#help the farmers keep selling more food than two people can actually eat quickly

[jtownraindancer]

scored an unholy amount of cantaloupe and i need recipe ideas. does anyone have any suggestions i could try?

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allergies to mushrooms, coconut, and poppy seeds shared among the folks who would be eating this.

[delightfulstarlightparadise]

Stardew Valley imagine Reader/ ?????

Possibly Sebastian... but who knows.

-So, I have been playing Stardew Valley for hundreds of hours in just few weeks and finally had de courage to write my own imagine. (Nice, I get off the game to write about it).

-I will avoid pronouns as much as I can, but when necessary I will use they/them. I hope everyone feels included.

-English is not my main language, but I am doing my best.

- I will, sometimes, bring some fanarts I made too.

Let’s go <3

The slow pace of the bus makes you feel dizzy. You look outside and see the most lively and green landscape you had ever seen, and along with it you feel the memories of old times coming to your mind.

Those days in the farm seem so far away now, playing with animals along your cousins, running around the crops, swimming in the rivers and lakes, fishing... and in the late evening sitting by a fire with your grandpa to hear stories about the valley.

Stardew. Stardew Valley, a place cherished in your memories.

You never imagined you would be going back to that valley to live in the farm from your childhood, taking with you just a small luggage. You are tired, sad and broke. Your wrists still hurt, a gift from hours typing in a computer of Joja corporation.

You don’t know how everything went so wrong. As a kid you always wanted to be a veterinarian or maybe a biologist, but you ended up in that corporative job, making thousands of reports that seemed the same one and attending meetings to talk about nothing. If you told yourself, that bright kid full of hope and wonder, that you would grow up to become such a bitter adult, you wouldn’t have believed it then.

At least you had the courage to leave.

You hold tight in your hands the letter from your grandfather, attached to it as a last light of hope that moving to Paradise farm can help you start new.  

The bus stops and the driver asks you if you need help with your baggage, but you decline. You didn’t bring much.

You stand beside the bus sign and feel the soft breeze from the valley, listening to the birds chirp. Those memories seem more alive inside you.

“Hey! You arrived!”

A friendly call takes you out of your thoughts as a ginger woman comes towards you with the nicest of smiles.

“I was worried that the bus would be delayed but you are just in time!” she says, taking your baggage from off your hands before you can say anything. “I am Robin, the town’s capenter, you must be the new farmer! Lewis asked me to pick you up!”

“Hi...” you stutter, shaking her hand.” I am y/n.”

“You caused quite a commotion here at Pelican. It is not everyday we receive a new villager, a new farmer, then!” she says, taking your luggage to a small red pick up truck parked beside the bus stop.

“Actually... I am not a farmer. I am just going to live in the farm.” you say a little unease about how friendly she is. You are used to the apathic city people.

“Well, I guess living at Paradise makes you a farmer now.” She says a giggles.  

As you take a dirt road, she continues to speak to you cheerfully.

“I just came by truck because I thought you would be bringing much more stuff. Your farm is actually very close.”

“I... I don’t own much.” you reply. “WHAT THE …!?”

When she parks by the gates your wonderful memories and hopes connected to Paradise farm seem to shatter. The landscape is taken by weeds and all the structures you remember seem to have aged twice the time you had been away. Trees had outgrown the charming paths or rock in which you and your cousins used to race each other, the little ponds where you used to fish were surrounded by twigs and bushes of weeds. The sight of the land was a mix of leaves, twigs and boulders.

“Not much of a Paradise anymore, hun? But I guess with a little effort you can bring it back to it’s bright.” Robin says as she notices the disappointment in your face.

“I guess...” you say, dispirited.

She takes you to the old cottage and the view is not much better. The wood seems a little rotten and cracked, you are afraid of what you might meet inside.

“Y/n! I haven’t seen you since you were this little!” an elder man comes out of the cabin and waves at you.

You think you remember him. Probably one of your grandfather’s friends. He had many, unlike you.

“Oh, I guess you were too little to remember me. I am Lewis, Pelican Town’s Mayor. You know, your granpa and I used to be friends since we were very young and this farm was full of coops, animals, fruit trees...”

Robins ahams to him to call his attention to your discomfort about the current situation of the farm.  

“Oh... I mean... Sure you will do a good work of taking care of your grandfather’s property. Anyway, I am here to welcome you and say that whatever you need, you can call me and that If you have anything to sell to the city or export, you jut need to put it into that box, I will gladly take it and return to you with the money.” he says, in a very mayorish manner.

“Thanks.” you reply.

You are not very good with people. Maybe that is why you ended up behind a computer job.

“It is almost lunchtime!” Robin exclaims, she is so spirited. “So why don’t you put your bag in the cottage and come have lunch with my family? After that one of my children can show you around town. My son Sebby is almost your age, I am pretty sure you two will get along.”

“I... I don’t want to bother.” you reply scratching the back of your neck, uncomfortable.

“It was not an invite, it was a demand!” Robin says, and you can see the seriousness printed on her eyes.

You leave your bag beside the old bed in the cottage and follow her to the truck. After a small ride, you find yourself in front of a big house in the mountains.

“I think I have been here before.” You say, as you look at the lake slowly flowing near you.

“Probably when I was still building the house. I remember you and your grandfather’s other kids swimming around the lake. I think Sebby used to play with you sometimes. I guess if you remember each other.” she says.

“I surely don’t remember that.” you say, pointing at a giant boulder pile beside the lake’s source.

“Oh, that. That is the result of a landslide provoked by Joja Mart.”

“JOJA MART?!” you screech.

The simple mention of the company’s name makes you sick to your stomach.

“Yeah, they say they are working to get it removed, but they wouldn’t have to if they had not caused it in first place. I bet they were exploding the mines in search of gold, like the leeches they are.”

“Probably.” you agree to Robin’s inflated discourse.

When you get in the house, you hear the sound of a small explosion, followed but smoke and a funny smell.

“Oh Yoba! Dad, are you ok?! I guess I overcharged the batteries again!” you hear a girl’s voice and then a fire extinguisher being activated.

“There can’t be a fucking minute of peace in this house.” a guy comes from downstairs complaining. He is wearing a hoddie and has headphones hanging on his neck.

“Sebastian, language!” Robin says.

He turns to you and for a moment seems completely astonished to see you there, but quickly turns back to the apathic face he had on before.

“Hi honey! Maru and I were just doing a little experiment, but it got a bit out of hand... Oh, hello!” a man comes out of the room where the smoke is coming from.

“Y/n, this is my son Sebastian and that over there is my husband Demetrius.” Robin introduces you as you wave shyly.

A girl comes out of that same room. She is cleaning her glasses worried, but as she glances at you, her face shines with a bright smile such as Robin’s. She runs towards you and starts shaking your hand with both of hers, excitedly.

“Hello! I am Maru, and you must be the new farmer!”

“I... han... not a farmer actually. I will just live in the farm.” you reply uneasy.

“Oh, but I guess living in the farm will make you a farmer, then.” Demetrius says and giggles.

“I am going back to the basement.” Sebastian mumbles taking the direction of the stairs.

But Robin stops him by grabbing the back of his hoddie.

“Sebastian, it is lunchtime, so why don’t you go to the kitchen and put on the table for our guest, hmn?” she says in a way only a mother could.

He grunts and heads to the kitchen.

Maru leads you there by the shoulders while asking you:

“So you are from Zuzu city, right? How is life there?”

You can see Sebastian turning to you with the corner of his eyes when he hears it, he seems a little interested.

“Busy.” you answer.

She keeps staring at you with a smile as if she is waiting for the development of your answer, and does it until you feel uncomfortable enough to either attend her expectations or flee.

“Well... it is crowded. People are unfriendly, time seems to go by very fast...” you say, cracking your fingers anxiously. “There are more malls, I guess.”

“Interesting!” she replies with that same smile.

“So, you will be now taking care of Paradise farm, hm?” Demetrius says while sitting down next to his daughter. “I guess you will be having a lot of work taking care of all those weeds.”

“I actually don’t intend to work as a farmer.” you reply.

“Oh really? What kind of work do you do, y/n?” he asks gently.

“I am a reviewer. I mean, I was. I used to take care of paperwork, write reports on data and... you know, spend the day in front of a computer. I think I will find me a job to do this, but from here.” you answer.

“Sebby here is a computer geek, too! You two will get along well.” Robin says while serving you more food than you think you can eat.

“I am a programmer, mom.” he mumbles, facepalming.

“You should not be afraid of trying your hand at farming though.” Demetrius says. “Darling! This food is DE-LI-CI-OUS! As I was saying, this land has very productive soil and the town is an exporter, I am sure you can make some profit by selling whatever you produce. Also there is much foraging around you can pick and sell, there aren’t much people who take their time on doing that. The Salmonberry season will be here soon.”

“Thanks honey!” Robin replies with a giggle. “I am pretty sure y/n has it settled for the computer job.”

“Actually, I am pretty broke.” you think while taking a bite of Robin’s food. It is really good.

REALLY GOOD. You can’t remember the last time you had a homemade meal and the thought of it brings tears to your eyes.

“Oh, dear! Is it too spicy?” Robin asks, serving you a cup of juice.

You shake your head negatively trying to wipe the tears, ashamed. Sebastian and Maru stare at you, concerned, they even exchange a glance of worry and then, look back at you.

“No,no I... I have... a gland problem, I tear up sometimes... when... I am... eating?” you stutter, sobbing a little.

“I think I have heard about that. “ Demetrius says. “Maybe you should pay a visit to doctor Harvey in the town. He is a very good doctor.”

You nod as you continuously take bites of that wonderful food. It is so good to finally have a meal that isn’t pizza or a cold burger.

…

While having lunch you discover that Demetrius is a scientist. You take great pleasure in listening to him talking about how diverse is the Stardew biome. He also talks about minerals, the land’s properties and many other scientific things while Maru stares at him like she is the proudest daughter in the world. You feel like you would look at him the same if he was your father.  

Sebastian rolls his eyes more times than you can count and when he is finally done with the whole “family and guest lunch” thing, he stands up and says:

“I am going out for a smoke.”

“Actually Sebby, could you please take y/n to get to know the town?” Robin says while she collects the dishes.

“Mom, I think you better ask Maru, she is better suited for these kind of things.” He whispers at her, but you overhear.

“Oh well, so maybe you wanna stay and take her turn in washing the dishes?”

You swear you can hear him cursing while he passes beside you and makes a sign with his hand for you to follow him. You feel unease, but Robin points at him and shakes her hands indicating for you to go.

Sebastian takes you outside, to the garage and hands you a helmet.

“What?” you say.

“What?” he replies while putting on a helmet himself. “We’re taking the bike”

“Bike?” you ask.

Sebastian uncovers an old-fashioned bike and gets ready to sit on it, but you stop him by giving him back the helmet.

“No, no, no.” you say, gulping your breath. “I can’t, sorry.”

“What? Aren’t you from the city?” he says.

“I can’t ride a bike.” you say, shaking your head frenetically.

“You just sit down and hold on, I am the one doing the riding.”

“Look, you don’t really have to do this. I will just go home and you can tell Robin I had to... do something else.”

“You don’t know my mom.” he says while taking off the helmet. “Ok, wait here, I will grab the truck keys.”

Sebastian doesn’t take long to come back with the keys and the both of you get inside the truck. He lowers his window and immediately puts a cigarette in his lips.  

“Do you mind?” he asks you.

“Actually, can I have one?”  you reply feeling awkward.

“You smoke?” he says while rising towards you the pack with a cigarette extended.  

“Only when stressed.” you say while letting him light it up for you.

“Yeah. Me too.” he says starting the engines.

Next part here:

(I liked the sketch so much better, so here it is)

[mwolf0epsilon]

Could I ask for some fallout 4 companion + favorite NPCs headcanons you might have?

I did my top 5 favorite companions in alphabetical order + my top favorite NPC, hope you don't mind! The post would be a bit too long otherwise ^^'

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[[MORE]]

--Codsworth--

Codsworth is (besides Curie, Edna and Whitechapel Charlie) the most self aware Mr.Handy in the Commonwealth. As a result he tends to be underestimated by people in general (since most Mr.Handies and Mr.Gutsies are stuck in their programming to such a degree that they're not really aware of their surroundings concerning a timeline). This causes Codsworth mild anxiety as he thinks he might be broken or perhaps even dangerous to the Sole Survivor if he "glitches any further". A loose cannon can't be trusted right?

The robot workbench, while useful for repairs and upgrades, gives Codsworth the "willies". He doesn't like the idea of being altered beyond what he was made to be. He has the same sort of dread when asked if he'd ever like to acquire a synth body like Curie. He was "born" a Mr Handy he'll remain one until the day he passes.

Codsworth regularly has tea with Sturges and Mama Murphy. Sometimes he manages to get the Sole Survivor, Preston and Curie to join him, but otherwise not many people give him the time of day to kick back and indulge in old pre-war habits. Unless he bakes some of his famous tarberry cobbler, then everyone flocks around him for a taste.

--Deacon--

Every single lie Deacon tells is based on truths. He has a way of weaving words that is impressive because he only really needs to sell something believable to his audience. What's more believable than a story with a few facts switched around? Deacon lies about lying.

Deacon has a terrible temper. One he couldn't exactly control when he was younger but that he'd learned to get a hold of as he grew older and tried to better himself. Barbara's death was the last time he lost control, and since then no one's really seen the extent of Deacon's fury. That person who let his anger get the better of him was scum and caused nothing but pain and death. He wants to help, not destroy.

Deacon has alluded to having lived a good part of his life underground (being quite fond of caves and feeling safe in them) before moving to University Point. While no one knows where exactly he came from, Maccready has suggested Capital Wastelands since he first met him there and he has helped concoct theories on Deacon's origins that vary from cave settlements, to Little Lamplight and even to a Vault. Whichever one it is, this is the cause for his attachment to his sunglasses. His eyes are incredibly sensitive to bright lights (They're also very convinient for his spy work so it's win win in any case!).

--Nick Valentine--

While he's not interested in pursuing a romantic relationship he does seem to be incredibly fascinated by romance novels. He doesn't admit this to anyone however and won't read anything out in public that isn't part of his mystery novel collection. He has a hidden stash of romance novels in a hidden compartment in his desk.

He watched Hancock growing up with his brother and always thought Guy to be a little too aggressive in his stance about the world around them. He hoped the boy would grow out of it but was quickly proven wrong when Mcdonough became Diamond City's mayor. He considered leaving with John and the ghouls before deciding he needed to stay to keep an eye out for the city. God only knew DC would need all the help it could get from then on out...

