Preparing for winter is ordinary, unglamorous work. Most of it, I think, is planning ahead and anticipating whatever Mother Nature might throw at us.

At the moment, I’ve put up two rows of four-strand electric fence. One row is to prevent the rascals from rubbing against the fence and bowing it out, the other row is to prevent them from going into the wider area near the barn.

It’s hard to believe when I first got goats that area was impenetrable with blackberry, small maple trees and other various edibles the goats loved. At the time, it was Iris and Alex. It took six months for them to eat it down.

This area is the back right quarter of the property and there’s been a bag of pasture mix sitting in the kitchen since late spring waiting to be spread there. All I’m waiting for is rain.

Being on an island off a main island means transporting hay is listed as Dangerous Goods on our local ferry and the restrictions on private vehicles mean we can only carry five bales at a time. About now I start to bring over bales of hay almost each time I go off-island. That way I know if it rains for weeks on end, or, heaven forbid, it snows and gets really cold and icy, I don’t need to worry about feed as it’s safely tucked away. It’s the end of October and I have five bales, so getting more hay is a priority.

I’ll pick up shavings and at least four bags of duck pellets, several bags of alfalfa pellets and dog and cat food while I’m at it — just to be on the safe side.

Other chores include things like draining water from the IBC totes so they are less likely to freeze, making sure there aren’t holes in the tarps covering the wood piles, keeping the wood box filled, coiling and putting away all but one short hose, and generally trying to tidy up the property.

Is there fuel for the generator? Rest assured, once those windy west coast storms start blowing in, the power is destined to go out. The generator will keep things in the freezer(s) in the barn cold and can also be connected to the house in a pinch.

I can’t prepare for everything, but experience has taught me to minimize surprises. When water lines freeze and the power goes out, having water stored and ready makes a world of difference. Are there enough buckets to rotate for the goats and ducks as the water freezes throughout the day? And if it snows, how is the tarp covering the duck shelter holding up?

Firewood. A good supply of dry firewood is essential. When the power goes out, the house gets cold surprisingly quickly, but a wood fire keeps things snug and cozy while the weather does its worst outside. The bonus to an airtight fireplace is that I can cook on it as well. I’ve done so many a time when the world focuses inward on the tasks of daily living on a small farm.

Shelter, water, feed. Those are the things that matter for all of us here at Point 6 Acre. If we have those, we can weather just about anything.

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Brin writes about the quieter lessons of small farm life – ducks in the morning, goats in the barn, and the slow work of tending a small piece of land. Between animal chores, soap making, and reflexology work, she reflects on what it means to live well, live simply, and discover what “enough” really looks like.