As the crisp air of fall settles in, it's time to start thinking about preparing your homestead for the coming winter months. Getting everything in order now will ensure a smooth transition into the colder season and help protect your garden, animals, and property. In this complete readiness article, I will focus on everything you need to do outside, including preparing your garden, water systems, composting animal care, and overall homesteading maintenance.
Garden Preparation
As the growing season wraps up your garden needs a little TLC to ensure it's set for next spring. By doing some extra work this fall you will ensure you have the perfect blank canvas to start with next spring. If you snagged a copy of my "From Seed to Harvest" e-bundle last spring you will have an idea of all the things that should be done in the fall already.
Harvest Remaining Crops: Before the first frost hits, collect any remaining vegetables and herbs. If you will not be able to harvest everything before there is a possible frost, be sure to have a few old sheets ready to toss over anything you don't want to lose. Some plants, like kale and most root crops can handle a light frost and are fine to be left longer.
Clear and Clean Beds: Once you have finished harvesting remove any spent plants, fallen fruit, or diseased foliage. This helps reduce pests and diseases for the next growing season. I like to pick up as many fallen tomatoes as possible. Tomatoes like to self-plant and will pop up anywhere. Remember to take the time to trim back the leaves on horseradish.
Add Compost or Mulch: After clearing your beds, amend your soil with compost or manure. Aged cow manure is our favorite to use and by putting it on in the fall ensures that it has time to settle and burn off. It is also great to rake leaves into your garden beds as it will act like mulch and will protect the soil and help maintain its structure over winter.
Dig Up Bulbs: If you grow tender bulbs like dahlias or gladiolus, its time to dig them up before the ground freezes. Store them in a cool, dry place over winter, and replant them in the spring.
Organize The Greenhouse/Potting Shed: Now is the time to clear everything out. Make sure there are no animals inside or holes that need to be filled to prevent them from getting in. Dump pots full of old dirt into the compost pile so they are fresh for spring. Sort potting containers, and seedling trays and take a quick inventory of what you have. Make sure your seeds and bulbs are labelled and stored properly.
Water Systems
Freezing temperatures can wreak havoc on water systems, leading to cracked pipes and damaged equipment. Now Is the time to ensure your water sources are winter-ready.
Turn Off Outdoor Faucets: Drain and shut off all outdoor faucets and hoses. Store hoses in a shed, garage or even the basement to prevent freezing and cracking.
Drain Irrigation Systems: If you have an irrigation system, be sure to drain it properly. Any water left in pipes can freeze, expand, and cause serious damage. Consider blowing out the system with an air compressor to ensure all water is cleared.
Insulate Water Lines: Any water lines that need to remain operational throughout winter, such as those going to animals or the greenhouse, should be insulated to prevent freezing. Heat tape can also be used as an extra layer of protection.
Composting for Winter
Composting doesn't stop in winter, but it does slow down. Make sure your compost system is set up to continue through the cold season by doing these three things.
Turn Your Compost:Â Give your compost a good turn before the frost sets in. This helps aerate it and speeds up decomposition before the cold weather slows things down. Its also beneficial to add a few buckets of water while turning.
Insulate Your Compost Pile:Â To keep your compost active during the winter months, add a thick layer of straw, leaves, or even a tarp to insulate it. This will retain heat and keep the microbial activity going as long as possible.
Continue Adding to Compost:Â Even though the process will slow, continue to add kitchen scraps and garden waste to your compost pile. Just remember to maintain a balance of green (nitrogen-rich) and brown (carbon-rich) materials.
General Homestead Maintenance
Before the cold winter sets in this is the perfect time to do those homestead maintenance jobs that you only have to do twice a year. Here is a list of general homestead maintenance jobs you should think about completing:
Windows: Before we get busy decorating for the holidays now is the perfect time to make sure all your windows are clean and latched. Having properly latched windows will help to ensure you don't have any drafts.
Gutters: While you have your ladder out washing windows now is also the perfect time to make sure your gutters are clean and ready for the spring thaw next year. When gutters get full of outdoor debris they can clog and make it harder for the water to get away from your home.
General Outdoor Clean-up: It's important to make sure the yard is ready for the blanket of snow that will be covering it soon. Put away summer furniture, kids toys and garden tools. Finish any jobs that might have been started and haven't bee
Stock Pile Wood and Fuel: If you heat your home or outbuildings with wood, now is the time to ensure your supply is adequate for the winter. Stack and cover your firewood to keep it dry. Make sure all your jerry cans are full and you have enough extra fuel for what your homestead might need.
Markers: Depending on where you live, you might get an abundance of snow making it hard to see and find certain things. Take the time now to mark out your driveway, pathways, and mailbox with reflective posts to ensure they are not hit by the snow plow or snow blower.
Clean your Chimney: If you have a wood stove to heat your home or any of your outbuilding make sure your chimney is cleaned and ready for the busy season it is going to have. You can purchase a chimney cleaning kit and do this yourself or you can hire this out.
Smoke Detectors & Fire Extinguishers: Twice a year it's so important to make sure all your smoke detectors and C02 detectors are in working order by replacing batteries and hitting that testing button to test them. It's ideal to have both on every level of your home and in all out-buildings where animals are. You should also check your fire extinguisher to make sure they will work if they are needed. You can do this by checking the charge indicator on the front of each fire extinguisher. If you are unsure or it indicates it needs to be charged, take it to your local fire and safety store.
Dryer Vent: This is one that a lot of people will overlook but it's important to pull out your dryer and make sure that the vent is clear of all lint buildup. You can easily do this by using your leaf blower on one end a taping a plastic bag on the other end of the vent to collect all the debris being blown out.
Animal Care: Water, Shelter, and Bedding
Your livestock and poultry are a big responsibility in the winter months when they will spend more time indoors instead of outside on pastures. Make sure you are prepared to meet their needs.
Water Supply for Animals: Ensure you have a plan to keep water from freezing. Heated water troughs or deicers can be a game-changer for providing animals with fresh water all winter. If you don’t have electricity running to your animal areas, consider using insulated buckets or placing them in sunny spots to delay freezing.
Shelter:Â Make sure all barns, coops, and sheds are secure and draft-free. While animals need ventilation, too much exposure to wind or snow can stress their systems. Patch any holes or cracks in walls, and inspect doors and windows for damage.
Bedding:Â Fresh, deep bedding is essential to keep animals warm. Straw or hay makes great insulation in stalls and coops. Deep litter bedding, where layers of straw or shavings build up and naturally compost in place, can provide additional warmth. Just be sure to clean out any wet or soiled bedding regularly to prevent respiratory issues.
Heating: To help keep temperatures above freezing you might want to look into heating plates or heat lamps for your chicken coops.
Resting with Ease
Preparing your homestead outdoors and inside for winter can feel like a daunting task, but with a clear plan and steady progress, it can be done efficiently. Completing these steps will ensure your garden, animals, and essential systems are protected and ready to thrive through the cold season!
As you wrap up your outdoor tasks, take a moment to appreciate the rhythm of the seasons and the satisfaction of a job well done.
How do you prepare your homestead for winter? Do you have any favorite tips or tricks to share? I'd love to hear from you in the comments—let's learn from each other and make winter prep a little easier for everyone!
Comments