How have you readied yourself on your homestead for the coming winter?

**homesteadmamma** · 09-29-2003, 09:16 AM

Yesterday, we raked all the leaves but will have to do that once more this fall. I kept a few of the bags to mulch the perrenials and the roses and use for protection for our harsh winters. I also got dh to take out the burlap and have it ready for after a few more harder frosts.

Dh went downstairs and put in extra insulation where our water pipes come into our house. Last year we had them freeze up twice. He also insulated a small area that needed insulation.

Today, I need to call around and see if we can get some acrylic plastic to put on a couple of windows we didn't have replaced. I'm a little afraid of just putting plastic on because of the cats wanting to sit on the window ledge.

I put all the summer clothes away and have taken all the winter clothes out, checked the outerwear to see what we needed and were all prepared that way.

On the weekend, I'll pick up 150 lbs. of grain and 50 lbs of rice for the stockpile. I also need to pick up some batteries and oil for the oil lamps.

Dh will be checking out the generator over the next few days and have it running in top shape in case we need it.

We still have our m/bedroom to get insulated, hopefully within the next couple of weeks.

We took the rain barrels and put them in storage. We had taken the water out of them earlier because of West Nile, but hadn't gotten them stored yet. Dh also put all the gardening tools away.

I think thats it for now....how about you.

**Heather** · 09-29-2003, 09:53 AM

I have so much to do yet. My garden hasn't been put to bed yet. I'm still getting tomatoes and cucumbers!! The garden will be a chore but well worth it in the spring.

We are replacing the two basement windows in the next few weeks which will help greatly. I also need to get some heavier plastic for 4 windows that will need covering this winter.

I have vacumned all the vents and cold air returns ready for the furnace to come on. (I am trying SO hard to hold off on that but it's getting pretty cold at night)

I am all set for flours, sugars, oatmeal, rice and such. We do want to purchase half a beef for the freezer.

Pool needs to be closed and covered.

Snow fence in south field needs to go up.

Van needs a tune up and oil change which is going to be done this week.

Three trees need to be covered. The area they are in gets dumped with snow.

I am all set for oil for the lamps and batteries and an emergency box (matches, canned goods, can opener, juice boxes etc)

**Jayne** · 09-29-2003, 10:01 AM

So far all that has been done, is, the pool...dh closed it and put most of the pool stuff away....oh he did get the driveway sealcoated too

**sunshine** · 09-29-2003, 10:10 AM

We've put up hay and straw for the horse. Put straw bedding in her stall and straw in the dog's house.

We've re-caulked the storm windows- they were REALLY in need of it.

Otherwise, we haven't done much. Still getting tomatoes, turnips and such from the garden. . . . . walnuts are just starting to come down out of the trees. . . . .

**paelthom** · 09-29-2003, 10:16 AM

Have only just started getting ready here. We probably have a few more weeks of real nice weather. No heat on for a while. SO has started cutting wood and stockpiling for the wood stove and I have begun a bit of yard clean up work. The leaves haven't started turning here yet, so I can hold off raking for a while.

**isaacsmommy** · 09-29-2003, 10:19 AM

Dh installed a new window in the bathroom last night. All of the windows in our 1870's house need replacing, but we're remodeling this room anyway, so it makes sense to at least do the one. We need to rip out sheetrock in that room, insulate, and put up new sheetrock. I want to put up some plastic on the windows in ds's room and maybe in our sitting room. I need to get out in the garden this week/weekend and get it cleaned out and mulch the strawberry plants.

Lots of hay has been put up for the cows, and we just need to figure out how we're going to handle things once the calves are born in Dec. Need to work out some sort of insulation for the water lines in the barn so they don't freeze up and buy a tank heater for their water tank. Our chickens are going to end up being butchered - need to figure that out too.

We need to get out and gather some wood for our wood stove... we don't have nearly enough for the winter. Luckily there are a bunch of woods around our neighbors fields and I know he'll be happy to let us take out some of the dead/dry trees. My dad also has an old oak that came down at his farm that we can have.

Jeez, as I write this I'm wondering how we're going to get it all done... it's supposed to freeze tonight, but this weekend the highs are in the mid-60's. But, we have a full day of weddings (2) on Saturday, so nothing will get done that day.

**Darlene** · 09-29-2003, 02:07 PM

Well lets see...the garden is still giving us tomatoes,swiss chard, zuchini, carrots, basil & second crop of romaine.

All our heat is set. Oil is paid for~ wood split,stacked & dried. Next years firewood is all on the ground waiting to be cut and split when the colder weather comes.

Took the screen out of the front door & will be going through the house soon & taking down many others. I like to look through screen free windows in the winter, lol. Good view & brightens up the rooms.

Ran the generator briefly last week and have plenty of gas stored for that. As soon as the leaves are gone & the grass mowed for the last time we'll be putting the plow + tire chains on the tractor. Then out comes the snowblower parked in it's place in the garage, ready for duty.

I love this time of year. Getting ready to be all cozy inside the house with my family around, a nice fire and good things cooking in the kitchen.

