Time Capsule Updated

I remember our class trying to figure out what to put in the time capsule when our elementary school opted to create one.  I wonder now what that item was that we decided on, but I am guessing I will not find out.

But, my musings led me to consider trying a 'time capsule' of sorts with our farm pictures.  The rule was that I had to go to the picture files we have and select a random month for each year during the growing season.  Then, I had ten seconds to select a picture I could put into a blog post with similarly selected photos.  Let's see what happened, shall we?

2008 - Grandpa Admires lettuce in a cage

We didn't have a digital camera in 2008, but we do have some digital photos courtesy of Sally Worley, who took a batch of them during the first PFI field day we hosted that year.

I selected this photo because it illustrates how much things have changed and how much things have stayed the same on our farm.  The red cages have all been taken apart by now.  We still have some of the wood and chicken wire - but it all has been repurposed.  But, that is the way of a working farm.  Things get built to solve a problem or serve a purpose.  They work for a time until they wear out or the farm moves on to other approaches.  Then, they become something else.

On the other hand, you might notice that this cage in particular is covering Grandpa Admires lettuce.  We grew it back in 2008 and we still grow it, but on a smaller scale, to this day.  For that matter, as long as Rob is doing the growing, there is going to be some Grandpa Admires simply because he LIKES to eat this type of lettuce.  If you know anything about Rob's eating history, than you know that is really saying something. 

As I look at the picture, I realize that it may well be the very first season we used these cages.  Why?  Well, look how straight they are?  All it took was one Winter to change that.

2010 - we should have grown cranberries or rice

We have no digital pictures for 2009, but we did finally get access to a digital camera in 2010.  That was just in time so we could record what was our absolute WORST season on the farm.  And, at the same time, it was the MOST transforming season for the farm as well. 

We got rain.  And more rain.  And more rain.  If you look carefully at this picture you will see standing water next to the brassica plants.  There is tall grass in the rows because we had no way to weed and we couldn't even get in there to mow it all down!  The veggie plants in this picture are on their way to dying as can be seen by the yellowing and browning leaves.  In short, we had an awful time of it until we got to mid-July, when it dried up some.

And, yet, that season saw some major changes that moved us forward dramatically.  We built Eden (our first high tunnel), we purchased our first tractor (Durnik), took a crash course in Fall and early Winter veggy growing and began finding that there were other growers in Iowa we could go to for morale support.

2011 - Eden's first Summer crop set

We were within a whisker of quitting the Genuine Faux Farm in June of 2010, but felt we'd better get through our commitments.  Some Fall success and the opportunities a new high tunnel brings encouraged us to give it a go in 2011.  And that's where we learned that green beans LOVE high tunnels.

Tomatoes love high tunnels too, I know.  But, the green beans were a revelation to us.  The rows on the right of this picture went crazy and we could barely keep them harvested.

The thing that strikes me about the 2011 picture is how different our planting methods look now as compared to what they were then.  Let's just say that we've learned a good deal and leave it at that.  But, that doesn't mean we didn't do things relatively well then.  After all, we were working with fewer tools in the tool box.

2012 - Look! Red cages again!

New tools don't always mean the old tools go away.  As you can see in the photo to the right, the red cages made a return as protection for seedlings while they were in trays. 

The backstory here is that the building that had been on the slab was blown down in a prior year.  We finally got it mostly cleaned up so we could use the area for seedling tray central.

I find this particular photo interesting because I know that there are good sized piles of ugly lumber and scrap just to the left that we were in the process of cleaning up.  But, like many things on the farm, we just couldn't get the project all the way done before we absolutely had to get seedlings outside.  The growing season has always won when the battle of priorities begins on our farm.

2013  - Raised Beds

A common theme on our farm has got to be what happens when we get too much rain.  We have flat ground and relatively heavy soil.  Too much rain is probably the worst situation for us to grow in.  As a result, the years that have seen some of the greatest innovations were those that saw the most issues with rain.

Or, perhaps I should say, the years that had the 'most' innovations were the years we had the most issues with rain.  I am not sure that all of our responses during those seasons were all that great.  The raised beds did a decent job for us and still do.  But, like the red cages, they are no longer as important as other tools on our farm.  It's just another interesting way to see how our farm has grown and changed over the years.

2014 - garlic in the rafters

And yet again, there are things that have remained fairly constant.  We still hang our garlic from the rafters in the truck barn.  It is still an impressive sight to find 3000 or so garlic hanging up to cure after a day of harvest, bundling and hanging.

We find it interesting that each of our work crews over the years think this is one of the most exciting work days of the season.  With the event of Facebook, we can tell you that other farms like ours have similar reactions.  The garlic harvest is a BIG deal.   One day, you have rows of garlic plants standing up in the field.  The next, they are all hanging up to cure.  It's a big, big change and the task has a definite beginning and end.  The farmers and the crew can actually take a moment and appreciate what has been done.

2015 - Beans and peppers South of Valhalla

We put Eden up in 2010 and told ourselves that it would be the biggest project we would undertake for our farm's infrastructure.  My, how a few years can change your viewpoint. 

We completely restructured some of our fields so we could insert a new high tunnel (called Valhalla).  

Like Eden, this building can also move between two growing locations.  The biggest difference is that Valhalla is about 25 feet longer.  That may not sound like much, but if you are used to working a certain row length in a high tunnel, it is surprising how it gets ingrained into your head.  I still find myself stopping and being confused 25 feet SHORT of the end of the row in Valhalla because my internal measurements say I should be finished with the row by then.  It actually gets worse - I get confused in Eden now too because the rows are shorter than they should be.

2016 - the Inspector has arrived

Ah! The life of a farmer - always confusing.

