Using Thanksgiving to Cultivate Gratitude

On this day of the year, in the United States, we have created a holiday we call Thanksgiving.  Like so many things in this world, the depth and complexities remain hidden from so many of us - often in plain sight.  It is so much easier putting a nice little facade in front of the building to hide its true character which, like humanity itself, has its disappointing features and its redeeming qualities.

Because many of us like to have a good "origin" story, we have adapted events of 1621 to fit our idealized first Thanksgiving feast (though it was not ideal).  In fact, if you need to have a "Europeans in North America" Thanksgiving origin, that would actually be much earlier than 1621, according to this Smithsonian article.  But, we should not ignore that peoples throughout the world have celebrated the harvest and given thanks for the blessings of the Earth and the communities in which they live for probably as long as humans have had cause to be grateful.

And that, my friends, is where the root of my celebration of Thanksgiving comes from.  This day is important to me because it provides me with a ritual event where I am encouraged to think and ponder what it means to give thanks.  

What it means to have gratitude.  

What it means to have my eyes open to see the world with awe and wonder.

I try, most years, to write an annual Thanksgiving blog post.  The first such post stuck with being marginally promotional for the Genuine Faux Farm, local foods, and trying to encourage people to think about where and how their food was raised.  But, there was also real and intentional gratitude embedded in those writings.  There is never anything wrong with being genuinely thankful - and making sure you express joy, contentment, and satisfaction that might come with it.  It just so happened that my life, in particular, followed a tight orbit around the Genuine Faux Farm.  So, it should not be a surprise that my observations of the good things in this world might be filtered through that lens.

Over time, as I became more comfortable with the idea that I did not have to edit what I wanted to say so I wouldn't make a potential customer unhappy with me, I expanded my horizons for sharing in writing how I have gone about giving thanks. I suppose some of that freedom came from a realization that it was highly unlikely that a potential customer was going to read much of our blog anyway - except maybe one quick splurge out of curiosity.  But I think it was more the fact that I have a desire to be helpful to others - and that I do not always feel as if I have the power to accomplish that goal.

And now I speak a truth that I have spoken many Thanksgivings prior to this one.  Giving thanks is difficult.

And that's why having a day set aside for giving thanks is important.

It's not for the holiday feast.  It's not to celebrate a mythical, historical dinner.  It's not to show off for others.  It's not for the holiday shopping.  Or at least it shouldn't be.

It is because cultivating gratitude is HARD.  It is because exercising your awe and wonder for this world and the beings on it is IMPORTANT.

And this brings me back to this photo from July of 2010.  This picture reminds me that I can find reasons to give thanks, even in some of the darkest times.

It was in May of that year that Tammy and I were within a whisker's breadth of terminating the grand project that was the Genuine Faux Farm.  The rains had been so persistent that spring and early summer that our crops were literally drowning in the field.  But, we had committed to a field day to build our first high tunnel that July.  Despite considering cancelling, we decided to honor our commitments and we went through with it.

The rains were still falling up to the moment we started unloading the trailer (in fact there were a few raindrops then as well).  And then, the rains stopped.  The high tunnel was built.  And the sunset broke through the clouds.

There it was.  Something to be awestruck by.  Something that made me look at the world in wonder once more.  Something that provided the tiniest bit of hope.  Something we grabbed and ran with.

There are still miracles - and this was one of them in my life.  The miracle was the simple fact that I found enough energy and will inside of myself to recognize reasons to give thanks.  The miracle came when I lifted my head up from the soggy ground and took a moment to look at the world around me and seek out something positive.  It was difficult and I even felt foolish for reading so much into a sunset.  There was still so much work to be done to recover what looked like a lost season.

But this moment of awe and wonder was a turning point that would have been missed if we hadn't made ourselves READY for it with real effort and real intention.

I found new hope and new energy from that moment forward - because I took a moment to exercise my gratitude muscles.  I slowed down to appreciate the beauty of the world around me and it taught me once again that I was stuck in a rut that was largely of my own making.  Certainly, things were bad as far as our current crops and our farm were concerned.  But, we had so much support from so many people.  We were healthy and capable.  The good Earth had not abandoned us either, we just needed to find new ways to work with it and the current circumstance we were in.

I don't know where you are in your life right now.  I will never fully understand what troubles you or how hard things might be for you.  But, I can tell you that I also struggle sometimes to appreciate my life and offer gratitude for it and the things that surround it.  I can tell you that this seems to be normal as I have yet to find one person who does not fight this from time to time.

I can also tell you that seeking out something that evokes feelings of awe and wonder and working to exercise those gratitude muscles works for me.  Maybe it will work for you too?  We are all different and maybe a picture of a sunflower won't help you out much.  Or maybe it will.

Cultivating gratitude is not supposed to be easy, but the work is good, honest work - and the results are worthy of meaningful thanks.

Looking Back at Eden's Start

There was going to be some assembly required

There was a question regarding EQIP funding for high tunnels that came to my attention and I suddenly found myself taking a trip down memory lane.  You see, our first high tunnel, aptly named "Eden" was built in 2010 when the program to allow EQIP funding to help with their construction started.

The Genuine Faux Farm was among the first in the state to apply for and receive funding towards a new high tunnel and I believe ours was the first to be successfully constructed in our county.  It was new territory for us.  It was new territory for the folks in the NRCS office.  And it was newish territory for most small-scale vegetable growers in Iowa.  It was new enough that Practical Farmers of Iowa used our high tunnel build to create a two-day high tunnel build field day in July of 2010.

