A Mosaic Life

Moving is like smashing a mirror of your life then placing them back together as neat as possible.

I think when you move think of it like a mosaic art project.

Why not make the pieces in your life an art piece?

For a kid, its devastating to leave friends, yet invigorating to make new ones…….
…..adults, its new work, home settling and neighbors…….
....For a dog it would be difficult to conceptualize the complexities of say' Agadez the Super Pups thoughts but…….they would probably be something like……
Squirrel!!, squirrel!!!, squirrel!!!

Alas for me.

It means rediscovering everything I own in the world and functionally packing a 91 Chevy step-side/short bed truck with a custom wood box encapsulating my life along with a 60 lb puppy and enough bedding to bundle up in the truck on cold nights.

Like a Transformer "Autobot" when all packed, my truck "Red Fred" metamorph's into a brutal road assault vehicle aptly named "The Hobo Hatchback"

The cargo bay is packing bicycles (2), computer, tool box, farm tools, clothes, books, instruments, desk, office chair, 50lbs of dog food, cooler, kitchen ware, and various automotive fluids.

My arsenal for survival is my bow and arrow from childhood, a big harvest knife!, a 30-30 lever action rifle, and 6 quilts my grandmothers have made for me…..I even have two collections with me…all my rocks and minerals, along with my xmas ornaments since childhood. ……
………...just incase I have to hole up in a Cave and spruce it up.

I had no Idea I had so much stuff!
Yet it all packs down so nicely.

Currently I am in Minnesota to pick up more stuff, (mainly winter gear), recharge, and start the westward trail Thursday morning towards Nevada.

Seems I am going to farm in the desert once again.

Minnesota didn't pan out, right people, right project, wrong timing.

Starting a farm at this stage was unfeasible in timing and funding.
No, no…No spilled milk, the project is moving forward, will open, but the funding and timing just didn’t come along at the same pace.

Bummer.

However, I am signing up for a project equally exciting, challenging, funded, and actually up and running.

The farm is called Hungry Mother Organics based out of Carson City.

This is the 3rd year of production and is operated by a former Peace Corps/Army/Farmer Veteran on a 5 acre farm inside a prison. The farm produces plant starts, fresh veggies, and uses incarcerated inmates for a little work. They depend heavily on greenhouse and high tunnel production.

This year they are starting a retail center for produce, plants, tools and such and are working to make this center both substantive in food production as well as educational.

The farm on the prison has a river, Sierra Nevada mountains, and a herd of wild mustangs roaming the vast terrain. Not bad for a back yard eh?

Hungry Mother also has access to another wonderful 200 acre farm about 15 minutes out of town that is planned for village-farm development; complete with housing, organic land, good soil, unlimited water, mountains, trails and huge herd of deer…hence the rifle!

Best case scenario this year I get a grip on production, marketing, and overall farm planning, next year I really lay into doing exactly what I was going to do in Minnesota.

Even better case scenario is I put my wanderlust to rest.
My 3 year Omnivore's Odyssey is finally coming to an end.
A chapter of my life is closing, a new one begins.

My new life will be in proximity to Tahoe, Reno, the Mountains, and 2 hours away from the FVC Davis office.

One could say all the perks of California, without living in it.

Perfect.

A most rewarding opportunity to end my global farm and food apprenticeship.
Now its time to start putting the lessons to work.

This is cross country trip number 2 in less than two months.
Ah, Life.

Agadez says hi.

Niger, News of the Weird.

ANGRY bees attacked villagers in southwestern Niger, putting more than 40 in hospital and killing livestock

Gotta Love News from Niger.

The bees swarmed into Dake-Garka village after a gust of wind broke the tree branch that had held their nest for more than half a century, sending panic-stricken people fleeing into the bush, radio reports said.

More than 40 villagers, including 14 children, were admitted to emergency wards of the regional hospital in Birni-N’Konni, it said.

A horse and a donkey died of stings while 95 goats and sheep were left paralysed.

Hours after the invasion, many residents were still afraid to return to their bee-besieged homes, village head Chaibou Abdoulkarim told Anfani.

Our first FVC event, A quick film.

Hi guys, wanted to share this.
Cliff Figallo our media coordinator make this video for youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1UpXV3Q4jQ
copy and paste this address to watch.

I am shown in it a few times and speak briefly.
It was the first time I ever considered myself a veteran.

Wow how many things have changed since that time.
I love what I do!!

Our food and farming career fair was a smash success!
over 160 veterans came for the event.

Agadez the super pup was awesome.

We spent today in Sonoma County at a very swanky and horticultural paradise for a barrel tasting. It was beyond amazing.I even made freinds with the head farmer.
Brilliant stuff.

WEll I'm flying back to MO for about a month, coming back out to CA in the late of the month for a competive award. I'm making a project to hire vets on our farm and to use the funds to give them a 1,000$ stipend per month while covering room and board.

Can you believe I picked up 5 vets to come and work!!!
So pumped!

Cheers