Free-Range Living

'Heartening ----- '
 
  April has been a dry, sunny month here at the eco organic micro-holding (small smallholding), here in the UK midlands, but with some pretty cool winds in the latter half of the month. Stuff has grown though, with onions, and early potatoes, now free from plastic covers, reasonably well ahead, and beetroots, leeks, broad bean plants now all poking out of the ground here in early May. The broad bean plants, transplanted out at mid March, are now actually very nearly in flower and there's a useful looking row of peas which will need sticking shortly - this time of year always has a promising, productive feel about it. Tragedy, though, concerning the 'wild bunch' of hens -one evening two out of the three were taken in the paddock, which with its new fence was considered to be predator proof. Not a good feeeling at all, and the sole survivor's non too happy, poor thing ----- The most likely culprit would seem to be a vixen fox with cubs to feed - some of the hens of both the neighbours too were taken, and although two badgers were apparently seen in the vicinity, and they could be responsible, the right sort of disturbance evidence wasn't apparent to nail it firmly onto them, more likely probably to be a fox. With a new fence down the side of the paddock where there were problems previously, it was thought that the paddock was predator proof, but not so, and one corner opposite the new fence would seem to be the weak link, where the fox must have jumped over - learning too late that they can apparently clear a six foot (2m) highhurdle.

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 It's probably because so much oil seed rape is grown hereabouts now that local dairy herds have mostly gone that the countryside has seemed so stunning this spring, along with the sunshine, and the rape spectacular seems to have lasted longer than normal. Fertiliser has made the grass fields a deep emerald green, contrasting vividely with the vibrant yellow of the rape and the often blue sky. Something of a rare sight occurred a day or two ago, when over twenty buzzards were spotted circling against the clear blue sky, the top two/three just high-up specs against the sky - the most seen in these parts previously have been six or seven, so to see over twenty at one time was a rare sight here indeed. Adding to the springtime spectacle of nature has been the blossom in the orchard, now that the trees have grown bigger. Roughly half of them are apple trees, set to deliver a bumper crop from the amount of beautiful blossom on them, and with no, touch wood, frosts in sight to put a spanner in the works. And not forgetting the annual visual feast that is the bluebell wood, resplendant and vibrant as ever, good for the soul and the spirit ---- and the heart

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'Sick hearted ----- '

 An acquaintance recently had a setback due probably to money-driven 'on the make' times. He and his wife had booked a good holiday to celebrate a special anniversary, when suddenly he fell ill not too long before the departure date with heart problems. On being seen and operated on by a heart surgeon, he enquired as to whether it would be ok for him to take the holiday with his wife, and was told it would be better and safer to delay it. His wife rang up the holiday firm to tell them the situation, but then the next day rang then again to try to transfer the holiday to a later date. They were told however, that their holiday had been cancelled so a transfer was not possible, and that it would anyway not have been an option. Commercial practice no doubt but not over helpful to this couple in their time of need - the quality of mercy not being strained too hard in such mercenary times (the company only gave a small partial refund - 15% - due to late cancellation, and would then be able to have the opportunity to resell their holiday). Maybe current 'hard-edged' commercial policy needs at times to be tempered with some common sense humanity - which also might make some commercial sense via good will and reputation, resulting in repeat sales in the longer-term ? Foregoing short-term profits to make gains in the longer run does not though seem to be on over popular move in what's been described as 'profit greedy' times - ?

 The level of focus on profit-making these days would seem to have resulted in a limited culture - one that just works on a one-dimensional plane to exalt money making and wealth creation, the 'winners' being those that come out the right side of the money equation, regardless as to whether it may cause problems or hardships for others - ? It's not totally clear, though, whether such 'winners' do themselves much in the way of favours, if their non-compassionate actions for instance, impact in the longer-term on their own make-up-----?  Notions such as 'karma' don't seem to register too much in these more secular days - no doubt influenced too by the 'non personal reponsibility' position inherent in the 'free-market' approach, which presumably, just because it's current thinking, doesn't though automatically preclude the possibility that what a person does can have repercussions further down the line ------ ? ( such a notion maybe supported by the reported fact that the wealthy are increasingly seeking therapy - ?).  Maybe there's a choice that can be made - the 'big bucks, fame and fortune' lifetyle, prominent no doubt due to the 'glitz' factor, or the 'meaningful life' lifestyle, which undoubtedly many do choose, with though less fanfare. Easy, maybe, to 'fall into' the current trend, which though still doesn't render individual choice invalid ----- ?

'Bigger hearted ---- ?'

