Midwinter Day in Otago.

Midwnter Day has arrived here in East Otago and what a winter so far. The ground has been sodden and now frozen all in the space of a week. It is just life in NZ today that we need to allow for weather which will mean change of plans and routine.  It regularly interrupts power supply, water and food supplies. With the road closures this week including major stoppages in State Hightway 1 in 2 places in our area the local shops have empty shelves and if you didn’t have a supply of bread or flour to make your own you were out of luck.

So all the more reason we all need to be prepared for the inevitable. It happens every winter folks – and a couple of times in the summer. Throw in an earthquake or other natural event on top of that and the message is to be prepared and don’t rely on the government to be there to fill the gap.

We have a fire at our house and we have been lucky enough to be able to have that lovely warmth to sit beside.  It’s just not the same huddling round a heat pump is it?  And when it the power most likely to go off? In a freezing cold storm of course. It is so important that we retain some alternative form of heating and energy. It is a worry that our central and local govenments have been pushing for us all to get rid of our wood burning fires.  It is just crazy.  There are some very efficient wood burning stoves that stand as the heart of the country kitchen providing heat, food and hot water – not to mention the occasional orphan lamb or sleeping dog to keep warm.  Rather than continue to sell off our power generating assets and ever increasing power prices how about encouraging us all to provide for ourselves with multi purpose fires, solar energy etc.?

I am not talking about going back to the days of heavy dirty coal smoke sitting over our country towns and cities.  Wood is carbon neutral guys so it is a good environmental choice with the added advantage of reducing your load on the national grid by being able to cook, heat your water and stay warm.  Burn dry wood and don’t damp it down at night like they used to do in there 'ere parts so it smoked all night and there is much less of a problem.  And I know it's different if you are all out at work all day and have to come home to a cold house but at least you have the option in the inevitable interruptions to our power and food supplies.

The news today is encouraging much of the country to stay home if they don’t have to be anywhere, so get that fire going,  the bread on the rise, the soup on the stove and think about what to put in your spring vege patch.  Happy Midwinter everyone!