• If you are having problems logging in please use the Contact Us in the lower right hand corner of the forum page for assistance.

Blizzard still going until noon December 27, 2009

Soapweed

Well-known member
Blizzardstillinprogress.jpg

Blizzard still in progress Saturday morning
Deerhunkereddownoutofthewind.jpg

Deer hunkered down out of the wind
Doesnsnow.jpg

Does 'n snow
Itskindofchillyouthere.jpg

It's kind of chilly out here.
Cowsalsofoundaspotoutofthewind.jpg

Cows also found a spot out of the wind.
Thewindisdefinitelyafactor.jpg

The wind is definitely a factor.
Cakeandadoughnut.jpg

Cake and a doughnut
Partyrevelersabouttodisperse.jpg

Party revelers about to disperse into the blizzard
Ladiesinwaiting.jpg

Ladies in waiting
Checkingoutthesaladbar.jpg

Checking out the salad bar
Movingtoanewmeadow.jpg

Calling cows to a different meadow
 

garn

Well-known member
Wicked storm, that's for sure and a great family picture. Soapweed, hope your family had a great Christmas.

My area had about 7 inches of snow, and now the Des Moines area is closing in on a record for the snowiest December of all time, about 26 inches and the previous record was set in December 2000.
 

the_jersey_lilly_2000

Well-known member
Beautiful Pictures Soapweed!!!!! Just beautiful!

Hope you all are stayin as warm as you can, even tho I know you hafta get out in it to take care of critters. Thanks for takin the time to take pictures in that cold country......and sharin them with all of us.
 

John SD

Well-known member
I went out to feed early Sun morning for the first time in a couple days. Visibilty still wasn't too great. At least that's my excuse for driving off in a snowbank that was too deep. :roll: :oops: :shock:

Glad I was able to get hold of neighbors on the cell phone. They couldn't get there until afternoon so I let the tractor run and walked 1/4 mile home. That meant I still had time to manage to stick the pickup on my way back to the tractor. So they offered a great two-for-one tow deal with the bi-di that I couldn't refuse. :roll: :oops: :wink:

My counter-offer was filling their bi-di with fuel. I finished feeding just before dark and went to fuel up since my tractor had spent most of the day running. Cheap brittle fuel hose sprung a leak right at the filter on the bulk tank. :evil: Sometimes stuff just doesn't work well in the cold :roll:

At any rate, I was glad to get the cattle fed and get me and the tractor back where we both belonged before dark. :wink: 8)
 

Justin

Well-known member
looks like you all weathered the storm in good shape. we got dug out, for the most part, and everybody was in pretty good shape. other than the bulls were completely drifted in a corral up at the feedlot. they were in a good spot, just couldn't get out. how we kept electricity through out still amazes me, but we did :D
 

flyingS

Well-known member
Glad to see that everyone has those days John. I tried to plow to some cows Sunday morning and blew the motor in my 3294 Case. I had about a mile and half walk home. What a storm. Any idea how much snow any of you got? It is hard to tell, we still had at least 6 inches on the level Monday morning, with the wind I wouldn't be surprised if we had over 12 in.
 

Big Swede

Well-known member
Probably 10-12" here too but who really knows? Snow's anywhere from 1" to 10 feet deep. Kind of hard to figure an average. :wink:
 

per

Well-known member
With out a doubt South Dakota and Nebraska have considerably tougher winters to handle than here in Southern Alberta. You make me thankful I live where I live. I sure hope everyone comes out fine and John and flying S quit breaking stuff. Keep the pictures coming Soapweed, that is quite a crew you have to get things done in the storm.
 

George

Well-known member
I have not had to plow any snow to amount to anything in several years - - - I have three 980 Cats ready to go but there are so many many pick-ups with blades going around that will plow for $35.00 per hour so unless it gets real bad my cats sit in the shed most days.

I use the 4X4 backhoe (310 JD) to keep my drives clear.

When I plow for the State or County I try to keep the loaders within a few miles of each other so that if one gets in a problem there is another close by. I don't get paid to sit in a ditch! It sure is better now with cell phones than in the 1960s where contact was limited to CB radios with amplifiers ( foot warmers ) we would try the 5 watts that was legal then go to 100 watts and if that did not make contact we would go to 1,000 watts and had antennas that stood about 11' or 12' tall.

