As a note, we will be streaming Wednesdays at 7:00 PM Central Time on the Small Scale Life YouTube Channel. Bring your floaties, river shoes, some snacks and drinky drinks. Let's go!

Grow Roots
Find Peace
Live Small
Love Big
Live Well

Remember to learn, do grow and be a little better everyday!

Speed....it can help and it can hinder.

Act too quickly, and you can make costly mistakes.

Act too slowly, and you can miss opportunities.

The reality is that we live in a fast-paced world and have a ton of things going on in our lives. There is little time to stop and take a breath, and when you do, the little cell phone demon in our hand calls to us and beckons us to Doom Scroll. Yes, the struggle of our modern world is real.

While many of us understand that, there is the other side of that coin. Homesteading and moving to the country to start a "simple life" sounds fantastic. Leaving the sirens and hustle of the bustle of the city creates peace and tranquility. However, for some of us, the silence and quiet life drains us. The silence becomes VERY, VERY loud as we need to confront the our shadow. There might be little or no escape! Ask me how I know.....

It always comes back to balance. We need to move fast enough to accomplish goals, tasks and objectives, but we need to slow down and smell the flowers, tend to our gardens, feed the birds and spend some time with family, friends, pets and livestock.

After all, those tomatoes aren't going to grow themselves, and the deer sheds aren't going to find themselves.

Adam and I are going to talk about things we can do to master speed in business and life. For some of us, we want to move faster to get more. For others like me, I want to slow down, savor and enjoy each moment, each monarch butterfly, hummingbird and oriole visiting The Landing.

It all comes back to balance.

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

Special Guest: Adam Rick.

This applies to more than business as well. Our lives are connected cycles of high activity, stress and constant action with cycles of lower activity, quiet, learning and rest.

It is true: we need those lower activity cycles to rest and recharge. At the same time, we can use those quiet times to keep learning, doing, growing and being a little better everyday in our own way.

Stop in for a spell tonight at 7:30 PM Central on the Small Scale Life YouTube Channel! I will be posting last week’s and this week’s audio on the Small Scale Life Podcast as well!

In this high pressure hustle culture, we can learn to ride the lull and use our slow time to thrive.

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

Special Guest: Adam Rick.

"No" is the most powerful and shortest sentence in the English language. Sometimes we need to just say this powerful and short sentence to friends, family, acquaintances, coworkers, bosses, customers, etc.

Adam and I are going to talk about setting boundaries and using the word no in business. We both have experiences from the house to the farmer's market to the corporate world, and as a recovering people pleaser, no can be a very uncomfortable word and sentence.

For links and show notes head to the Small Scale Life website at https://smallscalelife.com.

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, gardening, homesteading and other topics that come up.

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

Special Guest: Adam Rick.

Julie has been a world traveler this week as she has been on a much-needed vacation to the Dominican Republic. When she is away, Tommy Cakes will play! Tom has been focused on processing 2024 tomatoes and making salsa and tomato sauce, a 5"x5" mold for suet cakes, making some kombucha and completing some home improvement projects.

On Ant Live 14, Adam challenged Tom to do a 24-Hour fast. After thinking about it during the show, Tom agreed to run a fast from Wednesday to Thursday. Having just completed the fast, Tom describes how he was feeling and how he pushed through the headaches and hunger during the 24-hour period. To be honest, it wasn't that bad!

Tom completed a 36 hour fast on Friday to Sunday that week, but that was after he recorded this show.

For more information and links, head over to Small Scale Life. Remember to learn, do, grow and be a little better everyday!

To make progress on goals, it helps to have an accountability partner. In this episode, Tom and Adam discuss progress on small business and wellness goals at the end of January 2025.

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.

For more links and show notes, head over to the Small Scale Life for more. Remember to learn, do, grow and be a little better everyday!

Special Guest: Adam Rick.

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. There are benefits and drawbacks to Monk Mode, and Adam and I are talking about them in ANT Live 14.

Here are our show topics:

Catching Up
Definition of Monk Mode
Benefits of Monk Mode
Drawbacks to Monk Mode
Tips for Successfully going into and out of Monk Mode

It should be a great show!

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, gardening, homesteading and other topics that come up.

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

~ Tom

LINKS:

🌱A Modern Frontier Website: https://www.amodernfrontier.com

🌱Small Scale Life Website: https://www.smallscalelife.com

🌱Small Scale Life Group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/4raJ4B...

🌱Small Scale Gardening Group on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/share/dua9Po...

🌱Small Scale Life Wellness Club Group on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/rd2j...

DISCLAIMER

At 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.

To see more about gardening, connecting with nature, wellness, mindset, and interviews with some cool people, check out the Small Scale Life Podcast and our site at https://smallscalelife.com

Learn, do, grow and be a little better everyday. And that, my friends, is a good thing!

Special Guest: Adam Rick.

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

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

~ Tom

LINKS:

🌱A Modern Frontier Website: https://www.amodernfrontier.com

🌱Small Scale Life Website: https://www.smallscalelife.com

🌱Small Scale Life Group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/4raJ4BdYYnqSspeV/?mibextid=K35XfP

🌱Small Scale Gardening Group on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/share/dua9PobD1A82ANXC/?mibextid=K35XfP

🌱Small Scale Life Wellness Club Group on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/rd2j5aR2TBPgchy7/?mibextid=K35XfP

DISCLAIMER

At 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.

To see more about gardening, connecting with nature, wellness, mindset, and interviews with some cool people, check out the Small Scale Life Podcast and our site at https://smallscalelife.com

Learn, do, grow and be a little better everyday. And that, my friends, is a good thing!

Special Guest: Adam Rick.

We have 9 days 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!

~ Tom

LINKS:

🌱A Modern Frontier Website: https://www.amodernfrontier.com

🌱Small Scale Life Website: https://www.smallscalelife.com

🌱Small Scale Life Group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/4raJ4BdYYnqSspeV/?mibextid=K35XfP

🌱Small Scale Gardening Group on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/share/dua9PobD1A82ANXC/?mibextid=K35XfP

🌱Small Scale Life Wellness Club Group on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/rd2j5aR2TBPgchy7/?mibextid=K35XfP

DISCLAIMER:

I 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.

To see more about mindset, homesteading, adventures and interviews with some cool people, check out the Small Scale Life Podcast and our site at https://smallscalelife.com

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

Special Guest: Adam Rick.

Maybe it was the full moon, maybe it was the winter solstice energy, maybe it was the old Yule traditions...whatever it is, we are covering it tonight. We look forward to our awesome audience providing input and questions as usual,. and I am sure we will dive down some strange rabbit holes with these topics.

Oh come, all ye faithful
Joyful and triumphant
Let's talk about
Magic, technology, Old Gods, Old Ways, traditions, the New Year and aliens....why the hell not?

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!

Ho Ho Ho! Drink your drinks with your pinky out, and let's go!

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! See you tonight!

~ Tom

LINKS:

🌱A Modern Frontier Website: https://www.amodernfrontier.com

🌱Small Scale Life Website: https://www.smallscalelife.com

🌱Small Scale Life Group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/4raJ4BdYYnqSspeV/?mibextid=K35XfP

🌱Small Scale Gardening Group on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/share/dua9PobD1A82ANXC/?mibextid=K35XfP

🌱Small Scale Life Wellness Club Group on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/rd2j5aR2TBPgchy7/?mibextid=K35XfP

DISCLAIMER:

I 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.

To see more about mindset, homesteading, adventures and interviews with some cool people, check out the Small Scale Life Podcast and our site at https://smallscalelife.com

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

Special Guest: Adam Rick.

Adam attended all four days of the 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 Adam will lead 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 ant 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.

For links, support and other information, check out the Small Scale Life website at https://smallscalelife.com.

Special Guest: Adam Rick.

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 byy 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.

For links, show notes and support, check out more at https://smallscalelife.com. Please note: the article has a lot more of my commentary about each of the 20 Steps.

Special Guest: Adam Rick.

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).

For links, support and show notes about the 10 Steps for How to Find Your First Customer and some more of my thoughts on the RFK Fast Food scandal, check out my post at smallscalelife.com.

Special Guest: Adam Rick.

But we are meant for so much more than that.  The world is a big, amazing place that is full of opportunity if we are willing to work for it, but we tell ourselves we can't do better, we couldn't do better and we don't deserve better....so we don't ever try.

Let's try to break that pattern and stinking thinking, shall we?

This week on ANT Live, Tom and Adam are going to talk about Dreams, Goals and How to Manifest Your Future.

Manifesting your future is an exciting and empowering process that combines clarity, intention, action, and belief. While it’s often associated with visualization and the Law of Attraction, the underlying principles of manifesting your dreams and goals are more about aligning your thoughts, emotions, and actions with the future you desire.

I am sure you are saying, "Sure, that sounds good and all, but how do you manifest your future?"

As I have gotten older, I realized from my own experience that it is possible to manifest your future.  You can achieve those dreams and goals, but the keys are aligning your thoughts, you actions and your focused intensity over time.  It is possible, especially when we understand the execute on the 9 steps for Manifesting Your Future.

I am sure Adam has a lot to say from his own experience. After all, he is manifesting his dream with each Farmer's Market and sale!

Special Guest: Adam Rick.

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.

 For links and show notes, head over to Small Scale Life Website!

Special Guest: Adam Rick.

When you are super busy, you don’t have time to let your mind wander and solve problems. You just don’t have capacity. The same can be said when you are holding on for dear life in Survival Mode. Having REGULAR downtime to dream, think and create is just what the doctor ordered, especially if you are stuck.

Think about it: what WAS Sir Isaac Newton doing while sitting under that apple tree? He was bored, and an apple dropped right on his head. VIOLA! Gravity was discovered!

Adam Rick and I will be covering this and a whole lot more on tonight’s show. We must 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.

ANT Live starts at 7:30 PM Central on the Small Scale Life YouTube Channel on Monday.

For links and show notes, head over to https://smallscalelife.com.

Special Guest: Adam Rick.

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.

The ANT Live Show is on the Small Scale Life YouTube Channel every Monday night at 7:30 PM Central. For links and show notes, head over to Small Scale Life website at https:///smallscalelife.com.

Special Guest: Adam Rick.

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’s a good thing!

~ Tom

LINKS:

This live-stream is brought to you by A Modern Frontier Farms: https://www.amodernfrontier.com

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

🌱Small Scale Life Website: https://www.smallscalelife.com

DISCLAIMER:

I 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.

To see more about our wellness journey, gardens, homesteading adventures and interviews with some cool people, check out the Small Scale Life Podcast and our site at https://smallscalelife.com

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

Special Guest: Adam Rick.

Pressing Forward!

This week's guest is Maria the Intuitive Energy Healer, and we are talking about How to Set Your 2023 Guiding Words and Mantras. We will discuss our Guiding Words from last year and how they served us and how things worked out. Then, we will dive into our 2023 Guiding Words and Mantras. Finally, Maria takes command of the show by telling us How to Set Your 2023 Guiding Words and providing some examples of Guiding Words. Maybe one of those words will resonate with you!

Please head over to https://smallscalelife.com to see links to Maria's website and social media, as well as links to other times Maria has been a guest on the Small Scale Life Podcast.

As part of the New Year self inventory and goal setting exercise, I have 10 questions that I have asked myself (and one bonus question). As I thought about where I have been, where I am currently at and where I want to go, I developed the 2023 Project Me Initiative.

What is that?

Well, you'll have to go listen to the Small Scale Life Podcast to find out! Also, for more links and show notes, head to https://smallscalelife.com.

How is it going? How are you feeling? Are you making it through these tough times and cold weather?

It can be hard this time of year. It feels like Spring is never going to get here, and we have a long stretch of sea before us before we get to a warmer seas and safe ports.

On our course, there a rocks, reefs and sandbars that can snag our sailing ship. We can get stuck and hung up there, and that can be dangerous in foggy or stormy seas.

You didn’t know you tuned in to a sailing podcast, did you?

This is all a metaphor for life right now. Many of us are struggling with issues and problems, and sometimes we get stuck. We stop moving and get bashed and battered, much like a ship stuck on a rock, reef, or sandbar. Captains use charts, buoys and Lighthouses to safely navigate rivers, seas and oceans. We need the same in our lives as we deal with problems, issues and hang-ups.

On this 185th Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, let’s put on our Captain’s hat, hoist the sails and grab the charts and a glass. After all, its time to discuss When the Struggle is Real, Find Your Lighthouse to skirt the rocks and find better seas or a safe harbor. We can even say “Yarrrrrr” as we do it, maties! Now bring me that horizon…Yo ho!

For show notes and links, head over to smallscalelife.com!

I recently posted the following quote on the Small Scale Life Instagram feed:

“It’s hard to have a bad day when you START your day with gratitude.”

Truth be told, I didn’t just develop this quote out of thin air. Julie says it around the house (now around the apartment) a lot, and it is true. Practicing gratitude and being thankful really does change our outlook on life and results in helping us lead happier lives.

In this episode, I will be discussing 9 steps for practing gratitude in your own life. I am not an expert in this yet, but I am trying these steps out in my own life. For more information, please see the article titled "Practicing Gratitude for the Good, Bad and the Ugly" on smallscalelife.com!

As things are changing, now is the time to do some thinking and introspection. We need to come up with new ways to do things. Going back to “normal” might not be an option. We need to come up with new ideas to do things: education, business, socializing, finance, etc.

For more on this topic, check out the show notes and links in the article titled Adapting, Adjusting and Overcoming on smallscalelife.com. Click this text to get a direct link to that article.

You might be asking: what is a Caldera and what can I learn from it? You might be wondering if old Tommy Cakes drank too much or smoked something funny over in Hawaii. Trust me, my friends, I am completely sober and drug-free, and I will explain everything if you stick with me.

In this 160th Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, I am going to briefly discuss our wonderful trip to Hawaii, define a Caldera, discuss the 12 Unique New Year’s Resolutions from a Caldera, and walk through a practical application of these Resolutions in your own life.

[For show notes and other links, please see the post titled Unique New Year's Resolutions from a Caldera by clicking on this text.](simple living, minimalism, homesteading,)

Why do we feel this way and what can you do about it?

In this podcast, I am mainly going to focus on young adults going back to school or heading off to college for the first time. A friend is feeling that sense of loss and depression after sending his son to college several states away. He was feeling pretty bad, and I wanted to respond to some of his questions in this podcast.

The bottom line is that you have to let these young adults launch and start to explore their world. We are going to have to give up some control; these young adults are out of sight and out of "reach" (so to speak). You don't have control, and you need to let them learn.

On the other hand, there are some things we can do to prepare for this phase of life. We need to have a plan in case things go awry. Life happens, and it can catch you by surprise if you don't have a plan. At the same time, there are some things we need to do to think about the next phase of OUR LIVES. Yes, the kids are going to leave the nest, so what comes next?

Remember: failing to plan is planning to fail. We want you to be the best you, so start to put that thinking cap on, make some plans and execute!

For more information and links in the show notes, check out the article titled "Preparing for the Next Phase of Life" on smallscalelife.com!

What happens when we do put those mountains in front of us on purpose?

Last weekend, Julie, Savannah, the Old Trapper and I got to witness what happens when 110 souls put running up and then down a mountain that they put in their life on purpose. We witnessed these 110 runners competing in the Last Runner Standing Ultramarathon where these athletes truly began climbing mountains with mindset, heart and dedication!

In this post and podcast, I will discuss the following topics:

• What is an Ultramarathon?
• What is the Last Runner Standing Ultramarathon?
• The Ultramarathon Community
• Winners
• Running the Last Runner Standing Ultramarathon – In their Own Words

[For more information, please head over to the article titled "Last Runner Standing Ultramarathon" on smallscalelife.com!](https://www.smallscalelife.com/last-runner-standing-ultramarathon/)

For more on this story and to see pictures from this podcast, check out the article titles Overcoming October Blues on Small Scale Life!

In this episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, I am discussing the new weekly post in the Small Scale Life Facebook Group called my "weekend three things."  I also include a summary of the Zac Brown Band Concert in Minneapolis,  Julie's first triathlon and much, much more! 

For more information, pictures and the awesome show notes, head over to Small Scale Life for more on this podcast!

For more information about this episode, please read more on [Small Scale Life](www.smallscalelife.com).

In case you are having trouble understanding the audio file, the following is a translation of the audio file from host Tommy Cakes.

Who is Tommy Cakes?

Live on the Small Scale Life Podcast, it is Midweek Motivation featuring Tommy Cakes.

Hey, how are you?  I am Tommy Cakes.  Who am I?  I'm a guy from someplace, friends with some people and doing some things.  Don't worry about it!

What I can tell you is that I am in the import and export business.

• I import knowledge
• I export that information at premium prices!

I will give you a little coastal cosmopolitan insight and motivation weekly on Small Scale Life.

