Modern Homesteader

The cold weather is upon us and winter is on the way. I am gently reminded of this every morning when I step outside and see the snow-covered mountains. While summer is always busy around here, the pace is very much the same during fall and I’ve got plenty to do before the cold weather starts to stick around for good.

I have a list of everything I need to do constantly running through my mind, none of which I have started on. I still need to dig up my dahlias, a tedious task I have to do every year that makes me question my love for these picky flowers. Nonetheless, they are worth the extra work. I need to get some garlic planted and I still need to feed the bees a round of winter feed before wrapping the hives up for the winter.

I think I say this every year and it’s always a little controversial, but I heat my chicken coop during the winter. While birds naturally slow down and stop laying once the cold weather comes around, I’ve never seen anything wrong with being able to give them a safe heating source to help keep them a little warmer during the season. They seem very content with a temperature of a solid 50 degrees.

Yes, they’re spoiled. I will still get a few eggs from the younger girls every week, but for the most part, they all take a long and much needed vacation from producing eggs. Now the ducks on the other hand, well, I never really know what they’re up to. They just lay eggs when they feel like it and then they hide them from me and I don’t find them until it’s too late, if you know what I mean.

An unexpected dilemma I am facing this year is how I plan to keep my two turkeys, Stan Lee and Stella, warm. Do they really need to sleep in a heated coop? No. But they are creatures of comfort and like to remind me that they have become accustomed to a certain level of living.

The dilemma comes from them no longer being able to fit through the door that leads into the coop. They’re too big. At first, I would just let them sleep in the covered run at night, but now it’s a little too cold and I can see they want to be the coop. So, what am I doing? I’m carrying them into the coop at night, which is not the best for my back, since they are quite heavy. Plus, they don’t particularly enjoy being held.

So, all in all, I’ve got a few things I still need to check off my list. However, what I really enjoy about winter is that everything slows down for the most part. I still have to keep the water from freezing and keep predators away, but it’s a bit of a vacation for me too. I plan on spending the winter in hibernation while reading up on what new adventures and critters I can add next year.

Reach Miriah at

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