#less labor intensive than 3 of them too

[zaczenemiji]

Curtain Calls and Curveballs I

Kenji Sato x Actress!Reader

Synopsis: In your high school years, you and Kenji Sato are fierce rivals, constantly competing for top academic honors and excelling in your respective extracurriculars. Little did you know, you rivalry would take an unexpected turn.

Word Count: 1,836

Genre/Warning: Coming of Age, Enemies to Lover, Eventual Romance, Slow Burn

Author’s Note: A lot of you have been requesting for an enemies to lover themed fanfic so here’s a two-part one made for y’all <3

MASTERLIST

“Anyone can pretend to be someone else.”

“Well, it doesn’t take much brainpower to throw a ball.”

How could you forget the feud that started it all? Your spot as a top-ranking student back in high school was suddenly disturbed by the arrival of a certain Japanese student.

You didn’t mind it at first, only perceiving it as a challenge that would lead to the betterment of yourself. You know, kinda like what they say—smooth seas never made a skilled sailor thing.

But little did the teen you know that Kenji Sato would become a force of a tsunami in your life.

The little frowns when one scored higher than the other on quizzes became a competition that was the backbone of your interactions—the core aspect of your enmity.

The two of you were naturally gifted students with too much competitive spirits. Your performances were closely monitored by peers and teachers who eagerly anticipated the next round of test scores to see who would come out on top.

Needless to say, your little rivalry became a show that everyone liked to watch—a TV drama that keeps them glued on the couch, and a baseball game that keeps them at the edge of their seats.

What started as frowns became bickers and a constant exchange of provocative teasing. A day at school wouldn’t be complete without exchanging sarcastic remarks with one another.

“Better not mess this up, (y/n). Wouldn’t want to lose those precious extra points,” Kenji said in one of your chemistry labs.

You rolled your eyes as you set up your titration apparatus. “Don’t worry about me, Kenji,” you replied. “Just make sure you know the difference between an acid and a base.”

Despite the academic rivalries, your favorite thing to one each other up on despite being on totally different sides of the scale, is your clubs.

With Kenji being the star of the baseball team and you the leading actress of the drama club, the two of you were set to speak at the pep rally to represent your respective team and club.

“And now, let's hear from our star pitcher, Kenji Sato!”

Kenji steps up to the microphone, flashing a confident smile. "Thanks, Mr. Principal,” he said. “Our team has been working hard, and we're ready to bring home another championship. Let's hear it for the baseball team!”

The crowd roared with approval. Sports enthusiasts loved Kenji and he is definitely the face of sports in your school. That’s one thing you couldn’t argue about. You’ve been trying to name a player better than him at school but unfortunately, there was none.

Kenji stepped back and the principal proceeded to introduce you, "Next, we have our leading actress, (y/n) (l/n), to tell us about the upcoming play."

You strode to the microphone, poised and charismatic. "Thank you, Mr. Principal,” you started. “This year's play, 'Romeo and Juliet, is a labor of love for the drama club. We've poured our hearts into it, and we hope you'll all come to see it.”

“Break a leg to the baseball team, and we hope to see some of you at the theater!" You added.

The crowd cheers again, though with less intensity than for Kenji. Kenji leaned over when you stepped back beside him.

“Break a leg, huh?” He whispered just loud enough for you to hear. “Isn’t that a bit risky for an actress?”

“It’s tradition,” you smirked. “Besides, I'd like to see you try and memorize Shakespeare."

Kenji laughed, "Maybe next time. For now, I'll stick to throwing strikes."

A week after the pep rally came Kenji’s game.

He winded up and delivered a fastball that struck out the batter, securing the win for his team. The crowd erupted in applause, chanting his name.

On his way to the locker room, he comes across you. He saw you in the bleachers earlier, watching with a critical eye.

“Enjoyed the show, (y/n)?” He asked, smirking.

“It was fine, I guess,” you said, rolling your eyes. “If you’re into that sort of thing.”

Kenji chuckled, “Don't worry, I'll save a seat for you at the next game.”

"I'd rather spend my time watching paint dry,” you said, crossing your arms. “Good luck with that, though."

A few days after the game came the premiere of the school's production. Every time the curtains rose, you stopped out not as (y/n) but as the character whom you portrayed—Juliet.

After the final act, the audience gave a standing ovation. You took a bow, eyes scanning the crowd. At the back, you spotted Kenji clapping politely.

You basked in the praises of the director and your friends for the job you did well. As you exit the stage, you find Kenji waiting in the wings. “Not bad,” he said, raising his brows. “For a drama nerd.”

You smirked in return. “Glad you could tear yourself away from the baseball field to appreciate some real talent."

"I figured I'd see what all the fuss was about,” he chuckled. “You didn't disappoint."

"Is that a compliment, Sato?” You asked, eyes narrowing playfully. “From you?”

“Don’t get used to it,” Kenji shrugged. “Just calling it like I see it.”

At home, after the drama club’s play, Kenji told his mom about you. He told her about how good you actually were at acting. He planned on leaving mid-performance but you kept him glued to the spot he was watching from. He may or may not have ditched his baseball training that day.

“You seem to know her well,” Kenji’s mom commented to which he retaliated with “To defeat your enemy, you must know your enemy.”

On the other hand, Kenji’s compliment played rent-free in your head. It overshadowed the director’s and the others’ compliments like they didn’t matter.

This situation went on for years in the span of time you spent in high school. Classmates and friends became used to the everyday sarcastic remarks and insults you hurled at each other.

What they didn’t know were the subliminal messages in every interaction.

They didn’t know about how Kenji often finds himself trying to perform exceptionally well whenever he knows you are watching. He’d throw an extra-fast pitch or make a particularly insightful comment in class, hoping to catch your attention.

They didn’t know that his playful teasing was a way to keep the banter alive to be able to engage with you regularly. They didn’t know that in a crowd of people, Kenji would always look for you. He watches your reactions to see if you’re impressed.

They didn’t know that you genuinely attended Kenji’s baseball games to see him do well. You’ll clap and cheer, albeit more reservedly than the die-hard fans, keeping your enthusiasm in check.

They didn’t know how you defend him from others, from those who would speak badly of him regardless of what he did. They didn’t know how you took note of his class attendance and lent him notes from classes he missed due to training.

The two of you did all these while outwardly maintaining the rivalry. Then one day, before you two knew it, graduation season was right around the corner.

One bright and sunny afternoon in the school gym, a large banner hung above reading "Graduation Ball Partner Reveal." Students crowd around a bulletin board, excitedly searching for their assigned partners.

This was one of the school’s antics to add some excitement to the graduation ball by randomly pairing students as dance partners. You heard other girls overtly expressing their wishes to be paired with Kenji.

With a grin, your friend turned to you, “Who do you hope to get, (y/n)?”

"Anyone who can at least manage to keep up on the dance floor,” you shrugged.

"I heard they really mixed things up this year. Could be anyone!" Another friend said.

When the crowd began to disperse, you and your friends made your way to the bulletin board. Scanning the list, your eyes widened as you saw your name next to Kenji’s.

“No way,” you muttered. “This has to be a mistake.” Just as you were processing this revelation, you heard a familiar voice behind you, "Looks like we're stuck with each other, (y/n)."

You turned to see Kenji standing there, a mix of amusement and surprise on his face. “Of all people, it had to be you,” you said crossing your arms.

“It’s not like I rigged the draw,” Kenji chuckled. “Why would I wanna be paired with you?” He asked like he didn’t want it.

As the night of the graduation ball drew nearer, the two of you agreed to be truces for one night.

A week later, there in the same gym, stood you at the edge of the dance floor. That night, the gym was a glittering wonderland, with twinkling fairy lights and elegant decorations that turned the mundane space into a ballroom fit for a fairytale.

“You look amazing, (y/n),” your friend nudged you. “Kenji's going to be blown away."

Scoffing, you replied, “If he even shows up.”

Just as you finished speaking, Kenji appeared, looking dapper in a sharp suit. He spotted you and made his way over, a confident smile on his face.

“Hey, (y/n),” he said. “You look… wow.”

You felt warmth rush to your cheeks as your heart began beating faster. All the earlier pettiness gone the moment you saw him.

"You clean up pretty well yourself, Sato,” you replied, barely a whisper.

Kenji extended his hand, a playful glint in his eyes. "Shall we?" He asked.

Taking his hand, you let him lead you onto the dance floor where you two fell into step, finding a rhythm despite the initial awkwardness.

“So, truce for tonight, right?” Kenji asked. You nodded, smiling, “Only for tonight.”

You danced in silence for a few moments, the reality of the situation sinking in. “I never thought we’d end up here dancing,” he said, breaking the silence.

“Neither did I,” you replied. “But maybe it’s not so bad.”

“You mean you’re actually enjoying my company?” Kenji chucked.

You rolled your eyes playfully, “Don’t get used to it.”

As the dance continued, the tension between you two began to melt away. You two talked about your plans after graduation and for the first time, you saw each other as two people with dreams and aspirations; not as an obstacle in the way.

“I want to go pro. In baseball,” Kenji said. “I've got scouts interested, and I think I have a real shot."

Your eyes widened slightly. "A professional baseball player, huh?” You replied. “I can see that.”

“Thanks,” Kenji grinned. "It's been my dream since I was a kid. What about you? What's next for you after we toss the caps?”

"I want to be an actress,” you answered. “I've been accepted into a drama program, and I'm going to chase that dream as far as it takes me."

That being said, you two will most likely be going to separate schools in college. Or so you thought.

PART TWO

Taglist is open! Comment if u wanna be tagged on future Kenji oneshots

@hismistresss @sweetangle8 @aerivina

@eternallyvenus @puppyminnnie @wattpadsuckssohard @sakura-onesan @reggies-eyeliner @buggs-1 @miffysoo @spencerrxids @stupidbutsmart @marimargirlies @mixvchelle @lannnu @lailuv21 @christiinee @abracarabbit @youngbananamilkshake @flutterfly365 @o-schist

[nevadaafterdark]

-> FARMBOY ON COWBOY ACTION <3

synopsis: thinking reeeaaally hard about working on a ranch/farm and pining over one of the really hot cowboys that work the cattle..

word count: ~900

(contents: t4t ftm4ftm, pet names (farmboy, beau, shug), frotting, fingering, light bullying/degradation, slight body betrayal, dubcon, nsft)

i'm still kinda new to writing porn! feedback is appreciated <3

you've been working on a farm, or maybe a ranch. the technicalities don't matter. maybe you're doing some of the lighter work, like tending to the chickens. y'know, collecting eggs, breaking broody hens, making sure the momma hens are getting enough to eat and drink as they stay with the eggs. it's a work-intensive job, but relatively light on the body. your boots are broken in but not overly worn.

but god if you can't keep your eyes off that one cowboy that saunters around like his dick is too big to fit in his blue jeans. he rides that shire horse like he's riding into war even though he's only herding cattle. you're lucky you can dish out excuses like watching the pasture for foxes and snakes when you're looking out at the cattle fields.

and yet, of course, luck isn't always on your side. one day, he confronts you about your lingering eyes (something about "you got a lazy eye? or a lack of respect?"). you adamantly deny everything -- obviously -- if only for the sake of his ego not growing too big. sure, you've interacted before, but this is new.

he laughs and takes your hand, his callouses abrasive against your softer hands. with less effort than you think it should take, he tugs you up into the saddle, practically on his lap. he laughs against the nape of your neck, his hot breath against your skin making you dizzy.

