Monday Karma

 It's the first Monday after Christmas and the last Monday of the year.  That calls for some sort of celebration!

For those who can't read this picture:

"We like Mondays

Mondays are good

Some don't like them

Like maybe we should

Today is Monday

We work on a farm

Do a good job

It's good for the karm...a"

Actually, I recognize that many people suffer from some level of post-holiday let-down and many of them are also NOT fans of Mondays.  This got me to thinking (dangerous pastime!) on a theme I had written about many years ago on this blog.

Lack of Joy

Several years ago, I read the book Blithe Tomato by Mike Madison.  It is a series of short writings that often chronicled his work as a grower and some of his interactions at market and with other growers.  One of his observations was that if he could be criticized for anything, it would be his "lack of joy."  That got me to thinking about the possibility that joy was difficult to attain - especially when you work and live the hard job that is growing for the direct to consumer, fresh-food market.

Tammy and I both enjoy animated films, so it should be no surprise that the film Inside Out got our attention.  This film actually puts the emotional development of a young person center stage and illustrates it in the form of five characters (Disgust, Fear, Anger, Sadness and Joy). Initially, the emotions are pretty easy to separate and Joy exerts the most control over the key memories the child has.  But, after a traumatic experience, things are no longer as cut and dried.  Key memories are no longer tinged by one emotion.  Moments of joy are now colored with sadness.

So, here we are - some years later.  We still work on the farm - even if we work in a different way than we have in recent years.  Our jobs take a good part of our attention and we still have to run out multiple times to deal with the laying hens was the weather grows cold.  We still work hard to accomplish things and typically get a good deal done - but we don't celebrate because we're usually just on to the next thing that must be done.  A walk around the farm is colored by all of the tasks that we recognize are still waiting for our attention.  This year's iris flowers were beautiful, but we lamented the weeds surrounding them and the loss of several for a whole host of reasons.  We make an effort to see people we care about in "zoom" meetings and start thinking about how we're going to be distanced in a few minutes before the call even ends.

So, I ask myself again the same question I asked years ago.  Can I be criticized for a lack of joy?  Or is this just joy tinged with sadness or a little bit of fear or maybe even a little anger?  There's certainly a dose of disgust at myself for not fully appreciating the good things when they are right in front of me!

Eroded Peaks and Filled Valleys

Things on a farm such as ours simply do not go 'as planned' and require constant adjustments.  As a result, we learn not to get too attached to mental pictures of how things should be.  In fact, I've found that I have adjusted my expectations and worked to temper my feelings about failures and successes simply because failure is an integral part of the farm.  And, if you take failure too personally, no amount of success seems to balance those shortcomings out.  In turn, we don't celebrate successes because we're all too aware of how fleeting they can be.  Too much celebration can lead to too much disappointment - so we try to avoid extreme peaks in hopes that we can avoid the deepest valleys.  

This sounds like a pretty good coping mechanism in principle.  Maintain emotional consistency so you can keep moving.  It sounds efficient.  It appears to be practical.

And I wonder sometimes if it is wrong.  

Is is possible that this just leads to a slow, downhill journey when you dull the high moments to avoid steep drop when a disappointment follows?  Is this why we sometimes start thinking about the letdown even before the moment we should be enjoying is over?

Talking Myself Into It

A couple of summers ago, I wrote the "poem" about Monday at the top of the chalkdoor list our workers saw as they came to the farm that morning.  I didn't do this sort of thing on the board all the time, but once in a while I had the energy to do it.  In this case, I was probably writing as much to convince me as much as my workers that we all could look upon our day with more positivity.

I was trying to talk myself (and others) into realizing that Monday is, in part, a state of mind.  And, if that's the case, we have the ability to change how we see it.  Hopefully, if we change how we see it, we can then change how the day goes - for the better.

So, I find myself trying to talk me into believing that joy is attainable and worthwhile - just as my Monday can actually be a pretty good day.  

Mondays can be difficult.  It can be hard to find joy in your life.  I understand that and I accept that this might be true.  But, I won't back down from a challenge.  And neither should you.

Have a good Monday - and I hope something brings you a glimmer of joy today.  Let yourself feel it.

Telegraph, Steamships & the Mail - Postal History Sunday

Our last Postal History Sunday of the year!  It's Winter and you don't have anything better to do that have a hot chocolate, put on the fuzzy bunny slippers, curl up in a blanket and read about something that might just be new to you!

Well - even if you DO have something better to do, this Postal History Sunday post is still here for you when you're ready.  It's part of the benefit of asynchronous communication.  And, speaking of types of communication - that's where today's post is taking us!

Today's featured item was mailed in Zurich, Switzerland to Aarau (also in Switzerland) on November 30, 1860.  

This is a blue folded letter sheet with pre-printed content on the inside.  The outside was addressed with a pre-printed label, which is not something I've seen very often from this period in time.  The label was clearly cut from another sheet of paper and somehow glued to the wrapper.

This is another example of "printed matter."  If you'll recall, printed matter could not be sealed - and this item has no wax or other seal on it.  This was done so the postal clerks could check to be sure the rules were followed for the special rates given to this type of mail.  

This rate was 5 rappen (or 5 centimes) for domestic mail in Switzerland.  But, just to show you I don't always find the answers right away - I can't find actual beginning and ending dates for printed matter rates in Switzerland prior to 1862, when the rates were 2 centimes up to 15 grams and 5 centimes up to 60 grams.  At this point, I can only confirm that 5 centimes was a printed matter rate in 1860.  

But, this won't stop me!  I'm always up to learn more and there's a fun story to tell even without that knowledge.

The label states that the contents are a Telegraphic Market Report from Perret, Schutz & Bertsche in New Orleans and Mobile.  The report is mediated or forwarded by Hans Voegeli in Zurich.

The contents, printed on the other side of this piece of paper are in German and are shown below (you can click on the image to see a larger version):

My rough translation follows:

The reports of impending signs in the European money market interacted here, and prices are accordingly (various numbers) the political turmoil in the country is generally very demanding and may have contributed to your results.