We have had kittens on the farm more than once, but Inspector is the only cat currently on the farm that was born on the farm.  To be honest, this wasn't actually a welcomed event.  Inspector's mother (Soup) had been dumped at our farm and we weren't entirely sure she would fit in with how things worked there.  

 
Inspector, on the other hand, has turned out to be about the friendliest feline you'll ever meet.  He's my friend.  He's your friend.  He's EVERYBODY'S friend. 

He has gotten more independent as the years have gone on, which is good.  But, he still likes to hitch a ride in a farmer's arms if he can manage.  Some good skritching is always appreciated and he'll reward with a nice purr every time.

2017 - Set up to harvest

The next picture, from 2017, is one that is familiar to me, but it doesn't usually show up on blogs or anywhere else for that matter.  Harvest day usually means loading up the trailer with harvest totes of various sizes, the portable scale, some tunes, a towel, sometimes a coat, various harvesting knives and the record book. 

After a fairly short period of time, many of those totes will be full of produce and we'll be hauling them back to the cleaning and packing area.

This used to be an event that would happen two or more times a week as I prepared for farm share distributions (and before that, farmers' markets).  Typically, we would have to take multiple trips with the cart and new containers before the harvest was done. 

Up to this point, these photos were all selected for my 2017 Time Capsule post from December of that year.  And now we add the most recent years to the Time Capsule!  It's a blessing that I am able to keep adding to our own farm memory bank - so I will share more with you.

A 2018 volunteer group

Volunteer groups on the farm have actually been an important part of what we do at the Genuine Faux Farm since its early years.  The pandemic set that back a good bit and then the change in our methods (and madness) reduced it even more.  That doesn't mean we still don't have people come out to do things like - cut down all of the old sunflower stalks from the prior year so we can plant something in the new year.

These groups are often a highlight of our year because they don't actually happen all that often and we always appreciate it when they do.  The extra bodies help us get tasks done that would take a "year and a day" to get done if it were only the two of us.  Things like moving tomato cages, cleaning brushy weeds away from building foundations,and cutting down sunflower stalks when they are done serving as Goldfinch retreat areas are just such a task.  Thanks to everyone who has ever helped us on the farm.

The pseudo-random selection for 2019 has also been an annual occurrence for quite some time - the arrival of the turklets on the farm.  

Turklets in 2019

At this point in our farming careers, I think we look at the arrival of chicks as a mixed blessing.  Chicks are cute.  Chicks are soft and fluffy.  Chicks represent a fresh start for a new season.

And, chicks also represent the beginning of a contract.  That contract is the one that says the farmers WILL take care of these birds every single day until their time on the farm comes to an end.  It starts with food, shelter and water and it is always food, shelter and water.  While it sounds simple, I can also tell you how many ways it can become far less simple and much more difficult.  But, that's not the point of this post.

Look at the cute chicks!  Awwwww!

A healthy annual ryegrass cover in 2020

When we got to 2020, we entered a new transitional phase at the Genuine Faux Farm.  Just like 2010, there were big changes and new commitments.  While we made the commitment to growing more for more people in 2010, our 2020 goals were to simplify and adjust to new realities.  Things like the farmer having an off-farm job and a need to find a different balance in our lives were taking priority.

Our 2020 photo is actually a very nice stand of annual ryegrass we put in to cover some of our fields towards the end of the growing season.  Cover crops can do all sorts of things for you.  In this case, our intention was to hold the soil in place during the cold months and keep some roots in the ground.  The other motivation was to put this area of field into a position where we could defer decisions on future use as we considered how things were going to go in the new decade. 

And finally, our 2021 image are a couple of the bee hives at the Genuine Faux Farm.  

Our honey bees are symbolic of our continued desires to be involved in the world of living and growing things - but perhaps in ways that are new to us.  Yes, it is true that we have had bees on our farm prior to this.  But, until the last few years, it was always someone else who served as caretakers for the bees.  Now, Tammy takes on the primary role and Rob is support staff.

Bees in 2021

And there you are!  A time capsule for the Genuine Faux Farm.  Perhaps we'll update the time capsule again in a couple of years.  I wonder what we'll have to put in the next time we visit?

Facing Inward or Outward?

Which way do you face when you represent yourself, your viewpoints, or a group you belong to?

Do you face inwards - speaking to the crowd you already know and, most likely, get along with quite well?  Or do you face outwards - welcoming others into your world, even if you might be judged or belittled?

Don't mind him, he's just being reflective....

Let me clarify something first.

You can speak facing inwards, but make yourself loud enough that many, MANY other people can hear you.  But, based on what you say and how you say it, you can make it plenty clear that you are facing your "group" or "posse" or whatever you want to call it.  In the process, you also make it painfully clear who you are excluding and who you believe does not belong.  

Facing inwards is the easiest thing to do and its the most comfortable thing to do.  And, frankly, it is actually the RIGHT thing to do at times.  If you are having a personal conversation, your full attention should be on that conversation.  Family time is family time.  A group that works together needs to concentrate on what they're doing.  There are times when you need the comfort your group gives you.  I get that and feel that way often myself.

The problem is - because it is the easiest thing to do - it often becomes the only thing we do.  And that's when organizations, groups, and ideas begin to stagnate and, often, die.

A Quick Story

Yep, now he's doing a different kind of reflection...

I've said it before and I'll say it again.  I am an introvert and I do not like to insert myself into groups of people who appear to have already established themselves.  I read signs that tell me that I am not welcome easily and will probably also interpret some things as unwelcoming even if they aren't supposed to be.  

