Changes On the Horizon

After a streak of four years where I averaged 300 blog posts each year, I was feeling like it was time to re-assess my writing priorities.  So, I put out the obligatory end of year/beginning of year posts and then I stopped putting much material out beyond Postal History Sunday.  This post will be published on the 24th of the month and it will be the 7th post on this blog for the year.

I can't tell you how strange this has felt - to take a break from writing.  I certainly don't miss the constant low-level stress that came from the internal pressure to produce.  But, then again, I do find myself feeling like I am missing something valuable.  It's almost as if I have removed some of the purpose from my life that, apparently, frequent writing provided for me.

On the other hand, it's not like I have decided to stop writing entirely.  I want to write differently and a nearly daily blog doesn't give space for that.

I've come to realize that I want to raise the quality of my writing.  That means each article or blog post should be given a bit more space and time to become a quality effort.  I've also been feeling pulled more to editing some of my prior work to improve them and raise their quality.  And, I'm even considering putting some of my material into a book format.  All of that is made more difficult if I'm trying to come up with something nearly every day.

 

The other major consideration for these changes is that I recognize that the motivation for my writing is, once again, evolving.  When the blog first started in 2009, it was a move from monthly Genuine Faux Farm newsletters that we sent out in emails and posted on our own website.  About 97% of the posts had something to do with promoting the farm and/or teaching readers about small-scale, diversified farming.  There were a couple of moments where I explored other writing, but that was about it.

Then, the pandemic hit in 2020.  Suddenly people were reaching for connections and I wanted to offer whatever I could to help.  Since, we had already decided that we would scale back the farm and I would take a job with Pesticide Action Network, there was more space for writing.  It turned out that there was a place for my educational posts, philosophical posts, humorous posts and... just a whole lot of posts.  I am fairly certain it was the right thing for me to do at that point in time.  And, I think some people got something positive out of it.

And, yes, regular practice in writing didn't hurt the quality of the material either.

But, as we moved into 2023, it became apparent that the landscape was changing.  People were no longer seeking this sort of connection.  On top of that, the ways I let people know that a new blog was available started to change.  Blogger stopped offering a way to send notices to those who subscribed to the blog.  Social media platforms kept changing their algorithms, making it less likely that interested people would actually see it when I offered new writing.  So, while I am not anxious or interested in becoming "popular," I found that those who had expressed interest weren't hearing that I was producing new things.

All of that put a damper on my enthusiasm.  After all, if I wanted to write a diary, I wouldn't publish it.  I typically write with an audience in mind - even if that audience is just a small (but mighty) one.  But, if you can't reach that audience reliably, the writing becomes an exercise in futility.

Now what?  Things probably shouldn't continue as they have because the old process and method is no longer fulfilling - quite possibly for everyone if no one knows there is material to read!

Well, folks, there are changes on the horizon!

First, I am exploring two new (to me) blogging platforms: Substack and Medium.  I have begun the process of establishing accounts and setting things up there.  In both cases, they allow me to establish an email contact list to those who subscribe.  That means you can opt to be notified via email when new things come out.  THEN, you can decide for yourself if you want to read or ignore each item as they come out.

I think that's a lot better than never knowing you have the option.

Second, I am considering what I want my writing load to be in the coming year.  At present, I can tell you that Postal History Sunday won't end any time soon.  I am also interested in picking up a bit more on an old, familiar topic - small-scale, diversified farming and agroecology.

I like the idea that I might be able to go on Faux Real Story writing sprees when I feel that creative urge.  And, I want to re-work and re-release some of the better posts.  And then, there's that book idea that has rolled around in my head for many years.  The biggest problem with that is the normal issue for me - available time.

That, and I'm often unwilling to keep myself from exploring and expanding my topic area.  Books don't make good places for moving targets.

So, stay tuned (if you actually get here in the first place) - something's coming, and I'm actually starting to feel good about where it's going.

Have a good remainder of your day and thank you for considering my words.

Recommended Reading

 

Here we are approaching the middle of the month of October - already. 

It's really hard to believe that we're this deep into Fall already.  But, I suppose part of the reason for feeling like this happened so quickly is that the temperatures remained unseasonably warm throughout September this year.  That means the biggest clue that Fall was happening was the changing time and location of the sunrise and sunset.

It's possible that you, too, are feeling a bit like the days are rushing by.  Maybe you told yourself you wanted to read more of the blogs that show up on the Genuine Faux Farm blog - but that darned farmer keeps putting a new one out almost every day.  Simply not conducive to catching up, is it?

So, here's a chance to catch up.  I've selected what I think are some of the best blogs for 2023 so far.  You can read some of these and skip the rest "guilt-free."  Never mind, there should never be any guilt associated with the reading of this blog - or the not reading of this blog.  Besides, it isn't going any where. 

Binge read if you want or don't binge read if you don't want.  Seems fair to me.

An important Gentle Reminder

   Grace

Favorite Faux Real Stories:

   Date Night

   Resistors are Futile

   Knee Deep

Time to Have Pun:

   Winter Kayak Trip Gone Wrong

   Stopping the Illegal Flower Trade

Farm Related:

   Snirt Alert

   Why They're Called Chores

   Popcorn and Peer Mentorship

   Hurdles

   Water Cooler Talk

   Those Who Hesitate

   Allies and Adversaries 

   In Their Own Sweet Time 

Just for fun:

   Daylight Savings Solutions

   Rustic or a Dump, At Least It's Authentic

   What? Was it Boxing Day?

   Paraphrased and Misinterpreted

Maybe a more philosophical bent

   Parable Problems

   Three Years: What Have We Learned?

   Spotty

My favorite blogs that also became a PAN blog:

  Agroecology: Adapting Agriculture to the Land

  Appreciation for Different Pollinators

Pollinators and Habitat

   Coneflowers and Goldenrod

Favorite Iowa "walk there agains."

