#Benefits of Crop Rotation

[meratimes]

The Hall:tm: (still needs a name) in progress !!

She needs some greenery or (at least) more wood and colour, but it's kind of difficult to do that when I dug into the side of a mountain...

Anyways, big smooches to the quarry mod. Splitter plugs saved my life !!

[bharatvarsh22]

Discover the essentials of innovative organic farming with our beginner's guide. Learn sustainable practices for crops and eco-friendly agriculture.

Do Read: https://bharatvarshnaturefarms.com/innovative-organic-farming-a-guide/

[farmerstrend]

The Current State of Coriander Farming in Kenya

Coriander, also known as dhania in Kenya, is a popular herb cherished for its unique flavor and aroma. It’s a staple ingredient in many Kenyan dishes, featuring prominently in stews and the refreshing kachumbari salad. But coriander’s significance goes beyond the kitchen. In recent years, coriander farming in Kenya has emerged as a promising avenue for both domestic consumption and international…

[a-griffin-in-the-sky]

i’ve seen quite the divided opinion on this, but i wanted to ask some older radfems about it too

what are your thoughts on women who enjoy wearing generally “revealing” clothes (like low cut shirts, short shorts, etc etc) and like to feel “sexy” for themselves? i don’t mean women who do it specifically to cater to males or reinforce harmful behaviors, but women who just like being confident and comfortable with their clothing.

i also have a few friends who are radfem-leaning (belief wise) but listen to artists like partynextdoor, eminem, brent faiyaz, summer walker, etc etc.. so i don’t fully understand the logic there..?

Ahhh yes… the ageless question: “But what if I like dressing sexy for me?” ✨🥺👙✨

Totally valid to ask! But let’s zoom out a little.

You need to ask:

Who is designing these clothes?

Who is pushing for these styles to be the norm?

Who benefits when ‘confidence’ is always tied to showing skin and sexual display?

Because like it or not, decisions aren’t made in a vacuum. We all exist in a culture built by men, where “empowerment” often just means being better at packaging yourself under the male gaze.

Now, on a personal note? I think the ultra-revealing look is silly. Not in a “shame on you” way, just in a “lol crop tops and thong shorts are peak clown couture” way.

Wear what makes you happy, but don’t pretend the fashion industry isn’t grooming women to confuse visibility with liberation. What you are wearing is the male gaze, and caters to it, and isnt feminism. And you dont need to be the perfect feminist, I get annoyed when women say it is cause it's a ~choice~

And let me be crystal clear, even if a woman is walking down the street butt naked with the words “fuck me” painted across her back, she is still not asking for it. You can critique fashion trends, beauty standards, or the male gaze and I do, but you never, ever get to use that as an excuse for violence against women.

There is no outfit dangerous enough to override a man’s responsibility not to harm.

So its not a why is she wearing that its more of a which man in the giant clothes corp pushed for this.

As for the music question. Yes, unfortunately, good artists can be good musicians.

Just like a bad person can still be good at math, or cooking, or building empires off the backs of others.

Talent is not morality.

If you know the men behind the music are abusive, exploitative, or just flat-out bad people then stop giving them your money.

I don’t care how good the song is, just learn how to burn CDs again. Pirate their albums and steal that MP3 like it's 2007 and you’re in a hoodie on LimeWire.

Don’t go to their shows, don’t buy the merch, don’t boost their brand.

If their work is worth listening to, it’s still not worth paying them to keep hurting women behind the scenes.

You don’t need to morally sanitize every artist you listen to, but you do need to understand what you’re funding.

Art is not separate from power, because art is how power spreads itself while pretending it’s just a vibe.

So yeah. Burn the CD, not your integrity >:3

Trust me, I’m a punk i get it and like… 90% of the bands are well...

I used to br able to brush it off. “It’s the music, not the person.” “It was a different time.”

But you know what’s more punk than pretending everything’s fine?Changing the damn playlist.

I started weaving more female-led bands into my rotation. Not because it’s trendy or moral high ground, but because I got tired of screaming along to songs written by guys who wouldn’t piss on me if I was on fire -_-

There are women out there shredding guitars, growling into mics, spitting lyrics that hit just as hard, without the baggage of covering for creeps.

Bottom line

Don’t try to be the “perfect feminist.”

That’s just another impossible standard we hold women to,just try to shift a little.

Day by day and choice by choice.

Add more women to your playlists. Stop laughing at that one joke, say no faster and firmer. Slowly stop shaving your legs, dont buy more make up once it runs out.

Feminism isn’t a purity contest.

It’s survival. It’s movement. It’s momentum.

You don’t have to be flawless to care and you don’t have to be perfect to matter.

You just have to keep going and always point the finger on the men running eveything,not the women who feel victim to it :3

[probablyasocialecologist]

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization coined CSA in 2009 to describe practices aimed at increasing farm resilience and reducing the carbon footprint of a global food system responsible for up to 37 percent of annual greenhouse gas emissions. Since then, however, observers say that CSA has been usurped by the Gates-led corporate alliance, with programs like Water Efficient Maize for Africa serving as green-painted Trojan horses for industry. “CSA is an agribusiness-led vision of surveillance [and] data-driven farmerless farming, [which explains why] its biggest promoters include Bayer, McDonnell, and Walmart,” said Mariam Mayet of the African Centre for Biodiversity. “From a climate perspective, it entrenches the global inequalities of a corporate food regime. There’s no system shift at all.” Octavaio Sánchez, the grizzled director of Honduras’s National Association for the Promotion of Organic Agriculture, contends that policies that promote true resilience must focus on regenerating soils through the use of organic fertilizers, crop rotation, and the preservation of native seeds able to adapt to changing conditions. These are the cornerstones of a global agro-ecology movement that has emerged from the seed and food sovereignty coalitions of the past three decades. The peasant-led agro-ecology movement—with La Via Campesina and AFSA in front—rejects the familiar refrain from agribusiness promoters that it is condemning farmers to permanent poverty and stagnation. The movement’s position is supported by both a growing literature of case studies and the development of scientific agro-ecological practices. When Gates Foundation officers were preparing to launch AGRA in 2006, researchers at the University of Essex published a study showing that agro-ecological practices increased yields by an average of nearly 80 percent across 12.6 million farms in 57 poor countries. The authors concluded that “all crops showed water use efficiency gains,” which led to “improvements in food productivity.” The UN’s High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition recommended in 2019 that governments support agro-ecological projects and redirect “subsidies and incentives that at present benefit unsustainable practices,” a judgment based on similar studies undertaken around the world.

