Small Scale Life Podcast

In today’s episode, The Slow Down Season, we explore how nature invites us to pause, reset, and realign our lives as we enter the quieter, colder months. This is the perfect episode for anyone feeling overwhelmed, stretched thin, or craving a more intentional, peaceful pace. In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why slowing down is essential for emotional and physical health • How nature’s rhythms can guide our own • Practical ways to simplify, declutter, and reconnect • How to set boundaries heading into the holidays • How this season nurtures renewal, rest, and spiritual grounding • How slowing down now prepares you for a better spring What’s ONE thing you can slow down this week? Let us know via email at realsmallscalelife@gmail.com!

In this special Thanksgiving episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, we gather around the hearth — the ancient symbol of warmth, nourishment, and connection — to explore gratitude, community, and the lessons we learn from the changing seasons. Whether your “hearth” is a wood stove, kitchen table, fire pit, or simply a calm moment at the end of a long day, this episode is about returning to what matters: Slowing down. Giving thanks. Growing gratitude. Building connection. Bring your coffee and coffee cake or donuts....let's chat as we learn, do, grow and be a little better everyday!

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. (http://smallscalelife.com)

Welcome to the first episode of the New and Improved Small Scale Life Podcast. In this episode, I'll talk about some of the things I am letting go and discussing what is coming next on the Small Scale Life Podcast. As we navigate some new waters, we'lll have to watch out for the rocks, branches, sandbars and deadheads...the water isn't always smooth in this Small Scale Life. We will explore these new waters together! As a note, we will be streaming Wednesdays at 7:00 PM Central Time on the Small Scale Life YouTube Channel. 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!

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 250th Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Adam and I talk about Mastering Speed in Business and Life. Speed....it can help and it can hinder. Act too quickly, and you can make costly mistakes. Act too slowly, and you can miss opportunities. The reality is that we live in a fast-paced world and have a ton of things going on in our lives. There is little time to stop and take a breath, and when you do, the little cell phone demon in our hand calls to us and beckons us to Doom Scroll. Yes, the struggle of our modern world is real. While many of us understand that, there is the other side of that coin. Homesteading and moving to the country to start a "simple life" sounds fantastic. Leaving the sirens and hustle of the bustle of the city creates peace and tranquility. However, for some of us, the silence and quiet life drains us. The silence becomes VERY, VERY loud as we need to confront the our shadow. There might be little or no escape! Ask me how I know..... It always comes back to balance. We need to move fast enough to accomplish goals, tasks and objectives, but we need to slow down and smell the flowers, tend to our gardens, feed the birds and spend some time with family, friends, pets and livestock. After all, those tomatoes aren't going to grow themselves, and the deer sheds aren't going to find themselves. Adam and I are going to talk about things we can do to master speed in business and life. For some of us, we want to move faster to get more. For others like me, I want to slow down, savor and enjoy each moment, each monarch butterfly, hummingbird and oriole visiting The Landing. It all comes back to balance. 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 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 248th Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Adam and Tom are talking about the power of "no." "No" is the most powerful and shortest sentence in the English language. Sometimes we need to just say this powerful and short sentence to friends, family, acquaintances, coworkers, bosses, customers, etc. Adam and I are going to talk about setting boundaries and using the word no in business. We both have experiences from the house to the farmer's market to the corporate world, and as a recovering people pleaser, no can be a very uncomfortable word and sentence. For links and show notes head to the Small Scale Life website at 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! 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! (https://smallscalelife.com) Special Guest: Adam Rick.

In this 245th Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Tom discusses the 24-Hour Fast Results and provides a Tommy Cakes Suet Update. Tom will also show off some of the feathered and furry friends visiting the feeders at The Landing this week including Sam the Squirrel, the Blue Jay Cabal, Elvis the Cardinal and Wanda and Woody (male and female pileated woodpeckers). Julie has been a world traveler this week as she has been on a much-needed vacation to the Dominican Republic. When she is away, Tommy Cakes will play! Tom has been focused on processing 2024 tomatoes and making salsa and tomato sauce, a 5"x5" mold for suet cakes, making some kombucha and completing some home improvement projects. On Ant Live 14, Adam challenged Tom to do a 24-Hour fast. After thinking about it during the show, Tom agreed to run a fast from Wednesday to Thursday. Having just completed the fast, Tom describes how he was feeling and how he pushed through the headaches and hunger during the 24-hour period. To be honest, it wasn't that bad! Tom completed a 36 hour fast on Friday to Sunday that week, but that was after he recorded this show. For more information and links, head over to Small Scale Life (https://smallscalelife.com). Remember to learn, do, grow and be a little better everyday!

