Highbinder crossed over. Never be forgotten, Running things solo on farm

[LadyDraco]

Thanks  guys...

It's still snowing, I  might have  to use  the  roof rake  this  year..
Have  one  that opens  to 28' , so No need  to get up on the  roof..
   I still just need  to decide if I need to do it.

I'll have  to plow  more  in a  bit. I have  my coverall's in the dryer.
As they got soaked today. As well as  my longhandles aka longjohns..

[LadyDraco]

This season's running total : 36" of snow

[3fan4life]

This season's running total : 36" of snow

Mostly sleet on this end of the state.

I was in Tazewell on Monday and it was a beautiful day.

The creeks were running high though!

[LadyDraco]

Yuppers  it  was  the  calm before  the  storm..

Sadly that calf  born yesterday Never  stood up..
I carried it  to the  hay barn last night.  'cause   mum left it..
She  knew  something that I  didn't .
But she  died ( meaning the  calf) Mum is  acting like  she  never  had a  calf ...
  The  thing I  hate  about farming.. Oh well ...
Thank goodness   bull calf  is  doing great .

[Farside]

This season's running total : 36" of snow

Sounds like a lot to me. What is considered normal? We broke all kinds of records in Pensacola area with over 8-9 inches. Last recorded large amount was 1895 3-4 inches. It stayed for several days too. 
 
Sorry you lost a calf, yes mom knew something wasn't right

[LadyDraco]

Well we have had
Year/Season    Totals
09/10  132"
10/11  92"
11/12  89"
12/13  72"
13/14  70"
14/15  70.5"
15/16  63"  
16/17  17"
17/18  52"    
18/19  25"    
19/20  13.5"  
20/21  35"
21/22  25"  
22/23  5"  
23/24  22"
24/25  46" and  counting

We  moved  here  in fall of 05.. I  have  the  snow totals  for  the  missing years  but
not easy to find as  it's on  calendars.
From 09  till now  I  had  on another  site..So it was easier to snag...
As  for the  average can't really say as  the  Mountain is not like  the  valleys..  

[LadyDraco]

Happy St. Valentines Day

[carolinarider09]

Happy St. Valentines Day 

[Jess from VA]

Happy VD to everyone.   

[LadyDraco]

I had  to run to town today , I  prepped for   8"-12" of  snow..
Checked  the  spring, hayed  the  stock this  evening.
My neighbor helped  me with fix the  chain on the  tractor, it was trying to come  off..
Don't know  why .. It's been on for  at least 6 yrs.

    It's days  like  this  I really miss  my Pumpkin...
The  big truck almost didn't start , But it finally kicked  over
ran it up to FenderMender, he  checked  said  both batteries were low. but seemed  to be  charging so ran it .
She  never  missed  a  beat allday.. Stopped back on my way home , and  it was up 1/2 more.
He  said   it takes  2  longer  to charge up.
So it's now  on a  charger. just to top it off..

[LadyDraco]

3" so far, I  just got  in from plowing the driveway.

[Farside]

Well we have had
Year/Season    Totals
09/10  132"
10/11  92"
11/12  89"
12/13  72"
13/14  70"
14/15  70.5"
15/16  63"  
16/17  17"
17/18  52"    
18/19  25"    
19/20  13.5"  
20/21  35"
21/22  25"  
22/23  5"  
23/24  22"
24/25  36" and  counting

We  moved  here  in fall of 05.. I  have  the  snow totals  for  the  missing years  but
not easy to find as  it's on  calendars.
From 09  till now  I  had  on another  site..So it was easier to snag...
As  for the  average can't really say as  the  Mountain is not like  the  valleys..  

Wow, what happen in 05, y'all moved in after most of the snow had fallen? Some impressive totals

[LadyDraco]

If I can recall it wasn't bad,
As our friends , from where use to live .
Would say ya'll moved to Paradise !
Still in touch  with a  few. They talk  the cold  it was -28* a few times this year there..

I  remember in 05 Oct I was still in Highland Co, Blue Grass Va.Packing
And Don was down here at Bastian Va.unpacking.
I called and said I have  8" on the ground he said it's 65* today !