"what's the matter, farmboy?" he mumbles, his lips brushing against your skin. it sends electric tingling down your spine. "scared to take a ride? i just wanna show you somethin', that's all."

you deny it (saying something about the other workers not being competent enough to watch for hawks, which is honest-to-god bullshit) and squirm in the saddle. he wraps an arm around your waist and hisses out a warning to stay still. he squeezes the horse's sides with his calves and you're jostled as the horse starts walking, then trotting towards the treeline.

you ask him what he thinks he's doing. he just laughs, nipping at your neck and squeezing your middle again. his fingers find your belt and fiddle with the buckle. "it's alright, shug. i ain't gonna kill you or nothin'."

after a few minutes of riding (and his fingers dipping into the waistband of your pants but laughing and taking them out when you gasp), the horse comes to a stop in a forest clearing. he lifts you off the saddle, then hops off.

he unhooks his personal bag off the horse's saddle and drapes it over his shoulder. he gives the horse's dock a light slap, and it canters off, back towards the ranch.

the clearing is nice -- there's wildflowers dotting the tall grass and a rocky crag shadowing half the clearing. he stands behind you, his hands finding your belt buckle again. you gasp, and he laughs, breathy against the shell of your ear.

you call him an asshole and he just laughs again. "oh, you don't mean that, shug. i can tell."

before you can protest, his hand dips into your pants, his fingers immediately gliding over your tdick and running the pad of his finger down your slit. he chokes back a groan. "fuck. goddammit -- you just walk around like this, huh?"

you exhale heavily and deny it. you deny it even though you're hard, even though you're dripping, even though you're fighting the instinct to buck your hips into his hand.

he grinds against your ass, his belt buckle digging into your skin as he dips a finger in you. you hiss, and he laughs. "what, don't like that, farmboy? then maybe you shouldn't be walkin' around, wet and ready and just waitin' for someone to take you."

you huff, your breath becoming more labored as he starts moving his finger. you scoff and your head falls back against his shoulder as he adds a second, rubbing the heel of his hand against your tdick with every motion. he curls his fingers, his fingertips brushing against that rough spot inside you that makes you spit and curse like a feral cat.

"fuck this," he growls under his breath. he fumbles with your belt buckle, undoing it before undoing the button of your jeans and tugging down the fly. he circles around you, undoing his own belt, button, and fly.

he flicks the body of his bag behind him, then grabs your waist with enough force to bruise and brings your hips to his. both you and him let out strangled sounds as the heads of your tdicks bump and rub against each other. he ruts against you, groaning lowly.

"goddamn, shug, you're so fuckin' hard," he manages through his whining noises. "do i do this to you? don't answer, i already know."

you hiss out something along the lines of telling him to shut the fuck up, choking back your moans. you angle your hips and grind forward. both you and him groan and curse and just rut against each other like desperate mutts.

he guides you backwards, pushing you back against the bark of a tree, still grinding against you. he pulls away a little to reach into his bag. he pulls out a strap-on, one that's thick and heavy and matches his brash personality perfectly. the harness clinks as he holds it up with a shit-eating smile.

"you ready for the main show, farmboy?"

[dilatorywriting]

Heroes vs. Villains : The Staff [Part 3]

Platonic GN!Reader x NRC Staff vs. RSA Staff Word Count: 2.3k

Summary: Woe to the Ramshackle Prefect, being caught up in the drama between the Disney Villains and their respective heroes. NRC Staff Version (Part 3)

ie. Detention begins, and the topic of Winter Break plans comes into question.

[PART 1] [PART 2] [PART 3] [PART 4]

The first detention went about as well as you could have hoped.

You sorted paperwork, mindlessly graded the very same pop quizzes that had nearly given Deuce an aneurism just that morning, and shined all the stupid glassware that was needed to make all the stupid potions. It was grueling. And to think—you’d been doing this shit for fun not a month ago. What had been wrong with you?

“Maybe it was the Stockholm Syndrome,” you muttered irritably under your breath.

“What?”

“Nothing, sir,” you grumbled, and went back to organizing all of your tormentor’s seemingly endless collection of bits and bobs.

Professor Crewel looked over at you, his face twisted up like he wanted to say something. But after a moment of awkward silence, he just ducked his head back down to his paperwork and carried on without saying a thing.

The next afternoon didn’t look like it was shaping up to be much better. You shined, he scribbled, and you wished for nothing more than the sweet release of death. The quiet was disconcerting. Say what you will about all the time you’d spent holed up in this office before The Incident, but ‘silence’ had never been an issue. Even Crewel’s snide little barbs would be better than this—this nothingness.

‘You’re not even worth insulting anymore,’ your brain supplied helpfully. ‘Wow. Isn’t that a trip?’

“Are you almost finished?”

You startled a bit. It was the first full sentence he’d spoken to you all day. You glanced pointedly from him, to the walls upon walls of vials, and then back.

“No, sir.”

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, like this entire situation was just all sorts of unpleasant for him. And not like, you know, he’d been the one to lock you into the school equivalent of prison labor for the next four weeks.

He closed the ledger he was working on with a pointed snap and stood from his chair with a grand swirl of his fur coat.

“You can be finished for the day,” he said, leaning forward to rifle around in the top drawer of his desk. “It’s already late, and you should start making your way back to your dorm before it gets too dark.”

You fought and won against the intense to desire to roll your eyes. The path back to Ramshackle was no easier to traverse in the black of night than it was in the bright light of the afternoon. And besides, it’s not like you were particularly worried about anything happening to you out there. The monsters at this school prowled its halls no matter the time of day. If anything, nighttime meant less potentially murderous magicians out on the loose. No one but you was stupid enough to try and go toe-to-toe with a wandering Tsunotarou.

“And take these with you.”

You startled once more as something was pressed into your hands. It was a familiar box—sleek and artfully colored with matte backgrounds and swirls of golden lettering etched across its face. These were the fancy cookies.

Thankfully, the spite in your belly was enough to gobble up whatever lingering love you had for the treats. Or at least, that’s what you told yourself when you passed them back to Professor Crewel with a tight smile.

“Thank you,” you said, pointedly reaching into your own backpack to procure a nearly wrapped pouch of Annie’s homemade pastries. “But I’m all set.”

His dark eyes lingered on your stash of chocolate chip cookies in a way that made you think he was going to demand you throw them away, and maybe start ranting hypocritically about the dangers of bringing food of any kind into an alchemical lab. His jaw ticked and you had the distinct impression that he was grinding his teeth.

Instead, Professor Crewel just sighed and returned the treats to his desk drawer.

“Of course,” he huffed, looking a bit dejected, and collapsed back into his chair without his usual elegance. Huh. Maybe you’d just foiled his plans to try and poison you or something. “Good evening, Prefect.”

The next afternoon, he did not mention the cookies. However, on your way out the door at the end of the night, you noticed that he’d placed the box near the coatrack—not quite on top of your belongings, but close enough.  

And then it was there again the night after that.

And then again, and again.

.

.

“How’s the internment going?”

You heard a dull thwack and some angry shushing. Mister Rogerson’s laughter was muffled through the phone’s speaker, and you had a feeling that Annie had just tried to beat him with her shoe.

“It’s alright,” you snickered into your hand. “Prison is prison.”

“You know,” Mister Rogerson huffed. “I still say all of this is horribly unfair.”

You shrugged, and then remembered he couldn’t very well see that through a phone call, and sighed. “It could be worse.”

“Could it?” he asked, a clear frown in his voice.

You dutifully did not mention anything about Overblots and just sighed again. “I mean, probably.”

There was a bit of a scuffle on the other end and you heard little snippets of Annie’s kind trill. There was more laughter. It sounded warm—cozy. You glanced around at the grey, soot-stained walls of Ramshackle and tried not to feel sorry for yourself. Grim rolled over in his sleep and burrowed into your hip with a contented little mewl, which did help a bit.

“Annie wants to know if you got her care package,” Mister Rogerson said after a moment, sounding a bit like he’d gotten the wind knocked out of him. “And if you’ve thought at all about our offer to host you over the winter holidays.”

“I did, thank you,” you smiled. “It was all delicious.”

“And the break?” he asked after a moment.

“Crowley sent me some angry letter about taking care of the fairies that live in the kitchen stoves,” you said. “So I’ll have to see about that.”

“Just keep it in mind,” Mister Rogerson pressed, a bit of concern slipping into his otherwise laidback drawl. “Please?”

“Okay,” you smiled, feeling like you’d managed to steal a bit of that bubbly glow of theirs and tuck it away tight enough that even the chilly shadows of your new home wouldn’t be able to taint it. “I will.”

.

.

“Take care of the fairies in the boiler?”

“Yes,” said Crowley, with deadpan sincerity.

The other members of the staff looked on in silence—a lovely range of ‘fed up’ to ‘outright contempt’ twisting their faces.

“Well I thought it was an excellent idea,” he huffed, crossing his arms petulantly over his chest.

“No wonder this child hates you,” Trein hissed under his breath and worked his fingers into his temples like maybe if he drilled hard enough he could kill the Crowley-Induced-Migraine before it began.

The Old Crow gasped.

“How dare you—”

“And you,” Trein interrupted, turning on Crewel with a sneer. “What exactly are you trying to accomplish with any of this, Divus? An entire month’s worth of disciplinary action for one infarction? I thought you were better than, well,” a pointed glower at the raving Headmaster who was nearly collapsed in tears before them, “that.”

Crewel’s lips curled into a bitter snarl, but the aging historian before him was far from cowed.

“That’s none of your concern,” he snapped. “This is a matter between the Prefect and I, and their willful disobedience when it comes to following the rules of this institution.”

“Is that so,” Trein hummed, arching a brow in obvious skepticism. “But then again, what would I know anything about raising unruly children? I only have two lovely, successful, daughters of my own. Remind me, when was the last time you allotted even an ounce of affection to anything that wasn’t one of your purebred mongrels? Or your own ego?”

Crewel stepped forward with a scowl that was more a restrained baring of teeth.

“That has nothing to do with anything,” he sneered.

“Say what you will,” Mozus Trein tutted, and glared down his nose at the pair of them—Crewel with his poorly cloaked rage and Crowley who still refused to stop wailing about the injustices of it all. “But both of my children will be coming home for the holidays. Voluntarily.”

“Oooh,” Sam trilled, uncurling himself from the shadows for the first time all afternoon. “Get ‘em, Mozus.”

.

.

You ended up staying at Ramshackle over the break, if only because you couldn’t tell at this point if ‘oven fairies’ were a real thing, and if they were and they did starve, you’d feel absolutely terrible. Your rap sheet in this word was already a mile long—you didn’t need to add homicide to the list.

And then, of course, you ended up being kidnapped by Jamil and his smooth-talking self not a day in, so your act of goodwill really was all for naught.

You paced around your luxurious little guestroom cell, phone in hand. There wasn’t a lot of charge left on it, but you definitely had enough to make a call or two. Mister Rogerson would come help you, you knew he would. But… the problem was that you were kind of becoming a Blot expert at this point, and from the looks of things, Jamil Viper was about to go apeshit and melt into Enraged Ink Monster Number Four. Sure, the guy may have kidnapped you. But he also made great curry, and really didn’t seem that bad underneath it all. Just... quiet. And fed up with living a life of forced servitude and mediocrity. Which, y’know, totally fair.

You paced and paced.

“They have to be reported to the proper authorities,” Mister Rogerson had said. “And dealt with accordingly.”

“They’d be taken away?” you’d whispered.

“I know it sounds scary, kiddo. But that’s what we have to do to keep everyone as safe as we can.”

You grit your teeth and called Ace and Deuce instead.

