Well it was -24 F last night -9 f now at 11 am but the cows are all healthy and the waterer and house have made it though without freezing up yet. It should get to 11 F today as the high but this cold will continue for a few more days. I just hope my luck holds and the waterer doesn’t freeze. That new wall and smaller 4 foot door for the cows is really paying off now. The cows where out enjoying the sun this morning but during the wind the last few days they have been in the barn safe out of the wind. I can say I am sure glad I don’t have 200 cows to care for and 120 to milk like the good old days of my youth with this weather.
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Just picked up the pigs from the butcher yesterday. First time ever raising pigs.
Today the high could get to -7F. I think I’ll just stay inside and nibble on bacon.
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Well you caint stay out long, the becon looks good cooking on your wood heating & cook stove.
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Hi all, we are in the middle from you all in the north, and you all in the south, had 4 in. snow today. Temps. have been 2* f to 35* f here. Today was first time I got to use the snow plow on the tracker. We need to hear from Jeff, Erie Pa got 5 feet yesterday. Keep warm.
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Al, thanks for asking. The five feet was a few miles north of me, but, I have to drive into it on the way to work. That day I got about ten inches. Today I got a foot. The days in between we get, on average four inches. Been plowing and snow blowing every other day, on average. I should take a picture or two. Been colder than normal, like January and February weather. Hard to make time to work on wood gas stuff. I have to go feed the fire now. Oh, we already have a years worth of snow!
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Glad you guys are doing good with this weather.
Around here it just sounds scarier than it actually is. Today’s high was -6 and tomorrows high is supposed to be -15. Up until today we haven’t really had much snow, but I’ve been busy feeding and checking waters constantly. LOL
Here’s a couple pictures from the day before yesterday, I believe it was. I’ve been lucky at the ranch with things not freezing, but the heat tape came loose from one of the water lines at my house in town and tried to be a pain in the butt.
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Minus 35C here this morning, the daytime high was minus 30, forecast says it may be minus 37 tonight. So I can forecast continuing or worsening cold for points further east. 
They are saying it may moderate to seasonal temperatures by next weekend, minus 14 or warmer for daytime highs. Will be time to get the light jackets out.
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Garry, you can just keep that kind of cold up there! LOL
I guess the positive side of it is that being this cold the snow is so dry that it’s not much of a problem. I haven’t put chains on yet.
It’s supposed to be 24 above on Tuesday and with any luck I’ll be sawing lumber
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My warm spell starts Wednesday fire wood and lumber are both in the schedule here as well. It will be my first time running a saw mill and I can’t wait to start processing my pile of logs so I can repair my barn. From the looks 2018 will bring some much welcome relief in the form of seasonal weather 20s and 30s during the day. At those temps you can get a lot done outside as long as the wind isn’t too bad.
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Hm, below -30C is when things start to get complicated. And dangerous.
Even though we are a bit further north we don´t see those temps often. Actually, coldest so far is a couple of days of -15C.
You stay put and feed the fire.
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I fully agree. I just had to do the conversion -30c is -22F and -15c is 5f. I would be really happy to see 5F again. We where down around -20F last night and today while it will be close to 10F for the high the wind is crazy right now so you can’t be out in it. Just walking out to the barn to take care of the cows the wind was bad enough I had to lean into it as I walked across the door yard. Even at 3f that wind is dangerous. I have raised foot prints in my driveway right now where the snow all blew down to ice only leaving the compressed snow where I walked the other day above the ice. It is the weirdest thing if the wind dies down a little and they are still there I will get a photo.
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Dan, I don´t want to rub it in but I was out welding on my condence tank today. It was only one degree below freezing, just enough not to get wet. I didn´t even wear hat or gloves. You will be back to short sleaves before you know it.
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Dan, I don’t know your experience around mills, but if you have any questions feel free to ask. The biggest piece of advice I would offer for this time of year is on your blade coolant/lube. In the winter time I buy Walmart $2 a gallon cold weather windshield washer fluid with a glug or so of Pinesol. cuts the pitch and doesn’t freeze up.
Check out Forestry Forum, it’s a real respectable site/forum that is without a doubt the biggest knowledge base on logging and milling in the world with a bunch of great people.
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Thanks Jo. Yes, below minus 30 is no joking around, especially with the long country roads and quiet highways in this country, poor cell phone coverage in areas, survival gear in the vehicle is essential, just in case, and always good to tell people plans for a drive. Even changing a tire could be physically impossible out on a windswept road. I’m amazed that vehicles run as well as they do in these conditions. You will know how good your battery, and heating system is. 
The weather man lied, it was only minus 32 last night, still cold enough, the electric meter is spinning like a top. I wish I had a fire to feed, but the insurance here negates the utility. Always makes me nervous being dependent on a hydro line for such a simple and essential thing as warmth.
Winnipeg is going ahead with outdoor celebrations and a fireworks display tonight, btw. You are fortunate in Sweden to be close to the ocean, and the last warmth of the gulf stream, though it seems to reduce the warmth of your summers greatly too. Here we easily go from plus 35C to minus 35C over a few months.
Happy New Year’s to all…
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Sounds pretty desperate ya’ll. Hope everything warms up before we have a bunch of DOWcicles. We’re getting ready for our “real freeze” this year. Expecting 16 f here in the next day or two. Be safe.
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Is a Dowcicle a frozen driver or a two wheeled woodburner?
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the two wheeled would be a DOWcycle.
DOWcicle would be a frozen yankee next to a gasified truck on the side of the road.
We may need to add that to the DOW dictionary. LOL.
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For those in dubt, 2018 DID come! Happy new year, may the wood/char burn well in your gasifiers!
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Why does it have to be a yankee. It gets below freezing in your neck of the woods also.
And everyone knows you southerners freeze at higher temps than us.
But we will gladly come for the winter and share our warm sense of humor to keep you from gelling up
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Just make sure Billy takes a shot of 911 before going out side, works every time!
Just kidding ! !
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