The homesteader doesn’t always get to choose their day. A few times each week (I’m rounding, here) the farm chooses our day for us. There’s part of this uncertainty and unexpected that works in our favor: for example, when the dairy cow decides to have her calf, that’s a very welcomed and exciting surprise! It also means I will cancel my coffee date with a girlfriend or a meeting I had planned with my assistant.
The homestead chose my day.
The same thing happened this past summer when we suffered (yes, I’m using that word on purpose) under 117 degree temperatures. In fact, we had such a hot summer we ended up with a 90 day stretch of over 90 degree temperatures. FOR NINETY DAYS WE MAXED OUT AT OVER 90 DEGREES. I’m using all caps so that you, too, can share in my shock of such weather. It gets hot here in the high desert of Central Washington, but even that is pretty dang hot for our area. And it went on, and on, and on. And I sweated A LOT. And I'm not a very glamorous sweater.
Those hot days meant we had to water and shade and constantly fuss over all the creatures and plants that were relying on us for survival – especially if we were hoping to harvest any of them. In the end, we only lost one very old chicken to the heat and some had burned peppers and nasturtiums – so a pretty good heat stretch all in all.
Yesterday was a bit different.
I’ve told my southern-husband about my memories of growing up here as a kid. I remember distinctly my Dad shoveling show off of our garage room after it reached over 3 feet deep. He shoveled it all into a huge pile and then let us slide off the garage roof onto the pile (safety standards were slightly different in the 90’s… as were many things). It’s a story I've told my kids that has gotten chalked up to being an old tale. There wasn’t any proof in the pudding, as they say.
Until yesterday.
Yesterday we woke up to find over 2 feet (28 inches, last we measured) of accumulated snow fall. The most we’ve gotten in a single night in a long, long while.
Not sure what 2 feet of snow looks like? Let me show you!
It’s painfully beautiful. If you catch it at the right time of day, the snow sparkles as bright as glitter when you walk in it. In fact, it was so smooth and so deep and so light my mind almost played tricks on me – assuring me I was in warm sand rather than mountain snow.
Many of you know how much I have struggled with winter in the past. Truth be told, I don’t think it was actually winter’s fault. It was mine. I have so failed to see the magic of this season – I’ve been so eager to build and garden and develop our small farm that I resented the fact that winter forced me to stop and sit still. It was like pushing through the entire week and then being unwilling to take a Sabbath rest. A rest that was given to us for our good. A gift, really. When the world stops, the ground waters refill, the plants rest in preparation for spring. If you’re like me and tend to favor work over pleasure, let me assure you: winter was made for us.
What an idiot I’ve been to reject that.
Anyway. Back to the 2 feet of snow. Yes, it’s beautiful. And yes, it’s magical. And yes, actually, it is quite dangerous if not managed correctly.
What this means for the homesteader is a lot of shoveling.
- Animals need pathways to reach the water tanks and pathways to reach their feed.
- Shelters need to be filled with fresh, dry bedding.
- Shelters and greenhouses need to have the snow removed off their roof.
Shelters are certainly made to carry a weight, but not this much. And when the forecast projects freezing rain to follow said-snow, the result is heavy, wet snow that can easily collapse a building. In fact, a local farm had that exact event happen – their horse and goat barn collapsed in. A crew of volunteers was anxiously digging it out to try and get to the animals inside. Another farm lost their greenhouse in a collapse.
Snow can become very, very heavy.
What that meant for our day was a complete schedule shift. One must simply be willing to take the unexpected when it comes to owning a small homestead, whether that comes in the form of an escaped pig or a hail storm. Our day was spent clearing the snow off the milking stanchion, the animal pen, the pergola, the shop roof, the greenhouse, and a few of my large junipers (again, the weight of the snow can easily snap large branches off if not removed).
I know all you southerners are like “Why the heck would you live where you have to do all that work!” but then I’m like “Well, we don’t have tornadoes or hurricanes.” We all have our hard. And growing up with it, I’m used to snow. I’ve made my peace with it.
When I lived in Alabama for a short-while and we had a hurricane come through, I all but wet myself. It’s funny how we adjust so deeply to what we know.
Just for fun, and to mark this special snow day, I wanted to show you images comparing winter/summer. Creation groans of its Creator. In fact, in the middle of shoveling snow yesterday, I actually spoke up to the heavens: My God, you are an incredible artist!
We'll be back to the gardens soon enough. I'm sure plenty of weed seeds are waiting for me. In the meanwhile, we're sore to the bone from shoveling and cozied up by the fire.
I hope your winter is just as beautiful!
Sarah
Good morning! I am so very envious of your snow. I lived my whole life in Nebraska until just a couple years ago where I live now on a coastal island. It is true that your upbringing becomes a part of you. I kind of don’t know who I am in the winter without snow. 🙂 Also, I wanted to say, I’m so glad you’re back to blogging. This space is a breath of fresh air and inspiring and is much more like a friend than Instagram will ever be. xo
Jenn Dawson
Oh my goodness it’s just so beautiful!! We have had such a scary lack of snow this season in Colorado … it’s glorious to see your feet of snow! Loved reading. ❤️
Elizabeth
Painfully beautiful in both seasons!
