Month-by-Month Homesteading To-Do List for 2025

Homesteading isn’t just a lifestyle – it’s a living, breathing calendar. The garden never waits, the animals never skip a day, and the seasons roll forward whether you’re ready or not.

That’s why having a month-by-month guide matters. It gives shape to the chaos, a rhythm to the work, and just enough structure to keep things from slipping through the cracks.

This 2025 list isn’t here to overwhelm. It’s here to ground you. One month at a time, with jobs that make sense for the season.

Not everything is urgent, and not everything applies to every homestead, but it’s all useful.

Whether you’re juggling seedlings and dairy goats or just dipping your toes into composting and chickens, there’s something here for you.

Before the Calendar

It doesn’t matter how many lists you make – homesteading rarely sticks to the script. One day, you’re harvesting greens. The next, your fence is down and the goats are in the garlic bed. That’s just how it goes.

There’s a layer of homesteading that repeats every single day. You feed animals. You check the weather. You notice things. And maybe fix three more than you planned to.

This list? It’s not a command. It’s a rhythm.

There are things you’ll find yourself doing year-round, no matter what month it says on the calendar:

• Livestock care: feed, water, clean, repeat
• Watching for signs of illness, pests, or weather shifts
• Collecting eggs or milking – if that’s part of your setup
• Cooking from scratch. Canning when needed, not just when scheduled
• Staying flexible. Because the weeds didn’t read the calendar

Some of the best homesteaders you’ll meet don’t follow rigid systems. They follow patterns, pay attention, and work with the seasons – not against them.

So take this list one month at a time. Skip what doesn’t apply. Jot down what does. Make it yours. That’s the only way it’ll work.

January: Stillness, Planning, and Quiet Work

January doesn’t rush you. It’s the month that lets you catch your breath. Snow on the ground (in most places), long evenings, and quiet routines.

This is a planning month. A reset. A time for homemade soup, garden books, and scribbling notes you may or may not follow come spring.

• Browse through seed catalogs and plan for the year
• Review garden journal notes and note what to change or repeat
• Sketch garden bed layouts and crop rotations
• Make sowing and transplanting schedules
• Create a homestead project budget
• Purchase seeds early before stock runs low
• Grow indoor spinach, microgreens, and sprouts (great for chickens too)
• Care for livestock and maintain regular routines
• Turn deep litter bedding in the chicken coop
• Check and feed bees on warm days
• Turn outdoor compost pile or maintain indoor vermicomposting
• Build or repair beehives and supers
• Repair fencing if needed
• Split and stack firewood
• Tally yearly expenses and prep next year’s budget
• Plan for grain growing if applicable
• Start homestead planning books or online research

February: A Gentle Push Forward

February is a transition month. While winter still holds on, the days are noticeably longer, and there's just enough light and energy to begin moving toward spring.

The work now sets the stage for what comes next. Seed starting begins in earnest, trees need tending, and infrastructure needs attention while it’s still manageable.

It’s a time to act slowly but consistently.

• Start seeds indoors: onions, leeks, celery, herbs; brassicas by end of month
• Continue garden planning and refine layouts
• Prepare greenhouse beds if snow is gone
• Maintain deep litter method in the chicken coop
• Grow a small indoor herb garden for cooking and morale
• Ferment vegetables or herbal drinks
• Craft or read during slower evenings
• Clean out the chicken coop if weather allows and replace bedding
• Care for livestock; breed or butcher based on your seasonal cycle
• Prune fruit trees (late winter timing)
• Apply dormant oil spray to fruit and nut trees
• Tap maple or other trees for syrup if in season
• Build or repair beehives and supers
• Feed bees if needed on warmer days
• Split and store more firewood
• Repair fencing before ground thaws
• Finalize seed orders and budget for spring
• Plan vegetable and grain crop rotations

March: The Garden Whispers “Soon”

March is unpredictable. Some days hint at spring, others dump another foot of snow. It’s a month for staying flexible.

Greenhouse sowing and indoor seed starts pick up pace, but the weather controls how much you can actually do outside. Chores increase, especially for those with livestock.

If kidding or lambing season is part of your life, things are likely in full swing. The key here is preparation – March can go from calm to urgent without much warning.

