August always feels like a funny in-between month on the homestead.
The garden is still producing, the days are still hot, and I’m spending plenty of time canning, freezing, and preserving whatever is coming out of the garden, but at the same time, I can feel fall creeping closer.
The mornings start to feel a little different. The garden is beginning to show signs that it won’t last forever, and suddenly I’m thinking about firewood, animal shelters, pantry shelves, and all those little projects we said we’d get done before winter.
Here in North Idaho, I’ve learned that waiting until fall to prepare for fall is usually a mistake. Once the weather decides to change, it can change quickly.
So while August is still very much a month of harvesting and preserving around our homestead, it’s also when I start working through my fall homestead checklist.
Here’s what we’re doing this month to slowly get the homestead ready for the cooler months ahead.
1. Keep Harvesting and Preserving the Garden
First things first: August is still harvest season!
This is one of the busiest times of year in our homestead kitchen. The goal right now is simple: preserve as much of the summer harvest as possible so we can enjoy it throughout fall and winter.
Depending on what the garden gives us, that means:
- Canning
- Freeze-drying
- Freezing
- Dehydrating
- Making jams and preserves
- Pickling
- Making sauces, salsa, and other pantry staples
I try to keep an eye on what we’re actually going to use rather than preserving something simply because I can.
There is nothing better than seeing jars lining the pantry shelves and bags of homegrown food filling the freezer. It’s a lot of work in August, but I’m always thankful for it when we’re pulling food out in January.
RELATED POST: Canning Season on the Homestead
RELATED POST: 50 Foods You Can Freeze-Dry
2. Take Inventory of the Pantry and Freezers
Before I add too much more to our food storage, August is a good time to see what we already have.
I check the freezers for older meat and produce that needs to be used first and look through our canned goods to see what’s left from last season.
This helps me figure out what I need to preserve more of this year and what I definitely don’t.
Because nobody needs to discover 14 jars of something their family apparently doesn’t like.
I also make sure we have enough freezer bags, vacuum bags, canning lids, jars, Mylar bags, and other food preservation supplies to get us through the rest of the harvest season.
MY FAVORITE FOOD PRESERVATION SUPPLIES:
Amazon Storefront
Affiliate disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through one of my links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our homestead and this blog!
3. Start Cleaning Up the Garden
I’m definitely not pulling everything out of the garden in August, but I do start cleaning things up as plants finish producing.
Spent plants can be removed, weeds pulled, and empty areas cleaned up rather than leaving one enormous garden cleanup for later.
I also start paying attention to which plants did well, which varieties we loved, and what I want to do differently next year.
Every gardening season teaches me something.
And every gardening season also convinces me that next year’s garden should somehow be bigger.
4. Check Animal Shelters Before Cold Weather
Our animals may not need their winter setups yet, but August is the perfect time to start inspecting everything.
We have chickens, ducks, goats, and pigs on our homestead, so there’s always something that needs repairing, reinforcing, cleaning, or replacing.
I like to check:
- Coop roofs for leaks
- Doors and latches
- Fencing
- Goat shelters
- Duck housing
- Bedding areas
- Feed storage
- Waterers
- Any spots where cold air or moisture could become a problem
I’d much rather discover a problem on a warm August afternoon than during the first cold rain of fall.
5. Stock Up on Animal Feed and Supplies
Fall and winter chores are so much easier when we’re prepared.
I start checking our supply of feed, minerals, bedding, and other animal necessities before the weather changes.
This doesn’t mean I need an entire winter’s worth of everything sitting around in August. I just want to make sure we’re not running dangerously low on something important.
It’s also a good time to clean and organize feed bins and make sure everything is protected from moisture and unwanted little visitors.
And by visitors, I mean mice.
They apparently believe our feed room is an all-inclusive resort.
6. Start Thinking About Firewood
Even when it’s hot outside, firewood starts moving higher on our priority list in August.
We check what we already have, what still needs to be cut or split, and where everything will be stacked for the season.
There is absolutely nothing cozy about realizing you’re short on dry firewood when it’s freezing outside.
August may feel early, but that’s exactly why I like getting a head start.
7. Tackle Outdoor Projects While the Weather Is Good
Summer project lists have a funny way of growing faster than we can finish them.
By August, we’re looking at what absolutely needs to be finished before cold and wet weather arrives.
