
How to Save Seeds: Seed Saving for Beginners
Learning how to save seeds will help you increase your self-sufficiency and grow healthy, productive plants year after year. Learn more about seed saving with this comprehensive guide!
* * *
Itโs officially fall, which means itโs time to start wrapping things up in the garden, save of course for those fall crops like beets and brussels sprouts that we planted mid-summer to take us through the fall and right into the winter.
But aside from prepping our annual garden beds for winter and continuing to preserve the last of the summer harvest before we pull all of our summer annuals out of our garden, this is also the time of year when we need to think about saving seeds for the coming year and beyond.
Of course, you donโt need to save seeds. You can always purchase them from a seed catalogue or local garden supply store. But if you can save seeds, there are many reasons why you should.
Why you should save seeds
1. First of all, learning how to save seeds allows you to take one more step toward self-sufficiency. By saving seeds, youโll be able to produce your own seed and stop relying on outside sources to provide seed for you (plus, youโll save money too).
2. Second, saving seeds from your healthiest, most robust, most productive plants and replanting them year after year means youโll create your own strain of healthy seeds that are specially adapted and optimized for your specific environment, which tends to mean higher germination rates, bigger harvests and less disease.
3. Finally, saving seeds allows you a unique opportunity to create your own heirloom seeds to pass down through generations in your family. By handing down family heirloom seeds, youโll be passing on a legacy and gifting future generations with the gift of self-sufficiency. How cool is that??
But before you start saving seeds, there are a few things you need to know to ensure the seeds youโre saving are actually viable.
Before I dive into how to save seeds, I also made a video on the subject, so if you’re more of a visual or auditory learner, I’ve included the video just below. Otherwise keep scrolling to read more:)
The Science of Seed Saving
Hybrids, Heirlooms and Open-Pollinated Plants
When youโre just getting started seed saving, the first thing you need to know is whether or not the plant you want to save seeds from is an open-pollinated, heirloom or hybrid plant.
You only want to save seeds from open-pollinated plants because these plants will produce seeds that will reproduce true to their parent plant (meaning the seeds will regrow into the same type of plant as they came from).
Heirloom seeds are open-pollinated seeds that have been carefully selected from the healthiest, most productive plants and passed down through generations. These are a fantastic choice for seed saving! All heirloom plants are open-pollinated plants, but not all open-pollinated plants are heirloom plants. Still, either or will produce seeds that can be saved.
Donโt waste your time trying to save seeds from hybrid plants. Hybrids are plants created by humans deliberately cross-breeding two different plant species to make a new type of plant that has certain desirable traits from both parent plants. Theyโre not GMOs (theyโre not created in a lab and crossed with different species and all sorts of other weird things), but theyโre not completely natural, in the sense that they wouldnโt necessarily cross-pollinate with each other without manโs intervention.
That being said, if you try to save seeds from a hybrid plant, when you replant the seed, the plant that grows wonโt be the same as the plant that you saved the seed from. Instead, it will either revert back to one of the parent plants that were used to create the hybrid plant, or it will be a strange combination of the two that might be edible, but usually ends up being generally pretty unpalatable So why bother growing it and taking up valuable garden space, right?
You can often tell if store-bought seeds are hybrids or open pollinated seeds by checking the packet. Open-pollinated seeds will be marked with the abbreviation “OP,” as in the image below.

(Pay no attention to my nails, which obviously need another manicure! *Dies of embarrassment*)
Hybrid seeds will be marked with “F1,” short for Filial 1, which essentially means the first generation of a plant from two cross-bred parent plants.
As for GMOs, home gardeners and small, organic farmers don’t need to worry about planting GMO seeds by mistake. GMO seeds are sold directly from the supplier (typically Monsanto) to the farmer (typically large-scale, monoculture crop farmers). Theyโre not just on the shelves at your local garden supply store.
Cross-Pollinating Vs. Self-Pollinating Plants
The next thing youโll need to know before saving seeds is whether or not the plants youโre saving seeds from are cross-pollinating or self-pollinating plants.
Cross pollinating plants require pollen from other plants in the same species in order to become fertilized. Self-pollinating plants fertilize themselves. This difference is important because cross-pollinating plants can actually cross with different varieties of plant in the same species, which can result in seeds that grow into plants that are a strange mix of the two parent plants rather than the plant that you saved them from (similar to the offspring from hybrid plants).
