How to Prepare Your Homestead for Winter

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Autumn is here, and it’s time to prepare your homestead for winter. Here are a few tips to keep you on track…

Frost is in the air, the days are getting shorter, and the leaves are falling! That means it’s time to prepare your homestead for winter. Below are a few tasks that homesteaders should complete during the autumn to be prepared for the colder months ahead. Doing so will make sure that your home and your livestock are safe, snug, and warm this winter, and also prepare your garden or pasture for a strong and healthy start next spring.

Winter is a welcome time of rest for gardeners and even some homesteaders, but there’s still some work to be done before winter arrives, so this handy checklist will help keep you on track as you prepare your homestead for winter!

1. Leaves

You can add the leaves you rake up during autumn to your compost pile. You can also shred the leaves and layer your field or garden beds.

2. Mulching

Speaking of leaves and biological detritus, mulching has a great effect on your soil and moisture retention because it keeps morning dew and water from escaping.

Mulching will also reduce the amount of weed maintenance you may end up doing after winter ends, while the process of mulching allows you to make use of perennial and evergreen plants you cannot harvest for food or fodder.

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3. Organization

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During the fall and winter, you can sharpen, polish or replace work blades, attachments and other tools in order to maximize their effectiveness during the next planting and harvest seasons.

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7. Gathering and Planning

Use the downtime winter days and nights force on you and your homestead to plan the upcoming season. Maybe you want to introduce a new crop rotation, or maybe you want your livestock to graze a new area in order to prepare it for tilling and planting. Shop around for new seeds and bulbs to expand your holdings. Perhaps one crop did not work out the way you wanted. If that’s the case, use winter to research and find a replacement.

8. House Prep

Overall, your land holdings will enter into a state of preservation during the winter months. Your house, on the other hand, requires a different type of preparation for the incoming elements of nature. Whether it’s rain, snow or ice, you want your home sealed, insulated and secured against the elements. Make sure your pipes are prepped against freezing, your home’s protected against drafts or mold, and your fuel sources are full and accessible.

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