One thing I love about moving into winter is the time for indoor hobbies. With shorter days and fewer chores to do outdoors, there is a lot more time to adventure into different activities. In this post, we are going to discuss all the different things to do on the homestead during winter.
One thing we want to take good measures against is the winter blues. Depression is no joke, and it is certainly easier to slip into a funk during the winter months.
To prevent that, we are going to discuss all the fun things you can do to stay excited during all seasons of the year, especially winter!
15 Things To Do On The Homestead During Winter
One of my favorite things to do is research and learn new things. I started this blog as a way to document my journey and share what I learn with you.
Of course, my reasoning has evolved over the past several years, and now I am to serve you in the best way possible.
With all of that said it would be a disservice to you if I did not share with you some things to do during the winter months to help avoid winter blues and keep you excited about all the things to come for the next growing season. Let’s get to it!
1 // Plan next year’s garden
This is something most homesteaders love to do because it helps you not go too crazy when ordering seeds for the next year. Well… it is supposed to help, at least! 😉
Get a notebook or some grid paper and draw out exactly where you want to put things. If you already have plants in spaces, be sure to include them within the drawing.
My favorite resource to use in preparing the garden is the Old Farmers’ Almanac.
2 // Read a book or two or three
Reading is an easy way to continue your education in homesteading because there is always something to learn.
What things have you wanted to learn about but haven’t yet? Herbalism? Homemade bread? Quilting? Take the time to dive into reading and learning.
My two favorite homesteading/gardening books are The Five-Year Guide to Self-Sufficiency: Simple Living Made Simpler by Amelia Barrows and The Healing Garden: Cultivating and Handcrafting Herbal Remedies by Juliet Blankespoor
Maybe you just want to discover a new world or alternate reality. Fiction books are fun to take us away from our reality for a bit. My favorite fiction book is Emily & Einstein: A Novel of Second Chances by Linda Francis Lee.
Why not read a dystopian or science fiction book to really pull you into a new world? Of course, cheesy Hallmark stories are a great option, too!
3 // Plan your projects for the year
This is a great time to plan things out like raised beds, new chicken coop runs, or what you’ll plant in edible landscaping around your home.
You may want to build new fences or shelters. Now is the perfect time to research, draw, and plan your action. If you have to save up for it, this will give you plenty of time to do so.
If adding animals to your homestead is a priority, you may want to plan for what they need, how much they will cost to keep healthy, and when may be the appropriate time to add them onto the property.
Having a plan that you can adjust is always better than winging it.
4 // Learn how to cook new recipes from scratch
During the winter months, there is considerably more time to get in the kitchen and cook/bake. Why not take advantage of that and learn how to cook a new pie, bread, casserole, etc.?
If you have little ones, have them help and turn it into a family pastime.
Check out my favorite homesteader recipe book to try some traditional, delicious recipes!
5 // Start seedlings to get a jump on the gardening season
Depending on where you live, you may need to do this to have a fruitful garden. However, this is a great way to beat the winter blues.
Seeing something grow gives hope, and when you increase the feelings of hope, it is harder to feel depressed.
You may do this due to a short growing season or as a great form of self-care. Either way, it is always fun to experiment with starting seedlings indoors and transplanting them once it warms up a bit.
Here are a few supplies you may need for your seed starts:
6 // Experiment with DIY self-care recipes
Do you love a good foot soak, hot bath, or moisturizing lotion? If so, this will be a winner for sure!
Take your homesteading skills to the next level by trying out different DIY recipes. There is a long list of things you can try, and I’ve actually gathered a few ideas HERE to get you started.
There is no limit to what you can do with this, and it is another great family activity! Have fun and get creative with this one!
7 // Connect with your community
This is the perfect opportunity to connect with people in your community. Either find a network of homesteaders already meeting or start your own meetings.
You could participate in recipe swaps, seed swaps, workshops, and so much more!
Do not be a hermit, like many are inclined to be during the winter season. Get out and make some new friends and maybe even a mentor to help you flourish on your homestead.
8 // Composting
Composting is a great way to improve soil health, as well as reduce waste in your home.
There are several different methods you can try, including the following:
Worm Composting
Worm composting is great because the worms do all of the work to break down the green and brown waste into usable soil. It’s also great for kids who enjoy seeing earthworms at work!
Check out this worm composter!
The Lomi Composter
The Lomi composter is great for turning waste into compost rather quickly. This is great if you don’t have the space for outdoor composting but still want to use your green and brown waste.
Check out the Lomi composter.
Kitchen Counter Composting
A kitchen counter composter is a great idea for anyone with an outside composting system that doesn’t want to walk outside each and every time something needs to go into the compost bin.
This is the system I prefer and use in my home. I have mine under the sink so that it is out of sight.
I love this kitchen counter composter.
9 // Seeds and Poultry Shop
Winter is the perfect time to place orders for seeds for your garden and poultry due to the availability. Once spring officially starts, stock for seeds and poultry dwindles fast!
Don’t chance things being out of stock, and order what you need now! You’ll need to ask about delaying chick delivery until closer to time, but that shouldn’t be a problem.
Seed companies I recommend:
Poultry shop options:
- Start with your local shops, as this reduces the chance of losing chicks in transit.
- Local feed stores
- Tractor Supply
- Atwoods
- Murry McMurray Hatchery
- Cackle Hatchery
- Freedom Ranger Hatchery
10 // Maintenance and winterize things on the homestead
Wintertime can be brutal on water pipes and faucets, outdoor animals, and more.
If you haven’t winterized your homestead, now is the time. Add fresh hay to coops, ensure everything is sealed off well, and have a system for watering your animals throughout the winter.
Here are a couple of things I personally use on my homestead to ensure my outside pipes don’t burst:
- Water faucet cover – perfect for exterior wall faucets + their reusable!
- Frostproof hydrant – best investment for when you need access to water in the winter
11 // Create home remedies
Since things are moving a little slower during the winter months, it is a great time to make tinctures and use dried herbs in different home remedies.
I really like the Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine New Edition: 560 Herbs and Remedies for Common Ailments by Andrew Chevallier for trying all kinds of home remedies!
12 // Hunting Wild Game
Depending on your hunting regulations, this could be the perfect time to stock your freezer of wild game, including venison, duck, and wild pigs.
13 // Feeding and watering animals
As mentioned above about winterizing your homestead, feeding and watering animals is a priority during the winter on the homestead. It is important to ensure your animals have fresh [not frozen] water throughout the freezing days, so make sure you’re paying close attention to them.
14 // Declutter and organize your home
Winter is the season of being indoors, so decluttering and organizing your home is essential!
Allow yourself to create a cozy home that you enjoy being in by getting rid of things you don’t need and organizing spaces that can get a bit crazy when you’re spending more time outdoors.
Grab Declutter Your Home Workbook, a 92-page, step-by-step workbook to help you go from cluttered to calm!
15 // Enjoy time with your family
There is nothing like gathering around a fire to play games with your family. My favorite winter memories are when I played cards with my parents.
I challenge you to turn off all screens unless you’re watching a movie, of course!
Grab a board game and spend the afternoon seeing who the best Monopoly player is in your family.
You can also try some recipes from the books mentioned in this post and have everyone join in on the fun of gathering ingredients, mixing them up, and spooning them into the pan to bake.
Final thoughts about things to do on the homestead during the winter months
These are just a few things to do during the winter months on the homestead. I would love to know what you do that isn’t listed. Let me know below in the comments!
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