He has a missing persons case file for Preston which he keeps a secret. Preston's mother approached him after travelling all the way to DC to ask if he'd find her son who was 17 when he ran away. Ever since the Sole Survivor came along and introduced him to her odd group of misfits he's had to keep himself from telling Preston that his mother is worried sick about him. He hopes that when things settle down a bit and that the Minutemen are back into proper shape that he'll be able to tell the lieutenant and bring him to see his mother.

--Preston Garvey--

He was raised by his biological mother (a brahmin farmer) and the woman she later fell in love with and married (a nurse). He never met his father and his moms insisted he was killed by a raider. He later learned that while his mother was pregnant with him, she and his biological father were kidnapped by a group of raiders and that his father was then tortured mercilessly until his mind broke and he joined them. His mother escaped with her life only by pure luck and chance.

Preston's idolization of the Minutemen was always a consern for Mama Garvey, who was deathly afraid of losing her baby boy. When Preston turned 17 he ran away from home to join the militia against his mom's wishes. He hadn't exactly hit his growth spurt yet so his mothers were pretty scared that he might have died alone in the Wastes. After the Minutemen fell apart Mama Garvey went to Nick Valentine to ask for help searching for any signs that her son might still be alive.

He has a passion for learning new things, new skills, any tidbit of useful knowledge he can get his hands on. He's a bit like a Swiss army knife with all the things he's learned from traveling with the Minutemen and Sole Survivor, be it cook a mean brahmin steak, or mend ripped clothes, or even apply first aid when there aren't any stimpacks available, or even origami (although the latter is just for fun).

--X6-88--

After the Institute is destroyed X6 feels mildly conflicted but chooses to stick by his original instructions to follow the Sole Survivor's orders. This of course was an issue at first because he'd shadow Sole like a lost, albeit mildly terrifying, puppy. He's taken up guard duty after he was asked to stop acting like a bodyguard, since he didn't really know what to do with his time. Some of the braver/nicer companions (Nick, Preston, Curie and Codsworth) have tried to give him pointers, but it's actually some of the settlers who have helped him figure out how to somewhat "enjoy" his freedom (mainly Mama Murphy and Sturges who can tolerate his cynicism and disdain for the Commonwealth and it's people).

He's embarrassed by his Fancy Lads snack cakes cravings. As a synth courser he should be a top of the line model with zero attachment to material possessions and no need for indulging in the disgusting Commonwealth foods, be they pre-war or post-war. However since he's a Gen3 synth this is just a quirk he can't really shake off and he'd probably die of embarrassment if anyone found out his stash in his room.

He has a bit of a synth sense. He's not really aware of it, but he gets a strange feeling sort of like deja vu whenever he meets a runaway synth. The Railroad did a fantastic job with facial reconstructions and new identities, but X6 still has this weird feeling that he's seen them before. This feeling is a lot stronger around Sturges and he can't help feel a little put off by him. Not that anyone notices anyway...

--Sturges--

These two [x] [x] headcanons are pretty much my go to for Sturges's origins, but I'll elaborate further!

The original Sturges was born and raised in the Mojave and briefly moved to the Capital Wasteland with his father (after his mom passed away from an unknown illness). After Sturges Senior retired from the NCR the two moved to the Commonwealth to get away from all the chaos in the Capital Wastes. As a result of moving around a lot, Sturges Junior had a lot of contact with experienced mechanics and scientists. Already a bit of a genius himself, Sturges's knowledge was both a gift and a curse, as the Institute took an interest in him and abducted him as soon as they found a chance to do so. The synth copy that currently resides with Sanctuary's people is a bit of an oddity however... He was a prototype meant to spy on Sturges Senior and the settlement they lived in when they moved to the Commonwealth, but there were a few issues with his programming and Sturges actually forgot he was a synth and that he needed to report to a courser that would be sent to meet with him every month under the guise of trading for scrap. Sturges Senior caught on pretty quickly and dispatched the courser, but realized the synth copy was harmless and that if the Institute took his real son then he was already good as dead, so he feigned ignorance and kept Sturges unaware as well.

Sturges left to make a life of his own a few months after his replacement. He learned how to shoot thanks to his dad, but nothing could really prepare him for how ruthless the Wastes could really be. After he settled he swore off fighting as much as possible since he's not too fond of it. He'd still beat up anyone that threatened his friends, even if he had to do it with his bare fists. Those muscles aren't just for show and Sturges can give a mean punch.

Zeke, the leader of the Atom Cats, is Sturges's cousin from his father's side of the family. The two weren't very close when they were younger because Zeke tended to bully him a bit, but eventually the two grew out of their almost sibling-like rivalry and hung out a lot when Sturges moved to the Commonwealth. When the Atom Cats were formed, Sturges was the main mechanic before he decided to lend his services to Quincy. He liked the town so much that he decided to settle there, much to Zeke's displeasure. The two are in good terms and there's really no bad blood between them.

Sturges is as stubborn as a brahmin. This has proven to be both a great asset to Sanctuary and a terrible burden, as when ever Sturges gets it in his head that he can do something, he won't stop until he does it. Preston has had to drag him away from fruitless projects many times so that Sturges could eat, drink and sleep. Others have been less tactful, like Marcy spilling a bucket of purified water over his head because he had forgotten to bathe in a while, or Jun guilt-tripping him so he'd rest for once in his life, or even one time where the Sole Survivor "hired" Tinker Tom to help around the workshop so Sturges wouldn't have to worry too much about repairs progressing in Sanctuary Hills (Tinker Tom spouted conspiracy theories all day and Sturges now wonders if every mirror he sees isn't a two-way mirror somehow connected to the Institute).

Extra angsty headcanon:

The original Sturges ended up as one of the super mutant behemoths that the Sole Survivor can encounter in the Commonwealth. They wouldn't ever be able to tell considering the beast is nothing like the kind and amicable handyman they know.

[phckingusername]

Because I wimped out

Here is the story I deleted off ao3 but shorter. Waaaaaay shorter. More like a run down of the idea.

Fandom: Detroit: Become Human

Warnings: Rape and non con., Major character death.

Characters: Connor, Richard, Gavin, Hank, Amanda

Relationships: Connor& Richard &Hank, Richard/Gavin, Connor&Gavin

Other notes: Weird au, Connor and Richard are Marble God's, that turn "human", Hank is a farmer, Gavin is a starving artist literally.

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Connor and Richard are God's carved out of Marble by their "Mother" Amanda. Both live in a heavenly garden. They are not allowed to leave. They are however unwanted and Amanda hates them. (Honestly I wrote some pretty good poems for this part) One night as she sleeps Connor takes Richard and runs away. "She plans to kill us." He tells his "little" brother. But once in the land of man they are no longer made of Marble stone. They are now ashamed of their Naked bodies. (Very biblical I guess)

So naked and covered in mud and leaves the huddle and cling to each other at the village market. This is where Gavin first See's their beauty. Being an artist he wants to immortalize them or more specifically Richard in his art. Not knowing they are already.

Rather than typing more out here's the haiku of Richard's first impression of Gavin.( In the first chapter the story was told in poems from nines pov like his diary almost.)

Man who dwells with Rats

Beauty hidden under dirt

Is he one of them?

Soon Hank who's son and wife both died of the same sickness shows kindness and compassion for the two naked siblings. Gavin is quite relieved the two are safe. Hank is a farmer, well was I guess, after his son's death the crops stopped growing. The two brothers quickly adopt Hank as their new Father and try to help with chores. Hank seems quite alright with them staying and calling him Father.

Gavin was left on the streets to die as a child and would have very nearly died. However a traveling poet/ Artist took him under his wing. Naming Gavin, and giving him a passion for art. Although the artist was very old and died late into Gavin's teen years. Gavin is his adult age in game now. He lives in a rundown home. Holes in the walls and rats crawling everywhere. He looks rough. Literally starving, he tries to sell his art and draw others for a living. He doesn't know much else.

Because Hank has no crops to eat or sell he is also starving. Connor and Richard try to help by making things to sell at the market. Richard has made wooden children's toys and heads to the market alone.

By this time it's winter. Richard has set up right across the way from Gavin. The two seem to have a quiet conversation via staring. Gavin lost so deeply in those steely blue eyes. Wanting nothing more than to hide the man away and draw every last inch of him. So that he may stare into those eyes forever. Richard doesn't feel so strongly about Gavin but is filled with innocent curiosity.

This is where things go down hill. Gavin isn't the only one who thinks Richard is breathtakingly beautiful. Three drunk men crowd and trap Richard before pulling him off to a more secluded area. Richard is strong but he also feels small despite his actual size. If he were a god still he'd have no problem pushing the men off him. But his flesh is man now. He is scared. He screams and begs but they show no sign of stopping. They rip off his clothes they touch him, they touch themselves.

Meanwhile Gavin hears Richards pleas for help. They break his heart, he knows all too well what is happening. He tries to tell himself not to get involved and stay out of trouble. But he can't let them take away what was taken from him all those years ago. Not to someone so pure. So he finally gets the courage to help. Knife in a white grip and angry. He slashes and stabs at the men. Giving them.......28 stab wounds! ( Sorry not sorry).

Richard is huddle in the fetal position body shaking and eyes shut tight. Gavin tries to soothe him enough to look at him. Telling him he's safe. "Hey you know me. I'm the man across the way." "The artist?" "Yeah, that's me." Finally Richard relaxes enough to walk over to Gavin's place for some new clothes and the promise of a warm fire. Richard is exhausted and allows Gavin to dress him. He soon falls asleep on Gavin's trash pile he calls a bed.

The next morning Gavin waits for his brother to show up. It's just before dawn when he sees Connor searching. Connor wakes Richard up and just bombards him with questions and fusses over him. Checking and turning Richard's head for injuries. Richard places a hand over Connor's mouth and only let's go when he's calmed down. Richard starts by introducing Gavin the tells Connor Gavin had saved him from 3 men. Richard tells all and the two share in their tears. Gavin seeing How angry and incredibly sad Connor is about this. Connor saying thing like I'm supposed to protect you... Gone with you... It's all my fault..ect. When Richard just flat out tells Connor to shut up. " You are not at fault for the sins of man." Gavin found that an odd phrase. Finally they get collected and Connor pulls Gavin into the tightest hug thanking him deeply for what he's done. Richard now properly expresses his thanks and wants to know how he can repay him. "Let me draw you." It was almost embarrassing how quickly he blurted it out. Richard says they are friends and Gavin gets all touched by it.

The two brothers walk home and crawl in bed with Hank. The two quite cold, they hug either side of the sleep man they call father. Back with Gavin. He pulls out the few sketches of Richard he had drawn of him while he slept. Gavin giddy about soon seeing him again for a proper portrait. He spends his new energy cleaning the house and himself up.(this was as far as I had written but here's the rest I had planned)

Connor tells Hank (at Richards request) about what happened and Hank freaks. Richard then tells them both for the first time that he will be going back to visit Gavin. Hank knows of him and doesn't think too highly of him. Gives off a bad vibe. People don't want to go near him in fear of being bitten. Although he has never actually bitten a person before. Nevertheless Richard goes (with Connor) to see Gavin as promised for a proper picture. Connor selling the things he made as Richard's toys were destroyed by the men. But also keeping a close eye on his brother. Gavin is a blushing mess but once he's in the zone he gets this really focused look on him. Richard finds himself entranced by the look and admires Gavin when he's like this. Gavin saved the eyes for last. "Richard, get really close I need to draw your eyes." Gavin says still focused but when he looks up he freezes. He can't seem to look away. Nines stares back for awhile before speaking up. Putting Gavin back on the task but blushing red all the way to the tips of his ears. Richard has never seen anyone blush before. He wants to see more of it.

Things go well for Connor as he seems to have more people skills. They finally have money to buy food for their starving father. Richard gives Gavin a few coins. Gavin shocked by this. However Connor and Richard don't seem to plan on forgetting about Gavin and what he did. They treat him like family.

Richard and Connor visit every day to sell things and for a picture. Gavin drawing Connor quite a few times. Noting how different the two are. Connor is as Richard described, Soft with eyes of Earth. Connor is always protective of his brother. Expression always Stern and harsh. It was incredible to see just how soft Connor was when he smiled. Gavin wanted to capture that. However Gavin spent most of his time drawing Richard. Page after page. Looking at them when Richard went home for the day. Gavin would hide away and hold the papers close to his chest. Heart fluttering as he spent countless hours looking through each one.

Spring has come and gone. Just on the cusp of summer. Richard has become just as obsessed with looking at Gavin as he is looking at him. When he's with Gavin he feels... Something different. A different kind of love. Content and happy to be with him and almost empty without him. Richard is perplexed and frustrated with these feelings he doesn't understand. Gavin notices that Richard is not his usual self one night. By this time Connor trust Richard is safe when with Gavin and doesn't always go with him. Richard went somewhat late at night. Gavin asks what's up and Richard honestly and openly explains how he's feeling and wants to know why. Gavin's hopes that what it sounds like is what it is but asks Richard to go deeper and describe how he feels when with Gavin. It's all quite poetic (remember Richard has this internal diary in the form of poems) Gavin kisses Richard when he's finished speaking. But right after Richard gets up and goes home in a rush.

When he gets home he hides himself away. Hank finds him as asks. He tells him Gavin kissed him and Hank calms his anger before jumping to conclusions. "And how do you feel about it?" Richard sniffles and rubs his wet eyes. "I really liked it. Is that ok?" He looks up at Hank. "Son, I don't know where you came from but what you're feeling, is love. Love is pure and innocent, the things you do with a loved one is not sinful, it will not make you dirty or tainted. Love is beautiful and it comes with many faces. For me love of different kinds looks like my wife, like my son Cole, like you and your brother. It's ok son."

Back with Gavin he's freaking out and yelling at himself just about pulling his hair out. Richard waits a few days to sort out his thoughts and think about what Hank said. Meanwhile Gavin is an emotional wreak.

One night as Gavin gazes at a portrait of Richard he hears a knock on the wall. Richard is there leaning through the window. "May I come in?" Gavin is relieved to see him. Once Richard is inside Gavin goes to apologise but his lips are claimed before he could. He practically melts. "Gavin, you are what love looks like to me. You, Connor, Hank. You are all the different faces of my love." He said holding Gavin. "I know not of the joys of the flesh. I want to experience this with you. I want us to make love." At this point Gavin's circuits are fried. But he finally responds "For now, I want to hold you tonight." And that's what they do. They hold each other. They whisper sweet nothings as they soothe each other into sleep. Gavin wants to hold Richard, feel him in his arms. Make sure he is real. Not just pencil on a page. Don't get him wrong Gavin really wants to make love with Richard. But he wants Richard to feel the softer, simpler form of intimacy. Hold hand and cuddle, spoon and give sweet kisses. Show him love, not lust. And Richard is all about it. Just adores it. Loves holding and being held. Then one night it happens. They make love. Naked bodies against each other. Hot sweat steams off of them in the cool night. Beautiful moans and whimpers. Hands grabbing and clawing. Broken up love letters and each other's names spilling off their lips. During and after there's just so much love.....

