I am a therapist and often work with loneliness. Thank you for bringing it up! Some people are more prone to loneliness than others. I often recommend welcoming the loneliness for a few minutes each day as a meditation without judgement or resistances as well as reaching out to build connection. Sometimes the problem is the quality of connections available and desire for belonging. My farming family in Minnesota were members of the Grange which was created for economic and social reasons--probably really helped reduce farmer loneliness.
I love this conversation. When I was doing rural medicine during the B@ndemic I learned if this issue. So many people needed the CONVERSATION more than the healthcare.
On the loneliness issue: my son and I have almost the opposite issue. He is verbal autistic with other health issues, cognitive functioning is at a 4 to 6 year old level and he is now 28. He is a blessing and then some... I would not change anything for the world. I am his full-time caregiver... all day, everyday, no stop. We get sick of looking at each other. 😂 There is no respite because there is no one who wants this job for even a few hours. If we had a place where he could tell someone else everything they never wanted to know about the Lion King for 3 hours a week... we would consider that a blessing. And I know there are many of us. Not lonely... just in need of a small occasional break from our caretaker duties in our very routine and repetitive lives.
@jeas4980 I’m a mom of a 21 year old daughter that has Autism, and is mentally at the same age, and also her full time caregiver. It truly is fulfilling, but can also be a lot. Right now her obsession is an Elmo movie she had when she was a kid and randomly decided she wanted to start watching it again and that’s all we hear about all day long. 😅 I started a small flower garden this past spring and am going to add more to that this coming year and then also adding a veggie garden. It has helped with my anxiety and depression, but not my social situation. I’m hoping I can get into a farmer’s market and connect with people that way. Hopefully, anyway. 🤪
Stay strong and positive my friend. Very few things are within our control so focus on those. I’ve followed you long enough to see your battling with thongs. For what it’s worth you have changed my life and give me great hope. Stay blessed
The worst part of this season for me was when the employees ended their term in the fall and all of a sudden I was faced with weeks of solitude. It was very hard. I joined a discord chat group to connect to people and it helped tremendously.
Did my leafs into my mulcher crushing leaves, garden waste and grass clippings covering as much of the ground with 4 to 5 inches of my growing spaces. Thanks Day is important so you and your folks try to enjoy the holidays. Thanks for helping me
My grandparents had a small 'retirement' farm in Iowa when I was a child. We only got to visit once a year, they could rarely visit us (a state away) because it was hard to get someone to watch the cows. This was before the Internet & long distance calls were very expensive. I know my grandma got terribly lonely, it still makes me sad thinking about it. She asked me to stay an extra 2 weeks one time so she could teach me the piano & I said no (I wanted to get back to my friends), it's the 2nd worse thing I've done in my life & I still regret it & feel remorse decades later.
I'm a Grandma and sometimes the grandkids say no and that's ok. I would rather have them assert themselves than do something out of feelings of guilt if they didn't. I'm thinking that your grandma would think the same. Grandmas are pretty easygoing and forgiving. Hugs!
@sleepybearpermaculture1936 I almost passed on in 2003 and since then my life has changed and I'm sometimes able to see a person's grief through their eyes and also connect with those that have passed. Her Grandma loves her and understands.