• Sow seeds in greenhouses or tunnels: brassicas, peas, favas (with protection)
• Start indoors: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, lettuce, herbs, green onions
• Prepare or build new garden beds if soil is workable
• Free-range chickens on mild days to manage weeds and stretch their legs
• Bring home baby chicks and set up brooder space
• Deep clean chicken coop if not done in February
• Set up mini hoop tunnels inside greenhouses for early planting
• Transplant early crops if weather permits near month’s end
• Monitor indoor transplants for health and light exposure
• Assist in livestock births; care and feeding adjustments needed
• Begin milking and making cheese or dairy products
• Fertilize fruit and nut trees
• Clean out and organize root cellar
• Till garden and grain fields when soil conditions allow
• Continue compost maintenance
• Install or prepare new beehives
• Clean and store tree-tapping gear

April: Soil, Seeds, and Spring Energy

This is when everything starts moving quickly. If your ground isn’t still frozen, it’s being dug, planted, or mulched.

Most cool season crops can go into the ground now, and transplanting begins to pick up. Infrastructure tasks should be wrapping up. Weed management starts early, and livestock chores increase if birthing is part of your setup.

It’s also the beginning of serious food gathering – from foraging wild greens to harvesting the first few things you’ve managed to overwinter.

• Direct sow cool crops: carrots, radishes, lettuce, spinach, onions, beets, etc.
• Transplant early starts: kale, chard, broccoli, collards, cilantro
• Plant early and main crop potatoes
• Care for baby chicks and integrate with older flock slowly
• Start warm crop seeds indoors: squash, melons, basil, beans (late April)
• Build or repair garden structures: trellises, fencing, gates
• Mulch garlic and other perennial beds
• Forage spring greens: nettle, dandelion, lambs quarters
• Dehydrate wild greens and roots for tea or storage
• Harden off early transplants and move into protected beds
• Amend soil as needed and keep compost active
• Continue livestock care; assist with births if applicable
• Milk animals and process dairy
• Stay ahead of early weed pressure

May: Full Throttle Growing

May is intense. Whether you’re in the last part of spring or heading into summer, the homestead demands a lot this month.

Seedlings are hardened off, transplanted, or directly sown in earnest. Pests start showing up, weather swings between hot days and surprise frosts, and time becomes tight.

Weeding, succession planting, and protecting vulnerable crops all pile on at once. Animal care also ramps up, especially if you're milking or rotating pasture.

• Start indoors (if not done): pumpkins, melons, squash, more basil
• Forage and preserve: nettles, elderflower, lemon balm, dandelions
• Dry herbs for tea; freeze cilantro as cubes; preserve arugula
• Direct seed fall root crops: rutabagas, parsnips
• Second sowing of greens for summer harvest
• Harden off all transplants
• Move out warm crops mid-month; use row covers if frost lingers
• Add compost under every transplant (tomatoes, squash, peppers, etc.)
• Transplant remaining brassicas and sow lettuce/radish around them
• Watch for bolting crops and pest pressure (especially aphids)
• Practice companion planting to bring in beneficial insects
• Thin crowded crops and use trimmings in meals
• Stay on top of weeding (bi-weekly)
• Spray fruit crops as needed
• Care for livestock
• Milk dairy animals and make cheese
• Maintain compost, mulch paths and beds
• Harvest early spring crops and transition beds

June: The Garden Hustle

This is often the busiest month of the entire year. Nearly every bed is filled, every transplant is in, and weeds seem to grow faster than anything you planted.

This is the peak of maintenance – watering, feeding, pruning, harvesting, preserving. You’re planting fall crops even while eating fresh spring greens.

Pest pressure is high. If you’re not managing systems efficiently by now, it shows. But if you've kept pace, this month is abundant and productive.

• Direct seed: carrots, beets, turnips
• Transplant final warm season crops into permanent beds
• Harvest garlic scapes, peas; freeze or preserve regularly
• Sow lettuce, arugula, and radishes in shady areas
• Start fall garden transplants: kale, broccoli, cabbage, kohlrabi
• Prune suckers on tomatoes and peppers
• Mulch potatoes with straw or soil to keep moist and cool
• Fertilize heavy feeders: tomatoes, peppers, corn, brassicas
• Rotate crops where spring veggies were removed
• Compost bolted or bitter crops, or feed to chickens
• Harvest regularly – more you pick, more you get
• Preserve extra herbs, vegetables, and fruit
• Butcher early meat birds or rabbits if needed
• Milk animals and make dairy products
• Check hives: harvest honey, add supers, watch for pests
• Manage weeds and water daily or as needed
• Prep open spaces for fall crop rotations

July: Harvest, Heat, and Fall Prep

July can be deceptively exhausting. While the harvests increase and the days are long, so are the tasks. Preserving food becomes a near-daily requirement, especially for fruits, early veggies, and herbs.

