Build Energy Security Into Your Winter Preparedness

By Mary Murray
Updated on March 2, 2022
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by Mary Murray
chicken coop in snow

I’ve always loved winter for its many days of peaceful, silent beauty. There’s nothing like the sight of swirling snowflakes falling against a brilliant blue sky or the happy chatter of birds at the feeder. 

Over the last few weeks, our part of the Midwest could be found knee-deep in snow drifts, battling single-digit temperatures, and wind chills below zero — all signs that Old Man Winter still  has these months firmly in his grasp. Each day after sunset, the temperature plummeted as chilly winds blew across the open fields. Tree limbs and power lines sagged under the weight of an icy glaze, and stepping outside to do chores was done with caution.

Farm Preparations for Harsh Winter

Like our farming neighbors, we’ve made plans for whatever Mother Nature may bring: We’ve store extra hay and poultry feed, added a deep layer of bedding to the chicken coop, hung heated water buckets, and made any repairs to barns where cold winds could find their way in. We’ve stacked wood, double-checked food and water storage, bought gasoline for the generator, and prepped power tools.

Years ago, I took a great hands-on hearth-cooking class, so if the power goes out, we can prepare soups, roasts, breads, and pies in the fireplace. And by the way, there’s nothing like the flavor of a turkey that’s been roasted in front of the fire in a tin kitchen (reflector oven)!

How does that saying go? “You’re never too young to learn, or too old to learn something new.” Wise words, because this particular winter, I’ve learned that no matter how well prepared we think we are, something may just throw a wrench into our plans.

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