Steel Raven Farms

Where muck boots meet ground.

Chores

Overwhelmed With Chores?

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It’s easy to get overwhelmed with chores on the homestead. Goats need milked, eggs collected, dogs let out, and ducks bedding changed AGAIN. On top of that everyone needs to be fed, including the children. By the time your day is done you’ve logged 9 million steps and are exhausted. But sleep is for the weak because you have to stay on alert for predators, the baby, and the sick goat in your living room. Chore management on the homestead is a really thing and it’s hard to get a handle on.

Dealing With Overwhelming Chores

Yes, I am overwhelmed and yes, I am tired. But I have found some pretty ingenious hacks to allow me to get some sleep without sacrificing my animals care. Below are my 5 hacks to keeping up with the homestead, while working full time, homeschooling, and running a several businesses.

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Get the kids involved

I have found that there are two sides on this, and few people fall in the middle. Either kids do chores or they don’t. My boys do chores, and they do a lot of them. Every month they switch out, except for animals. We also help each other out. If I see the ducks need water, I fill it up. If Jaxson sees that the cats are out of food, he feeds them. Their current chore list looks like this:

Chase- Goats, feeding dogs/cats, wiping up the counters, vacuuming, and cars

Jaxson- Chickens/ducks, dishes, bathrooms, (yes, this seems off. But in our house, dishes get run 3x a day)

Me- Goats, gardening, other seasonal work

Jared- Building

But I see no reason why kids can’t do chores. Especially when they want toys, electronics, etc.

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Start small and grow

When we started the homestead, we started with our dogs, cats, dragons, and snake. Then we added chickens. Once we were comfortable with that, we added goats, and so on. Before we add anything new, or more of them, we ask if everyone is on board. Since the kids handle most of the day to day animal care, we want to make sure that they are good with getting more.

This means don’t start a 8,000 sq ft garden right out of the gate! Start a small garden and then grow it. This could mean starting a seeds inside before you build or buy a greenhouse.

I am currently working on this right now with our soil and pasture building project. Our soil is so compacted from lack of care that I am working to regenerate the soil and set up a strong pasture so we no longer have to feed our goats off farm inputs.

goat kidding

Before we get too far into this, I have a great course on the basics of goat care. I call it Goat Crash Course: Goat 101. In this course, I explain things like types of shelter, types of feeds and hays, basic assessments and so much more! Check it out!

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Get into a routine

While this is tough at first, once you get into a routine of taking care of your chores, it’s easier to see where you have more time. Our routine goes something like this, I wake up, let my dogs out and shower. The boys get up, let their dogs out and start on their animals. If they are hustling they can get their morning chores done in about 10 minutes.

Because we unschool, our homeschool doesn’t take hours and hours. We talk about what they are interested in and they do research on that. We also take time for the basics like math, reading, social studies, and science. They do Spanish on Friday.

During garden season (Mid February to Mid November), I can usually be found outside until the weather drives me inside. I have a list of “rainy day chores” that I work on whenever the weather drives me inside. Like record podcasts or videos, write blog posts, planning days, etc.

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Delegate

One of the first things I was taught in Paramedic school is delegation, and it’s not something I do well at work. But at home, I’ve got it covered. After talking with Jared about our goals and what we want to accomplish, I come up with the To Do lists and plans and delegate it out. This helps everyone figure out where they need to be, what they need to be doing and how to finance it. It’s not a hard fast rules/ to do lists, but it helps everyone know what they need to do.

Save on Seeds

It also extends to chores. Since keeping up the house is everyone’s chore, we split the chores as evenly as we can. I hate doing the dishes, so the other 3 handle it. They hate doing laundry so that usually falls to me. I handle the grocery shopping and bill paying. Jared handles building. Chase handles the goats, and Jaxson handles to poultry. Then we help each other out as needed to make sure that everything actually gets done.

Cleaning

I could write an entire blog post about cleaning up the house and the homestead. I would be lying if I said my house was spick and span. It’s not. I’ve got 4 huge dogs, and kids living inside my house. Not to mention the occasional goat, chicken, duck, etc. My house is never clean. But I clean up as I go and everyone else helps a lot.

