Winter may slow things down outdoors, but it’s the perfect time to grow your skills inside the homestead.
With fewer garden chores and more indoor hours, this season offers a great chance to focus on the practical skills that support year-round self-reliance.
Whether you're new to homesteading or looking to deepen your knowledge, these cold months can be some of the most productive.
From baking your own bread to starting seeds indoors, this list covers ten simple and useful homesteading skills you can build this winter!
Winter Is the Best Time to Build Homesteading Skills
Winter gives you more time indoors, which makes it easier to focus on projects that are hard to start during planting or harvest seasons.
There’s no garden to weed, animals need less tending, and daylight hours are shorter – so it makes sense to use that time learning useful skills.
Many skills like bread baking, fermenting, soapmaking, or sewing don’t need much space or expensive tools. You can do them in your kitchen with basic supplies.
Seed catalogs also arrive in winter, so it’s the best time to plan your garden and order what you need before stock runs low.
Cold weather often brings dry skin, so it’s a good time to make your own lotion or salves.
If you have milk from your animals or a local source, winter is also perfect for learning how to make cheese, since there’s more time to focus on the process.
Winter isn’t idle time – it’s prep time. Building skills now makes you more ready and less rushed when spring arrives.
10 Must-Have Homesteading Skills to Build This Winter
Here are 10 must-have homesteading skills that are perfect to build during the winter months.
1. Plan Your Garden and Start Seeds Indoors
Winter is the best time to get organized for spring planting.
Start by reviewing last year’s garden: what crops grew well, which ones didn’t, and where things were planted. Use that info to map out a better layout, rotate crops, and avoid repeating mistakes.
Take inventory of your seeds and supplies – check expiration dates and germination rates. Order new seeds early, especially if you want heirloom or rare varieties, as they often sell out fast.
When you're 4–8 weeks from your last frost date, you can start seeds indoors using a seed tray, potting mix, and a basic grow light or a south-facing window.
This gives your plants a head start and saves money compared to buying transplants in spring.
2. Learn to Bake Bread and Make Sourdough
Start with simple yeast bread using flour, water, salt, and dry yeast. Practice kneading dough by hand to learn how it should look and feel.
Bake a few loaves until you're confident with shaping and baking times.
Then move on to sourdough. Mix flour and water to begin a starter and feed it daily for about a week until it becomes active and bubbly.
Use it to make basic sourdough bread – no special tools needed beyond a bowl, spoon, and oven-safe pot like a Dutch oven.
And if you want to level it up later, you can start using fresh flour. Many homesteaders eventually learn how to freshly mill flour at home because it boosts both nutrition and flavor.
Sourdough is flexible too – you can turn your starter into pancakes, pizza dough, biscuits, and more.
3. Try Fermenting and Canning Food
Fermentation is simple and doesn’t require electricity or special equipment. You can ferment shredded cabbage into sauerkraut using just salt, a mason jar, and a weight to keep it submerged.
Other easy options include milk kefir, which requires only kefir grains and milk, and fermented ketchup made with tomato paste and whey or brine.
Canning in winter is a good time to preserve broth made from leftover bones. Simmer the bones with water, onions, and carrots for 12–24 hours, then strain and pressure can the broth in pint or quart jars.
If you froze extra tomatoes in the summer, now is a good time to thaw them, simmer into sauce, and can them when the kitchen is cooler and your schedule is lighter.
If you’re new to water bath or pressure canning, a comprehensive canning guide is a helpful place to start so you feel confident and safe as you go.
4. Making Your Own Soap
Cold-process soapmaking is a hands-on skill that lets you control the ingredients your family uses daily. You'll need oils or fats (like olive oil, coconut oil, or rendered lard), lye, and distilled water.
Use a digital scale, stick blender, thermometer, and silicone mold. After combining oils and lye, the mixture is blended until thick, poured into a mold, and left to cure for 4–6 weeks.
Essential oils and dried herbs can be added for scent or texture.
Once you get the basics down, soapmaking becomes a reliable way to stock your home with a daily-use product at a low cost.
If you want a great place to start, try a best tallow soap recipe and see how simple and nourishing traditional soaps can be.
5. Sew, Crochet, or Knit Useful Items
Sewing is handy for fixing clothes, hemming pants, and mending holes. Start with hand sewing if you don’t have a machine.
Learn to sew buttons, repair seams, or patch worn knees using a needle, thread, and scrap fabric.
Knitting or crocheting can be picked up with just a pair of needles or a hook and a ball of yarn. Start with small projects like dishcloths, beanies, or scarves.
These are great for cold weather and teach the basics of counting stitches and following patterns.
You don’t need fancy supplies – many thrift stores carry yarn or fabric scraps, and patterns are often free online.
6. Create Your Own Lotions and Skin Care
Winter air can be tough on skin, especially hands and lips that are constantly exposed to the cold.
Homemade lotion bars, body butter, and lip balm are all easy entry points into natural skincare and only require a few simple ingredients like shea butter, beeswax, coconut oil, and essential oils.
A basic whipped body butter can be made using 1 cup shea butter and ½ cup coconut oil, melted together and whipped with a few drops of essential oil.
