#abandoned dairy farm collection

[honeyrosepetals]

abandoned farm

[life-sport-travel]

10 Best Places to Visit in Pennsylvania - Travel Video

https://lifesporttravel.com/?p=1579 10 Best Places to Visit in Pennsylvania - Travel Video - https://lifesporttravel.com/?p=1579 Located in the northeast of the United States, Pennsylvania has a lot of different sides to it. Its eastern end is home to the Delaware River and the big city of Philadelphia. But head west and you’ll find the Appalachian Mountains, historic small towns, and cities that feel every bit like the Midwest. For visitors, this provides you with the chance to experience all aspects of the United States over the last 200 years. Here’s a look at the best places to visit in Pennsylvania: Foreign Of the United States Pennsylvania has a Lot of different sides to it its eastern End is home to the Delaware River and The big city of Philadelphia but Head West and you'll find the Appalachian Mountains historic small towns and Cities that feel every bit like the Midwest for visitors this provides you With a chance to experience all the Aspects of the United States over the Last 200 years here's a look at the best Places to visit in Pennsylvania Foreign Hershey in Dauphin County in Dolphin County Hershey is as famous as any town With just 15 000 residents America's Favorite chocolate brand began right Here and unsurprisingly tourism is a Huge part of life in Hershey Travelers Come from all over to explore the town Built on chocolate there is Hershey Park And the Chocolate World but also a rich History of dairy farming and some Severely underrated nightlife visitors Get to enjoy the town's collection of Museums plus fun shopping and delicious Restaurants Foreign Foreign Centralia an interesting atmospheric and Somewhat Eerie place to visit the near Ghost town of Centralia has been almost Abandoned since 1962. this was when an Underground coal fire was discovered Burning under the once thriving mining Town since then its population has Dwindled from more than a thousand to Fewer than five with dilapidated houses And decaying buildings now lining its Graffiti strewn streets as well as Visiting the one remaining Church Visitors can drive around its quiet and Overgrown roads and spy wisps of smoke Escaping from cracks in the ground Foreign Delaware Water Gap crossing over the State line between Pennsylvania and New Jersey is the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area as the name Suggests the Delaware Water Gap is found On both sides of the Delaware River if You enjoy the great outdoors there are Countless choices available to you there Bring history to life in the 19th Century Millbrook Village or take a bike Ride along the Old Mill Road hikers can Pick from more than 100 miles of trails Trekking along scene extremes and lush Green Hemlock forests Foreign Number seven Presque Isle State Park Nestled away in the northwest of Pennsylvania is the stunning scenery of Presque Isle State Park set on a Sandy Peninsula that juts out into Lake Erie It is sure to Delight outdoor Enthusiasts with its lovely Landscapes And wealth of recreation activities Formed some 11 000 years ago during the Last ice age the idyllic Island Peninsula him in a beautiful Bay of the Same name the state Park's diverse Habitats lend themselves to all kinds of Outdoor activities with hiking biking And lounging on the beach being Particularly popular Foreign Number six Ricketts Glenn state park in The heart of Pennsylvania there is a National natural Landmark called Ricketts Glenn state park this park is Enormous spreading out into three Different counties and it is a nature Lover's Dream destination the park is Home to several waterfalls and hiking The Falls Trail system is the best way To see as many of them as possible if You'd rather kick back head to the beach On Lake Jean and set up a picnic with a View of the water you can also head into The lake with a boat rental or try some Fishing from the shore Foreign Pennsylvania Dutch Country in Lancaster County you can find a large portion of The state's Amish population in what is Known as Pennsylvania Dutch Country Although the capital of Harrisburg is Technically within this region much of The area is rural whitewashed fences Perfectly maintained Barns and Horse-drawn buggies abound in this part Of the state one of the best ways to Explore Amish country is to visit the Local markets where you can find fresh Produce as well as baked goods like Apple butter and the delicious shoe fly Pie Foreign Thank you Number four Harrisburg full of Interesting historic sites and cultural Landmarks Pennsylvania's capital Harrisburg lies in the southeast of the State although not particularly large it Is the perfect size for a quiet weekend Getaway with Allentown Gettysburg and York all lying within driving distance Thanks to its strategic setting and the Development of its canal and Railway System the city played a role in not Just the westward migration and Industrial Revolution but the American Civil War too this and its election as The capital in 1812 explains the huge Number of historic buildings and museums Found in town Foreign Foreign Number three Gettysburg one of the most Significant battles ever fought in the Civil War was the Battle of Gettysburg In July of 1863 three days of fighting Resulted in heavy casualties and the Retreat of the Confederate Army today The Gettysburg National military Park Marks the historic site at the Gettysburg Heritage Center you can get An introduction to the entire Civil War And how Gettysburg factored into it make Time to tour the Jenny Wade house where The only Gettysburg citizen who died During the battle once lived Foreign Foreign Pittsburgh Or the steel city is a huge Metropolis Created where Three Rivers converge it Has a distinct topography a mass of Green Hills Rising straight up from the Rivers below once a major Center of Industry its old warehouses and Mills Now instead house bustling businesses And important cultural institutions the Skyline of downtown Pittsburgh is not to Be missed with the U.S steel Tower Nabbing the honor of tallest in the city In the heart of downtown is Point State Park a green park where you can also Tour the 19th century Fort Pitt Block House Thank you Foreign Philadelphia commonly referred to by Locals as Philly Philadelphia is a major U.S city in Southeastern Pennsylvania And home to the iconic Liberty Bell and The Philly cheese steak sandwich Regarded as the birthplace of America Philadelphia is known as the city in Which the country's founding fathers Signed the 1776 Declaration of Independence and the U.S Constitution There is a host of interesting art Museums to visit in the city including The Philadelphia Museum of Art which is Not only one of the largest in the world But also famous for its long flight of Steps which were featured in the 1976 Film Rocky Foreign Foreign Mike Izzo https://lifesporttravel.com/?p=1579

[sagittariuswithablog]

The 12 Houses Visualized

What mental visuals do you get while imagining the 12 astrological houses? These are mine:

1st - a mirror, a pair of hands from a first person perspective

2nd - piles of gold and silver jewelry, a victorian mansion, a fur coat, an abundant backyard orchard ready to be harvested, getting your nails done at the most expensive salon you could find, a spa day, a limousine, the titanic (prior to sinking lol)

3rd - a library, a slam poetry reading, a facebook argument, a high school debate club, a children's book filled with random trivia and facts, a dictionary, a typewriter, an indie record store

4th - a church congregation, a kind old lady's doll collection, the smell of your mother's perfume on a jacket of hers you're borrowing, a bed made up and ready to sleep on, a relative's house over christmas packed with your family and filled with the aroma of fresh baked cookies

5th - a nightclub, a hot summer day spent in the pool with your friends and family, a teenage girl's room full of band posters and jewelry and makeup, playing with sparklers in pitch darkness, an amusement park ride

6th - a dairy farm, the bustling frantic kitchen of a busy restaurant, a veterinarian's office, the waiting room for a doctors office, a freshly done load of laundry sitting in a basket waiting to be folded

7th - a wedding ring being placed on a finger, a fancy brunch with potential business partners, a track runner handing off a baton to the next runner, a shy high school couple holding hands, a courthouse

8th - a frozen lifeless tundra, a cemetery, a swamp, an antique shop, a crematorium, a charnel ground while a sky funeral takes place, a decaying carcass in the woods being enjoyed by scavengers, an interrogation room, moss and mushrooms, children playing with a ouija board

9th - a professor in the middle of a lecture, ships and boats, the view from the top of mount everest, a monastery, the sistine chapel, the view from out of an airplane window, a graduation ceremony

10th - skyscrapers, a ceo's office, minimalist decor, a busy call center full of cubicles, a fancy invitation to a company party, a suit and tie, the smell of printer paper, the white house

11th - a roaring crowd of revolutionaries, a shooting star, a nuclear weapon detonating, a prospering commune, a virtual reality chatroom, a cult chanting and wailing in unison, the chat on a twitch livestream absolutely blowing up, a community rebuilding their town together after a natural disaster

12th - the bottom of the ocean, the northern lights, a clear view of the milky way galaxy on a cold winter's night, an empty hospital, an abandoned house nearly taken over by nature, a very dusty and quiet old folks home, a bubble bath, a holding cell

[brain-smouthy]

lol the argument that eggs and milk are inherently unethical because they're "exploitative" is so fucking funny to me

yes, large-scale egg and dairy farms use unethical practices and that's genuinely something we should address

but "exploitation" shouldn't even part of the fucking conversation. it implies that the animals are being forced to abandon some greater life's purpose in order to produce eggs or milk when that's...... literally just what cows and hens fucking do.

farm animals aren't people, yet tumblr vegans talk about eggs and dairy as if the cows are missing out on the chance to go to college and get a degree or some shit. they talk about exploitation in human terms and try to apply it to animals where it's literally not applicable.

milking a cow is not exploitation, and in fact, it's fucking dangerous to not milk a cow. the excess milk can literally kill them. ending dairy production would be less ethical than allowing it to continue, because the cows would fucking suffer.

collecting and selling eggs is not exploitation. they're not fertilized, you're not depriving the hen of its own fucking children. the hen literally loses NOTHING as a result of small-scale egg farming, and simply ending commercial egg production simply wouldn't do anything about the actual unethical treatment of hens.

tumblr vegans will talk about the egg hens that are so big and awkwardly proportioned that they can barely walk. and yeah, that's fucked up. but it's also a result of decades of selective breeding, and those poor hens will continue to exist and suffer whether or not we continue eating their eggs. it's unfortunate, but at this point it has absolutely nothing to do with what foods we choose to consume.

[cecilspeaks]

160 - The Weather

No man is an island. Some men are fjords. Most men are oxbows. All men are ravines. Welcome to Night Vale.

The news coming up. But first, let’s go to the weather.

[nature noises, birds cawing]

There’s a cold front moving through Night Vale. Temperature at City Hall is currently 63 degrees and sunny with wind gusts later this afternoon of up to 40 miles per hour. These winds are expected to bring cold air as low as 20 degrees this evening, and possibly dropping to below zero overnight. It’s unknown what’s causing this weather, is a statement I make every day, looking out into the sky. Is it God? P-perhaps it is the government. Perhaps Earth itself is, is it out of boredom that the weather exists? Maybe it is out of care. That would suggest the existence of a God who wishes us well, but it does not explain the fierce destructiveness of a blizzard, or a heat wave, or a tornado, or a tsunami. Is a tsunami weather? That is a question best left to oceanographers, meteorologists, or a Tarot deck. But why would God make a thing, then mar it? What mood change is this? what care can this god have for humanity? Ahhhh. And maybe that’s the point. Ah, that does make me feel better, to think that it all doesn’t matter. It really takes a lot of pressure off, doesn’t it?

Let’s have a look at agriculture. John Peters – you know, the farmer – says his orange crop this year is massive. He says the quantity of product has not deviated, only the quality. “Them oranges are huuuu-uuge!” John said, holding an orange the size of the 2002 iMac computer. “I can’t fit this thing into one of them orange crushers (what that) I make the juice with!” he said, struggling to keep his back straight under the weight of the abnormally sized citrus fruit. But John says he’s excited for his orange grove, which has been doing great ever since he genetically modified his crop to no longer cause teleportation across existential dimensions when consumed. Despite his excitement for orange sales, John says he’s worried about next year’s crop of invisible corn. He said he looked up summer 2020 in his farmer’s almanac and all it said was, “Wellll crap. Good luck.” John plans to diversify his farm investment by raising cattle for slaughter. He’s vegan these days, so he does not want to sell the cattle for meat or dairy. He’ll just raise the cattle until they’re old enough to kill. Best of luck in all your endeavours, John! Hope you finally win that coveted Best Orange at the Citrus Festival this year.