I heard about a particular group in high school that advertised that they were going to do an activity I thought I might be interested in.  It was a newly forming group, but it still took a fair bit of gumption for me to actually GO to the room where they were meeting.  But, as I walked into the room, all of the signs were there that I would not be staying long.

There were eight people I did not know all that well.  They were sitting at a table looking at and/or talking with each other.  I wasn't late to the gathering and it had been openly advertised.  Yet, no one did much more than make a furtive glance in my direction when I entered the room.

Perhaps they thought I had come to the wrong place and I would figure it out quickly?  But, I knew this was the right place, so I stood patiently for a little while.  But, this only got a few more uncomfortable looks and no words were passed my direction.

As I listened, it was clear that this group WAS looking at the very activities I was interested in.  But, it was also equally clear that I was not part of the "choir," so to speak - and I was obviously not welcome.

The only way I was going to join was if I forced my way in.  So, I left.

Lest you suggest that this is just the way teenagers are - sometimes pretty cruel with each other - I will add that a similar scene has played out more than once since then during my adult life.

Body stances remain closed, indicating that "we" are having a private conversation that someone else (the person who is outside looking in) would be rude to interrupt.  Conversations make reference to a whole host of inside knowledge, names and words, and no effort is made to make the content accessible to someone who is not also in the group.  And perhaps, there are even words said or actions taken that make it clear that certain folk need not apply... so to speak.

In the end, we appear to be quite fond of creating groups where a person has to know the secret password ahead of time to get involved. Otherwise, they might as well stay away or maybe form their own group.

Thoughts on Facing Outward

Outward... upward... whatever!  It's still a pretty blue!

1. Body Language Speaks Clearly

Facing outward just enough to be welcoming can be as simple as turning your chair ever so slightly so it appears as if a spot is being opened for someone else to join in.  It could be eye contact and a quick greeting, granting permission for someone outside the group to at least ask about what is going on.  And, if the person you are letting into the group is an introvert, they will also appreciate it if you don't grab onto them and push them into the lion's den.  It always helps to allow access to the wading pool and give clear access to the escape ladder should that person need a gracious way to remove themselves for a bit.... hopefully with the knowledge they are welcomed to return.

Even a quick hand gesture or other recognition to indicate that you see somebody, but you can't exit a conversation at a given moment is all that is needed to provide that little bit of welcome.

2. They Don't Know Your Language

Even if you physically let someone join a group and do all you can to try to make them feel welcome, you can close them out effectively with the shared words and acronyms your group uses. 

As a person who has studied Computer Science, I can tell you how frustrating the sheer volume of acronyms and short-cut words can be if you aren't already in the club.  It's even worse for me because I now have experience in several fields and some of the same acronyms and terms show up - but with different MEANINGS!  I mean, DBA is a Data Base Administrator to me, but to some it stands for "Doing Business As," and to others it is "Doctor of Business Administration" or maybe it's "Diamond-Blackfan Anemia?"

So, if you are interested in facing outwards more often, sprinkle your use of terminology easy explanations without making a big deal of it.  

For example, if you say, "Well, Rob's new here.  So, Rob, when we say "rock the boat" around here, we mean that you should play the loudest, rowdiest song you can find on the stereo in the canoe.  We prefer something by Metallica if you can manage it."

Unless this is just a personal conversation between the two of us, you're not doing me a favor.  You're reminding me that I don't yet belong AND you're making a big deal over your effort to explain things to me.

Instead, a quick explanation that you can easily repeat later on without fanfare can work.  "Anyway, we're looking at filing for another DBA, or Doing Business As, form because we will be working under the alias "Joe Schmoe" as well as "Joe Black."

Later on, you can just slip in the words for the acronym...  "As I was filling out the Doing Business As from, or DBA, I noticed that..."

It's quick.  It includes those who don't have that acronym filed in the front of their brains.  It doesn't call attention to the fact that you are working hard to be inclusive.  

Instead, you just ARE being inclusive.  Huh.  How'd that happen?

3. Avoid Exclusionary Statements

If its not the terminology, it can be the ideology... the ideas you hold and spout that can be just as exclusive.

As a quick example, I'll reference philately (postage stamp collecting).  A young person was at their first stamp show and a long-time collector loudly stated that the ONLY way to collect was to buy unused postage stamps that were in perfect condition.  Everything else was a waste of time.

Just because this was a first show, that doesn't mean the individual wasn't already collecting.  In fact, they probably were - and they probably weren't collecting the "right" way at that.  But, a blanket statement that there was only one way to go and all others were inferior is a quick way to push a new person away - perhaps permanently.

We do this all the time, without even thinking about it.  And, we are honing this skill - the skill of exclusion - by using social media to talk loudly, but talk inward.  We put forth words and phrases and thoughts that only our small group will appreciate without considering who we are hurting and who we are leaving out. 

We preach to the choir with great conviction and we don't hesitate to throw others under the bus if we can get the people inside our group to tug their ears and shout an "amen."   Then we have the audacity to wonder why we can't convince anyone else to join?  Really?

If you would face outward, you have to find out where other people live and you actually have to listen AND make clear that it is ok to be different, to not have full knowledge of a certain topic and to be a person climbing the learning curve.  It also wouldn't hurt to include a little humility and recognition that none of us is perfect and not a single one of us knows all of the answers.  

Sure, some of us have expertise in some things and our opinions in those subjects can carry more weight.  But, how we throw that weight around counts for something too.

Now.  If only I could be perfect at facing outward when I should and inward when I need to.  Heck, I wrote a blog about it, I must have all of the answers....

Never mind.  I'm still climbing the learning curve.  Maybe you can climb it with me.

Maybe we'll find a healthy balance together.