Everything seems to be going ok now. They all have food to eat and they have each other. The crops are growing again . But Hank isn't doing so well. He is sick. No matter what they do Hank doesn't seem to get any better. He is dieing. The two brothers hold and cuddle Hank in his death bed. By the time they wake up in the morning Hank is gone.

Both Connor and Richard go to Gavin to mourn. The last time he's seen the two cry was when they first met. He over hears them talking, discussing whether or not to go back to Amanda. To leave the land of man. But they can't, back at the garden they will be killed. "I do not want to go back to being made of stone. I don't want my body to feel cold. The flesh of man is weak and delicate, but it's warm and soft. I want to bleed. I want to live and die with man." Well fuck, Gavin fucked a God. He's not really sure how to feel about that, about the brothers. He is afraid.

Gavin is acting distant and nervous around Richard now in their alone time with each other. Richard doesn't understand why and it hurts. "Gavin, don't you love me?" I'm a RAT and he's a God. Gavin tells himself. And he tries to push Richard away. Fakes anger and hate towards Richard. Gavin breaks Richards heart and his own. Gavin is alone now. Richard cries as Connor tries to comfort him. He is depressed and doesn't leave the bed. Richard doesn't move, doesn't even talk to Connor anymore. Connor is lonely.

Gavin misses Richard. Misses the company of the two brothers. He doesn't want to live anymore. Life is without meaning now. He can't bare to think of Richard, to look at endless drawings and memories that come with it.

While Richard sleeps Connor makes a visit to Gavin. He is angry. Grabbing Gavin by his shirt and lifting him up against the wall. Asks him why? Why he would hurt his brother this way. "I thought you loved him?" "I do love him." "Then why did you make him Cry!!? Why has he stopped smiling? Stopped getting out of bed! Stopped talking to me!!!?" His grip tightens as tears start to fall from Connor's eyes. "Why did you break his heart!?" "I know your little secret. I know what you two are!!! You lied to me! You're Gods. And I'm not..... I'm not... Good enough. Even if we stayed together, I would die and he'd be alone again. I'm not worth all that pain.". "Gavin, love is what makes life worth living. We loved Hank and it hurt more than anything when he died. But I wouldn't trade anything for the love we felt together. Our Father gave us something nothing else in this world could. Gavin, you gave that to Richard and then you took it away. Give it back. Give his life meaning again." "Can man really do that for a God?" " No not man, you. It's you who can make that possible for him..... Please come with me. Come back to him." "I... I will." Connor hugs Gavin tightly when they hear voices outside. Gavin recognizes two of the men as the ones who assaulted Richard. The other must have died from Gavin's attack. The other three men with them must be friends of theirs. The five where headed towards Gavin's home. "Shit! Connor get out of here! Go home and don't let them see you!" Connor protests but Gavin gets him to leave.

Connor runs back to Richard waking him up and telling him Gavin needs help. He gets up instantly and the two head back to him. Only by the time they get there it's too late. ......

WARNING THIS IS REALLY BAD!

There's blood everywhere one of the men lay dead. But the other 4 are gone. They find Gavin. Naked. Raped then brutally murdered. Cut, stabbed, bruised, choked. The stream of tears still visible on his cheeks. (I'm really sorry)

------

Richard and Connor build a garden of their own deep in the forest. It's filled with so many beautiful flowers and trees. Lilacs and cherry blossoms, aspens and roses. A river stream and a small pond of fish. They burry Gavin and Hank next to each other. Richard places every drawing with Gavin. Connor stands over Hanks grave while Richard stands over Gavin's. "He loved you you know. That night. He was going to come back." "Why did he leave?" "He found out we were God's. And felt unworthy." Connor explained. The two stayed silent after that for some time. "Together?" "Together my brother. We'll all be together soon." The held hands still standing over the graves. Then, they turned to stone. Neither God or Man now. Merely marble statues. Pieces of art never to be seen by any man again. Tombstones for lost loved ones.

[escapedchickens]

DBH AU Prompt-Decisions

Another line art and prompt collab with me and my friend @gavimp whom wrote very nice prompts for my line art. This time, we have collaborated to write a prompt together, with me writing part 1 and her writing part 2. She is a big help with me when it comes to fun AUs and she helped me with correcting the hands on the line art above. (Hands are tough to draw) Without further ado, here is the prompt. 

Decisions

"Willard, please wash up. We have Mr. Vasquez coming over for lunch and I cannot have you looking dusty."

"I was only helping Ginger and the others. We sprouted more aubergines than expected and they could use an extra hand with the crates."

"They are tools, Willard, they'll be just fine picking and stacking them. We have a couple of TR models on site to help with that. Including the rude one that gets on my nerves once in a while."

Willard nods and whole heartfully waves to their androids before departing from the garden. He shakes off his dirt riddled boots on the outdoor mat and makes his way to the shower. After washing up, he goes to the master bedroom to pick up some business casual clothes for the lunch date. From his window, he can see the TR 0010 model, Bunty, talking to Ginger and a couple of other androids. How they talk to each other does not seem out of the ordinary, as it look likes Ginger is giving reports of this month's gardening reports to her. What makes it interesting is seeing the two androids slip off the synthetic skin from their hands and shake on it as if they are exchanging information. He blinks to double check the process and shakes his head continuing to change.

"Nothing wrong, just exchanging information. After all, I reassured her that I would try make some improvements."

Some improvement. Nothing big, but enough to keep them satisfied. But how does one keep his many androids satisfied when his wife runs the estate with almost an iron fist. (More iron than the actual robots ironically). She shoves off the idea of them being deviant and berates him for thinking they are other than obedient machines. Machines work and breakdown, that is life. It does not matter that their lifespan are cut by a few decades instead, it just happens. At least for them. His train of thought gets cut off when he hears his wife shrill one more time for him. He quickly combs his hair and rushes downstairs to join her.

At the door, they are greeted by the door of a tall man with hair combed back hair and wearing a business casual suit. He greets the well-dressed Tweedys with handshakes and small pecks.

"Melisha, hello. You look dashing."

"Thank you Mr. Vasquez, it helps to have extra help around the house."

"I can see that. Willard, you look good. Doing a little work out?"

"Not really, I was just doing a little farm work with my androids. It is nice to get some exercise from the work while I get a little extra help."

"That is great. After all, that is what they are for. Day in, day out, just making life a little bit easier for the working man. Of course, from the looks of it, you two got off way easier. Look at this place, it's gorgeous!"

"It is a woman's touch," comments Melisha, placing a smile as she grabs a magazine from a desk. "Are you ready for join for us lunch?"

"Certainly, I am starving. Uum where are we going to be seated?"

"Just the dining room near an open window. The comforts of insides and the fresh air of outside."

"We can see the vegetables of our labour!" commend Willard, smiling wide at his statement. Melisha can only smile while fighting back the urge to smack him on the head.

Mr. Vasquez can only chuckle and take off his coat. "Oh Willard, you have this boyhood charm that carries all the way to here. It's charming. Especially at the state of this world."

The trio walks to the dining room, where three AX models wait patiently near the table. One of them opens the window while two androids pull back the chairs for the Tweedys, and one pulling one for Mr. Vasquez. After settling in, the models simultaneously uncover their lunch and stands back. One of them comes over to pour sparkling water on each of their glass cups. Willard thanked one of them and begins to eat. Mr. Vasquez takes a bite of his meal and swallows it. His face brightens at the taste and continues to consume. He swallows it another before wiping his face. "Your androids put a lot of heart in those meals."

"It helps when the lot of your food is locally grown," Melisha replies "The only things we bought at our grocery store are meats, dessert, fruits. Anything that cannot be found here."

"And some treats for the androids themselves. They are not easy to tend to when you have lots of them at your estate but a little treat once in a while should do. Without them, we wouldn't grow and sell our vegetables for even half of the process. Let alone, have enough for us to eat."

Melish nervously chuckles and drinks her water. "Willard, they're machines, that's what they do. The most we can do is provide them with blue blood and one new limb. Just enough to keep them going."

"I can side with Willard a bit, they look like very lovely girls. It takes a very special man to house them the way you did." He leans over to the window to see the WB unites farm zucchinis from their section. His smile grows wide with a longing stare. "Look at the way those girls handle zucchinis. I can tell they put a lot of dedication on their work. Do each vegetable gets handled differently?" 

"Not to my knowledge." Willard replies "Each vegetable is tend to. Checked on and ready for sale. Some can handle the shipping while others are better off at farmers markets or our own kitchen."

"Interesting." Mr. Vasquez keeps his grin as he consumes his meal. A while after lunch, they go outside and takes a stroll on the path nearby the garden to enjoy the Autumn English breeze and watch the androids continue to work. Willard sees that Mr. Vasquez keeps staring at his androids. The way this man is staring at them looks almost eager.

Mr. Vasquez turns to the couple and stands up straight. "If I recall from your android collecting days, you two had them 'customized' for your household."

"Of course," says Melisha "It takes the authorities off our backs and ensure that they will only stay with us."

"Have you had people borrow them for a while?"

"Only the TR models to help with some heavy lifting for some friends, but that's it."

Mr. Vasquez looks at the androids and steps in closer. "What about for other uses?"

"Uses?" asks Willard. "You mean like a neighbour borrowing a maid to clean while they are on holiday?"

Mr. Vasquez chuckles and eyes the androids ominously before looking at the couple. "Other...uses."

'Other uses' it starts to click in for Willard. He blushes deep while his wife gives out a hearty laugh at the statement. Melisha holds on to Willard for support while she attempts to decrease her laughing. "Mr. Vasquez, you're...you're a riot. They're not built for that.

"P...Plus, adding these types of customizations to robots made for farming, heavy lifting, and maid work will be expensive. I don't think it would be a sound idea." Willard replies, hiding the slight panic in his voice.

“Oh, that couldn’t be much trouble.”, Mr. Vasquez keep staring at the androids, having one on his focus. “Androids are capable to be modified to anyone’s tastes.”

[orbemnews]

Biden administration winds down Trump's pandemic food box program It’s one of many emergency federal aid programs that the government must decide how to wind down in a way that doesn’t create more problems for those still in need — and some, including New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, the new chairman of the Senate nutrition subcommittee, are calling on the government to keep a version of the food box program permanent to ensure needy families can get deliveries of fresh fruits and vegetables. The $4 trillion in federal aid pumped into US economy over the past year has helped it bounce back, but the recovery has been uneven and is still far from complete. The nation is still down 8 million jobs compared to its pre-pandemic level. While the recession has nearly ended for high-wage workers, the unemployment rate for those earning less than $27,000 a year remains stubbornly high at nearly 28%, according a project at Harvard University tracking the recovery called Opportunity Insights. Many families continue to struggle to put food on the table. As of March, nearly 9% of adults lived in households that sometimes or often didn’t have enough to eat — a share several times larger than at any point in 2019, according to the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Over the past year, the Capital Area Food Bank based in Washington, DC, helped deliver more than 1 million of the food boxes to families, making up nearly one-third of the meals it provided during the pandemic. The agency said it hopes the deliveries, known as Farmers to Families Food Box, will survive in some form even after the pandemic program ends this month. “For our clients, the recovery is a long and slow one,” said Radha Muthiah, Capital Area Food Bank’s president and CEO. “The most important thing is to provide good, nutritious food for them and we certainly still need USDA as a partner.” A ‘revolutionary’ program The Farmers to Families Food Box program spent about $5 billion over the past year to hire private distributors that connected farmers with food banks and other non-profits trying to meet the increased need from hungry families. There were some early concerns about the types of companies the USDA contracted with, including a Texas-based event scheduler, that had little experience distributing food. But despite the initial criticism, the program became quite popular. In the run-up to the election, former President Donald Trump required that the boxes include a letter from him touting the benefit. His daughter and adviser, Ivanka Trump, appeared helping to hand out the boxes at several press events. It helped farmers sell their produce after supply chains were disrupted by the sudden closures of restaurants and schools. And it helped food banks and nonprofits that suddenly faced an explosion in demand and a simultaneous drop-off in donations. The Farmers to Families Food Box program was brand new, created by the USDA last April using funds provided by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. While the USDA has an existing program that purchases surplus commodities to send to food banks, the initiative focused on fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy and combined it all into one box. USDA has released five rounds of funding for the program over the past year, using money from two subsequent Covid relief bills. “This was revolutionary for USDA to actually be able to purchase and distribute everything so quickly,” said Emily Broad Lieb, Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Food Law and Policy Clinic at Harvard Law School. A report she helped write on the program found that many farmers and distributors were pleased, yet offered recommendations to make the distribution more equitable, help more small- and mid-sized farmers and reduce food waste. Sometimes food banks had to unpack the combo boxes in order to keep dairy and meat refrigerated and then repack them again. The price per box varied widely in the range of $40 to $100, when much of it could be bought for $20 at a grocery store, according to the report. USDA says the average price of a box fluctuated from as low as $28 to as high as $105. A new pandemic problem: How to wind down emergency aid In a statement, the USDA said the Farmers to Families program was meant to be a temporary effort to respond to severe market disruption caused by the pandemic. “It served that purpose, although with serious challenges, and now we must make sure people are getting access to food through other, more reliable channels,” it said. Meanwhile, separate food aid programs have been expanded by Congress, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, and another program targeting women and children. Democrats are also pushing to make other new benefits for the poor permanent, like the expanded child tax credit, paid leave and the universal free school lunch program. Relief programs like the direct stimulus payments to low-income Americans also have helped drive down the percentage of Americans struggling with hunger this year. The agency has also started to offer a similar fresh produce box on a temporary basis through the The Emergency Food Assistance Program that existed before the pandemic. Normally that program allows state food banks to put in orders for produce months ahead of time and the USDA buys the food. But the goods are usually processed or packaged. The new boxes will contain fresh fruit and vegetables. The Emergency Food Assistance Program would have been a better way to implement the emergency aid to being with, said Joseph Glauber, a Senior Research Fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute and former USDA economist. Instead, USDA was trying to address both the supply chain problem hurting farmers and the growing need from hungry families. “The idea was laudable. But I think it is a mistake to try to address farm-level problems with an emergency food program. I think the fundamental goal should be to provide good food at the lowest cost possible so that you can feed the most people,” Glauber said. Farmers also received about $16 billion in direct relief aid from the federal government. While the major supply chain problems have been resolved, they’re not back to normal. Many restaurants and office buildings remain closed or operating at less than full capacity. “People are still as eager to be involved on the distributor side,” said Melissa Ackerman, president of the Produce Alliance, a nationwide produce distributor that was contracted by USDA to deliver the boxes in several states. She said that the agency tweaked the rules several times over the past year, improving the program each round. “I think a step-down approach to ending the program would have been helpful,” Ackerman said. Source link Orbem News #administration #Biden #box #Food #Pandemic #Politics #Program #Trumps #USDAwindsdownTrump'spandemicfoodboxprogram-CNNPolitics #winds

[dipulb3]

Biden administration winds down Trump's pandemic food box program

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/biden-administration-winds-down-trumps-pandemic-food-box-program/

Biden administration winds down Trump's pandemic food box program

It’s one of many emergency federal aid programs that the government must decide how to wind down in a way that doesn’t create more problems for those still in need — and some, including New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, the new chairman of the Senate nutrition subcommittee, are calling on the government to keep a version of the food box program permanent to ensure needy families can get deliveries of fresh fruits and vegetables.