 

Yes, it does seem odd to see a ladder in the middle when everything else is on the ground.

On the positive side, we got lots of help.  Because it was a sponsored event, we were able to receive support from the designers and fabricators of the high tunnel, Four Seasons Tools, and guidance from Adam Montri of Michigan State University.

On the other hand, the whole thing was almost more of a whirlwind than we could handle.  Early July is already a busy time in the best of years, but 2010 had not been a good year for us up to that point.  There was rain.  And more rain.  And even more rain.  

We had so much rain that most of our field crops were on their way to ending their lives prematurely.  And we were on the verge of calling the Genuine Faux Farm a failed experiment.  And now we were going to host a whole bunch of people at a farm where the moral was low and our confidence was lower.

And, looking back on it, I don't regret having done the field day or the building project at all.

In a very real way, this field day and building project saved the Genuine Faux Farm from extinction that year.  It was because we had agreed to do this project and we felt a responsibility for seeing it through that we fought through to get to the point where many willing hands helped put the hoop building together.

Yes, it's true that Tammy and I spent more time running around finding tools or answering questions for media than we did learning how to build our own high tunnel.  It's also true that we were more involved in all the rest of the logistics than we were wielding impact drivers or shovels.  And, we were a good bit more than exhausted at the end of each day.

And that's coming from two people who knew what it meant to be truly exhausted at the end of a day.

As I review some of the photos from those two days now, I fully recognize the place that was the Genuine Faux Farm in 2010.  And, I can barely recognize the place that is the Genuine Faux Farm in 2023.  It really hasn't been all that long and it has been a lifetime ago.

Even the photo above has numerous reminders that things were different then.  The giant Silver Maple that had been allowed to grow out of the foundation of the garage was a big beautiful tree then.  We had managed to frame out the front of the old garage, but we had yet to work on the nearby Truck Barn (as we call it).  The granary still needed a new roof in 2010 and the cupola (if I have the right term) was still intact on that roof.  

We were still using cold frames to start plants by the Truck Barn and Grover the blue truck was still plugging along helping us do our farm deliveries.

One thing that hasn't changed is the fact that Tammy and I are still a team and we are the most important elements of what has made, and will continue to make, the Genuine Faux Farm what it was and is.  Certainly, some of our dreams from 2010 have not survived to the present day.  Many of those visions have been changed either because the reality of our lives forced changes or we found there was a way that fit our realities better.

But, the best thing is to look at these images and realize that we have shown ourselves that we are resilient and we are capable.  We are not as timid as we sometimes think we are, nor are we as inconsistent or uncertain as we worry we have been.

Sure.  Others might have been or might be more aggressive, more adventuresome, more profitable or more whatever it is measure you want to pick.  But many, many others have also been less so.  Once again, using whatever measure you want.  Besides, this was never a competition with anyone other than ourselves.  We've always been seeking to be our best selves rather than seeking to best someone else.

In short, we've done alright.  We've fought through some tough stuff and done some things to be proud of.  And we've done it with integrity and a good heart.

There isn't much more I could have asked of us.  Well done us.  Even if I do say so myself.

Around the Bend

When Tammy and I take a hike on a trail, we do like to take a moment and enjoy our surroundings as we go.  This is even more pronounced if we bring a camera along because we like to try and look at things different ways and capture different viewpoints of where we are at that point in time on the path.

Most of the pictures don't turn out to be much of anything from a 'photo' perspective.  In fact, most of them end up being deleted.  But, some few of them look pretty good and many of them help transport ourselves back to that moment.

Then, there are pictures that - even though I remember that moment and place - make me wonder, "What would I find if I stepped into that picture and followed the trail I see?  What would be around the bend?"

Would the trees welcome our presence?  Would there be a light breeze or would it be perfectly calm?  Are there birds in the underbrush to the right and left?  Would they grow silent as we stepped through or would they continue to chatter, not caring that someone magically appeared on the path nearby?

Would we remember to look carefully at where we are now and appreciate things like the texture of bark, the smell of leaves and the rustle of sound as a small creature darts around in the brush?  Or will we focus too hard on our destination - the area after we turn that bend in the path? 

I just hope that we can be happy to be on the path in the first place.

Realm of Peace and Content

The vegetable plots on our farm have not qualified as 'gardens' for a very long time.  We crossed the border between gardener and grower or farmer once we got to a point where we could honestly (and accurately) tell ourselves that we had "cut back" and will only harvest nine hundred or so onions this year.

Even so, I will proudly wear the name of 'farmer' or 'gardener' if others feel it is appropriate as long as both those labels are equated with being a steward of the land.  The responsibility of actively caring for the land and the things that grow and live on it (and in it) is difficult, rewarding, tiring, fulfilling, frustrating, interesting, and, above all, diverse.

If I were asked to differentiate between a farmer and gardener, I might be tempted to point to the words that carry a negative connotation (difficult, tiring, frustrating).  The act of growing for others on a larger scale than a garden entails a certain undertone of worry/concern/stress that pervades every moment on the farm.  

Perhaps the key descriptor that comes to mind when I think about being a professional grower is the word "relentless."  Once you start down the path of growing on a diverse farm like ours, you don't have the option of delaying things until you feel like doing it.  Don't take this wrong.  There are always choices to be made and there is always some level of flexibility.  In fact, it is valid to make the choice to NOT do something as long as you know that the consequence is the potential loss of a crop (for example).  But, the work that needs to be done on a farm like ours is relentless.  It doesn't have an end if you intend to be a grower and land steward and it doesn't look at your schedule to determine when it might give you a bit of a break.

