Country life · Farm life · Norfolk · Snow

Our attempts to leave the farm…

What a different 48 hours makes.

Yesterday we woke to a little more snow but the effect of the wind raging from the east overnight created exceptionally deep and vast snow drifts.

We walked to the end of the drive – and it was a struggle.

It really felt like we were living in a Big Brother bubble, where all that mattered was making sure that the farm and all of its inhabitants were ok.

We used the tractor to clear the driveway as best we could in case we needed to get out. On reaching the end of the driveway we managed to clear about 10 metres of the first public road until we couldn’t get any further.

The snow beyond was so thick and heavy in the drifts it had formed the tractor couldn’t manage the size of the task in front of it, the snow was thick enough to stand on. We subsequently spent six hours thawing the borehole and water pipes into the house which had frozen solid.

Obviously, we can survive without water, coping with beer and cider, but the cattle need constant fresh water. We’ve been visiting them numerous times during the day and night to break the ice on their water drinkers which have been freezing over at a rapid rate.

According to the weather forecasts the weather should have started getting milder today, but it hasn’t which is slightly frustrating, but as we all know, our wonderful British weather is liable to change.

After clearing the drive yesterday we took the dogs out at 11pm last night and were met with fresh snow drifts on the drive up to waist height.

Today our main aim was to, once again, clear the drive. We managed this with the tractor and then headed out in the truck, only to be met with a main road that was totally impassable. We had one other road option which was passable for a while until we came across a wall of snow.

On heading back home we passed our neighbouring farm which was running short of hay – being unable to reach their store.

We made our way back up the drive (not without drama) to then run a bale down to our neighbours so their sheep, which are currently lambing, had enough hay for the coming days.

I’m now sat in front of the fire, beef curry bubbling away on the hob, as a fresh load of snow flurries to the ground. Let’s see what tomorrow brings…

 

 

2 thoughts on “Our attempts to leave the farm…

  1. Holy s***… That is concerning, yet quite impressive. Good thing that you always have ample supplies in your pantry and freezer. It has started to warm up over here, slightly above zero already. A welcome change from the -15 at night and -8 during the day

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