These are not dead-end problems, at least not all. There are a few ways to overcome these challenges.
You need not buy all the equipments, at the same time. You can buy used ones or share the equipments with other farmers.
If your neighbor has a backyard farm, add animals which he does not have and exchange the products.
There are a lot of people around you who wants to start backyard farming but could not do it for various reasons. You can share the work, money and the products with them. This would help you to take a vacation or reduce the work burden.
Do not add animals, at the beginning.
Use drip irrigation, if you have just plants and want to go out on a vacation.
Grow the animals and birds which produce products which the local people buy. If they like salmon, grow a lot of salmon. If they do not eat duck meat or eggs, do not grow them in a large number.
Involve your children in the backyard.
If you have a very large backyard and want to ensure that it is inspected all the time, have a farm dog.
Plant vegetables and fruits which are costly, in the market. This would increase your profit.
Once you become an expert, you can write about your experience and tips on backyard farming, with the pictures of your farm. This would help to increase your revenue. You can also start a yard sale on the products. When it comes to making money, there is always one way or the other. With more money, you can buy more gadgets and with more gadgets, your work load would be reduced.