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Back in the Saddle and a New Business Venture

March 30, 2016 @ 13:10 By Gavin Webber 6 Comments

Well friends, we’re back!

Kim and I have been out of action for the last few weeks due to both coming down with the flu at the same time.  It knocked the stuffing out of us and had to spend a bit of time recovering.

The veggie patch has been sorely neglected, with just enough energy each morning to feed the chooks, and collect the eggs.  Then it was back into bed for the day!  This was our routine for about a week.

About two weeks after first being quarantined, We ventured out and taught a cold process soap making course a couple of weekends back.  We struggled through the session, but got there in the end.

Six wonderful students walked away with 1 kg blocks of soap ready for curing and use in about 4 weeks.  Normally we teach two classes in one day, but we had the foresight to transfer those student to term 2.  Unfortunately we also had to cancel a Bath, Soak, and Scrub course as well.  We just didn’t have the strength.

Gavin and Kim

All better now!

Anyway, we have fully recovered and have been getting our strength back now over the last couple of weeks.  Just in time for an Easter break of a week where we tried to catch up with pressing Little Green Workshops business requirements and fulfilling customer orders.  The only problem with being your own boss is that getting sick is something you just have to deal with.

We have also turned our renewed energy to plan the launch of a new business venture that we’ve been working on since January, but more about that in a future post.  We are nearly ready to reveal what we have been working on.  It has something to do with green gift boxes.

Little Green Gift Box

Our new business venture, Little Green Gift Box

Anyway, besides working on that venture over Easter, Ben and I demolished the small chicken house, partly because the chooks don’t use it anymore as they have Cluckingham Palace to roam around in and I wanted to free up some space, and partly because I needed to get to the old Blood Plum tree.

You see, the old tree, which we estimate to have been planted in the early 1970’s, is now full of borer beetles.  There is a cavity in the main trunk that I can put my hand into which goes about ¾ of the way in.  I have also found sawdust in some of the main limbs, which is probably why this old tree has not been fruiting very well over the past couple of years.

Demolished Chook house

Where the Old Chook House used to be.

We’ve made the decision to cut it down, use the big bits for firewood in the clay oven after six months of seasoning, and replace it with an apple, another blood plum, and probably a pear or cherry.  We have a golden delicious apple and a blood plum in the front orchard that we’re going to transplant because they are too close to a deciduous tree that is fully mature.  The big tree is robbing the smaller ones of water and stunting their growth.

It will be sad to see the old plum tree go, but at least we will be able to replace it with three espalier trees against the front of Cluckingham Palace.  We just have to remove the old tree, and wait until the existing trees go dormant so I can dig them up and transplant.  Best to wait until mid winter to do that.

One thing I have been pondering is the future of the Greening of Gavin podcast.  We haven’t recorded an episode since the Christmas Special, and feel that a three-month hiatus is probably not too long a break before starting up again.  There have been longer breaks in between episodes, so we’ll just have get back into the studio and record a few episodes to get things rolling again!

Anyway, that’s whats been going on around here since I last posted.  Sick, slow then go, go, go.

I’ll let you all know when the launch of the new e-commerce site occurs.  We’re very excited.

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Filed Under: Chickens, Health, Little Green Workshops, Sustainable Living

Managing Our Time Effectively

November 9, 2015 @ 21:03 By Gavin Webber 5 Comments

Change it happensYes, it’s one of those posts where I give away some of special secrets. Three secrets to getting important things done and feeling very satisfied when you complete the task or tasks.

As Kim and I are getting busier in the lead up to the end of the year, so we’ve had to do some major rework of our systems to fit in all the extra things that we want and need to achieve to keep our lifestyle thriving.

Downshifting Again

I’ve now downshifted to a four-day week, now taking every Wednesday off as unpaid leave.  This allows us to look after each other, and to fit in more of the things we love to do.  I learnt long ago that money isn’t everything and that time spent doing something deeply meaningful far outweighs a reduction in salary.