   Twin Springs

   Sweet Marsh: A Disturbing Walk There Again

   Wapsipinicon River

Favorite Postal History Sunday:

   Forward! and the Mystery of Joseph Cooper

Favorite Kauai Walk There Again:

   Kuilau Ridge Trail

Wild Bird Related

   A Bobwhite's Greeting

   Spring Migration

A Favorite "Throwback" Post:

   Not That Simple

Natural World

   Aurora Borealis

   Individuals All

About Food

   Catering to Different Tastes

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.

So Many Worthless Words

Writing, what's the point?

I have set writing goals for myself over the years.  Some of them I have failed to reach.

Okay, most of them I have failed to reach.  Why? Because, I have a tendency to set expectations that are either too ambitious to be realistic or, more frequently, my target moves on me as I pursue my goal.  But, there is one type of goal I have managed to achieve with some regularity - and it has to do with just continuing to write.  

For example, when the pandemic really started to hit home for us in April of 2020 (and when I started the job with PAN), I decided I would pick up the pace on blog production for our farm blog.  In fact, I decided to blog every day for three months - and I achieved that.  Since that time, I've posted 275 blogs or more each year (2020-2022) and I am at about 250 with this post for 2023.

It's so tempting to sit back and mock myself.  So much time wasted.  So many worthless words pushed into a yawning black hole that doesn't even bother to suck them down because they don't have any substance.

And perhaps this would be the case if my goals for this blog were to establish a vast readership, "monetize" the content, and/or "make a name for myself."  Because, of course, I have accomplished none of those goals.  Oh, I have periodically written things that have gotten a bit more attention and I've received more than my share of kind words and compliments.  But if you want to measure the success of this blog by electronic media standards - this blog only stands out for its sheer stubbornness in persisting longer than most people might think would make sense.

Why write?

So, if I question my own wisdom with respect to this dedication to writing, why do I keep doing it?  

I do ask myself this question every so often.  I wonder if I should stop, or write less, or write differently.  I reassess my motivations and purposes.  I try to determine if the words "because I want to" are enough to justify the effort.

I even spend a few moments looking to other people's writing to see if there are insights there I can use as I ponder these thoughts.

This blog by a person who goes by Profound Familiarity was interesting in that the writer doesn't really attribute any great moral virtue to writing.  Instead, they simply conclude that they see it as a part of their life, they're happy that they've stuck with it for twenty years, and they feel good that it is a part of their life.

Hm.  I can relate to some of that at least.  The question now is - am I ok with simply telling myself that I feel good that writing is simply a part of my life?

I also came across this "article" on the Kaiser Permanente site that espouses the benefits of jouraling or writing.  While this is probably a mash up of material from all sorts of locations and is not likely to be attributed to a particular author, it does summarize a few points that might be worth considering.

They suggest journaling (if you can call this blog a journal) is one way to maintain your health by reducing stress and anxiety, gain self-confidence and find inspiration.  Of course, they use the typical "click-bait" approach by giving us "7 surprising benefits" to keeping a journal.  So, is it odd I found none of their seven items to be... um... surprising?

I'll be honest with you.  I didn't find either of these blogs or articles to be hugely engaging or particularly well-written.  But, they still provided me with food for thought.  It's a good reminder that something doesn't have to be high art to have value.

Then, I came to this article by the Marginalian (Maria Popova).  The article is from 2014 by a person who has dedicated themselves to writing for quite some time.  The by-line material suggests that they have been doing this for seventeen years.  This article is a bit sprawling, but there is some quality writing here and some real depth to the exploration.

The content is about what some celebrated authors have said about keeping a journal and there are lots of tidbits there worthy of consideration.

But, is this the same thing as a journal?

As I read the article in the Marginalian, I realized that there is a fundamental difference between what those authors are discussing and what you see here.  A diary or a journal is typically a fully inward facing document.  These blogs are almost always written with an outward facing quality.  They are written to be read, rather than written to be written.

So, even though none of these articles fit perfectly, some things still ring true.  This is a testing ground for ideas, thoughts and words.  Sometimes things that start here become refined and find homes or purposes that are bigger than this blog.  Sure, I admit that nothing I've written or said has likely gotten much attention outside a fairly small circle of people in this world.  And that's ok.  But, if something that started here made a small positive difference somewhere - that's a win.

This is also a place where I work to refine a craft.  If I write frequently, it becomes easier to write well when my job at Pesticide Action Network requires it.  If I write often, I have prepared and organized my thoughts on a multitude of topics so that when I am invited to speak, I present those thoughts more easily and more clearly than I might have otherwise.   

And, of course, this is a place to share learning, promote ideas for small-scale, diversified farming, and to try to shine a bit of a light on what can seem like a very dark world at times.

But I still have to ask myself if I desire to write often or if the momentum of having written often is simply dragging me along.

I have no real answer for that.  And maybe I don't need one.

Those Who Hesitate

 

I have a storehouse full of sayings and proverbs in my head, as I am sure many of you do.  And, it is ever so tempting to pull out one of those gems when we want to feel that we are being wise.  After all, sayings and proverbs have become what they are because they are (often) beautiful ways to encapsulate truths that many recognize.

But, have you noticed that proverbs don't always fully agree with each other?  Well, okay.  Have you noticed that if you take them at face value, they might disagree?  After all, these are proverbs and sayings.  The whole point of them is that you probably shouldn't just take them at face value.  If I told you that you could lead a horse to water, but you couldn't make it drink and you took that at face value, you would wonder when it was I was leading said horse to a stream.

And after all of this introduction, you might wonder if I was hesitant to get to the point of today's blog.

Speaking of hesitation

We are raising broiler chickens on pasture again this year.  Not as many as we have in the past, but there are a little over one hundred birds in the flock.  We have a building they shelter in at night or if the weather is inclement and we move that building every couple of days.  We let the birds out every morning and close them up at night. And, to further protect them from predators, we surround the pasture area we give them access to each day with electric fencing.

