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In this 247th Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Tom and Adam discuss origins, tips and guidelines for the February No-Spend Challenge (or Frugal February Challenge) on Small Scale Life. Can you survive the No-Spend Challenge for 28 days?

Introduction to the No-Spend Challenge: Reality CheckUnfortunately, this is the season….to pay the piper. December is usually expensive and gets us in trouble. The holidays bring us expenses with presents, gatherings, parties, events and vacations.

January brings us the cold hard reality: we have bills to pay and usually don’t have enough money to cover the rest of the month. It can be stressful: there were times where Jules and I had $50 in the account to get us through the month!

Fortunately, February isn’t usually as cold as January. We have an opportunity to catch our breath and dig ourselves out of a financial hole (provided that we don’t blow it all out on Valentine’s Day). We can literally thaw the deep freeze on our wallets and bank accounts if we take control of our budgets and cut spending.

How is your bank account looking right now?

Maybe it is a pocket full of sunshine and you are smiling.
Maybe it is empty as the grasslands of South Dakota and has tumbleweeds blowing across it.

Whatever situation you might be in right now, events and decisions in far off places are going to hurt our accounts. The fact is that tariffs on goods and energy are going to hurt the American consumer.

We need to acknowledge that fact and prepare accordingly, so even if you have a fat wallet and happy bank account, we need to prepare for what is coming at the stores and at the pump. It doesn’t matter what you believe politically, there will be repercussions from policy decisions and actions in the far off Heart of the American Empire. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. This is a hard reality, and I hope you understand that as we move forward and prepare accordingly.

If you are struggling financially, there are a few ways to get out of it. One way is to make more money (side hustles, extra jobs, etc.). Another way is to dramatically cut back on expenses, especially the ones that are not necessary. We are going to focus on cutting expenses dramatically in No-Spend Challenge or Frugal February.

Remember: February is the shortest month of the year. You can do this; we can help!

Tips for a Successful No-Spend ChallengeA No-Spend February is a great way to reset your finances, save money, and become more mindful of your spending habits. Here’s how you can make it successful:

Set Clear Goals* Decide why you’re doing this—saving for something specific, paying off debt, or just building better spending habits.
Set rules for what expenses are allowed (e.g., rent, groceries, bills) and what’s off-limits (e.g., eating out, impulse shopping).
Plan Ahead* Stock up on essentials before February starts (but don’t go overboard). We have already started February, but there is still time to do this.
Meal plan to avoid unnecessary grocery trips.
Cancel or pause any unnecessary subscriptions for the month.
Find Free Activities* Instead of spending on entertainment, look for free options: hikes, library books, free community events, or game nights at home.
Challenge yourself to use what you already own—read unread books, watch movies you haven’t seen, or try free workout apps.
Avoid Temptation* Unsubscribe from marketing emails and avoid window shopping.
Leave your credit card at home when going out if possible.
Find alternatives to emotional spending—journal, go for a walk, or call a friend.
Track Your Progress Keep a log of what you do spend on and review it daily. This log will give you picture of your expenses and help you build a budget. We have FREE tools that will help you with budgeting.*
Celebrate small wins—each day you don’t spend is a success!
If you slip up, don’t quit. Reflect on why and get back on track.
Get Support* Involve friends or family for accountability.
Join a No-Spend Challenge group online for motivation. Join us on the Small sCale Life Facebook Page for support!

At the end of the month, reflect on what you learned and decide which spending habits to keep going forward. Are you ready to commit to it?

LinksShow SponsorThis live-stream is brought to you by A Modern Frontier Farms: Modern Frontier Farms Website

Get all your pasture-raised beef, pork and chicken from A Modern Frontier Farms! Grass Fed; Grass Raised; 100% Delicious!

When he isn’t at a Farmer’s Market or hanging out with his wonderful wife and beautiful kids, Adam can be found at the following locations:

Modern Frontier Farms Instagram
Modern Frontier Farms TikTok

Other Related ShowsAdam has been a guest on the Small Scale Life Podcast a number of times. Here is a quick list of shows where he has been the guest or cohost:

Highlights of the 2024 Acres USA Eco-Ag Conference – ANT Live 10
20 Simple Steps for Better Holiday Season – ANT Live 9
How to Find Your First Customer – ANT Live 8
Dreams and Goals: How to Manifest Your Future – ANT Live 7
How to Find Your Passion: From Hobbies to Heartbeat – ANT Live 6
Boredom: A Path to Mindfulness and Innovation – ANT Live 5
Hustles and Hurdles: Side Hustles and the Gig Economy – ANT Live 4
Mindset and Milestones: Prepping for a Life Upgrade – ANT Live 3
The Importance of Getting Away – ANT Live 2
Catching up with Adam Rick from Modern Frontier Farms – ANT Live 1
Small Scale Life Episode 198 – Grass Fed Farm Business with Adam Rick
Small Scale Life Episode 199 – Creating Heritage Meals and Deep Roots with Adam Rick DISCLAIMERAt Small Scale Life, we are not medical professionals, doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, or therapists. We are not in or connected to the medical community. Always consult a professional before trying any of these activities or any practice. Create and live your Small Scale Life as you choose, but do it carefully. Any actions you participate in are voluntary and at your own risk.

Listen to this Episode!Listen to the Small Scale Life Podcast on any of the following apps (or ANY podcast streaming apps):

Fireside.fm
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
Podbean
iHeartRadio

To download and listen to this episode, click this text.

Special ThanksFor Small Scale Life Podcasts, I would like to thank Sean at Osi and the Jupiter for the intro song "Harvest." Sean wrote this specifically for us, and I really enjoy all of his work. You can find more Osi and the Jupiter at their Bandcamp site: https://osifolk.bandcamp.com/

I would also like to thank Austin Quinn at Vlog Vibes for the intro and outro music. For more information abut Austin and Vlog Vibes, please see the Vlog Vibes YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY80LeqtJf-YBzJy2TWKpDw

The post The No-Spend Challenge: Can You Survive 28 Days? appeared first on Small Scale Life.

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In this 245th Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, I talk about the results of my 24 Hour Fast and provide an update about Tommy Cakes Suet and Supply. Our motto here is learning, doing, growing and being a little better everyday, and I decided to accept Adam’s 24 Hour Fast Challenge, and I learned some things along the way. So much so….that I completed a 36-hour fast on Sunday!

Not everything went well, however, and I will get into that during this show.

Why a 24-Hour Fast?In Monday’s ANT 14 Livestream, my cohost Adam challenged me to a 24-Hour Fast. I had never done one before, so I thought it would be a good challenge and agreed to it.

This livestream and 245th Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast will be at the end of my 24-Hour Fast, and I would like to document how I am feeling and what I learned along the way. I had never done a 24-Hour Fast, so I learned a few things along the way including dealing with a headache due to a lack of caffeine and not eating. I had a headache for almost the whole time, but I successfully completed the 24-Hour Fast! I provide some thoughts about this during the first half of the show. I will say, in retrospect, that my stomach was a bit off after the fast was done. I did have a salad on Friday, and my stomach was off most of the day. I wanted to test myself some more, so I actually completed a 36-Hour Fast on Friday to Sunday morning, and I came out of the fast differently than the forst 24-Hour Fast (Gatorade, hard boiled eggs, nuts…very mild foods to try to reduce my upset stomach).

Tommy Cakes Seed and SupplyAlso coming from ANT 14 Livestream, I wanted to talk about my plans for the Tommy Cakes Seed and Supply. What is this? Tommy Cakes Seed and Supply is what I am calling my little start-up for seeds, homemade suet, kombucha starter and other supplies for gardening, homesteading, backyard birds and kombucha brewing. I have these extra materials, knowledge and heart of a teacher, so why not offer these to other people so they can learn and connect to Nature?

I have been making homemade suet cakes since right before Christmas. The birds and squirrels in my backyard feeders LOVE Tommy Cakes suet, and I have been trying to streamline and standardize how I make suet cakes. I have been using soap molds to make Suet Bars, but I wanted to have a more standard 5″x5″ Suet Mold like you would purchase in a big box store.

This week, I decided to make two homemade suet cake molds. I set everything up, took a deep breath and gave the mold a try. Check out the video or podcast episode to find out how it turned out!

At the same time, I have a number of Valentine’s Day Suet Cakes that are ready for you. I have four silicon molds in the shape of hearts, and they make hearts that are perfect for your backyard birds and squirrels! Even if you don’t have a hook at your dwelling, I have drilled holes in the hearts and tied a red ribbon on them. You can hang these from tree branches, so your backyard birds and squirrels can enjoy them

I am selling 4 for $16.00, so reach out at realsmallscalelife@gmail.com for more information and to order them!

I have some things that are coming which will be a lot of fun to work with in the near future.

DISCLAIMERAt Small Scale Life, we are not medical professionals, doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, or therapists. We are not in or connected to the medical community. Always consult a professional before trying any of these activities or any practice. Create and live your Small Scale Life as you choose, but do it carefully. Any actions you participate in are voluntary and at your own risk.

LinksShow SponsorThis live-stream is brought to you by A Modern Frontier Farms: Modern Frontier Farms Website

Get all your pasture-raised beef, pork and chicken from A Modern Frontier Farms! Grass Fed; Grass Raised; 100% Delicious!

When he isn’t at a Farmer’s Market or hanging out with his wonderful wife and beautiful kids, Adam can be found at the following locations:

Modern Frontier Farms Instagram
Modern Frontier Farms TikTok

Other Related ShowsAdam has been a guest on the Small Scale Life Podcast a number of times. Here is a quick list of shows where he has been the guest or cohost:

Getting Ready for 2025; Setting the Stage for Success – ANT Live 12
Watching Drones, Surviving Christmas Gatherings and Closing Out 2024 – ANT Live 11
Highlights of the 2024 Acres USA Eco-Ag Conference – ANT Live 10
20 Simple Steps for Better Holiday Season – ANT Live 9
How to Find Your First Customer – ANT Live 8
Dreams and Goals: How to Manifest Your Future – ANT Live 7
How to Find Your Passion: From Hobbies to Heartbeat – ANT Live 6
Boredom: A Path to Mindfulness and Innovation – ANT Live 5
Hustles and Hurdles: Side Hustles and the Gig Economy – ANT Live 4
Mindset and Milestones: Prepping for a Life Upgrade – ANT Live 3
The Importance of Getting Away – ANT Live 2
Catching up with Adam Rick from Modern Frontier Farms – ANT Live 1
Small Scale Life Episode 198 – Grass Fed Farm Business with Adam Rick
Small Scale Life Episode 199 – Creating Heritage Meals and Deep Roots with Adam Rick In Closing….From the North to the South
From the East to the West and
Everywhere in between.