The free-market mindset appears to have had the effect of people feeling they are released from any responsibility and absolved from any negative effects of any consequences from their actions. Considering the frequency and scale of commercial operations, the potential negative impact (on say, for instance, the humanitarian side of things) of such a morally limited stance must be pretty potentially extensive ---- ? One recently quoted source was even advocating ditching friends who, not being in the mode of modern materialstic 'winners', were then automatically 'losers'. Crikey, could be just a bit of 'limited dimension' - maybe it'll be 'Granny sales' next ? Robert Pirsig (Zen and The Art of ---- '), and just recently passed away, wrote too about the absence of 'quality' in some modern western cultures, using for instance, 'concete jungle' type living conditions as an example. Perhaps an all-embracing, all-inclusive effort to increase general life quality would be a positive step, leading to further longer-term attributes and benefits, such as social stability, as one billionaire was advocating on TV awhile back - ? The 'self-seeking small self' approach cultivated by modern materiallistically-orientated cultures may have to be extended, though, to facilitate a larger, more panoramic longer-termed mindset capable of taking on board social as well as individual priorities - ?

'Heartfelt ----- '

The free-market mindsets of current times have seemingly produced a 'big beast' type of jungle due to what some believe has been abandonment of values and responsibilty in favour of over self-aggrandisement, with a resulting negative effect on civilisation (eg. the inherent fall in care and compassion), producing then a harsh, violent non-care world, as described by Gary Zukav in his work The Seat of the Soul . This could, though, be a 'wrong road' that has been taken? - the free-market having been seemingly based on the economists' notion/model of the 'perfect market', in which the 'right' conditions are produced resulting in 'right' price levels, The number one condition though, for the perfect market to function fully is that the market must contain 'many buyers and sellers', so that no individual buyer or seller, or groupings of them, can then unduly influence the market to their own advantage. This condition plainly hasn't been maintained in the free market, hence the proliferation of 'big beast' companies (and individuals) - and, of course, the 'prey' of the 'big beasts' is 'small beasts' - those such as individuals who are powerless, which is why some at least are concerned that civilisation is being then driven backwards, again as some would verify pointing to the level of violence in the world (actual, and media-lead ).

 Not too much surprise then that quite a few of the 'big beasts' have been charged at various times with 'bullying behavioiur' patterns, from intimidating suppliers and sorting adverse terms of trade for them, to exploiting  poorer members of society. With religion in western cultures seemingly having taken  a backseat role, maybe man has to then face up to and take responsibility --- ? Ah --- just after the words above were typed, on the lunchtime news today, it was announced that the ruling UK political party, previously solidly pro free-market and anti intervention, would now intervene in one of these 'power' markets if re-elected, and put a cap on energy prices ------- Maybe, though, just a little 'shutting the door after the horse has bolted' - there seems to have been quite awhile of political inaction --- ?

'Heartless ---- '

 The well-known comic, John Cleese, said on TV awhile back that 'money's spoilt everything', agreeing presumably with the Oscar Wilde quote ' we'll soon know the price of everything and the value of nothing', in a one-dimensional limited culture in which 'money rules'. It would seem obvious to some, maybe even quite a few, that money can't automatically equate with happiness or well-being, as it's so limited dimensionally (the reverse might be truer? Insufficient money in a money-driven culture can lead to unhappiness?) It's maybe though not too hard to come under the spell of money, as many experiencing financial incentives might testify. Money is probably overdone and overstressed in modern life, with 'success' then being those that 'win' at the money accumulation game, hence the 'on the make' business model. Buddha, one of those 'losers (?),  yet probably one of the most influential human beimgs to have existed, may though not have given tuppence about money, being more on the personal development 'being' track rather than the 'having/accumulating' route.' Maybe he'd see money as a 'means' rather than as an 'end', demoting it to the rank of 'servant' rather than 'master' - ?

The olden-days author, Jane Austen, though, didn't agree :

        ' A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of '

'Heartless veg ----- '

One of the ploys here on the micro-holding to hold the tentacled power of cash at bay, is to operate to a fixed amount and work within that, rather than go 'chasing the dollar'. Not everyone may be in a position to do that, but if it is possible it can help to 'keep it in its place', as it were, counteracting any 'more, more' inclinations. Solving life needs, plus the odd want, in this fashion can then lead to some degree of creativity, exercising the mind and the will, and bringing satisfaction, especially when an economic solution is found, appeasing the frugal 'lean use of resources' instincts. Talking of which, it's time to get 'a-sowin' an' a-plantin'', time to get those runner bean plants planted out, and to get the swede seed in the ground. It's a lean time of year for produce from the veg ground but spring greens ( heartless cabbage ) and salad items are just about to hand - delicious fresh produce which, erm, hardly costs a bean - heart's desire ----