Earthworks - http://www.cskdetroit.org/EWG/ - Earthworks is one of the larger urban farms in Detroit. They supply a soup kitchen nearby run by Capuchin monks.
Although I found the Prologue to Collapse to be somewhat repetitive, it did, however, make me question a few things. The author addresses several questions as to why a civilization, or country, “collapses.” The questions or possibilities that stuck out to me the most were the ones regarding technology and/or the environment. The author makes a point that some civilizations that were taken out had pretty much entirely deforested their living environment. I can see this causing a problem: no plants, no food, plain and simple. Also, there are several other resources aside from food that can be found among plants and forests, and these resources were probably necessary to keep certain civilizations alive and thriving. The other question that caught my attention is how do civilizations that are so advanced just collapse? Upon reviewing this question brings an eerie feeling because if such an advanced civilization as the Mayans can collapse, then why shouldn’t people fear that the United States - another very advanced country for our time – “collapse?” What is the difference between the advanced technology that kept them alive and the advanced technology that is keeping us alive? Why did theirs’ fail, and why is ours’ still keeping us around for the time being? It makes one wonder if the U.S. and other First World countries are on the same track as the Mayans, only in a different time period. If we are, how long do we have to change the track we’re on? These are all very mysterious and potentially silly questions, but they might just save us from a disaster in the long run if taken into consideration.
I was very confused by this week’s reading in A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold. As this portion is set in autumn, hunting is a rather pertinent topic. However, it just does not sit well with me that a self-proclaimed “professional naturalist” (63) would so enjoy this sport. Perhaps it was the times and the location that make hunting so relevant, but even so the fervor with which Leopold talks about it seems a huge contradiction in my mind. Also, the September section starts off on such a lovely note. Leopold writes, There is a peculiar virtue in the music of elusive birds. Songsters that sing from top-most boughs are easily seen and as easily forgotten; they have the mediocrity of the obvious. What one remembers is the invisible hermit thrush pouring silver chords from impenetrable shadows; the soaring crane trumpeting from behind a cloud; the prairie chicken booming from the mists of nowhere; the quail’s Ave Maria in the hush of dawn. (53) He then goes on to write about hunting, in fact the hunting of elusive birds, no doubt. And it is not just mentioned in passing, but drawn out for the entire fall months. The author as well does not just observe it but takes part and writes about the act in such high esteem. Most upsetting to me is how Leopold begins his discussion of hunting with an anecdote about a trick most hunters don’t know about the blackberries and his tone is that of an outsider to that world. He writes, “Most hunters, not knowing this, wear themselves out in the briarless scrub, and, returning home birdless, leave the rest of us in peace. By ‘us’ I mean the birds, the stream, the dog, and myself” (63). To me this eluded an attitude of disagreeing with hunting for pleasure, and I found myself relating more to Leopold than I previously had. But it was short lived as on the very next page he starts to recount his own experience hunting partridge. I do not see how Leopold can so revere the wildlife of autumn and yet take killing them for fun so lightly. Hunting is not something I agree with and for that reason was most unpleasantly surprised to hear Leopold’s passion for it.
The Sand County Almanac reading by Aldo Leopold for this week’s discussion was interesting. I found the written text to be very vague which, is probably why my interpretation of it was so abstract. Life and nature seemed to be the two main themes that I got from the reading. It was hard to absorb the actual storyline of the reading because it seemed to jump around a lot and was written very poetically which, confused me because I was not sure if the main intention of the reading was to understand the plot or the meanings that can be summarized from the reading as a whole. One line in the beginning that really stood out to me was when it said, “There is a peculiar virtue in the music of elusive birds. Songsters that sing from top-most boughs are easily seen and as easily forgotten; the have the mediocrity of the obvious” (53). From this line, it made my interpretation of the rest of the paper bais in that I thought this line was so vague and I gathered from it that the rest of the reading was all just metaphorical. Discussing how nature is beautiful and it is unfortunate that it is often ignored. And preaching about how life goes on in a cycle put nature takes in everything and so should we.