May the gods, spirits and folk
Be blessed at this place.
May we heal the land and
Protect the soil, animals and plants.
May we live in strength and love.

Leading the Way
As we learn, do grow and
Be a little better everyday!

This is Tom from the Small Scale Life Podcast. Have a great week! We’ll be back soon with another show. In the meantime, stay safe and take care everybody!

Listen to this Episode!Listen to the Small Scale Life Podcast on any of the following apps (or ANY podcast streaming apps):

Fireside.fm
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
Podbean
iHeartRadio

To download and listen to this episode, click this text.

The post 24-Hour Fast and Tommy Cakes Seed and Supply Update appeared first on Small Scale Life.

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To make progress on goals, it helps to have an accountability partner. In this 246th Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Tom and Adam discuss progress on small business and wellness goals at the end of January 2025.

Research has shown that by now, most people have let the New Year’s goals, initiatives, mantras and plans fall by the wayside. Change is hard, and it is easier to slide back into old programming and old habits, especially when you cannot SEE progress on the scale, in you bank account or in the way you feel. In 2019, Tom recorded an episode all about Keeping New Year’s Resolutions, and the number one tip for keeping those resolutions was Getting an Accountability Partner.

Now, in Adam and Tom’s case, Tom is not so sure if he is an accountability partner or just that little devil on my shoulder egging me on to do 24-Hour Fasts and taking a bite of my homemade bird suet cakes.

Tom will let you decide, Lifers.

Accountability Topics of DiscussionTom and Adam discuss the following topics during this Accountability Stream:

Adam discusses what has been happening on Modern Frontier Farms and some recent successful events he had.
Tom discusses his recent canning project using an All American Canner. He canned 18 pints of homemade salsa and 10 quarts of tomato sauce.
Tom did a 24-Hour Fast and then a 36-Hour Fast.
Tom had an extra Small Scale Life Podcast and Livestream on January 23, 2025.
Adam was supposed to go fishing, but he decided not to go. Instead, Adam had a successful event at Good Harvest Grocery Store in Pewaukee, Wisconsin where he was show casing his primal blend meat and carnitas.
Tom discusses his Suet Cakes start-up and special new molds. Perfection is enemy of the good; get it done!
Adam discusses “boxed meat” and the importance of knowing your farmer and where the meat comes from.
Adam and Tom also discuss the American food system and potential changes to it with the new Administration in Washington DC. Currently, 50% of the US beef supply is going to Europe and Japan (because the profit margins are higher). We do not eat half of the meat we create, but we import a lot of beef from South American or other countries. LinksShow SponsorThis live-stream is brought to you by A Modern Frontier Farms: Modern Frontier Farms Website

Get all your pasture-raised beef, pork and chicken from A Modern Frontier Farms! Grass Fed; Grass Raised; 100% Delicious!

When he isn’t at a Farmer’s Market or hanging out with his wonderful wife and beautiful kids, Adam can be found at the following locations:

Modern Frontier Farms Instagram
Modern Frontier Farms TikTok

Other Related ShowsAdam has been a guest on the Small Scale Life Podcast a number of times. Here is a quick list of shows where he has been the guest or cohost:

- Monk Mode: The Path to Productivity or a Road to Burnout? – ANT Live 14
- 2024 Wins, Losses and Lessons Learned – ANT Live 13
- Getting Ready for 2025; Setting the Stage for Success – ANT Live 12
- Watching Drones, Surviving Christmas Gatherings and Closing Out 2024 – ANT Live 11
- Highlights of the 2024 Acres USA Eco-Ag Conference – ANT Live 10
- 20 Simple Steps for Better Holiday Season – ANT Live 9
- How to Find Your First Customer – ANT Live 8
- Dreams and Goals: How to Manifest Your Future – ANT Live 7
- How to Find Your Passion: From Hobbies to Heartbeat – ANT Live 6
- Boredom: A Path to Mindfulness and Innovation – ANT Live 5
- Hustles and Hurdles: Side Hustles and the Gig Economy – ANT Live 4
- Mindset and Milestones: Prepping for a Life Upgrade – ANT Live 3
- The Importance of Getting Away – ANT Live 2
- Catching up with Adam Rick from Modern Frontier Farms – ANT Live 1
- Small Scale Life Episode 198 – Grass Fed Farm Business with Adam Rick
- Small Scale Life Episode 199 – Creating Heritage Meals and Deep Roots with Adam Rick DISCLAIMERAt Small Scale Life, we are not medical professionals, doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, or therapists. We are not in or connected to the medical community. Always consult a professional before trying any of these activities or any practice. Create and live your Small Scale Life as you choose, but do it carefully. Any actions you participate in are voluntary and at your own risk.

Listen to this Episode!Listen to the Small Scale Life Podcast on any of the following apps (or ANY podcast streaming apps):

Fireside.fm
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
Podbean
iHeartRadio

To download and listen to this episode, click this text.

The post End of January 2025 Accountability Stream appeared first on Small Scale Life.

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In this episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Adam aand Tom discuss Monk Mode and if this is a path to productivity or burnout.

What is Monk Mode?Several of us are planning to start new things in 2025. New workout plans, new diets, book clubs, neighborhood gatherings, garden plans, new businesses, new side hustles…the list is endless. Some people decide to go “all in” on their new thing or endeavor. Is it an obsession or just intense focus over time?

Some folks in the self-improvement world have coined the term “Monk Mode” to describe this process of going all in on a project or endevor. “Monk Mode” is a term used to describe a period of intense focus, discipline, and self-imposed isolation, typically aimed at personal development or achieving a specific goal. The concept draws inspiration from the lifestyle of monks, who often dedicate themselves to spiritual practices and strict routines. In modern contexts, it involves cutting out distractions, adopting a minimalist approach to life, and dedicating time to focused work, study, fitness, or other self-improvement activities. It is often associated with productivity, mental clarity, and deep concentration.

There is a lot more to say about Monk Mode, and I think I will be doing a “Just One More Thing” Show about this topic.

LinksShow SponsorThis live-stream is brought to you by A Modern Frontier Farms: Modern Frontier Farms Website

Get all your pasture-raised beef, pork and chicken from A Modern Frontier Farms! Grass Fed; Grass Raised; 100% Delicious!

When he isn’t at a Farmer’s Market or hanging out with his wonderful wife and beautiful kids, Adam can be found at the following locations:

Modern Frontier Farms Instagram
Modern Frontier Farms TikTok

Other Related ShowsAdam has been a guest on the Small Scale Life Podcast a number of times. Here is a quick list of shows where he has been the guest or cohost:

2024 Wins, Losses and Lessons Learned – ANT Live 13
Getting Ready for 2025; Setting the Stage for Success – ANT Live 12
Watching Drones, Surviving Christmas Gatherings and Closing Out 2024 – ANT Live 11
Highlights of the 2024 Acres USA Eco-Ag Conference – ANT Live 10
20 Simple Steps for Better Holiday Season – ANT Live 9
How to Find Your First Customer – ANT Live 8
Dreams and Goals: How to Manifest Your Future – ANT Live 7
How to Find Your Passion: From Hobbies to Heartbeat – ANT Live 6
Boredom: A Path to Mindfulness and Innovation – ANT Live 5
Hustles and Hurdles: Side Hustles and the Gig Economy – ANT Live 4
Mindset and Milestones: Prepping for a Life Upgrade – ANT Live 3
The Importance of Getting Away – ANT Live 2
Catching up with Adam Rick from Modern Frontier Farms – ANT Live 1
Small Scale Life Episode 198 – Grass Fed Farm Business with Adam Rick
Small Scale Life Episode 199 – Creating Heritage Meals and Deep Roots with Adam Rick DISCLAIMERAt Small Scale Life, we are not medical professionals, doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, or therapists. We are not in or connected to the medical community. Always consult a professional before trying any of these activities or any practice. Create and live your Small Scale Life as you choose, but do it carefully. Any actions you participate in are voluntary and at your own risk.

In Closing….From the North to the South
From the East to the West and
Everywhere in between.

May the gods, spirits and folk
Be blessed at this place.
May we heal the land and
Protect the soil, animals and plants.
May we live in strength and love.

Leading the Way
As we learn, do grow and
Be a little better everyday!

This is Tom from the Small Scale Life Podcast. Have a great week! We’ll be back soon with another show. In the meantime, stay safe and take care everybody!

Listen to this Episode!Listen to the Small Scale Life Podcast on any of the following apps (or ANY podcast streaming apps):

Fireside.fm
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
Podbean
iHeartRadio

To download and listen to this episode, click this text.

The post Monk Mode: The Path to Productivity or a Road to Burnout? appeared first on Small Scale Life.

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In this 242nd Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Adam and I discuss 2024 Wins, Losses and Lessons Learned. As we start to lean into 2025 and put some mileage between 2024 and where we are today, it is a good practice to stop, reflect and think about what went well (wins), what didn’t (losses or failures) and what we learned along the way in 2024. It was an interesting year, and a lot of good things happened. Adam and I both agree that there is alway room for improvement, and I have a list of things that I will be focusing on in 2025 that will hopefully be in my Win column next year when we talk about this topic again.

It’s all part of learning, doing, growing and being a little better everyday. That’s where the magic is, and that, my friends, is a good thing!

2024 Wins, Losses and Lessons Learned2024 has been a year full of interesting twists and turns. After making it through some shenangians and discussions about my homemade suet (see below), Adam makes a big announcement about this year’s big win: increasing his sales by a factor of six in 2024! Those are some great results for sure. Adam had some good wins, losses and lessons learned that were focused on his business modernfrontierfarms.com.

For me, my 2024 wins, losses and lessons learned were more focused on the garden and podcast. I realized early in the show that we were talking about things that were not related BUT COULD BE. I tried to repharase my items so they could apply to gardening, small business and life. My themes were really focused on: keeping things simple and functional while making slow and steady progress through focused intensity over time. At the same time, you have to keep showing up, even when you don’t feel like it OR you don’t feel like you are making significant progress.