They were immediately no help at all and Jamil ended up Overblotting anyways.

“Y’know,” Grim grouched, shivering into your side after Evil Jamil had yeeted you off into The Unknown and Freezing Corners of Sandy Hell. “You really should start charging for these things. We could probably make a lot of money or something.”

“That’s a great idea,” Azul nodded along, and you wanted to beat the shit out of them both.

In the end, you saved the day. As usual.

Jamil was de-inked. He was still a miserable wad of repressed hatred, but at least he was being open about it now. Everyone was alive. Azul promised to only bill you his usual rate for assistance rather than the holiday upcharge. Kalim held a feast, as per usual. And Ace and Deuce showed up at the tail end of it all, which was incredibly sweet of them and also on track with their usual brand of stupidity.

Everything had turned out great!

Except…

“How was your break?” Mister Rogerson asked. “We missed you over here!”

“It was great,” you lied, images of black tar running from narrowed eyes and the suffocating sensation of dark magic flooding your throat. “It was great.”

.

.

You walked into detention on Monday afternoon feeling like shit warmed over. And looking like it too, you would guess, seeing the way Crewel’s eyebrows shot all the way up his forehead.

You stayed silent throughout the whole thing, quietly sorting bottles and blends, and trying to keep your mind off the fact that you had very nearly died. Again. You could feel Crewel’s eyes on you throughout the entire ordeal, tracking you in a way that reminded you of someone watching a car crash that they just couldn’t quite force themselves to look away from.

“Prefect,” he called as your were half-way through shrugging on your coat at the end of the evening.

“Yes, sir?” you sighed, not even bothering to look up from the floor.

He was silent for one moment, two, three.

“…Get some rest tonight,” he ordered. It sounded like a cop out—like he’d wanted to say something else but hadn’t had the words for it.

You sighed again, bone deep and weary. “Yes, sir.”

.

.

You did not, in fact, rest that night. A horrible cocktail of nightmares tugged at your brain from dusk ‘til dawn, and you woke up feeling worse than you had when you’d gone to sleep.

You barely forced yourself to go to detention, and only because you knew it would only get worse if you tried to skip out. However, when the door to Crewel’s office creaked open, you were not met by a head of neatly dyed black-and-white hair, but a yowling mass of flying fur and limbs that immediately sent you sprawling to the floor.

Jasper and Badun yelped and cried in the ways that all excited dogs cry, and laved your face with so many kisses you couldn’t have counted them even if you tried. Your hands went into their soft scruffs on instinct, and you had to fight valiantly not to burst into tears.

There was a hand at your back then, urging you towards the comfy, plush, chair that you’d once called yours. You plopped gracelessly against the opulent cushions, and the pair of delighted dogs quickly bounded up to join you—squishing their too-large bodies into your lap and across the armrests. The duo buried their noses into your shoulder, your hip, any nook and cranny they could reach. And you felt warm for the first time since the holidays.

When you woke up later (hours? Days? You couldn’t tell), you and Jasper and Badun were all still bundled together in that chair—the three of you tucked in gently beneath the soft furs of a very familiar black and white coat.

.

.

TAG LIST [CLOSED]

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[blarefordaglare]

Fan Joy July day 4

This one’s by @la-sera

Link: https://www.tumblr.com/la-sera/752542158668562432/for-the-single-drawing-request-what-about-legend?source=share

I enjoyed how you used warmer tones and cooler tones to work in harmony (I hope that makes sense) and overall just the color vibe of the piece. I also adore the line art and how you used a mix of shading with colors and hatching for some parts, like Hyrule’s neck or Legend’s cap. Overall the style is really beautiful and bright! I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

___

“Alright, enemy camp to the right,” The traveler grinned confidently, a rare sight, yet the same intensity every time, “Want to aim for sub 10?”

Sure it was childish, it was irresponsible, it was immature, but every once in a while one will feel that longing-that call, that can’t be ignored. It was the call that pushed Hyrule to take that sword in the beginning, to realize that living isn’t the same as thriving. It was the call that got Legend out of bed that one night, that got him on a boat, that allowed him to wake up. 

“Heck yeah I do,” The veteran pulled out a fire rod, 1200 rupees was a scam, he should know, he can’t even count how many he has now, “I’m aiming for 9 minutes, max.” 

Hyrule let out a grin, “Just nine? I thought you’d be able to do eight,” He never had any family growing up, let alone brothers, and it only made the experience more memorable. For once he didn’t feel alone, but instead at ease. He felt he could make room for mistakes, and it wouldn’t allow the world to crash back down on him, “But I guess nine is alright, for a beginner.” 

“Oh you’re on.” Legend gave a challenging, yet playful glare, “Relay the rules to me?” 

“Not a scratch, not even a stain, no fighting more than 3 enemies at once, and most importantly,” he took a step back. No help.” 

“That’s not fair!” He never fought alone, well that was a lie, he’s fought alone countless times. But that was in his world, where the monsters were just monsters and no blood that was darker than the night sky plagued them. Now though, that wasn’t the case.

“Three…” 

“Hey wait a minute, I’m talking-“ He got cut off. Another thing about Legend is that he hates being ignored. He’s been ignored all his life, his pleas to spare one more person, to go another day with peace, even to have his bed back. It was too much ignorance to bear.

“Two…”

“Listen!” The sharp tone of his voice alerted the camp. Four bokoblins, two lizalphos, and one moblin. It shouldn’t be a problem-it’s only seven. Seven black blooded monsters that almost killed a guy. All the more fun.

“One…”

“I hate you.” That was a lie, he hoped the traveler knew that. What he hated was the fact he aimed too high-seven monsters, nine minutes. It would have to take less than two minutes to defeat one. 

“Go!”

He ran, allowing his boots to carry him at a high speed. Adrenaline pulsed through his blood as he allowed the hot flames to engulf some of the monsters. Hard ones first, easy ones last. It was a bad strategy, nobody would let him live it down, but that’s what he does solo. His steps were calculated and precise, a mix of muscle memory and an attempt to not get a single drop of blood on him. He allowed instinct to take over for the most part, leaving him surprised when he noticed there were no more enemies to defeat. 

“Seven minutes and thirty two seconds!” The familiar voice of the traveler called, “That’s a new record!” He waved his arms up in celebration, and Legend couldn’t help but echo the action. 

“Aww yeah!” Legend beamed at Hyrule, “Next time you’re going to try.”

“Fine, but for now let’s celebrate.” 

The two cheered, their voices echoing in the clearing. Their voices coaxing out the pure joy that was hidden long ago, a joy that could light up anybody’s day. Waving their arms in the air, basking in the dopamine from the achievement. It was stupid, sure, but it mended the soul in a way no amount of labor could. 

[red-umbrella-811]

Okay, so I wrote this on reddit to a depression doomer, but I want someone who might have an iota of openness to considering it to read it, so I'm posting it here. I assume there will be doomers here too, because depression is depressing. All of these things are things that I've tried, and all of them are things that have made my life better than it was before. All of them I have started in an incredibly janky way and they've still helped. If anyone is interested (or I receive the same combination of depression-based hostility and intense focus), I'll make separate posts on how to actually do the thing.

Things that might make a person's depression improve that don't involved going to a therapist:

Aerobic exercise 4x/week

Membership in a community/close relationships/human touch/human interaction. I'm bundling these together, because in a practical sense, you're making about the same decisions yourself, and the interactions with other people will follow. I recommend finding a "Third Place," such as a sports league or dance community (see exercise), game/knitting/metaphysical store, bar, cafe, meetup group, adult learning class, regular volunteering gig, music venue, RPG group, book club, brunch group...you get the idea. The best ones are open to the public if you're socially isolated or looking to date, because you'll meet a greater variety of people, but anywhere where the same amorphous or literal group of people shows up at a place and time will help you build relationships.

Omega 3 Fatty acids, Vitamin D, Vitamin B-complex, Magnesium: I'm not a doctor and this is not medical advice. They might give you energy and run your body more smoothly.

St. John's Wort: I'm giving this its own thing because the above are supplements that the body gets in its diet, this is a drug™, but you can purchase it over the counter. It inhibits the reuptake of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, for which there is some evidence that it helps depression on a chemical level. It has mad drug interactions and PLEASE do your research before taking it.

A lot of things in the cognitive behavioral therapy realm. Gratitude practices, affirmations, I'm sure there are CBT workbooks for depression that one could find. The idea is to reframe your thoughts to make sure they are a) true and b) priming you to feel emotions and take actions that will make your life suck less.

Going outside. Living in a suboptimal space is depressing, and so many of us do it. We do better when we see and hear trees. We do better when we see and feel the sun. We process things when our brains run electricity back and forth between the two sides, as happens when walking (drumming is also good for this, or bilateral stimulation from something else).

Accomplish things. I know. This, even more than the many difficult things I've listed, probably feels impossible, but I'm writing it anyway, because it really does help. If you have small tasks you've been putting off, try and get one done. Break up big tasks into accomplishable steps. Not like "Clean the house" to "Clean the bathroom," like "Clean the house" to "throw all the trash on the couch in the trash can" or "get out all the products to clean the bathroom" (the second kind doesn't vibe with me but some people like it)

You'll notice none of this is going to fix the world, except for the shitty little corner the person doing it is sitting in. That's the point. There is so much wrong with the world, and it asks a lot of us to fix it: our labor, yes, and also our joy. And also, our ability to get out of bed in the morning, our ability to send emails, our ability to check in on each other, our ability to keep ourselves out of entanglements with the state and other institutions. I'm not saying this because it's fair, I'm saying it because it's the way out I see in front of us.

[a-dream-deferred]

so i started going to the gym for the very first time and i have some Thoughts to share:

for context physical activity has never been my strongest suit nor my cup of tea. the lowest grade i've ever received in my whole life (all 12 years of school and 2 years of uni) was in PE lmao

so naturally i was not exactly looking forward to being in a gym. but my mental and physical health has been suffering lately so you gotta do what you gotta do

suprisingly the gym was a much less intimidating environment than i anticipated. yes there were people who looked super buff and experienced, but there were also all other kinds of bodies and ages and levels of fitness. and no one seemed to pay attention to what the others looked like or what they were doing, so my social anxiety settled down and let me be

observation 1: it's amazing how music can make exercise go from pain pain pain discomfort embarrassment shame to pleasantly dissociating and imagining yourself as a fictional character of your choosing

observation 2: isn't it kind of dystopian that gyms are simulating the kind of physical activity that is normally meant to be done outdoors? running, walking, jogging, cycling, even rowing. if i could walk or bike to places instead of having to ride in a car i wouldn't have to resort to a gym in the first place, but the roads are not designed for that and the weather is too hot

this brings me to the reason i absolutely hate modern exercise--it just feels so fake!! and meaningless!! and aimless!!! rationally i knOw there are many benefits but it's like there's this primeval part of my brain that's like. if i am not escaping or hunting or racing, then why am i running? i am not even moving from one point to another, how strange. why am i squatting or bending over if i'm not picking something up? what are these weights that i am lifting - if it is not a jug of water or a sack of grain, then why am i carrying it?

afaik in pre-industrial times the poor got their exercise in the form of physical labor while the rich had their leisurely sports like horseback riding and archery. gyms on the other hand divorce physical activity from both usefulness AND entertainment, making it a very unpleasant experience imo. it takes a lot of mental effort to remember that exercising is going to help me in the long term when in the short term it just feels like time wasted on pain and getting nothing real done.

observation 3: i've seen many individuals who someone could easily look at and say "oh that person is overweight/obese, they must not exercise at all" but then you see them lifting heavy weights like it's nothing, doing intense workouts without running out of breath, etc. meanwhile i with my "normal bmi" am struggling to do basic stuff. so yeah fatphobia is definitely not about health or fitness or whatever

observation 4: the kindness of strangers <3 that's it that's all there is to say

[the-prsc]

Day 9 

Previously on PRSC... 

