Free-Range Living

The winter countryside seems to have stayed quite green this year, here at the organic eco micro-holding (small smallholding) in the Uk midlands, but birds such as buzzards look to be pretty hungry. Quite a bit of bird life is seen at this time of year, including, and new for here, a pair of tiny Goldcrests, although the flock of Lapwings has gone awol.

Winter's the time of year for a bit of 'r and r' and semi-hibernation, although seasonal jobs such as woodsawing continue. Battle has been resumed with the 'wild bunch' chickens, with them currently gaining ground. Shaving green growth off the growing ground is the order of the day, in preparation for applications of compost and woodash. One TV programme recently showed a feelgood whale rescue.

An alternative to the 'pots of dosh' business model is that of running a lifestyle enterprise, which might be described as a 'heart' lead operation, but still in need of some 'head' input - a small farm case study  illustrates the approach. Then - it's the time of year for 'seasonal stirings'.

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Harder conditions here at the organic eco micro-holding (small smallholding) in the UK midlands have brought bird-life to more prominence, as have the chickens here been more prominent with their escape artist's antics. They employed varied tactics to try to outwit man in this 'Man v. Chicken' saga, bringing into question the old  'chicken brained' notion.

It's the time of year to notice the wild bird flights with geese as usual prominent, and a welcome addition being formation flights of lapwings, never seen here before. Buzzards too are around in some numbers, probably pretty hungry looking hard for a meal. Garden birds, though, have been less plentiful. Winter's the season for wood sawing, both by the useful tool that's the sawbench and by the electric chainsaw for bigger wood, which all adds to that 'self-reliance' feeling, as does the tasty home-grown produce available at the veg plot.

Current mainstream life seems to be considerably influenced/controlled by 'big' organisations, and the level of commercial 'pressure' on the individual may never have been greater  - ? One area which in the UK appears to be planned to be even greter is that of personal debt - to what cost, though to the individual - ? Perhaps now it's never been more important for the individual to make her/his own ('freerange') decisions in the admirable cause of longer-term self-preservation - ?

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Modern life depends just a bit on machines, and particularly maybe more in recent times with the vigorous rise of electronic contraptions. 'Throw away' mindsets have mean't that 'mending' and 'making good' are less common activities , aided and abetted by the fact that many modern machines are beyond the indivduals capabilities to mend, plus others such as cars which have become too complex to continue to be able to 'home mend'.

Life on the organic eco micro-holding (small smallholding) here in the UK midlands tends to be deliberately more 'hands on' using a variety of 'intermediate technology' tools and contraptions, with just a few of the heavier tasks being mechanised, with the aim of experiencing what Kevin Mcloud from TV has called the joys and satisfactions of doing, such as creating and mending, as well as facilitating direct contact with nature. 'N''s lifestyle hinges around such activities.

Whilst 'capital' can seem to often automatically be substituted for 'labour' in the name of 'progress', that's not the case with micro-holding operations, with machines just being used for determined specific tasks such as wood sawing.

'One writer considered that because 'giantism' was rife in modern cultures, it was necessary to insist on the attributes of 'small'. Another considered that  either 'heaven' or 'hell' were possibilities in terms of man's operations - and at the moment there could seem to be more than a few not necessarily experiencing too many heavenly delights - ? One society that does seem to be strong and long-term sustainable is Denmark, recently ascribed as the officially 'happiest' society in the world, and now more recently, one of the least corrupt world societies. 'Trust' and 'respect' are stated to be held as key elements in Danish society, elements/values which may not have flourished quite so well in more materialistic, competitive-geared 'giantist' cultures  - ?

Lifestyles though such as the micro small micro-holding variety here may be able to offer a degree of insulation from any perceived negative effects of such cultures - ?

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Outside on the eco organic small smallholding here in the UK midlands, the site acts as  support to all -humans, birds and animals - who live here, producing quite a bit of natural food and cultivated food, grown on the organic self-perpetuating fertility system.

The leeks though have suffered another attack with some remedial steps taken, but the other produce - winter greens, beetroot, swedes, carrots, landcress, turnips -not looking too bad. the new hens are thriving and laying well, reminding of the pleasure to be had looking after animals. The humans here are being looked after too, particularly by the new air-source heat pump installation, keeping living quarters cosy at economic cost.

The United Nations has issued a 'final warning' on impending dangers of global warming - hopefully responsible measures will be taken to avoid 'planet degradation' - ? Some are already being taken in relation to the man-made financial crisis, although the ill-effects of which are still being felt. Not everyone will necessarily feel in tune with the current culture, some feeling even alienated within it, with the culture itself possibly contributing to 'alenation' feelings - ? The subject of 'outsider' living has cropped up in literary output, with Wolfgang Borchert's 'Outside the Door' work probably being amongst the most dramatic. Plenty of work/labours of love always to be getting on with 'outside' on the micro-holding.

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Stuff's grown well with the summer extending right through September, here on the organic eco micro holding in the UK midlands, with crops such as beans and tomatoes doing well. Some normal visiting 'pests' don't appear to have done quite so well, though.

