Rustic or a Dump - at least it's Authentic

I remember the day I overheard someone at a field day (not ours, though it could have been) say something along the lines of "why can't they keep their farm neater than this? It looks like a dump!"

To be honest, I had to admit that the particular area on this farm that was being commented on DID look a bit like a dump.  But, I also had been fairly impressed with the farm, with the farmers, and with the operation in general.  It was a bit distressing to think that this might be the takeaway this person would go home with.  It also got me to thinking about our own farm.

I mean, it looks like a dump too.  Except for where it doesn't look like a dump.

The stack of pallets leaning against a wall isn't actually awful to look at.  They have future purposes and they are neatly out of the way in their designated spot.  But, I suppose they aren't all that attractive either.  Let's just say they won't win us any "Better Homes and Gardens" awards or the praise of whomever wants to judge a working farm by what they consider to be positive eye appeal.

We have not yet used any of our valuable time to deconstruct or re-use the flair box that went on a running gear that we are using for something else now.  We also parked an old hayrack with its rotting wood and frozen steering mechanism nearby.  And, of course, we didn't take the time last fall to clean up the tall grasses and other plants that grew around them.  I guess I would admit, if pressed, that this might look "dumpy."

There is a bin just outside the Poultry Pavilion that has a pile of red and green hoses - all tangled up.  It's hardly the most attractive decorating touch a person could use, I suppose.  But, it is a good way to put hose segments that are no longer appropriate for delivering water.  Yet a hose segment or two can be useful for any number of things.  For example, staking up a tree - or putting a cover on the sharp edge of a raised bed wall.

Even so, I might admit that we've accumulated more of the raw material in this spot than we really need.

But what about this mess, Rob?  Let's see you explain it away like the others!  If this doesn't confirm that you don't care what your farm looks like, I don't know what does.

Well, you got me.  A pile of wood.  A pile of potentially useful wood.  But, still, an ugly pile of wood.  

I suppose you could argue that the wheeled contraption on the pile and the kitty litter buckets don't help with the ambiance.  

Well, the grass catcher is where it is because we needed to move it so we could fill in the pit that was in front of this part of the Poultry Pavilion.  The kitty litter buckets were in use to carry water as recently as this past Spring, when their handles broke.  Rather than throw them in the trash, I'd like to rinse them out and recycle them.  But, you got me, I didn't get that task done and there they are still.  

I am so very ashamed....  Alas for me!

I will readily agree that there is a point where the normal detritus and mess that comes with any operation like ours crosses the line and becomes a "dump." And it is one of our goals to avoid crossing that line.  In fact, there are many things we would love to find the time and energy to clean up a bit - and numerous other things are "in progress" and there just isn't enough of us to move to "complete" this very moment.

Part of the problem is that not everyone can tell the difference between useful items that are there for a reason and an honest to goodness mess.  You can probably guess that the rolled up hose in a cart with a couple of feeder covers is probably there for a reason (stored for the Winter).  But, they also probably don't look all that attractive either.   There's a pile of metal that is waiting for the next metal drive - and that's not something you walk someone by when you want them to think your place is beautiful either.

I will also hazard a guess that chicken transport crates are not likely to be most people's choice of decorative items either.

Oh, wait!  I was wrong.  Here is an ebay lot where you can buy an old, slightly broken down chicken crate for $245.  Or maybe you want them from this company for $150 each?  You can polish it up and make a coffee table out of it and sell it for $750.

Just use the words "rustic," "antique," or "primitive."

I guess I should NOT have burned that old wooden crate that could no longer be repaired to be useful.  Do you think if I left a little chicken poop on it it would have gone for more?  

Available, one primitive design, vintage antique with authentic farm ambiance (also known as chicken manure).... this can be yours for just $800.

I wonder how much I can sell the plastic crates for?  If I use the right words, do you think I can at least get three digits for each one?  

And now that I realize there are people out there who buy old chicken crates for hundreds of dollars I find myself worrying less about what others think regarding the aesthetics of our farm.  After all, it is "authentic" and it is "rustic" so it must be good.

And, really, the overall impression isn't half-bad even if chicken crates aren't your style.

Have a good day everyone!

The Foolish Desire - Postal History Sunday

Seven days can fly by before you know it and there are weeks where I am certain I had just completed Postal History Sunday - until I realize that was LAST week's entry.  This time around, I was certain that it would be one of those weeks, so I walked into Monday with a plan.  Now we're approaching Sunday and that plan didn't work out, so we'll do this instead! 

So, what is "this" you ask?  This is called a throwback post where I visit an earlier effort and try to breathe some new life into it.  So, if it has a familiar feel, that's the reason.  I hope you enjoy this (re-) effort.

Before we get too far into it, let me remind you that everyone is welcome here.  If you are idly curious about postal history this is for you.  If you find yourself spending hours enjoying postal history as a hobby, then this blog is for you too.  If you had scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast, you, too, are welcomed.  Though some of us might have liked it if you had brought some to share.

Postal History Sunday is hosted every week on the Genuine Faux Farm blog and the GFF Postal History blog.  Since we just ended the week that contains the 14th of February, I offer up the following item:

This small, tattered envelope was mailed from New Haven, Connecticut on December 15, 1863, to London England (arriving Dec 26).  The letter was written by Harriet Silliman Shepard DeForest to her cousin Erastus Lyman DeForest - and most of the letter came along with the envelope when I acquired it several years ago. 

