4 Ways to Prepare for Winter

4 Ways to Prepare for Winter

 

The official start of winter is about a month away, and there are some practical things you can do around your home and yard now to get ready for the cold. Here are a few simple ways to prepare for winter.

1. Stay warm by sourcing good firewood

If you have a woodstove or fireplace, you’ll surely want to stock up on high-quality, well-seasoned firewood. For tips on splitting and seasoning your own wood, or getting a fair price for wood you purchase, read How to Get the Best Firewood for Clean and Affordable Energy.

2. Set up an emergency kit in case of power outages or winter storms

Sure, when the first big storm is brewing, you can run out to the store with most other folks to stock up on supplies—or, avoid the headache, and get ready now. The no-nonsense tips in Emergency Survival Kits tell you everything you need to know about being prepared.

3. Winterize your garden tools

Around this time of year, you’re likely to come across quite a few tips on winterizing your garden, but what about your trusty garden tools? Take care now to get those tools ready for winter, and they’ll be around for many more years. Learn more by reading How to Winterize Your Garden Tools.

4. Set up a hoop house to grow veggies throughout winter

Like eating fresh veggies all year? Love the idea of picking greens in January? A simple hoop house may be just the thing for you! There’s still a little time to get set up. Find inspiration in the story of a backyard hoop house gardener who harvests loads of goodies all winter.

Happy preparing!

Shelley Stonebrook is an Associate Editor at Mother Earth News—North America’s most popular magazine about sustainable, self-reliant living—where she works on exciting projects such as Organic Gardening content and the Vegetable Garden Planner. Shelley is particularly interested in small-scale, local food production (and consumption), cooking, organic gardening and waste reduction. In her spare time, she shares recipes and gardening tips in her personal blog, The Rowdy Radish.