feelings from the farm...

Sorry for the low quality pictures, my new digital camera should be coming in very soon. After which i will have many more pictures to post on this blog.

I work on the organic farm here once per week for two hours or so. Today i was picking tomatoes and after a little while i remembered how rewarding getting your hands dirty and working outside in the earth can be.

Fresh, cool, misty morning air weighed down with dew penetrated my whole body refreshing me every time i took a breath. I worked slow in order to be as thorough as possible in getting all the tomatoes...I squatted down into horse stance (I try to train my kung-fu while doing work) and plucked the ripe tomatoes off the vine. After my legs got sore, i stood up straight to relax and breathe deeply. Looking into the distance I could see the mountain emerging out from the swirling mist of morning. Time stood still, thoughts quieted, my body relaxed, and i felt peace.

Of course I didn't waste all my time standing in awe of the magnificent glory that is nature. I managed to fill up three full crates of tomatoes. In between these lovely little breaks from picking I thought how wonderful a chance it is to do work, any work outside really, and how special are those who actually have this a part of their daily life.

Being of suburban blood, i never farmed once as a child. I was actually very freighted by most insects. However after living here for two years I have conquered that fear almost completely. Not only that, i have come to understand the importance of work. By work I mean skills required to survive. Some examples would be farming, cooking, knitting, carpentry, mechanical skill, and cleaning. If I am honest with myself then I will admit I have a mere appreciation for these skills and not the actual possession of them. My skills are very few, and this brings me to my next stream of consciousness I've been living in lately.

What skills do I want, and why do I want them?

I wont go into my personal aspirations here and now, but I think it is a very wonderful question anyone young or old can ask themselves and think about.

An interesting question for myself would be, what would I do without electricity, or running water? How about something as simple as food? I take it for granted I can simply goto a place and buy anything I want to eat. I, unlike my father who has many genuine skills, am skill-less.

I would probably die if left to fend for myself alone in the woods.

I am here to change that.

Well thats all for now! I will post soon with info from some classes. Particularly Philosophy of Education has been very rewarding...But I am quite busy so we will see. Any thoughts, comments, and criticisms are welcome and appreciated.

Go get your hands dirty.