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 (https://smallscalelife.com) for more. Remember to learn, do, grow and be a little better everyday! Special Guest: Adam Rick.

Happy MLK Day! It is a day of new starts: it's still early in the New Year, the new Administration has peacefully taken power and there is a new cease fire in the Middle East. So far, so good (but really super cold! Several of us are planning to start new things in 2025. New workout plans, new diets, book clubs, neighborhood gatherings, garden plans, new businesses, new side hustles...the list is endless. Some people decide to go "all in" on their new thing or endeavor. Is it an obsession or just intense focus over time? Some folks in the self-improvement world have coined the term "Monk Mode" to describe this process of going all in. There are benefits and drawbacks to Monk Mode, and Adam and I are talking about them in ANT Live 14. Here are our show topics: Catching Up Definition of Monk Mode Benefits of Monk Mode Drawbacks to Monk Mode Tips for Successfully going into and out of Monk Mode It should be a great show! 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/4raJ4B... 🌱Small Scale Gardening Group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/dua9Po... 🌱Small Scale Life Wellness Club Group on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/g/rd2j... 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! **************** 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!

In this 242nd Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Adam and Tom put the icing on the cake by talking about 2024 Wins, Losses and Lessons Learned. It is an interesting blend of small business and gardening. Speaking of interesting blends, Tom shows off a new creation from the kitchen and takes a bite on the air! Catch ANT LIVE on the Small Scale Life YouTube Channel at 7:30 PM Central on Monday evenings. Adam and I talk about small business, gardening, connecting with nature, mindset, 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! Special Guest: Adam Rick.

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 240th Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Adam and Tom discuss watching drones, surviving Christmas gatherings and closing out 2024. Besides the conspiracies and parody songs, Adam and Tom discuss 9 Tips for Surviving Christmas Gatherings, which Tom admits he will be putting into play this week! From drones flying around our county to our Christmas/Yule Plans to Closing our 2024, Adam and Tom (the ANT Squad) covering a lot of ground tonight. Maybe it was the full moon, maybe it was the winter solstice energy, maybe it was the old Yule traditions...whatever it is, we are covering it tonight. We look forward to our awesome audience providing input and questions as usual,. and I am sure we will dive down some strange rabbit holes with these topics. Oh come, all ye faithful Joyful and triumphant Let's talk about Magic, technology, Old Gods, Old Ways, traditions, the New Year and aliens....why the hell not? The ANT Live Show is every Monday at 7:30 PM Central on the Small Scale Life YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/@smallscalelife). We then post the audio on the Small Scale Life Podcast as soon as we can....barring any reindeer, aliens or drones! Ho Ho Ho! Drink your drinks with your pinky out, and let's go! 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! See you tonight! ~ 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 238th Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, my friend Adam and I discuss how to cook a turkey including brining the turkey, spatchcocking the bird vs. cooking it whole and how we serve the turkey to family and guests. We discuss our favorite side dishes and a couple failures in our Thanksgiving dinners (homemade stuffing). This podcast will be connected to a much more in-depth guide on Small Scale Life titled "How to Cook a Turkey for Thanksgiving. (https://www.smallscalelife.com/how-to-cook-a-turkey/)" In that guide, I walk you through thawing a frozen turkey to brining the turkey (with three different brine recipes), spatchcocking the turkey, quartering the turkey, and cooking the turkey. Check out the article on Small SCale Life, and let me know what you think at realsmallscalelife@gmail.com. If you have any tips or recipes, let me know! 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.

In this 236th Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Adam Rick leads the way as he discusses how to find your first customer when launching a small business or even a podcast. To do this, Adam relates finding customers to fishing in a northern lake for big walleyes. It wasn't easy, but they ended up catching some massive fish after striking out for two days! The same thing happens in business..... The parallels are very obvious and make a lot of sense as he walks us through a story about his fishing experience in the Great White North. After two hard days of fishing, his group found the right spot holding the right fish, used the right bait, and kept at it until they caught some beautiful monster walleyes. It took persistence and the right amount of work to land those big fish, and the same process can be used to land your ideal client. It isn't easy. Sometimes it is a lot of hard work and isn't fun. The lake is full of other hungry fishermen that are trying to load their stringers with keepers, and it's up to us to read the lake, understand the behavior of the fish, go where they are and keep on casting (or jigging). For links, support and show notes about the 10 Steps for How to Find Your First Customer and some more of my thoughts on the RFK Fast Food scandal, check out my post at smallscalelife.com. Special Guest: Adam Rick.