Life on the Farm - Enchanted Summer Celebration

A long hard day of farming is perfectly accompanied with a vivid imagination. All of those hours scooting along on my butt, pulling weeds and harvesting crops surely wouldn't be as much fun without it!! Actually having an imagination is always encouraged at the farm and I'm sure that's only part of why. The opening statement on the Fat Blossom website defines the farm's wondrous character perfectly, "Welcome to another year of growth, creativity, building, inspiration and reverence for the beauty of nature with Fat Blossom Farm!".

Over the next two weekends everyone will have the opportunity to come embrace the Fat Blossom spirit at the SUMMER ENCHANTED CELEBRATION. We will be celebrating the summer solstice by letting Mother Nature spark our vivid imaginations. Come walk the trails at the farm to discover gnome homes, hobbit habitats and fairy houses all along the way!! Everyone will have the opportunity to build their own "fairy house" with materials all foraged from the farm itself. We also have a children's garden, activity area and all sorts of fun places for a picnic; so pack a lunch and bring everyone out to Fat Blossom Farm this weekend!!

I love these guys.

When I first started at the farm, I kept saying I didn't know very much about hobbits, gnomes and fairies in regards to our "Enchanted" farm foraged fairy house/hobbit habitat kits. This was because I didn't grow up with those types of stories as a child, but I realized I wasn't digging deep enough. We were definitely a house that watched The Smurfs and I always think about them whenever I see a patch of mushrooms out in the yard. BAM! Then it hit me, I was enchanted.

What will your imagination build???

This festival is a great way to bring people out into nature and open their minds to all of the fun things that nature has to offer. Make it a family day, an adventurous date with someone special or just come by yourself for a little solitude and inspiration. Everyone is encouraged to take their time and truly enjoy an imaginative day on the farm. Attend the celebration the weekends of June 21st and June 28th, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm.

Even hobbits enjoy scenic overlooks!!

We are also graciously accepting any willing volunteers to help us with directing cars, admissions and keeping our visitors on the right paths as they tour the farm on foot. The Quincy's and those of us working at the farm would love to have you join us in the fun. All of the festival information is posted in the links below and I hope to see some familiar faces. Please feel free to contact the farm directly through their website, facebook page or me for any additional information. Let's get magical!!

Scotty J ~ "La La La La La La sing a happy song!!"

-Fat Blossom Farm-
-Summer Enchanted Celebration-

Take It All Off

After a long hard day of farming, I came home covered in dirt and sweat. I did a few things around the yard and eventually made my way inside for a necessary shower. Fresh and relaxed, I threw on some comfy clothes to enjoy the rest of my evening. As I sat here creating a playlist of music, I kept catching a musty waft from somewhere. It only took me a few minutes, but I realized it was my sweatshirt that stank.

Nobody loves it when they take a refreshing shower only to follow it up by drying off with a musty towel. That's exactly what this sweatshirt reminded me of, too. It was so terrible I took it off in a panic. It's musty essence had permeated my nostrils and just hung out in my nose, seemingly forever. For some reason this prompted me to take off everything else I was wearing too. I'm guessing I was afraid the mustiness would latch onto my other clothes.
Well so, that brings us to right now. Here I'm sitting, listening to music, typing on my computer, with a beautiful view of the lake and I'm stark fucking naked. That's right, I'm not wearing one single article of clothing. The sun is still shining, neighbors are floating by on their boats, stray dogs are chasing frogs along the shoreline and I'm just observing it all... casually nude. In all honesty, it feels glorious.

When did we get so offended by nudity? We actually put people in jail and label them as "sex offenders", due to a complete lack of clothing. Doesn't that just seem ridiculous?? Everything we experience in life happens from inside of our bodies. It is the vessel that literally contains LIFE, come on people!! What the hell are we doing?!?
Alright, so we can't be a nude human in front of other humans. That causes all sorts of anxiety and unnecessary feelings of inappropriateness, in itself. This leaves us with having to cover our bodies on a regular basis. Thus creating the same stupid emotions on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. In addition to those feelings, we now spend the bulk of our lives hiding from our own bodies under clothes that we feel insecure about. We forget what makes us beautifully human and this greatly limits our chances of being comfortable in our own skin.

