Tools and Water and Such

I t's 12 degrees, with 40 mph gusts and occasional snowflakes. It's a nasty day. One of the most important things in weather like this is, to keep water available to all livestock. I make 3 trips in a day to break ice off troughs, and to carry fresh water to the hens. There are no days off on any size farm. 

 I split wood with a maul, and a wedge. I do use a chainsaw to cut logs to stove length, but I try to keep machinery to a minimum. It

cuts down on shop time. I split wood just about every morning, for about 30 minutes, and by the end of winter, I have next years firewood stacked and ready. 

What you see here, if you use it frugally, can get you about two weeks in a stove, or longer if you get some help from Mother Nature.