The homestead year month by month

In short

• The months are for lowland UK and Ireland. On mild western and southern coasts everything is 2–4 weeks earlier; on upland and northern sites 2–4 weeks later. In the US and Canada, go by your USDA hardiness zone.
• The key date is the last spring frost (in lowland England and Ireland roughly late April to mid-May), not the calendar.
• The heaviest workload is in May–June and August–September. Plan for them in advance.
• Winter is for planning, tools, pruning and firewood, not a holiday from the homestead.
• Watch nature: blackthorn, plum blossom, apple blossom and hawthorn tell you more reliably when to sow than a date does.

What's inside

Chapters

1. How to read the homestead year
2. Winter: December, January and February
3. March: waking up
4. April: the big sowing
5. May: planting and growth
6. June: the harvest begins
7. July and August: heat, water and preserving
8. September: filling the pantry
9. October and November: planting and closing the season
10. Peak months and planning the work
11. Common mistakes
12. Printable checklist

Worksheets

• Garden and polytunnel calendar
• Orchard, field and meadow calendar
• Animals and bees calendar
• Water, house, pantry and paperwork calendar
• Busiest week calculator
• My calendar
• Monthly diary