Blue Grass  was the snow capital of VA.  it was normal to have storms dump 28", 30" ,36"
It would start snowing the first week of Oct, and not stop till April..
I know folks are saying BS .. But we lived there for almost 25yrs. the temps  were also brutal.
  It was normal to be at -25* for a week.. That's NOT wind chill...
Our old farm house the drain line would freeze!
If we didn't have deep snow before the sub zeros would  hit.
The drain line was made of cast.
We would take turns  standing  there with propane torch to thaw it out.
The snow drifts were always bad, Blue Grass was also the wind tunnel of VA.
     
It only took Mother Nature 4 yrs to find us here and start dump snow on us.LOL

The coldest we have been here was -14* around 10 yrs ago. If I can recall.
200 miles farther south from our old place. But our elevation is higher here.
we sit at 3600'  here, but the top of my mountain is about 4000' .
the  old  farm was only 2800'.

Right now the  season is  @ 43" more  snow  on the way tonight.
I plowed the driveway 2x today.. anyone who has been here knows it's almost a mile long 3.5 hills .

I hope you enjoyed the little  history lesson...

[LadyDraco]

At 46" now .
We got 3" more of fresh snow .
Already plowed it . They are calling for more again tonight and maybe sub zero temp,

[Farside]

At 46" now .
We got 3" more of fresh snow .
Already plowed it . They are calling for more again tonight and maybe sub zero temp,

That is incredible for VA. I understand your elevation is over 3200 but never thought it'd get that much snow. I applaud your will power to get things done around the farm! :

[hubcapsc]

We've been hard freezing for the last few days in SC, but no snow to trudge around it.
Tracy, you're really something  ...

-Mike "19 this morning... come on 100!"

[LadyDraco]

Thanks Guys !  

Bud was in last night , well I made him stay in...
As  it was 2* and windy ,blowing snow.

[LadyDraco]

Bud  stayed out last night it was 4*
A  huge  oops on his  part .
He  came  in the  morning  and  slept on me  for  an hour !
To warm up



All the trees look like something from Doctor Zhivago .
They all have a snow blossom on them.



The  mountain was pretty



Even the  Dragon was  frosty

[f6john]

The thaw started for us today, got up to around 50. Supposed to be a decent week. Tracy, I hope the thaw continues on over to you we all need a break.

[old2soon]

  Tracy , that looks like hoar frost. The temperature and moisture have to be just perfect for it to occur.
As soon as the sun hits it or temperature changes just a bit , it will dis-appear. It looks like litle spikes ot spines on the branches.

                                                       da prez

[LadyDraco]

Different names  for  it , Snow blossom, Rine, Hoar. And  a  few  others I have  forgotten..

[LadyDraco]

I did throw my leg over the saddle ,
I was getting pms.. TheBeast needed a stretch it's legs!

[hubcapsc]

Our weather has broken (gotten warmer)... I see you still have some hard freezes and
rain/snow/sleet on the way Tracy... I hope it is diminishing...

-Mike

[LadyDraco]

Thanks Mike ,
  March is a crazy month for weather . But it's March and what snows we will get.
Will be here today and gone tomorrow..
   But the firewood is low !!!! As is the Hay...

[LadyDraco]

Wow , I'm beat..
Worked  in the small garden since 10 am - 1 pm..
   Got ALL the steeples  pulled now 298 of them suckers .
And made a pile to burn  when the winds die down..

The big garden has twice the amount!  Not tackling it today,..

I'm only going to put in 1 garden this year ,I think...

[LadyDraco]

I'm off the  haul 12' lumber  in an 8' bed....
And  a  ton  of  straps, and  feed sacks loaded ..
I  have  to have the  lumber  ride  on the  sacks  of  feed,
as I  have  a  huge  fuel tank in the  back of the  truck..
I'll leave  the  tail gate opened, But I need to close  the  camper top window..
   This  is  NOT going to be  a  fun 60 mile round  trip solo ..

[carolinarider09]

You never cease to amaze me with your work, your ability to perform tasks and also handle the not so easy to handle aspects of farming.

