4 Wiley Farm
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Our Winners
  • For Sale
  • Why Minis?
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • In Motion
  • Shop Our Farm
    • Merchandise
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Our Winners
  • For Sale
  • Why Minis?
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • In Motion
  • Shop Our Farm
    • Merchandise

This is Us​ - our life, our story, our farm

How We Attempt to Stay Warm at Cattle Shows

1/9/2017

0 Comments

 
This past weekend we were at another cattle show. 

In true fashion, the weather turned brutally cold just in time for the show.  

​It was a little bit warmer on Saturday and it was 1 degree when we left home for the show.  By the time we arrived in Columbus, it was a balmy 6 degrees.  

On show weekends like this, we know three things.

One...we are going to a show...no matter what.

Two...we are going to be outside for 12 plus hours.

Three...it is going to be cold.

So....learn to deal with it.  

But how do we deal with it?
Picture
The first thing we do is...

Complain.

​A lot.
And then we do the best we can.

Yes...the above picture is a real picture of the wash rack this past weekend.  
Picture
The Columbus shows allow us to have several options for stalling.

This year we are doing something a little bit differently, and it seems to be working pretty well for us.  

If you have ever shown cattle at the Ohio State Fairgrounds, then you know what the viaducts are.  At the back of the fairgrounds are overhead railroad tracks built on concrete stilts.  The area under the railroad tracks is what we call the viaducts.  This space is broken up into individual stall areas divided by the concrete pillars.  However, it is all open to the wind and cold.  

The reason we have opted to stall in the viaducts this year is because we have room to set up coral pannels for the cows.  The cows then don't have to be tied and are free to roam the pen as they please.  We also have a water tub in the pen and they can drink free choice.  With how diffiicult it can sometimes be to get cows to drink at the shows, the free choice water has been really helpful.  We have noticed the cows are much more relaxed and are not as stressed by using these coral panels.  

We all know that is is all about the cows and not about the people, so if the cows are happier in the viaducts, we are happier in the viaducts.
We have been sharing a viaduct with 3 other families. 

In such close quarters, if you weren't great friends before, you become really good friends really quickly.

We have pooled all of our resources and made ourselves a nice little compound that we like to call the "igloo".  

Below is a video tour of our viaduct area.

Before you watch.....

Sorry for the shaking and sometimes out of focus camera.

The noise in the background is really how loud it is with all the generators and blowers going.
Our igloo was considerably warmer than the outside.  We were mostly comfortable without our gloves on  and some of the guys even stripped down to just sweatshirts when they were clipping.  

However, at about 5:00 Saturday evening....our Val 6 heater packed up and went home.  The next 3 hours waiting for showmanship were a little interesting.  Mental note...if you are like us and can't afford a Val 6 heater (they are the best) make sure you peruse the barn and make friends with someone who does. 

We tried to do some jumping jacks, but then realized we had to go to the bathroom.

The bathroom is a whole other story....

Layers upon layers and a barely heated bathroom.....which is why we hold it as long as we can.

Enough said.  
Picture
I think it took until Sunday morning for my fingers and toes to completely thaw.

Thankfully, the heifer show was on Saturday, so we spent Sunday afternoon wrapped in warm blankets relaxing on the couch.  

Until the next cold snap and cattle show.

You might also like...
Tips for Shipping Cattle
The State of Summer
Teaching Farm Kids that Education is Important
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Let's Connect

    Picture

    Author

    Hello!  I am Heather... the city girl turned mom to manure loving country boys. My husband and I both grew up in the city, but spent weekends visiting grandparents in the country.  We are first generation farmers who learn best by almost always doing things the hard way.  I hope you enjoy following along with our adventures down on the farm.

    Shop Our Farm

    Archives

    January 2025
    March 2024
    October 2023
    September 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014

    Categories

    All
    10 On The 10th
    Books
    Calving
    Character
    Everything Else
    Food
    Hay
    How To
    Photography
    Showing
    Things We Love

    RSS Feed

    Popular Posts

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

The Cows

​Why Minis?
Our Winners
For Sale

The Family

Home
About Us
Contact Us
Disclosure

Follow Us

Blog - Down on the Farm
Instagram
You Tube
Facebook

Associations

​Miniature Hereford Breeders Association
American Hereford Association
Ohio Cattlemen's Association