Nordhaven
The Steward's Field Manual | Chapter 4

Readying for Winter

The lodge's autumn punchlist, from the coop to the camper

The autumn checklist the lodge runs every year before the hard freezes: flock, garden, house, vehicles, the small camper and backup power.

Winter on the ridge arrives early and stays late. At about 1,600 feet the first frosts come in early October and the hard freezes not long after. Everything below is done between Winter Finding and Winter Nights, ideally before the first night under 28 F.

The flock

  • Heated water. Set out the heated waterer base before the first freeze and test the outlet and cord. Frozen water is the first thing that hurts a winter flock.
  • A freeze alert. A sensor in the coop that sends a warning under about 34 F gives time to act. Test it on the first cold night, not the tenth.
  • Deep litter. Build the carbon bedding up. It composts slowly through the winter and gives off a little heat.
  • Draughts, not ventilation. Block wind at roost height; keep vents high so moisture can leave. Damp air, not cold, is what frostbites combs.

The garden

  • Garlic goes in. Hardneck garlic is planted in October under straw, about a month before the ground freezes, and harvested the next July.
  • Cover empty beds. Winter rye sown on bare soil holds it through the winter and feeds it in spring.
  • Bring the tender ones in. Peppers and herbs worth keeping come indoors before the first frost.
  • Drain and store hoses, pumps and air stones from the tea setup.

The house

  • Furnace filter changed, and the system run before it is needed.
  • Gutters cleared after leaf fall.
  • Outdoor taps shut off and drained.
  • The woodpile stacked, covered and close to the door.
  • Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms tested.

The vehicles

  • Coolant checked with a hydrometer, good to about -34 F.
  • Tyre pressures reset cold. Pressures drop 2 to 3 PSI as nights fall from the 60s to the 30s.
  • Washer fluid swapped for winter de-icer rated to -20 F.
  • Rust protection on frame rails and crossmembers before the road salt starts.
  • Four-wheel drive shifted into both ranges once on a dirt road, to be sure it engages.

The small camper

Its plumbing is drained by mid-October or before the first hard freeze:

  1. Pump off, water disconnected.
  2. Low-point drains open, all faucets open to break the vacuum.
  3. Water heater off, drained and flushed; anode inspected.
  4. Water heater bypass closed; low-point drains shut.
  5. Lines blown out with compressed air at 35 to 40 PSI.
  6. Non-toxic RV antifreeze poured into each trap and the toilet bowl.

Backup power and small engines

  • Run the generator under load for twenty minutes; check the oil; stage fresh ethanol-free fuel.
  • Run carburettors dry on mowers and saws before storage; oil chainsaw bars.

Keeping the list honest

Write the list down, give each item a date, and tick things off only when they are really done. When an item goes past its season undone, close it and mark it closed as stale rather than done. Next autumn the list starts from this one, with what you learned added.