This principle about consistently showing up has been an achilles heel for me over the years, especially with this platform and with my wellness journey. I make progress and get traction, and then I stop for some reason. Life happens, work happens, relationships happen, world events happen and/or I start traveling for work. Staying focused, showing up when you don’t feel like it and having that big why are critical to success with any endevour, and that is something I need to focus on in 2025.

I can feel the momentum changing as we start 2025, and I think it is going to be a good year.

Homemade Bird Suet for Wild BirdsWhat’s cooking, friends?

The kitchen here at The Landing has been incredibly busy and smelling great after the Christmas holiday. What’s going on over here?

One practice we adopted at Driftless Oaks Farm (our 10-acre hobby farm in Maiden Rock, Wisconsin, that we sold in 2023), was drinking our morning coffee and watching the birds that frequented our feeders, plants and flowers. We really grew attached to the hummingbirds, cardinals, rose-breasted grosbeaks, orioles, nuthatches, warblers, woodpeckers, blue jays, dark eyed juncos (in the winter), pheasants, owls, eagles, hawks and the occasional indigo bunting. I had never REALLY paid attention to birds before, but I adopted a deep love for these feathered friends. I worked hard keeping the feeders full and removing the nasty little furry critters that loved to get into the seed. Yuck.

Now that we are here at The Landing, we have really leaned into watching our feathered friends and feeding them. In talking with neighbors who lived here for many years and watching the cycles change, we have noticed the variety and number of birds that visit this property. I have never seen some of these birds before! I attribute this to being on the banks of the Willow River, and I am very grateful that we chose this interesting and unique property (it was one of my requirements on our Napkin Plan).

In order to help our feathered friends out, I put up some feeders in the yard. Just a couple you know…and then I expanded them. I have six active feeders going right now including the Big Bird Buffet that I constructed at the farm. Two of the feeders are suet feeders. Suet is a mixure of lard, peanut butter, oats, nuts, seed and dried fruit. Think of it as a bird protein power bar, and birds absolutely LOVE them.

I have been working on a homemade suet recipe, and I have been testing the bars (regular and spicy bars) this week in my homemade suet feeders. The suet bars only lasted three days, and I reveal which bar performed better (ie, which suet feeder was completely empty on Day 3.

I was surprised by the results!

I’ll have more on the Tommy Suet Cakes in the near future. And yes, I did taste AND come up with the name of the suet cakes on this show. That will be in the Win, Loss and Lessons Learned in 2025 show for sure!

LinksShow SponsorThis live-stream is brought to you by A Modern Frontier Farms: Modern Frontier Farms Website

Get all your pasture-raised beef, pork and chicken from A Modern Frontier Farms! Grass Fed; Grass Raised; 100% Delicious!

When he isn’t at a Farmer’s Market or hanging out with his wonderful wife and beautiful kids, Adam can be found at the following locations:

Modern Frontier Farms Instagram
Modern Frontier Farms TikTok

Other Related ShowsAdam has been a guest on the Small Scale Life Podcast a number of times. Here is a quick list of shows where he has been the guest or cohost:

Getting Ready for 2025; Setting the Stage for Success – ANT Live 12
Watching Drones, Surviving Christmas Gatherings and Closing Out 2024 – ANT Live 11
Highlights of the 2024 Acres USA Eco-Ag Conference – ANT Live 10
20 Simple Steps for Better Holiday Season – ANT Live 9
How to Find Your First Customer – ANT Live 8
Dreams and Goals: How to Manifest Your Future – ANT Live 7
How to Find Your Passion: From Hobbies to Heartbeat – ANT Live 6
Boredom: A Path to Mindfulness and Innovation – ANT Live 5
Hustles and Hurdles: Side Hustles and the Gig Economy – ANT Live 4
Mindset and Milestones: Prepping for a Life Upgrade – ANT Live 3
The Importance of Getting Away – ANT Live 2
Catching up with Adam Rick from Modern Frontier Farms – ANT Live 1
Small Scale Life Episode 198 – Grass Fed Farm Business with Adam Rick
Small Scale Life Episode 199 – Creating Heritage Meals and Deep Roots with Adam Rick DISCLAIMERAt Small Scale Life, we are not medical professionals, doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, or therapists. We are not in or connected to the medical community. Always consult a professional before trying any of these activities or any practice. Create and live your Small Scale Life as you choose, but do it carefully. Any actions you participate in are voluntary and at your own risk.

Listen to this Episode!Listen to the Small Scale Life Podcast on any of the following apps (or ANY podcast streaming apps):

Fireside.fm
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
Podbean
iHeartRadio

To download and listen to this episode, click this text.

The post 2024 Wins, Losses and Lessons Learned appeared first on Small Scale Life.

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In this 241st Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Adam and I are going to be discussing how we are getting ready for 2025 and setting the stage for success.

Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas, friends! Glad Jul! Happy Winter Solstice!

We have less than a week left of 2024, and then this chapter of our lives closes and becomes a memory. It has been an interesting year: we started this livestream, Adam attended a lot of farmer’s markets, and I built a new garden. Things are moving along on a number of fronts, and now it is time to take a deep breath and think about this year and what we would like to accomplish in 2025.

Catch ANT LIVE on the Small Scale Life YouTube Channel at 7:30 PM Central on Monday evenings. Adam and I talk about mindset, small business, wellness, homesteading and other topics that come up.

Remember to learn, do, grow and be a little better everyday. And that’s a good thing!

LinksShow SponsorThis live-stream is brought to you by A Modern Frontier Farms: Modern Frontier Farms Website

Get all your pasture-raised beef, pork and chicken from A Modern Frontier Farms! Grass Fed; Grass Raised; 100% Delicious!

When he isn’t at a Farmer’s Market or hanging out with his wonderful wife and beautiful kids, Adam can be found at the following locations:

Modern Frontier Farms Instagram
Modern Frontier Farms TikTok

Other Related ShowsAdam has been a guest on the Small Scale Life Podcast a number of times. Here is a quick list of shows where he has been the guest or cohost:

Watching Drones, Surviving Christmas Gatherings and Closing Out 2024 – ANT Llive 11
Highlights of the 2024 Acres USA Eco-Ag Conference – ANT Live 10
20 Simple Steps for Better Holiday Season – ANT Live 9
How to Find Your First Customer – ANT Live 8
Dreams and Goals: How to Manifest Your Future – ANT Live 7
How to Find Your Passion: From Hobbies to Heartbeat – ANT Live 6
Boredom: A Path to Mindfulness and Innovation – ANT Live 5
Hustles and Hurdles: Side Hustles and the Gig Economy – ANT Live 4
Mindset and Milestones: Prepping for a Life Upgrade – ANT Live 3
The Importance of Getting Away – ANT Live 2
Catching up with Adam Rick from Modern Frontier Farms – ANT Live 1
Small Scale Life Episode 198 – Grass Fed Farm Business with Adam Rick
Small Scale Life Episode 199 – Creating Heritage Meals and Deep Roots with Adam Rick DISCLAIMERI am not a doctor, a psychologist, a psychiatrist, or a therapist. I am not in or connected to the medical community. Always consult a professional before trying any of these activities or any practice. Create and live your Small Scale Life at your own risk, but do it carefully and at your own risk. All actions you participate in are voluntary and at your own risk.

In Closing….From the North to the South
From the East to the West and
Everywhere in between.

May the gods, spirits and folk
Be blessed at this place.
May we heal the land and
Protect the soil, animals and plants.
May we live in strength and love.

Leading the Way
As we learn, do grow and
Be a little better everyday!

This is Tom from the Small Scale Life Podcast. Have a great week! We’ll be back soon with another show. In the meantime, stay safe and take care everybody!

Listen to this Episode!Listen to the Small Scale Life Podcast on any of the following apps (or ANY podcast streaming apps):

Fireside.fm
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
Podbean
iHeartRadio

To download and listen to this episode, click this text.

The post Getting Ready for 2025; Setting the Stage for Success appeared first on Small Scale Life.

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In this 240th Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Adam and Tom discuss watching drones, surviving Christmas gatherings and closing out 2024. Besides the conspiracies and parody songs, Adam and Tom discuss 9 Tips for Surviving Christmas Gatherings, which Tom admits he will be putting into play this week!

The ANT Live Show is every Monday at 7:30 PM Central on the Small Scale Life YouTube Channel. We then post the audio on the Small Scale Life Podcast as soon as we can….barring any reindeer, aliens or drones!

9 Tips for Surviving Christmas GatheringsThe main point of this episode is to provide 7 Tips for Surviving Christmas Gatherings. We all need the help this time of year. Many of us have gatherings and parties of family, friends, coworkers, bosses and other people. Whenever you bring people together, there will be strong personalities and the potential for conflict. One thing is absolutely true:

Failure to plan is planning to fail.

We need tips and strategies for attending these gatherings that can potentially be explosive, relationship ending or career ending. We need to be ready to lean on others who are in the same boat (form an alliance) and be ready to slip out the back door before Esther from Accounting does something or Grandpa Bob says something that ignites a debate or starts a fight. Can I hear an “amen” from the back?

At the end of the day, our Number 1 job is to protect our inner peace and mental health. The second job is to “show up,come for some food, have a couple drinks and leave” with our dignity intact. Special shout out to one of our listeners that spoke that truth. That said, here are our 7 Tips for Surviving Christmas Gatherings:

1. Start with your WHY. Why are you even going? Why do you need to go? Do you have to go? Duty, obligation and tradition are not good enough reasons to go. You do not HAVE TO go; you do not OWE anyone to go and put on a mask just because you “have to.” Is this good or bad for your mental health?

2. Before the event, wargame scenarios and have a strategy when the comments start. If you end up going, chances are that the toxic person will start dropping comments or attitude with you at some point. It is inevitable. Julie and I work togehter to “wargame” scenarios and be ready for these “special moments.” You work through it like this: if Aunt Ruth starts in about X (religion, politics, marriage, babies, your weight, etc), then I am going to divert her by saying Y. It isn’t failproof, but you are getting yourself prepared to handle uncomfortable situations and conversations. You can do this in the rest of your life too: at work, at events, at church, etc. You don’t have to have all the answers during the conversations, but you can avoid getting trapped in a toxic or abusive minefield. It also saves you from wishing you had said A, B and/or C in the heat of the moment when you get home. How many of us wargame AFTER the event and think that we would have answered the comment better or acted better if we had a second chance? By preparing ahead of time, the second chance IS the heat of the moment.