We note Liverpool Middling
Freight: to Liverpool
Course: London nominal
Weekly feeds up to and including 60,000 bale today
Sells for the week up to and including 42,000 bales today
shipments of the week: to Liverpool 36,000 bales

The uncertain status of the exchange rate paralyzed the market,and caused further pressure on prices so that they can be regarded as nominal.
The rivers are on the rise and shipping is back in full swing. 

There are all kinds of interesting tidbits of information in this short report that most likely is referencing bales of cotton.  Clearly, the news of the tensions between the states was worthy of mention to all who might be interested in the economic impact.  And, limitations to transport of cotton (low river levels on the Mississippi especially) would also be pertinent information to those who might be interested in cotton that came via New Orleans.

For those who might be interested - the process of loading large cotton bales onto the paddle wheel steamers on the Mississippi was quite a process.  Sometimes implementing a chute to drop bales from the surrounding bluffs down to the river level.  This article by historian, Rufus Ward, gives a nice summary.

More to this Story - How the Information Got to Switzerland

I would like to call your attention to two things printed on this item:

1. Telegraphischer Markt Bericht on the front
   
2. per Anglo-Saxon at the top of the market report (letter side of the sheet)
   

The telegraph system in the United States rapidly expanded beginning in the 1840s centering initially around Washington, D.C.  New Orleans was linked into the network as early as July of 1848, when a line via Mobile (Alabama), Macon (Georgia) and Richmond (Virginia) had its final section connected between Macon and Montgomery (Alabama).  By the time we reach 1860, there appears to be a second line that runs north towards Natchez (Mississippi) from New Orleans.

Above was an unattributed piece of artwork available for prints by North Wind Press. 

The reference to New Orleans and Mobile makes it entirely likely that this market report was initially sent to New York (most likely) by telegraph, where the message was printed and put into a letter that was sent to Switzerland for Hans Voegeli in Zurich.

At the time this was sent, telegraph services were covered by companies in the "Six Nation's Alliance" of 1857. Essentially, it was an agreement between telegraph companies to allow monopolies for services within the areas each controlled.  By the time we get to 1866 (and the year the trans-Atlantic cable was active), only Western Union remained.

The letter created from the information wired from New Orleans traveled via normal mail services via the mail packet (steamship) Anglo-Saxon.  This ship was an Allen Line steamer that ran from Quebec to Derry (northern Ireland) and Liverpool (England).  Once Mr. Voegeli got this report in the mail he had it printed out, labels affixed, and mailed to his clients using printed matter mailing rates.

Demise of the Anglo-Saxon

photo taken from: "Wreck of the immigrant vessel "Anglo-Saxon" off Newfoundland, April 27, 1863, artist's impression, detail," House Divided: The Civil War Research Engine at Dickinson College

Two and half years later, the Anglo-Saxon was lost in wreck off the coast of Newfoundland (April 27, 1863). The steamer was headed from Liverpool to Quebec when it got lost in a heavy fog.  The ship ran aground in Clam Cove, four miles north of Cape Race.  After hitting the rocks, it rapidly broke apart.  Two hundred thirty-seven of the 445 aboard were lost.  And, as a side note, none of the mail survived the wreck. 

However, I bring this up to point out the many directions a person can take postal history.  If I were inclined to do so and persistent enough to do it, I could hunt for mail carried by the Anglo-Saxon on its last voyage prior to this accident.  I could look for items carried on its first voyage.  I could look for mail items that were sent or received by persons who were known to have survived this accident.  It is possible I could find other items that reference this event as well.  

Postal history - it's an opportunity to explore the stories that interest you as they connect to an item you can have resting in front of you.  That's a big part of what I enjoy about this hobby.

Thank you again for joining me for Postal History Sunday.  I hope you learned something new and stayed warm and comfortable while doing so.  Have a good rest of the day and I hope your coming week treats you well!

Recommendations

This post will be the 270th entry into the Genuine Faux Farm blog for 2020.  That is NOT a typo.

It started as a project to regularly provide some reading material for others and a chance for me to explore my own thoughts in the early stages of the pandemic.  I've found, over time, that this is something I can do and that it is appreciated by some good people.  That's enough reason to continue for as long as it doesn't feel forced and unproductive.

Typically, I do various "look back" posts when we get to the end of a year and beginning of the next.  This year is going to be difficult.  Why?  Well I am used to looking back on 80 to 100 posts, not 270+ entries.

I'm not sure what I'll do - if anything.  However, I did take a moment and look at July 2020's posts and I snagged the ones that I was most happy with.  

If you missed them - here's a chance to go read the editor's and the writer's picks.  Ok... the editor and writer are the same person.  I eliminated Postal History Sunday, GFF News Items and PAN cross posts from candidacy - whether you like that or not.  You can see all of the Postal History Sunday posts by looking at the "Postal History Sunday" link in the right margin.  Same for PAN posts.

I included a quick snippet from each blog to entice you to read more.  If it is new to you - enjoy!  If you read them before - enjoy!  Think of it as if you're just enjoying opening a gift all over again!

Screwy Data  Stepping up and doing what seems like the right thing always sounds so easy when we say it.  But, if it is really all that easy, why don't we do it more often?  A big part of it is because you and I are all too worried about what others will see and think about us.

Sun-Kissed  Sunflowers make me think of people, past and present, who don't tend to put themselves out in front of others as if they were important.  And, yet, there they are, standing head and shoulders above everyone else simply because of who they are.  A person of integrity who comports themselves with calm, comforting dignity.

Ree-chard!  We had some stormy weather pass through today.  We noticed that their songs stopped just prior to the point that we started noticing lightning.  We're pretty good at recognizing when the weather is going to turn, but they just might have a leg up on us.

The Inspector Checks In  The Guy with the Red Hat seems to need consoling more often than Pretty Lady does, but once I give him some attention, he usually does exactly what I want (typically a really good skritch).  Pretty Lady is a bit more like a cat (a big complement, as far as I am concerned) and it is harder to predict what she is going to do next.

Be a Real Fan  I learned that heckling and jeering has no real value overall.  At best, it is ignored as background noise.  At worst it can permanently wound a person.