Now, there were also the positive descriptors (rewarding, fulfilling, interesting, diverse) that come along for the ride too.  If they weren't part of the equation, the unrelenting nature of farming/growing would drive practically everyone out of the profession.

I've been a fan of Tolkien Lord of the Rings for a very long time and I have read the books more times than I can remember.  The wonderful thing about the books is that I can re-read them and find something new that speaks to me in a way it hasn't before.  Perhaps that says more about me than it does about Tolkien, but that isn't what matters here.

"Your land must be a realm of peace and content, and there must gardeners be in high honour."

 J.R.R. Tolkien in The Two Towers

And, this is why I want to make sure I never completely shed the label "gardener."  

What are some of the things that drew us to this vocation in the first place?  Do we not still enjoy hearing the birds sing and feeling the breeze on our faces while we do some task in the fields that requires the use of our bodies and hands? We still take moments to view a flower or two and acknowledge the bees, butterflies and hummingbirds that move among them.  Isn't there still a sense of satisfaction when we harvest some beautiful apples or we smell the basil as we walk next to it?

Yes.  There is still a sense of peace and contentment on the farm.  It's there for the taking.  We just need to allow ourselves to recognize and accept it.

 

"The one small garden of a free gardener was all his need and due, not a garden swollen to a realm;

 his own hands to use..."  

J.R.R. Tolkien about Samwise Gamgee in Return of the King

There is a sense of place and belonging that comes with the farm (or garden).  Perhaps this is not true for everyone since I am aware of many people who have declared to me and others that gardening is something they NEVER want to do.  But, for someone like me, the garden helps me to find my place again.  

It may not be the small garden alluded to for Mr. Gamgee, but it is always a good reminder that there is reward in working with what you have in the best ways you know how.  It is also a good thing to reflect on what we do on our farm frequently so we can see the positive things that happen and accept what we have as what is good enough for us.  Of course, this does not mean that we won't look at opportunities and assess them as we always have.  But, there is a difference between looking carefully at opportunity versus belittling that which is in front of you because you think you want something else.

Pardon me, but I need to go out and survey my realm of peace and content now.

Not How We Planned It

We do have some apple trees at the Genuine Faux Farm.  When we first moved to the farm, we made sure to put in some apple trees and added to their numbers over the next several years.  Some years, we have had apples.  Other years, we have not.

A whole host of things can push our apples towards good or bad harvests.  But, it rarely seems that we get an "in-between" year.  We've also lost some apple trees over the years.  We were very sad a few years ago when one of our Fireside apple trees succumbed to a couple of windstorms.  The first came from one direction and the other finished it off by coming from another direction.

But, there is one apple tree that has continued to thrive - and this is after we feared it wasn't going to get past its first year on the farm.

Several years back we picked up a few bare-root trees, and among them was this little Cortland apple tree.  We put it into the ground on the west side of one of our orchard areas.  We call it an orchard, but there has never been more than five fruit trees in this area at any one time.

We planted it, we watered it and it seemed like it was going to do ok.  Until we got a windstorm that snapped our little tree off at about one foot above the ground.

Now here's where the story gets interesting.  There had been a sucker (a branch growing out of the lower trunk area) that I was meaning to prune, but I hadn't got around to doing it.  Now this sucker was above the grafted area of the tree and below where the trunk snapped.  The sucker had a few leaves.  So, I decided I would just leave the tree there and see what happened the next year.

Why not?  It wasn't going to hurt anything and I could take it out the next Spring.

To make a long story less long, this is that very same Cortland apple tree.  It's our healthiest and our strongest apple tree on the farm.  And yesterday, we harvested several bushels of apples off of this tree.

It's not how we planned it, but the results are what we dreamed.  I think we can live with that. 

Be A Real Fan

It's the time of year when baseball is often on my mind.  I like the game for what it is, even if I don't always appreciate some of the culture that comes along with it.  This post was originally shared in 2020 on July 6, I have made a few readability edits - otherwise it is the same post.  The story and the thoughts are still as relevant now as they were then and I thank you for reading and considering them (both the story and the thoughts).

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

My Dad likes to tell the story about how I turned out to be a left-handed baseball player.  Apparently, he would toss a ball towards me with his right hand and I would pick it up and throw it back with my left.  When he decided to test this out by tossing one my way with his left hand, I returned it with my right. 

Yes, I was an observant child - even if my observations were very much colored by my own personal perspective.  That explains why I throw left-handed.  It may explain some other things, I'm just not sure what.

Growing up, I would certainly participate in football and basketball, but baseball was the sport that attracted me the most.  I played all the way through high-school and considered college, but found time to be too limited and had to make choices.  Once I graduated, I found fast-pitch softball and then rediscovered baseball when my brother invited me to play in a baseball league centered around the Newton/Des Moines area.  I was still playing in that league until about 2012 or so.  I didn't stop playing because I couldn't or didn't want to.  I stopped because the combination of the drive and conflicts with the farm and other duties became too much. 

Who is that "00" guy?

You're Garbage!

Our high school home games were called by the local radio station and we did have someone running the PA address and scoreboard.  There was even a concessions stand.  One of the things I recall is that our Newton Cardinals did not have terribly many 'fans' who attended our games at Woodland Park.  But, there was a core group consisting mostly of parents and family, a few good friends and even a few community members that just liked to support us with their presence. 