Introduction – Feeling Overwhelmed

As many of you know, I have been on the road a lot recently.  When you are gone from your home and family, things start to pile up.  Sure, you might be meeting excellent people and doing great things on the road, but life feels out of control.  Things break, the lawn grows, and business needs attention.

These things start to weigh on your mind and bog you down.  Returning home, you suddenly have a lot to do before you reload and head out again.  As that to do list grows and the tasks get more complex, so does that feeling of panic and dread.

You can easily feel overwhelmed by the demands of family, work and life.  That feeling can wash over you, and if you are not careful, you will get nothing done because you feel paralyzed by the amount of work on your plate.

That is how I am feeling as we roll into this weekend.  How are you doing?

To read more about how to Remedy Feeling Overwhelmed, head on over to read the rest of the story on Small Scale Life!

In case you are having trouble understanding the audio file, the following is a translation of the audio file from host Tommy Cakes.

Who is Tommy Cakes?

Live on the Small Scale Life Podcast, it is Midweek Motivation featuring Tommy Cakes.

Hey, how are you?  I am Tommy Cakes.  Who am I?  I'm a guy from someplace, friends with some people and doing some things.  Don't worry about it!

What I can tell you is that I am in the import and export business.

• I import knowledge
• I export that information at premium prices!

I will give you a little coastal cosmopolitan insight and motivation weekly on Small Scale Life.

Story Time

If you look at modern Western Civilization today, and we have never been more distracted in our lives.

Don’t believe me?

Look around you: there are people who are tuning out of reality around them and completely tuning into the computer in their hands.

A great example of our distracted lives plays out every day on our nation’s roadways.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,450 people died in 2016 due to distracted driving.  391,000 were injured in motor vehicles crashes involving distracted drivers in 2015.

Many of those injuries and deaths are from talking or texting on your phone, eating and drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, or fiddling with the stereo, entertainment or navigation system. On a given day during daylight hours, the NHTSA states that more than 481,000 people are using their cell phones while driving.

You have seen these people, haven’t you?  They weave and bob in their lanes, correcting radically when they realize they are drifting into other lanes. The sad reality is: at 55 mph, texting on your cell phone for 5 seconds is like driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed.  That is alarming!

Midweek Motivation Lesson - Stop Distractions: Focus!

Compared to our parents and grandparents, we live our lives at an incredibly hectic pace.  We are constantly on the go between work, school, activities, and kids’ activities (especially 24/7/365 sports).  Western Civilization has embraced and promoted multitasking and “on-the-go” hectic lifestyles in this modern age.  We push the limits to find one extra minute to send a text or make a phone call.

How often are you eating a meal in the car “on-the-go” to another event or obligation? What are we really accomplishing and are we really happy with this lifestyle?

There is no reason we need to live like this.  We can take some time, feel the sunshine, walk in the hills and mountains and breathe some fresh air.  Stop distractions by slowing down and focusing on the people and things in your surroundings.

Make the time by taking the time. You cannot change Western Civilization, but you can change how you act and behave in it!

Source

Sources for today’s Midweek Motivation include:

Statistics and cover photo courtesy of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Special Thanks from Tommy Cakes

I would like to thank Greg Burns from Natures Image Farm and Doneil Freeman from Freeman Family Farms for the INSPIRATION to do this Midweek Motivation Podcast.  You two ARE the wind beneath my wings!

Also I would like to thank Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) for the "Kool Kats" theme music. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

Badda boom, badda bing!  Dat's how we do it!

Please go to Small Scale Life for links, more information and the text of the podcast,

• Learn as much as you can.
• Get busy working on your passions.
• Grow your skills.  Connect with others.
• Always be ready to jump on opportunities.
• When you get your shot, perform like you mean it and have some fun to get it done!

In case you are having trouble understanding the audio file, the following is a translation of the audio file from host Tommy Cakes.

Who is Tommy Cakes?

Live on the Small Scale Life Podcast, it is Midweek Motivation featuring Tommy Cakes.

Hey, how are you?  I am Tommy Cakes.  Who am I?  I'm a guy from someplace, friends with some people and doing some things.  Don't worry about it!

What I can tell you is that I am in the import and export business.

I import knowledge
I export that information at premium prices!
I will give you a little coastal cosmopolitan insight and motivation weekly on Small Scale Life.

Sorry for last week; I was called out on business and had to get some things done.  The good thing is: we have a great story this week that should inspire you and push you forward.  Before we begin, here is a question for you to ponder:

Would you be ready to drop everything and go if opportunity knocks? 

Story Time – Be Ready Player One

Somewhere in Middle America, an ordinary guy found himself under the lights of a big game in front of thousands of fans and the press.  The pressure was on: the game seemed to be in hand since the home team was ahead by four points.  However, the backup to the starting player had just developed cramps and had the leave the game. It was up to our hero to finish the game and help his time to a win.

The hero of this story is an accountant by day; he is not a professional player at all.  In fact, years ago he played college hockey, and now he plays as goalie in a recreation league at night. Like some other local backup goalies, our hero usually sat near the press box, eating free food and waiting “on-call” as an emergency backup in case the professionals couldn’t finish a game.  It was unlikely that the accountant would be called in to play.  It was an easy gig: eat food, watch the game, root for his home team.  What’s not to love?

As he was a block away from the arena, our hero was alerted that he might have to be ready to play.  If something happened, it was up to our everyday accounting hero to come off the bench, put on his helmet and finish the game.

On this night, however, the starts, sun and moon aligned.  The starting goalie was out with an injury, and the backup left the game with cramps.  The head coach leaned over and told accountant Scott Foster, “Put your helmet on; you’re in.”

The accountant Scott Foster played fourteen and a half minutes as a Blackhawk goalie against the Jets. He blocked shots, and he won the love of Blackhawks fans.  At the end of the game, he helped secure the victory, was celebrated by fan and player alike, and entered his name into the storied Chicago Blackhawk history and lore.

Midweek Motivation Lesson: Be Ready Player One

Life takes unforeseen twists and turns sometimes. If you aren’t ready, you can miss opportunities when they present yourself.  Always remember:

• Learn as much as you can.
• Get busy working on your passions.
• Grow your skills.  Connect with others.
• Always be ready to jump on opportunities.
• When you get your shot, perform like you mean it and have some fun to get it done!

After all, you never know when someone will turn to you and say, “Ready Player One?  Put on your helmet; you’re in!” Always be ready!

That’s all I got this week.  This is Tommy Cakes, and I’ll see you next week!  Bada boom, bada bing!

Sources
The source of this story was theathletic.com and the source of the cover art Dennis Wierzbiki and USA Today Sports.

Special Thanks from Tommy Cakes

I would like to thank Greg Burns from Natures Image Farm and Doneil Freeman from Freeman Family Farms for the INSPIRATION to do this Midweek Motivation Podcast.  You two ARE the wind beneath my wings!

Also I would like to thank Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) for the "Kool Kats" theme music. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

Badda boom, badda bing!  Dat's how we do it!

Topics Discussed on this Episode

Julie and I discussed the following topics on this episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast.

Julie is back on the show!

• 5 Steps to Developing a Simple and Intentional Life
• Hey Mom and Dad, we don’t want your stuff
• Four generations are practicing Minimalism in the current year: Greatest Generation, Boomers, GenX and Millennials
• “Right-Sizing,” Trendies and Millennial Nomads Dave Ramsey and the 2008 Collapse
• “Working very hard to earn money to pay for houses we can’t afford and impress people we don’t like”
• Expectations, time preference and delayed satisfaction
• Learning from the Crash of 2008 Julie’s Work to Declutter the Basement
• Declutter the basement over the weekend
• Clear it out and start fresh before you begin more projects 5 Steps to Declutter
• Determine your timeline and formulate your strategy
• Create 4 bins to sort items as you purge
• For items in the “Give” bin, take them immediately to your car
• For items in the “Keep” bin, ask yourself two questions
• Does it serve a purpose?
• Does it bring you joy?
• For items in your “Undecided” bin, keep 1 month and revisit the bin.
• Make sure you keep the bin visible for the entire time.  IF you haven’t used or thought of the items in the bin, get rid of it!

Once Decluttering is Complete....

• Restock the shelves and drawers in an organized manner. Julie’s tip; “USE LABELS!”

Question from the Audience

• "What was the biggest benefit you saw from the Minimalist Lifestyle Change?" - Jay Dolan
• Members of the Small Scale Life Facebook Group had a number of great questions, but they came in after the show was recorded. We will record a new show where we answer these questions, so if you have questions, please add them to the thread in the Small Scale Life Facebook Group or add them as a comment to this show on smallscalelife.com.

Friends of Small Scale Life

Aussie Flame Weeders – My friend Mick at Aussie Flame Weeders is offering flame weeders to reduce your non-revenue producing workload. If you want to eliminate weeds from your garden beds, a flame weeder is an efficient way to do it.  I mean, who doesn’t want to burn pesky weeds with fire?  Mick’s flame weeders are perfect for 30 inch (80 cm) garden beds and feature five stainless steel burners, 16” wheels and an ergonomic design that carries a propane tank so you don’t have to.  Even if you don’t purchase a flame weeder, sign up on the Aussie Flame Weeder e-mail list to get access to videos and information.

Gnarled Knot Design - From the Land of Illinois, our good friends Phil and Jen love to create furniture and home décor items to make your house feel like a cozy home. Since they were running out of space in their own home, they decided to share our items with others. So, if you are looking for customized and personalized furniture, signs or other items, connect with Phil and Jen at Gnarled Knot Design on Facebook, Instragram or Etsy. Connect with Phil and Jen today!

Who is Tommy Cakes?

Live on the Small Scale Life Podcast, it is Midweek Motivation featuring Tommy Cakes.

Hey, how are you?  I am Tommy Cakes.  Who am I?  I'm a guy from someplace, friends with some people and doing some things.  Don't worry about it!

What I can tell you is that I am in the import and export business.

• I import knowledge
• I export that information at premium prices!

I will give you a little coastal cosmopolitan insight and motivation weekly on Small Scale Life

Introduction – Fun to Done

This is a Late Week Motivation this week. What can I say?  Business has been good and keeping Tommy Cakes on the run.  This is a good thing: it means more stuff is happening and Tommy is getting paid!  Fortunately, I have some time to relax before I go to the lounge, so I am going to get this done for you!

Many of us set lofty goals and resolutions with the best intentions.  We dream big and then make grand announcements to all of our family and friends.  We say things like, “This time is different; I am ready.  This is my chance to change!  My goal is X!”

We see this all the time at the start of a new year.  As we talked about in Episode 13, we concoct all kinds of goals and resolutions, and by the end of January, 64% of us have stopped trying.  By March 1st, 80% of us have dropped off.  Haven’t you noticed it at the gym, pool or in the sauna recently?  There are a lot less waiting for a machine, a lane or bench space for the gun show to begin.

Why is that?

Goals and Resolutions Don’t Work

We have the best intentions when we start with our big goal and resolutions.  We don’t intend to fail.  We want change, but then something happens.

Psychologically, we associate goals and resolutions with pain, misery and drudgery.  Who wants to be miserable eating kale when you can have some fantastic lasagna, red wine and cannoli?

We see this with people trying to lose weight.  They set a goal, and then they think the quickest way to get to done is to start running, yet they can hardly walk around the block.  After two days of jogging, they are so sore they can’t even move!  This destroys motivation, and then the poor person gives up.  Kevin Geary talked about this in an interview here on Small Scale Life.  Michael Bell also talked about this during his discussion about fitness and weight lifting in Season 2, Episode 25.

Midweek Motivation: Fun to Done

Instead of pushing a massive bolder up a steep hill, we all need to rethink our goals and resolutions and inject the fun to done mentality into our everyday lives. Why not?  The project or work needs to get done somehow!

• Instead of hating to eating kale or broccoli, why not add a little butter to it?
• Instead of running or jogging, why not go for a hike in a beautiful place or walk with your spouse or the dog? Notice I did not equate the two!
• Instead of swimming laps in a pool, why not swim with your kids or in a lake?
• Instead of working out in a stale, sweaty gym, why not work in the garden or yard?

Inject the fun to done mentality into your goals and resolutions.  Make it an adventure or a journey.  Stop making it a miserable marathon of sweat, blood and tears.  Identify something you like to do and incorporate your goals into that activity.  You might find that you get things done AND have some fun while doing it.  After all, how do you think Tommy Cakes got on the air in the first place?

That’s all I got this week.  Add some fun into your lives!  This is Tommy Cakes, and I’ll see you next week!  Bada boom, bada bing!

“Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done”

This episode was inspired by author Jon Acuff in his book “Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done.”  As a person who has “squirrel syndrome,” which is a trait of ENFP personality types, I have found that adding some fun into my work and my goals has helped me accomplish so many more things.  Why?  Because those fun things are so much more enjoyable to do and complete!

Not everything is going to be fun.  Taxes are boring, painting a room is tedious and filing reports is downright dull.  However, you can overcome that and get things done.

In the book (particularly Chapter 4), Jon Acuff has some great techniques for getting projects done and goals achieved.  I recommend you listen or read his book today!  It is actually a fun read!  Get after it, and add fun to done to your life!

Special Thanks from Tommy Cakes

I would like to thank Greg Burns from Natures Image Farm and Doneil Freeman from Freeman Family Farms for the INSPIRATION to do this Midweek Motivation Podcast.  You two ARE the wind beneath my wings!

Also I would like to thank Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) for the "Kool Kats" theme music. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

Badda boom, badda bing!  Dat's how we do it!

In this episode, my wife Julie Domres is my special guest, and we discuss some of Before we get to that, let me ask you a couple questions: does your stuff stress you out?  Do all the materials, goods, and things in you house and garage give you a sense of dread or anxiety?  My guest and I are going to take you on a journey.

Show Notes for 5 Steps to Developing a Simple and Intentional Life

In this podcast, Julie and I discussed the following topics and links:

Friends of Small Scale Life (see below)

• Gnarled Knot Design
• Nature's Image Farms

Introductions

• Who is Julie?
• What has been happening the past couple weeks?
• Weekend to Remember Marriage Retreat - Family Life
• Moving Our Stuff Home

Our Story 

• Moving Out and Storing Stuff
• Planting Our Flag in North Minneapolis
• Schemes and Ideas
• Decision Process and Finalizing "The Plan"
• Our Journey to Develop a Simple and Intentional and Life
• Survival Mode and Chasing Dollars
• Jobs, Kids and Life

Minimalism - Learn, Do and Grow in Motion

• How did we find Minimalism?
• Tom - Local Author and Blogger Aaron Clarey - Captain Capitalism Website
• Julie - The Minimalism Documentary
• Going to see the Minimalists in Minneapolis (link to podcast of the event)
• Other Minimalists
• Josh Becker - Becoming Minimalist
• Colin Write - Exile Lifestyle
• Patrick Rhone - Minneapolis Author of "Enough"
• What does it mean to us?

5 Steps to Developing a Simple and Intentional Life

• Eliminating Clutter
• Reducing Time Commitments
• Reducing and Eliminating Debt
• Replacing Screens with Reality and People
• Defining What's Truly Important in Your Life

Putting It All Together

• Key Topics, Thank You's and What's Coming Up

Who is Tommy Cakes?

Live on the Small Scale Life Podcast, it is Midweek Motivation featuring Tommy Cakes.

Hey, how are you?  I am Tommy Cakes.  Who am I?  I'm a guy from someplace, friends with some people and doing some things.  Don't worry about it!

What I can tell you is that I am in the import and export business.

• I import knowledge
• I export that information at premium prices!

I will give you a little coastal cosmopolitan insight and motivation weekly on Small Scale Life

Introduction

A lot of us get to the end of the year and we are excited to get a new slate and a new chance to do things different.  Many of us want to change something in our lives:

• Lose weight
• Get healthy
• Stop drinking
• Stop smoking
• Travel more
• Get ride of clutter
• Get organized
• Start a new business
• Others - yada yada yada

How many of us set goals and resolutions for the New Year?  How many of us have already dropped by the wayside and punted on those goals?

Statistically speaking, research has shown that 31 days after the first of the year, 64 percent of you have dropped your New Years Resolutions.  By March 1st, more than 80 percent of you have dropped those New Year’s Resolutions and goals.  You can see this at the gyms: the crowds that created standing room only and long wait times for equipment has eased up or evaporated completely.

How many of you are like that?  Does one of these questions describe your state of mind:

• Do you get frustrated with your progress and results?
• Did you fall back into your same old patterns?
• Do you lack the time to put into this resolution?
• Do you lack a game plan for success?
• Did you forget the reason why you started?

There are ways to break the chains of failure and defeat.  You can accomplish your goal successfully!

