WHAT WE'RE READING.
//// Links we are loving this week ////
ONE: Our friends over at Bootjack Cabin up in Michigan just returned to their off-the-grid cabin after a short trip out of town to find the place in need of some emergency repairs: "Living off the grid isn’t easy, and it is important to take pleasure in the hardships whenever possible."
TWO: The venerable Mark Bittman with another great post about America and our lawn obsession: "Nor are lawns simply benign: many common lawn chemicals are banned in other countries, because most if not all are toxic in a variety of ways. My guess is that 100 years from now, lawns will be about as common as Hummers."THREE: Sustainable Kentucky recently went to see a movie that sounds right up our alley...or would it be river... Wonder: The lives of Anna and Harlan Hubbard. FOUR: 30 Rock ends tonight....blerg! NPR has a great article on why Liz Lemon/Tina Fey is truly the best.FIVE: Beautiful photography and lots of inspiration for faaaaar down the road when we are decorating our little cabin - this tumblr is definitely an internet black hole of awesomeness....once you fall in you may wake up hours later, wondering where the time went.- Hannah & Jesse.
image from indoors / outdoors
WENDELL WEDNESDAY.
It was like springtime here in Nashville yesterday, so we got a lot of work done with the cedar shake project. Wendell was a big help, as always.- Hannah.
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
A REAL ADDRESS!
I just got a phone call from Monroe County Mapping telling us that we now have an official address! At first it didn't seem like a big deal, but as I started saying the number over and over in my head, trying to lock it into memory, I realized that that is home. I can think of at least 9 different addresses I have had in the past...three of those just within this last year! That is a lot of addresses to remember. But this new number- it is our address - not my parents address, not an apartment or a rented piece of land - it is forever. We are so happy to have a real home for Rough Draft Farmstead - 992 Rack Creek Road, Gamaliel, KY, 42140. But don't rush out and send us any mail just yet....we have to build ourselves a mailbox first!- Hannah