Meanwhile, Back at the Farm  In my mind, a true professional IS responsible, but that's another matter entirely.  My point is that a responsible professional is going to be aware of the surroundings and the risk for injury or damage that surrounds the act of doing the job in question.  A true professional is always looking for possible problems and working to remove or mitigate them.  These people are the ones that will accept some inconvenience if that is part of the cost of doing the task safely and well.

Gentle Reminders  Perhaps a new goal or dream might seem too modest to even call it a 'goal,' much less a 'dream.'   Don't let that stop you.  Do not let anyone judge you for how grand or how mundane these goals might be (including yourself).  If they give you purpose and they give you joy as you move towards them, they are good enough.

--------------AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION----------

Thank you for reading!  If you are so inclined - tell me which of these July posts were your favorite.  While you are at it - which of the pictures shown on this blog do you like best?

Gifts Unwrapped

Merry Christmas!

In yesterday's post, I challenged myself (and anyone who will accept the challenge) to unwrap the gift that is the year 2020 and to spend the gift card found in that box as I (and you) saw fit.

I chose to look at some things for which I am grateful to have experienced or witnessed in the past twelve months.  To make it easier - I chose to have 'photographic evidence.'

We were able to see the transformation of our farmhouse from a place that looked like it was on the decline to one that showed the occupants actually do want to be good stewards of the things in their care.  As is often the case for things like this - we couldn't have done it all by ourselves (even though we have often tried).  It is good to see the progress made and to have the ability to pursue further repairs and improvements.

There were several of those "deep blue" sky days that I love for running out and taking pictures. Perhaps I was looking for them more this year than I might have in the past.  It's not that I didn't take note and appreciate them then - because I did.  I think it had more to do with how much effort I made to be deliberate in my admiration.

Because we cut back significantly on our growing plans for 2020, I found that I was much more laid back about Spring weather.  When you are working so hard to get things done around the weather, it can be hard to actually just enjoy what happens.  I was given the gift this year of having the opportunity to just watch and view the beauty that comes along with some rain (or snow) that would have been a terrible annoyance in other seasons.

The flowers that covered the apple trees, cherry trees, raspberry vines, service berries and... well, most every fruit bush, cane or tree we had were a source of a myriad of positive feelings.  Pleasure that things we had planted and cared for were now doing fairly well and showing a promise for tasty treats in the future was among them.  

Per the norm, some of the crops were pretty darned good (thank you apple trees) and some struggled a bit when it came to production.  But, that is the way with each season and perennial crops.  Some will love the scenario that is this year and some won't.  

I probably ate more apples right off the trees than I have any year prior to this.  Why was that?  It wasn't because this was our most prolific season for apples.  Maybe it was because I was more willing to let myself pick and eat them?

Some things aren't what they once were.  Our perennial beds and iris show is a shadow of their former selves.  That doesn't make me happy, that's for certain.  And yet, there were still beautiful iris and I was still able to take many pictures of them.

Would I like them as much if the bloom season was year-round?  Maybe not.  But, that's not really an option.  I'll just accept the gift of what I get and enjoy it.

The clover on the farm had a pretty good year - which is great for the pollinators.  And our poultry love to snack on clover in the pasture areas as well.  

We even had a little bit of good luck visit in the form of four-leaves (can you see them? You can click to see a bigger image).

We may have grown less and we may not have seen the success that we've had when we put more of ourselves into it, but we still grew some wonderful things.  If you like a good tomato - we had some of those.  And some of them even looked fantastic while still tasting great.

We even had BLTs in November.  What's not to like about that?

We took the time to watch the moon rise and the sun set just bit more often.  Or more appropriately, we have seen many moon rises and sunsets (and their counterparts) and we have recognized them when they happen.  But, we slowed down enough this year to actually watch... the.... moon... rise.  We stopped walking to the next chore and we watched.

If you look closely at the photo below, you can see that reddish orange glow that is the moon rising above one of our bush lines on the farm.

Our bees had a very good year.  We even caught a swarm successfully and we witnessed them visiting a good bloom year for the asters on the farm.  I even caught one bee in mid-flight in one of our pictures.

We have thoroughly enjoyed our bees the past couple of years.  I suspect part of the winning formula is that we aren't treating the bees like a 'farm enterprise' where we expect a certain amount of honey to offset their cost.  Instead, we are happy to get a little honey for ourselves that comes in part with hive maintenance.  Otherwise, these little workers pay by pollinating our fruit trees and our vine crops (among other things).  And, yes, we love our native pollinators too!

And, we had a full year with our solar panels harvesting the sun and turning it into electricity.  All of the electrical consumption by the farm was covered by this production and it is now helping us use less propane for heating this winter.  As the year went on, we spent less time being startled by their very presence and more time just appreciating that they are there. 

The cold weather months don't have the same feel they have had in prior years because we have both worked inside far more during the growing season than we have since 2003.  With the farm being my primary consideration for some time, the outdoors was my office and I very much looked forward to Winter simply because it represented an enforced break from some of the constant tasks that came with the farm.  Not a shutdown, mind you, but a definite slowdown.

So, now we are settling in to figuring out new ways to appreciate December, January and February.  I am, however, glad that we do not have to work on the farmhouse's siding THIS winter like we did last!

What gifts did you unwrap in 2020?  They don't have to be big.  They don't need to cost lots of money.  They don't even have to make sense to someone else.

Gifts Left on the Table

We have a couple of young crabapple trees just East of our driveway that managed to be moderately successful this year.  Most of the fruit remains on the trees - available for the recent hoar frost to decorate as it saw fit.  The birds did not avail themselves of the gift these little fruits provided in the Fall.  

This is not unusual as I have noticed this for many of our fruit bearing plants as we enter the coldest months.  It is normal for some of the fruit on the highbush cranberries to remain into the winter, for example. And, our apple trees have some ugly fruit still dangling from some of their limbs - usually on the ones that are pretty difficult for the humans to reach.

I know what will happen to most of these fruit.  In the early stages of Spring, the earliest returning birds will find these wrinkled fruits and consume them at a time when this will be part of a limited food supply.  These gifts left on the table serve a purpose - the time for opening the gift is just not now.