This week’s portion of Sand County Almanac had an interesting topic that sat well with me, that topic being the fact that an environmentalist is also a hunter. Since I, myself, enjoy hunting and do not view it as detrimental toward the environment, and nature, I really liked the fact that Leopold was interested in nature and hunting at the same time. To me, hunting is a great way for individuals to get acquainted with the outdoors, and take time to observe the beauty of nature. During this observance, one learns an important skill, which is to kill their own food, one of the most basic instincts for many of the organisms that occupy the Earth. It is absolutely important for humans to remain in touch with their hunting roots, so that they are not completely dependant on others for nourishment, which a requirement for survival. I believe that this concept fits into the lectures very well also, because Joe has preached the fact that humans have lost touch with nature and the origins of their food. When people return to the woods in search of their food, they inherently become more a part of nature and circle of life. Not to mention that the food that is hunted and then consumed is much more nutritious than the processed garbage that is usually incorporated in the everyday American diet. Although some may say that hunting is inhumane and detrimental to nature, I believe, like Leopold, that it is very beneficial for human beings to go out into the wilderness and use their animal instincts.
This past week’s reading was a very engaging read. To read about a naturalist’s take on hunting was extremely interesting, as I had several assumptions about what I thought a naturalist’s opinion on the matter would be. Leopold’s descriptions of his experiences continue to impress me; his metaphor of blackberry leaves under the October sun as red lanterns was my favorite because of the strong image it formed in my mind, allowing me to imagine what he had experienced without physically being there. Several times throughout the reading, Leopold brought up the topic of divinity and compared manpower to godliness. I took this to mean that Leopold believes humans were put on this planet to be caretakers of nature. His message to the reader, it seems to me, is that we should be more conscious of how we treat our environment because we are responsible for its wellbeing. Finally, the banded chickadees in the last section of the reading opened up a whole new world that I had never before thought could have existed. Often I find myself so absorbed in the life immediately surrounding me that I forget that there are other things happening around the world, around me, all simultaneously. This description of the chickadees’ fears, fight for survival, and vigor in life made me feel incredibly small in this world and was a humbling reading experience.
I found this weeks reading in A Sand County Almanac to be quiet intriguing. I especially liked how he started the chapter of October. Explaining how there are two types of people, places, times to visit this place, and so on and so forth. I’ve never been one for hunting, but my father enjoys hunting deer, quail, and pheasant. He has tried many a time to get me to go out with him, but I cant seem to get myself to aim and shoot at a living creature. I thought that when Leopold talked about the deer how had just shed the velvet off his antlers to be quiet interesting, I wouldn’t ever look up when I went hunting with my father for clues on where the animal might be, I only look for tracks in the snow and mud, but then again I am not a very experienced hunter. When he went off comparing things in nature to human morning rituals, I felt that he could have left out the human morning rituals. I didn’t find the talk about the coffee pots from the hunters on the bottom of page sixty-two. Listening to the noises around me when I’m outside is quite relaxing. “To arrive to early in the marsh is an adventure of pure listening.” (Leopold 65) Whenever I go back to visit my family, I enjoy sitting out side by the river and listening to the noise of the water rushing by, as well as the birds chirping in the morning and the crickets at night. Every one seems to realize sound faster then they realize most of their other senses. I never thought about dead, or diseased trees being a good thing. I’ve never thought about it being a shelter to the animals that live in the area. I really loved the chapter that spoke about what was in the diseased trees on his land. I found the last section of December to captivate me the most. I loved reading about the Chickadee, and how they survive. 65290 was very interesting, and I would love to know more about how he survived all of those winters, wear as the other chickadees did not. He was the only chickadee that whole decade to survive more then four years. I know wind and water in the cold influenced his living longer, but how did he know where to hide when the other chickadees did not.
I enjoyed reading this week’s selection from A Sand County Almanac, as it dealt with the issue of hunting, something that many environmentally-conscious people are apt to disagree with. He portrays the entire experience of ‘the hunt’ as something serene and beautiful. He doesn’t focus on the killing aspect of hunting, but rather more on the sitting, watching and waiting of hunting. He gives many details pertaining to the behaviors of the hunted species, creating a picture that is extremely vivid for us readers. I know many people who go hunting on a regular basis, and many times they will comment on how they never got a single ‘shot,’ but could go on and on about the things they were allowed to see whilst hidden in the woods. The line which struck me the most was “When some remote ancestor of ours invented the shovel, he became a giver: he could plant a tree. And when the axe was invented, he became a taker: he could chop it down. Whoever owns land has thus assumed, whether he knows it or not, the divine functions of creating or destroying plants,” (67). This quote combined with the author’s description of his biases towards the various species of trees present on his property really drives the point that man has created a power over trees and other life for himself, and that he ultimately holds the decision to which species and when will be cut down. I also really enjoyed the chapter in which he talks about the diseased trees that he bought. Most people would only see the negatives of this, thinking it was all useless and worthless. Leopold however goes on to explain how the diseased trees actually help other species; “But for diseases and insect pests, there would likely be no food in these trees, and hence no chickadees to add cheer to my woods in winter,” (76).
