Growing up on the shores of Lake Erie, I was used to lake-effect snow, ice, and freezing rain. A storm needed at least two feet of snow and gale-force winds to be considered a major winter event. But in mid-January, when the South Carolina Low Country, including Full Circle Farm, received just two inches of snow, life came to a complete standstill for four days.
To be fair, that two inches of snow covered two inches of frozen sleet, making the roads treacherous. But the truth is, most Low-Country residents would rather ride out a hurricane than deal with snow and ice.
A Beautiful Sight—For About a Day
The morning after the storm, we woke up to clear skies and a stunning blanket of snow—the first we’ve had in seven years. It was a rare treat, especially for the kids, but after 24 hours, reality set in. The farm had serious challenges to face.
Heartbreaking Losses and Unexpected Challenges
The most devastating impact of the storm was the loss of a shipment of one-day-old ducklings en route to us from Iowa. Normally, they arrive healthy and without issue, but due to shipping delays caused by the storm, they arrived a day late, cold-stunned and weak. Sadly, all of them perished within 36 hours.
As the sun warmed things slightly on day two, melting ice and snow caused one of our duck pens to collapse under the weight. Thankfully, no ducks were inside, but the damage left us with a major repair project.
Then came the water line issues. Since we don’t bury our water lines deep, with most pipes exposed along our buildings, several leaks appeared as temperatures fluctuated. One main well line leak forced us to haul water to our animals for nearly a week while we dug up the line to locate and fix the issue.
Even the Animals Weren’t Fans
Our goats, donkeys, and ducks were just as miserable as we were. Unlike livestock in colder climates, our animals aren’t built for freezing temperatures, and neither are we. They huddled in whatever shelter they could find, and we provided heat lamps to keep them as comfortable as possible.
Perspective is Everything
In the Snowbelt, these winter problems might seem laughable. But to those Northerners shaking their heads at us, just wait until the next intense summer heat wave hits. We’ll be the ones laughing when you can’t handle 100-degree temperatures and humidity!
For now, we’re grateful for the thaw, even if we have some repairs to make and lessons learned for the next unexpected freeze.