Dealing with discouragement

[Chic Rustler]

Do you guys ever get that overwhelmed feeling? Perhaps you set too many goals and then finances, normal responsibilities or just plain life gets I the way and sets ya back?

This year I'd like to do alot more work to the garden before spring so we can put up more food, plant some fruit trees....so we can put up more food, build a pig pen....again so we can put up more food, and put in a drive point well so we have another water source....oh and do something for another means of heat incase of emergency.

So far it seems I'll be lucky to get the garden things done. The day to day bs and responsibilities keep getting in the way of progress. But that's life I guess. Old cars break. Things wear out. Kids out grow clothes.....and those darn chicks are ALWAYS hungry! (Can't wait to get them in the freezer!) Lol


I really want to finish one project before I start another. But maybe I need to bounce around some. Divide the projects into different tasks. Like if I can just get one more raised bed done next week and then maybe buy one fruit tree. Then maybe build one trellis the week after and so forth.

 

[milkmansdaughter]

I'm soooo there! We've got half started projects all over the place! We're half way through building a real chicken coop, were behind on garden plans, and we never got some things planted last year that we wanted to plant before we got bees, which we planned for this spring. Now we'll probably hold off on the bees. We still don't have our rabbit hutches built (something else we want to add this year). And we're still working on raised garden beds. My garden was a big bust last year (our first on this property).
@Chic Rustler, from where I stand, you've passed us up this year! I enjoy reading all you've been doing. I think on a site like this it's awfully easy to try to do too much too soon because we see what everyone else has been doing for years. I'm impressed with what you've done this year.

 

[Chic Rustler]

I'm soooo there! We've got half started projects all over the place! We're half way through building a real chicken coop, were behind on garden plans, and we never got some things planted last year that we wanted to plant before we got bees, which we planned for this spring. Now we'll probably hold off on the bees. We still don't have our rabbit hutches built (something else we want to add this year). And we're still working on raised garden beds. My garden was a big bust last year (our first on this property).
@Chic Rustler, from where I stand, you've passed us up this year! I enjoy reading all you've been doing. I think on a site like this it's awfully easy to try to do too much too soon because we see what everyone else has been doing for years. I'm impressed with what you've done this year.

Thank you for the kind words.

Last year I believe we produced around 10% of our food (and sold some) I'm really hoping for somewhere near 50% this year. But that's a big goal!

 

[sumi]

Considering you have a job and a family and all the responsibilities that comes with those, you are doing pretty well, even if it doesn't feel that way. It's easy to look at what others have achieved and go WOW! But remember for most it took some time to get as self-reliant as they are. Baby steps!

But maybe I need to bounce around some. Divide the projects into different tasks. Like if I can just get one more raised bed done next week and then maybe buy one fruit tree. Then maybe build one trellis the week after and so forth.

This is a good idea. Look at your time and finances as they are available and then assign them to getting things done. For example, you have a few hours, build that pig pen. You have an hour, plant a fruit tree. Don't just look at the big picture, look at it in bits, every tree planted and critter in the freezer is a step closer to your goal. You'll get there

 

[NH Homesteader]

You're doing great, seriously. Your garden was fantastic last year, you have rabbits and chickens in the freezer... I've been at this a few years and still haven't managed to learn how to can!

Breaking things into smaller tasks helps. Prioritizing helps.... But it can be discouraging when you have huge goals in mind and feel like you're getting practically nowhere. I think we all feel that way sometimes. We produce pretty much 100% of our family's meat (other than the occasional purchase, we don't raise beef so I splurge sometimes!) and I have 5 dairy goats due to kid in the next two months so I'm going to have loads of milk, but our gardening skills are... Kind of pathetic lol. So we all have plenty more work to do!

I have annual goals right now, and it's hard to be patient for the sheep I want to get in another year or two.... But we'll get there! Every little bit we do is one step closer to self-sufficiency!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

What everybody else said! Sometimes life just gets in the way...sigh. But, every step you take gets you closer to the goal.

@sumi had a good plan...do a little here - a little here. When you have an hour do a smaller chore. Have more time - do more work.

Like @NH Homesteader said - prioritize. At my house that changes occasionally. I think I need to work on one thing and then something happens - like the dog jumping the fence - and my focus changes. I do what HAS to be done and then do the rest when I can.

Now - having said all that - does anybody EVER think they've done enough? I think it's in our nature to want to do more and more and more. Give yourself a break and look back and see the progress that you've made. You're really doing great!

 

[baymule]

I always pile more on myself than I will ever get done. Look at my Feed and Tack Room thread. The barn was built in 2015! The feed room has had THREE starts, and not finished. But we are on a roll and maybe, just maybe, it will get done this time.

I have all kinds of projects. I like it that way. Chaos and confusion is how I roll!

 

[Mini Horses]

Been doing this over 50 years....still have all the feelings you describe. Like FEM, you plan & then "put out fires", the unplanned emergency issues. Like Bay, I role with the chaos. Like Sumi, try just one tiny thing if that's all the time you have right then, at least something was done. Always something happening. My human kids are grown & gone but, my animal kids give me plenty of "unexpected" to deal with.

I am "back at" gardening after 5 yrs out of it (mom & the big A lived with me) and it's still old hat and yet brand new. As you can imagine, being on a retirement budget has it's challenges. At this point there are days that remembering has it's challenges and while it is blamed on age, it's just a long to do list. I use a roll of TP for my list, that long.

SO -- you need to know this is "just farming". If it isn't time, money, weather, emergencies....then it must be happening when we are trying to get 4-5 hrs sleep! It's always good to know that everyone else is in the same boat. Let's just hope it doesn't sink! By the way, I've been on this farm 19 years now -- still not where I want it all.

Keep on keeping on! This life is why ANY little plant sprouted is a HUGE deal.

 

[Britesea]

Sometimes, when I'm feeling depressed about how slowly my projects are going, I will go back and either look at pictures of how things used to look, or I'll just go look at my most recently completed project - even if it was only clearing out the junk drawer in the kitchen- and that makes me feel better because I can see that I am still moving forward.

 

[Chic Rustler]

I'm making progress for sure. But I have ALOT to get done by spring. Still not sure how these seedlings are gonna turn out