Fullspeed forward

I was so touched by Maggie's story.  The story I posted yesterday.  It really got me thinking about the world.

I've lived in India, New York and Utah, I've seen poverty.  My heart has broke while witnessing some of these situations where people or animals are living in terrible conditions on the street.  The best I could muster at those times, was to bless them.  Although I have given money at times, and more often I have given food.  These measures, don't create change.  And perhaps only fuel these problems?

It's too easy to blame the government, individuals and everything else who may be to blame for these conditions we dislike seeing in the world. And we go home feeling angry, sad and confused, how can we allow this to happen in the world?

That is called victimizing yourself.  It has nothing to do with the person you saw on the street or the some 'corrupt' government.  You are allowing yourself to beat up on you!  You are not embracing yourself as the fully embodied individual that you are!

If we want to live in the world we want.  WE have to create it.  There is no other way.  We can't sit around and cry about our surroundings.  We have two options.  We can accept the world the way it is, or we can actively pursue embracing love in this world.

I used to feel that the only place for me in this world, was in some remote, beautiful exotic village where I could live free of gasoline, energy, grocery stores, etc.  Where all my food was homegrown and everything I needed was in an arms grab away.

Maggie in her video talks about, creating the world that you want to see.

Life isn't about escaping into some dream world, and denying whatever reality you have right now, just waiting for the pieces of your life to fall into place.  What steps can you do today, to make where you are that piece of heaven, that you have always been looking for.

Nithya, showed me a video today about a man who stopped walking -- instead he only gets around by dancing.  This happened one day after visiting his mother, his mother's health was compromised and just before this visit he thought that she wasn't going to be alive once he got there.  Turned out she was feeling fine, and she was well.  He was so happy that he hadn't lost his mother, he was dancing the whole way home.  He said it felt so amazing, that he never stopped dancing!!  Something more interesting about his story was that before this incident he felt that he lived in such a miserable town, that everyone had miserable looks and no one was happy.  Now he says, everywhere he looks people are smiling.  His attitude changed his world.  Upon interviews with others who live in the same town, they all had positive remarks to say about this man, about how he always brightens their day and is such an inspiration, that he can always be happy like that and he doesn't care what anybody else thinks.

So, I'm here.  I live in a town with less than perfect public transportation, dependence on grocery stores, and automobiles.  But I am alive.  And I am here.  I can not go on believing that things as they are, aren't as they should be, without any effort on my behalf to create the kind of place that I would like to see.

It's complete junk to believe that you cannot make a difference in this world.

I've decided to get involved in whatever capacity I can.  I can take wild food foraging classes or join meet up groups.  I can research local greenhouses to buy winter veggies.  I can research on how to run my car on veggie fuel.  I can actively get involved on campus and see if I can promote sustainable energy sources and better public transportation systems.  I can take advantage of living in the west, by making connections and fundraising for holistic projects locally and or abroad -- for our brothers and sisters in places like Kenya, where 1 dollar goes a lot further than it can here.

Be thankful for where you are.  See the opportunities which surround and support you everyday.

It's impossible for us to go back to the way things used to be.. horse and buggy.. growing all of our own food (well maybe it is still possible)) But it's totally unlikely that all of us are capable of these things.  So what are the next steps, how can we move our human family forward?  In what ways can we support each other, both locally and abroad?  In what ways can we actively engage our neighbors and friends for the rights of those who may not have a voice, the wild areas in our towns and the animals who may be subjugated to tests and or abandoned or lost.  Whose life can we impact today, and how can we contribute to the greater good of our beautiful world.

Thank you.

Creating the world you want

This has got to be one of the most moving stories I have ever encountered.

She was 18, and wasn't feeling right about starting college yet.  She decided to take a gap year to travel the world.  She found herself in Northern India, working with refugee children from Nepal.  One thing led to another and she was opening a home and school for these children in Nepal.

In addition to this, she started noticing how poorly the women were being treated at home, she opened a center for the women to get together and learn life skills and also just to support each other.

Of course it's better to hear the story straight from Maggie, the one who lived it,

http://www.thedailybeast.com/witw/articles/2013/09/24/maggie-doyne-the-26-year-old-mother-of-40-kids.html

http://www.dailygood.org/story/536/talking-good-with-maggie-doyne-rich-polt/

I am so touched by her story.

If we could all have that courage to follow our inner most compassion.  Our inner calling and whispering.  How could that affect our home, that is, earth?

