The snow is deeper than the tops of your cozy snow boots...
(over your floral longies)
The dogs have cabin fever, and since they can't run off their energy they
enjoy a good snow tackle Roo and Kate Tae kwon do style, every time they are let out.
The desert cayuses look depressed everytime they venture out of the barn
WHERE is the SUN???
The water is frozen until mom or dad break up the ice with a hammer...THANKS MOM!!
Here are some basic survival tips and skills.
Musts: candles,water jugs and all stock water containers FILLED
hoses drained and BLOWN through AND both ends hanging over something
so you can find them if it snows (wow... this much snow and we will have to search
for the hanging ends this time)
a hammer and a strong pole to break ice in tanks
canned food items, (beans and cornbread can give you good nutrition for
quite some time, batteries, flashlights, a battery powered radio,
some type of emergency heating heating . Hand sanitizer
Water filled bathtub(unless you are needing to keep water running a bit to
keep your water pipes from freezing), this will allow you to flush the toilet,
Greatly appreciated if your storm lasts more than a day. (a bag for tissue wipes
to spare the need for flushing, not the most pleasant "idea" but it sure can help during the no water times
sleeping bags, blankets to partition off one area that you LIVE in (towels along bottom of doors)
Conserved (minimal, opening) of your fridge and freezer...
Before it starts to get real cold ( on the farm) I start putting out rat/mouse bait bars
I like to feed them well before they settle in for the winter...
Helpful:
old broom to sweep snow off of boots, clothes ,steps and porch entry way
bucket warmers, stock tank warmers and pet dish warmers,
The pet dishes only take 12o volts and the birds,cats and dogs will love you
plus it will save you lots of work (as long as you have electricity)
Bucket warmers can be found that take 220 volts(or there abouts)
the alpacas, larger birds,(or dogs) of course your horses or cows,goats will love you
again less work for you, we are limited with how much electricity we can use
until we get our replacement home on here, for now we still break ice for the horses.
I intend to check out a water system for the horses and alpacas that if it works as
it says will be great, sorry I can't recall what is is called just now.
A camping porta potty, paper towels, plates,bowls and eating utensils.
A hot water bottle can be a relished item,
gloves,hats ,socks ,snow boots ,insulated underwear
we enjoy our replacement meals ,as they provide nutrition and are convenient.
Granola bars or instant oatmeal's ,soups etc. would work too.
If you are not worried about weight, then make a big pan of cornbread,
and pot of beans . The protein in the two eaten together, combines to make
a nearly complete protein, some canned veggies and you are GOOD...this will warm
fill and nourish you as well as be good for your spirits. Here at farm funnies, I
would use my pot of beans for making a good chili, my group was not fond of
"just beans"
food needs for the four footed or feathered family members :
add some corn oil (up to 1/2 cup) to your horses grain, and 1/3 cup of flax seed (1x a day for each), hopefully, you've slowly built up to this amount, remember any changes to
horses feed must be gradual or you risk colic or founder.
Flax seed for your alpacas, we currently are adding some dry cob (watch for choke)
corn oil and lard (the real stuff,not shortening) I add about 1/2 tsp of lard and 1/4 tsp of
corn oil 1 x per day for each dog or cat, (unless they are overweight)
cracked corn for chickens, smaller fowl, little outside birds ( I have so many little hungry wild birds, I put out crumbled chicken food and suet blocks , bread chunks peanut butter,birdseed too
rolled corn for geese,swans turkeys and peafowl
(corn fed to critters helps keep them warm)
keep extra an bag of each critters food , just in case you can't get to town, canned foods for the
furry ones is enjoyed immensely ( I am sparing with such and use one can to make a
"gravy" with the lard and oil..to add to the dry food (we feed lamb and rice nutra nuggets to dogs we feed dogs .cats and horses 2 x'x per day
we use a kirkland maintenance dry for cats, we have had good healthy results with both
I give crushed or ground baked egg shells and cod liver oil daily to anyone under
a year, then occasional as i think of it to those fully grown.
Tigger our Irish wolfhound/Dane cross lived in excellent health to 17 years old,
an extraordinary accomplishment for such a big dog. We've had cats live
that long too, sadly farm life: coyote/owl/eagle dangers ,as well as a nearby road
isn't the best for longevity for our cats.
Trash bags,
Especially nice, a working generator, camping gear(burners,oven ..yep I even finished cooking a cut up turkey in one , when the power went out one long ago holiday. I believe that was the Thanksgiving we had the door open for a bit, as the stove had been loaded with wood to finish cooking our meal. Just as we were saying grace, Ethel
( one very THANKFUL turkey came onto the porch and gobbled her gratitude and proptly went back to the barn yard..She had never done that before nor ever did it again, we all roared..
I miss my wood stove with the cooking surface.
Now for THAT fast fudge recipe from my dear friend Miss Fess, you know who you are...
she says its the best, now only make this if you can afford the luxury of the extra calories, don't do this for 'comfort" read a good book instead...or go to my upcoming give a heifer post (inspired by Carole, and you know who you are too :-) OR ??
Fast easy FUDGE
1 can of any flavor frosting, warm in microwave,
16 oz of complimentary candy chips ( choc,pb,butterscotch?) melt
nuts if you choose
mix all and spread in a pan or drop by spoonfuls
you can even get fancy...stick these in the fridge to chill then dip in melted chocolate or vanilla chips...use a spoon with melted chips to drizzle stripes over the treat...
sounds yummy, I heard a whole group of teens declared this was the best fudge ever.
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