Tornado On The Homestead

I saw a tweet a few days ago from the Weather Channel that was issuing a tornado warning for Alabama and surrounding states. It reminded me of a time a few years back when I witnessed the forming of one of these monstrous creations of wind and mindless destruction. Tornadoes are nothing to be shrugged off. There is no shame of being scared witless from the thought of a tornado roaming anywhere near your homestead or any other place you might be. They can appear in seconds, destroy an entire neighborhood and disappear as if they never were.

Blackberry Run Homestead is not located in an area that is prone to tornadoes. Being on the Piedmont, the terrain is very hilly, but there are some very large open spaces. Fortunately for us, the occasional tornado that does occur in this area is tiny compared to the godzilla-like funnels that occur frequently in the Midwest. However, shortly before we moved here a tornado did hit the property not far from the house. It uprooted three very large locust trees and then vanished.

On the occasion I mentioned above, we were in the midst of a thunderstorm. I happened to look out of our huge kitchen window and saw that above the trees the clouds were moving in a circle like they were being stirred by a huge spoon. The Homestead is in a valley so the sky looks like an inverted bowl. Staring slacked jawed as the spinning became churning, I knew immediately what was happening even though I never saw a tornado in person before. I was witnessing a funnel forming right above our house.

My first thought was what to do next. I gathered the family and pets and put them in the back part of the basement. I then ran around opening windows and doors. Really, I had no idea what I was doing. Trying to remember scenes from movies to figure out how to survive is the epitome of a failed plan. Next I went to secure the barn and the livestock. I realized there was nothing I could do to save my livestock if the barn was hit. Opening the doors wide and herding the animals inside was the best I could do.

By this time the cloud formation had moved on, but we still had raging winds from the thunderstorm. This area is typically very windy and there is almost always a breeze blowing. The storm eventually passed and no damage was sustained, on our homestead. I found out the next day the tornado I saw forming did indeed become a funnel and tore through the middle of a neighbor's barn about a mile down the road. Their house was in line with the barn, but fortunately the tornado fizzled after it destroyed the barn and another out-building.

The neighbor had recently moved in and did not have livestock at the time. Another stroke of luck. In recent years, prepping for emergencies has become a popular hobby. On the homestead, we must try to prepare for a myriad of potential disasters while seeking the safety of our family members, pets and livestock. Buildings, gardens, equipment, feed storage, etc. must also be protected if we are to continue our way of life.

My wife and I often joke about an asteroid hitting, so we can get out of all the work. She always says that if one hits she wants it to land on her head. I believe with absolute certainty that not only should I survive, but I would also thrive in the new Mad Max world. This, of course, is utter nonsense. Maybe the wife has the correct idea. On the other hand, homesteaders are a stubborn group and I would want to stick around and put my place back together. Besides, it would give me something to complain about other than the weather.