Weather is unpredictable. You never know when a natural disaster might strike. As a homesteader, you have a wealth of knowledge when it comes to living off the land. Your land keeps you fed, and you’ve been self-sufficient. Plus, you’ve honed many valuable skills.
However, if you’re not prepared for harsh weather, you still have some learning to do! Frigid temperatures, wildfires, heavy rain, flooding, tornadoes, and hurricanes can all wreak havoc on a homestead. You certainly don’t want to be caught off-guard in these situations.
On a homestead, you may have a family that depends on you, and you likely have animals that depend on you as well. It never hurts to put more consideration into provisioning for your homestead.
Below, you’ll learn how to plan for harsh weather on your homestead. As they say, it’s better to be safe than sorry, especially in situations that could leave you stranded for days.
Put Your Family First
Everything material in your life is replaceable. You can always build a new house or fence. You can always plant a new garden or purchase more livestock. But you cannot replace your family, which is why you need to always put them first in the case of harsh weather or a natural disaster.
Assign each family member a specific job in the case of harsh weather. One might gather the emergency kit, one can feed the animals, one can prime the generator, and so on. As long as a family member can complete a task to prepare for a natural disaster of some sort, they should practice it and know their job by heart.
Create a readiness plan for your family with the following steps:
- Talk to your family about the potential for harsh weather or a natural disaster. Even if you have young children, be clear with them. Although it may frighten them now, they’ll be prepared in case something occurs.
- Determine where you will store food, water, and other supplies and ensure anyone in your family can access them.
- Create an emergency escape route. This will be explained further later on in the article.
Again, your family needs to be your priority in any emergency. Prepare them for the worst to increase their chances of survival.
Know Which Natural Disasters Could Happen Near You
Where you live can help you determine what kind of harsh weather you should prepare for. Not all regions will experience hurricanes, and not all areas are prone to dry summers with the potential for a wildfire.
This is something you can easily research online. If you’ve lived in the area for many years, though, then you probably know well enough what kinds of weather to expect. You can also ask the locals. They may have tips and tricks to help you prepare your homestead.
There are some harsh conditions where you can’t do much, like a tornado or hurricane, and that’s okay. Do what you can to prepare. Make sure your family is safe and that you have access to basic necessities like food and water.
Stockpile Food and Water
All of your hard work toiling in the gardens, harvesting, canning, and storing vegetables and fruits pays off, especially in the case of harsh weather. Your gardens probably won’t be able to provide you with food when a disaster strikes because they’ll likely be swept away if there are tornadic winds or flooding.
Your stockpile should be inside your home somewhere. You certainly don’t need to have enough for the end of the world, but a sufficient supply would be about a week’s worth of food. Most homesteaders are proud to have a large pantry where they keep their canned goods and grains.
However, in some weather conditions, a basement may be the safest space. If you have a basement, keep your emergency stockpile there. If not, keep things like canned goods and grains in a sealed container that’s off the ground. Water from floods, heavy rains, hurricanes, or even snow can seep into unsealed and on-the-ground containers, which would ruin your stockpile.
You will also need water. In a flood, that may seem ironic because you’re surrounded by water, but the water is not safe for consumption. Do not take water for granted. You need it more than you do food for survival. Each person in your family should have one gallon per day for consumption.
If you have pets or livestock, they’ll need water as well. Whether you have large jugs or 5-gallon buckets to store it in, make sure you have enough.
Determine an Escape Route
In an emergency, you will need to know at least one escape route. It’s best to have multiple escape routes in case one of them is inaccessible. Having a quick way out of your home or out of town can be the line between life and death. Additionally, a bag with an emergency kit and some supplies should be ready at all times to grab before evacuation.
Make an escape route for every exit you have in your homestead, and keep those exits clear of obstacles at all times. You could even create a map of the escape route and have them posted around your homestead. The more ways you have out of your home, the better your chances for survival.
Once you’ve created a solid escape route, go over it with your family. If you have younger children, have them practice the escape plan until they know it by memory.
Sometimes, your family may be apart when inclement weather strikes, so have a plan for that as well. Choose a place outside your home, like a relative’s or friend’s house or a local store, for your family to meet up. Organization is a crucial skill homesteaders must have, and it will come in handy here.
Create a Survival Kit
Of course, food and water are necessary for survival, but there are other items you should have on hand to plan for harsh weather on your homestead. Injury and illness are highly likely in extreme weather conditions, so you need to prepare the proper materials for extra safety and security in an emergency.