Many of our listeners have written concerned emails about the temperature possibly falling below zero. Bob Sturm of Old Town said: “Zero is the lowest number, Cecil. I’m a big stats guy and I can tell you that you cannot have less than nothing, that’s impossible.” Well listen Bob, I’m a journalist, not a numerologist, so I don’t know what to tell you. Apparently there are many unknown numbers below zero, and as they are discovered, rest assured I will be here to report on them. (Reina Guerrero) from the west side asked if there’s anything we can do to better prepare ourselves for this weather. Well (Reina), here are some tips I just looked up online. One: bundle up. Yeah, your heater can only do so much. Two: bring your pets indoors, and if you have an agent from a Vague, yet Menacing Government Agency outside your home assigned to record your every movement, invite them in as well. You don’t want them freezing alone out there in their black sedan. Three: light a fire, if you have a fireplace. If you do not have a fireplace of pellet stove, try using a refrigerator or sink. Four: if you should lose power at any time, do not panic. Just curl into a ball breathing heavily and repeating: “Oh God no, oh God no, oh God no, oh God no”, through loudly chattering teeth.

Now, we’re not expecting precipitation tonight, but should it snow, I recommend making a snow angel. Yeaaah, that’s always fun. All you have to do is lie flat on your back, arms and legs outstretched, until you are called into celestial service to whatever greater authority rules these beautiful creatures. Thank you for your questions and comments. I’ll do my best to keep our town up to date on the latest weather.

But first, this Saturday is Night Vale’s annual Holiday Fireworks Extravaganza at the Night Vale Harbor and Waterfront Recreation Area. There will be live music by local bands, including  a new band by Dark Owl Records owner Michelle Nguyen and her girlfriend Maureen. [quietly] Ah, my old intern Maureen. Their band is called The Funtastics, and it’s a folk country slash (trans) tribute band performing the acappella covers of Philip Glass scores. According to Michelle’s press release: “Please do not watch our show. I’m very angry you even know about it. I hate that our secret concert at the annual Holiday Fireworks Extravaganza, Night Vale’s most anticipated and attended annual event, was leaked to the press.” Following the concert, there will be a collective prayer to the [gong, echoing] Great! Golden! Hand! And then the fireworks will begin. Event organizers say they have a special fireworks display in store for attendees this year. Traditionally, the biggest explosions are reserved for the end of a half-hour long buildup of lesser explosions, but focus groups have indicated that people are tired of having to wait for the best part. So instead of normal boring fireworks, they will be blowing up old cars using the 18,000 tons of solid fuel they found at an abandoned missile silo on the edge of the Sand Wastes. The Holiday Fireworks Extravaganza would like to thank the Sheriff’s Secret Police for the vehicle donations, which are mostly cars impounded this past week for overdue state inspection stickers. Can’t wait to see everybody this Saturday at the Fireworks Extravaganzaa!

Brrrr! It’s getting pretty bad out there, Night Vale! The temperature has fallen dramatically to 20 degrees outside the radio station. I can hear the creak and groan of our antenna straining under the 40 mile per hour winds. I’ve seen three different minor accidents outside my window as drivers lost control of their vehicles. I’ve got my little space heater under my desk. Huh, but I can still barely feel my feet. [chuckles] I regret choosing today of all days to bike to work. [sighs]

Oh, I’m getting word that power is out in the Barista District, and dozens of leather apron wearing people have been forced to make torches out of Irish cream soaked biscotti stuffed into (-) [0:09:16]. And the only thing available coffee wise right now is cold brew. Gross.

Employees at the Night Vale power plant are working to restore power to that area of town, but they have run into some difficulties. The blustery winds and extreme cold have kept some of the workers from being able to drive to the plant, and the ones already on site re perplexed by how any of this works. “We are not sure if this is a nuclear plant or electric or coal or what,” said Mike Reiner, director of operations for the power plant. “We tried turning the whole thing off and back on like a computer, but the switch didn’t really do anything. Nobody labels anything around here, for crying out loud.” Reiner then began to cry out loud, as dozens of workers rushed to put their arms around the sobbing man. “We’re sorry, boss, we’re sorry,” the frantic workers all repeated. In the chaos of the consoling, a single worker was heard whimpering: “Oh god! Someone do something before he changes back into…” But that voice was quickly and fearfully shushed by the others.

More on the power outage and weather conditions soon.

But let’s get to some good news. Our population is booming, Night Vale! We have more people than houses. But thankfully, the good folks of the private land development industry are helping out. Ah, the altruistic hand of capitalism! A new housing development named The Final Destination is going up in Radon Canyon. New homes start in the 130’s for 2 bedroom semi-detached townhouses, all the way to expensive 10 bedroom estates with beautiful views of the blue..ish mist that settles every morning along the canyon bottom. Representatives from the EPA have warned against building residences in an area known for producing toxic gases, but the developers said they will equip each home with a large exhaust fan and provide a lifetime supply of rebreathers for the first 15 home buyers. The EPA has tried repeatedly to stop this development, stating that excavation of the canyon floor could lead to the release of more gases, which would catastrophically imperil not only the lives of those in the canyon, but the Earth’s atmosphere for hundreds, if not thousands of miles in all directions. “Who knows what’s beneath the shale in that canyon?” one EPA representative said. The representative was wearing a sports coat too large for his frame and comically out of date glasses. He continued: “We have been trying to declare Radon Canyon a Superfund site for years, but Night Vale doesn’t show up in any government database and so it cannot receive its projection. Didn’t you ever see the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark, how everybody’s faces melted off, it’d be just like that.” When it was pointed out that the end of that movie was good because it was Nazi faces melting, the EPA representative said: “Yeah yeah you’re right, that was pretty cool but still, get what I’m trying to say right?” Nobody did, because it was a weird thing to bring up a 40-year-old movie about Nazis and museum artefacts. So, now we will have new housing in the heart of Night Vale’s most beautiful scenic attraction, beginning spring next year.

I’m getting word that the power is out now in Old Town Night Vale and at the library, and on the south end. The temperature has dropped to 5 degrees and I think it will continue to plummet throughout the night. People are doing everything they can to prepare. Before the stores close, I recommend driving out and picking up some water as well as canned goods, even some fresh produce and raw meat while it’s still there. I mean, people worked hard to grow that food ten states away and then drive it across the country right here to you and you haven’t bought it yet? Even if your refrigerator’s not working because of the power outages, it’ll be cold enough in your house to keep it all fresh. So get out there and spend your money on food! We have so much of it. Let’s use it, Night Vale.

But above all: stay warm! If you’re alone, visit a neighbor. Body heat and company can help a lot in weather like this. And if you have room in your home, welcome your neighbors in! There’s no reason to be alone at a time likes. Plus it’s the holiday season, why not keep each other warm with stories, with camaraderie, with good fellowship? [shivering noises] Yet, if you can’t be with others tonight, [groans] then I will do my best to keep you company through this brutal cold.

Ah, I’d like to tell you a story of my childhood. It’s a very personal story, one I‘ve never shared on the air before. [shivering noises] I’m a bit nervous to tell it to you all, but if ever there was time for a story to bring us closer together, now is that time. I will tell you that story in a moment, but first, let’s have a look at sports.

[“Suspension of Disbelief” by Victory Soul Orchestra https://victorysoulorchestra.com]

[beeps] Computer: The National Weather Service has issued a severe weather warning for the greater Night Vale area. Temperatures as low as -10 degrees are predicted with high winds gusting up to 16 miles per hour. Wind chills overnight may reach -30 degrees. Residents of Night Vale and the surrounding towns of Pine Cliff, Red Mesa, and Desert Bluffs too should seek shelter. They should band together around fireplaces with heaters at their highest settings. In cases where heat sources are not accessible or operating, residents should huddle in the vacant lot out back of the Ralphs. Come huddle with us. Come huddle with us. There is a barrel here. It is filled with trash and we have lit it on fire. It is so warm, the trash. The trash is mostly paper and cardboard, but it is also something greater than that. It is a symbol of progress of the great tower of industry (and need) [0:19:51], a ruined towel like Babyl, which just toppled down of the weight of its hubris, and in the language of flame it tells us things. It tells us so much, not through words but through visions. 

Here is a list of visions the fire has revealed to us. One: two spools of coaxial cable. Two: a single white bulb atop of an anthill. Three: an empty keg around squat cylinder of frosting, beneath which lies nothing, not even air. A void (cake). “Happy birthday,” echoes the choir from a good distance away. Four: a great black bird whose white wings brush along the castle turret. Five: a snake spiraled and asleep inside a leather boot. Six: a wheelless tractor in a vast wasteland of cracked earth. Seven: your brother. Not a brother you know, but a brother you once had. He looks like you and he repeats your name, but backwards. Eight: smoke clouds shaped like vice grips.   These are the visions of the flames in the barrel in the vacant lot out back of the Ralphs. 

Beneath our gaze and across our minds, beyond our consciousness, these are the remains of the great tower of humanity. Come huddle with us. You without heat. You without home. You without hope. Come huddle with us. 

This severe weather warning is in effect (through) 8 PM tomorrow, when the warm front is expected to move through the region bringing sunny skies and high temperatures in the mid-80’s, and everyone will return to their normal lives, satisfied that they have (-) [0:21:51] death once again, confusing accidental survival with competence and immortality. What doesn’t kill you only makes you more complacent. The National Weather Service knows this is but a night together with you, not a whole life. For what we have in this moment is (truer) than rain, but deeper than thunder. Parting is such sweet sorrow. Blah, blah, blah. I’m not saying the morning will not hurt. I’m only saying the joy of memory is stronger than the prick of any (plate) upon my heart. This has been a severe weather warning from the national weather service. Stay tuned to the station for further updates.

I love you. I have always loved you. And now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

[beeps]

Cecil: And that is what I saw in the mirror that day. And why I do not like to go near mirrors. Ever.

[sighs] I never told that story to anyone before. I hope it has kept you company throughout this treacherous night. I hope it has kept you warm. Just knowing you’re listening somewhere out there in the cold dark has kept me warm. Stay safe, wherever you are. Good night, Night Vale… [shivers] Good night.

Today’s proverb: Who called it Snowpiercer instead of Chris Evans’s Polar Express?

[sansatully]

i guess it’s a nielan with past xiyao

Modern AU in which Lan Xichen runs the worst vegan restaurant ever and has no regular customer, except this big gymrat guy keeps coming by every day to pick up an anemic looking grain bowl and stammer over every word of their interaction. That’s it. That’s the story.

When Lan Xichen told his brother and uncle that he was quitting his job at the family law firm to open a vegan restaurant in Gastown, Lan Qiren, Esq. reacted exactly as his nephew had predicted. 

They had been at yum cha, as was their tradition, at the restaurant that the family had frequented for three generations in East Vancouver. The esteemed Mr. Lan Qiren, with his implacable expression, merely placed the cup of tea he had been holding in his hand down in front of him, gazed focused on his lap, and breathed a long sigh.

“Uncle, if you’ll hear my explanation,” Xichen said placatingly, flicked his eyes over this brother’s equally impenetrable gaze in a silent plea for support, and turned back to his uncle, whom he feared will succumb to a heart condition out of immense stress one of these days. “It is true that business at the law firm has progressed in a quite positive direction, and I know that I am to make partner soon. It is for this very reason that I feel quite comfortable leaving the law firm while it is on such a favorable trajectory. Wangji will finish his law education this year and will no doubt pass the bar on his first try. I have all the confidence in the world that he will contribute immensely to the prestige of the firm upon my departure, under your direct guidance.”

Lan Qiren is a difficult man to read. In the courtroom, he is rumored to be a large lake covered with a thin sheet of ice. Placid on the surface, treacherous to step upon, and teeming with life and movements underneath. It is due to this that his name, and by association, GusuLan, LLP.,  is feared and respected alike across the world of corporate law in this part of Canada. Lan Xichen felt quite keenly the ice in his own stomach as he watched his uncle mull over words that he knew would be quite difficult to hear, especially in the dead silence of the private room they had reserved.

His brother, Wangji, adopted Lan Qiren’s posture, pointedly avoiding Xichen’s gaze. Xichen could see in his brother’s expression something akin to resignation and disappointment, and he worked to stamp down a small jolt of guilt at the thought of their uncle’s expectation falling entirely onto Wangji’s admittedly capable shoulders. But Wangji was actually passionate about the law, as Xichen himself was passionate about few things in life. Xichen knew that his brother would flourish at GusuLan and truly enjoy his work, the rules and regulations an immovable part of Wangji’s life, as Xichen himself chafed at the confines set out as the eldest son of the main branch of the family.

It had not been an easy decision to come by. 