Kim and I have always worked well together and love each other’s company, which is a good thing .  We are married after all (for 18.75 wonderful years, may I add)!  However one thing we’ve struggled with in the past has been to co-ordinate our time spent together on tasks and planning important tasks

We often need to collaborate daily to keep our small business going in the right direction as well as family activities to ensure that they don’t clash.   We’re not particularly worried about rapid business growth, but our focus is more about sustainable, steady earnings that keep us employed at what we love to do which is sharing skills.

Cheese making demonstration

So besides taking the time to support each other emotionally through daily highs and lows, how do we maintain our business separate from our non-work life.  Well it’s all about scheduling and knowing when to stop work for the day.

Scheduling

So lets tackle scheduling first.

We have many tasks that need both of us to work together to prepare for simple living workshops like getting the workshop equipment together the day before each event and packing up the car ready for travel in the morning.  Likewise, we also have individual tasks that we also need to perform using our own specialist skills.

We utilise simple technology tools like Microsoft Outlook calendar and a couple of Hotmail accounts to cross book each others time.

It works kind of like this; I book something in my calendar and invite Kim via her Hotmail account and send it to her. She accepts the invite and it appears in her calendar as well.  When she needs a bit of my time at specific part of the day, then she does the reverse and sends me an invitation.

It requires no backend server technology that we have to maintain, and it is essentially free (after the cost of MS Office), so it suits us well. I also set time aside for personal tasks like recording podcast episodes, video tutorials, and maintaining our veggie patch. I even schedule time to clean out the chook house!  If it’s not in the calendar, it doesn’t get done.  It’s as simple as that.

Bunty Chicken

It also gives us the flexibility to move events around, by rescheduling. The only thing our little system lacks is a way of checking out each other’s availability via a free/busy mechanism, however all we do there is talk to each other to check before we book something. Good, timely communication is as essential in business as it is in a fruitful and long-lasting marriage!

We have found that this method of scheduling really works well, as we know our work obligations as well as being able to take time to enjoying our personal pursuits. I’ve even managed to synchronise my calendar onto my phone so I can tell at any moment when I am free if receive something crazy like a press call out of the blue which requires an interview.

So our scheduling tells me that tonight I have some soy yoghurt (done!) and greek style yoghurt (moved to tomorrow!) to make to test a few recipes. On Wednesday I am making 20 wooden soap moulds to keep up with demand and fixing the front gate, and on Saturday we are preparing for a Mozzarella and Ricotta cheese making workshop that we have fully booked on Sunday. Somewhere in there we also have to plant some more veggie and keep the garden alive!

One final piece of advice for scheduling is to know when not to overbook yourself.

Knowing When To Stop

This brings me to our second method of managing our time. Knowing when to stop.

We all have limited energy and strength every day, so we need to rest and recover at certain times of the day. Kim and I both have different daily rhythms.

I am an early bird, and she is a night owl. We’re used to this and work around each others needs. As for Ben, he’s a stereotypical teen and would sleep all day and stay up all night if we let him!

So because we know each other’s rhythms, we know to take regular breaks during the day, and when to finish off the day and just rest. But there is a dichotomy between the knowing and the doing.

As we have found relatively early in our sustainable living lifestyle, and even more so as we begin our small business, our time gets eaten up by the simplest and silliest of tasks, and the day often gets away from you. As I still have a part-time office job and am juggling the two until the mortgage is paid off, I really have to keep an eye on over working and learning when to stop for the day.

We have both learnt that burning the candle at both ends is not sustainable, and it is often the person who burns out and not the candle!

However, the beauty of having a strong relationship is keeping each other in check.

Kim knows when I am pushing myself too hard, and I can tell the signs of fatigue in her. We then take a no-nonsense approach without offence.  We know that when either of us points out to the other that they have been working too hard and should either go to bed, or to rest for a while, that it is because we respect their hard work, but are concerned that either of us are over doing it.  No arguments and we take a rest.