Don’t get hung up in the details. My kitchen is a prime example. That little ledge behind the sink that collects all manner of nasty things is constantly dirty. I have tried everything in my power to keep that area clean but it’s not happening and you know what? That’s fine. My counters and stove are clean and the sink is mostly empty. Pick your battles and move on.

Grace

At the end of the day, you are simply human. Give yourself grace when you can’t get your kitchen scrubbed or the laundry done. The animals have food and water and the kids aren’t dead or hurt? You’ve done just fine.

Overwhelmed With Chores?

One of the biggest lessons that I’ve learned on the homestead is that there is always tomorrow. We have been conditioned to believe that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. And yes, that’s absolutely true. But if you run yourself, spouse or kids into the ground trying to get everything done TODAY, you will burnout everyone out.

I have a saying that I have adopted since hitting homestead burnout…. If I die tomorrow, it’s not my problem. This may sound very off handed or too laid back way of looking at life, but it’s the honest reality. If I drop dead tomorrow, it’s not going to matter if I took a nap instead of starting seeds. It doesn’t matter if I put tomatoes in the freezer instead of running them through the canner.

I’m not saying that you have to have that mindset. But what I AM saying is that you have to give yourself and your family grace and kindness when it comes to this stuff. To give an example, I was supposed to be done with this blog post about 3 hours ago. But instead, I took a nap because I was exhausted from working a 36 hour shift on the ambulance…. And that’s fine.

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February Garden Chores

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This is an exciting time for those of us that are getting ready to start seeds. Steel Raven Farms is located in Northeast Georgia, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. We are in zone 7b, even though I don’t really keep track of that. But this time of year is really when I start working on February garden chores and really start on getting my garden stuff going.

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February Garden Chores

First and foremost, there is a never ending list of homestead chores that need to be done. But February is a weird month for us. We’ve got goat kids being born, projects getting finished up and prepping for spring planting. And it’s COLD! The very last thing most people are thinking about is a garden. But I know that in just a few short weeks, the weather will turn and we will start warming up.

As far as February garden chores, we are looking at finalizing garden plans, checking seed inventory, checking our garden stuff, and starting seeds. Some of these things will take place towards the start of the month and others will depend on the weather but for the most part, these are the things we are doing in February.

Finalizing Garden Plans

As we are moving out of January, we are still finalizing garden plans. This looks a little different for everyone depending on how you are planning your garden. But for us, we are still in the process of giving our big garden a facelift. So I don’t want to put a ton of effort into planning a space when I don’t know EXACTLY how much space I’m going to have.

But garden plans are not just the physical structures of the garden, though that is a huge part of garden plans. In this case, I’m talking about what I can put IN those structures. This is the time were I am making sure that I have plenty of space for all of the things I want to plant.

Now, I know that regardless of whether my beds are build or not, there will still be plenty of room to plant all the tomatoes, peppers, squash, and all the other delicious veggies. But I do want to ensure that I have plenty of space, seeds, pots, and other things make this years garden a success.

Checking Seed Inventory

I’ve got a whole blog post/ page on creating a seed inventory. This can look like a notebook or a spreadsheet but it is surprisingly important to have some sort of system that tells you exactly what seeds you have on hand. I’ve created a digital seed inventory that you can purchase here, or you can make your own. But now is not the time to buy seeds!

If you are just starting your gardens, then yes, buy the seeds. But if you have a ton of seeds and you don’t NEED to purchase seeds for this years garden, wait till summer! Most seed companies will start putting their seeds on sale in the middle of summer and that is the time to stock up. Plus, come summer, you will have a better idea of what plants are doing well for you and which aren’t.

All that being said, start looking at what seeds you have on hand and match that up to your garden plans. Do you have enough tomato seeds? Which squash was resistant to bores? Which sweet pepper did you love? All of this information should be either in your seed inventory or your garden journals.

Are you getting overwhelmed in the garden? Stressed? Or just not enjoying the garden like you used to? Check out our garden prompts! We send out weekly emails that get you back in the garden and out of your head! Turn the garden back into a place of love and joy instead of frustration and headache!

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Prepping Your Garden Stuff

Again, this looks different for everyone, but February garden chores wouldn’t be complete without checking your supplies. Do you have enough compost, soil or amendments? Do you have a fresh garden journal? Are your tools clean and sharp? Do you have enough pots to start your plants?