Like many of the items I enjoy sharing, this envelope has a 24-cent stamp paying the 24 cent rate to England for a simple letter that weighed no more than 1/2 ounce.  The letter started in New Haven and then traveled to the foreign exchange office in New York City.  The clerk there marked the letter for a December 16th departure on the Cunard Line's Scotia, which arrived at Queenstown (Cobh, Ireland) on December 24.  It was taken out of the mailbag in London on December 26 and probably delivered to Number 8 Bishopsgate Street later that same day.

medallion showing Baring's building, from article by Clara Harrow

The letter was sent to Baring Brothers & Company, a financial institution that provided travelers with lines of credit and mail holding (or forwarding) services.  There are no markings on this envelope that tell us that Baring Brothers sent this to Mr. Erastus DeForest, so it is likely that it sat in their offices until he picked it up along with the rest of his mail from whichever side-trip he was on.  The alternative is that several letters were bundled together and forwarded to his current location.  There is really no way to tell how Mr. DeForest finally acquired it.  We can only recognize the possible options and then deal with not being certain which way it got to him.

The other interesting postal history aspect is the artistic design used for the device that canceled the stamp.  I discussed the New Haven postmark in the second half of this January offering titled On Your Marks - in case you are interested.

Postal administrations used canceling devices to acknowledge the stamps that paid for the service by marking or defacing them.  The primary motive was to avoid the loss of revenue that would come from people trying to re-use postage stamps without buying new ones. 

The letter drives the interest this time around

This particular item has some short-comings.  The envelope has fallen into two pieces (a front and a back) and the letter itself is incomplete, with a closing page apparently missing.  If I wanted an item that showed off the postal history aspects (other than the neat star cancel), I would probably select something in better condition.  But, that's not the biggest reason why this particular letter from 1863 is interesting to me.

In this case - it is primarily about the letter - and the people referenced in the letter.  I'll start by sharing my best effort at transcribing the contents. 

A cousin (Harriet Silliman Shephard De Forest) writes to Erastus Lyman DeForest while he travels in Europe:

New Haven Dec 11th
Dear Erastus,
I have so much I will tell you.  I shall write very closely & as small a hand as I am capable of.  You know how I can fill up a letter with my sprawly writing & tell precious little news.  Well, mon ami, as things have turned out I wish I had remained in Paris. That is if you are going to be there this Winter. New Haven is of course very dull & now you and Charlie are away I am more solitary than ever -

As to my husband obtaining a furlough it is all nonsense to talk of the thing. 

Gen Banks has positively forbidden the application even for leave of absence unless in the case of disability leave.  Mr. De Forest continues perfectly well & has no excuse except the foolish desire. 

I see his wife & soldiers are supposed to have no feelings for such subjects.  The government ignores such weak mindedness - but seriously, it is  ???, the prospect of not seeing my lord & master until his time is up next October. 

Sometimes I am rebellious & mentally ??  & declare I will not put up with it.  But what is the use?  I am helpless these. ????  are to be pitied and the war drags on at snail's pace.  I do not think it nears the end in spite of the predictions of those who pretend to be wise.  Mr. Curtis (I should say Curtis, he is too distinguished to have a handle to his name) called last evening after his lecture ? Lee ? and we talked war, abolition & politics for two hours.  For comfort he promises me the war nice and over before eighteen months!  I presume he knows about as much as you and I do about the prospects of peace.  We have had another  trip? to Richmond and are safely back again.  Charleston we begin to believe we do not want - a la ? & the grapes??? - I am getting fearful unpatriotic & impatient . 

Maybe when Mr. De Forest gets home I shall be for a vigorous prosecution of the war.

Here I am in ?? pretty much as of old.  I can hardly realize I have been over the waters & with you in Paris so recently.  I wish you were here. I mean for my own sake, for your good & pleasure.  I wish it as it is?  My parlor is very pleasant this winter. I have Julie Heusted's (?) piano and plenty of music in the evenings.  Now I am curious how I have more ? & on Mary ??  I find it much more agreeable. Mary was getting too great an influence over the boy.

(*presumably her son Louis and presumably Mary left, but I can't figure the exact words above*)

I flatter? myself he has improved since I have taken over control. Mrs. Beers  says so and of course it must be so. 

By the way, aprapos of Mrs Beers, a tap at my door enters Mrs B " Oh,  Mrs. De Forest - have you heard the news?  Your cousin Erastus went to a bull fight in Spain on Sunday." 

"Who says so, I asked without showing any signs of surprise." 

"Mr Thomeson wrote to some one here in town that he & Erastus had just returned form a bull fight on Sunday.  Do you believe it Mrs De Forest?" 

"You say it is so, why do you ask me anything about it?"

"Oh I suppose you know more than I do about it.  Erastus has written and told you all about it!" 

She was mistaken this time.  Mrs B left, disappointed as she shut the door remarking "You d'not seem to be surprised, I suppose you d'not think it is very dreadful"  No reply from me. 

So you see that your sins have gone before you to judgement. No doubt you are tried & condemned by Mrs. B & some of her ?? friends & put down as a hopeless sinner, past praying for.  But d'not let Mr Thomason write such items home about you, it is best to keep in with the witches.

One of my old friends, Mr. Stine <*or Stone or ?*> the artist (you may remember him) has been here for the past six weeks.  He has a studio on this floor, he has been painting Geo Baldwin, Judge Ingersoll & seven or eight other portraits he ??? return to New York this coming week.  I hope his work will hold out longer.  Julia & I will miss him very much.  He is very agreeable company. 

It is likely that Judge Ingersoll is Charles R Ingersoll, who would be governor of Connecticut starting in 1873. The following biography is from page 352 of The Judicial and Civil History of Connecticut, edited by Dwight Lewis and J. Gilbert Calhoun (published 1895).