I figure that there is no point in me downshifting if I am just going to fill up the spare time by wearing myself out.  Same goes for Kim.

Garden 2729

Hard at work!

After spending dinner time together, we both work for another hour then stop and spend the rest of the evening on individual pursuits due to our introverted natures.  We do check in during the evening, talk, and laugh, because we also acknowledge that this is important.  At least twice a week we’ll watch a zombie TV show that we’ve recorded as entertainment.  There is just something about the genre that fascinates me.

Friday nights are wine time and pizza and all three of us spend the evening together talking about what we want to achieve over the weekend.  It’s a great chance to catch up after a hard weeks work and just relax.

Anyway, I believe that it’s all about maintaining a balance, ensuring that one part of your lifestyle doesn’t overtake the other.

So that’s how we manage our time effectively.

Do you have any secrets to balancing your lifestyle to make sure one part of it doesn’t overwhelm you and your family?

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Filed Under: Family, Happiness, Health

TGoG 129 – Downshifting Again

October 21, 2015 @ 20:01 By Gavin Webber 5 Comments

Listen to the Episode Below (00:16:45)
Download Listen in a New Window iTunes Stitcher SoundCloud Leave a Review Clammr It Subscribe via RSS Subscribe on Android RSS Patreon

Downshift (ˈdaʊnʃɪft) verb – change a financially rewarding but stressful career or lifestyle for a less pressured and less highly paid but more fulfilling one.

Yes folks, after another sorrowful wakeup call, I have decided to downshift another work day.  Life is just too short, and I have so much more to give.

Have a listen to the show to understand the circumstances behind reducing my hours at work, but ramping them up here at home.  If I’ve learnt anything on this green journey it’s that happiness is not just around the corner; you have to make it happen yourself!  So that’s what I did.

Downshifting Again

Next week I am hoping that Kim will join me for a Q&A.

If you have a question that you would like either Kim or I to answer on the podcast, leave us a voicemail via the SpeakPipe widget below.  Just remember to play the recording back to yourself before sending it to ensure that we will be able to hear your question.

Looking forward to hearing from you!  Remember, the more questions, the longer the episode.

Here’s to downshifting again.

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Filed Under: Downshift, Happiness, Health, Podcast, Sustainable Living, TGOG Podcast

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About Gavin Webber

About Gavin Webber

An Ordinary Australian Man Who Has A Green Epiphany Whilst Watching A Documentary, Gets a Hybrid Car, Plants A Large Organic Vegetable Garden, Goes Totally Solar, Lowers Consumption, Feeds Composts Bins and Worms, Harvests Rainwater, Raises Chickens, Makes Cheese and Soap, and Eats Locally. All In The Effort To Reduce Our Family's Carbon Footprint So We Can Start Making A Difference For Our Children & Future Generations To Come.

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Podcast Reviews

  • Always inspiring and entertaining!
    August 4, 2016 by floriographer from Australia

    I've crowed about Gavin's podcast before but I just have to recommend it once again - I love that he shares his learning as well as his successes - it helps the rest of us try try try again! Thanks Gavin!

  • ms
    July 22, 2016 by Ketaea12 from New Zealand

    I really enjoy listening to Gavin, he has a kind lovely voice. He covers some great relevant topics for the everyday greenie. With lots of tips or how to or what not to do. Thanks Gavin, love it!!

  • Well worth your time to tune in
    October 23, 2015 by A Vision Splendid from Australia

    I can highly recommend Gavin’s podcast ! I have followed Gavin’s blog since the very beginning and have loved to see his journey unfold. Gavin has a lovely speaking voice so this podcast is always very easy to listen to. Gavin has a very authentic approach to his green living lifestyle. He shares the ups and downs but always provides motivation and practical steps that we can all implement.

  • very good
    June 28, 2015 by Scared pax from United Kingdom

    This is a great podcast if you want to improve your life in so many aspects and become a more sustainable person. I love the soothing voice, the good pace, and it contains lots of useful information. Recommended!

