Today we will take some time to review four strategies for managing a busy spring on the homestead without losing your mind. Spring has begun early this year and with it, a dangerous situation is in the works: The potential for an early April deep freeze.

But what if it doesn’t?  What if we just go straight into a spring that no longer gets below 26 degrees and ends in a super hot May that kills all the peas and  lettuce? Our daffodils are blooming. Our trees are budding out. Our bees are madly bringing pollen to the nest. We might have swarms soon - they are already starting in Texas. And I am just one person on a homestead with a job, starting a new business, with limited time.

It occurred to me, those of you listening to this for the first time probably have no idea what the segments are or why we have them. Living on a homestead requires a different, more simple approach to living, eating and planning. In the first few episodes, I was haphazardly sharing some of our experiences and eventually the fell into categories. So today, along with each segment, I’ll share a bit about what the segment is.

Eating Seasonally This is where we share what we are eating as it comes to us. In the winter, things slow down, but here I talk about what is still growing in the woods that we can eat. For free. Having done nothing to make it grow. Well sometimes I throw garden items in, but not for much longer because it is time to have a stand-alone wild foraging section.

• Wild Garlic and Watercress have come into their own
• Eggs - I launched the subscriptions - ! First ones going out today :-)
• Jerusalem artichokes
• And the Deadnettle is starting to peek up at me

Getting the Gardens Ready This is a spring segment where we share what we are doing to get our food growing operation up and running.

• Sweet Potato Slip Update
• Cider Hollow Farm Workshop on Grafting! in Savannah, Tennessee: This will be a half day grafting workshop. Start time will be 9am on Saturday March 18 and will run until approx. 2pm. Cost is $45 and Registration

Tales from the Prepper Pantry It is so easy to stock your pantry, but not always easy to remember to eat the food from it. In this section, I share with you how we are using what sounds like the same things all the time but in different ways to

• The weekly squash - week 8: Rotting Spaghetti Squash Cushaw Squash Pie - Just like pumpkin but better!
• Onions - 1 grew! Making French Onion soup this week, but with the wrong kind of stock!
• A sweet potato in every salad
• Salad Corn
• Pottage: Lang, goat and beef with canned corn and beans, potatoes and sweet potatoes with curry and onions. Serve over rice with freshly diced onion, salad greens and chutney.

Stories from the Holler

• The sinkhole
• A visit from Mike Vertrees, soil expert
• My dog disappeared 

Four strategies for navigating spring...

Strategy 1: Get Real on the garden or homestead plans.

1. Cut in half your current garden plans unless you are a seasoned garden planner -
2. More plants, less space=good
3. Take 10 minutes to look at your journal from last year and look for trends: What i am doing
4. If you don't have a journal from last year, go to the dollar store, but a notebook and start one. Write in it at least once a week.

Strategy 2: Take a step back and breathe when you feel overwhelmed and remind yourself to visit the three changes you can use for you can make for a great year from episode 18

1. Decide the 1 thing you want to do best this year (Did you? What is it?)
2. Set a weekly time to reflect on your progress and set a small, attainable forward step (Are you? Why not?)
3. Remember the small things are the most important. (What is one small thing you can do this week?)

Strategy 3: The List of Minimums 

1. There can be only 3 - this part is hard - and do them first. You will find there is more time for everything else if you do this.
2. Trust your gut on putting things off 
3. Link choices to your personal strategic plan.

Strategy 4: Have some fun man!

Spring is one of the busiest times. Oh who am I fooling? We only really get to slow down in the winter. And with lots of project piling up it is easy to get overwhelmed. Yet sometimes the worrying about getting things done is worse than just choosing one thing and doing it. But not at the expense of your health, happiness or relationships, right? Thank you for joining me today here on Living Free in Tennessee and make it a great week!

Song: Cilly's Song, Sauce