Author Archives: Steph VonAhnen, LRMT, CLC

Hey my fabulous dirtbag family!  Ever eyed a patch of foxglove and thought, “That’s stunning… and a little scary”?  Y’all know me, I’m Steph, the gal behind yard2yield.com, and I’m hooked on growing the wild side, think foxglove and belladonna.  These aren’t your average blooms; they’re toxic treasures that turn a yard into a story. Continue reading “Brewing Beauty: My Toxic Garden Tales”

Every morning, while we’re fumbling for coffee and half convincing ourselves to face the day, chickens are already out there scratching the soil with purpose.  They don’t wake up stressing over to-do lists.  They wake up ready to see what’s new!  A patch of clover, a wriggly worm, a tasty seed, they live like treasureContinue reading “Why We Should All Be More Like Chickens: The Truth Hurts!”

In almost every workplace, there’s an unspoken law of balance, or imbalance, really.  Roughly 25% of the people end up doing 75% of the work.  You’ve seen it, you’ve felt it, and if you’re honest, you probably are one of those 25%… The Worker Bees vs. the Window Sitters You know the type: The workerContinue reading “The 25/75 Rule: Why a Few Carry the Many”

They say new beginnings rarely come at the perfect time.  Day two of my brand new job and guess what?  I’m sicker than a dog.  My head is foggy, my body is begging me to crawl back under the blankets, and yet, I’m still lacing up my shoes and heading in. Why?  Because sometimes lifeContinue reading “Doing What It Takes (Even When It’s Hard)”

There’s a sacred hush in the space between what was and what’s about to be.  New beginnings live in that hush.  They’re exciting, yes, but also tender.  Like seedlings pushing up through the soil, fragile and fierce all at once. We often think of beginnings as big, dramatic milestones, the first day at a newContinue reading “New Beginnings: What Can We Learn From Them?”

As the days get shorter and the tomatoes start to slow their roll, something primal stirs in the homesteader’s soul, it’s harvest season, baby!That sacred (and slightly chaotic) time of year when you’re trying to pickle, can, freeze, dehydrate, and sneak zucchini into literally everything before the first frost says “Game over!” Let’s be real. Continue reading “The Harvest Hustle & Winter Whisper: Lessons from the Garden”

So picture this: I walk into an interview, feathers smoothed, ready to cluck my way through the usual questions. “Why do you want this job?” “What makes you a good fit?”  You know the drill.  I was aiming for a sales associate spot, a little scratch here, a little peck there. But back at theContinue reading “The Coop Chronicles: How I Walked In Sales, Walked Out Team Lead”

Out here on the homestead, I’m used to chasing chickens, not job interviews.  Lately, life has been nudging me toward something new, a big interview with a popular farm store.  (Yes, the kind where I can get chicken feed, muck boots, and a new shovel in one trip.  Dreamland!) Still, I’d be lying if IContinue reading “When Change Feels Like a Chicken on the Loose”

Karen strutted into our lives like she owned the place, and in a way, she did.  She had the sass, the stubbornness, and the pecking order politics down to a science.  She’s the one who reminded us that even a chicken can have attitude. But last week, we had to say goodbye to her.  AndContinue reading “Farewell to Karen the Rhode Island Red”