Jumping the Moon Dairy - the next chapter

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Miss @babsbag,

I saw this article on the Wall Street Journal web site that made me think of you and Miss @Ridgetop:

Home-insurance companies in California are canceling some policies, refusing to sell new ones in certain areas and applying for rate increases as they look to cut back on wildfire risk.​

https://www.wsj.com/articles/califo...ldfire-insurance-11549803600?mod=hp_lead_pos7

Will you two be impacted badly?

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[babsbag]

I haven't heard anything but I definitely live in fire country. I am not sure how the mortgage holders will feel about no insurance to be found but I understand the hesitation to insure homes in the country. But the hell with fires, pardon my language. I just got 14" of snow and power was out for three days. No power means no water. I do have a wood stove and a gas range top so I was able to melt snow for water. My DH was out of town for the first two days so I was a real pioneer woman. We have a generator but it wouldn't start, the same with my chainsaw. I was snowed in, trees across the road too. DH brought home an generator and a chainsaw that he bought on his way home, there was none to be found around here. We don't get snow like this, maybe a few inches every few years.

But that isn't the worse of it...this is what is left of my barn. 30x40 ClearSpan barn destroyed. I am not sure what I am going to do. I have kids being born daily, not good timing. Insurance may cover part of this but there is hours and hours of work in building this and I honestly not up to the task again. I am 60 years old, I don't have the energy to start over. I just can't do it. I have never been a quitter but this really took the wind out of my sails. I have had a rough start to kidding season, then the dogs fighting, and now this. This is a hard one. No goats or dogs were injured, that is the only bright spot.

 

[Mini Horses]

WOW! Bad. You have probably never had this much snow there! I actually have insurance coverage for "weight of snow'" damage on my house & barns -- was cheap add on -- and we rarely get enough for his issue, although way more snow than you. Mine was about $30 a yr extra so way affordable. I have wood framed.

I see the V -- any way that can be raised and used?

 

[Bayleaf Meadows]

That is so tough, Babsbag. I was amazed at all you were accomplishing when you got this done the first time. I am rooting for you to have the help to pull through again.

 

[Devonviolet]

Wow Babs! I am SO SORRY! What a tough turrn of events! I DO wish we were closer, so we could go help you. I hear you on the utter discouragement. You have worked so hard to get where you are, and think you have finally gotten to a point of working at a maintenance level (a point that we haven’t reached yet), and then this! I can see why some people chuck it all in and walk away.

That is the problem, that I see, doing what we (here on BYH) do. It is relatively specialized, and if an emergency hits, we don’t have anyone who can jump in and lend a hand with goats. I’m not sure what we would do, if we had to be away for an emergency. (Although I can think of a couple of dedicated friends who might drive 45-60 minutes and give it a good ole college try. But for the most part, most of us are on our own when tragedy hits. And then, when it comes to asking for help .. ... .. why is it so hard to actually ASK for help??? We farmers/homesteaders, are so driven and strong willed, we have the tendancy to resist asking for help.

Do you have a local vo-tech or FFA group, that you can call, to ask for help getting your farm back to functioning? Maybe your County Extension agent can recommend someone who can come help with the labor, to get that clear view building back up? Are you on Facebook, that you can put out the word for some volunteer help? Do you belong to a church, with younger members, who could pitch in to get that building raised back up? Or maybe a Go Fund Me account to help with the cost of replacing the plastic - or is it reusable?

Our prayers will definitely be with you, sweet Babs!!!

 

[Bruce]

That would take the wind out of anyone's sails. SO much snow! We rarely get that much at one time and snow is normal here. I like @Devonviolet's suggestions. Maybe you can get some help effecting repairs. You've put so much into getting the dairy started.

 

[babsbag]

@Mini Horses, I will definitely look into the weight of snow add on. My insurance company thinks that this will be covered as I had specifically insured it so I am waiting for an appraiser.

As far as reusing it, I probably could but I would have to take it apart and start over. I had wood pony walls on the sides and they collapsed too. I would have to rebuild that to start with, it was a pretty involved project. I had friends come to help erect it and we rented lifts twice. I don't think that I want to do this again. I am not even sure how to get it apart. The main rafters, which are about 4" vent where they connect in the center so would have to be replace or modified somehow...just too much work.

The canopy in front of my milking parlor collapsed too, it was 20x24. I have a friend coming over today to take that apart for me while I build some feeders.

There is a lot going on in my personal life too, this may be just the beginning of a new chapter.

 

[Hens and Roos]

 

[farmerjan]

I cannot imagine how difficult this is for you right now. If there was some way I could help, I would do so. @Devonviolet has some good suggestions for maybe getting some help temporarily.
There is nothing that I can say to make it better, but I know that all of us that have watched you work at this to get where you are, are pulling for you. If there is anything that anyone can do from a distance, or even financial assistance, please ASK.

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Oh Babs, I am still just sick over this. It’s just horrible. I’m SO thankful the animals were not injured.

I wish I could just fly out, give you a big ol’ hug and get to work and help with anything you need. You know you are in my prayers and I think about you all the time!