# Sandy is coming!!!!



## 20kidsonhill (Oct 26, 2012)

I thought we should start a thread about the weather getting ready to hit the East coast. We are in the Valley in VA, and there is not enough information yet, but they are saying it could be terrible with inches and inches of rain, maybe even ice and snow, or hardly nothing at all.  We are expected to start getting some rain on Monday into Tuesday from the system. 

We are preparing by getting the shelters more secured for the wind, some of our goats are in polydome nursery huts for shelter. We are not in a flood zone. Our biggest concern will be keepign the does warm and dry and fed. And we loose our power easily, so we will be filling up our gas cans and vehicles so we have plenty of gas for our generator. 

What are you all doing to get ready.  

and as you are impacted by the storm, please share your photos and stories here.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 26, 2012)

Luckily in Ohio we are just expecting windy conditions and some rain possibly mixed with snow. I had already taken care of getting my barn ready for winter since I have kids being born in about a week and wanted to be sure there were no drafts. Hopefully it won't be as bad as they are predicting.


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## Alice Acres (Oct 26, 2012)

Take care, coastal people! Hope it stays out in the Atlantic as much as possible. 

Here in Minnesota - no effect. It was 32F this morning when I was out...and supposed to be colder tomorrow. Not really too new, as we have been in the 20's several mornings already the last few weeks.


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## aggieterpkatie (Oct 26, 2012)

I'm on the Delmarva Penninsula and it looks like it may head right for us.  I really don't want all that rain.    We're going to be making sure we have enough water stored.  I'll move a lot of hay into the barn (I have a roundbale out under a tarp right now) to keep it dry.  May put a tarp around the rabbit frame (where the cages hang), and I'm going to try to get the sides back on the sheep/goat shelter (they're off for summer) before then.  If it is supposed to get too bad, I'll cram all the sheep and goats into the barn for a couple days so I won't have to go out and feed them in the weather.  Well, I'll still have to walk to the barn, but I can handle that.


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## Pearce Pastures (Oct 26, 2012)

I hope and pray all in the path stay safe.


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## Southern by choice (Oct 26, 2012)

I don't want Sandy to hit the way they expect but....

I have family in the north and I think a bunch of them are going to head down my way! sooo...

    

Every time we make the offer they say "nah it won't be too bad", then they have no power, snowed in etc for7-10 days. 
They are all city folk so they go mad stayin' in!


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## Bridgemoof (Oct 26, 2012)

We are in Northern Virginia and if it hits as expected we will get blasted for sure. Today we put an extra tarp over the sheep shelter. Tomorrow we have to bring the goats up from the creek for sure! Tim may be building a shelter for them as well. We are going to get out some extra water troughs and fill them. After the last disaster, the storm that hit in July with temps in the high 90s, we had no power and no water for FIVE days! That was awful. Everybody else has shelter, all the horses, other sheep and goats up at the barn, chickens, etc. I worry most about wind and flying tree branches and lightning. Eeeek!

As I am writing this, Tim just saw a posting on Craiglist...Horse Evacuation Boarding. Someone locally is leasing out stalls for horses for $40 PER DAY if they need emergency boarding. Talk about capitalizing on SANDY.


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## 20kidsonhill (Oct 26, 2012)

If anyone needs to relocate and is willing to come as far as the valley in VA, we are able to provide some boarding of goats/sheep and we wont capatalize, it is for free.  

Bridgemoof: We got slammed by that July storm as well. We lost 15 trees on our 6 acres and had no power for 4 days. We had fence lines down everywhere. I had the stomach flu Thursday into Friday and then spent Friday night up dealing with the storm and Saturday and Sunday picking up branches and cherrry tree limbs, fixing fence lines  in 90 plus degree temps. We did have a small generator to pump water and run a fan in the house and a fridgerator and a light bulb.  and we were able to go into town for supplies. We still have several trees down from that storm that we are planning on cleaning up this fall and winter. Might have a couple more after this week.