I loved the way she referred to the people on planet earth.  Our human family.  That's exactly what we are.  At 26, she has adopted 40 children.  What would it feel like to have 100% ownership of everything you don't stand for in this world, and 100% ownership to change it with love and compassion alone.

It really inspires me, to delve deep.  How can I live more compassionately?  How can pursue my beautiful dreams of how the world could be only through actions of love and passion.

Her dream is to see the day where all children have their basic needs met.

If I delve deep into my heart, I see the same image, I'd like to see no suffering.  And I have to lump all beings into this as well.  perhaps I can call it our earth family.  Our family of all beings.  I'd like to see a cage free world.  Where animals and humans love and live peacefully alongside each other.

It's interesting because I know that there are many who say, "how can we even begin to think about compassion towards animals, when we can't even have compassion for ourselves, our family, our people, or any other people of the world."  Maybe this is true.  Maybe I'm being Naive to think that growing compassion in one aspect of ones life, can grow compassion in all others.

Just because you have a soft spot for animals or nature, doesn't mean that you don't have a sense of responsibility or love for humans!  Just because you only have 1 child, doesn't mean you won't have enough room in your heart to love more.  There is always more love.

What is your dream?  What can you do today to act on that?  What breaks your heart to see in this world?  What initial step could be taken to change one life, to help 1% or .00000001% of that problem.  Go ahead fearlessly and ferociously with the power of love within you.  And never ever ever give up.  Be the change you wish to see.  Allow the empowerment of divine compassion to take you forward.  

October...

So I know I haven't posted in a while, I currently am taking statistics and organic chemistry as well as an internship for the school.  I will have to give an update soon, but in the meantime, my brother has written an awesome post regarding localism...

I couldn't agree more.  I think re-creating wholesome local culture and supporting local artists is just as important as obtaining material goods locally.  Even though at this point it may be more of a nice idea than an easily pursuable reality, regardless it's always good to focus on what positive changes can be made in a community and what may be attainable now.  The more we are able to talk about these things, the more it will be possible to integrate these ideas into our everyday lives.

Dogmas of intellectual elite or be a locavore of ideas

11 ways to motivate yourself

After struggling with this myself for the past couple days, I've decided to explore my internal world to find the answer.  I had been so busy with school and work last week that this week suddenly I have found myself with empty time.  Within those empty moments, my mind has been racing of all the things I need to catch up with.  Yet, I don't seem to have motivation for any of it.  Maybe I just need to allow myself to rest, or maybe it's an opportunity to explore what get's me motivated.  Maybe it's a little of both.

1.  Clear your mind.  Watch what the emotions are inside, open a window, listen to the wind, the rain, traffic, birds, whatever it is.  Allow to be in a state of observation for 10 minutes.  Start with a deep breathe and end with one.  Allow yourself to become a blank canvas.

2.Write a list of 100 ways to motivate yourself!

3. Get straight about your goals.  What is it that you see yourself doing in 10 years?  How will this help you on your journey there?  Does this track help benefit yourself and those around you?  Does it benefit the world as a whole? 

4. Allow yourself a break.  Take an hour.  Cook, read, relax, do what you've been wanting to but have been holding back because you are too stressed about whatever, 'it' is.  Motivation will come, but maybe now isn't the time.  Don't be so hard on yourself.

5. Turn on Pandora.  Type in your favorite artist.  Or grab your favorite soundtrack, even better, make your own soundtrack of uplifting inspiring music.  Unless you happen to be a musician and you can actually make music yourself.  Let your emotions come out.  Make up a song. 

6.  Take out your old .. or current drawing supplies.  Whether you are actually an artist or not, most people have at least a pen and some paper at home.  Or if you are on the computer, you can always use , Paint :)  Take it outside, or grab something in the vicinity to draw.  Don't focus too much what it looks like or how 'good' it should be or could be or would be.  Just focus on the lines, the angles and the shades of light on the 'object'.  Allow the pen and the eyes to move across the object and the paper with no judgment, just allowing it to flow.

7. Call a friend.  Ask them what their most inspired days have been in their life.  Ask them where they seemed to get the energy to accomplish what they did.  If this seems too serious of a question, tone it down, ask about their day, just allow yourself to connect. 

8.  Imagine the worst case scenario.  The image that you never get this project/ or whatever it is  done.  Hold this image in your mind for 5 minutes.  How does it feel... Just notice.

