Small Scale Life Podcast

In today's Small Scale Life Live Stream and Podcast, I am going to discuss the Lessons from the Harvest for the 2025 Garden Season. Like the famous novel by Charles Dickens: "It was the best of times and it was the worst of times." Ok, that was pretty dramatic. We had a really great season for some vegetables, ginger and herbs,. At the same time, we had a tough time with other favorites like tomatoes and squash. What worked? What didn't work? What will we do n 2026? You can find out tonight on the Small Scale Life Live Stream and Podcast. We go LIVE at 7:00 PM Central. It is going to be fun! For more including links, show notes and photos, head over to the Small Scale Life Website.

Tommy Cakes returns to restart the Small Scale Life Podcast! Tommy discusses what they have been up to since March: Starting a new business called Tommy Cakes (Bird) Seed LLC Gardening, Improving the shoreline, Feeding the birds, Taking some shorter trips Connecting with neighbors and, Dealing with the Government Shutdown. The government shutdown is concerning. 42 million Americans might lose access to funds to purchase food and put it on the table, and whiile we cannot change what happens in Washington DC, we can help people right where we live. A couple great ways to help are; Stock local little library pantries, Make monetary donations to local food shelves and pantries, Bring foo to local food shelves and pantries, and Volunteer at local food shelves and pantries. Start where you are with what you have. We need to come together and help those in need in our community. It starts with us. The Small Scale Life Podcast returns on Wednesdays at 7:00 PM starting 11/12/2025. I will be live-streaming on the YouTube Channel and creating a podcast from that video. Join us LIVE! 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!

In this 249th Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Adam and I will be talking about “How to Thrive in Slow Business Cycles.” 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.

In this 247th Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Tom and Adam discuss origins, tips and guidelines for the February No-Spend Challenge (or Frugal February Challenge) on Small Scale Life. Can you survive the No-Spend Challenge for 28 days? Unfortunately, this is the season....to pay the piper. December is usually expensive and gets us in trouble. The holidays bring us expenses with presents, gatherings, parties, events and vacations. January brings us the cold hard reality: we have bills to pay and usually don't have enough money to cover the rest of the month. It can be stressful: there were times where Jules and I had $50 in the account to get us through the month! Fortunately, February isn't usually as cold as January. We have an opportunity to catch our breath and dig ourselves out of a financial hole (provided that we don't blow it all out on Valentine's Day). We can literally thaw the deep freeze on our wallets and bank accounts if we take control of our budgets and cut spending. How is your bank account looking right now? Maybe it is a pocket full of sunshine and you are smiling. Maybe it is empty as the grasslands of South Dakota and has tumbleweeds blowing across it. Whatever situation you might be in right now, events and decisions in far off places are going to hurt our accounts. The fact is that tariffs on goods and energy are going to hurt the American consumer. We need to acknowledge that fact and prepare accordingly, so even if you have a fat wallet and happy bank account, we need to prepare for what is coming at the stores and at the pump. It doesn't matter what you believe politically, there will be repercussions from policy decisions and actions in the far off Heart of the American Empire. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. This is a hard reality, and I hope you understand that as we move forward and prepare accordingly. If you are struggling financially, there are a few ways to get out of it. One way is to make more money (side hustles, extra jobs, etc.). Another way is to dramatically cut back on expenses, especially the ones that are not necessary. We are going to focus on cutting expenses dramatically in No-Spend Challenge or Frugal February. Remember: February is the shortest month of the year. You can do this; we can help! Learn, do, grow and be a little better everyday! For more resources including tips, guidelines and budgeting tools, check out the post at Small Scale Life!Special Guest: Adam Rick.

By now, most people have let the New Year's goals, initiatives, mantras and plans fall by the wayside. Change is hard, and it is easier to slide back into old programming and old habits, especially when you cannot SEE progress on the scale, in you bank account or in the way you feel. 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.

