How a Texan operates his tractor in the cold....

[ruralNearDallas]

There seem to be plenty of folks on this forum who live in places like Quebec.

Around here we have been having high temps around 30 degrees Fahrenheit and lows near 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

What have we done with our tractor these days?

It is sitting peacefully in the barn waiting for the warm up. We should have highs back in the 60s by the weekend.

--I hope you had fun with my post. I don't know how you guys in the real cold actually pull your overalls on when the temps are in the teens and get out there. Oh, I do not have a cab on the tractor.

Note: Yes to folks in the Texas panhandle: I know it gets a lot colder there.

 

[k0ua]

here in Mo. it is 2 degrees, and the wind chill is -14.. no tractoring today, but I did get in about 2 hours yesterday when it was about 15 and sunny.
I am sure the guys up north would laugh at these temps.
James K0UA

 

[bp fick]

It's all what you get accustomed to.

After enduring months of 100 degree highs during the summer, we can understand how cold 20 degrees feel to you all.

If we had highs in the 30's, we'd be down to our shirts, no jackets, and breaking a sweat. Truly.

-5 for overnight lows and highs in low teens here. Oh yeah, gonna go plow out the drive and lanes. Open cab, yeah baby! Just think of it as a very slow, but powerful snowmobile. We run those with "open cab" too!

 

[Arkie Jim]

It's all what you get accustomed to.

After enduring months of 100 degree highs during the summer, we can understand how cold 20 degrees feel to you all.

If we had highs in the 30's, we'd be down to our shirts, no jackets, and breaking a sweat. Truly.

-5 for overnight lows and highs in low teens here. Oh yeah, gonna go plow out the drive and lanes. Open cab, yeah baby! Just think of it as a very slow, but powerful snowmobile. We run those with "open cab" too!

When I was in the military, I served in Maryland, Colorado and Germany. Plenty of snow in all places. Here in Arkansas we have 3-4 inches of snow but it seems our problem in the years past is the high humidity that results in a lot of rain and sleet and the daily sun peeking through and the low teens at night creating a diaster on the roads.
I have some friends up North and they were born there--I guess Home is Home but I do like to get outside and enjoy the day---wind chills can cause frost bite in a hurry. I thought the cold would solve the insect problem up North but apparently that is not true.

 

[johnrex62]

It's all what you get accustomed to.

After enduring months of 100 degree highs during the summer, we can understand how cold 20 degrees feel to you all.

If we had highs in the 30's, we'd be down to our shirts, no jackets, and breaking a sweat. Truly.

-5 for overnight lows and highs in low teens here. Oh yeah, gonna go plow out the drive and lanes. Open cab, yeah baby! Just think of it as a very slow, but powerful snowmobile. We run those with "open cab" too!

There is something about the cold that is different too. I grew up in south Texas and when the weather would drop below 40, we were wrapped up in layers cause we were chilled to the bone. My first trip north was to Toronto in early December and although the outdoor thermometers were reading 0, I was running around with my coat open, sweater unbuttoned and flapping my collar to cool off. I know it was not because I was acclimated to it since I had only been in Toronto for under 12 hours.

When I got home to my warm 33 degree winter, I was cold again.

 

[bp fick]

There is something about the cold that is different too. I grew up in south Texas and when the weather would drop below 40, we were wrapped up in layers cause we were chilled to the bone. My first trip north was to Toronto in early December and although the outdoor thermometers were reading 0, I was running around with my coat open, sweater unbuttoned and flapping my collar to cool off. I know it was not because I was acclimated to it since I had only been in Toronto for under 12 hours.

When I got home to my warm 33 degree winter, I was cold again.

Yes, there is. Elevation, humidity, wind all play a role in "felt" temperatures, as well as whether the sun is out or not.

Up here, we have some elevation, and we have extremely low humidity, almost year around. The result is that we have a dry cold, similar to what folks in Nevada and Arizona always brag about with their 105F heat. "But, it's a dry heat" the exclaim!!

Perhaps the coldest I've ever been was in NYC, with horrid humidity, wind, sea level elevation, and grey skies. It was 33F and I froze to death.

Yup, there are factors.

 

[jlsmith]

It's all what you get accustomed to.

After enduring months of 100 degree highs during the summer, we can understand how cold 20 degrees feel to you all.

If we had highs in the 30's, we'd be down to our shirts, no jackets, and breaking a sweat. Truly.

-5 for overnight lows and highs in low teens here. Oh yeah, gonna go plow out the drive and lanes. Open cab, yeah baby! Just think of it as a very slow, but powerful snowmobile. We run those with "open cab" too!

bp i got a chill just reading this.. It was 20 this morning and i was out on the ol MF285 putting out hay.(no cab, havent but a loader on the new one yet and the other two are at another place) Yep froze to the bone.

 

[EddieWalker]

Here in East Texas, I barely even look at my tractors. No way in the world am I going to try and operate one in these conditions. Snow, Ice and below freezing temps!!!!!!

I miss August.

Eddie

 

[bp fick]

I know you guys who aren't used to it aren't going to do anything with your tractors today, so, that's OK. We don't see how you work in the afternoons in August down there either.

I lived all over the US and still travel quite a bit from border to border, from sea to shining sea, so I get to experience it all, pretty much.

"Everybody complains about the weather, but nobody does anything about it." attributed to Will Rogers.

But, if you boys don't mind, I've had mine plugged for an hour, and I'm about ready to go. Carhart insulated cover-alls, insulated boots and gloves. I got some lanes and such to clean. It's 11 am and it is warmed right up to 23F. I'll probably wish I hadn't over dressed.

See you all later.

 

[jlsmith]

Here in East Texas, I barely even look at my tractors. No way in the world am I going to try and operate one in these conditions. Snow, Ice and below freezing temps!!!!!!

I miss August.

Eddie

Im with you Eddie. cant wait for summer time. Like to have froze putting out hay this morning but the cows had to eat. It looks like got alot more snow than we did and im just 30 mins west of you.