Thanks to the Moms
Thanksgiving Day, 2008
By many definitions I am what is called a mama's boy.
It’s true. And I thank my lucky stars every year for being able to have two fantastic moms!
For a son, above all other role models, mamas should always be number one!
There are a multitude of reasons why I work with the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) or enlisted in the Peace Corps and Military for that matter. It’s natural for sons to leave the nest to discover the world for ourselves and though each walkabout differs, it seems we are all similarly wandering with the instinctive drive to make our mothers proud.
If its not then it should be! Maybe it explains the irrationality for those who start our wars; do they no longer care what their mother would think?
I’m thirty years old and have had an enriched life traveling extensively around the world sharing many a home cooked meals with mama's of all different shapes, shades, culinary skills, and opinions. Mothers are the backbone to any culture and maintain the balance in our communities. When mothers watch their children grow strong, healthy, and happy, a nation flourishes. But when mothers begin to lose their sons and daughters to war, hunger, or disaster then a broken mother’s heart can easily tear the cohesive fabric that binds our cultures and communities together.
Mothers are every sons personal Virgil here to guide us through life. Without mothers to steer us through the tempests, triumphs and failures our compasses are directionless without knowing the gift of unconditional love. It’s what makes us become whole.
But what happens to the guide who loses their voyager along the way?
How does a mother cope with losing what means the most to them?
Does the despair of losing a loved one ever wane?
I am childless. This pain is beyond my comprehension.
On November 15th the FVC hosted our second benefit dinner. This time it was at Swanton Berry Farm in Davenport, North of Santa Cruz. The event was filled with farmers, veterans, community members, and lastly Gold Star Mothers. During the event I spent most of the night learning of these challenges from mothers who are sustaining after losing a child in the wars of Iraq or Afghanistan. Each loss is shattering, but how each mother responded to their loss is truly inspirational and emboldens my determination to do my part to honor my fallen friends, and support other mothers sons and daughters returning home.
Listed below are brief glimpses into each mother’s journey.
After the death of her son Mary Tillman, mother of famed athlete Pat Tillman has spent every opportunity to uncover the truth surrounding her son's death and has exposed the despicable behavior, and the blundering that the Bush Administration, military, and Pentagon employed to use his life and death for their propaganda advantage . Mary is a gracious woman whom I completely admire for her courage and undoubtedly inspiring many other mothers, wives, and family members to seek out the truth behind the many deaths of our nation's fallen sons and daughters. Mary has recently released a book dedicated to her fallen son titled "Boots on the Ground by Dusk". It is a powerful account of a mother’s journey dealing with the difficulty of losing a son, and celebrating a vibrant life.
http://www.pattillmanfoundation.org/
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90203500
Nadia McCaffrey, founder of the Veterans Village, also lost her son Patrick during a patrol in Iraq when the American trained and armed Iraqi security forces turned their weapons against him. Nadia, a native of Bordeaux, France, has used her energy in developing a national network of centers where returning veterans can decompress, heal, and find ways to live after war. Currently Nadia is working to open two new centers within the year one in New York and the other in Minnesota. The center is Minnesota is a former school campus that will be transformed into an off the grid community with the intent to use farmers from our organization to provide training and healthy food for its residents.
http://www.veteransvillage.org/
Dolores Kesterson came to our dinner on the third anniversary of losing her son Erik in Mosul, Iraq when two Blackhawk helicopters collided, killing many of the service members. Afterward Delores had an opportunity to meet President Bush individually while he was meeting victims’ families. From her accounts Bush knew she was not going to be a friendly picture frame opportunity so instead he came at her immediately arrogant, confrontational, and without remorse for her loss. I highly recommend googling Delores and researching her story.
http://www.ustourofduty.org/pages/videoDoloresPrez_high.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md0ShnAK24w
Lastly, Donna Jacobs is a mother who has not lost her son in war but is preparing to say good bye once again as he deploys for this 3rd combat tour at the end of the month to Afghanistan. Donna has been a tidal force in the Santa Cruz area since becoming involved with veteran’s services. She has started an organization called "Not This Time Vets" and was instrumental in bringing Farms Not Arms together with Veterans groups and veterans advocates to help us form a politically neutral group called the Farmer-Veteran Coalition.
http://notthistimevets.org/
My military experience was confusing. First they taught me how to take a human life, but then as a medic working in VA hospitals they helped me realize I had a gift to compassionately help individuals medically with my hands and my heart. I've never seen war, and though I excelled in the military I eventually quit and never looked back. Sworn to a new mission my objective has been to learn how wage peace by living fully, traveling extensively, and loving wastefully.
I will always cherish my mother’s very clear lessons. Be kind, make friends, and if, "IF", you have to fight you do it for the right reasons.
This is what I think all of my adopted mothers from around the world would want me to do.
Be in peace and eat good food.
Joshua Anderson
Damn Good Biking
Mammath Mountain
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
making a run
Hello everyone, here is a premature happy turkey day shout out.
