Coffee anyone ?

[Mini Horses]

@RR Homestead ... Definitely layers. You won't get the terrible extremes @Weldman does. Be thankful!! But you will have freeze mornings into very cold afternoons. Your own body tolerance will determine the final needs. Personally, I'm in long johns pretty much daily Dec- Feb. But old & cold. Body not heavily insulated, so layers to peel as you work. Gloves. And some of the vinyl kitchen gloves to use breaking ice on water...to keep reg gloves dry. Check aver temps at your new farm on the net. That'll help you prepare. And -- yes, we do care about the calf.

Temps here are back to "normal Fall" after that nasty little taste of winter -- a gentle reminder of things to come. Being where it's generally milder, that was not appreciated but probably needed. So the water lines are all being intimately inspected for heat tapes and insulated covers in stable condition, in case.

Sun is bright. Coffee is strong and awakening. Good combo. Looks like it'll be an all day outsider. Better get moving along with some breakfast first. Then chores begin.

 

[SageHill]

Well, well, well - the rain came - a whopping 1/4 inch - actually for here that's a lot. Still in the forecast for the next few days - it's overcast so we may get more. Afterall it is our rainy season.
Being that rain is not a regular occurrence here, I missed one thing in the prep --- the seam in the barn gutter. Sigh. A waterfall -- all that rain on the roof and a large large amount of it exiting at that darned seam. Silicone or whatever to the rescue - don't know what we used before but it obviously dried out or shrunk in the sun and heat.
SO I did what any of us would do - improvise!!
Ranch Girl badge worthy... three tires and a feed bunk liner with a hole in it.

annnnnd - of course once it was set up (after a few other tries) the rain let up/stopped.

We've been trying to figure out what we want to buy to get more cold weather ready for winter when we move. It's not going to be like here and we are expecting that.

I know it doesn't get really cold here - but I learned when I was in school IA that vests are great. I had a nice down vest and a fiberfill vest back then. Like everyone here has said - layers layers and layers -- totally agree. Down jackets are amazing - light and warm to hot. An oilskin duster can be great as well - though heavy and bulky. Carhart makes a great vest with nice warm fuzzy pockets, I use mine in the winter here. For me - even in IA - a good down vest and a wool sweater was all I needed to about zero degrees (plus hat and mittens or gloves). Below zero definitely down jacket (that covers your butt).
Key to remember -- keep your feet dry and a good pair of wool socks, good gloves and when it's really cold mittens (keeps your fingers together and warm, gloves no matter how heavy fingers get cold), and you lose 80% of your body heat through your head - a good hat is a must. Not sure how cold MO gets, but surely a lot colder than here in So Cal.

 

[murphysranch]

My friend who moved from Vista CA to MO a couple of months ago, came back this weekend for a family wedding. The rehearsal was outside last night and it was damp. Wonder if it will rain on the entire thing today? Its just a few miles from SageHill.

 

[SageHill]

My friend who moved from Vista CA to MO a couple of months ago, came back this weekend for a family wedding. The rehearsal was outside last night and it was damp. Wonder if it will rain on the entire thing today? Its just a few miles from SageHill.

Looking at the sky - I'd say it's touch and go at best. Though will be cold for here. My driveway here is patchy wet and dry (8:45am). The Frenzied Forecast is still flood watch until 10pm and rain.
I'd hope for an indoor option for that wedding. Or at minimum - a big tent with sides, and dress warm - high temp forecast 63.
EDIT -- 9:20am pouring rain

 

[fuzzi]

Zone 8a here, gets below freezing but rarely lower than 20°F. I was raised in CT, winter temps often below zero, learned to layer.

Now, as a longterm transplanted Yankee my blood has thinned, and I find myself feeling colder than I should. So I layer with a light undershirt, then short sleeved sweater (don't own any long sleeved anymore), then a cardigan or a fleece pullover, then my down jacket. That's usually good down to 20°. One thing that has really helped are my silk glove liners. They're thin enough to leave room for insulating air inside my gloves, but also insulate really well on their own. I also have alpaca gloves I wear under my snow gloves if we get below 20°.

I always cover my head, but I prefer using a long scarf, over the head and around the neck.

 

[Alaskan]

Ironically I might go into work if I don't think of anything else to do,

 

[Mini Horses]

@Poka_Doodle that's desperate! Nothing else to do??

 

[RR Homestead]

Great advice all! Thanks! We layer here but nothing like I'm expecting to there at least until we acclimate a bit. We wear old Carhartt vests often here when the temps actually get cold. Will look into down. I also love turtle neck shirts under a sweatshirt. It will be interesting to see if we have to worry about stickers there like we do here. We have to be fabric aware here often through the year due to stickers becoming one with our clothes.
Awesome help! Thanks everyone!

Been up and down taking care of the calf. Finally sitting down with coffee trying to officially wake up for the night. Supposed to start raining again around 8pm. Hoping to get most of the chores done and milking done before then.

Hope y'all are having and absolutely blessed weekend so far!

 

[Alaskan]

I am huge into high quality wool socks. I like wool hiking or skiing socks with compression at the arch.

They come in a variety of different weights.

I love hats... WARM, proper wool hats! I have a jillion, because I go out with a hat, heat up with work, take off hat... and... where is the hat???

I like the longjohns that are made out of fancy whatever synthetic that say "temperature regulating" since those are easier to keep on. Otherwise I go to some person's house, or the store, and have to fight the urge to strip down to my skivvies. If you are going out, to STAY OUT for a long time, no in and out or errand stuff... then it is easier to stay dressed.

And yes, hands are always an issue. I TRY to kick ice out of water buckets with my feet, because I never remember to bring out waterproof gloves!

 

[Alaskan]

Oh! @RR Homestead also up here people always say "cotton kills", it is very chilling when wet. Wool, silk, or plastic whatever will keep you warm when wet.