Hoten Holler!

10 Jan 2021 – Sunny and 37 degrees

How’s everyone doing out there in the real world?  Things on the Holler have settled into a typically slow plod through the winter months, where the sun is only showing about 8 hours a day and that little amount of daylight is filled up by a million little projects and a few routine chores.

This morning we had some spectacular hoar frost.  

The cows were even a little frosty, although they all seem pretty fat and happy, just how we like them.

Things are changing rapidly out here.  One of our neighbors sold off a big piece of her property, which was bought and subdivided into 40 acre plots.  Those plots sold almost immediately and shortly thereafter they put in some power poles.

This means that we will  probably have new neighbors on two sides of the Holler, although it seems unlikely this will happen quickly. The rumors are that local builders are scheduled out two-three years.  We are just happy they divided the plots into 40 acres and not five or ten, but it just goes to show you really have no control over most things, so you have to just roll with it.

We plan to take advantage of the power that has been set up.  As you may remember, we are completely off-grid solar here, which has its advantages and also disadvantages.  It’s great not having a power bill, but there are days, like yesterday, when it is completely cloudy and we get almost no charge to the batteries. Also, the winter days are so short, so if we get snow and we don’t get the snow scraped off the solar panels, we are back to depending on the generator.

These days we run the propane generator, which isn’t really an inconvenience, but it would be nice to be able to just use the grid as a back-up. Plus, it will be nice to not have to rush outside in the mornings to scrape snow off the panels.

I wish I had more to report.  Don’t worry, Hoten Holler Follerers, calving season, planting season, and a new crop of bees are just around the corner.  Until then, hang on to your liberties and have a great Sunday!