You have to start somewhere! No matter how much you read or hear, there is no substitute for firsthand experience. Often this step of making the commitment and getting your first plants or animals is the hardest, but don’t let it deter you from your vision. Roll up your sleeves and get to work! You’ll learn as you go.
The Power of Checklists
How does a worm eat an apple? One bite at a time.
It’s well known that when facing a big, daunting project, the best thing to do is break it up into chunks, or steps. This process of chunking your task changes your perception by taking one mountainous project and turning into a series of smaller, very doable projects. (This is why we had you break your vision down into milestones earlier.)
With this in mind, whatever you have planned, it’s time to break it up and get to work. For the sake of providing an illustration, we’re going to assume you’re looking at getting a flock of laying hens for the first time. The approach will apply to any other project, however.
So the first thing to do is list the steps needed to get a flock of chickens (or whatever else you are doing). You can write these steps down on paper if you like, but in this case it’s nice to use an app such as OneNote so that you can easily reorganize the list if necessary.
To start a flock of chickens, we might put on our list:
- Build a chicken tractor.
- Buy portable fencing.
- Buy feeders and waterers.
- Purchase and set up a brooder.
- Order chicks.
(Please note that this is by no means intended to be a complete list for starting with laying hens. The point is to illustrate planning and launching a country living project of any type.)
Hopefully you have some idea of what should go onto the checklist from all your previous learning. You will probably also want to do a quick Internet search while writing to make sure that you haven’t missed anything.
Set this checklist up in your favorite app in outline form. Break each major step up into smaller substeps if you find that helpful. Tag the major steps with a checkbox so that you can keep track of your progress.
Helpful Resources
Just Do It
Once you have done some initial research and set up your checklist, you have no further excuse for procrastination. Now you just need to do the work.
If you are a chronic procrastinator, consider these ideas for getting unstuck:
- Set a project deadline.
- Break the project down into even smaller tasks.
- Delegate steps that you are not good at and don’t enjoy to someone who will shine in that role.
- Identify and address the source of friction. Is there a real problem you need to solve before moving forward?
- Find a way to make a daunting project fun, like inviting family over for a barbecue when you’ve finished building chicken housing.
- Find a method of holding yourself accountable, such as a checkbox in your planner or regular check-ins with someone close to you.
- Make it a habit to put in 5 minutes of work on your project daily. (If you are battling procrastination, do not set your sights on 30 minutes or an hour, because that will just guarantee you’ll put it off because you don’t have enough time.)
Moving forward is a habit, and like all good habits it can be learned.
About Land
Too many people think that buying land is a prerequisite for beginning a country lifestyle. In fact, it is not. Country living has more to do with your mindset than your location. You can become more self-reliant and more in touch with nature anywhere.
Even if you live in a populated area, consider some of these ideas:
- Teach yourself to cook.
- Become self-employed.
- Mend your own clothes.
- Start a container garden.
- Offer to help a farming relative out with the chores.
- Buy fresh produce from a local farmer and learn how to preserve it.
- Get a few chickens (some subdivisions are adjusting their rules to allow for this).
Owning land may be an important part of your vision, and if so then you should definitely pursue this option. However, it is simply not true that you must own land to live a country lifestyle. In fact, starting right where you are will minimize the stress and learning curve of this new adventure.
Adjusting Your Routine
Starting a new project of any type will place two different kinds of demands on your time:
- One-time tasks (building a chicken coop, for example).
- Recurring maintenance (the daily chores of feeding chickens, gathering eggs, etc.)
In a way, the one-time tasks are almost easier to deal with because they can be fit in just about anywhere you have time.
Routine maintenance has to become a habit. To make it easier in the beginning, consider writing down a list of your daily maintenance items in a convenient location, perhaps in your note-taking app or on a piece of paper nailed to the wall in your feed-storage location. It frequently also helps to tie a new routine to an old one (e.g., feed the chickens right before getting dinner).
Dealing with Setbacks
You will experience problems, challenges, obstacles, and setbacks (repeatedly) throughout your country living adventure. This is perfectly normal, and a key part of how you will learn.
The secret to dealing with these adverse events is to change your perspective on them, choosing to view them as opportunities to grow rather than occasions for frustration and regret (all things work together for good, right?).
To aid in this process, try these steps:
- Name three things you did well in the adverse situation.
- Choose one thing you will do to improve.
Also remember to find something to be thankful for in every adverse situation. God promises to work all things for the good of those who love Him. Realizing the full implications of this promise is tremendous to changing your perspective.
The secret to success in anything is quite simple—refuse to fail!
Recording the Process
It’s a great idea to keep good notes and records for many reasons:
- Troubleshooting.
- Cementing information into your mind.
- Making useful information available for later reference.
You will want to find a record-keeping system that works for you, one that prompts you to write down what is useful without creating unnecessary clutter. Also, it helps to have this information stored in a place and manner that is easy to find later on.
You have many, many options here. Again, be prepared to experiment a bit until you find something that works for you. A few ideas include:
- Spreadsheets.
- Simple calendars.
- Specialized journals.
- Composition notebooks.
- OneNote or a similar app.
Examples of things you might want to record (aside from the obvious financial records) include:
- Recipes.
- Remedies.
- Frost dates.
- Planting dates.
- Crop rotations.
- Building plans.
- Future projects.
- Supplies needed.
- Soil test results.
- Egg production numbers.
- Plant varieties to try.
- Steps for preserving different types of food.
- Information on common pests and diseases.
- A calendar of infrequent maintenance items.
- Pasture photos (for monitoring pasture health over time).
- Lists of the feed, supplements, and medications required for every animal on the farm, including pets.
If done correctly, record-keeping should not feel onerous. It should fit smoothly into your regular routine. If at any time this process does start to feel burdensome, evaluate whether you are keeping unnecessary information or if you need a different note-taking tool.
Helpful Resource
You’ve already come a long way! Keep learning!