[toiville2feathers]

We have been -20 below ( air temps, not wind chill temps) up here since the 4 th of February. The second polar vortex moved in last night and it’s now centered right over us. Last night it got to -34 below. Because we don’t have much snow to act as an insulator, the frost is going deep. The water was first to freeze where it comes under the roadand then the sewer drain field. We burned 1000# straw bales and grass hay to heat up the ground to thaw them out. It took 4 days and nights to get it thawed out. We were up in the middle of the night about every 4 hrs keeping the fire going. We burnt pretty close to 3 semi loads to get it thawed. Now we are leaving the water run slow in the houses to keep it moving in the water line so it don’t freeze. I am waking up every two hrs checking the water temp and adjusting the flow as needed.
We covered the drain field with a bunch of straw to help hold the ground heat in.
In the towns around us the water mains are busting everyday. The utility company have asked the citizens to turn the faucets on, and said they would not charge for to water that the meter shows.
I’ve lived up here for 75 years and yes we have severe winter weather. I cannot remember a stretch of -20 below weather that has lasted this long (9 days) , and it’s going to continue way out into next week. SHEESH!
Living up here on the frozen prairie ain’t for sisseys.
God Bless, stay safe, healthy and warm.

 

[charlie sterner]

Dang man...I can't even imagine. Stay warm and safe!

 

[MPC in Ohio]

Kinda makes me think the weather we are having is "tropical"!! Be safe and keep the pipes flowing. Mike

 

[Kermit in Va.]

Hope you can keep it from freezing.
Can't imagine...

 

[Kentucky Fisherman]

Burning 1,000-pound straw bales to warm the ground? Holy cow! Glad you provided that info, because it sure puts my little inconveniences into better perspective.

 

[ShaneG.]

All those bales burnt...I can see Jr crying now....that would feed his damncows quite a while.

Sure glad it ain't that cold here!

 

[toiville2feathers]

All those bales burnt...I can see Jr crying now....that would feed his damncows quite a while.

Sure glad it ain't that cold here!

for JR;
The hay bales was old bales of slough grass from a couple years ago and the straw bales were left over barley straw that the landscaping contractor didn’t take. Barley straw is not good bedding for the cows. They get the barley beards in the eyes and the nose causing to many problems. No one uses it for animals because of the beards

 

[Ken]

I am a few miles to the south, it's cold, been cold and staying cold. 20 below this morning. I am hopeful for the truck to start as I would like to get to church.
Thankfully we don't have much wind. There's a warm front forecast for Thursday, until then. Cold.

 

[George Foster]

I can remember one winter up home in seventh grade that for a week straight I was waiting for the school bus and it was well below zero. I am just glad we don't have that weather now and I hope your conditions improve.

 

[JRinKY]

That is a lot colder than i would be willing to put up with. I have read that many of the people that settled in that country were of Scandanavian Ancestry.

 

[Dave H]

Brother, I feel for you, your family and neighbors....prayed for your safety.

Nothing glib from this FL guy this morning. After 75 years I know you know what you are doing and are keeping at it.

Have a blessed day.

Best,
Dave

 

[FBecigneul]

Well, joebiden said he wanted to end global warming. I can remember the thermometer at the Redemptorists Seminary reading -56 when I was a wee boy back in 1946 or 1947 Northeast of Quebec City. And, there were no snow days or cold days back then; you went. On a saner note, the snow has stopped after a day of snow yesterday. The sin is actually trying to come out of the cloud right now. Keep you powder warm.

 

[lightman]

Wow! That makes our little cold spell seem mild. Hope it will warm up for you soon.

 

[mrmurl]

Back while I was in middle school way back in the 50's, my father worked for the MO. Highway Dept. and back then there were a lot of gravel covered state roads, so Dad ran a motor grader to maintain those roads. During snow storms he would also use the grader to push snow off the paved highways in the area. I remember one year that during the month of February it snowed every single day during that month. It might snow during the night and the sunshine during the day or snow all day. I remember it well because Dad would be out 12 to 16 hours and come home and sleep a few hours and go right back out, one reason I remember that so well, was I had to do all the farm chores and milk 8 to 12 head of cows by hand, no machines to milk at our place. After Dad found out that I could do that it became my job.
I lived close enough to the school that I walked to school, while any farther away rode a bus. When the buses could not run the walkers had to go to school anyway, once in a while we would catch a break and have a snow day.

 

[JRinKY]

Minnesota is indeed a Beautiful state. I was there One time (Airport several times) and Flown over it several times.
I couldn't believe all the lakes.
It's just too cold for me now but years ago I would have loved it. When you get a lot of Miles on you, everything gets Colder and Heavier.

2Feathers is a hard old man to have lived there all these years. I remember when his Wife passed away and he told that Touching Story about how they met, and he took her back to the Prairie and their life there. That was a very nice story and maybe he could retell it sometime.

 

[jlitch]

Brother, I feel for you, your family and neighbors....prayed for your safety.

Nothing glib from this FL guy this morning. After 75 years I know you know what you are doing and are keeping at it.

Have a blessed day.

Best,
Dave

I agree with not being glib but I was a little peeved I could not find a place to park at the beach this morning.

 

[Iowa Fox]

I told my wife when I came in this morning its as bad as I have ever seen it here. Worrisome snow depth here with another ugly week forecast. Its almost a month since the wife and I have been out for groceries but we are going to have to go next week.

Stay safe guys

 

[JRinKY]

I agree with not being glib but I was a little peeved I could not find a place to park at the beach this morning.

Dog.....

 

[Kermit in Va.]

JR...you think that he's rub'in it in ...lol

 

[FBecigneul]

I have an opinion of people like that and it isn’t good.