David has abandoned the ‘Court of the Crimson King’ to stay with Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, a man whose presence was not announced to the other bands. 

As a result of this Fripp has become more paranoid and sent out his, ‘defense’ and ‘foreign intelligence’ secretaries out into the wood to find him 

Genesis have spiraled out of control at the loss of Phil 

On a lighter note, Rick and Alex have formed a comedy duo, ‘Two Dumb Blondes’ 

Death Count: 2 

In the Conglomerate... 

For the most part, progress and comfort in The Conglomerate continue smoothly. They have by far the most efficient workload distribution of any of the camps. Everyone has a particular job to which they can dedicate all their energy, and the new addition of the ‘Two Dumb Blondes’ comedy troop is keeping almost all of them in good spirits. Their strong points at this stage of the game are community, attitude and numbers.

Sadly, however this is not the case for everyone in the camp. Since his murder of Greg on day 3, Keith has not been trusted by any of his peers and has been emotionally exiled from their community. His pain and loneliness are brought to the front of his mind with the formation of our jolly duo of blonde gentlemen as he feels a great jealousy for the companionship they share after only a week of pleasantries. 

All the while in perfect time... 

Genesis’ tears are falling on the ground! There is less humor within the Genesis camp, especially where Tony (who hasn’t picked up his Etch-a-Sketch since Phil’s death) is concerned. Peter has progressed further in his insanity and has begun wearing his flower hat while prancing and leaping around the forest exclaiming, ‘I am the prettiest sunflower in all the isles!’ We at the PRSC believe this is some form of act of denial brought on by his intense grief. A more obvious sign of his growing delirium is his refusal of food. The rest of the band have tried to feed him, but he doesn’t even seem to listen to them as he just leaps off into the shrubs. We theorize that he is attempting to photosynthesise…

Steve and Mike are still knuckling down to their work, albeit far from efficient. They are the only camp (other than David and Ian) who only have only two functioning members and neither of them have done any sort of camping since Mike’s ‘combined cadet force’ days back in 5th form at Charterhouse. Does Phil’s death spell doom for the boys in Genesis? They will have to start making friends before it's too late or survival in the plummeting autumn climate will be impossible. 

What do you do when the old man’s gone? 

A question David regularly asks himself since his departure from the court (Fripp’s real age is unknown to the rest of the band, but he makes sure they know he’s older than them to establish a good pecking order). Ian has become a protective figure for David reassuring him that he is safe from Fripp where they are, and he’ll never find them. He has been stern but gentle with him. He doesn’t want to show any weakness around David, but Ian has grown very fond of him in recent days and their unlikely friendship fills in the hole he didn’t know needed filling with human interaction. 

Back in the court... 

Muir and Bruford continue their search for David unaware of Ian's presence in the wood. Bruford believed that following his ‘dispute’ with their ex-drummer three days prior, it would be best for Muir to handle the visit to the Genesis camp. 

*Written in retrospect* Sadly, I was out on my lunch break when this meeting took place, so am unaware of all the details. From what I have heard through my colleagues, Muir turned up with his sheet metal ready to ‘fuck shit up’ and find wherever they have stashed David but got overwhelmed by their negative vibe and a bit freaked out by Peter so ran for the hills with a plan to come back another day with backup. 

The rest of the court continue their labor works under the (false) impression that Fripp cares for them and that the court is a democracy and isn’t entirely run on his word. 

And you and I reach over the sun for the river... 

In case any of you fine readers have forgotten, Jon Anderson and Alan White are still in The Arena. We haven’t been reporting on them because, quite frankly, we couldn’t find them! They have figured out how to light fires pretty well and have been setting up new camps most nights making them rather difficult to track. By the time we’d found them, they had ventured far from the other bands and their relationship had deepened exponentially. We only managed to locate them when following Fripp's secretary for ‘Foreign Intelligence’, Bill as he got lost in search of David. A VERY awkward encounter ensued as he was met face to face with Jon or as he calls him, ‘Napoleon’ (because he is short and autocratic) and his Yes replacement, Alan. Bruford was the second king crimson spy to chicken out during intelligence missions today as he scurried back to the court to find Muir. 

Otherwise, Jon and Alan, this game hasn’t been so bad. The reason being, they chilled the fuck out! For almost a week they have strived not to get bogged down in the shit. Luckily, Jon has had (and probably will keep having) amazing luck with cosmic connection to nature and hasn’t had to try for things just to go his way. One area of concern is their new reliance on ‘special’ mushrooms that grow in this forest. Unbeknownst to them, most of Jon and Alan’s diet for the last week has been magic mushrooms and they have been asphyxiated most of that time. At least they're happy. That’s all for today, so we’ll see you tomorrow for... 

The Prog Rock Survival Competition!

[aghostinmyownmachine]

dbh-adjacent writing-program nonsense under the cut, a.k.a. let's talk a bit about WriteMonkey 3

I've used WriteMonkey 2 and 3 on and off for. hm. I guess it's gotta be eight or nine years now? but those instances of use have always been erratic and short lived, and I've usually returned to either Scrivener or, more frequently for many reasons, MS Word. (I also did just a ton of first-draft writing in discord back when I had an account and c/ped my writing from there into Word. near-peerless syncing between devices, appalling security practices. what can ya do 🙃)

anyway, due to ~circumstances~ I've switched to writing on a computer that isn't my writing program–filled work laptop, and so I've been experimenting with WM3 again because it's super lightweight due to plaintext markdown instead of rich text and I have a license key for it, which = fun plugins. it's also way less complicated and labor intensive to set up per project and use than, say, Scrivener. I love Scrivener! but scriv can be overwhelming and distracting when all I want to do is write, especially if I want a unique, quick-to-set-up theme (and I always do, because Aesthetic Is Everything), which is one of the reasons WM3 is so handy

in addition to the gorgeous stripped-down UI that showcases whatever background I choose (mine can be found here!), WM3 has some really neat little plugins? I don't actually use the word-frequency checker myself, but WM3's shows you where each word appears in the document via the little indicator bars to the right of the word, which. rad! (you can tell at a glance which chapters are written in whose POV based off name usage alone and I think that's neat.) also, when you click on a given word in the frequency list, it'll highlight that word throughout the document and also display all uses of it vertically over the scroll bar path. lots of nice little visual indicators of what's going on. I just really like the design, it's simple but extremely useful and intuitive

admittedly, Scrivener cannot be beat when it comes to how easily you're able to make notes in it due to its multitude of note-taking locations, plus it has internal splitscreen capabilities that make referencing a second document a breeze, so there's definitely a mental transition involved when it comes to WM3 and its single-document-at-a-time system, on top of switching to markdown-style comments/reminders. that said! being able to not only see those comments below the headings in the left-hand sidebar but also jump to them when they're clicked? stellar 10/10 would use again

finally, the repository. I <3 the repository. being able to quickly toss whatever text I'm not quite ready to delete or info I know I'll want to reference at some point in the future into the repository is great. it's a seamless process, only a couple seconds' worth of effort required, allowing my focus to stay on what I'm writing instead of distracting myself by tabbing my way through various open files to find my notes. plus the repository is searchable(!!!!!), and using it also keeps the actual text editor clean visually, especially since the right-hand sidebar can be hidden too:

hm! possibly that is a sneak preview of chapter one! who can say!

so yeah! if you're looking for a stripped-down, highly customizable, portable writing program, I absolutely recommend it. there are downsides, of course, the biggest one being no official WM3 mobile options available at present, but since the program is both portable and plaintext, you can toss it into a syncing service and access it via your handheld devices that way. it's also not open source, and you need to pay to access the truly useful plugin features. with all that said, if you don't mind fiddling around with some CSS to make everything look juuuuuuuuust right, you can get yourself a really snazzy setup with relatively little effort. but maybe that's just me—aesthetic is king and all that

[kittyrob0t]

I will type this while im still feeling pretentious

in a good way, don't get me wrong. Lately, I've been feeling an overwhelming need to learn new languages, read books again, shift the music I listen to, and simplify the clothes I wear. Albeit, this might be temporary for now, I am clinging on to this momentary idealization of a want for this lifestyle. I know at my age, it will be difficult to learn a new language, and hopeless considering it might be a barren skill to have if I'm never even going to leave the country sooner or at all. But alas, my brain has decided to do something, and I must follow. This is more and more showing up as a stage of mania and ADHD, which I will ignore, and proceed with. In the past I've always wanted to learn new things, and have always failed because I use life as an excuse to forget or even tire of doing such things. I've also always wanted to have a simpler wardrobe with better pieces but have failed as well because I always put front that I am a victim of capitalism and am not privileged enough to afford slow fashion. Hence my repetition of clothes despite having a ton of them. I no longer enjoy making coffee, I make it, but finish it in less than 10 minutes without actually savoring it. Even the process itself. Which I know sounds ludicrous but I just miss romanticizing the small bits of life as I have been eternally depressed to do so.

I started the last three months with a labor some skincare routine, I now can't seem to be bothered. And I have been in an eternal melancholy for weeks that honestly feel like months. And maybe it has been months, I don't really remember. I haven't really had a fair grasp on time since five years ago. I also have this idea of reading these blog entries in videos I want to create, but it might be too much and overwhelming, and as I'm typing this, maybe its better to keep two separate mediums for now. Especially since I haven't even started video taping anything. It's also funny how I've never talked about filming anything in the first paragraph and now I'm blabbering on about it.

As for my quietness, I am in a pit to be honest. I am currently going in no sure direction with my career and now that I have finally stepped up, am coming to a long stop, I think most probably I am. Sometimes I get sputters of ideas that maybe I should do more work on my portfolio, but I can never find the time to do it, because I always think I'm better off doing something better at that moment. And then it all gets faded out, until a desperate happening comes into my life and I think about it again, and the cycle continues. I currently am working three jobs, one full time, two part time ones that feel like the other one is in disguise. It's a lot more needy than I am, and the fact that I'm depressed doesn't help. I am also currently processing training sessions for a voice acting gig that will last for 6 months and can probably pay for 3 years of rent, for a French web company about to launch audio smut. My desperation for money has definitely made me tolerate some red flags my employer has been showing, especially the time I asked for a contract and he sent me a two-sentence PDF with two underlines for signatures, five minutes later.

Someone has also been 'managing' me, in music, and have been singing as a back up for an indie rapper that seemingly only has intense rhythmic pop in his discography. Most of our shows either has my mic set to the lowest volume; either that, or my voice is incredibly low and quiet, and in decibels the naked ear can't hear, If that's even a phrase. But even then, I still value the 500-1000 peso bills I receive after (under) performing. I seem to think I get better with each performance, but whenever I get off, I always hear the feedback that I seem to have not existed there at all. And to be honest, I don't know what to feel. But I don't feel sad at all. There's certainly a humor to it. Feels like being a ghost employee in a band, paid to be silent.

I've also some to admit that I'm terribly disappointed with how my life is going, but often forget that I am, because of the little tiny happy moments that happen in between, that when I do remember, I feel a little worse that I don't know how to tell people how miserable I am because I feel that the time has passed.

I am currently determined on being alone, as I am weighing if I truly enjoy it because I get to so many things I plan on doing, or maybe I'm just genuinely busy; or that I am just glutted with the presence of other people, and have tremendously low energy to associate myself with. Which by the way, worries me that I may seem like a bitch.