George Baldwin, on the other hand, was apparently a farmer of "middling means," but who was related to family that had wealth and power.  The George Baldwin House is actually on the historic register and may have been part of the Underground Railroad. This, of course, assumes that I have correctly identified the individual.

Be sure you write and tell me all about your trip to Spain.  I envy you the prospect of being in Italy this Winter.  I shall depend on long and many letters.  D'not disappoint me.  If you knew how glad I always am to hear from you, you would write often. 

Your aunt was here looking at rooms(?) the other day.  She is still undecided what to do.  I meet her in the entry with Mrs. B and was introduced.  She told me she received a letter from you on Thanksgiving day.  I was glad to hear of you.  I am in the middle of a dress-making campaign.  I have another love of an alpaca (black). I thought I must tell you as you are such an admirer of alpaca.  If is even prettier than the one I got in Paris. 

I am a perpetual wonder to myself.  I am in such splendid health and weight(?). I am ashamed to ? 145 pounds.  I have not had a sick day.  I can't remember when!  I walk for hours and sometimes more every day.  This is when it is pleasant.  Dr ? came to make a friendly visit last week.  "I never saw you looking so well, what does it mean?  You must have found out the secret in Paris of ???" <*probably a reference to living well*> So you see, I have no........

And then, I find I have no more of the letter!  Well, sometimes you just have to appreciate what you have.

Who was Erastus?

Cousin Erastus sure does sound like he is an interesting fellow, doesn't he?  Trotting off to Spain to see bull-fighting - much to the chagrin of Mrs. Beers and those in society who saw this as a scandalous activity!  

Erastus Lyman De Forest was, it turns out, quite the scholar in mathematics, he completed the Bachelor's degree in engineering at Yale by the age of 20 and completed an advanced degree by the time he was 22. 

After completing the advanced degree, Erastus was scheduled to travel with his aunt, but disappeared, leaving his luggage behind.  The family searched for some time, even putting notices in the New York Times looking for him.  Eventually, they assumed he had been murdered.

After a couple of years, it was discovered that he had gone to California and Australia and was teaching there.  He returned in 1861, only to travel again for a few years in Europe (1863-1865).  If you want more of a biography, this link provides an excellent overview.  The photo is from that site and is also found on wiki commons.

Upon his return, he dedicated his study to mathematics and is credited with making improvements to the mortality tables used by the Knickerbocker Life Insurance Company owned by an uncle.  His work was not initially recognized by mathematical scholars, but have since been given more attention.  He is even given credit for the initial discovery of the chi-square distribution (for those who know some statistics).  Four of his papers (published from 1866 to 1871) are listed in this Catalog of Scientific Papers compiled by the Royal Society of London 1877 (vol VII). 

One wonders if some of those mortality tables referenced the likelihood of a bull-fighter living past of the age of 25?

Who were Mrs. De Forest and the referenced Mr. De Forest?

This is where the detective began.  It was not hard to figure out Erastus, because his name is on the envelope and he happens to be well enough known for me to find information about him.  But, there are many, MANY noteworthy De Forests in Connecticut and New York and actually MORE than one who was an officer under the referenced General Banks.  And, on top of it all, the part of the letter that would have included a signature of some sort is missing.

The keys for locating the proper Mr. De Forest were to recognize that he had to be an officer under General Banks in December of 1863 and that it is likely he had strong ties to New Haven, Connecticut.  After a number of dead ends, I have concluded that our Mr. De Forest from the letter is none other than John William De Forest, a realistic fiction writer, who was a captain in the Union army, forming Company I from New Haven, the 12th Connecticut Volunteers.  

Another clue in the letter that lines up is the mention of Charleston (South Carolina), where the DeForests lived prior to the barrage on Fort Sumter.  They were on the last boat to leave Charleston, returning to New Haven.

At the time of this letter, John William De Forest had just been assigned to be the inspector general of the first division, 19th Corps.  He was finally mustered out of service and could return home on Dec 2, 1864, when his health could no longer allow him to continue his work in the Louisiana campaign.

Mrs. De Forest (nee Harriet Silliman Shepard) was apparently known to be quite intelligent and an 'exceptional classical scholar' according to this Master's thesis by Elizabeth Maxwell Bright focused on John William's writing.  She was the daughter of Charles Upham Shepard who was a professor of chemistry and somewhat prolific author of papers on mineralogy.  He taught at the medical school in Charleston during the colder months and returned to New Haven in the Spring.  This further confirms the connections to New Haven and makes it fairly certain I have found the correct people!

It is a bit of a shame that Harriet, and most women of her time, are not featured prominently in histories as she seems like she could have been a most interesting person.  At least, with this letter, she has a voice - and we have the opportunity to hear it.

Apparently, many of the De Forest family papers are held in the archives at Yale and could be accessed for further research if someone desired to dig through them.

An extra note about the family

A few months after my first effort at this particular story was published a couple of years ago, I received an anonymous comment to the blog.  I thought I would include it here:

Dear Mr. Faux,
Thank you for transcribing this letter. It is from my great great grandmother, Harriet Silliman Shepard, and refers to, among others, her husband, John William De Forest, author, as you correctly deduced. She was the daughter of Charles Upham Shepard (https://www.scencyclopedia.org/sce/entries/shepard-charles-upham/) and Harriet Taylor, the adoptive daughter of Benjamin Silliman (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Silliman). Their son, Louis Shepard De Forest, was my mother's grandfather.

