The Dead of Winter

So often growing up I heard, in the dead of winter.  Usually the time between mid January and February this comment was made.  It was a time everything slows to only the cows being fed, milked and "drops" being cleaned twice a day.  Early morning before daylight off to the barn my dad and mom would go to get the feeding and milking done.  Way back then the milk was carried to the milk house by buckets, one in each hand.  This is called the farmer's walk.  You don't want to carry just one bucket, that would make you lop sided, two evens out the walk.  It was then poured into a large strainer atop a milk can.  Once filled my dad would lift them into the milk cooler.  Easy to see why farmers were lean, strong and hard working people.  Mom would wash the cows teats with a disinfectant.  Even back then it was important to be a clean dairy farmer.  The better milk plants only took the cleanest of farmer's milk.  Ours went to Port Allegany.  In fact when my brothers were young they hauled milk to the milk plant for farmers in the area.  Then off to the military one by one until all three had left home.  Our farm was run by mom and dad, never a hired hand.  That meant putting in hay, ensilage and oats by themselves on top of milking twice a day.  Long days, no vacations and rest only from sun down to sun up.  Now, the dead of winter was a welcome time for the farmer even getting out in the snow, cold and windy mornings at 5 am.  This was a time my dad would read or watch Gun Smoke and Raw Hide.  Mom would knit, crochet and sew trying to get as much done before Spring arrived and all the farm work that would start all over again.  As I think of all she did it amazes me how many will never know what a farmer's wife did in a day.  From meals, baking, mending, milking and cleaning.  How would the modern woman ever be able to do all this?  Can you imagine never having time to get on the Internet?  Just work and be glad you can and have what you have. 

My mom was proud of her clean house and all she could do.  Not once did I ever hear her complain.  Oh, I take that back!   She would get upset that I didn't take better care of my room.  Looking back I know why, she grew up POOR.  I mean poor, back then no free things, a man worked at what he could and that was what the family lived on.  My grandfather came from Germany at a very young age,  When old enough he worked in the Glass Factories from Ohio to southern PA and finally ending up at one in Shinglehouse.  Poor.  In fact if you want to know how poor some people were, google The Poor Houses in our area.  If they were lucky enough to get into one.  Life is what we make it, enjoy it or change it. 

Alright back to the dead of winter.  Around Cook'n by the Creek we try to keep busy, take breaks to read, check out what is new on the Internet, me knit and Dick build a few things.  He is in the basement working on a pull cabinet to go between the frig and stove at the cabin.  It is only 10 inches wide and will be on wheels so I can pull it out.  This is where I will store all of my spices, oils and types of vinegar.  Next he is building a cabinet for under the frig that will have a drawer and be used for potatoes and onions.  Finally open shelves for over the sink for what ever I decide will look best.  Every little space will have a purpose at the cabin/house.  We are still planning on selling our house and moving to the cabin.  Kind of exciting to plan the next phase of our life. 

Last but not forgotten our deer and bunny friends.  They get fed twice a day now.  Usually the deer have been coming late afternoon or after dark.  We keep a trail camera on to make sure coyotes aren't hanging around.  So far none.  We do hear them occasionally barking and yipping.  It is breeding season so we will be hearing quite a bit from them.  The deer came down at 11:30 am today during the worst part of the storm, stayed quite a while eating and then off they ran to the woods.  One lone guy stopped by about 4:30.  He got the gourmet meal.  Dick had just refilled with feed and corn but the treat was chopped up butternut squash!  The deer love it and we have quite a few left in the cellar from the garden.  Once a week Dick chops up one for them.  We have decided next spring we will be planting squash and pumpkins for winter feed for the deer.

Happy to feed the deer and bunnies.  Our entertainment in the dead of winter.

Even only being January we are already talking garden among other things.  I am hoping to stick to our plan and cut back this year.  We plant way to much and give more than we use away. Except for the potatoes, corn and squash.  I will still plant enough to give to my niece and daughter.  Gardens are had work, especially is a 4 week span of ......WEEDS!  For some reason they grown out of control for about 4 weeks, once the garden plants get big enough then the weeds get choked out.  Seed catalogues have arrived daily, fun to look at but I like to buy locally.  Dickerson's at Riverside in Wellsville have a great variety of everything we need.