Recently, Tammy worked to arrange for lunches from a local restaurant to be brought to students at Wartburg who may be fighting food insecurity right now.  The whole story includes generosity from a local church and efforts by some Wartburg staff members who help run the St Elizabeth's Bread Basket at the college.  

A certain number of students signed up to receive these meals - and many showed up and were, I assume, appropriately gracious in accepting the help this provided.  But some who signed up did not show up at the designated time to accept the gift of food - some of the meals were left on the table.

Who knows what the reasons might be for someone missing the pick-up time?  I am sure the list of circumstances and events that might cause a person to miss any event is quite long and I am hopeful that every meal got where it needed to go eventually.

Don't take me wrong.  I am not criticizing or judging.  A person could be ill in body or mind, making the trip too much.  Someone could be overwhelmed by work or concentrating on a task or distracted by any number of things.

This too is how gifts may be left on the table.  It is not necessarily because there is a future purpose - like the crabapples on a tree.  It is because we are not ready - or not able - to receive a gift just now.  Or maybe we just can't manage that particular gift at this specific moment in time. 

Then we have the gifts that are left on the table because we aren't so sure they were something we wanted in the first place.  Gifts like... the year 2020.

It has become a running joke or a common theme that people just can't wait until 2020 is over and done with.  Well, sure.  There were (and are) some significant events that have been (and continue to be) very difficult this year.  2020 is like the gift that was left on the table and got shoved behind the napkin holder and that jar that holds all of the lids, bolts, caps and other oddball items that we are sure we'll figure out what they belong to some day (but we likely never will).

Let me remind me (and you) that each year we live is a gift that needs to be opened and enjoyed for what it is - and that includes 2020.

Let me also remind you (and me) that it was just last year at this time that numerous people said things like "thank goodness 2019 is over... I am sure 2020 will be better."  And they said it about 2018 and 2017 and.... just pick a year.

No, I am not making light of anyone's troubles.  And yes, I understand that sometimes we just want to get past difficult and horrible things.  In fact, I am fully aware that sometimes, things are really, really so terrible that it is all one can do to just endure.  But, one of the best ways to endure is to find the things that make living worthwhile and hold onto them.

If we leave the gift of our present lives on the table, unopened - we fail to give ourselves the chance to see those good things.

It's not too late.  Open the gift.  Dig through the packing peanuts and balled up paper and you'll find a gift card that you can spend.  How you spend it is up to you.

Winter's Flair

There are those that love Winter and those that do not.  I have to admit that there are times I love Winter and times when I clearly do not.  For example, after today's deliveries of eggs, poultry and veg to wonderful people, I admit to feeling a little less excited about it.  That tends to happen when the winds are brisk and it cuts through whatever you wear.

Once we got home and got the truck emptied we put on some Christmas music and played a couple of games.  After that I was suddenly feeling a bit more charitable towards the long nights and cool days.

The two of us managed to get the garlic covered in straw mulch this morning - a task we have just been putting off.  It only took us an hour and a half - which made us wonder why we delayed.  

The answer is actually pretty easy.  We used to plant three times the garlic we put in this year, maybe more.  The process of mulching was a MUCH bigger task in years prior than it is this year.  But, the memory of how large the task is has not been modified to match the new scale.  

Straw mulching is not one of my favorite tasks.  There is just enough dust to get my asthma going a bit and there is always a couple pieces of straw that go down the back of your shirt or... other places....

Delivery day always has a host of things to do that take odd lengths of time.  In other words, they can be difficult days to navigate.  Today was a bit easier because we both stepped away from our non-farm jobs.  There were eggs to clean, sweet potatoes to bag, garlic to weight out and other orders to fill.

We tossed in some tire repair and brush cleanup to make the day full.

At the end of the day, I took the time to look at more of the frost pictures from a couple of days ago.

Now I am feeling a bit more fond of Winter.  

Spring makes it easy to like her, but Ol' Man Winter?   He can be pretty cranky, but he's got a pretty good artistic flair when he wants to show it.

I Dream of a Better USDA

The season of paperwork, repairs and planning starts at our farm during the weeks immediately following Thanksgiving. It is also the point when we have a little more time to interact with other farmers. This is our opportunity to talk about successes, failures and future plans with people who have the experience to appreciate what we do.

This year, the selection of the new Secretary of Agriculture has taken a significant amount of space in our farmer discussions. At present, it seems that former Secretary Tom Vilsack will serve once again. While many who are tracking this appointment are skeptical of the choice, conversations I've been part of are now focusing less on "who" and more on "what" we want from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) in the coming years.

The purpose of the USDA

The Secretary of Agriculture is responsible for the agenda of the USDA and its functions. I was curious to see how the USDA presents its purpose to the public, and this is what I found:

We provide leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural development, nutrition, and related issues based on public policy, the best available science, and effective management.

We have a vision to provide economic opportunity through innovation, helping rural America to thrive; to promote agriculture production that better nourishes Americans while also helping feed others throughout the world; and to preserve our Nation's natural resources through conservation, restored forests, improved watersheds, and healthy private working lands.

This is the face the USDA believes it is showing to the people it serves. Like any purpose statement, there is plenty of room for interpretation and disagreement. But, I found myself starting to dream what things might be like if parts of this mission were actually fulfilled.

Helping rural America thrive

If one of the goals of the USDA is to help rural America thrive, it is about time for leadership to make changes because that goal has been neglected for decades.

The USDA must address the issue of land access and the continuing process of farmland consolidation. We have endured a string of administrations, including Vilsack’s last tenure, that have done nothing to slow migration of land control to absentee owners and large corporations. Instead, we need to facilitate the redistribution of land to landowners who are present and will be active stewards for that land.

We need to provide bridges for the next generation. While the status quo promotes farm consolidation, it fails to support young and new farmers who are looking to enter the profession. If we build a system that provides support for a wider range of production alternatives, we will also provide multiple entry-points for individuals who wish to farm. 