This year, we put the birds into the northwest pasture.  Unlike the east, there are more obstacles to move the building and fencing around.  And, I was telling Tammy that I get into trouble when I hesitate or don't fully commit to a decision about which direction I am planning to move the building and its fencing next.

That, of course, led me to this:   He who hesitates is lost.

And to a very real extent, this can be very true on our farm.  But it is especially true when it comes to making a decision that will impact activities for several days to follow.  For example, I had to decide if I was going to try to go around a tree while avoiding a low area in the pasture OR if I was going to pull forward into a corner and plan on cutting back at an angle going the other direction.

First, I had to make this decision a move or two BEFORE I actually had to execute whichever maneuver I was going to take.  If I was ambivalent and hesitant to embrace one over the other, I might find myself in a no man's land where I couldn't succeed with either plan.  And second, once the decision was made, my efforts for several of the coming moves were clearly dictated.  

If I chose poorly, I could be just as lost if I did not choose at all.  In other words, I could be lost whether I hesitated or not.

Look before you.... well, you know.

There are many proverbs that actually extol the value of hesitation - sort of.  I guess it depends on how you define hesitation.  Everyone who finished the saying above, probably understands what it is trying to tell us.

Look before you leap.  Or, maybe you prefer "look for thorns before you grab the stem of a rose?"  Whatever.  It's your brain, so you can play with the idioms that reside there all you would like.

Assess your surroundings, think about the possible future outcomes, before you find that you've put yourself into a very bad situation.  It actually doesn't sound all that different from what I was saying before when I suggested that I would be lost if I hesitated.  But, in my case, I was talking about hesitating to think about the situation and make a decision.

And we've got a whole host of sayings along these lines.  Measure twice, cut once. Think before you act and think twice before you speak.  But if we hesitate, we are lost.

Perhaps that is for people like me who prefer to think TEN times before they act?  I know that people who like to get the show on the road a bit faster probably feel pretty strongly that I AM lost.

Then, there is this proverb that appears to be from South Africa, if the internet sources can be believed:

The impatient person eats goat; the one who hesitates eats beef.

Now, if you like goat meat better than beef, this one may not get the point across to you.  However, beef is typically considered a higher quality meat than goat.  Once again we have a proverb telling us we should stop, take a look around, and consider things before we move forward.

I guess it all hinges on what you think "hesitation" means.  There's a big difference between being lost and eating beef, as far as I am concerned - so I want to get this hesitation thing right!

Parable Problems

One of my (possibly annoying) habits that I know I fall back on is the use of a story or parallel concept to help to explain or explore ideas, concepts, skills, and even tasks.  Another thing I know I used to do more (and still do but less often because my occupation has changed) was to answer a question with the question "well, what do you think?"  I have been told that one can truly be annoying - even if it might end up being appreciated in the end.

For example, my siblings would sometimes ask for help with their math (not that they really needed it all that much - they're smart).  After the question was asked, my reply was almost always "what do you think?"  The initial response was usually a roll of the eyes and a sigh of exasperation.  I admit I actually took a little bit of delight in that.  And they probably did too.  After all, we all knew that the asker didn't want to play games, they just wanted to get the answer and get it all over with.

Still, the question is a good one.  By asking, I was signalling that their thoughts had value and that I thought they were capable.  Whether they got that from me or not is probably debatable.   But, I am hopeful.  The other purpose was that I was able to collect more information about where they were with their understanding.  Once I had that, I had a better chance of honing in on what might actually be most helpful.

Also - I was not in the habit of just giving out answers... which, of course, meant they weren't always as happy with me at that moment.

And so, there you are.  I told you a story.  What was the purpose of that story?  Was I making a point?  And if so, what was it?

This story-telling habit is fraught with peril.  Not only does it run the risk of paraphrasing and misinterpretation, the story sometimes overpowers the message. I could fill many blog entries with examples of classes I facilitated where a student substituted the story for the more accurate description or answer.  Essentially confusing the story with the fact, rather than using it as a stepping stone to get to that knowledge.

But, perhaps the most discouraging result is when it appears to me as if no one actually recognized or considered any value in the story beyond the face value.  That's not to say that every story I tell is supposed to have a deep and profound meaning or moral statement.  But, when I take the time to try to summarize and make connections after the story is told and people STILL don't think even a little bit about it...   

So, what's the solution?  Is there some changes I should be making, or am I fine the way I am?  

I don't know.  What do you think?  And you can feel free to throw that question back at me if you wish.  Warning.  I might answer with a story.

Writing = Active Listening and Learning

 

We live in a world where we are often more worried about whether or not we are heard than we are about whether we are hearing/listening.

You see it in conversation.  People frequently interrupt each other to get their own opinion vocalized without really paying any attention to what was said.  All they really heard was the general topic area, which triggered some sort of response in their brain that they must now be sure they can press their opinions forward - even if it isn't appropriate at the given moment.

I fully recognize this same tendency in myself.  In fact, I suspect I was pretty bad at this at one time.  But, a strange thing happened - I grew up a little bit (even if I am still 10) and spent more time working hard to listen.  So, apparently we have a rash of 'not growing up' in this world. 

(note: I am still acutely aware that I fail to listen sometimes.  It's part of being human and continuously learning and trying to improve)

Lots and lots of words

Over time, I have written lots and lots of words.  In this blog alone, there are plenty of words (and pictures).  Just look at the illustration below taken earlier this week from our blog.  As of this writing, we are sitting at 218 blog posts for 2023.  I've got over 2300 posts since the blog started in 2009 with what I estimate to be about two million words worth of writing.  NO... I did not (and will not) count them.  I know I said I liked numbers and counting - but not that much.  Really.

