Ramsay Farm FYI: Sunday, November 30, 2014

All the leaves are gone...


The famous Ramsay view NW - November 30, 2014

Thanksgiving Week is often the time that Mother Nature begins the transition from Fall to Winter in this part of the world. This past week was textbook! Early in the week, the weather people called for the first major winter storm to blast the east coast from the mid-Atlantic to New England. Our local forecast called for 2"-4" on Wednesday, but once again, the Blue Ridge Mountains proved a formidable barrier. We had no snow at Ramsay at all, but could see it falling on the mountains to the west and north. This was the view on Thanksgiving morning.

First snow on the Skyline Drive

I (Stephen) zipped over the mountain late Wednesday to see what our friends on Facebook were saying about snow in the Valley. They did receive about 4" of snow there.

Heading east down Afton Mountain -- Wednesday afternoon

All the livestock are demanding additional food now that the pastures are fading for the winter. At the first sign of human movement early in the morning, the horses whinny and the cows bellow just to make sure we haven't forgotten them! Good thing we have chickens and no roosters!

"Can't you see we can't pose right now! We're eating, please!"

The major project underway up at the Grigg Barn continues to move along well. (See earlier post) The excavators have completed grading the second pad, and seed and straw matting are in place for the winter. There may be enough warm days for the seed to germinate before the serious cold weather sets in. But even so, some blankets of snow during the winter will work wonders on the seed over the winter, resulting in an explosion of green in early Spring.

The installation of restrooms in the Grigg Barn has required quite a bit of ground work for the plumbers and electricians. We rushed to get most of that work completed before Thanksgiving.


New water line to the Grigg Barn

Chuck, Todd, and Matt

A procession of earth movers

New power line to the leveled pads

Preparing for pipes

New sewer system coming to life

There are numerous tasks involved in preparing the estate--the grounds in particular--for the oncoming winter weather with its challenges and surprises! Too numerous to mention them all, but here are just a few: Care of the animals with food, water, and shelter is paramount. There are four residences that require constant attention to the heating systems, and a number of places that require supplemental heat sources to prevent water pipes from freezing. Back-up generators are maintained and monitored constantly. Farm equipment must be kept in good operating order, ready for bad weather and snow removal. Keeping the main house, guest cottage, and outdoor fireplace well-stocked with firewood seems never-ending. With no fish to sustain for this winter, we drained the small fish pond and plan to restock a fresh crew next spring. A protective cover is being custom-made.

We have enlisted Stefanie Newman-- http://artrestorationinva.blogspot.com/ --an artist who specializes in restoration work (see earlier post), to restore the beautiful painting that hangs over the fireplace in the library in the Estate House. Early last week, Stephen painstakingly removed the painting from the larger frame to deliver it to Stefanie so she can begin her magic!