You also need to think ahead – fall planting begins in earnest this month, even though it might not feel like it. Heat stress affects plants, animals, and people.

If water or time is limited, some crops may need to be prioritized over others.

• Direct seed: fall broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage
• Forage berries – freeze, make jam, dry leaves for tea
• Dehydrate kale, zucchini, calendula
• Hand pollinate crops like squash or tomatoes if pollinators are scarce
  
• Transplant fall brassicas under row cover for shade and pest control
• Add compost and soil amendments to fall crop beds
• Continue mulching potatoes and harvest early varieties
• Replace spent spring crops with fall seeds (lettuce, turnips, radishes)
• Harvest garlic once tops yellow; cure and store properly
• Begin prepping garlic beds for fall planting
• Ease off watering tomatoes and peppers to improve ripening
• Preserve daily harvests: freeze, ferment, or can
• Stay on top of pest control and garden maintenance
• Continue weekly weeding and watering

August: Preserve Mode Engaged

August is about hanging on. The harvest is constant, the garden is full, and your pantry shelves are probably already straining.

But this is peak food preservation season – canning, freezing, fermenting, drying – whatever works. At the same time, you’re planting more fall crops and thinking about the first frost, even while sweating through heatwaves.

Pests, mildew, and garden fatigue are all real. It’s a month for pushing through and making smart choices about what really needs attention.

• Transplant or direct seed fall and winter crops: kale, lettuce, radishes, chard
• Harvest and preserve: herbs, fruits, vegetables – daily if needed
• Freeze basil, mint, and other herbs in cubes or dehydrate
• Stop watering dry beans so they cure on the vine; harvest when fully dry
• Stop watering onions and other warm season crops to push ripening
• Watch for powdery mildew on squash – reduce watering and increase airflow
• Dehydrate culinary, medicinal, and tea herbs
• Preserve tomatoes: sauce, salsa, or whole
• Make hot sauce with peppers or ferment them
• Forage elderberries: make syrup, wine or freeze/dehydrate for winter medicine
• Make jam or fruit preserves
• Monitor plants for ripening – use row covers later if needed
• Watch for insect pressure and address quickly
• Weeding often spikes now – don't let it slide
• Cure onions, garlic, and early squash varieties
• Add mulch where soil is exposed and drying out

September: Turn the Wheel to Fall

September signals the shift. The heat may linger, but the pace starts to slow. The focus turns to frost protection, storage, cleanup, and planting the last rounds of fall crops.

Some years you might still be preserving tomatoes; others you’re already covering greens at night. Either way, this is the month to wrap things up while there's still light and warmth to work with.

• Direct seed fast-growing fall greens: spinach, tat soi, arugula, radishes, mache
• Succession plant arugula, spinach, and radish mid-month onward
• Harvest and cure winter squash; handle gently to avoid damage
• Harvest all frost-sensitive crops before first hard frost (beans, tomatoes, peppers)
• Cover fall greens with row cover if frost threatens
• Transplant cold-hardy crops into greenhouse beds or tunnels
• Sow fall crops inside unheated greenhouse if using one
• Sow cover crops to protect and enrich soil over winter
• Add spent plant material and vines to compost pile
• Harvest storage potatoes; cure before storing
• Identify and mark tappable trees for late winter syrup
• Gather or build filtering system for syrup-making
• Butcher livestock for freezer space and winter feed balance
• Store hay, bedding, and feed in dry, rodent-safe areas
• Sell excess livestock if not keeping overwinter
• Review harvest totals and note what to grow more or less of next year
• Clean garden beds and orchard areas
• Stack and cover firewood; clean chimney for safe use
• Begin preparing hives for winter conditions

October: Buttoning It All Up

October is the last big window to get things in order before the real cold arrives. Some years allow you to keep harvesting into late fall; other times, early snow forces a quicker wrap-up.