It's a point of pride and self-ridicule that, as of Wednesday of this week, I had written a blog in 218 of 235 days for 2023. That's almost a 93% success rate, but who's counting?  

 

Ok, apparently I am.  But I did say I like numbers - as long as they are smaller than one million.

Who will read them?

I have broached this topic before - who actually reads these posts?  Remember, this comes from a person who did write a dissertation for his PhD - lots of words there again.  I suspect there *might* be one or two people in this world (other than myself) who read the entire dissertation.  But, in those cases, it was their job to read it.

I ask this same question when I write for Pesticide Action Network.  Who reads the things I write for PAN?  When they read these things, how WELL do they read them and how WELL do they end up understanding them?  Does it motivate them to think about something carefully?  Will it challenge them to learn a bit more and adjust their opinion even a tiny bit?  

I don't know.  And maybe it isn't important that I know this?  After all, am I writing so other people will read?  

The answer to that last question is my typical "yes and no" sort of answer.  I think you'll understand as you read more of this blog.

Writing reflects my listening and learning

I took the writing of my dissertation very seriously.  I realized at the time that very few people would ever read it.  Yes, I guess I did have a few fantasies that what I would write could become something bigger and more "important."  But, I knew these thoughts for what they were - fantasies.  Even with that knowledge, I still worked very hard to write what I felt was an excellent dissertation.

Why?  Because, by writing, I was exercising my listening and learning skills.  It was a process to put all that I had read, all that I had collected in research, and all that I had assimilated into my knowledge base into a cohesive form.  In effect, it became a reflection of active listening and active awareness regarding things that I was trying very hard to understand as well as I possibly could.

And now for the dose of humility.

I was encouraged to submit an article in a professional journal.   I thought, "Wow, I could get people to think about the results of my hard work?  Wonderful!"  But, to do that I had to condense my 150+ page dissertation into .... five to seven pages.

First reaction?  "You've got to be kidding me!"

Then I actually accomplished that task - and got it published.

New reaction?  "Why did I write so much in the first place when I could get the point across in seven pages?"

The answer to that question after getting published?  "Because I thought that was what I needed to do - even if it wasn't what I actually needed to do."

My thoughts on it now?  "Writing the original piece was part of my growth and learning process.  The short article was the expression of the resulting mastery of the topic - evidence that I had listened and learned and could succinctly summarize all of that in hopes that others might build from there."

Doesn't that sound like a silly academic?  Alas for me.

So here I am, writing some more

I am still listening and learning - and I am still writing to try and make sense of it all.  I could certainly type all of this or hand-write it into a journal that I would not share with anyone else.  But, then, I would miss the potential opportunity to listen to others and learn more as they respond to my thoughts.  And, perhaps, because there is the potential for some interaction, I am encouraged to explore things I would not bother exploring if it were only for me.  

Maybe something I write will encourage someone else to speak so I can listen.  Perhaps something I write will bring about a new line of thought for another person who might then move forward and do something good.  And, I will freely admit that there are times I hope I can help someone to learn and there are other times I hope I can be a positive or useful influence for others.  I do still have the heart of a teacher and I do still care enough to try to get people to think harder about things.

How much longer will I write?  After all, I have gone through periods where I just did not want to....  I suspect I will go through similar times in the future.  If you take a stroll through the blog, you can probably take some guesses about what leads to more or less writing.  There are numerous periods where the content seems pretty obligatory - after all, this is a farm blog and it has been used in the past to inform our customers.  

But now our farm is no longer the focus of the blog.  Now we have moved from a pandemic to a point where Covid is endemic.  Now the novelty of a small-scale, diversified farm writing about everything from flowers to farming to postal history has worn off.  The reasons for writing have never been more uncertain than they are right now.

And yet, I finding myself wanting to write and share.  Maybe that's because I am in the mood to learn - and I hope I can infect others with the need to learn and grow as well?

That's my story for now and I'm sticking to it.  Until I hear something that makes me consider otherwise.  Then I might write about that.

Paraphrased and Misinterpreted

 

It's been a while since I've shared a "Faux Real Story," so this seems like a good time. Actually, this time, their is a bit more after the story as a bonus - so I hope you all enjoy it!

One of my early career jobs saw me holding the title "Programmer/Analyst II" for an insurance company in Madison, Wisconsin.  I was placed on the software development team that was pretty much populated with individuals early in their career.  I was only a couple years out of college myself at the time.

The big project assigned to us was to adapt claims processing software that was written by another company to fit our claims systems.  That meant I spent a great deal of time simply reading manuals and looking at the code (the software language code that instructed the computer how to act) to learn the details of how this set of connected programs (there were hundreds of them) worked.

Initially, I was the only person on the team assigned to this task, while the other members continued to write and revise programs for the old claims processing system.  But, the time came for them to begin the process of figuring out how we would transfer all of the old claims files from the old system to the new one.  It was their job to help me to understand how things were set up in the old system and it was my job to help identify how all of that lined up in the new one.

So we had two projects on our plates.  One was to modify the new system so it did all of the things we wanted it to do.  The other was to write programs to convert old files accurately into the new file formats.  Neither was a simple task.

During one conversation I had with one of my team-mates I suggested that we could handle records that couldn't be translated without more human input by implementing a "post-process."  In other words, we would run the software and convert 90 to 95% of the files with the programs, leaving us with 5to 10% for humans to review and transfer OR we could find patterns and create a secondary program to help us make better decisions for those records once we saw what sorts of records failed to successfully transfer.

I called it a "post-process" because it would happen after the primary conversion tools were run.

My cohort interpreted it to mean "posting process," a bookkeeping and accounting term that was... um... not entirely accurate, but was close enough that it wouldn't cause confusion.  I tried to correct him a couple of times, but gave it up as a cause that wasn't worthy of further effort.  

So, from that point forward we had a "posting process" that would happen after most of the old files were converted to the new format. 