[mjrtaurus]

Post-canon Dragodile settling into their new house on New Ohara and because neither of them are capable of doing anything the easy way, they pick the one place on the island that by all accounts should not still be standing.

It's leaky, creaky, dusty, crusty, musty, and there's a bunch of centipedes and mice crawling around in the attic. They were told ahead of time that the overgrown field that was their new yard was insufficient for growing their own food. Wild animals would regularly come down from the mountains to dig up any and all crops. Bears, boars, monkeys, even the occasional wolf.

Later when Dragon sees one of these feared wild beasts lumbering at the edge of the tomato vines he almost wants to laugh. Compared to the bears of Goa, that's practically a stuffed animal.

It’s a fixer-upper for sure, but after so long living in a world that used to be so cruel, they are as well. And there’s such a deep, animal sense of satisfaction in watching the hard work pay off that they craved.

The vermin are run out after Dragon employed the help of a few local snakes and birds (there are many benefits to being a mythical zoan). At least one wall had to be gutted because of how deep the mold had settled into it. One having wings and the other being a logia did wonders for fixing the roof. Speaking of logias, Crocodile’s dehydration abilities were excellent with destroying the mold, and his sand was excellent for getting the precise fit on the finer wood joints around the place.

As for the garden, Dragon loved that most of all. It was true that the land wasn’t favorable, as it was rich with clay… but there was so much that could be done to work with that. Breaking up the topsoil and mixing in plenty of organic matter that the forest made readily available and renewable was the first order of business. Raising the beds a bit so the water would flow accordingly was also key here, as clay and water had a relationship of nothing but extremes. Add a touch of his natural born green thumb and his devil fruit given agricultural sorcery, and the soil grew darker and darker- more and more viable- with each rotation of plants.

As for the bears… they really are tiny things. Dragon would make friends with them if it didn’t encourage them to get brave with humans. Otherwise, a good stretch of his wingspan and a rattle of his tails is enough to make the lumbering beasts turn tail and flee.

Once the house and the garden are all in order, the two have already fallen into their old, comfortable rhythms. It feels like coming home.

The cozy little farm tucked away on Ohara is everything they could have dreamed of.

[talonabraxas]

🌻🌞🌻 Blessed Litha to all that celebrate 🌻🌞🌻 Litha 2024

Themes: abundance, growth, masculine energy, love, magic

Also known as: Midsummer, Midsummer’s Eve, Gathering Day, St. John’s Day, St. John’s Eve, Summer Solstice, Alban Hefin, Feill-Sheathain

“Litha” is the name given to the Wiccan Sabbat celebrated at the Summer Solstice. This is the longest day and shortest night of the year, marking the pinnacle of the Sun’s power to fuel the growing season. From here on out, the Sun will set a little earlier each night until Yule, and so we recognize and give thanks for its warmth.

Though it’s typically celebrated on June 21st, the exact moment of the Summer Solstice varies from year to year. This is due to a slight misalignment between the Gregorian calendar and the actual rate of the Earth’s rotation around the Sun. The Solstice also occurs at differing local times, so depending on where you live, it may fall the day before or after the date listed on any given calendar. For this reason, a date range of June 20-22 is often cited in sources on the Wheel of the Year.

As the Sun reaches its highest point in the sky, the God is now in his full power, and the Goddess of the Earth is bringing forth the greatest abundance of the year. The crops are reaching their full maturity and the forests are bursting with lush growth. In just a few short weeks, the harvest season will begin, but for now we pause to celebrate the manifestation of what was planted in the early weeks of Spring. The warm sunlight is a welcome contrast to the cold and dark of Winter, and we bask in its comforts. There is a focus on the Element of Fire in honor of the Sun God, but recognition is also given to the Horned God of the forest and its wild animal life.

Wicca Sabbats

Ancient pagans celebrated the Solstice with torchlight processions and giant bonfires to ritually strengthen the Sun. Another tradition found among European cultures was centered on the need for balance between the Elements of Fire and Water—large wheels were set on fire and rolled downhill into creeks, rivers or lakes, perhaps as a charm against summertime drought. This is also the traditional time for gathering wild herbs for medicine and magic, as most are fully grown by Midsummer and the power of this particular day will add to their benefits. For this reason, Litha is known as Gathering Day in Wales.

To celebrate this Sabbat, you can decorate your altar with summer flowers, herbs and fruits, and summer colors like yellow, green and blue. This is a traditional time for rites of re-dedication to the God and Goddess, as well as divination related to love and romance. Keep at least one candle lit throughout the day to honor the Sun, and if possible hold your Litha rituals at noon, when the Sun is at its highest point in the sky. Have an outdoor picnic feast to bask in the warmth of the day, and eat fresh fruits and vegetables—ideally from a farmer’s market or harvested from your own garden. This is a good time for magic related to masculine energies and any situation that needs to be “fired up” in your life.

Litha was long known as Midsummer, an older name for the Solstice that emphasizes the actual course of the warmer months in the Northern Hemisphere. Summer was considered to begin around May 1st, when Beltane (or May Day) is celebrated, with June 21st marking the midpoint of the season. The name “Litha” is traced back to an old Anglo-Saxon word for the month of June, and came into use as a Wiccan name for this Sabbat in the second half of the 20th century. However, many Pagans continue to use the more traditional “Midsummer.”

The Cosmic Garden Talon Abraxas

[acti-veg]

how can crops be grown without exploiting bees?

I think that there is a lot of hyperbole when it comes to the role of managed hives in agriculture. About 60% of the total volume of food grown worldwide does not require animal pollination. Many staple foods, such as wheat, rice, and corn, are among those 28 crops that require no help from bees. They are either pollinated by the wind or they self-pollinate.

For the around 87 crops that use animal pollinators, there are varying degrees of how much the plants need them. Only 13 absolutely require animal pollination, while 30 more are “highly dependent” on it. Production of the remaining crops would likely continue without bees with only slightly lower yields. Even for these crops though, there is no reason why pollination has to be done by managed hives.

Automated pollination can’t be done at scale yet, but it is likely that we will get there, as there is a lot of money being put into development. Even using existing methods though, we can increase the presence of wild pollinators by integrating pollinator friendly plants into crop rotations, or by not using pesticides. The only reason we don’t do that now is because it results in lower yields; which is the same thing that would happen for most crops if we stopped using managed hives for pollination altogether.

If we just suddenly stopped exploiting bees with no alternative system in place (which would be unwise), it would still not be apocalyptic. Almonds wouldn’t be available in stores anymore, many products like coffee and chocolate would dramatically increase in price, and most of us would not he able to afford to eat the likes of avacados, apples or blueberries with any regularity.

