Farm Life

David Martin said:
Buck, you're welcome. Thank you, I may have another photo.
jbm, yes, this is the manner we get our winter moisture. In the South it drizzles a fall rain. Yes, we are soo thankful to have a cord in the barn. Our electricity flickered off a couple times. We don't know if this was from the winds whipping wires or the ice and snow building up on the wires. But the grid was strained. One year a squirrel took shelter in a transformer/ transfer box and touched the wrong spot and grounded out. Power was out for miles around in the middle of a powerful storm. Everyone with pellet stoves and electric heat were in trouble. If you had propane or a wood burning stone you stayed warm. We even cook on ours. Make coffee, cook chicken or a brisket. People just show up to get warm and we feed them. DM
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More like anybody without a generator. Its remote here between Lake Superior and Manitoba, it can be miles between residences and power outages are the norm. There is nothing like a big storm raging on, knowing the power is out over many miles with the purr of the generator running together with wood furnace, while I hold a glass of scotch in one hand and work the TV remote with the other. Generators are handy, if the power isn't out we still use them rather than using long extension cords which are often insufficient for larger loads of some power tools.
 
Had a quiet Sunday afternoon yesterday, so along with enjoying the SPS, I caught up again on "Farm Life."
What motivated my writing to this thread today are 155440's comments, David. I'd echo those comments.
[Appreciate what you wrote, 155440!)

12-27-2016,*12:12 PM

This is an excellent thread and much appreciated. I love your self sufficiency. You have achieved the American dream DM.
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When my wife and I were newly-married, I had a wood-burning stove installed, with specially-designed protection, in our large mobile home. Back then it was a surprise to me that that could be done for those structures. Anyway, we were in central IL, and our city was surrounded by miles & miles of productive and rich rural land. Great farm country. There were always folk around willing to let us clear downed trees, so for years I cut/chopped my own wood, mostly with a sledge hammer and hand-held splitter. I had a very small chain saw for more difficult cuts. In our yard behind my wooden storage shed, I also built a wood rack where I could stack 1-1/2 cords as I prepped for winter days.

The wood stove always "turned off" the home furnace, we regularly cooked on it (two cooking surfaces), and just for enjoyment, I had a metal grate allowing us to swing open the side-by-side stove doors and enjoy the fire. Mainly though, the peace of mind that we'd have heat during the tough winter months was wonderful. That was a measure of "self-reliance" that we've lost now living in an apartment complex.

When Mom died, Dad asked us to move into his home to help out, as needed. A little hard to do, but we sold our home and did so. During visits to our home, he had always enjoyed my wood stove. So he got one for himself, reworked the chimney access on his fireplace, and installed the wood stove. He used his much more that I ever used mine, so we did a lot of wood cutting together. [BTW, as a youth and young man living in the former Yugoslavia, his profession was that of a wood-cutter. He knew and loved working with/handling wood). OK, we went through more wood each winter at his house than I ever did. Again, while living there we never gave a thought to losing power --- which does happen, especially during ice storms.

Just a short time ago, everyone probably read ( and many experienced) the icy rain/severe winter storm that covered much of the Midwest. We are here in the Northland of KC, and most uncomfortable knowing we could lose power during such weather conditions. Fortunately, we did not this time. We have a gas fireplace, but the starter is through the electric wall switch. So no help there. The complex will not maintain the standalone, non-electric starters on the apt fireplaces. Guess I can understand why with over 650 units here. But definitely, this "life style" does not lend itself to much support of self-sufficiency. We both miss that.

So thanks for keeping this thread going. It is most enjoyable, and yes, a pleasant reminder to what I consider the same American dream noted by 155440.

Not least, thanks for warming & feeding those "folk who just show up" at your place.
Have a great day, and keep warm! :) Bozhidar


