The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: funkyfish on August 14, 2013, 08:20:31 am
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Whilst the weather is nice at the moment, I'm sure it will turn and be wet and miserable again soon...
So I've been digging out my winter kit to check it over and replace if necessary. I invested in a full length water proof coat to save the legs from soaking, I lived in water proofs but they always seemed to have a tear at the back of the leg or somewhere and let the water in. I'd like a balaclava as I always get a very cold nose, but cant breath with a scarf or neck gaiter over my face.
Wish list- winter tyres for car (front only or all 4??), Good waterproof trousers that don't tear or wear through the knees after a week (but still under £30), Sealskin gloves to keep hands dry and warm, balaclava and a bigger flask for hot drink on way to work after the field.
Does anyone else have any favourite winter must haves?
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A bright pink balaclava. Dont know where I got it but it is chunky knit two layers and so warm.
Waterproof trousers a must. And wellies -at the moment I love my 'Muddies' neoprene lined full length rubber. So comfy and warm.
Im yet to find gloves that are fit for purpose ::)
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One of the best bits of advice I can give is.
Buy decent socks, not cheap ones. Nothing worse than socks that end up in the toes of your boots.
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'Dickies' do 'flexothane' waterproofs.
As a vet, I have found over years of lambing/veterinary work, these are the only ones that have survived more than about 5 minutes without getting tears, which seem to run faster than ladders in tights!
The flexothane is slightly stretchy, so i think it can catch and spring back without tearing holes or something, and if washed in the machine at only 30C with no powder, the waterproofing lives on!
Hope that helps
Suzanne
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Its funny there was a definite nip in the air the last two mornings and my mind turned to the forthcoming winter, i too have invested in a new long coat and i want some good waterproof gloves. I find a wooly hat and a hoodie as good as anything for keeping the head warm and chills from the neck.
The suns out now so putting all these brr thoughts away for the time being.
Mandy :pig:
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I noticed an autumnal feel when out last night, so much I am wearing a brown outfit with a rusty coloured cardi.
I hate stuff over my nose too, I am not keen on hats but it did take me ages to find a waterproof one with a peak and flaps that I can put my hood up over to keep it in place as when I do wear a hat its usually windy and cold, anyway, I found mine in the men's department of a store, seems I like men's outwear stuff better than women's!! I too want a new outdoor coat, I got very good Tuffa boots last year with fleece lining, trouble is the fleece ripped and I actually got my foot stuck in my boot, they were quite a price too for me, but otherwise I love them. Ideal for dog walking and logging and foraging all year round!! I also prefer layers, long sleeve tee shirt of brushed cotton shirt (mens again as they are longer) then a thin jumper, then a thick jumper of fleece then coat and on my legs just anything stretchy as I do not work on the land other than on shoots and training, I do not get too cold......then of course a nice large scarf that can wrap around my neck, I usually prefer cloth scarfs that I can hold my hat on with too.....anyway, my outfits usually depend on what's going in charity shops :innocent:
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yes you re right the highlands will be in Autumn in 3 weeks the robins are back in there new coats iv looked at the wether and it not good for the week end then it will pic up for a fuew days that gape will get the harvest in no doubt . August looks good and there is the chance of a fine and warm bank holiday weekend. back to the post fleece jackits love them e bay second hand very strong good makes £6 to £8 .
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Victorian Farmer you are always spot on with the weather :thumbsup: , I love a nice cuddly fleece too...no need to pay a fortune they are just as good when they are pre loved :thumbsup:
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My must have has got to be a damned good fire to come into and red hot water for a nice soak in the bath at the end of the day.
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My must have has got to be a damned good fire to come into and red hot water for a nice soak in the bath at the end of the day.
:thumbsup: , we are busy stocking up on logs, we are running out of storage space!
I love the idea of a nice hot soak at night but as we have lodgers who use the bathroom I do not feel that I can take a soak and have them all forming a que for a wee!
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Great ideas! Thanks! :)
I wondered where the LA vets got their waterproofs from, will look them up. Its been many years since I was in mixed practice, had almost forgotten the smell of calving gowns and waterproofs left int the back of the car all weekend in the summer... And me having to wash them! :tired:
Anyone found water proof glover that are water proof, or just don't freeze your hands when they get wet? Are neoprene ones any good?
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Great ideas! Thanks! :)
I wondered where the LA vets got their waterproofs from, will look them up. Its been many years since I was in mixed practice, had almost forgotten the smell of calving gowns and waterproofs left int the back of the car all weekend in the summer... And me having to wash them! :tired:
Anyone found water proof glover that are water proof, or just don't freeze your hands when they get wet? Are neoprene ones any good?
You need the Sealskinz waterproof ones, they will keep them Both warm and dry. about £30-35
Neoprene alone will stop your hands getting so cold but they will still be wet,
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I just got a very posh Seeland jacket with zippy-in fleece lining.
£10, Mencap, apparently brought in this morning. :thumbsup:
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Anyone found water proof glover that are water proof, or just don't freeze your hands when they get wet? Are neoprene ones any good?
I love seeland gloves!
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just got a very posh Seeland jacket with zippy-in fleece lining.
£10, Mencap, apparently brought in this morning
::) envey.................I sometimes get a good coat but my layer of winter proofing fat makes the choice a bit less.....sadly
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My must have has got to be a damned good fire to come into and red hot water for a nice soak in the bath at the end of the day.
:thumbsup: , we are busy stocking up on logs, we are running out of storage space!
I love the idea of a nice hot soak at night but as we have lodgers who use the bathroom I do not feel that I can take a soak and have them all forming a que for a wee!
