The Joys of Being Different

 

When we moved to the farm in 2004, we had already lived in a couple of 'work-in-progress' houses.  While it is true that every building requires maintenance and home ownership implies work to be done, I suspect that not everyone is as willing as we have been to take some of these properties on.  For example, our farm house had all of one.... count it... one plug-in for the entire upstairs floor.  

Tammy and I do not pretend that we are the best at fixing up old houses, but we can hold our own.  Over time we have recognized that we will just be too slow at some projects and it is better to hire some help once we build up the funds.  And, other projects just go.... slow... because that's the way it is when you do it yourself.

In any event, one thing that has not been completed is the light for the back entry of the house.  To be perfectly clear, there never was a working light for this back entry that we know of... so it's not that we took one down and never replaced it.  Our solution has been a couple of battery powered lights that hang on the railing of the back deck.  They look pretty nice and give a little bit of light on the darkest nights.

And they also look pretty cool when they get covered in frost!

We are also, apparently, a bit odd in our choices for how we grow things.  You see, we have this tendency to want to add diversity to our plantings even though we have been trying to grow commercially since 2005.  

Simply put, adding diversity adds complexity.  Added complexity usually adds labor or introduces inefficiency.  And when labor is your premium resource, that would often be considered a poor choice.

Yet, we make that choice year after year, growing season after growing season.  

Why?  Because we believe that there are ways we can efficiently incorporate a diverse set of crops without completely giving up a reasonably efficient operation.  In fact, we have been willing to try things because we want to find some of those approaches and encourage others to do them as well.

One example of this is shown in the picture at the left.  This is in Eden (our smaller high tunnel), showing a path between two tomato rows.  If you look towards the base of the plants you will see sweet alyssum flowering.   This actually seemed to be a fairly good way to get a little diversity into the high tunnel's ecosystem without creating direct competition for the cash crop.

In fact, once these flowering plants were established, they actually helped to hold down any additional weeds that might want to get started later in the year.  There was more pollinator activity in the area and we kind of liked the fragrance as we harvested tomatoes.

The downsides?  Well, once they got into the path, they did have a tendency to try to trip us up.  But, that was handled by cutting them out of the way - or even pulling a plant or two if necessary.  The real issue was the following season when all of the volunteer sweet alyssum came up and competed with the non-tomato crops that went into these beds.  That was our fault because we suddenly had even less time this summer to do work on the farm.  A normal year and we would have handled it just fine.

Sometimes it is good to be different.  And in our case, I don't think we would have it any other way.

Unintentional

We have had a series of light snows on the farm, which means there have been more opportunities to take some pictures of the farm when the 'sins' of our human existence can be covered by white powder.  That actually got me to thinking - which is a dangerous pastime.

The area surrounding the old barn draws my attention frequently when I am out with the camera.  There are several reasons for that, I am sure.  After all, it is/was a pretty big building.  It does standout and provide contrast to other things around it.  There is still some beauty and grace evident there as well.  And, of course, there are many memories - some of them ours, and some that belong to others who were at this farm before us.

Barns like this are a symbol of a time and a place that some still remember and many (even if they have never experienced a barn on a working farm) still glorify with a rich tapestry of stories.  One of the stories this barn tells is one of regret.  I regret that we could not find a way to restore and maintain this building.  But, the reality is this.  It was too big and too far gone when we moved here.  The price was simply going to be too high and we had choices to make.  So, I regret, but I don't regret our choices.  

And now, with the largest part of the building down, we begin looking at how we we salvage the space.  As I do that, I recognize all of the wildness that has crept in over the past several years as we have taken our focus elsewhere on the farm.  There are numerous 'scrub' trees that have taken hold.  It's almost a wild place.

And that wasn't exactly intentional.

If you take a look to the South of the barn and out towards the road, you can see some "intentional."  We inherited two mature ash trees with the farm.  We were aware fairly early on that they would likely succumb, some day, to the Emerald Ash Borer.  So, we added some other trees to that area.  Some were evergreens - to catch some of the road dust.  We also decided to leave the ash trees up for now, even though it is unlikely they will recover after this past season.

We are seeing some rewards.  The woodpeckers have never been happier on our farm.  They love the ash trees and they love the brush by the barn, flying from one to the other.  We even have a Red-Bellied Woodpecker pair that has decided to over-Winter at the Genuine Faux Farm.  That would be a first for us. 

The Cardinals, Chickadees, Goldfinches, Juncos and Nuthatches appear to like the area around the barn as well.  We did not actually intend for the barn area to become what it is now.  But, the unintentionally created wildlife preserve does not displease us as much as you might think.

Yes.  I would like to salvage some wood and clean the area up a bit.  Yes.  I would like to have a newer building to house some of our equipment.  And... yes.  I like having an area that is inviting to these birds and other interesting critters.

So, before you criticize our seeming lack of initiative with respect to the barn, maybe you should consider that the unintentional may have a value you don't see right away - and maybe we have discovered it?  Either way, we welcome these Winter birds and we enjoy hearing them chirp and seeing them flit from branch to branch.  

Hey little birds.  Glad you like it.

A Vision for Renewed Purpose

This is the time of year on our farm that we reflect on our past growing season and consider the take-aways we can use going forward. We work hard to accept the lessons that came with failures and resolve our feelings connected to loss. We also highlight the things that went well, and give them equal footing to provide ourselves a healthy balance for the future.

We combine the knowledge of our experience with the picture we have painted for ourselves of what the perfect growing season on the very best version of our farm would look like. This future vision is our guiding star that helps us make decisions for the coming year. With this image in our heads, we prepare to continue our journey toward that future.

Such is the process of renewal. We integrate what has gone before into our knowledge base and we use it to build a plan for the perfect season where our vision is realized. For those who work the soil, this is our cycle of hope — and we value the energy it brings us to do the work that needs doing.

Reflecting on the past

This past year has been a difficult one for many of us — a pandemic, storms, job and food insecurity, political strife and all the rest — and we have no shortage of lessons that come from failure. Corporate dominance in agriculture and food production along with continued reliance on chemical-intensive practices has created a fragile and inflexible system. For example, some farmers found themselves disposing of milk and euthanizing hogs when the pandemic limited the supply chain’s capacity.  

On the other hand, people were re-learning how to prepare foods at home and the demand for eggs and other food staples increased. Many local foods growers reported increased demand, and some farmers were finding alternative ways to continue supplying food to consumers. Many growers showed that they could react to the situation and make adjustments. That alone is a reason for hope. 

Change is possible, now we just need a solid goal to move towards.