[softgrungeprophet]

carrot apple orange juice!!

ratio of roughly 3 full sized carrots to 1 large apple and 1 large orange (or double it if u want more)

chop em up and put em in a juicer.

done.

more long-winded explanation under the cut:

1 BIG APPLE: (sliced) I usually use a single nice big Honeycrisp. You can also use 1.5 to 2 smaller apples if you don't have fuckoff massive Honeycrisps like we do. I've tried it with a couple of Fujis before, though I personally found Fuji slightly too sweet for this... (ymmv) I like a slightly sweet-tart apple, neither too sour nor too sweet, and my mom usually buys honey or cosmic crisps, so that's what we have and what's worked well. idk if a granny smith would work, i feel like those always have a weird bendy texture so idk how they'd behave in the juicer but the tartness sounds like it would be pretty good if you're using a particularly sweet orange variety or a lot of carrots (or pears)

1 BIG ORANGE: (peeled and segmented) When I make this, the orange and the apple are usually roughly the same size. I like using Cara Cara oranges but any large orange should work. Cara Caras are very mild flavored so if you want stronger orange flavor you can try stronger oranges and see if you like them. Cara Cara oranges are also pretty hefty so again if you're using smaller oranges, you will need more than one. The key is to have roughly equal parts oranges to apples though.

SOME CARROTS*: (chopped) Like I said, 3 is a good number, but you can use more or less or leave them out if you hate carrots. I just use regular-ass whole UNCOOKED RAW carrots from the grocery store but other colors of carrot are good too. Depending on the size of your carrots you might have to adjust lol. i just kinda eyeball it so I don't have weight measurements or anything but my goal is usually that the apple-orange juice mix = about the same quantity as the carrots, altogether. that way it's not TOO carroty. but this is still pretty carroty so keep that in mind; you CAN AND WILL taste the carrots if you don't leave them out. but i recommend giving it a try at least once, if you can. uncooked carrots are really sweet and they won't have that gross aftertaste you find in baby food or apple sauce (cause those things have cooked carrots and that shit's nasty)

if you really hate carrots and don't like them in the juice, even raw, you can leave them out completely like i said, and just add more orange and apple, or try another fruit. i've tried this with pears before and that was pretty yummy but the soft texture of pears did make it particularly... uh... thick? so you may need to filter it with a literal cheesecloth if you don't want like... pear slurry in the bottom of your glass (was a bonus in my case, because of my swallowing problems) You may also want more tart oranges or apples if you use pears, if it's too sweet.

*note that raw carrots can be pretty hard on the juicer (being the literal hardest of these fruits) and are also the most fibrous of the bunch, so if your juicer is like mine you WILL have to clean out all the fiber from the chamber sooner rather than later. i always do the oranges and apples first, clean out the pulp from those, and then do the carrots. (and then clean the whole thing according to how it's supposed to be cleaned while the juice is in the fridge)

because of this hardness and fibrousness, while i can do whole orange segments and whole or partial apple slices, i usually chop the carrots up into 1-2 inch long cylinders so the juicer has an easier time with them. if you try to shove a whole carrot in a juicer that's not made for it, you will probably regret it by the time you hit the middle of the carrot 😂😂 if you have someone else helping you, you can make them chop the carrots for you, too (i did that when i was still recovering; chopping carrots is hard work!)

relatedly, this is not the most labor intensive thing to make but it requires a lot of chopping and standing and shoving fruit into a juicer so it's not un-labor intensive either. an apple corer helps a lot but in my case, our apples are... uh... too big for our apple corer... so you might want to keep that in mind and either buy smaller apples or see if you can find pre-cut apples if you don't have anyone to help you and can't cut them yourself lol

i personally haven't tried using baby carrots but if you dry them off so they're not so wet, they should work? i mean they're basically just pre-cut carrots already. worth a try!

As far as fruit variety goes, I mentioned obviously some different options already but one that i want to make a separate note of is Blood Juice, aka: blood oranges, purple carrots, and pink apples (the kind that are pink inside)

I did this for Halloween and it was very good (mmm carotenoids) and a pretty dark red color with orange foam, so it really worked great for my spooky purposes. i encourage you to try out all kinds of fruit types to see what you like best :) my mom loves tangerine juice, for example, but I'm not a fan. you could probably use grapefruits too.

a little bit of lemon juice can also add a nice hint of tartness if you want a little more contrast, or if you're using particularly sweet apples or oranges. (i did that when i made it with fujis, iirc, cause it needed it... lemon also a good addition if you use pears instead of carrots since that increases the sweetness a lot)

experimentation is also fun. like, i bet this would be good with a tiny (very tiny) bit of ginger! or ginger ale, ooh... anyway go wild! juice what's in your heart! ultimate expression of "idk just throw whatever in there"

Anyway, i just chop all my ingredients up into pieces (or peel into segments for the oranges) and stick the pieces through our 20 year old electric juicer, and then i pop the juice in the fridge to chill before drinking (it'll settle so make sure to stir or shake before pouring/drinking.)

If you don't have a juicer this probably won't work XD unless you have one of those crazy hardcore blenders that can blend up raw carrots i guess...

the final result is also good, imo, with a bit of sparkling water (such as lemon or even passionfruit tbh) if you like bubbles (i love bubbles) but bear in mind that the juice you get won't be clarified unless you strain it yourself or have some weird fancy juicer, so it won't mix with sparkling water the same way thinner clarified juice does.

our old beast of a juicer is the kind that separates pulp/fiber from juice but the end result is still more akin to something like cloudy apple juice or cider and by its nature a little bit thicker and more uh... textured... than filtered apple juice, though the thinness/texture will probably vary depending on your ratio of carrots to apples to oranges (and how crisp your apples are).

the result from our juicer usually has foam/scum that floats to the top once the juice settles, and you can skim that off the top if you want, before you stir/shake it. it doesn't bother me personally but i know everyone has different texture issues and i can imagine that some people would be grossed out by it.

also obviously this isn't pasteurized or anything (i like many juices but i draw the line at cooked carrots and cooked bananas lol) so it won't last very long in the fridge, but it should be good for at least a day. I've drunk some that's been in the fridge for three days and I'm not dead so it's probably fine.

i don't remember how much it makes. i wanna say like... a cup...? maybe two cups? (~8-16 oz) idk if you want more you can just make more it's not that hard.

[libraryofcirclaria]

Edward Jackson

Library of Circlaria

Blog Posts

Article Written: 3 January 1451

Edward Jackson (1217-1309) was the earliest third-party candidate to win the election for Prime Minister in the Republic of Retun, and would go down as being one of the most influential politicians in history.

1259-1260

In the late 1250s, Jackson had joined the Top-Hatters Aviation Club which at that point became effectively an organization of members who were exclusively businessmen and bankers. He was initially considered a "Freshman," but soon had won his way to the Club's Master position. Rumor states he had done so through a duel but sources indicate it was simply his skill and talent at charisma and persuasion of the masses. Shortly after becoming the Clubmaster, he announced his run for Prime Minister and renamed the Club the National Diplomatic Party.

With the Diplomatic Party being a new and independent third-party at the time, Jackson won the Primary Elections as its candidate in 1259. His name, however, was not yet famous at the time, as the nation was focused primarily on the two contesting mainstream parties: the Foundation Party and the National Labor Party. The incumbent Prime Minister James Black was associated with the Foundationist Party and was running against Labor Party candidate Robert Smith, who was under controversy for having allegedly implemented a strategy to disqualify Arnold Stone, a popular candidate also of the Labor Party. In the ensuing protests and political chaos, Edward Jackson emerged in popularity on behalf of his platform with the promise to build a robust economy on the practice of deep-trade.

And so came the general election on 16 September 1260. By the time the polls closed and the ballots were counted, it became clear that the election would be one of the most contested in history, for it was too close to call. The district that would ultimately determine the outcome was the South Masonia District, where the votes were tied between the three candidates. After many recounts, the Supreme Court in Retun rested on Edward Jackson being the winner, thus winning him the Office of Prime Minister.

Jackson's Tenure

When Jackson began his Office as Prime Minister on 1 January 1261, his Diplomatic Party had only two seats in the Ministry Council and slightly more than a third in the Representative House and Public Assembly. However, Jackson was able to push major free-enterprise economic policies by pushing a popular concept that the Foundation Party wanted to govern "the conservative way" and the Labor Party "the liberal way" while the Diplomatic Party wanted to implement solutions that were practical regardless of political bias. Breaking a mold formed in the years before of political gridlock between the Foundationists and Laborists, this concept gained popularity among voters and succeeded in pressuring members from both parties to form coalitions with the Diplomatic Party in getting Jackson's measures passed. Foundation and Labor Party leaders publicly criticized Jackson and the Diplomatic Party for such "measures of coercion," but Jackson responded by casting them as "establishment figures." And in 1263, gubernatorial elections won the governorships of Combria, Ereautea, Nintel, and Pimdan for the Diplomatic Party, who also won a simple majority in House of Representatives and Public Assembly, and four more seats in the Ministry Council. The year 1264 saw the Diplomatic Party push to admit Chemko and Zyrtin as new Provinces into the Republic, a motion that won easy approval in the Public Assembly and House of Representatives, but initially ran into opposition in the Ministry Council. Jackson implemented an intense lobbying agenda that year, which succeeded in garnering another coalition to finally get the Ministry Council to pass the measure, which was signed by Jackson less than a week later.

This prompted backlash though, especially in light of Jackson's subsequent decision to implement military units to force the relocation of many members of the local indigenous population in the new Provinces. And prominent figures from both the Labor and Foundation Parties formed a coalition and motioned for the impeachment of Jackson on the charge that, during this time, he had implemented aggressive measures of coercion. Such a measure, however, failed to pass the House of Representatives or the Public Assembly; and Jackson was allowed to continue serving his role, winning re-election in 1266.

The main objective of Jackson's second term was to establish a network of deep-trade between Remikra and Greater Circlaria. This succeeded with the establishment of a deep-trade contract between the Early Republic and the Acrean Kingdom in 1272, carrying Jackson to win re-election for a third term. However, the Acrean Kingdom was overthrown and re-established as the Acrean Republic, which terminated the deep-trade agreement in 1273 and threatened to remove "Retunian squatters" in its territories by military force. Jackson dispatched Retunian military forces during that time, which confronted Acrean forces and began the Acrean War. This War was a source of controversy in the Retunian Republic as present-day scholars argue that this was the time that the Diplomatic Party, itself, began to turn into an "establishment party." Jackson, however, saved his reputation when he ended the War with a truce with the Acreans and settled for a stalemate agreement that awarded the Republic a large portion of the Galapolgis Islands. This proved a major advantage for the Republic as businesses began to invest in the building of trading posts in this region. And in 1278, Jackson won re-election for a fourth and final term.

Jackson's final term consisted of peak prosperity in the Republic, yet there were still issues. Tension existed between faculty and administration of the public and private universities enrolled in the North Circlarian World Academy, which was reducing pay raises and worsening other work conditions for its employees across the multi-national organization. Many faculty, as a result, formed collective organizations, which in turn voted to join the multi-chapter Kindol Educators Association. And in 1282, this organization began a labor strike, which shut down every involved educational institution across Circlaria for one year. Meanwhile, in the wake of unsuccessful deep-trade diplomacy with the Rinaean Kingdom, employees of the Deep-Trade Administration began a strike of their own, which lasted until 1285.