The chrysanthemum tea had cooled in the pot while they sat, each one avoiding the other’s gaze, in identical positions of unnaturally straight backs and neatly folded hands on thick-wove linen napkins. Xichen thought briefly about ringing the bell for a server to bring up a fresh pot of oolong. They could certainly use something a bit more bracing, or at least he could. His uncle possessed the unique ability to shrink him from a capable, Yale-educated, respected real estate lawyer to a child in trouble for failing to memorize a difficult passage to satisfaction in the allotted time.

Finally, Lan Qiren spoke. “Where did I go wrong with you, Lan Xichen?” His uncle’s eyes were sharp and pinning, and Xichen mentally recited the family rules to stop from cowering in front of his uncle.

Do not sit with a disgraceful pose. Be a filial child. Do not act impulsively. Be strict with yourself.

He remembered, too, another rule, one not often spoken out loud for whatever reasons. 

Love and respect yourself.

“Xichen could not have asked for a better teacher, Uncle,” he replied, bowing his head slightly in deference. “Whatever shortcomings can be found within me is my own doing. I humbly beg for your forgiveness.” He turned to Wangji, hoping that his brother could feel his sincerity. “And yours. I understand it is a shirking of my duty as the eldest in the family. I have been forced to confront myself over the last few months, and I can see no other way to proceed. Please allow me to hand in my resignation effective within two weeks.”

Wangji’s eyes were as the center of a storm, deadly calm within the swirl of chaos. “Jin Guangyao,” he said simply, and Xichen knew in that moment that there was nothing he could hide or had to hide from his brother. 

“The younger son of the Lanling Jin hedge fund?” His uncle asked, frowning. “Jin Guangyao’s wedding was just last month. What does this have to do with you, Xichen?”

Lan Xichen prided himself, just a little and righteously, on his ability to prepare well for unpleasant interactions and his uncanny way of navigating difficult conversations. He had known that this particular yum cha was going to be less than perfectly pleasant with the news he had to bring. This, however, was not a turn in the conversation that he had prepared for. 

To tell the truth, or to continue this charade of a life imagined for him by others. He had already taken the first steps to get away, and yet, he did not know if he was ready for the repercussion of this admission, if he made it. 

“After Guangyao’s wedding, I realized what I wanted most from life, Uncle,” Xichen said. A half-truth, a lie only by omission. Somewhere within the family annals likely recorded such conversations as moments of shame brought upon the family, but Xichen would rather risk the small disgrace. “To thy own self be true,” he said quietly, his hands only minutely tightening on his lap. “I want to step away from the family business. Carve my own path, for once, without the Lan name behind me.”

Lan Qiren sighed, leaned forward, and steepled his fingers on the table, mindful of the empty platters of food still arranged in front of him. “Huan’er,” he said, “I am no longer young. Soon I will not be able to lead the firm anymore. Wangji is still in school as of yet. Have I really raised you to abandon your family? Quoting Westerners… I knew I should have insisted on sending you both to school in Shanghai.”

Lan Wangji, who until this point had remained in contemplative silence aside from his singular, poignant remark, quietly entered the conversation. “I will try my best, Uncle. Xichen-xiong.” Xichen felt a warm bloom of comfort in his chest as his brother met his eyes, communicating so much in so few words. At least Wangji would be on his side, no matter what revelations would be declared.

“Uncle, I do not want to spend my life in regrets.” Like my father. The words remained unspoken, hung in the air among them. Wangji let out an almost imperceptible gust of breath. Lan Qiren, for his part, had become a frozen statue.

“You have a year,” Lan Qiren finally said decisively. “Your… silly experiment. If it is not a success within a year, you’ll put it away and come back to the firm. This is my condition, Xichen. You will not find a more generous offer even if we sit here for five more days.” 

A year. It would be enough. Xichen had never failed at anything in his life, and at this, he would also succeed.

“Thank you, Uncle,” he said, smiling serenely, only the frantic beatings of his heart betraying his nerves. “I will make you proud.”

“Mm,” Lan Qiren grunted as if in pain. He picked up his chopsticks from their graceful holder, continued the meal, and the Lan brothers followed suit in silence.

_________

Opening a restaurant is hard work. Xichen had done all the appropriate market research, scouted the location, located the supply chain from several local farms, and secured the appropriate funding from a combination of small business loans and his own personal savings. The private trust in his name, set up by his father upon Xichen’s birth, sat untouched, a stern reminder of the privilege that he had been born into. It was a safety net that Xichen was adamant he would not use, but still, it existed. And its very existence, Xichen knew, allowed for this crazy, foolish venture to even take place.

A crazy, foolish venture it had been. Growing up within the strict traditions of the Lan family, Xichen had been indoctrinated into a plant-based lifestyle since birth, with the exception of his mother’s milk and assorted dairy during infancy and very young toddlerhood. Wangji had been raised the same way, and the two had grown into tall, well-formed young men, reaching a full height of just over six feet, well-proportioned with lean muscles as was considered proper for young men of the Lan family. A combination of daily strength and endurance training, a strict diet regimen of lean protein and complex starch and very little fat and excess sodium--and one could surmise very little flavor--had proven to produce rather fine specimens of strength and grace, said the family dietician. There is no reason the Lan diet cannot find traction outside of the family, especially with the growing collective consciousness about healthful eating and plant-based lifestyle.

It had always been Xichen’s dream to set out and make something of himself outside of the confines of Gusu Lan rules, and so preposterous a dream it was that he dared not vocalize it, even to himself, until it seemed that life had lost all of its luster after Jin Guangyao ended things with him. “Family duties,” A-Yao had said, eyes lowered in contrition. “I cannot go against my father’s wishes. Xichen-xiong… please forgive me.”

Power families have always placed shackles upon their children. It is a reciprocal, symbiotic relationship. The offspring benefits from the prestige and wealth that their lineage brings, and must necessarily be prepared to give all it can in return. At Guangyao’s wedding day, Xichen had stood there in the middle of the pew, surrounded by the upper echelon of Chinese society in Vancouver, and clapped as he watched the love of his life glide down the aisle, his beautiful bride in arm. Xichen felt as if the mask he wore would crack at any second, that with the graze of the lightest breeze he would keel over from loss, that the straightness of his posture would soon snap into a bow of agony. And Guangyao looked happy, but how could he not? His bride was a rare beauty, her family position in society enviable, her fortune vast. An excellent match, especially for an illegitimate younger son. 

Xichen knew that this world could no longer be for him. 

But the fast-casual vegan restaurant. Xichen had always been rather confident in his ability to nourish himself. He had done so all those years in undergrad and law school away from home and the quiet bustle of the Lan family kitchen. It was true that his friends did not always enjoy the food he cooked, but then again, they were rather voracious meat eaters and often failed to even fake enthusiasm at the possibility of a meal without meat. Xichen never took offense. He liked what he had procured for himself, and now, back on the West Coast in an admittedly crunchy area of town, he knew that he could not ask for a better market for his particular brand of health-conscious dining. He hired a couple of younger Lan cousins who were still in high school to bus the table and man the cash register, a couple more to prep ingredients in the open kitchen. Complete transparency between customers and food. As for the recipes, they were a mixture of the kind of food the Lan chefs prepared for him throughout his life, combined with a couple of recipes of Xichen’s own creation, all designed with maximal nutrition and sustainability in mind.

So it was rather jarring that after the very first day of the grand opening, after the restaurant had filled to capacity and news of its appearance was well-covered by the local media, that Xichen did not see a repeat of that crowd the following days. In fact, the restaurant was designed for a fast turnover, catering mostly to the lunch crowd grabbing a nutritious bite to eat in between long business meetings. Yet, it seemed that the potential of this purpose was never truly realized. The restaurant saw a scattering of harried-looking office workers dashing in quickly, surveyingthe menu and offerings, and stammering out something incomprehensible before just as quickly dashing away. It had been three weeks since the grand opening, and Xichen could count on one hand the number of repeat faces he remembered coming in. Considering his excellent memory, Xichen was sure of his calculation. 

It was, in fact, one singular person. Like clockwork, the man came in at one o’clock in the afternoon, eyes darting around the staff on duty before making a show of studying the menu before ordering the same thing he always did. A simple grain bowl, topped with colorful vegetables and grilled tempeh. Xichen was particularly proud of this recipe, one of his own creations, prepared with minimal processing and absolutely no sodium or spices to detract from the pure flavors of the ingredients. A particularly elegant meal. The man had good taste, Xichen must admit. 

Guangyao had always complimented his cooking, but then again, Guangyao had only wanted to please, until he couldn’t any longer.

Their eyes met a few times, but the man appeared to be quite shy even as his large, athletic frame would suggest otherwise. Xichen very much wanted to appear welcoming to his customers, especially to his only repeat one, but it seemed to make the other man rather uncomfortable every time Xichen even as much as attempted to sustain eye contact. 

No matter. The Lan family understood distance and privacy and personal boundaries. 

When he closed the restaurant for the evening, Xichen stood at the empty counter and surveyed his empty kingdom, a strange sort of feeling coming over him as he examined the gleaming newness of the furniture, the spotless floor, the stainless steel appliances that had meant everything to him upon preparation for the restaurant’s opening.

Perhaps it was naivety that let him expect more joy from this venture.

A year. He had one year to make it count, and perhaps stubbornness was one of the less vaunted Lan traits, but it was one that Lan Xichen had never known how to escape.

[random-imagines-blog]

Dark Light {Gaspard Ulliel x Reader Oneshot}

Wordcount: 2793 Requested by: Anonymous Summary: During the zombie attacks around the world, you leave the big city for the French countryside. While seeking shelter, you come across another survivor.

The world had gone to hell in the space of a couple of months. It had started with a virus that had gone around, something akin to the flu but was strong enough to kill those whose lungs weren’t functioning at a hundred percent, then turned into something more as the scientists started to look for a vaccine. People stayed isolated in their homes for months, waiting for the day that it was announced that they could resume their normal lives - but that announcement never came. Instead, while in the search for a cure, the scientists found a new strain of the virus which was a flesh-eating strain. This mutated into something that affected the brain and the blood, and could turn people into what the media has been calling zombies for decades. One rogue scientist, a man who believed that he knew the cure for this new virus, released it. He was inspired by greed, and the desire to feel needed. He was positive that the government would throw money at him to make this problem go away - but the problem was that the virus came a full circle, affected him and the rest of his team - the only people who would know how to fix this problem. That was a couple of months ago, and it spread around the world from victim to victim until a lot of the population had this virus, and there was nothing that could  be done except for go into hiding.

You had to abandon Paris, the city that you loved so much. Your last look of it was from miles away. Never before had the Eiffel Tower looked so beautiful, though all of the lights were off due to nobody working there anymore. There wasn’t any power in the city, what with the infected attacking the power station. You packed everything into your car, and started the drive out through the small roads, taking the least trafficked areas because the highways would be disaster zones. For the first time, you were glad that you didn’t have a lot of family, because being on your own was easier than currently being strapped down with kids. You had seen the terror that they caused - a crying baby had brought the death of a family of six. It was the worst sight that you had ever seen. You didn’t even have a pet to worry about, though you did wish you had a dog to keep you company. Who knew how long it would be before you would come across other people?

Instead of going down the roads, you cut across wide fields of French land, avoiding the abandoned cars. You came across an old barn that seemed to be deserted, and pulled your car in through the shabby doors and turned it off. You needed a rest after driving for so many hours. Your eyes were starting to burn with the strain of looking at so much green. Taking a baseball bat out the backseat of your car, you slowly got out, leaving the door open, and looked around the interior of the barn. You never could be too careful in these times. You were just about to deem it safe when the sound of coughing came from the upper part of the building. The hay loft, you thought it was called.

“Who is there?” You called out, holding the bat securely. There was more coughing, followed up by a sneeze. Cautiously, you went to the thin metal ladder and started to climb, just poking your head above the opening. It was darker up here than it was below, so you had to squint to make out the figure. It was a man, leaning against some old haybales. The smell of the straw was strong, but not strong enough to cover the scent of bird dung. “Hello?” You said, quieter this time.

“I’m not infected, don’t hit me,” A rather ragged sounding voice came from the man.

“You don’t sound like you’re alright...” You ventured, going up another rung on the ladder. “How long have you been here for?”

“A couple of days, I think. I was making my way East until I caught this cold.”

“So you aren’t from the farmhouse then?”