So, for example, squash are cross-pollinating plants and different varieties are notorious for crossing with each other. Pumpkins can cross with spaghetti squash, zucchinis can cross with butternuts and the resulting offspring can be a strange mix of both parent plants thatโs actually quite unlike the plant that you saved it from. Plants in the brassica family (broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, etc), will also cross-pollinate with each other.
While it is possible to save seeds from cross-pollinating plants, it can take a fair amount of time, effort and experience to get it right.
Self-pollinating plants, on the other hand, are incredibly easy to save seeds from even if youโre a new gardener or seed saver. Seeds from self-pollinating plants will breed true, meaning theyโll produce offspring that are the same plant as the one you saved them from.
Self-pollinating plants include peas, beans, tomatoes, peppers and lettuce.
Choosing which plants to save seeds from
When saving seeds from the plants in your garden, select the healthiest, best producing plants to save seeds from. Just like humans and animals, plants take on the characteristics of their parents, so if you want to produce strong, healthy, high-yielding offspring, start with strong, healthy, high-yielding parent parent plants.
Next, let the fruit ripen completely before saving seeds. Let it over-ripen, even. This helps ensure that the seeds have matured as much as possible and mimics the natural conditions of a plant that is ready to seed itself.
How to save seeds from peas and beans
Peas and beans are probably the easiest plants to save seeds from. Just let the pods ripen and dry out on the vine, then pop them open and take the large seeds out. Lay them out to dry somewhere indoors where there is good air circulation, but out of direct sunlight. (Also, donโt use a dehydrator as the higher heat can affect germination rates).
Once the seeds are completely dry theyโre ready to store. If youโre not sure if theyโre dry enough, push the edge of your fingernail into the side of the seed. If it makes a dent, theyโre not quite dry enough yet. Leave them out to dry for a bit longer. If thereโs no dent, theyโre dry and ready to store.
How to save seeds from tomatoes and peppers
Tomato and pepper seeds grow inside the fruit, as youโve probably noticed if youโve ever cut into one of these common fruits/vegetables (and who hasnโt?)
Let the tomatoes or peppers youโll be saving seeds ripen fully on the vine before harvesting them. Then, to save seeds, simply cut them open and remove the seeds from the inside.
For peppers, all you need to do is lay out the seeds and let them dry just like peas and beans. For tomatoes, technically you can do the same, but allowing them to ferment for a couple days actually makes it easier to save seeds from them AND makes the seeds more viable in the end.
To ferment tomato seeds, remove them from the tomato and put them in a jar along with whatever pulp thatโs naturally attached to them. Then, cover with a couple inches of water and place a coffee filter or some cheesecloth on top (just to keep bugs out).

I’ve got some tomato seeds here that have been fermenting in water for about 4 days. It’s time to strain them out and dry them to store for next year!
After three or four days the seeds are ready to be dried. First of all, discard any seeds that have floated to the top. Usually this is a sign that those seeds are not viable, so fermenting helps to weed out the โbadโ seeds. Next, dump the water out and strain the seeds through a fine mesh sieve. Run them under cold water and gently rub them against the sieve until all of the pulp washes away. Youโll be left with nice, clean tomato seeds.
Lay clean tomato seeds out to dry (I like to put mine on a paper towel) and allow them to air dry for a few days until completely dry, then store.
How to save lettuce seeds
Lettuce seeds are easy to save, but a little more finicky. To save lettuce seeds, allow the plant to flower and let the flowers die and go to seed. The flower heads will turn white and fluffy, similar to what dandelion flowers look like once theyโve gone to seed.
Pull out the white fluffy bits and the seeds will be attached to the ends. Gently pull the seeds off and discard the fluff. Dry seeds and store.
Saving seeds from biennial plants
Some plants are called biennials which means they take two years to produce seeds. Biennials include carrots, beets and onions.
In order to save seeds from these plants, youโll want to leave them in the ground to over winter. Then theyโll start growing again in the spring and by late spring/early summer you should be able to collect the seeds.
How to store seeds properly
All seeds should be completely dry before storing. They should be kept in a paper envelope or paper bag to ensure they are well aerated and wonโt go moody if thereโs any hint of moisture left in or around them. However if they are really dry, you can store them in a Mason jar or even a plastic ziplock bag. Paper envelopes are best though, which is why store-bought seeds are sold in similar style packets. You can purchase small envelopes for storing seeds here.
