FAQ

I have been asked these questions more than a few times, so I created this page to better get to know me. 

What is your fashion style? 

I think it’s safe to say my style is colorful. I’m drawn to anything bright and bold. I’m also pretty low-maintenance: my hair gets dyed maybe 2-3 times a year when I need a little mood boost, and my everyday “makeup routine” is basically facial oil, lip balm, and mascara.

But when I do go out, I love getting dolled up. Give me lip stain and a reason to dress up, and I’m all in.

Do you remember when you first got interested in thrifting?

Yes! When I was about 13, my mom and my friend’s mom would drop us off downtown to roam around and meet up with friends - our version of going to the mall. That’s where I discovered the magic of vintage.

Downtown Athens had several vintage shops back then: Granny’s Attic, Uncle Albert’s, Go Clothing, The Oracle… probably a few more I can’t even remember now. They were full of old Levi’s, platform shoes, and the best bell-bottoms imaginable.

Once we realized most of those stores sourced their treasures from places like the Potter’s House, Salvation Army, and estate sales, I decided to cut out the middleman. And ohhhh, did I have the time of my life doing it.

Every single weekend you could find me buried in the “mountain of clothing” at the thrift stores, walking out with garbage bags full of clothes (back when everything was sold by the pound!) that I would take home, alter, reinvent, and make completely my own.

I’ve never stopped appreciating the art of thrifting - not for one single moment.

Where are you from originally? Did you grow up on a farm?

I’m from Athens, GA. I grew up just outside the city limits in Jackson County, about seven miles from downtown, on a quiet country road. I didn’t grow up on a farm and honestly never pictured myself doing anything remotely farm-related.

My grandma had a big garden behind her house, and I hated helping with it - picking beans, tomatoes, whatever needed grabbing that day. Bugs and bees completely freaked me out, and if there was any way to avoid gardening or being outdoors, I took it. Funny how life comes full circle.

How did you get into blogging?

I started the blog back in 2010 as a way to document my journey into understanding where my food actually came from. The documentary Food Inc. had just come out, and it sparked a whole wave of curiosity. I teamed up with a few old high school friends who’d grown up on working farms, and they took me on a handful of “field trips” to show me the ropes - farm life, food sources, a little bit of permaculture, all of it.

Those early adventures made me want to share what I was learning, so the blog was born. It was originally called About an Acre, because everything I was exploring back then happened on a single acre.

When I bought my current nine acres in 2014 and no longer had to travel to learn, the blog naturally evolved. I started including my thrifting finds, vintage reselling, homestead updates, and recipes. That’s when the name shifted into what it is now: The Frugal Fashionable Farmer.

Is blogging your full-time job?

Ha! No, I wish this was my full-time gig - both the farm and the blog - but real life looks a little different. I spent 20 years as an office manager for a small company, and now I run my own business picking up dogs and taking them on pack hikes.

Most of my content ideas show up early in the mornings with my first cup of coffee, or in those little pockets of time while I’m tackling something on the farm. I write either before the day gets rolling or late at night when everything is quiet.

Blogging definitely takes time, but I genuinely love it. I especially enjoy hearing from readers, whether they’re sharing support, asking questions about starting their own mini-farm or garden, or even stopping by for a little farm tour. The blog has brought so many good connections into my life.

How many animals do you have?

All of my animals are rescues, though the little herd I have now is a much quieter version of what this place looked like when I first arrived. Back then, I landed here with 24 chickens, 5 goats, and a dog. The next year brought two horses, another dog, and a cat. Life has a way of collecting souls at your doorstep when you have space and softness to offer.

Now the rhythm of the farm has settled into something leaner. I’m down to one goat, Ellen (the last of the original crew), two horses, Rose and Buddy, two rescue dogs, Reece and Poptart, and my two ducks, Quackaroni and Quack Nicholson. Over time, I’ve said goodbye to more animals than I ever imagined I would. Most who came here were seniors, special-needs, sight-impaired - the kinds of animals that needed a quiet place to land, a soft patch of earth, and somebody patient enough to love them through their last chapter. The dogs and ducks came from the county pound, Rose was my dad’s horse and came to me when he passed, and Buddy arrived from a Georgia horse rescue with a hard untrusting history that needed healing.

I’ve cherished being able to give them peace.  This farm has been a refuge for more hearts than I can count, but I don’t take in new rescues anymore. 

What kind of camera do you use? 

In the early days of the blog, I carried around a very unglamorous, very practical point-and-shoot Canon Powershot SX130. It wasn’t fancy, but it was tough as nails, which mattered more out here. The animals knocked it out of my hands more times than I can count, and that little camera just kept on going.

