Good Luck

Well today many farmers are struggling to plow their way through drifts of snow taking care of the animals they love. The Gottman farm is no different.

Well maybe one difference, my husband has on off the farm job with MODOT. He left us early Tuesday morning and headed to a hotel about an 50 miles south of our home to help crews on I-70.

After a phone call this morning he shared that while running the motor grader all night visability was very poor. Most of the time he couldn't even tell where the road was. He then told me he loved me, he was heading to bed and good luck with the cows.

Luck is what I need right now. The blacktop road we live in has 3ft drifts both directions at the end of the driveway. We have another  farm 2 miles away. Even if I could get though the 4 ft drifts in my driveway going around the blacktop is going to be impossible! Did I mention these cows only water source is me chopping a hole in the ice at a lake on this farm?

Meanwhile back home it is a little easier I am able to walk down to the lake and chop ice here. Bundled in my carhardt finest my only obstacles are waist high drifts and a frozen gate. Our horses seem unphased by all of the snow. They happily munch hay and a young pony seems to be making a game out of jumping drifts.
All in all it could be worse. We never lost power so the tank heaters still functioned in the other lots. There is still plenty of hay in all of the pens. My house is warm and cozy & my 3 beautiful daughters are dressing to go out and play in the winter wonderland.

Oh, speaking of a warm house, I didn't fill our wood stove this morning. I better get dressed with the girls and go do that! Good thing the wood pile is covered with a tarp.

Maybe I will saddle that drift jumping pony and ride her to the other farm, she might be my only option today!

-Megan Gottman

So, let's talk about the weather!

Anyone else feeling six feet under... snow that is!  Weather, of course, is probably the most important aspect of a farmer's daily life.  One farmer I know keeps a calendar of all precipitation amounts written into each daily square.  Down to the hundredth of an inch.  How this helps I have no idea, but it seems to be vitally important.

Despite rain, snow, sleet or hail both the United States Postal Service and the American farmer can be found out in whatever elements mother nature sends our way.  And keeps sending our way.

Are you hauling hay?  Carrying feed over ice covered paths?  Using your tractor and blade to remove snow from your gravel road because it will take three days for the township to get all the way out to you?  I vividly remember as a child someone always needing to chop ice for the cows.  Actually, what I remember most is the time my brother cut his eye when ice flew up and smacked him in the face right before the 6th grade Christmas concert.  No problems though.  Dad stitched it up.

So what are you doing today?