What fool would go out in -30C wind chill and stick their bare hands in ice water? ME! My cattle's water supply had frozen over in the night so I had to break the ice and take it out. (Bare hands because I need to keep my mitts dry to keep the skin on my hands from freezing.) They could probably survive eating snow for moisture for a day or two, but since their rumens are a major source of warmth I want to ensure they are eating as much hay as possible over the next few days.
The cattle take it all in stride, by the way. Snow collects on their thick black fur indicating they are not losing too much body heat to the cold.
There is frost on the INSIDE of the window where I am writing this. At least it is not cold enough for our plumbing to freeze (a lesson from the even colder winter of 2014-5).
Time to pull the blinds and hide in the living room in front of the wood stove with our dog.
fitri
What about plants and animals in this cold weather?
Rob
Post authorWhen they are outside all year this breed of cattle acclimate by putting on a thick coat of fur for winter. They are the only animals we keep over winter.
Regarding plants, only garlic is in the field this time of year, but we mulch or bury it which insulates it from temperature fluctuations. No other crops are exposed to this cold since we only grow from May through October in the fields with no structures for season extension (e.g. greenhouses).