Javascript is required to use this website.

Fifty-nine days of the winter months

Feb 13, 2026
Feb 13, 2026

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

I think it was the winter of 1977-78, one of the coldest and snowiest winters on record. I still remember the “treat” of being snowed in on a Thursday and Friday, so we kids had a four-day weekend.

kAmx 36=:6G6 :E H2D E9:D H:?E6C H96? x 962C5 >J >@> C6A62E65=J D2J E92E “y2?F2CJ 92D dh 52JD]”k^Am

kAmpD 2? 25F=E[ x ?@H F?56CDE2?5 H92E D96 H2D D2J:?8] p7E6C E96 9@=:52JD[ >2?J @7 FD DECF88=6 H:E9 72E:8F6[ D25?6DD[ =@H 6?6C8J[ :CC:E23:=:EJ[ 6>@E:@?2= 7=2E?6DD 2?5 :D@=2E:@?]k^Am

kAm%96 D9@CE 52J=:89E 9@FCD 2?5 4@=5 H62E96C @7E6? >62? DA6?5:?8 =6DD E:>6 @FE5@@CD 2?5 =6DD D@4:2=:K:?8[ H9:49 27764ED @FC >@@5 2?5 6?6C8J] (6 42? 766= =:<6 @FC 52JD 2C6 C6A6E:E:G6 2?5 5C2H? @FE]k^Am

kAm{6E’D E2<6 2 4=@D6C =@@< 2D E@ H9J H6 >2J 92G6 E96D6 766=:?8D[ 2?5 =6E’D C6G:6H D@>6 4@A:?8 DEC2E68:6D]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8mp7E6C E96 9@=:52JDk^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAmuC@> >:5\}@G6>36C F?E:= E96 }6H *62C[ @FC 42=6?52CD 42? 36 ;2>\A24<65 H:E9 9@=:52J 2?5 D@4:2= 6G6?ED[ D9@CE H66<D 2?5 E:>6 @77 H9:49 >2J 2=D@ :?4=F56 EC2G6=]k^Am

kAm|J >@> 2=D@ FD65 E@ D2J E92E “E96C6 :D ?@E9:?8 2D ‘@G6C’ 2D r9C:DE>2D]”k^Am

kAmpD 2 D@4:6EJ[ 6DA64:2==J 7C@> E96 4@?DF>6C @C C6E2:= 2DA64E[ H6 DA6?5 >@?E9D AC6A2C:?8 7@C E96 9@=:52J D62D@?] ~?46 E96 9@=:52JD 2C6 @G6C[ @FC D4965F=6D C6EFC? E@ ?@C>2=[ 2?5 :E 42? >2<6 E:>6 766= D=@H6C]k^Am

kAmp=@?8 H:E9 E96 76DE:G:E:6D[ 7@@5[ AC6D6?ED[ EC2G6=[ 6E4][ @FC 4C65:E 42C5D 2?5 32?< 244@F?ED 42? E2<6 BF:E6 2 9:E] (96? E9@D6 A@DE\9@=:52J 3:==D 2?5 DE2E6>6?ED D9@H FA[ 7@C4:?8 FD E@ C64@?4:=6 C646?E AFC492D6D[ :?4=F5:?8 E9@D6 :>AF=D6 3FJD[ @FC DEC6DD =6G6=D 42? DA:<6]k^Am

kAm%96 2DD@4:2E65 DEC6DD 42? 255 E@ E96 766=:?8 @7 E:>6 >@G:?8 D=@H=J]k^Am

kAmt>@E:@?2==J[ H6 42? 766= =6E5@H? 27E6C 92G:?8 H66<D @7 ?@G6=EJ[ 6I4:E6>6?E[ 82E96C:?8D 2?5 2?E:4:A2E:@?]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8muC6D9 DE2CEDk^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAmp?JH96C6 7C@> b_T\d_T @7 FD >2<6 }6H *62C’D C6D@=FE:@?D[ 3FE @?=J 23@FE gT\`_T 24EF2==J >2<6 E96 C6D@=FE:@? DE:4< 7@C E96 6?E:C6 J62C] (6 @7E6? >2<6 E96 >:DE2<6 @7 92G:?8 2 G28F6 @C “DBF:D9J” 8@2=[ DF49 2D “x’> 8@:?8 E@ 62E 962=E9:6C]”k^Am

