No, this chat is not about frozen water buckets. It's not about the frustration, the cold, the passion we have for our livestock and the painstaking chores we do to keep them alive and comfortable.
It is, however, about frozen water and the two little words that send literal and figurative chills down a farmer's back: Ice Storm.
Nothing more than some frozen water, but it's all about how the water is arranged. It lands on the farm and takes control, sending farmers scrambling into high gear.
Generators are poised and ready to engage if needed. Equipment is fueled. Outdoor livestock are moved to sheltered areas, if possible. Indoor livestock get extra bedding; hay, grain, straw and equipment are moved into place so they are handy and available, just in case.
As ice storms move through the Midwest this weekend, farmers are holding their collective breath, hoping, praying that damage and loss doesn't strike, but preparing as if it will.
Power lines stretch lower than usual toward the ground under the weight of ice. Tree branches crack and crash to the ground while we hold our breath and pray that the entire tree isn't lost, especially the dead limb that didn't get removed before winter since its direct path to the ground is obstructed by a porch or building.
Milk, feed haulers and others on the farm delivery trail fight the ice on the roads and in farm yards that are now skating rinks; truck tires spin uselessly as the trailer slides in whatever direction it chooses to go. These are the days when tow truck companies are calculating their annual profits.
And in the farmhouse, hopefully some water was drawn, just in case. The head cook is being creative in the kitchen with alternative cooking tools, hoping to have a few moments of generator time dedicated to the home. Moms are trying to keep everyone warm, keep bodies fueled and keep the contents of refrigerators and freezers from spoiling. Everyone is jockeying for a small piece of that precious power, thanks to nothing more complicated than some frozen water.
Here's hoping that if frozen water finds a home on your farm this season, you have no damages and the sun quickly chases the ice away.
Bev Berens is a mom to 4-H and FFA members in Michigan. Do you have a story to share? Email her at uphillfarm494@yahoo.com.