As of June 22nd, 2024 summer is officially here. In NE Texas, we often get warmer temperatures starting in mid-May, which I think of as the end of spring and the beginning of summer. These temperatures will often persist throughout September, with August being the hottest month.
The summer weather pattern is highs in the 90s and lows in the 80s. Humidity is often high as well, starting off near 99% in the morning and going down to 45% in the evening. This combination of heat and humidity makes working outdoors all but impossible. When it does rain, and it does rain in the summer, temperatures will drop but humidity will spike.
Occasionally we’ll get a mini-heat wave with temperatures above 100 F, or a little reprieve with milder weather even in the 80s. But generally, I expect highs around 95 F and lows near 80 F.
Here’s how I deal with the heat.
- I don’t do physical work outdoors. One of the reasons I built a shop was so that I have room to work on projects and such. In summer, I’ll install an A/C, or at least fans, to keep myself cool. If I must work outdoors, I’ll work early in the morning or late in the evening, or even at night.
- Avoid the direct sunlight. Anything to keep the sun off your skin is good. Use shade as much as possible.
- Wear clothing. This sounds counter-intuitive, but it works. I wear long pants, long-sleeve shirts, gloves and a hat, as well as boots. My clothing is made of cotton so it wicks the sweat from my body. Even the gentlest breeze will give me a chill even on hot days. Not only am I protected from sunburn, but I am always in shade.
- Drink plenty of water. This goes without saying, of course. Drink water before you head out. Drink water while you are out. Drink water after you get back.
- Eat lots of salt. This sounds counter-intuitive like my clothing suggestion, but I have noticed that when I sweat a lot, I crave salt, and it helps a ton. The food down here is naturally salty since people who work outdoors crave salt. When we first moved down here things were so salty it would burn our tongues, but now that we’ve been here a few years, we crave salt and sometimes can’t even seem to get enough.
Our animals are all well-adapted to the heat. I wouldn’t keep them if they weren’t. The cows are used to spending their time in direct sunlight. They have a thick skin and layers of fat. They can also sweat. Cows drink tons of water as the heat goes up. I provide minerals for them in case they get a little low. The sheep are also bred from breeds of sheep that are adapted to hot and humid climates. They shed their coat in the summer and have a light, short coat. The dogs also shed their coats and I make sure to provide them with plenty of shade and water. I’ve noticed the dogs like to dig in the dirt, possible to take advantage of the cooler soil.
Of course I try to provide the animals with shade from trees, but the honest truth is it doesn’t make much of a difference on the hottest days. Yes, they can get out of the direct sunlight, but it’s only a few degrees cooler in the shade. One of the problems with the trees is that the animals tend to stay under them, overgrazing the grass under the trees and depositing all of their manure there, to the detriment of the rest of the pasture.
One of my goals is to eventually convert my pasture into “silvopasture”, or a pasture with trees regularly spaced to provide shade and other benefits.
Regardless of all the advice above, it is imperative that you understand the problems with heat and the symptoms of overheating in yourself. Unlike the animals, you are likely not adapted to such high temperatures for an extended period of time. Some of the symptoms I feel are dizziness, nausea, weakness, and headaches. If I start to feel those things, I know it is time to cool off and drink some cool water. If I can’t get to an air conditioned room immediately, I’ll lean against a tree and take a breather until I can cool off a bit, then I’ll walk slowly through the sun to shelter. If I need to, I can always dunk my head in a watering trough or just soak my clothing with water. Both will help lower my body temperature quickly.
If I’m not careful, I can end up getting sick for a few days after too much heat. My muscles will be sore, like I have a fever. I will be weak and tired. I might have symptoms like the flu, including a headache or a fever. During this time I try to drink plenty of fluids and eat plenty of salt and get plenty of rest in cooler temperatures. Sometimes I’ll sit under a fan in an air conditioned room in shorts until I feel better.