A Scrappy Update - With An Actual Voiceover!

Muddling along with Multiple Streams of Hope

Hello. How’s everyone doing?

I’m trying to make a habit of updating this journal, and frankly, that means it can’t be a passion project every time. I’m so often just ‘getting by’ that I have a million random thoughts, and none of them ever make it to this page.

Sometimes I write them down, or more often put them on a phone note. I’m also a great one for chatting to the voice recorder on my phone, and I even occasionally remember to give the note a title, which in the future will give me a clue what it’s about, and even pop it into a relevant folder - ‘Diary’ or ‘To Do’. More frequently, however, I completely forget to do either and am left looking at 2,693 notes all called Voice_240505_105302 or similar, and having no idea whatsoever what I might have been on about in May last year. In fact all too often, I’ve also forgotten that the phone was on at all and there are half hour silences.

Hence, in order to keep up a regular flow of no doubt gripping information from the Homefront, you are for the time being stuck with me in diary mode.

All the Things - Alfie Boy

I’ve been thinking a lot about the idea of getting by. On a smallholding, it’s rarely one great big achievement that separates the girls from the women, is it? It’s the bazillion little jobs, the half-finished projects, sudden emergency rescues, and the determination to keep going anyway.

This week has been very much about that for me. We were in the business of buying a ram to join the flock. After last year’s tragic loss of Marley, we’ve had a hunt around and at the last minute found a good candidate close to home, so we took off after church on Sunday to see him.

He was a proper charmer, and his breeding is on point, so Alfie (after Alfie Barbeary for any fellow Bath Rugby supporters) came home with us.

All The Things - Tunnel Vision

I’m trying to clear out the functioning polytunnel. On lifting the cardboard at the back door (the end I never even got round to planting up. This year has not had ‘working in the polytunnel’ kind of temperatures) I discovered that someone’s family , and I rather think it’s Peter Rabbit (who I honestly prefer to Roland Rat) has completely relocated and created catacombs worthy of the Famous Five. I so desperately wish we had got round to clearing and re-covering the horror movie skeleton of the other polytunnel, because one thing the excessive heat would have been good for is stretching a plastic cover good and taut. But hey.

While we sat in the shade of the sycamores on Saturday, I gazed across the field at said functioning polytunnel and spotted a huge slit along the side. We rushed to patch it up, but I think we all know where the October / Equinoctial winds are going with that.

All The Things - Spud Story

Finally I am managing to harvest the remaining potato crop. The ground has been so hard, that short of hiring seven very small beardy blokes and their pick axes, those spuds were staying where they were. Some much needed rain has loosened things up a bit. However, before you know it they’ll decide it’s too wet and rot, so time as they say is of the essence.

Reflections on ‘Just Getting By’

If you’re a non-landowning smallholder or homesteader aged 60+, there’s a fair chance you fall into one of the three categories I always aim to serve:

• You’ve retired, or are in the process of retiring, and you’re now focussed on grasping the opportunity to work on and with the land, having been denied that gift for most of your working life.

• You’ve been plugging away like me for years, and are only too aware that something’s got to give, but you really do want to keep going for another decade or two!

• You’re ready to hang up your hoe, and hand over as much as you can, and want to find positive ways to pass on your skills, your wisdom, maybe even your business to the next generation. (For those of us who are tenants, like we are, it’s not as simple as leaving the land to the family.)

For all of us the biggest deal is getting by; figuring out the ways to add income, make life easier, create simpler systems, get started, keep going, wind down!

So with that in mind, I’m tuning up a few strategies to earn a bit more, spread my net a bit wider, and find extra incomes for the farm - and I thought I’d share them here, to see if they inspire anyone else. Please do share your own ideas. I’m certain we’ll all do better if we get our heads together!

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Some Things I’m Trying to Keep Farm Body and Farm Soul Together!

1. YouTube I’ve bitten the bullet and started a YouTube Channel! It’s terrifying, but it’s also fun. As ever, I’d be so grateful if you hopped over and had a look - especially if you subscribe(which costs you nothing but helps me immensely) We’d practically be besties forever!

2. Substack This newsletter is as much for me as it is for you. I so want to keep it going and updated with what’s going on, which is why I decided, as I said above, to just chuck some news out even if it isn’t a work of art. Sometimes I am ‘writing’ and sometimes I am just telling you stuff that happened! I’m working to add some jazzed up bits for paid subscribers, and as always, I would truly appreciate anyone who chooses to upgrade, to help me keep the farm afloat. (As I look out of the window the rain is torrential. I hope I don’t regret choosing those words!)

3. Farm Produce Eggs, veg, meat boxes. Honestly, we’ve just ground to a halt these last few seasons, and it will take a big push to get us back going again. We’ve just rehoused all the hens, and we have this year got hoggets ready to go - so there will be meat boxes. Whilst this slowing down and sorting out season is definitely NOT about rebuilding big business streams, I think a few trickles would be helpful

4. Crafts I’ve made a new and different batch of soap, and need to get its certifications all done so I can put it up in time for the great gifting season. Spinning is not getting much of a look in at the moment, but hopefully as the nights draw in, I’ll find time

5. VA/Freelance Admin – This is my other business that doesn’t require more land or weather-cooperation. I still work for a few clients, and am open to more, so if you or someone you know runs a UK business and might need a back office assistant who charges by the hour, and provides her own office, pays her own tax and insurance and drinks her own coffee - I could be the woman for you!

I’ve gone bonkers and recorded a very rough and ready voiceover for this article! Please let me know how you felt about that! [Be kind!]

Are any of these things you might try? They vary - some take more energy, some need confidence, or certain skills, but I’m holding out for diversifying, and creating streams of income that make smallholding into my sixties profitable and fun.

Back soon with more on soap! I’ll open up a chat if anyone wants to discuss any of this.