Building a vision

On our farm, we jokingly call the process of goal-setting a symptom of “Farmer Delusional Syndrome.” We allow ourselves to build up anticipation for the perfect growing season that is to come. All seeds will germinate and mature into productive plants. The weeds and pests will not harm our crops, and we will get rain in proper measures exactly when we need it. There will be rainbows, butterflies, and tasty green beans and peppers.

The truth is, we do not actually delude ourselves into thinking there will be no problems in the future. We are fully aware of the challenges that face us, yet we still see value in holding up our destination so we can see where we are going. If we believed that we could reach our vision without effort, and that we could make our best decisions without a very good idea of what we are working toward — I would then agree that we were deluding ourselves.

This is a key reason why I joined Pesticide Action Network (PAN) last April. I believe part of PAN’s role is to help visualize the ideal for our agriculture and food systems. I wanted to be part of a team that saw a way to move out of the nightmare and toward the dream.   

It feels like we have lost sight of the image of a diverse and healthy farmscape, and even our farmers are beginning to lose touch with the soil that nurtures the crops they grow. We need to indulge in the hope that vision-building can bring us — so we can point ourselves toward that goal each and every year to come.  

As we head into 2021, I invite you to join me in painting a picture showing diversity in the farmscapes and the farmers. I encourage you to picture healthy soils, clean waterways and thriving rural communities. I want all of us to have access to quality, healthy foods. And, I am still hoping that we will experience our share of rainbows, butterflies, and tasty green beans and peppers.

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This is a cross post from the Pesticide Action Network's Ground Truth blog I wrote for last week's issue.   I felt this was an appropriate blog post because we all, no matter what we do and what our biggest concerns are, could benefit from the process of renewal.  Now is always the best time to build a positive vision for the future and now is also the best time to make plans to move towards that vision.

Thank you for reading our blogs and thank you for considering what we have to say here.

New Language - Postal History Sunday

Welcome to the space on the blog that occurs every seven days on a Sunday - also known as Postal History Sunday on the Genuine Faux Farm blog.  Pour yourself a beverage of your choice and make yourself comfortable.  For a few moments, forget about the dirty dishes and put your worries under the place mat on the kitchen table.  We're going to take a tour together!

A tour around some selected letters from days gone by!  

This week, we're going to teach you a little bit about the language that I read when I look at a piece of postal history.  Don't worry, there isn't a quiz at the end!  We'll just keep it light and... hopefully... fun!

1863 from Boston to London

I'm going to start us by reading about the trip this letter took from Boston to London, England.  There is a single stamp at the top right that represents 24 cents of postage.  It just so happens that the price of mailing something from the US to England at that time was 24 cents, so it was cancelled with a round grid marking with the word PAID on it in black ink.  This was done so people could not reuse the stamp.

From a historical standpoint, you can guess that the American Civil War was raging, with fighting at Stones River (Tennessee) and Fort Hindman (Arkansas).  The Emancipation Proclamation had just gone into effect on January 1.  As momentous as all that might have been, business went on.

Perhaps you remember that we talked about dockets a couple of weeks ago?  If you don't, you can always take the link and read it at your leisure.  For now, we'll just point you to the handwriting at the top center.  This was written by the addressee (Charles H Hudson).  He recorded for future reference the date he received the letter (January 19), the date he sent a reply (January 24) and who sent him this letter (Rideout & Merritt).

This docket has nothing to do with the postal aspect of this envelope - but it gives us some background as to the purpose of this mail.  It also provides us with checks for consistency to be sure all is as it should be here.  The red London marking at the right (by the name Hudson) also gives a date of January 19 - that's a match with the docket, so things are lining up nicely!

You might also note that both the London and Boston markings are in red ink and they both include the word "PAID."  If you'll recall, we talked about ways the postal service communicated that postage was properly paid in a blog in October of last year.  So, this all makes sense - there is a stamp that is the right amount for the postage of the time.  There are two markings that seem to show that the postal service saw this letter as paid to the destination.  And...  the dates line up with expected travel times and dockets.

Let's look more closely at the Boston marking!  There is actually more information that I can extract just by knowing what I am seeing - by knowing how to read this "language."

"Br. Pkt"

This is an abbreviation for "British Packet."  A packet was a steamship that carried the mail across the Atlantic Ocean.  Some mail packet companies had contracts to carry the mail for the United States (an "American Packet") and some had contracts to carry mail for the United Kingdom (a "British Packet").  This marking actually gives me a chance to identify the ship that carried this letter from Boston and across the Atlantic!

On January 7, 1863 the Europa left Boston.  This ship was owned by the British & North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Company - a shipping line that is often referred to as the Cunard Line (for its founder Samuel Cunard).  It arrived at Queenstown, Ireland on January 17 and probably went on to Liverpool the next day.

"19 Paid"

Well, we all understand the "Paid" part.  But, what's with the "19?"  Didn't we say that it cost 24 cents to mail this letter?

Indeed we did!  And, indeed it DID cost 24 cents.  The issue is that the United States provided some of the mail service and the British provided some of the mail service.  At this time, it was important to account for how much of the 24 cents went to each post office so it covered the expenses.

Five cents covered the mail service within the United States.  Sixteen cents paid for the Atlantic voyage.  Three cents covered mail service in the United Kingdom.  Since the British had the contract with the Cunard Line, they had to pay the shipping company.  So, the British needed 16 cents for that and 3 more cents for their own mail services.

This marking simply says the United States must pay 19 of the 24 cents they collected in postage to the British Post Office.   They kept the remaining five cents.

New York to Tampico - 1918

Below is a much more recent letter.  The New York Life Insurance Company sent this item from their offices in New York for their "Mexican Branch" to a grocery store company (tienda de abarrotes) named "El Relampago" in Tampico, Mexico.  The letter was sent from New York on August 21, 1918. The cost to mail this item from New York to Mexico was 3 cents.

World War I still had a couple more months to go until Armistice Day (Nov 11) when Germany surrendered.  The second wave of the Spanish Flu pandemic was just getting underway - fueled by troop movements (among other things).  The tape that reads "Opened By" at the right of this envelope shows that this letter was opened by a censor prior to its delivery in Tampico.  Interesting enough, censors may well have redacted items that might have been related to military actions as well as the pandemic, feeling that dissemination of information on the illness would give rise to panic.