The new Secretary of Agriculture must address the loss of small scale infrastructure in agriculture. Our rural areas were once rich with local seed houses, grain millers, poultry and livestock processors, and small scale food distribution operations. Reviving these local systems will provide the small to midsize farms with a chance to be price makers rather than price takers and provide more opportunities for individuals to find meaningful employment.

It is time for the Secretary of Agriculture to take a hand in rural health care and other public services. If the USDA is serious about their commitment to thriving rural areas, then they need to be part of the solution for places in our nation where communication services, physical and mental health services and transportation services are rarely a profitable endeavor — but no less necessary.

Preserve our natural resources and provide nourishment

Another strong theme in the USDA’s mission is to care for our natural resources and address hunger. While we might agree with the principles, the USDA has pushed us away from land and resource stewardship and towards unhealthy foods.

There needs to be a new commitment to changing our subsidy structures so they reward farming practices that support natural processes, clean water ways, healthy soils, diversified farm landscapes, and reasonably scaled production. We need to give a hard working farm family the opportunity to earn a decent living for their efforts without sacrificing habitat, soil health, and the well-being of neighbors.

A significant part of these changes must lead us away from production for the purpose of creating processed foods. The pandemic very clearly showed that our food chain is not resilient as it is. Policies need to change to support the production and distribution of healthy, unprocessed foods.

Providing leadership

The USDA paints a picture that they are leaders in agriculture, food systems, and land stewardship. If that were the case, it would not be so easy for large agribusiness entities to push their agenda through. If leadership is the goal, then they must stand up for those who do not have power, protecting them from those who do.  If the USDA would lead, they should work to move us to a just and healthy food system.

The USDA needs to halt chemical trespass so all farmers have the opportunity to farm successfully without the added wildcard presented by drift or misapplication of pesticides that may destroy a season's crops. And, it is necessary that we force large agribusiness to prove the safety of their products before they are approved for use, rather than fighting the removal of products even when damages are discovered after the fact.

The USDA seems to have forgotten that innovation often comes in small packages. Rather than looking for the next GE corn or a major breakthrough in pesticides, we should be supporting local and regional solutions by people who are in tune with their surroundings.

USDA as it was meant to be

Regardless of the individual who sits in the Secretary of Agriculture’s office in the coming years, they need to be encouraged to make the USDA what it should have been all along. Perhaps we can open their eyes by showing them their own mission statement and encouraging them to act upon it.

Right now, we subsidize agribusiness instead of agriculture. We promote farming systems that pollute and destroy instead of employing established systems that work with nature. We move economic benefits out of rural areas and give them to international corporations. And, we struggle to get healthy food to some of those who need it the most.

In this moment of transition, we have an opportunity to influence incoming leadership before they settle into business as usual.  We must act together and advocate for the USDA we want and need.  We have an opportunity to change this — let’s make it happen.

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This blog post was first published on December 16, 2020 on Pesticide Action Network's Ground Truth blog.  If you find that you agree with some of these ideas, feel free to investigate PAN and consider supporting my work with them by joining the organization as a supporting member.  If you are able and you feel inclined to include this organization in your year-end donations, I would be honored if you would do so.

Winter Clothes

The grass on our farm is fading now that we've had many nights below freezing in a row.  It held off longer with a rather healthy green than it has for many years now.  We even had a hardy little dandelion open a flower under our oak trees in front of the farm house.

Yes, it is true that the leaves on the trees and bushes have been gone for a while now.  We don't really have anything growing in the high tunnel this year - a first for some time now.  So, the outdoor landscape was feeling a little barren to me in recent weeks.  

I don't like to critique Mother Nature - especially when the human residents on this planet often do a fine job of tearing up her artistry.  But, things were looking kind of blah - and I was letting that affect me a fair amount.  It really did not help that Saturday was about as gray and uninspiring as a day could get.  Well - that's how I felt - it doesn't matter if it was fair or not.

Tammy did help out a bit when she put some solar lights out on the bushes that reside in front of the solar panels.  They are new, so they were brighter than some of our older strings get.  It added a little bit of cheer late in the day - and it was kind of nice to see them when I got up in the middle of the night.

That's when I noticed that it looked like it might be foggy outside - or maybe my eyes were bleary from sleep.  It didn't matter, because my brain registered fog - and when there is fog this time of year, you get hoar frost!

Sure enough, Mother Nature had put on one of her finest pieces of clothing just for us at the Genuine Faux Farm - right at a time when she knew we could use a "pick me up."  

We got ourselves outside and decided to go to the Sweetwater Marsh, thinking it might be pretty fantastic there.  It was nice, but there wasn't much for hoar frost at our normal haunts.  Though, it was pretty neat to drive through a shower of frost falling from a tree that a light breeze is knocking from the branches.

So, we drove back to the farm - and realized we were getting the best show right at home.

The tricky thing about taking photos of hoar frost is that it always shows up better when the sun comes out.  But, the reality is that it has a different sort of beauty when the clouds still cover the sun.  And, it is even better when you can see the transition between sun and cloud cover.  

We found that we were motivated to work outside for a time - in large part because it had been so pleasant to walk around and enjoy the beauty of nature in the morning.  

We put another string of solar lights on another line of bushes.  

Maybe Mother Nature wanted us to show her something beautiful too?

The Steamer that Didn't - Postal History Sunday

It is time, once again, to put on the comfortable shoes or slippers, get a warm beverage to enjoy (but keep it away from the paper collectibles and the keyboard!) and learn something different - and maybe - new!  It's Postal History Sunday on the Genuine Faux Farm blog.
 

Postal History Sundays started on the blog (in August 2020) when I took a moment and just shared some of what a person like me, who enjoys postal artifacts, likes to study.  I actually had two different ideas for today's post and I went with the one that felt the most fun to write at the time because this particular envelope, mailed in 1864 meets many of the criteria I shared in that first blog.

First of all - it's pretty clean and decent looking for something that is 156 years old - so that's a plus.  The markings are pretty clear and I can read each of them, which means I can piece the journey this letter took in the mail services.  And... it just so happens there is a story hidden within the details of this cover.  That makes it a winner in my book!

