About Tim Young

From a poor rural homestead

to the highs of corporate America…

to a resilient, modern homestead

Hey there, I’m Tim Young, and I’m glad you stopped by. We each have a life story…here’s mine.

My family lived a rural, simple life when I was a kid. We had a large garden and my grandfather built his house from trees he felled and milled himself. The walls had cracks between the boards that grandma plastered with cardboard to keep the cold out. And some of the bugs. As my sister and I grew up we called this place “the old house.”

Remains of “the old house”

Like many kids who don’t know how good they have it, I rejected that and wanted something more. And I didn’t have the patience to wait for it.

I dropped out of college after the first year even though I had a golf scholarship. I took a job at minimum wage tossing mailbags for a direct marketing company. They paid me $3.67 an hour and I was on cloud nine.

Without a college degree, I set out to work long hours and educate myself. By the time I was 23 “they” made me vice-president in a Fortune 500 division. I had 200 employees under me.

Imagine that!

That’s when I lost all respect for titles. I mean, if a kid like me could be a VP…hell, I guess a condescending real estate developer could become President of the United States.

I kept getting moving up and became president of that division when I was 25. I held that position for 9 years. Then I walked away at the top of my corporate “game.”

I wanted freedom. At that time in my life freedom meant starting my own business. So I bootstrapped a marketing services business. I didn’t have much money to start it. But I accepted all those credit card offers they kept sending my way.

In the first year, I maxed out all those credit cards to set-up office, buy computer servers, and what not. Within 5 years my little startup grew to 450 employees. We were in six countries and Inc. Magazine named us the 130th fastest-growing privately-held company in America.

And I was on an airplane…constantly.

My Journey to a Simple, Resilient Lifestyle

But there was a problem. And for me, it was a big problem.

I couldn’t explain to anyone what I actually did. Hell, it didn’t even make sense to me. And that bothered me. It bothered me that I couldn’t explain to a child what I did for a living.

The world was (and still is) too complicated. After some soul-searching, I realized the corporate dream I conquered wasn’t the dream I longed for.

So I walked away from it all…the constant air travel, the traffic, the cubicles…all of it.

Something was calling me, and that something was “the simple life.”

Of course, the “simple life” ain’t so simple.

Still…15 years after leaving the corporate world behind, I’ve found this dream to be exactly what I hoped it would be.

My wife and I started a sustainable livestock farm in 2007 and produced lots of protein products. Grassfed beef, pastured poultry, woodlot pork, rabbit…seems like we did it all.

From there we opened a dairy and offered both raw milk and farmstead artisan cheese. Our cheese won awards at all kinds of places. We won at the United States Cheese Championship, the American Cheese Society competition, and elsewhere. We delivered our products to wonderful families. I explained to kids what I did. “I’m a farmer. I’m a cheesemaker.”

And they got it. And I was fulfilled as I never had been in the corporate world.

In 2015 we sold that farm business because we wanted more time with our young daughter. But we didn’t stop farming. We still milk our own cows, make cheese, raise pigs, chickens, turkeys, rabbits, ducks, and grow more fruit and vegetables than we could possibly eat.

And, of course, we hunt, fish, camp, and practice survival skills. Why?

Because we realize how risky it is to depend solely on others for what we need to survive.

Does that mean we don’t shop at the grocery store? Of course not. Hell, I can’t make Cap’n Crunch. Or Nutella. But we’re not dependent on the grocery store.

I wrote about the need to be prepared for anything (including a pandemic) in my book, Start Prepping. I also taught parents how to keep their children prepare in my book Playful Preparedness. Clearly, I take prepping seriously.

But, in most ways, I’m just like you. I watch Netflix, take my kid to play at Chick-Fil-A (well…I did when they were open), and yell at the TV when the Steelers lose (it’s always the ref’s fault.)

And I work from home, like many of you now do. One of my passion is helping farmers become proficient marketers, something I do through Small Farm Nation. Another passion of mine is helping people to experience the joy that comes from being truly grateful for the simple things in life. In that regard, my wife, daughter, and I operate Naturally Grateful, a fashion business with a missing of helping people to spread gratitude by wearing gratitude.

I love doing both and do so in an office next to the schoolroom where we homeschool our daughter. And I’ll continue to do both for many years to come.

 

most readers

love my work!

I wish everyone would follow Tim Young's advice.

"I've read a lot of books on prepping and this is at the top of the list. It's a great introduction for those new to preparedness, and there's a lot of useful information for those who have been at it for a while. I wish everyone in America would read this book and follow Tim Young's advice."

Amazon Reviewer of Start Prepping!