September focuses mostly on birds, more specifically, the music and sounds they make. A few examples include a sparrow, which produces a single “half-hearted” song, a woodcock that twitters in midair, and a barred owl that dominates the night with its dithering call. The author also mentions the songbird and the robin with their beautiful yet quickly forgotten melodies. In October the author discusses the act of hunting, both “ordinary” hunting and “ruffed-grouse” hunting. He also describes the two places where one could hunt “grouse”, in ordinary places and Adams County. To hunting, there is a group that awakes early in the morning. These hunters use their listening skills to hear their prey. However, the early rising hunters have a limited time to hunt before the sun comes up, since at that time, the noise becomes a distraction. The author uses squirrels, crows, and roosters as examples of animals that wake up with the sun and distract a hunter. October is also the best time to hunt partridge. The author describes one way to hunt partridge is to create a plan built around logic and the likelihood that there will be huntable terrain. The other way to hunt partridge is to wander until one finds black berry leaves, since the birds are often found near the black berries. The month of November, however, is a month, not of hunting or activity at all, but a month of contemplation and observation. The author first talks about the November wind and its force on the river, sandbar and trees. Then, he discusses the winter woods and the consequences of disease-baring trees. In December, the dogs hunt while their owners collect firewood. The rabbits need to quick and swift in order to escape the dogs. December, the author explains, is also a time to talk about creation. The act of creating is generally left up to the poets and gods, but a human can recreate some of this creation through planting. All one needs, he continues, is a shovel.
In this week’s section of A Sand County Almanac, there were several ideas I found to be interesting. To begin with, he wrote about himself as a hunter and although initially I was confused by what appeared to be a contradiction between Aldo’s idea of himself and his actions, it made sense that living off the land would mean more than just deciding which tree to cut. However, I realized that unless he is taking more than what he, himself, needs then isn’t he just another creature fending to survive. This train of thought justifies his actions as a hunter and as a personal connection to the passage I have enjoyed fishing in the past when camping and it was never as much about the killing as it was about the process. It can be a very relaxing time for reflection and observation of the wild. To me it seemed that Aldo, beyond using hunting as a resource for finding food, also uses it as an excuse to enjoy nature. Another interesting idea was his commentary about biases that may have come about and why in terms of which trees to cut down and maintaining a piece of land. I never considered the thought process this would entail before I read this passage and I wondered what my preferences would be if I were given the same situation. It is hard to say considering I did not have the same upbringing as he but all the same maybe some day I will have that opportunity. Overall I have found this book to be a very relaxing, enjoyable read that brings up many points I have not considered previously.
Returning to “A Sand County Almanac” for the second time, I was again amazed by Leopold’s ability to make so much out of a place that many today would consider boring. He is able to fulfill his days spotting differences in the color of trees as leaves change and taking his dog for hunting trips. So many people would think that living in the woods for months and months would make them go mad, but Aldo is having the time of his life. There is nothing else he would rather be doing. I find this remarkable, as is his gift to connect so deeply with the environment in which he lives. The picture attached to this post reminds me of when he describes how a shovel gives the holder the power to create and the axe allows the wielder to take away. The garden depicted shows that people have given their time to create a much needed food-source in a neighborhood in Detroit. Certain areas in Detroit are food deserts, where there aren’t grocery stores for miles due to low density populations due to abandoned buildings in poor areas. Community gardens can also teach the community the importance of growing their own food which provides good nutrition and isn’t expensive. It also brings people closer to their environment. When people have to rely on their local environment for food, it creates a need to take care of it. Aldo later discusses how he never gets to collect his honey because trespassers always beat him to it as they use nets to take the honey and he waits until November when the bees are dormant. This again reminds me of the picture and brings up certain problems related to community agriculture. Who gets to eat the food: the people who grow it or those who really need it? In addition, the gardens are always subject to poachers which may deter people from ever starting one. The honey thing also brings up the use of advanced technology to get more faster. If the garden pictured also had chickens or some other animal, it would most likely end up costing more than simply buying eggs or meat from a supermarket. This exposes a problem in our agricultural system. There are so many subsidies going to large industrial farms that small farmers are out-priced, and consumers end up buying the cheaper, albeit environmentally harmful, products over sustainable items.