4 Tips to Keep Going

It is tough to keep going, especially when times are tough.  Here are some ideas on how to keep motivated and making progress:

Get a coach or accountability partner – Working with someone can help push and motivate you when you lose motivation. A good coach or accountability partner has your back and will keep you on task, even when times are hard.  After all, you don’t want to let that coach or accountability partner down!
Start small; go low and slow – Too many of us go all out after we haven’t been doing something for a long time. Then we get really, really frustrated when change doesn’t happen or when you are sore.  Go low and slow, but do it consistently.  It will help with your recovery and motivation.
Make it part of your daily routine – Block off some time every day to devote to your goal. Focus on that doing activities that get you closer to that goal during that time.  Do not get distracted by people or screens!
Track your progress – Take notes and document your progress. It might not seem like you are moving a mountain initially, but when you look back after a month or a year, you will see how far you have come!

Midweek Motivation Lesson: Keep Going

Change is hard.  We are impatient creatures, and when results aren’t immediately seen, we throw up our hands and stop doing what we are doing.

Keep going.  Keep pushing yourself.  You might be on the verge of a breakthrough, but you will never know if you give up.  Do the following things to keep going:

• Get a coach or accountability partner
• Start small; go low and slow
• Make it part of your daily routine
• Track your progress

That’s all I got this week.  This is Tommy Cakes, and I’ll see you next week!  Bada boom, bada bing!

Sources

Sources for today’s Midweek Motivation include:

New Study Reveals How Long New Year’s Resolutions Usually Last
80% of New Year's resolutions fail by February — here's how to keep yours
How long do people keep their New Year resolutions?

Special Thanks from Tommy Cakes

I would like to thank Greg Burns from Natures Image Farm and Doneil Freeman from Freeman Family Farms for the INSPIRATION to do this Midweek Motivation Podcast.  You two ARE the wind beneath my wings!

Also I would like to thank Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) for the "Kool Kats" theme music. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

Badda boom, badda bing!  Dat's how we do it!

Who is Tommy Cakes?

Live on the Small Scale Life Podcast, it is Midweek Motivation featuring Tommy Cakes.
Hey, how are you? I am Tommy Cakes. Who am I? I'm a guy from someplace, friends with some people and doing some things. Don't worry about it!

What I can tell you is that I am in the import and export business.

• I import knowledge
• I export that information at premium prices!

I will give you a little coastal cosmopolitan insight and motivation weekly on Small Scale Life.

Introduction – Super Bowl Spectacular

This is a little different Midweek Motivation. In the past three episodes (which have done really well, so that tells me you like this stuff), we have talked about:

• Keeping Our Eyes on the Target
• Preparedness and
• Overcoming Dread

This show, however, is a little different. We are going to talk about something else, ripped right from the headlines, if you will.

In case you somehow missed it, the big game, the big dance, the Super Bowl was last weekend in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This is only the second time Minnesota hosted the Big Game: the first time was in the Metrodome and now it was in that fancy billion dollar stadium. People in Minnesota are just not used to having big games like this in their town.

This game featured the New England Patriots against the Philadelphia Eagles. As you probably know, the Patriots have been in and won the Super Bowl a bunch of times, and the Eagles have been in the Big Game, but they have never won the actual Super Bowl. Obviously I am giving some credit to the early Eagles teams that won championships in the 1960’s before the merger.

Story Time

Let’s talk about what happened BEFORE the Super Bowl here in the Twin Cities. It really is a tale of two cities, and the contrast is interesting to discuss. Let me paint two pictures for you.

St. Paul

There is a lot happening in Minnesota even without the Big Game. This time of year, St. Paul hosts The Winter Carnival, which is a festival that includes all kinds of activities to celebrate winter. The Winter Carnival started in 1886, and this year it goes from January 25th to February 10th. There is a whole mythology and pageantry surrounding the rise of King Boreas, Queen Aurora their court and Klondike Kate. At the same time, there is a story about the rise and shenanigans of King Boreas’ arch nemesis Vulcanus Rex and his Vulcan Crew.

There is a hunt for the medallion (sponsored by the St. Paul Pioneer Press), ice sculpture competition, snow slides, parades, concerts with local talent and sometimes a massive ice castle. It is quite a celebration of winter and distinctly Minnesotan! For more on that, go to this link: https://www.wintercarnival.com/

Minneapolis

While the Winter Carnival is a St. Paul event, the Super Bowl is a Minneapolis show. The stadium is in Minneapolis, and a lot of the activities were focused around the US Bank Stadium and around Minneapolis. On this note, the NFL and their corporate sponsors rolled into town and set up shop. This included a whole “Minnesota Experience presented by Verizon” in downtown Minneapolis, where Nicollet Avenue (which is a transit-only roadway), that included booths for sponsors and a patch of snow for doing “winter stuff.” There were corporate events, zip line, and concerts. Oh yeah, they finally held a game and dropped some paper all over the field when it was done and over.

Did I mention the celebrities that we here for the Super Bowl? Oh yes, they were all over Minneapolis in the fresh snow and cold! There was Justin Timberlake, Jimmy Fallon, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Kevin Hart, Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani, Pink, JLo, Bradley Cooper, Joe Biden, Stephan Curry, Alex Rodriquez, Donnie Wahlberg, Gary Vaynerchuk, JJ Watt, Floyd Mayweather in his coat, and Diddy in his bigger fur coat with his entourage. That is quite a cast of characters zipping around the Twin Cities showing up here and there, doing their celebrity things!

Midweek Motivation Lesson

So what is the point of all this? I know what some of you are thinking. This is sportsball and celebrity stuff, and I know a lot of you don’t really care. That’s where you are absolutely wrong, my friends.

The point of this story and your Midweek Motivation is the following:
In today’s crazy world, we are all looking for something in our lives that are real, have meaning and are pure. Stop looking for that in mass media, sports and Hollywood. It isn’t there. Look for that kind of authenticity and reality in local events, festivals and gatherings in your community, with your neighbors, friends and family. Events and gatherings like the Winter Carnival in St. Paul that are built on community traditions, mythology and storytelling are where authentic and real memories should be created.

Don’t waste your time with the NFL, Super Bowl, Hollywood, celebrities and their shenanigans. None of it is real. All of there world is hype and a sales pitch for a corporate, plastic world. After all, once the game was over, the private and corporate jets line up and flew off, and all that was left was their trash.

Let that sink in for a moment.

Now, I have to get back in the lounge to spend my winnings from the Super Bowl. I won big, so it’s time for my drink, some capicola, veal parmesan and canollis! I might even buy everyone a round! This is Tommy Cakes, and I’ll see you next week! Bada boom, bada bing!

Special Thanks from Tommy Cakes

I would like to thank Greg Burns from Natures Image Farm and Doneil Freeman from Freeman Family Farms for the INSPIRATION to do this Midweek Motivation Podcast. You two ARE the wind beneath my wings!
Also I would like to thank Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) for the "Kool Kats" theme music. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.
Badda boom, badda bing! Dat's how we do it!

Who is Tommy Cakes?

Live on the Small Scale Life Podcast, it is Midweek Motivation featuring Tommy Cakes.

Hey, how are you?  I am Tommy Cakes.  Who am I?  I'm a guy from someplace, friends with some people and doing some things.  Don't worry about it!

What I can tell you is that I am in the import and export business.

• I import knowledge
• I export that information at premium prices!

I will give you a little coastal cosmopolitan insight and motivation weekly on Small Scale Life.

Introduction – Overcoming Dread
At one time or another, everybody has that nasty feeling in the pit of your stomach. Maybe that feeling comes from one of these examples:

• Going into work at a job you don’t like,
• Talking to an authority figure after making a mistake,
• Meeting new people,
• Taking care of tasks
• Delivering a project or service to a client or
• Speaking in front of the public (like on a podcast…doh)!

Over time, that nasty feeling in your stomach grows, and you feel exhausted or have little motivation to complete tasks and take care of business.  You procrastinate and, in some cases, that small task mushrooms into a massive problem that takes a lot of time and energy to resolve.  Have you experienced that?

Story Time

Let’s tell a little story outlining this.  Our hero hurried and scrambled last summer as he packed up all his belongings and prepared to move from his house.  His lovely wife made arrangements with a local storage facility.  Our hero, his boys and a few friends loaded the belongings into the storage locker.

After a couple trips with a big truck, pickup truck, SUV and other vehicles, the house was empty and the storage locker was loaded.  Other belongings and furniture were taken to the new house, and our hero settled into his new place.

This winter, the time came when our hero had to clear out the storage locker. Our hero started to be concerned.  Who was going to help empty the storage locker and load the truck?  Where was all of this stuff going to go?  Could our hero even move that much material?

As the date came closer, our hero’s thought about it more and more.  Slowly bur surely, his concern turned into dread.  It seemed that this was too big a task to handle and too much material to move to a small house and small garage.

The day came, and our hero and his lovely wife picked up the moving truck and drove it to the locker.  They opened the locker, and after taking a deep breath, they began to load the truck.  They loaded quickly, and as they worked, the hero’s feeling of dread began to diminish.  Dread slowly turned to confidence, and confidence slowly turned to euphoria.

As they closed the door of the truck, the hero said triumphantly, “I have been dreading this day, and that wasn’t as bad as I thought.  Let’s try to get it all loaded tonight…..!”  The hero’s lovely wife reminded him that night was coming, and that the dynamic duo had extra help the next day.

Midweek Motivation Lesson

So what is the point of this story?  The point of this story and your Midweek Motivation is the following:

[tweetthis]Overcome dread by focusing your mind and completing one task at a time. Start easy tasks to get momentum! #mindset #overcomingdread[/tweetthis]

[tweetthis]Stop letting your fear and imagination rule your life. #overcomingdread[/tweetthis]

You don’t have a lot of time on this earth.  Use your time wisely. Worrying and dreading about something is wasting your time and energy.  Whatever that source of dread is, it is going to be over after you engage and finish the task, and chances are, you’ll feel a lot better once it is done.  Take a deep breath, close your eyes and pull the trigger.   BOOM!

This is Tommy Cakes, and I’ll see you next week!

Special Thanks from Tommy Cakes

I would like to thank Greg Burns from Natures Image Farm and Doneil Freeman from Freeman Family Farms for the INSPIRATION to do this Midweek Motivation Podcast.  You two ARE the wind beneath my wings!

Also I would like to thank Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) for the "Kool Kats" theme music. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

Badda boom, badda bing!  Dat's how we do it!

As a programming note, this is the first episode of the BellCast: a monthly podcast on Small Scale Life focused on the ups and downs of urban farming on Michael’s Half Acre Farm.  Michael has been farming at this location since purchasing the land in 2016, and he sells produce locally to friends, colleagues and others.

Topics

In this podcast, Michael Bell and I discussed the following:

Minneapolis Miracle and Football Games

New Orleans Saints vs. Minnesota Vikings
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Patriots Super Bowl and Dynasties

Introductions

Who is Michael Bell?
Half Acre Farm - Humble Beginnings
2000 square feet to 15,000 square
30 inch wide garden beds that are 25 feet long

Urban Farming 

Winter Conditions: Wind Storm and Cold Weather this Year
Crops:  Damage and Destruction
Low Tunnels: Success or Failure?
Long Term Weather Outlook in Texas
Bouncing Back: Planting New Crops
Salinova
Zucchini
5 Tomato Varieties
50 Large Cherry
25 Super Sweet 100's
10 Glacier (will blossom in 38 degree F temps)
Marigolds
25 Black Cherry Tomatoes - they get big!
Aggressive pruning and blight control - how to control blight
Selecting crops based on vegetable and profit potential
Customer Service and Sales
Breaking Bad News
Getting New Customers - Developing the "Waiting List"
Grocery Store Clients
Instagram connecting People and Customers
Eating Real Food - Michael's Salad Mix creates a Unique Taste which Sells Itself

Regenerative Agriculture

Rebuilding Soil using Regenerative Agriculture Techniques - Gabe Brown
Rancher and Soil Expert from North Dakota
Regenerated Soil in 3 or 4 Years on His Ranch
Five Laws to Regenerate Soil
Urban Farm
Backyard Gardens
Micheal's West Texas Project
Tom's Central Wisconsin Project

Philosophy and Continuous Learning

Time waits for no one
Getting things figured out; having a successful life
Why Michael and I REALLY do chores

Farm Expansion and Logistics

Greenhouse Purchased!  How to transport?
Future Greenhouses of Half Acre Farm
Keeping the Greenhouses Warm
Putting It All Together

Key topics discussed and next steps
 

One cool thing that happened during this interview was that Scott announced starting a weekly Vlog on his YouTube Channel. 

Scott Hebert and I discussed the following topics in this interview:

• Who is Scott Hebert?
• - Flavourful Farms and Farming
• - Starting the Farm
• - Mindset
• - Cost of Entry for Farming
• - Case for Being Debt Free
• - Pricing and Customers
• - Plan for 2018
• - Physical Requirements for Farming
• - Bees and Chickens
• - What would Scott do differently?
• Stoic Mettle, Stoicism and Tribalism
• - Why stoicism?  How does this relate to farming?
• - Starting and revising the Stoic Mettle Podcast
• - Stoicism, Tribe, and Friend Gap
• - Future of Stoic Mettle
• Growing and Maintaining a Beard
• Key Take-Aways from the Interview

Congratulations, my friends!  Your friends from the frozen tundra in Minnesota celebrate this glorious event with you!

As I woke up this morning, I was thinking about this event and your wedding.  I woke up thinking about what I would say to you both as you begin this phase of your lives together.  I have been married for almost 24 years, and I have learned some things along the way that I would be happy to pass along to you both.  This is the same advice from the same philosophers I gave to my brother when I was his Best Man at his wedding some years ago.  It is the same advice I will give my two boys when they wed some day in the distant future.

Go with the Flow

The first piece of advice comes from a great philosopher of the modern age.  This man hails from the far north as well.  In his case, he comes from Canada and is one of their most cherished treasures.  In the timeless words of John Candy:

[tweetthis]"Go with the flow like a twig on the shoulders of a massive stream!" John Candy[/tweetthis]

Marriage and life can be compared to going down a river.  Sometimes, marriage and life is good and easy.  The waters are calm, and things take little effort.  Other times, there are rapids, and it takes a lot of effort to avoid getting hung up on the rocks.  In the worst of times, the river rushes over a waterfall.  You need to hold on to each other tight and go over to uncertain depths below or figure out a safe way around the impending disaster.  The key through all of this is to be together and work like a team.  By doing that, you will be equipped and able to take on whatever is around the next bend in the river.

Laughter is the Best Medicine

The second piece of advice comes from another great mind and talent of our current year and current age.  This is truly an exquisite mind and talent: one that is unparalleled in all the land.  I, I mean this talent, firmly believes that you should, no matter what, always try to laugh.  Life comes at you fast, and sometimes the only way to cope with it is to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, make a joke and laugh.  Don’t take yourself too seriously. Live, laugh and love.  Truly is more than a cheesy slogan on an Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest page.  It is the truth.  It is how I try to approach life, although sometimes I am better at it than others. You have to laugh together to make sense of this mad, mad world.  Even when Jay leaves his nasty workout socks on the floor or the toilet seat up.  You just have to laugh.

Congratulations!  Start Your World

Julie and I wish you two the best.  We wished we could be there with you to celebrate this event, but we will make efforts to celebrate sometime and in some place in the future.

Congratulations! Good luck, good fortune, and may God smile upon you. Start your world; it begins….now!

In case you are new to Small Scale Life, we are living simply by growing, exploring and living healthy.  To put it simply, we are focused on:

• list text hereGardening,
• list text hereHealthy living, and
• list text hereHaving adventures along the way.

Before we begin, let’s hear from some friends of Small Scale Life.

Friends of Small Scale Life

Lumbersquatches Greg Burns and Drew Sample - Good Men and Good Friends!
For this episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, I wanted to give a big shout out to my friend Drew Sample at The Sample Hour.  He just released Episode 171, which is all about Hogtoberfest 2017.  In case you missed it, Drew Sample and I talked about Hogtoberfest 2016 last year.  I have not had a chance to listen to this podcast yet, but given the people and personalities that attended this year, I am positive that this podcast will be simply awesome.  Special shouts out to all the attendees for showing us how small communities of like minded people can come together to do some really cool stuff.  Thanks for recording and posting this Drew!

I would also like to remind you that the Hogtoberfest host Greg Burns from Nature’s Image Farms does have comfrey left, and it is available for you at Nature's Image Farm.  As always, use discount code “SSL” for 10% off and FREE Shipping!  So, if you would like to have your own Bocking 4 of Boking 14 Comfrey cuttings, reach out to Greg Burns at Natures Image Farms today!