“No, no, I’m from Boulogne-Billiancourt,” He coughed into a handkerchief. You frowned as you heard that - it didn’t sound good. A coughing man would surely bring the infected around. They tended to go to any place that was noisy, thinking humans were there. Or that was what was assumed. Nobody knew if they thought at all.

“I’m from Paris too,” You said. “Hold on a minute, I might have something that can help you.”

You went back down the ladder and to your car, rummaging in the backseat for a small bag full of the things that had been in your bathroom. Peroxide, over the counter medicine, even a little bit of makeup in the hopes for better days. You found some tablets for cough and cold, though they were the kind that would make one drowsy.

At least the man was unlikely to get up and steal your car if he took these. You shook out two of the tablets, then went to your trunk where you had bottled water. You took one of those, then ascended back up the staircase. “Here, take them. They’ll knock you out but you’ll feel better tomorrow.”

“Will you stay?” The man asked. “In the barn, I mean. I do not know if those infected can climb but-”

“I intend to spend the night in my car,” You told him. “So I’ll be close.”

“Thank you.” The man crawled forward, and though he was close, it was hard to see what he looked like in the darkness. He took the pills and the tablets from you, then retreated back. “My name is Gaspard.”

You told him your name in return, then smiled, though he couldn’t see. “I’ve still got a supply of food left in my car, so if you want some breakfast before I head out, I’ll leave you something.”

“Thank you,” He said, gratefully. You went back down, and got into the drivers seat of your car. You took a deep breath in, then out, and then reclined your chair as much as you were able in the hope of getting a decent nights sleep.

-

What woke you up was not the sound of zombies, but rather, a knock on the door of your car. You rose to a start, wiping off the bit of drool that had come out during your slumber, then looked at who was calling upon you.

“It’s okay - it’s me, Gaspard.” The man said. And indeed he was. You had not recognized his voice, but you recalled him from cinema, and from commercials that he had done. It brought you back to the way that things were before, when you were just going to see films with your friends, making thirst jokes over the actors. Including the one in front of you.

He didn’t look the same as he did when he was on the screen. But who would in the zombie apocalypse. The movies had lied about the women still looking glamorous and the men somehow managing to keep somewhat clean shaven. He had a scruffy look about him that made him look almost like a pirate.

“I - I’m sorry, you startled me.” You said, blinking a couple of times, coming back to the present moment. He moved back and you got out of the car, but kept the baseball bat with you the entire time. Just because he was a celebrity didn’t mean that you could trust him. “How did you sleep?”

“Whatever you gave me worked amazingly,” He said with a smile. You could see that infamous dimple on his cheek when he did so. “I wanted to return the favor.”

He offered you a gift. In his hand was a bag that looked like it had been made out of a potato sack. You hesitantly took it and looked inside to find a couple of fresh oranges inside. You almost started to drool at the sight. Fresh produce had become nearly impossible to get a hold of, since there were no working farmers. “Where did you get these?” You thought to ask before taking one out.

“There are orange trees on this farm. And apples, but they aren’t ripe.”

“Well, thank you.” You said, taking one out and started to peel it. There was a happiness in the look that Gaspard gave you as you enjoyed the fruit right in front of him. This was the apocalypse. There was no need to feel shame in making a pig out of yourself in front of a very attractive man. “Oh - I offered you breakfast, didn’t I?”

“You did, but you already ate, so do not worry about it.”

You thought for a moment, looking around the barn. “This is the safest place that I’ve seen in a long time. Maybe it would be best to stay another night here, collect some fruit before taking off.” You licked your lips, then looked back at the very attractive actor. “So I’ll replace the breakfast offer with dinner, how does that sound?”

“Good, that sounds good,” Gaspard nodded.

-

Throughout the day, you and Gaspard were up in the hayloft, mostly talking. He still coughed and sniffled a bit, but not bad enough for you to be worried about zombies hearing him. You let it slip that you recognized him from his films, and he stayed surprisingly humble.

“Celebrity does not matter anymore,” He said, which made a lot of sense. “All of the money in France can do nothing for me now.”

“That’s true - but hopefully when they find a cure to this thing, you can go back to your normal life.” It was taking a toll on you, this false positivity that you were putting forth, but there was nothing else to cling to in these dark times. Even in the films, the monsters only came out at night, but the daylight meant nothing here.

“If there is a cure,” Gaspard muttered. You looked over at him, and decided not to fight it. He was entitled to his negativity.

“The sun will be going down soon. I’ll see what I can round up for a decent dinner.”

“Escargot?” Gaspard asked, picking up a snail that was crawling across his pant leg. You laughed, took the snail from him, and put it on your shoulder until you could get outside and put it back into the grass where it belonged.

“I’m not that good of a cook. Plus it would be tough to find butter, unless this was a dairy farm.” He laughed along with you, and followed you down the ladder onto the ground. You put the snail on a rather large thicket of grass, then went to your car and took a look through it all. “I have some tins,” You said, going through the bag of cans. “And some jerky if you’re craving meat.”

“I can build a smaller fire with this hay, we can find a way to cook this,” He said, picking out a tin of stew.

“Sounds like a plan,” You said with a smile.

-

Half an hour later, behind the barn so that the whole thing wouldn’t go up in flames, Gaspard had a fire started. You looked around the barn and found a shovel, which you cleaned off as best as you could in the well you found on the property, and you were using that to prop up the can over the flames. It would also do as a decent bowl. Once the can was hot, you used a stick to knock it onto the hot shovel, then laid it  between you and Gaspard. It wasn’t the most romantic meal in the world, and it did taste a bit like metal, but all in all, it wasn’t too bad.

“Here, I saved you the big piece of beef,” Gaspard said, using one of the spoons you had packed for emergencies. You certainly didn’t plan on being out in this world, eating out of cans with your hands. And you were smart enough to bring a can opener as well. Preparation is key.

“You’re the sick one, you need the nutrients more than I do,” You pushed the beef back towards him, which he hesitantly took. You smiled and took a swig from the waterbottle you opened, then passed it over. It seemed quite natural to share in these trying times, and besides, when else are you going to have the chance to get this close to Gaspard Ulliel?

There was a moaning sound which completely removed the good mood of the night. You hissed and got up, looking around for the zombie. You had kept your metal baseball bat with you the whole time, not in fear of Gaspard, but knowing that all of this was too good to be true and something was going to come ruin it any second now.

“It must have been drawn to the light from the fire,” Gaspard whispered, picking up the shovel. It was only the metallic spade that was hot, the handle was fine. “I should have thought, I’m sorry.”

“Just pack up whatever we took out of the car, I’ll take care of it,” You insisted. You weren’t exactly a ninja or a super soldier, but given that Gaspard was still sick, you were the one on the front lines.

The body came jerking out from behind some trees. You smelled him before you saw him, the scent of rotting meat making your nostrils curl. You ran up to it, your heart pumping with adrenaline, and hit it across the head as hard as you could. The skull caved in, shattering the brain, and the zombie fell down. You spit on it, wiping your now bloody bat on it’s pant legs, when you felt something grab you from behind. The stench was overpowering, as was the zombie it was attached to. You hit it as best you could but it had you in a bear hug from behind. You were leaning forward, trying to get all of your skin away from it’s face.

But then it became limp, and fell upon you, the both of you tumbling down to the ground. The weight was enormous, and you couldn’t push it off of you. Gaspard’s head appeared from above, and his arms were grabbing at the body, pulling it off of you. You kicked off as much as you could on your own, and groaned in disgust at your clothes. Gaspard offered you his hand, and you got up to your feet, looking around you. “I think it was just the two of - wait, don’t open your mouth.”

Gaspard, who was just about to say something, closed his lips immediately upon you saying that. Since your shirt was ruined anyway, you took it off, and approached him slowly. He became confused by this gesture, until you got in close and started to rub the blood off of his face with a clean corner. “You don’t want to risk infection by getting any of this in your mouth,” you explained, not feeling any sort of bashfulness.

“Thank you,” He  said, allowing you to clean off his face. It had gotten caught on his facial hair and the thought of him getting infected just from the bristles touching his lips was terrifying. Once you were finished, you swung the shirt over your shoulder and motioned back towards your car. “You’re welcome to come with me, if you want to. There’s probably more coming.”

“There’s always more coming,” Gaspard said, following you to your car. There was a quiet lull when you started to drive, heading across the fields, away from the direction the zombies were coming. Then you started to laugh as you realized that you were still clad in your jeans and undergarments - and not much else.

“Do you think you could hand me a shirt? There should be some in the bag behind my seat,” You asked. Gaspard chuckled and reached into the back, finding a t-shirt and held onto it for a moment.

“I don’t know if I want to give his to you.” He said, with a smirk. “I like you the way you are now. A lot, actually.”

[craftedincarhartt]

Shop Small with these Women Owned Businesses

It's that time of year again, when we're all looking to support the small businesses our communities hold dear. Purchasing goods and services from the pillars of your favorite neighborhood is the best way to show your support.

Below you'll find a list of 15 Women Owned Small Businesses. If you shop online this holiday season, don't forget these incredibly hard working folks.

1.) Messner Bee Farm

Rachael Messner of Messner Bee Farm in Kansas City spun her hobby into a flourishing business. Her operations began as a 900 square foot urban farm. Over years of never giving up despite what different seasons showered upon her, Rachael and her family now live on a full-fledged bee farm. You can even stop by for a tour if you'd like to know more about where your honey comes from.  

“Honeybees pollinate over one-third of all the fruits and vegetables we eat. Of course they also make honey! The best way people can help bees is by minimizing their use of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, and supporting other organizations that do the same. Buy local honey, support your local beekeeper.” –Rachael Messner

Shop some of Rachael's products here. Read more about Rachael's story here.

2.) Woodward Throwbacks

Bo Shepherd and her partner Kyle started Woodward Throwbacks in 2013 as a means to repurpose much of the discarded lumber and abandoned antiques that plagued Detroit's streets. Their shop has moved from location to location, each time scaling up and offering even more goods and services.  

I started re-purposing found wood back in college but it became a serious hobby once I met Kyle. We used to bike around the city exploring different neighborhoods and during our excursions we noticed an abundance of wood from illegal dumping sites. We combined our love for the city and the idea that taking materials found in the street would also help clean our neighborhoods." -Bo Shepherd

Through their website you can shop salvaged doors, custom made and reclaimed furniture, and handmade goods. Read more about Bo's story here.

3.) Seattle Urban Farm Co.

Hilary Dahl is co-owner of Seattle Urban Farm Co. and host of the Encyclopedia Botanica podcast. The podcasts are quick lessons in farming, each one is easy to access—you can listen to them online and read the highlights.

Seattle Urban Farm Co. offers many services, and they differ from customer to customer. Their knowledgeable team can plan, build, and maintain the urban farm you always wanted but never thought you could personally manage—perfect for those of us who may not have a green thumb, but love the idea of homegrown tomatoes.

If you are an aspiring farmer or gardener, browse the different webinars Seattle Urban Farm Co has to offer on their website, ranging from soil health to harvesting techniques. These online lessons are a great gift (for yourself or loved ones).

Read more about Hilary's story here.

4.) Homestead Wisconsin

Brit McCoy is a woman of many talents. She’s a full time farmer, runs her own flower business, and works at her family's business, The Wood Cycle. Making strides in her career alongside her family is the most challenging and most fulfilling part of the job

Brit majored in Landscape Architecture at Iowa State University. Upon returning to Wisconsin, she and her husband Matt founded their own farm, first selling their ethically raised meat, eventually expanding their reach.

“My business started just like my father’s, to make our hobby our career. I started raising livestock as soon as I could afford to feed them." -Brit McCoy

You can order a box of their fine grass-fed beef and lamb here. Read more about Brit's story here.

5.) Blue Marble Ice Cream

Ten years ago, Jennie Dundas and Alexis Gallivan, opened Blue Marble Ice Cream in Brooklyn. Their products are entirely organic, made from only high quality ingredients, and absolutely no hormones, antibiotics, harmful pesticides or artificial additives. Manufacturing in New York with ethical and sustainable practices is crucial to this woman-run company.

“Nobody can really be sad eating ice cream, can they?” -Susan Jo, Ice Cream Chef

Ship Blue Marble Ice Cream straight to your front door here.

6.) Sustainable Crafted Wooden Goods by Alexandra Climent

Meet woodworker Alexandra Climent. She operates out of her own shop in Brooklyn. Her passion for the extraordinary wood she found in the jungle lead her to teach herself the trade.