My only qualm is that my co-worker proudly would tell everyone that the posting process was my idea - and so was the name.  I couldn't help but squirm a little bit each time, even though he WAS being nice and even though posting process wasn't incorrect either.

Join the herd

I am absolutely positive that I have misunderstood other people and steadfastly failed to take the clues being sent my way that I haven't quite got something right.  It's just that there are times when you are so happy to have acquired some new term, phrase or quote that you don't take much time to examine whether you are holding it at the right end.

It's kind of like getting a new power tool or hand tool.  You're happy you have it and like the idea of it very much.  You just don't always take the time to fully appreciate what it's best uses are and what the most effective way to use it might be.  After all, you could use a hammer and hit the nail with the handle end if you want - or maybe you could turn the business end sideways and still actually drive a nail in.  It gets a bit more serious if you grab a reciprocating saw by the wrong end and turn on the power.

So, what got me off on this tangent?  

Well, one thing people love to do on social media is to share profound quotes attributed to famous people.  The problem is, more often than should be the case, the person being credited with words did not say them.  Or they did not say them quite THAT way.

Currently, there are memes running around that feature Dr. Carl Jung, crediting with the saying, "Thinking is difficult, that's why most people judge."

You could take this as a thought provoking statement or maybe just a provocative statement, intending to try and call people out for not being "good people."  I prefer the thought provoking side because it made me think about myself and whether I fall prey to judging more than thinking.... I'll let you chew on that a bit.

In any event, this quote is actually kind of a paraphrase of the real quote, which is "Thinking is difficult, therefore let the herd pronounce judgment!" (page 46, "Flying Saucers: A Modern Myth of Things Seen in the Skies," published in 1959.

Now that IS a provocative statement that is intended to put the majority of people in the level of "the unthinking herd."  The paraphrase is actually just a nicer way of saying it, I think.  I wonder if Jung would cringe at this mistaken attribution, angrily refute it, or just simply sigh and go about his business.

Regardless, it's no posting process.  Have a good day everyone!

Seeking Direction

A couple of weeks ago, I found myself in a position where I needed to get something written.  It wasn't a specific something either.  It was just that I needed to create an article and my brain wasn't having anything to do with it.

When it comes to writing, I have no shortage of ideas.  I actually use various notepads where I scribble down possibilities as they come to me.  There is the little, pocket-sized notebook with the "water-proof" paper that usually travels with me outside.  Then there is the spiral-bound notebook with illustrations of cats on the hard cover.  And, of course, my desk is littered with other odd scraps of paper that were grabbed and pressed into service in a moment where a particularly good idea was in danger of being lost if I didn't manage to get it written down.

Never mind that ideas relegated to a scrap of paper typically get lost anyway.

Anyone involved in creative endeavors of any sort can probably relate to what happens when the time comes to actually produce something.  You look at the scribbled ideas - all of those things that seemed so good in that moment - and you discard them one by one.

• no, not now...
• no, too much work to do a good job on it in the time given
  
• no, not in the mood for that one 
• no, I've already done that
  
• no, this isn't the right time for that
  
• no, the right time for that was last month
• no, I need to do more research before I take that on
• no....  um, what did I mean by that note anyway?

More often than not, the biggest reason is that I am just not feeling the inspiration to write on the tens (and maybe hundreds) of ideas I have captured and placed on the various pieces of paper that are floating around.  It's a hazard of creative work.  If you aren't feeling whatever it is you need to feel to be creative, it can be a troublesome situation to find yourself in - especially if it is your job to create something.

I found myself in that situation a couple of weeks ago.  I actually had three or four topics I had been researching for my PAN work and any of them would have been sufficient for the task.  But, I couldn't make myself follow through.  Each of the topics got a "no" for more than one reason, but I was still trying to make myself choose one and just get it done.

So, I took the camera and went outside in the rain.  And I became enamored with watching the anemometer and weather vane on the weather station.  After that, I observed newly formed puddles and watched droplets form on branches.  I stayed out there until my mind stopped thinking about having to write an article and it started thinking about the rain, the wind, the soil and the dormant perennial plants.  I kept walking around until the cold rain started to make me feel a bit uncomfortable.

Then I walked back in and wrote the article I needed - on none of the topics I had planned on covering - and on all of the topics I planned on covering.

It is Not This Day

 

Tammy and I have been regular attendees of the Practical Farmers of Iowa Cooperators Meeting for some time, and it has been odd to have missed each of the past couple of years.  This is what happens when your life changes.

The two-day Cooperators Meeting features discussion and presentations on how research projects fared during the previous year and then on designing new projects for the upcoming season.  It's a time to exercise curiosity and to seek camaraderie with other agriculturists who seek to become better at their craft by testing what we think we know and learning from careful observation.

Tammy was asked to give the closing remarks for the 2016 Cooperator's Meeting and she was a bit uncertain as to whether she should agree to do so or not.  It was certainly understandable, the meeting typically occurs late in the year, when Tammy's school schedule is fairly stressful.  Adding yet another thing to the "to do" list probably didn't sound all that attractive.  

Still, I encouraged Tammy to do it.  Why?  Well, I happen to think Tammy is far more creative than she gives herself credit for and I thought it would be useful to hear her perspective.  So, with some trepidation, she performed the task - and performed it well. 

In fact, it was liked well enough that PFI put it out on YouTube.  That's a compliment.  And I will continue with the compliment by including the video at the end if you would like to see it.  

But first, let me give you the text.  While this was all presented in a lighthearted fashion, there is a great deal of meat to what is being said here.  Take a moment and enjoy.

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JRR Tolkien knew how to write a good story.  Is that an understatement, or what?!  For those of you who are not familiar with his work, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, is an author and linguistic scholar, best known for his high-fantasy novels The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. He is also known for his intense attention to detail. I have long loved Tolkien stories and grown to appreciate the importance he placed on detail and accuracy.  “Close enough” was just not good enough.  

