Review of The Tiny Farm Planner: Record Keeping, Seasonal To-Dos, and Resources for Managing Your Small-Scale Home Farm by Jill Ragan

Jill Ragan’s The Tiny Farm Planner is an invaluable resource for hobby farmers, gardeners, and homesteaders seeking a streamlined, organized approach to managing small-scale home farms. The strength of this planner lies in its seasonal organization, guiding users through every stage of the growing cycle without the restrictions of traditional calendar formats. This approach makes it adaptable to any growing zone, especially in this era of climate change, ensuring its usefulness for a wide audience of growers, regardless of their local climate conditions.

The planner’s inclusion of practical tools such as seed, plant, and tool inventory sheets, budget logs, and chore checklists demonstrates a clear understanding of what it takes to maintain a successful farm. These features ensure that no detail is overlooked, offering users a comprehensive system to track everything from seed planting to harvest. The pest and disease trackers are particularly useful for farmers facing ongoing challenges with plant health, and the variety reviews allow for thoughtful reflection on each growing season.

One of the standout features is the planner’s goal-tracking system, offering spaces to map out 1-, 5-, and 10-year plans. This forward-thinking element makes it not only a daily tool but a strategic guide for anyone committed to long-term farming success. Whether you’re aiming to increase yield, expand your crop variety, or improve soil quality, this section empowers users to keep their sights on future growth.

In addition to the practical planning tools, the end-of-season evaluation and crop review sections add a reflective aspect to farming that can often be neglected. These elements make it easier to assess what worked and what didn’t, encouraging continual improvement with each planting cycle. Ragan’s focus on crop rotation, soil amendments, and trellising systems show that this planner isn’t just for beginners; it’s a valuable tool even for seasoned farmers looking to optimize their operations.

The planner also takes into account financial considerations, offering a section for expense tracking, which is often overlooked in garden planners. This adds a level of professionalism, helping users understand not just the labor and love involved in farming, but also the financial stewardship required to make it sustainable. Whether selling at farmer’s markets or using the yields for family sustenance, users will find this aspect particularly empowering.

For those passionate about sustainability, the planner is dotted with grower’s tips that reinforce environmentally sound practices. Jill Ragan’s experience with composting, waste reduction, and soil health shine through here, making the planner more than just a tool for productivity—it becomes an ethical guide for those committed to environmentally friendly practices.

Lastly, the planner’s clean design and ample space for notes make it user-friendly. The fact that it provides ample room for personal observations and additional details will appeal to anyone who likes to customize their record-keeping. Whether you’re a meticulous note-taker or prefer a broader overview, The Tiny Farm Planner adapts to your personal style.

In conclusion, The Tiny Farm Planner is a comprehensive, practical, and thoughtful tool that will benefit any small-scale farmer. It’s more than just a planner; it’s an investment in long-term farm management success. Whether you are a backyard gardener or running a small CSA, this planner will guide you through each season with confidence and clarity.

Book images provided by the publisher. Photos by Sandie Clarke and Thomas Gamstaetter on Unsplash.