Tips to Homesteading

In this Wednesday’s Winterizing Tips to Homesteading we will go up, under and around to keep the winter chill at bay!

For the home, go up and Inspect Roof, Gutters and Downspouts!

• If your weather temperature will fall below 32 degrees in the winter, adding extra insulation to the attic will prevent warm air from settling inside through your roof. If you have ceiling vents, this will decrease the cold draft coming in from them as well.
• Replace worn roof shingles or tiles to avoid icy build up.
• Clean out the gutters and use a hose to spray water down the downspouts to clear away leaves and debris. If it is rainy and the debris holds water, gutters will get heavy and potentially damaged with ice.
• Consider installing leaf guards on the gutters and extensions on the downspouts to direct water away from the home to avoid icy build up close to doors and pathways.

Around the Garden, it’s time to go underground!

• Dig up any tender bulbs. Cannas, tuberous begonias, gladiolus, dahlias and most other summer-blooming bulbs don’t survive winters in USDA Zone 9 or colder. Store freshly dug up bulbs in vermiculite in a paper bag in a cool (65 degrees F  or cooler), dry spot.

For the Animals and Livestock protection is just around the corner.

• Add at least one solid wall around the pen if there isn’t one already. This will provide a wind break. Ideally one wall should be on the north side to block the bitterest wind.

 Now go inside and Warm UP!!!

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Best Blessings!

The Millers

Donna Miller is an author, teacher and entrepreneur. Her favorite roles are that of wife and mother to three home-school graduates. The Millers own and operate Millers Grain House which offers Chemical Free and Organic Grains, Grain Mills, Bread Machines, Grain buckets, Bosch Mixers, the NutriMill, instructional tutorials, recipes and more.

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