NH Homesteader's journal

[NH Homesteader]

Fun. 18-24".

 

[CrealCritter]

Looks like they are calling for more snow up there this weekend, this time they named the storm Harper. Snow this time of the year is probably not abnormal for you though.

https://weather.com/storms/winter/n...harper-snow-forecast-plains-midwest-northeast

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Fun. 18-24".

So... I know this is a silly question - but do you have to shovel sidewalks/walkways and driveways or do you just trudge through or drive through? And, the critters...do they walk on top of the snow or do they break through and get lost underneath, lol! I have visions of pigs tunneling through and popping up every now and then.

 

[tortoise]

What's with all the snow? We NEED snow. just have little patches here and there. The temps are dropping and no insulation on the ground. We have a 50% chance of less than an inch of snow next week. :/ I'm jealous of your snow!!! Can't believe I just typed that!

Stay warm! I hope your impending power outage is not too long!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Lol jealous of snow?? You may regret typing that in the future! Really though, I prefer snow to frigid dry weather. And if we get enough DH won't have to make more snow, which I would prefer!

We plow the driveway and walkways with the tractor. We sometimes shovel paths for the critters, usually big storms we do. But with little bits of snowfall at a time it gets packed down pretty well. The chickens won't go out unless we shovel them paths though, slackers!

 

[Lazy Gardener]

So... I know this is a silly question - but do you have to shovel sidewalks/walkways and driveways or do you just trudge through or drive through? And, the critters...do they walk on top of the snow or do they break through and get lost underneath, lol! I have visions of pigs tunneling through and popping up every now and then.

No question is silly, unless you don't ask it, and let your imagination create the answer! It depends on the snow storm. If it's a couple of inches of light fluff, I'm tempted to leave it in my paths from front of house (where chicken feed is stored) to coop/run at the back of the house.) If melting temps or rain are scheduled after that fluff, it's important to move that snow, so it doesn't freeze. When things melt and freeze, the many foot prints create a frozen moonscape of slippery "twist your ankles" knobs that you then have to walk over until the next melt, which may not happen for several months. Every time the snow plow comes down our road, it pushes a fresh combing over the ends of our driveways, even if they've JUST BEEN plowed. So, we have to clear that away, or it will freeze into a solid mass that will then block us in. Even after I pay to have my driveway plowed ($35.00 every time he comes, sometimes 2 - 3 times/storm) I still have to snow blow to clean up the many combings left behind, and clear the walkways, ends of driveways, and path to my animal area. Then... the deck and steps MUST be shoveled after every storm, no matter how small. And, I have to knock snow off the tarp sun roof in my bird's winter run after every single bit of snow. If it's a heavy Nor' Easter, I am out at midnight, clearing snow off that roof so it doesn't collapse. I even have to knock the snow off the 2 x 4 wire mesh roofed section b/c the snow clumps up on that and would collapse it.

Sometimes, when there is a nice cover of snow, followed by a melt, the snow cover gets a nice thick glaze of ice. Then you can walk on top of it. When my dad was a kid, he and his friends took advantage of such a weather pattern, and ice skated across the many fields to school!

Aside from all the work involved, snow is awesome. The slurry of sand/salt/and mushy snow left behind when a plow has been through a parking lot looks like peanut butter cookie dough. It's fun to stomp in! Snow, depending on the temperature, makes different sounds when you walk on it. and, there are so very many colors of white! There's the stark white swirls of a fresh powder laying over the bluish glaze of white in a rolling field which is totally void of foot prints. And snow DOES NOT STAY PUT! Even days after a snow storm, the plow trucks will be out pushing the banks back, especially where the wind has blown it into drifting mountains that threaten to close in the roads in the open areas. And every time those plows tend to the roads, every home owner must clear the end of their driveway, or they will be frozen in, and not able to get out.

So far, we are experiencing a fairly open winter, and I'm thankful for it. I know that an open winter is hard on the perennials, and I may loose a lot of my perennials. But, I'm so very thankful for not having to move tons of snow with every storm. Of course, the weather pattern could change at any time. When storms come one after the other, and each one dumps from 8" to 2' or more, and it never melts, the yard closes in, and we have to hire a big machine to come and clear the way for the next storm. I have old pics of my kids standing on top of 10' tall snow banks in my yard.

My SIL is an independent roofing contractor. This time of year, the bulk of his earnings comes from shoveling roofs. This season is hard on his wallet.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I think snow is pretty - but that's a LOT of work for a postcard picture!

Our mud is troublesome for sure - and we can't plow it out of the way - but I guess compared to what ya'll deal with I can handle it.

 

[CrealCritter]

Shoveling snow of roofs, brings back some fond memories. One winter in northern IL, my best friend and I made some serious money (for kids) shoveling roofs. It's actually easier than you think. Start at the ridge and push the snow down off the roof with a pusher shovel, gravity is a fabulous thing.

 

[NH Homesteader]

It is a lot of work. We have to clear the roof of the hoop house, the sawmill and the barn. Supposedly the new house has a steep enough roof we won't have to, we'll see.

Stanley and Charlotte are not where I want them for a 2' snow storm but I guess I don't have a choice. They'll be fine, just had hoped to move them by now.

 

[CrealCritter]

It is a lot of work. We have to clear the roof of the hoop house, the sawmill and the barn. Supposedly the new house has a steep enough roof we won't have to, we'll see.

Stanley and Charlotte are not where I want them for a 2' snow storm but I guess I don't have a choice. They'll be fine, just had hoped to move them by now.

I bet... Flat roofs would most definitely be a lot harder.