Throughout this week’s reading of A Sand County Almanac I found myself thinking about a hunter’s relationship with his surroundings and what he makes of the sport. While attempting to put myself in a hunter’s shoe’s, I had a hard time deciding whether or not this sport brings you closer to nature or forces you to clash with it. The average hunter must spend a great deal of time in wooded and grassy areas but do they bond with nature through this experience or are they simply focused on the concept of finding their prey. In my opinion, they must find some connection with nature because much of their time hunting is spent waiting and because of this they must spend time with nature. Also, to successfully hunt, one must essentially become one with nature and blend into their surroundings and through this I feel they are literally and metaphorically connected to the scenery. On the other hand, it seems they do not appreciate their surroundings because they simply disrupt it in one or more shots, misses and kills. I cannot imagine pulling a trigger on an animal after watching it peacefully in its natural habitat.
In addition to my reading, I want to comment on recent lectures and the importance of finding a balance. The more I read and hear about the various issues in this class the more I see the need to find balance in my life. To connect with nature but not necessarily immerse myself in it. To continue eating meat but to be more cautious about where it comes from and how the animals that serve me are being treated. To throw some objects away but to be aware of what goes in my trash versus what I can recycle and reuse. This class is thus far helping me realize that I can make a difference, even with just minor adjustments and finding a balance.
It seems I would have very little to add to this rehashing of the current chapters of Sand County Almanac. I never had a problem with hunting but the only type I did was going out with my grandfather and trying to snipe groundhogs at a distance. This was done not for their food but instead to remove the problems they caused with their endless digging within the corn fields. At any rate I think I should instead use this blog entry to discuss my feelings about the 100 mile diet. To put it simply… I think its crap. Sorry for the pointed remark but the idea is idealist luxury that is unreasonable in realty. Avoiding the issues of trying to figure out how one is supposed to justify driving a great distance in order to meet the cow he will eat and to pick the corn he shall devour on the time budget of a college student. The idea that we can have an idyllic life eating only the foods and the milk within 100 miles is fantasy. Let us picture a world where everyone is forced to do so. First we shall have mass starvation because not every place can support the population living in the area. New York City very well could be a grave yard. Second, let us list some of the food items we will go without in Ann Arbor. We shall not have rice, all spices including main stays such as pepper and salt(the Detroit mines only produce rock salt, the type used for deicing roads), We will not have shrimp or that many types of fish, and perhaps most importantly is the lack of citrus. Now you might forget due to the fact that with our international selection of foods these days, but there used to be something called scurvy. This was a rather nasty way to go because over time your gums would bleed and your teeth would come out. The fact that just by eating oranges can cure and prevent such an illness speaks to the importance of NOT eating just within your local area. This is a fact known to generations of ancestors and was the real cause of the age of exploration. Gold is good but it doesn’t even compare to finding a new spice or fruit. The health benefits to eating everything the world can provide far outweigh the idealist image of everyone eating from the local farmers crops.
This weeks reading in “A Sand A Country Almanac” was a little confusing to me. From what I understood there was a lot of talk about birds and the sounds they make, which I found a little puzzling. However, the main issue throughout the story was about hunting. To me hunting is not bad thing, when it’s needed for food and living necessities. It does become a serious issue when looked upon as a sport, or when people hunt just for the hell of it. For example, when you go into someone’s house and you see live stuffed animals, or heads of dear, or bears, or whatever it might be; you look at it like murder, a crime. Why would anyone be proud of that, that they would mount animal heads on their walls? When I eat any kind of animal, whether it be meat or chicken of fish, I don’t think of their death and think oh wow people had to kill this animal so I could eat it. To me that is how we survive, that is how we live. If there were another species higher than us in the food chain, we would probably be killed as well. Now, to hear about those animals that were brutally murdered and treated like garbage, that’s also another story. Hunting is not a bad way of killing animals compared to when people beat them and starve them in the process. In my overall opinion, hunting should not be looked upon as a bad thing, unless only done for the fun of it. In fact, it is a good way of killing animals for food; they are healthy animals who are killed quick and painlessly for our needs of survival.
“October” in the Sand County Almanac” was less to me about the actual process of killing the animal and more about the ‘hunt’. This is very similar in real life; to many who hunt it is the process, the enjoyment of nature, the solitude and reflective time that are what makes hunting, not so much the kill. Aldo and his dog wander along the sand hills and the forest, communing with each other and with the changing of the season. When a beautiful buck emerges from the bush Aldo doesn’t grab his gun, throw down his sandwich and shoot. Of course it might not have been deer season, nonetheless Aldo’s first instinct wasn’t to kill but to appreciate. In our armchair lives we look for our food in the freezer section. We have distanced ourselves from the earth and the natural processes of survival. We can sometimes loose touch with the concept that something must be sacrificed (often another’s life) for us to survive. We wipe our consciences on our fast food dinner napkins and say ‘well we didn’t kill the animal.’ I think Aldo’s respect for animals and nature is greater because he hunts, he understands the natural necessity of man and animal to live and eat. He doesn’t remove himself from nature, holding it on a pedestal, he understands he is, in a sense, a part of it and has as much right to take what he needs from it as a hawk does.