3. Develop boundaries or “Terms and Conditions.” Figure out what are your yeses, your oks and your not oks. These are your boundaries or your terms and conditions. If those toxic people swerve into your not oks, then it is time to put your foot down and call them out on it. There can be a sliding scale, and there can be a sliding scale of reactions as well. Telling the person to stop making that comment or behaving a certain way is on one side of the sliding scale, and flat out gathering your stuff and people and leaving is the other end. Blocking calls, texts, emails and contact is on the scale as well, and I know people who have done this with their own family members. Protecting your dignity, peace, mental health and loved ones is critical, so do the work beforehand to determine what those terms and conditions are.

4. Have an Exit Plan. This goes hand-in-hand with developing boundaries or “terms and conditions.” One the lines have been crossed, you have the option to execute your Exit Plan and leave. I discussed this back in 2019 when I posted an episode titled “10 Tips to Successfully Plan and Host an Event.” The last tip was “Have an Exit Strategy.” How about that? Five years later this tip comes back around because…it is SO TRUE.

5. Nothing good happens after midnight; leave or go to bed. The Witching Hour is appropriately named because after midnight, magical things happen and people turn into other creatures and trolls. Frankly, nothing good happens after midnight, especially when alcohol is involved. Go to bed and save the arguments, drama, struggles, fighting, mental abuse, poor decisions and strife that happens when family, friends, coworkers or other folks reach The Witching Hour.

6. Find others who feel the same way as you do; team up and develop an alliance. Birds of a feather flock together, and chances are that someone else feels like you do. Get together, name the stress and lean on each other. Team work makes the dream work! This is an effective technique when a toxic person or narcissist singles out a person and pounces on them with terrible comments and attitude. There is always strength in numbers, and the two or more of you can successfully keep each other out of trouble and away from the evil eye of Sauron. Another technique is to get others to talk about themseleves

7. Get people to talk about themselves or something silly. People don’t want to talk about you, what’s going on in your life and what your issues are to your face. They like to do that behind your back. They DO love to talk about themselves: their issues, their interests, their issues and their concerns. If you at a gathering and are dealing with difficult personalities, try to turn the conversation from you to them. Let them talk about themselves until they wear themselves out. Another game you can play is to get others to talk about an off-the-wall topic or something that isn’t super serious (ie, talk about mopeds or 1980’s rock stars and songs). Again, don’t get cornered, don’t stir the pot and leave or go to bed!

8. Get people off their “home turf” and meet at a differrent environment. Some people behave terribly when you are in their space: their home, their land, or their facility. You are essentially invading their space where you are using their stuff, food, drink and (most importantly) their rules. By getting people off their home turf and meet at nuetral ground like a restauant, hotel, resort or your own home, chances are higher that they will behave better and not be as toxic. This is not a guarante, but chances are higher.

9. Is it as bad as you think? Does that toxic person actually mean everything they say? Does their opinion matter? Here is where I am going to push back on Adam a little.

You are NOT being too sensitive; you feel the way you feel. The one pitfall here is to put our own feelings, mental health, intuition and spirit in a box and start questioning ourselves. Do not put that monkey on your back and doubt what you are feeling.

You know when someone is being shitty and putting you or your family down. It is not acceptable, and those people need to be told to stop it, screw off and then leave. Protect yourself, your family members and your inner peace. You KNOW when someone is treating you poorly and like a doormat, and you DO NOT have to accept it and agree with it. This is one of Tom’s Terms and Conditions, and it is one that I will be leaning into it heavily as part of my own Surviving Christmas Gatherings strategy.

A Drone Problem Songfor those of you new to the Small Scale Life Podcast, I do like to put some little skits, sounders, bloopers or parody songs on the tail end of the podcast. In Episode 239 and 240, I started the episodes with the parody songs (just to change it up a little).

Here are my lyrics to “A Drone Problem” parody song:

Yes, I admit

I’ve got a drone problem

They are always on my mind

I see them flying round and round

and I’ve tried to explain them a thoussand times.

Yes I admit

I’ve got a drone problem

Poppin up everywhere.

Followin me and always

Tryin to stare

Related to (but not even close to) the song “Thinkin Problem” by Dan Ball.

LinksShow SponsorThis live-stream is brought to you by A Modern Frontier Farms: Modern Frontier Farms Website

Get all your pasture-raised beef, pork and chicken from A Modern Frontier Farms! Grass Fed; Grass Raised; 100% Delicious!

When he isn’t at a Farmer’s Market or hanging out with his wonderful wife and beautiful kids, Adam can be found at the following locations:

Modern Frontier Farms Instagram
Modern Frontier Farms TikTok

Other Related ShowsAdam has been a guest on the Small Scale Life Podcast a number of times. Here is a quick list of shows where he has been the guest or cohost:

Highlights of the 2024 Acres USA Eco-Ag Conference – ANT Live 10
20 Simple Steps for Better Holiday Season – ANT Live 9
How to Find Your First Customer – ANT Live 8
Dreams and Goals: How to Manifest Your Future – ANT Live 7
How to Find Your Passion: From Hobbies to Heartbeat – ANT Live 6
Boredom: A Path to Mindfulness and Innovation – ANT Live 5
Hustles and Hurdles: Side Hustles and the Gig Economy – ANT Live 4
Mindset and Milestones: Prepping for a Life Upgrade – ANT Live 3
The Importance of Getting Away – ANT Live 2
Catching up with Adam Rick from Modern Frontier Farms – ANT Live 1
Small Scale Life Episode 198 – Grass Fed Farm Business with Adam Rick
Small Scale Life Episode 199 – Creating Heritage Meals and Deep Roots with Adam Rick DISCLAIMERI am not a doctor, a psychologist, a psychiatrist, or a therapist. I am not in or connected to the medical community. Always consult a professional before trying any of these activities or any practice. Create and live your Small Scale Life at your own risk, but do it carefully and at your own risk. All actions you participate in are voluntary and at your own risk.

One More Thing….In Closing….From the North to the South
From the East to the West and
Everywhere in between.

May the gods, spirits and folk
Be blessed at this place.
May we heal the land and
Protect the soil, animals and plants.
May we live in strength and love.

Leading the Way
As we learn, do grow and
Be a little better everyday!

This is Tom from the Small Scale Life Podcast. Have a great week! We’ll be back soon with another show. In the meantime, stay safe and take care everybody!

Listen to this Episode!Listen to the Small Scale Life Podcast on any of the following apps (or ANY podcast streaming apps):

Fireside.fm
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
Podbean
iHeartRadio

To download and listen to this episode, click this text.

The post Watching Drones, Surviving Christmas Gatherings and Closing Out 2024 appeared first on Small Scale Life.

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In this 239th Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Adam and I discuss attending small town tree lighting ceremonies and building new barrel garden planters. We also discuss the 2024 Acres USA Eco-Ag Conference including new trends in Regenerative Agriculture and homestead and small farm business ideas.

Adam attended all four days of the 2024 Acres USA Eco-Ag Conference, and he had a chance to attend presentations from Gabe Brown, Mark Shepard, and even Joel Salatin. He got to shake hands and rub elbows with a lot of leaders in the Regenerative Agriculture world, and in this episode, Adam leads the way and give us a recap of what he learned and what interesting things are coming down the pike in the Regenerative Agriculture space. I am curious if Joel Salatin talked about his new position as an advisor in the new administration and new policies he will be pushing.

At the same time, our audience provided some good feedback and interaction with us, and Adam and I had a chance to brainstorm about what we would do to start a small business on a 8-agre homestead. Adam has an 8-acre homestead and has had a lot of irons in the fire, and I had a 10-acre homestead before moving to The Landing. We come up with some interesting ideas, and our listeners appreciated the brainstorming session.

About the 49th annual Acres USA Eco-Ag ConferenceLast week was the 49th annual Acres USA Eco-Ag Conference in Madison, WI. Acres started in 1971 when a man named Charlie Walters started USA Acres in 19712 (before I was born, but part of the back to the land movement that my good friend Greg Burns described in our Homesteading 101 Episode). Charlie’s philosophy was summed as the following:

“To be economical, agriculture must be ecological.”

As a person who has lived on a 10-acre homestead and got sprayed by a neighbor trying to kill the beautiful alphapha, I concur. I have seen what sprays can do to the voles, moles, and field mice, and those chemicals end up affecting the higher levels of the food chain as predators do what they do best and consume those other critters that get sprayed. It isn’t pretty or fun.

The goals of the 49th annual Acres USA Eco-Ag Conference are the following:

Exceptional learning from leading farmers, agronomists, and others who are pioneering a new way to farm ecologically and economically.
Engagement with innovative companies building tools and services to help you surpass your regenerative farming goals.
Connecting with your peers who are also seeking to chart a new path forward for their regenerative operations and with experienced growers and agronomists who have valuable lessons learned and are ready to share.

Adam attended all four days of the 49th annual Acres USA Eco-Ag Conference, and in this episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast and 10th Episode of the ANT Livestream, he provides a summary of people he saw and talked to at the conference.

LinksShow SponsorThis live-stream is brought to you by A Modern Frontier Farms: Modern Frontier Farms Website

Get all your pasture-raised beef, pork and chicken from A Modern Frontier Farms! Grass Fed; Grass Raised; 100% Delicious!

When he isn’t at a Farmer’s Market or hanging out with his wonderful wife and beautiful kids, Adam can be found at the following locations:

Modern Frontier Farms Instagram
Modern Frontier Farms TikTok

Other Related ShowsAdam has been a guest on the Small Scale Life Podcast a number of times. Here is a quick list of shows where he has been the guest or cohost:

20 Simple Steps for Better Holiday Season – ANT Live 9
How to Find Your First Customer – ANT Live 8
Dreams and Goals: How to Manifest Your Future – ANT Live 7
How to Find Your Passion: From Hobbies to Heartbeat – ANT Live 6
Boredom: A Path to Mindfulness and Innovation – ANT Live 5
Hustles and Hurdles: Side Hustles and the Gig Economy – ANT Live 4
Mindset and Milestones: Prepping for a Life Upgrade – ANT Live 3
The Importance of Getting Away – ANT Live 2
Catching up with Adam Rick from Modern Frontier Farms – ANT Live 1
Small Scale Life Episode 198 – Grass Fed Farm Business with Adam Rick
Small Scale Life Episode 199 – Creating Heritage Meals and Deep Roots with Adam Rick In Closing….From the North to the South
From the East to the West and
Everywhere in between.

