“What’s your plan today?”

I ask my husband this every morning when he heads out the door. I like to touch base with what’s happening on the farm and what errands need to be run. I also have my own plan for the day, and thanks to the Heart of the Farm Planner, it’s easier for me to stay on task. I’m excited for the chance to review this lovely planner and share it with you.

With multiple activity schedules to coordinate for the kids, tasks for the household, the farm, and the business aspect of the farm, plus some volunteer work, I need a place to write everything down or something will be forgotten. Heart of the Farm Planner helps me keep all of my plans in one place. This is huge for me! No more misplaced to-do lists. And it’s pretty! In a house full of boys, this mama needs a little bit of girly once in awhile. Who doesn’t love gorgeous photography and some inspirational quotes? Plus it’s durable. And with a house full of boys, this hardcover planner with the heavy duty spiral binding will stand up to whatever happens to it this year.

There’s even room for menu planning and freezer inventories. I love the coordinating shopping list too!

I’m already looking forward to planning harvest meals; fall harvest on our farm lasts from the end of September through the first couple weeks of November. There’s plenty of room to write out my go-to meals for the harvest crew. Another use is organizing on-the-go meals during summer baseball season. From the cornfield to the ball field, this is a great feature.

Taking a little bit of time to organize the family and the farm is well worth it, despite that I'm prone to spontaneity. I’ve learned that my days are far more productive and peaceful when I’m organized, and that’s a motivator for me. Footballs flying through the living room and lots of boy noise are the kind of chaos that I enjoy. Piles of laundry or clutter or the terrifying adrenaline rush of a nearly missed deadline are not forms of enjoyable chaos. Planning ahead is a good thing, and ultimately allows for some flexibility when the unexpected pops up.

The beginning of a new year is a great time to adjust routines and get organized. Whether it's getting ready for tax season or calving season on the farm, being prepared to essential. This time of year we also see a surge of interest in fitness and nutrition – and this planner even gives us a page for dreams and goals, whatever those might be.

In 2016, my intent is to be productive, not just busy. Who knows what will happen over the course of the year, but one way or another, it’s great to have a blueprint. At the end of the day, we can still be thankful whether everything goes according to plan or if the good Lord decides He has something else in mind. Imagine writing down our blessings at the end of every week and being able to look back on all that gratitude at the end of year! Oh yeah, and there’s a spot for that too at the end of each weekly page view.

Cheers to a new year – the planning, the dreaming, the scheming, and the grace to be thankful for whatever comes our way.

This Heart of the Farm Planner can be found on Facebook and on Esty at https://www.etsy.com/listing/257381431/2016-heart-of-the-farm-planner-weekly.