The $4 trillion in federal aid pumped into US economy over the past year has helped it bounce back, but the recovery has been uneven and is still far from complete. The nation is still down 8 million jobs compared to its pre-pandemic level. While the recession has nearly ended for high-wage workers, the unemployment rate for those earning less than $27,000 a year remains stubbornly high at nearly 28%, according a project at Harvard University tracking the recovery called Opportunity Insights.

Many families continue to struggle to put food on the table. As of March, nearly 9% of adults lived in households that sometimes or often didn’t have enough to eat — a share several times larger than at any point in 2019, according to the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Over the past year, the Capital Area Food Bank based in Washington, DC, helped deliver more than 1 million of the food boxes to families, making up nearly one-third of the meals it provided during the pandemic. The agency said it hopes the deliveries, known as Farmers to Families Food Box, will survive in some form even after the pandemic program ends this month.

“For our clients, the recovery is a long and slow one,” said Radha Muthiah, Capital Area Food Bank’s president and CEO. “The most important thing is to provide good, nutritious food for them and we certainly still need USDA as a partner.”

A ‘revolutionary’ program

The Farmers to Families Food Box program spent about $5 billion over the past year to hire private distributors that connected farmers with food banks and other non-profits trying to meet the increased need from hungry families.

There was some early concerns about the types of companies the USDA contracted with, including a Texas-based event scheduler, that had little experiencing distributing food. But despite the initial criticism, the program became quite popular. In the run-up to the election, former President Donald Trump required that the boxes include a letter from him touting the benefit. His daughter and adviser, Ivanka Trump, appeared helping to hand out the boxes at several press events.

It helped farmers sell their produce after supply chains were disrupted by the sudden closures of restaurants and schools. And it helped food banks and nonprofits that suddenly faced an explosion in demand and a simultaneous drop-off in donations.

The Farmers to Families Food Box program was brand new, created by the USDA last April using funds provided by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. While the USDA has an existing program that purchases surplus commodities to send to food banks, the initiative focused on fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy and combined it all into one box. USDA has released five rounds of funding for the program over the past year, using money from two subsequent Covid relief bills.

“This was revolutionary for USDA to actually be able to purchase and distribute everything so quickly,” said Emily Broad Lieb, Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Food Law and Policy Clinic at Harvard Law School.

A report she helped write on the program found that many farmers and distributors were pleased, yet offered recommendations to make the distribution more equitable, help more small- and mid-sized farmers and reduce food waste. Sometimes food banks had to unpack the combo boxes in order to keep dairy and meat refrigerated and then repack them again.

The price per box varied widely in the range of $40 to $100, when much of it could be bought for $20 at a grocery store, according to the report. USDA says the average price of a box fluctuated from as low as $28 to as high as $105.

A new pandemic problem: How to wind down emergency aid

In a statement, the USDA said the Farmers to Families program was meant to be a temporary effort to respond to severe market disruption caused by the pandemic.

“It served that purpose, although with serious challenges, and now we must make sure people are getting access to food through other, more reliable channels,” it said.

Meanwhile, separate food aid programs have been expanded by Congress, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, and another program targeting women and children. Democrats are also pushing to make other new benefits for the poor permanent, like the expanded child tax credit, paid leave and the universal free school lunch program.

Relief programs like the direct stimulus payments to low-income Americans also have helped drive down the percentage of Americans struggling with hunger this year.

The agency has also started to offer a similar fresh produce box on a temporary basis through the The Emergency Food Assistance Program that existed before the pandemic. Normally that program allows state food banks to put in orders for produce months ahead of time and the USDA buys the food. But the goods are usually processed or packaged. The new boxes will contain fresh fruit and vegetables.

The Emergency Food Assistance Program would have been a better way to implement the emergency aid to being with, said Joseph Glauber, a Senior Research Fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute and former USDA economist.

Instead, USDA was trying to address both the supply chain problem hurting farmers and the growing need from hungry families.

“The idea was laudable. But I think it is a mistake to try to address farm-level problems with an emergency food program. I think the fundamental goal should be to provide good food at the lowest cost possible so that you can feed the most people,” Glauber said.

Farmers also received about $16 billion in direct relief aid from the federal government. While the major supply chain problems have been resolved, they’re not back to normal. Many restaurants and office buildings remain closed or operating at less than full capacity.

“People are still as eager to be involved on the distributor side,” said Melissa Ackerman, president of the Produce Alliance, a nationwide produce distributor that was contracted by USDA to deliver the boxes in several states.

She said that the agency tweaked the rules several times over the past year, improving the program each round.

“I think a step-down approach to ending the program would have been helpful,” Ackerman said.

[thehorsedispatch]

New Post has been published on https://horsetoloan.com/horse-manure/is-horse-manure-good-for-gardens/

Is Horse Manure Good For Gardens

Is Horse Manure Good for Gardens?

When it comes to fertilizing your garden, there’s not much that beats pure manure. Synthetic fertilizers probably have higher nutrient contents than most manures and are readily available at your local garden shop. But nothing beats natural, old-fashioned manure. Manure provides organic materials that help build soil structure, which synthetic fertilizers are unable to do. 

What’s the best manure for gardens? Horse manure and cow manure. Horse manure is easy to blend into your soil, it generally has high nutrient content, and it can help the plants in your garden grow better. This is especially true for roses. If you’re interested in learning all about horse manure fertilization, you’ve come to the right place. 

Table Of Contents

You may also like – Is Horse Manure Good For Roses?

What Does Manure Do in a Garden?

When you have a garden, organic matter is breaking down all the time inside the soil. Eventually, the soil in your garden gets depleted. The soil that’s leftover is not as good at supporting life because it’s basically all used up. By adding horse manure to a garden, more organic material is integrated into the soil, allowing the soil in your garden to house life once again. 

Inside your soil there are microorganisms that break down minerals and organic matter into food for plants to eat. You need a healthy soil filled with bugs and minerals and organisms in order to grow healthy plants without using chemicals. Horse manure helps make this happen. Horse manure revitalizes soil in a harden, promotes healthy growth, and allows you to continue growing your favorite plants.

What Kind of Horse Manure Should I Use in My Garden?

You always want to use composted horse manure in your garden. This means you don’t want to take fresh manure and simply dump it into your garden, otherwise all the concentrated nutrients could burn your plants. This is especially true for raw sheep manure, which is actually bad for gardens and can burn seedlings and prevent seed germination. 

Plus, raw manure stinks and attracts flies. Raw manure also contains pathogens that will probably make you sick. There are often seeds in raw manure too, which can pollute your garden. You always want to use composted horse manure because it’s the safest and healthiest thing to add to your garden. 

Where Do You Get Composted Horse Manure for a Garden?

Your best bet for picking up composted horse manure is going to be your local farmer. Most farmers compost their horse manure and are happy to give it away. Other farmers produce their own composted manure and sell it in bags. Purchasing locally produced composted material of any kind, including horse manure, is a great way to support your local community and keep your garden fresh. 

If you don’t live near any farms, you could always purchase composted horse manure at your local garden center. Be sure that you check the nutrient content on the bag before making the purchase. You always want the best manure money can buy!

Why Should I Put Horse Manure on My Garden?

Horse manure is good for gardens because it contains organic material. When this organic material is applied to plants in your garden, it helps them to grow quickly and become stronger. This has a lot to do with the fact that horse manure is rich in nitrogen, something that really helps non-flowering plants to grow big and healthy. 

These plants include corn, potatoes, lettuce, garlic, and the grass of your lawn. What horse manure doesn’t work well with are plants like tomatoes and peppers. If you want to use horse manure with flowering plants, be sure to mix it with compost first.

Composted horse manure is the best for any garden. Composted horse manure does not require any special prepping to make work. Simply scatter the manure over your garden and then blend it into your soil. This type of manure will help with roses, shrubs, and everything else in your garden. 

How Long Do You Have to Wait to Use Horse Manure?

When composting your own horse manure to use with your garden, it can be a long and complicated process. On average, it takes about two to three months to properly compost horse manure. 

How do you know when horse manure compost is ready? Two main things. First, the horse manure compost will look more like soil than just a bunch of horse poop. Secondly, the soil won’t stink like raw manure anymore. At this point, you are pretty safe to start using your homemade horse manure in your garden. 

How Much Horse Manure Should I Put in My Garden?

There isn’t really a rule on just how much horse manure you should put in your garden. Some people say one pound per square foot, and that’s a pretty reasonable estimate. What’s more important than just how much horse manure you put in your garden is when you put it in your garden. 

Be sure that you add horse manure compost to your garden at least 60 days before intending to harvest your crop. This is enough time for the horse manure compost to do its job as a fertilizer. 

When adding horse manure to your garden, simply sprinkle the manure as you would with any other compost fertilizer and blend gently into the topsoil. This will give you the best results.

What is the Best Manure for a Vegetable Garden?

Speaking specifically about vegetable gardens, horse manure isn’t actually the best you can get. Horse manure is definitely awesome for vegetable gardens. However, it’s generally agreed that the best manure to put inside your vegetable garden is a special blend of cow dung and composted manure, which farmers and gardeners call black gold. 

Even stranger is that some people recommend using rabbit droppings or even llama droppings. Rabbit droppings contain plant nutrients, and this in low doses helps to fertilize without overwhelming plant roots. This is great for a vegetable garden. 

Rabbit droppings and cow dung are both easy to get, and so is horse manure. You might have a tougher time trying to find llama fertilizer!

[halfabreath]

Jack/Holster, “why do i even bother?” :D

big ol’ thank you to @chocolatechipcookiesplease for listening while i hashed out this verse and for the cutest suggestion in the world.

Adam might be a morning person - he’s a farmer, it comes with the territory - but his partner is not. Jack, inexplicably, is neither a morning person nor a night owl. Instead of thriving at a certain period of time, he just requires at least seven, preferably seven and a half, hours of sleep. His body usually doesn’t allow him to get more than that and if he gets less he’s impossible to wake without becoming irritable and grouchy.

The second Adam opens his eyes, he knows what kind of a day it’s going to be. He’s laying on his side, Jack’s arm draped over his waist. Jack’s pressed close, tucked up against Adam’s back, and when Adam shifts to turn off his alarm Jack doesn’t move at all. His breathing is even against the back of Adam’s neck, and there’s no harm in giving him another few minutes before they have to get up.

Adam reaches for his phone, content to scroll through trade speculations (there are rumors that Chris Chow might end up with the Falconers) or stream an episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine before waking the beast, but after he unlocks it with sleep-stupid fingers and adjusts the brightness, the page refuses to load. Adam stares at the blank, still-too-bright screen for a long moment, then drops the phone with a groan. There’s no service and the wifi’s out, leaving them technologically stranded in the wilderness. Sure, there’s the landline Jack insists on keeping, but Adam can’t watch 30 Rock through a Stone Age artifact, can he? They have to upgrade to a better plan. Adam can’t live like this - he won’t live like this.

Annoyed, Adam picks up Jack’s arm by the wrist and tosses it behind him, letting it flop onto the mattress. He’s already sitting up by the time Jack reacts, burrowing into the pillows and wrapping his arm around Adam’s waist as he sits on the edge of the bed.

“Nope,” Adam says, voice deeper than usual from a night of disuse. He removes Jack’s arm again, this time gently setting it on the bed. “I’m mad at you.” How did he manage to fall for someone who thinks the Internet is an optional amenity? Blasphemer.

“Oh, okay.” Jack mumbles, accepting the news easily. He rolls over, taking the blankets with him. Double blasphemer. Adam stares at the back of his head until his breathing evens out again, smiling softly despite his annoyance. Ugh, love. He pulls the blankets up over Jack’s shoulder and stands, stretching before beginning the day.

When Adam steps back in the house after feeding and milking the animals Jack is standing by the stove, stirring a pot of oatmeal. The sun is just beginning to rise, weak rays streaming through the blinds, but Adam only has eyes for the mug of tea waiting for him and the unfairly attractive man holding it. He tears off his boots and slides across the hardwood floors, coming to a stop just before he crashes into Jack. Just when he reaches for the mug, though, Jack pulls it back deftly. He moves the mug around, deftly keeping the hot liquid from sloshing over the sides, playing a quick game of keep-away until Adam pouts.

“Jack,” He whines, leaning to the side dramatically. “Why? Why are you like this?” Jack just grins and turns off the stove, still holding Adam’s beverage hostage.

“Why are you mad at me?” Jack asks calmly.

Adam rolls his eyes, leaning against the counter for support when the full-body motion disrupts his balance. “Jack Zimmermann, I cannot believe you’re willing to deprive me of sustenance in your sick manipulative mind-games.” Adam says, swiping at the mug in a lame attempt to take it back. Jack just raises an eyebrow and moves it further away.

“Tea doesn’t contain any proteins, carbohydrates, or calories.” Jack reminds him, the anchors of his lips curling up in his smug chirping smile.

“Emotional sustenance, then.” Adam amends, drawing himself up to his full height. He pulls two bowls down from the cabinet, setting them beside the stove for whenever Jack deigns to serve them. His partner waits patiently, leaning against the counter with that same smug expression. Adam sighs and opens a drawer, digging around for two spoons. “The wifi’s out again.” He says, letting the metal utensils clatter against the clay bowls. Jack hums and hands him the mug and turns back to the stove to begin portioning out the oatmeal.

“You’ve only been awake for an hour, Holtzy. When did you have time to use the internet?” Jack hands him a full bowl, their fingers brushing during the hand-off.

