Homesteading Things to do in the Autumn Season

As the weather cools and the leaves begin to change color, it's time to start planning all of the fun autumn activities that can be done on the farm. There's plenty to do this season, from picking apples and baking pumpkin pie to jumping in a pile of leaves and building a cozy fire in the fireplace. So gather your family and friends, put on your most comfortable clothes, and prepare for some good old-fashioned fun. Autumn has arrived!

 

Prune your fruit trees.

Pruning your fruit trees is an important part of the gardening process.h2 It can help improve the health and vigor of your trees, as well as increase their quality and size.

Pruning also reduces the size of your tree, which means it will be easier for you to harvest its fruits later in the year. If you want to keep a small tree or shrub, pruning will help ensure that it doesn't grow too large for its container or landscape space.

By removing dead branches from fruit trees like apples or plums (or any other type), you'll get better yields from these plants because they won't have so many broken branches hanging off them while they're growing on their own roots!

 

Start a compost pile.

Composting is a great way to reuse organic materials, as well as reduce waste. It’s also an excellent way to improve your soil and reduce landfill waste.

• Start with food scraps – this includes any leftovers from meals, such as breads and baked goods (make sure they don't contain wax), coffee grounds and egg shells. You can add fruits like peaches or applesauce too if you want something sweet!
• Add yard waste – leaves are perfect for compost because they hold water well when wet so they are easier for worms to digest than dry grass clippings would be!

 

Plant spring bulbs.

 

 

There's nothing more exciting than spring bulbs. Whether you're planting bulbs in autumn or early spring, they will grow through the winter and into the next season. The soil is warm enough to support this kind of growth, so you won't have to worry about it freezing over. You can also save yourself some money by planting your bulbs before other plants have sprouted or bloomed, since they won't need as much fertilizer or water until they start flowering again during the summer months.

 

 

Gather seeds.

 Gather seeds from plants that have self-sown.

This can be done in many ways, but the simplest way is simply to pull them out of the ground when you see them begin to sprout. You might also want to save your own seeds from plants which have been successfully grown in your garden or elsewhere (in other people's gardens).

 

 

 

 

Forage for food and medicine.

 

 

Foraging for food is a great way to learn about plants, get in touch with nature, and connect with your roots. It's also an excellent way to forge new relationships with the people you meet on your journey.

 

 

 

 

 

Take some photos of your garden and make notes of what did well or poorly this season.

Taking photos of your garden is a great way to learn what works and what doesn't. Take pictures of the garden in bloom, and in fall. You can also take pictures of the same area at different times of year, so that you have a better understanding of how things change over time.

 

Plant garlic, shallots, and other cold-hardy crops.

The fall is the perfect time to plant garlic and other vegetables that are hardy enough to survive through harsh winter weather. You can plant these vegetables in the fall or early spring. If you choose to grow them in the summer, they will have a longer period of growth before winter sets in and they need protection from frost.

 

Fall into a fall clean-up routine.

Fall cleaning is an excellent time to get rid of items you no longer require. This can be a difficult task, especially if you have a collection of broken or malfunctioning items. You may also want to consider storing your items during the winter and spring seasons, when it is too cold to use them outside.

It is also a great time to get rid of any unwanted items taking up space in your home, such as old magazines, books, and newspapers; clothing that no longer fits; old toys that have lost their appeal; electronics with broken parts (eBay is a great place to find cheap electronics); and so on.

 

Put away garden tools and equipment.

Store your garden tools and equipment in a secure storage shed to keep them protected and easily accessible for the next gardening season. This can include: spades, rakes and hoes for digging up the soil in preparation for planting next season's crops; the bucket used to store seedlings until they're ready to be transplanted into the ground; the watering can to keep plants hydrated when it's too cold outside for them to be watered by hand or if you live somewhere warm enough where there isn't much rain.

 

Clean out your greenhouse or cold frame for winter growing of cool weather crops

Clean out your greenhouse or cold frame for winter growing of cool weather crops like spinach, kale, chard, lettuce and Asian greens. Plant new seeds and add compost and manure to the soil in a sunny place with good drainage. Then add a winter cover to protect the plants from frost. You can use plastic sheets or blankets that are warm enough to keep them warm but not too warm. If you don't have any spare blankets lying around then just use old newspapers as a liner underneath your plants. Finally, water them regularly during dry spells until harvest time (usually late fall/early spring).

 

Make bone broth from your Thanksgiving turkey carcass or roast chicken bones.

If you have leftover turkey carcass or roast chicken bones lying around, use them to make bone broth. Bone broth is an excellent source of minerals that can help with digestion and support the immune system. It also contains collagen and gelatin which are both healing for the skin and joints.

Bone broth can be made from many different meats including beef, pork and lamb roasts (vegetarian options), fish roasts (canned tuna works well), chicken wings or other parts of poultry like breasts or thighs.

 

Make a bird feeder for winter birds to enjoy.

If you live in an area where there are lots of birds, consider making a feeder that is easy for them to get to. Make sure the feeder is safe for your feathered friends, as well as yourself and others who might be around when the time comes for feeding time.

If you have a backyard or other outdoor space where it's possible to hang an upside down bucket from a tree branch, try doing this! This type of hanging will allow birds more room than if they were just allowed access through holes cut into walls or windowsills—but remember that any kind of perch should be taken down once winter arrives (unless there's another bird feeder nearby).

 

Other things that you can do on the homestead in Autumn

Autumn is the perfect time for gardening. You can still plant things like garlic, shallots and other cold-hardy crops, even if the base of your garden isn’t frozen solid yet. Planting fall bulbs is also a good idea; some varieties will be ready to harvest by October 15th or so (but don’t pick them until after that date).

Winter is coming, but that doesn’t mean the gardening fun has to end. In fact, there are plenty of things you can do this fall to get ready for next year’s bounty. Prune your fruit trees, start a compost pile, plant spring bulbs, gather seeds, forage for food and medicine, make bone broth from your Thanksgiving turkey carcass or roast chicken bones, plant cold-hardy crops – the list goes on! So put on your cozy sweater and gloves and get out in the garden; before you know it, you’ll be eating fresh produce grown right in your backyard. What are some of your favorite autumn homesteading tasks? Let us know in the comments below!