In this 243rd Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, your Host Tommy Cakes is going to take the time to dive into his 2025 Garden Plans, Backyard Birds Visiting the Feeders and Answering Audience Questions. Adam is sick this week, so this is a “just Tommy Cakes” show.
Topics: 2025 Garden Plans, Backyard Birds and Audience Questions
Tom is going to dive into the following topics:
1. The potential TikTok ban and how it could affect Small Scale Life
2. Changes to the Small Scale Life website to make it more functional and organized
3. Tommy’s 2025 Garden Plans (big changes to the Small Scale Garden)
4. What Backyard Birds are hitting the Suet Feeders
5. Answering Audience Questions and
6. Talking about the direction of Small Scale Life going forward
2025 Garden Plans
2024 was definitely a learning year. The last time I had a “serious” garden was 2020, and while it is like riding a bike, rust definitely builds up. Timing is EVERYTHING.
You forget that certain things need to happen at certain times, and if you don’t follow through, the seedlings don’t get transplanted on time, garden gets planted late, self-watering planters do not get filled up before trips and pests don’t get mitigated. Yes, all of those things happened in 2024, but I had A LOT of fun getting back in the garden.
The harvest was a wonderful bonus!
As I look at the performance of some of my planters and planting methods in 2024, I have made the fateful decision to make some big changes. I am going to create a “keyhole garden” using two of the Wicking Barrel Beds (where the Hybrid Rain Gutter Grow Systems are now – see the picture above). To do this, I am going to remove one of the Hybrid Rain Gutter Grow Systems completely (the one on the right) and repurpose the materials to build my Wicking Barrel Beds or (most likely) create some smaller Hybrid Rain Gutter Grow Systems along the west and east sides of the garden near my Wicking Beds.
After all, the goal is to have beautiful and PRODUCTIVE Small Scale Garden, and repurposing the Hybrid Rain Gutter Grow Systems will help accomplish that goal. I will effectively almost double my planting capabilities by repurposing what I have and adding the Wicking Barrel Beds to the Small Scale Garden.
Also on my 2025 Garden Plan is to create a trellis arch between the two Wicking Beds. I will reconfigure the T-Posts and add fencing to create the arch, and that way my beans, peas squash or cucumbers can be planted in the Wicking Beds and climb to their heart’s content. I was opposed to the idea initially (because I really like growing tomatoes in my Wicking Beds, but my tomatoes got some septoria leaf spot blight at the end of the 2024 season, and those spores will hang around for three years. I will concede the point and give up tomato plants in my Wicking Bed, but I will use the Wicking Barrel Beds for tomatoes instead. It will be a good test!
Links
Show Sponsor
This live-stream is brought to you by A Modern Frontier Farms: Modern Frontier Farms Website
Get all your pasture-raised beef, pork and chicken from A Modern Frontier Farms! Grass Fed; Grass Raised; 100% Delicious!
When he isn’t at a Farmer’s Market or hanging out with his wonderful wife and beautiful kids, Adam can be found at the following locations:
Other Related Shows
Adam has been a guest on the Small Scale Life Podcast a number of times. Here is a quick list of shows where he has been the guest or cohost:
- 2024 Wins, Losses and Lessons Learned – ANT Live 13
- Getting Ready for 2025; Setting the Stage for Success – ANT Live 12
- Watching Drones, Surviving Christmas Gatherings and Closing Out 2024 – ANT Live 11
- Highlights of the 2024 Acres USA Eco-Ag Conference – ANT Live 10
- 20 Simple Steps for Better Holiday Season – ANT Live 9
- How to Find Your First Customer – ANT Live 8
- Dreams and Goals: How to Manifest Your Future – ANT Live 7
- How to Find Your Passion: From Hobbies to Heartbeat – ANT Live 6
- Boredom: A Path to Mindfulness and Innovation – ANT Live 5
- Hustles and Hurdles: Side Hustles and the Gig Economy – ANT Live 4
- Mindset and Milestones: Prepping for a Life Upgrade – ANT Live 3
- The Importance of Getting Away – ANT Live 2
- Catching up with Adam Rick from Modern Frontier Farms – ANT Live 1
- Small Scale Life Episode 198 – Grass Fed Farm Business with Adam Rick
- Small Scale Life Episode 199 – Creating Heritage Meals and Deep Roots with Adam Rick
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.
In Closing….
From the North to the South
From the East to the West and
Everywhere in between.
May the gods, spirits and folk
Be blessed at this place.
May we heal the land and
Protect the soil, animals and plants.
May we live in strength and love.
Leading the Way
As we learn, do grow and
Be a little better everyday!
This is Tom from the Small Scale Life Podcast. Have a great week! We’ll be back soon with another show. In the meantime, stay safe and take care everybody!
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Special Thanks
For Small Scale Life Podcasts, I would like to thank Sean at Osi and the Jupiter for the intro song "Harvest." Sean wrote this specifically for us, and I really enjoy all of his work. You can find more Osi and the Jupiter at their Bandcamp site: https://osifolk.bandcamp.com/
I would also like to thank Austin Quinn at Vlog Vibes for the intro and outro music. For more information abut Austin and Vlog Vibes, please see the Vlog Vibes YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY80LeqtJf-YBzJy2TWKpDw