10 Things Every Homesteader Should Do in January

January on the homestead may feel slow, but it’s the perfect time to reset, restock, and get ready for the seasons ahead. Whether you’re tending animals, planning your garden, or organizing your food stores, this quiet stretch of winter is full of purpose.

Here are 10 smart tasks to tackle this month. Your future self will thank you come spring.

Take Inventory of the Freezer & Pantry

See what you’ve used, what you’re running low on, and what needs to be repackaged or eaten soon.

Tip: This is a great time to repackage frozen poultry or veggies in shrink bags for longer shelf life.

Check and Rotate Preserved Goods

Go through canned items, pickles, and root cellar stock. Move older jars forward and take note of what you’ve loved (or didn’t use!) for future planning.

Clean and Organize Your Processing Tools

Sharpen knives, clean your vacuum sealer or scalding equipment, and make a list of what you need to reorder before spring.

Start Planning Your Garden

Flip through seed catalogs, sketch out your garden beds, and start dreaming of what you’ll plant this year.

Review Your Poultry Plans

If you raise chickens or meat birds, now’s the time to order chicks or decide how many you’ll raise this year and when.

Restock Packaging Supplies

Shrink bags, jars, lids, labels, butcher paper — stock up now so you’re not scrambling later.

Track What You Eat Most

Noticing you’re going through soup stock quickly? Wish you’d made more applesauce? Make notes while it’s fresh.

Organize Photos, Recipes, or Homestead Records

Print photos, update your homestead journal, or organize recipes you loved from last year’s harvest.