Laura
I’m up in Vancouver BC and we got the same storm hit us. I don’t remember getting this much snow here since I was a kid! (And indeed my scrapbook confirm that 1996 was a doozy of a winter). I spent a few years living back east and up north and coming back to Vancouver had me missing REAL winter. This year of actual snow feels right. We all need a forced rest after 2021.
Jessica
Wow! That is awesome! I live in northern Ohio, and the winters here are not that great. We got lucky last year and had a white Christmas followed by 6 weeks of solid snow cover and a two foot snow storm as well, but that kind of glorious winter is rare here. But I savor every bit of winter that I can. My parents are from Minnesota, and my father’s family is Swedish so I think love of cold weather is in my blood.
Amber
We are in Central WA too and what a magical feeling to wake up to so much snow! Although we just had to make a pathway for us and our dog, my friends with horses and other critters were on my mind all day. ♥️ Wonder what all the animals were thinking! I grew up in WV and remember winters with this much snow (not all in one night though!) and it was so fun and memorable for my kiddos to experience it! Glad you are enjoying it and able to see the beauty despite all the incredibly tiring work it means.
Corrie
Wow! Here in Portland, it’s been a mild winter so far (but we are, of course, “waiting for the other shoe to drop” as it did last year).
Thanks for sharing; I love to see what the eastern parts of WA and OR are getting, weather-wise.
May all your animals and plants (and your house and your people!) stay warm and safe.
Rebecca
So glad you got the snow, even though it’s a lot of work, it will help your drought situation out there! I live on the opposite coast, in Maine. We are used to snow here. We have plenty on the ground already, but we’ve been getting it in dribs and drabs. I’m trying to appreciate winter more, also. I think I’m doing better this year, than in winters past. It is much harder getting kids outside to play, though (especially my 17 month old… I feel like I did a workout after I get her in her snow gear 🤣).
Katy
Love reading your blogs, and ZI can definitely relate to this one! We got hammered with nearly 4 feet on our homestead in WA near the Gorge. Living in an RV while we await the construction of our house has been especially challenging with all the snow. The beauty of it almost makes up for all the hard work and challenges the snow brings with it.
April
I understand winter pain and beauty. We’ve had a pretty easy winter only 50 inches + whatever came this last weekend. We average 169 but have had 296 yes inches. Western New York real. I live 25 from a Walmart or Fast food, just saying. Bit I’m really looking forward to my garden, I’ve been harvesting small amounts till 2 weeks ago 💖
Terry Mooney
We live in Christina Lake, BC, which is approximately 150 miles northwest of you. We were hit by that same storm and received a similar amount of snow. After being born in Southern California and living there the first 50 years of my life there, I went through many years dreading then hating winter. But one day, I looked around and really saw how beautiful it was and said out loud “I LOVE winter!” I was just outside the hardware store downtown at the time and it certainly drew a few looks! This winter, I have filled my mind and my heart with YouTube videos of the Elliott Homestead. I dreamed of that same life for many years, but the Universe had different ideas for me. Living it vicariously through your wonderful family has been almost as good!
Delaney
I came across your blog while trying to figure out how many meat chickens I need to raise for my family for a year, and I thought you must be pretty close to me since you were talking about rocky terrain and shrubs! Lo and behold, Washington (Spokane County here). We topped out at 114º last summer and then had the negative wind chill for weeks this winter. Then we had the freezing fog for the last few weeks and I don’t think the snow is EVER going to go away! I’m from Southern CA originally and I dream of the day I don’t have to put on 5 layers of clothing just to go out and feed all our animals (we have rabbits, chicken, and most recently, sheep, because it’s just so biblical!). But anyway, I’m now going to follow your blog because you have the same challenges I do!
I really just meant to ask a question, originally (see, I don’t get out much!): how do you do your fencing for the animals? We have so much basalt and clay that just digging posts is NOT happening easily. We’d rather have more ground for our sheep than a pen-type area they have now, but fencing is GNARLY to make happen! We have three sheep, but the two ewes are pregnant. I’d love to be able to give them a couple of acres (we have about 15) to roam and munch on the terrain!
Katy A.
I completely relate with you here! We have lots of snow and usually, in years past, I would dread winter and feel restless all season for it to pass. This year, I am seeing it differently. It’s a time to slow down and prepare for when spring does arrive! The Lord is so good to us…and how often we don’t even realize it!
I love that you shared photos of your homestead with and without snow. It’s fun to see the difference.
I must admit, I have desired such flower beds as yours. Unfortunately, I can never figure out how to make them look like yours! Hopefully I will figure it out soon! I’m not getting younger! :o)
Have a lovely week!