Healthy Lifestyle Update: Good, Bad and Ugly

So. Many. Patterns. Icing my knee this afternoon. Starting PT tomorrow. Thanks @mbell971 and @jdoms91 for keeping my spirits up. Sucks to hobble around. You don’t realize how much you rely on your knees until they don’t work right (pain free).
A post shared by Small Scale Life (@smallscalelife) on Nov 7, 2017 at 3:42pm PST
Today on Small Scale Life, I am going to discuss some of the good, the bad and the ugly related to jump-starting this journey. As you start to move, you might find out that some things need some attention and some work.  You might even find out that you are not a 2 on the healthy lifestyle scale from 1 to 10 (with 10 being the fittest person in your dreams), you might be a 1.  Right now, I am a 1.  What will it take to get to a 2?

The last time I talked about this topic was back at the end of September.  I have had a whole month, so what progress did I make?  In a way, it is like showing your homework, a project or a speech in front of the class.  Some of it might be good.  Some of it might be bad, and in some cases, just plain ugly.

The good news is that I am still here, still working on it and still moving forward.  I am working through the pain, and it has given me a serious appreciation for people like Todd Ehrhardt that are living and making progress on their dreams in spite of their physical pain.

We’ll start from the worst case and work backwards, so we end on a positive note. What can I say?  I am a positive guy and want to end on a positive note and looking forward.

The Ugly

Let’s start with the ugly.  If you follow Small Scale Life on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter, you have seen a lot of pictures and posts of my knee under various ice packs.  I have been nursing a bad knee since the end of August when I worked at the Minnesota State Fair.  So, what is going on?  To answer that question, we have to go back in a time machine.

Back in my youth, I played football in high school and in college.  As a defensive lineman and linebacker, I had my share of sprained ankles and fingers.  I also had two knee injuries.  As a Senior in high school, I strained my Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) on my left knee against Robbinsdale Armstrong High School (my son Ryan’s nemesis from high school basketball).  That healed fairly quickly.

The bigger, more serious injury occurred in college.  I was chasing down a running back on a broken play in a game against Hamline College, and a guy who was subbing in for our injured safety dove right into my left leg, bending it backward.  I partially tore my Posterior Collateral Ligament (PCL) and once again strained my MCL.  I also taught the Hamline sideline a new vocabulary and language that would make Salty Seaman proud.  I was out for the year, and I decided to end my football career.

Flash forward 26 years from 1991 to 2017.  I went from endless hours behind desks and in meetings to working on my feet a lot.  In my current role, I am inspecting railroad crossings, working at events like the State Fair or presenting to people.  That means I am standing, sometimes for hours on end.

In addition, I am just a little heavier now in my 40’s than when I was 18 years old.  Just a bit!  Those old injuries coupled with extra body weight and being on my feet a lot created a perfect storm for arthritis in my knee.  Welcome to getting old and years of neglect, my friends!

*The Bad
*

Since the end of August, I have been hobbling around the house or at work and icing my knee at night.  It affected me during the 14-Day Rebooted Body Walk Challenge, and I had to sign up for the 1 mile per day challenge because I was really worried that I couldn’t go farther on a given day.

I have gone to the doctor a couple times: once at the end of September and then again recently.  I saw a general practitioner in September, and while the direction I got from them was okay, it was based on old information, x-rays and data from 2012.  I knew I had to go to a specialist.

In late October, I was able to get to see an ortho.  They took new x-rays of my knee and confirmed that I had arthritis and poor cartilage in both knees, particularly my left knee.  Apparently the x-rays revealed that my lower legs are slightly misaligned from my knee, and this alignment forces the bulk of the weight and force to my inner knee and inner foot.

Based on discussions with the ortho, we decided to move ahead with Physical Therapy, holding off on cortisone shots or surgical options.  One of the options was removing a wedge from both of my lower legs, forcing realignment of my legs.  This would force my weight to be more evenly distributed through my legs to my feet.  While the ortho shrugged it off and said it was like taking a chunk out of a tree (with a reciprocating saw), the thought of that did not appeal to me at all! Who wants someone sawing off part of their leg?

The bottom line is that my why’s for getting healthier are becoming even more urgent.  Life will get a lot less painful if I do the work to rehab myself and can shed some weight.

Truth be told, it has been a miserable few days since the weekend.  My knee was really sore after swimming a mile on Sunday, and I was really hobbling around the house and work.  It was pretty painful, and I could feel my other muscles tightening up and tiring out while they compensated for my knee.

The Good

Got a walk with @jdoms91 tonight in the neighborhood. When we got close to shingle Creek, we hear two Great Horn Owls in the stand of cottonwoods and other trees along the creek. Owls are awesome, and I have learned to mimic their calls. Needless to say, we stopped and I called. Two owls got excited (they are territorial) and flew into trees right over our heads. They eventually decided to move on, and they took flight. The geese and ducks called out warning calls as the two owls flew over the water. It was a fantastic to see them fly. What a night! It is amazing what you see on a walk in the urban area sometimes.

A post shared by Small Scale Life (@smallscalelife) on Oct 5, 2017 at 9:17pm PDT
There is hope, however.  Yesterday I went to the Physical Therapist.  We discussed the situation and she put me through some evaluations to see how bad it was.  Probably the most difficult part of this was squatting down.  That was pretty brutal.  She also twisted my knee around trying to check if the meniscus was bad.  That was a little painful.

She was able to see a lot of issues I have with my legs and muscles.  The fact is that my calves are too tight, as are my hamstrings.  My glutes, core and my quads need to be stronger, and my hips need some work as well.  All of these things impact my knees and my lower back, which have both been pretty sore over the past several months.

I walked away with a laundry list of stretches and exercises to start rehabbing those muscles.  I am working on that list of stretches and exercises at least two times a day, and I will be going to have therapy for the next six weeks.  I have to do the work to make this better; no one can do it for me.

It certainly has been a wild year for me.  I don’t usually go to the doctor or physical therapy.  I haven’t in years.  That all changed this year as I have truly tried to rehab my body.

• list text hereThrough Kevin Michael Geary’s Rebooted Body, I took care of some sleeping issues and got my lower back checked out.

• list text hereI can also attribute my recent trips to the doctor, ortho and therapist to the Rebooted Body Walk Challenge as well.

Maybe I should send Kevin my bills?

So, you might be asking, what is good about any of this?

The good part of this journey is that I am trying to get myself in a better place physically.  Stretching and working out again is going to help me.  I have been getting back in the pool more consistently, and last night I even tried the stationary bike.  I can tell you that the pool has felt better for my knee that the bike!  It was rather painful to spin those pedals, and my resistance level was set at 3.  Sad because I used to start at 8 or 10.

Anyway, this journey is not an overnight sprint.  It is a long, slow walk.  My progress will be measured by inches at first, and then feet.  It is going to take time and effort, but it is not too late to fix myself.

I have to do the work.  I have to commit to it.  This is important, and it is becoming more and more important as I get older.  When you are young, you can do things that and ignore warning signs.  I do not have that luxury.  As I told the physical therapist, my 68 year old father-in-law walks better than I can right now.  That needs to change.

My journey is just starting.  Stay tuned to these Healthy Lifestyle Updates; it is going to be an interesting, and sometimes frustrating, walk.

Your Challenge

Thank you for tuning into this episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast.  Share this post and podcast; maybe that person you share it with will get inspired to go to the doctor and get help for their pain.  Maybe you will be inspired to get moving and start your own journey.  I am starting small, and you all can probably walk circles around me.  Are you willing to get off the couch and start?  Join me and give it a try!

Share and Interact

Please help the podcast and blog grow.  How do you do that?  Subscribe on iTunes, leave a rating and share this podcast with others.  For those of you who have left reviews and ratings, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.  I do appreciate it.  We have great followers and friends of the Small Scale Life Podcast, and I appreciate you all.

If you have any comments on the show, feel free to leave them on the contact us page or as a comment under this blog post.  Reach out.  Engage.  You are not alone in this world.  You have friends here.  Connect with us on the blog or in the Small Scale Life Facebook Group.

Thank you again for tuning in.  Remember to grow, explore and be healthy!  This is Tom from the Small Scale Life Podcast, and we’ll see you really soon!

He is not only a mountain of muscle, but he also owns and operates Half Acre Farm.  Inspired by some of my heroes including Gary Vee, Curtis Stone and JM Fortier, Michael is carving out his organic footprint in a quiet spot six miles from down Downtown Dallas.  It is pretty cool talking with Michael, and I learned a lot from him.  Whether it is starting your own small business (not necessarily urban farming) or getting fit, I think there is something for everyone in these next two podcasts!

Topics

In this podcast, Michael Bell and I discussed the following:

Introductions

Who is Michael Bell?
What was your first gardening experience?

Urban Farming

Why urban farming?
Influences and inspiration
Property
Crops
Business model and clients
Challenges and solutions
Future projects

In Part 2 of this interview, we discuss body building and the journey to develop a healthy lifestyle.

Links for Michael Bell
https://www.instagram.com/p/BZpYPKuBQLq/?taken-by=dallashalfacrefarms
You can find Michael Bell with the following links:
Michael Bell on Instagram
Dallas Half Acre Farm on Instagram
Michael Bell on Facebook
Small Scale Life Facebook Group - Yes, folks, I added him....shhhhhh!
 
*Friends of Small Scale Life
*
Introducing Aussie Flame Weeders, a new friend of Small Scale Life!
Aussie Flame Weeders makes stainless steel flame weeder manifolds.  They are making manifold set available this month, and they expect to start shipping them all by the start of November.  The manifold set up will contain:

Custom manifold to suit 30-inch bed
Five stainless steel German made burners that can removed to be cleaned, changed or replaced
LPG equipment to suit a standard propane bottle
Flint lighter

To help promote this deal, Aussie Flame Weeders are offering all customers who purchase a custom manifold the chance to win Coolbot!  These are perfect tools for your urban farm!
To be in the competition all you have to do is:

Order a manifold before the October 31, 2017
Like the Aussie Flame Weeders Facebook page or share the page with fellow urban farming friends.
Help by providing feedback in a short survey they will email to you if you agree to participating

To find out more:
Check Aussie Flame Weeder out using the following links:
Aussie Flame Weeder website is www.aussieflameweeders.com
Aussie Flame Weeder on Facebook is https://www.facebook.com/aussieflameweeders/?ref=bookmarks

Yes, dear friends, National Talk like a Pirate Day was this week, and in case you missed it (for some reason), you are getting a little dose of fun here on Small Scale Life. I am posting a Fall Garden Update Podcast in addition to a couple of videos showing how the garden is doing this late in the season.

Keep in mind that the first day of Fall is Friday, September 22, and at this point, we are watching the forecast for the first frost. I will have more Fall Garden Updates before the end of the season since there is plenty of gardening left before the snow flies!

Fall Crops

A few weeks ago, I pulled out and dusted off the seedling trays that had been shoved into a lonely corner of the North Minneapolis garage. Considering I am in Zone 4B and that our first frost could be as early as October 10th, I was planting a couple weeks late. There is a good chance that I would not get much from these plants, especially if we get an early frost.

Regardless, I wanted to get some fall plants growing. I purposely selected quick-growing crops that could handle colder temperatures. I focused on lettuce, spinach, sugar snap peas and green beans.

Using my existing seed trays and cells, I added dirt and then planted the seeds. In all, I loaded 144 cells with ProMix Potting Soil (a winner from the Potting Soil Challenge) and seeds. As an experiment, I also planted some sugar snap peas directly into Garden Bed West. I wanted to see how the seed trays germinated vs. direct sowing.

After two weeks of growing, here is how the seeds germinated:

• Lettuce - One of the three cells germinated well. The other two trays had little germination and will be reseeded if needed (late crop of lettuce). I am planning to put these plants in the wicking bed.
• Spinach - Excellent germination in the one cell planted. I am planning to put these plants in the wicking bed.
• Green Bush Beans - Excellent germination in the four cells planted. These will be planted in Garden Bed East.
• Sugar Snap Peas (Tray) - Excellent germination in the 72 cell-tray. These will be planted in Garden Bed West and the wicking bed. Trellis systems need to be installed for these plants in both garden bed systems.
• Sugar Snap Peas (Direct) - Mediocre germination; about have the seeds did not germinate. These plants are in Garden Bed West, and I need to trellis them.

These plants need to be planted this week! The next Fall Garden Update will show how these plants are doing and what I used for a trellis system

Square Foot Garden Bed West

In Garden Bed West, I planted the following plants:

• Burpee Hybrid Slicer Tomatoes
• Burpee Early Treat Tomatoes
• Red Bell Peppers
• Chives

I have already harvested tomatoes from both plants, and I thought I might not get much from either plant for the rest of the season. Lo and behold, I was wrong! We have had some tremendous bee activity in this bed due to the flowering chive plants, and the bees also hit both tomato plants. I have a bunch of new tomatoes growing! That makes me really happy!

At one point this season, Julie told me that she felt sad that I wouldn't get any peppers this year. I actually chuckled at her and showed her the small peppers that were growing. In addition to those initial peppers, the Red Bell Pepper plants also benefitted from the bees working on the chive plants. I have a bunch of peppers coming, and I am waiting for them to get to the right size and turn red. One has to be patient with these pepper plants, but fortunately, I am a patient man.
The chive plant is done flowering, but it is loaded with seeds. I will harvest those seeds and store them for future use. No need spreading chive plants all over these small gardens! If you are looking for chive seeds, send me a message through our Contact Us page, and we'll figure something out.

Square Foot Garden Bed East

Garden Bed East has more of a variety of plants (by design and by accident). I have the following plants growing in this bed:

• Cherry Tomatoes
• Green Bell Peppers
• Compost "Cucumbers"
• Compost Tomato Plants
• Basil Plants

The tomato plants are growing well. The cherry tomato plants are loaded with tomatoes, and the one Hybrid Slicer has a good sized tomato on it. The compost tomatoes are growing, but they will run out of season before they get too tall. I am not worried: they have buds on the plants. Given the bee activity in the garden, my fingers are crossed that we'll see some new tomatoes soon!
The green peppers are bearing fruit, even though they are smaller than the red pepper plants in Garden Bed West. That could be due to the soil conditions in this bed. I simply did not treat this bed like Garden Bed West before I planted in June. Regardless, I am pleased to see some peppers coming, and these plants benefitted from the bee activity as well.

The compost "cucumbers" turned out to be the surprise of the garden this year. I salvaged these plants from the compost pile, and I found out recently that these "cucumbers" were actually melons! I guess Julie's dad threw some melons into the pile and they sprouted. I have two melons growing now, and I can't wait to see if more fruit develops and how big they get. Compost plants are like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're gonna get!

The basil plants are doing VERY well. I harvested basil a couple weeks ago, and the new branches have sprouted where I made the cuts. Again, it is a little counter-intuitive, but if you want more basil, harvest some from your plants! The basil plants will sprout more branches and leaves.

Next Steps

I will be harvesting the ripe cherry tomatoes and planting the fall crops this week. It is time to get everything in the ground! There simply is not much time left before the first frost (less than a month), and if this cool weather is any indication, we'll have frost before you know it.

With this many seedlings, I am going to need more space for plants. This means I need to build a planter! I have teased you long enough; I am going to build a wicking bed planter for the fall crops this weekend. More on that in the near future, but I want to use this wicking bed planter as a template for my future gardens. I am pretty excited about it, so stay tuned for the next Fall Garden Update!

In addition, I need to develop a better trellis system for sugar snap peas. I have tried the single wire line system (like I used for tomatoes, cucumbers, melons and peppers), but it doesn't work quite as well for sugar snap peas. I have some ideas, and you will see how that plays out in the next Fall Garden Update.

Your Turn

How is your fall garden doing? I would love to hear a Fall Garden Update from you! Feel free to post a comment here or on the videos!

Better yet, you can join the Small Scale Life Facebook Group and share your Fall Garden Update with us there. I would love to see how your garden and fall crops are doing!

If you want to be on the Small Scale Life Podcast, send me a message on the new Contact Us form on smallscalelife.com, or send me an e-mail at realsmallscalelife@ gmail.com.

Thank you for tuning in to the Small Scale Life Podcast. This is Tom signing off. Remember to learn, do and grow as you develop an intentional, sustainable Small Scale Life.

Now, me hearties, bring me that horizon! Yo Ho!

Welcome to August! Today in Season 2 Episode 17 of Small Scale Life, we are going to be talking about small victories, and I am truly grateful to have them. This is the first time since the end of June that I am posting up a new podcast. It was a CRAZY July, and we got a ton of work done. Between Danny’s birthday on the 4th and Julie’s birthday on the 24th, we packed up our house, moved out of the St. Louis Park house and moved in to the Minneapolis house. Since that chaos wasn’t enough, I then moved the podcast to a new hosting site and made big changes to the Small Scale Life Facebook Group. With all that stuff going on, it is time to take a minute, take a breath, take a look back at what happened last month and express my gratitude for the small victories that are indications that we are moving in the right direction!
 