I see a lot of Tolkien's dedication to detail and knowledge in PFI farmers and our dedication to detailed research.  Rob has convinced me, despite my admitted preference for “I think” to move to “I know” on the farm.  Count it, measure it, record it, then plan it.  And, repeat - Count it, measure it, record it, then plan it.  

Tolkien writings offer so much timeless wisdom including this exchange early in the “Rings” journey:

“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.
“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

There are many things farmers struggle with - including increasingly extreme weather and uncertain economics and changing policies.  What we CAN do is decide what WE want to do with what we have – not just “Go along”.

At one point, one of the HEROES in the Ring Trilogy, Aragon, inspires his troops before a seemingly hopeless battle:

"Hold your ground, hold your ground! Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!"

I hope our farming does not seem “hopeless”, though we certainly face challenges.  So, with thanks to Tolkien and assistance from Dick Thompson:

 

“Hold your ground,  Protect your ground!  Farmers of Iowa - Row Cropper, Grazier and Horticulturist.  

I see in your eyes that same passion for farm and soil that inspires me.   

A day may come when the courage of farmers fails, when we forsake our passion for sustainable, well managed farms and break all bonds with our history of smart farming.

But that is not this day.  

An hour of weeds, pests and disease, a day of intense pressure to conform, to “go along”, when the age of “thinking farmers” on diverse farms comes crashing down.   

But, it is NOT this day!  

This day we research!  By all that you hold dear for the good of this earth, I bid you, RESEARCH and LEARN, Farmers of the Land!”

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It's a good thing to have great respect for your partner in life.  It's also good to be proud of their efforts, the things they produce and the heart they exhibit for the good things of this world.

It's an even better thing to be able to stand together for things we care about.  Perhaps the day will come where we can't.

But, today is not that day.

Sense of Purpose

 

Murphy the Nibster has yet to find a blogging voice - after all, she is still very young and most of her thoughts involve making sure the humans provide food... constantly.  It's not because Murphy isn't willing to speak their mind because that happens almost constantly.  I can't even take a decent picture of this kitten because Murphy is either darting around, squirming or... meowing.

So, other  than eating and irritating Soup and Inspector by pouncing on them, Murphy hasn't really settled into a sense of purpose.  That might explain the somewhat erratic dashing about and the tendency to not fully commit to anything other than that food thing.  Or maybe I am wrong and Murphy is just entirely and fully committed to being a kitten right now?

It's also possible that I just have not been able to ascertain exactly what Murphy is committed to at this time.  Maybe I am not paying enough attention or perhaps Murphy is far more complex than I might believe.  But this did get me to thinking about what others must see when they visit the GFF blog.  

I think it is safe to say that the only person who has read every single blog (sometimes more than once) is the person who is doing the writing (me).  It's probably also a good assumption that most people who do read what I write do so in periodic bursts.  They get reminded that the blog is out there via social media post or chance encounter, they visit the blog, and they read one blog that leads to reading a few more entries.  So, it is possible what they see might seem every bit as scattered and erratic as Murphy often appears to be to me.

A (really) quick history

The Genuine Faux Farm blog actually has been around since December of 2008 and it was created primarily as a way to get information about our farm out to others in a fashion that was a bit easier than using publishing software to make newsletters.  It also allowed us to just share life on the farm a bit in the hopes that we could get more people to support small-scale, diversified farms that supply local food - why else would we tell the story about a duck in the kitchen?  Other than the fact that it was just a bit odd to begin with.

Content was about weather, recipes, crops, farm events and farming in general.  When we would occasionally leave the farm, we might include a post or two about it, but raising food and our farm was never far from the center of it all.  As I got more comfortable with blogging, I began allowing departures that included April Fools posts, Thanksgiving posts and even a few that mentioned postal history.  Then the Sandman found a voice and other, more creative things started happening.

In addition to creativity, I started to allow myself to speak a bit more freely, without the muzzle that a person with a business often wears.  You don't want to offend a potential customer, you know.  Some of that came after our struggle with pesticide drift became more extreme.  

In January of 2019, I actually gave daily blog writing a try when we took an extended break from the farm and school.  I enjoyed that exercise, but it was pretty obvious at that time that the blog (and the farm) were trending downward.  I was hard-pressed to produce three to five blogs a month and the farm (as it was) had worn us to a nub.

And then the pandemic happened.  People who were very much NOT used to isolation were struggling.  I decided that one thing I had to give was the gift of writing.  So, on March 30, 2020, I started a string of blogging that hasn't really stopped since.

What about the present day?

Well, the pandemic isn't a thing anymore.  People don't need daily writings from a farmer on a small-scale, diversified farm.  And the methods for letting people know that a new blog post is out have changed.  It is harder than ever to reach out to let people know there is something new to read - if you want to read it.

Yet, here is my 52nd blog post of 2023 - on the 52nd day of the year.

What's the purpose now?  Do I have one?  I suspect I must if I am willing to push out blogs this often.  And, clearly, it's not about attention seeking.  If it were, I know I would be taking a completely different approach to promote what I do instead of the "well it's there if you want it" thing.

The obvious? It's good practice. Currently, my primary employment is to be a writer.  I need to exercise my skills regularly so I can keep improving my craft.  But, I will also admit that I can (and will) cease writing for this blog if (or when) some of the other purposes go away.  After all, I can write and not offer it up for public consumption to get my practice in.

So... why do I keep offering things up?

There are things I believe in and have knowledge about that I hope I can encourage you (and others) to think about.  Things like diversified, small-scale farms and farming.  Things like local foods, skilled occupations, learning and teaching.  Things like tolerance and kindness and grace.  Things like seeking out awe and wonder in the natural world and in the arts.  And even things like postal history.