All of the products Alexandra makes are set apart from other wooden goods. She sustainably sources her materials from the jungle, befriending locals and working with each regions’ governments along the way. The wood she harvests and brings back to her shop is ancient, packed tightly over years and years.

“The wood I use is some of the most dense in the world. When you put it in the water it sinks and termites can’t even penetrate it. It’s like working with steel, and it breaks pretty much any blade.” -Alexandra Climent

Shop Alexandra's one-of-a-kind creations here. Read more about Alexandra here.

7.) Sculptures by Amber Jean

From giant sculptures made from entire trees to carvings that fit in your hand, the interplay between humans and nature is the driving force behind Amber’s work. She put herself through college, finding work in the great outdoors that fueled her passion for earth and art.

Amber helped build the Continental Divide Trail, was part of the first all female crew at the Forest Service in Bozeman, fought forest fires in West Yellowstone, and was the first female wilderness ranger based out of the West Yellowstone District.

Amber was the first woman to carve in the country of Bhutan for the Prime Minister. She's created many large scale works that have earned her great recognition in the art community. And she even gave a Ted Talk about her work.

"I never wasted energy grumbling at, whining about or looking for prejudices. I just got to work, stayed curious, made lots of mistakes, and kept after it.” –Amber Jean

Shop Amber's sculptures here.

8.) Circa Ceramics

Nancy Witt and her husband Andy have been making their wares in the Chicago neighborhood of Ravenswood since 2001. Their signature style is iconic in the windy city, with their Chicago flag items constantly flying off the shelves.

Browse their online shop here. See behind the scenes into their studio here.

9.) Greta de Parry Design

Greta is a classically trained woodworker and sculptor in the Chicago area. She's been designing and making furniture since 2007. Her collection consists of clean lines and minimalist touches.  

Shop Greta's furniture here. Read more about her story here.

10.) The Little Flower Soap Co.

Michigan florist, Holly Rutt, started making soaps as a hobby. Combining her love for nature and interest in healing plant extractions and essential oils, she and her husband created a line of body care products. After realizing how much steam her side gig was gaining, Holly decided to devote the majority of her time to The Little Flower Soap Co.



“The maker movement is in full swing there has never been a better time to start your own small business. If you think your life would be better as your own boss in a creative field than get started and stick with it.” —Holly Rutt

Shop Holly's body care products here. Read more about Holly's story here.

11.) The Elk Coffee Shop

This charming coffee shop in the West Village of New York is owned by Claire Chan. Five years ago, she took over the space, renovated, and reopened with her grand vision in mind.

“I feel so proud of the all women-run businesses I see popping up, especially right now. At a time where women’s rights and female empowerment is more relevant than ever, it is important to express your ideas and exercise your values so that others will be encouraged to do the same. There’s strength in numbers, and it feels amazing to surround yourself with like-minded and strong women!” -Claire Chan

If you're in NYC, you can order The Elk's offerings straight to your door here. Read more about The Elk here.

12.) Amaltheia Dairy Farm

Amaltheia Dairy Farm in Montana is a family run operation.

“We have had our farm for over 20 years. We love the Bozeman area and our goats get to enjoy beautiful scenery and seasons we have here. It’s beautiful every day. The best thing about what we do is to provide nutritious, delicious organic goat cheeses, pork, and vegetables to people. Those people appreciate being able to get great food and are thankful. It is a symbiotic relationship.

We have been making cheese for 17 years, certified organic for 12 years. We are sustainable farmers and try to utilize all of our resources and byproducts responsibly. We use the whey from the cheese to feed organic hogs and compost and use all of our manure for fields and gardens." -Co Owner, Sue Brown

Ship some some of the famous Amaltheia Dairy Farm goat cheese straight to your front door here. Read more about the family here.

13.) Pewabic Pottery

Pewabic Pottery in Detroit was founded in 1903 by Mary Chase Perry Stratton. Her ceramics were nationally renowned, landing her a spot in the Michigan’s Women Hall of Fame. Mary went on to win several awards and established the ceramics department at the University of Michigan. The touch she had on Michigan and the arts and crafts community will always be remembered. The shop is still operating to this day and is now a National Historic Landmark.

Shop some of their trademark Pewabic blue pieces here.

14.) Live Edge Detroit

In 2016, Jenny, her brother Joe, and her dad Mike founded Live Edge. They now salvage the trees that Mike’s company removes. Once the wood has been cut and taken back to their warehouse, the crew mills them into new usable material.

“Our vision for Live Edge Detroit was to develop a branch of Mike’s Tree Surgeons, Inc. that focused on salvaging our local resources and making them available for the community to enjoy for many more years to come. Our long term goals are to uphold that initial vision and to see it bloom into a more sustainable and profitable branch of the family business. We aren’t planning to take over the world, but we want to make a difference within the community, and we feel that starts right here in our own backyard.” -Jenny Barger

Shop Live Edge's offerings here. Read more about the family business here.

15.) Five Marys Farms

A few years ago, Mary and her husband Brian were high-powered Silicon Valley lawyers/entrepreneurs who traded it all away to live the Carhartt way of life. Armed with a strong work ethic and the fearlessness to ask lots of questions, the couple and their four daughters who all share the first name of Mary – but who go by their middle name to keep things “simple” – have proudly become a fully-functioning ranch that sells its meats all over the country.

“I am so proud of the life we get to give our girls living and working together on the ranch,” Mary beams when talking about being the mother of four young farm girls. “I don’t think I gave my girls enough credit before we moved here,” she continues, “I made their lunches and filled their water bottles and did all of their laundry, not really expecting them to do too much. By necessity, when we moved to the ranch the girls had to step up to the plate and start helping more, and they are so much more capable because of it.”

Shop Five Mary's here. Read more about this amazing family here.

[andy-squirrel-and-friends]

New Muse: Fredrick Webster

Name: Fredrick Webster Age: 47 years old Day of birth: June 15, 1972 Height: 5’ 5"  Weight: 150 lbs Hair Color: Light Brown Personality: Easy going, serious [when need be], protective, loving, caring, generous and honest Favorite Foods: Chili Dogs, beef jerky, pot pies, cherry pies with whipped cream, oatmeal and raisin cookies Least favorite foods: Green Beans, Banana Nut muffins, anything Pumpkin flavored, Mayonnaise and granny smith apples Favorite Drinks: Hot Chocolate with marshmallows, Sports drinks, Energy Drinks and Pep soft drink Least favorite drinks: Tea, Coffee and fruit smoothies Hobbies: Collecting Baseballs, Swimming, Soccer and build your own plane models Dislikes: Being pushed around, someone pushing around his wife and daughter, people threatening his wife and daughter and romcom movies History: Fredrick was adopted at the age of six when his birth parents gave him away for reasons that he or the orphange still don’t know to this day. Fredrick has no idea who his birth parents are, or where they are. He found out when he was ten years old that he was allergic to bee stings while playing soccer with his adopted father. Both his parents ran a dairy farm, but he dreamt of living in the big city. He earned money from his folks by working as an extra hand on the farm, and was home schooled. When he was eighteen he moved to Duckburg and worked as a coffee barista to start earning real money to open his own auto mechanic business. This was when he met Christina, and developed a crush on her. After a few weeks of building his confidence, he asked her out and they began dating and they married when he was 23. When he found out his wife was pregnant, he made a promise to be the best father he could be and would never abandon his family, like his parents did with him. Now he has achieved his dream of running his own successful business, has a loving wife and a beautiful daughter. He still visits his family’s dairy farm during the holidays and on family vacations, and teaches his daughter the ins and outs of a dairy farm.

[honeyrosepetals]

abandoned barn

[of-the-moors]

I bought milk today.

Instead of going to the supermarket, I went a little further to support a local institution - a dairy farm with an attached cafe about five minutes’ drive from my house.  I’ve been there many times in the past.  The pies are terrific, there’s always a wee calf in the nursery area to say hello to, a playground for the kids, and you can watch the milking from a mezzanine in the barn twice a day.

I imagine that they’ve always sold their own milk on-site, but now, with everything closed because of the social distancing restrictions, sale of dairy goods is all that they have.

No longer a cafe.  I don’t know what I expected walking in, but the tables and chairs are gone, and the cheerful chatter of well-fed patrons, the clinking of cutlery and the warmth of companionship a distant memory.  Deserted but for the sole cashier.

Nothing is the same.  When one thing changes unexpectedly, you can accommodate that to a large extent.  Everything else is a constant, and that fact alone is comforting.  Now, though, everything has changed.  All around us, places associated with light and laughter are abandoned shells, grave markers to the lives we failed to appreciate before all of this began.

It’s such an innocuous, dull thudding sensation that one could be forgiven for failing to immediately recognise it as grief.

It hits without warning.  A kick to the solar plexus.  An overwhelming cascade of disbelief that this is the new reality, and that even when this is all over, nothing will ever be quite the way it was before.  People will die.  Others will have permanent, ongoing issues, both physically and mentally.  Some will lose homes, and have already lost livelihoods.  Businesses that were strong contenders will have collapsed.

I acknowledge the bravery of the everyperson.  These times may not be the worst that humanity has seen, but the collective damage to the mental health of each and every person affected by COVID-19, whether directly or indirectly, cannot be discounted.  The effects of this will last for years.

I feel very melancholic now.

[life-sport-travel]

10 Best Places to Visit in Pennsylvania - Travel Video

https://lifesporttravel.com/?p=1574 10 Best Places to Visit in Pennsylvania - Travel Video - https://lifesporttravel.com/?p=1574 Located in the northeast of the United States, Pennsylvania has a lot of different sides to it. Its eastern end is home to the Delaware River and the big city of Philadelphia. But head west and you’ll find the Appalachian Mountains, historic small towns, and cities that feel every bit like the Midwest. For visitors, this provides you with the chance to experience all aspects of the United States over the last 200 years. Here’s a look at the best places to visit in Pennsylvania: Foreign Of the United States Pennsylvania has a Lot of different sides to it its eastern End is home to the Delaware River and The big city of Philadelphia but Head West and you'll find the Appalachian Mountains historic small towns and Cities that feel every bit like the Midwest for visitors this provides you With a chance to experience all the Aspects of the United States over the Last 200 years here's a look at the best Places to visit in Pennsylvania Foreign Hershey in Dauphin County in Dolphin County Hershey is as famous as any town With just 15 000 residents America's Favorite chocolate brand began right Here and unsurprisingly tourism is a Huge part of life in Hershey Travelers Come from all over to explore the town Built on chocolate there is Hershey Park And the Chocolate World but also a rich History of dairy farming and some Severely underrated nightlife visitors Get to enjoy the town's collection of Museums plus fun shopping and delicious Restaurants Foreign Foreign Centralia an interesting atmospheric and Somewhat Eerie place to visit the near Ghost town of Centralia has been almost Abandoned since 1962. this was when an Underground coal fire was discovered Burning under the once thriving mining Town since then its population has Dwindled from more than a thousand to Fewer than five with dilapidated houses And decaying buildings now lining its Graffiti strewn streets as well as Visiting the one remaining Church Visitors can drive around its quiet and Overgrown roads and spy wisps of smoke Escaping from cracks in the ground Foreign Delaware Water Gap crossing over the State line between Pennsylvania and New Jersey is the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area as the name Suggests the Delaware Water Gap is found On both sides of the Delaware River if You enjoy the great outdoors there are Countless choices available to you there Bring history to life in the 19th Century Millbrook Village or take a bike Ride along the Old Mill Road hikers can Pick from more than 100 miles of trails Trekking along scene extremes and lush Green Hemlock forests Foreign Number seven Presque Isle State Park Nestled away in the northwest of Pennsylvania is the stunning scenery of Presque Isle State Park set on a Sandy Peninsula that juts out into Lake Erie It is sure to Delight outdoor Enthusiasts with its lovely Landscapes And wealth of recreation activities Formed some 11 000 years ago during the Last ice age the idyllic Island Peninsula him in a beautiful Bay of the Same name the state Park's diverse Habitats lend themselves to all kinds of Outdoor activities with hiking biking And lounging on the beach being Particularly popular Foreign Number six Ricketts Glenn state park in The heart of Pennsylvania there is a National natural Landmark called Ricketts Glenn state park this park is Enormous spreading out into three Different counties and it is a nature Lover's Dream destination the park is Home to several waterfalls and hiking The Falls Trail system is the best way To see as many of them as possible if You'd rather kick back head to the beach On Lake Jean and set up a picnic with a View of the water you can also head into The lake with a boat rental or try some Fishing from the shore Foreign Pennsylvania Dutch Country in Lancaster County you can find a large portion of The state's Amish population in what is Known as Pennsylvania Dutch Country Although the capital of Harrisburg is Technically within this region much of The area is rural whitewashed fences Perfectly maintained Barns and Horse-drawn buggies abound in this part Of the state one of the best ways to Explore Amish country is to visit the Local markets where you can find fresh Produce as well as baked goods like Apple butter and the delicious shoe fly Pie Foreign Thank you Number four Harrisburg full of Interesting historic sites and cultural Landmarks Pennsylvania's capital Harrisburg lies in the southeast of the State although not particularly large it Is the perfect size for a quiet weekend Getaway with Allentown Gettysburg and York all lying within driving distance Thanks to its strategic setting and the Development of its canal and Railway System the city played a role in not Just the westward migration and Industrial Revolution but the American Civil War too this and its election as The capital in 1812 explains the huge Number of historic buildings and museums Found in town Foreign Foreign Number three Gettysburg one of the most Significant battles ever fought in the Civil War was the Battle of Gettysburg In July of 1863 three days of fighting Resulted in heavy casualties and the Retreat of the Confederate Army today The Gettysburg National military Park Marks the historic site at the Gettysburg Heritage Center you can get An introduction to the entire Civil War And how Gettysburg factored into it make Time to tour the Jenny Wade house where The only Gettysburg citizen who died During the battle once lived Foreign Foreign Pittsburgh Or the steel city is a huge Metropolis Created where Three Rivers converge it Has a distinct topography a mass of Green Hills Rising straight up from the Rivers below once a major Center of Industry its old warehouses and Mills Now instead house bustling businesses And important cultural institutions the Skyline of downtown Pittsburgh is not to Be missed with the U.S steel Tower Nabbing the honor of tallest in the city In the heart of downtown is Point State Park a green park where you can also Tour the 19th century Fort Pitt Block House Thank you Foreign Philadelphia commonly referred to by Locals as Philly Philadelphia is a major U.S city in Southeastern Pennsylvania And home to the iconic Liberty Bell and The Philly cheese steak sandwich Regarded as the birthplace of America Philadelphia is known as the city in Which the country's founding fathers Signed the 1776 Declaration of Independence and the U.S Constitution There is a host of interesting art Museums to visit in the city including The Philadelphia Museum of Art which is Not only one of the largest in the world But also famous for its long flight of Steps which were featured in the 1976 Film Rocky Foreign Foreign Mike Izzo https://lifesporttravel.com/?p=1574