 It's always good to get confirmation that your research was on target!

But wait, there's more!

This week, you hit the jackpot, because we're going to take this just a little bit further by bringing us back around to another connection that a postal historian enjoys.  The General Banks, in question is Nathaniel Prentice Banks, an individual who might fit the prototypical "American story" of a person who started with modest means and went on to "greater things."  He worked as a 'bobbin boy' at a textile mill his father managed and went on to publish newspapers, serve in the state legislature (Massachusetts) and then as a congressman in the House of Representatives (first as a Democrat and then as a Republican).  He was then elected governor of Massachusetts in 1858 and ran to be the presidential nominee for the Republicans, losing to Lincoln.  Lincoln appointed him to the position of Major General (as a political appointee) in May of 1861.

In December of 1862 he was transferred to New Orleans, which is where he and John William De Forest were at the time this letter was sent.

While General Banks is not a household name, nor does he feature prominently in most history books for his roles in the Civil War, he is fairly well known to postal historians that study this period in the United States.  In 1861, Banks decided that his division would have superior mail services and apparently used his connections to do just that.  Banks secured a special agent of the Post Office Department to work out of Banks' headquarters. 

This arrangement resulted in the use of multiple hand stamps, such as the one on the envelope shown above, that indicated the origin of the letter as being from the Banks Division.  This letter was postmarked on August 1, 1862 when I believe the division headquarters were located at Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia).  An excellent article by Richard Graham can be found here outlining more details about the Banks Division postal services.   

Bull fighting to end of war predictions

Harriet mentions a prediction that the war would end in 18 months and greeted it with some skepticism.  After all, she was worried about her husband.  As she said, "Maybe when Mr. De Forest gets home I shall be for a vigorous prosecution of the war."  It's a normal sentiment, of course.  I'm all for our troops taking the victory, but I would rather they do it without my husband in harms way.  

Amazingly, the war did end in approximately 18 months, but Mr. De Forest would depart the forces prior to its end, having only received a small wound - but still suffering from other maladies that ended his service time.  Apparently in December of 1864 he had more than the foolish desire as an excuse to go home again.

Each of these stories are far more complex than what I have written here.  If you desire to read more details about any of these individuals, feel free to take the links I provide in the text and read to your heart's content.  Or, you can decide you have had enough of this silliness.  The good news is - you have a choice!

Have a great remainder of the weekend and a good week to follow.

Do you want to learn more?

A couple of references to some of the printed materials that are now also on the web:

Richard B. Graham, G.B.D. and Banks' Division Markings, US Philatelic Classics Society, Volume: 20 Number: 3, 1968 - the Chronicle is one of the best US journals for early postal history and much of the earlier publications are searchable online.

Elizabeth Maxwell Bright, An analysis of the methods used by John William De Forest in An analysis of the methods used by John William De Forest in translating his personal war experiences into realistic fiction as translating his personal war experiences into realistic fiction as shown in Miss Ravenel's conversion. shown in Miss Ravenel's conversion.  University of Louisville, 1949.  - this is the Master's thesis referenced in the text.  There are many interesting tidbits in the biography section.  

But, if you want to appreciate the rest of the thesis you should consider reading:

J.W. De Forest, Mrs Ravenel's conversion from secession to loyalty, New York, Harper & Bros, 1867.

Winter Kayak Trip Gone Wrong

 

When I was growing up, I knew a person who loved to take their kayak out on the river during all sorts of weather.  It didn't really matter if it was raining or sunny, hot or cold.  If the water was open and they had the time on any given weekend, they'd throw that little boat and a paddle into their pickup truck and head to the river.

One time during the early Winter months, they had a particularly memorable trip.  You see, the cold weather had started a bit early that year and most households had to turn the furnace on a bit earlier than normal.  This did not discourage this individual from bundling up and heading to their normal drop-in point.  Ice had formed near the shore, but the current was keeping the rest of the water clear.

Good enough!

One of the issues with paddling on a day such as this is that the options for where you can go on the river are a bit more limited.  That means anyone paddling in those conditions has to keep their wits about them and stay alert.  Unfortunately, on this particular day, the mind wandered a bit too much and this person got caught on a snag and flipped their boat.  

They righted themselves easily enough and got back into the kayak.  But now they were wet and very cold.  And they had a ways to go to get back to their truck.  That put them into a bit of a quandary - what should they do now?

To this day, they claim that hypothermia must have set in because they have no explanation for what they did next.  They floated as close to the shore as they could get and gathered some sticks.  Once they had enough, they proceeded to start a fire in their kayak so they could warm up.

Of course, you know what happened next.  The kayak sank and they had to wade to the bank and walk back to the truck.

What they had forgotten is this...

You can't have your kayak and heat it too.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Knee Deep - Faux Real Story

 

The Genuine Faux Farm has beautiful, healthy soil.  But, that soil is pretty heavy and it takes quite a while for it to dry out.  That means our easiest farming years are typically those where we get average to slightly below average rainfall.  On top of that, our farm is pretty flat - so if we get excessive rain it doesn't go anywhere - it just stays until it either evaporates or seeps into the ground.

Don't get me wrong.  I feel that our soil health has improved over the years and I believe that it is a good thing to have water naturally filtering through the soil (and eventually into the ground water).  The difficulty has been that the number of exceptional rainfall periods have been much more numerous since we scaled up our farm in 2007 than they were for all recorded weather in our area up to that point.

If we were growing crops that grew all summer and then got harvested once in the fall, that would be one thing.  But, when you grow a wide range of vegetables and you market them on a weekly basis, you are forced to get out there - even when things are damp.