Instead of slipping into something more comfortable, when you get home, take off everything. Then go ahead and slip into a glass of wine, a good book or your favorite show. Take back the confidence you were born with and embrace the outfit you've always been destined to wear. Just be careful of cooking bacon, grilling out, fishing, building a fire, drinking hot coffee and sharting. There are definitely some severe consequences to doing any of those things in the nude. Regardless, just rock what you've got... and rock the fuck out of it... you deserve it!!

Scotty J. ~ I'm definitely not wearing any pants.  

It Smells Like My Birth In Here

We were clipping down the road, going about sixty miles per hour. Suddenly, the Jeep Grand Cherokee made a hard (and very poorly calculated) right turn that took us over the curb. Due to the physics of the situation... we ended up on a forty-five degree angle traveling only on the driver's side wheels, heading straight for the woods. The driver then turned the wheel correcting the Jeep's balance, but it was already too late to safely guide us back to the road. CRAAAAAASSSSHHH!!! We smacked head-on into the one lonely maple that stood in the grass lot before the woods. I was riding shotgun, it happened in a matter of seconds and I was fifteen-and-a-half-years-old.
In that moment there was no time for being scared. The guys in the back seat had clobbered heads and one had their leg caught underneath my seat. The driver somehow came out of the accident unscathed. I didn't have time to think about how rough my body felt from the seat-belt saving my life. My friends were hurt and needed my help. I immediately took off my shirt, balled it around my hand and held it on my friend's cracked open skull. We all lived through that accident that day, but life was definitely different afterwards. There's no guarantees out there and we were lucky.

Sooo... It smells like my birth in here. That's right, I turned thirty-one today and I'm fucking loving it. It's certainly been a wild year, hasn't it? The last few months have been incredible and the last few weeks even more so. Life isn't just some random adventure - it is THE adventure. I may have never lived another day half a lifetime ago, but that wasn't in the cards that day. I'm here today with twice the experiences and slowly learning to be grateful for all of them.
Kurt Vonnegut wrote, "Maturity is a bitter disappointment for which no remedy exists, unless laughter could be said to remedy anything.", which is an eloquent way of saying - don't grow into an old crotchety fuck-face, you'll never get out alive. We always seem to laugh when we throw common courtesies out the window. There's something hilarious about childishly tormenting another human-being. We fart in public places, holler "grandma" at random old women, scare people out of their sleep, go split personality on a drive-thru worker (like they can't jizz in our food or anything...), greet canvassers in our undies, honk at people - then wave in the opposite direction, use a thumbs-up in place of a middle finger with a road-rager and make pregnancy uncomfortable for everyone. Good call, Kurt... good call.

Laughter and Love are roommates of the heart - or even better - Laughter is more like Love's wing-man. The two of them will always find their way when they're working together. Let this be your compass in life and never doubt the magic they create together. It's so perfectly.... human. Laugh with someone, let your hearts dance and embrace the adventure.

My night was spent with one important, beautiful and intelligent woman. Laughter has been a playground for our hearts and her company is my favorite present. It was perfectly capped off with a sunset pontoon ride while picnicking with pizza and wine. We both confessed we didn't want to be anywhere else. All of our days have been incredible like this.
Which reminds me, I need to get the fuck out of here. She's patiently waiting to share the night with me and I'm here chillin' with all of you. The only thing I've got is...  Laugh, Love and Live the life you deserve!! Thanks for the birthday love today from all of you. My heart is on fire... peace and love.

Scotty J. - "Just fucking laugh"

Life on the Farm - Seek to Understand

   Back in March, I followed my heart to a place called - Fat Blossom Farm. It's just a few miles from my home, nestled in the rolling hills of Allegan County. They are a young family working hard to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Not only are they growing and providing organic produce; they also offer an incredible line of "Enchanted" craft kits foraged right from the farm. Fortunately for me, they welcomed me with open-arms and brought me aboard.

