Up Yet?

Last year, on January 1, the temperature at The Homestead was minus seven, today it is nineteen, . . . above.  What a difference a year can make.  Aside from the air temperature, the thing that can most affect one's comfort in southern Utah is the sun.  If the sky is not cloudy, and it rarely is, the sun will have a very strong warming effect.  To have such an effect, however, the sun must be above the horizon, and this is where I have detected a flaw in the construction of The Homestead:

Looking due east from The Homestead (at approximately 75 degrees if you are following along on your compass), there is a low spot in the horizon line that surrounds the property.  From this low spot, if you follow the horizon towards the south, it rises steadily until it reaches a high point along the ridge at a place called Valentine Peak.  Valentine Peak is southeast of The Homestead (at approximately 125 degrees on the compass).

In the northern hemisphere, the sun will rise out of the east on the day of the summer solstice; for the winter solstice the sun will rise out of the southeast.  The astute reader can now—doubtless—predict the, ahem, direction this post is headed.  With the position of The Homestead, the sun has the greatest horizon to surmount on the morning of the shortest day of the year, and the shallowest horizon on the morning of the longest day.  It is exactly the opposite of what would be comfortable and efficient from a heating and cooling standpoint.

Let me explain how it works in practice.  On or about June 21, Rural Ways will be working very diligently in the yard at 6a.  The temperatures will be warm and the sweat will be starting to flow, but all the work must be done by 6:30a because that is when the sun will rise (from the low spot in the horizon).  From that moment, the day is shot.  I mean, no one can work under the "death rays."  On or about December 21, on the other hand, Rural Ways will be sitting by the wood stove at 8:30a.  The outdoor temperatures will often be in the single digits and everything will be frozen—the ground, the truck, the work boots.  It will be hard to get anything done until 9a because that is when the sun will rise (above the high spot on the horizon).  From that moment, the day is useful.  The temperature will generally shoot up 30 degrees—making for very nice working weather.

It is too late for The Homestead, but let this serve as a warning to you.  When you are looking at property to buy, ask to view it before sunrise (and bring along your compass).  You may determine that your dream home is actually poorly situated vis-a-vis the horizon line, and that there is actually a better location for the family farm.