Homesteader's Checklist For Summer With Denali Canning

Jun 19, 2023Karl Guzman

🎈 Introduction

Greetings, fellow homesteaders! 🌞 Summer is upon us and it's time to get our homesteads ready for the sunny season. From thriving gardens to cool and happy livestock, summer is filled with potential. So, here's your trusty checklist to prep your homestead for the months ahead!

🌞 Summer's Bounty: In-Season Produce

One of the ultimate pleasures of summer is the wealth of fresh fruits and veggies. Here's a short checklist of typical produce that comes into season during these sunny months:

Berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
Stone Fruits (peaches, plums, cherries, apricots)
Melons (watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew)
Tomatoes
Sweet Corn
Zucchini and Summer Squash
Cucumbers
Peppers
Green Beans
Beets

Now that we're salivating just a tad, let's get to the tasks at hand!

🥫 Summer Canning and Stocking Up on Supplies

It's canning season, folks! According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, an average American home canner preserves between 40 to 50 jars during the summer season! That's a whole lot of tasty goodness for the year ahead!

Stock up on Canning Supplies: Make sure you have plenty of jars, lids, and rings. There's nothing worse than a canning session cut short by a lack of lids!
Canner Check-up: Is your canner in tip-top condition? A quick check can save a lot of hassle later.
Experiment with Recipes: From pickled cucumbers to strawberry jam, summer's bounty is perfect for some canning creativity!

🛠️ Summer Maintenance

The key to a successful summer on the homestead? Good ol’ maintenance! By tuning up your irrigation, ensuring proper ventilation, and giving the barn and shed a good clean, you'll have your homestead in harmony with the season. Tackle these tasks to keep things running smoothly:

Irrigation System: Regular check-ups can save up to 25% of water lost to leaks, evaporation, and overwatering.
Ventilation: A greenhouse can be 20-30 degrees hotter inside than outside on an average summer day. Ventilation is essential to keeping things cool.
Barn and Shed Clean-up: A little repair and decluttering now can prevent bigger issues down the road, extending the lifespan of your structures.

🔥 Fire Safety

Summer dry spells can pose serious fire risks. By maintaining a defensible space around your homes and barns, mowing and watering your lawns regularly, and storing combustibles at a safe distance, you can help protect your homestead from the threat of fire. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

Maintain a 30-foot defensible space around homes and barns.
Regularly mow and water lawns.
Store firewood and other combustibles at least 30 feet away from structures.

🌱 Gardening Tips

A little extra care can make your summer garden a delight. Watering at the right time, using mulch to retain soil moisture and suppress weeds, and staying vigilant for pests can keep your garden flourishing in the summer heat.

Water early in the morning or late in the evening to reduce evaporation.
Mulch helps retain soil moisture and suppress weeds - a win-win!
Keep an eye out for pests. Early intervention can save a crop!

🐄 Livestock Care

Our furry and feathered friends need some TLC during the heat. By providing plenty of fresh water, using fly traps and natural remedies to ward off pests, and ensuring they have adequate shade, you can keep your livestock cool, content, and healthy throughout the summer.

Provide plenty of fresh water - a cow can drink up to 30 gallons a day in hot weather!
Use fly traps and natural remedies to keep pests at bay.
Ensure your livestock has enough shade to escape the heat.

🍓 Harvesting and Preserving Summer's Bounty

Summer's bounty is ripe for the picking. By harvesting early in the morning for peak freshness and making good use of canning and freezing methods, you can savor the flavors of summer well into winter. Plus, in-season fruits and veggies are chock-full of nutrients, making them a healthier choice!

Harvest early in the morning for peak freshness.
Preserve your harvest through canning and freezing. In 2022, the National Center for Home Food Preservation reported a 45% increase in web traffic, indicating a resurgence of this homesteading staple!

🎣 Fun Summer Activities

Mix some fun with your chores this summer. DIY projects, like building a chicken tractor or a rainwater collection system, can be both rewarding and enjoyable. And don't forget to get out and enjoy the great outdoors – bird watching, hiking, and camping can create beautiful memories for the whole family.

Try your hand at DIY projects like building a chicken tractor or setting up a rainwater collection system.
Enjoy outdoor activities – bird watching, hiking, and camping can make beautiful memories.

🎈 Conclusion

And there you have it, folks - your guide to a smooth-sailing summer on the homestead. Let's make the most of these sunny days, while keeping our homesteads safe, productive, and happy! 🎉