That might include:
- Finishing painting or staining
- Repairing porches or steps
- Fixing fencing
- Cleaning sheds and outbuildings
- Organizing tools
- Repairing gates
- Checking roofs
- Putting away summer equipment as we’re finished with it
We’ve learned to prioritize the projects that will be much more difficult once the weather turns.
The pretty projects can wait.
The “we really don’t want to deal with this in November” projects go to the top of the list.
8. Clean and Organize the Coops and Sheds
August is also a good time for a general reset around the property.
Things tend to get tossed wherever there’s room during the busiest part of summer. Tools migrate. Feed scoops disappear. Garden supplies somehow end up in the barn.
By late summer, I’m ready to put things back where they belong.
I like to clean out old bedding, sweep storage areas, organize supplies, and make sure we’ll actually be able to find what we need when the weather isn’t quite so pleasant.
Future cold-weather me is always grateful.
9. Begin Planning the Fall Garden
While the summer garden is still going strong, I’m also thinking about what we can grow as temperatures cool.
Depending on your growing zone and first frost date, August can be a great time to plant certain cool-weather crops.
Some possibilities include:
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Radishes
- Kale
- Carrots
- Beets
- Other quick-growing cool-season vegetables
Here in our Zone 6 climate, timing matters, so I pay attention to the days to maturity and our expected first frost rather than simply going by the calendar.
Even a small fall garden can keep fresh food coming into the kitchen a little longer.
10. Save Seeds and Take Garden Notes
This is something I’m trying to be better about doing before I forget everything.
Which tomatoes did we love?
Which cucumbers produced like crazy?
What didn’t grow well?
What did I plant way too much of?
What should I plant twice as much of next year?
I make notes while the garden is still fresh in my mind and save seeds from appropriate plants when I can.
Because by January, I’ll somehow remember this year’s garden as absolutely perfect.
It was not.
11. Start Preparing the House for Cooler Weather
Fall preparation isn’t just happening outside.
August is when I start thinking about the transition inside the house too.
I’m checking blankets and bedding, cleaning areas that were neglected during busy summer months, going through the pantry, and slowly getting the house ready for the season when we’ll be spending a lot more time indoors.
I don’t go into full fall-cleaning mode just yet, but little jobs now mean fewer things on my list later.
12. Make a Fall Homestead Project List
Finally, I write it all down.
There are simply too many moving pieces around a homestead to keep everything in my head.
My August list usually includes three categories:
Must Do Before Cold Weather
Repairs, firewood, shelters, fencing, food preservation, and anything that would cause a real problem if we ignored it.
Would Be Nice to Finish
Projects we’d love to complete but that won’t cause a crisis if they’re pushed to spring.
Can Absolutely Wait
Usually the list my husband wishes was much longer.
Having everything written down helps us focus on what’s actually important instead of bouncing between 47 half-finished projects.
My August Fall Homestead Checklist
If you’re preparing your own homestead for fall, here’s a simple checklist to work through this month:
☐ Continue harvesting the garden
☐ Can, freeze, freeze-dry, and dehydrate food
☐ Inventory canned goods and freezer food
☐ Restock food preservation supplies
☐ Remove finished plants from the garden
☐ Pull weeds and tidy garden beds
☐ Plan or plant fall crops
☐ Save seeds
☐ Make notes for next year’s garden
☐ Inspect chicken and duck coops
☐ Check goat and livestock shelters
☐ Repair fencing and gates
☐ Check feed and bedding supplies
☐ Clean and organize barns and sheds
☐ Check the firewood supply
☐ Split and stack firewood as needed
☐ Finish outdoor repairs
☐ Finish painting or staining projects
☐ Organize tools and equipment
☐ Start preparing the house for cooler weather
☐ Make a must-do-before-winter project list
Soaking Up the Last of Summer While Preparing for Fall
As much as I’m looking ahead, I’m not ready to rush summer out the door.
There are still vegetables to pick, food to preserve, animals to care for, projects to finish, and plenty of warm evenings left to enjoy.
That’s what I like about preparing for fall in August. It doesn’t have to mean suddenly putting pumpkins on every surface and pretending it’s sweater weather when it’s still hot outside.
It’s simply about doing a little at a time.
A few jars on the pantry shelf. A repaired fence. Another load of firewood stacked. A garden bed cleaned out. One more project crossed off the list.
Little by little, we’ll trade the busy days of summer for the slower rhythm of fall, and hopefully, when that first truly cold morning arrives, we won’t be scrambling to get ready.
Although this is a homestead.
So I’m sure we’ll still be scrambling for something.
From our homestead to yours,
Eliza