Homesteading Basics: How to Dress for Working in the Heat

Ruth Ann Reyes
Ruth Ann Reyes Posts: 577 admin
edited October 2020 in DIY Tutorials

I was just scheduling social media posts for the week and I thought this screen shot was priceless! ➥ https://thegrownetwork.com/homesteading-basics-dress-working-heat/

What do you think?! @Marjory Wildcraft looks awesome, doesn't she?!

But, what I want to know is what are your best tips for keeping yourself cool during the dog days of summer?

Click here to watch the video of Marjory's tips ➥ https://thegrownetwork.com/homesteading-basics-dress-working-heat/


Comments

  • Merin Porter
    Merin Porter Posts: 1,026 admin

    We are at 6,800' and the sun is super fierce here, so even though humidity is low, heat exhaustion can be a real threat at certain times of the year. I use a lot of the tips Marjory mentions -- I wear a sun hat and a lightweight, UV-protective, long-sleeve shirt when I need to work in the heat, plus very dark sunglasses because I have blue eyes and they are pretty sensitive to the sun. I also use a cooling cloth that I wet and put around my neck when things are really blazing. And, of course, I keep a big glass of ice water close.

    All this assumes I have to be out in the heat of the day. If not, I work outside in the early morning or late evening instead....

  • dianne.misspooz
    dianne.misspooz Posts: 105 ✭✭✭

    Living in beautiful southern California, we are having a very mild summer. Its been very cool this year so I'm afraid I don't have any good tips to offer. I am an evening gardener which means I go out into my garden any time past 6 pm when the heat has abated. My yard is tiny so I can get done what I need to by 8pm while the sun is going down.

    I will keep coming back to check if there are any good tips out there!

  • JodieDownUnder
    JodieDownUnder Posts: 1,483 admin

    Where I live now, the summer's are more humid and I have slowly acclimatised. I plan roughly what I want to achieve each week. Get up early and do anything physical then. Usually knock off around 1pm, either jump in the creek or have a shower to cool off and clean-up. Start back again around 5 - 6pm and do anything that needs doing. I wear long sleeve cotton shirts, wide brimmed hat and drink plenty of water or lemon and mint infused iced tea. A hot cup of tea is very refreshing, especially mint. Sometimes I just douse myself with the hose and keep going. A wet cloth or towel around my neck or like a bandana under my hat, feels good.

  • tomandcara
    tomandcara Posts: 712 ✭✭✭✭

    My wife has told me "never underestimate the power of evaporation". Colorado has very low humidity so @jodienancarrow 's advice "Sometimes I just douse myself with the hose and keep going. A wet cloth or towel around my neck or like a bandana under my hat" works incredibly well. Having grown up in Michigan, I know it also works in places with high humidity as well.

  • Jaylene
    Jaylene Posts: 53 ✭✭✭

    Full coverage of light weight cotton type fabric (hat, long sleeves and pants) to keep the sun off your skin and a pool near by to jump into🤣

  • COWLOVINGIRL
    COWLOVINGIRL Posts: 954 ✭✭✭✭

    I drink lots of cold kombucha!

  • dipat2005
    dipat2005 Posts: 1,289 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I have used long dish towels to wet in cold water and then place around my neck. Also this summer I have put that wet dish towel in the freezer for 30 minutes or so and wow does it take care of the warm body especially when you combine that with a fan. Yesterday it was 98 degrees in our area of Oregon. I wear light weight clothes and rarely use a hat but I don't work outside in the sun either. I go out early in the morning and water.

  • seeker.nancy - Central Texas
    seeker.nancy - Central Texas Posts: 795 ✭✭✭✭

    As several have mentioned, I try to get my outside things done in the early morning or late afternoon. I wear capris and a cotton t-shirt. A bandanna around my forehead for sweat (my daughter says I look like I'm going to a martial arts lesson) and if it's really hot, an open weave straw hat. I wear regular crocs without socks (where's Dr. Seuss?). Water, both to drink and to wet another bandanna for around my neck, are always on the table. Summer here is usually long, hot and dry. If only the 68% humidity would come as rain! I'm trying to be more realistic this year in what I plant. I'm notorious for going crazy in the Spring and then not being able to keep up in the Summer's heat. So that is probably the single thing that is helping me the most this year (second only to my wonderful neighbors who are mowing most of my property). Sharing my garden produce and plants has MORE than been exceeded. Kindness rules!