9.  Listen to the Traveling Wilbury's, "End of the Line"  :)  It's perfect. 

10.  Get out of your comfort zone, your personal space.  Maybe you brain needs a switch of scenery.  Go enjoy the fresh air, go on a hike, take a bike-ride, volunteer at your local children's hospital.

 11.  Just do it.  Don't think about it.  Don't give yourself the opportunity to question it or think about what it is you are doing or the implications that it may entail.  Forget it.  Just dive in. 

statistics, why are you important?

So I did get into 2 classes this semester, statistics and organic chemistry.

Statistics seems so simple.  Really. The questions seem straightforward, it seems like it should be workable, but I sit down with them, and all I have is a series of mushy numbers.   And it's possible that I'm being hard on myself, and I am understanding a fair amount. But overall.  It's hard for me to connect these computations with my bigger visions for myself and whatever goals that involves.  I guess that is what being a soil scientist is... ??? computing numbers?

Of course there will be good days and there will be not so good days.  This just so happens to fall on a not so good day.

I basically just want my brain to understand this stuff.

On a side note.

I mentioned in a previous blog about peaches, which by the way I still have two boxes in my fridge!  I mentioned making peach pickle-- a spin off of indian mango pickle.  And me and my husband have decided that it is the best pickle that we have ever eaten.

The peaches absorb the flavor soooo nicely and unlike mango pickle they are so soft and you never have to worry about getting something hard or weird to chew in your mouth.

It's a shame I didn't make more, but I was totally unsure how they would turn out.

Happy Fall.  :)

second week of classes...

So after a very hectic 2 weeks of running from the registrar to the admissions to math placement exams to grad admissions back to admissions to various professors and department heads, I'm finally enrolled in organic chemistry and an online statistics class.  I have no idea, why it was so complicated, but it took me 1.5 weeks to sort it all out.

Anyway, finally its done.  Even though its not completely over yet, since I need to figure out how the online class works, I have received no information, and no information is available on any login sites through the university.  I guess I will be patient and enjoy the as of now.. empty time.

I brought home another 7 boxes of peaches from the farm last week.  Saturday I was able to freeze over 30 bags, fill my dehydrator with em and I managed to make some peach pickle!

The peach pickle is actually a twist on mango pickle which is popular in India.  Actually there are many varieties of mango pickle in India, and it wasn't easy finding a recipe that I wanted to use online.  I ended up with this one, found from http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/2013/05/27/mango-pickle-aam-ka-achar/ :


Ingredients:

• 1 large green mango raw pickling mango/about 2-1/2 cup cubed mango (they are available at Indian and Asian grocery store)
• 1 tablespoons salt
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder, adjust to taste (lal mirch)
• 1/4 teaspoons turmeric (haldi)
• 1 tablespoons coriander seeds crushed(dhania)
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds crushed(Saunf)
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (sabut mathi)
• 1 teaspoon nigella seeds/kalonji
• 2 tablespoons mustard oil or olive oil

Method

1. Wash and dry the mango, cut in small cubes with skin.
2. In a glass bowl put the mango with salt and mix it well.
3. Set aside for about 3-4 hour. Mix and by this time there will be some salt water. Squeeze the mango, and save the water, as we will use later.
4. Spread the mango slices over dry surface and let it dry out preferably in sun light for 4-5 hours. Mango slices should be little dry but still moist. Note: Mangoes will reduce in volume.
5. Add all the spices to salt water and keep it aside.
6. Mix spices, water and oil to mango slices.
7. Keep the Mango pickle in glass jar with lid on. Pickle should be ready in 4-7 days. Mango slices are nicely marinated with spices.

I ended up only using half the amount of oil the recipe asked for... hopefully it doesn't spoil the final product? I shall find out in a couple of days!!! Intense. Lol.


So I just replaced the mango with peaches.
I made 3 bottles of it.  we will see how it goes.


I was also given several cucumbers, I would love love to make sweet cucumber pickles.  I have never made them before, and I need to figure out exactly how it all works!  If any of you all have any favorite recipes I am definitely interested :):)  Or advice on mango pickle.... this is a whole new world for me .. in a good way!

Peaches and Turnips

I've officially been accepted in to the soil science master's program in my home town.  I will be starting in January.  Today was the first day of the semester-- which my plan is to register for 2 classes -- stats and organic chemistry.

However, because I'm a lab tech at the university currently.. and all of the other students have already registered for classes, I was basically the 'last' hope to help in the great harvest.

