With fall (and winter) fast approaching, it is time to start transitioning the homestead. If I only had time to do 10 essential fall homestead chores, these would be my top picks.
Summer on the homestead is glorious. It’s a time of hard work and abundance. Of preparation and celebration. Sometime it feels like if we can just make it through summer, we’ll finally get that break.
Winter here at the homestead can be long and cold. I love winter and all that it brings but if we aren’t ready for it, caring for the homestead is much more difficult. Here is my list of the 10 essential fall homestead chores to make sure that your homestead is ready for the winter months.
Essential Fall Homestead Garden Chores
1. Clean up garden equipment
Once you are finished with your garden it’s time to put away all the various tools that help your garden grow. It’s time to pick up the tomato cages or other supports you might have for your plants. If they are not permanent, I like to pull them all out and give them a wash. I let the dry in the sun, than pack them away for next year.
It’s also a great time to assess the condition of your row covers. I like to pull out all the supports and pack them away. I also look at the netting. If it is still in good shape it gets a wash (if needed) and then folded up for next year. If it is not in good shape, I make a note so that I can order more when I order my seeds in the winter.
2. Clean up plants
Cleaning the plants out of the garden bed comes with one big condition. Only clean up the plants if you are going to cover the soil. Bare soil is highly susceptible to erosion. We work way to hard to build soil in our gardens only to lose it to the wind.
3. Amend soil
I like to amend my soil in the fall, and only in beds that aren’t getting a fall crop. I’m not the best at composting, and adding it in the fall ensures that I don’t burn any plants if it is still too hot. The compost will have the winter to continue to break down and cool off.
4. Plant fall crops
Essential homestead chores includes planting fall crops. For us that means garlic. I dedicate one bed to garlic almost every year. This is an essential chore because garlic must go through the frost/freeze cycle in order to form a new bulb next year.
If you live some where warmer, where over wintering vegetables is an option, the fall is a great time to get in another round of greens, brassicas, and other cold hardy veg in the ground.
5. Plant cover crops
Planting a cover crop is an essential fall homestead chore if you have a garden. Erosion is a beast and I don’t want to lose all the hard work I’ve put into my gardens to the wind. If you are new to gardening or want more information on cover crops, check out this post. Getting a cover crop planted is an essential fall chore for any garden.
6. Clean garden tools
We wouldn’t put our dishes away dirty, so let’s not put away our garden tools dirty either. Most high quality garden tool will last a lifetime with proper care. Make sure they are free of dirty and clay. Sharpen anything that might have lost its edge over summer use. Lastly, make sure they are stored inside and out of the elements.
Essential Fall Homestead Chores for Livestock & Animals
7. Clean out animal shelters
After a summer of use, it’s time to clean out those shelters. I’ve put this chore off before, and cleaning out shelters in the snow makes this essential homestead chore SO MUCH HARDER. Whether you have chickens, pigs, horses or really anything else. Everyone will appreciate a nice clean shelter.
One way to make this chore simpler is to use the deep litter method for bedding your animals. The basis is that your put down a nice thick layer of fresh bedding after cleaning the shelter. Then you keep adding more bedding to cover up the mess. Using the deep litter method can reduce the frequency that you need to clean out shelters, turning this into a seasonal homestead chore.
Here is a great post that I used to get started with the deep litter method with my chickens
8. Make sure winter equipment works
There is nothing worse then going to use a piece of equipment only to find out it doesn’t work. Now is the time to check your winter gear and make sure it is ready to go.
This could include water heaters, heat lamps, lights, even your snow removal equipments. Knowing your equipment is in good condition and ready to go will save future you a huge headache.
9. Repair fences
Some chores are easier to do without snow. Period. Fencing is one of those chores. Walk the fence line. Put any posts that have popped out back in. Staple the wires back on.
If you use electric fence, check the chargers. Make sure your fences are clean of debris. A good, solid, working fence is essential for homesteading and keeping your animals safe.
Final Essential Fall Homestead Chore
This final essential homestead chore is really only applicable if you happen to heat with wood during the winter months. If you do use wood heat, it is a non-neogotiable.
10. Clean wood stove and get firewood
A clean chimney is a safe chimney. Get it clean and ready for a winter full of use.
Like so many other things, getting firewood is much easier when there is no snow on the ground. Having a good amount of firewood stored for the winter means that when it does get cold, you are all set and ready to go.
So there you have it, these are my 10 essential fall homestead chores. The 10 chores I would get done before winter, no matter what. How do you prepare for winter? Let me know in the comments.
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