This would have a significant social and economic impact, but the often repeated line that “if the bees go, we go” is probably overstating it. We should also keep in mind that the bees producing commercial honey and being shipped in to pollinate almonds are managed, non-native bees, they’re not the bees that are really in danger of extinction. So long as we have wild pollinators, we will not go hungry.

Regardless, we shouldn’t be trying to preserve species solely because of how they benefit us. The most important reason to conserve and move away from exploiting bees is because their lives are inherently valuable. Bees are thinking, feeling beings with their own experiences, minds and complex social lives. Bees deserve life and the freedom to spend that life pursuing their own interests, rather than serving ours.

[script-a-world]

Submitted via Google Form:

Why aren't prison islands really used anymore? I think that is actually a great idea and would love my story to have the majority of prisons on such islands. Is there something I'm overlooking that makes them less feasible these days? Does it depend on technology level? I'm building a world of my own so all the geography and stuff can be made to suit this better. Honestly, it makes so much sense because the world should have so so many uninhabited islands all over the place - lots of land that sound perfect for prisons away from the main populations. Perhaps the guards can even live on the island and go home on rotations and crops could also be grown on the island if there is an issue with constant travel and supplies.

Tex: Prison islands are primarily used, in a mostly descending order of priority, for political prisoners, people who committed very severe crimes, somewhat indiscriminate venues for torturing random people, and (for Australia) a processing center for immigrants.

There’s a significant amount of overlap in the first three reasons, so a major cause of these prisons being shut down is a change in overall political opinion. This may not always line up with a government’s political opinion, and thus the people who hold the purse strings of any given country, but historically speaking a more humane approach to foreign relations generally means there’s less of a reason to put people into prisons on islands, and thus less funding to keep these prisons open.

Utuabzu: Honestly, the main reasons are probably cost and the inconvenience of getting staff and basic services to and from. It’s expensive to build anything on an isolated island and logistically difficult to get people, food and basic services there, which only adds to the cost. The isolation also makes it harder to have proper oversight of the prison staff, making corruption and abuse more likely. But, I suspect it’s mostly just a matter of cost. Prisons are already expensive and there’s little political benefit to spending money on one that is too isolated to provide an economic boost to any particular community.

Where you do still get these, it’s either because the government doesn’t really care that much about public opinion (various dictatorships) or because the whole point is to isolate the detainees away from the mainland (Australian immigration, Guantanamo Bay, etc.) So you can have an island prison, just figure out why the local government is willing to go to that much effort.

Licorice: According to the American Federal Bureau of Prisons, “On March 21, 1963, USP Alcatraz closed after 29 years of operation. It did not close because of the disappearance of Morris and the Anglins (the decision to close the prison was made long before the three disappeared), but because the institution was too expensive to continue operating. An estimated $3-5 million was needed just for restoration and maintenance work to keep the prison open. That figure did not include daily operating costs - Alcatraz was nearly three times more expensive to operate than any other Federal prison”

https://www.bop.gov/about/history/alcatraz.jsp

China apparently still has an island prison: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dongguan_Prison

And so does Russia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ognenny_Ostrov

And so does Norway. Bastoy Island  is sometimes called “the nicest prison in the world”

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/feb/25/norwegian-prison-inmates-treated-like-people

[insanescriptist]

Im so scared because of this election and what it means for my loved ones and I.

If you're a global nonnie,

I'm sorry; you believed in the intelligence and humanity of the average American voter and were denied both.

Obviously Trump being elected is going to embolden the worst politics; either to use or abuse or both, the world and it's peoples. Not just in the current warring areas, but all over the world.

And remember, Trump is currently 78; he could easily die of natural causes within the next four years. Without Trump's star power, a lot of that momentum will die fast.

If you're in the US nonnie,

If you live in a Blue state, your state's likely to stay Blue, with all that being a Blue state entails

If you live in a Red state, your state is likely to stay Red, with all that being a Red state entails

If you live in a Purple state, it's likely going to swing one way or another and I wish you the best in surviving the politics and the political ads

Further US specifics under the cut

Like I'll be real and say I'm disappointed my state's not more purple, which is the best color anyway (side effect of living in the South; it's very Red Republican politics) but it is what it is; we just gotta live with it or deal with it so... most posts I've seen going around have focused on the importance of letting yourself grieve, choosing an issue to focus on and avoiding burnout. I think I'll focus on awareness somewhat. Just things to watch out for. Because there's going to be all sorts of obnoxious crowing and cawing about everything. I'll touch on things and if I had the time and energy, I'd link to various stories and sites but most of what I'll say here is easy enough to verify in broad strokes with a couple of internet searches.

If you're worried about the economy... yeah that's a valid worry and probably not the way you're thinking. You're thinking another trade war (Mexico would love it if there is btw, they benefited off of the last one and the Farmers who had soy in their fields as part of that rotation lost so much money) which would be ow for the US again, but mostly survivable as trade wars only focus either a trade good or trade partnership. The lesser issue but more concerning, Trump will slash anything he wants (regulations mostly) to ensure an economic boon because that's what people want and will notice by year 2 and 3 of his second term. What they'll celebrate. That and cheap gas. What they won't notice for a couple years is the further loosening of food regs (see all the recent food recalls and outbreaks) and what people won't notice for decades is the infrastructure issues (building regs for housing and ofc infrastructure in general.) There's also the various other safety regs and requirements built into the laws, no matter how shitty it is ie workman's comp. Regs are built in blood but business don't care if their money is bloody. But yeah, these reg slashes are going to crop up with after effects for absolute decades afterwards. Don't believe me? You should watch more housing renovation programs; there's various types of plumbing and electrical regulations that can absolutely date your house. And yes, the housing insurance companies can spot them and also not tell you about them, but certainly charge you for the increased risk. That's just for the housing regs btw. Industrials regs concern entire industries, like how much carbon your car can emit to be considered eco-friendly to what sort of pipes can be laid out where. No one wants to be the next Flint, Michigan but it could easily happen and probably with something else. There's buildings made less than 50 years ago that are made with materials considered unsafe by standards now. There's also banking shit to consider with businesses and housing. The oodles of various office and retail space unused which um. The banks care a lot about unused office space that can't even be refit into human housing. Empty retail space can eventually be filled with another business. Empty offices less so now that more businesses are less tied to the office as a place. (Reduces other business' overhead.) Banks hate having empty unprofitable buildings in their portfolio, but at least the interest rates are back to "normal" percentages. Like I won't get into the the money generation/shuffle game that's going on with the US debt, other than 2.4% is sustainable for political purposes and not humanitarian purposes, because boy would it be nice to slash the national debt. Really make the dollar worth something that way. Sure, I'll take getting paid more, but I'd sure like to be able to also buy more with my pay. Because foodstuff is still going high because of various supply issues due to climate issues, the newest banana plague, in addition to many, many recalls. Like does no one remember the arson going around various meat farms several years ago? The various poultry farms ended because of avian flu? Long story short, the food prices are still so high because supply is pretty fucked up. Stores have been jumping through so many hoops to get supplied, that the logistics people are probably Olympic level rhythm dancers by now. Which is an additional complication to the whole ongoing recall issues whenever there's a bad batch of anything. They're a bit too busy ensuring supply to always have all the documentation in order. Which obviously, recalls work best when stores know which products to pull. More economic news though, Trump is going to be so good for businesses. And so bad for the people.

