21 tomatoes ready for their second transplant.
Another 20 tomatoes, a bit smaller than the others.
A few herbs, lettuce and one Roma tomato
Growing up a second round of lettuce transplants. The first round is outdoors already.
Basil and eggplant. The basil is VERY reluctant to grow this year.
Peppers, peppers, peppers.
Growing sweet potato slips
Larger sweet potato slips transplanted into dirt tonight.
I haven’t felt at all like writing or taking pictures lately. I recently read Michael Bunker‘s book Surviving Off-Off Grid: Decolonizing the Industrial Mind and although I definitely already leaned towards thinking like the author, it has nonetheless been weighing very heavily on me.
I don’t just think it would be fun to have a bigger yard and some chickens. I don’t just want to move out of town to a small acreage to recreate the home of my youth. It’s stronger than WANT or simple desire. I am DRIVEN by the all-encompassing internal REQUIREMENT that I cannot continue living an unsustainable city life, and that it is wrong for my family. I am driven by the full knowledge that my sons NEED what they can only get with the freedom of the country.
Let’s go to Luckenbach, Texas
With Waylon and Willie and the boys
This successful life we’re livin’
Got us feuding like the Hatfields and McCoys
Between Hank Williams’ pain songs and
Newberry’s train songs and Blue Eyes Cryin’ in the Rain
Out in Luckenbach, Texas ain’t nobody feelin’ no painSo baby, let’s sell your diamond ring
Buy some boots and faded jeans and go away
This coat and tie is choking me
In your high society you cry all day
We’ve been so busy keepin’ up with the Jones
Four car garage and we’re still building on
Maybe it’s time we got back to the basics of love
Jimmy Cracked Corn 
Posted by Mike on April 14, 2011 at 6:46 am
Your tomatoes look great. Thanks for the information on the book you are reading, it sounds like something I would be interested in and I will have to check it out. You might enjoy reading “10 Acres Is Enough” by Edmund Morris if you have not already done so. It is about a familiy that abandoned the stresses of city life to start over in the country. It was written in the mid 1800’s but I found it to be a very inspiring and applicable to today’s issues nonetheless.
Posted by Jimmy Cracked-Corn on April 14, 2011 at 7:19 am
Mike, the book is a real eye-opener. I had read the one you recommend about a year ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. I would recommend it to everyone as well. The bit I didn’t like about “Ten Acres” was that the author was basically inventing confined feeding operations for his livestock. Other than that, it was just awesome. I hope that when I make the big move I land on 10 acres, but I would settle for 2.
Posted by Armenius the Hermit on April 29, 2011 at 3:53 pm
My two kids were born out here in the mountains. As soon as they were able, they left for the city. My son comes back to visit but my daughter detests the rural life. It was a good place for them when they were young, though.
I have plenty of land, and I wish I could give you some chickens. I started out with two roosters and three hens in 1999. Now I have about 50 free range chickens. Plenty of chicken and eggs, but they sure are noisy bunch, especially an hour before sun up.
Posted by Jimmy Cracked-Corn on April 30, 2011 at 12:50 pm
Thank you for the kind message Armenius. I really appreciate the vote of confidence! I have been looking at properties lately, trying to find a decent home on an acreage that I can afford while simultaneously allowing my wife to quit working. If we have 10 acres, an orchard, chickens and a big garden she’s going to need to stay home to help get everything done.
It’s frustrating to see, upon close examination, just why we have needed her income up to this point. Even if I find a home with a $300 mortgage payment and low property taxes, the seemingly necessary luxuries in life eat up so much more money! Having a used car costs about $400 a month after gas, insurance, etc. Health insurance costs at least $400 a month for a low-end plan that doesn’t pay much. Both of those are more than the mortgage! It’s frustrating, but I believe we’ll find a way.
Posted by Armenius the Hermit on April 30, 2011 at 4:57 pm
It does take money to live, no doubt of it. I have to pay property taxes, not a lot in comparison to some folks but still hard to part with every year. Income tax, car tags, propane, food, diesel, clothing, medicine, and on and on. I understand exactly what you are saying. If one partner doesn’t have a job with medical insurance, you are really up the creek. The further out you get, the harder it is to find work. But I’m willing to bet that if you stick with it and keep looking, something will turn up. I’ve always managed to hold body and soul together although there have been times when it was touch and go.
Posted by Tasty Travels on May 14, 2011 at 12:04 am
Wow! Tomatoes look good!