Then, there was the group who came to the park and used the game as an excuse to gather.  In a very loose sense of the word, they were 'fans.'  They would cheer our team if we did something good - if they managed to notice.  What they were really there for was the 'sport' of jeering our opponents.

"Heyyy #12!!!  You SUCK!  You're GARBAGE!  Go back to your hole in the ground!"

Normally, they were not terribly creative because the only thing that changed was the uniform number, the rest of the words were essentially the same.  The players could usually ignore it as background noise.  But, I will tell you this - very few of us, if any, found it to be of any real value when we were the home team.  When these people didn't show, we didn't miss them one bit.

This group would cross a line if, heaven help you, you were the away team and there was a player on your team who had a physical characteristic that made them stand out.

"Hey FATTY!  Get off the field and go eat more candy!"
"Go gnaw down a tree for a new bat Bucky!"
or
"Nigger!  I've got a rope right here for you!"

Yes.  I heard each of those at high school games.  The last was directed at one of our Junior Varsity players when I was a senior (and not on the JV squad).  You see, each and every school had an area where a group of people who were not really fans would come to hang out and use the game as an excuse to belittle and abuse others.  And yes, players were instructed to ignore them regardless of what was said.  But, it did not stop the entire varsity squad from sending a collective glare towards the source of that last comment.

It wasn't right then - and it isn't right now.  And I see that this still goes on with a sad example at a 2020 Waverly-Shell Rock game. 

What Real "Fans" Do

I have something to tell you - I AM left-handed - sort of.

Why would a person drive 2 to 2.5 hours, ONE WAY, to play one or two games of men's baseball every weekend during the Summer when there was a farm to take care of?  I was asked that question frequently when people learned how far away from the ballpark I lived.  It wasn't until I was also asking that question a bit too often that we stopped making the trip.  It certainly wasn't because I was tired of playing and it was not because of the wildlife.

Obviously, there is a love for the game and a joy that comes with participating.  But, I would not have continued if I didn't have Tammy's support.  She typically drove both ways.  As a passenger I could begin prepping by putting on the suntan lotion, stretching etc etc.  She also drove back because someone who was functioning well should be driving!  After a double header in Summer heat, that was not me.

But, I want to go back again to my high school playing days to memories of what the true fans did that encouraged me to continue to play this game well after most had tried slow pitch softball for a few seasons before ceasing to play altogether.  The things I remember hearing were words of encouragement and praise for effort.  Perhaps my Dad didn't think I was listening for him, but I heard his words and his tone that encouraged all of us to do well.  And, by that I mean the whole team.  He bothered to learn names.  He didn't have to say too much either, because even a little bit went a long way.

The great news?  He was not the only parent who was at many games and who dished out the praise and the support.  I remember Mr. Trease doing the same - I recognized his voice because I played on the same team as his son through little leagues and into high school.  No one blamed them if they reserved more support for their team - but they also applauded fine plays by the opposition as well.  If someone crossed the line, they would say so.  The problem of course, is that the group that was there to jeer were typically well away from the rest of the fans.

Even better news?  There were parents like that at most schools I remember playing at.  It was actually a bit uncomfortable when we played at a school where there wasn't a positive fan base for the home team.
 
We Need More Real Fans
Let me be perfectly clear here.  I loved playing baseball.  And I got to be quite good at the "Do or Die" play from Right Field.

But, looking back, I learned more while I was playing baseball than you might think.

• I learned that there are people who love getting attention and approval by attacking others.
• I learned that people like that are motivated by someone else's failure because it makes them feel better about their own shortcomings.
• I learned that there are some pretty ugly ideas out there and that it is good for me to think harder about my own assumptions regarding other people.
• I learned that heckling and jeering has no real value overall.  At best, it is ignored as background noise.  At worst it can permanently wound a person.
• And, I learned where some of those 'lines' are that should not be crossed.  When they are, it is time to push back rather than ignore what is going on.

Even better - I learned some things from the real fans!

•  I learned that I can achieve positive things and I learned to adjust my goals based on what I had achieved thus far.
• I learned that it isn't just about me - it's about making the whole team better.
• I learned to appreciate the success of others, while I also learned to celebrate my own accomplishments.
• I learned the value of encouragement and enduring support.
• I learned that role models (both positive and negative) have power, but it is up to those of us looking at these people to decide what sort of power we will give them.
• I learned how to give constructive criticism blended with praise for effort and encouragement to help others learn and improve.

And, I learned to appreciate the people who showed up and gave us real support and real encouragement.  As far as I know, none of the Newton Cardinal teams I played on had players that went on to professional baseball.  But, because there were some real fans, I suspect there were a number of young ball players who turned into pretty good people.

Today's challenge to us all - be real fans.

Appreciation for Motivational Help

We haven't kept it a secret.  We have had some trouble getting the season started at the Genuine Faux Farm largely because we had very bad timing for falling ill.  Failure to even just get high tunnels and fields cleaned up so we could plant was a source of stress and disappointment.  Neither of us wanted to give up (especially Farmer Rob) but we just couldn't come up with enough energy and motivation to push to make it happen.

Then "the Gang" visited our farm and helped us succeed in some "Visual Improvement," and then joined us for conversation and good food.  Just like that, things didn't seem quite so hopeless anymore.  

What has followed is continued success in our recoveries as we are finding we can do more each day.  Valhalla, our larger high tunnel, has all but one bed planted now - and that bed is being reserved for a later planting, so this was actually on purpose!