I'd tell them to p*** off ! :excited:
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What you need are hot flushes - I'm never cold ::)
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Lol rosemary! :-)
I'm hypothyroid so I'm always cold! My thyroid is not happy at the moment, have upped my dose but won't feel well for a few more weeks. .. hopefully before the weather gets cold! I need double the layers to stay warm.
Will def invest in sealskinz they look fab!
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High pressure looks like building next week and the prospects for the the last third of August look very good with a lot of fine and warm weather which could stay with us for the bank holiday weekend.
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woo hoo thanks VF!
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Good quality, non-scratchy (but hopefully still wool) thermal underwear... saw a pair in Tiso's, but it was reduced :o to 35 quid... Is that how much you pay for good quality long johns nowadays?
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On my budget even those prices are not in my budget, I can't imagine paying £35 for anything to wear for myself these days :o
I had a couple trees taken down after last winter damaged roots, so they wouldn't fall on the house or hens, paid in 2/3 of the wood so have a smaller stack than usual but it's stacked and ready and it was better than finding money to pay someone. I am looking at a couple of others wondering if I should have had them down too before any high winds, but they'd not season in time - may still be worthwhile for peace of mind tho..
My farmer (Dunlop?) wellies at £12 are heading into a third winter undamaged, the coats aren't that waterproof now but I have kept the older zipless one as a spare, and when I save up for waterproofs to step into like my vets I know now where to find them, so thanks :)
I've got a supply of oat straw to supplement the rather too nice hay so the fatties don't explode eating it ad lib, my preparations are more how to deal with the ones that need a little more but are mixed with ones that don't, how to arrange supplementary feeding rotas for the different field combinations, that kind of thing. And mental preparation for the return of deep mud, which I find particularly challenging..
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What you need are hot flushes - I'm never cold (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/Smileys/default/rolleyes.gif)
but then you cannot summon them up when needed....mind you, I only get cold sitting around, when walking the dogs I often get too hot and steamy.....I hate wearing hats.........I have given up caring what I look like in a hat but they either fall over my eyes or pop off!! I get more concerned about slipping in either mud or ice...good soles are my priority and lots of layers!!
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Good quality, non-scratchy (but hopefully still wool) thermal underwear... saw a pair in Tiso's, but it was reduced :o to 35 quid... Is that how much you pay for good quality long johns nowadays?
Lidl do much cheaper ones at times - depends on how sensitive your skin is; I'm fine with them. Mostly wool/angora. Lived in them last winter, day and night!
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And if you keep your eyes open at Aldi, you can get good ski underwear/hats/gloves/socks at reasonable prices.
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I've been preparing for next winter since the end of the last one. Like most people, I love getting something for nothing and this is especially so when it comes to getting fuel in to see us through the oncoming cold weather. I have a couple of sources for wooden pallets and I manage to get some most weeks. Here are some pictures of my stash and I'm still adding to it.
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb334/kcooper2011/018-2.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kcooper2011/media/018-2.jpg.html)
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb334/kcooper2011/003-6.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kcooper2011/media/003-6.jpg.html)
The electric saw soon makes them woodburner size.
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woooow Bodger, I love playing with pallets, I so want to build a shed or something with them, we collected a load that were nice and clean too but build log stores out of them, some in the garage and some in the garden, all self supporting!!! I have pallet envey ;D
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Well its nice to see that others are as planned as us, we have 3 baskets of logs by the fire 2 days ago, bought new willies in the summer sale, I use sealskin socks (brilliant), I wrote a list of jobs to do prior to end September and I started them yesterday, just bought 2 more roles of insulation.
We too get pallets but we do have lots of tree cuttings that are 10mm to 100mm
I need to find a way to cut them up quicker though (any suggestions) as we also supply a couple of our lodge guests with wood as well so we used about 10 cubic metres last winter.
I have 8 cubes cut with another 4 not cut up yet, I will buy in 2 cubes of large oak to mix with my small stuff.
Bodger whats this electric saw you use ?
We also made paper briquettes last winter I thought they were rubbish wife liked them.
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Thermal socks and long vest ABD layers that I can pull of quickly when i come in and the fire is bashing it out.
Wellies when wet but snow boots when its dry and cold make a fantastic difference.
I must have a scarf otherwise I feel cold all thru.
It is very rare that I use gloves - odd really.
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First word second line? I hope that's a slip of the tongue. :innocent:
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;D Just spotted it!!!!
Thanks for the good ideas everyone!
I have pallet envy!!! I want to make a hay store (only need a few bales put by) and a sheep house with enclosure incase it gets very snowy and for lambing etc. I need about 20, I will have to take them up one at a time as not much room in my Kangoo so it may take a while....
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I use pallets to build manure heaps. They're just the right size.
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We use Muck Boots or Nora Max or Bekina Agrilite - no need for socks. Trapper hats, like a baseball cap with low back and ear flaps are brilliant - warm and secure and stop the rain lashing into your eyes. I wear thinsulate gloves under heavy duty black rubber gloves for most tasks - keep your hands dry and warm unless the temperature really plummets. Always seems to be the right hand glove that gets a hole in it first, though, so I have any extensive collection of left rubber gloves.
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Yep wellies, but made you chuckle,
Come on any ideas for cutting my thinner stuff up ??
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Bodger - have you seen the pallett stripper? We got one on line and Chris strips the all down and I cut them up for various building projects. We never burn them though and beware of the nails..
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the pallet stripper looks good, more work to do
on line £70 something similar at screwfix £20
Off to get one at 7am
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The leaves on the trees in our area started turning yellow on Sunday (or at least that's when I noticed them) so autumn is here!
Insulated boiler suit, so good that Mrs OW (perhaps should be referred to as Primrose if you ever read Oor Wullie books) required that I buy her a set.