Looking Back On 2020: Goals for the New Year

On reflecting on the title of this post, I’m not sure if I want to look back on 2020! Last year was a year of total insanity. As I sit here writing this, I’m so ready for this mad year to end and for 2021 to begin. Gavin and I have many goals for 2021, many things we want to achieve. But, if there’s one thing I’ve learnt since a cancer diagnosis, it’s that sitting around waiting for your dreams to come true sort of guarantees they won’t.

Memorable Things about 2020

And I don’t mean that in a Covid sort of way. One thing I learnt other than how much I hate Zoom, is that I don’t actually want to go to work. I’d love to be a full-time content creator. Due to 2020 being what it was, I found it harder to leave the farm and more exciting to get up when I wanted to each morning. I loved the freedom of being creative with what I had. Seeing animals being born and renewing my love of handmade and homemade was special. So, 2020 had a number of memorable moments. Gavin and I want to build on these and make our farm our new income. Full time!

• Our lamb became part of the menu at a local restaurant
• We completed the renovation of two bathrooms and began the big task of the dairy
• Over on FB, I began a free decorating group. It now has over 800 members. We love chatting and we help each other with interiors.
• I took a course on blogging which has been insanely valuable
• I managed to keep a pot plant alive for a full ten months!

• Power tools became my new best friend. I single-handedly lined the attic with shiplap and learned how to use the drop saw. Plus, I bought a nail gun and spray painting gun!
• I survived a winter alone at the farm while Gavin was stuck in WA. I birthed sheep, fed cows in the freezing cold and chased ducks around the paddock.
• We celebrated Gavins milestone birthday with friends here at the farm. We also hosted Christmas cocktails for neighbours.
• I made use of all our pears by making pear butter.
• I also tried my hand at chutney which I will definitely make again.
• In November, Gavin finally stopped working away and became a full-time farmer!
• I had my first brand collaboration on Instagram and started a YouTube channel.

Our Goals for 2021

Despite having lofty goals for next year, the need to still pay our bills is at the forefront of my mind. As the sole breadwinner in the family in the coming year, I feel a responsibility to earn as much as I can. Gavin has worked away for so long, he deserves to be rewarded with time to create and start this new business that is Green Gate Farm. The money will be tight to begin but I know we can do this!

The first of our goals for 2021 is an addition to the small scale selling we began in 2020. Aside from continuing to supply our lamb to the local restaurant, we will be upscaling our box lamb business. Last year we started selling to friends but this year we will be selling to the public as well. I’m busily crafting a second website for our farm produce. The lamb will obviously be first but we are expecting a large honey harvest too, so that will be added sometime in the new year. Down the road, we hope to sell eggs and possibly vegetables too. All chemical-free and homegrown!

Farm Tours!

In case you hadn’t figured from my hints on social media lately, we will be opening the farm to the public this year! Yes, the second of our goals is to begin farm tours. As this will provide a year-long source of income we are hoping to begin sooner rather than later. The plan is for people to come and meet, pet and feed the animals. We want to talk about how we harvest honey and care for the stock. We’d also love to share the fern glade and views at the top of our property so we’ve had a man with a digger clearing a path for us. It’s looking lovely up there.Hosting tours would mean city kids could come to the farm and learn about where their food comes from and the importance of caring for our environment too.

Farm Courses!

Further down the line, we’d like to introduce courses for adults. Participants can come to our renovated dairy for a morning, learn, have fun and take something home after a morning tea or lunch made from local produce. The possibilities are endless. I can see wreath making, candles, elderflower cordial, gin infusions, beekeeping, gardening to name a few.

My Personal Goals for 2021

As if all that wasn’t enough I have a number of things I want to be better at this year.

Last year, I aimed to put out two blog posts a week and I’ve mostly achieved that goal. This year, I want to build on that. I want to be consistent with YouTube and make Our Vintage Farm more focussed and branded with farmstyle content. This will be hard as I really don’t like how I look on camera at all. It’s very hard for me to show up in person. I’m trying to overcome this fear but it’s a lifelong thing so we will see how we go!

Another thing I’d like to do is learn is how to use the DSLR camera we have sitting in the spare room to uplevel my photography. I’ve been taking photos and shooting video on my iphone till now and while I can get a good shot, I know I can be better. I have the school holidays to play with this.

I want to build my email list! This is the thing I am the worst at. My goal for 2021 is to craft regular emails that people want to read. I just let it fall by the wayside when I know it’s so important to build Our Vintage Farm’s brand.

By the end of 2021, I’d like to see a small profit from what I’m doing. And one day, not have to go out to work at all!!

Do you have goals and dreams for 2021. I’d love to hear.