On a recent Scottish trip it was interesting to learn of the independence ways and spirit of the Scots islanders, all seemingly preferring small-scale island life to 'mainstream'. Modern 'mainstream' can be seen as 'fastflow', but maybe periods of  respite are important - ? One of the 'fastflow' effects seems to have been a proliferation of 'large organisation' power, including governments, against which the individual can seem somewhat powerless - ? It can, though, pay to not always 'go with the flow' - not getting into massive debt, for instance.

One businessman had an eye on the longer-term, preferring to price reasonably rather than chase max short-term profit, to encourage longer-term results via repeat business. Seasonal work  a this time of year offers some job satisfaction.

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The small (micro small) scale lifestyle here on the organic eco micro smallholding can though be effective in lowering living costs and keeping seemingly ever-rising costs at bay (in today's paper: ' so-called 'ordinary' people owe trillions'). This year's crops have generally been ok/good, the onions having recovered from their early setback, potatoes proving to be disappointing in the end, but beans and full-of-taste tomatoes cropping profusely. The new mini hen flock is also doing its stuff, averaging an egg per bird per day and the post summer season is now here, with maintenance work such as hedging the order of the day.

The culture currently in place cannot/does not suit everyone , and is often only actively supported by a minority of the population, presumably then rendering democracy at best only partial - ?  The Scots are about to vote as to whether they want to change such a situation and be masters of their own ship. People though without such an 'independence option' may well have to take their own lawful 'counter' measures to deflect/ avoid any undue perceived negative effects (eg. loss/diminishment of cherished values etc. ). Besides helping to deflect unwanted higher cost levels, the semi self-sufficient eco micro-holder lifestyle can help to bolster any desired independent spirit, for those ('freerangers') who want to think things out for themselves and generate their own  beliefs and values.  Times seem to be changing with an increasing number of practices being counted 'out of bounds', and at least there seems to be a little less danger of independent thinkers being pilloried - ?

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'Harvest time' is here on the organic eco micro-holding (small smallholding) here in the UK midlands, with the plentiful sunshine in June and July boosting crops, although potatoes are maybe slightly disappointing - the dreaded blight seems to have appeared, even in a non-rainy, sunny year - ? Broad beans and peas are now 'safely gathered in' in the freezer, and the runner beans (climbing beans) have started to crop and look promising. Salad items such as lettuce, spring onions, radish and landcress have been plentiful and of use everyday throughout this sunny summer, in which watering has been a feature. Plenty of green material, too, for the compost heap, to provide free fertiliser for the future.

The other main 'micro-holding' activity through July and into August, has been the construction of an extension to the paddock 'Rough Office' chalet, mainly from re-cycled stuff lying about the place, and so at almost zero 'on-cost', helping to counteract the tendancy of the many 'large entities' to try to extract ever more dosh (money) from Joe Soap ('Mr. Ordinary'), as one or two examples demonstrate. Cost cutting has been the order of the day here, with some success on quite a few fronts.

The small micro-entitity that is the individual can only do so much in terms of. say, environmental care, but might it be quite important for that individual to do it, to exercise 'care', and gain satisfaction from so doing - ?

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The micro-holding environment has been as stunning as ever this season, withe the cottage garden flowers blooming profusely, and the greens and browns of the surrounding fields and hedgerows providing a gorgeous backdrop.

Another 'penny-less' projecct is underway after last year's 'penny-less porch' - that's constructing a sizeable extension to the 'Rough Office' in the paddock, virtually all out of materials that have accumulated for free around the place. A bigger project but taken in stages, hopefully it'll 'come to pass'.

As far as this year's cropping goes, it's been quite a good year, although disaster struck the normally dependable onion crop, which then was rescued - fingers crossed  - by an 'innovative' organic remedy.

'Labours of love' don't seem to figure too prominently in today's 'pots of dosh' focused culture, which means that individual motivations may get less of a look in - not great news for self-motivated, self-responsible 'freerangers' - ? The 'it's all about money' creed seems to have held sway, but is, as they say, 'is  everything about money' - ? The motivation theorists, for instance, might beg to differ.

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The ample recent rains seem to have made the countryside hereabouts (UK midlands), more lush than ever, and the same in West Wales, as experienced on a recent break there. The rural Welsh seem to be a 'well sorted' breed with strong community and family priorities. Maybe living in such stunning surroundings and with such space supports their independence of spirit, and seeming ability to 'go their own way'.

The policy here on the organic eco micro-holding (small smallholding) in these budget tightening times is to explore ways of coping economically to limit 'financial stress', the recent solar hot water provider helping in that direction, and with the possibility of adding a stand-alone heat-from-air extraction system to help provide further insulation/protection from the oligopolistic (few large powerful firms) energy suppliers.

Home-grown food can help significantly to keep costs down, particularly following, say, a 'limited meat' diet option, and it's predicted food prices will rise sharply in the next few years. Growing 'organically' can be cheaper via the use of a 'permaculture' system, as well as providing 'seasonal delight', but certain measures such as rotational growing are needed.

Uk society seems to continue to be geared to favour the 'big and strong' at the expense of so-called 'ordinary folk', with inequalities within the National Health Service being the latest example being quoted in the press. Maybe there's over-emphasis on money and money-making in today's culture, needing more 'balance' with higher priority the given to, say, social priorities, for instance - ? ( as societies exist, i.e. are a fact of life, so then do social needs and priorities - ?)

Hey ho, back to the hoe  ----

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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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