The worst cold in an upstate New York winter is high winds combined with single digit temperatures, and that’s what we are in today tomorrow, the first arctic cold front of the Fall/Winter season. This kind of cold means the grass will be killed off and it’s time for hay.

I am always intrigued to see how the animals deal with cold, they are savvy about it. Today, the wind was blowing north to south – it blew our front door open all night, the house was freezing when we got up. Behind the hay feeder, the grass slopes down, it forms a natural windbreak and the sheep and the donkeys go down, soak up the sun and stay out of the worst of the wind.

They just seem to know what to do.

It will be awfully cold tonight, they will all huddle up in the Pole Barn. Sunday will be back to normal, high’s in the 40’s. We put the storm windows up in Maria’s studio and put out the heated water feeder for the chickens.  It’s a little early,and we were caught a bit by surprise, but we are catching up.