Adam immediately dumps cinnamon and honey into the oatmeal, mixing it in with more force than necessary. “When I woke up, obviously, and if we had service I could check traffic, e-mails, the weather, figure out where Chris Chow signed, if the world ended during the night or something. Important stuff!” He tosses in a handful of the blueberries Jack had set out, doing the same to Jack’s oatmeal as he speaks.

“No,” Jack steps into his space, reaching around him easily to pick up the jar of honey. “You wanted to watch the Forty Rocks and - ”

“Don’t you dare.” Adam says, interrupting Jack decisively. “Not under my roof.” He punctuates the words with a firm poke to Jack’s chest with the end of the spoon.

“Our roof,” Jack corrects, bumping against Adam easily on his way to the table. Adam groans and follows him, dropping into the chair across from him. “And you know we don’t need wifi. The money has to go towards things that keep the farm running, like new fences.” They’ve been over this too many times to count, but Adam rolls out his old argument anyway.

“Fences are dumb.” He says, brows knitting together in annoyance when Jack chimes in with him.

Jack continues, stirring his oatmeal in a perfect inward-outward spiral. “They’re your cows, Adam, and I know you don’t want them roaming away.”

Adam’s just taken a huge bite of oatmeal but he speaks through the inconvenience. “They would never.” He protests, the words only slightly muffled by the food in his mouth. He swallows quickly, hoping to continue before Jack chimes in again, but he’s too late.

“They would, actually.” Jack says. “The pasture fences are on their last legs and if we save the money we were using on premium wifi we can repair them this fall.” He’s had to make the same argument again and again but he just continues to eat his breakfast. “But what do I know? Bees don’t need fences.”

“Bees don’t need fences.” Adam mimics, flicking a blueberry at him. It goes wide, sailing over Jack’s shoulder before it lands on the hardwoods. Jack, the bastard, just laughs, stupidly handsome in the morning light. “Why do I even bother?” Adam asks, but doesn’t move away when Jack presses their knees together under the table. Jack shrugs and takes a bite of oatmeal, and Adam finally takes a sip of the tea he fought so hard for. It’s perfect, because Jack always makes it exactly how Adam likes it. It’s endearing and annoying all at once.

Adam plays the FRIENDS theme song in the truck on their way to the market in retaliation, because sometimes that’s all you can do when your boyfriend is thoughtful and doles out crucial financial advice to keep your dairy cows from wandering away.

It’s a busy day at the Providence Green Market. Jack’s stock is wiped out - he always underestimates how much he’ll sell - but luckily the crowd thins out an hour or so before closing. Adam’s just selling the last of his “Ewe Calf to be Kidding Me” blue cheese when Jack appears behind him, hand settling low on Adam’s back. He can feel the warmth of his partner’s palm through his shirt, and he can’t help leaning back to press against the contact.

“I have to run an errand but I’ll be back before the market closes.” Jack says, and he’s already on the other side of the table by the time Adam processes the news.

“You can’t just leave me here!” He calls out, but Jack just keeps walking, raising his hand in a wave goodbye. Adam rolls his eyes and turns back to his customer, a short blonde guy who’s looking up at him with big, brown eyes. “You see what I have to put up with?”

The customer laughs, adjusting the tote bag full of produce on his shoulder so he can cross his arms. “I know exactly how you feel. My boyfriend ditches me whenever I come over here.”

“Why’s that?” Adam asks, carefully transferring the cheese from the wire to the paper he’s placed on the cutting board.

“Oh, he’s weird about talking to people he admires. Apparently y'all are both hockey,” The man waves his hand in a vague gesture as he searches for the right word. “People?”

Adam huffs out a little laugh, looking down the cheese he’s wrapping. Jack’s past is more well known than his stint in Juniors, but every now and again some hardcore hockey fan realizes who they both were. “We used to be. Now we’re cheese people. Well, Jack’s a bee person. I’d sell you some of his honey but we’re all out.” He nods at the other half of the booth, where Jack’s neat display was laid out earlier in the day.

“I’ll have to come back next week, then. I’ve got a couple recipes I’ve been meaning to workshop that all need honey but I’m not sure which kind is best yet.” The man says as Adam tapes up the corners of the paper neatly. He handles it gently when Adam passes it to him, tucking it carefully on top of the other products in his bags.

Adam’s fingers fly over the calculator as he adds up the customer’s order. “I’ll make sure we set a couple jars aside for you, and you should bring your boyfriend. Jack will walk you through the best honey for different recipes and I always want to talk about hockey.” He explains, turning the calculator to show the man his total.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” He reaches into the pockets of his - okay, those are really short - shorts and digs out a neatly folded bill. “I’m Bitty, by the way,” he says as Adam counts out his change. “College nickname, but it stuck.”

“Hey, I was Holtzy for a few years so I know how you feel. You can call me that or Adam. The asshole who ditched me is Jack.” Adam explains with a smile. Bitty matches his expression as he collects his change and tucks it back into his pocket.

“That’s Justin, back there.” Bitty thumbs over his shoulder, gesturing towards a tall man who’s examining the books at Connor Whisk’s antiques stall. He’s got cheekbones that rival Jack’s and his full lips are turned up in a small smile as he carefully thumbs through the yellowed pages of an old book. “I’ll see you next week!” Bitty says, disrupting Adam’s staring with a cheerful wave. Adam blinks and somehow manages to wave back, watching as Bitty meanders through the thin crowd to end up at Justin’s side. Bitty goes onto his toes to whisper into to Justin’s ear, and as Adam watches his cheeks darken as he drops the book. Justin look back at Adam in shock, eyes wide and mouth hanging open, before he hurries away. Bitty laughs and chases after him. They look good together, in their bright clothing and easy smiles.

Yeah, Jack definitely has to meet them.

The final hour drags by as a few more people stop for samples. He doesn’t sell out of anything else, unfortunately, which means Jack’s going to gloat all night because they have to channel their competitive natures into something besides sports and board games.

When Jack returns he doesn’t offer an explanation but he does press a kiss to Adam’s cheek before he begins loading the coolers into the truck, and really, that’s all Adam needs. He wrestles Jack’s arm across the console during the drive home, lacing their fingers together while he sings along to the radio. When they reach the farm the move seamlessly into their routine: Jack unloads the truck while Adam heads to the barn, where a handful of needy goats and cows are waiting for him. By the time he’s finished there are muddy goat-prints covering his jeans, an ache in his lower back over and a scratch from the grouchy barn cat he always tries to pet on the back of his hand, but at least there’s food in the oven when he trudges back inside. Jack’s not in the kitchen or bedroom when Adam walks through to change, but when he comes back after a shower there’s plastic bag on the kitchen table.

It’s stuffed full, the white plastic stretched around the ninety degree corners that stick out in all directions. Adam ambles over, his long day and various aches and pains forgotten as he reaches inside. His calloused fingers close around smooth plastic and when he pulls the object out Rachel Green is staring out at him, her friends asleep around her. He reaches back in and pulls out another DVD case, then another, and another, until scattered seasons of his favorite shows are spread out on the kitchen table. Community, FRIENDS, 30 Rock, The Office, Arrested Development, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Parks and Recreation are all there, as is one season of The Real Housewives of Atlanta.

“Oh, no.” Jack’s disappointed voice cuts through the silent kitchen. When Adam turns he’s leaning against the door frame, toeing off his shoes. “I didn’t think you’d be done yet.” He’s frowning as he walks across the room, blue eyes narrowing. “You weren’t supposed to see until I had all the seasons.” Jack glares down at the DVD cases like they’ve betrayed him, and Adam reaches out to pull him in by the collar of his flannel.

“You remembered all my shows,” He says softly, the words murmured into the short distance between them. Jack just nods, and looks at Adam like he’s just said something stupid.

“You talk about them all the time.” Jack explains, tilting his head to the side in confusion. “Even in your sleep.” And, okay, that’s new information, but Adam doesn’t have time to process it. Jack remembered his shows. It shouldn’t be surprising, not really, because Jack’s absolutely right. He’ll ramble on about plot twists from seasons past or describe scenes in detail but as much and as loudly as he touts his opinion, he doesn’t ever assume someone’s actually listening to him.

He shakes his head and opens his mouth to try to explain, shakes his head, and then tilts his head forward to kiss Jack instead. Jack wraps a strong arm around his waist and holds him tight, only pulling back when the oven timer sounds. The shrill beeping continues even as Adam places another short kiss on Jack’s lips, then another on his cheek, an another on his forehead. Jack just squeezes his hip and hurries to the oven.

After dinner, a second shower, and a quick sheet change, Adam’s queued up the first episode of Parks and Recreation. “Now, bear with me through the first couple episodes, but I think you’ll like it after that.” He explains as Jack crawls into bed. “You’re like, an amalgamation of a bunch of these characters.” Adam lifts an arm so Jack can rest against his shoulder.

“I bear with you twenty four hours a day. I think I can handle thirty minutes.” Jack shoots back, and presses play before Adam can retaliate.

“Hello. Hi. My name is Leslie Knope and I work for the Parks and Recreation department. Can I ask you a few questions?”

[toldnews-blog]

New Post has been published on https://toldnews.com/business/brexit-uncertainty-weighs-on-food-sector-in-wales/

Brexit uncertainty weighs on food sector in Wales

Image caption James Wilson’s entire crop of mussels needs to go immediately to his customers in Holland and France

A mussel farmer who exports his entire haul to the EU is to stop work for six to eight months until there is more certainty around Brexit.

James Wilson, from Bangor in Gwynedd, ramped up production before the end of March and has saved enough money to last the summer.

A Cardiff university trade law expert said Brexit uncertainty was the biggest worry for food and farming businesses.

Dr Ludivine Petetin said small firms in particular were struggling to prepare.

Mr Wilson’s boat brings 2,000 tonnes ashore each year from the Menai Strait.

Getting his mussels to market in France and Holland as quickly as possible is vital to make sure they do not go off. In colder months he has up to 36 hours, but in summer it is less than 18.

Brexit: What could happen next?

Brexit- Your simple guide to the UK leaving the EU

He fears delays and checks at the border will put him out of business. He decided to end his commitments to customers in Europe for the time being and has been preparing for the worst-case scenario.

“At least we have money in the bank so that no matter what happens we’ve got a cushion of income that helps pay our fixed costs.”

Waiting to see if the UK leaves with or without a deal has been “confusing, stressful, disturbing, deflating and dismaying”, he said.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Media captionWhy are Welsh producers worried about a no-deal Brexit?

Silver lining?

The food sector was worth £6.8bn to the Welsh economy in 2018, employing 217,000 people.

Dr Petetin said even if Parliament approved a way forward in the coming week to avoid a no-deal Brexit, firms were still potentially facing years of uncertainty as long-term trade agreements are worked out.

But she said one silver lining under any Brexit scenario was a potential growth in sales of Welsh food and drink at home.

“This is something we should also focus on – what can we do, what can companies and businesses do to source more local food and make sure the local economy keeps growing.”

BBC Wales spoke to others in the food and drink business about how the ongoing wrangling over Brexit was affecting them.

Stockpiling wine

Image copyright Getty Images

Image caption Wine sellers are bulk buying over fears of hold ups at the borders, according to a Bridgend business

Daniel Lambert Wines, based in Pyle near Bridgend, is one of the UK’s biggest importers of wine, supplying firms like Majestic, Waitrose and British Airways as well as over 250 independent retailers and restaurants.

Mr Lambert describes the prospect of leaving without a deal as a “nightmare”.

He decided to stockpile, in case it became more complicated and time-consuming to get hold of European wine.

“Currently we have two and a half times the amount of stock we should normally need at this time of year,” Mr Lambert explained.

The businesses they supply are also bulk-buying, so Brexit has actually boosted their sales by 40%.

“But the question is what’s the hangover going to be after Brexit?”

The fruit and vegetable ‘gap’

Image caption Fresh fruit and vegetables cannot be stockpiled and delays on imports could hit supplies, says Ben Pratt

Ben Pratt is director of Watson and Pratts organic fruit and vegetable wholesaler in Lampeter.

The UK is about to hit what he calls the “hungry gap” between the UK’s winter and summer harvesting seasons.

At this time of year they mainly have to import, particularly from Spain and Italy which have a “jump start” on the season.

Tropical fruits such as mango and bananas always come from far flung destinations – but some products travel through other EU countries before arriving in the UK.

They have tried to plan for Brexit but it has been a challenge.

“The goal posts change… it’s hard to find accurate information about what we should be doing… We’re playing it day by day and hoping for the best, like most people,” he said.

Under the UK government’s proposed plans in event of no deal, the vast majority of fresh fruit and vegetables will not incur any import tariffs, but the firm is concerned about the cost of red tape.

“Brexit, once it’s sorted, is totally fine. It’s not daunting at all, but it’s that moment of crashing out. We’re a very ‘just-in-time’ kind of operation because we’re selling a product that has a very short shelf life,” he added.

“The panic is how much cash we as a business have in reserve to stand produce disappearing, produce rotting on trucks… We can stand a couple of weeks, but can we stand two months of disruption? I wouldn’t have thought so.”

Curry costs

Image caption The owner of the Juboraj chain of restaurants is concerned about the potential for rising costs

Ana Miah is the managing director of the Juboraj group of restaurants in Cardiff. He said their overheads have been going up for four to five years, but more so over the last two to three years, since the referendum.

He said the value of the pound had increased the cost of food products from abroad and he is concerned about the impact of “no deal” on the economy generally.

“We have definitely seen a downturn in the amount of time people are eating out. If disposable income is not there you tend to cut out on the luxuries and eating out is a luxury.”

[ruffoverthinksthings]

Does the Descendants universe have collages?

I assume you meant “Colleges”as in “institute of higher learning, characterized by a focus oncritical thinking, independent research, and specialized educationalcurricula.”

Yes, the Descendants universedoes have colleges, and plenty of them.

With the lack of magic, andthe extreme focus given to science and technology as a solution tocompletely replace it,* it is in their new civilization’s bestinterests to have systems meant to educate their population, breednew generations of researchers, innovators, and professionals whowill keep technology marching along at a steady pace if not by leapsand bounds, helping support the ever changing and growing needs oftheir society.

The only exception to thiswould be Camelot, which by order of King Arthur, is permanently stuckin the Middle Ages. (This is canon, and is mentioned off-hand by Benin The Return to the Isle of the Lost.)**

In an interesting case of theTemporal Clash that happens in Auradon, places like Ancient Greecedid retain colleges that were the sole domain of the wealthy andwell-off, “bastions of wisdom and enlightenment” as Plato or hisDisney counterpart would put it; but there are also institutions likethe ones you see today that are much more accessible, the next stepforward for majority of the population after they finish high school(or whatever mandatory education is in Auradon).