I was never really involved with "farming" but lived next to a small farm in my pre-teens.  Even picked cotton one day and earned a quarter. 

Your stories of calves is touching.  Real farmers cherish them all and understand the life can be short and that things can happen.  Again, I have not been there, just close to others who were farmers. 

I said "real farmers". I meant it that way because the way you discuss your daily chores and your "experiences" earns you that title, in my opinion.  And yes farmers provide a lot for us people.   And many times we have to be reminded of their importance to our country and our lives. 

Enjoy the day Tracy.   Enjoy each day and the next. 

[NewValker]

Ok, I googled it to no avail, what are steeples?

Craig

[LadyDraco]

Ok, I googled it to no avail, what are steeples?

Craig

Earth Staples .....Down here they call them Steeples 

[LadyDraco]

Thanks James...

[LadyDraco]

I  got back around  3:30 .
What a PITA ! No help to load it on the friggen dollies ,That do NOT have wheel locks..
I  got the  other boards 2x6x12 and  the 2x6x10 ..
1 customer saw me struggling with the 2x12x12's They were friggen heavy!
I had gotten 2 on the cart he helped me with the other 2...Nice old man..
I used 11 ratchet straps , The load never moved!
There is one set inside the bed that I looped through the chain hook ups for a GN..
That red strap I hooked the knee buster chain hook ups. as a safety extra for the load not to come undone.
Yeah maybe over use of straps .. LOL But I didn't want that load to move at all being on US460..
I had 2 cops pass me.. I know they were looking at the load!



It took for ever to strap the load.. And I did bring my big staple gun for all them flags ..I never lost a 1!!



I took about 1/2h break before  I  unloaded..


Unloaded all the  lumber on the long part of the porch ,Not far from where it is needed.
I did lay furring strips down.. underneath each board 4 per layer, And the very bottom..
So they can get air..



Also hayed the stock... 3 bales left... All the equipment is back in their cozy spots in the shop..
I'm beat ! Dang them 2x12x12 are heavy ,
at least the 2x6x12 aren't that bad and the 2x6x10 I could lug around all-day..

Even sorting and finding ones that weren't riddled with knots and warped wasn't easy..
But I think I did OK ! I'll be sore come Saturday..
I never sore the  next day, it hits me  a few days  later. LOL
Lucky that way LOL

I'm a tad proud of myself. I don't feel that way much.. But today I do

[Jess from VA]

I'll be sore come Saturday..

Ya think??? 

[LadyDraco]

Ya think??? 

Maybe...
Maybe NOT !

[Farside]

I'm a tad proud of myself. I don't feel that way much.. But today I do

Well I'm sure proud of you too!  You flex your muscle and get it done, impressive! Maybe someday I can buy you a cup of coffee if you can slow down long enough to drink it.   

[LadyDraco]

I was  cloudy most of  the  night till NOW !

The  Blood Moon  was  beautiful, I  snag a  few  photos,

with out  a  tripod, so not to sure how  well they came  out.

I'll  look later...  so glad  I  did  run out for  a peek.

    I heard  birds  chirping, robins, and  cardinals  too..

Not normal, so cool....
Remember  to enjoy the  little  things...



Thank You @Farside

[NewValker]

Thanks for the pic, never would've guessed....
Good job on the lumber, keep moving forward!

Craig

[carolinarider09]

Again very impressive.  I have been working (not this winter but the fall) on replacing boards on our porch and the hand rail top boards.  Only 2x4 and 2x6 but... at 16 feet they can get heavy.  But 2x12x?? wow that would take some energy. 

Again great work. 

[LadyDraco]

A Little Dynamo ...
I'm a tad over 5' 
Good thing I'm strong like a little bull....
Don was always amazed how I could work.

[LadyDraco]

I threw my leg over the saddle yesterday for a bit It was a store run..
It still felt good

[LadyDraco]

We  got very lucky with the  weather ,the last few days ..Just some rain and very windy.
     Yesterday was  Sun/rain/snow/sun /snow/sun/snow and cold.
The  ground  was to warm to stick.
    Still holding at 46"

Some areas got hit real bad with twisters.. Very sad indeed...