Walking Another "There" Again

Tammy and I have always enjoyed visiting and walking around some of the natural places in this world, absorbing the beauty that nature provides.  We have been trying to be more purposeful in our efforts to go to some of the parks and wild spaces in northeast Iowa in recent years.  But, I really can't say that we've been incredibly successful in our efforts.

As is the case for so many of us, it seems like the things we have to do from day to day take up all of the time we have available.  Worse still, the day to day stuff seems to take more energy than we actually have to give sometimes!

 

If you read Monday's entry in the blog, you might realize that we did manage to take a short day-trip last weekend.  Amazingly, we got the trip in AND we managed to do some work with the bee hives, some mowing, some field work and some seed collecting. 

Our target this time around was Backbone State Park by Strawberry Point in Iowa.  We took the north entrance and did our best to ignore the golf course and the ostentatious houses nearby and breathed a sigh of relief and gratitude as the trees created a canopy over the road.

We took the opportunity to get out of the car as soon as we were afforded a chance and went to appreciate Richmond Spring. 

Like Twin Springs, up near Decorah, Richmond Spring is fed by an underground source, so the temperature of the water stays right around 48 degrees Fahrenheit all year.   Also, like Twin Springs, Richmond Spring was the site of a trout fish hatchery that has been closed for many years (since the 1980s, I believe).

The water is incredibly clear and appears to be quite calm, though there is obviously a nice current as the nearby sign claims that nearly 2000 gallons a minute enter the spring from the underground source.

The calm surface and clear water allows you to either appreciate reflections or the aquatic life.  Part of me was tempted to take off the shoes and socks and dangle my feet in it for a while, until I remembered how much 48 degrees Fahrenheit HURTS after a minute or so!

Backbone State Park was established in 1920 and is credited with being Iowa's first state park.  The dolomite rock formations were created by lime deposits from a shallow sea that covered Iowa 430 million years ago (the Silurian period).   Apparently, a person can find evidence of aquatic life in the fossils that can still be found.  Since the glaciers did not reach this area, we get to view the work of many, many years of slow erosion.

Can you find the Brown Trout?

If you would like to learn more, this publication by the Geological Society of Iowa in 1995 will give you, quite possibly, more than you ever wanted to know.  However, I've read half of it already and intend on reading the whole thing as I find it fascinating - though I admit to being lost through portions of the material when it gets into details in subject areas for which I have little training.

We tried our hand at some photos and enjoyed peering into the water and just letting the gentle sounds of nature bring our shoulders down below our ears once again.  At one point, I thought to look up and was delighted to see the ripples on the water reflected on the rocks above.

It's at this point that I ask myself - am I allowed to be delighted by something as simple as the reflection of light on water?  But, perhaps the better question is, "Why don't I allow myself to be delighted by nature more often?"

As we looked downstream from the initial pool that forms as water exits the underground stream, we could see evidence of man-made structures and the adaptation of nature to make it all seem like it truly belongs together.  While it is late September, there was still plenty of green and there was evidence of life all around us.

I did not do too much with the camera after this point for any number of reasons.  One of them had to do with the popularity of this park.  It was difficult to frame a photo that didn't have people in it.

Hey.  Don't get me wrong, it's good that people were enjoying and experiencing nature.  But, I, at least, did not come here for them.  I came for the trees.  And the birds, fish, butterflies and other critters.  I came so I could see the deer resting in the taller grasses just feet from the roadside, certain that humans would pass by without noticing.

Well.  Most humans.

I came to see the interesting patterns of old vines climbing some of the trees near the amphitheater.  And I came to enjoy some outdoor nature time with my best friend.

So, like our trip to see Twin Springs and our walk at Dunning's last year, I'd like to suggest that we walk here yet again. 

A Road Less Traveled

This past weekend, I surprised Tammy on Saturday morning with the suggestion that we complete our farm chores and then go to one of the various parks that are within an hour to an hour and half drive from our farm.  Taking a quick day trip to explore nature is something we give lip service to, but usually let the list of things that must be done win the battle.

After some consideration (and completion of the chores) Tammy agreed that we could take a trip to see Backbone State Park near Strawberry Point.  It only took around an hour to get there and we enjoyed the park immensely (we'll let that part of the trip have its own blog later).

On our return, we grabbed some take out lunch in Strawberry Point and decided we'd visit another park on the way back and eat the lunch there.

Don't let it fool you, there be serious ruts in that there road!

We kept debating whether this was a place we had visited over ten years ago or not.  It seemed like it might be, but then we doubted ourselves.

It turns out it was both a good and a bad thing that we doubted.  Because if we had remembered it a bit more, we might have tried something else for a quick visit and location for eating lunch!

The big problem?  We were in our little car (a Honda Civic - named Belle) and compact vehicles don't have much clearance.  And the road... the road is definitely one that is "less traveled."  Or, it should have been less-traveled by us in the sedan.  Chumley, the big red truck, would have enjoyed the trip.  Belle, the little blue car.... not so much.

And once you got to a certain point, there wasn't much choice but to go all of the way down... because there wasn't a good option to turn around.

The "parking area" wasn't all that large and this is the view that greeted us at the end of the road.  There was a rarely traveled trail at the left and a shelter to the right (presumed to be a rest area) and what looked like a picnic shelter a little further down.

At this point, I think we recognized the place as one we had visited before.  It is a beautiful location and would have been worthy of a hike.  But, we weren't really prepared for this sort of hike and we were really ready to eat our lunch and we needed to be getting back home.  Alas for us.

Brush Creek Canyon Preserve is largely undisturbed by human development and that's a good part of what makes it special.  