They serve the purpose ofboth educating their students and making them much more effectiveworkers, citizens, and happier people in general (ignorance is itsown kind of hell), and being hubs for research, culture, andinitiatives that are either too unprofitable for private companies towant to invest in, or are a less corporate, much more liberal andflexible entity that is a part of the industry/field.

Some examples off the top offmy head:

The Iduna Institute of Foodand Agricultural Science (AKA “Cocoa College”)

Located inArendelle, this is Auradon’s premierecollege/research center when it comes to all matters involvingagriculture and food, be it for reform and programs aimed atimproving farmers’ lives while keeping them from becoming obsoleteby the fast-improving technology they often pioneer and help saidfarmers deploy, ways to sustainably and reliably feed their evergrowing populations without taxing their environment too much, andfinding new and innovative ways to satisfy our hunger without havingto resort to the infamous “nutri-block”*** any more than wereally need to.

All of this is frequentlyovershadowed by the fact that initially, they were literally builtand funded to produce “The Best Chocolate Anyone’s Ever Tasted,Ever” to quote Princess Anna of Arendelle, and are actuallystill doing this to this day, though they have made their goal themuch more realistic “The Best Chocolate Anyone’s Ever Tasted, ForThis Year.”

The annual “Chocolate Ball”is a widely attended event by anyone who’s anyone, wealthychocolate lovers everywhere, along with a scant few enthusiasts whoare lucky enough to find the silver stickers inside the wrappers ofproducts being sponsored by “Cocoa College” that year.

It’s widely criticized as avastly overblown and self-indulgent abuse of power by the reigningqueen and her sister (and later on, the second in line to thethrone), kept going only because:

The exorbitant entrance feesand money raised are donated to charity and government programs,along with being heavily taxed in general;

There are few completelylegal things the competitors aren’t willing todo, that oftentimes far exceed the monetary estimate of whatthey would earn from a lifetime’s worth of selling a product with asingle, or the much coveted double Seal of Royal Approval;and,

The products with silverstickers are frequently produced by a series of small, independentfarmers, or corporations that are known to be much more enthusiasticabout their legally mandated “social responsibility” programs.

(And completely offleft-field here, I did NOT expect to write this much about “CocoaCollege” all in one sitting.)

The Auradon Extreme Weatherand Climate Research Center (AKA “The Hot House”)

It seemed only appropriatethat Auradon’s primary research center for living in the harshest,most hostile, and deadly environments would be in a series ofman-made underground tunnels some kilometers from Agrabah.

Here in the “Hot House,”its students and its resident researchers work hard to figure outnewer, better, cheaper ways for Auradon’s residents to “Seek,Sleep, and Sprout”--that is to say, safely explore new environments, comfortably live inthem full-time by choice, then start to work in and manipulate theirenvironment to better suit their needs and that of the rest ofAuradon, to the point where average people will start to wantto live in there—in any environment, or corner of the worldthey so please.

They’ve got biomes that areeven hotter than Agrabah in the peak of summer, standing out of theshade, with a giant circle of sunbathing mirrors pointed directly atyourself, and focused with laser-like precision on you.

They’ve got biomes where ifyou or your equipment don’t freeze solid within the first minute ofstepping in after the airlock shuts behind you, it’s considered asuccessful design that merits further iteration and study in thehopes that you or your equipment will freeze solid within twominutes.

They’ve got biomes whereit’s not a question of “if” you are going to get struck bylightning, it’s “how soon after the airlock shuts behind you”and “how many times in the same spot.” (The current record are“five minutes and forty-three seconds” and “seven.”)

The designs, the safety gear,and the clothes you can see here are oftentimes described as “alien,”“like something at the bad parts of a drinking binge,” and“didn’t realize something like that could even be a thing.”

And that’s after theyrefine, improve upon the designs, and make them functional andfashionable, along with understandable to the populace at large.

In a nutshell, the Hot Houseis best described by their motto: “To explore whole new worlds, andmake them our home.”

The Halls of Remembrance

Unlike the Museum of CulturalHistory which is content to just educate and show-off the relics andpractices of a bygone era, the Halls of Remembrance in Greek seek to keep themalive, or even bring them back from the dead.

The courses and the classesoffered are incredibly rich and varied, all unifiedby the fact that they are for traditions, vocations, and arts thatare either now completely obsolete, quickly being outpaced bytechnology, or have simply fallen out of the tastes of the public atlarge to be viable outside of a publicly-funded institution such asthis.

Want to learn about Medievalstage plays? Slave songs from New Orleans? Weaving and making threadusing a spindle? The crafting and the use of weapons throughoutcivilization, especially the originals that the current designs theRoyal Guard SIA (Standard Issue Armaments) werebased on? Medicinal horticulture before modern pharmaceuticalsrendered that largely obsolete?

The Halls have a class and aprofessor for that, and oftentimes with highly specific variantsshould you want to specialize.

About the only issue anyone--visitor, student, or staff--has is that while it’s very easy to find the entrance, onceinside these vast, expansive halls filled with classroom uponclassroom upon classroom, it’s very easy to get turned around and unable to findthe class you originally intended to enroll in at the time you weresupposed to be there, or even just know where in the complex you are.

(The architect, Daedalus,blames being introduced to 3D modeling and the ease with which thatyou can go completely crazy, without having to deal with theintegrity of the materials of your models, finding enough physical room tobuild it in, and having to create an entirely new model of a ladderor other supporting structure once the original gets too high.)

Fortunately, the Royal Guardis very keen about recording and monitoring who enters, and everyonecomes out eventually at some point, oftentimes with a number of new,interesting skills in all manner of vocations, arts, and sciencesthat have long ceased to be useful outside of conversations atparties.

You’re guaranteed tolearn something new at the Halls of Remembrance, you just don’tknow what.

* One that has failedmiserably, with how the Descendants themselves keep showing thatmagic is far more useful, and very dangerous when most of thepopulation do not have it, nor are people used to dealing with it.

** What modern amenities, ifany, were allowed is up in the air, and I imagine this did not worknearly as well as his majesty Arthur intended it to. Feel free toask.

*** A “nutri-block” is agiant brick of mostly human-edible complex carbohydrates, dominantlyfiber. It is loaded with most of the necessary nutrients and mineralsthat one needs to continue functioning from day to day. It’s cheap,easy to produce, and keeps astoundingly well, but even the RoyalGuards at Faraway and the Borderlands only ever eat them as acomplete and absolute last resort as the experience is likened to“literally chewing on tree bark, except much worse--at leastthere, it tastes just of wood, and not also of cardboard, pulp, andglue.”

[rainbowloliofjustice]

I’ll never understand how people try to “prove” that eating healthy is expensive by intentionally going and buying expensive fruits and veggies (like this image I could get those in my area for about 22 - 25 dollars and personally to save a few extra dollars I’d nix the soda and prepackaged nuts). It cost me 30 dollars to eat McDonalds 5 days a week for breakfast, and that is ONLY breakfast and Monday - Friday). Ultimately, eating healthy is cheaper than going out to eat or eating fast food every day. It is just a matter of time and convenience. Here are the tips so far I’ve learned, as a college student with no job, for eating healthy and staying on a budget. 

Research. Research which stores are close by that sell fresh produce and protein. Often times, a farmers market is nearby and sells fresh food at a cheaper rate than buying them from a grocery store. Research all of the different farmer's markets and stores nearby and figure out what would be cheapest to buy where. Also, research what fruits and veggies are in season. If it is in season there is a good chance it is grown local and thus, cheaper because it does not cost as much to transport. 

Eat staples. Rice, potatoes, wheat, eggs, pasta, chicken, and fish are probably the cheapest options. What counts as a staple food varies between region, however, you can most count on rice, potatoes, wheat/other grains, and corn. 

Limit name brand buying. Limit buying foods from name brands. The Great Value version or whatever your local stores’ store brand is will likely be much cheaper than buying the name brand item. If you don’t want to buy the Great Value / Store Brand because it is a bit iffy to you, research cheaper brands. Buying Fuji water that is 5 dollars for a 6 pack will not help you save money compared to buying a 24 pack of Nestle water for the same amount. 

Buy frozen and canned food. While fresh is the preferred option, if the only option you can afford is getting the fruits/veggies frozen or canned then do it. It is still a healthier and longer lasting buy than spending the money on getting fast food. 

Get rid of the junk food. Yes, they are lovely to have. But they gots to go. If you are trying to eat healthily and stay on a budget, don’t splurge on junk food. If you only have 10 dollars to get you through the week spend it on actual food instead of buying junk. (Or buy a 24 pack of ramen and some water, the ramen isn’t the healthiest thing in the world but it is still better spent than having bought a 2 dollar meal at McDonalds that is going to barely last you a day)

Learn how to manage your finances. Figure out where your money is going. Seriously. Keep track of everything you spend so much as a time on. Keep a log of food you buy, money you spend on games, rent, utilities, going out, etc. keep track of everything. You may be amazed at how much money you spend on things that aren’t necessary or could have been cheaper or how quickly eating from McDonalds or Burger King once a day will add up.

Cook. Yes, you’re tired, groggy, and want to just eat and head to bed. But get off your butt and cook. There are a lot of easy and quick recipes that don’t take up a lot of your time. If you need ideas, look up college recipes and college food hacks. Look up recipes on youtube for lazy people. If you don’t have your own personal internet try getting wifi or asking a friend if you can come over for a bit to do some research. Bonus to cooking: You can eat the leftovers tomorrow and you won’t have to cook beyond popping them in the microwave. While you're at it, learn how to make healthy and quick snacks that can satisfy that craving for something sweet or junky food-y. 

Use resources. If applicable, use food stamps, food pantries, and community resources to get food. If you are in college, ask around for services for students who need help with food or need financial help, most colleges also offer discounts to certain stores and give out free bus passes. If you don’t need those resources or they don’t apply to you, if you, a friend/family member, or anyone willing to let you bum their amazon account has an Amazon Prime membership, then they have access to Prime Now. Prime Now is basically a service that gives you delivery within the day and has a variety of food and other necessities.Prime Now is different from Amazon Fresh in that Amazon Fresh requires you to have a separate membership in order to use the service, Prime Now is accessible to anyone who has a prime membership and in most areas through the US. Anyone with a Prime membership also has access to Amazon Pantry for no additional cost, however, Prime Pantry has a shipping limit and flat rate of 6USD for shipping with an additional six dollars per box you order. Prime Now depending on your area has a flat shipping rate for one-hour delivery and free two-hour delivery. All of the foods and items available on Prime Now are local and accessible to your area. Prime Now in some cases may be cheaper and easier than going to the store (especially if you have no transportation).

Save the change. Whenever you buy food, any leftover change you have (yes, including pennies) put them in a jar or something. Just drop whatever spare change you have into a jar and don’t touch it unless you absolutely have to. Just keep putting the pennies into the jar. It takes a while but, overtime you can save up quite a bit of money. Just by saving the 50cents I would get every time I paid for lunch at school, by the end of the year I had thirty dollars saved up, and probably would have had more if I didn’t spend the change on snacks. Don’t discount saving your money and your pennies because “it takes too long”. Yes, it takes time and you won’t notice anything at first but it is still worth it and literally, every penny counts. Not saving because “it won’t amount to anything” or “it takes too long” to save is detrimental thinking. Who knows, after a month you may have 5 dollars in change saved up and that five dollars could buy you a pack of ramen or some rice when times really get hard (from personal experience). Just save the damn coins. Even if you only have one penny, put it in the damn jar.

Be smart. Being healthy on a budget doesn’t have to be hard if you figure out the resources. Being healthy on a budget doesn’t mean going out and buying the most expensive fruits and veggies (and doing that is like... the opposite of a budget), it means being wise with your money. If buying canned or frozen fruits/veggies is better for your budget than buying fresh, then buy canned/frozen. Being healthy on a budget means buying food and preparing meals that are meant to last. A meal that will last you 3 days because you were able to eat the leftovers for breakfast/lunch/dinner. It means using your coupons on things that you would buy anyways (such as canned goods, ramen, etc.) and it means actually watching what you spend. It means getting up and actually cooking once in a while instead of just ordering out or getting fast food. Yes, there are times when you just have to order out or get fast food to get through the day, but it shouldn’t be the everyday choice. If you are trying to be frugal and save money, first look at what you spend on food. Sometimes being frugal means eating the same thing daily or weekly. Being frugal means using your resources and figuring out more ways to save money, especially concerning food-- which should be ways of having meals that last longer. Don’t want to eat the same leftovers every day? Find ways of making different meals with the same ingredients, or putting your leftover ingredients into things like salads.

If you do nothing else but save loose coins and change without spending it unless you have to, you’ll make progress in saving money. The trick to saving money is to look at everything as it has a value instead of brushing it off as “Eh, its just a dollar” because quickly those dollars can add up and drain. You also need the willpower to actually tell yourself “No” when it comes to wanting snacks and junk food. Yes, even though the cookie is just a dollar, but if you’re trying to last the entire week on a 10, tell yourself no, you will not have the cookie. If you can’t afford to buy a cup or pack of ramen that is around or less than a dollar then you can’t afford the damn cookie or bag of chips either. Be smart with your money, buying a bottle of SmartWater is not eating healthy while trying to save money compared to buying a 24 pack of water for the same amount from a different band. 

[evartandadam]

Hey do you know how come that in japanese folk art/stories there isn't a lot about wolves? Always dragons and foxes. Do you know some myths/legends with wolves?😮

omg I am so freaking happy you asked me about Japanese folklore, it is a big interest of mine!

I noticed this as well when I first got interested in Japanese folklore- so why?

Real Wolves in Japan:

Firstly, the Honshuu wolf has been supposedly extinct in Japan since 1905- they were hunted and killed since 1732.

The Honshuu wolf, also known as the Japanese wolf, is, quoted in this article, “the smallest species in the world and one which is relatively unknown even among the Japanese. These wolves experienced a long fall from its status as a divine entity, to become hunted fugitives slaughtered by the hundreds only to turn into a forgotten footnote of Japanese natural history and a sought after cryptid said to still exist in the wilds.”

“Many Japanese once revered the wolf as Oguchi no Magami, or Large-Mouthed Pure God, but as Japan began its modern transformation wolves lost their otherworldly status and became noxious animals that needed to be killed. By 1905 they had disappeared from the country.” Quoted from this article.

The Hokkaido wolf is another sub-species of Grey wolf that was hunted and made extinct during the Meiji restoration period.

This may have an impact on the current popularity of wolves in literature, but there are still wolves Japanese pop culture and shows like Inuyasha and Princess Mononoke.