The cages are up on all but a few tomatoes.  The green beans are germinating.  The tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and melons all look good.  A few more cages, some trellis for the melons and cukes and a little cleanup on some edges and we're in good shape here!  

The peppers are looking great.  Unlike the tomatoes, they were actually at their peak as far as health when we put them in.  A little longer and they would have started to decline because they can only stay in the 4 1/2 inch pots so long.  

The tomatoes are already looking greener.  We know they won't do much for new growth that we can see for a few more days because they are busy shooting out new roots so they can bring in the nutrients.  But, once they catch the roots up, watch out!  I'll have to be out there training them to stay INSIDE of those cages soon.
 

 Our progress did not stop in Valhalla either.  The Southwest plot already had onions, but now the brassica we normally pair up with onions have been planted as well.  We even got a row of flowers to attract pollinators for the melons that are on the other side of them.

The electric fence is up to prevent various critters from doing damage and the irrigation is in place and working.

The fence and irrigation both have something to do with the Severe Drought area (dark orange in northeast Iowa) we find ourselves in this season.  The combination of heat, dry air and a little wind can dry out young plants quickly.  As a result, we have to be ready with the water.

Unfortunately, every other creature in our area is ALSO looking for water.  This includes the raccoons that took to chewing on the irrigation header line.  They also took the effort to pull out all of the spigots from that line.  

I'm sure they can get through the fence if they really want it, but they'll have to pay with some discomfort.  Meanwhile, we've added a few water stations at the farm so creatures here can get something to drink.  We'll let you all know how that's working out.

And there you are.  The help we received brought motivation along for the ride.  We're still way behind and we recognize there is still some stress around that.  But, there is also hope.  And where there is hope, there is opportunity.  

Here's to taking that opportunity and running with it.

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!

End of Year Giving 2023

This will be the third year in a row that I have taken the time to write a blog like this. The motivation came when someone I know asked me for recommendations for end of year donations that had to do with farm, food, and the environment with ties to Iowa.  I am fortunate to have some insight on this, but I don't pretend to know everything, nor do I have full knowledge of every worthy organization in the state or that works in the state.  I can only share what I know - so here we are.

If you have information about other worthy organizations, you can feel free to share them with - then we'll be even!

Once again, I want to remind us all to be patient while the organizations we support inundate us with requests for donations.  Don't take your name off of their mailing lists in disgust.  Instead, watch more carefully for the other things they ask you to do and the resources they provide.  Use those metrics, among others, to determine to whom you are willing to provide support.  Then, if you don't like what you see as check out their work, take your name off of the list.  For now, exercise patience and grace as they all do what they need to in order to secure funding.  

Just remember, many of these organizations exist because you and I don't have the space in our lives to do things like look out for the environment or provide a food resource for those who need it or.. pick your topic that really speaks to you.  They put people on salary so they can focus on trying to make these good things happen.  But, if they don't have the money, they can't have the people.  If they don't have the money, they can't provide the food.  If the don't have the money, they can't monitor legislation and inform you when something important is happening

And, hey... if you don't like being told WHEN you should give, then take matters into your own hands.  Make a budget and a schedule for your giving and send the money on your own terms.  Then you can blithely ignore the additional requests for money while paying attention to the requests to help make change happen.  

Things like this action to ban organophosphate chemicals on our food.

First - Please consider a gift to PAN on my Peer-to-Peer Fundraising effort

Before I get too far, let me send out a plug for my Peer to Peer effort to raise $500 for Pesticide Action Network, where I serve as Communications Manager.  Yesterday's blog featured this campaign and if you would like to participate, here is the link. 

I have to admit, a small, prideful part of me wants to show the rest of the PAN staff that this steward of a small-scale, diversified farm can come through and meet a goal for fundraising too!  Multi-talented I am!  Or at least persistent in my writing.

For those who are interested, PAN's Charity Navigator rating is now 89.0.  It has gone up two years in a row. They must have heard I work there.  Or maybe they have YET to hear that I work there.  Take it how you will.

This Year's Recommendations

Last year, Tammy and I recently received a request to identify organizations with Iowa ties that promote the health of our environment - whether it is by encouraging/discouraging particular farming practices or supporting wild areas in the state.  This year you will find the focus is, again, environment, food and farming - because that's what I know most about.

We took a moment and checked our recommendations out on Charity Navigator, which does not have complete ratings for every organization, especially if they are smaller.  We encourage you to look beyond the number ratings to see what the rating is based on.  You can decide what, if anything, in these ratings matter to you.  

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.

This list is provided (after the first entry) in no particular order.

Iowa Farmers Union

Charity Navigator - N/A

IFU has been a force for pushing alternative policy approaches in a state that does not seem to want to listen to ideas that don't come from corporate agriculture.  IFU has pushed back against the process of farm consolidation, which results in larger farms.  You may notice that IFU has taken a stand to stop pesticide drift, reduce agricultural runoff into our waterways and encourage diverse farmscapes.

The people at IFU have the energy to push for policy change and they need support to maintain that energy and make some progress.  I have had the privilege to speak at one at their annual conventions and have participated in their policy discussions.  This past year I also worked with them on their Iowa Legislature Lobby Day.  

I continue to appreciate the heart and tenacity of the people that make IFU work.