Nya Jordan ADP III September 28, 2010 Weekly Response
When reading Sand’s County Almanac, I was a bit intrigued by Aldo’s ability to have a hunting back round as well as be involved as a naturalists. That’s seems whether contradictory but I can see where he does draw the line. One may assume that if someone has such sincerity about nature and the way things have intended to be, that the person would also have a care for animals. One thing I sought interesting was the way the Chickadees’ responded to the sudden drop of a tree because they understand that dead bugs live inside the trees. No matter what that noise may be, they have a sudden reaction to it. The previous statement lead me to wonder to what extent would people go to drop everything and flee to a certain situation that draws their attention. It’s a serious matter how some people prioritize and care for things that serves as a non-necessity to mankind. While reading Sand’s County Almanac, I thought of how Aldo puts up with the Dog-Tree to protects the Pine Tree. It sort of inspired me because it seemed to me as if the Dog-Tree was only a stepping stone and the Pine Tree serves as the big picture. Sometimes I have to sacrifice doing some of the things I don’t want to do, just so that I am prepared for the best, or at least I feel like the end results is worth it. Aldo’s tone in the book was a little subtle for me because I am so use to reading different pieces of literature but overall I was impressed with his ability to balance the aspect of appreciating nature and hunting animals.
Although I found the Prologue to Collapse to be somewhat repetitive, it did, however, make me question a few things. The author addresses several questions as to why a civilization, or country, “collapses.” The questions or possibilities that stuck out to me the most were the ones regarding technology and/or the environment. The author makes a point that some civilizations that were taken out had pretty much entirely deforested their living environment. I can see this causing a problem: no plants, no food, plain and simple. Also, there are several other resources aside from food that can be found among plants and forests, and these resources were probably necessary to keep certain civilizations alive and thriving.
ReplyDeleteThe other question that caught my attention is how do civilizations that are so advanced just collapse? Upon reviewing this question brings an eerie feeling because if such an advanced civilization as the Mayans can collapse, then why shouldn’t people fear that the United States - another very advanced country for our time – “collapse?” What is the difference between the advanced technology that kept them alive and the advanced technology that is keeping us alive? Why did theirs’ fail, and why is ours’ still keeping us around for the time being? It makes one wonder if the U.S. and other First World countries are on the same track as the Mayans, only in a different time period. If we are, how long do we have to change the track we’re on? These are all very mysterious and potentially silly questions, but they might just save us from a disaster in the long run if taken into consideration.
I was very confused by this week’s reading in A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold. As this portion is set in autumn, hunting is a rather pertinent topic. However, it just does not sit well with me that a self-proclaimed “professional naturalist” (63) would so enjoy this sport. Perhaps it was the times and the location that make hunting so relevant, but even so the fervor with which Leopold talks about it seems a huge contradiction in my mind.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the September section starts off on such a lovely note. Leopold writes,
There is a peculiar virtue in the music of elusive birds. Songsters that sing from top-most boughs are easily seen and as easily forgotten; they have the mediocrity of the obvious. What one remembers is the invisible hermit thrush pouring silver chords from impenetrable shadows; the soaring crane trumpeting from behind a cloud; the prairie chicken booming from the mists of nowhere; the quail’s Ave Maria in the hush of dawn. (53)
He then goes on to write about hunting, in fact the hunting of elusive birds, no doubt. And it is not just mentioned in passing, but drawn out for the entire fall months. The author as well does not just observe it but takes part and writes about the act in such high esteem. Most upsetting to me is how Leopold begins his discussion of hunting with an anecdote about a trick most hunters don’t know about the blackberries and his tone is that of an outsider to that world. He writes, “Most hunters, not knowing this, wear themselves out in the briarless scrub, and, returning home birdless, leave the rest of us in peace. By ‘us’ I mean the birds, the stream, the dog, and myself” (63). To me this eluded an attitude of disagreeing with hunting for pleasure, and I found myself relating more to Leopold than I previously had. But it was short lived as on the very next page he starts to recount his own experience hunting partridge.
I do not see how Leopold can so revere the wildlife of autumn and yet take killing them for fun so lightly. Hunting is not something I agree with and for that reason was most unpleasantly surprised to hear Leopold’s passion for it.