kAm{@?8\E6C>[ =2DE:?8 C6DF=ED 2C6?’E ?646DD2C:=J :>>65:2E6=J D66? @C 76=E[ 2?5 @FC >@>6?EF> 2?5 6?E9FD:2D> 42? H2?6] (6 >2J 766= 56762E65 D@@? 27E6C H6 368:?[ H9:49 255D E@ =@H 6?6C8J 2?5 766=:?8D @7 6>@E:@?2= 7=2E?6DD]k^Am

kAm%96D6 C62D@?D >2J 96=A 6IA=2:? H9J H6 >2J 36 766=:?8 =6E92C8:4[ 4C2?<J[ E:C65 2?5 92G6 2 56D:C6 E@ 56? FA 2?5 ?@E C6\2AA62C F?E:= DAC:?8E:>6]k^Am

kAmw6C6 2C6 D@>6 E9:?8D H6 42? 5@ E@ 96=A ?2G:82E6 E96D6 dh 52JD]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m|2<6 J@FC @H? >2C<6CDk^DEC@?8mk^Am

People are also reading…

Iowa farmer sees new path for agriculture
Meristem focuses on reducing crop input costs for farmers
From rose farms to rice fields, travel continues
Mitchell Tech students present research at Commodity Classic
Family closes generation gap
Study reveals how bull buyers use key genetic information
With labor tight, incentives key to finding the right help
Livestock sector struggles to fill labor need
C-B Charolais 40th Annual Production Sale
Agriculture will play a major role in upcoming corner crossing discussions
Proposals aim to improve pool of rural veterinarians
McCumber Angus Ranch Production Sale
From the field to the heart: one man's mission to change how farmers talk about mental health
Hemingford FFA grows leaders for tomorrow
New policies affect spread of alternative energy sites

kAm%96 3C2:? >62DFC6D E:>6 3J 6G6?ED[ ?@E 52JD] (6 H6?E 7C@> 6G6?E\962GJ }@G6>36C 2?5 s646>36C E@ BF:6E y2?F2CJ 2?5 u63CF2CJ] $@ 4C62E6 J@FC @H? 6G6?ED]k^Am

kAm!:4< @?6 D>2== E9:?8 A6C H66< E@ =@@< 7@CH2C5 E@[ DF49 2D D6EE:?8 2 E:>6 7@C 4@7766 H:E9 2 7C:6?5[ @C A=2??:?8 72>:=J >@G:6 ?:89E]k^Am

kAmxE’D 2=D@ C64@>>6?565 E@ >2C< D@>6E9:?8 @? E96 42=6?52C 6G6CJ f E@ `_ 52JD[ D@ E92E E:>6 92D “492AE6CD]”k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m$9C:?< J@FC 8@2=Dk^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAmw6=A 3F:=5 >@>6?EF> 2?5 6?;@J 244@>A=:D9>6?ED H:E9 DA64:7:4[ 567:?:E:G6 8@2=D] u@C 6I2>A=6[ :?DE625 @7 “6I6C4:D:?8 >@C6” H6 42? D6E 2 8@2= @7 “H2=<:?8 3C:D<=J 7@C `_ >:?FE6D 27E6C =F?49 |@?52J E9C@F89 uC:52J]”k^Am

kAm|2<6 4@??64E:@?Dk^Am

kAm(6 42? E2<6 :?:E:2E:G6 E@ <66A @FCD6=G6D 7C@> :D@=2E:?8 3J 56A=@J:?8 =@H\AC6DDFC6 24E:@?D] $@>6 6I2>A=6D :?4=F56 32<:?8 4@@<:6D 2?5 D92C:?8 H:E9 2 ?6:893@C[ @C 2 `_\>:?FE6 A9@?6 42== H:E9 2 7C:6?5]k^Am

kAm%2<6 E96 AC6DDFC6 @77 @FCD6=G6D E@ AC@5F46 2 3:8 6G6?E — 2 3C:67[ 3FE 962CE76=E 4@??64E:@? 42? C65F46 E96 =@?6=:?6DD @7 :D@=2E:@?]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8mz66A :E D:>A=6k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm%96C6’D ?@E9:?8 HC@?8 H:E9 >2:?E2:?:?8]k^Am