You would be surprised to find that you need to start sourcing some of these materials NOW before you get too far into the season.

For me, I am making sure that I have plenty of soil and compost, my pots are clean and sanitized, my greenhouse is ready, and I’m good to go! Jared will usually go through and start sharpening tools, finish any big projects that need to be done in the garden and help me with seeds.

Starting Seeds!

This is it, ya’ll! Every single gardener is chomping at the bit to get their gardens started and I am no different. My last frost is supposed to be around April 15th. But I can go ahead and start a fair amount of cool weather, frost hardy things now! Things like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, etc can all be started in my greenhouse without risk of damage.

But there are some summer things we can start now too! I wait till I’m closer to March before starting too many tomatoes and peppers but I will start a tray and put them in the greenhouse around mid February. This is an experiment more than anything, because I want to see just how well my greenhouse stays warm.

But don’t go too crazy with starting your seeds. If your last frost is around the same time as mine, it’s easy to get caught up in the hype of starting seeds early. But remember, the more you start at once, the less bumper crop you will have later.

Pro Amateur Tips For February Garden Chores

Start A Garden Journal

If you haven’t already, start setting up your garden journal! I’ve talked about the importance of journaling here, but garden journals are a must if you are going to “take your garden seriously”. By that I mean, if you want to learn from your garden and grow your gardening skills, then you should make sure that you are writing down what is happening in your garden.

If you’re not sure what to write about, I’ve got my 365 Day Garden Journal Prompt that you can purchase below!

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Are you looking for garden journal prompts, but aren’t interested in a weekly email? Check out our 365 Garden Journal Prompts! This is an amazing, all in one, yearly product that you only pay for once.

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This is also a great place to write down all the seed varieties you grew for the year and how they did for you. This will keep you from purchasing seeds that don’t work for you or remind you of what did well.

Seed Inventory

I have two different ways I track my seed inventory. One is my digital seed inventory and the other is an account ledger book. The reason is twofold. One, I love redundancy. Two, I love having paper copies. There is something about handwriting something that sticks in my brain better.

But having that digital copy of my seed inventory tells me where I bought the seed and has links which is amazing! So no matter if you are super techy or ole school, (or in my case both), make sure that you’ve got something to help you track your seeds!

Don’t Start A TON Of Summer Seeds Yet

I know it’s tempting to start a ton of seeds because you’ve got your hands in the dirt and it’s exciting! But please! Don’t start all of your peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc all at once!

Space out your plantings by about two weeks. This ensures a longer and more spread out harvest, but also won’t wipe out your seed stash if you get a freak storm.

As always, don’t be afraid to try new varieties and have fun! It’s great being a student of the garden!

If you like the content I put out, feel free to buy us a coffee! It helps keep this site running, marketing and the goats in grain!

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October Garden Chores

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I was going to do a month by month to do list all in one post, but I soon discovered that the post would have been extremely long. So instead we are going to go over what to do in your garden by month. While the posts will generally be shorter, I think it’ll break down easier and be less overwhelming. I’m also going to write this for those in zone 7 since that is where I am and this is what I do. I don’t feel right making a blanket post and you’re in zone 4 and can’t do half of this stuff. You can absolutely adjust this based on your growing seasons, frost dates, etc. So here is my October garden chores.

October Garden Chores

There is a fair amount of things that should be done in the October garden but it is not as exhausting as the spring or summer gardens. October is the month of final summer harvests and starting to harvest the fall garden. We are also prepping gardens for winter. Since, we are always pushing the limits on our fall gardens, we have some prep work that needs to be done before we actually button up for winter.

If you are struggling to stay consistent, focused, and less stressed, sign up to be notified about our garden prompts! It’s a weekly email that helps guide you in the garden! It has greatly reduced my stress and anxiety and gotten me back to loving the garden!

Are you getting overwhelmed in the garden? Stressed? Or just not enjoying the garden like you used to? Check out our garden prompts! We send out weekly emails that get you back in the garden and out of your head! Turn the garden back into a place of love and joy instead of frustration and headache!

Subscribe Now!