David Martin said:
Buck, you're welcome. Thank you, I may have another photo.
jbm, yes, this is the manner we get our winter moisture. In the South it drizzles a fall rain. Yes, we are soo thankful to have a cord in the barn. Our electricity flickered off a couple times. We don't know if this was from the winds whipping wires or the ice and snow building up on the wires. But the grid was strained. One year a squirrel took shelter in a transformer/ transfer box and touched the wrong spot and grounded out. Power was out for miles around in the middle of a powerful storm. Everyone with pellet stoves and electric heat were in trouble. If you had propane or a wood burning stone you stayed warm. We even cook on ours. Make coffee, cook chicken or a brisket. People just show up to get warm and we feed them. DM
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jbm, we were right on the edge of the right temperature for snow accumulation. Bouncing between 33 & 32*. Heavy clouds would come in start dumping, then lift and the snow would melt. A little further north and a little higher in elevation you can see the snow remains. We were just off the line at 6,200 ft.. Funny how storms sometimes do that.
Bufford, glad to see you visit us. You are welcome here. Yes, in Michigan with the lake effect, when it dips to 32* bam, --- all is frozen. In the Rockies we don't have your humidity and for rain to build up on the power lines and turn to ice here it takes a dip to about 27-25*. Still, we were close. That same weather is in our forecast for tonight. Freezing rain. But were only at 33* now and it's cloudy. A good thing as clouds hold in the warmth and may not get low enough. If it's a upper level cold air mass that settles down on us, then look out. As we don't have a generator. Our next income tax refund purchase. DM
 
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boz, I'm glad these life episodes help you remember some good times in your life. Cherish them and be thankful you had them. As many don't get to experience the things you did. A rural life is not for everyone. I like a 119. I'm glad my wife (who was used to modern conveniences) and kids took to it. You find out a lot of things aren't important. Like TV. I raised my kids without it and they still thank me. During the winter you read, work on indoor projects (I rehaft an axe handle during this storm) and find ways to stay active & creative.
You want to figure out how to get along better with your wife? Let a 3 day snow storm hit and your cooped up indoors... You'll figure some things out. Love deeper, laugh more and let more go unsaid. Find the value in a hard days work. It helps me to make sense of all I don't know about life. Thank you men. DM
 
David Martin said:
boz, I'm glad these life episodes help you remember some good times in your life. Cherish them and be thankful you had them. As many don't get to experience the things you did. A rural life is not for everyone. I like a 119. I'm glad my wife (who was used to modern conveniences) and kids took to it. You find out a lot of things aren't important. Like TV. I raised my kids without it and they still thank me. During the winter you read, work on indoor projects (I rehaft an axe handle during this storm) and find ways to stay active & creative.
You want to figure out how to get along better with your wife? Let a 3 day snow storm hit and your cooped up indoors... You'll figure some things out. Love deeper, laugh more and let more go unsaid. Find the value in a hard days work. It helps me to make sense of all I don't know about life. Thank you men. DM
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good advice. i appreciate it.
 
David Martin said:
boz, I'm glad these life episodes help you remember some good times in your life. Cherish them and be thankful you had them. As many don't get to experience the things you did. A rural life is not for everyone. I like a 119. I'm glad my wife (who was used to modern conveniences) and kids took to it. You find out a lot of things aren't important. Like TV. I raised my kids without it and they still thank me. During the winter you read, work on indoor projects (I rehaft an axe handle during this storm) and find ways to stay active & creative.
You want to figure out how to get along better with your wife? Let a 3 day snow storm hit and your cooped up indoors... You'll figure some things out. Love deeper, laugh more and let more go unsaid. Find the value in a hard days work. It helps me to make sense of all I don't know about life. Thank you men. DM
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Well said, David, thank you!
 
Thank you gentlemen for accepting my simple approach toward life. It snowed much of the day here but the roads were clear. I carried my Club 110 with me,--( paperstone & S30V blade) during my travels today. DM
 
The Collectors Club brought this model out in June 2010. It has full liners, one nickle bolster and paperstone handles. A light yet strong model. The following year the 112 was brought out. DM
 
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Very nice! And the handle looks comfortable. Buck should make something like that standard.
 
Another half cord of oak headed to the barn. My dog is asking me, if we can go quail hunting now? Maybe not today girl. I used my Saw Buck today. A handy tool to carry when out cutting wood. DM
 
Wish I was cutting wood. This dang snow just hit us again.
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Dang Mak, your getting hit again. You'll have to get that snow eating machine started up. Hope no one Has to be out on the roads. Stay warm. DM
 
Coldest January on record for Spokane. We usually get snow then melt then snow again etc. This year it has stayed. Rainy the other day. Some flooding now I believe clear skies and mid to high 30s.
 
I have a good friend at Sand Point, ID. and we write. He's been sending me pictures of them getting up to 4 ft. of snow. They are really getting hit this winter. That much will cause elk to die off. DM
 
Sandpoint is about an hr north of me. Definitely in a snow belt up there.
 
Makael, I hope you folks are staying warm. So many of us living further South don't have any idea what you're going through. Ice dams on roofs and having to run a snow blower everyday for hours. It is really running people weary in those areas. I can imagine having livestock in that area and only a two sided barn for them. A good horse wouldn't make it. DM
 
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