Wolves in Folklore:

There are wolves in Japanese folklore! As mentioned above, in ancient Japan, wolves were once revered as gods.

“In Japanese mythology, grain farmers once worshiped wolves at shrines and left food offerings near their dens, beseeching them to protect their crops from wild boars and deer. Talismans and charms adorned with images of wolves were thought to protect against fire, disease, and other calamities and brought fertility to agrarian communities and to couples hoping to have children. The Ainu people believed that they were born from the union of a wolf like creature and a goddess.” - from this wiki

“Wolves traditionally appeared in Japanese folklore as Shinto gods (ookami) and divine messengers who occupied a world where sacred nature hadn’t been tamed by civilization. “ from this.

Okami:

(photo source)

“Ôkami is the Japanese name for the creature commonly called the Japanese wolf (Canus lupus hodophylax), which became extinct in 1905, though there have been many sightings since, mostly concentrating around the Kii Peninsula. Because of its small size and stature, there is some dispute as to whether it was an actual wolf, the term “wolf-dog” being given as a possible alternate. In fact, the term yama inu (山犬, “mountain dog”) is a common Japanese term for the wolf.” from this article. You should read this whole article if you want to know more about the Ookami. Here is another article you can read about them.

Ookami folklore stories:

In “Leaky Roof in an Old House”, a wolf is listening outside of a house, where a man and a woman are discussing what they feel is the most eerie, spooky thing in the world. The man says “a leaky roof in an old house is something to fear more than a [wolf].” Meanwhile, a thief is also outside, about to break into the house. The wolf, remembering what the man said, thinks that the thief is the thing called “leaky roof in an old house”, and runs away. While this story is more about comic misunderstanding than the wolf itself, it is telling that the man uses a wolf to describe just how fearful a leaky roof was to him. (A leaky roof in a ruined house was thought to create a spooky, otherworldly atmosphere.)

In “The Wolf’s Eyebrows”, a suicidal man goes into the mountains in order to find a wolf to devour him. When he meets one, he falls to his knees, and, shortly after, demands to know why the wolf does not eat him. The wolf replies that they do not eat just anyone; only those who are actually animals disguised as humans. When asked how the wolf distinguishes the two groups when they both look like men, the wolf replies that his eyebrows show him a man’s true form, and lends the man an eyebrow hair. The man goes off, and toward nightfall begs for shelter at the nearest house. The old man there is kind, but his old wife refuses. Remembering the eyebrow hair, the man decides to test it, and holds it to his eye: instead of two people, he sees the old man standing next to an old cow. This folktale expresses the notion, again, that wolves are judges of character, and can somehow tell who is a good person and who is a bad person (an animal).

These are two stories listed from this article.

Okuri Inu:

(photo source)

I featured this yokai in my monster project here. Read about the okuri inu on yokai.com! Everything below is from that site:

The story:

The okuri inu follows lone travelers late on the road at night. It stalks them, keeping a safe distance, but following footstep for footstep, as long as they keep walking. If the traveler should trip or stumble, the okuri inu will pounce on them and rip them to shreds. The “sending-off” part of its name comes from the fact that this yokai follows closely behind travelers, trailing behind them as if it were a friend sending them off on their way.

The okuri inu is somewhat of a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, if one should trip and fall, it will pounce with supernatural speed and gobble him or her up. On the other hand, they are so ferocious that while they are following someone, no other dangerous yokai or wild animals will come close. As long as one keeps his footing, he is safe… but traveling in the dark over root-infested, rocky mountain footpaths, especially for merchants carrying large packs of whatever it is they are going to sell does not make for easy footing!

In the unfortunate case that one should stumble on the road, there is one chance for survival: if you fake it so it looks like you did it on purpose, the okuri inu will be tricked into thinking you were just taking a short rest, and it won’t pursue. You do this by saying, “Dokkoisho!” (“Heave-ho!”) or, “Shindoi wa!” (“This is exhausting!”) and quickly fixing yourself into a sitting position. Sigh, sit for a bit, then continue on your way. The okuri inu will wait patiently for you.

If you should make it out of the mountains safely, you should turn around and call out, “Thanks for seeing me off!” Afterwards, that okuri inu will never follow you again. Further, when you get home, you should wash your feet and leave out a dish of something for the okuri inu to show your gratitude for it watching over you.

Superstition related to the okuri inu are extremely old, and are found in all parts of Japan. Wolves and wild dogs have existed on the Japanese isles for as long as humans have, and the legend of the okuri inu must have originated in the mists of pre-history.

In modern Japanese, the word okuri ōkami also applies to predatory men who go after young women, pretending to be sweet and helpful but with ulterior motives. That word comes straight from this yokai.

There are many other dog yokai- read about them here.

Here is a large article about wolf mythology in Japan.

Hope this helped!

[thetruthseekerway]

Grass-fed Meat and Dairy

New Post has been published on http://www.truth-seeker.info/quran-science-2/grass-fed-meat-and-dairy/

Grass-fed Meat and Dairy

By Nadia Malik

Grass-fed Meat and Dairy

Grass-fed meat and dairy are a bit of a misnomer. All cattle eat grass as they grow, but truly grass-finished ones continue eating just forage for their entire lives. The vast majority of cattle are grain-finished, which means they are plumped up in a feedlot on grain for a few months before heading to the slaughterhouse. Grain-finished cattle can be slaughtered faster because the added food fattens them up quicker. The grazers take some more time, up to a year, to gain enough weight.

Although the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the American Grassfed Association provide guidelines and labeling for grass-fed meat, it comes down to the consumer to be knowledgeable about what those labels mean and what they’re getting when they seek cattle that has only had grass its entire life. The Association’s label means that the animals are fed only grass and forage from weaning to harvest, are raised on pastures and not confined to feedlots, are not treated with antibiotics and hormones, and are local to the United States.

“It’s a complex food world out there,” explains Heather Darby, professor of agronomy at the University of Vermont. There are continually changing aspects of food that become more important to consumers over time, and keeping up with these trends can become confusing. With grass-fed, she’s found that people often start with a belief system that this technique is better for the animal and the environment. They then realize the health benefits associated with it.

For consumers who are intent on humane techniques for raising and slaughtering animals, grass-fed cattle are a tantalizing option. Although not all are out in open pastures, for many it means that they are not confined to feedlots.

Khalid Latif, chaplain at New York University and Imam of the Islamic Center there, sees this as an advantage. He and his co-founders started Honest Chops, a company that comprises of a butchery and hamburger restaurant, to provide a revenue stream for social services. During this quest to open a new business, they conducted their own research of available products.

He and his co-founders decided that if they were going to take on this new project, they wanted to ensure that their meat was organic and fresh. They also sell grass-fed products because they didn’t want to contribute to the unhealthy practices they had seen in other locations. For him and Honest Chops, the importance was that the animals were living out their lives as he believes they are meant to: they eat grass, walk around, and are not confined.

“So much of our spirituality is attached to what we consume,” he adds. “So from start to finish, we are ensuring those needs are met and that transparency is there.”

Islamic scholar Rachid Belbachir clarifies that the concept of grass-fed doesn’t fall into the category of allowed or forbidden foods. Because grain is a halal food for Muslims, cattle being fed grain is not a religious issue. He does agree that animals living in an open area before they are slaughtered is preferred. “You don’t kill an animal next to another. You feed them and water them. They’re not confined like they’re in jail,” he expands. However, both grain-fed and grass-fed cattle can fit this criteria.

Of course, ethical considerations also come with a price. Mian Riaz, PhD, professor in the food diversity innovation program at Texas A&M University, explains that these grass-fed animals take a longer time to grow bigger on just their natural meals. There’s also price for more land for grazing, since they aren’t confined to a small area. For that reason, “I know definitely the price is two to three times more expensive.”

Many are willing to pay the extra price for grass-fed meat because studies have been conducted to show that it is more environmentally sound. The claim is that well-managed foraging can sequester carbon by absorbing it back into the soil. “If we graze properly, we can actually sequester tons of carbon per acre while producing clean protein,” explains Ridge Shinn, founder and CEO of Big Picture Beef. If cattle are allowed to graze for short periods of time in one area and not take out grass by its roots, the plant life will use the carbon left by the animals to regrow instead of allowing it to be released back into the air. This cycle continues as the cattle are moved around to several pastures and then return once there is new grass to eat.

A 2018 study by researchers at Michigan State University supports this idea of grass-fed animals contributing to a better environment. However, this study only looked in one region of the country and at adaptive multi-paddock grazing. That means that there are more stringent requirements most farmers don’t currently meet that could eventually have a net neutral effect on carbon emissions. These requirements include having cattle moving to different lots instead of continuous grazing in one, which means much more land and more money spent by farmers.

However, Crista Derry, research technician at the Michigan State University Lake City Research Center, contends that if farmers are in areas where that land is already available, it’s a good cost-saving method because the only other material needed to grow the grass is natural, such as sunlight and rain.

Shinn has been in the grass-fed arena for twenty years and advocates for it as an advantage both for the beef and farmers because it’s a relatively untapped market in the United States.

As an added benefit to the environmental and humane concerns, studies have also shown that grass-finished meat has more of the healthy omega-3 fats than grain-fed meat. According to researchers at Berkeley Wellness, a collaboration with the University of California, Berkeley’s school of public health, “The beef produced is leaner than conventional beef, yet its fat tends to have a higher proportion of omega-3 fatty acids. In contrast, when cattle are fed grains at the end of their lives, their omega-3 stores rapidly decline.” However, the organization also clarifies that amount is paltry when compared to salmon or other fish, so it’s not a cure-all when it comes to trying to eat healthier. For most people, it’s an add-on to the environmental and humane concerns.

There can be a learning curve when it comes to taste of grass-fed options, as well. Those used to grain-fed meat may have to adjust palates and ways of cooking because the final product is not as fatty. The taste from grain-finished cuts comes from the marbled fat that the animals put on so quickly. Grass-fed beef can also cook faster and get drier. Shinn spent plenty of time finding the right kind of livestock to ensure that his end-products taste great. “It’s been a steep learning curve, but we’ve been able to find the cattle that perform on grass and make a tasty, tender piece of meat,” he says.

For Derry and Darby, the bottom line for consumers is to try to get as much information as possible on potential meat purchases from a farmer or vendor.

“I think that if people are concerned about what’s going into their meat or how it’s raised, going to a farmer’s market and finding someone who raises those animals is a really good option,” Derry says. This way, consumers can ask direct questions about what the animal has been eating and the grazing practices at the farm to help them make decisions about the qualities most important to them when purchasing meat.

———-

Nadia Malik holds a degree in journalism and is a former reporter for a Chicago-area newspaper. She has written for websites and publications and has also worked for several non-profit organizations. She is currently in a graduate program at the University of Pennsylvania, studying social work and nonprofit leadership.

Reprinted from the Spring 2019 issue of Halal Consumer© magazine.

[paullassiterca]

Living the Change Documentary

Most people would agree that we’re living in an age when the Earth is in the midst of crises — social, environmental and economic. At the heart is the overconsumption of resources, which is fueled by economics. The money system demands and compels endless growth, which necessitates the conversion of nature into property and products.

With growth, the economy keeps growing, but in order to grow, it needs more natural resources to support it. Plus, increasing interest causes people to work longer and harder to maintain the same standard of life, all the while overconsuming and contributing to the overexploitation of precious resources. It’s a vicious cycle that’s explored in-depth in “Living the Change: Inspiring Stories for a Sustainable Future.1

This documentary, directed by Jordan Osmond and Antoinette Wilson, makes clear that unsustainable growth is accelerating in a way that can’t be met by the natural resources available on the planet, but while it may seem hopeless, there are people pioneering change in their own lives and communities to further a more sustainable and regenerative way of life. As the film states, “The issues are global but many of the solutions are local.”

The Not-so-Green Revolution

At one time, all food was grown organically in concert with nature and surrounding ecosystems. This all changed with the Green Revolution, which sounds beneficial but actually describes the conversion of natural farming to one dependent on chemicals, fossil fuels and industry. “The Green Revolution led to oil revolution,” Living the Change added.

The Rockefeller Foundation funded the Green Revolution that led to the introduction of petroleum-based agricultural chemicals, which quickly transformed agriculture, both in the U.S. and abroad. Monoculture was the outcome, with a focus on monocrops, i.e., growing acre upon acre of only one crop at a time. The very definition of monoculture is a system of agriculture with very little diversity.

It defines the wide swatches of corn and soy being grown across the U.S. and worldwide. A whopping 35 percent of cereal and soy harvested globally is actually fed to animals being raised on CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations).2 Where you could once find locally grown food nearby, we’re now very much dependent on the industrial agriculture complex for our very sustenance.

As the film explains, our food production system is meant to save the world but is based on something that’s temporary and leading to a loss of biodiversity, like the collapse of insects. Diversity is crucial to survival. In the industrial system, farmers go to great lengths to protect food production systems, adding in fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals. But the system is actually very fragile and vulnerable.

For instance, we’re now hearing discussions of “peak phosphorus and potassium” in the way we discuss “peak oil,” and, according to some, we may soon be facing looming shortages of these two critical fertilizer ingredients.

As the film states, if supermarkets stop selling food for three days — how would you survive? What would you do? Many people would have nowhere to find food, which makes you begin to realize that the very food on your plate is dependent on many system that need to be in place for the entire chain to run smoothly.

But with the environmental issues and economic pressures at hand, “it’s easy to see how a bad situation could develop quickly … we need to quickly change our food system or there will be huge impacts on humans and the other animals on the planet.”

Technology Is Not the Answer

Many people are waiting for a new technological advancement to bail out the planet. But if technology could solve all of our problems, the film suggests, wouldn’t it have done so already?

Even green technology like solar panels, wind turbines and electric cars require fossil fuels at every stage of their production. “For these technologies to be part of the solution, those of us in the developed world need to drastically reduce our energy consumption.”

Leaving coal, oil and other natural resources in the ground and replanting forests that have been lost to deforestation is the path we should be on, but instead humanity is still clearing grasslands to plant monocrops like corn to make ethanol — a perfect example of the dichotomy of many “green” products and fuels.

There’s now so much corn grown in the U.S. that the Corn Belt (typically said to include corn grown across Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and parts of Nebraska and Kansas) can be seen from space, courtesy of satellite chlorophyll-sensors.3

Unbeknownst to many, biofuels such as corn ethanol are not carbon neutral. In fact, they’re associated with a net increase in carbon dioxide emissions; they’re even worse than gasoline when the water need to grow corn is taken into account.