Iowa Organic Association

Charity Navigator - N/A

The Iowa Organic Association is a smaller organization that has been around longer than you think - yet its impact is being felt more and more in recent years.  One of its biggest contributions has been various workshops to help farmers figure out how they can transition to organic production. Even more recently, they have been combining presentations with farmers who certify organic as schools throughout the state.  I was honored to join them in Cedar Falls as the farmer who paired in the presentation with IOA at the University of Northern Iowa for the past two years.  We also had a group come out to the farm this past spring and I participated in a webinar just this week (Tuesday).

If we can find ways to encourage more farmers in row cropping systems to adopt organic practices, we can make a big difference in our environment.

Seed Savers Exchange

Charity Navigator - 82

If open pollinated seed access and preservation are important to you, then Seed Savers should be an organization you consider supporting.  This organization maintains some beautiful land in northeast Iowa, sustainably managing natural areas as well as a heritage orchard, seed production gardens and display gardens.  

Our farm has relied heavily on a number of heritage and heirloom seed varieties sold by SSE for our vegetable production over the years.  If you love Black Krim tomatoes, Thelma Sanders Acorn Squash or Grandpa Admire's Lettuce, you can thank Seed Savers for making them available to farms like ours and gardeners like yourself (if you garden).  Our farm has pushed back against the increased reliance on F-1 hybrid seeds by trying to use open pollinated varieties whenever we are able to - we support Seed Savers mission, in part, by simply working to grow and sell those varieties rather than relying on an increasingly small number of seed producers.  Diversity in seed is important.

And, in 2021, we started raising crops to produce seed for Seed Savers.  So, I would say we feel like we have a strong alignment with the values Seed Savers Exchange promotes.

Northeast Iowa Food Bank

Charity Navigator - 99

As growers of food, Tammy and I are often acutely aware of the fact that there are many people in our area that are "food insecure."  Because we raise quality food products, we have regularly made contributions of food and money to the food bank.   Just in the past couple of years we have made direct contributions of high quality broccoli, acorn squash and garlic.

Tammy has also worked multiple times with Northeast Iowa Food Bank on various projects.  Her research classes have frequently designed, implemented and analyzed the results of surveys to help assess some of the services offered by NEIFB.  Some of you might even recall that Tammy was involved in the initial processes that brought about the Waverly Community Gardens, including the efforts led each year by Ron Lenthe to grow food that goes to the food bank.

All in all, it has been a privilege to witness the positive steps NEIFB have made over the years.

Scattergood Friends School (and Farm)

Charity Navigator - 85

This recommendation may seem a bit out of place if we are talking about environmental issues, but this is where our personal connection gives us an inside scoop to understand what the non-profit does.  We have friends who teach at the school and run the farm that is attached to the school.  We are aware of how the school uses its farm and surrounding natural areas to educate young people with hands-on experiences.  Exposing young people to nature and to how food is grown (they raise vegetables and meats for consumption at the school) is an excellent way to make a difference in how we care for our world now and how we prepare to care for it in future generations.

Practical Farmers of Iowa

Charity Navigator - 100  

If you have read our blogs over the years, then you have heard about Practical Farmers of Iowa.  PFI supports on-farm research, which encourages farmers of all types (row crop, grazing, orchards, horticulture) to 'stay curious' about farming and continue to look for better ways to do things, rather than simply accept what agribusiness tells us to do.  Our farm has participated in several research projects and we have held multiple field days for PFI.

PFI strongly supports the increased use of cover crops to reduce erosion, supply fertility, suppress weeds and provide alternatives to current agricultural processes.  It was PFI who helped create videos on pesticide drift and resources for those who have been drifted on.   Spoiler alert, you might recognize one of the two farmers featured in those videos.  Just this past year, I was involved in creating a new webinar on how to deal with pesticide drift and I will be presenting at their annual conference in January on how to seek compensation for drift.

 Xerces Society

Charity Navigator - 94

The Xerces Society is a national organization that has had a strong presence in Minnesota and has also had some good connections to Iowa.  Once again, you can let them know how much you appreciate their attention to a state, such as Iowa, by pointing out how much we need help maintaining our pollinator and invertebrate populations.

Xerces is my "go to" resource when I need to learn more about pollinators and pollinator habitats.  In fact, we hosted a field day with Xerces and Practical Farmers of Iowa in 2016.  Xerces has also helped other farmers (not just veggie farmers) install pollinator strips, beetle banks and other habitat areas.  Our pollinators need support now and Xerces is a key organization.  

Over the past year, I have worked (with my PAN hat firmly in place) with Xerces staff as part of a Herbicide Working Group that has met with the EPA to alert them to the continued hazards of dicamba products - one of the primary reasons that Iowa's Oak trees are struggling (among other things - but that's for another day).

Rodale Institute Midwest Organic Center

Charity Navigator - 97

Rodale is synonymous with organic.  We have at least two Rodale books that have been in our reference library from day one at the Genuine Faux Farm.  While Rodale is centered on the East coast, they recently (in the past three or four years) opened their Midwest Organic Center in Marion, Iowa.  

In my opinion, it is important that organizations such as Rodale, PAN and Xerces put a focus in a state such as Iowa.  Why?  Well, Iowa may be one of the most unfriendly states (in general) for their efforts with the overwhelming strength of corporate agriculture in opposition to their goals.  The strength of these larger organizations are needed if we want to make headway.  If you decide to donate to Rodale, please tell them that you support their center in Marion.

Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation

Charity Navigator - 100

Here is an organization that works on preserving natural areas in Iowa by supporting the process for lands to be protected by easements.  I have been a supporter of INHF from the time I took my first job in Cedar Rapids until the present day.  I have watched their efforts as they have helped to preserve the Loess hills in western Iowa and set aside larger contiguous pieces of land in the Upper Iowa River Valley (among others).  

I won't pretend to be perfectly knowledgeable about such things, but I suspect we would have even fewer natural areas in this state if INHF didn't exist.  Oh, and some of the beautiful photography on their magazine is quite worthwhile.

Iowa Environmental Council

Charity Navigator - 85 

The Iowa Environmental Council is another organization with which I have some personal connection.  Some of IEC's work helped us through the process of putting solar panels on our own farm by connecting us with a site evaluator.

If you are concerned about the health of Iowa's land and waterways, support renewable energy and want to take action to respond to climate change, IEC is a good place to look.  IEC is a policy oriented organization, looking to advocate for changes at the governmental level to support renewable energy, clean water and land stewardship.  So, if you are looking for legislative change, this is one you should consider.

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

I hope you found this review worthwhile to read and I hope you found some of the information useful.  Tammy and I are both happy to support each of these organizations as we are able throughout the year.  We are also pleased to support other organizations, such as Cedar Valley Friends of the Family.  We also have traditionally supported Iowa Public Radio and Iowa Public Television because we value the services of balanced new reporting and educational television.  I, in particular, remain grateful for the free access to resources from public television when I was growing up.   

Don't get us wrong - we aren't trying to say we are key supporters for any of these organizations, we don't have that much money or influence.  And we are definitely NOT saying we are better than anyone else.  What we are saying is that if you were asking our opinions (and someone did), this is where much of our money and support flows when we are able to give it.

Have a great day and thank you for lending your support to others in whatever way you are able.  Kind words mean something.  Careful and thoughtful actions are important.  And, when you can, donating resources (time, money, etc) is also important.  When we care and put effort into HOW we care, we help make this world a better place.

Continuing to Cultivate Gratitude

On this day of the year, in the United States, we have created a holiday we call Thanksgiving.  Like so many things in this world, the depth and complexities remain hidden from so many of us - often in plain sight.  It is so much easier putting a nice little facade in front of the building to hide its true character which, like humanity itself, has its disappointing features and its redeeming qualities.

Because many of us like to have a good "origin" story, we have adapted events of 1621 to fit our idealized first Thanksgiving feast (though it was not ideal).  In fact, if you need to have a "Europeans in North America" Thanksgiving origin, that would actually be much earlier than 1621, according to this Smithsonian article.  But, we should not ignore that peoples throughout the world have celebrated the harvest and given thanks for the blessings of the Earth and the communities in which they live for probably as long as humans have had cause to be grateful.

And that, my friends, is where the root of my celebration of Thanksgiving comes from.  This day is important to me because it provides me with a ritual event where I am encouraged to think and ponder what it means to give thanks.  

What it means to have gratitude.  

What it means to have my eyes open to see the world with awe and wonder.

I try, most years, to write an annual Thanksgiving blog post.  The first such posts stuck with being marginally promotional for the Genuine Faux Farm, local foods, and trying to encourage people to think about where and how their food was raised.  But, there was also real and intentional gratitude embedded in those writings.  There is never anything wrong with being genuinely thankful - and making sure you express joy, contentment, and satisfaction that might come with it.  It just so happened that my life, in particular, followed a tight orbit around the Genuine Faux Farm.  So, it should not be a surprise that my observations of the good things in this world might be filtered through that lens.

Over time, as I became more comfortable with the idea that I did not have to edit what I wanted to say so I wouldn't make a potential customer unhappy with me, I expanded my horizons for sharing in writing how I have gone about giving thanks. I suppose some of that freedom came from a realization that it was highly unlikely that a potential customer was going to read much of our blog anyway - except maybe one quick splurge out of curiosity.  But I think it was more the fact that I have a desire to be helpful to others - and that I do not always feel as if I have the power to accomplish that goal.

And now I speak a truth that I have spoken many Thanksgivings prior to this one.  Giving thanks is difficult.

And that's why having a day set aside for giving thanks is important.

It's not for the holiday feast.  It's not to celebrate a mythical, historical dinner.  It's not to show off for others.  It's not for the holiday shopping.  Or at least it shouldn't be.

It is because cultivating gratitude is HARD.  It is because exercising your awe and wonder for this world and the beings on it is IMPORTANT.

Once again - in 2022 - I reached the week of our annual giving of thanks.  And I didn't feel particularly grateful.  I didn't feel particularly giving.  I didn't feel much like writing a post extolling others to do the same.  So, I went back and re-read myself (as silly as that might sound) and found this statement calling to me yet again.

If gratitude were easy, it would not be nearly so wonderful and fulfilling as it is when we work to give meaningful thanks.

And this brings me back to this photo from July of 2010.  This picture reminds me that I can find reasons to give thanks, even in some of the darkest times.

It was in May of that year that Tammy and I were within a whisker's breadth of terminating the grand project that was the Genuine Faux Farm.  The rains had been so persistent that spring and early summer that our crops were literally drowning in the field.  But, we had committed to a field day to build our first high tunnel that July.  Despite considering cancelling, we decided to honor our commitments and we went through with it.

The rains were still falling up to the moment we started unloading the trailer (in fact there were a few raindrops then as well).  And then, the rains stopped.  The high tunnel was built.  An the sunset broke through the clouds.

