Free-Range Living

This May-time here in the UK midlands at the organic eco micro-holding (small smallhholding) seems to have produced particularly stunning spring landscapes, from majestic green-leafed trees to hedgerows and wild flowers.

The un-wild flowers in the micro-holding are pretty stunning too, and the veg crops are doing pretty well - all in all it's been a good, warm spring. Living in the countryside seems to give good awareness of seasonal effects and a feel for the rythyms of nature - with people largely urbanised these days maybe the connection with nature is not  as strong as it used to be - ? Gardening is now said to be a 'therapy' activity', for instance.

Reports of happenings by large concerns in what's been called 'the rip-off' culture still crop up pretty often in the press,  seemingly effects of the 'free-market' 'do what you want' culture now more a 'free-for-all' market with large and powerful players - ? The small 'unpowerful' micro-unit that is the individual could seem to be under some threat, as  then are maybe hard-fought for freedoms and individual rights - ? Taking 'freerange' type self-responsibility might be an important 'survive and thrive' tactic - here the addition of a useful device to the domestic solar electric unit which diverts unused solar power to the hot water tank, in effect then giving 'free' hot water, is the latest measure trying to stem the tide of rising costs.

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'Spring has sprung' with a bit of a vengance here on the UK midlands organic eco micro-holding (small smallholding), with a profusion of flowers out and emerald green fields hereabouts. The micro-holding crops have gone in well and appear to be doing quite well, with other micro-holding jobs proceeding ok too.

'Spiritualism' appears to be on a mainstream wane in western type materialistically-based cultures, even though according to broadsheet newspaper reports it is still important to many - a majority, even - of individuals. Maybe in the 'age of the accountant', non-measurable quantities have by default fared less well, and/or a strong focus on money and money-making has left less room for matters social and/or spiritual, for instance - ?

Is there more to life than money, and has what economists have termed 'the money veil' obscured any bigger/deeper view(s) - ? How important is 'life meaning', and might it be found in a variety of forms, some more concrete than others- ? Maybe the interest in and connection with, nature, that many seem to have, indicates that a bigger than small-self vista is needed , as well as a 'down-to earth' facility - ?

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One dictionary definition of 'art' is 'skill', so presumably art here on the eco organic micro-holding (small smallholding) in the UK midlands is a mix of some skills and 'feeling' - the feeling, for instance, that it's good to work 'with nature', rather than agin it.

Its 'soil nutrients replenishment ' time on the micro holding currently, putting on compost and ash, plus planting some early potatoes under plastic and starting to get the onion sets (small 'baby' onions), in. The relatively mild winter here has resulted in early grass growth as well as early delicious purple sprouting. Wood for the woodstove is now in more limited supply, but should last out  - just.

Cutting costs has been part of a 'counter strategy here to combat a culture that seems at times to be 'monetarially demanding', with some success on the insurance costs front. 'Good value for money' and good customer recognition can seem at times to be 'yesterday's fare', but might there, in the longer-term, be yet something to be said for it - putting, for instance, less pressure on making high short-term profits, but then reaping longer-term advantage - ?  The 'Zen' approach may be relevant for some and has the advantage of being relatively 'down to earth' whilst at the same time offering the potential for personal spirituality.

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'Big is best' can seem to be a guiding cultural principle these days, but does that mean 'small', especially in the form of individuals, get shorter shrift - ? The 'small' life here in the organic eco micro-holding in the UK midlands continues through the winter - the record winter rain levels making things mess-ier than normal in these parts. Clearing growing ground of weeds to the compost heap has been a recent job, with compost and wood ash spreading imminent, and with still a variety of produce available.

Compassion, 'fellow feeeling' - such  traits may no longer be in vogue in the current competitivesed material-based world , even though they could still be 'innately human' - ? So-called 'ordinary folk', though, may not have felt too much of it, one broadsheet paper piece pointing to the fact that whilst the 'well-off' have been doing pretty well, life for many has become quite a bit tougher, contrasting with life in the (officially) happiest country in the world, Denmark, as seen in a recent tv programme.

The 'drive for dosh' also affects the way animals are kept to supply produce, with ultra large indoor 'factory farming' units as in the US seemingly on the way in the UK, denying animals natural behaviour outlets.  Maybe individuals still need to be able to 'freerange' to their own values to 'survive and thrive' in the fast-paced, fast-changing world - ??

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Winter weather has come - there again, it is mid-winter. Both the missing birds and wasted leeks conundrums have been solved, but not necessarily the best news.

Will individuals still be needing to take self-responsible 'freerange' measures to 'survive and thrive' in the future. The evidence could suggest that this be the case, and to this end, a 'freerange' review and appraisal of possible moves for the future have been in process here on the organic eco micro-holding (small smallholding), as have probably for many.