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## Cricket (Oct 27, 2012)

In northern Vermont, we're getting high wind warnings and will probably lose power, but they seem to be backing off on the rain.  Irene was enough for a few years!  We have a gravity feed spring, so we have water even with no power.  We limped along for a few months with this summer's drought and everyone thought we were nuts for not drilling a well. It's worth it at times like this!  My husband's welder acts as a generator and he has put it on a small trailer.  Good luck to everyone on the coast! 

I can't imagine charging someone in need 40. a day for boarding a horse!


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## Royd Wood (Oct 27, 2012)

We hve been warned to expect no power and trees down - yes in Canada - Southern Ontario. They are saying the hurricane is going to clash with an Alberta clipper and turn into Frankinstorm. We are so not ready for this as we have just had 30 hours of torrential rain from the Alberta Clipper which is on its way to New York and clash with Sandy then come back.
Pulled all the piglets from the woods today and got the christmas turkeys up from the pasture which was flooded, cattle are back up at the farm and will pull the sheep tomorrow.

Good luck everyone and be careful out there


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## bonbean01 (Oct 27, 2012)

Royd, not sure how close you are to London, Ontario where my son lives.  And really hope everyone stays safe!!!!

When we lived on the coast on Florida and hurricanes were on the way and we know power outtages were a certainty...we made sure we had plenty of drinking water stored, any prescriptions filled early, full tank of gas in the car, batteries for the flashlights, boarded up our windows, lots of canned foods and of course since I'm a coffee addict, put put on lots of coffee pots and put it in containers to freeze...lots of ice in every cooler, and filled the bathtub in case the water stoppped and we could use that to flush toilets.

Had backpacks with change of clothes and lots of bagged dog food...didn't have any livestock then...can only imagine the extra preparation for people with livestock.

Stay safe everyone!!!!!


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## Royd Wood (Oct 28, 2012)

Hard to tell bonbean as it keeps changing but currently its going to miss London and just to the right hand side of Niagara Falls (thats us). Current path - cat 1 storm 75mph winds as it comes ashore somewhere south of New York poss Pennsylvania then plough through PA and NY states up between Buffalo and Rochester and into us - winds will only be 45mph but torrential rain. No doubt the predicted path will change again.
Who else is in its path ????


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## SheepGirl (Oct 28, 2012)

We're supposed to be hit hard tomorrow afternoon/evening.

Today at work we took everything down and put it all away so it won't blow away in the wind. While I was at work, my family did that here at our house and my mom got the roof and a half wall screwed on my sheep shack. (Thanks, mom ) I just went out and put my sheep in their shelter because it's already raining, but they were laying out in the rain with their ears drooping. So I took 5 lbs of hay and put it in their shelter for them and then I got the grain bucket with a handful of grain to bring them in there. They decided it was drier in there and even though only one sheep is eating the hay, they're all staying in 

I'm glad we got the roof secured. Even though it's heavy sheets of plywood, we've had wind strong enough to take the plywood off  ...so I could only imagine what this "Frankenstorm" would've done to it.

I'm so NOT looking forward to the next couple of days... :/


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## Royd Wood (Oct 28, 2012)

SheepGirl said:
			
		

> We're supposed to be hit hard tomorrow afternoon/evening.
> I'm so NOT looking forward to the next couple of days... :/


Yes you are right in range

Heres a link to a very good global map with storm paths http://hosted.ap.org/interactives/2011/storm-tracker/  Give it a try and no viruses


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## RemudaOne (Oct 28, 2012)

Thoughts are with you all as this storm approaches. Please keep us all posted as I know all of us will be worried and wondering. God bless.