Interesting to see the different perspectives and personalities when it comes to loneliness. Being alone for 8+ hours a day surrounded by plants sounds like a dream to me. Working from home and not having to interact with people in office has been a blessing, but this would be next level for me. Of course I totally understand not everyone is a grump like me. :)
Having the chance to see another's face & some daily/+- conversation seems to help with feeling alone. I'm content, but my spirit wanes after a few weeks of non-farmer conversation 😊. I work in health care, so farming isn't a topic discussed often.😊
I don’t know how you do it! Just this morning I was thinking some more about the seed saving I’ve been doing, and what do know, there’s a new episode on exactly that! Not the first time either - won’t get all woo-woo with synchronicity, but I’ll be watching you! 🧐😅🤓👍
I live in nebraska an made a small grow house over 2- 4x12 about 7 foot high If i cover with 2 layers of plastic I've grown kale spinach lettuce arugula parsley an other crops an has gotten -30 below zero but I have well sealed an put straw or bags of leaves around base
Hey all, we regularly organize little events in our garden. That's a great way to socialize, share your passion and get people even more connected to your project. Another great way is to call people while you're working in the garden. Obviously, that doesn't work with all tasks. On the seed topic. We haven't gotten into the seed saving yet, but it's definitely on our plan for the upcoming years. My partner works in research on a project where they try to adapt oak trees to the changing climate in Germany. They do that by introducing genetic information from trees that come from populations that are already exposed to a drier climate. A concern is that if you select for certain characteristics, you promote inbreeding. If you save your seeds as a market gardener it would be wise to introduce once every few years some genetic diversity to your population. So for example, if you select every year 10-20 lettuce plants and you're mostly selecting for heat resistance and flavor, your gene pool is limited by the 10-20 plants that you saved in the first year. Every 3-5 years you could introduce some seeds from the same variety but a different population (source), so that you bring in some more diversity to your gene pool.
I'm glad you mentioned loneliness. The lack of cultural focus on loneliness is a real problem. In Western culture specifically, we're meant to be self-sufficient in all things. Money, resources, equipment, food, etc without taking into consideration that humans are social animals. We thrive on human connection, positive feedback, and being seen and heard. Even touch. My psychiatrist told me the reason we favor hot beverages and hot showers so much is that they mimic warm skin. In Norway, we see a lot of small rural areas go empty because young folks leave for work and never return. We see a lot of young farmers inherit their parent's farms without it being financially viable to make a living off of. Young folks leaving cities and buying old farms intending to work them, find out that the financial burden and yes, LONELINESS break them because they have no network where they're supposed to build a home. People seem to never consider the safety network for themselves when they pick a building to live in. They don't make an effort to build or be part of a community once they move in somewhere. Then you have geography itself. The distance in miles. I've heard about a family that got split in half, a mountain separating them, and they lost touch simply because you had to take a boat to meet up. With all the connectivity of the internet, camera phones, and emails, humans are never further apart than when we think we have to be. Not asking for help. Not reaching out to say hello, how are you. I call my parents sometimes with a made-up question so I can have an excuse to call. Sure, I could have googled things. But sometimes it's how THEY would do it or how THEY think about things that are more important to me. Where I live I'm known for my interest and passion for gardening. I jog down to the local stable for manure. I pick up fallen leaves and fruit from the side of the road. I source comfrey and nettles around my town. I collect used Christmas trees in early spring as soon as the snow starts to melt. I'm well known. I have helped with cleaning up a local playground and I have helped clean up around the local stable and did some stable groom work there as well. I stay connected through social media and make sure, that even if I don't hang out with a lot of local people, I still participate. I'm not on a farm. I have social anxiety and it's sometimes hard for me to deal with new people. So, I make sure I "know" people around me instead. Tricking my brain into thinking they're "safe". I wish people would take being social into consideration when making big life changes. Like making sure to keep some hours during a week to be involved with something that isn't done all alone. Almost like in a relationship, holding time for a date night. We've started being so focused on me-time and us-time that "all of us"-time has been forgotten.
For anyone that’s growing in tunnels in the winter, I have done both hoops and non hoops with row cover. The only time I find that leaves get burned is if the fabric is moved (by employee or wind) while the leaves are still frozen. Otherwise have had no issues laying it right over
Again, learned something new. :) I've begun to save seed but never considered going after them with certain traits. I was always just happy to be able isolate or here, just get them to ripen before the weather went to @*!%. Good show, Happy American Thanksgiving.
