[AT] Plowing snow

[George Crawford]

I have to feel a bit sorry for you folks having to deal with the cold and snow. Being from the Pacific Northwest, we usually have cool, wet weather with an occasional cold spell and maybe a little snow.  Nothing like some of you are dealing with.  A couple of times in the twenty-five years we've lived here there has been enough snow to really be troublesome. The tractor really came in handy then. The truth is, all it takes is the threat of snow and schools cancel and the emergency preparedness folk get panicky.  The average folks in our area are neither prepared or experienced with local winter snowy conditions.  Things normally just shut down for a few days at most until a thaw allows thing to get back to normal.  I used to be the guy that called school off if conditions warranted a delay or closure.  I spent 18 years in Idaho where winters were much more severe.  People just put on chains, engaged their four wheel drive and went on as usual.  I was reminded quite critically "this ain't Idaho"!  Retirement lets me stay indoors, sleep in, or just ignore winter if  I choose  to.  Actually, I have to admit,  I've spent the last ten weeks in Hawaii.  The weather at home has been nice for the time of year, so going home won't be bad.I really do sympathize with those of you still snowed in and freezing.George  

     On Friday, March 6, 2015 4:38 PM, Greg Hass <ghass at m3isp.com> wrote:
   

 I'm really getting tired of winter. As has been pointed out I still have 
better weather than Ralph, but still I guess it's all relevant. We have 
not had a thaw since before Christmas. About 10 days before Christmas I 
put some machinery in the shed that I hadn't gotten to. Well, all the 
ice and snow that was on them is still there, hasn't melted a bit. This 
is the longest spell in my lifetime that we have gone this long without 
a thaw of any kind. All I have to move my snow with is a small skid 
steer with a 23 hp. Honda engine. I have a 60 inch bucket on it and use 
that to move snow. I have 2 over 100 horse tractors but nothing on them 
to move snow. I have an old 5 foot back blade but it is light and our 2 
to 3 foot drifts are just too much and the loader is just easier and 
faster. Most nights for the last 2 months have been near or below zero; 
the last 2 nights have both been below zero, our lowest being -23 
degrees. Very rare in our part of Michigan and over the last month many 
all time cold records have been broken. It is supposed to warm up the 
end of next week but the weatherman has been saying that for two months 
now. For heat for the house I have been burning corn. This year I got 5 
and a half ton and it will be gone  Sunday or Monday.  I have done this 
for 6 or 7 years. I run it from thanksgiving until the  middle of March. 
The rest of the time I use oil as I can't keep the corn burning in warm 
weather. Just the same I save about $2000 a year doing this.
                Greg Hass











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