Be well, be healthy, and be thankful to Sarah Palin that your turkey was not pardoned.
Listed below are a series of blogs that I had wrote over the course of the last couple weeks. Though its quite a bit, its not even a drop in the bucket.
Good news I'm COMING HOME!!
Yep, bought my tickets the other day. I'm coming home for a short spell from Dec 14th-Dec23rd. then Cat and I are going to meet in San Diego and take some bus's Niger style down to Ensenada and explore Baja Mexico for xmas & new years. Yippee!!
Well enjoy the posts, its raining gatos y perros aqui ahora and its the freak'n desert.
I love desert rains.
be well
Be well, be healthy, and be thankful to Sarah Palin that your turkey was not pardoned.
Listed below are a series of blogs that I had wrote over the course of the last couple weeks. Though its quite a bit, its not even a drop in the bucket.
Good news I'm COMING HOME!!
Yep, bought my tickets the other day. I'm coming home for a short spell from Dec 14th-Dec23rd. then Cat and I are going to meet in San Diego and take some bus's Niger style down to Ensenada and explore Baja Mexico for xmas & new years. Yippee!!
Well enjoy the posts, its raining gatos y perros aqui ahora and its the freak'n desert.
I love desert rains.
be well
11-20-08 Who, what, where, when, why....how the F!
Where am I?
As of the last 5-6 months a completely legitimate question consistently reoccurs…
Where the hell is….
Well I'll tell ya.
As of today I have finished a eighteen day road trip taking running me ragged up and down the California coast, today we finally arrived to our long term destination.
Ensenada, Baja Mexico.
I am staying on a six mile long, by quarter mile wide peninsula about twenty miles south of the city of Ensenada "con el jefe" of the farmer veteran coalition Michael O'Gorman.
Immediately after our Santa Cruz benefit dinner at Swanton Berry Farm we tumble-weeded down the California coastline for multiple meetings for official FVC missions.
On Tuesday we had meetings at Sword's to Plowshares in San Francisco to discuss veteran case management/funding . (in the same neighborhood that my mando was stolen) :-( www.swords-to-plowshares.org
That night I stayed in the hipster mission district with my good friend Joey Braccio who is also a former Peace Corps volunteer and sudsy swilling cohort who recently moved to San Fran.
On Wednesday we had a noonsies lunch meeting with an organization named Food First http://www.foodfirst.org/ and discussed the possibility of developing the agricultural sector of a monumental project named the "HOPE collaborative" http://www.oaklandfoodandfitness.net/. The goal of the project is to create a network of urban farms headed by farmers from our project to develop the "food shed" around Oakland. In addition we were offered an opportunity to write a book about the experiences of our members as they describe transitioning from soldiers to farmers.
Six hours after the meeting we had a 2100 dinner meeting with a Neem Pesticide salesman in Los Angeles. I grew Neems in Niger, they are an introduced species from India and have a gazillion useful purposes from food, fuel, construction, medicine, and forage. I love everything about Neems!
Another two and a half hours after this meeting we arrived to our final destination of the day at another veteran farmer who owns a greenhouse hydroponic basil and three acre organic avocado farm named Archi's Acres near San Diego at about 0030. (http://www.archisacres.com/)
After an all to brief slumber we gave a TV interview to a local news station in San Diego in the early morn' describing our project work and then had a meeting with the proprietors of Archi's Acres on some ideas how to best start training other veterans to become farmers.
Another four hours on the road after this last meeting Michael and I finally arrived to this little slice of paradise….many I can hear the ocean from inside the house!!
Though again tomorrow appears to be busy, my hind quarters are refusing to sit on anything that has wheels and a motor.
I'm pooped. Time for bed.
But worry not, I do have a few more items to add that are in final draft mode and will be posted soon.
If I had a mando, I would jam :-(
As of the last 5-6 months a completely legitimate question consistently reoccurs…
Where the hell is….
Well I'll tell ya.
As of today I have finished a eighteen day road trip taking running me ragged up and down the California coast, today we finally arrived to our long term destination.
Ensenada, Baja Mexico.
I am staying on a six mile long, by quarter mile wide peninsula about twenty miles south of the city of Ensenada "con el jefe" of the farmer veteran coalition Michael O'Gorman.
Immediately after our Santa Cruz benefit dinner at Swanton Berry Farm we tumble-weeded down the California coastline for multiple meetings for official FVC missions.
On Tuesday we had meetings at Sword's to Plowshares in San Francisco to discuss veteran case management/funding . (in the same neighborhood that my mando was stolen) :-( www.swords-to-plowshares.org
That night I stayed in the hipster mission district with my good friend Joey Braccio who is also a former Peace Corps volunteer and sudsy swilling cohort who recently moved to San Fran.
On Wednesday we had a noonsies lunch meeting with an organization named Food First http://www.foodfirst.org/ and discussed the possibility of developing the agricultural sector of a monumental project named the "HOPE collaborative" http://www.oaklandfoodandfitness.net/. The goal of the project is to create a network of urban farms headed by farmers from our project to develop the "food shed" around Oakland. In addition we were offered an opportunity to write a book about the experiences of our members as they describe transitioning from soldiers to farmers.