Store seeds in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. Most seeds will be viable for up to four years after saving them. Some will stay good much longer than that. But as a general rule, germination rates drop with every year that the seeds are not planted, so newer seeds are better.
Finally, ALWAYS label your seeds! You think youโll remember which are which, but you wonโt always, especially if the seeds are from the same species of plant but different varieties and the seeds look similar.
You can also download some free printable labels for your seed packets from our Resource Library. Just search the “Labels” section of the library!
Thereโs so much more we could dive into on the topic of seeds and seed saving, but thatโs more than enough to get you started!
To summarize…
- Only save seeds from open-pollinated and/or heirloom plants.
- Choose self-pollinating plants if youโre just getting started or want to keep things simple.
- Save seeds from your healthiest, most vigorous, highest-yielding plants.
- Allow fruit to ripen completely before saving seeds to ensure the seeds have had enough time to fully mature.
- Air dry seeds completely before storing. Keep them out of direct sunlight and high temperatures.
- Store seeds in a cool, dark, dry place, preferably in a paper envelope or bag to ensure good airflow and no chance of mold.
Oh, and here’s some more info to help you with seed-saving:
- A Complete Guide to Organic Gardening for Beginners
- How to Plan a Seed Saving Garden
- 8 Things to Think About Before Starting Seeds
Wishing you homemade, homegrown, homestead happiness:)
Related Posts:
4 Comments
Submit a Comment

ABOUT ANNA
You Might Also Like
My Favourite Things – 2022 Edition (aka. The Modern Homesteader’s Christmas Wish List)
* This article contains affiliate links. For more information, please read my Affiliate Disclosure. Every year around this time, I compile a list of my favourite things: Things that I love, use or covet for my own homestead, and things that I know other modern...
For many, wood heat and wood burning stoves conjure up nostalgia and cozy feelings. But more importantly, wood heat is reliable, affordable and gives us the ability to heat our homes without relying on the grid or on other types of energy, which are currently in short supply.
While we typically think of wood stoves and traditional fireplaces when we think of wood heat, there is an even MORE efficient and sustainable way to heat our homes with woodโฆ
Introducing the Rocket Mass Heater: A slow release radiant heating system that consists of a fire box, an insulated combustion chamber that burns fuel at very high temperatures, and a thermal mass -typically made out of cobb and stone- attached to the exhaust pipe, which snakes through the thermal mass before connecting to the chimney pipe.
Due to their highly efficient design, rocket mass heaters emit more heat for longer than conventional wood burning stoves and fireplaces, and are more energy efficient and environmentally friendly than other types of wood heat.
They burn at a higher temperature, emit practically no smoke at all, and charge the thermal mass around them, which continues to emit radiant heat long after the fire goes out. Not to mention, rocket mass heaters require much less fuel than conventional wood stoves or fireplaces. Some estimates even say rocket mass heaters can reduce fuel consumption by up to 90 per cent!
If youโve thought about going off-grid or youโre simply looking for alternatives to expensive, unreliable electric heat and youโre in a position to build and install one of these bad boys at home, I highly encourage you to consider a rocket mass heater for your homestead, Earthship or otherwise humble abode.
Thanks to guest contributor Sunflower Craig from Permies.com for this insightful article on rocket mass heaters! Click the link in my bio @anna.sakawsky or go to https://thehouseandhomestead.com/rocket-mass-heater/ to learn more!
#woodheat #rocketmassheater #woodstove #energycrisis #alternativeenergy #homesteading #modernhomesteading #offgrid #sustainableenergy
โNot eating mushrooms is like not eating an entire food groupโฆ And a healthy one.โ
Mushrooms have had a bit of a bad rap in the west for a long time. Depending on the type of mushroom in question, theyโve either been regarded as something to turn your nose up at or even something to be afraid of.
But in recent years mushrooms have started gaining momentum as both medicine and superfoods, and with more and more people looking for natural alternatives to conventional (and often harmful) prescription drugs, psychedelic mushrooms are even being legalized and used in small (micro) doses to treat mental health issues with promising results.
The story of mushrooms and the entire fungi kingdom is as complex and captivating as the mycelium networks they fruit from, and the potential health and wellness benefits of adding more mushrooms into our diets and lives are only just beginning to be understood.
