Winter on the Farm: Making the Best of It

Winter on the farm hit me hard this year. But then 2020 has been fairly rubbish for most of the world, so I shouldn’t complain. For us, winter has not only meant dealing with the usual cold and wet weather. It’s also meant a prolonged separation, which after nine weeks here alone, I’m not enjoying at all. But what is winter really like here on the farm? What do I do all day? Read on to find out.

The Daily Grind on the Farm

Just because the temperatures are below zero in the mornings does not mean I get to cosy up in bed. (Although I will admit to going back to bed after doing the morning chores!) The farm day typically starts around 7am when the animals make their presence felt. The ducks are very insistent and first to let us know they’re hungry. Once they start it’s all in. Scarlett, one of our cows is so loud you can hear her bellow down the street.

After getting my boots and a big jumper on, sometimes a raincoat as well as a beanie and gloves, I go out and turn on the taps to fill up the animals’ tubs with water. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve forgotten the cow’s water and left it running! My mind is so full of things I have to do. I feed the chickens and ducks first, check the eggs and give them fresh water too. Then I let them out for the day. They like to wander around in the paddock.

More Farm Chores in Winter

By this time, the cows are at the gate. So, I toss them a bale of hay and give them a pat. I also check on the sheep. We are lambing during winter, so I have to make sure any new lambs are safe and being cared for. Our ewes are good mums which makes my job relatively easy. Last year, I was busy feeding Terry at this time of day too, so I have a supply of milk and bottles on hand in the house if we need them. Sometime during the day, I might move the sheep and cows to a new paddock. I also check to make sure the hotwire around the dam is still working. The idea of the cows having fun in there is not something I want to deal with!

If it’s the weekend, I’ll go back inside for a cup of black coffee, get the fire going and then hop back into bed for an hour or so. This is when I write blog posts and check my social media. I hate lighting the fire and hauling wood but the house is freezing if I don’t so that’s another chore that has to be done. Gavin organised a load to be delivered and I spent a few hours stacking that but it still has to be brought into the house. And now I’ve run out of the kindling he chopped for me, I have to add that to the list of things to do when I’m at home.

Other Things to Be Done

Another task I don’t enjoy, that’s usually done by Gavin, is cleaning out the chicken coop. We have hay on the floor and it’s only a matter of raking it up. It’s filled with duck wee and chicken poop though and it can get quite smelly. I prefer to do it when the day is sunny but we haven’t had a lot of those. Still, it makes good compost. It’s just the getting of the barrow to the compost bin that causes the problem.

During the week, I get up earlier. I work as a literacy teacher and coordinator at a school around half an hour from home. The chores still have to be done, so I’m a little thankful there are no lambs to feed. This is one of the reasons I like to fast until 11am. It means I don’t have to add breakfast into my morning. I do, however, have to do this new shorter hairdo every day which takes time, pack a lunch and make sure the dogs have fresh water and a bone. After school, I take them for a walk a couple of days a week. I don’t know about you but walking is a great stress reliever for me. It’s calming to walk around the park, throw a stick and see if the platypus is in the creek.

Making the Best of It

As you can see there’s much to be done, especially when you add in the normal day to day tasks of running the house and going to work. Like everything, there are some things I enjoy and others I could really do without.

With Gavin being gone, I have to admit caring for all this has not been a task I’ve looked forward to on cold mornings. But you get on with it and look forward to the day you don’t have to do it alone because there is no choice. Our farm relies on me for its care and nourishment. Things don’t happen unless I do them. And there are so many other people in worse situations than me because of COVID. I think about that all the time. Our family is safe. We still have jobs. We have a home we love. In the long run, this is an inconvenience. Whining about doing this alone is not appropriate in the big scheme of things.

What Do I Like About Winter on the Farm and Being Alone?

Gavin would say I hate the cold and love being alone and that is true. I like to do my own thing. I enjoy pottering about the house arranging things, sewing or painting. I love listening to music, singing loudly and since moving here I’ve started to enjoy cooking more too. I like picking things Gavin has grown in the garden and learning how to make something new with them. Winter on the farm can be nice when I’m rugged up and listening to the rain on the roof. Seeing the bulbs poke through the ground is something I love. But driving to town in the cold to see people is something I don’t want to do. My friendships suffer at this time of year. I don’t mind being alone but I do not like cold and I miss Gavin. I think I need a hug 🙂