If you're worried about your medical health, that's also a valid worry. Especially with his comments on various known vaccines. Like the standard ones we've had for ages. Might wanna get those touched up. Medical red tape is annoying to wade through at the best of times but he's not in office yet, so plan accordingly. Make the most use of your health benefits this year and next year (they're already set for the year), since the year after will be once he's in office and things will obviously shift to some degree with whatever health insurance you've got, if any. A little medical debt in prevention is more than worth the expense of cure later. Get the cavities seen to. Get that pap smear. Refresh your vaccinations. Do your tests, get your bloodwork ran and go through it bit by bit. Take your damn vitamins. (And your meds.) Because again, those regulations? Those are going to get more loosey-goosey. In some things. More tight on some things than others. It's going to vary by state politics. Like my state for example does allow for birth control but not for abortion. Would I like abortion to be an option, yes, because my state is terrible about supporting families after the birth of a child beyond WIC and SNAP benefits. Daycare waiting lists can be over a year and maternity/paternity leave is something of a joke depending on what/who you work for. About the only solid boon I can think of would be Trump's loosening of the health regs, that might entice some nurses back to nursing, easing that lack of human resources in the health care system. As a red state, there were so so so many nurses I've talked to that quit/retired rather than take a booster shot for Covid or even the original Covid shot. Which is a whole different story, but not for here.

If you're worried about your public safety because you're part of a vulnerable/minority population? Yeah, be concerned. Trump's political leanings and what he says emboldens all kinds of impulses in the worst people. So they might actually go through with impulses they wouldn't otherwise act on. The KKK might try to recruit again. Which I wish was a joke, but they actually did try to have a public, local to Izzy, meet during Trump's previous term; they got scared off by the locals. So general advice Look at travel recommendations/warnings when going through parts of the US. Plan trips carefully. Consider moving to friendlier places if able, take precautions if unable or unwilling. Keep to a buddy system. Stay with friends in public. Make your plans for if the worst happens so you don't anxiety spiral. Know who to crash with in an emergency How to get copies of your important documents if they're all ash or being held by another party etc. I know no one really does this nowadays but know your emergency contact's phone number!!! Still very important information. Your phone can be dead, lost, stolen or confiscated and along with all the data on it and with it. (Those phone cases with the wallet attachment? How delightful, a lost phone that has a wallet attached, especially one with a photo ID of any kind is a golden goose for anyone looking to do a little identity theft. Because in order to call to put cancels/holds on all your cards, you've gotta have a phone.) Also as a reminder, your biggest and best shield is your confidence; the moment you act like prey, you'll be treated as such by those looking for targets. Do your murder strut and your main problem will be people asking you for directions and grannies trying to get you to go to church.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Field of Soy Dreams in Illinois

In Illinois, soybeans are big business. The state’s farmers harvested 64 bushels per acre in 2024, producing a record 688 million bushels of the versatile legume. The plant’s protein-rich beans are widely used as food for both livestock and people, as well as for the production of biodiesel and other industrial products.

The map above depicts data from the Cropland Data Layer, an annual, geo-referenced, crop-specific land cover dataset created by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) for the contiguous United States. It uses data collected by Landsat satellites and Sentinel-2 to identify crop types. The elevation data layered onto the image comes from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). Areas classified as soybean fields in 2024 are light green. Farmers in the Midwest often grow soybeans in rotation with other crops, usually corn and wheat.

The 2024 soybean harvest in Illinois was the nation’s largest, amounting to 16 percent of the total U.S. crop. A harvest of that scale supports tens of thousands of jobs and generates roughly $7 billion in economic output. Iowa trailed closely with 597 million bushels, followed by Indiana and Minnesota with 341 million and 329 million bushels, respectively.

Illinois growers benefit from having access to fertile soils, flat terrain that enables easy harvesting, and convenient transportation options and processing facilities. Soybeans are grown widely, with the exception of the Chicago area and the hilly region in the southern part of the state. McLean County, in east central Illinois, had the largest harvest of any U.S. county in 2024, producing 22.6 million bushels.

Illinois is also an important hub of agricultural innovation and research. Through the NASA Acres consortium, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is working with other universities on 14 programs designed to convert satellite data into useful information for farmers.

For instance, University of Illinois researcher Kaiyu Guan, chief scientist for NASA Acres, is leading an effort to combine satellite data with ground sampling and hyperspectral imaging to determine the optimal nitrogen levels for crops. Guan and colleagues recently released an online calculator—the Maximum Return To Nitrogen (MRTN) Tool—designed to help Illinois farmers maximize profit while minimizing environmental problems.

NASA Earth Observatory image by Michala Garrison, using Cropland data from USDA NASS and topographic data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). Story by Adam Voiland.

[bharatvarsh22]

Innovative Organic Farming: A Guide for Beginners

Organic farming is a practice that has been gaining traction globally for its sustainable and eco-friendly approach to agriculture. At Bharatvarsh Nature Farms, we are committed to promoting innovative organic farming techniques that not only yield healthy and nutritious crops but also protect the environment. This guide aims to introduce beginners to the world of organic farming, highlighting the benefits and innovative practices that can make your journey into organic agriculture a rewarding experience.

The Basics of Organic Farming

What is Organic Farming?

Organic farming is an agricultural system that relies on natural processes and inputs. Unlike conventional farming, which uses synthetic chemicals and genetically modified organisms (GMOs), organic farming emphasizes maintaining soil health, biodiversity, and ecological balance. This method nurtures the environment and produces healthier, more nutritious crops.

Benefits of Organic Farming

Healthier Soil: Organic farming techniques improve soil structure and fertility, which enhances the soil’s ability to retain water and nutrients.

Environmental Sustainability: Organic farming reduces pollution, conserves water, and promotes biodiversity.