What does your office look like?

   We set up a workstation in the greenhouse; where I immediately buried my hands into some fresh dirt and began planting seeds. I LOVE DIRT!! I haven't fact-checked this, but I'm apt to say that every natural living thing in the world eventually decomposes and returns to the earth. In that same earth we plant a seed and new life begins. It then grows, providing food and shelter for all sorts of creatures as the cycle continues. This is sometimes referred to as "the circle of life" (please do not cue the Elton John song) and dirt is at the bottom of it. After planting thousands of seeds, I eventually worked my way into the upper level of the barn.

It feels more like a sanctuary, than just a regular ol' barn.   

   It's to my understanding the barn has been in that same spot for around 140 years. The beams are hand hewn and notched. They are believed to be made from trees taken straight from the property, all of those years ago. The outside has been resided, but most of the original wood can be admired from the inside still. The moment I walked in, I could feel the spirits of the men that poured their sweat and blood into this awesome structure. I wondered who they were and thought about how I would have loved to help them build that barn.
   It's easy to imagine other people from the area back then, using their time and skills to help build a community. As I began tidying up the barn I pictured a banker, a pastor, a sheriff and fellow farmers all working together from start to finish. Each of them humble while they did what was right for their neighbor and fellow man. With a broom in my hand, I was swept away in my own imagination. Suddenly, something caught my attention and painted a smile across my face.

Brilliant!

   This framed poster was leaned up against a table in the barn. It didn't actually make a sound, but its silence spoke so damn loud! I took discovering it as a good omen and felt it was something that definitely needed to be shared. Here's what it says:

HOW TO BUILD COMMUNITY

TURN OFF YOUR TV, LEAVE YOUR HOUSE 

KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS

LOOK UP WHEN YOU ARE WALKING

GREET PEOPLE, SIT ON YOUR STOOP

PLANT FLOWERS

USE YOUR LIBRARY, PLAY TOGETHER

BUY FROM LOCAL MERCHANTS 

SHARE WHAT YOU HAVE 

HELP A LOST DOG 

TAKE CHILDREN TO THE PARK 

GARDEN TOGETHER 

SUPPORT NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS

 FIX IT EVEN IF YOU DIDN'T BREAK IT 

HAVE POT LUCKS, HONOR ELDERS 

PICK UP LITTER, READ STORIES ALOUD 

DANCE IN THE STREET 

TALK TO THE MAIL CARRIER 

LISTEN TO THE BIRDS, PUT UP A SWING 

HELP CARRY SOMETHING HEAVY

BARTER FOR YOUR GOODS 

START A TRADITION, ASK A QUESTION 

HIRE YOUNG PEOPLE FOR ODD JOBS 

ORGANIZE A BLOCK PARTY 

BAKE EXTRA AND SHARE 

ASK FOR HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT 

OPEN YOUR SHADES, SING TOGETHER 

SHARE YOUR SKILLS

TAKE BACK THE NIGHT 

TURN UP THE MUSIC 

TURN DOWN THE MUSIC 

LISTEN BEFORE YOU REACT TO ANGER 

MEDIATE A CONFLICT 

SEEK TO UNDERSTAND 

LEARN FROM NEW AND UNCOMFORTABLE ANGLES 

KNOW THAT NO ONE IS SILENT THOUGH MANY ARE NOT HEARD... 

WORK TO CHANGE THIS

   This brilliant list of values is an incredible reminder for all of us. Basically forcing us to ask ourselves, what are we doing to make our home (not house) an authentic and genuine place to be? We all have a chance to lead by example every single day. When we're inspired, we tend to pay-it-forward. Which in turn creates a positive vibration that forges some of the most rewarding relationships in our lifetime. When I mentioned "home" earlier I was referring to the old saying, "Home is where the heart is.", and that's what it takes to build a community... HEART. Love where you live and wear your heart on your sleeve.