I sat down with Louis Giller of @northsporemushrooms for the winter issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine to talk all about the wonderful world of fabulous fungi, how to get started foraging or growing mushrooms at home (even if you live in an apartment!), and why mushrooms of all kinds (edible, medicinal and psychedelic) are rightfully having a moment right now.
If becoming more self-sufficient and optimizing your overall health and wellness is part of your master plan for 2023, mushrooms should definitely be a part of your approach.
Start by checking out my full interview with Louis in the winter issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine - Link in bio to sign in or subscribe.
And while youโre there, be sure to check out our feature on medicinal mushrooms, as well as our elevated mushroom recipes, all of which make perfect winter meals for your family table.
Link in bio @anna.sakawsky or head to https://modernhomesteadingmagazine.com
#mushrooms #medicinalmushrooms #eatyourshrooms #fantasticfungi #homesteading #modernhomesteading
When I first started growing my own food at home, the gardening world seemed pretty black and white to me: plants grow in the dirt, outdoors, in the spring and summer. Thatโs what us city kids always learned in school anyway.โฃ
โฃ
And obviously thatโs not wrong, but once you get into gardening and growing food, a world full of endless possibilities starts to open up, including growing food indoors year-round.โฃ
โฃ
Sprouts are considered to be a superfood because of how nutrient dense they are and when we eat them, we get the health benefits of all of those nutrients in our own bodies.โฃ
โฃ
If you live in a climate that remains colder half the year or more, sprouts can be an excellent way to get the benefits of gardening even when it's not "gardening season". โฃ
โฃ
I've got a full list of tips & tricks on growing sprouts indoors all year round that includes: โฃ
โฃ
-How to grow sproutsโฃ
-Different ways to use them โฃ
-Where to buy seeds and more! โฃ
โฃ
Visit this link https://thehouseandhomestead.com/grow-sprouts-indoors/ or check the link in my bio to see all the details.
Living a slow, simple life isnโt easy in this fast-paced world.
No matter how much I preach it to everyone else, I still struggle with the guilt, shame and โnot enough-nessโ that I feel every time I choose rest, relaxation, stillness, disconnectedness or being โunproductiveโ when I feel I SHOULD be working, hustling, moving, checking emails and being โproductiveโ (which is almost always).
We all know that our culture praises productivity and busy-ness, and most of us know itโs a scam that keeps us stressed, burnt out and focused on the wrong things in life. Ultimately many of us end up feeling unfulfilled even though weโre spinning our wheels every day working to keep up with the demands of the world and our never-ending to-do list. Most of us would rather be resting, relaxing, spending quality time with our loved ones and doing things that light us up rather than simply keep us busy. But itโs hard to break free from the societal pressure to do more, produce more, earn more, acquire more and ultimately BE more.
So while I still struggle with this daily, and I donโt have any easy answers for how to overcome this, I wanted to share that today Iโm choosing slow; Today Iโm choosing to be present in the here and now rather than worrying about yesterday or tomorrow; Today Iโm choosing snuggles with my baby boy over emails and deadlines, and while I still feel that guilt rising up inside me, Iโm making a conscious effort to remind myself that the world wonโt end because I chose to slow down today, and at the end of my life I wonโt regret taking this time with my son, but I might regret NOT slowing down to enjoy it.
I encourage you to apply the same thought process to your own life and give yourself permission to slow down and enjoy the gift of time youโve been given today. After all, you never know when it might be your last day. And if it were your last, how would you wish youโd spent it?
In the dark, bitter cold days of midwinter when weโve been deprived of quality time in the sunshine and the trees are all bare, it can be easy for almost anyone to feel depressed and to overlook the tiny miracles that are happening all around us.โฃ
โฃ
Signs of life abound, even in the dead of winter! โฃ
โฃ
Connect with nature and enjoy the little things to help beat the winter blues. Go for a walk in the woods or the park and really pay attention to the natural world around you. Watch the songbirds flitting back and forth, gathering winter berries. Look for signs of greenery and new growth; Maybe even some snowdrops or crocuses have begun to emerge from the ground where you live. โฃ
โฃ
If you're feeling the effects of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) right now, please check out my full list of Natural Ways to Combat SAD and additional resources to seek out help from various care providers here https://thehouseandhomestead.com/natural-ways-treat-seasonal-affective-disorder/ or visit the link my bio. โฃ
โฃ
Spring is coming!