May the gods, spirits and folk
Be blessed at this place.
May we heal the land and
Protect the soil, animals and plants.
May we live in strength and love.

Leading the Way
As we learn, do grow and
Be a little better everyday!

This is Tom from the Small Scale Life Podcast. Have a great week! We’ll be back soon with another show. In the meantime, stay safe and take care everybody!

Listen to this Episode!Listen to the Small Scale Life Podcast on any of the following apps (or ANY podcast streaming apps):

Fireside.fm
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
Podbean
iHeartRadio

To download and listen to this episode, click this text.

DISCLAIMERI am not a doctor, a psychologist, a psychiatrist, or a therapist. I am not in or connected to the medical community. Always consult a professional before trying any of these activities or any practice. Create and live your Small Scale Life at your own risk, but do it carefully and at your own risk. All actions you participate in are voluntary and at your own risk.

The post Highlights of the 2024 Acres USA Eco-Ag Conference appeared first on Small Scale Life.

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In this 237th Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Adam and Tom discuss 20 Simple Steps for a Better Holiday Season. By using these 20 Simple Steps, we cannot guarantee that you will have a joyous and calm holiday season, but we can definitely say that you will be lined up for success since you are ready mentally and have prepared for what is coming.

The holidays can be stressful….
Gatherings and obligations wash over us like the raging gales of November, and if we are not careful and do not plan, we can be dragged down the dark and cold depths like the Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior. The Gales of November and December are starting to pick up; can you feel them?

It doesn’t have to be that way.

It shouldn’t be that way.

How can we do better and be better to avoid these storms during the holidays?

The answer is found by following the advice from my Assistant Scoutmaster days: “Planning and being prepared.” As I look back on what was successful during the holidays (and especially at what wasn’t), it really comes down to having a plan and executing. It also comes back to being able to laugh, go with flow and not getting wrapped around the axle of agendas, poor planning and endless guilt trips. You do that by not taking yourself too seriously and not having a plan.

We have 20 simple steps, but you never know, we might come up with a few more along the way. I am super excited to talk about Step 16: Establish New Traditions.

Fortunately, We have 20 Simple Steps for A Better Holiday SeasonThere are many ways to approach the holidays, and our 20 Simple Steps for a Better Holiday Season isn’t the definitive list and doesn’t include everything. You may have your own steps and methods, and we would love to hear them. Please email us your ideas at realsmallscalelife@gmail.com, and we will discuss them in a future show around Christmas.

What is interesting is that I discussed some of these way back in 2018. I recorded and released some of these tips in the episode titled Happy Thanksgiving 2018! This episode is different because Adam and I go intp a lot more detail and stories about these 20 Simple Steps for a Better Holiday Season, and I really do like this list because we have done and do all of them.

The list below contains 20 Simple Steps for a Better Holiday Season along with some links and commentary from our experience:

1. Create a Budget Set a holiday spending limit to avoid financial stress and stick to it. * Stress and anger from spending too much money for the holidays are real. I know from experience: I have had that cold sweat and horrible realization that we had too many bills and too much month in January to cover. It wasn’t fun, and we really had to work at keeping spending in check so that we could make it. Budgeting is the key, and we have budgeting tools here at Small Scale Life that can help you. One of the best pieces of advice I can give you is to save all year for the holiday. For example, you can save $100 per month and have $1200 in your account when December rolls around. You also have money to start buying gifts in the summer; just don’t forget that you purchased them! * Here at Small Scale Life, Julie and I created budgeting tools for you and discussed budgeting in an episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast.* It is no secret that we have worked through hard times in our past 30 years of marriage, and the way forward is to be intentional with our money. We need to tell it where it is going instead of wondering where it went! Budgeting is the solution to that problem.

2. Make a List of Priorities* Determine what’s most important to you during the season: family, relaxation, or giving back. * We are all pulled in a lot of different directions during the holiday season. We cannot go to every event and do ALL the things: we need to make decisions about where our finite resources are going. Talk to your significant other or a close friend. As always, develop and plan and execute accordingly. By not having a plan, you are almost guaranteeing to end the season in frustration, disappointed with how everything turned out and burned out.

3. Start Early* Begin planning, shopping, and organizing well in advance to avoid last-minute chaos. * Julie is a great planner, and she has already started shopping. Guys like me tend to wait for the last minute, and that is a mistake. Avoid the last minute rush to the store and the inevitable white elephant gift. Plan ahead and make a list of people that are getting a list. Be thoughtful and take advantage of the early sales! Don’t be THAT last minute person!

4. Declutter Your Home Clear out unnecessary items before the holidays to create a calm, welcoming space. * Since 2018, Julie and I have comnbined four or five households into one. We are minimalists, so we understand that you cannot keep everything. Julie and I talked about How to Declutter to Make a Simple and Intentional Life in April 2018, and the principles and concepts still apply. Go through your house and declutter by sorting your things into four bins: Keep, Throw, Give Away, and Undecided. For the Undecided bin, put a time limit on it. If you haven’t made a decision or used anything in that bin, it is time for it to go to the trash or to be donated. Of course, you might have questions about Decluttering, and you might find answers in a second podcast episode Julie and I recorded in November 2018.*

5. Plan Your Meals* Organize your holiday meals ahead of time, including a shopping list and cooking schedule. * Planning is definitely Julie’s favorite and forte, and we literally just sat down and worked out our plan for the charcuterie board, Thanksgiving dinner and breakfast on Friday after Thanksgiving. The plan feeds into our shopping list, and after confirming what is in our pantry, refrigerators and freezers, we can go ahead and get our shopping lists together. You are lost without a plan, and you will make A LOT more of unplanned trips to the grocery store and may run out of the essentials during the event. Don’t be like that: make a plan, develop your shopping list and shop accordingly.

6. Set Realistic Expectations* Accept that things may not go perfectly—embrace the imperfections and focus on the enjoyment. * As I discussed in the podcast episode, we have learned to set the bar VERY low with my family. Like, we literally have no expectations. If the bar is that low, then it is really difficult to be disappointed with how events turn out. Often the problem is that we have this grand vision and idea of how it is supposed to look, feel and work out. Reality fails to meet this lofty expectation, and disappointment sets in. Remember: set the bar low and just go with the flow. We laugh at Clark Griswold’s disasters in the movie “Christmas Vacation,” but often we are creating our own disasters on a smaller scale. As friends told me once: “Check yourself before you wreck yourself.”

7. Delegate Tasks* Share the responsibilities—whether it’s shopping, cooking, or decorating—with others to lighten your load. * As I grow older, I see the wisdom in our ancestors and their beliefs in a “gift for a gift.” A gift does not need to be trinket or a thing: it can be service or pitching in on the meal or clean up. For our Thanksgiving meal, our friends are bringing roasted potatoes and others are bringing dessert. It is going to be great. If you don’t know what to bring, try a nice bottle of wine. That always goes over well!

8. Send Early Holiday Cards* Plan to send out cards early to avoid the rush and get them to loved ones on time. * While Adam is not a big fan of holiday cards, we find that it is a great way to update folks on what is happening with our family. It also creates a gift for a gift exchange as we tend to get cards from family and friends as we send them out.

9. Simplify Gift-Giving* Choose thoughtful, meaningful gifts or consider experiential gifts instead of material ones. * This….all of this. We have moved away from giving trinkets and stuff to others and have focused on giving experiences. Trinkets and stuff tend to be discarded over time, but memories of fun events and trips mean everything. You can create lasting memories by giving experiences. Put some thoughts into it and look around. You never know what cool things are happening locally!

10. Create a Holiday Playlist* Curate a playlist of your favorite festive music to set the mood for the season. * Music is medicine. Music is life. We love playing music here when we work, cook, or clean up. I had to chuckle when Julie’s sister Karen was here this fall and said that I sang quite a bit when I worked. I didn’t think I did, but I am happy to admit that I do. Notice that there are silly songs after Small Scale Life episodes. Now, I do not suggest a playlist of me singing silly songs, I do recommend playing music in the background as you get your house ready, as you entertain and as you clean up. It makes everything easier, and our ancestors sang all the time. Their songs have been forgotten, but we can still sing and listen to music!

11. Practice Self-Care* Prioritize your well-being by getting enough rest, eating healthy, and making time for relaxation. * As we have learned more about nutrition, yoga and mediation, we have learned about the importance of self-care. Do what you need to do to protect your peace. Say no, take a sauna or cold plunge, sleep in and take some time off to rest. Yes this season is about connecting to family, friends and the community, but it is also a time for your journey of self-discovery. By practicing self-care, you can begin to heal your mind, body and soul. Take the time and dig deep: you might find some things to let go and leave behind. You also might find some things you forget that you need to take along with you on your journey.

12. Be Present* Focus on enjoying each moment with loved ones rather than stressing about everything else. * In this age, so many of us are distracted by escapes of all kinds: television, phones, alcohol, obligations, etc. Put the phone away and turn the television off. Pay attention; engage in the conversation. You might hear a cool story or two along the way.

13. Limit Social Commitments Say no to events or activities that don’t align with your priorities to avoid overbooking. * It’s ok to say “no” and not join EVERY event or party our there. We run and run and run and run, only to collapse at the end of the season. Practice a “less is more” strategy, and always have a Plan B if something doesn’t work out and have an exit plan if someone is getting heated or uncomfortable.*

14. Organize Your Holiday Decor* Keep decorations simple and easy to put up and take down, focusing on creating a cozy atmosphere. * Julie is the Christmas Queen, and she has a lot of decorations! We keep the ornaments safe in special ornament boxes. After all, each ornament has a memory associated with it, and those a precious to us especially after losing Danny. In fact, this is the first time since 2021 that we have pulled out these decorations: it was too painful to see theme after Danny passed away. The winds are changing, and it was time to bring the ornaments out. It is like greeting old friends, and we are very careful to keep our decorations organized and wrapped up. It makes packing and decorating the trees easier too!