This cover also has another marking that was applied in Tampico.   The marking reads "Lista Oct 7 , 1918."  Clearly, the letter had been in the Tampico post office for a while, but no one had come to claim this mail.  "Lista" is a reference that the item had been advertised in local papers as being available at the post office.  This was still a common practice for mail sent as a "general delivery" item.  General delivery, also known as "poste restante" in Europe meant that the letter was sent to the post office and not delivered to the recipient by a carrier.  It was the recipient's responsibility to come to the post office and check to see if they had any mail.

Le Havre to Philadelphia - 1873

If you detect a big change in postal processes, you can usually attribute it to one or more historical events that led to the adjustments being observed in the postal history.  For example, mail handling between the United States and France had been fairly consistent since 1857, when a postal treaty was put into place.  Once we get to 1870, letters look quite a bit different.  Interestingly enough, France lost to Prussia in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, which included the Siege of Paris into early 1871.  It would be incorrect to say that the war was the sole cause for the change.  But, it might be accurate to say that the conditions that led to that war also contributed to the postal changes.

First, we can exercise our "docket reading" once again.  The top left reads "Via Queenstown, p. Steamer City of Brooklyn."  It just so happens the City of Brooklyn was scheduled to be in port at Queenstown on June 6.  This ship was owned by the Liverpool, New York & Philadelphia Steam Ship Company, founded by William Inman.  I suspect you see a pattern here.  People have historically looked for shortcuts when referencing things - so this company was routinely known as... the Inman Line.  (imagine that!)  The ship would arrive in New York on June 16.

The words around the circle of this marking read: "Le Havre Le Port."  Le Havre would be the city and Le Port would be the post office branch that received this item for mailing.  And if you look at the words inside the circle, you will likely recognize the date: June 3, 1873.  You might, however, be uncertain as to what the "4E" might reference.  Larger post offices had multiple mail distribution and departure time each day.  This would be the 4th collection period of the day on June 3.  This was apparently early enough for this item to get to London on June 4 by a channel steamship.

Holland to France - 1836

Now we'll take you back before there were postage stamps!  Here is a letter from Amsterdam to Montpellier, France in September of 1836.  At this point, the Netherlands was still trying to hold on to Belgium, despite the latter's proclamation that it was independent in 1830.  This conflict would not be settled until 1839.

At this point in time, the cost of postage for a letter was calculated as much by distance as it was by weight (or sometimes the number of sheets in a letter).  Most letters were sent unpaid or partially paid, with the expectation that the recipient would pay for the honor of receiving the item.

One of the funny things about postal history of the 1800s is that numbers don't always look like the numbers you and I might expect.  One must remember that postal clerks were often handling A LOT of mail and we have to expect some shorthand.  What was important is that they and their compatriots understood the markings.  

What you see above is a "19."  This represents 19 decimes or 1 franc, 90 centimes, which was the amount the recipient was going to pay in order to receive the letter.  That is a fair amount of money considering the cost would only be 60 centimes when we get to the 1860s.

The postal rate calculation is aided, in part, by this marking that appears at the top right of the folded letter.

L.P.B.5.R. = Les Pays Bas 5th Rayon

The French know the Netherlands as "Pays-Bas" or "Les Pays-Bas," which is literally translated as "Low Country (ies)."  This shouldn't sound odd since the English refer to it as "the Netherlands" with "nether" being defined as "lower in position."  You could also, of course, refer to it as Holland(e).

The 5th rayon refers to a region or a distance within Les Pays Bas.  The 5th region was furthest from France and required the most postage to cover the distance from Amsterdam to Thionville in France.  Then, French postage would be added for the distance from Thionville to Montpellier.  If you want to know how that works, I went through that process with this Postal History Sunday post!

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Thank you so much for taking this little postal history journey with me.  I hope you were able to relax, learn something new, and take comfort in the enjoyment I have with sharing my hobby with you.  As always, I am happy to take questions and turn them into future "Postal History Sundays."  I expect to keep writing them as long as I have motivation and energy to do so.

Have a great remainder of the weekend and I hope your coming week is a good one!

A Decent December

Saturdays are good days to catch up on some reading, so I thought I'd move the next installment of 'best of' posts for 2020 to this Saturday!  Well, it made sense at the time.  

Once again, I offer up what the editor and writer of this blog (that would be... ahem... me) came up with for best posts in December of 2020.  Part of the rules were that I could not include PAN cross-posted blogs, Postal History Sunday entries and any throwback posts I re-worked.  In some ways, those rules remove some awfully good reading (my opinion), but you have to draw the line somewhere.   

However, if you just noticed - I didn't really draw the line.  I just provided you with links to ALL of the posts that fit those topics so you can go read those too!  Maybe you just wanted to do some reading while drinking hot chocolate today?  Or, if you are in Australia, you would prefer a colder beverage.  You choose what you want to drink and you can choose what you want to read!  

My, what a friendly blog we run here!

I figured I could start you off with a couple of posts that are more informational.  Well, ok, the first is very informational and still worth a read to see what organizations we appreciate with Iowa ties and connections to environmental concerns.  The second is yet another attempt to explain why we feel organic farming is the way to go.

End of Year Giving - What we can say is that, in our opinion, all of these organizations would be worthy of your attention.  Read on for some of our opinions and experiences regarding each.

Why Certified Organic? - we still reap rewards when Mr. Bunting sings, the Bull Snake slithers by and Cucumber Frog jumps and startles us.  We see the benefits when green beans taste fantastic and the fresh spinach is heaped on our plates.  Why do we grow organic?  We do it for us. And we do it for nature. And we do it for you. 

I was pretty pleased with this pair of posts that were unveiled right around Christmas. Apparently, many people liked them as well as they both got a bit more traffic than many of the posts on the Genuine Faux Farm blog do.  I like them enough that I re-read them just to set my mind straight this morning.

Gifts Left on the Table - 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. 

Gifts Unwrapped - But, we slowed down enough this year to actually watch... the.... moon... rise.  We stopped walking to the next chore and we watched.

And, the best of the rest!  In case you had not noticed, I have included a short excerpt from each post.  Maybe they will give you a flavor and you can decide what you might like to read (if any) on this fine day!

Monday Karma   - 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.

Less Time to Do It All In - 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.

Winter's Flair - 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. 

-----------------Audience Participation----------------------

As with the others, I welcome feedback on posts you liked the best, photos you liked best or just... well... feedback.  The current goal is to keep writing at this pace for the next two to three months.  Then we'll see where the world is and where my head is.  As long as it feels like this is a gift that I am willing to give and you are happy to receive, I'll keep at it.

VAP Angst

The days of the Very Ambitious Plan (VAP) seemed like they were past.  Then, I got to January and realized I might need some sort of a VAP in my day to day efforts.

