A Good Case for Setting Your Homestead Goals in October

October is definitely my favorite month.  The weather is beautiful, cool and crisp.  The leaves put on their best shades of crimson and fiery orange.  We are settling into our school routine.  And, most importantly, the rush of summer garden chores are over.

In the ancient world, at least in the Northern Hemisphere, the fall marked a time of rest and celebration to mark the hard-won harvest.  It was a time when the vegetable and grain processing were done and stored away, and the cooler weather and lack of insects made it possible to begin the harvesting of animals for the winter.  It was a time for slowing down, moving inward, and pondering the long winter ahead.  As such, I think it makes more sense for me to think about what was successful for the year, what needs improvement for next year, and what our goals are going to be going into the next year of homesteading.

Part of the reason I set our goals in October, instead of with the calendar year turnover in January, is that the busy part of the year is fresh on my mind.  I remember that the squash bugs were awful, the the basil did well, and I need to figure out a better way to monitor the chickens' water in the heat.  If I wait, I will forget.  I know that there are amazing folks out there who keep meticulous logs of these kinds of things, and my hat is off to them, but I will never be one of them.  So, setting goals for the next year while this year is still fresh on my mind is a must.

Another reason October is the reset button for our little homestead has to do with the way the year unfolds.  I am frequently really busy from November through January with holiday activities, school stuff, and all sorts of obligations.  October is a slower time for us as a family.  It also gives me a chance to mull over the goals I've set, make plans, alter them, and break them down into smaller projects.  If I've set a goal to grow three new types of veggies in the garden this year, I will already have that in mind when the seed catalogs start to arrive.  If I know that I want to learn to knit, the quiet parts of the year afford me the time to do it.  And I have time to think about the goals I've set for myself, to amend them if the mood strikes me, or even to decide that what I thought was important for us isn't a priority anymore.  I have all winter long to think and dream and evaluate before the spring rush hits.

I know that what works best for me may not be what works best for everyone else.  But I know that having a written set of goals keeps us moving forward and making progress on our journey to the simple life that we yearn for.  Do you set written goals for your homestead?  If so, when is the best time for you to do so?  Please share in the comments!

Tucking In

It has been getting cold here.  Cold enough to frost, although the silly weather is getting to 80 during the day.  My sinuses feel betrayed and confused, but it's hard to be too angry when the trees are putting on their autumn best and the sunrise is so gorgeous.  Of course, a change in seasons always means work to do in the garden.

So, the girls and I brought out trowels and spades and pots to put our garden to bed for the year.  We pulled old plants and brought a few in to overwinter with us.

Pandi proudly displaying the last of our rainbow carrots.

Herbs we are potting up to overwinter in the house.

Rosemary.

Some nice sage for our warm winter soups and stews.

Lavender to sprout for new plants next year.

My capable helper helping with the basil.

We froze this basil for use this winter and also started new plants.

Here is some basil for freezing in an ice cube tray, covered with olive oil.

Our lavender starts in their glass.

Two intertwined carrots that really fascinated Pandi.

So, the garden is ready for winter's arrival.  It is a long way until our spring garden chores, and in the meantime, we will take care of our small indoor charges and enjoy the season of rest.

The More Things Change...

We have recently felt very much like Reeds on the river, if it was a tumbling, tumultuous river.  Maybe with some water falls.  However, we have landed safe on familiar shores.  We are back in Illinois after some crazy adventures with tiny house living and enjoying life, but for right now, home is where we need to be.

That doesn't mean we are doing things differently, though.  We are still up to the same things, gardening, raising chickens and children, trying to keep things simple and elegant.  For now, I will just share some pictures of where we are at this moment.

Tiny gardeners helping with the raised beds.

You can see our chicken tractor in this one.

Those yellow flowers are our Jerusalem Artichokes.

I love a volunteer to help water.

There's not too much coming out of the garden at this time of the year.

And that's the tour!

The Rain, Rain, Rain Came Down, Down, Down

...in rushing, rising rivulets.  Or, at least, that's how the song from The Many Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh goes.  And that's how it's gone here for the past several days.  I've honestly never seen rain like we've had in the past few days.  I've seen crazy, driving rains in Illinois, tornadoes and driving winds that blew the windows out of our upstairs sunroom and tore up our barn.  But the rain here is so...rainy.  Seriously, the drops are enormous and it's more like watching water poured out of a bucket than rain.  And it lasts for days.  But, it's beautiful and soothing to hear it on the roof.  And it's really interesting to see how the river changes, swollen and muddy and rushing in giant WHOOSHES instead of the clear, rippling flow we normally have.

I am dreaming of farming again.  Right now, the only thing I'm growing is a basil plant in my kitchen window (it is gorgeous, by the way).  I passed a sign for pullets for three dollars, and I am tempted.  I think my property manager would be on board.  She's an animal lover and she's actually cleaning out a room in her home right now for two tortoises to free range in.

It is a little premature to be making big decisions, but Preston and I have been looking over home buyer's guides and dreaming of buying property here.  Our dream is still to farm and I think it would be a good place to do it.  The local residents and the local restaurants are really big on small-footprint food.  The local schools do farm tours, have school gardens, and eat local food in the cafeterias.  The students even receive a monthly local food magazine made by an organization in the surrounding counties.

In many cultures, this month is a time to honor our ancestors who have passed on.  In places like Mexico, they are remembering loved ones as they celebrate Dia de Los Muertos.  I am thinking a lot of my Great Grandpa and Grandma Cowsert and how much I loved being on their farm as a child.  I loved visiting the rabbits and chickens and eating good food from the garden and watching the corn grow.  But most of all, I am thinking about how much love a place holds when you have roots in your spot in the world and use hard work and perseverance to put them there.

Some Things We've Been Up To

So, the last few weeks have been really busy.  I've been enjoying the fall weather coming in, and it makes me really want to get in all the fun the pretty weather will allow.  I also am busy preparing for the cold that I can feel creeping in, putting out all the winter clothes, trying on coats, making plans for scarves and mittens and hot chocolate.  Maybe I've been reading too much A Game of Thrones, but the phrase "Winter is coming" is hitting a chord with me lately.  I feel like a squirrel gathering nuts, trying to make sure we're all warm, comfortable, and safe in the cold this year.

We have been taking lots of time together and it's been wonderful.  I think this fall is going to be one full of wonderful memories.  A few of the things we've been up to include:

Serious Construction Projects

Always wear proper headgear when building with blocks!

 Making friends.

Taken at Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies.

 And, creating masterpieces.

Persephone's pumpkin she painted for our front porch.

I hope that this gorgeous weather holds...we have lots more memories to make!