Snowbound

February has seen more cold temperatures and the snow continue to pile up.  For almost 8 year old twin boys this is good news - snow days and fun outdoors in the snow.   For animals it means more time inside their shelters.  For farmers it means keeping driveways clear, greenhouses unburdened from built up snow, and maintaining an adequate wood supply.

Other projects this time of year involve continued planning for spring crops, planting seeds for starts, and sourcing of implements and materials needed for spring projects at the farm.

Some of these projects include:

Constructing and installing two cold frame boxes that will set atop our existing raised bed on the sunroom roof.

Dave has been working on the cold frames in the barn

Constructing a centralized, covered composting structure.  We have been leaving our clean out from the poultry pens in the open air and this can lead to leaching of all important nutrients into the soil prior to getting this much needed organic matter to our vegetable garden areas.

Installing the maple syrup evaporating pan on top of the stone walls built to support it above the wood fire.

Running electric fencing around our middle pasture so we can move our sheep up out of the flood plain area by late spring.

Finishing our commercial kitchen area in the barn so we can begin baking bread in our wood-fired earthen oven.

The stainless steel sinks are positioned in the kitchen area

Completing our outdoor showers

There are of course other projects, but these will be some of the first we will be tackling as soon as the weather breaks.

Until then, enjoy the photos from the farm and of two young boys immersed in all this time of year has to offer...

Your Friends at Old School Farm

Adjacent falls freezes over while water flows behind

Moss loves snow!

Al Benner takes some time to clip on the x-country skis and head into the game lands

The frozen Dyberry and old bridge at Tanner's Falls

Tanner's Falls

Open Mic night at the Cooperage in Honesdale

Coleman Benner shreds the hill

"Hoss" gets a new covering of snow

Snow Boarding - The new obsession. 

Winter Wonderland

Some deep snow for an almost 8 year old

Root crops holding up well in springhouse

Our 59 Ferguson continues to perform incredibly well at clearing our drive

Wow that's a lot of snow!

YES!

Just two days on a snowboard

Owen Benner flies by the photographer at gold medal speed

A frosty view from the office

Owen seems to have a gift with the keys

The prototype snow cave

Mom got snowed in back in Philly so here are Dad's Valentines Day dates

A dinner to remember at Trix Render's Willow River Gallery and Restaurant

Some underage drinking 

Uncas Junior guards his gals

Uncas up close and personal

High tunnel is dark and under stress from snow load

View from edge of property - bee hive in foreground - high tunnel behind

14 varieties of heirloom tomatoes on heat pads in sunroom

Future Pianist?  Owen Benner with his own composition

The roof beds under snow with icicles in foreground 

Dad moved two tons of snow to build this "Quinzee" (snow shelter) -
the central space is then dug out

Inside the quinzee

Al Benner shovels along base of high tunnel so snow load will slide off

Partially completed - Thanks to Dave Campeau for finishing the job

Getting deeper....

An "old school" winter for sure.

This post is dedicated to a true "Old School" gal - Great Grandma Sophie Cohen - shown here with her newborn Great Grandson, Owen Benner in 2006.  Sophie lived to the ripe old age of 99 and was a real classy lady and wonderful person.
She is deeply missed but will never be forgotten as she lives on in three generations... We love you and miss you Sophi!