Mail from the United States to Prussia 1864

At the time this letter was written, Germany was a group of loosely connected states that were moving rapidly towards a more unified government in the 1860s.  As a postal historian, this holds a significance to me because there was more than one postal service to consider for mail being sent to various parts of what we would now identify as Germany.  That story is complex enough for multiple books on the subject, so I'll leave it at that for now.

Prussia negotiated a mail treaty with the United States in 1852 that arranged for mail to travel from the United States to Prussia via ships that would sail to Southampton (United Kingdom).  Mail would then be sent across the English Channel to Ostende, Belgium and run by rail to Aachen (Prussia).  The cost of mail sent via this agreement was initially 30 cents per half ounce of weight, but this was decreased to 28 cents by the time this letter was mailed.  

If you look carefully, there is a 24 cent stamp, a 3 cent stamp and a 1 cent stamp - effectively paying 28 cents in postage.

At the bottom left are the words: "via Prussian Closed Mail."  The whole idea of closed mail was that the mailbag this item rode in would NOT be opened once the United States sealed the bag until it arrived in Prussian territory.  Even though it saw time in the United Kingdom and Belgium, there will be no markings on this letter to tell us that.  We only know this is the case because that was the agreement between nations at the time.

Hey!  That's Too Long!

Someone in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania got this to the post office in time for the clerk there to mark the letter with an October 11 postmark.  The letter probably got to New York on October 12, which was too late to send the letter on the next sailing from Boston on October 12 - so they held on to it for the Saturday mail sailing from New York on October 15.  If only they could have seen the future - they would have mailed this letter just one day earlier!

The foreign mail clerk put the New York exchange marking with the October 15 date on the letter (in red) and put it in the mailbag - waiting until Saturday's departure.

And, now, we have a big gap in time before the letter is removed from the mailbag and it has a new marking put on it.

"Aachen 11 11 Franco" - red ink inside of a rectangle, top center of the envelope

This was put on the letter in the city of Aachen (Prussia), showing a date of November 11.  If you will recall "Franco" means Prussia recognized this item as "paid."

But - November 11?  That's almost a full month.  A normal time difference would be closer to two weeks.  What happened?

The Winds Did Blow

The ship leaving with the mails from New York that Saturday was the Saxonia, built in Scotland in 1857 and in service as a mail steamer for the Hamburg-American Line since 1858.  On its previous trip in August, it had crossed the Atlantic from New York to Southampton in eleven days.  In fact, most of its eastbound voyages took 11 or 12 days.  As they departed on the 15th of October, there was little reason to think this would be any different.

But, they didn't have radar and tropical storm forecasts in 1864.

At the time, Atlantic hurricanes were only recorded if there was landfall in a populated area or if there was ship damage to report when one was encountered at sea. Only five tropical storms were recorded in 1864, and one of them caught the Saxonia while at sea.

By the time a typical tropical storm gets to the northern sea lanes where ships like Saxonia sailed, it is probable that they would no longer be rated as a hurricane.  But, they still could cause significant damage.  

Image from: José Fernández-Partagás and Henry F. Diaz (1995a). A Reconstruction of Historical Tropical Cyclone Frequency in the Atlantic from Documentary and other Historical Sources 1851-1880 Part 1: 1851-1870. Boulder, Colorado: Climate Diagnostics Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved Dec 19, 2020.

The fifth recorded storm of the year was noted to be active from October 22 to October 24 and would have gone right into the path of the Saxonia, probably catching up to her as she steamed eastward.  The ship was damaged in the storm and limped into Southampton on December 10 and the Prussian Closed Mail bags were then taken across the English Channel by a channel steamer and to Ostende before getting to Aachen.

The passengers and mail bound for Hamburg were transferred to the Bavaria, another Hamburg-America Line steamship, arriving at Hamburg on November 11.  It would be interesting to find another postal artifact that went via Hamburg, rather than Aachen, but rode on the same ship!

And now you know how a 12 day voyage ended up taking 26 days to complete - another example of the things you can learn on a Postal History Sunday.

Thanks for joining me.  Have a great remainder of the weekend and a fine week.

The Little Frog That Did

In yesterday's post, we celebrated a little flower that has been showing off some of its best clothing during the month of December - not a small feat for a flower, even if we did bring it inside.

Today, we get to talk about a stow-away who came for the ride as we brought our houseplants back in for the Winter.

We suspect the culprit is the tree frog shown in the picture above.  In fact, we talked about this frog in this post on September 18.  However, we really have no way of knowing for certain.  

Why?

Well, we know the frog is in the house because it chirps at us once in a while.  But, we have yet to identify exactly where it is keeping itself.  I think we have narrowed it down to a few spider plants and another fairly bushy plant.  But, in true frog fashion, it shuts up when we come over to investigate.

In fact, we DID locate two other tree frogs that had come in with the plants weeks ago.

Ideally, we would have liked to have transported the little thing outside (just as we did the others) before it got so cold so it could do what frogs do - find a place to hibernate.  But, now?  Well, it's inside for the duration I guess.  If it stays in the plants, there will be moisture when we water.  And, I suspect we bring in a little food with our plants.  We won't spray the plants to kill whatever invertebrates that may have ridden in with the plants.  So.... I guess we just enjoy it when the frog chirps at us and hope it can get enough to eat and drink while it's with us.

This has not been the first, nor will it be the last frog that will 'invade' our farmhouse.  Some might remember that we had Skip, the frog hanging out around our egg washing station in the basement in September of 2019. 

We might as well accept that we have a new housemate until the plants go back outside in the Spring.  I hope it stays happy and chirps at us on and off when ever it feels like being social.

Hmmm.  I wonder if we should give this frog a name?

The Little Flower That Could

It was very pleasant this year to have a solid back entry way to the farmhouse rather than the wobbly stair with the mildly difficult door.  In fact, we also had a small back deck that had enough space for us to put various potted plants, including some Gerbera Daisies and Gazinias.

The Gazinias did quite well out there and the Gerberas did 'well enough.'  They were a nice offset to the numerous houseplants we brought outside for the warmer months.

 As we brought houseplants in this Fall, we decided some of the annual flowers could make the trip as well.  Why not?  They're already in pots.  Maybe some fresh soil or fertilizer would encourage them to bloom for us when they are inside?