And there are things I think I can offer because I see a need for it.  Like a little laughter.  A little music. A walk in the woods. A pun or two.  And even some stories - both true and made up.

And yes, the Genuine Faux Farm is still here - even if it is not quite the center of our world like it was several years ago. 

So, I've got a sense of purpose for this blog.  The questions that remain are twofold.  The first is, what purpose, if any, do others see evidence of when they visit? 

And the second is, how much longer will the energy match the purpose to keep it going?  

I've got no idea what the answers are to those questions.  Maybe you can help me with the first.  As for the second?  We'll just keep going until we stop.

Meanwhile, have a good day!  Pass the goodness forward to someone.  Share a kind word, hold a door open or split that candy bar with someone who looks like they need it.

Too Many Words

Every once in a while, I get feedback from others with respect to this blog and its content or its writing.  For the most part, I appreciate that feedback.  Even if it is a comment that is - for lack of better words - feels misinformed or misplaced, I can still learn from it by considering where it is coming from and what might have motivated the feedback in the first place.

For example, I received a comment in regard to a Postal History Sunday I shared a few months ago.  Essentially, they suggested that the blog was too long - but they liked it.  At least they offered a solution.  They suggested I start by writing a summary that outlined everything at the top.

My first uncharitable thought was, "Yep, add more words because the blog is too long.  That makes sense."

But, let me be fair here.  I've heard something like this before.  A couple years ago there was a blog post that got far more attention than most of mine get.  A person I did not know commented that it was a very thoughtful and worthwhile read but.... it was really long.  Almost as if that overshadowed all else.

When I write for PAN, we try to keep entries in the 600 to 900 word range.  Periodically, we'll let one get longer or we'll split something into multiple parts.  You see, research regarding people's online tendencies tells us if something is longer than that, they will lose patience - or simply just not start to read in the first place.

It is at this point that I could start to tell you how upsetting it is that people can't manage to read more than a page worth of material.  It is here that I can tell you how frustrated I am that when I start to read things online I am frustrated by the lack of detail and information.  I find so many articles I try to read stop before they even start.

Because they are afraid of having too many words.

Instead, I need to remember.  Some people don't read as fast as I do.  Some people don't feel like they can allow themselves the time and concentration to read much more than a few hundred words at a time before they must move on to something else.  Many people want me to get to the point as soon as possible so they can see the conclusion and move on.

I get that.

I also get that there is a time and a place to be brief.  There is also a time and a place to have too many words.  The trick is figuring out how many is the right number for a given moment and a given subject.  Today, 469 words is about right.

To Read, Perchance to Enjoy

It's a Saturday, which seems like a good time to share music or maybe... share some books I have enjoyed.  Now, before I go to far with this, I am not sharing a batch of books with you to try and impress anybody.  I am not selecting books that I think people will think better of me for reading either.

All I am doing here is sharing some books that I have enjoyed reading, for whatever reason.  It's not unlike a tower of blocks.  I stacked them up because I was actually enjoying myself - but I had no reason to try to tell you or anyone else that this tower of blocks was better than your tower of blocks.  All that matters is I had a little fun doing it - and if it inspires you to build your own tower of blocks, so be it!

One recent read I really enjoyed

I finished Naomi Novik's Spinning Silver and I have to confess that I started it a long while back and then stopped reading.  Part of the issue?  It was the dead of Winter on the farm and I didn't need to be reading about people dealing with the cold.  That, and I just didn't have the desire to read about people struggling - because there is certainly a strong component of that in most any book worth reading.  Instead, I had been opting to read less or re-read a book I already knew well.

I liked the fact that this book moves the narration between multiple characters, though I admit to have been initially annoyed when Novik added in new voices pretty late in the game.  But, it didn't take long for me to find I might like some of those voices just as much as the first few I was introduced to.  The story is a new telling based on some Eastern European fairy tales - most notably Rumpelstiltskin.  I was also interested to see a take on Baba Yaga's hut.

Most people have given favorable reviews of the book, including by Amal Al-Motar on NPR and James Nicoll.  On the other hand, Michael Weingrad was not terribly enamored with the unrealistic portrayal of Jews in what is supposedly a fictional, yet historically set, Eastern Europe/Poland.  Now, before you get the wrong impression, I don't typically read reviews before I select a book - I just figured some of you would appreciate a few opinions before you did.

As far as I am concerned, I very much enjoyed the book.  It gave me important things to think about.  It provided me with a story that was engaging and characters I appreciated.  It didn't let itself be too constrained by historical and cultural precision (which was part of Weingrad's issue with it), nor did it concern itself with adhering strictly to the original fairy tales.

One theme I took away from this story was the capacity of different people to be motivated to see beyond themselves and "do good" - for lack of a better way to say it.  In fact, I found it interesting that Novik seems to provide many of her characters with an "instinct" for what is right and what is not - even if their circumstances might imply that they would have a hard time acting on that instinct.

Frankly, I don't care whether the inherent goodness of these characters is realistic or not - just like I am willing to accept that the "other people" in the book seem to have trouble seeing beyond themselves.  I suspect, if  Novik decided to let each of these other people be the narrator for a while, that we would see reasons for hope with most of them too.

The author does show some struggle to make the decision to do what seems to be the right thing, even if it is not the easy thing.  And I tend to think we don't need all of our stories to be drowning in the realistic morass of struggle and failure.  Sometimes we need hope that people will see and strive for better. And sometimes, we don't need everything to be exactly replicated as it is in the real world.

And a re-read I also enjoyed

Tad Williams' The Dragonbone Chair is the first book in a fantasy trilogy.  From a structural standpoint, Williams follows what has become a typical three book, epic fantasy model where you start with an introduction to your main character in their younger days.  After you start to get comfortable with their personal struggles and doubts within the life they lead, a tragic event occurs that spins the main character and subset of other characters into a grand adventure.  Over the course of three books things typically get ever bleaker, with small glimmers of hope - usually in the form of the resilience of some of the main characters.  Then, we get to the big climax at the end where the survivors exit in the final chapters with hope for a better world.