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## 20kidsonhill (Oct 29, 2012)

As of this morning we have light winds (15 miles per hour) and steady sprinkles. Many schools are cancelled for the next two days.  
We cleaned gutters yesterday,
put our generator out and made a little house around it with plywood, ran all our extension cords for the refrigerator and well pump, ect...
Fed the goats extra the last two days, their bellies are full of hay, They had been on pasture for the most part. 
barn is closed up tight.(except one small door for the goats to go in and out of). Although not all goats are in the barn, some are in the pastures and are staying in calf huts bedded with straw. 
got extra groceries
cleaned in the house and got most the laundry done, so if we are without power for several days we will have clean clothes. 

Made a big pot of speghetti and several batches of popcorn to munch on over the next couple of days. We will beable to hook our microwave up to the generator. 

I will have anywhere between 3 and 6 or 7 kids here to feed and tend to, Not goats, Children. 3 dogs, 3 cats, 3 rabbits, and 30 some goats. Keeping them fed and warm will be a job in high winds and heavy rain. 

We did some work on the rabbit hutch, It sits outside and there were a couple areas that were needing some repairs.  

So far pretty uneventful for us. I am not complaining. 

praying for everyone on the coast and inland who will be in the path.


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## Pearce Pastures (Oct 29, 2012)

Stay safe all.


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Oct 29, 2012)

Hoping that we all will be safe and sound.


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## 20kidsonhill (Oct 29, 2012)

We have been updated from 2 to 4" of rain to 5" to 10" of rain, they increased our wind speads slightly and also issued a winter storm advisory and Blizzard warning for the valley and our county. 
This should be lots of fun.  

Hope everyone is staying safe.


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## terrilhb (Oct 29, 2012)

Everyone please be safe and take care of yourselves and your animals. Please check in so everyone knows you are all ok. You are all in my prayers.


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## aggieterpkatie (Oct 29, 2012)

Nothing major here (IMO).  It's really windy and rainy.  Most of the animals are in the barn.  We still have power. I made 3 batches of soap this morning while we still had power. Now I'm just sitting around wondering what to do next.    Work is cancelled today and tomorrow.


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## jodief100 (Oct 29, 2012)

Keep in touch!   Our thoughts are with you.


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## Bridgemoof (Oct 29, 2012)

Things are noticeably picking up here! It has been raining all day and the wind gusts have picked up. All of the animals have shelter, but some of them are too stupid to go under it  Things are starting to really blow around now.

The biggest thing is our creek is already up to the bottom rail of the fence on the bottom paddock. OMG, we may have to move the horses up soon, if it continues to rise, which it will, it will flood the bottom paddocks. I'm not sure what Tim's plan is for moving the horses, because there is no room in the barn or in the other paddocks that have shelter. If we move them up to the higher paddocks where the goats are, they won't have cover. But I guess that's better than drowning! Whatever it involves, I'm sure it will involve us getting on tons of rain gear and doing it at night with flashlights with tons of wind. Because that's how Tim rolls. 

But the good news is we still have power!


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## Royd Wood (Oct 29, 2012)

3 days of solid rain here so we're flooded out - pulled pigs from the woods and sheep, horses and turkeys are also in. Cattle are just munching on the hay oblivious to all the fuss.
Sandy is now pushing the 3 day rainfall back over us and the wind is getting noisy.
Its reporting 90 mph winds as it comes ashore


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## bonbean01 (Oct 29, 2012)

Stay safe everyone...sending prayers and hope you can check in here when able!!!!


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## Royd Wood (Oct 29, 2012)

Went to TSC for some bits and customers were almost fighting over the remaining sump pumps and generators - dont think it will be that bad here but looks nasty south of New York


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## Pearce Pastures (Oct 29, 2012)

Whoa, batten down the hatches!  I sure hope everyone in the actual path of the storm is safe and secure.  I just had to drag in the grill, sandbox, and a bunch of other stuff and tie the barn doors closed because they keep getting sucked open.   And the winds here are just in the 40-50mph range.  

Wish there was a way for us to help more with our BYHers who are being pounded with this storm.