Six hours after the meeting we had a 2100 dinner meeting with a Neem Pesticide salesman in Los Angeles. I grew Neems in Niger, they are an introduced species from India and have a gazillion useful purposes from food, fuel, construction, medicine, and forage. I love everything about Neems!
Another two and a half hours after this meeting we arrived to our final destination of the day at another veteran farmer who owns a greenhouse hydroponic basil and three acre organic avocado farm named Archi's Acres near San Diego at about 0030. (http://www.archisacres.com/)
After an all to brief slumber we gave a TV interview to a local news station in San Diego in the early morn' describing our project work and then had a meeting with the proprietors of Archi's Acres on some ideas how to best start training other veterans to become farmers.
Another four hours on the road after this last meeting Michael and I finally arrived to this little slice of paradise….many I can hear the ocean from inside the house!!
Though again tomorrow appears to be busy, my hind quarters are refusing to sit on anything that has wheels and a motor.
I'm pooped. Time for bed.
But worry not, I do have a few more items to add that are in final draft mode and will be posted soon.
If I had a mando, I would jam :-(
11-18-08 Woody was right!!
This land is your land,
This land is my land,
From California to the New York Islands...
We are currently driving through the San Joaquin Valley leaving behind the secularly spirited Bay Area towards the subcutaneous and smoggy Los Angeles region for more meetings to help progress the Farmer Veterans Coalition.
The passing view from our rented car provides a road side glimpse of one of the worlds most productive agricultural regions, plantations of apricots, plums, and peach tree's add a patchwork of life to a contrasting parched landscape of empty pastures and mountains.
For yet another night the sun is setting on a unfamiliar western horizon, and once again I hum quietly Woody's timeless lyrics.
As I was walking those ribbons of highways,
I saw beyond me those endless byways….
America really is a magical place.
In the span of a little more than two weeks I have been up, down and back to many of California's most influential agricultural spheres of influence and have met a variety of California's farmers.
Listed but not comprehensive of where I have been.
All over Sonoma County, Davis, Santa Cruz (3 times), Oakland, San Fran', Berkeley, Long Beach, San Diego, The Great Valley, Central Valley, San Joaquin Valley, Bolinas, Los Angeles, and Ontario.
By tomorrow night I'll be sleeping on the beach south of Ensenada, Baja Mexico.
Every day a learning experience, every place arrived another agricultural lesson.
If only seeing was enough...
This land is my land,
From California to the New York Islands...
We are currently driving through the San Joaquin Valley leaving behind the secularly spirited Bay Area towards the subcutaneous and smoggy Los Angeles region for more meetings to help progress the Farmer Veterans Coalition.
The passing view from our rented car provides a road side glimpse of one of the worlds most productive agricultural regions, plantations of apricots, plums, and peach tree's add a patchwork of life to a contrasting parched landscape of empty pastures and mountains.
For yet another night the sun is setting on a unfamiliar western horizon, and once again I hum quietly Woody's timeless lyrics.
As I was walking those ribbons of highways,
I saw beyond me those endless byways….
America really is a magical place.
In the span of a little more than two weeks I have been up, down and back to many of California's most influential agricultural spheres of influence and have met a variety of California's farmers.
Listed but not comprehensive of where I have been.
All over Sonoma County, Davis, Santa Cruz (3 times), Oakland, San Fran', Berkeley, Long Beach, San Diego, The Great Valley, Central Valley, San Joaquin Valley, Bolinas, Los Angeles, and Ontario.
By tomorrow night I'll be sleeping on the beach south of Ensenada, Baja Mexico.
Every day a learning experience, every place arrived another agricultural lesson.
If only seeing was enough...
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
A Day of Rest 10-13-08
So now I am staying at a very beautiful location in Sepastobol, Northern California, the redwoods are towering above lush vegetative damp corridors, the weather is unseasonably fair, and while the rainy season progresses another season comes to a turn away from home, and my village in Africa.
Today was a good respite. Though Matt's land tenet is to say for a lack of a better word….Crazy? It can't spoil my determination to simply rest. It has been a taxing couple of weeks, we definitely hit some lows, the worst of worst about the mando, but you know the work takes my mind away from the challenges and increases my determination to stay the course.
If there is anything I have learned over all of my travels this year is that its not simple to take the road less traveled, the road carries baggage, and who cares about the destination, it’s the journey that means everything.
Today was a good respite. Though Matt's land tenet is to say for a lack of a better word….Crazy? It can't spoil my determination to simply rest. It has been a taxing couple of weeks, we definitely hit some lows, the worst of worst about the mando, but you know the work takes my mind away from the challenges and increases my determination to stay the course.
If there is anything I have learned over all of my travels this year is that its not simple to take the road less traveled, the road carries baggage, and who cares about the destination, it’s the journey that means everything.
