Weeks review in pictures.

While eating my breakfast last sunday morning I caught the weather forecast. A blizzard with snow in excess of one foot. Thats bad, real bad. Immediately we started preparing as forecast said it would hit tuesday AM. We were ready when the storm set in at high noon tuesday. We were eating dinner in town and nick looked outside and told us it was begining.



Nick snapped this pic as I fed the feedlot calves about 4 pm tuesday. We had 7 inches of snow at this point. We had on purpose waited as long as possible to do chores.


I walked out the door at 6:45am wednesday and this is what I found. We had 18 inhes of snow and a night of high winds had left most of the township snowbound.


With the loader tractor and snowblower I began to push and blow my way out of the farmstead and onto the county road so we could get around to the other side of the farms stead and at least get the calves fed. Havent seen this much snow on this road since 1979.




I got things opened up so nick could make it to the farm and we got the calves here at home fed. We ate dinner here at the house and watched and waited for the snow plows to open the roads. I finally couldnt take it anymore. About 1:45 we loaded the mixer and headed out.


I knew our normal route was closed but I figured we could find or make our own path. Away we went with the nick leading the way with the loader tractor and me in close pursuit with the mixer. We took the long way around and went up to IL state rt 116 for a little ways but we got to the Higgs farm. Biggest problem we had was I dove out into this snowdrift not knowing how deep it was, well, I got out.


Nick was nice enought to make it alot easier for me to get back out of the field. We have two snowblowers and I dont know what we would have done without them this week.


This is the Trivoi township highway commishioner, also my dad, preparing to open the last unpassable road in the township, yes, the road past my house. Just aint right is it!


Recoginze this guy kruser?? Give you a hint, he likes to drive big red trucks and oliver 80s. Travis and my dad opened 34 miles of rural roads with that grader and truck and almost got in the shed before dark and it doesnt look like any of it was easy going.

This is the biggest snow we have had in many years. We ran both snowblowers all afternoon and have along ways to go yet. Snow everywhere and its deep. Peoria county got thier last road out here open this afternoon. There are still many roads that are one lane in places Looks like most people are dug out enought to function now. Tomorrow I hope we can get the rest of the snow moved around the buildings and lots. Still need to go help a couple neighbors with some snow removal. Maybe we can get things caught up enough to take time to watch a football game on sunday!


Almost forgot, wrigley says hey! He has been with us every step of the way and it totaly wore out! Sleeping on the floor currently.
bill

Thanks Bill for the updates.....thats really nice that you took those pics and wrote the book, lol.

Nice pictures, but 12" of snow??? thats like a dusting around here. There has been times we have had 2-3' during a snow fall, that is "real bad". Unless your not used to getting that much snow out there. With that big green loader/snowblower tractor you have, clean-up should be easy! Weres Wrigley? Did he sit this one out, and stay in buy the stove? lol

Thank you for the nice pictures , Bill. We enjoy looking at them , as we are retired northern Ill grain farmers now living in central OK. We like all of the pictures that you post . clint

bill i think most of the state north of peoria got 12 to 18 inches snow with wind gusts up to 70 mph things got pretty tough. some roads were still closed late this morning.
jay 8 to 10 inches of snow is a big snow most times we aren"t used to 10 inches plus.

were are you guys located?

were are you guys located?

Took these on Wed. after the wind quit. Nothing like the storm in the midwest and other areas.It was a big snow for central Ok.,About 12 " here . Still had to be moved.

Thanks for the update, Bill. All we got here around Lapel is 2-3" of solid ICE !Only a few inches of sleet and snow. Think I would rather had the snow. At least we can move that. Going to be a mess when it melts. Lots of ice dams on the roofs to deal with when it starts to melt.

Nice pictures. Now I know what I have been hearing in the news. Tonight in Louisiana we are getting a sizable amount of freezing rain. Bridges are closed, trees are loading up, could be bad.

CT

Wrigley was keeping the stove warm for ya huh?

Nice pics.

Dave

Great pictures. You guys are TOUGH!! I have never had to go through what you are putting up with, We are breaking low temp. records that have stood for 60-70 years but no snow. You have my greatest respect.

Nice looking tractor you got there Clint.

Thanks for the pics Bill. Glad you're getting a handle on things. Gerard

We are not used to getting 18 inches of snow at a time. Over a year we get quite a bit of snow but it normally comes 2-4 inches at a time then blows around a bit and we move on. There have been time we got 10-12 inches and no wind and that wasnt any big deal. The combination of wind and snow this time left huge amounts of snow where you didnt want it in around the buildings and out in the open, virtually bare ground so it has been time consuming moving the unwanted drifts. Yes, WE are equipped very well to handle even this snow. Very very few other people around here are. Alot of people who live out here in the country and commute to work have little more than a snow shovel to clear their path. They rely on the generosity of others to help them and with this snow. So this was a big snow event for central IL.
bill

It wasn't the depth of snow that was the problem, it was the depth and 40 mph winds together that was the problem.

Ya I understand, I know how the wind drifts and makes a bigger bank. I dident realize were he was from, I thought Bill was used to getting more snow at one time than that.

yeah I'm glad we don't get it like this all the time thats for sure

Nice pictures Bill, love seeing green machines working. Good luck with your daily adventures.
Pet wrigley for me.

GOOD pictures bill,

1) Kinda think that Travis is multi-talented.

2) Nick giving your Dad the "Snow Cannon" as he went by?

3) Can't blame this one on you - pretty sure the wind and snow weren't coming from your direction!

4) Sure would be nice to have tractor with a cab - gave up and wore my snowmobile helmet Tuesday night so I could mark the drive. Was afraid it would cover up my 14" tile flags! .

5) Pretty sure I planted a few rocks moving snow - hope the wife "harvests" them this spring. Too deep to blade so had to bucket and dump and then finish up with the blade.

6) Pretty sure I buried that rodent. So SPRING has to be around the corner - Don't it?

Say hey to Wrigley and the Travis boys - We'll catch up with you one of these days.

Jim