Oh, what am I saying? We have to get out there even when you might need to take out your snorkel gear to get from here to there.  It doesn't matter whether it was sort of wet or extremely wet, we still had work to do.

The good news is that we maintain permanent grass/clover paths throughout the farm, so we can get from plot to plot most of the time.  Though there have been times where we've had so much continuous rain that this is actually in question.

Several years ago we had a heavy rainfall in August during the morning of a CSA (farm share) delivery day.  We had already harvested most of the produce, but there was more to do before we could say we were ready.  The bell peppers needed harvesting and they were on the schedule to be a featured item.  

Denis was working on the farm with us at that time, so I asked him to come out to the pepper field with me.  We grabbed some harvest totes and squelched our way to the field.  The plan was that I would harvest and Denis would remain on the grass path to catch whatever I tossed his way.  I had the foresight to take my shoes and socks off before stepping off the path and almost immediately sank up to mid-calf in the mud.  (hmmm I wonder why I actually thought of that?)

Now, before some readers might react with disapproval that I was doing bad things to my soil, let me remind you that this is MY story and not yours.  Also, I was planning on keeping the traffic to the minimum.  We had a commitment to fulfill, but I was going to meet it with the least damage possible.

Things got a little crazy as I picked each, beautiful bell pepper and tossed it to Denis, who waited patiently (and gave periodic encouragement).  We kept a careful count so we would know when to stop -and only had to subtract a pepper a couple of times when the throw and catch didn't quite happen as planned.  At one point, I sank up to my knee.  But, once I got past the first few steps, it was actually kind of fun.  I got to do my job and play in the mud.  How many of you can say that?

So... I told you that story so I could tell you this one.  

Our watermelons went into the ground late the previous year, which meant they weren't ready to harvest until September.  So, of course, two things happened.  We had an early frost AND we had a wet Fall.

Things were on the dry side when the frost came, so I used the technique of running an overhead sprinkler over the watermelon rows to keep them from freezing.  We needed a little more time to get them harvested.  But, then I didn't have time the next day, or the next day.... or...

Well, you get the idea.  For the next few days I couldn't harvest and then the rains came.  This wouldn't have been a big deal EXCEPT I had run overhead irrigation on the patch where the watermelons waited for me to harvest them.  This area was already wet - and the rainfall made it wetter.

And then the forecast called for more rain and colder temperatures which meant I had no choice.  I had to harvest in the mud.

The first task was to simply get the watermelons out of the patch and onto the pathways.  So, in I went, picking up as many watermelons as I could each time.

For those of you who have picked up one 15 to 20 pound watermelon, you might be able to picture what it might be like to pick up one and then pick up a second one.  One cradled in each arm.  After taking two out at a time, I realized how much work this was going to be.  Each step had me sinking up to my calf muscles in cold mud - and it was starting to rain some more.

There wasn't an option to toss watermelons to someone on the path, so I tried picking up three at a time.  That was sort of do-able, so I tried four.  

So, let me remind you again.  It was wet.  The watermelons were slippery.  

As soon as I would manage to get that fourth watermelon into my arms another one (or two) would slip out of my grasp.  Sometimes, they would slip out when I tried to do a third watermelon.  The word "frustrating" might not quite cover how I felt at the time.  After one particularly nice watermelon slipped, fell and split open, I resigned myself to the slow slog with two or three watermelons each trip.

The mud and water filled my boots and my feet were cold, muddy and wet.  I was cold, muddy and wet.  The watermelons were cold, muddy and wet.  But, I kept my head down, looking for the next watermelon to harvest.  That's when I walked by an odd lump of mud that was shaped a bit like a foot.

That got my attention.

I looked down at my own feet.  They were both big globs of mud that vaguely reassured me that, even though I couldn't feel them very well any more, I still had TWO of them.  That was a relief, but one of those feet was suspiciously smaller than the other.

To this day, I do not know exactly when the boot came off my foot and I have no idea how long I was trudging around with only one boot and with the other foot clad in a sock that was now halfway off of the foot.

The good news, if there was any, is that I learned some lessons AND I got a story out of it.  

And I still have both feet.

Revisiting Little Things

Sometimes, when I consider a "throwback" post, I am just looking to identify a really good blog post and share it again. Other times, I want to make a decent post better and I do some re-writing.  Then, there are the times, like this one, where I just want to revisit the topic.  That means I might take some of an old post, or none of an old post, but some of the ideas.

Motivations for today's post comes from the moment in time when I decided the rainfall on the car windshield was interesting - so I took a picture of it.

An assigned story that got the brain started

I remember being assigned a short story to read in 9th grade that comes back to visit my brain every so often.  I have no recollection of the title or the author, but I remember the premise.

We follow an individual through a day where they are feeling good and take pleasures in small things, like the feel of feet on the sidewalk on a sunny, pleasant day.  They take advantage of various opportunities to do something nice for others.  Of course, it was nice enough to read, but I was wondering what the point of it was until we arrived at this person's home and they compare notes with their partner.

The partner had taken the opposite approach, taking pleasure in the fact that they probably got someone fired (among other things).  And, the story ends where they agree to switch roles tomorrow....

Let's just say I had some problems with that whole premise.  But, I suspect that was the whole point.

Permission to enjoy the simple or mundane

Aside from the shock value of two people deciding to take turns as to which person gets to play at being nice or not so nice, I actually prefer to think more about the story before the 'big reveal.'   The main character takes notice of and appreciates a series of things that may not seem like that much of a big deal - and it seems to improve this person's happiness.

