[Hermit]

Icy cold srong winds/ sleet from the North today, I have been told it is going to be a bad winter, even worse than the last two we have had. Hope everyone is stocked up with hay etc Looks like winter is coming!

[Brucklay]

Some sheep off to you know where tomorrow (so they don't get snowed in like last year) shed full of logs cut on Sunday - pic up feed today - the sheep 'dome' is all sealled for their winter shelter - new snow boots on order - think I'm prepared but will probably find I'm not!!!

[feldar]

New woodburner goes in next week; can't wait, probably fall asleep in front of it, that's if the cat doesn't beat me to the sofa first!
Love this time of year though, prefer cold to too hot

[lachlanandmarcus]

Sunny AND sleeting here as I write! Have plenty of home made sheep hay, logs, central heating oil and grit tho think I will need more horse hay at some point (tho if we are snowed in they can have the sheep hay if necessary, it's just a bit richer than I like to give them, no wonder the sheep love it!).

Do need to get the 10 ewe lambs off to our vet tho, he has agreed to buy them to add to his flock so I need to ship them over before they get snowed in here!

[Sylvia]

A bit nippy here today in South Devon when the sun went in. A nor' westerly breeze made me put a jumper on and light the Rayburn for the first time this year and now I have the back door open and am  sweltering

[Hermit]

We have dug twice as much peat as normal so cosey tosey this winter with the price of oil and leccy and made thirty or so barrels of silage and 120 blaes of top sweet hay , harvest in and freezers full so bring it on! Winter is a real test of self sufficiency  all the preperation , preserving , freezing , drying etc is now up for testing ( generaters at the ready  for the freezers that is )

[Fowgill Farm]

Big frost overnight here in North Yorkshire, pumpkin plants all collapsed and thin layer of ice on water troughs, field tap frozen solid (must get some lagging on to it) but most beautiful sunrise and glorious blue skies now its light!
Heating on for first time last night.
Mandy 

[waterhouse]

Just finishing the insulated shed on the side of the stables to house the water supply and keep it from I freezing.  Spent lasts winter heaving buckets from indoors after all the outdoor taps froze

[northfifeduckling]

frost here, too, this morning. Good I remembered to cover my lettuces last night....it just seems so early, have to put my winter tyres on asap!

[Bionic]

It was a bit chilly here today but nothing unusual.  Now its bright sunshine.  This is one time when I am happy to have a north south divide.
Sally

[Fleecewife]

We have dug twice as much peat as normal so cosey tosey this winter with the price of oil and leccy and made thirty or so barrels of silage and 120 blaes of top sweet hay , harvest in and freezers full so bring it on! Winter is a real test of self sufficiency  all the preperation , preserving , freezing , drying etc is now up for testing ( generaters at the ready  for the freezers that is )

That is a good description.  It must be a deeply engrained human trait (and animals too of course) to get everything grown and stored ready for the winter freeze, and to feel really content and confident once that is done.  For a while we lived in a city with a supermarket a short walk away and no-one could understand why I laid up supplies for the winter.  I would rather be self-reliant there than trust that the lorries which bring supermarket stock can still make it through the snow.  I love that feeling when everything is ready and, bar warring tribesmen or the rievers setting fire to the lot ( ), we should be set for winter, however long it may drag on.
It would be great to have peat.

[Rich/Jan]

Happy Hippy - whats heat tape and where do you get it - we are in France but it still freezes pipes/hoses in winter.  Thanks.