The experiment has had varied success, with many of the Gazinias failing (we suspect there has been some feline interference there).  But, a few of the Gerberas really liked the new soil and fertility.  

Sure enough, one of the flowers had a little bud at the base of the plant - so it came into my office so I could keep an eye on it.  By November 20, I had a full fledged bloom with more to come.  At present, the first bloom is fading - and that is sad.  But, there are three in full bloom and one more on the way.

That's a happy plant which, in turn, is making us happy.

Once again - a little thing like a flower lifts my spirits on a gloomy day and causes me to write a glowing review of its efforts.

What 'little thing' will you do today to help lift someone up?  Don't tell me.  Just do it - it's worth it.

Irony and Other Cool Words

Irony

Back in March of 2009, we used the title "Irony" and my brain had some memory of it.  So, I hunted it up and you can feel free to take the link if you are curious.

At the point when I first wrote on this topic (in 2011), Tammy and I had one smallish television in the house.  We did not have satellite TV, we couldn't get cable, internet was too slow, and we didn't have a converter box.  In short, the TV was there to watch DVD's.  That's all there was to it.

So, what should appear in our mailbox?  A large envelope from the Nielsen Ratings.  Yes, they wanted our household to tell them what we watched on television.  We realize they use a random sampling technique, so we should be just as likely as anyone else to be asked our opinions.  But - if they only *knew*!

We were just going to toss the envelope, but for some reason I opened it.  What should fall out but two crisp one dollar bills.  Fresh from the printer (hmmmm).  They also included a SASE.  

So....why not?  But, how do we answer the "What are your three favorite TV shows?" question?  Or the one about our normal TV watching time?   What we probably should have done was select some of the long since terminated shows we have watched in the past, or maybe choose something we have on DVD.  Maybe I should have said "Sesame Street" or "Mister Roger's Neighborhood?"  You can't go wrong with those shows.

Fast forward to 2020 and we still do not have cable, we still don't feel we can afford the internet bandwidth to watch much online (that bandwidth goes to Zoom meetings now) - so we make do with 'air TV.'  The ten-year anniversary of our entry into the Nielsen Ratings is coming.  I expect my $2 soon.

Fortuitous

We haven't, according to my memory, focused on this word before - so you'll just have to deal without a link to another post!  And, if you are on limited internet time, that would be fortuitous for you.

Every year we work hard to figure out our field plans and our seed orders.  But, for some reason, we always seem to be ordering our seed in February, sometimes as late as March.  This can be a bit late if you want to order the bulk amounts of certain seeds that our farm requires.  As a result, we find ourselves looking for substitutes for varieties we would prefer.  Not the end of the world, but a bit of a pain.

So, this year (once again!), we are looking to get our seed orders in earlier.  Most of our seed catalogs begin arriving the week of Thanksgiving, just as they have most of the past fifteen or so years.  But, for some strange reason, I feel like this event just gets earlier and earlier every year.  I don't look forward to them as much as I used to either.

Even so, I am actually beginning to get anxious to begin our 2021 growing plan.  It would be fortuitous if the remaining seed catalogs we desired showed up on our doorstep.

Perspicacity

Now, here's a word I've always liked.  But, I can't always get my voice to say it without messing it up.  So, I'll type it instead!

Every so often, it seems like one or both of us pick up on things much quicker than normal.  In other words, we exhibit a higher perspicacity when that happens .  Recently, I have not been as quick on the uptick as I might normally be.  So, if I came across as a bit thick....sorry.  I got better (I hope).  At least I'm trying to refine my vocabulary....whatever that is.

Ostentatious

The word is, in itself, what it is.  So was that sentence.  But, other than enjoying writing big words in blogs, it is something neither Tammy nor myself wish to be.  But, because we run this farm business, write blogs, and work for organizations that need people to patronize them, we have to call attention to ourselves to make sales and promote what we do.  And we are finding there is a fine line between honorable self-promotion and being ostentatious.

Case in point #1 - at a 2011 winter farmers' market, we set up a tri-fold display with pictures and information about our CSA and our farm.  We both agreed that it was probably a good thing to do, but part of me wondered if it would not go over well with the other vendors who were there.  There is always a fine line to walk between attracting customers and belittling others who are also trying to attract customers.  And, if we go too far over the top with our own self-promotion, we wonder if they might conclude that we *are* ostentatious.

Case in point #2 - Facebook. 

In 2011 I wrote: "If that web application doesn't invite one to try to call attention to oneself, I don't know what does.   For those who only have a personal page and no business page, they might not be aware of the 'metrics' Facebook tries to use to indicate your 'success' at reaching people.  We continue to do our best to use Facebook as a communications tool, but we're not always sure it is the right tool.  On the other hand, so many people we are trying to reach seem to be using it right now, it is hard to ignore.  So, forgive us as we attempt to integrate Facebook into our farm communications system."

 

And now it is 2020.

And I still feel the same way - after years of using it (more or less) to try to encourage people to patronize our farm, view our blog and interact with us.  My conclusion?

We have never been ostentatious enough to succeed at social media.  And that's a fact!

We hope you had the perspicacity to enjoy this attempt at irony with respect to the ostentatious premise of this blog post.  We trust that its timing is fortuitous in that it will allow you to read it and....

Post your favorite big words as comments to this post!  Challenge us to try to use each word in a future (January) post.

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ed. note:  I found this little treasure from our blog posted on December 6, 2011.  I decided it could use an edit and a little extra... something (or three).  Enjoy.

Less Time to Do It All In

Here we are - December - and there is still plenty for us to do at the Genuine Faux Farm.  The issues this year are the normal ones (fewer hours of daylight and conditions are a little tougher to do outdoor work) and different than they have been (neither of us is a full-time farmer now).  Essentially, we have plenty to do and less time to do it all in.

One of the things has been pushed back is the high tunnel clean-up.  With the change in employment (among other things) we realized we had to cut back somewhere.  This time around, some of cuts came by NOT planting late fall and over-wintered crops.  The two of us regret not having some of the greens we would normally have this time of year - but given the reality that there are only so many hours in a day and only so much of us, we didn't have much of a choice.