While most people run to the store every time they need something, you and I are not most people. Oh no friendโฆ We are modern homesteaders.โฃ
โฃ
Weโre a special breed, and one thing that sets us apart is that we are always thinking about preparing for the future and about stocking up when the things are abundant (and cheap!) which they aren't so much right now. โฃ
โฃ
When it comes to citrus fruits, if you live in a place where you can grow them yourself, then youโll probably have more than you can handle fresh when theyโre in season. Knowing how to preserve them will help ensure nothing gets wasted.โฃ
โฃ
Whether you're a seasoned homesteader or this is your first season preserving, I've got a hearty list of ideas of how to get the most out of your citrus fruits for the year to come! Visit the full list here https://thehouseandhomestead.com/12-ways-use-preserve-citrus-fruits/ or check out the link in my bio. โฃ
โฃ
What do you usually do with your extra citrus fruits? Have you tried any of these preservation methods?โฃ
โฃ
Let me know in the comments below!
Checking in on all my #homesteadpantrychallenge participants today :) โฃ
โฃ
During the pantry challenge I always find it pretty easy to make my way through the canned items. A side dish here, a breakfast there, but what about bulk items that we have on hand like bags of sugar and flour?โฃ
โฃ
Well have no fear, this bread recipe is a game-changer! Not only does it only require 3 simple ingredients (plus water), it can be whipped up in a bowl using an ordinary kitchen spoon and it comes out perfect every time. It will help you make your way through that 5lb bag of flour just sitting on the shelf, and it only takes a couple minutes to prepare. โฃ
โฃ
This is a really nice bread to dip in olive oil and balsamic vinegar or as part of a spread or cheese board. For the full recipe click here https://thehouseandhomestead.com/easy-no-knead-homemade-bread/ or visit the link in my bio. โฃ
โฃ
Let me know how it turns out and if you decide to add any herbs or other toppings to spice it up, I want to hear about it!
Iโve tried my hand at many skills and tackled my share of adventurous projects over the years. Along my homesteading and journey Iโve tried everything from candle-making to cheesemaking, sourdough bread to fermented vegetables, canning and dehydrating to rendering lard and more. When it comes to home medicine, Iโve learned how to make may useful concoctions, from herbal teas, tinctures and syrups to poultices, salves, ciders and more. But encapsulating my own placenta after the birth of our son was definitely a first, and by far my most adventurous โkitchen projectโ and foray into home medicine so far.
I have to admit, I was a bit squeamish at first, but Iโm fascinated by this kind of stuff and love learning skills that allow me to take my health and well-being into my own hands. I also love challenging myself to try new things and pushing myself out of my comfort zone.
A few of the possible benefits of consuming placenta after birth include:
โข Hormones in the placenta can improve mood and lessen symptoms of postpartum depression
โข Can reduce postpartum bleeding
โข Provides a natural source of iron and other micronutrients
โข Can help boost milk production
And did you know, around 99% of mammals are know to consume their placenta after birth? Only humans and marine mammals do not typically consume their placenta.
But more and more humans are opting to consume their placentas after birth to reap the potential health benefits. The most popular way to do so is through encapsulation.
First the placenta is steamed, then it is sliced thin and dehydrated before being ground up into a fine powder. The you add that powder into some capsules using an encapsulator and youโre done!
Iโve been taking 2 capsules 4x/day for the past week. Any real results are yet to be seen but I didnโt want to pass up the only chance Iโll probably get to try my hand at this home medicine project! I mean, you just never know when this skill might come in handy;)
So tell me, whatโs the most adventurous thing YOUโVE tried in the name of homesteading and/or natural health? Comment below and let me know!
Since the weather is often cold, dark and gloomy, there arenโt as many fun, free things to do outdoors, so itโs easy to blow your budget on other things that will help you beat cabin fever like eating out, going to the movies and even going shopping just for something to do.โฃ
โฃ
But the flip side to this is that, once January hits, many people are motivated by the fresh start the new year brings and are ready to hunker down for a while and get their finances on track after the holidays. So in many ways that makes winter the perfect time of year to adopt some frugal habits. โฃ
โฃ
Visit this link https://thehouseandhomestead.com/12-frugal-living-tips-for-winter/ or the link in my bio for the full list of Frugal Winter Living tips, and if you're already looking and planning towards Spring you'll also find more frugal living tips for every season linked at the bottom of the list!
