What do you guys do in the winter months?

[EZ TRBO]

For years, growing up, our winter months in Wisconsin were spent working on equipment, crushing ag lime, and thawing water pipes. Mostly our working season was from April 1st to on Average around Thanksgiving, some years have worked til new years and others been shut down by the first of November. In Wisconsin winter come hard(although not as hard as they used to). Usually many days well below the frezzing mark, 5 to 6 foot of frost in the ground, and lots of snow(feet not inches). So for the most part when the weather finally gets to where you can't operate effectivley we get machines moved in, spend a few days in the shop cleaning up and then tackle the equipment, giving everything a full going through. I run grader plow for the township so that keeps me busy when its snowing. Usually cut hours back to only 50 or so a week.
Trbo

 

[Dirtman2007]

We can work year round down here. I think last year we only got 2 inches of snow for the year, That shut schools down for two days. Seems like we always have something going on. Never fails we have to use the mini excavator on the days when the temp is below freezing. I guess that is better than doing nothing at all

 

[mikef87]

If we have a site job we can keep going. Last year it didn't snow till valentines day, that's when the city stopped us from working in the street. I'd prefer to shut down around Christmas, go through the machines fix them up, go through the trucks fix them up and that's it. Working in the winter isn't worth it sometimes.

 

[thejdman04]

I plow snow on the side, for the township and just find work wherever i can.

 

[atgreene]

Usually by Dec. 1 I park the excvator and am plowing by then.

Aside from working on equipment, I also swap over to logging for the winter to help pay the bills. Cold, but better than sitting at home.

 

[rino1494]

Work on the equipment and trucks.

 

[pushcat]

It seems like every year just about this time someone starts a project and we struggle with it all winter, digging and backfilling footings, building roads and drives, install utilities. Between all the ethanol plants, biodiesel plants, hog buildings, and old folks homes they keep us busy all winter long. If we have any waterways or terraces we usually start after Thanksgiving and try to get them finished by Christmas. Good time to do demolition and clearing and grubbing. Froze my butt off one winter cleaning 8 miles of drainage ditch. Usually move some snow for the railroad. Can't forget about the load of rock or sand that has to be delivered on the coldest day of the year and all the truck drivers are laid off. Last few years have been barely able to get the equipment serviced before the big spring rush starts.

 

[EZ TRBO]

We can work year round down here. I think last year we only got 2 inches of snow for the year, That shut schools down for two days. Seems like we always have something going on. Never fails we have to use the mini excavator on the days when the temp is below freezing. I guess that is better than doing nothing at all

The temp has been below freezing here in the morning for the past week, lol. Darn Southeners. I was living in NC for a while and one of my friends told me that when they call for snow, you go to the supermarket, cause thats what you do, and when it does snow YOU STAY HOME. Up here, its takes 6 to 9 inches of snow at the right time of night to even get a 2 hour delay in school. Dad is the head of Highway Dept and is usually out at about 3 am checking roads. I myself head out with the township truck or grader around 5 or so, if there is a 2 hour delay that gives us 5 hours to get the roads open.
Trbo

 

[EZ TRBO]

It seems like every year just about this time someone starts a project and we struggle with it all winter, digging and backfilling footings, building roads and drives, install utilities.

I know just how you feel, gets cold one time and the phone is ringing off the wall. All the people that have talked bout this building or this waterway all summer want it done NOW, cause its going to turn cold and snow. Did an appt complex a few years ago, dug footings in -15F. Took a dully and flatbed to go get some large square bales so we could lay hay sections in the trench to keep it from frezzing up too much over night. Digging in the winter takes twice as long and all you can do is half A$$.
Trbo

 

[Countryboy]

The temp has been below freezing here in the morning for the past week, lol. Darn Southeners.

It got down to 30F yesterday morning.....I though I was gonna freeze to death.

and when it does snow YOU STAY HOME.

Most people do but when it snows down here, all the people who don't know how to drive in snow get out there and try to drive in it. On our main 4 lane highway around here, it ends up looking like they made the right-of-way into a parking lot. Don't really matter to me though cause it'll cost ya 20 bucks for every pull. I'll end up making about $200 extra that week just pulling people out. :cool2

I know how to drive in snow though because its alot like driving in the mud......Ya stick that bad boy in 4Hi and "Gouge on it". :naughty


In reference to your original question....We run 24/7/365, making big rocks into little ones. The customer demands and we supply. Weather makes little difference.....well except for tornados and such.

 

[RollOver Pete]

Snow
I've heard of snow before.
I've even seen snow on TV..

But snow in the desert?

I do remember it snowing here in Indio when I was in 7th grade.
It stayed on the ground for...........almost 1 minute.
Oh...the frostbite......
And windchill..... :cool2 ...

Thats not for me..
I like it hot....really hot... scantly clad women by the pool hot :drinkup
Oops....off topic....my bad...

 

[fireman050]

hunt deer and make sausage

 

[nedly05]

We work on stuff, plow snow, cut logs...

 

[EZ TRBO]

It got down to 30F yesterday morning.....I though I was gonna freeze to death.



Most people do but when it snows down here, all the people who don't know how to drive in snow get out there and try to drive in it. On our main 4 lane highway around here, it ends up looking like they made the right-of-way into a parking lot. Don't really matter to me though cause it'll cost ya 20 bucks for every pull. I'll end up making about $200 extra that week just pulling people out. :cool2

I know how to drive in snow though because its alot like driving in the mud......Ya stick that bad boy in 4Hi and "Gouge on it". :naughty


In reference to your original question....We run 24/7/365, making big rocks into little ones. The customer demands and we supply. Weather makes little difference.....well except for tornados and such.

LOL I know how that goes, bout drivers in snow, usually even the first snow of the season some of them need to learn to dirve all over again. LOL
Trbo

 

[Squizzy246B]

I'm with Pete on this one. Our winter energy bills go up cause we have to use the stove to fry our eggs instead of just going outside and using the footpath in summer

A few rainy days in winter are good for maintenance...so long as your not stupid enough to try and build walls in the rain:Banghead

Only real seasonally related problem I have is that after a long hot day in the sun the steering wheel of the truck seems to develop a bad pull on the way home :drinkup

In all seriouness I must say I really enjoy these threads and pics about snow....and "heated" sheds ...frozen tracks etc. I can't imagine what it would be like finacially not being able to do my job for months:beatsme

 

[thehose]

We are cemeteries and burial vault operations so we work year round.

 

[Dwan Hall]

I double my prices for dirt work, and push the white stuff, along with sanding and hauling it around. Makes an extra 100K or so an an average year.

 

[MKTEF]

Last years we always tend to have a project or two that needs to be done before winter sets in.
So tonight we got 1/2 foot of wet snow, and i got a big rubber hall without roof on 1/3 of the area.
Next week we got to climb up with the roof and end that project.

And we also got a smal project in the shootingrange that always starts after the first snow arrives. Ends up with some hard work out in the snow before the frost creeps to far down into the earth.

But i managed to clean up our main area before snow came, so its ready for this years snowclearing.

When winter sets in we add the snow chains, change to winterblades on the grader, do some snow clearing and a little bit of construction. It's a nice time to do maintenance and paperwork.