I thought this review at Fazila Reads: Life of a Book Addict was well balanced and accurate.

Yes, the Dragonbone Chair and the rest of the trilogy is long.  Yes, the pacing of the book can feel slow.  And, yes, there are times when the situation seems so hopeless and so painful that you aren't sure you want to read on.  Once again - full disclosure - I have a difficult time reading Tad Williams' works without taking breaks in the middle of it, and I don't think I am alone in that.

That said, I have rarely found a writer where I enjoyed the beauty of the word selection than Williams.  And, there are times that the telling is so good at making you feel and see what is going on that you might decide to put it down or skip a section.  But, I find that I am even more willing to observe and enjoy these descriptions on a second reading because I don't have the added concern that I don't know how it is going to turn out.  

The big winner in these books is that I felt like I could really settle into getting to know the characters and their cultures.  I found that I could understand them and their motivations.  I could watch them grow, learn and change.  And, I really wanted them to make it through the difficulties they were facing - even if I knew some of them might not.

There were also two themes that stood out for me in this series.  First, the mythical story of a person or place rarely matches up with the actual story.  The main character discovers, over time, that the real story of a person revered by others was very different than the popular version.  And, that same character learns first hand how the mythical story builds and grows away from the actual story over time.

The second theme is one of perspectives.  The actions of one person, nation, or culture may seem inexplicable and even unforgivable from the outside.  But, when you have a chance to walk in their shoes there may be reasons for understanding, sympathy, and possibly, forgiveness.

Way With Words III

 

I got it into my head a few weeks ago to highlight some writing that made me take notice as I was reading.  You can view all the posts on this topic by taking this link, if you have interest.

I have to admit that at least two of the three posts feature openings to books, including this one.  I guess that makes sense because the author is hoping to hook you into reading the rest of the story.  Perhaps more time goes into buffing and shining every single word and phrase until they really shine.  Or, it is just a human thing to keep starting from the beginning with the effort of refining the work.

Either way, this one got my attention:

"[A] tall old castle stands gazing out over a wide bay, a fortress isolated and protected by water, dignified and secretive as a queen who has outlived her royal husband.  She is crowned with magnificent towers, and the patchwork roofs of the lower buildings are her skirt.  A slender causeway that joins the castle to the mainland, stretches out like a bridal train spreading out to make the rest of her city, which lies in the folds of the hills and along the mainland edge of the bay." from Shadowmarch by Tad Williams

I do remember a time when I would not have allowed myself the time to paint the picture in my mind that the words suggest.  I was much less patient with my stories and wanted to get to the action.  I wanted things to happen!

But now, I find myself lingering as a quietly build a skirt of patchwork roofs in my mind onto the castle that already resides there.

Way With Words II

 The Lady Moon is a common theme that brings out some of the best words in books and other writing.  Or maybe the words aren't so wonderful and it's just a spell that she places on each of us that have observed her on a calm, peaceful night that sticks with us, ready to change our viewpoint as soon as her name is mentioned.

"The moon was out again, but she was lower now, and bashful.  Auri smiled at her, glad for the company now that she was no longer On Top of Things and Haven was far gone behind.  Here on the edge of the clearing the moon showed acorns scattered on the ground.  Auri spent a few minutes picking up the ones with perfect hats and tucking them into her gathersack." from The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss

If you have had the opportunity to spend a little time under Oaks, you can picture the fruits of these trees lying on the ground.  Some of them brazenly sitting atop whatever grasses and leaf litter that might be scattered under the canopy of the trees themselves.  Others, cleverly hiding themselves while peaking out from underneath a violet's leaves.

And yes, some had perfect hats, while others showed their loss due to their fall from a great height or the tread of humans with heavily booted feet.

Way With Words

There was once a time that I read books and would find myself straining against the descriptive words authors would use to paint a picture in my mind.  My imagination wanted to paint its own pictures, with its center being the actions of the characters traversing the story held within the pages.  I admit that I do this sometimes still when I am completely captivated by the story and it draws me forward in the book's time - anxious to see the conclusion revealed.

The sad thing here is that many authors portray a rich tapestry with amazing detail and beautiful words, and the reading is somewhat paler when the reader doesn't take a moment to observe the power they wield within the story.

The redeeming feature of a book is that you can read it again, revisiting the past by reliving it.  This gives us the time to actually pause and appreciate the textures and the depth.  The story line is still there for us, but we are aware of the path the main theme will take.  We can now spend some time exploring the side-trails and backwaters, finding a heron wading in the shallows or the sound of the wind through the branches of barren trees.

Because I spend more time with words now, I find myself taking note when words are put together in a way that calls to me.

"The unicorn lived in a lilac wood, and she lived all alone.  She was very old, though she did not know it, and she was no longer the careless color of sea foam, but rather the color of snow falling on a moonlit night.  But her eyes were still clear and unwearied, and she still moved like a shadow on the sea."  from The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

And now we all know better what a unicorn is, or was, thanks to some well chosen words.  

I wish I could say the entirety of The Last Unicorn maintains this quality.  In reality, the turn of beautiful phrases flit in and out of the book amidst uneven and inconsistent character development and a story line that can be difficult to follow.  Yet, I find myself continuing to read because the ideas in the story are brilliant and these word gems appear just often enough to keep me digging for more of them.

"She did not look anything like a horned horse, as unicorns are often pictured, being smaller and cloven-hoofed, and possessing that oldest, wildest grace that horses have never had, that deer have only in a shy, thin imitation and goats in dancing mockery."

As near as I can tell, this is also an accurate description of the best writing.  We know it when we see it, but so much is just a thin imitation or a dancing mockery of a unicorn.