Winter Is Coming: Look After Your Farm In The Cold Months
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Image from Pixabay
Winter is on its way, and that poses a unique problem for farmers. Looking after a farm during winter is different to the rest of the year. Bearing that in mind, here are three tips to help you out:
Wrap Your Livestock Up Warm
If your farm has any livestock, then winter can be a big problem for you. Especially if your farm is situated at high-altitude. The cold weather can easily cause animals to become sick and die. When this happens, it can be a horrible issue. No one wants to deal with dead animals, but, it also means a potential loss of money for you. Animals can be used to generate a lot of income for your farm, so, you have to take care of them. My advice is to make sure they’re wrapped up warm. You can get special blankets for certain farm animals to keep their body temperature at a regular level. Also, keep them inside a barn during the night too. Naturally, this can be tough if you have lots of livestock, but, you have to try your best. Obviously, you need to ensure they still have time to get out in the fields and exercise during the day when it’s not as cold.
Keep Checking Your Equipment
When the cold months come around, we tend to do less work on the farm. As a result, a lot of our equipment stops being used. When this happens, it can get neglected. Can you guess what this leads to? That’s right, damaged equipment that doesn’t work when we need it again. The cold weather can cause rust and lead to problems with certain parts, etc. My advice is simple, keep checking your equipment and providing regular maintenance. Ensure everything still works fine, and that it’s protected from the weather. If you find any problems, don’t hesitate to get them fixed. There are places that sell JD parts for a lot of common farm equipment like tractors and mowers. Replace parts in the winter, and you don’t waste time when it warms up, and you need to use your stuff.
Protect Your Buildings
No doubt your farm will be made up of various buildings. You might live on your farm and have a house. Then, you should have a few barns and possibly stables too. It’s vital that any buildings are protected from the winter weather. An old wooden barn can quickly get battered by cold winds and rain. The last thing you need is damaged buildings that are leaking and causing you a problem. My top tip is to survey everything in the build up to winter. Ensure everything is in good condition, then deal with any problems you see. This may include small things like fixing cracks on the side of a barn. Or, it may call for big jobs like replacing an entire roof. Whatever it takes, makes sure your farmyard buildings are in good nick for winter.
Follow these tips and your farm will be in good condition throughout the winter. Your livestock and equipment will be safe, and your buildings will be undamaged too. Then, you’re ready to enjoy peak farming season without any nagging problems.