The problem with even attempting to buy seeds that have been grown in your area, is quite simply that nobody grows their own seeds! They ALL contract it out, so there's not way to know where it was grown. Best to just start with what's available and save your own seeds from then on.
Yeah, perhaps...but let's face it; none of us would EVER get out of bed (unless we "had to" .....HAD TO ) Autimation makes the most "sense" of any operation which is applicable! Fergit feedin' cows at 4 A.M.!
Thank you, thank you. This is the finst time I have heard a mainstream gardening/farming channel, [to which I subscribe and for which I have high regard highly respect] share information about seeking diversity in seeds. Perhaps the book "Landrace Gardening" by Joseph Lofthouse, will be helpful for some of you who want to grow seeds adapted to your farm. I wish anyone wellness in the enterprise. I am a backyard and community-garden-plot gardener. While I can still develop a landrace in my limited space, perhaps in some future lifetime I will have the land needed to try this idea process out on a much larger scale.
On regional seed companies selling seeds grown for that region, one such in the Midwest is Nature and Nurture Seeds, outta Michigan I think. They are, and a lot of what they sell, still a zone warmer than I, but they're the closest I know of. I'm in St. Croix co, WI so if any knows of any others, I'm interested !
"....almost thou persuadeth me (to buy a tunnel) but living in Fl. one can "cheat" with the very occassional 'cover' of thrown straw. Of course, as usual, your advice on (any kind of material) touching leaves is anathema to good practice. Thanks. Good to know it wasn't only the "vis-queen" (poly sheeting) giving the problem(s)!
I am a therapist and often work with loneliness. Thank you for bringing it up! Some people are more prone to loneliness than others. I often recommend welcoming the loneliness for a few minutes each day as a meditation without judgement or resistances as well as reaching out to build connection. Sometimes the problem is the quality of connections available and desire for belonging. My farming family in Minnesota were members of the Grange which was created for economic and social reasons--probably really helped reduce farmer loneliness.
Just curious, if you don't get lonely at all, ever, is there something wrong? 😄
I love this conversation. When I was doing rural medicine during the B@ndemic I learned if this issue. So many people needed the CONVERSATION more than the healthcare.
Why are you spelling "pandemic" that way? It's not a forbidden word.
On the loneliness issue: my son and I have almost the opposite issue. He is verbal autistic with other health issues, cognitive functioning is at a 4 to 6 year old level and he is now 28. He is a blessing and then some... I would not change anything for the world. I am his full-time caregiver... all day, everyday, no stop. We get sick of looking at each other. 😂 There is no respite because there is no one who wants this job for even a few hours. If we had a place where he could tell someone else everything they never wanted to know about the Lion King for 3 hours a week... we would consider that a blessing. And I know there are many of us. Not lonely... just in need of a small occasional break from our caretaker duties in our very routine and repetitive lives.
@jeas4980 I’m a mom of a 21 year old daughter that has Autism, and is mentally at the same age, and also her full time caregiver. It truly is fulfilling, but can also be a lot. Right now her obsession is an Elmo movie she had when she was a kid and randomly decided she wanted to start watching it again and that’s all we hear about all day long. 😅 I started a small flower garden this past spring and am going to add more to that this coming year and then also adding a veggie garden. It has helped with my anxiety and depression, but not my social situation. I’m hoping I can get into a farmer’s market and connect with people that way. Hopefully, anyway. 🤪
Stay strong and positive my friend. Very few things are within our control so focus on those. I’ve followed you long enough to see your battling with thongs. For what it’s worth you have changed my life and give me great hope. Stay blessed
The worst part of this season for me was when the employees ended their term in the fall and all of a sudden I was faced with weeks of solitude. It was very hard. I joined a discord chat group to connect to people and it helped tremendously.
Did my leafs into my mulcher crushing leaves, garden waste and grass clippings covering as much of the ground with 4 to 5 inches of my growing spaces.
Thanks Day is important so you and your folks try to enjoy the holidays.
