food labor in winter

I think it would be wise to:

--- make maps of the properties, complete with some rough ideas of permaculture designs

--- design for paddock shift systems

--- make lists for calendars on direct planting and where

--- there could be a dozen different kinds of seed balls (different places, different times of year). Make a list of what goes in which. Make seed balls.

What else?

Do you want any stakes or labels for some plantings? What kind?

Maybe roughed in maps of where some of the main tree seeds have been planted so far. This so that we can watch for the tree seedlings, and add deer/critter protection, or chop-and-drop mulching as or if desired.

Right now is a great time to plant apple seeds.

This winter I'm planning on putting in more fence posts. I might cure the concrete in-situ, or just leave the holes empty till spring and wet pour the concrete. While the ground does freeze, at least in Indiana there are many periods where you can still dig by punching through a few inches of frozen ground.

Maybe different folks can work out where their gardens will be planted.

The off season is a good time to add mulch to areas of grass that are to be converted to garden. You need to know where perennials are, so they don't get covered or driven over. In places where the ground freezes hard, heavy loads can arrive without the danger of soil compaction.

Catch up on equipment and tool maintenance, sharpening lubricating, organizing

Presentation and educational materials

Tax planning - best done before the new tax year starts, so might as well pull in the lagging accounting from the past year, estimate tax benefits, and schedule what to put in this year and next..

Here are some Jerusalem artichokes / sunchokes we harvested in early December when the ground thawed. Yum!

This pic shows tubers from about two plants that we'd planted early in the year. I left behind some smaller pieces (often you don't find them all any way) to make sure they will regrow.

These were growing in the top of the hugelkultur bed/berm on the north side of the base camp house. I walked up the path that is halfway up these massive 12-foot berms and was able to dig these out with my hands from the top.

They don't keep long after harvest, so are best kept in the ground until you want them.

I grew my first batch these year. They get so sweet and delicious when roasted, or even just microwaved. I ate the proceeds from two plants in about a day and a half. Still have eight more plants to dig.

I did get a bit of the "mighty wind" effect but I eat so many legumes that the difference in my quality of life was barely noticeable.

Dan Boone wrote:I grew my first batch these year. They get so sweet and delicious when roasted, or even just microwaved. I ate the proceeds from two plants in about a day and a half. Still have eight more plants to dig.

We boiled and smashed them. I don't think I've tried the thorough roasting yet, but I want to!

Dan Boone wrote:I did get a bit of the "mighty wind" effect but I eat so many legumes that the difference in my quality of life was barely noticeable.

Ha! We did have folks at base camp calling them "fartichokes!" Hence more motivation to try them well roasted, because I hear that helps.

The CSA we were part of when living near Montréal used to offer them in the winter and they would keep until the spring in their root cellar in plastic bags. My guess is that they would keep well in damp sand (to avoid the plastic) like carrots.