Nutrient-Rich Produce: Organic crops are often richer in nutrients compared to conventionally grown crops, making them healthier for consumption.

Economic Viability: Organic products typically command higher market prices, and the reduced input costs of organic farming can make it economically viable in the long term.

Innovative Organic Farming Techniques

1. Crop Rotation

Crop rotation involves growing different types of crops in the same area in sequential seasons. This practice helps prevent soil depletion, reduces pest and disease buildup, and improves soil fertility. For example, rotating nitrogen-fixing legumes with nitrogen-consuming crops can naturally replenish soil nutrients.

2. Cover Cropping

Cover crops, such as clover and rye, are planted between main crops to protect and enrich the soil. They prevent erosion, suppress weeds, and add organic matter to the soil. Cover cropping is a sustainable farming method that enhances soil health and biodiversity.

3. Composting

Composting is the process of recycling organic waste into valuable soil amendments. By composting kitchen scraps, yard waste, and livestock manure, farmers can create nutrient-rich compost that improves soil structure and fertility. This eco-friendly farming technique reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers.

4. Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an innovative approach to pest control that combines biological, cultural, physical, and chemical methods. By using natural predators, crop rotation, and resistant crop varieties, farmers can manage pests with minimal environmental impact. IPM promotes ecological balance and reduces reliance on chemical pesticides.

5. Agroforestry

Agroforestry integrates trees and shrubs into agricultural landscapes. This practice enhances biodiversity, improves soil health, and provides additional income through timber, fruits, and nuts. Agroforestry is a modern organic farming practice that contributes to sustainable land management.

6. Biofertilizers and Biopesticides

Biofertilizers and biopesticides are natural products derived from microorganisms and plants. They enhance soil fertility and protect crops from pests and diseases. Using these organic inputs reduces the environmental impact of farming and promotes healthier crop growth.

7. Drip Irrigation

Drip irrigation is a water-efficient technique that delivers water directly to the roots of plants through a network of tubes and emitters. This method reduces water waste, prevents soil erosion, and ensures optimal moisture levels for crop growth. Drip irrigation is particularly beneficial in regions with limited water resources.

8. Organic Mulching

Mulching involves covering the soil with organic materials such as straw, leaves, or grass clippings. Mulch helps retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature. This organic farming technique improves soil health and reduces the need for chemical herbicides.

Continue Reading: https://bharatvarshnaturefarms.com/innovative-organic-farming-a-guide/

[84reedsy]

The Mentorship, Part 14

The Mentorship

Characters: Curt Hennig/FemOC , Scott Hall/FemOC

Part 14 of ? (Parts not chapters, parts length varies)

Word Count: 4565

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13

Warnings/Considerations: Smut, Age Gap, Power Dynamics, Dirty Talk, swearing

Though it was summer and still hot in the middle of the country. The heat and humidity of Florida was oppressive, but a welcome change. Brinkley finally was looking forward to refreshing her wardrobe. It was summer so she'd likely rely on short shorts and cropped tops. She might buy a few things with longer sleeves until her arm healed. Whatever she bought, she was just relieved to add anything new to the wardrobe rotation.

Even though both were thoroughly exhausted, Brinkley had insisted she go shopping once the plane landed and they’d gathered their bags. Kevin departed for Daytona from the airport with the plan of returning daily for training; he had no interest in spending a day at a mall or department store. He didn’t envy Scott at this moment. Brinkley tried to be as expeditious as possible. She resisted grabbing arm loads to take to the dressing room and have her own mini fashion show. She could see that Scott was beat from traveling and was being benevolent enough to entertain her. She grabbed a few dresses, shorts, and tops and at Scott’s request, some lacy things that he could benefit from later. 

Brinkley found herself nervous as Scott pulled up to his house. Suddenly, everything felt very real and intimate. Staying the week with him after one date and a handful of sexual experiences felt perhaps a little premature. She could hear Curt’s objections to it in her head. 

“So, this is the castle,” Scott followed her in the door. It was a beautiful house, and Scott seemed to be very proud of it. 

“Wow, this is nice,” She walked around the entrance, then into the living room, “Hope I make this much money someday,” She smirked at him, “So where will I be staying? Do you have a guest room?” She said playfully.

“Yeah, it's the right side of my bed,” He took her bag, “Allow me to show you to your room, miss,” 

She followed him closely, gulping when she saw the large king bed in his room.

“Jesus, how much money do you even make?” She blurted out, looking at the furniture.

“I get paid well, pretty much the main reason I jumped ship to Atlanta,” He set her bag down, coming up behind her, “But I can think of some other things I’d rather talk about,” He ran his hands down her arms. 

“Is that so,” She shivered a little, barely in his room for a minute and he was making a move. She ignored the twinge of pain as he passed over her welt, “Like what, exactly,”  She leaned against him, having no plans to resist. 

“Well…one thing first, I want to see how hurt you are,” He turned her to face him, with genuine concern in his voice. 

“It’s not that bad…” she mumbled, but gave in, knowing he’d see it at some point. She slipped off her shirt and let him gently hold her arm. 

“Damn, was he trying to yank your arm off?” Scott looked mad, but she knew it was out of worry, “I mean…I’m no angel, I’ve done some dumb things drunk…I promise you he’ll never have a chance to do this to you again.” Scott swore, “Not while I’m around,”

His protective nature made her instinctively more attracted to him, now loosening her bra as he watched, licking his lips. 

“Are you my big protector?” She plied him with an innocent tone, “And here I thought you were the big, bad wolf,” She teased. 

“I might just be both,” He took a step toward her, stalking her towards the bed. 

He hovered over her as his lips lightly toyed with hers, her neck, her earlobe, her chest, her shoulders. He moved slowly, lingering so that the slightest touch made her gasp. She lay captively under him, basking in his romantic attentions. 

She kept her hands soft, too. She touched his body gently, running her fingers along his leathered skin, tough from years of abuse. She felt every line, every crevice, every rippling muscle that flexed beneath.

Scott kissed around her bruise, promising to make her feel better and forget her pain. He wasn’t lying. He entered her slowly, intently watching her every reaction as he slid deeper. 

“You feel so good, baby… I just wanna live inside you all the time…” He mumbled as his forehead rested against hers. His hips rolled slowly, but he pressed himself deep, drawing a whimper out of her each time, “Tell me how good I make you feel…”

“So good…” She moaned breathily, “I love the way you feel in me…” She mumbled, whimpering as he slowly sped his pace. She could feel him teasing a release out of her, but she didn’t chase it, “Please…harder…I wanna cum for you,” She begged. “My baby girl wants to cum for me?” He flexed his hips firmly, the force nudging her farther up the bed, “

“Yes….god yes, let me cum for you,” she slid her arms under his, her fingernails lightly digging into his back. 