Research shows, instead, that ethanol-producing (i.e., corn) crops only offset 37 percent of carbon dioxide emissions produced by burning biofuels.4 Meanwhile, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), more than 8 million acres of grassland and wetlands have been converted to corn from 2008 to 2011, which released at least 80 million tons of carbon a year.5

Every time an acre of grassland is plowed, 60 tons of carbon dioxide are released into the environment.6 On the other hand, leaving grasslands as-is and adding in compost has the potential to significantly increase carbon sequestration.

But as it is, the planet is largely dependent on a system that requires fossil fuel inputs and will collapse without them. Globally, the world uses 95 million barrels of oil every day.7 Fossil fuels are used to produce clothing, plastics, food, electronics and everything in between. We’re at a point now where being sustainable isn’t just something that’s a nice idea — “being unsustainable is a threat to our species.”

Organic, Regenerative Agriculture to the Rescue

The filmmakers traveled to New Zealand, where they spoke to the owners of Wairarapa Eco Farms — an example of agriculture done right. They explain, as most regenerative farmers do, that they’re in the business of creating healthy soils — basically creating a habitat for the microorganisms therein, which then lead to healthy plants that support healthy animals.

A key difference at their Eco Farm and other regenerative farms is the move away from growing annual crops like grains and moving toward perennial agriculture, which incorporates annuals along with trees and animals like pigs, sheep, cows, ducks and geese.

The system operates on a closed-loop, such that external inputs like chemical fertilizers and pesticides are not needed. They also operate a community-supported agriculture program, or CSA, in which a group of people support the farmer. The farmer knows he has somewhere for his crops to go — they’re sold before they’re even grown as each member purchases a share.

In return, the people know they’re going to get a fresh box of produce each week, and there’s no food waste on the farm — they give out everything they produce to their members. We often hear that a plant-based diet or cutting out meat from the diet is the solution to feeding the world, but the film suggests that while eating less meat is important, cutting it out isn’t necessary.

In fact, you can’t have a healthy ecosystem without animals, and there’s a complex interplay between animals and plants that provides for the closed loop, for things like natural fertilization and pest control, to take place. The best solution is not to eliminate meat entirely but to seek out meat from farmers raising animals on pasture, according to the laws of nature — not against them, as in CAFOs.

Holistic Grazing to Rebuild the Planet

The documentary takes a close look at holistic grazing, a method popularized by Allan Savory, Zimbabwean ecologist and livestock farmer. Desertification has long been thought to be caused by livestock, such as sheep and cattle overgrazing and giving off methane. But, according to Savory, we have completely misunderstood the causes of desertification.

We’ve failed to realize that in seasonal humidity environments, the soil and vegetation developed with very large numbers of grazing animals meandering through. The constant movement of large herds naturally prevented overgrazing of plants, while periodic trampling ensured protective covering of the soil, helping to sequester carbon in the soil.

Similarly, Mark Shepard, founder of New Forest Farm, a 106-acre perennial “agricultural savanna,” stated that civilizations that depend on annual grain crops eventually collapse.

Instead, he follows a perennial agricultural ecosystem, the design of which combines brushland, woodlands and oak savannah, a type of grassland that also includes oak trees, to create the type of environment that might naturally occur.

Shepard describes it as a three-dimensional system that includes “a tree canopy layer, a smaller tree subdominant tree layer, shrubs, vines, canes, shade tolerant plants, ephemeral plants, fungi forage and livestock”8 all of which work together to naturally increase biodiversity and soil fertility.

Grazing animals, including cows, pigs, sheep, turkeys and chickens, are also part of the system, helping with grass, pest and brush control. These systems, whether you call them regenerative agriculture, holistic management, permaculture or something else, aren’t “magical,” the documentary points out, but rather are based on sound science:

“With regenerative agriculture, we can not only produce food, and produce an abundance of food, but we can do it in a way that regenerates the land, that replenishes the aquifers, that sequesters carbon, that nurtures and supports biodiversity.

[It’s based on] … having a point of view that is looking at your ecosystem in its entirety, not just individual aspects of it. So really what this breaks down to is that anyone who’s looking after land, whether you’re a farmer or a gardener, you’re an ecosystem manager.”

Breaking Free From Consumerism

The film follows the stories of people who broke free from the daily grind of consumerism, giving up high-pressure lifestyles and the constant drive to amass more things for lives more connected to nature, growing their own food and living sustainably.

While some have made drastic changes — giving up corporate jobs to live off the land — others take part on a smaller scale, by supporting small, local businesses. Some take part in “timebanking,” trading skills with one another at no cost and creating spaces to repair clothing, furniture, bikes and other products instead of throwing them away — and building a sense of community at the same time.

Others have focused on minimizing waste in their homes, cutting down on garbage, composting food scraps and paying attention to the way they shop, especially purchasing products with minimal or no packaging and avoiding throwaway or single-use items.

And therein lies the key, that everyone can participate in “Living the Change,” creating a healthier planet and stopping the inevitable destruction of ecosystems and loss of species that we’re currently seeing.

By choosing to buy locally crafted goods, food from small grass fed farmers and also growing some of your own, you’re making a difference for the better. By avoiding foods that come from CAFOs and cutting down on or eliminating excessive consumerism in your life, you stop some of the destruction from occurring while breaking free from an unsustainable system.

What’s more, the more people who choose to live this way, the less expensive and more attainable local goods and food will become. We all have a chance to help revive and recover our ecosystems before it’s too late. Start small if you need to — little by little, we can all make better, healthier choices that add up to major positive change.

from Articles http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2019/03/09/living-the-change-documentary.aspx source https://niapurenaturecom.tumblr.com/post/183328643566

[jerrytackettca]

Living the Change Documentary

Most people would agree that we’re living in an age when the Earth is in the midst of crises — social, environmental and economic. At the heart is the overconsumption of resources, which is fueled by economics. The money system demands and compels endless growth, which necessitates the conversion of nature into property and products.

With growth, the economy keeps growing, but in order to grow, it needs more natural resources to support it. Plus, increasing interest causes people to work longer and harder to maintain the same standard of life, all the while overconsuming and contributing to the overexploitation of precious resources. It’s a vicious cycle that’s explored in-depth in “Living the Change: Inspiring Stories for a Sustainable Future.1

This documentary, directed by Jordan Osmond and Antoinette Wilson, makes clear that unsustainable growth is accelerating in a way that can’t be met by the natural resources available on the planet, but while it may seem hopeless, there are people pioneering change in their own lives and communities to further a more sustainable and regenerative way of life. As the film states, “The issues are global but many of the solutions are local.”

The Not-so-Green Revolution

At one time, all food was grown organically in concert with nature and surrounding ecosystems. This all changed with the Green Revolution, which sounds beneficial but actually describes the conversion of natural farming to one dependent on chemicals, fossil fuels and industry. “The Green Revolution led to oil revolution,” Living the Change added.

The Rockefeller Foundation funded the Green Revolution that led to the introduction of petroleum-based agricultural chemicals, which quickly transformed agriculture, both in the U.S. and abroad. Monoculture was the outcome, with a focus on monocrops, i.e., growing acre upon acre of only one crop at a time. The very definition of monoculture is a system of agriculture with very little diversity.

It defines the wide swatches of corn and soy being grown across the U.S. and worldwide. A whopping 35 percent of cereal and soy harvested globally is actually fed to animals being raised on CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations).2 Where you could once find locally grown food nearby, we’re now very much dependent on the industrial agriculture complex for our very sustenance.

As the film explains, our food production system is meant to save the world but is based on something that’s temporary and leading to a loss of biodiversity, like the collapse of insects. Diversity is crucial to survival. In the industrial system, farmers go to great lengths to protect food production systems, adding in fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals. But the system is actually very fragile and vulnerable.

For instance, we’re now hearing discussions of “peak phosphorus and potassium” in the way we discuss “peak oil,” and, according to some, we may soon be facing looming shortages of these two critical fertilizer ingredients.

As the film states, if supermarkets stop selling food for three days — how would you survive? What would you do? Many people would have nowhere to find food, which makes you begin to realize that the very food on your plate is dependent on many system that need to be in place for the entire chain to run smoothly.

But with the environmental issues and economic pressures at hand, “it’s easy to see how a bad situation could develop quickly … we need to quickly change our food system or there will be huge impacts on humans and the other animals on the planet.”

Technology Is Not the Answer

Many people are waiting for a new technological advancement to bail out the planet. But if technology could solve all of our problems, the film suggests, wouldn’t it have done so already?

Even green technology like solar panels, wind turbines and electric cars require fossil fuels at every stage of their production. “For these technologies to be part of the solution, those of us in the developed world need to drastically reduce our energy consumption.”

Leaving coal, oil and other natural resources in the ground and replanting forests that have been lost to deforestation is the path we should be on, but instead humanity is still clearing grasslands to plant monocrops like corn to make ethanol — a perfect example of the dichotomy of many “green” products and fuels.

There’s now so much corn grown in the U.S. that the Corn Belt (typically said to include corn grown across Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and parts of Nebraska and Kansas) can be seen from space, courtesy of satellite chlorophyll-sensors.3

Unbeknownst to many, biofuels such as corn ethanol are not carbon neutral. In fact, they're associated with a net increase in carbon dioxide emissions; they're even worse than gasoline when the water need to grow corn is taken into account.

Research shows, instead, that ethanol-producing (i.e., corn) crops only offset 37 percent of carbon dioxide emissions produced by burning biofuels.4 Meanwhile, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), more than 8 million acres of grassland and wetlands have been converted to corn from 2008 to 2011, which released at least 80 million tons of carbon a year.5

Every time an acre of grassland is plowed, 60 tons of carbon dioxide are released into the environment.6 On the other hand, leaving grasslands as-is and adding in compost has the potential to significantly increase carbon sequestration.

But as it is, the planet is largely dependent on a system that requires fossil fuel inputs and will collapse without them. Globally, the world uses 95 million barrels of oil every day.7 Fossil fuels are used to produce clothing, plastics, food, electronics and everything in between. We’re at a point now where being sustainable isn’t just something that’s a nice idea — “being unsustainable is a threat to our species.”

Organic, Regenerative Agriculture to the Rescue

The filmmakers traveled to New Zealand, where they spoke to the owners of Wairarapa Eco Farms — an example of agriculture done right. They explain, as most regenerative farmers do, that they’re in the business of creating healthy soils — basically creating a habitat for the microorganisms therein, which then lead to healthy plants that support healthy animals.

A key difference at their Eco Farm and other regenerative farms is the move away from growing annual crops like grains and moving toward perennial agriculture, which incorporates annuals along with trees and animals like pigs, sheep, cows, ducks and geese.

The system operates on a closed-loop, such that external inputs like chemical fertilizers and pesticides are not needed. They also operate a community-supported agriculture program, or CSA, in which a group of people support the farmer. The farmer knows he has somewhere for his crops to go — they’re sold before they’re even grown as each member purchases a share.

In return, the people know they’re going to get a fresh box of produce each week, and there’s no food waste on the farm — they give out everything they produce to their members. We often hear that a plant-based diet or cutting out meat from the diet is the solution to feeding the world, but the film suggests that while eating less meat is important, cutting it out isn’t necessary.

In fact, you can’t have a healthy ecosystem without animals, and there’s a complex interplay between animals and plants that provides for the closed loop, for things like natural fertilization and pest control, to take place. The best solution is not to eliminate meat entirely but to seek out meat from farmers raising animals on pasture, according to the laws of nature — not against them, as in CAFOs.

Holistic Grazing to Rebuild the Planet

The documentary takes a close look at holistic grazing, a method popularized by Allan Savory, Zimbabwean ecologist and livestock farmer. Desertification has long been thought to be caused by livestock, such as sheep and cattle overgrazing and giving off methane. But, according to Savory, we have completely misunderstood the causes of desertification.

We've failed to realize that in seasonal humidity environments, the soil and vegetation developed with very large numbers of grazing animals meandering through. The constant movement of large herds naturally prevented overgrazing of plants, while periodic trampling ensured protective covering of the soil, helping to sequester carbon in the soil.

Similarly, Mark Shepard, founder of New Forest Farm, a 106-acre perennial “agricultural savanna,” stated that civilizations that depend on annual grain crops eventually collapse.

Instead, he follows a perennial agricultural ecosystem, the design of which combines brushland, woodlands and oak savannah, a type of grassland that also includes oak trees, to create the type of environment that might naturally occur.

Shepard describes it as a three-dimensional system that includes “a tree canopy layer, a smaller tree subdominant tree layer, shrubs, vines, canes, shade tolerant plants, ephemeral plants, fungi forage and livestock”8 all of which work together to naturally increase biodiversity and soil fertility.

Grazing animals, including cows, pigs, sheep, turkeys and chickens, are also part of the system, helping with grass, pest and brush control. These systems, whether you call them regenerative agriculture, holistic management, permaculture or something else, aren’t “magical,” the documentary points out, but rather are based on sound science:

“With regenerative agriculture, we can not only produce food, and produce an abundance of food, but we can do it in a way that regenerates the land, that replenishes the aquifers, that sequesters carbon, that nurtures and supports biodiversity.

[It’s based on] … having a point of view that is looking at your ecosystem in its entirety, not just individual aspects of it. So really what this breaks down to is that anyone who’s looking after land, whether you’re a farmer or a gardener, you’re an ecosystem manager.”

Breaking Free From Consumerism

The film follows the stories of people who broke free from the daily grind of consumerism, giving up high-pressure lifestyles and the constant drive to amass more things for lives more connected to nature, growing their own food and living sustainably.

While some have made drastic changes — giving up corporate jobs to live off the land — others take part on a smaller scale, by supporting small, local businesses. Some take part in “timebanking,” trading skills with one another at no cost and creating spaces to repair clothing, furniture, bikes and other products instead of throwing them away — and building a sense of community at the same time.

Others have focused on minimizing waste in their homes, cutting down on garbage, composting food scraps and paying attention to the way they shop, especially purchasing products with minimal or no packaging and avoiding throwaway or single-use items.

And therein lies the key, that everyone can participate in “Living the Change,” creating a healthier planet and stopping the inevitable destruction of ecosystems and loss of species that we’re currently seeing.

By choosing to buy locally crafted goods, food from small grass fed farmers and also growing some of your own, you’re making a difference for the better. By avoiding foods that come from CAFOs and cutting down on or eliminating excessive consumerism in your life, you stop some of the destruction from occurring while breaking free from an unsustainable system.

What’s more, the more people who choose to live this way, the less expensive and more attainable local goods and food will become. We all have a chance to help revive and recover our ecosystems before it’s too late. Start small if you need to — little by little, we can all make better, healthier choices that add up to major positive change.

from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2019/03/09/living-the-change-documentary.aspx

source http://niapurenaturecom.weebly.com/blog/living-the-change-documentary