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Lots of late leaves this year at the eco micro-holding in the UK midlands - all good fodder for the compost heap, although some would demur. All the green waste goes to make free fertiliser via the compost heap, whilst also clearing it away. The winter veg is looking ok and should as normal supply greens throughout winter, but the normally dependable leek crop has been a bit of a sorry story.

'Screwing as much as possible' out of the punter seems to be accepted business practice in pursuit of 'mega bucks' profits these days, but doesn't always work, as a mini case study illustrates. Pressurising employees via targets and penalty systems also seems to be part of the current 'grand plan', with some, poor souls, reportedly having been driven to suicide. Notions of leadership and personal motivation and responsibility seem to have fallen by the wayside, but maybe short-term pressurisation tactics on people may have longer-term costs - ?

Time to take some time out to 'semi-hibernate', with time to reflect in front of the woodstove, and hopefully recharge the batteries, a process the incessant drive for profits type of culture may not facilitate easily - ?

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 Wet weather pervades here on the organic eco micro holding (small smallholding) in th UK midlands, with the seasons about a month late, with one effect being that there don't seem to be many garden birds on the feeders. Maintenance work such as hedging , lopping and clearing is the order of the day, along with porch door making.

In terms of organic veg production, runner beans have been a bit disappointing, but other mico holding produce hasn't beeen too bad, with a variety of produce available for use. More wood has been sawn up to top up a dwindling logstore, with the woodstove now in winter mode, lit at midday. Having wood as a main fuel certainly gives a 'hands-on' experience.

One 'freerange' couple decded to live life for awhile 'supermarket-less' and found that after a month or two , they weighed less and their bank balance was more healthy - an interesting 'free-range' type of living experiment. It can be hard to avoid supermarkets which seem to have had 'large-scale'- type power, some of them using it for instance to 'influence' their suppliers. Some of the wider and more longer-term effects of supermarkets have not been seen in a positive light by some, maybe making an argument for there to be curbs on them - ? Maybe writers like Orwell and Huxley were right to warn about the dangers of 'power-block' life - ?

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Colder weather finally arrived mid-October on the organic eco micro-holding (small smallholding) here in the UK midlands, after the swallows departed later than usual. The later growing season has still proved to be quite productive, and the potatoes crop, for instance, has been quite good. Busy times on the eco micro-holding with a variety of jobs to do before winter sets in.

Independent life might produce a little less in the way of material gain, but the freedoms involved generally make life worth living, although the 'biggist' culture could well threaten such a 'freerange' way of life---? The work culture these days seems to be more of a 'control culture' getting people to work via 'external prompting' rather than 'internal motivation' work prompts, which again, could well not particularly suit those of the 'freerange' bent. One small rural UK farm workforce demonstrated, though, how well the 'internal work prompting' motivation route can work, providing various attributes to the workplace, provided the initial input into the workforce had been invested.

Maybe, though, the modern 'rush for profits' inhibits such longer-term people investment, with money having become a too-consuming focus----?

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It's the 'untidy' time of year on the organic micro-holding here, with also the compost heap building, all the green waste just 'bunged on', a simple system unlike a rather more complicted compost-making system as recommended on TV.

End of summer/early fall bring plenty of jobs such as hedgecutting, door making, potato digging and creeper cutting back which will hopefully have the effect of tidying the place up, along with the 'de-caterpillarisation' process that has to be done if there's to be any greens over winter.

A flyer picked up for solar energy production seemed to be trying to be too generous, presumably in its efforts to catch people on its sales hook. With the plethora of adverts, cold-call phone calls to the home and such-like, consumers seem to be being considerably pressurised to buy and spend money, but maybe show some resistance by not too freely repeat buying - ? One firm local to here does not advertise and yet has customers queueing up, and it's not too hard to see why.

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Are there signs of a bit of a revival to self-reliant 'good life' living in these times of astringency and 'commercial pressures' - ?  Good times here on the eco organic micro-holding (small smallholding) in the form of harvesting a variety of produce, help to cushion any cost-increasing trends, as does the building of a new rustic porch , re-cycled out of wood and materials lying about, accumulated over the years.

A recent UK TV programme looked at traditional ways of animal keeping - in this case dairy cows -against a modern trend of keeping large numbers of them under cover, then not being able to practice their natural grazing behaviours. Such an 'industrialised' system of animal keeping would though, seem to be trying to reverse a 'de-industrialised' trend seen, for instance, in the newer 'freerange' ways of keeping laying hens, which seem to have had considerable consumer support - ?

According to some newer 'top bosses', commercial practice has become too one-dimesionally focused on aggressively chasing high profits and needs to focus more on operating in a way more 'balanced' with other culture priorities such as social and evnvironmental priorities, although some of the latest business practices, such as 'zero hour' contracts, don't appear to particularly fit with such sentiments - ?

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