http://pingswept.org/2008/04/05/the-doctrine-of-the-farm/ Taking the zen out of citizen journalism since the 1900's Fri, 21 Nov 2008 05:09:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 http://pingswept.org/2008/04/05/the-doctrine-of-the-farm/#comment-35501 Mom Thu, 24 Apr 2008 01:56:21 +0000 http://pingswept.org/2008/04/05/the-doctrine-of-the-farm/#comment-35501 Today I experienced an example of what you say. We pay someone to do a "spring cleaning" in our yard. Our children used to do it, but alas, they grew up and now they write blogs instead of raking up our yard. Anyway, the yard guys came and rode around on their machines for a while, thatching the lawn as they spewed out lime, corn gluten meal (we're at least trying!) and various pollutants. Two weeks later (today), the lawn looked terrible. There were areas of matted grass all over the place, and the potential new growth couldn't get enough light to become actual. I went out and spent the day raking - good old elbow creased, blister forming raking. It seems that the prevailing attitude is (1) pay someone else to do it, and (2) if you're the one being paid, get a machine to do it. It doesn't work, and it's more satisfying to do it yourself. And besides, it was a beautiful day to be out raking. Today I experienced an example of what you say. We pay someone to do a “spring cleaning” in our yard. Our children used to do it, but alas, they grew up and now they write blogs instead of raking up our yard. Anyway, the yard guys came and rode around on their machines for a while, thatching the lawn as they spewed out lime, corn gluten meal (we’re at least trying!) and various pollutants. Two weeks later (today), the lawn looked terrible. There were areas of matted grass all over the place, and the potential new growth couldn’t get enough light to become actual. I went out and spent the day raking - good old elbow creased, blister forming raking. It seems that the prevailing attitude is (1) pay someone else to do it, and (2) if you’re the one being paid, get a machine to do it. It doesn’t work, and it’s more satisfying to do it yourself. And besides, it was a beautiful day to be out raking.

]]> http://pingswept.org/2008/04/05/the-doctrine-of-the-farm/#comment-35488 Jerry Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:54:11 +0000 http://pingswept.org/2008/04/05/the-doctrine-of-the-farm/#comment-35488 quite. quite.

]]> http://pingswept.org/2008/04/05/the-doctrine-of-the-farm/#comment-35487 brandon.stafford Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:22:18 +0000 http://pingswept.org/2008/04/05/the-doctrine-of-the-farm/#comment-35487 An excellent point-- differentiating integrative value has always seemed like a fundamental calculus to me. An excellent point– differentiating integrative value has always seemed like a fundamental calculus to me.

]]> http://pingswept.org/2008/04/05/the-doctrine-of-the-farm/#comment-35485 Jerry Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:59:34 +0000 http://pingswept.org/2008/04/05/the-doctrine-of-the-farm/#comment-35485 Have you ever watched Martha Stewart? She's quite the proponent of workmanship--she'd smelt her own metal were it somehow conducive to cake decorating (I know what you're thinking, but the tip of her pastry tube is actually plastic made from corn that Martha hand-engineered and grew in a garden she fertilizes with her leavings). As rewarding as her perpetual renaissance seems, I know I'd never bake a cake were I pedantically purist enough to lay my own eggs. I suppose the trick is generalizing enough to remain in touch but efficient--to recognize the situation where one can offset educational overhead with integrative value and to differentiate it from the situation better served by a chicken. Have you ever watched Martha Stewart? She’s quite the proponent of workmanship–she’d smelt her own metal were it somehow conducive to cake decorating (I know what you’re thinking, but the tip of her pastry tube is actually plastic made from corn that Martha hand-engineered and grew in a garden she fertilizes with her leavings). As rewarding as her perpetual renaissance seems, I know I’d never bake a cake were I pedantically purist enough to lay my own eggs. I suppose the trick is generalizing enough to remain in touch but efficient–to recognize the situation where one can offset educational overhead with integrative value and to differentiate it from the situation better served by a chicken.

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