15. Avoid Perfectionism* Don’t strive for a “picture-perfect” holiday. Embrace the mess and focus on fun. * Perfect is enemy of the good. We get hung up on the bark on the tree in front of the forest. Stop doing that and enjoy the moment. No one will remember the dust bunny in the corner, but they will remember how cranky you were if you are fretting over things, details, not being perfect. Let go and go with the flow.

16. Establish Traditions* Whether it’s baking cookies or watching a holiday movie, establish simple traditions that bring joy. * Admittedly, this is paritcular sore subject with me. For some reasons, the traditions passed down by my family were discarded in the ash heap of time. While I have dwelled on that for years, I see now that it is time for establishing new traditions. It is time to stop wandering the wasteland of loss and begin to build new. Adam was right that there are a lot of resources and ideas out there, and I need to stop mourning what I never knew and move forward….building back better actually applies in this case!

17. Give Back* Volunteer or donate to a cause that’s meaningful to you to spread holiday cheer beyond your home. * Giving back to your community, especially to those in need who may be housebound really does make a difference. Make a cash donation, deliver some food, shovel a driveway, help a stranger in need, or do some random act of kindness like paying forward for someone’s coffee is a great way to help your commuity and neighbors.

18. Stay Active Stay physically active during the holiday season to maintain your energy and reduce stress. * Go for a walk, hot the gym, find a pool and swim some laps…do some yoga. Staying active will keep some pounds off your waistline. Trust me: we’ll get back to the Whole30 in the near future.*

19. Simplify Travel Plans* If traveling, plan early, and pack light to minimize the stress of getting from one place to another. * Complicated plans tend to end up in disaster. Weather, computer glitches and a host of other issues can keep you from your destination when it counts, especially this time of year. Have you seen the movie “Planes, Trains and Automobiles?” That movie is all about simple travel plans going wrong, so you can imagine how many chances your complicated travel plans have for failure! Keep it simple!

20. Reflect and Recharge After the holidays, take a moment to reflect on the season, recharge, and prepare for the new year. * Reflecting and recharging is essential after this busy holiday season. I continue to call these dark days and months “The Journey Within” as we can take this time to think about what is working and what isn’t working. Keep a journal; write these thoughts down. If you need a journal, let me know. I have extra journals that you could use to track your thoughts, reflect on life and develop plans for the future. If you would like a journal, send me an email at realsmallscalelife@gmail.com. LinksShow Sponsor*This live-stream is brought to you by A Modern Frontier Farms: Modern Frontier Farms Website**

Get all your pasture-raised beef, pork and chicken from A Modern Frontier Farms! Grass Fed; Grass Raised; 100% Delicious!

When he isn’t at a Farmer’s Market or hanging out with his wonderful wife and beautiful kids, Adam can be found at the following locations:

Modern Frontier Farms Instagram
Modern Frontier Farms TikTok

Other Related ShowsAdam has been a guest on the Small Scale Life Podcast a number of times. Here is a quick list of shows where he has been the guest or cohost:

How to Find Your First Customer – ANT Live 8
Dreams and Goals: How to Manifest Your Future – ANT Live 7
How to Find Your Passion: From Hobbies to Heartbeat – ANT Live 6
Boredom: A Path to Mindfulness and Innovation – ANT Live 5
Hustles and Hurdles: Side Hustles and the Gig Economy – ANT Live 4
Mindset and Milestones: Prepping for a Life Upgrade – ANT Live 3
The Importance of Getting Away – ANT Live 2
Catching up with Adam Rick from Modern Frontier Farms – ANT Live 1
Small Scale Life Episode 198 – Grass Fed Farm Business with Adam Rick
Small Scale Life Episode 199 – Creating Heritage Meals and Deep Roots with Adam Rick In Closing….From the North to the South
From the East to the West and
Everywhere in between.

May the gods, spirits and folk
Be blessed at this place.
May we heal the land and
Protect the soil, animals and plants.
May we live in strength and love.

Leading the Way
As we learn, do grow and
Be a little better everyday!

This is Tom from the Small Scale Life Podcast. Have a great week! We’ll be back soon with another show. In the meantime, stay safe and take care everybody!

Listen to this Episode!Listen to the Small Scale Life Podcast on any of the following apps:

Fireside.fm
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
Google Play
Podbean
iHeartRadio

To download and listen to this episode, click this text.

The post 20 Simple Steps for Better Holiday Season appeared first on Small Scale Life.

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In this 236th Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Adam and I discuss how to find your first customer: what fishing taught me about business. At first it seems like there should not be a correlation, but as Adam unpacks the concept, it makes a lot of sense.

Let me explain this below.

The Myth: If You Build It….Have you heard this line from a famous movie?

“If you build it, they will come.”

Many of us start our small business and/or homesteading business with big ideas about selling all kinds of canned goods, veggies, herbs, flowers, crafts or whatever products we create to the hungry masses. Too many of us start something (a podcast, a YouTube Channel, a TikTok Channel, a business) based on a passion and hobby that we have, and we think that customers will just show up and throw money at our feet.

I hate to break it to you, but:

Field of Dreams was just a movie, the ghosts don’t come out of the corn and people don’t make the drive to nowhere for the hell of it. It doesn’t work like that in real life.

There is A LOT more to selling a product or idea to the masses than just “building it” and offering it once. It takes knowing your ideal customer, knowing the market, networking, and being consistent and persistent to “catch” the interest of the potential customer, have them “bite” on the product or idea, and “reel them in” for a sale.

How to Find Your First CustomerAdam makes a great analogy between fishing and getting your first customer for your start up business. The parallels are very obvious and make a lot of sense as he walks us through a story about his fishing experience in the Great White North. After two hard days of fishing, his group found the right spot holding the right fish, used the right bait, and kept at it until they caught some beautiful monster walleyes. It took persistence and the right amount of work to land those big fish, and the same process can be used to land your ideal client.

It isn’t easy. Sometimes it is a lot of hard work and isn’t fun. The lake is full of other hungry fishermen that are trying to load their stringers with keepers, and it’s up to us to read the lake, understand the behavior of the fish, go where they are and keep on casting (or jigging).

10 Steps to Find Your First CustomerAdam has a lot of really good tips and advice in the podcast episode and livestream. If you want 10 Steps to Find Your First Customer, I have listed out a few for you below,

1. Define Your Target Audience Identify who your ideal customer is: Understand their demographics, interests, pain points, and needs. The more specific you can be, the easier it will be to craft a message that resonates. * Research your competitors*: Know what similar businesses are doing and look for gaps in their offerings. This can help you refine your own approach.

2. Make Sure Your Offer is Clear and Valuable Product-market fit: Ensure your product or service is something people actually want and that it solves a real problem or improves their lives. * Compelling value proposition*: Be clear about the benefits of your product and why someone should buy it over alternatives. This message needs to be visible on your website, social media, and marketing materials.

3. Leverage Your Personal Network Friends and family: Reach out to people you know personally who might be interested in your product or who could help spread the word. * Social media*: Post about your new business on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. A simple post or story can help you reach your immediate network and start generating interest.

4. Build an Online Presence Website or landing page: Set up a simple, professional website or landing page where potential customers can learn about your offering and make a purchase. Tools like Shopify, Wix, or WordPress make this process easy. * Social media*: Even before you get your first sale, start building a presence on platforms where your target audience hangs out. Post content related to your industry, engage with others, and offer valuable insights or tips.

5. Offer an Incentive or Promotion Discounts or special offers: A limited-time discount or a special deal can be a great way to attract your first customers. For example, you could offer 10-20% off for early adopters or free shipping for the first few buyers. * Free trials or samples*: If you’re selling a service or digital product, offering a free trial can help people experience your offering firsthand without any risk.

6. Start Cold Outreach Direct messaging or email: If you have a list of potential leads, start reaching out directly to introduce them to your product. Make sure your messages are personalized, not spammy. Focus on the value you can offer. * Cold emailing*: If appropriate for your business, you can cold email potential customers or businesses that might be interested in your product. Just make sure your message is clear and compelling.

7. Use Testimonials and Social Proof Build trust: If you’ve done any beta testing, ask your first customers for testimonials that you can display on your website or in your marketing materials. Positive feedback can help reassure new customers that they’re making a good choice. * Leverage influencers or micro-influencers*: If possible, partner with influencers in your industry who can review or promote your product. Even smaller influencers with engaged audiences can make a big impact.

8. Simplify the Purchase Process Easy checkout: Make sure the process of buying from you is as easy and frictionless as possible. Complicated forms or unclear payment systems can deter potential customers. * Multiple payment options*: Provide a variety of payment methods to make it convenient for customers to buy (e.g., credit card, PayPal, etc.).

9. Test and Iterate Learn from feedback: After making your first sale, ask your customers for feedback to improve your product, service, and sales process. * A/B testing*: If you’re running ads or using a website for sales, try different approaches and see what resonates best with your audience (e.g., different headlines, images, or call-to-actions).

10. Stay Persistent and Consistent Don’t give up*: The first sale is often the hardest, but once you get it, you’ll have more confidence and momentum. Keep refining your process, and don’t be afraid to try new strategies.

Additional Tips: Networking: Attend events, webinars, or join online communities relevant to your business to connect with potential customers. * Content Marketing: Publish valuable content (blogs, videos, social media posts) to educate your audience and establish yourself as an authority in your niche. * Referral Programs*: Consider offering a referral bonus or incentive to customers who refer others to your business.

The key is to be proactive, engage with your audience, and be persistent in your efforts. Once you get that first sale, it’s a snowball effect—the more you refine your process, the easier it becomes to get the next one.

RFK and the Fast Food DilemmaDo you see any similarities between these two photos?

One was taken in November 2016 with the Cheshire Orange Cat and a sullen Mitt Romney. The second one was taken in November 2024 with the Cheshire Orange Cat and a less than thrilled Robert Kennedy, Jr. Donald Trump Jr’s Tweet associated with this photo and summed up his perspective:

“Make America Healthy Again starts TOMORROW.”

Adam and I wrap up the show by talking about RFK Jr’s failure with fast food on Trump’s plane. While the product placement was perfect in the photo, the fact that RFK Jr bowed to pressure to eat McDonald’s and drink a Coke caught me and the nation by surprise. The fact is that this simple act hurt his reputation and stance on fast food, especially since he was literally just calling these foods “poison.”

