Yeah, just a clue why it's happening will help I think.
Before you gave me the hint here I just thought it was a random occurrence.

I'll hopefully have time to test some more over the weekend. I don't mind giving feedback, especially if it can help with balance or playability.

Very good clue. How about if the Early Winter message contains the reason, something like that: When one of your people is picking a berry / fruit / flax / straw / grain, you feel a drop in temperature and so on ...

Maybe I need to take a few early witner out / pull the triggers further apart. It's nice that you test so fluently and give me useful feedback.

I only have 10 sheep and 10 goats at the most and often have to start again with those as they tend to starve with any early winters. I have 2 pulse fields but have also been collecting wild plants so maybe I should stop that then.

I like that it has events and is challenging but I think there needs to be more feedback to the player. The totems one was okay as it said more totems were needed to stop the winter, but I had no idea or any clue that collecting fruit/berries caused early winters or that flax effected anything.
So I don't mind that the trigger is there but there should be some good hints as to why or how it can be avoided. No need to outright give the answer, just a narrative style hint as you did with the totems, which was done well.

I currently have about 110 people, limit for sheep: 25, sometimes 10 goats, they often get sick. I equip my horses and donkeys with carts so that they don't need a stable or food. I think pigs and cows are too food-intensive, that always goes wrong for me. :D Beer works juist fine :-)

Thanks for your detailed reply! I suffered from that, as i developed livestock too early. Try to have some straw on stock and upgraded from tents to strawhuts, before you start keeping animals. I had only warm hides for my people. Bought wool from the trader, sometimes. Started with animals, as my defense was finished.

Hint: Stop collecting fruits and berries, when you hit cereal domestication age. They trigger early winters. Also be sparing with flax.

Has it still been fun so far? Maybe it needs a variation with less unfortunate events.

Yeah, sure, try it on normal for now :D

Tell me afterwards what you thought.