How often do you (and I) tell ourselves that it is absurd to be pleased with something because it is too simple, too easy, or just not really all that important?  

We probably do this at least as often as we let something small irritate us and make us unhappy.

I tell you what - I hereby grant myself AND you permission to truly enjoy the little things too so we can offset all of the molehills we turn into mountains when we're not happy with what is going on.

For example, I gave myself permission to attempt to take new pictures of Murphy the Nibster yesterday.  Of course, Murphy is a kitten.  And, as such, Murphy is NOT interested in providing photo-ops for the farmer.  I suppose I could have gotten annoyed that I couldn't get the photo I wanted.  Instead, I just enjoyed trying to get ANY picture that was in focus that featured our active feline friend. 

Simply put, I found it amusing.  And my best picture is shown above.... which amuses me even further. 

Some little things I enjoy

I was tempted to title this section "stupid little things," but thought better of it.  Why?  Because, if I do that, I am still not giving myself permission to actually enjoy them without apology.  There is no reason to apologize here!  We can just let ourselves be happy with some little things.  

Don't make it more complicated.  Don't worry about what anyone else thinks.

I gave myself permission during the morning chores on Wednesday to haul the camera out with me and just see what I found.  I am sure some of the photos will cause people to wonder why I would bother -and that doesn't matter.

It was a little thing that made me happy.

Tammy and I got out of the habit of playing a board game nearly every day once we returned from Kauai in early January.  The reasons why don't matter.  What does matter is that we got back into doing this.  Of course, it would be Wingspan that would get our attention first.  The important thing is that we make this time for each other on a regular basis.

Maybe that's a good bit more than a little thing.

Once again, we potted up some geraniums this fall and put them in the living room window.  And, once again, the plants are very healthy and very happy - and the blooms are coming.   It's a little thing, but it makes us happy.

The new speakers still fill the room around me as I work for PAN most days.  I am discovering and rediscovering music.  Sometimes, I let it distract me from that work.  Maybe I let it distract me too often.  But, the happiness I get from good music puts me in the mood to do better (and more) work.  Who says little things can't lead to bigger things?

Tammy brought me a little decorated wood block some time ago that says "What I love about my home is who I share it with."  It sits to the right of my computer screen and I make sure it doesn't get covered by the flood of papers and other stuff that covers my desk area.

Why?  Because it makes me happy to read that she feels this way.

Someone else took the time to tell me they appreciated Postal History Sundays.  Another let me know that some words I wrote meant something to them.  A friend called me because they hadn't heard from me and was concerned about that.  Another asked for my input on something they were doing.   Someone else said that I had done a good job on something.  Another allowed me to explain what was worrying me without putting words in my mouth or interruption.

These things made me feel valued.  Maybe they didn't seem like much, but that's only true if you don't recognize them and acknowledge that they do matter.

I am reminding myself to take these positives and give them all FULL VALUE.  No apologies for the fact that they might not be a "big deal" and I am certainly not sorry to say that each of them made me feel good. 

The little things are going to help us get through the big things.  What little things have made you happy lately?

Have a great Thursday!

Achievement Unlocked - Walk There Again

 

As Tammy and I planned our walks for this trip to the island of Kauai, we carefully considered how much the repaired Achilles and all of the OTHER muscles, tendons, joints and bones required to hike could take.  We both agreed that the Kuilau Ridge Trail was a reasonable and realistic goal and we would be disappointed if we did not manage it.  The Canyon Trail and the hike to the top of Waipo'o Falls, on the other hand, was purely aspirational.  

In fact, I was a little hesitant to suggest it at first - and I believe I didn't.  I think Tammy suggested it.  So we gave it a go after having several other successful walks.

So, the foot makes another appearance at a new location post-surgery.  We actually had to start by walking a 4-wheel drive road to the trail head for the Canyon Trail.  This road has a reasonably steep grade and is not a perfectly smooth surface.  So, walking it was a non-trivial exercise to begin with.  

Don't get me wrong, hikers with some experience are going to say it's no big deal.  And, as long as you pay attention to where you are going AND remember that the downward slope becomes an upward slope when you return - all will be well.

Every so often, a four-wheel drive vehicle might pass as you trudge down (or up) the road.  We saw a two-wheel drive going down as well.  Sure, you CAN do it if you're really careful, it isn't too wet AND you're kind of lucky.  But, you really shouldn't - just think of the poor folks who have to get you OUT of there if you do get stuck.  

On the return up the road we met a couple where the guy grumbled that they should have driven down to the trail head and said something along the lines of "I don't care about the car, it's only a rental."  

Yeah.  Maybe we'll talk about that in another blog someday.  But, today is NOT that day!  Today, we talk about SUCCESSES!

There were lots of Koa trees on this walk.  I think I mentioned them in the post about the Iliau walk, where there were some smaller specimens.  On this walk, there were numerous, larger Koas - some of which were leaning significantly due to one storm or another.

I am pleased that I became more in tune with recognizing and appreciating Koas each time we went by them.  This part of Koke'e and Waimea Canyon has plenty of them, which I found pleasing and somewhat reassuring for a whole host of reasons.  One of them is the idea that Koa trees have a long history in (and of) this place and it is in their interest to serve as tree guardians here.

As we walked down the road, I found a flower preparing to open.  There was another open flower, further back from the road, so I opted to take a picture of this one.  

It turns out this is a bloom of the Glory Bush, which is considered a concerning invasive species in this area.  That's yet ANOTHER topic I can talk about in a blog.  But, for the purposes of this blog and walk, this bloom actually has a positive purpose.  