The reputation of the Diplomatic Party, however, was not hurt by this, as they had employed doctrines that convinced the masses that such labor upheavals constituted a threat to democracy. And in 1281, as the threat of both labor demonstrations loomed, the Diplomatic Party won important seats in the gubernatorial elections that year, gaining a two-thirds majority in all three chambers of Council. The following year, they used their gains to their advantage and passed the Third Amendment to the Constitution of the Republic. The Third Amendment handed court judges extra leverage in approving or denying the appointment of candidates to what were known as Mitigator Offices; Mitigators were initially representatives appointed by petitioners to initiate or stop ongoing procedures in either a legislative chamber or executive office. Such passage of this Amendment effectively gave more leverage to wealthy factions capable of affording higher-quality attorneys.

With popular sentiment effectively curtailed toward Diplomatic Party interests, Jackson endorsed his colleague, Arther C. Cummings, to be the next candidate for Prime Minister. And Cummings won the nomination handily in the 1284 elections.

After Jackson's Tenure

Jackson continued to remain in a public spotlight, being seen as a wise mentor to the new Prime Minister until Prime Minister Cummings' first week in office, in January 1285, when he signed a measure to borrow money from private banks in order to pay a large sum to Deep-Trade Administration employees and settle the ongoing strike overnight. With regard to workers' rights, it seemed an ethical and viable option, but the notion of the government obtaining a loan from such private institutions was a stark violation to Jackson's sense of ethics, as he saw this act as reckless. In the wake of this, Jackson dropped from the public eye and keeping touch only with family and close colleagues. Jackson made further distance between himself and the incumbent Prime Minister in the wake of the 1287 War with the Provan Republic, which ended as a loss to Retun.

In 1288, Jackson purchased assets and began a business renting out small airships to emerging businesses across the country. He made a successful living at this while maintaining a low profile, and eventually sold the business in 1300 for his retirement. In 1302, however, in the wake of ensuing economic depression, Jackson joined the ranks of leadership of a non-profit organization that crowdfunded business grants in an attempt to help emerging entrepreneurs. This organization gained the members of many people supporting the Progressive Party, which had risen and defeated the Diplomatic Party in the 1296 general elections, but had gained the sympathy of Jackson, who at this point began having contempt toward growing corruption in the Diplomatic Party establishment. Beginning in 1307, Walter Scott Mason had risen to the forefront as the Diplomatic Party nominee to run for Prime Minister, and was running a campaign based on hatred toward members of the darkfire community. It was during this time that Jackson rose to the public spotlight and endorsed John Waltmann, the incumbent Prime Minister having run on the Progressive Party ticket. Scholars argue that Jackson's endorsement against his own Diplomatic Party may have played an important role in Waltmann winning re-election, defeating Mason by a small margin in the 1308 election.

Jackson up to this point had long campaigned against Mason's sentiment of hatred toward the darkfire population. However, in 1309, he publicly sided with Waltmann's centrist views that the darkfire population be "kept in its place," going against the expansion of darkfire rights upheld by Finzi and his supporters. But Jackson never saw the turn of events that would take place during the 1309 Revolution, for he passed away peacefully the day before on 5 September 1309.

[mycology-supplies]

Side By Side Overview: Mushroom Grain Bags Versus Other Mushroom Cultivation Techniques

 Mushroom growing is becoming popular among mushroom enthusiasts and businesses alike because it's highly nutritional and is widely used for culinary purposes. There are different ways to cultivate mushrooms, both have advantages and disadvantages. This is a quick and thorough comparison of mushroom grain bags and some traditional mushroom growing techniques, like utilizing logs, straw, and sawdust. We are here to help you pick the best method that will match your needs.

Knowing what Mushroom Grain Bags are

The usage of grain bags is a common method for mushroom cultivation. It's best for newbies. The bags have sterilized grain commonly millet, rye, or wheat that has mushroom spawns introduced to them. These bags give a controlled environment best for the mycelium to colonize and start fruiting.

Benefits of Using Grain Bags:

They are easy to use: These bags are premade and prepared with all the materials you need inside. The bags come with step-by-step instructions too which is why they're great for new mushroom growers.

Maintains High Levels of Sterility: The contents of the bag and the bag itself are sterilized and then sealed avoiding any risk of contamination.

It's Portable: Grain bags boast of mobility as these can be moved around with great ease, in a location best fit for optimal growth.

A high degree of Control: Since it's already encased in a bag. You would easily have control of humidity and temperature levels.

Disadvantages of Mushroom Grain Bags:

They're generally smaller: Typical Grain Bags are smaller in size which means that they may not be your best option if you're planning to do large-scale production without using several bags

They can be more expensive: These bags are premade which is why they cost more than some substrates. You may be able to save if you could do DIY ones.

2. CULTIVATING USING LOGS

One of the oldest techniques in growing mushrooms is the use of logs. This is commonly used for growing shiitake and reishi mushrooms. These logs are inoculated with mushroom spores that colonize the log. The process typically takes a good few months to a year.

Benefits of Log Cultivation

 Natural Substrate: Logs provide a natural environment for many types of mushrooms.

 Lasts long: When fully set, these logs will yield big for years.

Needs less Intervention: You only set it up once, since it doesn't require much handling and intervention.

Disadvantages of Log Cultivation

Growth is slow: The process of colonization takes time usually taking months to a year. It's not an option if you don't like time-consuming methods.

Not for Indoors: The use of logs for mushroom cultivation requires space and that means it can't be set up indoors.

It's Physically Demanding: Using Logs as mediums to grow mushrooms can be labor intensive since you do have to prepare the logs and inoculate them.

3. USING BLOCKS OF SAWDUST

This is another substrate that is typically used by mushroom cultivators. These are created from hardwood sawdust and other organic materials that are organically derived. These are made into blocks and go through sterilization before they get inoculated.

Benefits of Using Sawdust Blocks:

They suit a variety of species: These blocks are highly versatile they can be a good medium in growing different types of mushrooms such as shiitake, oyster and even lion's mane.

Significant Yield: Sawdust Blocks are able to yield big volumes of mushrooms.

Provides Controlled Environment: Just like their grain bag counterpart they both boasts of providing a controlled environment geared towards optimum growth.

Disadvantages of Sawdust Blocks:

It's Time-Consuming: Sawdust blocks need to be properly sterilized and prepared before use, which can be both labor-intensive and time-consuming.

The Overall Cost: Even if the materials don't cost as much the preparation and the process that entails can have additional cost.

Easily Contaminated: These blocks are prone to contamination if they have not undergone proper sterilization.

4. USING STRAW

Straw is a substrate known to be used in growing oyster mushrooms. The straw goes through pasteurization and is sterilized before mushroom spawn is introduced.

Benefits of Using Straw:

Cost-Efficiency: Straw is inexpensive and is available everywhere.

Colonizes quickly: Fruiting is faster with the use of straw.

Yields Big: Even in a short period, mushrooms grown using straw produces high yields.

Disadvantages of Using Straw

It's labor-intensive: Because straw needs to be pasteurized and sterilized first preparation can be time-consuming and would take a lot of work.

It needs Space: The same as using logs, the usage of straws requires space.

Prone to Contamination: Utmost preparation is needed before using straw since it can easily get contaminated without proper preparation.

5. QUICK COMPARISON

Here's a quick comparative guide on the pros and cons of each method in multiple contexts: Simplicity

Grain Bags: Designed for newbies because it can give a contained environment that can be easily adjusted and controlled.

Logs: To properly use logs for mushroom cultivation you need to be knowledgeable and willing to exert effort physically.

Sawdust Blocks: They are difficult to use because of preparation requirements before use.

Straw: Same as Sawdust Blocks these take time and effort to prepare.

THEIR COSTS

Grain Bags: These bags tend to be more expensive when bought since they typically come premade.

Logs: Logs don't cost much if you have access to hardwood that's suited for mushroom cultivation.

Sawdust Blocks: Materials are inexpensive but the preparation costs more.

Straw: Highly inexpensive

SPACE NEEDED

Grain Bags: Since they're small, they don't need much space and are great for indoors.

Logs: It needs space outdoors, which is not something available if you live in apartments.

Sawdust Blocks: Although these can also be used indoors they take more space than grain bags.

Straw: You need space if you plan on using this since these are commonly set and used in large spaces.

Harvest Results and Performance

Grain Bags: Good for constant supply, perfect for home use or those who do not produce large amounts of tea.

Logs: Long-term yield within some years, ideal for the growers having an outdoor area.

Sawdust Blocks: High yield and recommended for Large-scale production or medium production.

Straw: Good for high producing rates in a short amount of time; useful in high turnover settings. 

Maintenance:

Grain Bags: Able to be maintained at a low level once inoculated.

Logs: Minimal maintenance work to be done once it has been installed.

Sawdust Blocks: Low-Medium, mostly during the initial assembly of the Shadow PC.

Straw: It can be classified as moderate because of preparation and more frequent check-ups.

Applicability for Different Kinds of Mushrooms

Some species of mushrooms are known to have a preference where they can grow hence some of the methods may be appropriate than others.

Grain Bags: Illustrated as appropriate for mushrooms such as oyster, shiitake, and lion’s mane because of the rapid growth of these types of mushrooms.

Logs: Very suitable for the shiitake, reishi, and other sorts of mushrooms that love woods.

Sawdust Blocks: Iftis: universal, applicable for oyster, shiitake, and lion’s mane mushrooms.

Straw: Mainly employed with oyster mushrooms because of the speed at which they colonize the substrate. 

Sustainability

Recall that environment is also another critical factor that should be considered in Mushroom farming among which biodegradable packing plays a major role. Grain Bags: They produce only plastic waste unless it is recycled or given another new function, and the substrate is bio-degradable. Logs: The units are also environmentally friendly particularly when using fallen trees or waste Wooden material. Sawdust Blocks: It can be if sawdust results from the waste wood, yet, preparing it takes a lot of energy. Straw: Sustainable due to the use of agricultural byproducts, although it incorporates energy from pasteurization.

Contemporary improvements and unknowns in the farming of mushrooms

Therefore, new ideas and methods as well as the future trends of mushroom production are progressing as the popularity of this procedure rises. Understanding these innovations will be useful for growers ranging from first-time to second or third-time growers.

Science used in the farming of mushrooms is the one aiding in the enhancement of techniques in which mushrooms can be farmed. They help in regulating such factors as temperature, humidity, and CO2 to facilitate the right growth of plants. This assists in reducing conflicts of frequent communications and at long last, the yield quality and amount are increased. For example, with the use of sensors and other IOT-connected devices growers receive data and a notification in an attempt to improve the efficiency of the decision-making process.

Preparation of the substrate and the knowledge of how to grow mushrooms is also increasing as we progress on our coefficient. Among the contemporary stereilities being used are for instance the microwave and the use of ozone for pasteurization which are adopted from the traditional methods. Not only are they time efficient, but they are also energy and one might argue, environmental force saving as well. However, the operation with the other substrates, for example, agricultural waste materials including coffee grounds, corn cob, etc. and the use of biochar as the additional component to the soils are emerging new opportunities for sustainable production. 

Hybrid Growing Techniques:

Using a variation of multiple cultivation techniques to make advanced systems for cultivations is becoming popular with mushroom growers. Some use grain bags along with saw dust blocks because it makes the colonization faster and the yield bigger. This technique makes use of the strengths of both techniques which in turn creates a better cultivation process. Exploring and testing out hybrid systems allow cultivators to match their approach to the species they’re growing and its needs.

