Unless you are living under a rock, you will have heard the news that much the United States is going through freezing temperatures. I have been hoping for a cold hard winter as the last two years didn't seem to get too cold at all. On the homestead, those things are noticed more than if you are living in temp controlled homes with all the modern comforts.
The biggest difference is that much of the insect population doesn't die off and you have an abundance of insects the following spring. Ticks, mosquitoes and of course, FLYS! So winter, BRING ON YOUR WORST!
The seasons begin to be greatly appreciated once you see the design in it all. It helps to regulate things that would normally get out of control if you removed it altogether. So yeah, I'm wanting a cold and long winter.
But as a result in the short term, we have to adapt and overcome from the changes freezing temperatures will bring.
- Frozen house pipes
- Animal water frozen
- Water tanks frozen
- Well pump needs thawing
- Solar batteries need charging more often
So life gets a little bit challenging during these winter freezes but that gives you a wonderful chance to practice keeping a good attitude!
This is our main tank on the homestead and it has a 1500 gallon capacity. I say it's our main tank because it has the best opportunity to collect the most precipitation. It's connected to Tim's (
This is the outdoor laundry house and the water tank for this is frozen as well. Jaimie and her mom have moved laundry operations indoors. Jaimie has a dry rack that originally was the side of an old baby crib that she uses to hang laundry to dry by the fire.
The animals water trough is needing to be broken up almost every hour. We are giving up on that and just bringing them unfrozen water from our wells. We are keeping a close eye on our sheep right now as we are expecting lambs soon. Lambs always seem to come in the coldest times of the year.
The turkey coop has its own water tanks as well. They of course are frozen and so Tim is having to bring them fresh water daily. The same is true for the chickens.
FROZEN PIPE LINES
As long as you keep the pipes lines empty, the chances of your breaking your pipes greatly decrease. It also helps that our water lines are not under pressure and are all gravity fed. When freezing temps come, Tim (
These are a few of our garden tanks. We replaced much of the pvc lines with steel a few years ago. As you may be able to tell, the valves are closed and the lines are empty.
The kitchen sink pump is not working much lately with our house pipes drained. Jaimie really misses having water at the sink whenever she wants it.
Instead, our boys go out daily and bring in water jugs from the backyard well. This is one of two working wells on the homestead. Many times this well pump is frozen and the only way to get it to work is by pouring hot boiling water over the metal when it gets as cold as it is right now. My boys are hard workers!
So this is life on the homestead during much of the cold winter months. I'm sure it's similar for the other homesteads out there on Steemit. I know it seems crazy to live off grid like this. But we wouldn't trade it for all the conveniences of modern city life, ever!
Life is difficult no matter how you choose to live it. It's your attitude that allows you to happily get by.
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