[art-now-usa]

The Old Sunflower Barn, Eddie Schrieffer

"The Old Sunflower Barn" I love the contrast of a thriving, living field of sunflowers against a lifeless, abandoned barn. The bright yellow sunflowers attracted me and inspired me to show someone still worked the land but had no need for the barn. I placed the painting's focus on the sunflowers to help show a forgotten barn. Over the last 25 years I've seen many farms and dairies sold then subdivided and houses built. The abandoned barns that remain are falling into disrepair. Last year I began to collect photos of the abandoned barns as reference for painting subjects. The textures and colors of rusted tin roofs, weathered boards and the overgrown landscapes inspired the artist in me. Trying not to paint in a photographic style, feels good to me. I like to see the heavy brushstrokes and thick layering of paint. The surface of the final artwork matches the aged barns and surrounding growth. For me, these paintings are taking on a time capsule effect as I'm afraid these barns will become fewer and harder to find.

https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-The-Old-Sunflower-Barn/841605/3782328/view

[xtruss]

Small Farms Vanish Every Day in America’s Dairyland: ‘There Ain’t No Future in Dairy’

Farming families are facing a choice: compete with high-production outfits, if they can, or abandon generations of dairy farming

— By Summer Sewell in Monroe, Wisconsin | The Guardian USA | Supported by Scmidt Family Foundation, 11th Hour Project | Wednesday July 21, 2021

Ron and Lori Wellenhorst in their empty barn in Cuba City, Wisconsin. ‘It’s quiet, eerily quiet, for the first time in 50-some years. It’s pretty strange,’ Ron said. Photograph: Greg Kahn/The Guardian

Look at that sweet heifer, high, tight udder, in her first lactation, idn’t she sweet?” auctioneer Tom Bidlingmaier shouts as his son Cory plods and slips and pushes the cow around a pen.

Watching it all are about 65 people, mostly men, mostly other small farmers in rubber boots, standing in mud and manure as they murmur their bids. Ron Wallenhorst, the farmer auctioning off his herd of 64 milking cows, is pacing and tapping an empty water bottle against his thigh. He has milked cows in his barn twice a day, every day, after taking over the farm from his father 32 years ago. By the afternoon, all the cows will be gone.

“This is our 401k,” said Ron, 55 years old, his tall frame still hearty though he’s 15 pounds lighter from stress.

The omens before the auction had not been great for Ron and his wife Lori. A couple of weeks before, a few towns over from their own farm in Cuba City, Wisconsin, which is about 70 miles south-west of Madison, they’d watched another complete dairy dispersal of a better herd. That means it produced more milk – 96 pounds (44kg) per cow a day to the Wallenhorsts’ 78 (35kg). The other farmer didn’t make out well financially. “We stood there with tears in our eyes,” Ron said. “Our whole life has been a risk. Deciding to sell was very, very difficult.”

An hour before auctioneer Bidlingmaier started the bidding on the Wallenhorst herd, Lori was crying in a corner of the milk house. She wiped her eyes and stepped out into the morning. “That’s a good sign,” she said, motioning to the trucks rolling up with empty cow trailers attached – they came to buy.

Four hours later, after the last cow is sold, the Wallenhorsts learn the herd went for $1,800 (£1,290) each, on average – relatively high for the region, and more than Ron expected. He smiles for the first time that day, cracking open a beer, finally part of the circle of relatives and neighbors who came not to buy but to support. Then, as a team of determined men coerced a cow up on to its new owner’s trailer, he teared up and walked away.

With the Wallenhorst dairy farm gone, there’s only one left on the seven-mile stretch from one side of town to the other; there were 22 when Ron was growing up there. “We worried no one would show up because dairy farms are just disappearing in our area, so there were fewer and fewer small farmers to buy from us,” Ron said.

A farming landscape with green rolling hills and blue sky. Cows roam the field in the foreground. In the distance is a gray farmhouse, red barn, a scattering of farm sheds and a grain silo. Red barns, symbolic of small family dairy farms, still dot the landscape in Monroe, Wisconsin, but many are no longer in operation. Photograph: Greg Kahn/The Guardian

The license plates for Wisconsin say “America’s Dairyland” beneath a picture of a red barn. The state has the most dairy farms in the country. But it lost 826 dairy farms in 2019, or 10% of its dairy herds – the most dramatic loss in the state’s history, and part of a downward trend which saw the state lose 44% of its dairy farms over the last decade. Last year, for the first time in state history, the number of dairy farms dipped below 7,000.

At the same time, milk production in the state has increased every year since 2004, and has set a new annual record each year since 2009, according to the US Department of Agriculture. In the last decade alone, Wisconsin has increased milk production by 25%. The number of operations declines, just as the number of cows per operation goes up – 3% of Wisconsin farms now produce roughly 40% of the state’s milk. Milk produced on concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO), or farms with more than about 700 cows but often housing thousands, is increasingly making up the state’s overall milk production.

“The kids don’t go into it, why would they? Get cow shit all over you, and not have a paycheck.” — Cory Bidlingmaier, Auctioneer.

The number of large farms like this in Wisconsin has increased by 55% in less than a decade. A family-owned CAFO called Pinnacle moved into Green county in 2018, causing an uproar from local farmers and other residents.

Pinnacle milks 5,000 cows. It is owned by Todd Tuls and his son, TJ, who oversees its 55 employees and the daily operations. Instead of collecting from 30 small farmers across Green county, milk trucks can make just one stop – at Pinnacle – and they do, nine times a day.

Todd said he understood local misgivings. “I can see their anxiety, it’s like a Walmart coming into a small-town area and the local store is like how is this going to impact me?” he said. “The one thing that bothers me the most is that people look at us as if we’re a corporation and not a family business. Deep down inside we are a family business,” added Todd, who said he grew up on a California dairy farm with 4,400 cows at its peak in the mid-1980s. His grandfather owned three dairy farms milking more than 3,000 cows in total in 1969, the year Todd was born.

He said the way he relates to his cows despite their size is part of their success, describing himself as “kinda like a cow whisperer”. He argues that other farms missed opportunities to grow. “A lot of these farms that go out of business fail to adapt to the techniques and technology. It’s kinda like if Ford or Chevy woulda just kept building the 1972 truck and not kept improving it.”

‘There Ain’t No Future in Dairy, None at All’

The Wallenhorsts bought a small beef herd; like many former dairy farmers, they’ll transition to raising steer for slaughter now. But their barn is empty, dairy is done. “It’s quiet, eerily quiet, for the first time in 50-some years. It’s pretty strange,” Ron said. “First couple days was difficult to walk in there.”

Cory Bidlingmaier is a third-generation auctioneer. “He was a nervous wreck, we really had to walk him through all of it,” Cory said of Ron’s state in the weeks leading up to the auction. But Cory has had plenty of experience with anxious farmers. There have been weeks in recent years that Cory has done four to five complete dairy dispersals like the Wallenhorsts’.

Left: Ron Wallenhorst sits in his office attached to the dairy barn. He and his wife Lori will shift their focus to growing corn and soybeans and raising steer for slaughter. Right: Idle milkers hang on a window sill next to a milk tank at the Wallenhorst farm in Cuba City, Wisconsin.

Cory grew up in Green county: an expanse of silos and sky in southern Wisconsin that can be driven across east to west in a half hour. Few vehicles are seen other than the semi trucks that cut through the low hills hauling milk. Despite having five farms with 500 or more cows, Green county still has many of Wisconsin’s small dairy farms, about 200, with between 50 and 100 cows, milked by the family.

The county went from being a highly competitive marketplace for generations to an area like so many others in the state where too much milk is being produced. When the price of milk is down, farmers milk more cows to compensate; if the milk price is up, they milk more to capitalize. The excess of milk matches up with a plummet in consumption as milk alternatives and water are chosen over milk. And the glut is worldwide, driving down prices for farmers to the point they are barely breaking even or are losing money to produce it. On top of that, a Green county co-op of 25 local farms that accepts 3.5m pounds (1.6mkg) of milk to create 400,000 pounds (182,000 kg) of cheese a month unexpectedly shut down last fall after 110 years due to pandemic-specific industry volatility. A shutdown like this is very rare, and left farmers scrambling for new processors to offload their milk.

Dan Truttmann’s farm in Blanchardville in Green County has 425 milking cows. Photograph: Greg Kahn/The Guardian

Milk prices were at a record high in 2014, then from 2015 on, went down. When prices are good, small dairy farmers, able to finally turn a profit, make longstanding crucial repairs on the smaller scale, and do some significant expansions on the large level. In early 2015 in Green county farmers were so confident in expanding that if you wanted to put up a building, you were lucky if you could find an available contractor. But the good times never last.

“The milk price only comes up a few times a year, just enough to tease ’em. Then it drops again,” Cory said. “When the farmers call us to auction their herd, they’re saying ‘Screw this, we’re going to go work in town or off the farm.’ It affects so many people. When a dairy goes out, the local feed store, the local hardware store, the whole local economy is affected.” Larger farmers can look across the country to find the best price for anything they need.

Cory didn’t grow up on a dairy farm, but like most everyone in Green county, being involved in the industry somehow was a given. He’s seeing that change. “It sucks for my 10- and 12-year-old. When my uncle sold out a month ago, I made a point to get my boys over there to milk a cow so they can grow up and at least say they have done it,” he said.

His job requires him to witness the final day of countless dairy farms; his outlook on the future of the industry reflects that. “There will be no family farm. The kids don’t go into it, why would they? Get cow shit all over you, work 19-hour days, and not have a paycheck. Unless the family has old money, there ain’t no future in dairy, none at all.”

