Free-Range Living

Already now in mid-Sept, anticipation of the up-coming autumn and winter seasons is rife. Current eco micro-holding (small smallholding) tasks continue unabated : picking runner beans, collecting apples, digging potatoes, drying and storing onions, for instance. Seasonal differences seem to act as a base for being able to lead a 'vive la differance' sort of life, with other changes and 'freerange fightback' measures within the year adding to the effect.

One of the casualties of the modern-type mass 'consumer culture' may be that with such an accent on money, non-monetary values can get less of a look in, as a recent book entitled 'Dare to Care' implies, and it can at times seem that 'social' has become the 'no-no' word. Money, and preoccupation with it, may have inhibited wider 'life exploration', maybe then prompting 'freerangers' to take a 'non-mass' route - ?

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A surprising number of jobs have arisen here on the UK midlands organic eco micro-holding (small smallholding) in this normally more languid month of August. The varied array of produce available repays the efforts, and the season of gorgeous-tasting fresh, young runner beans has arrived.

In spite of a pretty soggy summer, the harvest of produce hasn't been too bad, peas being an exception, and the resident bird population seems to have done ok, helped no doubt by the availability of supplementary feed, which they noticably hit quite hard in the worst of the weather.

More freerange-type 'frugal living' pieces seem to be appearing in the more mainstream press, helping people 'strike back' in times of 'squeeze', with one or two locals hereabouts leading the way. Such times contrast with the much-lauded public olympic spirit, which in part could be a reaction to the 'greed is good' culture - ? Maybe the business world could take note of such spirit and find a way (via humane motivationary managment-?) of harnessing it to the benefit of all - ? Such a modern, competitively focused culture places a strong emphasis on 'winning', but, sometimes, could 'losing' actually be winning in the longer run - ?

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June and the first half of July have been virtually continually wet here on the eco micro-holding in th UK midlands, with such conditions resulting in flooding in many parts of the UK. The organic veg has struggled under such conditions although broad beans and potatoes have done ok.

It's been a relatively quiet time for micro-holding jobs, cleaning out the septic tanks overflow soakaway channels being one of the main operations, whilst other needed events such as wood drying have hopefully continued unabated.

Wildlife must have been having a hard time too - the effect of the wet weather on the birds and the bees, for instance ,has been noticable.

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Taking the longer view may not be quite so fashionable in these days of fast-pace change and aggresive drives for quick profitability. And yet 'now' is still part of an on-going process and sometimes it could perhaps be useful to use that perspective-?

Ten days of warm sunny weather has brought some 'catch up' growth here at the eco micro-holding (small smallholding) after the cold and wet weather here in the UK midlands in April and early May, but with potatoes and beetroot still hit by partial germination, and reparation measures needed.

One couple of 'wayfaring freerangers' have found an effective and relistic way of escaping their own money-making treadmill by developing a slower, semi-nomadic way of life no longer reliant on 'chasing the dollar', with particular benefits to themselves.

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April here on the Uk midlands eco micro-holding has been cold and pretty wet - not a very good growing spring with patchy seed germination.

Next winter's fuel in the form of logs now resides on the driveway, waiting to be put away to dry in the purpose-built logstore in the 'micro-holding logistics centre'.

CEO's seem to be falling like flies with patience with what seems to be incresingly called the 'fat cat' culture wearing thin. Has the recent cultural emphasis on 'competitiveness' caused 'imbalance' in multi-dimensional realities, particularly maybe in the 'caring' area? The Rev. T.B. Hardy provides an historic shining example of the latter.

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The basic resource of the organic eco micro-holding ( small smallholding) here in the UK north midlands is the land itself - true for most growers. Thirty odd years of compost and ash applications have left it fertile and with fewer pests and diseases. This season's planting and sowing is well advanced, but it's quite a lean time for produce to use.

Land can be valued financially but its intrinsics 'real' values are diverse: from acting as an 'anchor' in stormy economic times, to fulfilling survival and survival plus needs, and of course, providing a strong link to nature for people. 

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'Small' can sometimes seem insignificant in a 'big' world, but obviously not to those ('freerangers-?') involved. Talking of which, activities here on the 'eco micro-holding' are increasing now spring has come, including ground fertilising and sowing and planting.

Life in 'big' world seems to continue fairly unabated,, with more large firms being found guilty of mis-selling and having to pay compensation and large banking rewards still evident whilst so-called 'ordinary' folk struggle, one result presumably of the 'free-market' seemingly having become the 'free-for-all' market.

Another potential limitation of such  focused 'out-for-self' culture could be by default individuals living a too 'small world' existence-?

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With its mantra of 'change, change', the sundry events such as the financial crisis and others shaking 'belief in the system' and seemingly ever increasing life pressures, it can sometimes seem like a 'crazy world'

Winter has brought very cold weather to here in Europe in February, involving extra wood sawing here on the eco micro-holding (small smallholding). At least that's avoided the affliction of 'fuel poverty', of which it's reported a third of the population;s suffering in this region (midlands, UK), due to high energy prices.

Does the 'large-firm' culture have a de-socialising and standardising effect? To get, for instance, personal and informative service seems rare today, but pleasant when it happens. Perhaps there's a modern entrepreneurial opportunity? 'Humanising' consultancy for large firms?

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Bracing, sunny days with big cold, blue skies - just the time to be sawing some wood, a meaningful task here in the UK north midlands, given the cold conditions. The small stuff's done on the small sawbench, whilst the electric chainsaw takes care of the bigger pieces, and both ways with the advantage of free solar-generated electricity on such sunny days.

Not too much activity on the growing front - just a few pots warming for early seeds and some glass and plastic about to cover some ground for earlier crops - the winter veg crops have come on well, though.

The profit-hungry times have nearly hit the eco micro-holding here, with a clever scheme- or was it a scam?-nearly succeeding here, reminding to keep those freerange antennae fully extended!

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A mild autumn/winter here has seemed to delay leaf fall extending the end of season 'clearing up' process, which also includes quite a bit of hedging work.

What with questionable banking practices, cases of large firms 'mis-selling' to the public and the politician expenses scandal, together with the 'austerity' measures, the individual UK citizen may never have felt so under pressure, or 'small'. It appears that a 'largist' culture could be a threat to things 'small'.

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