Lord have mercy that wind was cutting right through me!! How do you ranchers do it??
dreher
Member Posts: 8,883 ✭✭✭✭
Single digits last night. That is VERY COLD here in South Carolina. All 42 bunny water bowls frozen solid. I carried hot water out to try and make sure every bunny got some water down them. I will be going out again in a couple of hours and repeat the watering process. 2 and a half times normal feed will be fed so they have plenty of food to burn for heat. I was outside for 45 minutes. I like to froze to death. Next time I go out will take me about an hour.
So how do you rancher types who are battling REAL COLD PLUS SNOW UP TO YOUR BUTTS DO IT?? I'm smart enough to know you boys aren't out there for 45 minutes, you are out there all day!! We should all be kissing your feet not bitching about the price of hamburger at the grocery store!!
What a difference a year can make. Last Christmas was 72 degrees and bright sun!! 72 degrees on Christmas day is real SC weather not this single digits nonsense!!😁
Comments
Not a rancher but have lived in the Great White North all my life. I just Grin & Bare it when it comes to getting along on these COLD days. Since I retired, I kind of feel like a cave man holding up in the cave right now. No where to go and needing nothing is my blessing these days!
yep spent last christmas in myrtle beach, went golfing in 60+ weather, as brooks said I am now sitting here looking out the window at the blowing snow and 4 degrees on the thermometer, just glad I am retired and DON"T have to go out. I know folks will tell you they get used to it, but when it get below freezing it is just plain COLD no matter what they say.....
Maybe members from the bitter cold north can answer this. It's sunny, 16* & the wind is blowing across the unfrozen lake (yes, I know open water is odd.) It looks like wisps of fog popping up & blowing along. Is the combination of wind & low temp causing the tips of small waves to freeze, creating ice crystals?
In effect yes that is what's happening. Any moisture, whether it be droplets or just vapor from evaporation or wind is freezing in the air. The water is warmer than the air just like your breath the vapor becomes visible on a cold day. Saw a news report this morning about the same thing happening on a large scale off the river and Lake Michigan in Chicago. Our 2 acre pond here at the house did the same thing yesterday but is now entirely frozen over. Ain't nature pretty sometimes? Bob
South Dakota here. I love the cold and thrive in it.
Went out and worked on my firewood pile yesterday at -15 and high winds. I did have my beaver hat on to keep my ears from getting frostbit but I worked outside for a couple hours. Coat, hat, thin brown jersey gloves, muck boots, no long johns.
The trick it to stop associating cold with pain.
@dreher
Here's how I do it. Granted, I've got just a hobby farm, a few head of cattle and a few horses, but I'm out in it quite a bit and these things help keep me warm and comfortable. I wore pretty much the same things before retirement as a contractor when I had to work in the weather.
Boots, https://www.muckbootcompany.com/muck-arctic-pro-mens-8mm-insulated-waterproof-pul/ACP998K.html
Overalls, https://www.carhartt.com/product/104461/yukon-extremes-loose-fit-insulated-biberall---4-extreme-warmth-rating?colorCode=undefined_SW
Coat, https://www.carhartt.com/product/104460/carhartt-yukon-extremes-full-swing-insulated-coat---4-extreme-warmth-rating?categoryCode=default&colorCode=N04_SW
Top it off with a good stocking cap and suitable gloves and it all does pretty good. The other day when I was out feeding it was 29 below. I added a balaclava and a pair of ski goggles for the blowing ice/snow. I kinda freaked the horse out bein' all bundled up. They didn't recognize what that * bugged eyed monster was that was bringin' them hay.
I’m not a rancher, but worked on the railroad for 42 years out side in every kind of weather there is, hanging on the side of boxcars and anything else that rolled on rails. You want to dress in layers. Typical dress for winter is, long underwear, jeans , flannel shirt, Carhart insulated coveralls, parka, Redwing boots with 2 buckle overshoes, stocking hat and good pair of insulted gloves or mittens, mittens are warmer.
I remember when they first started hiring woman, some would come dressed more for fashion than warmth, that would last a couple weeks then they learned to dress properly.
But the worst weather that I hated was when the temperature was around 30° Freezing raining and the wind blowing, that called for a whole different way to dress.
Thanks @BobJudy
Walked out to get the mail last night....30 mph wind in my face all the way out. -5 at the time so it was going right through my coat... The good news is it practically blew me back up the driveway on my way back....😀
I have been watching my neighbor running back and forth most of the day running hay and feed to cattle on both sides of his place.. It made me happy to be sitting inside.
Grew up farming with extensive poultry and swine operations. Learned to dress in layers and just go ahead and do the work . Worse was the couple of years I spent drilling water wells . Mud , snow , ice and water with wind blowing in off of Chesapeake Bay makes for miserable work .Colder than a well drillers butt aint no joke! Heavy waterproof and windproof snowmobile suit works well. P. S. Try firefighting in weather like this .
Leather suit👍
Our house is located on the far windward side of a 5 mile long lake. It's the wind! Minus degrees here but it's the wind that really makes it miserably COLD🤐
I wasn't out much today (only a couple hours) because we had our Christmas dinner and the kids played games all afternoon. Friday , I was out about 8 hours with only a couple of breaks. Good insulated rubber boots with thermal socks, jeans, medium weight flannel shirt, fleece sweatshirt, Carhart insulated overalls, army surplus fleece jacket, and field jacket. Tube style neck gaiter, heavy wool hand knitted neck/face warmer, Carhart insulated canvas cap, lightly insulated liner gloves, and heavy flannel mittens or gloves.
When I have to feed my cows I preheat my car then drive to my skidloader. I start it up and let it warm up. I usually have to turn the heat down low because it gets toasty. I put a couple bales out then jump back in my car and enjoy my coffee.
It normally doesn't get too cold here, rarely goes below zero. Wool socks, insulated bibs, a thick hoodie, and a Carhartt jacket and I am good to be outside all day.
Apparently they stay in by the fire and post here.
I grew up on a farm in northern Illinois, worked the first 30 years there. Didn't have a tractor with a cab, usually had in the winter 800 head of cattle to feed everyday. When in high school folks were gone and I had to feed cattle, got the one tractor started. To pull the other tractor, guess it kept you warm going from one to the when you pulled it to straighten up the wheels. Got to the corn field left the front tractor in gear jumped off got on the other got it started back to neutral, ran up to the front tractor and stopped it. Unhook the back one go hook up the feed wagon and do chores. Then drove the feed tractor to town 1.5 miles below zero to the dealers to have the block heater replaced. Froze one cheek and part of my ear, after school back home to do chores. Didn't really think about it just knew it had to be done. Was always happy to have the tractor start and cattle waters not frozen.
😌😜😜
'Apparently they stay in by the fire and post here.'
Not all--- which is why I posted a day late.