Anyone watched any Russian movies centered around the Siberian winter? The lowest recorded temperature for them was -89F. With windchill, our nearby Whiteface Mountain was inching mighty close. Locally, -30 to -40F was the normal temp for several nights.

‘Spot’ the calf

Our week has consisted of running out bundled up in layers, and then either stripping off layers as we got moving, or having to move back towards the wood stoves to warm up again. This morning, on a lark, John carried all of his layers to the scale and weighted them. 20 lbs of coat, gloves, hat, boots, chaps, and ice walkers. He joked it was the easiest 20 lbs he could lose in 5 minutes.

Regretfully, we still lost two lambs. they were not thriving and despite our best for them, the bitter cold took them under. It is sincerely, the most difficult thing to go out and tend the dead. When you are trying to thaw frozen water lines because thirsty cows are snuffing humid air in your ear, you know a purpose. You can feel the need. During lambing, when you are bone-tired and that 2 am check is just hard, the bleating of a new lamb makes it an exciting and fulfilling day.

Eathon fed the four dogs this morning their ration of fat and organ meat. While tossing Schultz his, it stuck to a piece of metal and froze there. He gamely licked and chewed, finally pulling it free – without freezing his nose to it in the process. Animals are amazing!

This week is full, already. Weather.com says we will have what John is calling the ‘mid-winter’ thaw and temps will be up in the mid 40’s. Abe’s crew will be here later to make more shipping boxes, we have all of the sheds to bed down thickly, someone is heading to Tri-Town to pick up the latest meat haul, many boxes are being sent your homes ( thank you.)

Did you know we revamped the CSA? We asked you what works, what doesn’t and this was our answer to it.  Let us know what you think! You can email me at kassandra@8oclockranch.com or call 315-347-4352.

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