Here it suggests that something beautiful is in our future.  And it was actually important at this early stage because Tammy was already second-guessing the decision.  You see, we've walked this trail in the past and she was already very worried about some of the steeper portions on the trail itself.

Since we were staying on the West-side of Kauai, it was easier for us to get an early start into the Waimea Canyon.  We were the first to park in the area where the main Koke'e road meets with this road to the Canyon Trail.  The sun was still lighting the world around us at a fairly steep angle, giving the camera person (me) something to play with once in a while.

Broad leaves were covered in dew drops and there was actually steam rising from some of the low growing plants near the main road when we started.  It wasn't terribly cool (low 60s) but we could see our own breath as we walked.

Speaking of walking.  There is a reason this trail was aspirational rather than a practical goal.  Like most Kauai natural trails, there are obstacles that require attention.  There are rocks embedded in the hard-packed, red earth.  That earth itself could often be damp, making it a slipping hazard.

And there are roots that are exposed throughout the trail itself.  They weren't an issue on the road portion (of course), but once you reach the trail, it's a common hazard.

But, as I said before, most of the Kauai trails have these hazards.  Which means we had already accomplished handling them.  

As Tammy is demonstrating at a later point in the hike, there is some climbing to do (both up AND down).  I wasn't able to take a picture that really illustrated that issue for the wooded portion of the trail. In those areas, you have rocks, roots, slippery surfaces AND some decent steps up and down.  That meant there was a fair amount of starting, stopping, and assists from Tammy's hiking partner (me).

For all of you folks who have healthy Achilles tendons, even you might feel some of this workout.  Now consider that Tammy had hers reattached about six months prior to this hike. She has had to re-teach herself how to walk and use her legs.  I am not entirely sure I can impress upon you how difficult this was and how proud I am of her determination and effort - all while being very aware of her limits so we would know if we had to return before reaching the ultimate goal.  In fact, reaching the goal was in doubt several times along the trail.

Getting back to the walk.  We have found that the sky at the Waimea Canyon can be a very deep blue earlier in the day.  Of course, it was NOT nearly so early once we got to the ridge that leads to the Waipo'o Falls (shown above).  But, it was still early enough that the facing ridge was in shadow - which means Rob could get some pictures of the deep-blue Kauai skies.

So, I talked a little bit about Tammy's Achilles challenges.  Let's now talk about the challenge I had to deal with.  

I am not terribly fond of heights.

Yep.  That's a long ways down.

If you want that perspective, you can read this slightly whimsical version of this hike in 2013 where little birds and goats mocked me as we took this walk.

Let's just say that I can understand how this rock and tree, apparently best buddies, can appreciate the views of the canyons from some great seats.  But, I am not certain I could handle the stress of being that close to the edge.

At least the sky is a nice blue.

Once we got to this point, we stopped in some shade and sat on a nice rock that had situated itself FURTHER form the edge (thankyouverymuch).  We both agreed that Tammy had reached her goal (and possibly her limit) at this point and perhaps she would wait here while Rob went ahead and got a few pictures to share with her.

So, I hiked down the ridge to an interior trail that leads to this little waterfall that fills a shallow pool.  

The good news is, I've done this hike before, so I knew what to expect as far as the trail was concerned.  The first time around, I didn't know where we had to go, so there was a fear that you'd take a wrong turn and experience gravitational acceleration in an up-close and personal way.  But, even knowing where I was going, there was still a little bit of "eek" going on in the brain.

I got to the waterfall.  Looked back.

And there was Tammy!  She informed me that it would be a shame to have come as far as she did without getting to this point.  

Ok then.

So, we took the other spur that leads to the main drop of the Waipo'o Falls.  The climb down to this was going to be too much, so you'll just have to settle with this picture.

We did good, we did.

We climbed back up to the ridge after enjoying the falls for a while and rested in the shade again.  

And, we took a picture of the foot.  Good job foot!

For those who are not familiar, this is Waipo'o Falls in all 800 feet (or so) of its glory.  We walked the ridge that is to the left of the falls and stood just above that first drop that is visible from this viewpoint on the other side of Waimea Canyon.

And then we walked back. It took us about three and half hours to complete both directions.  Yes, we were slower than most hikers and we stepped aside to let people pass many times.  But, speed wasn't the point.  Safety and proper care while stretching what we could do WAS the point.

That, and we love the canyon.  That's a pretty good reason for doing it too.

As we walked back out, we made sure to pay homage to some of the giant evergreen trees that are at the side of the road when things even out.  I am not sure what these trees are, but they can make a person feel pretty small.  Tammy is about even with them in this picture.

And then, as I walked up the road with Tammy, I noticed our little friend, the Glory Bush.

Invasive or not.  It was pretty.  And it was an appropriate summation of this trip.  We had the promise of potential success and ended up achieving it.

Achievement Unlocked - Canyon Trail at the Waimea Canyon to Waipo'o Falls.

Keep Eyes Open for Moments of Awe and Wonder

This is one of the times of year where we have the opportunity to see some of the most amazing color displays in our skies as the sun comes up and when the sun goes down each day.  Tammy and I are fortunate to live in a place where we have mostly unobstructed views if we wish to observe sunrise or sunset.  So, it should not be a surprise that a common exclamation to be heard at the Genuine Faux Farm is "Oooooh!  Look at that sunset!"  And, yes, you can substitute sunrise in that statement if it is morning.

