Every year between Christmas and New Years, farmers gEt serious about winter. If they have not already received the first winter cold snap, it will arrive between Christmas and New Years. It’s during the first winter cold snap when water bowels in the barn freeze, the tractor won’t start, and the dog decides to not bother going out for his morning run that we question this whole theory of global warming. It was one of those mornings when my grandfather (looking like a snowman), stomped into the kitchen for breakfast about 7:30, after he had finished the morning milking, that he announced that the old Shawville milling thermometer was below the little zero mark (-18°C).
Grandpa had already been wearing his Stanfield 88’s combinations with the flap door since November. He also had started wearing his felt boots and woolen breeches. The woolen breeches were neatly tucked into the rubber galoshes which were buckled tight to keep the snow and moisture out of his felt boots.
Felt boots were made just like lace up work boots except they were all felt.
Felt boots were always worn inside pull-over galoshes which had an adjustable strap at the top to tighten up the rubber boot and keep out snow. The felt boot shank, tongue, sole, and even the heel were all made of felt. When it got really cold, grandpa put another felt insole inside his felt boots.
It was about the same time (-24°C) that he moved up from the Stanfield 88 combinations which were the standard winter attire for farmers, to Stanfield Red Label. The 88’s were only a wool-cotton blend, while the red label underwear was 100% wool, but both came equipped with both a trap door and a button up fly for added convenience. It was one of those very cold mornings that my dad announced that if the ladies of the house ventured out, they had better wear their fur-lined garters. Years before panty-hose and leotards were invented, ladies kept their stocking or socks up with garters which clipped onto the socks or stockings or were made with an elastic band which held the socks up. Fur-lined garters were much more expensive and usually only worn at the wedding or in very cold weather.
When spring weather in February or March rolled in, farmers put away the 88’s and Red Label’s, and backed off to just cotton long johns and lighter clothing. In the 50’s, thermal cotton underwear and two piece long underwear became the norm. A few years after, short sleeved thermal tops made their debut.
Most of the heaters in cars and trucks today are much better than what grandpa had in the cutter, and there are many more inside jobs today than when grandpa was farming, but most of my farm friends have never owned or even seen a pair of 100% wool combinations or felt boots. My wife has never asked for fur-lined garters for Christmas either. Yes, I believe that global warming has been sneaking up on us for generations but we just didn’t notice.
Happy New Year to everyone. Keep warm.
Chris Judd is a farmer in Clarendon on land that has been in his family for generations. gladcrest@gmail.com
