Farmers in Atlantic Canada are preparing for the latest winter storm

Jan 04, 2018

Some areas could see up to 20 cm of snow and 100 mph winds

By Diego Flammini
News Reporter
Farms.com

Producers from Atlantic Canada are making final preparations for a winter storm dubbed a “weather bomb,” expected to hit the Maritimes today.

A “weather bomb” is a storm that “features a drop in central pressure of 24 millibars (of pressure) over the course of 24 hours,” according to The Weather Network.

Beginning today, the storm will bring heavy snowfall, freezing rain, high winds and blizzard-like conditions. The storm is expected to last until Friday afternoon.

The storm hasn’t hit New Brunswick yet, where forecasted snowfall could range between 25 and 35 cm, and winds could exceed 100 mph.

So farmers are using the calm before the storm to make any final preparations.

“There’s no snow right now, but outside looks ready for the snow to start,” Kenny Graham, a dairy and grain producer from Good Corner, N.B., told Farms.com today. “The snow isn’t so bad because we can push it around, but the winds could be devastating.”

Graham’s farm includes a 105-head dairy herd. Most of the prep is being done to ensure the cows the milk can be looked after.

“We’re mixing feed for a couple of days since the power might be out for a few days,” he said. “And we’re getting the generators ready so that the cows can still be milked. We have on-farm storage. So if the milk truck can’t come tomorrow, we should be okay until Saturday. Any longer and we may have to dump some milk.”

Further east, farmers in Nova Scotia could experience snowfalls of up to 20 cm and wind speeds of up to 100 mph. Some areas in the province are already experiencing heavy rains.

“We’re on an island right near the ocean and the rain has started,” said Evelyn Ernst, who farms 12 acres of cranberries in Lunenburg, N.S. “But we also have a processing business that employs 25 people and runs year-round. We may or may not be able to run tomorrow depending on the situation here.”

Between 15 and 20 cm of snow is forecasted to fall in Prince Edward Island, and parts of Newfoundland could see 20 to 30 cm of snow and wind gusts of 105 mph.

Video: Women in Ag. The Promotion of Female Farmers through Social Media | Madalyn Thayer | TEDxBGSU

Less than 1% of Americans are farmers. The majority of those farmers are men. Many people have minimal experience with farms and agriculture. High schools are getting rid of their FFA programs and many colleges, including BGSU, do not have agricultural programs or classes. There is a new social media phenomenon where women are making content based on their farming endeavors and gaining lots of traction. Education is the one of the most important parts of agriculture, because the more people know the more they will emphasize with farmers and create policy that benefits everybody. Female farmers have taken to social media sharing their experience in the agricultural world. These women are breaking stereotypes and educating everyday citizens about farming which is extremely important for the future of agriculture. Madalyn is 19 years old and will be gradated with her bachelors degree in communication on December 2024. She lives on a farm and have spent lots of time working in agriculture. She has her own farmers market and love learning about all subjects, especially agriculture. She was on the BGSU Firelands Student government from 2021-2023 as a CCP Ambassador and was awarded the 3&1 communication excellency award in April of 2024. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.