Podcast Show Notes
[caption id="attachment_2080" align="aligncenter" width="960"] I didn't think the badly damaged cucumber plant would make it. Now I have to come up with Plan B so they can both grow! 8/2017[/caption]
In this podcast, I discuss small victories in the following places:

Rebranding Small Scale Life 
Garden - Peppers
Adjustments to the Small Scale Life Facebook Group
Changes to the Small Scale Life Podcast
Going Forward
 
Friends of Small Scale Life

Small Scale Life Facebook Group  – This group will get you a backstage pass and access to other members of the Small Scale Life Community.  We will discuss gardening, healthy lifestyle, frugal living and having adventures along the way! This is also your chance to see what is coming up on Small Scale Life, see some content not shared on the blog, and ask questions of future guests.  Join the Small Scale Life Facebook Group today and become an Insider.
 
Ways to Listen

We have several options for you to listen to the Small Scale Life Podcast.  You may listen in the following locations:

iTunes
Stitcher
YouTube

Subscribe and Rate on iTunes

Please subscribe to the Small Scale Life iTunes Channel!  If you are a subscriber to the Small Scale Life iTunes Channel, please provide a review for the podcast, consider giving a few stars (not going to lie: I want five stars) for the Podcast.  I really appreciate you as a listener and your feedback.

To leave a review, simply follow these simple steps:

Click on this link or the image above.
Go to ratings and reviews.
Click on the number stars (five would be awesome)
Subscribe to the podcast (optional, but appreciated)!

You can also write a quick review or some words of encouragement (optional, but appreciated)
You can also write a longer review, though it is not necessary. Again, thank you for listening, subscribing and leaving your review.

David Taylor
Bobbie, Barb, mom, grandma, wife. These are just a few of the names people called you during your time on  earth, but the truth is you were so much more, to more people than we can even list. You touched so many groups of people in your 66 years on earth, and though you may not know it you were a caretaker and mother to far more than the three of us. You were a loving woman full of deep compassion towards everyone who crossed your path.

When someone passes, the typical response is that there are no words to describe how much you will be missed, but through social media those words are there, and we want to share them with you, Mom, and everyone who is here to celebrate your life. After pouring through memories, cards, emails, letters, and Facebook posts, we can sum up how everyone feels about you with their beautiful words of remembrance.

"I love you Barb" - Nad
Julie Domres
That name is a little inside joke between mom and dad, but It is obvious that the first person we should talk about is dad. 48 years is a very long time to spend every waking moment with someone, and you and dad were the epitome of true love. Karen, David, and I have always looked up to both of you, and your solid foundation of marriage has given us a guide to how our marriages should look. I think we can truly say that you and dad were not only spouses but best friends.  We know that dad is going to miss you more than anyone in this room, but don't worry mom, we will take care of him.

David Taylor
“True beauty bubbles up from the kindness of your heart, and reflects smiles onto those you love… you, my dearest Ya-Ya sister, were the definition of true beauty… and will be missed.  But Grandma Jean needed our Ya-Ya love, and you brought that to her today.  I am so lucky to have the family I do, and my Ya-ya sisters.  We are all bound together and will always be here for you and your family. #chachayaya #yayasinheaven #missingyoudearly.  – Love, Adriana

Julie Domres
So mom, we can’t talk about your life without talking about the importance of family. You always put family first and have taught us to do the same.  In the last few weeks we have all spent a lot of time talking about the past, and we have learned so much about your life.  We knew that you were born in Phoenix and that you moved around a lot as a child, but we had no idea that you attended 42 different schools before you were in 9th grade.

Grandma and Grandpa truly lived a vagabond lifestyle, and you guys were along for the ride.  You didn’t have a lot of money or material things as a little girl, but you always had your siblings.  Uncle Donny, Aunt Patty, Aunt Mary, Aunt Jean, Aunt Judy, Aunt Karen, Jimmy, and your favorite cousin Jan… you were always there for each other.  Jim was so lucky to have you as his guardian, and you handled that responsibility with grace.  You loved him and raised him like one of your own.

As Aunt Karen and I were sitting up with you in the middle of the night last week, Aunt Karen shared a lot of stories about your childhood.  She said to me, “I never had many friends when I was little.  But that’s OK, I never needed a friend, because I always had your Mom.”  You were her best friend right up until the end.  We never realized how tough it really was for you when you were young, because you always put on that beautiful smile and looked at the bright side of life.

David Taylor
“God puts people in your life for a reason.  She took a chance on me and hired me to work in her shop.  I am beyond blessed to have had the opportunity to be part of her life.  She taught me so much and I will be forever grateful.  And because of her, I have so many people that I can call my friends, my “flower shop family.” Barb, you fought a hard battle and now you have found peace.  I am certain that you are having an amazing reunion.  God has welcomed you in Heaven’s most beautiful garden.  Love you always Barb.” – Love, Erica

Julie Domres
Because family always came first, instead of putting family in front of your friends you turned friends into family. To name a few of the many groups of people you have touched: Your St. Kevin’s friends and your Card Club, your “Flower Shop Family,” The Dakota Court Gang, all of our friends, your Army friends, and your high school friends. I don’t think you realize how many lives you have truly impacted.  I know all of my friends consider you a second mom, and Karen and Dave’s friends can say the same.  When you made a friend, they were a friend for life.

David Taylor
“My beautiful mom lost her battle with cancer today and went to be with the Lord.  We are heartbroken and cannot imagine life without her, but will be strong the way she raised us, and make her proud.  I love you mom.” – Love, Karen

Julie Domres
Mom, how do we put into words what you meant to us?  How do we go on without you to guide us?  Who are we going to call every day on our way home from work, and who is going to remind us how to make your delicious beef burgundy recipe?  These are just some of the thoughts that are swirling around in our brains.  I don’t think you ever realized how much we loved you mom.

Do you know that when my boys and Abbey were little, they would rather be with you and Dad than anywhere?  You were such a great Grandma, and Danny, Ryan and Abbey love you so much.  We will be sure that Dave and Jenny’s future kids know what an amazing woman you were, and that Grandma Barb loves them and will always be watching over them.  You taught us to be strong, you taught us to be compassionate, and above all, you taught us to love God.  We will continue to do everything we can to make you proud.

David Taylor
Since we have been full of quotes today, we thought we would end with some song lyrics by MercyMe. I am not the musical talent in the family so I will read the lyrics.
“Surrounded by your glory, what will my heart feel? Will I dance for you Jesus, or in awe of you be still? Will I stand in your presence, or to my knees will I fall; will I sing Hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all? I can only imagine.  I can only imagine."

Mom, we can only imagine what you are doing in Heaven.  We are going to imagine you dancing for Jesus with your mom, your dad, Aunt Jean and all of our other family and friends, with Elvis Presley and Patsy Cline singing in the background. We can’t imagine what life on earth will be like without you, but we will envision the day we meet again in Heaven and all dance for Jesus together.  We will forever hold you in our hearts.
We will forever love you, Mom.

Thoughts
I am posting these words to stand as a tribute to Barb Taylor.  The idea is that those who could not attend the funeral could hear me reading the eulogy.  I hope that these words will comfort you in the future.
It was difficult for me to record this.  I recorded the eulogy a couple of times, but I went with the original recording because it was the best.  I felt compelled to record this podcast in the hope that if one person benefits from this podcast, it was worth it.

We love and miss you, Barb.

 I have known Barb Taylor for more than half my life.  I met Julie's parents when I started dating her when I was in 10th Grade.  She was there for friends and family in good times and in bad times.  She always had a smile on her face, even when she was telling you that something "wasn't her favorite" (meaning she hated it).
Barb was so giving, so loving and so helpful.  As I look back on my life, she has been there for so many different and significant events:

Barb organized and planned our wedding while creating all the flowers
She watched Danny at her home daycare when he was young
Barb came to Florida and helped us when Ryan was born
She let us stay in her basement while we save money and purchased our first house
Barb helped us renovate our first house
She introduced Julie to floral design and the wedding floral business that eventually became Julia's Blooms
Barb was there for us in our darkest times looking for Danny in Colorado, even though she had been diagnosed with small cell lung carcinoma

We will carry that legacy forward.  I am proud of the hours and work Dan, David, Julie, Karen and Aunt Karen put in taking care of Barb.  We will help and be there for Dan, and Julie and I are reaching out to family to reconnect and forge new relationships.  The time for temporary living and autopilot living are over.  Our time on this planet is too short.

Barb Taylor's Strength

Barb Taylor was diagnosed with cancer during our darkest hours looking for my oldest son in Spring of 2015.  It was devastating leaving her in Minnesota and going to Colorado looking for Danny, but Julie, her dad, David and I all went.  We had to find Danny, and those that stayed behind tried to help Barb however we could.  Those were difficult times, especially when the original diagnosis did not give her much time.
Barb was a strong woman.  She beat the original diagnosis and fought cancer for almost two years.  She rarely complained.  Even at the end, we asked her how she was doing, and Barb would smile and say, "I'm good."

Because of her strength, she experienced life:

Seeing Danny returning home, run his first marathon, become Assistant Manager and go to college
Trips to Florida, Georgia and California
Seeing her grand daughter Abbey graduate from high school and attend college
Celebrating her birthday and other events with family
Watching her grandson Ryan play High School Varsity Basketball and Traveling Basketball (her last outing was to Ryan's basketball game against Richfield High School) for two years

Barb Taylor was an exceptional woman.  We love her, and we miss her dearly.  We know, however, that she is here in spirit and lessons learned over time.  I hope that gives you some comfort.

Listen
We have several options for you to listen to the Small Scale Life Podcast.  You may listen in the following locations:
iTunes
Stitcher

I have been looking forward to this interview.  Greg, his wife and his family have boldly gone where Julie and I want to go: to a homestead in a rural location.  Through trial and error, they are learning the Old Ways of how to rear great kids, raise animals, grow food, and develop a sustainable homestead.  Greg is practical and straightforward, and I really appreciate his honest insight.  He has been there and done that!

I am also honored to announce that this podcast is also tied to the launching of  the Brand New Nature's Image Farm Webpage - CHECK IT OUT!  When you place orders using the code "SSL," you will receive a 10% OFF all nursery stock plus FREE shipping.  It is time to plant, so why not order something from Nature's Image Farm?  Even if you do not buy anything, this is a going to be a great resource for new homesteaders like me.  Check out the Homestead How-To Page for more hillbilly homesteading information!
Podcast Topics for my Interview with Greg Burns

In this podcast, Greg and I discuss the following topics:

Introduction - Who is Greg Burns?
Why homesteading?
Gardening
Hunting on 5 acres
Homesteading
Livestock (moo, oink and cluck)
Trees and Tree Farms
Plans and Dreams for Future Homesteads
Building Small Community and Tribe
The Gift of Time
The Old Ways
Hogtoberfest
Living in Small Spaces with Big Hearts and with a Purpose
Working with Spouses as a Team
Making and Enjoying Homemade Mead and Wines
Butchering and Preserving Hogs using the Old Ways
Prosciutto
Head Cheese - Terrine vs. Sylta (Yes, Domres' family, I went there)
Hog Testicles
Tribes/Small Communities
Get Stuff Done Crew
Lumbersquatches
Family
Tips for Buying Rural Land

[caption id="attachment_1578" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Lumbersquatches Greg Burns and Drew Sample - Real Food, Good Men and Good Friends![/caption]
 
 
 
 
Links
[caption id="attachment_1182" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Hogtoberfest 2016 at Nature's Image Farm[/caption]
 
Greg and I discussed the following links on this podcast:

Brand New Nature's Image Farm Webpage - CHECK IT OUT!  Remember, any orders using the code "SSL" will receive a 10% OFF all nursery stock plus FREE shipping.  It is time to plant, so why not order something from Nature's Image Farm?

Nature's Image Farm on Social Media
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
Sample Hour Podcast with Drew Sample and Greg Burns
114 - Nature's Image Farm
124 - The Hilbilliness of Hillbillies
125 - Hogtoberfest 2016 - This is a great episode!  I really enjoyed this one.
Kevin Geary Rebooted Body Podcast - RB099: Epic Food to Nourish Your Body with Taylor Collins

Subscribe and Rate on iTunes
Please consider becoming a subscriber to the Small Scale Life iTunes Channel.  Subscribers and ratings from listeners help us grow the podcast and the blog.  As you know, people look at subscribers and reviews before they listen.  Few subscribers and few reviews mean that no one cares to listen or rate the podcast.  Please click subscribe, and you will get notices when a new podcast is available.
If you provide a review for the podcast, consider giving a few stars (not going to lie: I want five stars) for the Podcast.  I really appreciate you as a listener and your feedback.

To leave a review, simply follow these simple steps:
Click on this link or the image above.
Go to ratings and reviews.
Click on the number stars (five would be awesome)
Subscribe to the podcast (optional, but appreciated)!
You can also write a quick review or some words of encouragement (optional, but appreciated)
You can also write a longer review, though it’s not necessary.  Again, thank you for listening and your review!

Jay is looking to move from urban environments to the country, so we have a good conversation about how we will get there (along with timelines).  We also talk about working out and dealing with injuries.  In my case, it is "Inflammation of Motivation" that must be dealt with in the next week or so.  I need to get back into the gym and pool!

We also talk about Jay making Cranberry-Jalapeno Jelly, modifying the recipe and providing it to others who had parties to attend and gifts to give.  Finally, we go back to Small Scale Life Podcast Season 1  Episode 3 where Jay and I talk about "Slingshot Week."  Sometimes the more things change; the more they stay the same!

Podcast Topics for 2017 Goals and Plans
[caption id="attachment_1465" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Trees Under Glass - Rural Minnesota in 2017[/caption]
In this podcast, Jay and I discuss the following topics:
2016 Wrap-Up
Condo to Compound Update
Changes at Small Scale Life
Slingshot Week
Definition
What do I want to keep doing?
What will I stop doing?
What will I continue?
Links
[caption id="attachment_1464" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Homestead Goals - 2017[/caption]
 
During this episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, I mention the following links:
Jay's Condo to Compound Blog
How to Make Cranberry-Jalapeno Jelly
Aaron Clarey Captain Capitalism Blog and Podcast
Healthy Lifestyle Podcast Episode 7: Interview with Kevin Geary
Small Scale Life Podcast Season 1, Episode 3: Three Questions for 2016
Small Scale Gardening Facebook Group
MN-WI Regenerative Agriculture Facebook Group
 
Rate on iTunes

Since we are now on iTunes, please rate and review the Small Scale Life Podcast.  Ratings and reviews help us grow the podcast and the blog, and I appreciate your reviews.

You can leave a review by following these simple steps:
Click on this link or the image above.
Go to ratings and reviews.
Click on the number stars.
Subscribe to the podcast (optional, but appreciated)!
You can also write a quick review or some words of encouragement (optional, but GREATLY appreciated)!
You can also write a longer review, though it’s not necessary.  Again, thank you for listening and your review!

As an aside, we welcome new listeners to our weekly podcast from our new Stitcher channel!  If you are new to the Small Scale Life Podcast, this is a weekly show dedicated to developing a sustainable small scale life through healthy living, gardening, frugal living and having adventures along the way!  Our motto is learn, do and grow.

If you would like to listen to the Small Scale Life Podcast on Stitcher, listen using the following link: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/smallscalelife/small-scale-life

Podcast Topics
https://www.instagram.com/p/BN7Sgt3Akn2/?taken-by=smallscalelife
In this podcast, I discuss the following topics:
Introduction to the Small Scale Life Podcast and Small Scale Gardening Blog
Is Small Scale Life a Wellness Program?
Conditions and Driving in Snow
Winter Tips for Working in the Cold, Winterizing Your Equipment and Winterizing your House
Winter Tips for Managing Ice Dams

Links
[caption id="attachment_1371" align="aligncenter" width="762"] Our quiet street after the snowstorm - December 2016[/caption]

During the Small Scale Life Podcast, I discuss the following links:
Small Scale Life Podcast Season 1 Episode 19: Happy Birthday, Small Scale Life!
About.com - How to Prevent and Remove Ice Dams
University of Minnesota Extension - Ice Dams
Sample Hour with Drew Sample
Small Scale Gardening Facebook Group
MN-WI Regenerative Agriculture Facebook Group
 
Rate on iTunes

Since we are now on iTunes, please rate and review the Small Scale Life Podcast.  Ratings and reviews help us grow the podcast and the blog, and I appreciate your reviews.

You can leave a review by following these simple steps:

Click on this link or the image above.
Go to ratings and reviews.
Click on the number stars.
Subscribe to the podcast (optional, but appreciated)!

You can also write a quick review or some words of encouragement (optional, but GREATLY appreciated)!
You can also write a longer review, though it’s not necessary.  Again, thank you for listening and your review!

