Envr Surviving the Mini Ice Age

Broken Arrow

Broken Arrow

Heathen Pagan Witch
How did everyone do with the recent extreme cold weather on your homestead? I hope you all had a good outcome from this recent crap that was thrown at us all. What things worked for you, what would you change if this came again? My biggest take away is better outdoors clothing. Socks and gloves did not hold up as well as I thought they would.

Care to share your observations?

BTW I did a humorous write up on it and posted it to my blog, I hope you enjoy it!

fireonthemt.substack.com

Surviving the Mini Ice Age

If you live in the USA, you are probably very aware of the recent mini ice age that has blown across the country this past week. I must say, as a farmer, it was most challenging. I must say, as a human, it was even more challenging.
fireonthemt.substack.com fireonthemt.substack.com
 
20Gauge

20Gauge

TB Fanatic
For us it really was not big deal. The wife has the flu ( not covid ) and we stayed home for Christmas to keep my 80 year old parents safe.

All that happened was we lost water ( frozen ) for about 16 hours per day. We had lots of water and were able to work around it just fine.

My garden watering system did have a break as I forgot to drain it before hand. Though it did last though 3 days of freezing and lost it on the last day.

Today we had a tenant who's 60+ year old metal water pipes finally lost it. Was not big deal. It was the last 20 feet to a spigot and I just capped it. We can put a new spigot in later.

I do have to say, there were a lot and in aisle full of people in the plumbing department today. All were fixing damaged plumbing. Yeah I was there, but it was not my fault. I do not install 1/2 pipe and my emergency repair kit only holds, 3/4 or 1 in fittings. So guess what I needed. Yep 1/2 in. So now I have caps for that one....

I was pleased my kit worked otherwise.

Reference: my kits are a simple tote with key spare parts and tools to let me do a quick repair. I have the same for electrical.


Prepping works once again!!
 
Tundra Gypsy

Tundra Gypsy

Veteran Member
The only problem was the shower wouldn't drain; this is the first time to happen, but this is the first time it got to -21 degrees! Will get under the house this summer and put some insulation around the exposed pipes. My biggest concern is the pile of snow on the roof. It will be turning to concrete with the temperatures going into the 30s! I do not like concrete snow loads! Our walkway and back patio is very icy! Throwing sand on the porch steps to get into the house today!
 
shepherdess

shepherdess

Member
We survived! We fought the usual battles with frozen stock tanks. In this deep cold the submersible electric tank heaters could not keep up. I don’t know of any alternative, I don’t like the floating heaters, the extreme cold just made things miserable so we had to carry buckets and keep breaking ice. The pulsator in my bucket milker kept freezing up, so had to hand milk in the worst cold. To cope with cold we just bundled up. I’m thankful for the companies like Berne and Carhartt that make womens coveralls and winter wear. Layers of wool, and wool socks are indispensable. I did finally find some good gloves, they are a womens Carhartt thinsulate lined neoprene glove, waterproof and windproof. My hands were reasonably warm, which usually does not happen. A couple “hot hands” warmer packs stuffed into the backs made them warm on the worst days.
 
W

WalknTrot

Veteran Member
No problems. A couple of slow days, no expectations. Good food, warm house, all critters tucked away and happy.

Watch Mother Nature's show through the windows and clean up outside afterward as the weather allows.
Storms are great excuses for the introverts among us to stay home, mind the place and our own business.
 
Teawhisk

Teawhisk

Jarl of Drakenstead
Mini Ice Age? Winter? What's the problem here?
Minnesotans are pretty certain that the Creator designed this Land Where the Sky Begins so as to discourage Californians from moving here. The few that have overcome it are responsible for most all of the semi-socialist policies we have.

The tip from the frozen North for all of you is a principal that has been imbued in us Minnesotans from our Norwegian cousins.
Nota Bene: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS BAD WEATHER THERE IS ONLY BAD GEAR AND LACK OF PREPERATION.

Glad Jul and blessings to all!
 
Samuel Adams

Samuel Adams

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Teawhisk said:
Minnesotans are pretty certain that the Creator designed this Land Where the Sky Begins so as to discourage Californians from moving here
Click to expand...