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Oct 30, 2012)

Haven't been on in a couple months. Life got crazy. Glad people are ok in the storm. Lots of power outages in our area but so far so good.  We had a doeling born yesterday in the thick of it. Calling her Sandy.


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## 20kidsonhill (Oct 30, 2012)

We are still under a high wind advisory all day today and a blizzard warning until 2pm, but we didn't get anything, maybe 2 inches of rain total, a few snow flurries last night, but no accumulation and not much wind. It went just far enough North of us that the mountains sheilded us.  An hour north of us in the Valley there is major river flooding, but not a lot of wind damage.  The  higher elevations do have snow. 

I have not had one political phone call since saturday evening, we were getting 6 to 8 a day.  I would have been very very disappointed if my phone range yesterday about politics, when they should all be dealing with the issues from the storm.  They did not leave me down.  

Praying for everyone that was in the path or still are in the path.


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## daisychick (Oct 30, 2012)

I was wondering if you were in the path of the crazy snow storm they predicted to happen after the hurricane.   I heard that parts of West Virginia could get 3 FEET of snow!     Glad you have missed all the bad weather so far.


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## 20kidsonhill (Oct 30, 2012)

daisychick said:
			
		

> I was wondering if you were in the path of the crazy snow storm they predicted to happen after the hurricane.   I heard that parts of West Virginia could get 3 FEET of snow!     Glad you have missed all the bad weather so far.


We are 30 minute drive from the west VA, border. Which is of course on mountain ridge, so they are probably getting snow. 
Neener is probably getting snow right now. maybe out of power. I know her internet doesn't always work the best I haven't seen her on-line.


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Oct 30, 2012)

We had high winds and minimal rain overnight.  Lost power at 4:30pm yesterday and got it back at about 10:30am today.  One tree on our cows electirc fence and one part of the chicken run, so those had to be fixed asap.  Then we had one turkey that we had to put down.  We aren't sure if she got trampled or what happened.  She was the smallest, probably 25lbs live weight.  She was all muddied, pushed up against the wall and waterer with head all beat up.  She was still alive, but one eye missing.  We were going to butcher them all next weekend so we did her this morning instead.


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## SkyWarrior (Oct 30, 2012)

SuburbanFarmChic said:
			
		

> Haven't been on in a couple months. Life got crazy. Glad people are ok in the storm. Lots of power outages in our area but so far so good.  We had a doeling born yesterday in the thick of it. Calling her Sandy.


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## neener92 (Oct 30, 2012)

We got some rain yesterday morning then it started snowing.  Wind picked up and so did the snow, power went out about 11 last night and didn't come back on (that I know of) till around 11 this morning. Power went back out around 1 this afternoon and still isn't back on. We do have a generator so that helps! Critters are all cuddled in the barns, sheep cuddling with the cows and chickens cuddling with the goats. Last night when the power went out we had chicks hatching...yep, you see that right! My stupid silkie chicken wouldn't stop sitting til I let her hatch out some chicks, she and her three chicks out of 6 eggs are sitting in the dinning room keeping warm. Stupid bird! haha!


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## Bridgemoof (Oct 30, 2012)

Just checking in to say we're okay. No power or
water still. The creek flooded our lower paddocks very badly. We thought we lost a horse in the creek but we found him at neighbors farm this morning. It was a rough night indeed with 8 inches of rain overnight and 65 miles per hour wind all night. Whew! Will post pictures when the power comes back on. A lot of our fencing along the stream is gone so we will have a lot of work to do. Luckily all if our animals are accounted for and safe. Hope everybody else is safe!

Bridge


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## bonbean01 (Oct 30, 2012)

Thanks for checking in folks...was sending prayers for you all...Bridge, sounds like you have so much work to do to get back to normal...wish you were closer...I'd help!

Neener...your silkie and chicks are in your dining room???  LOLOL....you are as bad as me!

Glad you are all safe!!!!


