What have you learnt from the chilly spell?

[Lili]

I have learnt that
However prepared you think you are - you are not
Water can freeze where it has never been known to freeze for the past 45 years (inlet pipe to pump from well)
Sheep drink lots more water when you have to carry it in buckets from an IBC
Chocolate biscuits are good for stress
Turning a tap on and water coming out of it is something to be very grateful for.

 

[shearerlad]

Should of bought the gator that @hally was selling back in January

 

[hally]

Should of bought the gator that @hally was selling back in January

Have to say selling it was perhaps not my best idea considering the rather inclement weather of late

 

[kill]

But the folk who bag the salt seem to have discovered biodegradable plastic for the bags

My bags were over 7 years old and still perfect but stored in a dry darker shed and not exposed/ left in sun light.

 

[Paddington]

Water supply tap in the lambing barn, last night I had a drip, this morning a drizzle and tonight full flow !

 

[Ukjay]

Water supply tap in the lambing barn, last night I had a drip, this morning a drizzle and tonight full flow !

We had a full flow - unfortunately it was in the tack room after the pressure relief valve parted company with its body

 

[Paddington]

We had a full flow - unfortunately it was in the tack room after the pressure relief valve parted company with its body

 

[Boydvalley]

remember seeing that going up every winter to watch the rugby along side both the A46 and cirencester road and also some down into dorset to see my grandparents, not seen it for decades, guess it shows how winters have changed

They used to put it up on our farm every year. Think they gave up because for many years it just wasn't needed. A46 had to be dug out this week but think that's the first time since 1982! Still got a lot of it because we always ended up taking it down ourselves to get spring barley in and they never picked it up.

Dug out our village and had 3 come out to say thanks, three texts and one phone call. Most near me do remember.

Skellerup quatros wellies as recommended on here. At last weather cold enough to justify trudging around inthe big heavy things. Do keep your feet warm though.

Wife's small house watering can gives a nice steady trickle of hot water for unfreezing.

 

[David.]

That boundary wall valley gutters truly are the work of The Devil, when he was suffering from haemorrhoids.
Two corn sheds, fortunately empty, half full with powder snow that seems to swirl in on the vortex created in the valley of the two roofs, never had it before, blown on wind set full East like this time. It is usually oak tree leaves that find their way under the eaves cladding and onto the heap.
Can feel a shipping order of retro-fit fillers and squirty foam coming on.

And that sheep can be as wet and depressing to look at in a shed as they are outside, when powder snow comes in through cladding boards and ridge vents.

 

[Slippery Slope]

That a Manitou can still overheat in even the coldest weather.

 

[DeeGee]

that pipe insulation is a waste of time unless it has a heat trace cable under it.

Yep, I have found that those foam tubes are pretty useless at stopping pipes freezing.
I think that before next winter I will cocoon the outside tap and it’s feed pipe with thick insulation of my own design and then wrap it in waterproof plastic such as empty 25kg feed bags or something. Then have an easily removable end section to allow the tap to be turned on and off when needed.
Certainly not going to bugger about again defrosting it every couple of hours like we had to last week!

 

[rob1]

Yep, I have found that those foam tubes are pretty useless at stopping pipes freezing.
I think that before next winter I will cocoon the outside tap and it’s feed pipe with thick insulation of my own design and then wrap it in waterproof plastic such as empty 25kg feed bags or something. Then have an easily removable end section to allow the tap to be turned on and off when needed.
Certainly not going to bugger about again defrosting it every couple of hours like we had to last week!

strawy muck is the best insulation and is free

 

[DrWazzock]

Nothing. I have seen it all before.

 

[Hilly]

Folk loose all senses in Adverse conditions and make a lot of fuss over something that should be FULLY expected in WINTER.

 

[DrWazzock]

I won't be spending any money to cope with freak weather conditions. I'll get caught out again, muddle through it and carry on.

 

[Hilly]

I won't be spending any money to cope with freak weather conditions. I'll get caught out again, muddle through it and carry on.

Im going to have myself a set of tracks for my quad thats for sure, go over the white sh!t instead having to dig through it because it melts after all that energy digging.

 

[JCMaloney]

The only folk round here with snow left are the ones who cleared their drives etc...........piles take longer to thaw!

 

[twizz]

That no matter how many water pipe fittings you have you always run out when the pipes start to thaw. And that all the pipe that haven’t insulation on them have been ok but the ones with have all burst under the insulation

 

[slackjawedyokel]

Folk loose all senses in Adverse conditions and make a lot of fuss over something that should be FULLY expected in WINTER.

Yep. We’ve got a couple of tenants in one cottage that went properly ballistic because of the bad weather. Their water was off for 3 days, which is my responsibility, but what with trying to keep a lot of animals generally alive this was something that I couldn’t spend a lot of time attempting to sort out when there were other ways to deal with it (ie. supply them with bottled water).
Our road was blocked with a lot of snow, like 8 or 9 foot drifts in places. I have a loader but I’m right at the top of the hill and the way it handled around the yard I could tell I would instantly get irretrievably stuck if I tried to clear the road. With no one else here that can drive tractors etc I couldn’t risk getting stuck when there are cattle and sheep that need me and the loader. On the 4th day (sat) I got a kindly local contractor to come and start digging us out from the bottom of the hill.
By this point the tenants were past themselves, irate at not being able to get out etc (apart from supplying them with water we’d offered them food and to come up for a shower etc but those offers had been declined).
Early on the 4th day they phoned the police and mountain rescue and demanded to be “rescued” saying they had no water, food, oil, heating etc (all kind of false) and they were duly removed. Once my contractor had cleared the road to their cottage.
What a waste of resouces. Quite annoyed really. Apparently they don’t own a pair of boots or wellies between them.

 

[Dolomite]

Yep. We’ve got a couple of tenants in one cottage that went properly ballistic because of the bad weather. Their water was off for 3 days, which is my responsibility, but what with trying to keep a lot of animals generally alive this was something that I couldn’t spend a lot of time attempting to sort out when there were other ways to deal with it (ie. supply them with bottled water).
Our road was blocked with a lot of snow, like 8 or 9 foot drifts in places. I have a loader but I’m right at the top of the hill and the way it handled around the yard I could tell I would instantly get irretrievably stuck if I tried to clear the road. With no one else here that can drive tractors etc I couldn’t risk getting stuck when there are cattle and sheep that need me and the loader. On the 4th day (sat) I got a kindly local contractor to come and start digging us out from the bottom of the hill.
By this point the tenants were past themselves, irate at not being able to get out etc (apart from supplying them with water we’d offered them food and to come up for a shower etc but those offers had been declined).
Early on the 4th day they phoned the police and mountain rescue and demanded to be “rescued” saying they had no water, food, oil, heating etc (all kind of false) and they were duly removed. Once my contractor had cleared the road to their cottage.
What a waste of resouces. Quite annoyed really. Apparently they don’t own a pair of boots or wellies between them.

Sounds like you need some new, sensible and understanding tenants.