Podcast Topics

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMqHLeogzXQ/?taken-by=smallscalelife

In this podcast, I discuss the following topics:
One Year Anniversary of the Small Scale Life
Origins of Blogging - Small Scale Gardening Blog
Core Principles of Small Scale Life
Future of Small Scale Life

Links

https://www.instagram.com/p/BM0WTFMgLFC/?taken-by=smallscalelife
During the Small Scale Life Podcast, I discuss the following links:
Small Scale Gardening Blog
HELP Podcast Episode 7: Rebooted Body with Kevin Geary
Rebooted Body Blog and Podcast
Sample Hour with Drew Sample
Small Scale Gardening Facebook Group
MN-WI Regenerative Agriculture Facebook Group
 
Rate on iTunes

Since we are now on iTunes, please rate and review the Small Scale Life Podcast.  Ratings and reviews help us grow the podcast and the blog, and I appreciate your reviews.

You can leave a review by following these simple steps:
Click on this link or the image above.
Go to ratings and reviews.
Click on the number stars.
Subscribe to the podcast (optional, but appreciated)!

You can also write a quick review or some words of encouragement (optional, but GREATLY appreciated)!
You can also write a longer review, though it’s not necessary.  Again, thank you for listening and your review!

What in God's name is Hogtoberfest? Well, ladies and gentlemen, it is a the gathering of people at Nature's Image Farm in Ohio for learning the old ways of slaughtering and processing hogs.  As you will find out in this episode of the Healthy Lifestlye Podcast, it was much more than just processing pork.  Hogtoberfest was about learning the old ways and rituals and adopting them.  It was about sharing the experience, learning skills and breaking bread (and drinking meads, ciders and beers).  Most importantly, it was about forging new relationships and building a small community, a tribe, of homesteaders, urban farmers, beekeepers and their families.  In a world of "plastic fantastic", smart phones, technology and isolation, gatherings like these are necessary.  The lone wolf depicted in Hollywood and today's culture is a lie.  Instead, a group of like-minded individuals, the tribe, is necessary to get stuff done, share resources and lean on each other when "times get tough, or even when they don't."
[caption id="attachment_1182" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Hogtoberfest 2016 at Natures Image Farm[/caption]

Topics
[caption id="attachment_1213" align="aligncenter" width="859"] The Hogtoberest Podcast elevated The Sample Hour to the 2nd best podcast in the world![/caption]
Drew and I discussed the following topics in this episode:
Diet and fitness over the past week and plans for the next week
The Real #2 Podcast
Hogtoberfest Recap
Tribe and Small Communities: why are they important in the modern world?

Links
https://www.instagram.com/p/BLbC-xzgrNq/?taken-by=smallscalelife
Drew, Scott and I discussed a few different sites, podcasts and video blogs during this episode.  The following is a list of those links:

The Sample Hour 125 Hogtoberfest 2016 - The Lumbersquatches at Natures Image Farm discuss Hogtoberfest and what it meant to them. This is a GREAT podcast, and it reminds me of our hunting camps in the spring: telling stories, having a laugh, remembering the old ways, and cracking a beer at 10 AM in the morning.
The Sample Hour 124 The Hilbilliness of Hillbillies - Drew Sample and Greg Burns discuss life and business through the prism of a hillbilly homesteader, or in other words, common sense.
The Sample Hour 123 The Mental Game of Getting Started Part 1 - Javan Bernakevitch and Drew Sample discuss getting started on a career path.
Natures Image Farm - Greg Burns and his family's homestead in Ohio.
Kevin Geary's Rebooted Life - Drew and I interview Kevin Geary in Episode 7 of the HELP Podcast. Check out his site!
The Contrary Farmer - Gene Logsdon. Check out the website here: The Contrary Farmer
Rest Faster - Blog post on Robb Wolf's site about rest protocols and routines to improve your rest and recovery
Five Minute Journal – Drew is using the Five Minute Journal to work through issues and develop his mindset
Headspace - Drew and Scott are using the Headspace application for daily meditation
Audible Application - Make the most of your mundane tasks and drive time!

Rate on iTunes
I checked iTunes, and we only have three reviews.  Thank you for providing a review (you know who you are; I really appreciate it).

We really need some more ratings from listeners, so please rate and review the Podcast.  Ratings and reviews help us grow the podcast and the blog.  As you know, people look at reviews before they listen.  No reviews or poor reviews mean that no one cares to listen or rate the podcast.  You don't need to write a book or write anything.  Just give a few stars (not going to lie: I want five stars) for the Podcast.

You can leave a review by following these simple steps:

Click on this link or the image above.
Go to ratings and reviews.
Click on the number stars (five would be awesome)
Subscribe to the podcast (optional, but appreciated)!

You can also write a quick review or some words of encouragement (optional, but appreciated)
You can also write a longer review, though it’s not necessary.  Again, thank you for listening and your review!

Julie and I are not alone in this quest for rural real estate to develop a more simple, small scale life.  We have talked to others who are part of the Small Scale Gardening and MN-WI Regenerative Agriculture Groups on Facebook who are wanna-be homesteaders stuck in the urban grind.  Like us, they are all charting a path and a course of action that will lead to their eventual escape.  You can escape, ladies and gentlemen, but that escape will take proper planning and focused execution.

Speaking of planning and focused execution, our friend Jay Dolan from the Condo to Compound Blog is back to update us on his progress towards purchasing rural real estate.  Jay and I talked about his dream of buying a homestead back in Episode 7 of the Small Scale Life Podcast.  Since that podcast, Jay developed the Condo to Compound Blog and has been focused on paying down his debt.....for the most part anyway.

Podcast Topics

Jay and I discuss the following:
Jay's Condo to Compound Blog
How he is paying off debt
Hidden costs when buying a house (i.e., debt, maintenance, taxes, etc.)
"Home Buying Fever" that he and his girlfriend worked through recently
Unfortunately, the podcast ended early due to Jay getting called to the "principal's office."  Never fear!  We recorded Part 2 already, and I will be posting it soon.

Links

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLcrRuvAG8U/?taken-by=smallscalelife
During the Small Scale Life Podcast, Jay and I discuss the following links:
Jay's Condo to Compound Blog
Dave Ramsey - How to Battle Temptation in the Search for Your Starter Home
Jack Spirko's Survival Podcast - Episode 1628 Five Financial Landmines to Avoid when Buying Land
Jack Spirko's Survival Podcast - Episode 1778 Finding a Remote Property
Jack Spirko's Survival Podcast - Episode 1788 Finding the Right Property to Turn into a Homestead
Average Price of Homes in the Twin Cities
 
Friends of the Small Scale Life Podcast

[caption id="attachment_1202" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Finding the right land is exciting, but make sure you can afford it![/caption]

In this Episode, I talk about the following friends of the Small Scale Life Podcast:

Condo to Compound Blog – Jay Dolan’s journey from an urban/suburban life to a rural life.
Failing Forward Profitable Urban Farming – Drew Sample and Scott Hebert’s weekly podcast about success, failures and life as an urban farmer.
Reconnaissance Man – Aaron Clarey’s latest book for today’s youth where he recommends that the Reconnaissance Man (or Woman) takes the time to explore this country, not just to see what this country has to offer, but to find out who they are, where they belong, and what they really want out of life.

Rate on iTunes

Since we are now on iTunes, please rate and review the Small Scale Life Podcast.  Ratings and reviews help us grow the podcast and the blog, and I appreciate your reviews.

You can leave a review by following these simple steps:
Click on this link or the image above.
Go to ratings and reviews.
Click on the number stars.
Subscribe to the podcast (optional, but appreciated)!

You can also write a quick review or some words of encouragement (optional, but GREATLY appreciated)!
You can also write a longer review, though it’s not necessary.  Again, thank you for listening and your review!

October is winding down, and it feels like there is A TON to do.  I have not posted much this week because I have been processing vegetables and herbs like crazy!  I decided to clear the garden beds, and that triggered a mad dash to get preserve the vegetables and herbs before everything rotted.  In the past two weeks, I have made salsa and tomato sauce, frozen rhubarb, and drying parsley, dill, and oregano.  I am thrilled to be exercising some of my equipment and skills this season, but in the back of my mind, I knew I had content like this podcast about tribe, ritual and debt to post.

If you listened to Season 1, Episode 17, our friend Jay Dolan from the Condo to Compound Blog was called to the "principal's office" at the firehouse to handle an assignment.  We had a chance to get together and discuss a number of topics again.  I was trying to get Jay on HELP Episode 6 about Hogtoberfest, but things didn't quite work out.  Jay and I ended up furthering our discussion about tribe and small communities, as well as a number of other topics.  As a head's up to you, Jay does make an announcement about his blog towards the end of the show, so if you have been to his site, you will understand what he is talking about.

Podcast Topics

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLkQVHMAg07/?taken-by=smallscalelife
Jay and I discuss the following:
One Year Anniversary of the Small Scale Life Blog
Tribes and Rituals
Debt and Debt Reduction
Budgeting Concepts
Vision of the Rural Life
Learning Skills and Taking Time
Condo to Compound Blog Updates
 
Links

https://youtu.be/O4Go_UmX-ZM
During the Small Scale Life Podcast, Jay and I discuss the following links:
Jay’s Condo to Compound Blog
John Mosby - Forging the Hero: Who Does More is Worth More
Drew Sample and The Sample Hour - TSH - 125 - Hogtoberfest 2016
HELP Episode 6 – Hogtoberfest and Tribe
USA Today - Nearly 7 in 10 Americans have less than $1,000 in savings
Dave Ramsey – How to Start to Get Out of Debt 
Jack Spirko’s Survival Podcast – Episode 1628 Five Financial Landmines to Avoid when Buying Land
Jack Spirko’s Survival Podcast – Episode 1778 Finding a Remote Property
Jack Spirko’s Survival Podcast – Episode 1788 Finding the Right Property to Turn into a Homestead

Jay and I talked about the commercial using Aerosmith's "Dream On" song.  I was wrong; it was Walmart.  I linked it above.

Friends of the Small Scale Life Podcast
 
In this Episode, I talk about the following friends of the Small Scale Life Podcast:
Condo to Compound Blog – Jay Dolan’s journey from an urban/suburban life to a rural life.
Failing Forward Profitable Urban Farming – Drew Sample and Scott Hebert’s weekly podcast about success, failures and life as an urban farmer.
Reconnaissance Man – Aaron Clarey’s latest book for today’s youth where he recommends that the Reconnaissance Man (or Woman) takes the time to explore this country, not just to see what this country has to offer, but to find out who they are, where they belong, and what they really want out of life.

Rate on iTunes

Since we are now on iTunes, please rate and review the Small Scale Life Podcast.  Ratings and reviews help us grow the podcast and the blog, and I appreciate your reviews.

You can leave a review by following these simple steps:
Click on this link or the image above.
Go to ratings and reviews.
Click on the number stars.

Subscribe to the podcast (optional, but appreciated)!
You can also write a quick review or some words of encouragement (optional, but GREATLY appreciated)!
You can also write a longer review, though it’s not necessary.  Again, thank you for listening and your review!

This is Part 2 of my epic interview with The Plant Charmer.  If you are wondering who The Plant Charmer is, his name is Khaled Majouji, and he is an urban farmer in Canada.  Khaled grows an incredible amount of vegetables in vertical garden systems, and he inspired me to build my vertical garden systems this year.  To learn more about The Plant Charmer's background and beginnings, please check out Season 1, Episode 15 of the Small Scale Life Podcast.

In this episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Khaled and I discussed the following topics:
His current property - size and layout
His vertical gardening system with a focus on the strawberry fence
Soil and amendments
Selling products
Expansion and vision for a larger operation
Instagram tips - how to grow your followers
https://www.instagram.com/p/BK58Js-j9PE/?taken-by=theplantcharmer
 
Thank You and Call to Action

https://www.instagram.com/p/BKdcnpRDdjL/?taken-by=theplantcharmer

It was great having Khaled on the show, and I appreciate the time he spent talking to me. A couple weeks ago, Khaled found a 10-acre plot to expand In.Genius Farms and finalized the deal for the property.  The battle is not over, however!  Khaled needs funds to set up this operation, so go to his Go Fund Me and donate today to help him realize his dream!

I would also like to thank Austin from Beatsby_Roi for providing permission for using the song “Steady Wzdm” from The Lemon Water Chronicles, Volume 1, on the podcast.  I would also like to thank Dillon from The Soapbox Collective Podcast for helping to connect with Austin.
https://youtu.be/kaG2xjntczs

Khaled and I discussed the following links on the podcast:
The Plant Charmer on Instagram
The Plant Charmer's Go Fund Me Campaign
In.Genius Farms School of Urban Agriculture
The Plant Charmer on YouTube
The Plant Charmer on Facebook
Vertical Gardening 101
Vertical Gardening 102

Check out the In.Genius Farms School of Urban Agriculture.  Khaled has launched a vertical strawberry growing course in his school, and it is FREE!  Get in there and sign up because it looks like a good course on setting up a vertical garden and starting a very good strawberry system.
 
 
Friends of Small Scale Life Podcast

In this Episode, I talk about the following friends of the Small Scale Life Podcast:
Small Scale Gardening Facebook Group - I set up this Facebook so you can share your gardening stories, ask questions and discuss food preservation. Join the group and continue to learn, do and grow with us!
Failing Forward Profitable Urban Farming – Drew Sample and Scott Hebert’s weekly podcast about success, failures and life as an urban farmer.
Condo to Compound Blog – Jay Dolan’s journey from an urban/suburban life to a rural life.

Rate on iTunes

Since we are now on iTunes, please rate and review the Small Scale Life Podcast.  Ratings and reviews help us grow the podcast and the blog, and I appreciate your reviews.

You can leave a review by following these simple steps:
Click on this link or the image above.
Go to ratings and reviews.
Click on the number stars.
Subscribe to the podcast (optional, but appreciated)!

You can also write a quick review or some words of encouragement (optional, but GREATLY appreciated)!
You can also write a longer review, though it’s not necessary.  Again, thank you for listening and your review!

In this episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, I interviewed The Plant Charmer.  You might be wondering: who is The Plant Charmer?  This is a gentleman named Khaled Majouji, an urban farmer from the Montreal area in Canada who grows an incredible amount of vegetables in vertical gardens!  Khaled inspired me to build my two gutter vertical garden system this year.

The Plant Charmer and I discussed the following topics during the show:
Background and beginnings
Why he started urban farming
How he developed vertical gardening using shoe organizers and rain gutters
Selling produce
Philosophy
Thoughts on Big Agriculture
Since we had such a great conversation that stretched for almost three hours, I broke this interview into a series. Part 2 of this podcast will be posted next week!

Thank You and Call to Action
https://www.instagram.com/p/BJduqJrDnML/?taken-by=theplantcharmer

It was great having Khaled on the show, and I appreciate the time he spent talking to me.  We had a long and awesome conversation, and because of that, we will have a Part 2 of this show.  Khaled is working hard to get funds for a larger piece of land to expand his farming operation on a one acre homestead.  In addition, he would like to set up a greenhouse and purchase a vehicle to deliver produce to a CSA.  Khaled needs funds to set up this operation, so go to his Go Fund Me and donate today!

I would also like to thank Austin from Beatsby_Roi for providing permission for using the song “Steady Wzdm” from The Lemon Water Chronicles, Volume 1, on the podcast.  I would also like to thank Dillon from The Soapbox Collective Podcast for helping to connect with Austin.

Links
[caption id="attachment_1025" align="aligncenter" width="590"] The Plant Charmer has revolutionized growing food vertically! Source: The Plant Charmer's Instagram site[/caption]
 
Khaled and I discussed the following links on the podcast:

The Plant Charmer on Instagram
The Plant Charmer's Go Fund Me Campaign
The Plant Charmer on YouTube
The Plant Charmer on Facebook
Vertical Gardening 101
Vertical Gardening 102
In.Genius Farms School of Urban Agriculture
Check out the In.Genius Farms School of Urban Agriculture.  Khaled has launched a vertical strawberry growing course in his school.  The cost is $50, and it looks like it is a great value!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BJtYjloDSqV/?taken-by=theplantcharmer
 
Friend of Small Scale Life Podcast

In this Episode, I talk about the following friends of the Small Scale Life Podcast:

Condo to Compound Blog – Jay Dolan’s journey from an urban/suburban life to a rural life.
Failing Forward Profitable Urban Farming – Drew Sample and Scott Hebert’s weekly podcast about success, failures and life as an urban farmer.

Reconnaissance Man – Aaron Clarey’s latest book for today’s youth where he recommends that the Reconnaissance Man (or Woman) takes the time to explore this country, not just to see what this country has to offer, but to find out who they are, where they belong, and what they really want out of life.

