Reading List

Everything I'm trying to read this term, some for class, some not...

But especially important are books to prepare me to go to AUSTRALIA in the fall!!!

Personal food policy

As a way of introducing ourselves on the first day of class, my Food Policy professor asked us all to submit a powerpoint slide of our personal food policy. He described the assignment as:

"What is your personal food policy?"

First, your definition of policy should be: "The set of rules you follow
to achieve a set of outcomes"

Second, you should decide on three prongs of your personal food policy
as well as three outcomes you'd like to achieve. The more specific the
better.

My response was:

•1) I want to know what I’m eating.

Goal: Not put things into my body that are potentially harmful or toxic; be healthy.

•2) I eat “local” food when I can, i.e. I know the farmer who produced it or can easily track it

Goal: As I want to BE a sustainable farmer, I want to support them. I want to eat food that was produced in a way I agree with.

•3) I eat things that taste good.

Goal: Personal happiness. Even if it is good for me, if it isn’t prepared in a way that I find appetizing, I don’t see the point.

What is your personal food policy? This really got me to solidify what aspect of the food movement are the most important to me.

Tid-bits from the weekend in Vermont

MUD SEASON is in full swing up in Vermont.

Stacks of woods outside the sugar house at Turkey Hill Farm

Sap buckets at Turkey Hill

Henry's sweet lil forehead!

All in all, a nice weekend. As we left this morning, there were snowy clouds blowing in, and we had to contend with some sketchy road conditions.

Contain

Found this cute bowl in Somerville, the tiny tin at Black Ink, and the little fruit boxes were made by my grandma!

Printing Final

Here are my final 5 images from printmaking!

I had a lot to choose from, but here are the 5 I am showing to the class.

I used monoprint for the backround, puzzle woodblocks for the mountains, and lino block for the tree.

My "ideal" stable one.

More experimental

Drippin'... experimental. Still using all the same elements.

My apocalypse-ish one.

Experiments

Studied 7 hours today for my stats final tomorrow, mostly done with my final printmaking project...

Almost there.

Etchings

Collapse

Beet the System: Grow the Food Revolution

The finished product! 5 layers of ink, stenciled silkscreen.

Counting 20 years of blessings

Yesterday I turned 20! I had a really nice day filled with friends and relaxation. Today I am just happy to be. Tomorrow is the last day of classes for this term, which wasn't especially great. While I am a little stressed about my exams coming up later this week, the sun is shining it is nice out for the first time in what feels like forever. I am remembering all the little things that have kept me going through the dreary winter, some of which I keep in this little box my sister Hannah gave to me for Christmas.

Knowing my love for Wendell Berry, she put this quote on it: "Whether we and our politicians know it or not, Nature is party to all our deals and decisions, and she has more votes, a longer memory, and a sterner sense of justice than we do."

One of my favorites, and it reminds me what I am fighting for in this lifetime. She also cheekily put chickens on it, knowing me aversion to birds, but also reminding me of the fears I have been working to get over! Those older sisters really know how to get you :) Inside this box I keep things that inspire me, for those days when all I want to do is be playing in the dirt but instead have to go to statistics class.
Quotes given to me by my sister Lindsey. A postcard from my sister Hannah with "Life is to be felt, not just figured out" and on the other side a note that reads "This quote made me think of you and your future. I know you'll just do your thang and follow your heart". A note from my brother Stew saying "I hope you can start planning out your own 'bit of earth' with this notebook!". Ticket stubs. A picture of Erin to remind me that every day is precious, if my 'e' isn't enough. Pictures of veggies, eggs, farming.
And then of course there is the slight plucking sound from the next room of my friend Alyssa and her banjo. Music has been great lately, with me and my friend Anna (and her ukelele) performing at an open mic last Friday as United Plaid (Local 309).

I've been watching That '70s Show on Netflix Instant lately, and this quote made me laugh out loud:

Bob: Well if you really wanted to cheer her up, you should have gotten her a banjo!

Red: A banjo, Bob?!

Bob: Yeah, you can't hold a banjo and NOT smile!

Work in Progress

Silkscreening with stencils, for my printmaking class. 4 of the 5 layers down!