One major disadvantadge to the house fire was that we lost power to our barn, since that day we haven't seen a day about 35 for a high on top of that we have had 5 inches of rain, 1 inch of ice and 3-4 inches of snow. So I've learned a few things and thought I would share...
It's long but what I have learned in 3 weeks time and I hope you find it humourous.
The horses water buckets- the blue, green, purple ones freeze harder and faster than the red, burgndy and black ones. (I guess this has to do with them being warm colors or attracting what little heat is left on this Earth.)
Currently the only use I have for a twitch is to bust water buckets, hold the chain really close because it busts the snot out of your knuckles. Also WEAR gloves or your hand freezes to the wood and you have to go sit in the truck to thaw your hand out.
No matter how much pipe insulation you have around the pipes, then no matter how much filler insulation you stuff around the pipes, then cover them with a big wooden box, then stick a big hefty rug over it, it will still freeze and freeze solid, and these are FREEZELESS spigots! However, if you take a Weatherbeeta turnout and wrap around them, your good.
I need to buy stock in propane torches, otherwise we would have not had water at the barn the past week.
Chicken poo FREEZES and is like walking on marbles.
Chucking cinder blocks into water tubs should be a sport. I'm getting really good at it (the twitch doesn't work for the big tubs)
Do not wear tennis shoes to the barn. When your busting buckets and you make a big splash your toes become icicles easily or when the water finally does start running out of the spigots and you make a mad dash to cut it off and you flood your feet, it's COLD.
Horses no matter how much they want to can not ice skate I've tried telling them and they don't get it. Have an emergency plan for when the brother or the ahem... heaviest horse you have goes skating into the pond and falls in. Not just looking for water but just because he can. He walked past his water tub to do it! Thankfully, he didn't go far and we got him out without injury. (For anyone worrying, they do not have access to this generally I was letting them in to go to the barn)
Generator is a WONDERFUL WONDERFUL thing, but it's LOUD, forget hearing your phone ring, forget carrying on a conversation in the barn and just go ahead and give the horses hay because someone else is going to too.
Canned dog food for Ben: It freezes solid, like no fork can be stuck in it. The generator exhaust cooks it very nicely in about an hour though, be sure to let it cool or the great big white dog gets mad when he burns his tounge.
Round Bales- they are frozen solid still not even the horses can get through them. I hate square bales but they are coming in handy these days.
Wheel Barrow- when it ices it over and the axel freezes don't dare try to push it. Because it breaks the axel and you are stuck trying to find a wheel barrow in January. Anyone know where to get a plastic 6 cu ft. wheel barrow? No lowes, Home Depot, or other hard ware store around here has one! So it's muck buckets for us and it is miserable cleaning 11 stalls with a bucket!
After you have finished your chores and go to step into the truck, knock the ice off your shoes or you will be catapulted under the truck holding a basket full of eggs which are now broken nicely on your chest. Running boards are SLICK.
Oh yes cherish your barn gloves because when they are gone you will miss them. Never again will I find a pair that was water proof, freeze proof, easy to get on, able to hold muck fork without it spinning out of your hand from the slickness and the wheel barrow goes sailing away from you.
Having a tempermental diesel can take up a lot of time, when it's cold, this truck needs to move to Florida. If it's below 25 it must be plugged up and begged to start.
Plan to do barn time at a good nap time, stick baby in truck, turn on his favorite music back him up to the barn door and get to work you have approximately 1 1/2 hours before he's awake and hungry.
This is all for now feel free to add if you want because I am SURE I'll be back to add more. It's currently 2 degrees and I haven't even got the truck started.
__________________
It's long but what I have learned in 3 weeks time and I hope you find it humourous.
The horses water buckets- the blue, green, purple ones freeze harder and faster than the red, burgndy and black ones. (I guess this has to do with them being warm colors or attracting what little heat is left on this Earth.)
Currently the only use I have for a twitch is to bust water buckets, hold the chain really close because it busts the snot out of your knuckles. Also WEAR gloves or your hand freezes to the wood and you have to go sit in the truck to thaw your hand out.
No matter how much pipe insulation you have around the pipes, then no matter how much filler insulation you stuff around the pipes, then cover them with a big wooden box, then stick a big hefty rug over it, it will still freeze and freeze solid, and these are FREEZELESS spigots! However, if you take a Weatherbeeta turnout and wrap around them, your good.
I need to buy stock in propane torches, otherwise we would have not had water at the barn the past week.
Chicken poo FREEZES and is like walking on marbles.
Chucking cinder blocks into water tubs should be a sport. I'm getting really good at it (the twitch doesn't work for the big tubs)
Do not wear tennis shoes to the barn. When your busting buckets and you make a big splash your toes become icicles easily or when the water finally does start running out of the spigots and you make a mad dash to cut it off and you flood your feet, it's COLD.
Horses no matter how much they want to can not ice skate I've tried telling them and they don't get it. Have an emergency plan for when the brother or the ahem... heaviest horse you have goes skating into the pond and falls in. Not just looking for water but just because he can. He walked past his water tub to do it! Thankfully, he didn't go far and we got him out without injury. (For anyone worrying, they do not have access to this generally I was letting them in to go to the barn)
Generator is a WONDERFUL WONDERFUL thing, but it's LOUD, forget hearing your phone ring, forget carrying on a conversation in the barn and just go ahead and give the horses hay because someone else is going to too.
Canned dog food for Ben: It freezes solid, like no fork can be stuck in it. The generator exhaust cooks it very nicely in about an hour though, be sure to let it cool or the great big white dog gets mad when he burns his tounge.
Round Bales- they are frozen solid still not even the horses can get through them. I hate square bales but they are coming in handy these days.
Wheel Barrow- when it ices it over and the axel freezes don't dare try to push it. Because it breaks the axel and you are stuck trying to find a wheel barrow in January. Anyone know where to get a plastic 6 cu ft. wheel barrow? No lowes, Home Depot, or other hard ware store around here has one! So it's muck buckets for us and it is miserable cleaning 11 stalls with a bucket!
After you have finished your chores and go to step into the truck, knock the ice off your shoes or you will be catapulted under the truck holding a basket full of eggs which are now broken nicely on your chest. Running boards are SLICK.
Oh yes cherish your barn gloves because when they are gone you will miss them. Never again will I find a pair that was water proof, freeze proof, easy to get on, able to hold muck fork without it spinning out of your hand from the slickness and the wheel barrow goes sailing away from you.
Having a tempermental diesel can take up a lot of time, when it's cold, this truck needs to move to Florida. If it's below 25 it must be plugged up and begged to start.
Plan to do barn time at a good nap time, stick baby in truck, turn on his favorite music back him up to the barn door and get to work you have approximately 1 1/2 hours before he's awake and hungry.
This is all for now feel free to add if you want because I am SURE I'll be back to add more. It's currently 2 degrees and I haven't even got the truck started.
__________________