Rate on iTunes
Since we are now on iTunes, please rate and review the Small Scale Life Podcast.  Ratings and reviews help us grow the podcast and the blog, and I appreciate your reviews.

You can leave a review by following these simple steps:
Click on this link or the image above.
Go to ratings and reviews.
Click on the number stars.
Subscribe to the podcast (optional, but appreciated)!

You can also write a quick review or some words of encouragement (optional, but GREATLY appreciated)!
You can also write a longer review, though it’s not necessary.  Again, thank you for listening and your review!

As I discussed in my most recent Workout Plan Update, I am changing how I am rolling out posts and podcasts for Small Scale Life.  I am going to post Workout Plan Updates at the end of the week (looking forward to the next week) and Garden posts at the front end of the week.  I will post podcasts in the middle of the week.  Other posts will pop up as I write them.  Since I haven't posted an update in a month, I am posting a Garden Update Podcast, post and videos.  It is time to talk about success, failures, pests and blight.  It has been a learning year in 2016!
I outline what is happening in each garden bed below, so if you want to hear the podcast, skip ahead to the very end of the article!

Garden Bed 1
[caption id="attachment_930" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Garden Bed 1 continues to be the flagship raised bed in the main garden - 8/14/16[/caption]
Garden Bed 1 has four varieties of tomatoes, red onions, basil and cucumbers in it.  This is my longest bed, and it has traditionally been my tomato planter.  Below is an assessment of the plants in this raised bed.
 Plant
Assessment 
Opalka Roma Tomatoes
3 of the 4 plants are doing VERY well with a lot of fruit
I removed the 4th plant since it was not showing any fruit
I added a volunteer that was hiding in the parsley in Bed 4 to replace the unproductive plant
Amish Paste Tomatoes
These plants are growing tall and strong
Two are over 8 feet tall and have several tomatoes on them
San Marzano Roma Tomatoes
Plants are growing taller and showing several tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Showing several tomatoes and growing taller
Good production for being in the shade
Basil
Removed all plants on 8/14/16 due to Downy Mildew
Cucumbers
These plants are growing and starting to bear cucumbers
Not as productive as the cucumbers in the wicking bed
Red Onions
Critters have devastated my red onion crop.
I have learned to install fencing on my beds for the future

Garden Bed 2
[caption id="attachment_931" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Garden Bed 2 is an exercise in chaos thanks to some pole beans that were mixed with the bush bean seeds - 8/14/16[/caption]
Garden Bed 2 is a mish-mash of climbing plants.  It wasn't supposed to be that way.  This bed was supposed to be sugar snap peas and bush beans. Unfortunately, some pole bean seeds were mixed in with the bush beans, and the pole beans are going crazy. I also added two extra tomato plants to the bed as well.  Below is a summary of this garden bed.
 Plant
Assessment 
Bush Beans
The bush beans have been productive
They are being choked out by the pole bean plants
Harvest tomorrow
Pole Beans
These plants arte starting to fade in the late summer heat
They have been productive due to screening and shade from the pole beans
Harvest tomorrow
Cherry Tomato
Plant is growing taller
Starting to show fruit
San Marzano Roma Tomatoes
Planted late in the season
Starting to show fruit

Garden Bed 3
[caption id="attachment_932" align="aligncenter" width="514"] Garden Bed 3 should be brimming with onions and garlic this year. Note: should be....8/14/16[/caption]

Garden Bed 3 is my 3'x8' bed.  I grew potatoes in this bed last year, and this year it was going to be my garlic and onion box.  It started out splendidly, but as of mid-August, it has not performed as I anticipated.  Here is a summary of the plants and performance of this garden bed.  The bottom line is that this bed needs a fence!
Plant  
Assessment 
 Garlic
Garlic was transplanted into this bed early in the season
Garlic grew in the spring and early summer
Most garlic was harvested; small heads
Two garlic plants remain in the bed
Yellow Onions
Critters have been digging in this bed this season
Yellow onions have been dug up as the animals dig
Remaining yellow onions do look good
Peppers
Transplanted late after the garlic was harvested
Rabbits have eaten most of the leaves on these plants

Garden Bed 4 and 5 and Vertical Garden
[caption id="attachment_935" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Garden Bed 4 and 5 with the Vertical Garden in happier and healthier times - 7/21/16[/caption]

Between the vertical garden and Garden Bed 4, I had about 150 basil plants in my garden.  I harvested about 9 gallons of basil and created a ton of pesto and pasta/soup starts.
Unfortunately, I did not notice early warning signs of downy mildew as I harvested the basil.  We had some big rain storms, and when I looked at the garden last week, I noticed that many of the plants were suffering from the mildew.  I removed the plants on 8/14/16 and salvaged what I could.  The crop was almost a complete loss.
Meanwhile, the parsley is healthy and simply awesome!
Plant  
Assessment 
 Parsley
Plants are extemely productive and healthy
Basil
 
Basil has been infected by Downy Mildew
All basil has been removed from the garden

Guerrilla Garden
[caption id="attachment_933" align="aligncenter" width="600"] I added compost around the zucchini plant stems in hopes of root formation - 8/15/16[/caption]

I have three zucchini plants in the guerrilla garden.  The plants looked pretty healthy this season, and I have been taking pictures of the flowers all season.  Unfortunately, I needed to keep my eye on the stalks. I noticed on 8/14/16 that the stalks were ripped apart.  Further exploration revealed that my plants had been attacked by squash borers.  I will be writing an article about this in the near future.  Here is a summary of the three zucchini plants in the guerrilla garden.
Plants 
Assessment 
Zucchini
Three plants planted in this space
Squash borers detected and removed on 8/14/16
Added compost around the stalks on 8/15/16 in an effort to assist the zucchini to grow new roots

Wicking Beds and Hybrid Rain Gutter Grow Systems
[caption id="attachment_936" align="aligncenter" width="600"] This is an older photo; the cucumbers are almost to the top of the trellis - 8/2/16[/caption]

The wicking bed and Hybrid Rain Gutter Grow System (HRGGS) are both showing their value and abilities.  I have a great crop of peppers, cucumbers and jalapenos coming from these two systems.  The plants in the wicking bed are VERY healthy and producing a bumper crop of green peppers and cucumbers!
Posts will be coming in the near future with my thoughts on each system and how to build these systems.
A summary of each system is provided below.
 System
Plant
Assessment
HRGGS
 Jalapenos
The surviving jalapenos are really productive
Many blossoms and fruit already
HRGGS
Green Peppers
Green peppers have struggled in the HRGGS due to soil conditions
Plants are growing and are starting to bear fruit
Not as healthy or productive as the wicking bed
HRGGS
Dill
Rabbit ate the seedlings down
Dill has rebounded nicely and is growing rapidly
Wicking Bed
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are simply loving the wicking bed
Plants are growing rapidly and almost as tall as the trellis
Each plant has blossoms
Harvested two 6" cucumbers already
Wicking Bed
Green Peppers
Green peppers are growing rapidly (almost 4' tall)
Several plants have multiple peppers on them
Growing the largest pepper I have ever grown with this system

Watch
If a picture is worth a 1000 words, then a video showing the gardens are worth millions. I have posted two videos on the Small Scale Life YouTube Channel (which you should subscribe to and share with your friends), but you can watch them right here.

Garden Update
https://youtu.be/3mFledD3efc
 
 
Wicking Bed/Hybrid Rain Gutter Grow System Update
https://youtu.be/2lMrk8Z-ngM
Listen
You can listen to the Garden Update Podcast by clicking on the player below.  You can also use the following link to listen to the Garden Update Podcast on iTunes.

If you are using iTunes, please rate and review the Small Scale Life Podcast.  Ratings and reviews help us grow the podcast and the blog, and I appreciate your reviews.  You can leave a review by following these simple steps:

Click on this link.
Go to ratings and reviews.
Click on 5 stars.
Subscribe to the podcast!

You can also write a longer review, though it’s not necessary.  Again, thank you for listening and your review!

In this episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, I had the opportunity to interview Charles Hugh Smith.  He is an entrepreneur, author, blogger, podcaster and gardener.  Charles started the Of Two Minds blog in 2005, and his "side project of self-expression" has mushroomed into a 3,500 page website that has generated 20 million page views!  According to Charles, "the blog is #7 in CNBC's top alternative financial sites, and is republished on numerous popular sites such as Zero Hedge, Financial Sense, and David Stockman’s Contra Corner. I am frequently interviewed by alternative media personalities such as Max Keiser, and am a contributing writer on peakprosperity.com."

Fortunately for me, Charles is on a podcast with our good friend Drew Sample.  Drew mentioned Small Scale Life, and Charles agreed to come on the podcast.  I was really excited to have Charles on the show.  I had read some of his posts on Zero Hedge over the years and found him to be a very good writer and deep thinker.  In addition, Charles has a garden and some fruit trees, so naturally he had to come on the Small Scale Life Podcast!

Charles and I discussed the following topics during the show:
Gardening
Tribes
Networks
Jobs in the New Economy
Mincome (Minimum Income)
Healthy Lifestyle
Sustainable Lifestyle
What is Small Scale Life really all about?
And much, much more!

As you listen to the podcast, you might find that I did a fair share of talking.  Charles has a way of interviewing the interviewer!  I thought that was a pretty interesting turn of the events.  Regardless, I hope you enjoy this podcast and learn more about Charles and me!

Thank You
[caption id="attachment_907" align="aligncenter" width="675"] Charles and his wife make pies from his peach trees in his yard. It looks awesome![/caption]

It was great that Charles Hugh Smith spent some time with us at the Small Scale Life Podcast.  He is a deep thinking guy with a lot of ideas, and his analysis is really interesting.  I will be reading some of his books to learn more about meaningful work in the new emerging economy,  why things are falling apart and what we can do about it , and about survival when times get turbulent and tough.  Again, thank you, Charles, for your time and patience waiting for this podcast to be published.  You can come back on the  Small Scale Life Podcast at any time!

Thank you, Drew Sample, for mentioning Small Scale Life to Charles.  I appreciate it, my friend, and I hope to return the favor!

I would also like to thank Austin from Beatsby_Roi for providing permission for using the song “Steady Wzdm” from The Lemon Water Chronicles, Volume 1, on the podcast.  I would also like to thank Dillon from The Soapbox Collective Podcast for helping to connect with Austin.

Links

[caption id="attachment_908" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Charles Hugh Smith's latest book available on Amazon.com in print and Kindle[/caption]
Charles Hugh Smith and I talked about the following links during the podcast:
Charles Hugh Smith from Of Two Minds
Charles Hugh Smith's Books For Sale on Amazon.com
Drew Sample from The Sample Hour
US Army's Basic Training Physical Fitness Test
Scott Hebert from Flavourful Farms
Sabastian Junger's Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging
Jack Spriko's The Survival Podcast
Bring Danny Home Blog - Story of Finding My Son in 2015
Friend of Small Scale Life Podcast
In this Episode, I talk about the following friends of the Small Scale Life Podcast:
Condo to Compound Blog - Jay Dolan's journey from an urban/suburban life to a rural life.
Failing Forward Profitable Urban Farming - Drew Sample and Scott Hebert's weekly podcast about success, failures and life as an urban farmer.
Reconnaissance Man - Aaron Clarey's latest book for today's youth where he recommends that the Reconnaissance Man (or Woman) takes the time to explore this country, not just to see what this country has to offer, but to find out who they are, where they belong, and what they really want out of life.

Listen

Use the following link to listen to the podcast.  Since we are now on iTunes, please rate and review the Small Scale Life Podcast.  Ratings and reviews help us grow the podcast and the blog, and I appreciate your reviews.  You can leave a review by following these simple steps:

Click on this link.
Go to ratings and reviews.
Click on 5 stars.
Subscribe to the podcast!

You can also write a longer review, though it’s not necessary.  Again, thank you for listening and your review!

When I started Small Scale Gardening in 2014, I wandered into the world of Twitter to see what it was all about.  On some Monday night, I found my way onto GardenChat session and discovered a tribe of really fantastic gardeners.  The leader of this tribe was a very interesting woman named Bren Haas.  Over the past year, we have had a lot of fun getting to know each other and sharing information, and I have had the opportunity to be a guest writer on her blog and host a session of #Gardenchat!

Bren is a gardener, blogger, podcaster, "people collector" and all around great person.  On her rural property in Ohio, Bren and her husband have a variety of gardens, a pond, a greenhouse and a Bio Dome!  At the same time, her blog and social media empire keeps her very busy online, but she has a great blog full of interesting gardening articles and fantastic recipes.   Her recipes have even been recognized and published by Better Homes and Gardens!

I asked Bren to be a guest on the Small Scale Life Podcast, and in late June we had an opportunity to sit down and chat.  In this podcast, we talked about the following topics:

Rural Living
Finding Rural Property
Ponds and Fish
Internet Availability
Pests (Deer, Rabbits and Gophers - oh my!)
Gardening
Introduction to Growing (and Killing) Plants
Her Gardens
Hatred of Weeding
Her Greenhouse
Her Bio Dome
Future Projects
Blogging and Podcasting
Interviews and People Collecting
Recipes
What She's Learned
Check out latest on the Bio Dome here!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BHtGG_wDXEC/?taken-by=bggarden&hl=en

Thank You

We appreciate the time Bren Haas spent with us on the Small Scale Life Podcast. I apologize that it took a month to post this podcast! Thank you for your patience. Bren was a fantastic guest: really fun to talk with and totally on the same wavelength.  I really appreciated her insights about rural living and the tips she provided to me (and now all of you).  I wish her the best of luck in the garden, in her Bio Dome, and on her social media empire, and I hope she will be back on the show someday in the future.  After all, we need to see how that Bio Dome is working out!

I would also like to thank Austin from Beatsby_Roi for providing permission for using the song "Steady Wzdm" from The Lemon Water Chronicles, Volume 1, on the podcast.  I would also like to thank Dillon from The Soapbox Collective Podcast for helping to connect with Austin.

Links
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGQEsV6B394/?taken-by=bggarden&hl=en
Bren Haas and I talked about the following links during the podcast (and there were a lot of them):
Creative Living & Growing with Bren - Bren's blog and links to her podcast
Gardenchat Twitter Page - Gardenchat happens on 9 PM Eastern on Mondays
Creative Living & Growing with Bren Twitter Page
Creative Living & Growing Podcast - Bren's Podcast
Creative Living & Growing YouTube Channel
Creative Living & Growing with Bren Facebook Page
Creative Living & Growing with Bren Instagram Page
Garden Blogger's Fling
Scot Poirier from Gotta Grow It!
Niki Jabbour from Savvy Gardening
Pam Tallon and Growing North
Drew Sample from The Sample Hour
Scott Hebert from Flavourful Farms
Charles Hugh Smith from Of Two Minds

Listen

Use the following link to listen to the podcast.  Since we are now on iTunes, please rate and review the Small Scale Life Podcast.  Ratings and reviews help us grow the podcast and the blog, and I appreciate your reviews.  

You can leave a review by following these simple steps:

Click on this link.
Go to ratings and reviews.
Click on 5 stars.
Subscribe to the podcast!

You can also write a longer review, though it’s not necessary.  Again, thank you for listening and your review!

For the past month, I have been in a rut.  From the outside, people would not really know it since I keep smiling and trying to move forward.  Some things converged together and hit me like a tidal wave.  It came to a head on the week of Memorial Day, and I have been getting out of my rut since.  In this podcast, I talk about what I am doing and what I have learned along the way, and maybe this will help you get out of your rut and moving forward.

This is a difficult podcast for me to post, and I struggled with putting it out there for a couple reasons:

I had some technical issues with my laptop that delayed my posting of this podcast
This is a very personal podcast, and I hesitated posting it

Believe it or not, I don't like talking about what goes on in my head. I keep things pretty close.  My friend Drew Sample told me that I needed to share it because there lessons to be learned from this experience.  I agreed and decided that it was important to me to share this with you.  Take from it what you will, and hopefully you will get out of your rut too.

Let's get the funk out! Life is too short and too beautiful to be down in the dumps!

[caption id="attachment_803" align="aligncenter" width="2592"] Sunset in Colorado Springs, Colorado - June 2015[/caption]

Thank You

Thank you, listeners, family, friends and followers, for hanging in there during this month.  Stay tuned because more great stuff is coming!

Thank you, special people in my life, for lending a helping hand with encouragement and kind words.  Really, you guys are the best, and I appreciate you.  For those of you in a rut and struggling, find a good, kind person and lean on them.  It really does help to look at your problems and issues through a different prism and perspective. You might find a new path forward or a new solution to your problem.

I would like to thank Austin from Beatsby_Roi for providing permission for using the song “Steady Wzdm” from The Lemon Water Chronicles, Volume 1, on the podcast.  I would also like to thank Dillon from The Soapbox Collective Podcast for his assistance.