These days, my farm photography is almost entirely shot on my iPhone. It’s quick, it’s always in my pocket, and honestly it captures the spirit of this place better than anything else I’ve tried. When I shoot the “What I Wore” segments, I dust off my Canon Rebel T3i with the basic 18–55mm lens and put it on the tripod. Nothing high-end, just enough to give those outfit photos a little structure.

But here’s the truth I’ve believed since day one: a beautiful photo comes from the eye behind the camera, not the price tag hanging off of it. Sure, with expensive gear, fancy software, and high-end lenses, I could have more control, but A) my budget doesn’t exactly support that kind of hobby, and B) if you scroll through photos of my farm crew, that iPhone holds its own just fine.

Out here, it’s not about perfection. It’s about capturing the moment before it moves. And for that, the tools I have are exactly enough.

My blog is 100% independently operated - which means I’m the photographer, the stylist, the food artist, and, on occasion, the model (ha!). Out here it’s a one-woman show, so I just use whatever tools are easiest and actually work. Simplicity has served me better than any piece of expensive equipment ever could.

How do you have the time to fit everything in?

I get asked this all the time. And honestly, it’s a lot easier now that I’m not tied to a 9–5. These days I make my own schedule: the first half of my day is spent driving dogs around and hiking with them, and the second half is for working the land here at home or walking other peoples dogs - my private clients outside of the bus hikes. 

I wish I had a more exciting answer, but the truth is pretty simple - I’m obsessed with organization and time management. I look at what has to get done versus what I want to get done, and I build my day from there. I make lists, I map things out, and I fill the gaps with the things that feed me like blogging, farm therapy (goat hugs and dog cuddles absolutely count), baking, maintaining the land, spending time with my friends, and thrifting.

By the time the list is made, everything important fits. And somehow, there’s still a little room left for the unexpected, the random adventures, the spontaneous detours, the things that make life feel full rather than scheduled.

How often do you actually have to do 'work' at the farm?

Every day has its own small ritual of chores: letting the animals out in the morning, handing out snacks, topping off water buckets, closing everyone up at night, and raking horse manure - ya know all the quiet, ordinary tasks that become the heartbeat of a place like this. About twice a week, no matter the season, I scrub all the water buckets and refill them with fresh water. The old water never goes to waste; it gets poured over the potted flowers scattered around the property like little surprise gardens.

On the rare occasion that we get snow or unusually low temperatures, I’ll keep the animals closed up for a day or two, just to be sure everyone stays warm and safe.

Honestly, a rescue farm of this size is completely manageable for most people without children - as long as time management is a strength. The work itself isn’t overwhelming; it’s just consistent, steady, and woven into the rhythm of everyday life.

Do you want to eventually do photography for a living?

As much as I love photography, and as spoiled as I am with such great subjects, I’ve never wanted it to become my job. I love it too much to turn it into something I have to depend on for income.

Every now and then I’ll photograph a wedding, or take senior, engagement, or lifestyle photos, but I don’t go looking for those gigs. If I choose to say yes, it’s because the people are genuinely special to me.

Photography feels like a kind of joy I want to protect, not something I want tangled up with invoices and deadlines.

what is your exercise regimen?

These days - and really for the last year or so - most of my exercise comes built into my life. Hiking is my job now, and keeping up with the farm adds its own layer of daily movement. I don’t have a formal regimen outside of that.

I actually wrote an entire post about all the things I’ve tried over the years HERE, if you’re curious.

But I’ll be honest: I do need to get myself back into some kind of regular routine. Life stays busy out here, and it’s easy to let structured exercise slide when the rest of your day already feels like a workout.

What is your daily beauty routine with facial products and makeup?

My daily beauty routine is about as simple as it gets. I wash my face with old-school Noxzema, dab a little homemade facial serum under my eyes and on any dry spots (lips included), and that’s pretty much it. If I’m shooting a planned photo series or heading out on the town, I’ll sometimes add a little makeup, but day-to-day I keep it easy.

At night I wash my face again and use rose-petal witch hazel before bed.

Simple. Cheap. Maintainable. Even if I go broke, this routine is sticking with me.

Do you do product/service reviews?

Absolutely! If it’s something I’d genuinely be interested in myself, or something I think my readers would enjoy hearing about, I’m happy to try it and write an honest review.

If you’d like to submit a product or service for consideration, you can send it to sandice@frugalfashionablefarmer.com with “product review” in the subject line.

Just a heads up - I only review things I would personally use or feel confident my readers would appreciate.

If you can think of any thing else you'd like to know, shoot me a message using the contact form to the left on this page and I'll be happy to answer as best as i can! 

xoxo

sandice