Parents MUST read this book!

"EXACTLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR! I was trying to figure out a way to integrate life/survival skills and found this book. I'm SO glad I did. This is a step-by-step, broken down into each survival skill. Even if you think you or your child will never need them, knowledge doesn't take up space. Better safe than sorry!"

Amazon Reviewer of Playful Preparedness

No crazy apocalypse stuff here, just good information!

"I'm by no means a hard-core prepper; I am, however, someone who believes in being prepared for what may come my way and this book is a great way to get started! It's meant for non-hard-core, average Joe people (like me) who want to take care of themselves and their loved ones during times of crisis. It's really worth the time to read it!"

Amazon Reviewer of Start Prepping!

Provocative book to get you thinking before fleeing the city

"A great way to get your wheels spinning if you're thinking of jumping into the life of farming or homesteading. The interviews give a good overview of various approaches to life outside the city and how to earn an income. In addition, Tim provides a great list of questions and other tips throughout the book to consider before you take the plunge."

Amazon Reviewer of How to Make Money Homesteading

Add to your Prepping Library NOW!!!

"Having several books regarding the concept of "Being prepared", I have found this particular book essential to have in ones collection. The way Mr. Young breaks the chapters down into a true self help/educational aspect of becoming prepared is well written and easy to understand for all levels of prepping."

Amazon Reviewer of Start Prepping!

Highly recommended for every family

"A friend of mine recommended this book on her YouTube channel and I’m really glad I got it. The intro alone would have sold me if I had seen this in stores. It’s a fun, practical way to teach children to be more prepared through games. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to teach their kids about survival, life and preparedness in a fun way."

Amazon Reviewer of Playful Preparedness

A MUST read book for all Americans!

"This is the BEST prep book around and one every American family should read. I only wish I had purchased it in actual rather than electronic form. There are many chapters that require careful review and study."

Amazon Reviewer of Start Prepping!

Perfect! Every Family Should Read and Implement These Ideas!

"I cannot recommend this book enough! My husband is an Emergency Manager and loves this book as well. (And he's hard to please with these types of books). He said, "There's nothing this guy, Young, has said that I disagree with so far." If my husband is impressed, that's saying a lot. "

Amazon Reviewer of Playful Preparedness

Practical and inspirational ideas to live a more sustainable life

"This book gave so many great ideas and examples of ways that you could make money to support the dream of getting some land and living a more sustainable and fulfilling life. Tim Young shared so much knowledge and some very helpful resources to dream and make a plan for those of us who feel called to leave suburbia and do not want to work in corporate America until the age of 70."

Amazon Reviewer of How to Make Money Homesteading

Excellent Book - Well Written and Comprehensive!

"This is an excellent, comprehensive, and well-written book. I am an experienced "Emergency Preparedness" type person, and I still found this book very helpful. The author has a great writing style. It is clear and easy to read and understand. I liked the author's "voice" a lot - he is very relatable and reading the book felt like listening to a wise friend who had great advice to share."

Amazon Reviewer of Start Prepping!

Excellent book with lots of money making ideas. Gets the gears turning...

"Excellent book with lots of money making ideas for our farm. We have 6.4 acres in Northern California and are always looking for new ideas to make money. I love the stories from others and what they do and what got them where they are. Definitely worth the money I paid for this book."

Amazon Reviewer of How to Make Money Homesteading

Prepping/Self-Reliant Books

How to Make Money Homesteading
Wouldn't you like to escape the hectic pace of modern life and enjoy a worry-free, self-reliant lifestyle? This book will show you how many people have done just that.
Buy on Amazon
Playful Preparedness
What skills do today’s children have to prepare them to face threats of violence and disaster? Read Playful Preparedness and help your children to become prepared—for life.
Buy on Amazon
Start Prepping!
You don’t like to think about it, but deep down you know it can happen. Disaster can strike without warning, leaving your family without water, food, or electricity, and without medical or police support.
Buy on Amazon

Farm/Business Books

Why do so many farm businesses struggle to survive, let alone thrive?
Whether you’re a farmer, an entrepreneur, or owner of any small business, this 1-Page Strategic Plan will transform the way you think about planning how your business will not only survive, but thrive!
Amazon
1-Page Marketing Plan
Too many people just wing it and commit random acts of marketing. This book will help you to kick the habit. Learn a step-by-step sequence to plan and execute a winning marketing campaign.
Buy Online
The Accidental Farmers
This, my first book, is a personal memoir of an urban couple's journey to farm life. It shares the struggles my wife and I encountered a we tried to reintroduce farm animals to natural settings.
Buy on Amazon