As a person (an idealist) who was hoping that RFK could bring change to the food industry, big pharma and health care, I am wondering if he hasn’t already been compromised and the “Make America Healthy Again” movement is destined for the scrap heap. Somehow that soft spot in RFK’s armor has been found, and I expect difficult times ahead for RFK.

As you all know, I don’t talk politics on this channel, but this photo really got to me. If you think you can play with the Devil, he just might call you on it, beat you at that game and win.

We’ll see about RFK. The big money special interest hacks are ready for him, knives drawn. May the odds be in his favor, but I am not holding my breath.

LinksShow SponsorThis live-stream is brought to you by A Modern Frontier Farms: Modern Frontier Farms Website

Get all your pasture-raised beef, pork and chicken from A Modern Frontier Farms! Grass Fed; Grass Raised; 100% Delicious!

When he isn’t at a Farmer’s Market or hanging out with his wonderful wife and beautiful kids, Adam can be found at the following locations:

Modern Frontier Farms Instagram
Modern Frontier Farms TikTok

Other Related ShowsAdam has been a guest on the Small Scale Life Podcast a number of times. Here is a quick list of shows where he has been the guest or cohost:

Dreams and Goals: How to Manifest Your Future – ANT Live 7
How to Find Your Passion: From Hobbies to Heartbeat – ANT Live 6
Boredom: A Path to Mindfulness and Innovation – ANT Live 5
Hustles and Hurdles: Side Hustles and the Gig Economy – ANT Live 4
Mindset and Milestones: Prepping for a Life Upgrade – ANT Live 3
The Importance of Getting Away – ANT Live 2
Catching up with Adam Rick from Modern Frontier Farms – ANT Live 1
Small Scale Life Episode 198 – Grass Fed Farm Business with Adam Rick
Small Scale Life Episode 199 – Creating Heritage Meals and Deep Roots with Adam Rick In Closing….From the North to the South
From the East to the West and
Everywhere in between.

May the gods, spirits and folk
Be blessed at this place.
May we heal the land and
Protect the soil, animals and plants.
May we live in strength and love.

Leading the Way
As we learn, do grow and
Be a little better everyday!

This is Tom from the Small Scale Life Podcast. Have a great week! We’ll be back soon with another show. In the meantime, stay safe and take care everybody!

Listen to this Episode!Listen to the Small Scale Life Podcast on any of the following apps:

Fireside.fm
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
Google Play
Podbean
iHeartRadio

To download and listen to this episode, click this text.

The post How to Find Your First Customer appeared first on Small Scale Life.

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How do you find your passion? Do you even know what your passion is? If you know what your passion is, are you doing something that taps into that internal fire that lights you up?

Many of us have a skill, a talent, knowledge, experience, ability or product that we create or do without thinking about it. We have that secret something or interest that drives us and lights us up. Some of us take it to the next step and create a hobby out of that thing. Others tell us that we are “really good at that thing and could sell it or make a business out of it.” Some of us take that step forward and create that business or follow that passion in our career.

There are others, however, that struggle with finding that thing. They don’t seem to have that bright fire for one particular skill or thing.

In this episode, Adam and I are focusing on how to find our passion. We hope to answer the following questions:

How can you discover your passion?
What are the benefits and drawbacks of following your passion?
What are you willing to sacrifice for your passion?

Not everything is rose petals, rainbows and unicorns. The rose does have thorns, and there are some drawbacks of following your passion, and Adam and I will talk about those things as well.

LinksShow SponsorThis live-stream is brought to you by A Modern Frontier Farms: Modern Frontier Farms Website

Get all your pasture-raised beef, pork and chicken from A Modern Frontier Farms! Grass Fed; Grass Raised; 100% Delicious!

When he isn’t at a Farmer’s Market or hanging out with his wonderful wife and beautiful kids, Adam can be found at the following locations:

Modern Frontier Farms Instagram
Modern Frontier Farms TikTok

Other Related ShowsAdam has been a guest on the Small Scale Life Podcast a number of times. Here is a quick list of shows where he has been the guest or cohost:

Boredom: A Path to Mindfulness and Innovation – ANT Live 5
Hustles and Hurdles: Side Hustles and the Gig Economy – ANT Live 4
Mindset and Milestones: Prepping for a Life Upgrade – ANT Live 3
The Importance of Getting Away – ANT Live 2
Catching up with Adam Rick from Modern Frontier Farms – ANT Live 1
Small Scale Life Episode 198 – Grass Fed Farm Business with Adam Rick
Small Scale Life Episode 199 – Creating Heritage Meals and Deep Roots with Adam Rick Listen to this Episode!Listen to the Small Scale Life Podcast on any of the following apps:
Fireside.fm
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
Google Play
Podbean
iHeartRadio

To download and listen to this episode, click this text.

The post How to Find Your Passion: From Hobbies to Heartbeat appeared first on Small Scale Life.

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In this 233 Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, my good friend Adam Rick and I discuss Boredom and How it is a Path to Mindfulness and Innovation.

As we have gotten older and experienced more of our own Small Scale Lives, Adam and I realized that we are BUSY. We are running from thing to thing, event to event, obligation to obligation. When you are super busy, you don’t have time to let your mind wander and solve problems. You just don’t have capacity.

It is even worse when you are holding on for dear life in Survival Mode. Trust me, Julie and I have been there and done that for a large chunk of our married lives. It is really hard to sit still and dream when the money is running out and there are a lot of bills piling up. It is even worse when you lose a family member or dear friend. The muse does not speak, nor does the inspiration come. Boredom has a different name during these periods, and it is really, really hard to focus on anything else.

Show TopicsAdam and I will be discussing boredom in this episode. We talk about the benefits of boredom, and we discuss places and spaces where one can be bored. For Adam, it is in a tree stand in the fall. For me, it is 10,000 feet in the air in an airplane (Capricorns do love water, soil and sky – goats do climb, my friends). By the way, this photo was from a recent trip to Orange County, California. That is Mount Hood in the background. Yes, I had to go through Seattle to get to California. Talk about boredom!

Before we dive into the Boredom topic, we will discuss the results of the Halloween on Main Chili Contest in Dousman, WI. Who won? Who lost? What lessons were learned along the way?

OF COURSE, we’ll be THE BEST damn boring Livestream on YouTube you have ever seen.

Boredom, Creativity and ExperimentationHaving REGULAR downtime to dream, think and create is just what the doctor ordered. The BEST ideas occur when you stop, let go, breathe and let your mind wader. It might not come immediately, but eventually your brain will work on that issue that you are struggling with and when you are hopelssly stuck…and develop a solution.

Think about it: what WAS Sir Isaac Newton doing while sitting under that apple tree?

I bet he was bored and daydreaming. Suddenly, an apple fell from the higher branch of the tree, and the apple dropped right on his head. Unique accidents while you are having downtime creates curiousity, experimentation and discovery. In Sir Issac Newton’s case, a simple event in 1665 or 1666 drove him to discover gravity.

Here are some facts about this particular discovery:

The “apple event” probably occurred in 1665 or 1666. This was during the outbreak of the Bubonic Plague.
Sir Issac Newton was probably taking a minute to be outside and be clear and free of germs, death and dying happening all around him. Approxinately 30% of the people infected with the Bubonic Plague died within two weeks! Boredom in this case was a welcome friend, and it certainly was a pathway to innovation!
Sir Isaac Newton worked on the theory of gravity for 20 years. He was testing and confirming the theory of gravity during that time.
Sir Issac Newton published the theory of gravity in his book “Principia Mathematica” in 1687.

As an engineer, we used Newton’s Second Law daily in our calculations. After all, a Force (F) is a product of mass (m) times acceleration (a): F = m*a.

Amazing what one little apple and boredom can create, isn’t it?

What is your apple? Are you bored enough to get hit in the head with that kind of inspiration?

social medLinksShow SponsorThis live-stream is brought to you by A Modern Frontier Farms: Modern Frontier Farms Website

Get all your pasture-raised beef, pork and chicken from A Modern Frontier Farms! Grass Fed; Grass Raised; 100% Delicious!

When he isn’t at a Farmer’s Market or hanging out with his wonderful wife and beautiful kids, Adam can be found at the following locations:

Modern Frontier Farms Instagram
Modern Frontier Farms TikTok

Other Related ShowsAdam has been a guest on the Small Scale Life Podcast a number of times. Here is a quick list of shows where he has been the guest or cohost:

Boredom: A Path to Mindfulness and Innovation – ANT Live 5
Hustles and Hurdles: Side Hustles and the Gig Economy – ANT Live 4
Mindset and Milestones: Prepping for a Life Upgrade – ANT Live 3
The Importance of Getting Away – ANT Live 2
Catching up with Adam Rick from Modern Frontier Farms – ANT Live 1
Small Scale Life Episode 198 – Grass Fed Farm Business with Adam Rick
Small Scale Life Episode 199 – Creating Heritage Meals and Deep Roots with Adam Rick Listen to this Episode!Listen to the Small Scale Life Podcast on any of the following apps:
Fireside.fm
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
Google Play
Podbean
iHeartRadio

To download and listen to this episode, click this text.

The post Boredom: A Path to Mindfulness and Innovation appeared first on Small Scale Life.

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In this 232nd Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Adam and I are discussing Side Hustles and the Gig Economy. It seems like there is not enough money for the month at times. One way to make resources stretch is through side hustles and the gig economy.

Why is the Gig Economy a Thing?If you look at the the data and drill down to historical wages, you will see that American wages have been stagnant since 1970. Using data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, you can see the following:

“A startling fact is that average real wages have grown by only 0.7 percent over the half century beginning in February 1973. In February 2022 dollars, wages have grown over this period by $0.18. There is no question that an $0.18 increase over a half century is correctly interpreted as stagnant.” Source: American Enterprise Institute

While wages are stagnant, wew are also dealing with spiraling prices on literally everything: housing, transportation, food, clothing, communication, entertainment, and medical care. It has not been easy to make dollars stretch at the end of the month. Lately it seems that there is more month than dollars, and we have to get very creative to make things stretch.

While my friend Adam is correct that people have held second jobs in each generation, it seems like a lot of folks are resorting to second jobs in the gig economy to make ends meet or focus extra funds on nagging l0ng term credit card, automobile or housing debt. Whatever the reason, people are using the gig economy to survice, and some are using the gig economy to thrive.