  • opened my eyes
    May 25, 2015 by Gorn4lyfe from Australia

    A wonderful show!

  • Inspiring
    April 30, 2015 by Alan Whelan from Ireland

    This is a great podcast if you're looking for practical info on saving money by living more sustainably from someone who's made that journey over the last few years. Told in a nice, easy conversational style

  • Green Living, inspiring and practical
    January 8, 2015 by EliseMac from Australia

    Thanks Gav for sharing what has (and hasn't) worked along your journey for living a greener lifestyle. Inspiring and achievable for anyone, I look forward to this podcast weekly.

  • Local food equals less waste
    December 27, 2014 by allotmentadventureswithjean from Australia

    Another brilliant podcast from Gavin Webber encouraging us, and showing us how, to cut down on food miles, growing our own food, and cutting down on food waste. Gavin is a really interesting speaker, showing us how to eat better, growing our own food and how to live more sustainably.

  • Honestly australian
    December 15, 2014 by HodgepodgeOz from Australia

    Fantastic podcast, with a wide variety of well thought and researched topics. Gavin is a honest, forthright pod aster with a genuine interest in helping others get green. Like a day alongside is a day wasted, so too is a week without listening to Gavin. Highly recommended for people starting out, or those in the midst of their new lifestyle. Keep it up Gavin, wish there were more great reviews! Kimberley

  • Morning motivation
    December 8, 2014 by Bunnyworm from Australia

    Gavin has a great passion for living this greener lifestyle that motivates others to do the same. The podcasts are always interesting and informative. :)

  • Passionate Advocate
    October 18, 2014 by BoomOpGirl from Australia

    Gavin's enthusiasm and passion for creating a more sustainable world is nothing short of contagious. Thanks Gav, you are my weekly source of motivation for living a sustainable life! :)

  • Gavin speaks from the heart
    October 13, 2014 by Green gavin from Australia

    Gavin's podcasts are required listening for anyone planning to live a more sustainable life. He doesn't preach, but tells you his story from the heart. You'll laugh, smile, share in his concerns and along the way you'll pick up some great tips on living a simple life.

  • Green thoughts, so well iterated
    October 9, 2014 by Kwasikwami from Australia

    This is a wonderful podcast. Not only does Gavin talk knowledgeably on a range of sustainability topics from gardening tips all the way to the issues facing humanity as a whole, but he does so in such a wonderful voice, it's like listening to my Dad, love it!!

  • Easy listening inspiration on being green
    September 24, 2014 by Broomedy from Australia

    Gav knows how to share his journey to a more sustainable life in a manner that shows just how easy it really is. Not to mention healthier, economically beneficial and generally rewarding. The podcasts are an easy way to absorb Gav's great lifestyle. I recommend to anyone.

  • Thanks Gavin!
    August 31, 2014 by Honeywoodmilk from Australia

    Great practical advice for a greener lifestyle. This podcast is for anybody interested in growing their own food in suburbia, saving electricity, brewing beer, making cheese, all that wonderful business and most of all, saving money! Thanks Gavin, love the podcast mate!

  • Enjoyed those ideas for staying warm
    August 15, 2014 by enduringdragon from United States

    Like you we are having winter here in Chile—brrr! Every bit we can save on heating we will.

  • Green Podcasts
    July 26, 2014 by Carneu from Australia

    Excellent podcasts, which are full of information to help get started on a sustainable lifestyle.

  • Practical ideas and inspiration
    July 19, 2014 by HeathrowHeath from Australia

    I highly recommend Gavin's podcast and blog. Down to earth, entertaining and inspirational. Thank you.

  • Interesting & easy to listen to
    April 27, 2014 by Velocity3 from New Zealand

    Gavin & his guests make this green journey lots of fun.

  • Great green listen
    April 18, 2014 by Obscurenickname from Australia

    Gavin is a great down to earth, tell it like it is aussie with a passion for sustainability and growing food and making cheese

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