A research paper by Lawrence Eilers in December of 1974 identifies a whole host of plant species in this small, wild area in Iowa.  Part of the abstract of this paper is below:

Brush Creek Canyon State Preserve ... contains steep, wooded ravines; tall, vertical outcrops of dolomitic limestone; clear streams; cascades area; and cool springs. These habitats support a variety of native plant communities, resulting in a rich flora of at least 268 species of vascular plants. Man-made disturbance is minimal, and there are several species of rare plants that increase the importance of the preserve.

As I did some searching for more information on this area, I came across a fair amount of mis-information, including claims that there is camping and this is a state park.  But, with a little more digging I found the paper linked above and I noticed that the Tallgrass Prairie Center had offered a field trip in the Spring of 2018. 

Let's just say that this has peaked my interest.  If a person who is familiar with the plant species and the preserve could take us on a guided tour, we're in!

But, we'll bring the truck next time.

The Mighty Pencil - Postal History Sunday

Welcome to the final Postal History Sunday ... for the month of September!   Actually, I really am celebrating this one a little bit because there were a couple of times during the past month that I was not sure I would have the energy to create the weekly post.  Yet, here we are, successfully creating another opportunity for me to share something I enjoy and for you to put on those fluffy slippers, enjoy a favorite beverage, and maybe even learn something new!

Before I get started, I would like to extend my gratitude to those who gave me some positive feedback over the past couple of weeks.  The timing was excellent and put more fuel in the tank that should turn into more Postal History Sundays.

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How Business or Junk Mail Can Be Attractive

I could be counted among those who currently take most of the things that arrive in the mailbox directly to the recycle bin after a cursory glance.  The bulk of what we receive now are advertising newspapers, flyers, and various other types of junk mail.  The rest of the mail is typically bills, and those rarely have much going for them from a collecting standpoint either.

So, how ironic is it that an envelope that might very well have been junk mail or a bill is among the favorite pieces in my collection?

Since this envelope no longer has the contents, I cannot be sure if it contained an invoice for an order or a receipt for payment - or maybe just a price list.  Frankly, it doesn't really matter, because the graphic design on this advertising cover is enough to keep me happy.

Just the concept of making the artwork appear to be three-dimensional is enough to get our attention.  The pencil appears to pierce the paper, revealing an image of the Joseph Dixon Crucible Company's factory buildings.  And, they don't miss a trick nor do they leave space unused.

The pencil is, of course, a Dixon pencil.  They use the bottom left to advertise their crucibles.  The top left shows the return address.

Even the reverse is fun to look at.  You won't have many questions about what they offer after you see one of their advertising envelopes!

Clearly, this company focused on graphite, turning it into a whole host of products.  Graphite is a crystalized carbon that is a softer substance, but is resistant to heat.  In addition, it is inert (it doesn't react) with most other metals.  If you want to learn more about the basics of graphite, this site has an easy to read description. 

Crucibles are used to melt metals so they can be worked with and formed into other shapes.  Given the two properties I cited (resistant to heat and inert with other metals), this makes graphite an excellent choice as a substance to make a crucible!  It is my understanding that a well-made graphite crucible could withstand temperatures up to 2000 degrees Celsius.

Oh - and one more tidbit - "plumbago" was the term used to refer to graphite until the late 1700s.  So, in a way, putting "graphite, plumbago, black lead" on the back of this envelope was a bit redundant!  As always, there is likely more to it than that, but I'll let you have a go at researching the point if you want!

My personal exposure to graphite products is largely limited to products to keep my bicycle working (greasing the chain and keeping cables lubed) and... of course... the pencil.

Here's the Postal History Part

This letter was mailed from San Francisco on April 6, 1899 and was received on the same day in Stockton, California.  The 2 cent stamp paid the postage for a piece of letter mail that weighed up to one ounce (effective from July 1, 1885 to November 1, 1917).  The envelope was sealed, so this would not have qualified for the reduced postage rates that printed matter were often given.

As far as postage rates and postage routes are concerned, there isn't a whole lot to drive my interest.  It was properly paid, it doesn't appear to have been misdirected at any point.

However, there is a point of interest for persons who are especially interested in postal markings (marcophily or marcophilately).

Barry Machine Cancels

As the volume of mail increased, it became increasingly difficult for a postal clerk to use a handstamp on each piece of mail and process the volume of mail coming through their office.  Thus, there was motivation for mechanical innovations so more mail could be processed in less time.  This particular envelope was postmarked with one such device.

By the time this letter was mailed, postmarking machines had been in existence and in use for over twenty years, starting with the Leavitt postmarking machines in the 1870s.  And, according to this article by Jerry Miller, there were even some trials for postmarking machines in the U.S. in the 1860s and in the United Kingdom in the 1850s. 

Most machines would require that the postal clerk "face" the envelopes so that they were oriented correctly.  The idea was that most mail had the stamp placed correctly at the top right of the envelope.  As long as the clerk "faced" the letter correctly, the marking would properly cancel the stamp so it could not be re-used.

This particular envelope ran through a machine created by the Barry Postal Supply Company of Oswego, New York.  The marking was comprised of two parts.

A dial that gave the originating post office location and a date and time stamp.

And, a portion of the device called a "killer," which was intended to deface the postage stamp so it could not be re-used.

William Barry (1841 - 1915) and his company are responsible for a wide range of markings that postal historians and marcophilatelists can hunt down, collect, and study, to their heart's content - should they desire to do so.  This website by the International Machine Cancel Society provides some guidance if you want to hunt down what type of Barry machine cancel you might have discovered.