Scott mumbled a curse as he buried his head against her neck, driving himself harder into her as he gave up trying to subdue his own release. Just as he moaned loudly into her skin, he felt her climax around him. She tried her hardest not to, but she couldn’t help dragging her nails down his back a little, stilted whimpers leaving her in time with his orgasmic pulses.

He lay on and in her for a while after, kissing her neck softly, silently taking her in. 

It felt different, all of it. Brinkley had to wonder if this was what making love was about. It had been intense and intimate. She felt different afterwards, too. As if she were more of a woman because of it. 

“I know I’m no great prize…” Scott mumbled, grazing his lips across hers, just out of reach of a kiss, “But I’m really happy you gave me a chance,”

“Are you serious? Scott…” She slid her knuckles across his stubble, “You’re a better guy than you know…you’re a prize to me. I wouldn’t love you like I do if I didn’t think you were worth every second of it,” She bit her lip immediately and knew her entire body was flushing when she realized what words left her mouth. 

“Is that so?” His eyebrows raised at her statement, recognizing the embarrassment of a compulsive outburst, “What exactly did you just say?” 

Brinkley shook her head quickly, “Nothing…just you shouldn’t be so hard on yourself,”

“No no no, I heard you say something else. Say it again,” He held her by her chin, stilling her. He smiled at her discomposure.

“Scott…It just slipped out,” She felt stabbing nerves in her belly.

“Let it slip out again,” He ran his thumb over her chin, looking down at her affectionately. Brinkley sighed, but couldn’t argue with him on it. 

“I wouldn’t love you like I do…if I didn’t think you were worth every second…” She said it slower, looking into his dark, brown eyes. 

“That’s a pretty serious thing to admit,” He looked down at her, knowing he should just let it be. It would be stupid for him to admit the same thing, “You know I care about you a lot, right?” He held his tongue. Though he could say it and mean it…he knew it was too early. And she was so young…could he really trust her to be the adult he would need her to be or would she turn into a love sick puppy.

He felt guilty as she looked up at him in the moment. 

“You don’t have to say it back, Scott…I know its not always the same for both people,” She blurted out now, not wanting things to turn awkward, “I know you care about me, Scott. Just leave it at that,” She’d take that rather than having to hear him say he didn’t love her. 

Scott kissed her softly before sliding off of her to the side, pulling her with him so she lay on his chest. He knew he’d possibly ruined the moment for her, but she didn’t seem to mind as she snuggled up to him. Having not slept since the night before the show, both fell asleep quickly. 

Scott roused her a few hours later, though they could have slept for several more. It was important that they stay on as close of a road schedule with only 4 days off. She felt like she could have slept the entire 4 days if he’d let her. She was excited to wear something new, opting for short cutoffs and a red halter top. 

“Damn girl,” Scott said as she made her way into the kitchen, “I’m gonna have to make sure I keep myself hydrated this week,” He winked at her as he took a drink of his beer and offered her one. She shook her head, instead looking at the small selection of wine on his counter, “Oh hell, you’re not a wino like Kev are you?” He sneered playfully.

“Big Kev’s into wine?” She laughed a little, having a hard time picturing Kevin at a wine tasting with crystal flutes and his pinkie out, “Wouldn’t have called that,”  She grabbed a white wine, not sure what she would like and looked at the cork curiously. Scott smirked, taking it from her and fishing a corkscrew out of the drawer below the wine. He poured her a glass, handing it to her. 

“Speaking of Kev,” He went back to his beer, watching her intently for any reaction to his question, “What would you think about sometime inviting him in on a little fun while we’re on the road?”

Brinkley took a sip, but held it in her mouth as she looked at Scott with some surprise.

“What exactly do you mean…a little fun?  Like…poker or something?” She said hoping he wasn't implying what she thought.

“Ha… not exactly.” He sipped his beer watching her reaction, “Something a little more…physical,” he was thoughtful with his word choice.

“Oh…I,  uh….” She felt awkward,  wondering how often girls were shared between the guys and if she should have been more prepared for something like this.

“I mean, just you were into the idea of Curt and me…” he reminded her, trying not to sneer at the mention of his former tag partner.

“I didn't know that was happening until it was happening though…not really something I was prepared for.” She reminded him that she was blindsided.

“So that's why I'm asking ahead of time,” he reasoned.

“I don't really like the idea,” she said,  wondering if she was already going to be a disappointment, “I just want to be with you. Plus, I mostly annoy Kevin…  not sure he'd be into it.” She surmised.

“Are you kidding?” Scott chuckled, “He acts like that because he wants to nail you. Pretty standard for Kev.”

“Is…is he gonna be mad if I say no?” She chewed her lip feeling nervous that she was going to be goaded into this regardless of how she felt. 

“I'm not gonna force you,” he smiled, but it fell as he saw the concern in her face, “baby, it was just a question. I never want you to do something you don't want to.” He walked over to her, “I just thought you might like it. But gotta say I like the idea of wanting just me,” he tried to corner her apprehension, “forget I said anything,”

Kevin wouldn't be heartbroken by a long shot. Scott was actually looking forward to bragging about what she said.

Training the next morning was slightly awkward at first while she tried to adjust to the different methods of Scott and Kevin’s teachings.

Scott could tell she was nervous around Kevin and that she'd gotten in her own head. It was likely why she got tangled in the ropes on a simple run and fell out of the ring. She landed awkwardly,  but luckily without injury. 

“Better be on your game a little more than this in the ring with us,” Kevin leaned over the top rope looking down at her as she lay across the mat, “You get lazy or sandbag me and I’ll give you a receipt you won’t forget,” He teased a little, but glanced at the healing dark ring around her arm. He felt bad for joking about hurting her for a moment.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know,” She lay flat on the floor with her arms and legs splayed, “I’d deserve it, too,” She sat up, pulling herself back into the ring, “Let’s go over when I get tagged in again. So Curt is going to keep from tagging me until I grab his hand and tag myself in. Push him out,” She mimicked kicking him with her foot, “And I’m going to lock up with Scott, right?”

“Right, if I happen to still be in, Scott will tag himself in acting like he really wants to get ahold of you.” Kevin rolled his eyes at the look that Brinkley and Scott exchanged. 

“Then you go low, I’ll bend over and you can hit me with a facebreaker or stunner if you’re feeling up to it,” Scott mimicked his moves and Brinkley walked through her options. 