What is a VAP?  

The Very Ambitious Plan (VAP) had its origins at the Genuine Faux Farm as our daily 'to do' lists that were necessary if we wanted to manage our farm and all of the moving parts.  We made our first blog reference to them in 2016, when we discussed VAPs and even suggested some VAP statistics that we could use (but didn't - look... it was all in fun, ok?!).  We had a bit more fun with another blog post titled VAP Revisited that just took us even further down the 'silly road.'  

Regardless of how much fun we had with those posts, the VAP was actually an extremely important tool for us over the years as we farmed.  It was a good way for me, in particular, to organize my thoughts as to how I would utilize precious resources - the most precious of which was time.

I still recall conversations with Denis (who worked on the farm several summers) about how he was always aware that there was a plan behind the decisions and reactions to unplanned events that happened every day on the farm.  Well, Denis, I owe a great deal of that to the creation of a daily VAP.  The time I took to put it down on paper helped me get things straight in my head so I had a prayer of getting through the day.

But What If We're Unambitious?

I have certainly considered making a VUP (Very Unambitious Plan), but when I want to make a VUP, I usually don't have the motivation to do it (get it?  Huh huh?!?).  

Anyway, the very nature of list making tends to lead some people to be more ambitious and others towards less ambition as they get overwhelmed.  Why?  Well, the Law of Expanding Lists takes over and the VAP just keeps getting bigger and bigger.  This can either fire you up to get as much as you can done or it buries you with expectations.  

Tammy and I both know where each of us lands on lists - like the farm VAPs.  Tammy dislikes creating lists - finding them stressful.  This is especially true if we make a list with a longer view.  To her, it only feels like a list of things to be disappointed about because we won't get to them.  On the other hand, I find creating these lists useful as they help my brain focus on a subset of tasks.  I know its time to make a list when I feel the paralysis creeping in that comes with being overwhelmed trying to figure out what's next.

On the other hand, give Tammy a nice 'check-off' list of things to do today or this week - and she's happy.  In fact, I've found many who have worked on the farm loved having a list of things to check off when it was done. 

But, What If It Doesn't Work?

I realize that January is not my best month - as far as being motivated and keeping myself on task.  In high school, college and prior to working at the farm, I was pretty faithful with my ability to catch some sort of cold or flu that made matters worse.  It's just a cycle I go through and I have my strategies for dealing with it.  The question is - will the return of the VAP become one of those strategies as I go through a January with very different purposes than the past twelve (or so) January months? 

So far, I've met with very mixed success.  Not surprisingly (to me) the days it worked the best were those where the list was more farm oriented AND where there was more active 'doing.'  Thus far, I have had much less success getting my own person to accept that VAPs are also good for office work.

We'll give it the ol' college try and see what happens.  Worst case scenario - I'll give up making the VAP ahead of time and write things down as I accomplish them so I can then check them off.  Or, better yet, I'll start making lists that break each task down into smaller actions so I get to check MORE things off.

1. Climb stairs of the house
2. Walk down the hall
3. Enter the office
4. Sit in desk chair
5. Turn on computer
6. Wait for computer to start
7. Hum a tune while waiting
8. Pet a cat while waiting
9. Connect to internet
10. Load up blog web page
11. Scratch head and wonder what to write
12. Start writing
13. No, never mind, try another topic
14. Another false start
    
15. Write blog
16. Upload pictures to blog
17. Proofread
18. Schedule blog to publish next morning
19. Stretch a little
20. Look at list for next thing...
    

Ups!  Nothing more there.  I must be done for the day.

Good work me!

Have a great day everyone!

The Eagle Has Landed Again

The new normal for me (and for many) is Zoom meetings and wistful looks out the window.  During a meeting not too long ago I looked out the window to see a Bald Eagle sitting in the tree.  It must have noticed me turn my head because it took off almost immediately.

A few days later, it was there again and I was able to explain to people in the meeting why I kept looking away from the screen.  This, of course, derailed the meeting for a time while people talked about Bald Eagles.  Frankly - I don't feel it was a waste of time.

This reminded me of some reading a did a couple years ago regarding the number of extinctions that have occurred on this planet since 1900 and found myself becoming increasingly disgusted by humanity's lack of foresight and general selfishness.  While it is true that some extinctions are a result of natural changes and natural disasters, the most common primary cause appears to be the intentional or unintentional results of human actions.

The Bald Eagle - so far - is an exception.  It has come back from near extinction.  Tammy and I are among the members of the current population in the United States that maintain a fascination for these raptors.  As we were growing up, there were perhaps 500 nesting pairs of Bald Eagles in the entire lower 48 states and we were told that it would be a very rare thing for us to see a Bald Eagle at any point in our lives.  If you do not recall, the population had been declining as a result of habitat destruction, DDT poisoning and people shooting the birds.

And now, we have Bald Eagles landing on the oak trees at our farm. 

A 2007 report showed 200 breeding pairs in Iowa alone.  Clearly, the population is recovering, though it is far from its former glories.  And despite the fact that Tammy and I are often graced with a sighting of a Bald Eagle multiple times a week during the colder months, we still find their presence to be a reward of a sorts.  You see, it was impressed upon us that preserving this population was important.   Having a Bald Eagle on the farm is rewarding for us - even as we realize we need to monitor the chickens a bit more while they are around.  We welcome them with the realization that they symbolize the possibility that humanity CAN, if it wants to, do something to support the success of other species.

The problem is that we have to do more than just leave things alone to prosper.  There are all sorts of unintended consequences that can cause the decline of a natural population.  For example, Bald Eagles in our area are subject to lead poisoning when they consume the offal left by hunters.   It is not necessarily a bad thing that the remains are left for the scavenger birds (such as Bald Eagles), but the lead ammunition is causing a problem. 

Just think - I am sure hunters are not intentionally looking to harm the eagle population, yet they are.  If we can cause so much harm without meaning to, just think how rough we are on other species when we go after them with a will.  I'd tell you to ask the Passenger Pigeon, but there aren't any to ask. 

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The original post on this topic was shared on our blog January 9, 2019.  I updated it a little bit and added a few edits.  But, the topic is still a very important one.  In particular, I want to emphasize once again that we CAN make all sorts of good things happen if we decide we want to.  The question is - what will it take to get us to decide to do good things?

World's Most Challenging

We've had multiple mornings where Mother Nature has dressed up in hoar frost or rime ice.  In both cases, we can end up with some spectacular effects that are neat to see (and take pictures of).  Our external clothes drying machine accumulated a fair bit of rime ice several days ago after a heavy freezing fog.