Founding Fathers of Agriculture
10-10-08 Founding Fathers
Hello all.
Yesterday on 10-9-08 the boss, another veteran, a reporter and I had the privilege to meet and spend some time with a gentleman named Warren Weber at his 100+ acre Marin County farm near Bolinas directly NW of the San Francisco Bay area.
Warren is considered to be the first organic farmer in California and at a youthful 68 years young I observed an incredibly intelligent, well educated, and a thoughtful individual who started out in the 1970's as an idealistic "long hair" practicing a niche market by growing organic. A couple of decades later an older, shorter haired founding father of the Organic movement hosted the well known "organi-philiak " Prince Charles on his farm in Bolinas during his regal road trip around 'Merica to observe our nations organic farms.
In the sun room of his converted late 19th century Druid hall turned home we weaved in and out of many topics related to our project, his personal history in agriculture, and each of our own personal histories and agricultural experience. This conversation was an invaluable lesson in organic agriculture history as he chronologically weaved through the 80's & 90's and then finished on contemporary trends and potential avenues for the future of sustainable agriculture in America.
During our farm walk I had the opportunity to speak with Warren alone and surprisingly we learned we shared a few things in common, geographically speaking we are both from Missouri, each of us have each lived in Charlottesville VA, and though I didn't attend Cornell, my wonderful fiancée did. Aside from that it was about all we could agree on. Just Kidding. Warren was a gracious hosts, and he gave me a several things to kick around the brain box. After explaining my Peace Corps project and my desire to return and finish my work sometime in the near future he provided me with some potential contacts back in Charlottesville that focus on rural international -agricultural development.
Aside from farming, Warren's current endeavor is to transition all of Marin county's agriculture into organic production, currently at about 25%, he has also pioneered an initiative to develop Marin's own specific organic requirements tailored specifically for communities needs.
Afterwards, leaving Warren behind, the four of us all had a delicious lunch with the South African reporter who shared her experiences as a young woman living through aparteid , and later immigrating to the States because of the struggles there.
Then after the meeting we headed back up north and visited a lovely urban garden named "Crescent Moon Farms "where a young couple has converted their lawn to food production for the local community. With less than 1/2 of an acre in production they produce a plethora of peppers, herbs, vegetables, along with roughly fifty chickens for meat and egg production.
They even had an old beaten up Romanian mandolin that could hardly hold a tune, but was enough to eek out one little "friend of the devil" with the natives.
Later that night Michael the FVC boss packed our stuff back up and meandered back to Santa Cruz for another two hour drive, the second trip already that week, ending in three two hour each direction from north of the Bay Area. Yikes!!
Though I have been out of my village for six months now, I would think that they would be proud of me for continuing forwards with my dedication to agriculture and my continuation of what they taught me about the importance of food security.
I feel blessed to have gone so far on this omnivore's odyssey first learning from the most resilient, revered, and innovative farmers, of Niger. Now I am continuing the education my villagers gave me, but learning from their American contemporaries how to feed my own village and others.
Hello all.
Yesterday on 10-9-08 the boss, another veteran, a reporter and I had the privilege to meet and spend some time with a gentleman named Warren Weber at his 100+ acre Marin County farm near Bolinas directly NW of the San Francisco Bay area.
Warren is considered to be the first organic farmer in California and at a youthful 68 years young I observed an incredibly intelligent, well educated, and a thoughtful individual who started out in the 1970's as an idealistic "long hair" practicing a niche market by growing organic. A couple of decades later an older, shorter haired founding father of the Organic movement hosted the well known "organi-philiak " Prince Charles on his farm in Bolinas during his regal road trip around 'Merica to observe our nations organic farms.
In the sun room of his converted late 19th century Druid hall turned home we weaved in and out of many topics related to our project, his personal history in agriculture, and each of our own personal histories and agricultural experience. This conversation was an invaluable lesson in organic agriculture history as he chronologically weaved through the 80's & 90's and then finished on contemporary trends and potential avenues for the future of sustainable agriculture in America.
During our farm walk I had the opportunity to speak with Warren alone and surprisingly we learned we shared a few things in common, geographically speaking we are both from Missouri, each of us have each lived in Charlottesville VA, and though I didn't attend Cornell, my wonderful fiancée did. Aside from that it was about all we could agree on. Just Kidding. Warren was a gracious hosts, and he gave me a several things to kick around the brain box. After explaining my Peace Corps project and my desire to return and finish my work sometime in the near future he provided me with some potential contacts back in Charlottesville that focus on rural international -agricultural development.
Aside from farming, Warren's current endeavor is to transition all of Marin county's agriculture into organic production, currently at about 25%, he has also pioneered an initiative to develop Marin's own specific organic requirements tailored specifically for communities needs.
Afterwards, leaving Warren behind, the four of us all had a delicious lunch with the South African reporter who shared her experiences as a young woman living through aparteid , and later immigrating to the States because of the struggles there.
