10 Free Ways to Keep the Cold Out

Growing up, we lived in a very old house...not sure there was much insulation in the walls at all.  We did lot did things to keep the cold out including putting plastic sheeting on the outside of the house.  With the brutal cold that just keeps coming this winter, I thought I would share some ways you could keep the cold out without costing any money. 

1. Close the blinds even if they aren't insulated.  They will help keep the cold out better than just the windows.

2.  Hang a blanket or quilt over the windows and doors.  It may not be fashionable for company, but it will keep the cold out. We usually put a safety pin in each corner and hang from a couple nails. 

Don't want to hang blankets...

3. Roll up a bath towel and lay in the window.  A towel can insulate any cracks between the windows and the sill.

4.  Put a rolled towel in front of the door at the bottom.  Or a bean bag chair.  As a kid we always had to move something from in front of the doors on cold winter mornings.

5.  Make sure the doors are all shut tight every time you open them.  It's amazing how often a door doesn't close right, but you think it is shut especially if you have kids.

6.  Make sure all the windows are locked and the storm windows are closed.  I don't know how many times we've thought a window was closed until the north wind blows and I hear a whistle of air coming through. 

7.  Shut the vents in rooms you aren't using or close them a little and shut the door.  Redirect the warm air where you are.

8.  You sleep better when it is cold, so let the house cool down to 64°F at night.  It won't keep the cold out, but it will let your heater run a little less at night.

9. In a house that isn't well insulated, shut off bedrooms on the north of the house (if it doesn't have water pipes) and have a slumber party in the living room.  We did this often as kids.

10.  Make sure to close the vents under the house.  The vents keep mold from growing under the house when it is warm, but can let the cold air under your house.

If the sun is shining during the day, open the south facing blinds and let the sun shine in!  We have concrete and tile floors and it is amazing how well they can soak up the heat from the sun.

If all else fails, grab a blanket curl up on the couch and put something in the oven to cook low and slow like these Steak Roll Ups. 

Getting Ready for Bad Weather

Old Man Winter came back Sunday night with bitter cold north winds.  I did not stress out too much, because we spent all weekend preparing for this storm right at the beginning of calving season.  In addition to the usual stuff we gather for the barn, the mudroom and the people, we took advantage of the nice weather to get some other things ready.

We cleaned out the barn.  I was really wishing I could clean my house with the skid steer when I got done, but alas I couldn't take it inside.

 We moved in a couple of feed bunks and filled them with hay.

 My youngest son worked tirelessly in one pen to make the perfect calf bed and he tried it out.
 

Our barn is old and can be a bit drafty.  If we have a twin calf, orphan or one that needs to be separated from its mom, they get a hay palace that is insulated with hay bales.  While I hope I don't have to use it, I went ahead and built it this weekend.  Being out in extreme cold wears me out enough without having to do a lot of extra manual labor.

 

 When I got up to check the heifers (aka the Teenage Mothers of the Farm) at 3 am this morning, I found a tree had been blown over into the road. (I waited until daylight to take the picture.)

 

As soon as the boys went to school, we had a brand new calf born out in the wind.  We promptly moved her and her mother inside out of the wind for the day.  They sure liked the nice nest made of straw.

Later in the day, they were joined by a couple of others in neighboring pens.  The next morning they went out into the sunshine.  The wind had died down and they were all nice and dry and their tummies were full of milk.  Now, I need to go clean the barn and rebuild a couple of straw beds.

Our big project on Sunday was to build a wind break for the heifers.  A few of them really appreciated it yesterday, but my fingers were too cold to take a picture.  :)

After we got done with the winterizing, I went to the house to prepare for the boy's birthday party.  Luckily, they didn't request a Longhorn steer cake this year and were totally content with Cherry Cheese Pie and Not yo Mama's Banana Pudding.

Do you do anything different if a storm is coming?  Are you one of the thousands that goes to buy eggs, milk and bread or do you take more serious steps to prepare?  I would love to know!

-A Kansas Farm Mom

Snow Day! Oops, I mean Ice Day!!

We are super happy to get any moisture that falls from the sky these days.  We knew going into this storm that we would be right on the line between snow and sleet.  It turns out we were on the line between sleet and freezing rain.  So far, we still have power, but I am exhausted!  We fed the cows this morning in the rain and went back when the rain stopped to unroll hay, so the calves would have a dry place to sleep tonight off the icy ground.

I saw today that Beef Magazine is having a Winter on the Ranch photo contest.  I have numbered all the pictures and would love to have you let me know which pictures we should enter.  Farmer Randy took some of them and the boys helped out, too. 

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11. This little girl got a trip to my house for a couple of hours to warm up.  She is back with mom now in a barn for the night.

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With all the sleet on the ground, Farmer Randy thought we should have sno-cones.  :)

I am super tired from walking in the sleet and taking care of 3 calves that needed a little extra attention.  Let me know your favorite picture either here in the comments or on my Facebook page.

-A Kansas Farm Mom

Thankful Thursday Our Beautiful Girls

I have spent the last couple of days learning more about talking to others about what it is we actually do every day in agriculture while in Memphis, TN.  I wanted to share some pictures of the girls that I have taken over the last couple of weeks.  We are just a few weeks from calving and can't wait to see the new babies.

- A Kansas Farm Mom

Shared on:  The Wife of a Dairyman
Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop

'Twas the Morning Before Christmas

"Twas the morning before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring...not even MOM!!!

Where was she?!  Shouldn't she be wrapping asked the youngest son?!
Shouldn't she be baking and singing Christmas songs worried the oldest son?!

The weatherman says there's going to be cold weather and possibly snow,

Grain is a source of extra energy for the cows.  Keeping warm on cold days takes lots of extra energy.

so the Kansas Farm Mom and her farmer hubby were out unwrapping hay bales for their girls to keep their tummies full and their bodies warm.

Taking the net wrap off a bale wearing a stocking hat that my Grandma made me before she died. :)

The kids will understand if not everything gets wrapped or baked (even the Cinnamon Roll Muffins).  The cows come first on this ranch.

White Christmas' usually aren't welcome in this part of the land.
Snow makes more chores and leaves less time to spend with the family on Christ's Birthday.

The continuing drought reminds us all that each drop of moisture from the heaven
 is a gift from God.  We thank him for each flake he sends us tomorrow on Christmas mornin'.

Merry Christmas everyone!!


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-A Kansas Farm Mom

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