Mark Stephenson, the director of dairy policy analysis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said the industry definitely has a lot of challenges but is nowhere near extinction.

“We’ve produced record amounts of milk in the last year or two. It’s being consumed. Most of it domestically, but increasingly with exports,” said Stephenson.

Like many former dairy farmers, Ron Wallenhorst will shift to raising cattle for slaughter. Photograph: Greg Kahn/The Guardian

Last year, tankers were loading up milk and driving it straight to the farm’s manure pit, opening the valve, and letting it go – milk dumping like this is quite extreme. Yet even in a year that started with unprecedented dumping, cows being culled, and milk sold at very distressed prices, then continuing with a milk price of $13 per 100 pounds (£9.32 per 45kg) of milk in the spring and summer – which is less than the cost of production for most farmers – 2020 ended with a high demand for cheese. This was thanks in part to the government’s pandemic food assistance programs. By the end of the year the state’s dairy farms again increased total production to 30.7bn pounds (13.9bn kg) of milk. And on it goes.

Stephenson said farmers used to be able to make a living with 15 or 20 cows just a generation or two ago.

“You could hardly find a farm like that now. That does not exist. Now we would look at a 100-cow farm and say, ‘Oh, isn’t that quaint?’” he said. The attrition rate in Wisconsin for dairy farming is about 3–5% annually (in 2019 it was 10%), and as with farming across the country and specialties, it’s hard to find new farmers to hand a family farm off to. Stephenson said, “Now we’ve got, at least, a couple generations that have gotten to the point that they’ve never been on a farm and if they get there, they would just probably go, ‘Oh boy. That smells bad.’”

The industry may have staying power, but as one made up of fewer, larger operations. Stephenson thinks large farms, those with more than 500 cows, are the way of the future.

“Those quaint red barns that you are used to seeing on green hillsides with black and white cows in the fields, that just doesn’t exist any more. Those barns over time will begin to rot and fall down,” he said. “That image that people have of what dairy farming is has to evolve into what is much more the reality now and those are large barns that house thousands of cows.”

Two women, one in a short-sleeved yellow button-down shirt and black jeans, the other in a pink T-shirt and gray jeans, lean against the outside wall of a red barn. Emily, left, and Brandi Harris, sold their dairy herd in 2019. Emily now works as an excavator and Brandi works in administration at a local college. Photograph: Greg Kahn/The Guardian

‘Hope Sustains the Farmer’

“I drive by Pinnacle a lot. It’s disgusting. There’s potholes everywhere because there’s a semi in and out of there every hour,” said Emily Harris, a fourth-generation farmer, of the CAFO that has moved into the county. “It kinda makes you sick. It’s just a huge building, you don’t even see one cow.”

Emily and her wife Brandi, both 39, live in Monroe, a small city in Green county about 40 miles south of Madison. After 10 years, they stopped dairy farming on a Monday. “May 6 of 2019, the cows left,” Emily said. Forty cows left on a double-decker trailer headed for farms in New York and Indiana. That Tuesday, Emily started her job at a nearby excavating company as an equipment operator. Emily cried for a week prior. Brandi held out until the day they left, then lost it. “They are your life, seven days a week,” she said.

They’d used farm equipment that looked like antiques and went without making crucial repairs. They did everything they could to keep milking, pushing hay into holes in the barn to stop the wind in especially cold years. They’d taken turns working off-farm jobs, as many farm families do.

Left: The Harrises kept one cow, Lay-T, on their farm in Monroe, Wisconsin. They just couldn’t face selling her. Right: Sunlight stripes the hay in the Harrises’ barn. “May 6 of 2019, the cows left,” said Emily Harris.

“I think we made money two of the years?” Emily asked looking over to Brandi, who shrugs. They’d had a decent organic contract, which generally pay more than conventional milk, but the new contract was suddenly going to be $20 (£14) less per 100 pounds of milk, down from $37 (£26). Emily said, “We were just watching the milk price go down, down, down.”

Emily’s advice for dairy farmers is blunt: “If they’re under 300 cows, just quit. It’s not worth it. You can’t turn a profit any more. I think the small dairy farmer is gone. It’s a sad deal.”

Just 20 minutes down the road, around the same time the Harrises were starting their farm, Dan Truttmann, a fifth-generation farmer, was expanding his. “I wanted to get myself and my dad out of the milking parlor. We were at risk of wearing out, emotionally and physically,” he said. He unceremoniously lifts one of about 20 barn cats out of an office chair next to desks near the milking parlor and the calf pen to check one of the dusty laptops keeping track of weight, feeding habits, temperatures, milk production and other vitals for every one of his 425 milking cows.

Before milk prices hit the downward trajectory they’ve remained on the last six years, dairy farmers commonly doubled their herds, as Truttmann did, and just let their processor know they’d be shipping out more milk. Truttmann said, “Now some of them are saying, ‘Don’t you dare send us an extra load without our permission.’”

Truttmann, who is 53, has nine employees helping himself, his brother, and his dad on the farm, which has been in his family since 1899. “It’s just not really likely that somebody with minimal education in the area could just buy a farm. You used to kind of think about that, like, well, if you can’t do anything else, you can always farm. Boy, that is not true at all today,” he said.

A man is surrounded by calves in a cow shed with a layer of hay on the floor. One of the calves is suckling his finger. Dan Truttmann, a fifth-generation farmer, expanded to more than 400 milking cows to keep his dairy farm alive. Photograph: Greg Kahn/The Guardian

He works up to 80 hours a week, getting up at five in the morning, an hour after 3,500 gallons (13,200 litres) of milk is picked up from his farm every day and taken to a local processor to be made into cheese for retail (which cushioned him from pandemic-specific blows to dairy farmers who sell to cheese processors for restaurants and schools). Green county’s dairy farmers sell directly to cheese makers or co-ops, no one sells fluid milk.

Truttmann’s three kids aren’t interested in farming, but he’s hopeful that a nephew may be. He knows it’s a hard sell – in good times, profit margins are about 10%. “When feed costs are high or hauling costs are shifted, all of a sudden there’s nothing left,” he said.

His favorite job on the farm is getting hours-old calves to bottle feed. He marches into a pen cradles the calf and patiently gets her to suckle – the trick is putting her nose on his wrist, which makes her mouth open automatically. He wants her to get used to him, to understand this is her caregiver from day one.

Back in his house, out of his rubber boots with his ankles crossed, he said, “I don’t think we’re different from any other industry where as times change, you either change with them or get left behind. And that’s the sad, hard reality of it. And even those that modernize are still at some risk of being washed out. It’s always a gamble.” He paused. “Hope sustains the farmer. That’s what the sign says on my back door.”

This is part one of a two-part series on America’s changing dairyland. Part two will be published on Sunday July 25, 2021.

[architectnews]

Ten fashion, architecture and design projects from Hong Kong Design Institute students

A fashion collection inspired by 1970s clubbing culture and a project that imagines humans with crustacean exoskeletons are included in Dezeen's latest school show by students at the Hong Kong Design Institute.

Also among the projects on show are a self-care tool that aims to help boost young people's immune systems and a project that explores using caverns to tackle Hong Kong's shortage of land.

Hong Kong Design Institute

School: Hong Kong Design Institute

School statement:

"Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) was established in 2007 with the mission to be a leading provider of design education and lifelong learning across various design disciplines, including architecture, interior and product design, communication design, digital media and fashion and image design.

"With 'creativity in action' as the cornerstone of its pedagogy, HKDI maintains a strong network with the creative industries. This provides students with essential practical experience and with the international design academia to offer extended learning opportunities for students through international exchanges, joint workshops and lectures.

"Each year, HKDI nurtures the largest number of professional designers in Hong Kong with critical thinking, cultural sensitivity, social responsibility and international perspective."

Trappist Retreat Centre by Sinji Lau

"This project aims to revitalize an abandoned Trappist Dairy Farm which has been desolated for over 30 years.

"The new Trappist Retreat Centre is not only a museum with exhibits, it also provides an experiential and memorial place for visitors to understand the site's history as a monastery. It provides a place for relaxation amidst their bustling urban lifestyle."

Student: Sinji Lau Course: HD in Architectural Design, BA (Hons) Architecture Email: sinjixx88@yahoo.com.hk

Parallel City – HKDI exhibit at the Venice Biennale by Ben Chen, Brian Leung, Samson Li, Edison Eg, Johnson Wan and Cho Ting Wong

"Land supply has been a long-standing challenge for Hong Kong. This project explores the possibility of cavern living to tackle the shortage. Here, the cavern is separated into four layers – community service, residential, natural untouched landscape and utility layer vertically.

"Basic life requirements such as ventilation, light, electricity, water are delivered by 'columns of life'. The main city transportation network passes through the site which suits the fast pace of life in Hong Kong."

Student: Ben Chen, Brian Leung, Samson Li, Edison Eg, Johnson Wan and Cho Ting Wong Course: HD in Architectural Design, BA (Hons) Architecture Email: skopy232@gmail.com; leungyusze.brian@gmail.com; samsonlys2013@gmail.com; ngedison227@gmail.com; johnwan1206@gmail.com and WCT_719@hotmail.com

Nirvana Bookstore by Kelly Tsang

"The needs of visually impaired people are always neglected by society. The inclusive design of Nirvana Bookstore fulfils the needs of both the visually impaired and full-sighted people.

"It demands users to perceive the bookstore with different senses through the usage of textured surfaces, multi-sensory, accessibility, holistic design and spatial layout."

Student: Kelly Tsang Course: HD in Interior Design Email: kallytsang6@gmail.com

That's alright by Elektra Liu

"This is a caring and playful project that provides an easy self-care tool to assist young adults to get through stressful situations in both digital and physical ways.

"This project aims to enhance wellbeing during the pandemic – to let users stay physically, mentally and emotionally well, reduce their stress, improve the immune system, increase their productivity and raise self-esteem."

Student: Elektra Liu Course: BA (Hons) in Graphic Design Email: elektralyl@gmail.com

Life-form by Sing Chung

"Compared with other animal species, humans possess more advanced cognitive abilities but a limited physiological capacity to adapt to extreme heat and cold conditions. In comparison, other animals adapt faster for survival and thrift in the natural environment.

"This project is inspired by crustacean's biological features – their hard exoskeletons and diurnal changes in their environment. It imagines humans possessing those characteristics, gaining the ability to adapt to extreme environments."

Student: Sing Chung Course: HD in Fashion Image Design Email: csing961207@gmail.com

Obsessed Disciple by Rainie Wong

"Baroque and 1970s clubbing culture feature the use of exaggerated motion producing drama, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, architecture, dance, and music.

"Their histories inspired the development of Obsessed Disciple – an overly ornate, theatrical and extravagant fashion collection featuring complex embroidered patterns, luxurious materials, embellishments and jewel-like accessories."

Student: Rainie Wong Course: HD in Fashion Image Design Email: rain120820@gmail.com

Belide's World by Lok Him Wan

"This is a collaborative project with the international fashion brand Max & Co. The project outcomes include a series of fashion images, film and a social media strategy.​

"Belide's World is inspired by a surreal, fantasy and bizarre world, with extraordinary characters and wonderful tea parties. This project conveys playfulness, curiosity, whim and mystery, while motivating people to unleash their creativity in all possible ways."

Student: Lok Him Wan Course: HD in Fashion Branding and Buying Email: wanlokhim@gmail.com

Musubi by Pui Yee Chan

"Musubi is crafted via traditional techniques such as bundling, weaving, and tangling that are layered into modern clothing and then adorned with conventional patterns from Japanese culture.

"With ropes tying different garments into one outfit, its silhouette smoothly combines both ancient and modern forms with a twist to remind viewers that there is always beauty in details if they learn to look close enough."

Student: Pui Yee Chan Course: HD in Fashion Design Email: puipui.0803@yahoo.com

I'm looking good by Charice Lai

"This is about another kind of beauty aesthetic on non-binary/gender-fluid/ genderqueer/androgyny people. Hong Kong lacks gender recognition legislation against discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics.

"This project aims to promote the equality, rights and needs of the LGBTQ community and urge the general public to recognize the uniqueness and beauty of the LGBTQ people."

Student: Charice Lai Course: BA (Hons) Fashion Promotion and Imaging Email: laiwingsze98@gmail.com

Re-establishment of the local 'Landmarks' in Hong Kong by Alexander Lo

"This project is to revisit and reestablish some of the local landmarks in Hong Kong. Through a photographic journey, it captures previous footsteps and stimulates memories over the last 11 months.