Then after the meeting we headed back up north and visited a lovely urban garden named "Crescent Moon Farms "where a young couple has converted their lawn to food production for the local community. With less than 1/2 of an acre in production they produce a plethora of peppers, herbs, vegetables, along with roughly fifty chickens for meat and egg production.
They even had an old beaten up Romanian mandolin that could hardly hold a tune, but was enough to eek out one little "friend of the devil" with the natives.
Later that night Michael the FVC boss packed our stuff back up and meandered back to Santa Cruz for another two hour drive, the second trip already that week, ending in three two hour each direction from north of the Bay Area. Yikes!!
Though I have been out of my village for six months now, I would think that they would be proud of me for continuing forwards with my dedication to agriculture and my continuation of what they taught me about the importance of food security.
I feel blessed to have gone so far on this omnivore's odyssey first learning from the most resilient, revered, and innovative farmers, of Niger. Now I am continuing the education my villagers gave me, but learning from their American contemporaries how to feed my own village and others.
Monday, November 24, 2008
HOME!!! Where is that again?
hELLO folks, me here.
But where?
Ensenada Baja Mexico!!!
Been living it up pretty high on the hog here. The weather is spectacular, the ocean (a stones throw away from the house) is refreshing after my daily run, and many a sunset have been enjoyed to a glass of wine. Today i even squeezed in a farm visit and discussed food production with the natives.
but here is the best part. I'm coming home!!!
I booked my flight, from December 14th-December 23rd I will be back in Missouri and visiting my family all upright and actually able to walk.
For those of you just tuning in I returned home from the Peace Corps in June after sustaining two fractured vertebrae.
So if god willing I get another mandolin be prepared for a full on onslaught of the old characters like Rob Nold and the "Asian Sensation" Andrew Weii flying in from Indiana for a serious jam.
So so so stoked. I'm homesick, its been far to long away from home.
But where?
Ensenada Baja Mexico!!!
Been living it up pretty high on the hog here. The weather is spectacular, the ocean (a stones throw away from the house) is refreshing after my daily run, and many a sunset have been enjoyed to a glass of wine. Today i even squeezed in a farm visit and discussed food production with the natives.
but here is the best part. I'm coming home!!!
I booked my flight, from December 14th-December 23rd I will be back in Missouri and visiting my family all upright and actually able to walk.
For those of you just tuning in I returned home from the Peace Corps in June after sustaining two fractured vertebrae.
So if god willing I get another mandolin be prepared for a full on onslaught of the old characters like Rob Nold and the "Asian Sensation" Andrew Weii flying in from Indiana for a serious jam.
So so so stoked. I'm homesick, its been far to long away from home.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Harpooning Baja Mama's!!
As of the last 5-6 months a completely legitimate question consistently reoccurs…
Where the hell is….
Well I'll tell ya.
As of today I have finished a eighteen day road trip taking running me ragged up and down the California coast, today we finally arrived to our long term destination.
Esconedo Baja Mexico.
I am staying on a six mile long, by quarter mile wide peninsula about twenty miles south of the city of Esconedo with the head honcho of the farmer veteran coalition Michael O'Gorman.
Covering many miles, and meeting with many folk along the way for official FVC business we tumble-weeded down the California coastline on Tuesday had meetings at Sword's to Plowshares in San Francisco to discuss veteran case management/funding . (in the same neighborhood that my mando was stolen) :-( www.swords-to-plowshares.org
That night I stayed in the hipster mission district with my good friend Joey Braccio who is also a former Peace Corps volunteer and sudsy swilling cohort who recently moved to San Fran.
On Wednesday we had a noonsies lunch meeting with an organization named Food First http://www.foodfirst.org/ and discussed the possibility of developing the agricultural sector of a monumental project named the "HOPE collaborative" http://www.oaklandfoodandfitness.net/
to create a network of urban farms headed by farmers from our project to develop the "food shed" around Oakland. In addition we were offered an opportunity to write a book and have it published by our veteran farmers explaining their experiences transitioning from soldiers to farmers.
Six hours after the meeting we had a 2100 dinner meeting with a Neem Pesticide salesman in Los Angeles. I grew Neems in Niger, they are an introduced species from India and have a gazillion useful purposes from food, fuel, construction, medicine,and forage
Another two and a half hours after this meeting we arrived to our final destination of the day at another veteran farmer who owns a greenhouse hydroponic basil and three acre organic avocado farm named Archi's Acres near San Diego at about 0030. (http://www.archisacres.com/)
After an all to brief slumber we gave a TV interview to a local news station in San Diego in the early morn' describing our project work and then had a meeting with the proprietors of Archi's Acres on some ideas how to best start training other veterans to become farmers.
Another four hours on the road after this last meeting Michael and I finally arrived to this little slice of paradise….many I can hear the ocean from inside the house!!
Though again tomorrow appears to be busy, my hind quarters are refusing to sit on anything that has wheels and a motor.
I'm pooped. Time for bed.