For lip balm, combine beeswax with a nourishing oil (like almond, jojoba, or olive) and a touch of cocoa butter or honey for extra moisture.
These can be stored in small jars or tins and customized with herbs or infusions you already have on hand.
If you want a richer and more traditional option, many homesteaders also love making homemade tallow balm since it’s deeply nourishing, long-lasting, and very gentle on dry winter skin.
7. Learn to Make Herbal Medicine at Home
Use dried or fresh herbs to make simple remedies that support common needs like colds, sore muscles, or digestion.
For example, elderberries can be used to make syrup for immune support (learn how to make elderberry syrup here), and calendula can be made into a salve for cuts and dry skin.
Tinctures are made by soaking herbs in alcohol or vinegar for several weeks, then straining the liquid.
Salves are made by infusing herbs in oil and mixing with melted beeswax.
Winter is a good time to study herbs, label your ingredients, and organize a basic home apothecary using glass jars or bottles.
8. Make Simple Cheese or Fermented Milk Drinks
If you have raw milk or access to local dairy, you can start with mozzarella or ricotta. These cheeses are ready in under an hour using common ingredients like citric acid and rennet.
You’ll need a pot, thermometer, cheesecloth, and a strainer. Ricotta can be made by heating milk and adding lemon juice or vinegar to separate the curds.
Milk kefir is even simpler – just drop kefir grains into a jar of milk and let it sit at room temperature for 24 hours. Strain and reuse the grains.
This drink is full of good bacteria and easier to digest than regular milk.
9. Grow Herbs or Microgreens Inside
Microgreens are ready to harvest in 7–14 days and need only a shallow tray, potting soil, and a sunny window or grow light. Start with easy types like radish, broccoli, or sunflower seeds.
If you want a simple step-by-step, you can read how to grow microgreens indoors for a more detailed walkthrough before you get started.
For herbs, choose small pots and plant basil, thyme, or parsley. Water lightly and turn pots regularly so they grow straight.
These small indoor gardens don’t take much space and give you fresh flavor year-round. You can also use grow shelves if you want to start seedlings indoors later in the season.
10. Mix Your Own Natural Cleaners
Making cleaners at home cuts down on waste and removes harsh chemicals from your living space.
For an all-purpose cleaner, mix 1 part white vinegar, 1 part water, and a few drops of essential oil in a spray bottle.
For scrubbing sinks or tubs, use baking soda and a little castile soap. Laundry detergent can be made with washing soda, borax, and grated bar soap.
You can reuse jars, spray bottles, or old Tupperware to store your mixtures. These cleaners are safe for most surfaces and cost far less than store-bought brands.
How to Create a Winter Homesteading Schedule That Works
A clear schedule helps you stay focused and make steady progress during winter, even if you're juggling homesteading with work, family, or other responsibilities.
The key is to break projects into manageable tasks and spread them out across the season.
Start by listing the skills you want to build this winter. Then estimate how much time each one takes weekly.
For example:
- Baking bread: 2–3 hours once a week
- Starting seeds indoors: 1 hour to set up, then short daily checks
- Fermenting vegetables: 30 minutes to prep, then check once a day
- Knitting or crocheting: 30–60 minutes in the evening
Next, assign 1–2 skills per week so you don’t overload yourself. Rotate between different types of tasks (such as one food skill and one craft) to keep things interesting and avoid burnout.
Use a notebook or wall calendar to track your progress.
You can note when you started a sourdough starter, when your herbal tinctures will be ready to strain, or when your microgreens will be ready to harvest.
If you have kids, choose safe, hands-on projects they can join, like kneading bread dough, planting seeds, or mixing lotion ingredients.
These become learning moments and keep them engaged during long indoor days.
Start Building Your Homesteading Skills This Winter!
You don’t need to do everything at once. Pick one or two skills that fit your space, budget, and goals, and start small.
Over time, you’ll build confidence, save money, and become more self-reliant – without waiting for spring. Winter is the perfect season for slow, focused learning and steady progress.
Already trying one of these skills – or have questions about getting started?
Comment down below and share your experience or ask for help!
FAQs
What if I don’t have much space – can I still do any of these skills?
Yes. Many of these skills can be done in a small kitchen, on a windowsill, or at a table. Try sourdough baking, growing herbs, or fermenting in jars – all doable in tight spaces.
How do I know which skills are safe for kids to help with?
Start with low-risk tasks like planting seeds, kneading dough, or mixing lotion ingredients. Avoid projects with hot lye (soapmaking) or boiling water (canning) unless kids are closely supervised.
Do I need to buy everything new, or can I reuse supplies?
You can reuse many items: jars from food, old towels for straining, plastic containers for seed starting, and even scrap fabric for sewing. Always clean and sanitize used items before use.
How long does it take to learn a skill like soapmaking or cheesemaking?
Most people can make a basic batch of soap or soft cheese in a day. The learning curve is short if you follow a clear recipe and prepare your tools in advance.
What’s the best way to track my progress with these skills?
Use a simple notebook or printable chart. Note what you made, the date, what went well, and what you’d change next time. This helps you improve faster and remember seasonal timing next year.