Building Communities and Knowledge Sharing

There has been a rise of communities about mycology on different online platforms. People join social media groups, to share their knowledge, tips, and the experiences they had with fellow cultivators. This is beneficial since sharing experiences and know-how helps those who have challenges in growing mushrooms. You can find just about anything about mycology, from forums, social media groups, and webinars. It’s a big help for newbies when they’re starting, straight from the seasoned cultivators themselves.

COMMUNITY AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING:

The mushroom cultivation community is increasingly turning to online platforms and social media to share knowledge, tips, and experiences. This collaborative approach is fostering innovation and helping growers overcome challenges. Online forums, webinars, and social media groups provide a wealth of information and support, making it easier for newcomers to get started and for experienced growers to refine their techniques.

Practical Tips for Successful Mushroom Cultivation Here are practical tips to be considered for maximum success in mushroom cultivation, be it with grain bags or other methods. Begin with a Clean Space: Contamination is the biggest issue with mycology and sterile procedures are super important especially when preparing your substrates, and inoculating your spawn. Make sure to sterilize what you need too properly and keep a clean area.

Select the Correct Mushroom Species:

Choose appropriate mushroom species for the cultivation method you have selected. Know the requirements of your chosen mushroom species and local climatic conditions.

Monitor Environmental Conditions:

Be sure to maintain and monitor the growing environment, including monitoring temperature, humidity, and light.

Be Patient and Observant:

Patience and careful observance are necessary for mushroom cultivation. Regularly check the progress of your mycelium, and watch for contamination or other problems. The sooner such problems are found, the easier they will be to correct.

Monitor, Explore, and Learn

The success of your harvest doesn’t solely depend on one substrate, methods used, or the setup you have. Monitor your batch regularly and explore ways on how to further enhance the yield of your harvest. Keep track of your progress regularly.

Case Studies: Success Stories in Mushroom Cultivation

here are a few instances or success stories of mushroom growers.

Urban Mushroom Farming:

 John has just started out growing mushrooms straight from his apartment in New York with the use of grain bags. He doesn’t have that big of a space, his setup can be simply described as a small grow tent that has controlled levels of temperature and humidity. Through properly looking out and adjusting growing conditions and with the use of great quality spawn, he was able to get good and big yields. He was even able to supply restaurants locally with mushrooms. His case is a good example of how grain bags can be utilized to grow mushrooms even in small spaces indoors.

Sustainable Outdoor Cultivation:

Emma, a hobbyist in Oregon, decided to go all in when she started growing shiitake mushrooms on logs on her property. After getting hardwood logs from a local sawmill, and inoculating them with shiitake spawn, she waited through a very slow colonization process. Now year after year she fruits beautiful shiitakes. A small push makes sense for this type of investment.

Commercial Sawdust Block Production:

A Californian commercial mushroom grower called Carlos did exactly this when he swapped traditional farming for mushroom cultivation with sawdust blocks. By purchasing an automated sterilizer and getting his production line up to scratch, he was able to increase his yield of oyster mushrooms, among others, which he now sells on a reasonably large scale at farmers’ markets and specialty shops.

Cultivating Mushrooms for Culinary and Health Use

The cultivation of mushrooms is an essential component in the fields of mycology and fungal technology.

If you love mushrooms this might make your day - cultivated mushrooms have many benefits and are versatile in the kitchen. Knowing these facts and researching new recipes using mushrooms may bring you closer to your home's produce.

Health Benefits

Not only does it boast of nutrients it also is a great addition to the list of foods you would be able to eat even if you’re on a diet as these are low in calories and is completely free of fat. It also helps fight off sickness as it boosts your immunity and helps your heart become healthier and your body free from inflammation

Medicinal Use:

A variety of mushrooms are grown for their medicinal benefits common ones include reishi and lion’s mane mushrooms which are popular for their medicinal qualities. These mushrooms have been used for centuries in Chinese traditional medicine to boost the immune system as well as to lower stress. Others, such as lion’s mane mushrooms, are believed to boost cognitive function and help the nervous system. Eating more mushrooms is a great way to boost your health.

Culinary Versatility:

 They’re also fabulous cooked in soup or stew, as an addition to stir-fries or salads, or fried and served simply on toast. Crimini, which are quite meaty, make a great hot pot, or can simply be pan-fried with onion and garlic and served with rice. And the pure white Michigan morels are best at the beginning of the season when fried on their own in butter with a sprinkle of parsley. In either case, try a recipe or two, see what works for you, and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Conclusion

Choosing the right method for mushroom cultivation depends on your goals, resources, and preferences.

Here’s a summary to help you decide:

Grain Bags: For the beginner and those with the least amount of space, looking for deliberate control and consistent return.

Logs: Ideal for hobbyists with outdoor space looking for a long-term, low-maintenance option.

Sawdust Blocks: suitable for those with intermediate to advanced experience who want high yields and don’t mind the preparation.

Straw: Good for people who want a cheap and fast-yielding crop (for example, oyster mushrooms) but bad for those who don’t want to dig holes everywhere to pick out all the straw.

Every method has some challenges and some advantages, so the right way for you depends on what it is you want to grow and how, and your home or operation setup. Whether you are a beginner just reading about mushrooms for the first time, or an experienced mushroom farmer, understanding the differences can help you to decide what the right method for mushroom cultivation will be for you. 

Tags: All in one, Bags, Grain, Grow, Mushroom, Mycology, Pack

[allyorganicme]

Unveiling the Truth: Debunking Myths About Organic Products

Introduction

Organic products have gained significant popularity in recent years, as consumers increasingly seek healthier and more sustainable options. However, along with this rise in demand, several myths and misconceptions about organic products have emerged. In this article, we will debunk these myths and provide a clearer understanding of organic products, their benefits, and their impact on health and the environment.

Myth 1: Organic Products are 100% Chemical-Free

One common misconception about organic products is that they are entirely free of chemicals. While organic farming practices prioritize the use of natural and organic inputs, it does not mean that no chemicals are used. In organic agriculture, approved natural pesticides and fertilizers derived from natural sources are used to control pests and enhance soil fertility. These substances undergo rigorous testing and approval processes to ensure their safety and minimal environmental impact. The focus is on minimizing the use of synthetic chemicals, but some approved natural substances are still used.

Myth 2: Organic Products are Nutritionally Superior

Another prevalent myth is that organic products are inherently more nutritious than their conventional counterparts. However, scientific evidence does not support this claim conclusively. The nutritional content of food can be influenced by various factors, including soil quality, growing conditions, and post-harvest handling. Both organic and conventional farming methods can produce nutritious and healthy food, provided proper agricultural practices are followed. It's important to note that the primary reason for choosing organic products is often related to environmental and sustainability concerns rather than nutritional superiority.

Myth 3: Organic Products are Too Expensive

One of the most common myths about organic products is that they are always significantly more expensive than conventional options, making them accessible only to a privileged few. While it is true that organic products can be more expensive, this is not always the case. The prices of organic products vary depending on factors such as production scale, availability, and certification costs. With the growing demand for organic products, there has been an increase in supply and a wider range of price points. Additionally, considering the potential long-term health benefits and the positive impact on the environment, many consumers find the slightly higher cost of organic products to be a worthwhile investment.

Myth 4: Organic Products Don't Last as Long

Some people believe that organic products have shorter shelf lives compared to their conventional counterparts. However, the shelf life of a product is determined by various factors, such as processing methods, packaging, and storage conditions, rather than whether it is organic or conventional. Proper handling, storage, and packaging play critical roles in maintaining the quality and longevity of any product, regardless of its organic status. Organic products can have similar shelf lives when handled and stored correctly.

Myth 5: Organic Farming is Less Productive

There is a common misconception that organic farming methods are less productive and yield lower crop quantities compared to conventional farming. However, numerous studies have shown that organic farming practices can be just as productive as conventional methods. While organic farming may require more labor-intensive practices, such as manual weed control, it can also enhance soil health, preserve biodiversity, and reduce the use of synthetic inputs. Additionally, organic farming encourages crop rotation and the use of cover crops, which can improve soil fertility and reduce the risk of pests and diseases. With proper management, organic farming can achieve comparable yields to conventional methods.

Conclusion

Debunking the myths surrounding organic products is crucial for gaining a clearer understanding of their benefits and impact. Organic products are not 100% chemical-free, but they prioritize the use of natural and organic inputs. While there is limited scientific evidence to support the claim that organic products are more nutritious, both organic and conventional farming methods can produce nutritious food when proper practices are followed.

While organic products can be more expensive, a wider range of price points is becoming available as demand increases. The shelf life of organic products is determined by various factors, including handling, storage, and packaging. Organic farming methods can be just as productive as conventional methods and offer additional benefits such as improved soil health and biodiversity conservation.

By debunking these myths and gaining a better understanding of Don’t Panic It’s organic products, consumers can make informed decisions based on their personal values, health considerations, and environmental concerns. Choosing organic products can support sustainable practices, minimize exposure to synthetic chemicals, and contribute to a healthier and more environmentally friendly future.

[damasaknjigama]

A Comprehensive Guide to Growing Potatoes: Tips and Tricks from an Organic Farmer

Expert advice on when and how to plant, hill, and harvest potatoes for a successful crop

As gardening enthusiasts, we often find ourselves pondering over the best time to plant our beloved seed potatoes. Should we rely on rough frost-date estimates or look for cues in nature? How should we prepare the soil?

And what about hilling and harvesting? In this comprehensive guide, we turn to Alley Swiss of Filaree Farm, a seasoned certified-organic farmer, for expert advice on growing potatoes. With her insights, we'll explore the optimal planting time, cutting and callusing seed potatoes, soil preparation, proper depth and spacing, hilling techniques, and when and how to harvest.

Let's dig in!

When to Plant: Nature's Cue and Soil Temperature

When it comes to planting potatoes, Swiss recommends starting two to three weeks before your average last frost date. Planting too early in cold, water-logged soil can cause seed potatoes to rot. If your potatoes experience a heavy frost after emerging, they will put up new shoots, but each time they die back, the harvest will be smaller and later.

Swiss suggests waiting for the soil to warm up slightly before planting, as this allows the potatoes to emerge quickly and grow steadily without stress. In northern states, late March to early May is an ideal planting time, while in warmer areas of the South, potatoes can be planted in late fall or early winter. Local gardeners often have their own cues, such as the first dandelions blooming or the emergence of a particular bug, so it's worth seeking advice from those in your area.

Cutting and Callusing Seed Potatoes

When seed potatoes arrive, you may find a variety of sizes, from tennis ball-sized to small eggs. Cutting the larger ones can help stretch your seed supply and potentially increase overall yield. If you choose to cut your larger potatoes, make sure to leave at least two "eyes" on each piece.

Use a clean, sharp knife to cut the potatoes into several large pieces shortly before planting. To prevent infection from soil contact, Swiss recommends allowing the cut pieces to callus in a cool and humid space overnight. However, if you're concerned about pests like wireworms or maggots, planting whole potatoes can minimize damage as pests are attracted to the exposed flesh of cut potatoes.

Soil Preparation: Ideal Conditions and Manure Considerations

The ideal soil for growing potatoes is a loose and deep loam that holds moisture while also draining well. However, potatoes are hardy and can adapt to various soil types. Adding plenty of organic matter or compost to the soil in the fall is recommended for the best yields.

When preparing the soil, it's important to avoid using fresh manure as it can activate the pathogen "scab," resulting in unsightly but still edible potatoes. Instead, opt for well-composted manure or a well-balanced fertilizer. Too much nitrogen can delay root production, leading to large plants with fewer potatoes.

