are lucky to have good neighbors who have a plow on their tractor who plows our drive way. But he and Sdoon1 still have to feed the cattle, chickens, pigs, turkeys, ducks, rabbits, assorted catz & dogs. Mr. Sdoon1 uses his big ass  for the big and heavy stuff while Sdoon1 takes care of the smaller critters. She has started wearing ice gripping cleats on the bottom of her boots. I think she purchased them from Lemans None Electric.

With that said, you are doing it! You are living the dream!! The good Lord has given you this time to figure out what you need to survive a winter (or two) in a SHTF scenario. Take notes...Think about how you are going to do "it" next year...Ask questions (Like you are doing  ) and then experiment.

Before you know it your homestead will be a well oiled machine in the winter. 

[crudos]

Snowshoes, sleds, ski poles.... all vital equipment for being out in deep snow trying to get shit done or get somewhere. Of course a snowmobile would be easier and faster. Since we actually have the space for once in our lives, thinking of getting a cheap snowmobile for next winter. It's been hella cold here, but not as much snow as have had in the past. Of course it's only Feb., so I'm not counting my snowflakes yet.

[thatGuy]

You go out to feed and milk the cows, fetch the water, firewood and go to the outhouse.. You shovel the walk in front of the doors so they will swing and so there isn't a step down into the building. The snow beneath your feet becomes hard packed. You might take a shovel and widen your path from time to time but the truth is you go do those things everyday because you're a farmer now.

You'll notice some things are much easier to do in the cold, like splitting firewood, sledding impossibly large stones or cleaning your rugs.. Snow and all that comes with it can be a blessing to farmers new and old.

[Kentactic]

It was 85° here today. It felt like 95°..... id kill for 0°... snow sounds like a great problem to have.... ive never been so cold that I could die but ive definitely been close to dying from heat stroke....you have frozen water all around you. Here in CA they are saying that bottled water will be like gold in 6 months.... were experiencing a major draught... ill trade you any day of the week...

[special-k]

.... id kill for 0°... snow sounds like a great problem to have... ill trade you any day of the week...

Forgive Ken, for he knows not what he says.

I, being relatively new to any significant amount of frozen precipitation, will try to paint a picture for you:

Fresh powdered snow is only a moderate nuisance until it gets above knee level... but even then it's still not to difficult to shovel or walk on with snow shoes.  But when you add in the process of snow > semi-thaw > re-freeze > then repeat this cycle often, it starts to become a deeper & deeper hard-packed nightmare.  You see, now you're no longer dealing with "Christmas movie" snow... now it's all hardened & heavy and takes back-breaking effort to break it up (if even possible) and shovel it off to the ever growing side piles.  Ooops... I almost forgot to mention the bane of urban winter existence know as the "snow plow man"... who's job is to block in virtually every parked car & driveway with huge ever growing mounds of frozen hell.  Oh, and he takes a special delight in depositing mounds of frozen hell in the exact places that you just shoveled clean.

DOGG SNOWPLOW DRIVER IN BLIZZARD ORIGINAL VIDEO

[Kentactic]

Thanks for that special-k but yes I absolutely would take that over this heat all year. That plow man in the video is funny.

[rah45]

s-k,

 

You could always come back to humidity-ridden Georgia.

[brat]

Please remember also, now that it’s winter, animals seek out the heat of vehicles to stay warm.  Before starting your car, please check around the wheels and engine for these cold animals. You may not even notice they are there.

[special-k]

You could always come back to humidity-ridden Georgia.

I'll take that any day over the this here.  I'll even move below the "gnat line" where when you stand still for more than a few few seconds either the gnats are crawling up your nose or the fire ants crawling up your legs or both. 

In the south it's "it's not the heat, it's the humidity.  In the north it's "it's not the cold, it's the wind."  I've learned that 0°F really ain't shit... that is until the air starts to move.

[rah45]

Please remember also, now that it’s winter, animals seek out the heat of vehicles to stay warm.  Before starting your car, please check around the wheels and engine for these cold animals. You may not even notice they are there.

 

[rah45]

You could always come back to humidity-ridden Georgia.

I'll take that any day over the this here.  I'll even move below the "gnat line" where when you stand still for more than a few few seconds either the gnats are crawling up your nose or the fire ants crawling up your legs or both. 

In the south it's "it's not the heat, it's the humidity.  In the north it's "it's not the cold, it's the wind."  I've learned that 0F really ain't shit... that is until the air starts to move.

Well, like I said, you could always come back down here. Things are looking up a little bit. More movie/tv studios are doing their work in Georgia due to benefits offered by the state, and we have some VERY good pro-gun legislation running through the House and Senate right now.

[special-k]

Please remember also, now that it’s winter, animals seek out the heat of vehicles to stay warm.  Before starting your car, please check around the wheels and engine for these cold animals. You may not even notice they are there.

 

I remember one time when I awoke to the sound and my next door neighbor getting a cat's tail caught in the fan belt of his pick-up upon start-up.  Helluva way to wake for me... oh, and the cat too. 

[Well-Prepared Witch]

Poor cat! Definitely thumping the hood is a good idea.

Kentactic - I think it's a "grass is always greener" thing.  The drought is definitely concerning, but snow can be just as devastating.  Special-K nailed it on what happens when the snow doesn't melt all the way between each snowfall.  Trust me, it's been a hot mess out here.  And it snowed AGAIN today and is supposed to snow AGAIN tomorrow.  It should warm up this coming week, which is great, but I know it will mean flooding as several feet of snow melts, so we have that to which to look forward.

Speaking of plow drivers, we had SIX FEET of snow blocking our drive when Mr. WPW finally got down to the road.  It wasn't the nice, easy fluffy snow. Nope, it was hard pack plow-dump.  Argh.  All I can say is thank gods for the tractor. I can't imagine what we'd have done without it.  Of course, in a SHTF there likely wouldn't be plows to block us in, so there's that.  

[JohnyMac]

Every time I see the snow plow pass and then I go out and re-shovel out the beginning of my drive way I think of this song by Fred Eaglesmith. This song goes out to Special-K, Wellie and all of the folks along the eastern seaboard.

Fred Eaglesmith - Cumberland County