20 Fall Chores Not To Forget On The Homestead
Our gardens have died back, the chickens are laying less eggs, the days are shorter, and the air colder. It’s time for Fall chores before we hunker down for Winter.
While I feel like every season comes with a never ending To-Do list, here are 20 Fall Chores that I don’t want to forget. If I could get these things done then I feel good about going into Winter.
*Disclaimer- This post contains affiliate links from Google Ads, Amazon, and The Homegrown Herbalist which I earn a small commission from qualifying views and purchases.
1 Mark Maple & Walnut trees
Mark any Maple or Black Walnut trees that are at least 10 inches in diameter, while leaves are still on them, in order to identify them. These are your sap producers!
Use ribbon, paint, rope, or whatever else you may have on hand that will hold up to a few months of weather conditions.
Check out _______________ if you are just starting to get into making Maple Syrup.
Walnut trees also make, I think, even MORE delicious tasting syrup and well worth looking into if you have any on your property!
While you are at it, are there any Maple Syrup making supplies that you need for the up coming season? Order it now, or at the very least write it down for when you have the extra money to order.
Credit given to my friend Mike @ Costanzo Woodworking for this very noteworthy Fall task. I almost forgot to list it if it wasn’t for him!
2 Cut Limbs, Whole Trees, Large Bushes When Bare
This is the perfect time to cut things down before there is snow on the ground! Not only is it easier to see where you are cutting without all the leaves, but it’s far less of a clean-up in the aftermath.
Just PLEASE be careful! This weekend we just took down two large trees. The first tree came down perfect, the second almost took out our shed, truck, car, trailer, and sawmill due to a bad back cut and going the opposite way than it should have!! (yes a video is in the works of that one!)
3 Garden Bed Clean Up and Soil Amending
We’ve had our first frost and it immediately turned our flourishing nasturtium beds into beds of weeping sadness as everything lays limp and lifeless.
That’s all folks! The season is over and it’s time to clean up. Before the ground freezes, prepare your soil for the next growing season. Here is a great article on what to do Prepare Your Soil in Fall for Next Year’s Garden | Almanac.com .
4 Leaves and Debris Clean Up
This year we procrastinated. We have had SOOOOO much rain, it takes away the fun of raking and jumping in leaves. Today though, I got the kids out. We each grabbed a rake and we went to town on the yard!
Get those leaves and twigs up before the snow falls!
Perfect timing to do this after cleaning up the garden beds because you could layer the leaves on top of your soil! Next Spring, you will have a nutrient replenished worm filled garden ready to thrive for you.
5 Deep Clean Animal Food and Water Dishes, Bottles, or Buckets
A little bleach and water go a long way. You may also be surprised at how much less time that it takes to do this compared to how long we thought it would and kept putting off.
6 Deep Clean Animal Coops, Cages, Stalls
Suck it up Buttercup! This is probably the least fun job of having a homestead but it needs to be done, esp as the daylight is shorter and animals are going to be in their enclosures more.
Now is the time to just git ‘er done. If you wait too long water from cleaning will freeze on everything which would be a nightmare!
7 Break Out Any Heated Waterers
You might have these in storage or need to pick up new ones. Find them, clean them up and keep handy for when those temps drop low.
If you have chickens and don’t use a heated watered you may want to check them out as they have been a LIFE SAVER for us! Water helps chickens to regulate their body temperature so you odon’t want them to go without it even for a short time by their water freezing to a solid block of ice.
These also save you the hastle of multiple times a day having to bring unfrozen water out to them!
8 Clean and Sanitize Garden Tools
Did you know this was even a recommended practice?!? It is! While it should be done frequently, at the very, very least do it before putting things away for the season. Shovels, pruning shears, clippers, whatever you use in the soil and/or on your plants.
We have all clipped a diseased plant before, well that disease will spread if we don’t maintain good tool hygiene. There are pathogens in the soil as well. Keep your tools clean folks!
9 Check Hoses
Are there any leaks? Could they be fixed or do you need a new one before next year?
Shut off water to hoses before freezing temps, let drain, coil up, and store till Spring.
A couple days ago, I went to add more water to the chicken’s container and tons of thin, long icicles shot out of the hose. Yep! Time to shut it all down so we don’t have busted hoses and pipes.
10 Make Notes
While the past growing season is fresh in your mind, what worked and what didn’t work? What did you grow that no one really liked or what did your family love and wish they had for next year?
So many homesteaders and farmers recommend keeping an organized planner or journal for this. Recording and making notes in the moment is always best, but if you didn’t, take a moment now to reflect and document.