Mark Boyle is the author of the Moneyless Manifesto (link at bottom of page).

   I came to Fat Blossom Farm this season to get educated about a forgotten way of life. Only a couple of generations ago, most families grew their own gardens. Keep in mind that the garden back then wasn't a hobby, but was grown for survival. Not doing so wasn't even a choice. Humans did this for thousands of years up until the last century. Now some of us actually waste up to 33% of the food we purchase!! Our access to food doesn't seem so convenient anymore, now does it??
   There is no doubt in my mind that letting someone else be in charge of the way we survive as humans, is a formula for catastrophe. I'm sharpening my skills on how to grow my own food and forage from the land, so I can share it with anyone else willing to learn. I believe if we solve our problems locally, we can eventually make a huge impact globally. The aesthetics of Panera Bread and Starbucks hardly compare to community garden plots. We need to change our priorities (I'm just starting, so can you!), we're better than this!! Let's use our hearts and BUILD OUR COMMUNITIES!!!

Neighbors.

   There are many extraordinary adventures to come in my future at Fat Blossom Farm. I started planting thousands of seeds when there was still snow on the ground. Now we have a ton of delicious varieties of produce growing from those seeds. Since the sun has been shining I've spent more time out on the forty-seven acres of rolling hills, woods, ponds, marshes and fields. It's an awesome piece of land with an awesome family tending to it. I'll have a lot to share, so please stay tuned and feel free to join me on this journey!!
 
Scotty J ~  "Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for life."

--Fat Blossom Farm--
--The Moneyless Manifesto-- (Really incredible video of Mark Boyle)

WE ARE VERY LUCKY

   I rose up out of my slumber this morning to an email from a very close friend. The subject line was blank and in it he simply wrote, "This changed me for the better. Check it out.", with a link to this awesome video (please watch before proceeding):

   That was, without a doubt, extremely fucking powerful. Asher Roth is a hip-hop artist out of Philly sharing this incredible message - WE ARE VERY LUCKY. We walk around this modern world and tend to forget this. We forget to feel the breath in our lungs and the hearts in our chests; we forget to feel alive; and we forget about everyone else who forgets about this too. Our everyday struggles are so small compared to the fact that we actually HAVE the life itself, to live each day. Like the song says though, "Someone's always caught up in the fast life.".
   My friend who sent me this faces that challenge regularly. He's a true family man. His gorgeous wife loves him unconditionally and the two of them have the absolute best behaved children on the planet. Everyone that comes into their home gets treated like family because they simply wouldn't have it any other way. However, something deep rooted in his past (well before starting his own family) haunts him every moment of everyday.
   Once his family gets to bed, he's left alone with his guilty conscience. He loses himself in the darkness, suppressing it with booze and cocaine. As the night turns to dawn; his guilt becomes regret and his self-value drops through the floor. It's followed up with a wicked hangover and severe anxiety for a couple of days. THIS is being caught up in the fast life. It has been going on for years now and he's finally reached a breaking point.

FRIENDSHIP.

   We've been friends since we were kids and confidants in all sorts of matters over the years. Honestly, he has helped lift some of the heaviest stones off of my chest. I know all about his gloomy past and self-deprecating actions. At times, I've felt like a shitty helpless friend. About a month ago, he wrote me one of the most compelling and passionate confessions. He felt as is if he's been living a lie. It was about his guilt for the past, remorse for the present, his fear for the future and his love for everyone involved. He wants life to be better and admitted he did not know where to start. Though he didn't see it, this open self-awareness has become the foundation for setting his goal.
  Change like this does not happen over night. Fully adapting to a new perspective takes its time and old habits die HARD. We've had some extremely moving and positive conversations since then, but last week he found himself hanging out in the darkness again. The booze, cocaine, depression and anxiety rolled through like a freight train. He wrote me a letter second guessing his new direction, feeling guilty about even trying to change. His brutal honesty filled my heart.
  Like me, all of his emotions are fueled with passion. We both have an obsession with music, humor and people's drive to be creative. I made sure to relay that in my response and I reminded him that I would never love him any less for being himself. Then I joked about him calling me a "hippy", sent him a link to a song and asked him to listen. I told him to listen to it a million times, if that's what it took to get the lyrics to sink into his heart. I myself didn't have the words, but I refused to leave him hanging. This song describes such a willingness to seek the life you want. Have a listen..