Mr. Barry held a patent (1897) for his cancelling device which can be viewed on the Google patents site.  One of the illustrations that was part of the patent paperwork is shown below:

Of note, is the fact that the Find A Grave site provides the death announcement for the correct William Barry.  Unfortunately, the photo attached to the site is incorrect.  William Barry is listed, in this 2012 book by Keith Holmes, as one of many Black Americans who have successfully created inventions and received patents in the United States.  

It is my understanding that the wide range of Barry cancels can be found primarily on mail during the 1894-1909 period, so our piece of mail lands nicely in the middle of that time frame.  If you would like to begin learning about U.S. Machine Cancels, I have found "A Collector's Guide to U.S. Machine Postmarks: 1871-1925 by Russell F. Hanmer to be a useful start.

And Here's the Social History Part

The Dixon Crucible Company was initially founded in 1827 by Joseph Dixon (1799-1869) and his spouse, Hannah Martin (1795- 1877), according to this site.   The company was not incorporated as the Joseph Dixon Crucible Company until 1869 (presumably after Joseph's death), remaining open until 1983 when it was merged with the rival pencil maker, Ticonderoga.  In fact, many who read this blog will remember using the yellow Dixon No. 2 pencils while taking standardized tests in school.

His experiments for using graphite to create working crucibles led him to develop the use of graphite for lubricants, pencils, and non-corrosive paints (among other things).  The company was initially housed in Salem, Massachusetts, but it moved to its Jersey City location in 1847 (which is where it remained until the 1980s).

Collier's Oct 5, 1901

It is tempting to think that pencils were broadly accepted at the time Dixon's company began creating them.  However, most people who did much writing used quill and ink pens.  It wasn't until the Civil War that the use of pencils became more widely accepted.  After all, a soldier could probably keep a pencil stub that could be sharpened with their knife far more easily than a jar of ink and a quill.

By the time we get to the early 1900s, Dixon's company had a wide range of products, including products for farm equipment as it moved away from horse power.

The American Thresherman May, 1906

Joseph Dixon was an inventor who held multiple patents for uses of graphite crucibles in pottery and steel making (patents issued in 1850).  He also developed equipment to automate the making of pencils, including a planing machine (1866 patent) that shaped the cedar wood so that it could receive the soft graphite to create a pencil.

The origination of this cover in San Francisco likely illustrates the company's move in the late 1890s to start using Incense Cedar that grows in California for the wood casing of the pencil rather than the Eastern Cedar Cedar found in Tennessee and surrounding states.

Bonus: A Foray into "Evocative Philately"

In December of 2017, Sheryll Ruecker came up with a brilliant topic idea for an online stamp club meeting.  She suggested that we share items that bring strong memories, feelings or images to our minds.  

I appreciated the topic immensely because I believe that many people who enjoy various hobbies make connections that go deeper than "this is a neat item."  So, what does this particular item bring to my mind when I look at it?  So, in honor of Sheryll, I offer this edited version of what I shared with the club:

The wooden pencil.

All I have to do is look at the cover, with the image of a pencil punching through the paper, and I can hear the sound of the pencil sharpener at the elementary school when I was a student.  I remember that there were times we would line up to take a turn sharpening pencils and I remember working desperately hard to use up every tiny bit of each pencil.

How many people can remember sharpening a pencil for the last time where you could barely hold on to it to keep it from just spinning around in the sharpener?

And, what good is a wooden pencil without one of those nice big rubber erasers?  There wasn't a 'backspace' key to hit that made what you wrote go away when you made a mistake.  After a few seconds of scrubbing on the paper you'd have all of these pills of eraser stubble that you had to sweep off the desk with one quick swipe of the hand.  

But, oh, the frustration when you were overly aggressive with that eraser.  How many times did you put a hole in the paper?  Or perhaps you wrinkled the whole sheet up - ugh!

There were some moments in the classroom where everyone was pretty mellow and calm.  Everyone was working on something and no one seemed inclined to make a ruckus.  I can remember putting my head down on the desk next to whatever I was working on.  I realize only kids can do this because it requires a certain amount of flexibility and a ridiculous ability to see things a couple of inches from your face.  But, the odd thing about it was that doing this had the effect of making you feel a bit like you had your own space, even though you were in a room with 20 to 30 other students and a teacher.

There is a certain feel and smell that goes along with wooden flip top desks, paper, pencils and erasers.  I am fortunate that my memories of these times are positive.  I realize some people struggled in school and others were in a school environment that didn't feel safe to them.  I, on the other hand, equate these sensory inputs with an opportunity to create in a secure environment.  There wasn't a huge rush to get it done.  Instead, there was permission to immerse myself in whatever project was before me.  Sometimes it was math, sometimes it was writing, sometimes it was art.  But, whatever it was, the process often involved pencil, paper and eraser.    

I still write and plan with lead pencils of the 'mechanical' variety.  Pencil sharpeners are no longer found at every corner of a library and I rely more on my 'portable office' so I can work in any environment.  The traditional wooden pencil is no longer the best technology for me.  But, I still find myself feeling like I'm in the right place when I pick up a newly sharpened lead and cedar number 2 pencil and put the first figures on the page.  

How does this fit in my collection?

If you have been reading Postal History Sunday for a while, you may recognize that this particular item is unlike many of the things I share here.  So, why is it in my collection?

Well, one of my projects has been to find postal history items that reflect how a small, diversified farm works.  In my opinion, record-keeping is a critical part of the whole operation - and a pencil is one of the few things that writes reliably when you are outside in the rain!

For those who have interest, you can see a sixteen-page exhibit I created that includes the "mighty pencil" on page 14.

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Thank you again for joining me for Postal History Sunday.  Once again, I find that I have learned MANY new things as I explored a single cover with the idea that I would share with you.  I hope you were entertained and that you, too, learned something new.