Thanks for helping me
I am thankful for this man and the things he has done and the things he’s doing now !
My grandparents had a small 'retirement' farm in Iowa when I was a child. We only got to visit once a year, they could rarely visit us (a state away) because it was hard to get someone to watch the cows. This was before the Internet & long distance calls were very expensive. I know my grandma got terribly lonely, it still makes me sad thinking about it. She asked me to stay an extra 2 weeks one time so she could teach me the piano & I said no (I wanted to get back to my friends), it's the 2nd worse thing I've done in my life & I still regret it & feel remorse decades later.
I'm a Grandma and sometimes the grandkids say no and that's ok. I would rather have them assert themselves than do something out of feelings of guilt if they didn't. I'm thinking that your grandma would think the same. Grandmas are pretty easygoing and forgiving. Hugs!
What a compassionate thing to say, reassuring a stranger on something that is so important to them. Grandmas rock. :)
@sleepybearpermaculture1936 I almost passed on in 2003 and since then my life has changed and I'm sometimes able to see a person's grief through their eyes and also connect with those that have passed. Her Grandma loves her and understands.
I love ALL No-Till Growers videos!
Interesting to see the different perspectives and personalities when it comes to loneliness. Being alone for 8+ hours a day surrounded by plants sounds like a dream to me. Working from home and not having to interact with people in office has been a blessing, but this would be next level for me. Of course I totally understand not everyone is a grump like me. :)
Having the chance to see another's face & some daily/+- conversation seems to help with feeling alone. I'm content, but my spirit wanes after a few weeks of non-farmer conversation 😊. I work in health care, so farming isn't a topic discussed often.😊
I don’t know how you do it! Just this morning I was thinking some more about the seed saving I’ve been doing, and what do know, there’s a new episode on exactly that! Not the first time either - won’t get all woo-woo with synchronicity, but I’ll be watching you! 🧐😅🤓👍
I live in nebraska an made a small grow house over 2- 4x12 about 7 foot high
If i cover with 2 layers of plastic I've grown kale spinach lettuce arugula parsley an other crops an has gotten -30 below zero but I have well sealed an put straw or bags of leaves around base
Hey all, we regularly organize little events in our garden. That's a great way to socialize, share your passion and get people even more connected to your project. Another great way is to call people while you're working in the garden. Obviously, that doesn't work with all tasks.
On the seed topic. We haven't gotten into the seed saving yet, but it's definitely on our plan for the upcoming years. My partner works in research on a project where they try to adapt oak trees to the changing climate in Germany. They do that by introducing genetic information from trees that come from populations that are already exposed to a drier climate. A concern is that if you select for certain characteristics, you promote inbreeding. If you save your seeds as a market gardener it would be wise to introduce once every few years some genetic diversity to your population. So for example, if you select every year 10-20 lettuce plants and you're mostly selecting for heat resistance and flavor, your gene pool is limited by the 10-20 plants that you saved in the first year. Every 3-5 years you could introduce some seeds from the same variety but a different population (source), so that you bring in some more diversity to your gene pool.
I'm glad you mentioned loneliness. The lack of cultural focus on loneliness is a real problem. In Western culture specifically, we're meant to be self-sufficient in all things. Money, resources, equipment, food, etc without taking into consideration that humans are social animals. We thrive on human connection, positive feedback, and being seen and heard. Even touch. My psychiatrist told me the reason we favor hot beverages and hot showers so much is that they mimic warm skin.
In Norway, we see a lot of small rural areas go empty because young folks leave for work and never return. We see a lot of young farmers inherit their parent's farms without it being financially viable to make a living off of. Young folks leaving cities and buying old farms intending to work them, find out that the financial burden and yes, LONELINESS break them because they have no network where they're supposed to build a home. People seem to never consider the safety network for themselves when they pick a building to live in. They don't make an effort to build or be part of a community once they move in somewhere.
