Our monument to winter, before and after the blizzard of December 8-9 2009. Why do I live here?
When my parents moved to their current farm in March of 1975, there was only a huge wood furnace in the basement which heated the house. The winter had been so bad the previous farmer was unable to cut wood and had to buy coal to burn in the furnace. Yes, in 1975 coal could be purchased.
The smoke and dust from the coal left a black soot on the walls of the house. I wonder how many brain cells were lost by my sisters and I as we breathed in the soot.
My parents put in a furnace that burned propane that summer. But they also burned wood that next winter because it was available and affordable on the farm. They fell in love with the warm heat generated by wood and have burned it every winter since.
So Monday found my Dad, Uncle, and I pulling dead trees out of the forest to be cut up later as we need the wood or find time. We always say we are going to cut all our wood for the winter in November. But we never seem to get around to it, and frankly, harvest and taking care of the animals takes priority.
Two days later you can see why autumn is a hurried time as harvest is over and survival mode is in effect. I’ve been gorging on carbs like a black bear getting ready to hibernate. Somebody send me a ticket to someplace warm.
Curiousfarmer 