kAm%9:D 42? 36 2 8C62E E:>6 E@ 7@4FD @? BF:6E E:>6] v@ E@ 365 62C=:6C E92? ?@C>2=] u@4FD @? D:>A=6[ ?FEC:E:@FD 7@@5D[ DF49 2D 9@>6>256 D@FA]k^Am

kAm(6 42? 7665 @FC >:?5D 3J C625:?8 2 3@@< 7@C A=62DFC6 @C H@C<:?8 @? E96 $F?52J 4C@DDH@C5 AFKK=6] v6EE:?8 E9C@F89 E96D6 >@?E9D :D 2 DF446DD :? :ED6=7]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8mv:G6 :E 2 ?2>6k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAmx’> DFA6C 8F:=EJ @7 E9:D @?6 … x DA6?5 D@ >F49 E:>6 H2:E:?8 7@C H2C>6C 2?5 DF??:6C 52JD[ x >:DD E96 8:7E @7 6249 AC6D6?E 52J] w6C6 :D 2 AC@7@F?5 DE2E6>6?Ei “$E@A EC62E:?8 y2?F2CJ 2D 2 H2:E:?8 C@@> 7@C DAC:?8]”k^Am

kAm(92E 5@ J@F H2?E E@ ?2>6 E96D6 >@?E9Dn $@>6 :562D >2J :?4=F56i r=62? @FE E96 r=@D6ED |@?E9[ v@ E@ q65 t2C=J |@?E9[ #625 2 q@@< 7@C uF? |@?E9]k^Am

kAm{2DE=J[ ;FDE 24<?@H=658:?8 E92E E9:D 42? 36 2 5:77:4F=E E:>6 @7 E96 J62C 96=AD] qJ 5@:?8 D@[ H6 2=D@ 8:G6 @FCD6=G6D 8C246 2?5 8C246 E@ E9@D6 2C@F?5 FD H9@ >2J 6IA6C:6?46 255:E:@?2= 5:77:4F=EJ E9:D E:>6 @7 J62C]k^Am

kAm}2>:?8 H92E H6 7:?5 92C5 96=AD ?@C>2=:K6 4@?G6CD2E:@?D 23@FE :E] |@DE =:<6=J[ H6 H:== 7:?5 H6 2C6 ?@E 2=@?6 H96? H6 D92C6 @FC DECF88=6D H:E9 @E96CD]k^Am

kAm{6E’D E2<6 2 566A 3C62E9 2?5 D=@H 6I92=6] xE’D E96 E:>6 @7 E96 J62C 7@C 62C=J 6G6?:?8D[ 7FKKJ 3F??J D=:AA6CD 2?5 9@>6>256 D@FA] xE’D E96 E:>6 @7 E96 J62C E@ 46=63C2E6 E96 AC6D6?E — E96 =@?8 >@?E9D @7 H:?E6C]k^Am

k9C ^m

kAms2C=2 %J=6C\|4$96CCJ :D E96 7@F?56C 2?5 G:D:@?2CJ @7 pD< x? t2C?6DE] $96 42? 36 C624965 2EU?3DAjk2 9C67lQ>2:=E@i2D<:?62C?6DEo9@E>2:=]4@>Qm2D<:?62C?6DEo9@E>2:=]4@>k^2m] u@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@?[ 8@ E@U?3DAjk2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]2D<:?62C?6DE]@C8QmHHH]2D<:?62C?6DE]@C8k^2m]k^Am

Catch the latest in Opinion

Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!

* I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.

Related to this story

Marketplace

Recently Listed

Auctions

Featured

Farmer Today Auction Calendar

Mar 25, 2026

Auctions

Featured

SEALED BID FARMLAND AUCTION

Mar 25, 2026

Marketplace

Find the equipment you're looking for

Tractors
Combines
Harvesters
Planting
Misc Equipment
Hay Equipment
Trailers
Trucks
Livestock
Seed
Feed/Hay

Take advantage of these
exclusive benefits:

Fifty-nine days of the winter months

Marketplace

Farmer Today Auction Calendar

SEALED BID FARMLAND AUCTION

Marketplace

Topics

Breaking News

Take advantage of these exclusive benefits:

People are also reading…

Catch the latest in Opinion

Related to this story

Marketplace

Farmer Today Auction Calendar

SEALED BID FARMLAND AUCTION

Marketplace

Find the equipment you're looking for

Topics

Breaking News

Take advantage of these
exclusive benefits: