LOCAL JEANIUS.
Recently Hannah and I found ourselves in the 12 South area of Nashville and decided to stop by imogene + willie. For the uninitiated, i + w is a store that specializes in hand-crafted raw denim jeans and shirts––many of which are produced right in their in-store workshop. They source their denim from their hometown of Henderson, Kentucky, and take the idea of heritage very seriously. Everything from the design of their clothing to smart details of their aesthetic make it an inspiring place to visit, and we'd been wanting to stop by for some time now.So why were two poor farmers torturing themselves in a place whose jeans regularly sell for over $250 a pair? Although this might be controversial, put simply: we believed they might be worth the money.Let's be clear - we cannot afford anything but the cabin at the moment, or anytime soon really. And we are not necessarily advocating spending hundreds of dollars on a pair of jeans. But for a couple of people who seek quality in everything they buy––from our food to our garden tools to our clothing––buying a heavy-duty pair of denim jeans that could last for several years has its appeal.On the farm, we can absolutely blow through clothes. Be it from crawling on our hands and knees through the garden, or getting caught on briars in the pasture, half of our wardrobe is usually shredded by season's end. This is why (or because) 90% of what we own is from Goodwill. But we were inspired/convicted by this post by Kate in defense of buying new things in which she wrote: "It is an investment in the artist, or in the American company that is keeping Americans employed. It is an investment for yourself in shoes that will carry you through 30 winters, or a blanket to keep you and your husband warm. It is an investment in your country and your fellow countrymen." Instead of heading to the mall or Walmart, wouldn't the most resposible act be to, when appropriate, buy the nicest form of whatever it is you need from local artisans? To purchase clothing that will last and leave you better protected? And to possess less clothing in general by only investing in the most well-made of goods? It may not be something within our means at the moment, but it's an idea deeply in line with our convictions as environmentalists––which we farmers are by trade––as supporters of small businesses and artisans, and as people who put their clothing to work.Clothing, like food, is an agricultural product; it still has a great effect on the environment and our health. Although food is our first priority, clothing shouldn't necessarily be far behind. Local, raw, organic––these are labels equally applicable to both subjects.And who knows, imogene + willie might or might not be the place for us to make that kind of investment, but it was an admittedly nice environment to go think about it.- Jesse.
photo from i + w blog
WENDELL WEDNESDAY.
One of the best things about living in Nashville this winter has been the amazing little pet store a few blocks from our house. Wags & Whiskers is a local holistic pet food and supply shop. We buy our dog food there, but it is also just a fun place to take Wendell while we are out on a walk.
We have been wanting to give Wendell a bath for a long time now, but the thought of chasing him around the backyard with a garden hose just wasn't super appealing. When we found out that Wags & Whiskers had a self-service dog washing station - we were pretty excited. They even had a giant, Wendell-sized tub! The shop provided the shampoo, aprons, scrub brushes, towels - everything we needed.
Wendell did so well! He was a little nervous walking up the ramp to the tub, but he stood still for the entire bath....I think he even enjoyed it! He was so fluffy and clean on the walk home - just in time for his ELEVEN MONTH birthday today! Can you believe it? What happened to this little guy?- Hannah.
WINE SHOPPING.
With the overwhelming quantity of work ahead of us back in Bugtussle, it's hard not to be at the farm right now. But the reality is - we have our cabin money (CONTINUED THANK YOU'S!), just no real money to live on, thus our little sojourn to Nashville. We'll try and earn enough cash over the holidays so, come February or thereabouts, when we head back to the farm, we can stay put. For keeps. That's the goal, and so far so good!As Hannah mentioned a few days ago, I'm doing some shifts at a great local wine shop called Woodland Wine Merchant here in the city. I worked there almost two years ago over the winter and the owner, Will, offered me some holiday work which I couldn't pass up.Their selection is wonderful, on par with any big city wine shop and in many cases, better. Beyond their expansive selection of items like bitters and amaro, they carry much of what got me into farming in the first place: natural, organic, and biodynamic wines. It is deeply satisfying to turn people onto these wines, wines I believe in and stand behind, from farmers I wish to support. So although it's a bummer on nice days to not be on the farm at the moment, it's nice to feel good about the work I'm doing, and the shop I'm helping.So if you're in Nashville, stop by! We'll talk shop and I'll introduce you to some of my favorite people (the staff) and favorite health tonics (the wines).À votre santé, as they say in French––to your health.- Jesse.
(photo courtesy of Woodland Wine Merchant)
A ROOF!
We have one!
Also, we are officially in Nashville for the winter (even though it was SEVENTY FIVE DEGREES yesterday....what.) Jesse is working at his old stomping ground Woodland Wine Merchant and I am on the lookout for some holiday work as well. We are going to be making some extra money, traveling back and forth to Bugtussle to insulate and finish the exterior of the cabin, and enjoying one last hoorah of living in the land of electricity and coffee shops. And showers....oh how I've missed you, showers.- Hannah.