Winter readiness: Preparing your farm, garden, and animals for the cold months ahead with TFM

Posted November 7^th 2025 in The latest news from TFM

Winter is just around the corner. Here at TFM we’d like you to be prepared for when the temperature plummets. Our stores are stocked up with the essentials you need to keep warm, stay on your feet and remain friends with your animals and tractor.

Here’s our guide to getting winter-ready. From looking after your flock to feeding the birds, there’s plenty of handy TFM tips to give you a warm glow.

Keeping your animals warm, dry and well-fed

Cold weather can be tough on livestock, especially when that north wind picks up across the fields and those water troughs start freezing over. A little prep goes a long way in keeping animals comfortable and healthy.

What to do:

• Stock up on quality sheep and cattle feed to maintain body condition through the colder months.
• Use deep, dry bedding like straw or shavings to keep pens insulated and reduce the risk of chills.
• Keep fresh water available – check for frozen troughs or pipes each morning.
• Make sure shelters and housing are draught-free but still well ventilated.

TFM Tips:

1. Double up on bedding before a cold snap. It’s easier to keep animals warm than to warm them up again.
2. Use rubber mats or pallets under feed bags to keep them off cold, damp floors.
3. Mix in mineral lick buckets to give livestock the extra nutrients they need during low-grazing months.
4. Check fences and gates now, not later. Fixing a snapped hinge at 4.30am on Boxing Day is no one’s idea of fun.

Protecting your garden and greenhouse

Your garden and greenhouse need a bit of TLC before the frost sets in. A few small jobs now mean your plants will thank you come the spring.

What to do:

• Bring delicate plants indoors or into the greenhouse.
• Use fleece or bubble wrap to insulate pots and vulnerable plants.
• Tidy up debris, clear leaves, and make sure gutters and water butts are free of blockages.
• Keep greenhouse heaters handy to maintain a frost-free environment for overwintering plants.

TFM Tips:

1. Reuse old compost bags as insulation sleeves around pots – cheap and cheerful, but surprisingly effective.
2. Prop open greenhouse doors for a few hours when there are some dry days to reduce condensation and mould.
3. Stack bags of compost inside the greenhouse – they’ll act like mini heat batteries overnight.
4. Lay down gravel or bark chips around greenhouse doors – it keeps the area tidy and stops any mud from turning into an ice rink.

Keep the yard safe and working

Nothing ruins a morning faster than slipping across the yard with a bucket of feed. Make safety a priority and keep everything running smoothly, even when the weather seems to have it in just for you.

What to do:

• Stock up on salt, grit, and grit bins to keep paths, drives and yards ice-free.
• Check lighting around sheds and gateways – dark mornings and evenings means visibility is usually poor.
• Clear drains and gutters before freezing water causes blockages or flooding.

TFM Tips:

1. Fill a few old buckets with grit and keep them dotted around for easy access when you need a quick sprinkle.
2. Keep a head torch near the back door – we all know that having two free hands on a frosty morning can’t be overstated.
3. Store grit inside overnight – it works better when it’s not frozen solid.
4. Use old feed bags to line wheelbarrows if you’re moving logs or wet hay, helping to save on cleanup time later.

Heat, power and fuel

Whether you’re in the workshop, the farmhouse, or the shed, warmth is key. Make sure you’re stocked with fuel and your heating kit is ready to go before that first cold snap bites.

What to do:

• Check and top up your heating oil, gas bottles, or solid fuel supplies.
• Make sure space and greenhouse heaters are serviced, safe, and working efficiently.
• Order logs, coal and kindling early (before the pre-Christmas rush!)

TFM Tips:

1. Stack logs off the ground to stop them soaking up moisture – a pallet base can work wonders here.
2. Invest in a carbon monoxide alarm if you’re using heaters in enclosed spaces.
3. Keep a spare gas regulator or hose on hand – it’s one of those things you only remember when it fails.
4. Rotate your log pile occasionally, keeping older wood at the front and newer stuff at the back. It’ll dry faster and burn cleaner.

Vehicle & equipment readiness

Cold weather doesn’t just test your patience, it tests your machinery too. A few checks now can mean fewer breakdowns and happier mornings.

What to do:

• Stock up on antifreeze, de-icer, and screenwash.
• Keep batteries charged and fuel filters clean.
• Make sure tyres have plenty of tread as ice and mud are not your friends.

TFM Tips:

1. Keep an emergency box on hand: torch, gloves, scraper, blanket and a bottle of water.
2. Grease hinges, latches, and linkages before the frost sets in – frozen bolts are the enemy.
3. Add fuel additive to prevent diesel waxing in extreme cold.
4. Keep a can of WD-40 handy – it’s your Swiss Army knife during winter.
5. Put a small shovel in the boot – if snow is forecast this might get you home

Don’t forget the wildlife

Winter’s tough on garden birds and local wildlife, but a few small actions can make a huge difference.

What to do:

• Keep feeders topped up with high-energy seed mixes, peanuts, and suet balls.
• Provide fresh, unfrozen water daily – birds can’t melt ice, no matter how clever they look.
• Place feeders and baths near cover to keep them safe from predators.

TFM Tips:

1. Move feeders slightly each week as it prevents the ground below from turning muddy and unhygienic.
2. Break ice on birdbaths with a tennis ball – a gentle, no-hammer solution.
3. Hang suet feeders close to a window – it’ll be the best free entertainment you’ll get all winter.
4. Scatter a bit of seed under hedges for ground feeders like robins and wrens (not everyone likes heights).

We’ve got winter wrapped up

Preparing for winter doesn’t have to be stressful, it just takes a bit of planning (and a few TFM essentials). From antifreeze and animal feed to logs and heaters, we’ve got everything you need to get through the season comfortably (and dry).

Whether you prefer Click & Collect our Local Delivery service, we’ll make sure you’re stocked up and sorted so when the cold really hits, you can sit back, sip your brew, and say… “Good job we went to TFM.”