(Psst: The FTC wants me to remind you that this website contains affiliate links. That means if you make a purchase from a link you click on, I might receive a small commission. This does not increase the price you'll pay for that item nor does it decrease the awesomeness of the item. ~ Daisy)
Fall at the homestead is an incredibly busy time. Lately I’ve felt like a squirrel, trying to get my acorns stashed away for the winter. As the days get colder the feeling of urgency increases to get everything squared away before winter hits in earnest.
As with anything, you have to figure out your priorities. The basic necessities to have in place are…
~ heat
~ food
~ water
When you are this far North, heat is one of your most vital concerns. Our major project for October has been getting our wood situation straightened out. We have 6 and a half cords neatly stacked and covered with tarps. I’d like to get 2 more cords if I can swing it financially. I may not need them but I’d feel better having them!
As well, I’m still working on perfecting a long lasting fire in the woodstove. I think I’ve finally mastered a fire that will last all night!
We’ve been adding to the food stockpile too. I recently did an inventory of our stash and realized that I didn’t have nearly as much as I thought I did. I did a spreadsheet to help identify where I was lacking and have spent a great deal of time this month topping up those areas. I want to have a solid 3 month supply of food in the event that it all goes to heck!
Finally, water. Every time I go to the grocery store I pick up another 5 gallon bottle of drinking water. When we lose electrical power we lose running water, as our well is on an electric pump. Apparently the power gets knocked out for a few days to a week at a time on occasion here so it’s vital to have a supply of water that will get us through such an outage. My next investment is a gravity water filter, so that, worst case scenario, we can make lake water or snow safe to drink.
I finally understand about that great design that is fall. As the weather gets cooler and the days get shorter, it is Nature’s signal to you that time is running out on the warmer weather. Fall is your warning that winter is nearly upon you!
I highly suggest the Big Berkey water filter for your possible lake-water-filtering needs. I have one and the water tastes great! And I know, since Lake Michigan is about a mile from here, if worse comes to worst we’ll have an acceptable water source. Obviously, though, I have so much more to learn from you about preparing for a grid-down situation, and after what’s happened on the east coast, this no longer seems like a far-off and slight probability.
Lillian ~ Welcome! I hope you’re enjoying the blog!
Coincidentally, my Big Berkey is due to arrive tomorrow or the next day! Water was one of my biggest concerns in the city, especially last summer when my rain collection barrels were completely dry for more than a month! I also ordered the spare parts package and two extra filters! 🙂
~ Daisy