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## SheepGirl (Oct 30, 2012)

26 hrs and counting with no power...which means no water either :/

Things really picked up at about 8 pm last night and all you could hear is wind & rain up until 3 or 4 in the morning. I was watching the sheep and the darn critters were out in the hurricane the ENTIRE time.  I went out this morning to check on them and they were SOAKING wet. The ground is saturated and you know when you can step on the ground and water comes gushing out? Here you don't even have to step on the ground for the water to come out. It's just sitting there...and we live on top of a hill so I can only imagine what the bottom looks like--I haven't gone down to check.

We went out to eat today so we could have a hot meal and all the rivers we cross to get to downtown have completely flooded into the road. Our house is about 50* and we are all cuddled up in our blankets, trying to stay warm 

We only lost some shingles, but my neighbor lost the top half of her tree. Otherwise no damage.


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## Pearce Pastures (Oct 30, 2012)

I sure hope you get some heat/power soon SheepGirl.  That is pretty chilly!  Glad for no serious damage.

And Bridge, so glad your horse wasn't gone.  Sounds like you have some yuck to deal with once this is all over


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## Pearce Pastures (Oct 30, 2012)

neener92 said:
			
		

> My stupid silkie chicken wouldn't stop sitting til I let her hatch out some chicks, she and her three chicks out of 6 eggs are sitting in the dinning room keeping warm. Stupid bird! haha!


LOL, oh come on, like we haven't all had a chicken, goat, or even cow in our house at one point or another, no storm needed!


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## bonbean01 (Oct 30, 2012)

So true Pearce!!!!  One of my fondest memories as a kid is when our milk cow had twins and it was 45 below...my Dad put plywood on the living room rug, then sheets of plastic, then built a temporary wooden fence around it...straw...and that night we had the tiny twin calves in for the night...too cute and we had a hard time going to bed that night!!!  First thing in the morning, he carried them out back to the Mama to nurse and be with her during the day...we wished we could have them in our house forever...LOL!


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## SkyWarrior (Oct 31, 2012)

Hang in there folks!

Oh, and as for bringing livestock in the house, gee, that would never happen here.   (The chicks and turkey poults in the bathtub and the sick chicken by the woodstove didn't happen--I swear!!!)


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## Bridgemoof (Oct 31, 2012)

Heat, lights, hot coffee, we're back on the grid! YAY!

Sheepgirl, 3 of my dumb shetland sheep were out in the hurricane the whole time as well. Duh! Maybe they were too afraid to go in their shelter that was under the pine trees, like they thought the trees may come down. Who knows! I hope you get your power back today. We not only have standing water, we have new creeks, too, that we didn't have before! And new beaches. 

Bon, that story is so cute. Speaking of having animals in the house, my house is absolutely a pig sty after this storm, literally!  Those little teacup pigs are making a big mess 

Here's a picture of our lower paddock. The creek usually runs behind that horse stable, which would be to the right in the picture. It came around it, in front of it, and through it! It was filled halfway up with water. That's why our horse Thunder Bob took the high road and ended up going through the woods. Africana, another mare, actually swam across the stream and made it to the other side! I can't believe it. We had opened the gates and left them open for them to come up the hill, but I guess they didn't have enough horse sense.  






The water has receded, but the place is a mess. There is no more pasture down there, just sand and debris. All the fences have to be repaired, and there are logs and debris piled up along the edge of the fence line. Which means we can't put the horses back down there, and also means we can't put the sheep back in the paddock where the horses and goats ended up.  I spread more rye grass seed around everywhere up by the barn yesterday. Hopefully with the ground being so wet, it will grow quickly. What a mess!


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## Bridgemoof (Oct 31, 2012)

I forgot to mention, much to my amazement, our electroweb fencing didn't blow down in the storm! Hoorah.


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## 20kidsonhill (Oct 31, 2012)

sheepgirl and Brdgemoof:  Sorry to hear about all the flooding and mess.


