Storm Damage

Here in Huntington, trees came down and power went off but other than concern about frozen and refrigerated items spoiling, the worst part was discomfort because we have gotten so used to air conditioning. Through the magic imparted by iPhones, contact was maintained throughout the stricken area and here are insights and concerns from farms that were affected.
Yesterday we had a bad day on the farm. Of course the heat has been unbearable. The animals have survived until now. I guess they didn’t have the fortitude to continue on. Several of the pastured poultry that were just right to process died in the heat. This equated to roughly $150 loss at market price. They had plenty of water and shade but the heat was just like a desert blast.

No power here on the farm but thankfully no significant damage from Friday’s storms. And the generator is running the freezers.

We have nothin’ and won’t have nothin’ for a good long time to come. Firewood! We now have lots of firewood!!
There are two things I’ve learned today, not having power. 1) I will never be Amish, lol. 2) The 100 degree heat is good for something….hang-drying clothes quickly.

Yep generators in my future.
This heat is sure enough hard on the poultry. We’ve lost 2 hens and one turkey the past two days. Let’s pray for cooler weather and some gentle rain!
Lots of trees down. Huge tree down at the stone house snapped the lines going to the house. Trees down here on the hill, lots of damage 😦 some chicks blown away… Caught several! The others ran back and got back in chick pen to safety. Everyone else is hunkered down for a long night of either rain or cleanup!
Then the severe storm came, blowing away with tornado-like winds. The back-gusts from the reverse direction caused the most damage. I place most of my pens, coops and structures in a way to shelter it from the west and north. When the wind came through first from the west and a moment later we got a back blast from the east, it blew lids off of the chicken tractor and roof coverings off of the coop as well as blowing over my entire crop of tomatoes and peppers. They aren’t just leaning over. They are broken at the ground. I had invested heavily this year (for our little operation) in heirlooms and they were loaded with green tomatoes that I have been eying for days with anticipation. Estimating many would be ready with the opening of the Wild Ramp local market. I guess my chances of getting a payback this year are shot. I am sure many other local farmers have suffered similar. This is one of the factors that play into the cost of food, especially good food.
Sittin at the only gas station open for miles and thanking God all my family is safe. The girls and i hunkered down in the cellar we saw a tornado go through our backyard things are destroyed trees down and it tore up our hay trailer tore out fence bent our gates….tore everything off the deck ripped the shingles off our small barn….just too much damage and still looking for our cattle. But praise the Lord my family is safe!
Quick update for my family…we r all at home, no electric no phone now generator not working for freezers so now hundreds of dollars of beef chicken and pork in danger of losing. But thanking God my family is safe and YES the girls and i saw a tornado go through our farm. Still looking for our cattle.