A Cold Spell
One of the many surprises I encountered when I started farmsteading was not being fully prepared for the challenges Western Wisconsin winters posed when raising livestock. I was born and raised in Western Wisconsin and stayed in the state my whole life. I know how to navigate the winters, but not with livestock.
At the first farm Bob and I lived at, I’m thankful looking back that we had a large frost-free hydrant. Water in the winter is a serious point to think through if you plan on raising poultry or other farm animals. Especially if your electricity is limited, heating water troughs may not be an option. And methods like plastic bottles full of water floating around in your water tank won’t do anything when it’s -20.
One bizarre problem I had was with the first herd of dairy goats I bought. Some of the goats were Nubian goats, and they had long drooping pendulous ears. All the better to dip into a water bowl and accidentally freeze to metal support poles in the barn at the old farm. How scary is it to see frozen blood all over your beloved goats! I think I tied straw or corn stalks to the poles to prevent that from occurring again.
Moving water from the hydrant to the animals is an art of innovation and muscle. In the distant past, I just filled up two 5-gallon buckets with water and hiked down to the barn. Dumped out the frozen blocks of ice from the rubber water bowls and filled them up with fresh water. Breaking ice through the day was necessary. Even after 15+ years of small-scale farming, I still don’t have electricity in the current goat area. However, I’m more refined when I fill up multiple 5-gallon buckets with water and place them on a sled to make hauling much more easy. But that only works if there is snow, and our winters have been minimal with snow cover lately.
A mild winter in 2023-2024.
Of course, there are heated hoses, and those are expensive. Another method is to use a scrunchie garden hose, wrap it back up after use, and keep it in a warm place so the leftover water in the hose never freezes. Maybe someday I’ll drill and put a hydrant closer to the permanent goat area and even install electricity.
We are all getting older, and my 44-year-old body is doing fine. But I have to think about scenarios where I don’t have full mobility, not even due to getting older but an accident, or being sick. Hauling water is fine now but could be quite an undertaking in the future. Being a steward to animals means realizing how dependent they are on me and making sure I fulfill my end of care to the best of my ability. Some of the care means looking at the future and ensuring I am still capable of the needed care. I have the network and support to help me re-home my herd appropriately in case of an emergency or if I need short-term help.
These are perhaps some bits and pieces that are new considerations for people getting into farming or animal husbandry. There are many elements to keep in mind and be prepared for.
