Best tips for winter preparedness?

[ohiofarmgirl]

hi folks! i'm new to the SS site but i've seen many of you on BYC


i'm not rushing summer out the door but... what are your best tips for being prepared for the winter? specifically i'm wondering about:

* harvesting what we're growing
* getting the livestock ready
* stocking up the pantry

how do you prioritize what needs to be done/purchased?

both my hubby and i are off work and we've had a great summer with some fairly good results... but i'm a little nervous heading into winter. once our humidity breaks will start on the firewood but i have several 'slow' weeks until the fall harvest breaks into full swing

what would you concentrate on?

thanks!

 

[me&thegals]

Hi ohiofarmgirl and welcome

I would focus on food preservation right now since it simply cannot be done later. Wood can be chopped in Oct, but by then most produce will be done. So, I would get to freezing, dehydrating, canning and otherwise storing as much food as you can grow or buy cheaply from other sources.

As for wood, once you get going on that, it's a great idea to always chop and store more than you need. My hubby has such a pile going that he can skip worrying about wood when other things are busy and have the satisfaction of knowing it is waiting there for us this fall, drying.

I save winter for all my reading and researching. This winter I'm looking into this whole fermentation thing I keep reading about here Last winter was spent researching bee keeping. It's also a great time for other crafts you might enjoy. I personally spend it weaving baskets and hope to learn soap making this year.

So, I guess this is my long way of saying that you should focus on what absolutely cannot be done later, which in my opinion is food preservation.

One more thing, some things can be put off. For example, I juiced gallons of blackberries and froze the juice. Now, during the chaos of other garden picking and preserving that cannot be put off (like beans), I can know my juice is waiting in the freezer for me. This fall or winter, I will pull it out and make it into blackberry syrup and jelly.

Okay--time for me to get off the computer and go pick the garden!! Good luck and have fun (sorry to take Pat's line, but it is so perfect)

me&thegals

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I appreciate your response, me&thegals . . . it confirms that I'm on the right track! Although right now I have fall planting chores that are interfering with my food preservation hopes. But, thanks for reminding me that I can freeze the blackberry juice for later canning. I might need to do this.

So, at least for my area, now is the time to plant cover crops, if you are going to use them. I'm not sure how that works in Ohio.

I'm also hoping to get some fall crops transplanted into my greenhouse before too much longer.

I am really looking forward to winter. I could really use some down time!

 

[me&thegals]

and thank YOU, DM, for reminding me about those fall crops. I simply MUST get my fall seeds planted this week! There's nothing like one more huge harvest of arugula, spinach, beets, carrots and salad blends, is there? But, those tomato plants must get tied up again, blackberries and beans picked, sweet corn sold, onions dried down....

Oh, I can't wait for winter either What a relief when it comes!

 

[DrakeMaiden]

You are welcome, me&thegals! I have my fingers crossed that you find the time to get those seeds in the ground! Yes, the flush of fall greens is always such a treat!

Edited for dyslexia.

 

[patandchickens]

Totally agree that "now" tasks like planting fall crops and processing today's produce have to take priority.

Beyond that, it might be useful (it is for me ) to make a coupla lists:

-things to do once the garden, or part thereof, is fallow. Like add amendments, till, enlarge beds, mulch, sow cover crop, whatever.

-things that have to get done before the ground freezes. For me that's anything involving digging [postholes, shed foundations, plumbing repair, new drainage ditches] or shrub/tree planting.

-things that have to get done before there is meaningful snow on the ground. For me that's things like a last scalping trim of all the drainage ditches, removing the remainder of last year's horse manure pile and spreading or using it, getting hay, and moving any large objects like the chicken tractor that cannot be moved through a foot or two of white stuff.

-things to do before real winter, but that can be done with frozen ground and/or snow. Like bubblewrapping the basement windows, remedial weatherstripping/caulking, etc.

These lists help me avoid frittering away time doing something taht could be done later, at the expense of something that if I don't do it now I will lose the best chance.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Good list, Pat. It reminds me of something I was going to ask last winter . . . those of you who get REAL winters, I'm wondering how you get running outdoor water for your animals. Do you have "frost free" spigots (which I suspect don't really help much in really cold weather)? Do you just cover your spigots when not in use? Do you have outdoor spigots in small outbuildings? Or do you bring water out from the house? I just remember our spigot, even when covered, still managed to freeze up in our coldest weather last winter.

 

[lupinfarm]

If you have an oil furnace and no woodburner, keep a couple small tanks of diesel on hand incase you run out between fill ups.

 

[lupinfarm]

Good list, Pat. It reminds me of something I was going to ask last winter . . . those of you who get REAL winters, I'm wondering how you get running outdoor water for your animals. Do you have "frost free" spigots (which I suspect don't really help much in really cold weather)? Do you just cover your spigots when not in use? Do you have outdoor spigots in small outbuildings? Or do you bring water out from the house? I just remember our spigot, even when covered, still managed to freeze up in our coldest weather last winter.

We have a frostfree system, but not a frostfree spigot so we end up pouring hot boiling water on the spigot all winter. Also, we use mostly hot water in the waterers and troughs to keep it from freezing over quickly. The chickens love it, a good bit of hot water in the dead of winter. As does Luna, but you have to watch out you don't burn yourself or the horse so with the horse we mix part and part... the chickens get just hot water, they seem to like steaming drinks lol

We are lucky that we have a hot water spigot at the house which we use for the chickens, but the horse water is at the barn and we have to carry it out to the field and its not got a hot water spigot.. total bummer but its worth it in the end. This year Luna will be closer to the barn and we'll have a stock tank heater.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

thanks everyone - great thoughts! i'm kind of stressed that i will 'fritter' away these good working days and just need to keep focused.

keep sending the tips!



and about the spigot - we end up just using the water from the sink for the poultry. its a LOT of tromping in and out of the house. our goal is to have water out to the buildings - but that will have to be a different year. and yep - nothing chickens like better than a warm bucket of water