Small Scale Life Podcast

In this 203rd Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, I have a Chicken Chat with my good friend Amy Dingmann. Julie and I are chicken newbs, so we wanted to learn from someone who has done all things chicken! Amy Dingmann is from A Farmish Kind of Life (https://afarmishkindoflife.com/) where she talks about her life on a little 5-acre farm in Central Minnesota. Amy is a writer, podcaster, blogger, YouTuber, and also has a snail mail paper newsletter (called The Farmish Papers). During this episode, we discuss what is happening on our farms, all things chicken the chicken chat), gardening and her platform and plans at A Farmish Kind of Life. You can find more links and information at smallscalelife.com (https://smallscalelife.com). Chicken stock photo by freeimages.com/cholin. Free Image used according to use agrement.

On this 202nd Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Julie and Maria the Intuitive Energy Healer are back on the Small Scale Life Podcast to talk about How to Start a Small Business. Both Maria and Julie have owned their own businesses: Maria owns and operates a dog grooming business and her intuitive energy healing business in Lake City, Minnesota. Julie operated her own wedding floral design business in Minnesota and Illinois. We discuss a number of topics including the following: How to prepare to start the small business and side hustle Where do you start? What should you focus on? Mindset and narratives that hold you back Teamwork makes the dreams work Small business ideas (Hell Yeah's vs. Hell No's) What do you wish you had during the busiest times of your life? Hear more of our interviews with Maria and get show notes at smallscalelife.com (https://smallscalelife.com)!

In this episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Julie and I talk with Maria the Intuitive Energy Healer about the Full Moon Energies, the importance of community, and our 2022 Guiding Words. Who is Maria the Intuitive Energy Healer? Maria the Intuitive Energy Healer has been practicing over 6 years and helps people heal naturally and coaches people to achieve their goals and live their best life. Julie and I have been meeting with Maria since the Fall of 2020, and she has helped us work through decisions and issues. In a way, Maria helped us see beyond Eagles Ridge and what was possible. Opening our eyes lead us to Driftless Oaks Farm...and we have been truly blessed for that decision. For all of the links described in the show and show notes, please go to smallscalelife.com. (https://smallscalelife.com)

For our 200th Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Julie and I talk about the Top 10 Surprises Moving to the Country from the City/Suburbs. For links to the recent appearances and to learn more about Driftless Oaks Farm, head over to smallscalelife.com (https://smallscalelife.com). As a reminder, you can now buy high quality grass fed meat (raised using Regenerative Agriculture protocols and principles) at the following site: https://www.amodernfrontier.com/ (https://www.amodernfrontier.com/) Use code SMALL (in all caps) and you will get $25 off and beef, pork or chicken box. That’s right, use code SMALL (in all caps) and get $25 off! You can chat with Adam on the site if you have any questions, or you can email him at [email protected]. For full disclosure: this is not an affiliate for me or Small Scale Life. I want to help a friend get this business going. I receive no payments or percentages from any sales; I am just helping a friend out.

In this 199th Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Adam Rick and I are talking about Creating Heritage Meals and Deep Roots in Central Wisconsin. I like to call this episode “All Roads Lead to Oxford, Wisconsin.” For links and show notes, head on over to smallscalelife.com As I mentioned in this Small Scale Life Podcast, you can now buy quality grass fed meat at the following site: https://www.amodernfrontier.com/ Use code SMALL (in all caps) and you will get $25 off and beef, pork or chicken box. That’s right, use code SMALL (in all caps) and get $25 off! Please note: I get no payments or affiliate income from any purchases or clicks; I am just helping my friend start his business.

I talk with Adam Rick about his Grass Fed Farm Business in Wisconsin. Adam is a partner in and salesman for an Amish co-op. This co-op is beyond a grass fed farm: they are focusing on using principles and protocols of Regenerative Agriculture to raise chickens, pork and cows. Adam and his Amish partners are building soil on tired, played out farm fields one animal at a time, and this Small Scale Life Podcast episode is all about meeting your farmer! You can now buy quality grass fed meat (raised using Regenerative Agriculture protocols and principles) at the following site: https://www.amodernfrontier.com/ Use code SMALL (in all caps) and you will get $25 off and beef, pork or chicken box. That’s right, use code SMALL (in all caps) and get $25 off! You can chat with Adam on the site if you have any questions, or you can email him at [email protected]. For full disclosure: this is not an affiliate for me or Small Scale Life. I want to help a friend get this business going. I receive no payments or percentages from any sales; I am just helping a friend out. [For links, head over to smallscalife.com! (https://smallscalelife.com)

My guest on the Small Scale Life Podcast this week is Brian Aleksivich from the LOTS Project and our Fireside Freedom Podcast! We are talking about monetizing your homestead (making some money because….hey, we like money)! Brian started a lot of different business ventures since starting his Happy Hills Homestead 7 years ago, and I wanted to find out what worked, what didn’t and what other lessons he learned along the way. Check out the Episode 197 of the Small Scale Life Podcast! Available at smallscalelife.com or on streaming apps everywhere!

In our first Small Scale Life Podcast of 2022, Julie and I discuss our journey to Driftless Oaks Farm. We discuss Eagles Ridge, why we started looking for property again and finding Driftless Oaks Farm. Of course, it is also a special birthday episode for the Small Scale Life Podcast (7 years) and your humble host Tom! For more information and links, please head over to smallscalelife.com!

Last week on the Small Scale Life Podcast, I discussed my Daily Gratitude Practice and gave four tips to establishing your own daily gratitude practice. As a recap, the four tips were the following: Take some time and think about what you are truly grateful about. Make a list of people and things and challenges you are grateful for. Keep those lists in a journal (brief bullet points only; don’t write a book – it isn’t sustainable). Let someone on that list know you are grateful. This week, I am revisiting gratitude and putting it into action. I completed Number 4 on that list. I let two people on my list know that I was very grateful for them: Theresa and Dale. I also had a chance to talk to a member of the Small Scale Life Community that is in a tough place and is finding it hard to find gratitude for that member's situation. To join the Small Scale Life Community, please go to smallscalelife.com and joint the conversation on the Small Scale Life Newsletter. Sign up today!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!  Tis the season for having a Daily Gratitude Practice and giving thanks.  After all, how many of us had this conversation during Thanksgiving dinner last week: What are you thankful for? “What are you thankful for” is the usual question that people have and expect a response after grace.  How often were we caught of-guard by such a simple question when the piping hot feast is right in front of us?  We typically mumble something about “family and friends,” stop paying attention to other answers once we are done mumbling and dive into the turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and stuffing!  Am I right? But did we really think about that question?  Did you pause for a minute and really think about your answer?  Seriously. In this episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, I am going to talk about starting my gratitude practice a year after writing Practicing Gratitude for the Good, the Bad and the Ugly in October 2020.  I’ll finish this episode by discussing How I am going adjust (improve) my daily gratitude practice Describe a small gratitude offering that I recently did in a special place near our Driftless Oaks Farm Giving you 4 Tips for Starting Your own Daily Gratitude Practice REMEMBER: Snow, ice and subzereo temperatures can hurt you (ie, frostbite).  There are MANY ways to ground, develop a gratitude practice and get a dose of Nature. Get outside, be careful and be safe! For show notes, links and more information, check out the article titled "Gratitude Practice: How to Start Expressing Gratitude" on smallscalelife.com!