   We all have a choice to hold onto what makes us strong and let go of what makes us weak. We need to learn from our experiences and let go of the past. This is my friend's daily battle and he has to be the warrior that overcomes it. And I will always fight my own battles right along side of him, as a reminder that he's not alone. Brothers-in-arms fighting the good fight; both on a search for our honest selves. The more truth we reveal, the better men we become.
   This morning the music revealed to him an absolute truth - WE ARE VERY LUCKY - to have lived through what could have easily killed us. WE ARE VERY LUCKY - for the love from our families. WE ARE VERY LUCKY - for knowing we want to change for the better. WE ARE VERY LUCKY - for caring about and sharing the things that mean the most. WE ARE VERY LUCKY - that it makes us smile to make someone else smile. WE ARE VERY LUCKY - to have a friendship like this, regardless of our demons.

WE ARE VERY LUCKY FOR TODAY!!

Scotty J ~ "It doesn't take a whole day to recognize sunshine." - Common

Listen to "The Fast Life" by Asher Roth here!!
 
 
 

  

Passionate Cave-man Seeks Dancing Cave-woman

   There is something really special about waking up with a smile, getting stoned while a fresh pot of coffee brews and cranking up the music loud enough for the birds to enjoy. This usually encourages me to sing at the top of my lungs (occasionally free-styling) and move wildly about the cottage (otherwise known as dancing). Honestly... I do this with every ounce of passion in my body. I consider things like this "strength-building" for my soul.

   I don't want to get into a debate about smoking weed, having too much caffeine or not being able to turn up the music, so others can sleep. I'm saying do whatever it is that lets you let it all hang out there. Humans have been beating on drums and dancing naked around fires probably ever since we started walking upright. When we hear a song we love, we feel it in our bones. Everything we know about the modern world just vanishes and the music plays right through us, literally. Yes, even "twerkin'" counts.
   It was nice to wake up this way because I've been fighting a strange emptiness this week. Life is definitely good, but this has been a different kind of primal feeling. I yearn for the company of a lover. A feminine touch, if you will. Where our physical connection would cast us off to our dreams every night and jump-start our human confidence every morning. I mean this in the most unselfish way possible; she has to want it for those very same reasons. We don't have to start a family or save a million dollars, we just have to make love. As our lives unfold, our love will be there to iron out the creases.
   My belief is that if two people share the primary goal to start and finish everyday making love to each other; they will not fail in life. The laws of attraction still apply, but their commitment to primitively expressing themselves has no allowance for modern-day complications. All other things become second to the passion they share together.

I gave her that bone (yeah, I said it.).

   I know there are a lot of you out there thinking, "What?!? It's not really that simple. Scotty has his head up way up his ass... again!", and that's okay!! You don't have to dance or have sex with me, we can still be friends. However, I do believe there are other people out there that share this visceral outlook on survival. Being human comes before a nationality, an occupation or an affiliation of any kind. We're prehistoric DAMNIT!! That means we knew how to live before we knew ANYTHING!!!
   The primitive passions rooted in music and sex are inside all of us. It's just naturally a part of the human existence. I appreciate those examples others have set out there for me to believe in this. Sometimes we settle on comfort and not passion to guide us through life (which I'm definitely guilty of in my past and I know some of you are too!), but we don't have to remain that way. Life will always have the most reward if we stay true to ourselves about how we see fit to live it.
   So, in the meantime... the birds and I are just going to keep on moving to the music, strengthening our souls. The woman of my future is out there just beyond the horizon, doing a dance of her own. When the two of us eventually meet, our passions will intertwine and we'll only do what comes natural. We'll settle for nothing less!! So all of you reading, please do me this favor... put on this fifteen minute long song, stop thinking too much and dance like nobody's watching...

