Welcome to the sunny South !

[Ouachita]

It was 40* when I left for work yesterday morning. It was still 40* at 1030. On my way home at 1500 it was 12* and the wind was brutal. Got down to 1* last night.
I drove around about 4am checking babies and there was no ice formed on the ponds due to the wind.
The wind laid just before sunrise, and I'm watching the pond glaze over in front of my eyes.
This little one especially.

Looking north

Looking south

 

[coachg]

By the time I got the chickens watered and headed out it had dropped to 6 . Stupid water hose at my heifers was froze ; after I drained it 3 times ! So I had to carry water about 50 feet to make sure they had something to drink after their feed . Wind has kept the ponds from freezing up ; that's a good thing . Couple of pics of one herd . Girls were bedded up against the woods , out of the wind .

 

[Travlr]

Us getting this kind of weather is the equivalent of y'all getting 100 degree temps with humidity in the 90s, y'all aren't set up for that and we aren't set up for this. I'll take the heat and humidity over this.

Having done both, heat and humidity. (chiggers, ticks).. and 40 below and ten foot drifts... I'll go west and deal with neither.

 

[Mountaintown Creek Ranch]

You know as soon as you get those six layers of clothes on you got to go to the bathroom ! !!

 

[coachg]

You know as soon as you get those six layers of clothes on you got to go to the bathroom ! !!

Always !

 

[Ouachita]

I'm in five layers on my upper body when I go out today. Wife is timing us to 30 minute intervals, of being outside, it takes me that long to get suited up, but in the interest of keeping the peace I'll play along, besides it's about as long as my hands can stand it even in thick gloves.
Kinda disgusting but I had snot sickles hanging from my beard.

Snot sickles are a badge of honor. You should freeze them for the grandkids.

 

[farmerjan]

You know as soon as you get those six layers of clothes on you got to go to the bathroom ! !!

And being female that is not even the slightest bit funny.....

 

[farmerjan]

35 early this morning when the recording thermometer changed over for the new 24 hrs... dropped to 16 here at noon... wind is wicked in gusts... going to drop more as the cold front gets all the way here... Ice from the sleet/freezing rain mess yesterday, is all over the ground off the branches like glittering jewels... lots of branches down too. Lost my power for about 1 1/2 hours yesterday... luckily have the propane "fireplace in the LR" and a good kerosene lamp and candles. Gas for cooking too...

I cannot imagine the single digits down in Alabama and Texas and all that for you guys. We get cold here but not normally this fast a drop and usually not until January.... I really do feel for all of you further south.

 

[Ouachita]

Hey Jan,
In these conditions it's not the slightest bit funny for a male either

These things are a smallish part (pun intended) of the reason why I search for the humor in life.
I know my humor can seem a bit crude at times, but that's how I weed my garden.

There are too many people that would rather choose to be offended instead of laughing at a joke. I appreciate that you still laugh!

 

[Travlr]

And being female that is not even the slightest bit funny.....

And yet... here we are laughing.

 

[Ky hills]

You know as soon as you get those six layers of clothes on you got to go to the bathroom ! !!

So true, my wife's all time trying to make sure I drink enough water, and I'm like not right now I wouldn't get to barn till I'd have to come back.

 

[Brute 23]

Troughs are frozen but the sun is out. That sun goes a long ways to helping the animals. Cows deer hogs coyotes... every thing is moving

 

[Dave]

You know as soon as you get those six layers of clothes on you got to go to the bathroom ! !!

It is called 2 by 4 weather. That is when you have 2 inches of pecker and 4 inches of cloths. The last two days I put on my long under wear on for the first time this winter. This morning it was only 17 so I did bother to put it on. It is 19 now at 11:00 and snowing once again. We haven't had any big snows. Just and inch or so at a time. But with no warm weather is as been slowly building up for about a month.

 

[Brute 23]

Be interesting to see what happens to grass. It's cold but we don't have any moisture. There wasn't a frost or any thing on grass.

 

[ChrisB2]

It was 0 here yesterday morning. It felt fine to me. Fed the steers, drove 75 miles to the sale to pick the steers I bought the day before. Then to town on a few errands. Just another day in paradise. Wednesday was the first day of winter. I guess one has to expect winter weather during the winter.

Are you putting these calves in with the other ones you were feeding over winter? Backgrounding or taking them all the way to finish?

 

[TCRanch]

I'm in five layers on my upper body when I go out today. Wife is timing us to 30 minute intervals, of being outside, it takes me that long to get suited up, but in the interest of keeping the peace I'll play along, besides it's about as long as my hands can stand it even in thick gloves.
Kinda disgusting but I had snot sickles hanging from my beard.

I actually weighed myself before I went out yesterday morning. Yikes!! Literally 18 lbs. of outerwear: 2 pair of base layers, hoodie, 2 pair of gloves & socks, bibs, parka, liner, bavaclava, neck gator, insulated hat & Muck Arctic boots. Definitely a steady stream of snot and so gross! But it was almost like a sauna under my bacaclava and as nasty as it was, kept me warm. And later in the afternoon, broke out in a sweat hauling buckets, cutting bales, chopping ice, etc. But you do what ya gotta do!

 

[TCRanch]

And being female that is not even the slightest bit funny.....

And yet, the Carhartt bibs I ordered last year have "female access". They finally took that into consideration with a creatively situated zipper!! 'Bout dang time at least one of the manufactures realized there IS a need.

 

[Dave]

Are you putting these calves in with the other ones you were feeding over winter? Backgrounding or taking them all the way to finish?

The calves all go together. Come spring they will all go to grass. Then the yearling program to leave around mid August. I was just looked at something this morning and saw that last summer's yearlings left August 24. Some years they go direct to a feedlot. Some years they go to the auction. I am thinking about Superior this summer. Who knows? But plan A is to have them up around 800 pounds which is where the feedlots want them.

 

[Warren Allison]

12 here this morning wind chill -6.
Give me a 100 any day.

Amen, brother. 14 this morning with windchill down to -11. So happy I don't have a herd of cow/calves to take care of. If it was 100 degrees every day it would suit me fine. If it ain't hot enough to go swimming...and I mean where the water is lukewarm....then I am not happy. Plus, I like what the ladies wear in summer a hell of a lot more than I do their winter wardrobes!

 

[Down in Dixie]

Hauled water for 3 hours today. Thought if I let my troughs get low then turn the water on low it would keep it from freezing. Boy was I wrong. At least I know what to look forward to tomorrow. More buckets of water to move starting first thing in the morning. I have six watering points and have to fill buckets from inside because everything is froze solid. We are not equipped for this in the south like y'all are in the north.