Finish Pulling Summer Plants

Usually we are done with this chore in September, but sometimes we’ve let a tomato plant or sweet potatoes go for a little longer, depending on our weather. This means that we can have a ton of things to pull down, even if they are still producing for us.

We do not actually pull plants out of the ground, unless they are weeds. We choose to cut plants at soil level to allow the soil microbes to keep working and feeding. We started doing this after reading Dirt to Soil by Gabe Brown, you can read my review on the book here.

If the bed is “done” for the winter, we will either lay the cut plants on top to act as mulch or we will put a chicken tractor over the cut plants and let the chickens do some work. If we have planted cover crops we will move the cut plants to the side and seed that bed with cover crops. Once the cover crops have sprouted, we will put cut plants back over the sprouts.

Planting Onions and Garlic

We plant all of our onion and garlic for the year in October to harvest in May/June. This means about 400 each of garlic and onion, which is a TON. But we usually eat about an onion per day and can run through some garlic pretty fast. We also try to put some to the side for replanting the following October.

This can be a pinch point in the garden because we have such a long growing season. Because we plant in October and harvest in June, we don’t want want to put it in a bed that we will need for spring or even early summer planting. This is when having a plan for the following year and understanding exactly what you’ve planted, where, etc is so important. It’s also a really good idea to make sure that you’ve got a good garden journal.

Before we get too far into this post, I wanted to give a suggestion about keeping a garden journal. A digital garden journal is a fantastic way to keep track of past, present and future gardens. Our Digital Garden Journal is a great way to keep up with everything without getting too overwhelmed.

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Another option to avoid a pinch point in the garden is to use the garlic/onion beds to provide bumper crops of tomatoes, peppers, squash, etc. In our zone (7b), our last frost is anywhere from April 15th to May 1st and our first frost is from October 15th to November 1st, and it is never the same. We plan our summer gardens off where the garlic and onions are and just prepare that bed for a bumper crop.

Barn Clean Out

While this doesn’t seem like a “normal” garden chore. We go through and thoroughly clean out the barn, chicken coops, tractors, etc and make sure that all of the animal bedding is either put into the beds that will be “bare” over winter or put into the compost piles.

Tractor Supply

I wrote a post about using animal bedding as compost here. This allows us to have a fresh space for the animals going into winter and also sets up those beds or compost piles for the following spring. While it’s not as much of a back breaking chore as it is in the spring, it is a really good time to amend beds that may have had heavy feeders in them the previous season.

Animals In The Gardens

This is the time of year that we let the animals eat the gardens. Not the whole garden, but we will put them into the garden areas that we want eaten. This helps us because we don’t have to chop and drop as much and the animals get a “free” meal.

For the chickens, this means putting their tractors over the kitchen garden beds and letting them go to town. They amend the beds, eat left over plants, and eat a bunch of pests that are in the beds. We have had a lot of luck with this but I’ve had a lot of people ask about the high nitrogen in chicken manure.

Save on Seeds

We’ve not had a problem with ANY plants burning because we don’t put the manure directly on the plants. What we do is add hot manure to the compost pile and let it age a bit. Or we will put in a bed that has gotten pretty low, and we add a bunch of soil or other compost over it. That way, it can continue to break down and drop all that nitrogen back in the soil.

Watering!

This is a chore that a lot of people tend to forget about, myself included. It’s just not as hot! So there’s not really a need to get out there and make sure that the garden gets watered. The problem is, where we live, it doesn’t really rain a whole lot in September and October. Sure, we’ll get a shower here and there but it’s not uncommon to go weeks without a real rain.

Make sure you’ve still got your garden on a water timer like this one. We hook a 4 spout splitter above the timer like this one. This ensures that we don’t have to constantly adjust the water timer if we need to use the hoses.

You’ll also notice that you won’t need to water as often or as heavy, provided you’ve been mulching. That’s because the sun isn’t as bright or hot and, of course, the days are shorter.

That’s about it for my October Garden Checklist

I usually try to get out in my gardens at least 3 or 4 times a week at this point because I’m still harvesting green beans, peas, squashes, etc. But for the most part, my gardens are getting buttoned up for winter.

Don’t forget to check out our garden prompts!

Let me now in the comments what you do in October!

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