Until next week, my wish for you is that you have a fine remainder of the day and good week to come.

Still Words to Live By

What follows is perhaps one of my favorite blog posts from 2017 (April 22) and I wanted to update and adapt it for this September as part of our Throwback series of posts.  I hope you enjoy it.

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I admit to being a bit of an introvert.  Ok, I am very much an introvert.  That's why writing a blog like this makes so much sense and so little sense all at the same time!

Someone sent me sayings that many introverts could relate to and I found one in particular that stood out with me:

When you are an introvert and try to say anything in a group of extroverts - 'Please be quiet, I'm really very interesting.'

I guess I can relate to that just as I can also relate to being surprised when people actually DO find me to be interesting.  When that happens - what's an introvert to do?   Oh great... they actually do want me to share with them... eeek!

Another thing that rang true in those sayings was the recurring theme that many persons who exhibit introversion tendencies will contemplate things that were said by others far longer than many who are extroverted in nature.  Maybe it is a function of the nature of many introverts to say less and listen more, all I know is that I have a number of things running through my head that have become 'words to live by.'

A "Happy Little Tree"

I know I am not the only person who still thinks fondly of Bob Ross and his Joy of Painting episodes that appeared (and still appear) frequently on Iowa Public Television.  Bob would talk about 'happy little trees,' 'happy little clouds' and he would encourage people to be creative ('this is your world').  

Our new-ish horse chestnut in the front yard appears to be happy

 The most important part for me was the tone of these shows.  I always started to relax, no matter what was going on, as soon as Mr. Ross loaded up his brush and started painting.  I am not sure I fully realized how much the serenity this man exhibited in his shows affected me until I found myself dealing with a nasty virus in 2017.  I could not sleep and felt generally miserable, so I flipped through some of our limited TV channels and found Joy of Painting on IPTV.  

I fell asleep for the first time in a couple of days almost as soon as the words 'happy little tree' left his lips and I dozed to the sounds of his brush hitting the canvas.

Why did I finally fall asleep?  It isn't that I think his painting is boring.  In fact, I usually can't help but be riveted by the process.  But, I needed some serenity.  Some sense that things could and would be ok.  And, how can you be without hope when the trees are happy?

You Meant Well 

Sometimes a little backstory is necessary - so I will give a bit of one here.  I was very frightened of talking in front of people (introvert - remember?) and was dismayed by the choice I would have to make for 9th grade... Speech or Debate.  

There was no getting around it, you had to take one or the other.  So, I opted for Debate.  Why?  Because I knew it wasn't very popular and there would be fewer people in the class.  Then, a strange thing happened.  I showed an aptitude for public speaking - and took Debate the next three years of high school.... as an elective!

Frank Kruse and Kate Kolb

For three of those years, Mr. Kruse was our debate coach and one of his pet sayings was "you meant well."  Initially, I don't think those of us in his class fully understood all of the nuances this phrase could hold and I suspect most of us thought he used the phrase to console us when things didn't go as planned.  But, as we gained some experience, we started to understand that the context of the conversation and the situation had as much or more to do with the meaning of "you meant well." 

Of course, Mr. Kruse was not the sort of teacher who would spell everything out in the simplest terms.  He took joy in challenging us to consider meaning and variations in meaning.  

"You meant well" could console you that you did your best with the resources you had and there wasn't much more that could have been done in your situation.  It could also imply that someone else did not "mean well" by exclusion.  

And, of course, it could be used to point out that you were operating on false assumptions and the harm that had occurred as a result wasn't what you were working towards. 

In the end, the biggest lesson I took from Mr. Kruse and this saying was that good intentions do NOT always carry the day.  You may have "meant well," but your failure to do your work properly or your unwillingness to think through your actions and consider the fallout can result in a bad situation regardless of the results you envisioned.

In the end, it is both enough and not enough to mean well.  We can do better and do no better than to mean well.  I can be absolved of blame and be wholly responsible for the same when I mean well.    

Do or Die!

That's a "do or die" weeding job if I ever saw one!

I learned a few years ago that Coach Rowray had passed away and it reminded me of the single year he served as baseball coach on the Junior Varsity (JV) Newton High School baseball team.  Playing on that particular team with that particular person as coach was one of my more positive experiences in baseball.  

I may not have appreciated all of the 'pole to pole' running he made us do at the time, but I always appreciated his fair and balanced approach to handling the diverse personalities and talents on the team.

Baseball practice often consisted of 'situational drills' where the players trained to respond to given scenarios.  One of Coach Rowray's favorite was the "Do or Die!" drill, which was focused primarily on the outfielders (yes, I was one of them).  

With the bases loaded and less than 2 out, the outfielders were trained to charge a ground ball that gets through the infield as hard as they could.  The idea was that we needed to pick up the ball cleanly and get the ball to home plate as quickly and accurately as possible.

If you could get there quickly, pick it up, throw it accurately (and low enough so it could be 'cut off'), you were able to "Do" and if you didn't... well... you get the point.  I guess I was particularly good at this drill since he would say "watch Faux do or die!" during practice and then make me do three to five of them in a row.

At the time, I wondered if he thought I was deficient with my "doing or dying" because he kept at me with it.  But, I figured it out soon enough.

Clarity came after this scenario actually occurred in a game.  I charged the ball, picked it up and...
Threw a hard strike to the catcher standing on home plate.  We very nearly caught the guy coming home from third because he wasn't running as hard as he could.  

And as the dust floated out of the catcher's mitt from the impact of my throw, Coach Rowray jumped out of the dugout and yelled "THAT's the way to DO or DIE!!!"