Here are some of the items you should put in your emergency survival kit:
- Portable cell phone charger: Usually, harsh weather conditions lead to power outages or downed phone lines. Your home phone probably won’t work in these situations, so make sure to have your cell phone and portable chargers to contact others.
- Weapons and ammunition: If the weather is bad enough, you might be stuck on your homestead for days without enough food. In that case, you might need to hunt. A weapon is also good security for intruders.
- Flashlights and batteries: If the power is out, your lights will be out too. Have a few flashlights and extra batteries so you have a good light source. You can also use candles.
- Extra clothes: Have a few extra outfits on hand. For colder weather, add a heavy coat to your emergency kit.
- Medicine and first aid: Someone might get a scrape, have a headache, or develop a cold during a natural disaster. Plus, it’s good to have extra prescriptions packed here as well.
- Entertainment: Younger kids will need games and entertainment if you’re stuck in your homestead. It’s a great way to take their minds (and yours) off the situation at hand.
- Blankets: All those blankets you received as gifts from family and friends throughout the years pay off here. Pack those in an emergency kit for warmth and comfort.
You should add any other necessities for your family to this kit, too. It will help you live a bit more comfortably during harsh weather. Check it periodically for expired items even if there’s not a disaster.
Have a Backup Generator and Other Appliances
A generator is an excellent investment for your homestead. It guarantees you’ll have power for some of the appliances on your homestead. Generators are excellent sources for harsh weather since they can provide power even if there’s an outage. You can power up a freezer to save frozen meats and vegetables. Even if you have solar or wind power, a backup generator never hurts to have on hand in case those other power sources get damaged.
You’ll also need a wood stove or something to cook meals as you hunker down. Plus, in colder weather, a wood stove can heat your home. As long as you have a wood source, you’ll stay nice and warm through a winter storm.
For natural disasters in warmer weather, an air conditioner or fan would be great to have as well. You can power it with a generator to move the still air and keep your family comfortable. This isn’t a necessity, but it can make your condition a bit more comfortable.
Secure Livestock or Plan to Set Them Free
Your livestock depend on you for care, even if there’s harsh weather. While they’re not as important as your family, you should still try to save them if you can, since you’ve spent time, money, and effort on them.
If they can stay in the barn or the fields, supply them with enough food and water. Before the disaster comes your way, you can add extra food and water to troughs that will last the animals a few days. Purchase enough food (if you know about the storm well in advance) to last for a few weeks.
You’ll also need to think about animal housing. Have an area higher in elevation where you can add an extra barn to move your animals, and secure the shelters to keep your animals safe and warm. Consider packing up your animals and taking them with you to a safer location if you’re aware of harsh weather in advance.
Unfortunately, not all disasters can be planned for in advance. You may have to set your animals free. It’s not realistic to gather a whole herd of cattle and take them with you. Provide them with food and water to last a few days, leave your homestead to keep your family safe, and return to your animals when the weather clears.
Get in Shape, Physically and Mentally
Though not a necessity, being fit and healthy helps for harsh weather. Preparing yourself for a natural disaster both physically and mentally will allow you to accomplish more and better support your family through the challenging situation.
Your and your family’s health is essential. Continually working on your wellness will be the best thing you can do to prepare for a disaster. It’s not something you can order online before a natural disaster hits your region. Begin building your strength now. If you have kids, you’ll want to be able to lift them and carry them if necessary. If not, you might need to carry out a goat or some other livestock.
Prepare for a disaster mentally, as well. It’s okay to worry about a potential storm, but don’t allow it to overtake you to the point where you can’t safely evacuate or follow through with an emergency plan. When you’re mentally prepared, you can encourage your family to get through the situation. If you show signs of fear, so will they. Staying peaceful will make the storm a little less scary.
Reach Out to Other Homesteaders
Other homesteaders in your region are likely going to prepare in similar ways. Reach out to them for tips, or be an open book of wisdom for those new to homesteading. If you’re in a safe place, be a space for other homesteaders to keep their animals for a few days, or to shelter safely, or provide them with extra supplies.
No one ever expects harsh weather to sideline their life and routines. When it comes, there are many uncertainties and it can be a challenging time. As part of the homesteading community, you have a wealth of information available to you and others you can reach out to in times of need. Don’t be afraid to become friends with other homesteaders you can rely on if a natural disaster comes your way.
In the end, any plans you make for harsh weather on your homestead are better than no plans at all. Your safety and health are the most important thing at times like these.
Author Bio:
Jane is the editor-in-chief of Environment.co. She is passionate about sustainability, gardening and homesteading.
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