11/26/2025
I like preparing for winter. As long as i can get paid on time so I can get my supplies.
Range work stops. The Horses are let go, their feet done and any health issues addressed. And they are wormed as soon as a hard settled frost occurs.
The bees are consolidated. Their hive is packed with raw wool behind the divider boards and they are given a sugar board that i make. I wish them good luck and hope they live.
Fire wood this year was easy because we all helped each other. I got special treatment which i appreciate greatly. Not having enough dry seasoned wood is a ..... real problem.
Then the Hay, put up in such a way that im not climbing up trying to pull tarps back on a two story stack in snow and ice with wind blowing with temps -10.
I am fit.... i mean fit. ( im the kind of fit that if anyone tried to say... sn**ch my purse.... who would do this with the falcon mutes staining it i dont know... but IF someone tried.... they would be in for the shock of their short life.)
But still i am old.
The hay is put up to self feed. And the young folks came out and helped arrange the feeder panels. Thanks young folks! You dont know this yet.... seems impossible... but one day you will be like me. ( if you are lucky.
Move -Think -Eat right.)
The other preparation is the water. Getting the troughs shifted close in. So there is no hauling of water. And no draining of hoses. Also a difficult task if the hoses are long and heavy and freeze solid in a heartbeat. Of course besides fencing the entire place two years ago, I put in underground pipe and freeze free Faucets closer to barns.
The water also has to have heat in case it gets really cold and i dont feel like breaking a foot of ice with a maul.
(A reminder-Dont try to sn**ch my purse.)
So i put out short electric insulated cords and hang them to plug in for those days when nature thinks about what fun the ice ages were.
All my stock knows how to eat snow. This is in case of emergency.
Then i have to make sure my truck is organized in case, during a trip to barstow i slide off the mountain somewhere.
My dog food has to be ordered and hen food. Some extra pellets for horses in emergancy.
And lastly my food.
Some i put up from what i grow. Some i hunt for. Some i trade for. Some generous folks give me. And big bags of beans and flour and sugar i buy.
I always have milk and eggs.
I freeze some milk and eggs for the dry spells. And butcher extra stock for winter which i share.
I get some fuel for generator.
Check heater in well house.
Yesterday a friend and i were stuck trying to lift..... uh..... well over 100 pounds of meat straight up onto the bed of my truck.
We are both old. He has only use of one arm. We got it up there- an awkward task. But now i have all my food laid in.
There are effects that would occur if i did not prepare. I cant just say. Hum.... i dont feel like doing this....
Cause and effect......this is a great teacher to have consequences for your actions..... or LACK of actions.
Something that applies to more than winter preperations.
Foresight.
Happy thanksgiving everyone from hawk mountain.