But worry not, I do have a few more items to add that are in final draft mode and will be posted soon.
If I had a mando, I would jam :-(
Where the hell is….
Well I'll tell ya.
As of today I have finished a eighteen day road trip taking running me ragged up and down the California coast, today we finally arrived to our long term destination.
Esconedo Baja Mexico.
I am staying on a six mile long, by quarter mile wide peninsula about twenty miles south of the city of Esconedo with the head honcho of the farmer veteran coalition Michael O'Gorman.
Covering many miles, and meeting with many folk along the way for official FVC business we tumble-weeded down the California coastline on Tuesday had meetings at Sword's to Plowshares in San Francisco to discuss veteran case management/funding . (in the same neighborhood that my mando was stolen) :-( www.swords-to-plowshares.org
That night I stayed in the hipster mission district with my good friend Joey Braccio who is also a former Peace Corps volunteer and sudsy swilling cohort who recently moved to San Fran.
On Wednesday we had a noonsies lunch meeting with an organization named Food First http://www.foodfirst.org/ and discussed the possibility of developing the agricultural sector of a monumental project named the "HOPE collaborative" http://www.oaklandfoodandfitness.net/
to create a network of urban farms headed by farmers from our project to develop the "food shed" around Oakland. In addition we were offered an opportunity to write a book and have it published by our veteran farmers explaining their experiences transitioning from soldiers to farmers.
Six hours after the meeting we had a 2100 dinner meeting with a Neem Pesticide salesman in Los Angeles. I grew Neems in Niger, they are an introduced species from India and have a gazillion useful purposes from food, fuel, construction, medicine,and forage
Another two and a half hours after this meeting we arrived to our final destination of the day at another veteran farmer who owns a greenhouse hydroponic basil and three acre organic avocado farm named Archi's Acres near San Diego at about 0030. (http://www.archisacres.com/)
After an all to brief slumber we gave a TV interview to a local news station in San Diego in the early morn' describing our project work and then had a meeting with the proprietors of Archi's Acres on some ideas how to best start training other veterans to become farmers.
Another four hours on the road after this last meeting Michael and I finally arrived to this little slice of paradise….many I can hear the ocean from inside the house!!
Though again tomorrow appears to be busy, my hind quarters are refusing to sit on anything that has wheels and a motor.
I'm pooped. Time for bed.
But worry not, I do have a few more items to add that are in final draft mode and will be posted soon.
If I had a mando, I would jam :-(
Saturday, November 8, 2008
SB Day +2
Scum Bag Day +2.
As you all know after these last two recent blog postings my heart was broken when my mandolin was stolen.
Though its getting easier to accept, I'm not giving up without a fight.
Today I contacted every pawn shop,music store, and dealer and left the general info and contact # Expectantly the pawn shops are anesthetized and unfazed by stolen property, but the music shops wanted to tar and feather the scum bag.
I also contacted my good friends at Picker's Supply and told them what happened and they were in disbelief, and then offered to sell me another mando at a extremely cut rate if I wished to replace the old one.
I'm down but not out.
Currently in Petaluma, tonight we are all going to an awards dinner honoring one of the FVC members for her service striving towards peace.
ok, I've been traveling all day and sitting in this fine park with wireless service in down town Petaluma long enough that my toes tingle. Time to go have a pint, and walk awkwardly until the pins and needles subside.
As you all know after these last two recent blog postings my heart was broken when my mandolin was stolen.
Though its getting easier to accept, I'm not giving up without a fight.
Today I contacted every pawn shop,music store, and dealer and left the general info and contact # Expectantly the pawn shops are anesthetized and unfazed by stolen property, but the music shops wanted to tar and feather the scum bag.
I also contacted my good friends at Picker's Supply and told them what happened and they were in disbelief, and then offered to sell me another mando at a extremely cut rate if I wished to replace the old one.
I'm down but not out.
Currently in Petaluma, tonight we are all going to an awards dinner honoring one of the FVC members for her service striving towards peace.
ok, I've been traveling all day and sitting in this fine park with wireless service in down town Petaluma long enough that my toes tingle. Time to go have a pint, and walk awkwardly until the pins and needles subside.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Making lemonade
SB Day plus 1 (SB=scum bag)
Woke up crying, walked to hallway called Cat, balled, talked to mom, balled, sister, balled, matt, balled.
Them too.
Contacted police department swam like a seagull in Prince William Sound, but the muck cleared.
Received all the pawn shop names/numbers and will be contacting them tomorrow.
To keep my mind off the crime, I had to stay busy, and it actually turned out to be a good day while active, while alone/driving, the emotions stirred
Each time I move to a new location I sense a part of me left behind.
Had a wonderful lunch at Swanton Berry Farms, then went to the CASFS program and caught up with a couple of the 2nd year apprentices I met on my trip in August.
Then attended a meeting and bounced around some ideas with others.
I miss the ole' General terribly, here I'm misty eyed.
But there's hope the police are searching, I'm being proactive, and generous others whom hardly know me have offered help to acquire a mandolin, its impossible to replace.