**mustang80** · 09-30-2003, 07:39 AM

I need to call for an appointment to have the heater serviced before we turn it on. This will have to be done before we leave for Florida on Oct. 22.

I've started stocking the pantry for winter. This is the best time of year to get flour, sugar, butter, etc. The prices can't be beat. I store my flour in the freezer, and I still have some in there from the last big sale. Butter also stores well in the freezer.

Fall is also a great time to get turkeys and hams at great prices. Shoprite has a deal when you spend $150.00 (they give you a month), you get a free turkey. I used mine on a turkey breast last year and it was wonderful. We all like white meat, so it's less waste here.

I'm stocked up on batteries for flashlights, matches, candles, and my lamp has oil. I'll have to ask DH about kerosene for the space heater. We only keep it for emergencies, and thankfully have never had to use it.

No raking yet, as this is the first chilly weather we've had.

I'm going to start making up breads and cookies for the freezer. The oven will take the chill out, and we'll have lots of goodies to eat.

By stocking up, I'm hoping to get through January and February without having to grocery shop (except for the can can sale, of course!)

**Ellise** · 09-30-2003, 09:36 AM

We have the oil for the lamps, kerosene for the space heater, and the generator is serviced and ready. Need more canldes as well, Batteries are still on the list.

Stocking up on baked goods in the freezer as well as soups, stews and broths. Could use a few more canned goods. MIL has bought us 3 hams and 2 Turkeys, She also gets steaks and such for us at a really good price, since she gets the straight from the butcher they are always really nice.

I'd love to stock up on Flour, sugar, oatmeal etc... but not sure how to store it all. I'm sure I could find the space.

Still waiting on the mulch for the garden beds. Need to mow, rake the back yard and check the fence for any problems. Dogs have cedar chips in the houses and we have three bags stocked. All the pipes have been insulated, insutaltion strips are ready to go up around the doors. DH wants to replace the door on the side of the house that houses the Hot water heater (good idea).

That's all so far

**homesteadmamma** · 09-30-2003, 10:01 AM

Yesterday when dh came home from work, we ran over to the hardware store here and purchased hard acrylic for the windows that we hadn't replace (4). He'll cut it and will put it up this weekend. It ended up costing us $35.00 per sheet, but well worth it. We can leave it up all year that way and its clear, so you can see out it, not like plastic, where its hard to see. It will just look like another piece of glass over the windows.

We had to turn on the furnace last night. It was just too cold yesterday and then colder last night. They've been predicting snow flurries so its getting close here.

I love reading what everyone is doing to prepare for the coming months.

I still have to do the flowerbeds as well. It hasn't gotten quite cold enough to mulch them yet.

**simplemom** · 10-07-2003, 09:28 AM

For the winter, I want to prepare by stocking up on food and the necessities, so that we won't need to go out as much to the store.

So far, I have stocked up on laundry soap, lots of non-perishable foods that we eat regularly. I have enough shampoo, soap, gel, razors, anti-persperant, toothpaste, bandages to last us a whole year.

I have candles, matches, many warm blankets. We will be going to buy plastic to cover our windows. Last year, we didn't do it and we saw an increase in our electric bill.

We still have the pool the close and the flowerbeds and little garden to pull out the dead remains.

Oh yes, we have the snow tires to buy, this year, too....

mmmm...I wonder if I am forgetting something....

**BlessedMommy** · 10-09-2003, 11:27 PM

I have really been in the prep for winter mode lately. I've stocked up big time on canned goods (Meijer has had their canned veggies for .12 for the past two weeks as well as other great deals in the land of no double coupons...I have plenty for us and for the church and school food drives coming up) and staples. I've been working on menu plans and inventories in the attempt to be stocked as much as possible through the winter. I've gone through the kids' winter wear and they should be set. Last spring I bought coats, boots and snowpants on clearance and it looks like they will fit fine this year! Dmil sewed some draftdodgers for me so this year I won't have to roll up towels to put in front of the doors.
This isn't really winter prep, but it made me happy: Someone from our church owns a greenhouse and one of their clients backed out on a mum order so instead of dumping them they gave us and others from church some beautiful plants! My flowerbeds looks so colorful again. I still need to pull out my annuals...they still have a little life in them, but I should do it soon. Now that the mums are in I'm more motivated to do that. Only a couple of our trees have started dropping leaves, so we don't have to rake yet (dh just mulches when he mows.) I have blankets in the van but need to get a winter kit in there yet (hand warmers, etc.).

**guest2** · 10-10-2003, 07:32 PM

DH and the twins got the swamp cooler all winterized and closed up for the cold season today. DH also did a deep, once a year, clean out on the pellet stove and fixed the seals on it. I've been stocking up on things we need around here, putting food up and bundling up during the day so that we won't have to have the heat on as high. I still need to finish getting the garden pulled out and mulch the flower beds, plant the spring crocus bulbs that just came in the mail today and find a place inside for all the plants that we had on the back porch.

We still need to do the plastic thing on the windows, but I am really liking that hard acrylic idea better and better!

DH needs to finish building the shed and then get the lawn mower winterized and put away.