Links

I have two links for you today, and these are for friends of the Small Scale Life Podcast:
Jen Semmler from Young Living Essential Oils - Jen is your representative for all nature essential oils. Please contact her through Facebook to order yours today.  Let Jen know that you heard about her from the Small Scale Life Podcast.
The Sample Hour Podcast - My friends Drew Sample and Scott Hebert continue to fail forward to succeed at life on the Sample Hour Podcast.  Check out their podcast today!  They laugh, they cry, they sing and they take off their shirts just for you.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGVa7YnHSFA/?taken-by=flavourfulfarms&hl=en
If you would like to advertise your product or service on the Small Scale Life Podcast, please contact me at realsmallscalelife [at] gmail [dot] com.

Listen

Use the following link to listen to the podcast.  Since we are now on iTunes, please rate and review the Small Scale Life Podcast.  Ratings and reviews help us grow the podcast and the blog, and I appreciate your reviews.  You can leave a review by following these simple steps:

Click on this link.
Go to ratings and reviews.
Click on 5 stars.
Subscribe to the podcast!
You can also write a longer review, though it’s not necessary.  Again, thank you for listening and your review!

In this episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, I interview Drew Sample about urban farming and podcasting. Initially inspired by Joe Rogan's podcast, Drew Sample started his own podcast called The Sample Hour.  Initially, it was mainly focused on comedy and stand-up comedians.  After becoming interested in permaculture and urban farming, Drew shifted the focus of The Sample Hour.  After more than 112 episodes, Drew feels that he is hitting his niche interviewing permaculture and urban farmers (sounds familiar).

Drew and our recent guest Scott Hebert have a weekly podcast where they talk the problems, solutions and progress they are making on their urban farming operations.  In addition, Drew has interviewed some very interesting people on his podcast including Curtis Stone, Jean Martin-Fortier, Charles Hugh Smith, Jack Spirko, Diego Footer, Rob Kaiser, Paul Wheaton, Matt Powers, Grant Schultz, Luke Callahan and others.  That is a lot of brain power right there (and a lot of links), and I highly recommend you listen to those interviews (after you listen to this one).

Drew started his urban farm in 2015 after determining that he "needed to get outside more" and finding that urban gardening was a path forward.  The interesting thing is that his urban farm is on property that he rents in Columbus, Ohio.  His farm is called Capital City Gardens, and he is working in cooperation with Heirloom Produce (owned and operated by a life-long friend Joel).  Drew is learning how to operate his urban farm with help from his friend Joel, Scott Hebert and from Curtis Stone's Profitable Urban Farming course.  This is his first year of " urban farming really intensely."

[caption id="attachment_727" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Drew's urban farm is located in his backyard in Columbus, Ohio; he is a renter just like me![/caption]

Drew stated in this episode that he was going to start publishing videos on his YouTube Channel.  True to form, he did publish a good quality, great sounding video where he talks about permaculture with Steve Harbolt at Sawyer-Ludwig Park in Marion, Ohio.
https://youtu.be/hCiuwpk3rxc

Thank You

We appreciate the time Drew spent with us on the Small Scale Life Podcast.  We wish him the best of luck for his urban farming and podcasting operations this season.  I hope to have Drew back on the podcast in the future to follow-up with him about the urban farm.

I would also like to thank Austin from Beatsby_Roi for providing permission for using the song "Steady Wzdm" from The Lemon Water Chronicles, Volume 1, on the podcast.  I would also like to thank Dillon from The Soapbox Collective Podcast for his assistance.

Links

Drew and I talked about the following links during the podcast (and there were a lot of them):
The Sample Hour - Drew Sample's blog and podcast platform; also home to Drew and Scott Hebert's weekly podcast
The Sample Hour's Facebook Page
The Sample Hour's YouTube Page
The Joe Rogan Experience Podcast
Curtis Stone's "The Urban Farmer" - Book and online course - Keep in mind Drew offers a 10% discount
Curtis Stone's Green City Acres - Urban Farm
Curtis Stone's YouTube Channel - Great tips and videos
Permaculture Voices with Diego Footer - Great podcasts about permaculture and profitable urban farming
Will Allen's Growing Power
Joel Salatin's Polyface Farm and books
Food Inc. - Documentary film
John Martin Fortier's "The Market Farmer" book and blog
Jack Spirko's The Survival Podcast
Ben Hartman's "Lean Farm" book
Back to Eden
Paul Wheaton - The Duke of Permaculture
Ramps - What are they?
Little John in Sheboygan, Wisconsin - Drew's most recent interview with Little John
Grant Schultz from VersaLand.com - Grant's YouTube Channel
Eric Schultz - Farmer to Farmer Podcast
Charles Hugh Smith's Of Two Minds Blog

Listen

Use the following link to listen to the podcast.  Since we are now on iTunes, please rate and review the Small Scale Life Podcast.  Ratings and reviews help us grow the podcast and the blog, and I appreciate your reviews.  You can leave a review by following these simple steps:

Click on this link.
Go to ratings and reviews.
Click on 5 stars.
Subscribe to the podcast!

You can also write a longer review, though it’s not necessary.  Again, thank you for listening and your review!

Scott Hebert starting urban farming in 2015 in Chilliwack, British Columbia.  A year ago, Scott was working at his dad's cabinet shop, and when his dad announced that the shop was closing, Scott knew he had to find a new path forward. After losing 60 pounds on his own weight loss journey, had an interest in growing healthy food.  At that point, he started his urban farm called Flavourful Farms.

Using his previous experience using coaches in Mixed Martial Arts, Scott reached out to an urban farming expert that lived two hours away: Curtis Stone.  Paying a consulting fee, Scott visited Curtis and spent the day with him, looking at this urban farming operation and asking questions.  Of course, Scott had done his homework beforehand, and he asked a lot of questions and walked away with a lot of answers.

During the podcast, Scott and I discuss urban farm, his creativity and his artwork.  Scott has sold some of his art to customers and used it in his kickstarter campaign.  One picture that we discussed was the recent picture he created of a dog (pictured below).  He was able to create this for a customer, and Scott got some satisfaction knowing that his creation would always be part of the dog's owner's life.

[caption id="attachment_666" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Scott drew this picture for a customer - 5/4/16[/caption]

During the podcast, Scott and I discuss his cart made out of spare parts and scraps.  He did some more work on it this week, and he posted this video on his Flavourful Farms Instagram site.  It is a very creative build!  Nice work, Scott.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BFDKBbWnSPm/?taken-by=flavourfulfarms
 
Links

Scott and I talked about the following links during the podcast:
Flavourful Farms website - Scott's main website
Flavourful Farms on Instagram - Great photos, and Scott updates it regularly
Flavourful Farms on Facebook - Scott's farming page
The Sample Hour - Drew Sample and Scott Hebert's weekly podcast
Curtis Stone's "The Urban Farmer" - Book and online course
Curtis Stone's Green City Acres - Urban Farm
Curtis Stone's YouTube Channel - Great tips and videos
Permaculture Voices with Diego Footer - Great podcasts about permaculture and profitable urban farming
Scott Hebert's interview on Permaculture Voices - Diego Footer and Curtis Stone interview Scott Hebert about urban farming
Dan Barber Ted Talks - Dan Barber talks about fish raised using a revolutionary farming method in Spain

Listen
Use the following link to listen to the podcast.  Since we are now on iTunes, please rate and review the Small Scale Life Podcast.  Ratings and reviews help us grow the podcast and the blog, and I appreciate your reviews.  

You can leave a review by following these simple steps:
Click on this link.
Go to ratings and reviews.
Click on 5 stars.
Subscribe to the podcast!
You can also write a longer review, though it’s not necessary.  Again, thank you for listening and your review!

My friend Jay is back on the Small Scale Life Podcast!  Jay and I recorded a two-part series called "Cowbells and Kettlebells," and in this episode, we discuss Jay's vision of buying and owning rural property.  Specifically, we discuss the following topics:

Why purchase rural property?
What is your vision for this property?
What are you looking for as you start to look at rural property (i.e., features and characteristics)?
Will you need to commute to your job?  What kind of a commute are you willing to tolerate?
What are you seeing in your market?  Is rural property available?  What does it look like?
What advice/tips do you have for others?

Throughout this episode, we discuss permaculture concepts (i.e., hugelkulture mounds and small scale food forests). I also sprinkle in some of my (and Julie's) thoughts about our future rural property, and I learned a few new things from Jay during the course of this podcast as well.

My take-away from this podcast is that I will be doing some research about farm credits and agriculture-based credits, grants and loans.  That could be very beneficial for our future plans, and I have a feeling some other folks in the MN-WI Regenerative Agriculture Facebook Group would be interested as well!

[caption id="attachment_589" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] I interviewed Jay from the cab of a fire truck (this is a random picture). I have to think that is a first in the podcasting world![/caption]

I would also like to note that the first part of this podcast was recorded from the cab of a fire engine.  I don't think there is another podcast in the world that can make that claim!  We did have to re-record part of this podcast since there was activity in the fire station that interrupted the show.

Links

The following sites and links were discussed during this podcast:
Small Scale Life Season 1, Episode 6 - What is a Sustainable Life?
Small Scale Gardening Blog
Ben Falk's The Resilient Farm and Homestead book
Jack Spirko Member Support Brigade
Jack Spirko Episode 1764 - Small Scale Food Forestry
Homes for Heroes - Hero Rewards®, rebates, and discounts for firefighters, emergency medical professionals, military and veterans, law enforcement, teachers and healthcare workers when buying, selling, or refinancing a home.
A special thanks to Austin from Beatsby_Roi for providing permission for using the song "Steady Wzdm" from The Lemonwater Chronicles, Volume 1, on the podcast.  Austin has a new track called Feels Right that is really great; check it out!

Also a special thanks to Dillon from The Soapbox Collective Podcast for helping set the music up.
 
Listen

Use the following link to listen to the podcast.  Since we are now on iTunes, please rate and review the Small Scale Life Podcast.  You can leave a review by following these simple steps:

Click on this link.
Go to ratings and reviews.
Click on 5 stars.
Subscribe!

After a bit of a break in March, the Small Scale Life Podcast is back!  Before we posted another episode, I needed to get some infrastructure in place that would allow this podcast to be placed on iTunes.  This is the official reboot of the podcast, and we are looking forward to more episodes in Awesome April.  In this episode, I discuss the elements of my vision of a sustainable life including the following topics:

Mission of the Small Scale Life Podcast and Blog
What is a Sustainable Life (in my view)?
The definition of sustainable
The three pillars of sustainability (economics, social development and the environment)
How that definition and the three pillars relate to what we are doing on Small Scale Life
Healthy Living
Economics and Frugal Living
Gardening
Adventures and Having Fun
Restarting and Rebounding after Failure
Awesome April and the 2nd Annual Salsa Contest

All of the elements that I discuss are related to the Core Principles I described on the About Page of the Blog.  You can see those principles here.

Finally, we are really excited that we have a fantastic logo and other key infrastructure in place that will help us upload this podcast to iTunes.  Thank you, Jenny (you know who you are), for all of your hard work and creativity on this effort!

Links

During the podcast, I discuss the following links:
Hybrid Rain Gutter Grow Systems on Small Scale Gardening
Septoria Leaf Spot on Small Scale Life
Organic Gardener Podcast - I will be a guest on the show this week
Gallant Garden in Charlevoix, Michigan (Gallant Gardens' Facebook Page)
Flavourful Farms in Chilliwak, British Columbia (Flavourful Farms' Facebook Page)
MN-WI Regenerative Agriculture Group
Small Scale Gardening Facebook Group
Regenerative Agriculture Group

Check those links out; there are some really fantastic people out there living sustainable lives and getting stuff done!

Your Turn
What is your definition of a sustainable life?  How will you achieve it?  Will you achieve it in the near future?  I would love to hear from you.

Also, if you would like to enter the 2nd Annual Homemade Salsa Fiesta Contest, please send me an e-mail at realsmallscalelife [at] gmail [dot] com.  Remember: the contest will be held on Earth Day Weekend, so contact me soon!
Finally, review this podcast on iTunes.  It will help us grow!

In an effort to maximize our potential harvest and start planning spring planting, I have started some tomatoes, lettuce, kale and lettuce in the basement. I discuss my techniques for how to grow seeds indoors in Season 1, Episode 5 of the Small Scale Life podcast.

Why Start Seeds Now?

Spring is right around the corner, everyone! Depending where you live in the world, it might not feel like it as February comes to close. In our house, we have started thinking forward to the 2016 Gardening Campaign. In addition, I kicked off the Grow What You Eat Challenge by planting the leafy greens (lettuce, spinach and kale). I am excited to see if I can grow enough leafy greens to effectively take that off our grocery list...permanently.

At the same time, Julie reminded me that I always am kicking myself that I waited too long to start seeds. I quietly disagreed, but she showed me the articles I wrote about starting seeds early in 2015 and in 2014 (on the Small Scale Gardening blog). I had to agree with her. She is really on her game this week, but I will reserve that for another post or podcast.

I mention or discuss the following sites and articles in this podcast:

Small Scale Life Blog – www.smallscalelife.com
Small Scale Gardening Blog: Starting Seeds Indoors – http://www.smallscalegardening.com/2015/05/14/start-seeds-indoors/
Small Scale Life Facebook Page – www.facebook.com/SmallScaleLife
Small Scale Gardening Group Page – www.facebook.com/groups/821558261269485

1) Further discussion about transitioning from Small Scale Gardening to Small Scale Life. Facebook has been a bit slow due to rules in place for pages, but that change should occur this weekend. UPDATE: I made the change on Valentines Day 2016.

2) I am kicking off the Growing Green Challenge this weekend. For this challenge, I am going to grow enough greens (lettuce, spinach, kale, etc.) in my basement to effectively knock those items off our grocery list. I am setting up and planting the first round of greens on Valentines Day weekend.

Links:
I mention or discuss the following sites and articles in this podcast:

Small Scale Life Blog - www.smallscalelife.com
Small Scale Gardening Blog - www.smallscalegardening.com
Small Scale Life Facebook Page - www.facebook.com/SmallScaleLife
Small Scale Gardening Group Page - www.facebook.com/groups/821558261269485
Beatsby_Roi Lemon Water Chronicles Volume 1 - Beatsbyroi – Lemon-water-chronicles-vol-i

Links for this podcast:
1) Small Scale Life Blog - www.smallscalelife.com
2) Small Scale Gardening - www.smallscalegardening.com
3) Cranberry-Jalapeno Jelly - http://www.smallscalegardening.com/2016/01/13/how-to-make-roll-tide-cranberry-jalapeno-jelly/
4) Indoor Gardening - http://www.smallscalegardening.com/2014/12/02/indoor-gardening-made-easy/
5) March of the Aphids - http://www.smallscalegardening.com/2015/01/19/2015-failure-march-of-the-aphids/
6) Square Foot Gardening - http://squarefootgardening.org/
7) Beatsby_Roi Lemon Water Chronicles Volume 1 - https://soundcloud.com/beatsbyroi/lemon-water-chronicles-vol-i
8) Jay's A Crash Into Life Blog - https://acrashintolife.wordpress.com/

This is a "reboot" of the introduction podcast for Small Scale Life. In April of 2016, I adjusted the sound quality and cleaned up the podcast.

Small Scale Life is a podcast and blog dedicated to learning, doing, and growing. We hope to inspire you to learn new skills, complete projects and grow mentally, and physically. We are all about getting stuff done, particularly when it comes to fitness, weight loss, finances, gardening, preserving the harvest and adventure.

In this Podcast....

In this podcast, Jay and I introduce ourselves, discuss the vision and goals of the podcast and discuss three questions asked by Jon Acuff about 2016. We will discuss the answers to those questions in Season 1, Episode 3.

In addition, Jay and I discussed the Kwitchyerbellyakin Fitness Challenge. This is a fitness challenge designed for all types of people from beginners to seasoned fitness veterans. It is a points scoring system based on duration of exercise. There will be weekly winners (you can only win one week) and overall winners. Registration closes on January 5, 2016, and see Small Scale Life (smallscalelife.com) for more information.

Thank you!

A special thanks goes to the following people:

Dillon from The Soapbox Collective Podcast (http://thesoapboxcollectivepodcast.com/) and his brother Austin from Beatsby_Roi for providing permission for using The Lemonwater Chronicles, Volume 1, on the podcast (https://soundcloud.com/beatsbyroi/lemon-water-chronicles-vol-i). Check out their work!

Jay for being a great co-host. Check his blog out at A Crash Into Life Blog - https://acrashintolife.wordpress.com/

My wife Julie from Julia's Blooms (http://www.juliasblooms.com/)who has believes in the concept, shares my vision and supports my quest for achieving a Small Scale Life.