The last few years most of the time I only get called to go and rescue a state or county plow that is hung up or if there is a fire run or medical run as I have one 980 cat that is geared high and will open a 12' hole in 3' of snow at 40 MPH.

About 5 or so years ago I was called out for a snow emergency and after everything was over a person called in and complained that his jeep had been shoved over a mile - - - it is possible, I do remember it but as soon as I saw it I pushed it off the road as gentley as possible.

If any of you get the chance you can pick up good older 5 or 6 yard loaders for about scrap price and it is amasing what you can do with them.

We have a large (milking 3,000 ) dairy nearby and several time a year I get the call to stand in when their equipment goes down for a few days and 6 yard cat will really out work their 3 yard JCB. They always want their people to run my cat but they are to rough on things. I put a buddy seat in the loader ( let the left armrest down and an upside down milk crate ) and their feed man rides with me as the ration will normally have 10 or so ingredience and a large display telling the weight to put in of each. If I get a new feed man in the loader with me they are amased I can go up to the face on the silage piles and scrape a full bucket each time - - - they will spend a lot of time trying to break into the pile and that is the main reason their equipment is broken down. They have buckets that are too light for the job and tear them up or tear them right off the loader. With 66,000# and 425 HP I can get silage out of a plie and leave a clean face to minimise spoliage.

With 6 different rations ( depending on the amount of milk being produced ) it will take about half a day ( 4 hours ) for me to feed but when everything is up it takes them about 12 hours. I feel they should go to a bigger loader but I think they are affraid to as they sure do a lot of damage with the 3 yard machines they have.

Very few of the people there speak English - - - most speak Spanish and some only speak Dutch- - - - I doubt many of the mexicans are legal- - - -They get a house to live in and about $5.00 per hour ( cash - - the only taxes they pay are sales tax ) and really work hard. Most of the first and second generations work hard but the third generation is now coming and they have discovered the wonders of welfare and are taking full advantage of it.

If you were closer I could come feed for you and would love working with English speaking people. ( never thought we would have to put Spanish speaking teachers in K thru 6th grades in central Indiana )

Off my soap box - - - hope you have minimall problems and a great New Year to ALL
 

per

Well-known member
The last few years most of the time I only get called to go and rescue a state or county plow that is hung up or if there is a fire run or medical run as I have one 980 cat that is geared high and will open a 12' hole in 3' of snow at 40 MPH.


I was thinking Wow I sure wouldn't want to be a stalled car on the road and you continued with the story of the car being pushed a mile. :) :)

Too bad when you are pushing snow like that you are busy. It would make for great pictures.
 

George

Well-known member
They normally only call me if it is a declared emergency and the rules are I'm to do as little damage to property ( cars ,etc. ) as possible but I am required to move them from the right of way. I think I have pushed several cars a ways before I get a look at them. You would be surprised how a drift can hide a small car and you might push it a long way before the snow sheds and you can see it.

I had a neighbor call me about 5 years ago and ask if I would come get him and take him to his car and get it home. I cleared the roads to his house ( about 5 miles ) then he got in with me and we were clearing west on his road for about 3 miles when he yelled STOP I hit the brakes ( really no need as when you are pushing 3' of snow just getting off the gas stops you pretty quick ) and said what's wrong. He said there's my car. I ask where. He said I left it in a drift right beside that big tree. He was right I took bites of snow carefully and found the car, dug it enough to get a chain hooked up and got him on the road and running. If he had not been with me I don't know how far I would have pushed a 2000 VW Jetta the ones that are off to one side I feel like get found quickly but if they get right in the middle of a 12' wide bucket they kind of stay there for a while.

If I see a vehicle I try to clear a spot for it then as gently as possible I shove it into the cleared spot. If it doesn't drift back in they can often drive it out from there. If I have a bucket of snow there is normally little damage unless I come at it head on and then they need to get the snow out of the engine compartment before trying to start as they will burn the fanbelts off very quickly.
 

Latest posts

Top