The Bovine Bugle

Draining the watering system before the snow flies

A November sky threatens snow in northern Vermont.

We had some snow flurries go through today, and it motivated me to drain the watering system that feeds the grazing paddocks in the summer time. We have between three and four thousand feet of 3/4" black plastic waterline bringing water to all sections of the grazing system. If we don't drain it before winter really sets in then the water-filled line may freeze and burst.

I took the four-wheeler to save time, and to have light from the headlights since it was getting dark. I went to the end of each line that T's off the main line and opened the faucet so the water would drain. Once this was done, I used the four-wheeler to pull the two large stock tanks, used for watering the cows, back to the barn. These would be rinsed out and stored for the winter.

I'll let the lines drain by gravity overnight, and tomorrow I'll hitch up the air compressor to blow out any remaing water in the line. With that job done, the line will be ready next spring when grazing season starts and I won't have to worry about looking for leaks caused by burst sections in the line.

--Jonathan, Howmars Farm
Franklin, Vermont

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Posted by Blogger Chris at November 14, 2005 05:53 PM