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## terrilhb (Oct 31, 2012)

I am glad everyone made it through the storm.  I am sorry about the damage and messes you all have. If I lived closer to you all I would help you all.


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## TTs Chicks (Oct 31, 2012)

I am glad ya'll made it through without too much damage   We've got family in West Virginia and Maryland and my sisiter in law was in New York when Sandy hit so she was stranded up there.


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## RemudaOne (Oct 31, 2012)

Good to hear from y'all. I too, would come help if I were closer. Best thing is that y'all are safe.


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## Royd Wood (Oct 31, 2012)

Royd Wood said:
			
		

> Went to TSC for some bits and customers were almost fighting over the remaining sump pumps and generators - dont think it will be that bad here but looks nasty south of New York


Yesterday I went to TSC (day after storm) for some bits and customers were fighting trying to return generators and get their money back. Panic buyers I call em - just because the power stayed on around here this time.
I think they should keep the gennys so next time they dont have to be a panic buyer


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## SheepGirl (Nov 1, 2012)

Everything has dried up (the sheep at least ), but still no power. Because outside and our house are about the same temperature, we closed the doors to our living room and we moved all of us and the indoor critters in there and we used our body heat to stay warm and so far it's working! lol

Hopefully it comes on soon


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## Southern by choice (Nov 1, 2012)

Oh sheepgirl that just stinks! I know how miserable it is to not have power/heat. If I lived closer I'd be bringing you guys some kero heaters! I hope you get heat soon!


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## ragdollcatlady (Nov 1, 2012)

Glad to see that BYH friends are doing OK and most animals made it too.....Thinking of you all and hoping for quick recovery and heat, power and water for everyone.


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## Bridgemoof (Nov 1, 2012)

Oh poor Sheepgirl! That really stinks! I know the worst part is not having water, ugh! I really hope they get your power restored tonight so you can wake up to a nice, warm, cozy house!


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Nov 1, 2012)

I hate being without power for 5 minutes. I can't imagine going that long.I hope it comes back on soon.


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## bonbean01 (Nov 1, 2012)

X 2 ! Hope your power comes on soon...went over a week in Florida without power after Hurricane Charlie and that is not fun!!!  If you use candles, careful to let some fresh (yeah I know it's cold) air in too...don't poison yourself!


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## SkyWarrior (Nov 1, 2012)

Hope you get power restored soon.  I know we'd be without water if the power went out.

As for heat -- you have a woodstove or even a fireplace?


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## SheepGirl (Nov 2, 2012)

We got our power back on this morning at 1 am!!  Which means we went 78.5 hours without power  We don't have a generator (though my mom thought about buying one...but her sister called and said we could borrow hers, turns out it didn't work :/ so we just went without it) and we do have a fireplace...but it's gas and because my mom decided a couple years ago she didn't want to pay for the tank & the gas, the gas company came and took the tank...so we have a fireplace but it can't work lol.

It's funny...we don't lose power often, even when most people do, but when we do it's for days at a time! 

But anyway, glad to see everyone else came out okay!

Bridge--how's your horse paddock now? I hope you get everything repaired soon!


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## Alice Acres (Nov 2, 2012)

Yay for power!! 

We have a generator, but it's just a small one. It does run the corn/pellet stove though, so we wouldn't freeze! (Been there thru that one, darn winter storms)
How cold was it there?


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## Bridgemoof (Nov 2, 2012)

Hey Sheepgirl! Glad you finally got your power back. You need to start knitting with all that wool you have so you have something warm to wear next time! :bun

Two of the paddocks are in bad shape and no horses can go into them until we repair the fences. Lots of fence damage, it's gonna take a LONG time to get them back in shape. Just pulling the logs and debris off the downed fences is an arduous process.  Could be weeks...months.


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## Pearce Pastures (Nov 2, 2012)

For power on!  

Wish I was close enough to offer a hand.


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