Coach Rowray was building me up as a model for others to follow.  He was encouraging me to work on a strength and make it even better.  He was reinforcing something that was good and using a person who was surely not the best athlete (but a passable one) on the team to do it.

Coach Dave Rowray 3rd from left

While I don't walk around telling myself or others to "do or die" this memory reminds me that preparation to succeed is part of success itself.  And, I learned from Coach Rowray that sometimes success isn't flashy like a home run, a diving catch or a pitcher striking out the side.  

Success is doing the right things in the right way and doing it even when the situation is difficult and maybe even in situations where it didn't seem to make a difference. Success often comes because of the things that happen when no one else is looking.

And then one day, you "Do."

I Like You Just the Way You Are

This last one may also ring true with a number of people who read this blog.  Are you feeling a little beat-up?  Maybe a little depressed by things that are going on?  Maybe you feel like you've messed up or you aren't what you're supposed to be?

Listen to Mr. Rogers for a second or two:

A simple show teaching important concepts - among them: self-acceptance and acceptance of others. 

When I watch this video, I instantly feel better about myself and the world I live in.  And, I was reminded that if a person I've never met and only seen on Iowa Public Television can make me feel this way by saying "I like you just the way you are," just imagine how much power this statement might have if you tell someone you know the very same thing.

A picture of two Dr's in one GFF field - cool!

And, I like them both - just the way they are. 

And some farmer friends.  More people I like - just the way they are.

And my family.  I like you all just the way you are.

And I like you.  Just the way you are.

Hōailona

A remember a day a few years ago when I was feeling pretty down about life at the Genuine Faux Farm.  This, in itself, is nothing new.  I am sure I am just like so many other people in this world.  Things don't always work out and you begin to question what you are doing and how you are doing it.  You wonder if your efforts make a difference.  And, when it comes to something that can be as all-encompassing as working on a small, diversified farm to grow food for people, the roller-coaster ride can be pretty dramatic and quite wearing on a person.

A Black Swallowtail at the farm in 2021

On this particular day, I found myself alone on the farm.  There were no workers.  Tammy was at school.  It was just me on the farm, acknowledging that, once again, we were having to deal with pesticides, heavy rains and limited resources to address them and the myriad other issues and tasks that the farm required of us.

I will admit that there are also times when I will talk to myself when I am alone on the farm.  And, I have been heard to mutter, "Why in the world am I doing this?"

On this particular day, things were really getting to me, so I voiced those words a bit more forcefully than I usually do.  And, I will admit that there might even have been some profanity laced in there.  I was struggling with the situation THAT much.

Why... in ... the ... world... am I doing this?!?

At that moment, a Tiger Swallowtail butterfly floated over my shoulder and proceeded to land on the clover that was flowering at my feet.  It sat there for a second or two until the words, "Oh, that's why," left my lips.

Fast forward to 2021, and we find the farmer is farming less and writing more - especially given his job for the Pesticide Action Network.  I am still prone to those moments of asking "why?" and I suspect the question will always be under the surface whenever things do not go well.  But now, when I ask, I mentally picture a Tiger Swallowtail on the clover at my feet.

I recently shared that story with my co-worker who is the organizer for Hawai'i.  She informed me this is hōailona - a sign from the Universe, from the Elements  ... from something bigger than we are.

The difficulty with omens or signs is that we are always so ready to make them fit what we want them to be instead of really listening and really contemplating what they were MEANT to be.  And, if they aren't something we want, we tend to ignore them for what they are.

In fact, I tend to believe that we are provided with signs on a daily basis that tell us things we don't appear to want to hear.

The oak tree leaves throughout the state have been showing more damage earlier in the season over the past decade than they have in prior decades.  It's a sign that the environment they reside in is no longer as friendly as it once was.  And, we know one of the causes is the amounts and types of pesticides we use so freely on our land.  But, this is a sign we prefer to ignore either because it inconveniences us or it reminds us that we are complicit in the destruction of trees many of us cherish.

A drive in the country no longer results in a wind-shield covered in juicy insects of all sorts.  This is another sign that the things we are doing to the world around us is making it less hospital to life.  But, once again, this is easy to discount - especially if you don't particularly like "bugs" and you aren't particularly fond of cleaning windshields.

We like our signs and omens when they comfort us or when they reassure - like a Tiger Swallowtail on the clover.  It's ok, Rob, I know you're doing your best to do the right thing on your farm to support the natural world and still grow good food.  That's a beautiful story and a nice sentiment.

But, it is also telling me that I can't let my distress that things go wrong stop me from seeing the other signs and omens and doing what I can to address the problems they speak of.  I don't want the vision of a swallowtail to become a butterfly's farewell to someone who meant well.  Instead, I want this vision to return and manifest itself every season at the Genuine Faux Farm and everywhere else the clover blooms.

Almost Five Pounds?

Even after growing vegetables every season since 2004 at the farm and raising produce in our own gardens for several years prior to that, we can still see experience something new.

This year, we had some decent sized cauliflower in our second planting.

 

No, there is no photoshopping or perspective tricks going on in this photo.  That's just a REALLY big cauliflower.  Four pounds and fourteen ounces worth of cauliflower, in fact.

It is certainly not the prettiest cauliflower I have ever seen, but it is so spectacular in its size, I'll forgive some of the imperfections.

For comparision, a more typical sized cauliflower that happens to be the same variety, is shown in the next picture.  The smaller cauliflower is just a bit over one pound - definitely something I would proudly offer to CSA customers or at market in prior years.

Unlike prior years, we did not grow all that many cauliflower this season.  These were mostly for our own use.  But, given the size of this one and a couple of other fairly good sized specimens, we're not sure we NEED that much!

For those who want to know, the variety name is "Amazing."  

Yes, yes it is.