Then you have geography itself. The distance in miles. I've heard about a family that got split in half, a mountain separating them, and they lost touch simply because you had to take a boat to meet up.
With all the connectivity of the internet, camera phones, and emails, humans are never further apart than when we think we have to be. Not asking for help. Not reaching out to say hello, how are you. I call my parents sometimes with a made-up question so I can have an excuse to call. Sure, I could have googled things. But sometimes it's how THEY would do it or how THEY think about things that are more important to me.
Where I live I'm known for my interest and passion for gardening. I jog down to the local stable for manure. I pick up fallen leaves and fruit from the side of the road. I source comfrey and nettles around my town. I collect used Christmas trees in early spring as soon as the snow starts to melt. I'm well known. I have helped with cleaning up a local playground and I have helped clean up around the local stable and did some stable groom work there as well. I stay connected through social media and make sure, that even if I don't hang out with a lot of local people, I still participate. I'm not on a farm. I have social anxiety and it's sometimes hard for me to deal with new people. So, I make sure I "know" people around me instead. Tricking my brain into thinking they're "safe". I wish people would take being social into consideration when making big life changes. Like making sure to keep some hours during a week to be involved with something that isn't done all alone. Almost like in a relationship, holding time for a date night. We've started being so focused on me-time and us-time that "all of us"-time has been forgotten.
Love your work. I must say you are a NUT ! and that’s what makes your podcast so great! Keep up the good work.
Lonely farmer here.
I get it!
Hmmmm!
Thanks for that information. The first time I heard anything about how the heat from the ground works in a green house.
For anyone that’s growing in tunnels in the winter, I have done both hoops and non hoops with row cover. The only time I find that leaves get burned is if the fabric is moved (by employee or wind) while the leaves are still frozen. Otherwise have had no issues laying it right over
Again, learned something new. :) I've begun to save seed but never considered going after them with certain traits. I was always just happy to be able isolate or here, just get them to ripen before the weather went to @*!%. Good show, Happy American Thanksgiving.
I wish your lettuce the best of luck this weekend.
Wishing your lettuce a good next few days from zone 5b Chenango county NY.
The problem with even attempting to buy seeds that have been grown in your area, is quite simply that nobody grows their own seeds! They ALL contract it out, so there's not way to know where it was grown. Best to just start with what's available and save your own seeds from then on.
Working alone means you can select the radio station and works for many.
😂😂 I understand too, sometimes no though.
Yeah, perhaps...but let's face it; none of us would EVER get out of bed (unless we "had to" .....HAD TO ) Autimation makes the most "sense" of any operation which is applicable! Fergit feedin' cows at 4 A.M.!
Thank you, thank you. This is the finst time I have heard a mainstream gardening/farming channel, [to which I subscribe and for which I have high regard highly respect] share information about seeking diversity in seeds.
Perhaps the book "Landrace Gardening" by Joseph Lofthouse, will be helpful for some of you who want to grow seeds adapted to your farm. I wish anyone wellness in the enterprise. I am a backyard and community-garden-plot gardener. While I can still develop a landrace in my limited space, perhaps in some future lifetime I will have the land needed to try this idea process out on a much larger scale.
On regional seed companies selling seeds grown for that region, one such in the Midwest is Nature and Nurture Seeds, outta Michigan I think. They are, and a lot of what they sell, still a zone warmer than I, but they're the closest I know of. I'm in St. Croix co, WI so if any knows of any others, I'm interested !
So lonely!
"....almost thou persuadeth me (to buy a tunnel) but living in Fl. one can "cheat" with the very occassional 'cover' of thrown straw. Of course, as usual, your advice on (any kind of material) touching leaves is anathema to good practice. Thanks. Good to know it wasn't only the "vis-queen" (poly sheeting) giving the problem(s)!
Very simplistic and not quite right. But everyone thinks they are a "breeder". Unfortunately none of them have taken a quantitative genetics class.
I was thinking the same..