Some of us slightly further south-erners (likely very few, and that’s fine) ENVY you Minnesotans, northern Michigan and Wisconsinians and North Dakotans….just an FYI….

:kiss:
 
W

WalknTrot

Veteran Member
Teawhisk said:
Mini Ice Age? Winter? What's the problem here?
Minnesotans are pretty certain that the Creator designed this Land Where the Sky Begins so as to discourage Californians from moving here. The few that have overcome it are responsible for most all of the semi-socialist policies we have.

The tip from the frozen North for all of you is a principal that has been imbued in us Minnesotans from our Norwegian cousins.
Nota Bene: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS BAD WEATHER THERE IS ONLY BAD GEAR AND LACK OF PREPERATION.

Glad Jul and blessings to all!
Click to expand...
:vik:
 
Bps1691

Bps1691

Veteran Member
Listening to the news around my AO you’d think this last week was the worst cold ever.

Having lived in the general area for over 70 years I laugh my arse off. It’s no where near the winters in the 70’s. Not even close.

It’s another reminder of how we are prone to judge based upon whAt happened during our own lifetime.

To those in their 30’s or younger it probably is the worst they’ve seen. These are the same ones who ignore history’s lessons and believe what the news or media tell them.

They have no proper frame of reference
 
C

Cedar Lake

Connecticut Yankee
shepherdess said:
We survived! We fought the usual battles with frozen stock tanks. In this deep cold the submersible electric tank heaters could not keep up. I don’t know of any alternative, I don’t like the floating heaters, the extreme cold just made things miserable so we had to carry buckets and keep breaking ice.
Click to expand...
In my area, Connecticut, some people live aboard their boats and they have ''marine bubblers'' outside of their boats that are solar powered or electric. Toss them over the side, bubbles the water big time. Bubbling water does not freeze. I would try one in your stock tank.
 
Jackpine Savage

Jackpine Savage

Veteran Member
No problems here either, knock on wood.

Our electric boiler has been down all fall. It was repaired just a few days before the cold hit. We've been heating entirely with wood while it was down. So it's nice to have, but we have redundancy. That was one thing I learned while milking cows, having more than one way to get things done, that have to get done.

Broken Arrow, do you have an electric heater on your tractor? I had my tractor plugged in for 5 hours before I started it yesterday. It saves wear and tear on the starter and battery, and aggravation for myself.
 
Broken Arrow

Broken Arrow

Heathen Pagan Witch
Jackpine Savage said:
No problems here either, knock on wood.

Our electric boiler has been down all fall. It was repaired just a few days before the cold hit. We've been heating entirely with wood while it was down. So it's nice to have, but we have redundancy. That was one thing I learned while milking cows, having more than one way to get things done, that have to get done.

Broken Arrow, do you have an electric heater on your tractor? I had my tractor plugged in for 5 hours before I started it yesterday. It saves wear and tear on the starter and battery, and aggravation for myself.
Click to expand...
I do not. It’s always started but the past two winters it’s gotten cranky on me
 
babysteps

babysteps

Veteran Member
My corner of the PNW didn't see anywhere NEAR the levels of cold that the rest of the country did. Maybe 2-3 days of barely below freezing temps here. I think our lowest low was 19°. One day of an ice storm, which was mild compared to the one in Feb '21, and was melted a day and a half later.

To hear the news and social media tell it, though, it was the icepocalypse.

Worst thing that happened to us was the pull cord on the older genny broke - but we didn't even end up needing it. Hubby plans to fix it this weekend.

Hubby misplaced the stock tank heater (we so seldom need it) and we had one morning of breaking ice before we found it. 16 year old had to haul water from the house for the cows one morning when she forgot to plug in the heat tape on the garden faucet and it froze. 23 year old forgot to plug in the diesel truck and it wouldn't start one morning. Little issues, nothing really problematic.

I feel pretty spoiled compared to what the rest of y'all went through!
 
S

Slydersan

Veteran Member
Remember, now is NOT the time to be buying winter weather gear. Unless you don't have any I guess. Better to wait for all of the clearances/sales that start around March. Most of my best winter gear, like super heavy mittens, sleeping bags, etc. I've gotten for 50% off (at least) because nobody wants to think about buying a -20 F sleeping bag in June. But make a note to yourself so you don't forget!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top