For those that are completely agog that we should leave our wooden attachment technology for clothes drying out in this sort of weather, I thought I would first confuse you by calling clothespins wooden attachment technology.  If you were not confused, I am guessing you fell somewhere on the spectrum between amused and annoyed.

In any event, we did use our external clothes dryer just a couple of weeks ago.   Or was it three weeks ago?  I don't know.  But, we've used it more recently than you might think.  And, the clothespins cling patiently to the line waiting for the next moment we should look at each other and say, "I think this laundry load might dry most of the way if we hang it out today."

Speaking of attachment technologies....  

I kept the refrigerator magnet shown above in its package for longer than normal because I was amused by the instruction sheet found in the package.  The magnet stayed in the package until the day came that I would actually take a picture of the sheet.  Now the instruction sheet is immortalized in a GFF blog post!

Well, the actual instruction sheet went into the paper recycling and the magnet went to the refrigerator.  According the instructions, that's where it should go.  Who am I to argue with the instruction sheet for a refrigerator magnet?

Clearly, we received no such instructions for the clothespins - which is why they are still out on the line collecting rime ice.

Speaking of instructions...

Last Christmas I received a puzzle as one of my gifts.  I am pleased to say that this was an age appropriate gift for me (see the top right).  Essentially what that means is that I was not tempted to swallow and choke on the pieces and Tammy was not tempted to say "no" repeatedly as I approached the table where the puzzle was sitting.

Sadly, the puzzle got placed in a location where it got covered by other items last year and we uncovered it again this year - right around Christmas.  I thought - "ok, let's give this thing a real try."  After all, I'm up for what could be ..."the World's Most Challenging Puzzle!"

Fifteen minutes later, the child in me completed the puzzle.  The adult remained confused.

I did take a picture of the completed puzzle, but I sent the puzzle along to someone else and I didn't want to ruin the fun by providing a key for solving it.  I probably shouldn't worry about putting the solution out on the internet because I find it unlikely that something I put on this blog is going to put much of a dent in the sales of this item, nor is it likely to spoil someone's fun in solving it.  After all, if you're willing to look at the solution prior to solving a puzzle, you probably don't appreciate the process of puzzle solving all that much.

Besides - I want this to remain mysterious and impressive.  Look at me!  Solver of the World's MOST Challenging Puzzle.... perhaps.  

It almost sounds like something I would write!  Make a grand statement!  Then qualify it with "perhaps" or "maybe."  Or add something on the end:

The Worlds' Most Challenging Puzzle.... unless you happen to solve it in fifteen minutes then we're probably wrong because you really aren't smart enough to solve the world's most challenging puzzles all that quickly, are you?

After all, I'm the guy who gets confused if you go tell him to stand in the corner of a round room.  I stared at the orange juice container for an hour because it had the word "concentrate" on it.  I once climbed a glass wall to see what was on the other side.

And, I'm not sure I'm all that worried about whether it's rime ice (typically a result of ice fog) or hoar frost (typically you'll get this on a calm, clear night).  I just know it looks good.

Be well and take care of each other.

E-Miscommunicating

I am coming to realize that many who read this blog may not know or have forgotten that I have degrees in Computer Science and that I have a fairly long history of involvement with electronic communications methods.

I have watched the rise (and fall) of newsgroups, discussion boards, blogs and all sorts of social media.  The more things change with these tools, the more they stay the same.  Usually, there is a very short 'golden age' where the people who have found the tool make great use of it.  But, then the tool follows a typical cycle. 

Initially, people begin to flock to the 'latest thing' to reconnect with their friends.  After an initial contact, most participants start getting lazy and begin to share material they did not create - often flooding the channel with item after item after item...  A small subset of people set themselves up to be over-achievers, seeking some sort of stardom by creating content for the platform.  Many of these actively seek approval by getting others share THEIR stuff instead of somebody else's stuff.   "Trolls" appear and start pushing buttons, looking to start conflict (I remember when these were called 'flame wars').  And that often seems to be the only time people get re-motivated to use their own words - when they have a chance to take sides.  Especially if they have a chance to make someone else look or feel bad.

Pretty soon, it's all noise.  And the only things participants seem to want to read are things that are sensationalized or that serve an agenda that is currently at the top of their list.  And the trolls?  They're still out there.  Continuing to fan the flames and sitting back to enjoy the havoc that follows.

Despite all of this, I find myself continuing to seek out ways that I can cultivate words so that they might plant more seeds that grow into something amidst all of the static.  I suppose I could do what everyone else does and let a host of the pre-written messages do the talking for me, but I prefer to write my own words - only periodically grabbing a meme or a quote that I particularly enjoy to supplement what I write.  And I don't normally concern myself about encouraging people to share the things I write.  I guess I prefer to believe that the quality will speak for itself?

Why do you think that is?

First, I prefer to believe that things are always far more complex than we are often willing to admit.  My feelings about anything of substance are often just as complex as the topic itself.  In fact, those feelings may not be fully known to me.  As I consider the words I might want to write, I give myself an opportunity to explore what really matters to me and what I want to know more about.  I provide myself with an opportunity to learn, to change my mind and/or to affirm and refine what I believe.

I cultivate the words so I can grow.

If the words I write were only influenced by what is in my head, then I suspect I would learn nothing new.  So, I look for others who cultivate words and I look for sources that provide facts and support learning.   Often I prefer primary sources and actual studies or the language of bills being proposed in our lawmaking bodies.  Why?  Because I want to learn the facts so I can come to my own conclusions. 

I combine all that with my own observations and then I look at what other people are saying.  I'll admit that sometimes the whole process starts because someone makes a provocative statement and a bunch of people jump on board to "say what they think." But, I work hard to back up before I am tempted to 'engage.'

I took a brief moment today and sampled five different "provocative posts" in social media today.  Each of those posts had a link to some sort of article.  I went to each article and read it.  Then, I read the comments.  It was clear that nine out of ten people who felt it important to post on the topic had NOT read the articles.  They had merely come to their own conclusion based on the often misleading title or provocative statement provided in the post.

I now work for an organization that realizes it has to use social media to get attention for the things it advocates for.  There is a very real tension between trying to find words, phrases and images that are accurate and representative and balancing them with words, phrases and images that will get people to actually pay even a little attention to the problem and the possible solutions.

I wish we had a better forum than social media to communicate - because more often than not - we end up e-miscommunicating using this so-called media.  More and more, I feel that social media is about promoting anti-social behaviors rather than actually connecting people in meaningful ways.

