New Year on the Farm
It’s January, so of course that means “New Year, New Me!” and “2019 Goals!” posts are all the rage across the blog-o-sphere. And trust me, I’m not here to disappoint. While I’m not about to develop a “new me,” (I’ve been working on this version of me for 30 year, and I like me just fine, thankyouverymuch) I have set some goals for 2019!
I have a goal loving personality. I love having something to work towards. I like to set personal goals, financial goals, work goals, and farm goals. Most people have heard of S.M.A.R.T. goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely), and I think it is a great guideline for those new to goal setting. Mine don’t always align 100%, but close enough.
My personal goals aren’t that exciting this year. I want to cut back on my Sonic Happy Hour Coca Cola addiction. I say this every year, but it is something I need to work on. The nice girls that work the two Sonics near my work know me. They even complement me on days where I’m “dressed up.” I know…I have a problem.
I also set a goal to read 15 books this year. I’m a reader, and honestly, I’ll probably have this goal knocked out by summer, but by setting this as a goal, I will be more aware of taking time to read, even if its only half an hour before bed. I also plan to keep up with the titles of all the books I read. Maybe I’ll share my favorites at the end of the year as a source of accountability.
Finally, on the personal front, I want to continue my exercise routine I’ve already had in place: Walking and Yoga. To make this goal a little more “S.M.A.R.T.” my goal is to walk 150+ intentional miles and do a yoga routine 3 times a week. I say intentional miles, because things like walking to feed the animals won’t count. I’m lucky enough to have an awesome walking trail across the highway from my office, and received a hand-me-down treadmill from Colton’s aunt, so opportunity and bad weather isn’t an excuse.
Financially, my goals are different this year since the discovery of a movement called Financial Independence in August. I’ve been tracking our spending through Mint for 5 months now, so I have specific goals of what I want to save each month, and what areas I want to spend less in. I’ve also been reading a lot on investing (A Simple Path to Wealth is probably the most recommended, and my current nightstand book!) and have officially opened a new investment account. I have a goal to grow this to a certain amount by the end of 2019.
I’m always excited to set Farm goals, because Colton and I get so much joy from growing our farm. It truly is our passion. On the livestock side, we have a goal for the number of cows we want to add to our herd this year, and as always, we have a goal of a 100% calf crop! (For non-livestock savvy readers, this means our goal is to not lose any calves to sickness, birthing issues, etc.)
I also want to improve my goat herd. Right now, most of my herd are Spanish crosses. We swapped to Spanish over Boer years ago for several reasons. First, Spanish survive and thrive better in our environment. Boer are more high maintenance and do better in a drier climate, like West Texas. Secondly, we were focused on marketing to the rodeo industry. Boer goats have incredible growth rate, which is great for meat production (their main purpose), but also means they outgrow the size that is best suited for Goat Tying too quickly. Spanish goats are leaner, therefore can be utilized for tying practice for cowgirls and cowboys for a longer period of time. Now, Colton and I have decided to go back the the Boer breed, in order to raise and market goats for meat consumption. (I’ll do a post on why goat meat is the best kept secret soon!) We started with a purchase of three, young, Boer nannies in 2018, and I hope to acquire a few more in 2019.
Equipment and maintenance of said equipment always seems to be our biggest expense every year, so of course it ties into our goals. Our biggest goal is to purchase a tractor for the farm. We currently have only 2 wheel drive tractors, and while they get the job done, a 4 wheel drive would prove to make our lives so much easier. Especially since we just wrapped up the 5th wettest year on record in Arkansas.
What are your 2019 goals? Do you set goals every year, or do you sit back and judge everyone on social media that set the same goals every year just to fall off the wagon by the first of February?