What is the Gig Economy?The Internal Revenue Service defines the Gig Economy as the following:

“The gig economy—also called sharing economy or access economy—is activity where people earn income providing on-demand work, services or goods. Often, it’s through a digital platform like an app or website.” Source: Internal Revenue Service

In layman’s terms, it is a labor market characterized by the prevalence of short-term contracts or freelance work as opposed to permanent jobs. Yes, that means employees are typically third party freelancers or independent contractors. These free lancers and/or independent contractors do not get benefits such as medical insurance, sick leave, time off or retirement benefits. Instead, they are typically 1099 “employees,” and income is reported and taxes are paid to the Internal Revenue Service from the freelancer and/or independent contractor. The gig economy holding company (Lyft, Ubrer, Uber Eats, etc) does not withold and pay taxes for you like a regular full time or part time position. See the Internal Revenue Service for more information about the tax ramifications of the gig economy.

The Internal Revenue Service also has a list of potential gig economy work and digital platforms that fall under the gig economy. See their site for more information on those jobs and digital platforms.

LinksShow SponsorThis live-stream is brought to you by A Modern Frontier Farms: Modern Frontier Farms Website

Get all your pasture-raised beef, pork and chicken from A Modern Frontier Farms! Grass Fed; Grass Raised; 100% Delicious!

Modern Frontier Farms Instagram

Other Related ShowsSmall Scale Life Episode 228 – ANT Live 1: Catching up with Adam Rick from Modern Frontier Farms

Small Scale Life Episode 198 – Grass Fed Farm Business with Adam Rick

Small Scale Life Episode 199 – Creating Heritage Meals and Deep Roots with Adam Rick

In Closing….From the North to the South
From the East to the West and
Everywhere in between.

May the gods, spirits and folk
Be blessed at this place.
May we heal the land and
Protect the soil, animals and plants.
May we live in strength and love.

Leading the Way
As we learn, do grow and
Be a little better everyday!

This is Tom from the Small Scale Life Podcast. Have a great week! We’ll be back soon with another show. In the meantime, stay safe and take care everybody!

Listen to this Episode!Listen to the Small Scale Life Podcast on any of the following apps:

Fireside.fm
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
Google Play
Podbean
iHeartRadio

To download and listen to this episode, click this text.

The post Hustles and Hurdles: Side Hustles and the Gig Economy appeared first on Small Scale Life.

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I stopped by Driftless Oaks Farm this week, and as I looked at the property, it hit me that it was one of a few fast fading dreams. I realized that I am turning the page and leaving the farm behind, and even though it sounds sad, this epiphany had to happen for me to move forward here at the Landing. In Episode 231, I discuss some observations, memories and epiphanies I had as I looked over the farmhouse, outbuildings and property.

Fading Dreams…There have been a Couple!It is no secret that moving to a farm/homestead was my dream. All you have to do is look back through the archive of Small Scale Life Podcast episodes, and you can see that I was working hard to move out of the city and move to Western Wisconsin. In fact, Julie and I looked at some properties in 2017 before moving from our rental house in St. Louis Park to North Minneapolis, Minnesota. The timing wasn’t right until 2020, and right as COVID hit, Julie and I found a little slice of heaven on the Apple River in Star Prairie, Wisconsin, about 7 miles from The Landing (our current home).

Eagle’s RidgeWe purchased the Eagles Ridge property with a dream to build a house, garden and pole barn there. It was a 2 acre property on the Apple River just north of New Richmond, Wisconsin. We worked hard clearing buckthorn, prickly ash and honey suckle (all invasives) from the property and clearing the top of the ridge so we could see the river. We also cleared down by the water and put in a long switchback path down the 60-foot bluff from the top of the ridge to the river.

COVID, riots, and global shortages pushed the cost of building a home to astronomical heights, and we decided to pivot and go a different direction. Early one morning, Julie and I woke up early, and she convinced me to put Eagle’s Ridge on a shelf and start to move on from that fading dream. It was not the right time to build a house.

Driftless Oaks FarmJulie’s brother in Texas was looking at homes and properties for us, and he found Driftless Oaks Farm. We took a look at the property and the price, and we fell in love with it. A major dream had been accomplished, and we couldn’t wait to move in as soon as possible!

Not all that glitters is gold, however. We were overwhelmed by the amount of work there, and we also ran into a massive roadblock: the house. We bought the farm with the intention of hosting gatherings there with our family and friends. I even started planning homesteading gatherings at the farm where folks would come and listen to great homesteaders and gardeners talk about things that they were doing on their homesteads. Think Self-Reliance Festival in Maiden Rock, Wisconsin!

The house was small, and we found out that contractors were not keen on working with and adding on to a 1900-era house. The farmhouse was small, and it would have been difficult to add on to the house with the stone foundation in the front and cellar in the back. Contractors recommended bringing in a bulldozer and starting from scratch.

Did we have fading dreams once we did some diligence? Yes, absolutely. It happened fast on the farm, especially after major life events in 2022. After Danny passed away, we decided it was time to sell and move away from the little farm. We did not see how we could improve the farmhouse economically and make it work for us, so it was time to put it on the market and move forward.

This Week’s EpiphanyWhen I stopped by the farm this week and observed it from the neighbor’s hill, it suddenly occurred to me that the young man that purchased the property made some significant changes for the better. He had the creativity, audacity, tenacity and the network to make some things happen. I realized after looking at our little farm for a while that our farm life was one of many fading dreams, and it was time for me to turn the page and move on forever.

In Closing….From the North to the South
From the East to the West and
Everywhere in between.

May the gods, spirits and folk
Be blessed at this place.
May we heal the land and
Protect the soil, animals and plants.
May we live in strength and love.

Leading the Way
As we learn, do grow and
Be a little better everyday!

This is Tom from the Small Scale Life Podcast. Have a great week! We’ll be back soon with another show. In the meantime, stay safe and take care everybody!

Listen to this Episode!Listen to the Small Scale Life Podcast on any of the following apps:

Fireside.fm
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
Google Play
Podbean
iHeartRadio

To download and listen to this episode, click this text.

The post Fading Dreams: Leaving the Farm Behind appeared first on Small Scale Life.

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Our topic this week on the Adam and Tom Live (ANT LIVE) is “Mindset and Milestones: Prepping for a Life Upgrade.”

Before you step out on that limb and begin a new venture, there needs to be a shift in your mindset as and your prep for a life upgrade. Starting a new job, new small business, a new project, going in a different direction or starting over again from scratch takes planning, preparation and execution. A Life Upgrade IS a big deal and will change who you are and where you are going. Trust me, I know!

There will be ups and downs along the way. Let me repeat that: there WILL be ups and downs along the way.

Prepping for the lows (and the highs) is very important. It can take time for things to come together and start to flow the right way. How do you get over those valleys and keep going? What can you do to soften the blows and damage from the inevitable setbacks and storms?

Adam started a small business and has been methodically building it over the past couple years. Julie and I ventured into the wild and tried our hands at homesteading on a small farm. One of us is still working on their dream; the other one pivoted and went in a different direction.

What worked? What didn’t? What did they learn along the way?

A life upgrade is typically not easy and something that just happens overnight. A lot of planning and hard work are involved. I mean, usually when change happens THAT fast, something dramtically good (winning the lottery) or dramatically bad has happened. In my experience, it tends to be the later, and I wouldn’t necessarily call that a “life upgrade.” Serious illness, bankrupcy, job loss, financial ruin and death are definitely massive life changes, and those are not life upgrades. Maybe once you walk through that dark valley and climb out on the other side, something good can happen, but again: it takes a lot of planning, hard work, help and therapy to get out of the pit.

For this discussion, we are focusing on the mindset, milestones and prepping for a POSITIVE life upgrade. We’ll descend into the valley in a future show for you cannot have light without the dark, and that discussion is very important as well. This is all part of the inward journey of our Small Scale Life. Do not fear the darkness because it reminds us of how good the light can be and feel.

Take a listen! We will be livestreaming on the Small Scale Life YouTube Channel at 7:30 PM Central on October 14, 2024.

As always, remember to learn, do, grow and be a little better every day. And that, my friends, is a good thing!

~Tom

LinksShow SponsorThis live-stream is brought to you by A Modern Frontier Farms: Modern Frontier Farms Website

Get all your pasture-raised beef, pork and chicken from A Modern Frontier Farms! Grass Fed; Grass Raised; 100% Delicious!

Modern Frontier Farms Instagram

Other Related ShowsSmall Scale Life Episode 229 – ANT Live 2: The Importance of Getting Away

Small Scale Life Episode 228 – ANT Live 1: Catching up with Adam Rick from Modern Frontier Farms

Small Scale Life Episode 198 – Grass Fed Farm Business with Adam Rick

Small Scale Life Episode 199 – Creating Heritage Meals and Deep Roots with Adam Rick

In Closing….From the North to the South
From the East to the West and
Everywhere in between.

May the gods, spirits and folk
Be blessed at this place.
May we heal the land and
Protect the soil, animals and plants.
May we live in strength and love.

Leading the Way
As we learn, do grow and
Be a little better everyday!

This is Tom from the Small Scale Life Podcast. Have a great week! We’ll be back soon with another show. In the meantime, stay safe and take care everybody!

Listen to this Episode!Listen to the Small Scale Life Podcast on any of the following apps:

Fireside.fm
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
Google Play
Podbean
iHeartRadio

To download and listen to this episode, click this text.

The post Mindset and Milestones: Prepping for a Life Upgrade appeared first on Small Scale Life.

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In Episode 229 of the Small Scale Life Podcast, my friend Adam Rick joins me as we discuss the importance of getting away on a short vacation or short trip. As we discuss, it can be for a few hours, a day trip or a much long trip that spans several days, week or month(s).

Both Adam and I went away this weekend. One of us had a get-away with his spouse; the other had a get-away with his son and friends (and their sons) on a fishing trip.

There are a lot of benefits to getting away for the weekend. We’ll talk about those, and maybe we’ll have some funny stories along the way. We’ll also talk about Adam’s livestock, my garden, maybe pass a recipe and discuss new things, skills or efforts we are trying this week.

As always, remember to learn, do, grow and be a little better everyday. And that, my friends, is a good thing!

~ Tom