Through all of these iterations of electronic communications, I have always found myself trying to be the peace-maker.  Seeking the common ground and hoping to find ways for a wide range of views to be allowed with a civil discussion rather than name-calling and derogatory comments.  I doggedly seek to make these tools forums for real conversations that build up, rather than tear down.

In each and every instance, I have come away disappointed, disillusioned and very weary of it all.  

And yet, here I am.  Trying again.  Either because I am absurd or I see something in this word that is better than what it is showing right now.  You can decide which it is for yourselves.

So - a new challenge to you, if you use social media.  Read the link before you comment.  Check your facts before you post.  Consider whether you might actually have it in your own personal arsenal the ability to communicate better than an insensitive meme or sharing a post that describes anyone else in derogatory or unflattering terms.  

I think you can do it.  And so can I.

2021 Crops

We are now fairly certain as to what crops we will be growing in 2021, but there are still details to work out - aren't there always?  The general rule for us in 2021 is that we must simplify our crops significantly if we hope to continue growing, doing our off-farm jobs AND raising poultry.  So, without further ado - here's a quick run down on the plan as it stands at this moment in time.

Seed Production

Assuming the contracts come through for us, we are planning on growing out certain crops for seed that will go to Seed Savers.  The combination of our experience growing many of their varieties and our organic certification makes this a logical step if we wish to continue to grow vegetable crops.  

At present, it looks like we will be growing out Black Valentine green beans, Napoleon Sweet bell peppers and we may also grow out Amish melons (cantaloupe).   

Essentially, that means we will have more row feet of one variety of these crops rather than the wide array we have grown in prior years.  This makes it easier for us to manage with fewer labor hours - a key factor in our decision making.  In particular, the harvest becomes concentrated to one event rather than the continuous harvest, clean, pack, deliver cycle that takes a great deal of time.

Other Crops in Bulk

There will be some other crops as well that we will target either for bulk sales, canning/freezing specials for individuals or bulk donations to local food banks.  Some of these were selected because we have a very good history with them, others because they only have a single point of harvest and some because it will help us keep tabs on how we convert our farm to new systems of growing that will hopefully be sustainable with the new labor hours limits we have.

The order for the Red Adirondack and Blue Adirondack potatoes is already in - so we'll have a decent sized crop there.  There will be Waltham Butternuts and there will be Touchstone Gold beets.  We expect to grow onions as well... and there is garlic in the ground already.  And lettuce is something we are quite good at and we will likely grow a fair amount of it.  There will be tomatoes in the high tunnels.

Asparagus is a perennial crop, so that will not go away either.

To put it in perspective, in the past, when we would just grow a "little bit of something" it would take at least 50 row feet - and usually more.  Even now, there will be a definite difference between our "little bit" and what a personal gardener might say is a "little bit."

And The Rest

Our high tunnels and some of the smaller crop space will have more diversity - in part because we want to eat veggies!  It is likely we will have excess of these things, but we will not be growing them with the intent of maintaining sales other than when convenient.  Again, excess could just go to a food bank if that's what works best.

There will be green beans and peas, of course, because we love them both.  There will probably be some cucumbers and zucchini and there will certainly be spinach.  The list here is certainly much more fluid and subject to change.  But, that planning is what January is for!  We'll grow broccoli, romanesco and cauliflower, but it will be nothing like prior years when we would put in successions of 400 broccoli plants at a time.  Perhaps that would change if we got a contract to grow that many for someone - because we are good at broccoli - but there is none forthcoming, so that's where it stands.

Saying Goodbye

This has been a bit difficult because we know we need to say goodbye to a number of vegetable varieties that have served us well for years.  We won't be growing Thelma Sanders Acorn Squash, for example.  And there will be no eggplant at all on the farm next year.  We will focus on a subset of our normal heirloom tomato varieties and we will likely let varieties such as Red Zebra and Green Zebra go.  There won't be turnips and very little kale and we will likely limit our carrots to one "little bit" planting.

Starter Plants 2021

That said, we are willing to start extra plants for those who talk to us ahead of time.  We will not be growing out a whole bunch of extras in hopes of sales.  Instead, we will only grow plants out for people who specifically request that we do so.  So, if you have a request, let us know.

Here's to 2021 - and a new growing season. 

Independent Mail - Postal History Sunday

Welcome to Postal History Sunday!  

I started this week's PHS post more than once and was having a difficult time getting anywhere with it.  I started and stopped on three different topics and just couldn't go much further than loading up an image or two and writing a couple of lines. 

You see, I invite you here to join me as I discuss something I enjoy.  I am hopeful that you will feel comfortable and you will be entertained as you (quite possibly) learn something new or read about something that you might find interesting.  I was forgetting that I should also have some fun with the process.  This is a chance for me (and you) to decompress a little.  So, let's see if I can manage that.

Things I Never Thought I'd See

As a young stamp collector, I remember seeing pictures of items that were interesting - but far beyond what I could ever hope to own.  Part of the issue was that I was a typical young collector in that I wanted everything.  It was exciting and interesting to explore everything you could possibly find in the hobby.  The other problem, of course, was that spending 25 cents for one item was a big deal. 

There were a few pictures of older (and more valuable than 25 cents) stamps in the beginner stamp albums most kids worked with.  Things like the "Black Jack," a United Stamps issue of 1863 that shows an over-large representation of Andrew Jackson.  

You can imagine how I felt when I finally was able to have one of these in my own collection years later.

I recently had the opportunity to acquire another such item and I thought I would share that with you today.

The Pile of Envelopes Stamp

Another very odd item that got my attention early was this octagon-shaped design that depicted a pile of letters.  You see, most of the older stamps showed a bunch of "old dead guys" and here was something that was very different from other stamps that were created in the 1800s to pay for mail.

No, the item shown above is not mine.  I just grabbed this image from a presentation file I have on the topic of this particular issue so I could illustrate the design.

Over the years, as I started paying attention to postal history (instead of just the stamps) I began to realize that this was probably not something I was going to add to my collection.  Pieces of mail with this stamp just didn't show up all that often, and when they did...   Well, my budget was going to go elsewhere for the hobby.

But, this December, there was an auction of material being offered where there was not just one, but hundreds of lots featuring this design.  One individual had been accumulating and studying these for some time, ultimately writing the definitive work on the topic (an excellent work by Michael Gutman).  The time had come for him to part with the collection - which meant there was actually an opportunity for me to *maybe* pick one up at a price I could afford.  After all, this was an advantageous supply vs demand situation.  The supply of these stamps on letters available for purchase was probably going to never be higher and the demand was not sufficient to keep prices high.

Long story short - I was able to pick one up!

Hale and Company - Independent Mail Company

James W. Hale created a network of private post offices and mail delivery routes in 1843 centered around New York and Boston.  Hale had this stamp design created in 1844, printing them in sheets of twenty.  Patrons could purchase a single stamp for 6 cents, which would pay for mail service between Hale's offices.  To encourage repeat business, a person could buy a whole sheet of 20 stamps for one dollar (5 cents per stamp).  

To put this in perspective, the first United States Postal Service stamp was issued in 1847.  The British had issued their first stamp in 1840.  Printing stamps to show payment for services was still a very new thing and Hale was very much on the forefront of this innovation.

Below is the item I was able to acquire for my own collection.  All I was looking for was a presentable example.  I was perfectly happy to let others bid on the host of other items with more 'going for them.'

This folded letter was sent by Susan G Spooner of New Bedford, Massachusetts to Augustus H Gardner in Boston on July 12, 1844.  The blue stamp with the "NB" pen marking showed payment for the 6 cents required to get the letter from New Bedford to Boston.  It did NOT pay for delivery directly to Mr. Gardner.  It is likely that it was picked up at the Hale & Company offices in Boston.

The distance traveled was a little over 50 miles, so a similar letter sent via the US Postal Services of the time would have been 10 cents (for distances over 30 miles and up to 80 miles).  A four cent difference (and perhaps 5 cents if Ms. Spooner bought a whole sheet of stamps) was not inconsiderable in 1844.

While a person could certainly write in much more detail about Hale & Company, I'm going to keep it short - which would be in keeping with the relatively short period that these stamps were used to show payment for carriage by Hale's independent mails.  Congress passed new laws that were enacted on July 1, 1845 that reduced postage to 5 cents for distances up to 300 miles and made it unlawful for alternate postal services to operate as Hale's had done. 

A Run-On Letter

The entire letter is present, with a couple of holes that make it hard to read a few words.  Apparently Susan Spooner wrote as she talked and she randomly applied punctuation as it suited her taste.  I have added some punctuation to increase readability... I think.  Feel free to click on the image below to get a taste of what the letter is like.

----------------Letter transcript--------------------

New Bedford.  July 12 1844

My dear Augustus:
It is so warm today that I cannot settle myself down to any regular employment, and am going to throw myself upon your kindness whilst I indulge in a short tete-a-tete with your humble self.  Although I have not yet received an answer to my last epistle which was sent just two weeks ago this day.  But I suppose every moment of your time is occupied in your studies, as your final examination comes off next month.  Tell me what day so that my thoughts may be with you, if I am not there in proper persona.  "The Ship" has at last arrived, but where we shall start on our journey is yet quite uncertain.  It may possibly be week after next.  The route which we now propose going is first to Boston, thence to Springfield, Hartford and then toward adjoining down the Connecticut to New York.  Then, up the Hudson to West Point and Saratoga Springs, perhaps to Niagara.  Though we have not decided on that yet ??? it be delightful.  I wish you could be of the party.  Our stay in Boston will be very short, which I shall very much regret as I always enjoy myself so much there, or I should say I have of late, but I hope you will come and see us.  Remember that when you get to New York that it will a much longer time that we shall not see each other than it is now.  And do you (know) that is now nearly eight months?  But I suppose that time with you passes very swiftly you have so much to do that you sometimes forget that you have a friend in New Bedford until she forces herself upon your memory by a letter.
     Be that as it may she would very much prefer intruding herself into your presence and having a real old fashioned talk.  Why I should talk you blind in half an hour.  I have so much to say and so many questions to ask you so you had better be preparing yourself for my visit.
     Mr Tarbell has been making us a visit.  He arrived in town last Friday and left on Tuesday and what do you think, he did not call on me until the day he left.  Isn't it melancholy?  But I think I know the reason why he did not come before and I think to he knows what I thought of his calling at to late an hour.  He will not trouble me much more.  I met him at a party the evening he came and he seemed delighted to see me.  And afterwards I met him at a dancing party and we danced and waltzed together and were very good friends.  He acted very strangely for there was no consistency in his doings.  I guess he is an odd fellow.  He told me that he liked New Bedford so much that he was coming down to spend the month of August.  What an honor he is conferring upon us.  I hope we shall be able to appreciate it.  Mr. Currier has left ?? and gone on to one of the wharves??  I was very glad to hear it for it seems to me rather small?? business, a man of his years.  Clerk in a dry goods establishment.  How unlike he and Tarbell are, but I believe they are neither of them great favourites of yours, so I will say no more about them only that if you knew Mr. C you could not help liking him or else you would be unlike every one else who has his acquaintance.  I mean gentlemen of course.
     Do you know that is just a year this month that I was in Boston and that our acquaintance commenced which has now ripened with friendship.  Had you told me then that a year from that time I should be writing you I should have thought it the most absurd thing possible as you know what my views on that subject was then.  But I have cause to be truly grateful that I have overcome those foolish notions.  My enjoyment has been so great ?? in receiving your kind letters which are always filled with entertaining matter and kind feelings that it seems to me, without them time would have passed on leaden wings.  I ?? that I fully appreciate your kindness and wish that I was more worthy of them but you know we are never satisfied so I have a new request to make. which is that you keep a journal and send it o me every Saturday with a postscript..... I shall expect one next Saturday.  Send it by Hale & Co's Independent Mail, which I shall patronize altogether.
    Your friend ??? Shepherd I met at a party this week.  She was looking very pretty.  I thought of you and wanted to ask her some questions about you but did not dare to as I am but slightly acquainted with her.  I am sorry to say that she is carrying on a great flirtation with a Mr. Williams of ? town.  You had better be looking after her.  Young girls that have too much beauty as she has it is dangerous to leave them.  Have you seen any of the Dr's family lately?  I should like to see Sophia, she is a disappointed woman.  Her situation in life and everything is so entirely different from what she wished that I pity her very much.  How can she be happy with such a husband?  Why I should rather be buried alive than live with such a man.  He is so cold and forbidding in his manners that there is no pleasure in his society.  I should very much prefer that my husband should be ? fond of society than be as he is.  But I have no patience to talk about this so I will stop now and begin to think a little more of you so as not to quite exhaust your patience as I fear it will be if I make this poor apology for a letter much longer. 
     Do write me soon for it seems an age since I heard from you and besides if we start on our journey as soon as we expect to I shall write you a third letter before hearing from you.  I will take that back for I don't think I should if you could not write me I should not think that you would care about knowing of my being in B (oston) so it depends upon you whether you receive that intelligence.
And now believe me sincerely . your friend. Susan

Susan G Spooner to Augustus H Gardener
dated  July 12, 1844
rec'd July 13th
Ans(wered) 31st

-----------------------------------------

Augustus appears to have written (as a docket on the letter) the pertinent dates for this correspondence, which was a common practice for the time.   Perhaps we shall never know if Susan took it poorly that Augustus waited over two weeks to respond to her letter.  Did she meet him in Boston?  Was he, perhaps, more interested in his flirtatious, pretty friend who appeared to be attracted to Mr. Williams?  Or maybe, he was just busy trying to pass his exams.

I hope you enjoyed today's entry in the Postal History Sunday archives.  Be well everyone!

Novemberisms

We continue with our 2020 review with our November posts that were selected by the 'editorial staff' at the Genuine Faux Farm.  We hope that you are enjoying this opportunity to catch up by reading some of the material we think was some of our best for the year.  Or - if you already enjoyed them once, you can go back and re-read a favorite.  OR - at the very least you can chuckle or admire the short excerpts we selected for each post.

Yes, I know.  "Admire" just might be a bit strong of a word choice there.  But, I really WANTED to include the word "admire" in one of my posts this week.  Now I have to write a whole post using the word "admire" in it to make up for this bit of over-reach!

We'll start you out with a post where we mused a bit about people's tendency to take 'selfies' and our tendency to take... well... whatever it is we do.

Selfie-ish  - You see, our selfies tend to turn out this way.  Someone told me we get them "ALL WRONG" and mentioned something about pointing the camera the wrong way.   I of course, think they're just goofy.  How can you see what you're taking a picture of if you point the camera the other way?   That's just silliness, you know!

November hosts Thanksgiving.  We like Thanksgiving because it reminds us to reflect and be grateful for all that we have experienced.  It shouldn't be a shock that some of our best November posts head that direction!

Gentle Reminder - We are the helpers.  We are placed where we are most needed.  Even when we are feeling lost or hopeless, we know that we will do what it takes to aid those who need it.

What I've Learned About Giving Thanks  - I think it is mistake to think that miracles are something that happen TO us.  Instead, I think we might be better off if we consider miracles something we plant and nurture until they reach their full power and strength.  

November is also election month, which brings about no small amount of introspection from the farmer.  That, and our farming season really starts to shut down and we start to really think about where we have been and where we are going. 

Missing: Teamwork - Building a life is a long game - but sometimes we need some shorter games to help us see progress.

Echo Chamber - I pull the door open on its slides, revealing a dark room that smells of old hay and dirt.  The door rolls shut behind me and I am alone.  When I speak, I hear only myself or things that sound like me.  There are whispers that encourage me to be my worst self. 

And sometimes, there are blog posts that are a bit more personal in nature.  It seems that some people find these more entertaining than many of my other efforts.  This is a good thing - because it encourages me to offer up a diverse set of things.  And, you all know how much we like diversity on our farm!

Quiet - Anyway, there are some things that seem to be true for most of us - I can't be sure of this, because we don't talk together to compare notes ( Hey.  That was an 'introvert joke.'  If you are an introvert you may now indulge in a quiet inner smile.  If you are not, you may continue to be confused.)

Morning to Twilight - Our first bookshelves were hand made... by us...  with a hammer, a handsaw and a little sandpaper.  The wood was some slightly bowed pine and we had a box of nails.  Let's just say it wasn't fine furniture once we had completed the task.  We had to put one in the corner and the other next to an old desk so they wouldn't fall over.  

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

Thank you for reading!  Once again, if you are so inclined - tell me which of these November posts were your favorite.  While you are at it - which of the pictures shown on this blog do you like best?  If you are not, that is also fine.  I just hope you enjoyed a quick "look in the mirror."

Check Your Buts

I have spent a great deal of time writing over the past nine or so months.  I have become more aware of writing patterns I indulge in - both the good and the bad.  One habit I think I will wean myself from is use of the word "but."  

No, no.  It has nothing to do with how easy it is to add another "t" on the end so we can all giggle about a stupid anatomy joke.  No, it's not because it isn't a useful word.  After all, I tend to use in my writing to illustrate how I often see more than one side to things.  (note, I use "after all" too much.... ugh!)

I am beginning to get even more offended with "but" because so many people are using it in this fashion:

"I know X is wrong, but....."

We should all just stop at "X is wrong."  Or, if you want, you can explain why you think "X is wrong."  When you add "but" you are implying that YOU are able to justify an exception for yourself or someone with whom you feel you have an alliance.

Once the "but" enters the sentence that should set off alarm bells in all of our heads that we should really carefully inspect our motivations and our sense of right and wrong.  Is it possible that a perfectly valid exception exists?  Sure.  However, you might want to reconsider your condemnation of others who ALSO seem to have found an exception to the rule.  It's pretty difficult to claim moral high ground when you're neck-deep in the quicksand yourself.

Then again - maybe that's all the better any of us can do?  That's a sobering and depressing thought.

The other place I am hearing lots of buts?  It's the same form, but with a slight twist:

"When X did this, it was wrong, but what about when Y did this?"

Again.  Stop at "When X did this, it was wrong."  If it was wrong, it was wrong.  You do no favors if you legitimize any bad behavior by trying to put the focus anywhere other than the bad behavior you feel you need to be calling out.

What are we?  Five year olds?  

"Don't blame me Mom!  He/she did it FIRST!"

And therefore, it's not as bad?  Address your problem first because you should have more control over that.   Or perhaps you actually do believe you own the exception to the rule.   It's bad unless one of you or yours does it? 

Why am I so upset?

It's simple.  I know, like and care for people who have vastly different ideas about what is important in the world.  And, I am witnessing more and more of them forgetting to check their 'buts.'  Maybe some of your read this?  Perhaps this will let you know that I care about you, but I am disappointed and unhappy?  

Do I expect too much of others?  I don't think so.  I actually hold you in more esteem than you know - which is why I say something.

Do I expect too much of myself?  Probably.  I've been trying to check my buts for several months now and I still fall down.  I struggle with this just like everyone else.  That is exactly the point - I am struggling because I want to be better.  Come struggle with me.

Hey - you folks who believe in personal responsibility - spend more time cleaning your own house and set a better example.  Hey - those of you who believe that we need to be more inclusive and sympathetic to all sorts of people - time to offer more grace to those you may not agree with and may not like.

And while you're at it.  Check your "buts" at the door.