Scotty J. ~ "Something about the music, it got into my pants."

My kind of woman.

Saving Scotty Jacobs - An Honest Update

   Last Friday, I wrote and completed an entire post titled Saving Scotty Jacobs - Humble Pie. After I proof-read it a couple of times through, I hated everything about it. My heart was in the right place while I was writing it, but the title Eat My Righteous Shit-Sandwich would have been more suitable. My intention was not to be an arrogant prick, yet I certainly nailed the tone. It really took the wind out of my sails and I chose not to post it.
   After spending a creative weekend in Kalamazoo (putting the disappointment of "Humble Pie" behind me), I came home late Sunday evening to a house with no heat and an outside temperature of twelve degrees. I immediately thought of all of my rants about how we needed to embrace this difficult winter and laughed. While reflecting, I put on two more pairs of socks and triple layered the rest of my body. When I finally got comfortable in my 7 blanket nest, I thought maybe I could relax and just accept this slice of humble-pie. Instead, I felt like a penguin eating a frozen shit-sandwich. IT.WAS.COLD.

This doesn't smell like humble pie....

   The cold might have been uncomfortable, but I think the worst form of torture is when we hide from ourselves. Hence, my confession. Most things in life are much easier said than done, so we usually just say something and settle for that being good enough. THAT is hiding; and I know this because I hid from myself (behind all sorts of things) for over a decade. These Saving Scotty Jacobs posts have effectively kept my actions honest and accountable. It's the "honesty" that I hope inspires others to take action for themselves. We all have our own starting points and tempos. It's not a race!!
   Yesterday marked my 77th day of living a better life. I've successfully kept pop and fast-food out of my body, I am still training in "hardstyle" kettlebells and I've lost 51 lbs. This makes me 9 lbs away from my original goal of losing 60 lbs! I feel strong, motivated and alive. I really kind of feel like I could smash through a wall.. in a good way. I've actually reached the point where it's time to upgrade to a heavier kettlebell and set some new short-term goals. This all happened so fast, I really am excited to see where it leads me next!! Progress feels amazing!!
   In all honesty, this whole setting and accomplishing goals thing is uncharted waters for me. I've done a lot of hard work (and even harder play) with little reward before now; and I know that's because I had a poor approach to life. I have learned that I must continually challenge myself in order to reach new goals and gain new perspectives. Just like training, LIFE is progressive. Even though it may not seem like it some days, the direction is always my choice.

   Today, I start a brand new adventure with the good people at Fat Blossom Farm. They are a local organic farm right here in West Michigan and I really couldn't be more excited!! This is a lifestyle change I have thought about embracing for years and can't wait to learn more about it. The opportunity to work with the earth, sow seeds and genuinely experience the fruits of my labor makes my soul smile. I can't wait to get my hands dirty and meet a few like-minded people along the way.
   I really don't feel like it was even a decision to work at a farm, but maybe more of a calling to the farm. My heart has not loved coming to work with me in the last few years and that's made life difficult. I hate consumerism and greed. I hate that I've given into both of them, even more. I was selling lawn-care earlier this year and had to walk away from it to follow my heart. There are a lot more important things in this world than green grass in August heat, trust me. I had settled on that job for all of the wrong reasons and probably would have stayed there (and in limbo) if I didn't have the support from all of you.

Observation can be inspiring, if we let it!!

   A new friend of mine had said to me the other day, "Conviction defines people.", and that simple statement blew my mind. Some of you know, I always keep a post-it note on my keyboard that reads, "Believe In Yourself!", and it's for that same reason. It's a reminder to never compromise who I am, to trust my instincts and to learn from my experiences (which learning can be quite a process at times...). We all have our own code or formula to living successfully and that makes us all very unique. For me... The past is my foundation, experience is my education, passion is my motivation, love is my reward and the world is my playground!!

...and the world is yours!

Scotty J ~ "This humble-pie tastes like a shit-sandwich."