“The stunner would be better…” She thought out loud, “Obviously,”

“I think it would make sense for you to go for quick covers a lot,” Kevin suggested, “After all, you’ll be the odd one out.”

“Should…should we go over this again when Curt gets down here?” She asked carefully, noticing a look shared between both of the men, “He is in the match, you guys…”

“I assume he’ll pull you out of the ring when we go for you. You probably won’t have a TON of actual skin to skin,” Scott guessed that WCW was not super into the idea of two men beating up a woman half their size, “He’ll probably tag himself in a lot,”

“As if he’s protecting me,” She rolled her eyes, knowing he would do exactly as they said. 

“That’s fuckin’ rich,” Scott scoffed, “Forget about that for now, lock up with me again,”

“Forget that, she was asking about chest chops earlier,” Kevin entered the ring again, grinning sinisterly.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brinkley was ecstatic to pick up her new gear the next day. She took Scott with her to the tailor, trying it on and modeling it for him. It was just sparkly enough. It had orange piping around the edges, and was a shiny purple fabric. She had two tops, one strappier and showier. Another was more like a sports bra, but of the same fabric. A fishnet crop top was included that could be worn under either. It was enough of a cover that with tape, she could wear it without her bruise showing.

She had a pair of black shorts that had purple and orange stripes on the waistband. Another pair was skimpier, letting a little backside cheek show. It also came with two pairs of fishnets to wear under the shorts. Lastly, a pair of long leggings that had mesh cutouts up and down both legs. 

Scott had an idea of what he thought she looked the best in, planning on suggesting it for their match at the pay per view. He paid for a pair of black wrestling boots to add to the outfit after she went back and forth about how her white boots would look. 

She held them happily in her lap, still giddy when they left. She kept thinking though, that Curt had paid for them. After a couple of days, her anger had lessened and she knew she would end up forgiving him. But she wasn’t sure things would ever go back to the way they were before. 

Maybe that was for the best. 

“Are you guys ever gonna forgive Curt?” She asked, riding along with Scott. He rarely drove anywhere, but he’d promised to chauffeur her around while she was there. It gave him an excuse to stay sober, though it was a struggle some days.

Scott frowned, looking at her arm then her face.

“Would it make you mad if I said yes?” He had forgiven guys for worse - just another part of being in the boys club. 

“Well…no, I guess it wouldn’t.” She said honestly, “I figure I can’t ice him out forever, either,”

“Well you have more of a reason. You can forgive him, but not be as close as you were,” Scott suggested, a little bit of a self-serving comment. 

“Do you think if I forgive him I’m just gonna jump on his dick again?” She asked with genuine curiosity.

“I think he may try to use sex to get close to you again. He may go around saying he’s not interested in anything with you, but I’m not sure how true that is,” Scott responded with his own honesty, “I mean…of all people, I can understand how he’d wanna get back in them britches,” He slightly teased.

“Britches? Ok, grandpa,” She teased back, earning a warning look from him.

“Just…I hope that you remember what you told me,” He turned serious for a moment, “That you wouldn’t be with him while we’re together,” He reminded her.

“I know, I won’t,” She covered Scott’s hand that lay on her thigh with her own. She thought about her verbal slip up earlier. She couldn’t do that to someone that she felt like this about. Curt wasn’t here in front of her, but she couldn’t imagine wanting to give herself to him like that ever again. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She finished packing her suitcase, feeling a little melancholy over it. They were headed to Tampa this afternoon once Kevin arrived. It was where the tour picked back up. Kevin would be stopping by in a rental car to pick them up on his way. She’d wondered if Kevin and Scott had discussed the suggestion Scott had made the other evening. He’d spent the evening after their last training and work out at Scott’s place. 

She hadn’t answered Scott yet definitively, but she’d almost felt targeted during his visit. It could have just been that both were pretty inebriated. But, Kevin had eventually left after sobering up a bit and Scott had been the only man in the bed with her afterwards. He lasted twice as long, wearing her down to the state of a rag doll. 

Brinkley stretched her back and thigh muscles still sore from that marathon. She tried not to think about seeing Curt this afternoon. It made her nervous. Her arm looked much better, but there was still a discolored ring around where he’d grabbed her. She would need to wear tape and the mesh top if she wanted to try out the new gear. 

Tampa was not a long drive, but it was for the best since the longer the ride, the more her anxiety built. She wondered if Curt would be in their locker room. She wondered if anybody else knew what happened. She hoped not. She knew it would again, affect her reputation more than anyone else's. 

“Please, please, pleeeease, don’t make a scene,” She begged both of them, but looked at Scott as they made their way into the arena. They'd arrived earlier than most, so the activity was minimal. All available hands were likely setting up the ring and entrance ramps. He reached for her hand, holding it at his side as they walked in.

“I’ve got something I’m going to say to him alright,” Scott promised as Brinkley groaned a little, “But…only when its just me and him,” He followed. 

“Thank you,” that worry was quickly replaced by the realization that he was still holding her hand as they walked. She tried not to draw too much attention to it, but it made her stomach flutter a bit when they passed other people. 

She stayed close to Scott or Kevin at most times, letting Scott help tape her arm before she slipped on the fishnet sleeves. She paired the leggings with the strappy matching top. She decided to leave the most revealing pairing for the pay per view. 

“Sure you don’t want me to go with you?” He asked as she was finishing fixing her hair. Curt hadn’t shown his face in their locker room. He hadn’t expected him to; he wasn’t stupid.

“I’m sure,” Brinkley tried to reassure him, “It’s not like there won’t be people around. You’re still coming out to interfere right?” She smirked at him, knowing the next week or so would be a lot of that with one or both of them ‘torturing’ her in the build up to their match. 

“Wouldn’t miss it. Gonna be hard not to throw you over my shoulder when I leave,” He grabbed her ass through the skin tight leggings. 

“Save it for after the show ...then you can do whatever you want with me,” She pulled him down to whisper in his ear and nip at his lobe. He growled and pulled her against him. 

“I have half a mind to let that jackass walk out alone and go get really disrespectful with you in a closet somewhere,” He popped her ass, not caring too much if anyone around the corner of the locker room heard. 

“Promise?” She teased, stepping just out of his reach. There were more people in the locker room now as she left and some seemed to be hiding amused reactions. She had to assume she and Scott were now no longer quietly seeing each other. 

Brinkley felt her heart racing as she approached the dark tunnel of the gorilla and as expected, Curt was waiting. It felt awkward, neither of them speaking as they stood next to each other. Curt glanced at her wrapped arm, wondering if it looked any better yet. Once he looked away, Brinkley glanced back at him, noticing a cut on his face under his eye, butterfly strips holding it together.

