Winter Has Arrived!

Winter has arrived!! Last year our winter was spent making sure our chickens were warm and happy, and training our puppies (Geno and Enzo) whom arrived on the farm around Christmas. The only infrastructure we had on the farm was two unheated hoop house structures. Our chickens and puppies lived in one of the tunnels. So, many of our days were spent shoveling out snow drifts, clearing the tunnel roofs of snow, and walking the dogs in windy and bitter cold temperatures. It is always a tough reminder of how hard the simplest tasks are in the winter as soon as the first snowflakes fly, but nothing humbles you more than wearing several layers of clothing UNDERNEATH your insulated bibs and trying to perform the simplest farm tasks. We like to call it the “Marshmallow effect” here on the farm.

This year we feel much more prepared because…We have TWO farm buildings with HEAT! The chickens moved into their new heated chicken coop, the dogs are a year old and have moved indoors (though they prefer to sleep out in the snow). We now have electricity in the tunnels and heat! This means we are able to grow in the tunnels ALL winter long! Though we will still deal with the “Marshmallow effect” that all folks in Northern Michigan understand all too well, it feels as though things on the farm are really coming together. Our focus through the 2023-2024 winter season is settling into our buildings and launching some very exciting projects in January!

Stay tuned on NanBop Farm social media and catch our Growing Eating and Educating segment on 9&10 news to follow along on our journey and get important updates!