What to write down.
WHY IT IS THE HIGHEST-VALUE HABIT
Every decision depends on knowing what happened.
WHAT TO RECORD FOR CROPS
Plot and area What was planted, and when Variety and seed source Inputs applied, with dates and quantities Labour used Harvest date and quantity
Sales: quantity, price, buyer
Losses
WHAT TO RECORD FOR LIVESTOCK
Numbers, by category Acquisitions and disposals Feed consumed Mortality, with apparent cause Treatments and vaccinations Production Sales
WHAT TO RECORD FINANCIALLY
Every cost Every sale Cash position
HOW TO RECORD IT
Whatever you will actually maintain.
WHY THAT MATTERS MORE THAN THE METHOD
Elaborate systems are abandoned.
WHAT A SIMPLE SYSTEM LOOKS LIKE
A notebook per enterprise, filled daily.
WHAT TO DO PERIODICALLY
Transfer it into something you can analyse.
WHAT TO CALCULATE AT THE END OF EACH CYCLE
Cost per unit Revenue per unit Gross margin Yield against expectation
WHAT TO COMPARE
This cycle against previous ones.
WHAT THAT REVEALS
Whether practices are improving anything.
WHAT TO KEEP
Receipts for every input and sale.
WHY
They support claims, finance applications and tax positions.