That is of peaches-- from one of the student farms.  I've had my own harvesting adventures in my own backyard, which I will be happy to elaborate on-- later in the blog :).

I love harvesting, I think it's one of the most beautiful things about farming.  Of course, it's a lot of work, and my back hurts, my day ends with a migraine.. not drinking enough? hot and muggy days??  But I have 4 overloaded boxes of peaches in the fridge and a brain full of imagination of how to use them??? The most I've been able to do as of now is.. to give it away :)

Harvesting at a university orchard, is a little different from a conventional one.. because it's all about recording the figures.  So every tree we had to record the number of peaches with particular kinds of imperfections.

The most common being:
-- Earwig bits
-- pecks-- which could be from birds or other bugs
-- bruises
--cat-facing -- a particular kind of insect which sucks the fruit from a needle like 'nose'  and causes funny misshaping of the surface of the fruit.  Often like a puckering effect.
-- birds -- looks kind of like an earwig bite, but the surface is a much bigger area and very jagged.

To begin with, this kind of sorting was easy, and a nice change from the hard labor that typically goes on in an orchard.  but after almost 7 hours of sorting, my head was pounding.. and I could hardly tell what kinda of scars were okay to sell at the supermarket and which weren't.  Suddenly everything started looking the same.

But perhaps, I was a bit too focused and a little under-hydrated.

I'm planning on registering for classes tomorrow, but my main professor is asking for my help in the field for wednesday, thursday and friday this week...

First week of classes.. no big right??  Lol, I hope they aren't.  I know that I'm basically the only one who is slightly more available then everyone else-- in terms of working in the university's farming operations.. it seems that university professors as well as grad students are completely overbooked with -- atleast in the ag department with lab work, field work, writing and etc.

I work with a lot of grad students and occasionally with professors.  I'm just hoping that I'll be able to keep an even mind in grad school.. without feeling swamped?? is it possible?  I'm gonna try.  I am gonna think happy thoughts and see if I can manage to have a relatively ... stress free time?

The secret?  Maybe it's possible to enjoy the process, enjoy learning, enjoy the experiments just enjoy the craziness.

I work with awesome people.  I think as long as I can believe in myself, and not be too hard on myself or stress too much about my to do list.. maybe I will be able to manage this adventure without too many grievances.

Anyway, I'm veering off topic.

It's harvest season!!

to add to my 4 boxes of peaches, I also have 3 huge bags of turnips.. which I am thinking of drying... freezing?  Might be interesting.  I could have a lot of fun with this!  I just have to get over my bit of a freeze up, as I've never preserved turnips before.

The other big harvest that I've managed this year, is actually lentils.

They grew so easily in my garden, but I am realizing that next time I will need to put a trellis up for them.  They did better next to hardy weeds which were strong and grew tall ( whoohooo for no-weeding gardens!)  But when next to grasses and such would fall over.. which wasn't that big of a deal, because they still produced many lentils!  And apparently they keep producing lentils until the season ends! So far I have one big bowl of lentils and I will need need to figure out the best way to dry them.

Granted, lentils are extremely labor and time consuming for not that much of a bounty.  But I did only pick the dry lentils off of the plant because I wanted to allow the plant to produce more lentils.  And if I had had help in the garden, it probably would have been a piece of cake.. and if I hadn't of chose to do it mid-day in the heat, probably would have been less intense.  lol, oh well.

But with many things happening-- all of the farms I have been visiting and classes which need to be registered for.. i'm just trying to figure out the best time to process all of my bountiful foods!  I'm hoping that they don't get bad meanwhile :( .  I am so lucky that I have excess turnips.. they've stayed awesomely good for months in my fridge.  Lol I love farming, but I am probably the laziest farmer ever.  Minimal work is best for me.. that's why -- really the most I do is water the garden.. and prep the beds in the spring.. other than that.. I'm totally handsoff.. But I do love harvest time.  And I'm trying to break into my love for processing/preserving!! It'll happen, surely!

Some things in the garden that didn't quite produce like some of my other farmer friends, were my squash and tomatoes.  Everyone seems to be having like.. huge harvests of these, but in my garden not so much.  I think the main issue, with this, was that I didn't really fertilize at all, I think these plants seem to be a little bit more nutrient intensive, so a bit of compost tea every week or just start out the plants with nice compost in the soil, will probably be enough to enjoy a big bounty.  But it's not really much of a loss, because all of my friends are producing more than enough, so I am still enjoying these wonderful foods.