And so - here we are - looking at getting the high tunnels cleaned up so we can get an early start with some crops next season.

The good news?  It can be pretty nice working in a high tunnel on a sunny, but chilly day!

Then, there are the projects that you intended to do earlier - back when the grass was turning green and the shoots of new plants were just beginning to show themselves.  At that moment in time there was so much we were going to accomplish!  Things like....  cleaning up some perennial flower beds and putting wood mulch in them.

So, we got to late November and there was still this pile of wood mulch in our driveway.  If we want to put the car in the garage, we've got to move that pile....  hm.  Glad we have a tractor with a bucket!  And, yes, we did get this one done - but we didn't put the wood mulch where we initially planned.  The bushes in front of the solar panels WILL appreciate the mulch, that is certain.  As far as the perennial beds?  There is always next season.

There are ALWAYS the fall clean-up tasks that come with a diversified vegetable operation.  One of these tasks is to take down all of the trellising that we use for various crops.  We have used the trellis structures you see above for various crops but really liked how they worked with our outdoor peas this year.  I think we'll do that one again.  The clean-up was much faster than the plastic fencing we used to use for peas - and this is much easier to re-use.

Rosie the tractor gets a fair amount of use this time of year, as do some of our "hayracks."  I use the quotes because they are used for nearly everything other than hay.

Throughout the course of a season, it feels like everything EXPLODES out from our various buildings as we put them to use.  Ladders go out to the orchard trees.  Irrigation header lines to various fields.  Pallets get used for all sorts of things here and there on the farm.  Then there are stakes, feeders, solar fence chargers and poultry netting.  I am sure there was something more on this particular load.

The Inspector approved of my efforts once I brought it in closer to the buildings for unloading. 

One of the few things that is happening right on time this year is the application of compost from our compost piles to some of the field areas.  The trick, for us, is to get to the task while the finished compost is still unfrozen, but when the fields won't get too ripped up by the traffic.

This year, we have been blessed with a fall and early winter that has not been wet (unlike the last three or so years).  That means we have had a bit more flexibility to spread the fertility where we want it.  This year, the area west of Valhalla got a nice dose of fertility!  We were also able to put some over the newly planted garlic.  

With temperatures dropping, we can't expect to be able to do this much longer.  But, if this is all I manage to move this season, I won't be too unhappy.

That's actually saying something when you have less time to do it all in.

New GE corn would be a disservice to farmers

The writing was on the wall. It had become clear to my partner Tammy and I that we would have to make some drastic changes if we wanted to continue to successfully raise quality fruits and vegetables on our farm. Changes in weather patterns combined with multiple pesticide drift incidents clearly required that we seek alternative growing strategies. 

Stepping away from our farm, we see that agriculture in the United States is reaching a tipping point. The writing is on the wall for an agricultural system that relies too much on pesticides. The efforts of Bayer/Monsanto to continue pushing new Genetically Engineered (GE) corn that is resistant to five different herbicides is counterproductive and discourages the change that must happen.

A simple answer: Change is hard

Why did it take our farm so long to begin to adapt when it was clear that we needed to do something?

Our farm has had its share of successful crops over the years. We use a wide range of techniques including complex rotations, cover crops, pollinator strips, cultivation, mulching, and intercropping. We like to think that we are willing to be innovative and, on the surface, that seems to be true. But, when it comes down to it, we resist change — even if we know it has to happen. When you would rather not change, it is not all that hard to find excuses to delay.

Change requires us to climb new learning curves and it can make us feel uncomfortable. We make mistakes as we adjust and we certainly reserve the right to be unhappy about being forced to adapt. We even feel a bit of resentment that the ‘old methods’ no longer provide the same rewards. 

But, that doesn’t alter the fact that we must move on rather than cling to past success.

Herbicide-resistant corn is not what farmers need now

Weed scientists are sounding the alarm that the current model for weed control will not be viable for much longer.  It is time to step off of the pesticide treadmill and move to farming systems that use diversified weed and pest control systems.

Unfortunately, Bayer/Monsanto's desire to push yet another product that promotes the old chemical-driven system only encourages farmers to wait, rather than be proactive and address the new realities in agriculture. Contrary to Monsanto’s claims, the new GE corn is not about giving farmers more choices, it is about capturing market shares and supporting large conglomerate farming operations rather than the skilled individuals and families who farm. Apparently, it is more important to continue selling herbicides for weed control than it is to encourage farming practices that are tailored to the needs of each farm. 

We all should have known better, because once there is a claim that there is a ‘silver bullet’ in farming, it only means the disadvantages are not readily apparent. Herbicides and GE seeds merely push the costs elsewhere. Pesticides have helped to build a farming culture that has forgotten that these are dangerous tools whose negative impacts are not confined to the applicator and the target crop. These tools are responsible for chemical trespass, genetic drift, human health concerns and environmental damage. They have limited and overshadowed alternative innovations in farming and diverted resources for research that could have resulted in effective alternatives.

And now, after several decades of chemical-intensive agriculture, farmers are about to pay some of those costs with painful transitions being forced on them by herbicide-resistant weeds.

It is time to move on

It is important that we recognize that most commodity crop farmers will need to make some difficult changes as the system that has dominated agriculture runs out of time. Many of the answers we need to make those changes are known, while others are being developed, and all of them require dedication, skill and resources to make them work.

This is not going to be easy for farmers. But, we can do them a favor by removing the temptation to delay their transition to other models. We can say ‘no’ to additional herbicide-resistant GE seeds.

The new GE corn and its resistance to five different herbicides is not what farmers or the rest of us need right now. This is why PAN, Friends of the Earth and the National Family Farm Coalition worked to collect over 33,000 signatures opposing the introduction of this new seed. We must make changes to our farming systems now, because waiting only makes things harder.

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Are you interested in seeing more content related to the Pesticide Action Network?  Take the link to the GroundTruth blog.   Your "favorite" farmer is featured there once a month on average.

Originally published on PAN's Ground Truth blog on July 13, 2020.

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