Both of us agree that if we could capture some of these colors, we would love to paint them on the interior walls of the house.  But, we don't (and likely won't) do that because there really is no way to catch the complexity of it all.  Any approximation supplied by paints would be a pale shadow that would not inspire - unless it were to inspire us to pick a new color to cover our failed attempt back up.

On this particular morning, the sunrise was one that started inauspiciously.  It didn't look like it was going to be one of the more outstanding shows.  Suddenly, the interest level went up as things changed over a period of five minutes.  It was enough to get me outside with the camera sans coat, glove and (believe it or not) hat.

I was able to grab a few pictures, but I wasn't quite willing to go traipsing about to find the perfect bit of landscape to frame it.  It turns out that was a good choice, because the colors rapidly faded.  Sometimes the sunrise seems to go on and on, with a light show that lasts long enough that you realize you really should have done your farm chores quite some time ago.  Then, there are mornings like this one.  A quick moment of brilliance, and then we go about our day.

Don't get me wrong.  The rest of the day has its beautiful things, its awesome and wondrous moments.  But, this moment might have been so glorious that it made many other good things pale in comparison.

Keep your eyes open.  These moments that inspire your awe and your wonder for the world around you don't always announce themselves.  We've got to be ready for them, so we can celebrate when they happen - and then celebrate again when we remember them.

Foresight 2023 at the Genuine Faux Farm

The month of February serves as a tipping point for our farm most years.  This is when we have to move on from Farmer Delusional Syndrome and actually make the move towards what will actually happen at the Genuine Faux Farm in the coming year.  If we're going to plant onions, we need to start the seeds now and it won't be long before we need to start other plants if we intend to grow them.  If we're going to raise poultry, the chicks need to be ordered (especially this year with demand for chicks being high).

So, I thought this might be a good time to provide everyone with a farm report that outlines what we THINK we are going to do in 2023.  Of course, time makes fools of us all, so things don't always go according to plan.  So, take the plans for what they are worth - an honest attempt to try to come up with a reasonable set of goals for the farm.

One of those goals is for both of us to avoid a major surgery that makes it that much harder to accomplish anything on the farm (and elsewhere).

The egg (and veggie) email sales will continue

We will continue to offer eggs - and whatever other food products we have available - through our email list.  Deliveries will continue on an every other week basis, with periodic changes when other schedules dictate.  We will continue to make our quick delivery stops in Waverly and Cedar Falls as we have been doing for the past couple of years.

If you want to join the list, use the contact form at the right side of this blog, you may need to scroll down a bit to get to it.

The advantage of this approach is that we can still provide some of the food we produce at a reasonable price to people who have interest.  We can do this without the additional stress and strain that comes with the commitment of a CSA/farm share program, farmers markets or other such set ups.  Essentially, we offer it if we have it and people on the list order it if they want it.  

We are able to do things this way now because both Tammy and I have off-farm employment.  That means we are not under as much strain to make sales.  On the other hand, we are (and will be) under some pressure to get everything done, which is why the delivery windows are small and our product range is reduced from prior years.  We want to grow and provide good food to others, but we have to do it on a scale that is reasonable for the available time we have to give to that endeavor.

What are we growing?

Our first two goals are to feed ourselves and to successfully grow a couple crops for seed contracts with Seed Savers Exchange this year.  Beyond that, we will be growing some vegetables in larger amounts with the stated purpose of offering some of it via the email list and taking the rest to the food bank or other similar destinations.  We may opt to sell some things in bulk depending on the situation.  Additional goals include getting the expense and income sides of the farm to "zero out" and to provide quality food to people that need it while doing so in a way where we can stay healthy while juggling everything we are going to attempt to do.

In other words, we're going to try and let our ideals run the show this year and see where it gets us.

We'll focus on crops we like to eat and crops we like to grow - which only seems fair.  It's also a good way to encourage us to get out there and do the work!  So, we'll be growing beans, peas, potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, sweet corn, squash, and all sorts of other things.  We won't be growing garlic this year, which really seems odd to both of us.  We'll see how we feel about it as we approach the typical harvest time.  We just could not get a combination of time and energy to put our crop in this Fall. 

Our growing areas will include our two high tunnels (Valhalla and Eden) and we will grow in approximately one quarter of the area we grew in during past years when the farm was a much more integral part of our income.  We have to continue to refine the farm to fit our current labor force - which provides many fewer hours of work than it did before. 

There will be poultry in motion

We've gone and done it.

We ordered turkeys for 2023.  Our first target for sales will be the Local Foods Connection, as it has been the last four or five years.  We think we will have one other bulk buyer and the remaining birds will be available for others - assuming there are any at that point.  This is one of those things we have to do to make the task fit with the limits on our available time.  Selling seventy birds to seventy different customers eats up a LOT of time.  Selling sixty birds to two customers and then adding a few sales beyond that to a much smaller group is doable.

We also ordered broilers for 2023, but will only do one batch starting in July this year.  Like 2022, we will not have the numbers of chickens for sale like we did in prior years.  But, we will have some - but they will not be available until the Fall. The argument for a later start is the recognition that we need to be working with the veggies and fruit in May and June.  If we add broilers, along with hens and hen chicks - and then turkeys during the earlier months, we can't get it all done.  So, we moved the broilers later in hopes that the adjustment gives us the ability to accomplish what we want to.

And, yes, we ordered new hen chicks - due to start laying in October or early November.  So, unless something drastic happens, we'll be offering eggs into 2024.

So, there's a summary of some of our 2024 GFF farm plans.  There is, as always, more than that going on.  But, if I told all of that to you now, what would I write in future blogs?

Have a good day everyone!