Are you wondering how to prepare your homestead for an upcoming winter season? If you are reading this article, you probably have challenging times surviving the winter season. However, it does not always have to be tough. If you live in an area where winters are icy, early preparations can help. Avoid waiting for the last-minute crash and prepare in advance.
You can survive winter storms by ensuring you stock enough firewood, power back up like generators, food supplies and water supply, first aid kit, and protecting the house by adding some reinforcements to fences, so that they do not topple over from the weight and effect of ice and snow. By taking these measures in advance, you will not only survive winter but will enjoy your winter homestead. Let’s stop surviving winter and start enjoying the moments of snow. Keep on reading for tips on how to create a comfortable, well-stocked, and prepared homestead.
Six Tips on How to Survive in a Winter Homestead
Food stocking
When winter hits, it is not time to start rushing for groceries every day. Instead, buy foodstuff with a long shelf life a few weeks before the cold season hits. Ensure you properly store them to ensure they take you throughout the season.
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What quantities do you need for the whole season? The amount of food you need to stock depends on several variables. First is the number of your family members, the consumption rate, and the level of disposable income. However, if money is not a factor, buy more than what you stock every other season. This will ensure to cover shortages that might occur due to spoilage or increased guests.
How do you ensure food safety and minimize spoilage? Maximize the use of containers to store your food safely. If some foods are not packed in containers, find large tins and place them as they are with their wrappings. Containers do not allow moisture or water to get into your food and have fewer chances of getting molds due to cold.
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Also, if you have cows and other animals, ensure you have bought enough food for them. The dried grass silos and other cow foods with a long life span are a great choice. In other words, ensure you stock enough food for everyone and all animals within your homestead.
How can you store perishable foodstuffs like fruits and vegetables? You can solar dry them and enjoy them for the whole season without spoilage. Have you ever heard or thoughts of building a food dehydrator ever clicked your mind? If not, it is time you made your homestead solar food dehydrator. This equipment uses solar rays to remove water from vegetables, increasing their life span.
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Water storage
When winter starts, you surely need to have enough water storage for you and your animals in the homestead. During snow time, water in rivers and open dams can crystallize, resulting in a lack of drinking water. Similarly, it will be so cold, making it impossible to drink.
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For better preparations, you can buy ample water storage space. Most of these containers will only be enough for human consumption. An excellent example of clean water storage tanks is the Augason Farm water storage barrel available on Amazon at an affordable price. For animals, consider building underground storage with heavy lead to prevent it from turning into ice.
Heating and lighting equipment
One of the things you would not want to run out of during winter is heating equipment. Heating sources for cooking and warming the room- keeping your family members safe from freezing are necessary.
Do you rely 100% on electricity for heating and cooking? If yes, you need to have a plan B as electricity during winter is likely to disconnect, and you might be subjected to blackouts. For cooking purposes, gather enough firewood and fully stock your storage space. In this way, even without electricity, you will remain warm and also prepare a meal. Also, buy enough gas cylinders to ensure you have enough gas for cooking and lighting too.
However, for lighting purposes, you also need to have a fully functional generator. Also, buy enough fuel for the generator to avoid failing before the end of the season. A fully functional and well-equipped generator will ensure you continue enjoying lighting even during blackouts. Survival flashlights are also recommended for this season to provide extra lighting. Vont 2 Pack LED Camping Lantern is a super bright and portable flashlight is an excellent example of a flashlight and is available on Amazon at a cost-friendly price.
First aid kit equipment
Why have fully equipped first aid kits during winter? Do you live more than 30 minutes from the nearest care facility? A first aid kit is necessary. This is because people are more likely to catch a cold than in other seasons of the year. It is necessary to be fully prepared and have access to enough cold medicine to reduce the spread of the cold.
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Similarly, during this period, roads are almost impassable. It would be best to have some emergency first aid kit that can help in providing first care as you maneuver your way to the hospital for advanced treatment. An excellent example is the 24/7 first aid 100 piece all-purpose first aid kits available on Amazon.
Additionally, if you have kids, it is essential to have vitamin supplements.
This is because during this period, you are relying on dried and canned food which might not contain all the necessary nutrients. Lack of nutrients can result in your kid getting regular sickness.
Personal protective equipment
When prepping at a winter homestead you surely need to have warmer clothes. Buy heavy jackets and coats in advance. Why buy in advance? This is because rushing to the last minute might be overpriced due to increased demand.
Some of these wear collections that will ensure you survive winter include waterproof gloves, insulated chore boots, heavy-duty coats, and overall insulated coats.
Winter homestead and house reinforcements
During this period, you need to reinforce your fences to prevent them from falling off due to the force exacted by the snow.
Also, you want to ensure that the windows are firmly strengthened to avoid cold from breaking through.
Prepare your car and driveway for winter survival
With ice on the road, mobility can be inhibited. As such, you want to ensure that your car wheels are well chained. This will ensure that the car does not get stuck on the ice as you drive along. Has this been fixed in advance to ensure they perfectly fit?
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While prepping a winter homestead, do not forget to clean and repair your driveway too. Seal any cracks there may be, and most importantly, stock up on ice melt. Remember to use the gentlest ice melt type for your driveway to last longer.
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During the extreme winter season, ensure you prepare in advance. Early preparation will always do the trick. Food, water, and first aid kits storage are some of the necessities needed to take you through the cold season.