Did you break any tools that need replacing? Were you wishing that you had a different sized shovel? Any and all of this should be written down. I like to keep an ongoing Wish List that could be referred back to.
11 Organize, Inventory, and Store Seeds
While you have the packets and their info in your hand, not only make an inventory of your seeds but also write down when they need to be planted, as well as if they need sun or shade. Having all of this on the same page gives you a reference guide to go off of when you start actually planning your garden for next year.
Don’t forget to properly store your seeds! Cool, dry spot without direct sunlight. Store them in an envelope and then a container the is not air tight. If there is any at all moisture in your seeds, they will mold if airtight.
Also keep in something critter proof. If you get a mouse in the house they LOVE seed packets!
12 Write Seed Wish List
Do you need more seeds of a certain crop? Was there something you saw someone on Instagram growing that you wanted to give a try? Write it down!
Add one variety that sparks wonder. I encourage every gardener to do this, to keep your relationship with gardening new and exciting. Perhaps a rainbow pepper, a black tomato, or a Willy Wonka looking hanging neon melon. Something that peeks your curiosity. If you have kids, this is a GREAT way to get them excited to help!
13 Source or Order Seeds for Next Year
Notice that I say “source OR order”. Obtaining seeds don’t have to cost you anything!
Check with your local library and see if they have a “Seed Library”. This is a new trend which I think is absolutely amazing and our local library just started doing! People (and companies!) could donate left over seeds, which then are organized and become available to the public.
Seed exchanges are fun if you are involved with a gardening FB Group.
Make a post of your own between your gardening friends, your town page, or online gardening group.
Don’t be shy! Call up local stores and ask the manager what they are doing with left over seed packets. Many stores are told to throw them away. If so ask if you would be able to use them instead of throwing out.
Our town’s hardware store posted on our town’s facebook page that they were instructed to throw out TONS of seed packets at the end of the season. Instead they offered to the public. We ended up getting a bag FULL! I tried to be selective but the worker threw in handfuls more!
Keep an eye on stores’ seed sections as seeds that are “packed for” this year may be clearanced drastically. While they are packaged for this year’s growing season, if stored properly they will be good for years to come.
When all else fails, place an order for what you need now before any chance of shortages or shipping interruptions. If we’ve learned anything from the past few years it’s to prepare for the unexpected. My favorite places to order from is MIGardener and Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.
14 Maintenance on Heating Source
Google / Youtube if you want to or call in a professional but make sure to do maintenance on your heating source, BEFORE you are fully depending on it.
It’s much, MUCH cheaper to replace a filter and nozzle ahead of time, than to have the heat go out in the middle of the night and calling for an emergency after hours service or worse have pipes then freeze and break.
Do you have a wood fireplace? Does the chimney need to be cleaned? Is there enough wood cut? All this is included.
15 Maintenance and Run Generator
Has your generator been sitting? Again Google and YouTube are amazing resources for DIYers. See how you need to maintain your particular generator and make sure its in tip top shape and could be relied upon it there were a sudden need.
Don’t have a generator? Let’s add that to a wish list while it’s fresh on our minds!
16 Lock All Windows
Before turning on the heat make sure all the windows in the house are closed and locked!
Ours always appear to be closed but when I check them there is usually a gap at the top or bottom. Nothing drives me more crazy than discovering gapped windows after the heat has been on for weeks!
17 Seal Windows
I love the shrink wrap window plastic. Easy to install and if applied right, it’s hard to tell that plastic is on the window.
18 Check Doors for Drafts
Let’s not pay to heat our home just to cool it down with chilling drafts.
Use weather stripping if needed on the side jam. Make or purchase cloth draft blockers for the base of the door.
19 Access Your House and Make a List
I like to do this on a rainy day when stuck indoors.
The Spring, Summer, and early Fall have pulled our focus to the outdoors. It’s easy for the inside of the house to get neglected.
Are there lightbulbs that need replacing? Smoke detector batteries that have been giving off a low beep warning? Loose banister? Blinds that need to be hung?
Walk each room. Make a list and keep it on the fridge or somewhere you could see often.
Even if they don’t get done in Fall, try to get them done over Winter while you have no choice but to be inside most of your day, and before Spring gently pulls you back out.
20 Declutter and Organize
In Fall purge things before Christmas esp if you have children. What could you get rid of to make room for the new that will be coming in? Could you sell anything to make money towards Christmas, to lower a bill, or to finance your next seed purchase?
There is close to nothing as rewarding to me than the feeling I get dropping off a car packed with bag loads of stuff to GoodWill. I wish it was for the feeling of helping others , but honestly it’s the relief that there is that much less crap in my house!
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