Dr. Connie's Natural Solutions

Free for every homesteader

A homesteading calendar built for your zone

Get personalized planting dates, livestock care reminders, and a monthly letter from Dr. Connie — delivered straight to your phone calendar. Free, forever.

Dr. Conrad Schmidt, DVM — 50+ years caring for animals and creating all natural solutions for our world

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What's inside

Everything your homestead needs, month by month

Not just planting dates. The full picture — garden, livestock, preservation, soil, and household — adapted to your zone and delivered to your calendar before you need it.

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Garden & planting

Zone-specific start dates, succession planting windows, and soil prep timing — so you're never planting too early or too late again.

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Livestock care

Seasonal health protocols, heat and cold stress alerts, fair prep reminders, and deworming windows — from a DVM who's seen it all.

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Food preservation

Canning, fermenting, and freezing windows tied to your actual harvest — so nothing goes to waste at the end of the season.

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Soil & compost

Turning windows, amendment timing, and compost readiness checks — because the most important asset on your homestead is your soil.

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Homestead prep

Equipment maintenance, winterization checklists, and seasonal infrastructure tasks — before the mud or the cold makes them miserable.

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Dr. Connie's monthly note

A personal letter from an 84-year-old DVM who has seen 80+ springs, 80+ summers, and more than a few things go wrong in January.

Zone-adaptive

The same month looks different everywhere

Here's how the April compost event looks across three zones. Your calendar knows where you live.

Zone 4 — Minnesota

Late April

Ground is finally thawed enough to work. Check if your pile is still active — it should hit 130°F within 48 hours of turning. If it's not heating up, it needs a nitrogen boost.

"Up here in Minnesota, I've seen gardeners open their compost bin in April expecting finished material and finding a frozen lump. A good microbial product keeps the biology going all winter so you're not starting from scratch."

Zone 6 — Missouri

Late March

Soil temps are climbing toward 50°F — ideal for working in finished compost before transplant season. Check your pile's moisture: it should feel like a wrung-out sponge.

"A well-maintained pile this time of year should have earthworms working their way in from the edges. That's your sign it's alive and well."

Zone 8 — Texas

Late February

You're already past first planting. If your pile hasn't been turned since January, do it this week — heat cycles now give you finished material for summer succession crops.

"In warmer zones, a well-managed pile can finish in 6–8 weeks. Turning it every 10–14 days through spring keeps it cooking and keeps you ahead of the season."

They care about their animals. We care about their animals. They care about their gardens. We care about their gardens.

Dr. Conrad Schmidt, DVM — Chief Science Officer, Dr. Connie's Natural Solutions
Veterinarian for 50+ years

What you'll receive every month

A sample March email for Zone 5

Your homestead deserves a calendar that knows where it is.

Free, zone-adaptive, and delivered to whatever calendar app you already use. Takes 60 seconds to set up.

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