Proper Depth and Spacing for Planting

When it's time to plant, dig a shallow trench about 6-8 inches deep. In loose soil, a rake will suffice, while heavier soils may require a shovel or hoe. Place cut potatoes 10-12 inches apart in the trench.

If planting larger potatoes whole, give them a little extra room, spacing them 12-16 inches apart. For rows, a spacing of 36 inches is adequate, but if you have extra space, wider spacing makes hilling easier. Smaller fingerling potatoes can be planted closer, but no less than 8 inches between plants.

Cover the plants with about 3-4 inches of soil, leaving the trench partially filled.

The Art of Hilling: Timing, Depth, and Mulching

Hilling is a crucial step in growing potatoes, although it can be confusing and labor-intensive. When the potato plants reach a height of 8-10 inches, bring soil up around the vines from both sides. In loose soil, a rake is sufficient, while harder soil may require cultivation or the use of a hoe.

Take care not to disturb the new root systems when cultivating near the young plants. Hilling helps the potatoes form underground by providing loose soil and deeper roots in cooler soil. During the first hilling, cover the vines so that only the top leaves are exposed.

This allows for a shallower second hilling, done 2-3 weeks later, with an additional 2-4 inches of soil brought around the vines. After the second hilling, a loose mulch like straw or composted leaf mold can be applied to protect the vines from potato beetles and create a barrier. It's important to ensure the mulch allows the soil to breathe and is not applied too thickly.

Harvesting New Potatoes and Determining Crop Maturity

New potatoes can be harvested a few weeks after the plants have flowered. Gently dig into the loose soil at the sides of the vines, and you should find thin-skinned new potatoes without having to dig too deep. These can be pulled from the plant without harming the development of the remaining potatoes.

Waxier-textured potatoes are best for immediate consumption, with varieties like 'All Red' offering colorful options with bright red skin and a pink streak in the flesh. To determine when the crop is fully mature, wait until the potato vines die back and lose most of their color. This can happen with a frost or simply when the potatoes have reached their full maturity.

Mowing the vines a few weeks before harvest can help toughen the skins for better storage. Potatoes can be left in the ground for several frosts, but it's important to harvest them before the danger of a heavy frost that could damage the potatoes closest to the surface.

With Alley Swiss's expert guidance, growing potatoes becomes a rewarding and successful endeavor. By considering cues from nature, cutting and callusing seed potatoes, preparing the soil with organic matter, planting at the proper depth and spacing, mastering the art of hilling, and harvesting at the right time, gardeners can enjoy a bountiful potato harvest. Whether you're a fan of big bakers or small fingerlings, these tips and tricks will help you cultivate healthy and delicious potatoes in your own garden.

Happy planting!

[yumitsukiyoru]

A Comprehensive Guide to Growing Potatoes: Tips from an Expert Farmer

Expert advice on planting, hilling, and harvesting potatoes for a bountiful harvest

As the gardening season approaches, many of us find ourselves pondering the optimal time to plant our beloved potatoes. With so many factors to consider, such as frost dates and soil temperature, it can be challenging to determine the ideal planting window. In this article, we turn to Alley Swiss, a seasoned certified-organic farmer, for her insights on when and how to grow potatoes.

From planting to hilling and harvesting, Swiss shares her expertise to help ensure a successful potato-growing season.

When is the right time to plant potatoes?

According to Swiss, the ideal time to plant potatoes is two to three weeks before your average last frost date. Planting too early in cold, water-logged soil can cause seed potatoes to rot. If potatoes experience a heavy frost after emerging, they will produce new shoots but with reduced yield.

Swiss recommends waiting for the soil to warm up a bit before planting, as this allows for quick emergence and steady growth without stress. In the northern states, late March to early May is a suitable planting period, while in warmer areas of the South, potatoes can be planted in late fall or early winter. Local gardeners often have their own cues, such as the melting of snow on the mountain or the emergence of specific bugs or flowers, which can serve as useful references for planting potatoes.

To cut or not to cut: Dealing with different sizes of seed potatoes

When seed potatoes arrive, it's common to find a range of sizes, from tennis ball-sized to small eggs. Swiss suggests cutting larger seed potatoes into pieces, as this allows the seeds to go further and potentially yield a higher overall harvest. When cutting, it's important to leave at least two "eyes" on each piece.

After cutting, the seed potatoes should be left in a cool and humid space overnight to allow them to callus before planting. This callus formation helps prevent infection from soil contact. However, Swiss notes that she prefers to plant whole seed potatoes to minimize worm damage.

If pests like wireworms or maggots are a concern, planting whole potatoes can be a good strategy, as pests are attracted to the exposed flesh of cut potatoes.

Soil preparation: What potatoes want and what they don't

The ideal soil for growing potatoes is a loose and deep loam that holds moisture while also draining well. However, potatoes are hardy and can adapt to various soil types. Adding plenty of organic matter is recommended for optimal yields.

Incorporating compost or organic matter into the soil in the fall allows it to balance the added nutrients over time. Swiss advises against using fresh manure, as it can activate the pathogen "scab," resulting in unsightly but still edible potatoes. Instead, well-composted manure or a well-balanced fertilizer can be used.

Excessive nitrogen can delay root production and lead to large plants with fewer potatoes.

Planting potatoes: Depth, spacing, and considerations for different varieties

When planting potatoes, dig a shallow trench about 6-8 inches deep. In loose soil, a rake can be used, while heavier soils may require a shovel or hoe. Place cut potatoes 10-12 inches apart in the trench.

If planting larger whole potatoes, provide them with a little extra room, spacing them 12-16 inches apart. A spacing of 36 inches between rows is adequate, but if space allows, further spacing makes hilling (the process of adding soil around the vines) easier. Smaller potatoes, like fingerlings, can be planted closer together, but no less than 8 inches apart.

Cover the plants with about 3-4 inches of soil, leaving the trench partially filled.

The art of hilling: When, how deep, and how often to hill potatoes

Hilling is a crucial and labor-intensive part of growing potatoes. When the potato plants reach a height of 8-10 inches, bring soil up around the vines from both sides. In loose soil, a rake can be used, while harder soil may require cultivation before raking or the use of a hoe.

Take care not to disturb the new root systems while hilling. The primary purpose of hilling is to bring loose soil around the vines, where the potatoes will form, and to deepen the roots into cooler soil. Swiss recommends covering the vines with soil during the first hilling, leaving only the top leaves exposed.

This allows for a shallower second hilling, done 2-3 weeks later, with an additional 2-4 inches of soil. After the second hilling, a loose mulch like straw or composted leaf mold can be applied, providing a barrier against potato beetles and creating a habitat for beneficial insects. The joy of hilling lies in the satisfaction of seeing beautifully hilled rows in the garden.

Harvesting new potatoes: Recognizing the above-ground signals

Potatoes begin to produce tubers after flowering. A few weeks after flowering, gently dig into the loose soil at the sides of the vines to find thin-skinned new potatoes. These can be harvested without harming the development of the remaining potatoes.

Waxier-textured potatoes are best for immediate consumption. Varieties like 'All Red' with bright red skin and a pink streak through the flesh, and 'Yukon Gold' with excellent flavor, are suitable for early harvesting. To prepare for storage, Swiss recommends mowing the vines a few weeks before harvest to toughen the skins of the potatoes.

Knowing when it's time to harvest the main crop and storage considerations

Potatoes are ready to harvest when their vines die back and lose most of their color. This can occur due to a frost or when the potatoes have reached full maturity. Swiss suggests harvesting before the danger of a heavy frost that could damage the potatoes closest to the surface.

Potatoes can be left in the ground for several frosts, but it's important to monitor the weather and harvest in a timely manner. Properly stored potatoes can last for several months. Swiss advises storing them in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated space to prevent sprouting and spoilage.

With the guidance of expert farmer Alley Swiss, you can confidently navigate the world of potato growing. From planting at the right time to hilling and harvesting with precision, these tips will help you achieve a bountiful potato harvest. Remember to pay attention to local cues and adapt the advice to your specific climate and conditions.

Happy potato growing!

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Low-maintenance Landscaping In Apple Valley Options For Busy Homeowners

Landscaping in Apple Valley is a wonderful way to add beauty and value to your property. However, for many homeowners, maintaining their landscapes can be time-consuming and labor-intensive. This is particularly true for those who have occupied schedules and don't have the time to invest in regular upkeep. Fortunately, several low-maintenance landscaping options can help you create a beautiful outdoor space without requiring too much maintenance. In this blog, we'll discuss some of the top low-maintenance landscaping options for busy homeowners.

Top Zero Maintenance Landscaping In Apple Valley Options

One of the best ways to create low-maintenance landscaping in Jurupa Valley is to incorporate native plants. These plants are naturally adapted to the local climate, which means they require less water and care than non-native species. They also tend to be more disease and pest-resistant, reducing the need for maintenance. Native plants come in various colors, sizes, and shapes, so you can create a beautiful landscape without the need for constant upkeep.

1. Mulch

Mulch is a great way to reduce the maintenance required for your landscaping. Not only does it help to retain moisture in the soil, but it also helps to suppress weed growth. In addition, mulch can give your landscape a tidy appearance. You can choose from a variety of mulch types, such as wood chips, bark, or even recycled rubber, depending on your preferences.

2. Hardscaping

Hardscaping is another low-maintenance Landscaping in Apple Valley option that can be incorporated into your outdoor space. This includes using materials such as rocks, gravel, and concrete to create paths, patios, and other structures. Unlike plants, hardscaping features do not require regular watering or pruning. Additionally, they can add an attractive and functional element to your landscape.

3. Artificial Turf

If you want a lawn without maintenance, artificial turf is a great option. It requires no mowing, watering, or fertilizing, making it a perfect choice for busy homeowners. Plus, it looks just like natural grass, so you can still enjoy a beautiful outdoor space without the hassle.

4. Drought-Tolerant Plants

If you live in an area with a hot and dry climate, drought-tolerant plants are an excellent low-maintenance Landscaping in Apple Valley option. These plants are designed to thrive in low-water conditions, so they require less watering and care than traditional landscaping plants. Plus, many drought-tolerant plants have colorful blooms and interesting foliage, making them an attractive addition to your landscape.

5. Perennials

Perennial plants are another low-maintenance landscaping option that can help you save time and money in the long run. Unlike annuals, perennials come back year after year, so you don't need to replant them every season. They also tend to require less water and care, making them a great choice for busy homeowners who don't have the time for regular maintenance.

6. Automated Irrigation Systems

If you have some Landscaping in Apple Valley plants that require watering, installing an automated irrigation system can save you time and effort. With an automated system, you can set up a watering schedule that ensures your plants receive the right amount of water without you having to manually water them every day. This can help you maintain a healthy and beautiful landscape without spending hours each week watering your plants.

7. Low-Maintenance Landscaping Design

Finally, one of the best ways to create a low-maintenance landscape is to design it with low-maintenance features in mind. This means choosing plants and materials that require minimal care and planning your landscape layout to minimize maintenance needs. For example, you can use edging or barriers to prevent weeds from spreading or choose plants that are naturally resistant to pests and disease. By planning your landscape design carefully, you can reduce the required maintenance and enjoy a beautiful outdoor space with less effort.

Connect With Experts Today!

A busy schedule should not prevent you from enjoying a beautiful and well-maintained outdoor space. Whether you choose native plants, mulch, hardscaping, artificial turf, or drought-tolerant plants, there is a low-maintenance option that can work for your lifestyle and budget. Connect with the professionals of High Desert Affordable Landscaping. They have been serving for 12 years in residential landscaping. Visit them today.