Beast from the East and Storm Emma
The Beast from the East and Storm Emma caused a lot of disruption on the farm last week. Now all the snow has thawed and the water troughs defrosted, I can truly reflect on its impact and what I can only describe as a ‘crazy’ three days.
Wednesday 28th February was the first day of freezing weather. My normal routine of getting the calves fed first thing was hugely delayed as the the water pipes connecting to the pressure washer (heats the water to make the milk) was frozen as well as all the internal pipes in the washer. It soon became evident that most of the water supplying the sheds was frozen. The only running tap was located in the grain store, so I moved all the milk making equipment and called upon Hannah to start boiling the kettle to defrost the pipes.
The Beast from the East and Storm Emma caused a lot of disruption on the farm last week. Now all the snow has thawed and the water troughs defrosted, I can truly reflect on its impact and what I can only describe as a ‘crazy’ three days.
Wednesday 28th February was the first day of freezing weather. My normal routine of getting the calves fed first thing was hugely delayed as the the water pipes connecting to the pressure washer (heats the water to make the milk) was frozen as well as all the internal pipes in the washer. It soon became evident that most of the water supplying the sheds was frozen. The only running tap was located in the grain store, so I moved all the milk making equipment and called upon Hannah to start boiling the kettle to defrost the pipes.
Once we had the pressure washer up and running, it was a constant supply of warm water and this proved to be a god send! Whilst we were experiencing sub zero temperatures, Dad was in even colder climates skiing in Austria. This meant that the decision making came down to myself and at times this was hard. The most important factor was the health of the animals, so it was essential that all the cattle had food, water and dry bedding. On a normal day this sounds very simple but when your constantly battling against frozen pipes and thirsty cattle it soon became a huge problem. We were able to get most of the automated water drinkers working and by the afternoon all the larger cattle had defrosted troughs and pipes.
It was very lucky that Steve had planned to take the week off work to offer his help where needed. Little did he know he’d be spending hours a day getting water troughs running. Without Steve I probably could not have managed as I spent all the daylight hours with the smaller calves at one farm, whilst Steve stayed at the other farm checking the water situation for the larger cattle.
It was very lucky that Steve had planned to take the week off work to offer his help where needed. Little did he know he’d be spending hours a day getting water troughs running. Without Steve I probably could not have managed as I spent all the daylight hours with the smaller calves at one farm, whilst Steve stayed at the other farm checking the water situation for the larger cattle.
We were a little more prepared for the abnormal temperatures on Thursday morning. The pressure washer was stored in a heated room over night which enabled us to get the calves fed as normal. However I soon realised that all the water in every shed was frozen and the temperature was not set to get above zero all day. Although this was the first day of spring, the reality could not have been any further from the truth. The problem was magnified as it we had 500 beef cattle without running water.
Once all the animals were fed, we set about getting the water running. The water pipes in the calf houses are exposed therefore there was little chance of getting these working as they would almost re-freeze as soon as they were defrosted. Therefore we reverted to traditional ways of manually carrying water buckets to the calves. It was relentless as a bucket would be empty within a few minutes and in need of re-filling! Thursday was the most demanding day I had ever worked on the farm but I went to bed knowing that all the animals were happy and healthy no matter how long it had taken.
Once all the animals were fed, we set about getting the water running. The water pipes in the calf houses are exposed therefore there was little chance of getting these working as they would almost re-freeze as soon as they were defrosted. Therefore we reverted to traditional ways of manually carrying water buckets to the calves. It was relentless as a bucket would be empty within a few minutes and in need of re-filling! Thursday was the most demanding day I had ever worked on the farm but I went to bed knowing that all the animals were happy and healthy no matter how long it had taken.
Friday was forecast to bring more snow and when we opened the curtains we were not disappointed. After a hike through the snow to my grandparents farm I was ready for another day of carrying water buckets!! Back up was needed to lighten the work load, so my sister Kate and her Boyfriend (Chris) were called upon. Steve ventured out in the Land Rover to pick them up from Almondsbury. Tom (my brother-in-law) lives on site so he came equipped with a snow shovel and brush to clear shed entrances. My pregnant sister remained inside cooking us breakfast and provided us with food when it was needed! We were a real team and everyone pulled their weight to make the day go a lot smoother and less demanding.
As the snow continued to fall throughout Friday afternoon, the thought of Dad not being able to get home became a slight concern. Some flights into Bristol Airport were being cancelled and elsewhere there was major delays. Even if they did land in Bristol, the roads back home were not safe unless you were in a 4x4! I was glad to have David (our worker) at hand and he was happy to do whatever was asked and stayed late to make sure all the cattle were fed and watered. The worst of storm Emma had swept through by Friday evening and things were looking more positive.
As the snow continued to fall throughout Friday afternoon, the thought of Dad not being able to get home became a slight concern. Some flights into Bristol Airport were being cancelled and elsewhere there was major delays. Even if they did land in Bristol, the roads back home were not safe unless you were in a 4x4! I was glad to have David (our worker) at hand and he was happy to do whatever was asked and stayed late to make sure all the cattle were fed and watered. The worst of storm Emma had swept through by Friday evening and things were looking more positive.
On Saturday morning, we were greeted by clear roads and thawing snow. The road gritters must have been working all night but they had done a marvellous job! I was looking forward to the sound of running water, just like those you see on nature programmes at the onset of Spring; soon enough we were experiencing this on the farm. By mid morning, I heard that mum and dad had boarded the plane with no delays which was great news.
Upon their arrival home, Mum and Dad must have wondered what all the fuss was about, but it only takes a fews days like this to appreciate farm life when everything is operating normally. It makes you realise the support network around you as we were constantly being offered help from friends and family and nothing was too much to ask; So thank you to those who checked in on us. I hope we do not witness weather like this anytime soon, but at least we know we can get through it again!
Upon their arrival home, Mum and Dad must have wondered what all the fuss was about, but it only takes a fews days like this to appreciate farm life when everything is operating normally. It makes you realise the support network around you as we were constantly being offered help from friends and family and nothing was too much to ask; So thank you to those who checked in on us. I hope we do not witness weather like this anytime soon, but at least we know we can get through it again!