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ReplyDeleteThe Sand County Almanac reading by Aldo Leopold for this week’s discussion was interesting. I found the written text to be very vague which, is probably why my interpretation of it was so abstract.
ReplyDeleteLife and nature seemed to be the two main themes that I got from the reading. It was hard to absorb the actual storyline of the reading because it seemed to jump around a lot and was written very poetically which, confused me because I was not sure if the main intention of the reading was to understand the plot or the meanings that can be summarized from the reading as a whole. One line in the beginning that really stood out to me was when it said,
“There is a peculiar virtue in the music of elusive birds. Songsters that sing from top-most boughs are easily seen and as easily forgotten; the have the mediocrity of the obvious” (53).
From this line, it made my interpretation of the rest of the paper bais in that I thought this line was so vague and I gathered from it that the rest of the reading was all just metaphorical. Discussing how nature is beautiful and it is unfortunate that it is often ignored. And preaching about how life goes on in a cycle put nature takes in everything and so should we.
This week’s portion of Sand County Almanac had an interesting topic that sat well with me, that topic being the fact that an environmentalist is also a hunter. Since I, myself, enjoy hunting and do not view it as detrimental toward the environment, and nature, I really liked the fact that Leopold was interested in nature and hunting at the same time. To me, hunting is a great way for individuals to get acquainted with the outdoors, and take time to observe the beauty of nature. During this observance, one learns an important skill, which is to kill their own food, one of the most basic instincts for many of the organisms that occupy the Earth. It is absolutely important for humans to remain in touch with their hunting roots, so that they are not completely dependant on others for nourishment, which a requirement for survival. I believe that this concept fits into the lectures very well also, because Joe has preached the fact that humans have lost touch with nature and the origins of their food. When people return to the woods in search of their food, they inherently become more a part of nature and circle of life. Not to mention that the food that is hunted and then consumed is much more nutritious than the processed garbage that is usually incorporated in the everyday American diet. Although some may say that hunting is inhumane and detrimental to nature, I believe, like Leopold, that it is very beneficial for human beings to go out into the wilderness and use their animal instincts.
ReplyDeleteThis past week’s reading was a very engaging read. To read about a naturalist’s take on hunting was extremely interesting, as I had several assumptions about what I thought a naturalist’s opinion on the matter would be. Leopold’s descriptions of his experiences continue to impress me; his metaphor of blackberry leaves under the October sun as red lanterns was my favorite because of the strong image it formed in my mind, allowing me to imagine what he had experienced without physically being there.
ReplyDeleteSeveral times throughout the reading, Leopold brought up the topic of divinity and compared manpower to godliness. I took this to mean that Leopold believes humans were put on this planet to be caretakers of nature. His message to the reader, it seems to me, is that we should be more conscious of how we treat our environment because we are responsible for its wellbeing.
Finally, the banded chickadees in the last section of the reading opened up a whole new world that I had never before thought could have existed. Often I find myself so absorbed in the life immediately surrounding me that I forget that there are other things happening around the world, around me, all simultaneously. This description of the chickadees’ fears, fight for survival, and vigor in life made me feel incredibly small in this world and was a humbling reading experience.
I found this weeks reading in A Sand County Almanac to be quiet intriguing. I especially liked how he started the chapter of October. Explaining how there are two types of people, places, times to visit this place, and so on and so forth. I’ve never been one for hunting, but my father enjoys hunting deer, quail, and pheasant. He has tried many a time to get me to go out with him, but I cant seem to get myself to aim and shoot at a living creature. I thought that when Leopold talked about the deer how had just shed the velvet off his antlers to be quiet interesting, I wouldn’t ever look up when I went hunting with my father for clues on where the animal might be, I only look for tracks in the snow and mud, but then again I am not a very experienced hunter.
ReplyDeleteWhen he went off comparing things in nature to human morning rituals, I felt that he could have left out the human morning rituals. I didn’t find the talk about the coffee pots from the hunters on the bottom of page sixty-two.
Listening to the noises around me when I’m outside is quite relaxing. “To arrive to early in the marsh is an adventure of pure listening.” (Leopold 65) Whenever I go back to visit my family, I enjoy sitting out side by the river and listening to the noise of the water rushing by, as well as the birds chirping in the morning and the crickets at night. Every one seems to realize sound faster then they realize most of their other senses.
I never thought about dead, or diseased trees being a good thing. I’ve never thought about it being a shelter to the animals that live in the area. I really loved the chapter that spoke about what was in the diseased trees on his land.
