Free-Range Living

'SMALL WORLDS'------

Living on and working a small organic smallholding (the 'eco micro-holding') as is here, brings home at times that life goes on at many levels -maybe just because some are larger and more high profile doesn't by default necessarily render smaller insignificant, even though 'small' doesn't rate too high in the power stakes. The 'freeranger' couple, for instance, who ran their semi self-sufficient organic smallholding for thirty-odd years, featured in the Freerange Living e-book from this site, did quiet, unsung but sterling service supplying their locality with organic produce, and well before it became more fashionable to do so. And, such small,'micro' operations are certainly meaningful for those involved in them and for whom they are the 'vehicle' for a meaningful and satisfying lifestyle.

Blossomy--------

Talking of which, here, the couple of layers of compost and a layer of woodash have gone onto half the growing plot as normal, a pleasurable job in itself particularly in this year's warm and sunny weather, and so far (at mid March) all the onion sets ('baby onions') and  a quarter of the potatoes have been planted, along with an early row of peas. The home-grown broad bean seed 'dumped' in under an old car windscreen in mid Feb have now produced plants nearly ready to plant out. The winter veg is coming to an end but the 'new' spring greens have come on quite early, so 'greens' will be available for all the year, which is quite handy. The spring greens, which if left develop into spring cabbage, are sown as seed July time and planted out Sept time then coming on in early spring, spring and early summer to provide a good fresh veg when there's a not much else available seasonally.
 
Not only that, but then when the greens are cut, if a 'cross' is cut into the top of the stalk left in the ground, they then re-grow to provide more greens in the winter time - a handy crop indeed. There was a bit of a hiccup getting the onion sets- the normal supplier - a small local nursery/garden centre- had ceased to supply them 'loose' at reasonable cost, now wanting quite a bit of dosh for a small handful in a packet, which would have escalated onion set costs by about a factor of five, quite a lot being needed to grow the normal year's supply. Fortunately, and for future reference, another 'reasonably priced' supplier was located. There is the option of growing the onions from seed, but then the seed has to be got in quite early. The mildish weather has brought out the early plum blossom in the small paddock - the pristine whiteness of it looks stunning - new growth after a long winter. A bit like Ken Dodd's drum----you canna beat it.

Balancing acts-----?

Crikey, it's perhaps hard at times, though, these days to escape the feeling that 'small' doen't matter too much in these times of 'big government', large powerful commercial organisations, globalisation and the rest. Yet another large concern has been 'done' for mis-selling its services to 'ordinary folk', and is having to fork out millions in compensation. Huge remunerations still seem to proliferate- one banker was reported this week of earning the equivalent of £6 million this year, whilst millions are having tough times under the austerity packages with rising costs and often little in the way of income increases (and many of course having tough times having lost their employment due to the economic stringincies caused, apparently, by having to bail banks out in the first place).

 The Governor of the Bank of England was in the papers this week charging bankers of being 'in denial', now still 'making hay' even though the sun isn't exactly shining right now for many. He maybe wrong of course - the bankers may not give a fig, having a 'tough s---t'! approach -? Such an approach might 'fit', too, in that modern culture appears to have developed along the lines of an 'out-for-self', competitive, 'dog-eat-dog' mode, possibly/probably imported from the USA, and alledgedly stemming from a 'zero trust' approach developed in the cold war (and who's main architect apparently then developed mental instability). Maybe, then, some of today's problems and issues could stem from over-emphasis on 'out-for-self' philosophy, then causing under-emphasis on other important life areas, such as, say for instance, social priorities, and hence creating an 'imbalance' situation-?

A 'harmonic hole'-----?

Another style could be to take, for instance, a more 'overview' approach, recognising that within society there are many strands, and that a better and safer strategy might be to go for a 'reasonable satisfaction' for most, rather than, say, a 'high satisfaxtion' for some, with others then not doing so well. The analogy could be that of an orchestra, in which the 'strong & loud' might at times have to be kept in check, whilst the more delicate and 'refined' elements have to be encouraged and facilitated, if an overall harmonic result of beauty is to be achieved. Agreeing to such a common goal could maybe present some difficulties- perhaps it could be, though, a key to getting an overall better coherence, in the longer-run to the benefit of all-?

Can be a small world------?

 Another potential 'anti freeranging' limitation to the 'self' orientated culture that's been flagged up could be its potentially innate non-encouragement for people to venture beyond the relatively 'small world' that is the self. Whilst presumably few might argue that 'self' is important, as the saying 'charity begins at home' can indicate, it's perhaps when 'self' is over-focused on that potentially could cause 'inattention' to other important strands of life such as 'external realities'. This could bring the potential danger of individuals then being limited to and restricted by, just 'small world' existence, with possibly the younger generations, having had less opportunity to 'spread wings', being most 'at risk'-? Perhaps one of the more obvious potential 'clash' areas is between 'self' and 'others', with 'small world' existence potentially delivering insufficient awareness of others-?

Arcadia beckoning-----

Ah well, all 'grist to the freerange mill'. Back to a wee modern version of Virgil's 'rural retreat of peace' here - Arcadia, with only the bird chatter to disturb it. A needed 'small world' retreat from a 'big' world getting bigger, a need being championed in a 'anti stress' piece in a recent broadsheet. A backwater eddy out of the 'fast flow'- a 'micro' small world.