One of the things that annoys me the most about the whole topic of homesteading and farming more generally is the hokeness that is promoted around it. That somehow “back-to-the-land” is old fashioned, that it’s cute and beautiful, some kind of romantic vision rather then a reality of mud and manure, pests and chemicals, scientific knowledge about how ecological systems work.
Certain products and technologies make sense in rural areas for rural uses. Like tractors and plows, manure spreaders, all kinds of farm implements and tools. But that doesn’t make it hokey or old fashioned. Some very old technologies have a role on a modern farm, sometimes old equipment is paid for and works well. Sometimes old practices are worth taking a second look at because they worked well in the past and are still relevant. And others should be left in the past. Certain clothing just makes sense while working in the barn, especially during cold weather. Certain products are durable and can withstand the harsh farm conditions.
But that doesn’t explain the whole story of the hokeness. Some of it is branding, indeed many farmers see a lot of benefit as selling their products as natural and bucoloic. People want to envision land as green with happy farm animals and nature, it cna sell a lot of products. Still, I think it can get a bit silly, and make it seem like homesteaders and farmers are backwards, anti-modern, and not up on the latest of technology, even if in many cases they have long adopted many technologies that make sense on a modern homestead or farm. And this kind of market discounts homesteading and farming as being boutique. I really don’t necessary embrace it.
It’s kind of a cold and damp November morning here at camp along the Betty Brook, 🌫️ but the rain pulled out during the overnight hours and is not expected to restart until later. I am thinking I will head to Shauls in a bit, maybe do a hike up Vromans Nose if the rain holds off. I also put the Catskill Scenic Trail on he list of possibilities but I doubt I’ll be heading that far south, and more rain and wind is expected later on today.
I don’t have a lot of gear to take down but I also took a puff from the magic dragon this morning, 🐲 and it’s not raining so I want to take my time, even if it is a bit cold and damp in the woods, but it’s the last morning I’ll probably spend by Betty Brook this year, as snow, ice and cold are coming. 🏕️ After Thanksgiving, there is the East Branch Sacandaga in the Adirondacks to camp by then probably Madison County once regular season closes down the second week of December. It was good to get away for at least one night and hike Bearpen. I like Bearpen Mountain, it’s remote and quite though that logging road a good climb in parts. The nice thing is it’s outside of Catskill Mountains so you avoid the crowds. 🚶
It was a good day yesterday hiking Bearpen Mountain. ⛰️ I had the summit all to myself all the time I was up top but passed a dog walker heading up the mountain and a long bearded man with ginger wife hiking up the mountain on way home. Homesteaders had to think! I got back to my truck, head down the mountain in my truck via Mosquito Point. 🛻 Did a quick hike up Pratts Rock for the very November looking view as gun shots rang out from across the other side of the valley. 🔫
I wanted to camp off of West Kill Road but that site was taken so I drove up to Betty Brook Road. 🌃 it was getting dark by the time I got up to camp to get set up. Gathered firewood in the virtual darkness, fortunately there was a bit of light, the previous campers left a lot of wood, and I had a big bag of burnables to get shit started. 🪓Fried up some onions and beans with cornmeal for dinner. Forgot to get olive oil again at the store. I was going to get it on Friday but it seemed like it was real pricey at Hannaford.🔥
I got propane yesterday at Tractor Supply in Greenville, then onions, bananas, milk and eggs at Bryant’s, which in recent years has been a Tops though it seems like still sell a lot of Best Yet! Independent grocer products. 🛒 I don’t know I didn’t buy anything processed. Always a bit horrified that I might run into somebody I knew from High School, though everyone I saw there seemed like elderly old man, good ol’ boys and homesteaders. Small town personalities! I am so removed from that all having spent so many years working in the city. 🧑🌾 I mean someday I want to be back out doing the country thing, but that werid Christian-backwoods thing is a bit much for me. I like my goatee but I’m not sure I could do the whole big duck-dynasty beard thing.
I enjoy watching Youtube videos about agriculture and farming, because it’s interesting to see how the land and it’s management come together to produce the food we all eat and enjoy. It’s fun to learn about the technology, the techniques, and the people that make it happen. Many people aren’t aware how technologically advanced agriculture has become, or how much goes into protecting the soils and resources for generations to come.
One of the things I notice about autumn evenings is how much the sun angle has changed. The sun is lower place throughout in the day but come evening they are most pronounced. It’s kind of a special time, one to embrace before darkness, at least in my mind.
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I was thinking it was almost a year since I was camping up at Canaan Heights in West Virginia. I remember the autumn feel down there in the evening both when doing evening rides on Forest Road 13 and that evening I watched the sun set from Canaan Valley WMA.
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Especially on very clear autumn evenings like tonight with deep blue skies offsetting the autumn colors of the trees. After a warm autumn day… Soon to be chilly autumn evening. How fast time comes and goes.
A lot of people think November is the gray and brown month. In many ways it is but also I find that color appeal to be quite beautiful. There is a richness to the color of late autumn before the snow, a natural color produced by the low angles of the sun and the chill of autumn breeze. The tangy smell of the manure on the fields below, dormant for a while but in six or seven months to be green once again.