I found the last section of December to captivate me the most. I loved reading about the Chickadee, and how they survive. 65290 was very interesting, and I would love to know more about how he survived all of those winters, wear as the other chickadees did not. He was the only chickadee that whole decade to survive more then four years. I know wind and water in the cold influenced his living longer, but how did he know where to hide when the other chickadees did not.
I enjoyed reading this week’s selection from A Sand County Almanac, as it dealt with the issue of hunting, something that many environmentally-conscious people are apt to disagree with. He portrays the entire experience of ‘the hunt’ as something serene and beautiful. He doesn’t focus on the killing aspect of hunting, but rather more on the sitting, watching and waiting of hunting. He gives many details pertaining to the behaviors of the hunted species, creating a picture that is extremely vivid for us readers. I know many people who go hunting on a regular basis, and many times they will comment on how they never got a single ‘shot,’ but could go on and on about the things they were allowed to see whilst hidden in the woods.
ReplyDeleteThe line which struck me the most was “When some remote ancestor of ours invented the shovel, he became a giver: he could plant a tree. And when the axe was invented, he became a taker: he could chop it down. Whoever owns land has thus assumed, whether he knows it or not, the divine functions of creating or destroying plants,” (67). This quote combined with the author’s description of his biases towards the various species of trees present on his property really drives the point that man has created a power over trees and other life for himself, and that he ultimately holds the decision to which species and when will be cut down.
I also really enjoyed the chapter in which he talks about the diseased trees that he bought. Most people would only see the negatives of this, thinking it was all useless and worthless. Leopold however goes on to explain how the diseased trees actually help other species; “But for diseases and insect pests, there would likely be no food in these trees, and hence no chickadees to add cheer to my woods in winter,” (76).
September focuses mostly on birds, more specifically, the music and sounds they make. A few examples include a sparrow, which produces a single “half-hearted” song, a woodcock that twitters in midair, and a barred owl that dominates the night with its dithering call. The author also mentions the songbird and the robin with their beautiful yet quickly forgotten melodies.
ReplyDeleteIn October the author discusses the act of hunting, both “ordinary” hunting and “ruffed-grouse” hunting. He also describes the two places where one could hunt “grouse”, in ordinary places and Adams County. To hunting, there is a group that awakes early in the morning. These hunters use their listening skills to hear their prey. However, the early rising hunters have a limited time to hunt before the sun comes up, since at that time, the noise becomes a distraction. The author uses squirrels, crows, and roosters as examples of animals that wake up with the sun and distract a hunter.
October is also the best time to hunt partridge. The author describes one way to hunt partridge is to create a plan built around logic and the likelihood that there will be huntable terrain. The other way to hunt partridge is to wander until one finds black berry leaves, since the birds are often found near the black berries.
The month of November, however, is a month, not of hunting or activity at all, but a month of contemplation and observation. The author first talks about the November wind and its force on the river, sandbar and trees. Then, he discusses the winter woods and the consequences of disease-baring trees.
In December, the dogs hunt while their owners collect firewood. The rabbits need to quick and swift in order to escape the dogs. December, the author explains, is also a time to talk about creation. The act of creating is generally left up to the poets and gods, but a human can recreate some of this creation through planting. All one needs, he continues, is a shovel.
In this week’s section of A Sand County Almanac, there were several ideas I found to be interesting. To begin with, he wrote about himself as a hunter and although initially I was confused by what appeared to be a contradiction between Aldo’s idea of himself and his actions, it made sense that living off the land would mean more than just deciding which tree to cut. However, I realized that unless he is taking more than what he, himself, needs then isn’t he just another creature fending to survive. This train of thought justifies his actions as a hunter and as a personal connection to the passage I have enjoyed fishing in the past when camping and it was never as much about the killing as it was about the process. It can be a very relaxing time for reflection and observation of the wild. To me it seemed that Aldo, beyond using hunting as a resource for finding food, also uses it as an excuse to enjoy nature.
ReplyDeleteAnother interesting idea was his commentary about biases that may have come about and why in terms of which trees to cut down and maintaining a piece of land. I never considered the thought process this would entail before I read this passage and I wondered what my preferences would be if I were given the same situation. It is hard to say considering I did not have the same upbringing as he but all the same maybe some day I will have that opportunity.
Overall I have found this book to be a very relaxing, enjoyable read that brings up many points I have not considered previously.
Returning to “A Sand County Almanac” for the second time, I was again amazed by Leopold’s ability to make so much out of a place that many today would consider boring. He is able to fulfill his days spotting differences in the color of trees as leaves change and taking his dog for hunting trips. So many people would think that living in the woods for months and months would make them go mad, but Aldo is having the time of his life. There is nothing else he would rather be doing. I find this remarkable, as is his gift to connect so deeply with the environment in which he lives.
