How We Survive Wisconsin Winters
- vanfamilyfit
- Jan 24
- 4 min read
Cold Is a Relative Term
Please feel free to ask me about the cold in Wisconsin - especially how I survive it while taking care of animals. I get that question all the time.
I literally just came in from goat and chicken chores, and since my eyelashes were still thawing and my snot was frozen to my face, I figured I’d share a thing or two about winter in Wisconsin . As I write this, it’s -12 degrees with a wind chill of -25 and a 5 mph breeze just to keep things spicy.
Yes… it is cold. Which is probably why Wisconsin’s unofficial slogan seems to be The Frozen Tundra (or maybe that’s Green Bay - I honestly don’t know). Which leads me to an entirely unnecessary but important question: Why do we say frozen tundra when the literal definition of tundra already means permanently frozen land? Isn’t that redundant? Is this like saying “wet water” or “hot lava”?
Okay. Back on topic.
Yes, it’s cold. But this is not everyday winter weather. These temps come and go. Next week the highs will be in the upper 20s, which after this Arctic nonsense will feel like hoodie weather.
But let’s clear a few things up.
Dressing for Wisconsin
One of the first things you learn living here is that you dress for warmth, not comfort or fashion. The jackets, boots, scarves, and gloves I wore in North Carolina won't do any good up here. Cute, yes. Effective, no. Gone are the days of trying to look stylish in winter. Fashion has officially exited the building and honestly, I’m okay with it.
When I’m doing farm chores in temps like this, I don’t even wear thick thermal underwear - I do have limits. I layer properly with clothing designed especially for cold weather. I wear two pairs of gloves, a fleece neck gaiter, and a Raven's beanie I've had forever. But my outer gear like my jacket, bibs, boots, and gloves are what blocks the elements.
By the time I’m done, I’m often sweaty… but not cold. And no, I’m not outside for hours. I go out, get the job done (usually 30 minutes to an hour), and come back inside. This is animal care, not an Arctic expedition.
On normal days when I go to work, the gym, or run errands I dress accordingly too. Long down coat (Lululemon of course!) that covers my legs. Gloves. Hat. Proper footwear. Yes, this means I sometimes pack my gym shoes or work shoes and change when I get there. Warm first. Cute second. Priorities. I also have a career doesn’t keep me outside all day. My cold exposure is mostly just house to car to building.
One luxury I didn’t need in the South? A remote start app for my car. I can start my vehicle from anywhere. Literally anywhere. I once accidentally started Jason’s truck while I was in another state and had to text him like, “Sooo… your truck might be running. Sorry.” It shuts off after 15 minutes, thankfully. And yes, I can restart it if I’m not out there in time. Worth every penny.
Let’s Talk Animals
Because that’s what everyone actually wants to know.
The dogs: They go out to potty and come right back in. Trust me - they are highly motivated to return indoors. They’re fine.
The cats: Yes, they’re barn cats and don’t come inside the house. But they have two heated cat houses in the garage, heated water bins, food, and a litter box. When it’s bitter cold like this, once they come in and settle into their houses, we shut the garage door and keep them in. Cozy, safe, spoiled. They’re fine.
The chickens: We do NOT use heat lamps. Some people swear by them but I refuse. I’ve seen too many barn fires and tragic stories. They have an enclosed coop, extra corn for warmth, nesting boxes, and heated water to prevent freezing.
If I don’t collect eggs quickly enough, they freeze and crack so those get tossed on the ground for the girls to peck at for extra protein. They’re fine.
The goats and sheep: They have shelter from wind and weather, hay at all times, grain when it’s especially cold, and extra corn. We don’t normally blanket them - except this year when our goats decided to lovingly remove all the wool from two sheep - poor Stripe and Red. So the two animals that should never need blankets… now need blankets. Of course.
They snuggle together for warmth. Even the ones that normally pretend they don’t like each other. Today they all came out of their shelter to follow me around, ask for snacks, and demand affection like nothing unusual was happening.
They’re fine.
Final Thoughts from the Frozen Tundra
So whether you wanted to read about Wisconsin winter or not… there you go.
If you’re interested, I’ve linked a few of my favorite cold-weather must-have items for farm chores below. I’m not making commissions and I’m not trying to sell you anything. These are just things that genuinely work for me. If I ever find something better, I’ll happily switch. But for now, this is how we survive Wisconsin winters.
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