In this 243rd Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, your host Tommy Cakes takes the helm for a Just Tommy Cakes Show. Adam is sick, so Tom is going to take the time to dive into the following topics: The potential TikTok ban and how it could affect Small Scale Life Changes to the Small Scale Life website to make it more functional and organized Tommy's 2025 Garden Plans (big changes to the Small Scale Garden) What Backyard Birds are hitting the Suet Feeders Answering Audience Questions and Talking about the direction of Small Scale Life going forward It has been a while since Tommy has done a solo Live Stream, but he ended up covering a lot of topics in an hour! For show notes and more information, check out 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! ~ 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!

Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas, friends! Glad Jul! Happy Winter Solstice! In this 241st Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Adam and I are going to be discussing how we are getting ready for 2025 and setting the stage for success. 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.

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

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

Can you actually Manifest Your Future? Do your dreams and goals seem to be out of reach? For many of us, we never feel like we are good enough to achieve much of anything. We sometimes feel like it takes all of our energy to get out of bed and drag ourselves to a J-O-B. 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.

Tonight’s show is titled: "Boredom: A Path to Mindfulness and Innovation.” 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.

I stopped by Driftless Oaks Farm this week, and as I looked at the property, it hit me that it is a fast fading dream. I realized that I am turning the page and leaving the farm behind, and even though it sounds sad, this epiphany had to happen for me to move forward here at the Landing. In Episode 231, I discuss some observations, memories and epiphanies I had as I looked over the farmhouse, outbuildings and property. It is no secret that moving to a farm/homestead was my dream. All you have to do is look back through the archive of Small Scale Life Podcast episodes, and you can see that I was working hard to move out of the city and move to Western Wisconsin. In fact, Julie and I looked at some properties in 2017 before moving from our rental house in St. Louis Park to North Minneapolis, Minnesota. The timing wasn't right until 20. Eagle's Ridge We purchased the Eagles Ridge property with a dream to build a house, garden and pole barn there. It was a 2 acre property on the Apple River just north of New Richmond, Wisconsin. We worked hard clearing buckthorn, prickly ash and honey suckle (all invasives) from the property and clearing the top of the ridge so we could see the river. We also cleared down by the water and put in a long switchback path down the 60-foot bluff from the top of the ridge to the river. COVID, riots, and global shortages pushed the cost of building a home to astronomical heights, and we decided to pivot and go a different direction. Early one morning, Julie and I woke up early, and she convinced me to put Eagle's Ridge on a shelf and start to move on from that fading dream. It was not the right time to build a house. Driftless Oaks Farm Julie's brother in Texas was looking at homes and properties for us, and he found Driftless Oaks Farm. We took a look at the property and the price, and we fell in love with it. A major dream had been accomplished, and we couldn't wait to move in as soon as possible! Not all that glitters is gold, however. We were overwhelmed by the amount of work there, and we also ran into a massive roadblock: the house. We bought the farm with the intention of hosting gatherings there with our family and friends. I even started planning homesteading gatherings at the farm where folks would come and listen to great homesteaders and gardeners talk about things that they were doing on their homesteads. Think Self-Reliance Festival in Maiden Rock, Wisconsin! The house was small, and we found out that contractors were not keen on working with and adding on to a 1900-era house. The farmhouse was small, and it would have been difficult to add on to the house with the stone foundation in the front and cellar in the back. Contractors recommended bringing in a bulldozer and starting from scratch. Did we have fading dreams once we did some diligence? Yes, absolutely. It happened fast on the farm, especially after major life events in 2022. After Danny passed away, we decided it was time to sell and move away from the little farm. We did not see how we could improve the farmhouse economically and make it work for us, so it was time to put it on the market and move forward. This Week's Epiphany When I stopped by the farm this week and observed it from the neighbor's hill, it suddenly occurred to me that the young man that purchased the property made some significant changes for the better. He had the creativity, audacity, tenacity and the network to make some things happen. I realized after looking at our little farm for a while that our farm life was one of many fading dreams, and it was time for me to turn the page and move on forever. For links and show notes, head over to the Small Scale Life website at https:///smallscalelife.com.