Either way, your goal this month is clear: protect the soil, store food properly, and make sure animals and infrastructure are winter-ready.

• Protect crops with row covers or tunnels as needed
• Direct seed into cold frames or low tunnels for overwintering harvests
• Mulch root crops heavily or harvest and store in sand in the root cellar
• Mulch garlic beds after planting
• Sow cover crops where no winter veggies are planted
• Harvest remaining turnips, rutabagas, and cold-tolerant roots
• Finish cleaning up garden beds and remove annuals
• Add leaf mulch to garden beds for winter decomposition
• Add protection (mulch, insulation) around perennials as needed
• Cover and secure compost piles
• Organize preserved food storage areas and root cellar
• Inspect and seal buildings, barns, and coops for drafts
• Finish stacking, covering, or hauling in firewood
• Give hives final winter check and reduce entrance if needed
• Enjoy a Thanksgiving-style meal from what you’ve grown this year

November: Quiet Returns

With most outdoor work finished, November shifts the focus inward. You’re still checking for snow damage or storms, but the pace is finally slower. It’s a time to reflect, rest, and reset.

Harvesting continues only for cold-hardy greens and a few root crops. If you use season extenders, there’s still a little more to gather, but otherwise, the homestead settles into its winter mode.

• Final garden journal entries: what worked, what didn’t, what’s worth repeating
• Keep snow off greenhouses, tunnels, or covers
• Harvest remaining kale, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage before hard snowfalls
• Allow chickens to free-range in garden beds for cleanup
• Get the coop set for winter: deep litter, insulation, heated waterers
• Organize and inventory preserved goods
• Check root cellar and food stores for spoilage or mold
• Catch up on indoor repairs or gardening tools that need sharpening
• Rest. Seriously – this is the only real downtime you’ll get

December: Rest, Reflect, Reset

December is quiet. Not empty, just still. There’s maintenance to do, and snow to move, and food to cook, but most of what needs doing now is already done.

This month is about enjoying the pace of winter, using what you’ve stored, and thinking ahead – not with urgency, but with curiosity. It’s time to plan again, but there’s no rush.

• Harvest from unheated greenhouse if still producing (kale, sprouts, hardy greens)
• Enjoy stored winter squash – use the thinner-skinned varieties first
• Keep snow cleared from tunnels, greenhouses, and paths
• Use vent tunnels and cold frames on warm spells
• Check on bees during warm days if possible
• Make woodland holiday decorations or simple gifts from homestead materials
• Relax with family, reflect on the year
• Write garden goals and intentions for 2026
• Evaluate equipment, restock supplies, order tools if needed
• Read and research for next year’s projects

Choose 2–3 tasks each month that matter most to your homestead and start there.

This month-to-month list isn’t a checklist to be completed perfectly. It’s a seasonal guide to help you stay ahead of the weather, the weeds, and the overwhelm.

You won’t get to every task, and that’s fine. Some months are heavier, some are quieter. What matters most is staying grounded, adapting to what your land and animals need, and keeping your goals realistic.

Homesteading is a long game. The work you put in this year pays off next year and the one after that.

Planning ahead and staying consistent (even if imperfectly) will keep your homestead productive and your household prepared.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Got questions about monthly homesteading tasks? You’re not alone. Here are some common ones to help you stay grounded, flexible, and focused as the seasons shift.

1. What if I miss some tasks during the month?

That’s completely normal. The list is a guide, not a rulebook. Pick back up where you can, and adjust based on your climate, energy, and capacity.

2. Do I need to follow this list exactly by the calendar?

Not necessarily. These timelines are based on a general four-season climate. Adjust for your local weather, frost dates, and growing zone.

3. What if I’m new to homesteading? This feels like a lot.

Start small. Pick a few tasks each month. Keep a simple journal. Focus on learning, not doing everything at once.

4. How can I make sure I’m not overwhelmed during the busy seasons?

Do more prep work during slower months. Prioritize essential tasks during the busy ones. And don’t be afraid to say no to new projects when you’re already stretched thin.

5. What’s the most important habit to build as a homesteader?

Paying attention. Observing your land, animals, plants, and your own limits will tell you more than any list ever could.