Winter preparation.

[rontaki]

I’ll wait about a month and change the summer air on my tires to winter air.

For working with cows, do you use Dairy Air? Or a donkey?

 

[dodge man]

For working with cows, do you use Dairy Air? Or a donkey?

Yes.

 

[BackRoad]

I fell on my Dairy Air while ice skating...it knocked the wind out of me.

Now everyone says I stink as an ice skater...

 

[Oaktree]

I don't put a lot of faith in these long range predictions, more often than not they're way off the mark. That having been said, we have had some nights already that have gotten into the 30s. It's not unusual for us to have snow on the ground in mid-Nov. that stays there 'til spring.
I just do the usual...get my firewood in early (currently have 2 years' worth cut/split), go thru tractor maintenance, make sure there's Power Service in my extra fuel, make sure the snowmobile is ready to go . I do have a 3500W generator, mostly there for summer outages to run refrigerator/freezer on. Woodstove for heat, propane for cooking/hot water and a gravity-fed well...we can do just fine if the power goes out.

 

[ponytug]

I don't put a lot of faith in these long range predictions, more often than not they're way off the mark. That having been said, we have had some nights already that have gotten into the 30s. It's not unusual for us to have snow on the ground in mid-Nov. that stays there 'til spring.
I just do the usual...get my firewood in early (currently have 2 years' worth cut/split), go thru tractor maintenance, make sure there's Power Service in my extra fuel, make sure the snowmobile is ready to go . I do have a 3500W generator, mostly there for summer outages to run refrigerator/freezer on. Woodstove for heat, propane for cooking/hot water and a gravity-fed well...we can do just fine if the power goes out.

Is a gravity fed well a spring?

Still need to do some painting before the winter and rains start in earnest.

All the best, Peter

 

[BackRoad]

Yeah, what Peter said...what is a gravity fed well?

 

[Eagle1]

Maybe like my setup? I pump water from the well to a 12K gallon tank and then it is gravity fed from there. Only have to pump every week or 3 depending on usage.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I removed my wood stove last summer due to our reno/addition and never got it put back in by the time winter rolled around. OUCH!! The electric bill was way higher than I like to see it. So for this winter our wood stove WILL be reinstalled. I have some time as cold weather doesn't come in until late November, early December. Will need to move some firewood from the property to the house. That's pretty easy, just pickup the tote and haul it over with the tractor. Also need to get a better wood storage solution on our new porch. It is always a mess around the wood rack so i am thinking of instead of an open rack I want to get an enclosed box that will contain more of the bark and dust. Would like to make it out of metal, but it might just have to be wood for this year. Other than that winter prep is pretty easy in the south.

 

[Oaktree]

Is a gravity fed well a spring?

Yeah, what Peter said...what is a gravity fed well?

It's a shallow (dug) well that's on a hillside 30 or so feet higher than the house. When I say shallow, I mean shallow. I can stand in the bottom and see over the top. Been here 20 years, never gone dry. Never had it tested, but with a mile or so of woods in any direction other than towards the house not likely any pollution. Best tasting water I've ever had.
I get just under 25 psi pressure from gravity alone. Not city water pressure to be sure, but enough to do anything we want.

 

[BackRoad]

There's being physically prepared for Winter, and then there's being mentally prepared...

Although Winter comes around every year at about the same time, I find I'm much slower now at getting mentally prepared...

 

[hayden]

Yeah, what Peter said...what is a gravity fed well?

Mine is about 30’ higher than the house, so always about 15 psi at the house with no pump or electricity. It worked that way for 40 years until last year when I aded a boost pump and accumulator tank in the basement to have a bit more pressure, especially on the second floor.

 

[BackRoad]

But do you still need to pump water from the ground, or is it a spring or artesian?

Simply curious.

I love the idea and have a small spring on my property, but not high enough elevation for flow into the house...

 

[hayden]

Other than removing screens and installing storm doors, there is nothing needed for the house. I keep my fuel treated year round, so nothing needed there. I do need to put chains on the tractor, plus the snow blower. And I switch my side by side from tires to tracks once the ground is reliably snow covered.

 

[Oaktree]

But do you still need to pump water from the ground, or is it a spring or artesian?

No pump. It's a surface water well (I guess you could call it a spring), and gravity supplies all the pressure.

Although Winter comes around every year at about the same time, I find I'm much slower now at getting mentally prepared...

Not me! I'm still like a little kid about winter, still get excited when we get a snowstorm. Don't necessarily LIKE subzero temperature, but it doesn't really bother me either.
Only thing I don't like is early winter when it rains, then gets cold so it turns to ice. Even worse if it briefly changes to snow so there's a couple inch coating over the ice.

 

[ponytug]

In my book, it is a developed spring, but a gravity fed well also covers it.

I love snowstorms, too, and I'm not wild about rain that freezes to the ground as it can make for treacherous conditions all winter.

In the midst of a really nice snow storm two winters ago.

All the best, Peter

 

[Yander]

Put fuel anti gel, stabilizer and biocide in diesel bulk tank. Diesel coming tomorrow.

 

[TWD]

They are predicting a snowy one for us in the Buffalo NY region. Other than wood, coal, oil, what do you all stock up on, or do to get ready for the hardships of winter?

Dave

Every year we add drainage, pipes, and more runoff control... aside from that and maintenance before winter.

- Putting everything outside inside... lol every... year... cleanup!
- clean off roof
- clean out gutters
- Animal Feed (pellets and hay)
- hundred gallons of water in 5G, easily moved containers if we get a big snow storm then we don't need to get generator going for animals, assuming all pipes for animals are frozen during this
- diesel (bulk and small tanks)
- gas
- add straps\chain back into vehicles, tractor, atvs
- winter windhsield wiper fluid
- install tracks on the polaris quad for winter use
- new windshield wipers on the vehicles
- put away summer toys like boat, paddleboards, kayaks, etc
- move the firewood nearby vs in the woodshed (we use totes)
- usually buy a new winter entry floor matt to catch water\debris each winter
- prepare the animal winter shelters as the livestock guardian dogs, goats and pigs really do not go into shelters in summer\fall until the rain\snow starts and then they're only in while actively precipitating, this fall they're getting an upgraded areas

- something im forgetting to do
- something else im forgetting to do
- probably something else im forgetting to do

 

[kenmbz]

Don't forget to remove and drain hoses and close off outside spigots too.

 

[Alan46]

I’ll wait about a month and change the summer air on my tires to winter air.

Thanks for the laugh bro……I couldn’t even read that sentence to my bride without laughing !!!!!

 

[Runner]

Winterize sprayer.
Snow tires on daily driver.
Move flower pots to shed.
Unhook water hoses from bibs.
Leaf pickup.
Overseed yard.
Open HVAC register to garage.