There it was.  Something to be awestruck by.  Something that made me look at the world in wonder once more.  Something that provided the tiniest bit of hope.  Something we grabbed and ran with.

There are still miracles - and this was one of them in my life.  The miracle was the simple fact that I found enough energy and will inside of myself to recognize reasons to give thanks.  The miracle came when I lifted my head up from the soggy ground and took a moment to look at the world around me and seek out something positive.  It was difficult and I even felt foolish for reading so much into a sunset.  There was still so much work to be done to recover what looked like a lost season.

But this moment of awe and wonder was a turning point that would have been missed if we hadn't made ourselves READY for it with real effort and real intention.

I found new hope and new energy from that moment forward - because I took a moment to exercise my gratitude muscles.  I slowed down to appreciate the beauty of the world around me and it taught me once again that I was stuck in a rut that was largely of my own making.  Certainly, things were bad as far as our current crops and our farm were concerned.  But, we had so much support from so many people.  We were healthy and capable.  The good Earth had not abandoned us either, we just needed to find new ways to work with it and the current circumstance we were in.

So, this Thanksgiving, as I wrote this year's blog, I was wondering where my thoughts would go and where the words would take me.  And it comes to this...

I don't know where you are in your life right now.  I will never fully understand what troubles you or how hard things might be for you.  But, I can tell you that I also have struggled to appreciate my life and offer gratitude for it and the things that surround it.  I can tell you that this seems to be normal as I have yet to find one person who does not struggle at least periodically.

I can also tell you that seeking out something that evokes feelings of awe and wonder and working to exercise those gratitude muscles works for me.  Maybe it will work for you too?  We are all different and maybe a picture of a sunflower won't help you out much.  Or maybe it will.

Cultivating gratitude is not supposed to be easy, but the work is good, honest work - and the results are worthy of meaningful thanks.

Giving Gifts

 

There is one person in particular (other than myself) who must carry much of the burden of hearing my unedited self.  This person often hears the words that escape my lips before I recapture them and turn them over a time or two before either reconsidering their worth or giving them the freedom of my voice or the recognition of their appearance on paper or electronic screen.

You see, when you read things on this blog, they have been considered.  They have been prodded and poked.  They have been filtered and sorted.  And many, many more words have been rejected as well.  

There are far more words on the editing floor than there ever will be in the blog posts or other writings I have produced or ever will produce in my lifetime.

And, even with all of that process, words and thoughts are expressed that I am sometimes less than proud of having, much less sharing.  Which makes me consider all of the words on the "cutting room floor" and those times when the editing machine is broken, or unplugged, or otherwise ignored.

So, in honor of a personal anniversary, I offer the gift of gratitude to all who are willing to deal with my unedited self.  But, in particular, I honor Tammy, my partner in life, who hears me the most when I am less than my best.

For the willingness to share in the process of refining and editing the words and the thoughts, I give thanks and gratitude.  That's a gift I continue to treasure.

Why - Two K!

 

As I was looking to see what partially finished blogs I might feel like completing this week I noticed something that surprised me.  You see, there is this little pop-up in blogger that tells you how many posts you have and I just happened to look at it as I was looking at the list of blogs that were in draft status. 

Here's what I saw as I looked:

As of Sunday, the Genuinely Faux blog had 1,998 blog entries published.  That was when I suddenly realized that I was only two entries away from my 2000th blog post.  

Are you kidding me?!?  How in the world did THAT happen?

Oh.  I suppose the big blogging blitz I started when the pandemic was really taking hold might have something to do with it.

I celebrated 1000 posts on October 13, 2017 with a post that highlighted some entertaining words from many of those 1000 entries.  I looked at it and I thought to myself, "Great.... now I have to do some sort of celebratory blog for 2000 posts.  When am I going to find time and energy to do all of that work and figure out what things I should highlight?"

That's when I realized I was going about this all wrong.

We're supposed to celebrate the round numbers, not make work out of them.  Well, actually, we should celebrate any number.  Each time we succeed at something... anything... we should allow ourselves at least a moment to feel a little pleasure that we have accomplished some task.  The round numbers (like 2000) remind us to take a moment to recognize the aggregate of something we have done.  To take some pleasure in the resiliency, tenacity, skill and good fortune that allowed us to accomplish some sort of thing over and over again.

We should recognize and celebrate things like "live another decade together as a married couple" (congratulations Mom & Dad!).  Or to a lesser extent, reaching the number 400 as we were harvesting Thelma Sanders acorn squash on Sunday.

And perhaps reaching 2000 blog entries on this blog today is worth some feelings of accomplishment.

We can celebrate things in many ways.  For example, I took that really neat picture that opened up this blog.  The skies had an almost surreal look to them for most of the day and I just had to capture that image with the bright red roof as contrast.  I celebrated a beautiful day where we were accomplishing good things by capturing a beautiful image.

And our oak friends were painting the sky yet again, giving us contrast so we could better see the depth of the blues and the textures of the clouds.  So, I celebrated that moment as well.

Once I reminded myself that 2000 posts should not mean having to create a blog post I don't feel like creating right now, I suddenly felt much more like celebrating.  I also realized exactly how valuable it can be to let yourself feel a sense of accomplishment.  And, it really doesn't matter how small that accomplishment might be.  It is healthy and good for your well-being to have a sense of accomplishment in your life - whether it is something small (I took a picture on a beautiful day) or a decent-sized accomplishment (2000 blog posts) or something magnificent (like 60 years of marriage).

Here's hoping each of you find at least one thing in your life to celebrate today!