i had to document the date with candied hearts. just so future-me wouldn't think i was bluffing about the warmness of february.
i shouldn't be grateful for this weather. i should be sad and scared of our changing climate. i should be mid-tirade on our crazily indulgent and dirty lifestyles that are changing the world like this. i should be telling you stories of trees and plants that are being tricked into budding with the mild temps. how they will inevitably be set back by another frost. how this effects certain farming practices like falling dominoes.
but i am grateful for this weather. i am so grateful for a mild winter. this winter we came into prepared enough but not completely comfortable with the housing and pens we had set up for the animals. neither of us were totally sure how things would work out. and now because of the lack of snow our chickens are still able to go outside. bella has been able to spend all but a handful of nights sleeping at the mouth of the pigs' hut. we haven't had any problems with frostbite on the roosters' combs. we haven't had to visit the farm in the middle of the night to stoke the woodstove.
perhaps it doesn't have to be so uncommonly warm. perhaps it could snow a bit more before we are thoroughly into spring. i remind myself that winter isn't over. the last frost date isn't until mid-may after all. but this has been a particularly calm re-entry to farming in a new england winter. giving nick and i much needed reprieve as we settle into the northern climate.
what is your winter shaping out like?
Down here in Texas, our "winter" has been terribly warm as well. Sure, it's always warm...but for Feb.1 we hit 80 degrees. In February?! It's crazy.
ReplyDeleteBtw, LOVE your blog! very much. You have inspired my husband and I to make some changes in our lives.
Hope all is well!
Beautifully written. xo, rv
ReplyDeletehttp://aneclecticheap.blogspot.com/
Our winter has hardly felt like winter at all her in Missouri. The past couple of days have had highs in the 60's, which is nice, but a bit worrisome.
ReplyDeleteGenerally, I'm a total pill about mild Winter weather (or warm Winter weather, as the case has been) but even I am grateful for this break. Last Winter left my husband so run down - plowing BEFORE chores day after day after day. Yes, I'll take it. Out moving portable electric fencing in a t-shirt on February 1st? Yes, wrong, evil, all that, but wow did it simply feel good.
ReplyDeleteHi, I'm Gayna and I have to say that country Victoria, Australia has been COLD! And it is the middle of summer! One day sweating the next with the heater on! Crazy....
ReplyDeletewe have just moved to the country from the city, I love it, we have been here 2 months, so far we have added two sheep and a cat to our zoo ( we already had a cat and dog) and we a converting our shed to a chicken coop, unfortunately the move killed what veggies we had in our portable city veggie garden, but that's ok we will start again with some winter veg!
love your blog
Gayna, oh i wish i were farming in Australia. How fortunate you are. What a spectacular country. Good luck with the chicken coop and the new sheep!!
DeleteIt is beautiful here, so many wild contrasts and diverse people! I grew up on my grandparents dairy farm in the Hunter Valley, an area dedicated to small farms, wineries and recently olive groves, from small farms like that to the massive sheep and cattle stations.... Yep this is an awesome place to farm! Loving the cake posts! My family birthday cake is a carrot and pineapple with cream cheese icing! I won't even let my mum give me the recipe! I would make it every two days!
DeleteWell, we are also in Boston for our first winter... Moved up from Georgia last March. It's certainly a surprise. I'm curious what CSA you are working with... We had one last year and it was fantastic. I suppose it's about time to gear up for another.
ReplyDeleteI think Sacramento hit 72 today. And yes, the joggers were out of control here too. Why does it feel like everyone is out for a run on the days I skip mine?
ReplyDeleteIt has been one of the coldest January's winters in Alaska. Or in Anchorage, I should say...Usually Anchorage is fairly mild in temperatures since it is coastal, but this year we've had weeks of -20ish temps, and I must say I'm growing quite tired of the chill. I have a 10 month old little love and it's been very difficult to not be able to take him outside to explore due to the cold. This week it has finally warmed a bit, and I'm looking forward to spring.
ReplyDeleteeerily warm here in Montana. Melty, sloppy awful mess. I would really appreciate some good snow and some deep cold. We need it!
ReplyDeleteMost of Europe is battling with some troublesome cold. A lot of people have frozen to death ( I think over 220). In my country (Estonia) it is about -32 C (-24 F) right now and it's supposed to get colder during the weekend. Luckily I live in a warm apartment but I do worry about my little dog who shivers like crazy when I take him out for a short walk.
ReplyDeleteIn Estonia it is quite normal for the temperature to be this low for a few days or a week during the winter but the other parts of Europe (Poland, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, Greece, Austria etc) are not used to it, so it's kind of a catastrophe. It's creepy.
Annika that is so awful to hear. I will be thinking good warm thoughts for you and the people of Estonia and the rest of Europe. I wish we could give you some of our mild winter.
DeleteWe're all hoping this will pass soon!
DeleteBut for places where it's not -30C it can be a bit fun. Like in Rome: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/02/04/4239146/rome-in-the-snow.html
-- first snow in 27 years. Palmtrees and skiers.
A strange winter indeed.
it is so nice to hear what crazy weather winter you are all having too. some too cold. some too warm. some just right?
ReplyDeleteThe planet seems to have a bit of a fever, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteIndeed - crazily warm here in Kansas City. I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop both now and in the future. It's eerie.
ReplyDeleteAlso - I recently finished The Dirty Life and thought of you often throughout.
smitten with your beautiful farm life photos... new to your blog, wanted to say yoohoo.. xo, tiffany
ReplyDelete