Even walked into a music store, told the tale, glanced at the mandolins at a distance and left them misty eyed, and willing to offer one hell of a deal.
I even contacted the music store back in Fredricksburg VA at Pickers Supply and spoke with them, equally heartbroken.
Note** you do not get their kind of attention when ordering instruments online.**
All in all, things are progressing, today was good day. As always Santa Cruz is an exceptional place to find myself wayfaring for a while.
Oh, and I forgot, we visited an urban farm ran exclusively back homeless persons.
Darn do good hippy California.:-)
Woke up crying, walked to hallway called Cat, balled, talked to mom, balled, sister, balled, matt, balled.
Them too.
Contacted police department swam like a seagull in Prince William Sound, but the muck cleared.
Received all the pawn shop names/numbers and will be contacting them tomorrow.
To keep my mind off the crime, I had to stay busy, and it actually turned out to be a good day while active, while alone/driving, the emotions stirred
Each time I move to a new location I sense a part of me left behind.
Had a wonderful lunch at Swanton Berry Farms, then went to the CASFS program and caught up with a couple of the 2nd year apprentices I met on my trip in August.
Then attended a meeting and bounced around some ideas with others.
I miss the ole' General terribly, here I'm misty eyed.
But there's hope the police are searching, I'm being proactive, and generous others whom hardly know me have offered help to acquire a mandolin, its impossible to replace.
Even walked into a music store, told the tale, glanced at the mandolins at a distance and left them misty eyed, and willing to offer one hell of a deal.
I even contacted the music store back in Fredricksburg VA at Pickers Supply and spoke with them, equally heartbroken.
Note** you do not get their kind of attention when ordering instruments online.**
All in all, things are progressing, today was good day. As always Santa Cruz is an exceptional place to find myself wayfaring for a while.
Oh, and I forgot, we visited an urban farm ran exclusively back homeless persons.
Darn do good hippy California.:-)
A turn of events
This trip has been an ultimate disaster.
I have little other news to offer, this is how it all played out.
Since leaving Charlottesville a few short days ago my life, dreams, and heart have been ultimately shattered into thousands of tiny jagged pieces. Immediately this trip has been filled with gloom, on my way to CA I fell ill, missed my flight and was charged $400 extra to get to my destination thus depleting my last monetary resources in the world and now have .55$ in my account.
On election day, the day of days, I felt such an overwhelming exuberance that the possibility for real change was at our finger tips, the new era in American history was unfolding before us. I'm merely doing my part. Call it chronic volunteerism.
So after the flight mishap and staying in Long Beach, I walked with my heavy bags a couple miles to the bus station when I arrived and reached into my back pocket searching for my wallet, it was gone. This loss cost me my identification, (passport) etc as well as Personal documents, and the last remnants of cash reserves left other than my bank account.
Africa Redux. Backpack is there too! I hate bags with wheels, that's tourist shit.
But its okay, I know being broke its not out of the ordinary, but with optimism in reserves I knew I'll get more money, ID's can always be replaced.
Wait, it gets worse.
This morning I had a meeting with the FVC and learned the organization has had some steps forward and some steps back, but its on its way to hoof'n forward. I just prefer to hit the ground running.
Wait, it gets worse.
Tonight we attended the annual conference for Swords to Plowshares and after making great connections, enjoying fantastic food, and working for the opportunity to secure funding for my horticulture program I left the event quite optimistic of a future for our organization.
Though my pockets were empty my heart was filled with hope with a positive future.
As we returned to our car walking through the concrete corridors of San Francisco we arrived to the parking spot and was immediately stricken with despair as I saw the chards of broken glass glistening in the street lights from what was once the back window to our car.
Luckily two of my bags were still in the car after a concerned citizen frightened the thief into dropping two of my bags and waited there until officers arrived to file a report and leaving me a note, but the damage was done. My mandolin was gone.
If you know me, spent some time with me, or are a regular reader than you know my immense satisfaction taken away from playing music. My beautiful mandolin was a gift I bought for myself after serving in Niger. I’m a musician, and though I have no plans to make a living playing music, its how I get through life. Sad, I play, Happy, I jam. Euphoric I dance-play-and relish in the self taught ability to create music entirely heart felt with others.
But now what do I do?
My heart is utterly broken. How can I replace an instrument I spent years dreaming and saving for, months shopping and researching every store in Virginia and online internationally. The single thing that gives me the greatest pleasure and excitement in my life has been taken from me, and for what?
Some evil bastard that has no appreciation for the countless hours spent practicing, and playing, or appreciates the craftsmanship of a fine instrument, or the what it takes…whatever.
God, my heart is entirely broken.
Tomorrow I head to Santa Cruz, I'm stopping by the horticulture program and going to do my best to assure my place in the program and pick up the pieces from there.
I'll be fine, money, ID's and personal papers can be replaced but not the object that reflects a large part of my soul with others.