Our#homesteadpantrychallenge is in full-swing and now that our little one has arrived, simple and frugal pantry meals are a necessity to ensure we are getting adequate rest and not overdoing it during these newborn days. โฃ
โฃ
When I'm staring at the pantry wondering what to make, I love referring back to this list for a little bit of inspiration for either bringing back an old recipe, or creating a new one. โฃ
โฃ
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐'๐ ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐น๐๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฑ: โฃ
Breakfastsโฃ
Soupsโฃ
Homemade Breadsโฃ
Main Dishesโฃ
Snacks & Sidesโฃ
Sweets & Treatsโฃ
โฃ
So whether youโre trying to save a little extra money on your grocery bill, or prioritizing rest this season these 35 frugal recipes will help you get good, wholesome, delicious homemade food on the table every day, which means you have one less thing to stress about. โฃ
โฃ
Check out the full list at https://thehouseandhomestead.com/frugal-recipes-roundup/ or visit the link in my bio. โฃ
โฃ
Eat well friends:)
I hope you had a wonderful and restful end of holidays, and are also feeling ready to get back on track with your daily schedule here in the new year. It can sometimes feel like a lot to get going, but those "regular days" help us to regulate our rhythms, and in turn help us slowly, gear up for the Spring season ahead. โฃ
โฃ
In our Winter Issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine, my friend and fellow homesteader, Ashley Constance of @alittleselfreliant wrote "Breaking Your Cabin Fever" a list of ideas for staying productive over the winter months. โฃ
โฃ
If you're feeling a bit restless and up to it, this list of ideas is a perfect way to get back into a daily routine. โฃ
โฃ
From making and creating, to preparing, planning and organizing you'll be feeling ready for Spring in no time. โฃ
โฃ
To see the full list, subscribe to Modern Homesteading Magazine here at https://modernhomesteadingmagazine.com/subscribe/ or visit the link in my bio.
Homesteading is a year-round lifestyle, andโฃ
for whatever reason, homesteading is most often thought of as a three-season โactivity.โ โฃ
โฃ
1. ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ด๐ฆ๐ข๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐จ๐ช๐ฏ๐ด ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ฑ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ. โฃ
2. ๐๐ข๐ณ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ง๐ข๐ณ๐ฎ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ด๐ฆ๐ข๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ด ๐ง๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฎ ๐ด๐ฑ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ถ๐จ๐ฉ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ถ๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ณ.โฃ
3. ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ฆ๐ณ๐ท๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ด๐ฆ๐ข๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ต๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ด ๐ถ๐ด ๐ง๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฎ ๐ด๐ถ๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ช๐ฏ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ญ. โฃ
โฃ
So much of homesteading centers around preparing for winter. But what happens when winter finally arrives?โฃ
โฃ
Sure, we could just hunker down and relax, enjoy the fruits of our labour and rest until spring returns and the really busy seasons begin again. But the very nature of most homesteaders is that we tend to enjoy keeping busy. In other words, we tend to go a bit stir crazy sitting around on the couch for too long.โฃ
โฃ
Now, let me just make this clear before we continue: I think itโs VERY important to take time to rest whenever possible so that you can feel rejuvenated and be more productive when you really need to be, but if youโre looking for some (mostly relaxing) homesteading activities that you can do throughout the winter months to help keep you occupied, Iโve got a few suggestions for you:) โฃ
โฃ
My full list of winter homesteading activities can be found here https://thehouseandhomestead.com/winter-homesteading-activities/ โฃ
โฃ
Happy homesteading!

Thank you. What a delight to watch. Inspiring that you make use of your front yard. Also your age (getting started young). Homesteading has been a lifelong dream but life got in the way. Now 75 and retired pursuing my dream. Keep sharing and God bless you.
Thank you Andrea! It’s funny, I remember when I first got started homesteading in my late twenties I wondered if it was too late! Now I know that it’s never too late, but the earlier you start the better for sure. It’s like the old saying goes: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”
Thank you! Very clear, helpful instructions. I have an OP green bean (actually purple beans that cook up green) that I want to plant again next year and I left some plants with beans on them in the garden. Now I know what to do with them to grow again.
thank you very helpful information I found this blog because I am about to start seed storage, even though I am in a 2 season country, rainy season and dry season (tropical) don’t really need seed storage, because I can plant all year round.