If you haven’t already purchased one, you need a planner in your life.

As a homestead grows, it becomes nearly impossible to figure out what needs to be done when!

From worming and hoof trimming to pest control and annual vet visits, it can be hard to keep up.

Here’s our method for making your day to day (or, month to month!) life easier.

---

---

---

---

You Want a Big Homestead Planner… A Big, Big One.

---

You want the biggest one you can get, truthfully. Some days, especially during spring (planting/birthing season) and fall (harvest/preservation/winter prep season), you’ll need a lot of space to write in. But, something like this will work just fine:

I recommend keeping your planners for a few years, just in case you have to reference back to them. Highlight important tasks with flags, and jot down a quick summary of those with a page at the beginning of the planner. This way, you know when important events or tasks transpired.

---

---

---

---

Monthly Events to Write Down

---

I don’t know about you, but a list makes my life easier and far more productive. Don’t believe me? Give it a go! You’ll get much more done as you compete to finish the list in time.

I like to make a list of literally everything; but your planner, for the month of march, might look similar to this (broken down to the day instead of week, but you get the point):

March

Week 1:

• Direct Seed Cole Crops
• Till Summer Beds
• Refresh Fertilizer Stores
• Start Summer Seeds Indoors
• Transplant Berry Plants
• Stratify Seeds as Necessary

Week 2:

• Annual Vet Checkup/Rabies Shots for Barn Cats
• Clean Out Winter’s Deep Litter/Refresh
• Replace Damaged Fence Posts
• Root Tree/Bush Cuttings
• Late Season Pruning

Week 3:

• Hang Wasp Deterrents/Traps
• Hang Carpenter Bee Traps (I hate doing this, but the population has exploded, and so has our porch)
• Beginning Inspecting Fruit Trees and Berry Plants for Disease/Fungal Infection/Pests
• Watch for Blooms On Delicate Fruit Trees, Protect from Freezes
• Worm Animals on the Homestead

Week 4:

• Harvest Short Season Cole Crops
• Amend Beds for Summer Crops
• Prepare and Condition Lawn Equipment (Hand Tools, Lawn Mower, etc)
• Begin Putting Away Winter Protection/Heating Supplies (Tap Insulators, Plastic Over Beds, Radiator Heaters, etc)
• Begin to Empty Out Hay/Straw Stores
• Plant Cool Season Forages for Livestock

---

---

---

---

Additional Information to Keep Track of In Planners!

---

Now, if you’re anything like me, you probably tend to have a hard time keeping track of things. While it’s an excellent idea to keep a homesteading diary as well as a planner, there is no harm in jotting the important stuff down twice! I recommend adding little notes that involve things such as:

• Birthing dates/breeding dates
• Dates of loss
• When plants were started or transplanted
• What varieties of trees or bushes are planted (this is especially important if you need to replace pollinators for fruit tree pollination!)
• Worming dates
• Vaccination dates
• Crop Treatments/losses/harvests
• Positive identification of pests or parasites within the garden, flock, or herd
• Equipment maintenance or service details/cost
• Large preservation sessions, especially when canning or dehydrating
• Acquisition or sale of livestock
• I could keep going, but I’m sure you get the point now!

---

---