October to December closes the farm year: October uses 45-55% of working adults to finish harvest before hard freeze, butcher and cure meat and finish loading the cellar, then labour falls to 20-30% in November and 10-15% in December. The December inventory, which asks whether the stores will last until the spring harvest, decides whether rationing has to begin.
The October-December block of the farm year covers the last harvest, meat processing, cellar loading, equipment storage and the stock count.
October: Beat The Hard Freeze
Labour is 45-55%, about 25 to 36 people in a community with 55-65 working adults.
- Final harvest of all remaining crops before the hard freeze. The carrier’s rule is to salvage what you can even if it is not fully mature.
- Butchering continues with cattle and larger livestock, and smoking and curing are in full operation (Large-Scale Smoking & Curing).
- Finish loading the root cellar and check ventilation and temperature (Root Cellar Loading Plan).
- Close the cold frames over winter crops.
- Compost healthy plant remains, not diseased material (Sanitation and Quarantine Protocols).
- Fall plough if the soil benefits from winter freeze and thaw.
- Finish the winter firewood.
November: Wind Down
Labour is 20-30%, about 11 to 20 people.
- Complete meat curing and smoking and the final canning of meat and broth (Canning Production Timeline).
- Clean and store equipment.
- Check the cellar weekly: temperature, and removal of any spoiling produce (Spoilage Monitoring and Response).
- Tend the cold frames: close the vents at night, open them on warm days.
- Mill grain for the winter’s flour.
- Winterise the beehives.
December: Count And Rest
Labour is 10-15%, about 6 to 10 people.
- Take inventory of the cellar and pantry and calculate whether the stores will last until the spring harvest (Monthly Inventory Checks).
- Harvest cold-frame greens in small amounts.
- Repair equipment and make tools.
- Review the seed catalogues and plan next year.
- Teach seed saving, preservation and animal care to the next generation.
- Feast and rest. The carrier calls winter social cohesion essential.
The Hard Freeze Is A Deadline
Work backward from the forecast. A hard freeze ends the harvest of tender crops and can turn unharvested roots to mush. Before it arrives:
- Lift tender crops.
- Cover what cannot be lifted.
- Pick green tomatoes and ripen them indoors.
- Move cold-sensitive stores to the cellar.
Detail on rapid response is in Emergency Response (Frost, Storms); frost forecasting is in Frost Prediction.
Winterisation Checklist
| Item | Done when |
|---|---|
| Hand tools | Cleaned, sharpened, oiled and hung |
| Irrigation | Drained so water cannot freeze in the pipes |
| Livestock housing | Draught-proofed, bedding stocked |
| Cold frames | Latched, with a thermometer inside |
| Fences | Mended |
| Firewood | Counted against the winter’s need |
| Hives | Wrapped, entrances reduced |
Common Mistakes
- Harvesting after the freeze. Quality drops fast.
- Stopping the cellar checks in November. Spoilage is quiet.
- Skipping the inventory. The December count is the only chance to ration early.
- Putting away tools dirty. Rust costs next spring’s work.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Monthly Task Breakdown — the full cycle back to January
- Combine with: Storage Rotation & Inventory — managing what the year produced