Fall Chores

Linda Bittle
Linda Bittle Posts: 1,518 ✭✭✭✭✭

October is just a couple of days away, and my part of Idaho is supposed to get freezing temperatures tonight and for the next few nights. Yesterday I got the yard mowed before the rain hit. Got a super deal on a new Murray lawnmower with large back wheels last week at Wal-Mart. Regularly 184.00, it was on clearance for 85.00! I put it together, figured out how to operate the "safer" gas can and how to start it. It took down the overgrown chicory on the street side of the fence, too.

I put away the water hoses, and picked the ripe tomatoes and some catnip to dry for Eliza Jane. And I got out a coat, gloves, and a stocking hat for my daily walks with Sammy, my 10 pound Rat Terrier/Pomeranian cross.

I'm doing craft demonstrations at our Council Valley Heritage Festival next Saturday, so I have to prepare for that today. After that, I have a large pile of free wood chip mulch to put down in the flower beds and to make a path through the fruit trees. And heavy plastic to cover the north windows. I'll also need to get a bale of straw to cover the strawberry bed.

What are you doing to prepare for cold weather?

Comments

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    We have just had our first frosts; last night and the previous night. Today, my husband and I are going out for firewood which is an ongoing project for us. But today, I will be foraging as well. With these frosts, the Rose Hips are now ready for picking. And time to pick Oregon Grape Root before the ground freezes hard. And of course, I am always on the look-out for Chaga when we are out in the bush.

    Must think about putting the garden to bed for the winter; pulling the last of the carrots and harvesting kale. And like you the hoses must be rolled up.

  • nksunshine27
    nksunshine27 Posts: 343 ✭✭✭

    we live in Idaho also we found that the plastic window treatment that we like best and works great cause you can see out of it is the clear "shrink fit" window treatments. there is one by duck you put the double tape on your window frame on the inside and and then stick the plastic to it and take a hair dryer to it to clear out the wrinkles and make it tight. it worked so well we made a solar passive heater on our big south facing window.

    i'm going to start putting straw on the carrots and beets after first frost before it freezes

  • Obiora E
    Obiora E Posts: 517 ✭✭✭✭

    I haven't done anything yet to prepare for cold weather but in another month or two, the cold weather will make it's way here.

  • bcabrobin
    bcabrobin Posts: 251 ✭✭✭

    Still need to get more hay for the livestock, we don't have enough to get thru the winter. I always try to have enough corn, goat food, chciken feed, layed in as we can't drive close to the barn area if we get deep snow. And putting it on the sled and pulling it thru deep snow is way to hard. I've been holding off the bear has found out how to unlock the feed barn. So I've tried not to put anything in there for him to eat. If I change the way we lock it, it will just smash into it. So trying to hold off stocking up till he goes to sleep.

    We still have to put up the plastic on the porch. And I want to make something else for the outside cats to sleep in. We are still having warm days but the nights are in the low 40's it's coming, I'm just not ready!

  • Linda Bittle
    Linda Bittle Posts: 1,518 ✭✭✭✭✭

    We got our first snow flakes this morning, but nothing is sticking - so far! Really windy, so it will be interesting to try to get the plastic over the north windows tomorrow. I have hung blankets on the inside. It is supposed to get down to 21 degrees tonight.

    My landlords got a new propane heater installed last month, so I don't have to lug the bags of stove pellets in. I am 60 years old, and have gotten afraid of falling. I wrecked my right wrist a few years ago by falling on black ice. Didn't break it, but sprained it very badly. I got lucky. My bones are strong, but so many women my age fall and go down hill from there.

    I imagine the propane will cost a bit more, but less than a broken bone. I hope this little blast of winter won't last long, and fall will return for a while.

  • Linda Bittle
    Linda Bittle Posts: 1,518 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Woke up to a heavy frost, but the sun came out and the wind died down. This afternoon I got the north windows covered with heavy plastic, and both the front storm door (south) and back screen door (west) covered as well. It always makes such a difference in the inside temperature.

    I need to go pull up some frozen tomato plants, too, but I'm going to make some supper and do that tomorrow. I did a good afternoon's work, and now am going to take advantage of our one day of fall break to relax and read.

  • merlin44
    merlin44 Posts: 426 ✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2019

    Love fall, after the heat and humidity of late summer, the cool days and nights are such a delight. The wood's been ordered, will be putting new pipe in for the woodstove, goat barn's cleaned out, fall hay arrived the other day, still have to rebuild the well's enclosure (had to take it down when the well got renovated), collecting a bumper crop of persimmons, will be making a poke root tincture and fermenting horseradish next week.

  • maimover
    maimover Posts: 359 ✭✭✭

    So far most of the garden has been pulled and kale, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, and some lettuce (which somebody ate) are planted. I’m hoping to cover the space with compost and cardboard for the winter. Also have been seed saving a few things and am really excited about that! My biggest endear has been getting the potted herbs that were outside inside; along with the houseplants; they were all given lots of love. One pot of sage that I’m trying to salvage is still outside; don’t want to over stress him. As much as I enjoy the summer with everything outside there is something comforting about bringing them in for the winter...

  • EarlKelly
    EarlKelly Posts: 230 ✭✭✭

    We've gotten more of break in northeastern Pa. Just one frost so far, been gorgeous so far. Managed to get the garden all cleaned up before the frost finished everything off. Now to get more firewood in case we get clobbered. Love reading everyone’s posts.