"From peaceful rallies and assemblies to bold demonstrations, they all started from the beginnings of meeting at some famous buildings or landmarks like Jardine House, Chater Garden and Statue Square in central or other districts."

Student: Alexander Lo Course: HD in Film, TV and Photography – Photography Stream Email: 12a5ic92@gmail.com

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and the Hong Kong Design Institute. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

The post Ten fashion, architecture and design projects from Hong Kong Design Institute students appeared first on Dezeen.

[stockardbdhz465-blog]

Farm Manager 2018 PC Description PC games

I've been itching regarding a big game like Farm Manager 18. As a child, I played a heap of tough like Sim Farm, Knights and Businesses, Caesar III, and SimCity. I had console gaming, which (until fairly recently) didn't offer much in terms of real-time strategy (RTS) games and city-builders, and thus they slid off the radar a little bit. Fast forward to present day – I've become a big wave of activity with an agricultural focus like as Farming Simulator and Staxel, enjoying strategic gameplay which promotes careful planning. When I first noticed of Farm Manager 2018, the prospect of the match that melded my love of farming (full disclosure: I was raised on a farm with our time career is agriculturally-related) with the design with supervision usually associated with city-builders was incredibly exciting.

This isn't to say to Farm Manager 18 isn't without bugs or possible subjects for development. But the main encounter is immersive, deep, and most important, fun. Having grown up on a dairy farm, I have a basic perception of some of the 'behind the scenes' management that goes on popular farming operations, and so I feel relatively qualified to determine the level of realism that Farm Manager 18 offers, and the amount of a 'farm management simulator' that really is (message that the game doesn't claim to be a 'simulator', this is clearly my analysis of just what this trying to get). And in my judgment, that brings a great sensation of coping a growing farming function without ever making it feel like run. Over the point with the game here were several cases of frustration and disorder, but if the dust settled (pun meant) I touch very met with the powerful and enjoyable understanding the game provided.

The game features three different functions, that basically vary the level of advice of which happens provided for the person. Campaign mode walks people out of various stands in the (re)development of the family's old, run-down farm, establishing the gambler for the game's mechanics with another parts by presenting relatively straightforward and clearly achievable goals. Scenario mode provides the player with a choice of something else sites to skip into to assessment their chance to do towards a certain goal within a given timeframe, such as to build 30 greenhouses. Finally, free mode gives you all of the devices and no one of the guidance, and so to you can shape the farm of the hopes without any instruction regarding what we ought to occur working towards. I feel the three ways provide a good selection in terms of the level of autonomy provided to the player, and would appeal well to special tastes (e.g., a tinkerer might perform free function and judge different things, while a goal-oriented player can perform from the movement or scenarios).

Like showing through Farm Manager 2018's work (that drew us about 22 hours) I experienced well-equipped to fight the rest of the game's tasks. It does a great duty of beginning the game's mechanics like as cropping (with minute and bigger scales), orchards, greenhouses, the various kinds of pet along with their requirements, along with the many types of processing/manufacturing buildings. That slowly adds the ability to create different types of buildings and swallow machinery, work the person into figure out how all the aspects of their farm work together. This was a great way to see many of the game's organization, while there are various complex menus and statistical pages that might be complex to knowledge without the explanation that's given. There are some items that would benefit from a deeper beginning, and I think the designers would do well to combine in a "help" menu where the person could go for a review on some of the particularly difficult things, because if they accidentally shut the windows describing how to do something before understand a certain menu, there isn't any way to get to those points.

At times the drive did go somewhat slowly, leaving us thinking as even though I call for a race even faster than the "3X" option., which I left the time established by for almost all from the fight. Generally, the "1X" (real-time) speed option felt painfully slow down, also I usually cause the velocity on the max adjusting for continued periods – that becomes much less of an issue while your own farm grows, however, given that other problems pop up and more tasks have to stay assigned. So I closed the objective of the campaign, I found myself thinking overwhelmed (in a good way) sometimes with the number of things that required the notice, and drive at most rate was not any longer a sensible alternative. Ultimately that abandoned me feeling like though the time level was rather well-balanced, since in identical games, the early shows are usually relatively simplistic/slow-moving and features happen to increasingly hectic while your own farm/city/colony grow.

I admire the game for employing a full-year sequence of four seasons, however winter can get in, especially if you say made any greenhouses otherwise say numerous animals to take care of. At times I hoped the game would let me fast forward through winter for the start of movement, when fieldwork acquired and nearby were an large quantity of processes to complete once once again. To exist around, I think that seasons could be reduced a bit, because I frequently get myself having all of my return preparation completed very earlier with inside spring, with the crops being ready to collect during young summer. In fact, depending on the crop being grown, you can really expand and harvesting a plant twice in a growing season, which is pretty unrealistic. This reinforced my opinion that the game's seasons are in requirement of many (albeit relatively minor) adjustment.

Not just completed my plea to help run through sections of the movement almost get everyone into effort in various positions (through almost losing the space to grow a certain crop in a given growing season, for example), it also led me to know that the mode has a bit involving an identification crisis. Farm Manager 18's campaign struggles at times with deciding whether that wants to represent a full-fledged tutorial, or as a goal-oriented work to lets you realize the objectives when you see well, but shows anyone the basics along the way. In one place, I'd already picked a industry of rice in experimental summer, and once I make the next play on the drive a little later on, it asked myself to gather to theme with a newly-purchased combine harvester. Said I not had the opportunity to pile a rescue from most of an hour before, I would have had to wait another round in-game year to complete the position and start forward from the operation. I hurried in other questions further losing the stroke, as in a work to help cram my time I had grown my dairy operations, but the drive raised myself toward raise even more cowsheds, giving us without alternative but to cancel small ones I had built to make room for several of the way sized counterparts.

These problems caused us thinking as although I did very little flexibility in expanding on the components which was exposed to me, with essentially punishing myself for saying my ideas about how to go about use the farm (even while the entire age I happened careful of the targets determined with the war). I understand the game wanted to slowly create its various mechanics, but when those are created it should be up to the participant to use them when they see fit. Several of the aims with the fight were somewhat too restrictive for my own loving, and advancement already made when a goal appeared wasn't taken into consideration (e.g., when the game need myself toward breed 30 cows, it must be 30 new cows, despite the fact that I'd likely bred 50 by that time in the fight).

While this might seem as although I have several issues, Farm Manager 2018 does manage to get quite a few points well. The real tide of farming, with larger workloads in the growing season with calmer winters, is very evident and commands the player to think ahead to ensure that their own point is used effectively then they have the appropriate range with mix of workers (permanent and seasonal) to successfully direct workflow. That forces you to create streets to generate some income during the off season, and also ensure that you're prepared to endure a moment of phase without any incoming crops – for example, without the ability to produce any grass or straw, that might become trying to keep a steady feed fund for cows (without having to buy grass or silage). Permanent workers and have various skillsets (e.g., adept in helping machinery, returning from orchards, treatment for dogs, and more), that can have a noticeable impact on things like how rapidly the problem of gear deteriorates before the capacity of plant harvested from the field, so the player must carefully ponder the farm's needs when use new workers.

There is also significant power to the number of choices accessible to the person in choosing how to produce their farm. Want to break fairly minor range with develop little fields, care for a few cows, along with selected rabbits? Go ahead. Want to construct a series of humongous dairy shelters and particular equally massive industries to sell feed for your cows? Or maybe diversify the process and market fruit juice and sheep's wool? You can do to also. Farm Manager 18 offers a substantial number of building form and utility. While all the animal building types essentially do a similar manner (get many animals, over time you can breed them to build your herd) they create different products, and can also give in manufacturing plants like as slaughterhouses for a larger investment (but and a heightened return). These kinds of judgments stay where I feel how the game really shines, so frequently you are Download Pure Farming 2018 influence to consider multiple variables with taking how to produce (and at last manage) your farm. Costs/cash on hand, available area (or the charge of novel place to inflate the farm), workers, long term goals…these all come into play. Not to mention the landscape in the farm also perform a hefty purpose in how efficiently that performs and how quickly jobs are completed. You can see the workers dancing and achieving the assigned jobs in real time – and with huge detail if you focus in remote enough – and they should step since their own assigned home to the activity (or equipment if the idea needed) in order to get the job figured out. To living around, the game suffers from a lack of any ability to queue up tasks for the workers and/or machinery, which causes some frustration when you enjoy a employee go into a tractor, grab the involved implement (e.g, a manure spreader), complete this up (if needed), travel to the ground, complete the task, drop off the implement, park the tractor, and go back to their house – and only then can you assign them to fertilize another handle. That can only take another 10 seconds by both objective on the activity (when running the game at most speed) but with no alternative to assign multiple tasks to a hand, I frequently found myself waiting for them to return on their family only i really could assign them the identical activity for the future field over.

Visually, Farm Manager 2018 looks excellent. As revealed, there is a surprising level of detail at the "ground-level", and when moved out (which happens how I played 95% of the time) the graphical quality remains fantastic then things change visually depending on what's occurring on your farm with really point being things acquire and increase – there is and a definite visual distinction between times, even dependent on temperature at times (e.g., snow can melt in winter if the temperature goes beyond freezing, it doesn't just stop white throughout the whole time).

Farm Manager 18's user border is workable, but would benefit from some enhancements. It does a superb work at providing basic information in a constructive and reasonably visually-appealing way, but I feel that it could be further advanced. The but to meets beside the top from the guard (that enables you to track the amount of eight items of your pick that's presently in your storage) would benefit from put in the ability to track expiry dates and/or worth on the things, so that you stay obliged to talk to with a selection to make sure data for the products you produce/sell the most. The buy/sell menu for result is a bit clunky, as it often presents items some times (e.g., when they take special expiry days or are in different storage facilities) but there is no option to sell merely that "collection" of invention – that becomes that very hard to market the outcomes to are going to expire head, and also I frequently get myself just selling the entire sum of consequence I had just to escape the hassle. The views to appear when you click with something (e.g., a building, industry, worker, etc.) appears quickly in the middle from the show, and often blocks anyone through appearing in the article in which anyone clicked. While this isn't a serious concern, having the window begin in the curve on the screen would allow you to preserve a visible connection to the thing that you are managing and not have a large part of the show consumed with the data. Which take place about, points that involve immediate attention show up as notifications and cause an image from the top right place on the display until dealt with, allowing you to triage the things that are questioning your focus with ensure that significant issues are handled in a timely fashion.

The game and suffers from a few bugs, like as tractors or workers getting stuck while making tasks, however Cleversan Software has been really alert to person advice in addressing rises and releasing updates in the period because release. Some instant I encountered something that forced myself toward quit to the chief menus and fill back in our saved game, but generally the event was relatively shiny then the delays were small. It could perhaps be far better optimized, when I discovered that irrespective of the full settings I pick, the game went good from the first theater of acquiring our farm, but thought like while it was chugging as the farm became huge and the number of processes on the go increased (even even though our CPU/GPU usage remained fairly low). Despite the occasional lag in beginning a selection, this gave a negligible effect on the gameplay, still I live somewhat worried that this question would turn into much more prominent with larger farms (I never grasp the total maximum possible farm size).

I figured out move in some other additional (albeit minor) features in the game such as the ability to repair equipment, but do it to say i think the game presents a level of realism that's believable without becoming overbearing or detracting from the gameplay. Overall, I had a great time with Farm Manager 18. This serious enough without considering overwhelming, but allows the participant to opt how "straight into the buds" (pun intended) they find with respect to reading spreadsheets and tracking commodity worth. It offers a great variety in terms of body with scalp types allowing for large player picking and self-direction – irrespective of type – while the several specific game modes provide for a great class in the level of prescription with respect to overall goals. The selections people earn while playing sense as although they have consequence, that is essential in this kind of game. Despite several minor bugs then approximately equally minor pacing issues with the war, I would definitely mention this ready to followers of city-builders, simulators, and/or farming games.

Farm Manager 2018 nails the of handling a farm. That throws a lot of data by an individual also needs you to manage a bunch of variables – all while saving it cool. Some bug sticks and pulls are required, but if you're seeking a building/management game and have an interest in farming (or even if you don't), this contest may certainly house you thought about.