Lessons learned from the blizzard, turkey update and other stuff

The blizzard this week gave us some valuable insights that we can use for the next storm.  Generally we are prepared and ready for storms.  We have firewood ready, food prepped but we were caught off guard this time with water.  You use water for everything, especially with farm animals.  We had to make sure the goats and all the chickens had water.  No electricity means no water to flush toilets and you need a lot there.  Drinking water, cooking water, and water to clean with.  Water and heat are number one for us. The wood stove went constantly.  Do you have enough wood or fuel?

Other stuff:
Gas stove.  Even though we had no power, if you have a gas stove you can light it.  We ate well as long as we didn't need water... such as for pasta.

Instant coffee for the caffeine heads.  If you don't have a camp coffee pot to put on the stove, instant coffee is very handy.

Salad kits.  These were great and quick to prepare.

Candles and kerosene lamps...otherwise you are going to bed very early.  We make mason jar candles each year and Dude collects kerosene lamps. The only problem is the lamps are antiques and he refuses to use them. I bought two cheap ones to use.

Amp Charger. These come in very handy to keep phones charged.

Have something thawed or easily accessible to make for dinner, such as canned meats.  We had thaw hamburger and made meatballs to go with the salad.

Paper plates, the kind you can burn. It keeps your mess down and you use less water.

Stuff to do.  My sister and I made cards and started new quilted wall hanging (will post this weekend).  Books to read, cards, and games to play. The men took naps.

Wine.  We found a bottle of wine someone gave us for Christmas and for those who partake, well, they enjoyed it.

Turkey update. Only one baby turkey chick ended up surviving the night. Chicks need a heat lamp and when the power went out we brought them in and put them by the fire. We thought two would live but in the end only one is still alive out of three.

All the other chickens in the greenhouse survived and will be moved to the yard as laying hens or to be butchered in a week.

Layers -

 Meat hens -

The yard birds, aka the layers, did fine as well in the chicken coop.

Faith:  Tradition in our family for Holy Thursday is to have the complete Seder Meal. My mom usually makes the lamb and puts out the fine china.  The oldest and the youngest have their parts in reciting why we have the meal and what Passover is.  The blizzard put a damper on that one this year. The last one we had at my mom's house we had a baby goat on our lap during the meal - we gotten when her mom died giving birth to her.  Very memorable time.

Good Friday and Holy Saturday - Good Friday we won't eat meat tonight but will traditionally eat fish.  We also shutdown all electronics - computers, phones for texting and computers, television and radios all off starting at 3pm and continue off until Easter morning out of respect from when Jesus was crucified.

The plan today is to dry potatoes, bake bread, sew and work in the greenhouse for Dude. May you all have a nice Good Friday.