“Oh my god, what happened??” She asked, looking at the injury. 

“Nothing,” He shook his head, “Ran into a door,” He fibbed. 

“Did you get in a fight?” She had to pull her hand back before it touched his face. 

“I wouldn’t call it much of a fight. More of like a sucker punch,” Curt recalled the fist that seemingly came from nowhere. 

Brinkley slowly realized what he meant. She remembered Kevin being late to the car when they left Omaha. 

“So…that’s because of me?” She shouldn’t have but she felt guilty.

“No.” Curt told her quickly, “This? Was because of me,” He had been pissed at first, but a few days of reflection had calmed him down, “I did it to myself, Brinkley,” He hoped that she hadn’t spent the week resenting him like he feared. The look of concern on her face brought him some relief. 

He enjoyed her valet performance, walking to ring more slowly than usual to soak as much of it in as he could. She interfered as if they’d never missed a beat. She and Curt had to pretend like they didn’t hear the crowd reacting when Scott and Kevin snuck down the ramp. They each went to either side of the ring, essentially trapping her between them as they approached. 

They toyed with her and teased her, nearly backing her against the ring post. Curt stepped through the ropes, attempting to block them, Kevin distracting him as Ray Traylor blindsided him for an upset finish. Scott tried to drag her away from ringside and she slapped him, the sound much worse than the sting, but the audience ���oooh’d” over it. Just as he was about to grab for her again, Curt slid out of the ring and stood between them, warning them to get backstage.

He pretended to console her, enjoying whatever moments he could of closeness even if it was a facade. 

Back in the gorilla, he took his hands off of her, but she pulled him back, touching his cheek gently. It had started to bleed again.

“You’re bleeding, you should go to medical. It might need stitches,” She fussed a little over him. He took her hand from his cheek, kissing her palm before putting her hand back down. 

“Go on, I’m sure you have some people waiting on you,” Curt would hang around until she was gone. He didn’t need Scott evening things out on the other side of his face, “The new outfit looks amazing, by the way,” He called after her. She glanced back over her shoulder at him with a smile. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unsure if she should spend the money on her own room or find some other woman backstage to share with, Brinkley bunked up with Kevin and Scott after she was convinced that Kevin wasn’t bothered by it. 

Scott was accurate in saying it wouldn’t take long for Kevin’s pet anaconda to make an appearance. She was sure he liked being caught with it out. At 11 inches soft, she didn’t blame him, though it only convinced her she wanted nothing to do with that trouser snake. 

After a few days though, it began to feel like she and Scott were living together. She wasn’t getting enough sleep for a variety of reasons (though the main one left Scott with some sleepless nights as well) and though it took some mild convincing, Scott understood why she would want her own space, though occasionally he was sure he could convince her to stay with them. 

There was only one altercation out back of one bar where Scott and Curt stood toe to toe. Of course Brinkley was there, having been the reason Scott was there in the first place. Heated words were exchanged, though Curt’s were mostly apologetic and he took ownership of the situation. Scott had shoved him, but that's where it ended. Curt knew he would end up with a receipt over it in the ring and he was fine with it. 

Backstage, Brinkley had resumed talking with Curt on occasion - he was in their dressing room most of the time. Before a house show in Fort Lauderdale, they were the only two at the gym on a rainy, gloomy day. They had paired up and it felt like old times when Curt spotted her. Brinkley wondered if she missed him, or just missed her routine. 

“I can give you a ride,” Curt offered when she stopped at the gym’s front desk to call a cab to the arena. Everyone else had been nursing severe hangovers likely caused by whatever pill bottle was making its way through the crowd at the bar. She’d known better than to participate in that. 

Brinkley looked at him for a moment, pausing as she dialed. He could tell she was contemplating taking him up on the offer, but knew it would likely upset, at the very least, Scott.

“Are you sure?” She asked, already laying the phone handset down, “Are you going to the arena now?”

“Well, I can. Thought I might grab something to eat,” He shrugged, “But I can drop you off if you want.”

Brinkley thought a moment more before letting go of the phone completely and grabbing her bag.

“I could eat…” She admitted as she walked past him. 

[cryptidteaparty]

Bored, so have some oc content

(There may be some minor spoilers for my webcomic, so please be cautious)

Gabriel loves to garden. It's literally his favorite thing ever. One of the reasons he fell for Giles was because the man had very happy plants, which is the biggest green flag for Gabe.

Giles loves journaling and calligraphy. He writes in his journal in the mornings and in the evenings, it's one of his greatest joys. He has two separate journals for devotionals and everyday writing.

Gabriel often helps with the bible school, he is very good with children, and the children give him drawings and small trinkets. He has never once refused a gift from any child.

Giles became a reverend to help anyone who needs helping. He couldn't care less about the money or respect of the villagers and always uses the money from tithings and offerings in ways that benefit the community and the people of Hodges.

Gabriel's farm is on the most fertile plot of land in Hodges, mainly because he really knows his way around crop rotation and how to keep his soil happy.

[nopoodles]

When it comes to world building, there is a broad spectrum of approaches and I like to imagine it as a graph with four quadrants (I'm not gonna draw it)

Horizontally we have: detailed/full world ——— enough for the story

And vertically we have conceptualised before writing ||| conceptualised during writing

That leaves us with four corners of extremes and a whole plethora of space to locate yourself or your project.

Detailed/full world, conceptualised in advance

Detailed/full world, conceptualised during writing

Enough for the story, conceptualised in advance

Enough for the story, during writing

I'm that last one, maybe shift towards full world a little because a decent amount of my world building never makes it to the page, but it only exists for scenes that also got scrapped.

And I'm mostly making this post for people like me (or anyone who doesn't land in "detailed, in advance"), to reassure that it's a completely okay world building process to casually have potatoes and no idea where they came from, or to not have bothered coming up with answers to those "basic" world building questions.

Some people love really in depth world building, really detailed stuff, pages and pages of trade treaties and crop rotations and the plumbing systems. And other people, people like me, hate that shit. I just wanna read the story and the characters.

Neither of these is good or bad, one is not superior to the other. They're just preferences. We all have preferences about things, and maybe you're reading this thinking "I like both" then good for you and I'm glad, like I said, you're not stuck at the extremes, there's a whole graph to plot yourself or your projects on. Maybe your preferences change, different books want different things. Just don't get stressed out that you're world building "wrong" because you casually added chocolate to a fantasy world without considering where it came from (though it can be worth considering the climate in which it grows and whether you've built that into your world for your own benefit.)