Real talk incoming… making a plan


I’ve worked with hundreds of students now and talked to literal thousands about starting their backyard farms or homesteads. And you know what their number one issue is when it comes to making progress on their goals?

They are working from this vision they have in their mind instead of having a detailed step-by-step plan that they can take action on.

Here’s the real talk:

Not taking the time to plan it out is half donkey-butting your work.

It seems like a good idea to just get to work and not take the time to slow down and plan.

But when you do that you end up with a much bigger expense than you thought you would and you waste time doing projects that didn’t serve a purpose.

So this is what I recommend instead:

  • Take the big picture you have in your head and get it down on paper. Write out each area of your homestead dreams. For example: gardening, Meat production, and Skills (like canning, preserving, foraging etc.)
  • Then under each category write down your main goal with that. For example, If you want to raise meat for your family. How much? What type? All the little details that are important to know so you can take action on it.
  • Then fill out this sentence for each thing under each category. “I want to Meat Chickens so I can supply my family with 200 pounds of chicken which will last 6 months.
  • Now make a list of everything you would have to do in order to make those things happen. What would you have to buy, save, or build?

Ask yourself, do you REALLY want to do what it takes to make those happen? Do you have time to make those things happen? If you want to go deeper into planning your homestead the Plain Your Farm Year Masterclass will really help with this.
Don't let your frustration and the desire to reach your end goals cost you more than it has to. That is time and money that you could put toward your dream projects.

But more than that. It frees up your mental space and reduces your overall stress.
Talk soon,

Leah

Side Hustles and Productivity For Driven Moms

Helping driven women design a life that gives them time, income, and freedom—without the hustle.You are created to have balanced ambition and not settle for less.I believe that even though we live in a world that tells us we have to be in the camp of stay at home motherhood or a career driven 9-5ers we can create a life well-designed and have our own Intentional success that honors our calling.

Read more from Side Hustles and Productivity For Driven Moms

One of the biggest hangups for my students and even members of the Intentional Backyard Farmers Facebook group is getting started. While sometimes the issue is time I often think that people are trying to do too much too quickly. For those new or thinking about starting a backyard farm or homestead the key to success lies in starting small and building out SLOWLY. I know, I know easier said than done... Choose a few projects that require minimal investment in both time and money and are easy...

I’m having a pretty good but very full week of changes and doing some big, scary, heavy work that I know God wants me to do. How’s your week going? I hope great, but if not…I’ve got a story for you. About 5-ish years ago I was trying to do too much all at once. You know the drill. I had about 5 different spaces to take care of, a garden to manage, and a house that we were still trying to make consistent improvements on. I was overworked, rushing to get every single chore done and not enjoying...

Don't fight for something that just can’t be right now. It doesn’t mean it won't happen later or in a few years. Instead of spending time looking at what you wish you had on your backyard farm or not starting anything because you can’t have the size garden you want right now. Try to ask yourself “What could I do with what I have that gives me a taste of the thing I want?” I see so many people miss out on the joy that a simple herb garden or a planter on their deck could bring them because...