As they say its "gut check" time and its time to pick myself up and keep persevering, but, but….
Damn this turn of events.
If karma catches this scum on the street I hope it secures the parasite a certain place in one of Dante's rings of purgatory. Then I'll do the good thing and forgive him, but it won't bring back my joy.
Be well everyone, and don't worry, my glass will be half full again and you can be rest assured by the time you have read this I have started treading on the hard path towards recovery and already making a new batch of lemonade.
Be well
I have little other news to offer, this is how it all played out.
Since leaving Charlottesville a few short days ago my life, dreams, and heart have been ultimately shattered into thousands of tiny jagged pieces. Immediately this trip has been filled with gloom, on my way to CA I fell ill, missed my flight and was charged $400 extra to get to my destination thus depleting my last monetary resources in the world and now have .55$ in my account.
On election day, the day of days, I felt such an overwhelming exuberance that the possibility for real change was at our finger tips, the new era in American history was unfolding before us. I'm merely doing my part. Call it chronic volunteerism.
So after the flight mishap and staying in Long Beach, I walked with my heavy bags a couple miles to the bus station when I arrived and reached into my back pocket searching for my wallet, it was gone. This loss cost me my identification, (passport) etc as well as Personal documents, and the last remnants of cash reserves left other than my bank account.
Africa Redux. Backpack is there too! I hate bags with wheels, that's tourist shit.
But its okay, I know being broke its not out of the ordinary, but with optimism in reserves I knew I'll get more money, ID's can always be replaced.
Wait, it gets worse.
This morning I had a meeting with the FVC and learned the organization has had some steps forward and some steps back, but its on its way to hoof'n forward. I just prefer to hit the ground running.
Wait, it gets worse.
Tonight we attended the annual conference for Swords to Plowshares and after making great connections, enjoying fantastic food, and working for the opportunity to secure funding for my horticulture program I left the event quite optimistic of a future for our organization.
Though my pockets were empty my heart was filled with hope with a positive future.
As we returned to our car walking through the concrete corridors of San Francisco we arrived to the parking spot and was immediately stricken with despair as I saw the chards of broken glass glistening in the street lights from what was once the back window to our car.
Luckily two of my bags were still in the car after a concerned citizen frightened the thief into dropping two of my bags and waited there until officers arrived to file a report and leaving me a note, but the damage was done. My mandolin was gone.
If you know me, spent some time with me, or are a regular reader than you know my immense satisfaction taken away from playing music. My beautiful mandolin was a gift I bought for myself after serving in Niger. I’m a musician, and though I have no plans to make a living playing music, its how I get through life. Sad, I play, Happy, I jam. Euphoric I dance-play-and relish in the self taught ability to create music entirely heart felt with others.
But now what do I do?
My heart is utterly broken. How can I replace an instrument I spent years dreaming and saving for, months shopping and researching every store in Virginia and online internationally. The single thing that gives me the greatest pleasure and excitement in my life has been taken from me, and for what?
Some evil bastard that has no appreciation for the countless hours spent practicing, and playing, or appreciates the craftsmanship of a fine instrument, or the what it takes…whatever.
God, my heart is entirely broken.
Tomorrow I head to Santa Cruz, I'm stopping by the horticulture program and going to do my best to assure my place in the program and pick up the pieces from there.
I'll be fine, money, ID's and personal papers can be replaced but not the object that reflects a large part of my soul with others.
As they say its "gut check" time and its time to pick myself up and keep persevering, but, but….
Damn this turn of events.
If karma catches this scum on the street I hope it secures the parasite a certain place in one of Dante's rings of purgatory. Then I'll do the good thing and forgive him, but it won't bring back my joy.
Be well everyone, and don't worry, my glass will be half full again and you can be rest assured by the time you have read this I have started treading on the hard path towards recovery and already making a new batch of lemonade.
Be well
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
ITS TIME!!!!
I'm sure you all are feeling the same sentiment, thank god the election is finally here.
In about half an hour I am going to walk to the bus station and hop the Amtrak to San Diego where I am meeting up with Michael O'Gorman who founded the Farmers Veteran Coalition to watch the election. I'm not exactly certain where we are going to watch the results, but where ever it is the entire day will be euphoric.
I never thought the day would come when the bush regime finally came to an end, and now hopefully on this historic day we will all chose to usher a new era of American history.
change, recovery and progress, are these such terrible things to ask for?
May god forgive you if didn't vote.
OBAMA! OBAMA! OBAMA!
In about half an hour I am going to walk to the bus station and hop the Amtrak to San Diego where I am meeting up with Michael O'Gorman who founded the Farmers Veteran Coalition to watch the election. I'm not exactly certain where we are going to watch the results, but where ever it is the entire day will be euphoric.
I never thought the day would come when the bush regime finally came to an end, and now hopefully on this historic day we will all chose to usher a new era of American history.
change, recovery and progress, are these such terrible things to ask for?
May god forgive you if didn't vote.
OBAMA! OBAMA! OBAMA!
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