[ bak-yahrd-ing ]

The juice is in the build, not the shiny purchase.
Spending money is easy and teaches you little. This is the opportunity to become your own version of MacGyver.

Understand boundaries with expenses, climate, laws & physical health.
Don't break your bank; or your back; or the rules - including local ordnances and mother nature. Limitations bring out creativity, so embrace this fact and make this the 'game' of backyarding.

Must be low maintenance.
More 'tasks' means less fun, and less time to continue onto other things. If a project must be maintained consistently - design it better.

Start with homestead essentials.
Backyarding builds resiliency in all kinds of ways. But to get there, we need to build momentum with smart projects. One of the best is collecting & storing water.

Find a like minded backyarder & ping pong upgrades.
Like a gym buddy, but for projects. No two backyards will be alike.

Community
When you have the coolest backyard- family, friends and neighbors notice. Interesting & active people attract other interesting & active people.

Health
Backyard gardens promote spiritual and physical balance immediately. Longer term, a garden brings material, social and economic resiliency.

Entertainment -> Education -> Entrepreneurship
Smart project selection requires fun, enhancing knowledge and steps towards something bigger that can create future value.

Food
Food is the glue of all communities, cultures and re-localization movements. The ability to grow food requires personal resiliency and brings social value.