ReplyDeleteThe picture attached to this post reminds me of when he describes how a shovel gives the holder the power to create and the axe allows the wielder to take away. The garden depicted shows that people have given their time to create a much needed food-source in a neighborhood in Detroit. Certain areas in Detroit are food deserts, where there aren’t grocery stores for miles due to low density populations due to abandoned buildings in poor areas. Community gardens can also teach the community the importance of growing their own food which provides good nutrition and isn’t expensive. It also brings people closer to their environment. When people have to rely on their local environment for food, it creates a need to take care of it.
Aldo later discusses how he never gets to collect his honey because trespassers always beat him to it as they use nets to take the honey and he waits until November when the bees are dormant. This again reminds me of the picture and brings up certain problems related to community agriculture. Who gets to eat the food: the people who grow it or those who really need it? In addition, the gardens are always subject to poachers which may deter people from ever starting one. The honey thing also brings up the use of advanced technology to get more faster. If the garden pictured also had chickens or some other animal, it would most likely end up costing more than simply buying eggs or meat from a supermarket. This exposes a problem in our agricultural system. There are so many subsidies going to large industrial farms that small farmers are out-priced, and consumers end up buying the cheaper, albeit environmentally harmful, products over sustainable items.
Throughout this week’s reading of A Sand County Almanac I found myself thinking about a hunter’s relationship with his surroundings and what he makes of the sport. While attempting to put myself in a hunter’s shoe’s, I had a hard time deciding whether or not this sport brings you closer to nature or forces you to clash with it. The average hunter must spend a great deal of time in wooded and grassy areas but do they bond with nature through this experience or are they simply focused on the concept of finding their prey. In my opinion, they must find some connection with nature because much of their time hunting is spent waiting and because of this they must spend time with nature. Also, to successfully hunt, one must essentially become one with nature and blend into their surroundings and through this I feel they are literally and metaphorically connected to the scenery. On the other hand, it seems they do not appreciate their surroundings because they simply disrupt it in one or more shots, misses and kills. I cannot imagine pulling a trigger on an animal after watching it peacefully in its natural habitat.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to my reading, I want to comment on recent lectures and the importance of finding a balance. The more I read and hear about the various issues in this class the more I see the need to find balance in my life. To connect with nature but not necessarily immerse myself in it. To continue eating meat but to be more cautious about where it comes from and how the animals that serve me are being treated. To throw some objects away but to be aware of what goes in my trash versus what I can recycle and reuse. This class is thus far helping me realize that I can make a difference, even with just minor adjustments and finding a balance.
It seems I would have very little to add to this rehashing of the current chapters of Sand County Almanac. I never had a problem with hunting but the only type I did was going out with my grandfather and trying to snipe groundhogs at a distance. This was done not for their food but instead to remove the problems they caused with their endless digging within the corn fields. At any rate I think I should instead use this blog entry to discuss my feelings about the 100 mile diet. To put it simply… I think its crap. Sorry for the pointed remark but the idea is idealist luxury that is unreasonable in realty. Avoiding the issues of trying to figure out how one is supposed to justify driving a great distance in order to meet the cow he will eat and to pick the corn he shall devour on the time budget of a college student. The idea that we can have an idyllic life eating only the foods and the milk within 100 miles is fantasy. Let us picture a world where everyone is forced to do so. First we shall have mass starvation because not every place can support the population living in the area. New York City very well could be a grave yard. Second, let us list some of the food items we will go without in Ann Arbor. We shall not have rice, all spices including main stays such as pepper and salt(the Detroit mines only produce rock salt, the type used for deicing roads), We will not have shrimp or that many types of fish, and perhaps most importantly is the lack of citrus. Now you might forget due to the fact that with our international selection of foods these days, but there used to be something called scurvy. This was a rather nasty way to go because over time your gums would bleed and your teeth would come out. The fact that just by eating oranges can cure and prevent such an illness speaks to the importance of NOT eating just within your local area. This is a fact known to generations of ancestors and was the real cause of the age of exploration. Gold is good but it doesn’t even compare to finding a new spice or fruit. The health benefits to eating everything the world can provide far outweigh the idealist image of everyone eating from the local farmers crops.
ReplyDeleteThis weeks reading in “A Sand A Country Almanac” was a little confusing to me. From what I understood there was a lot of talk about birds and the sounds they make, which I found a little puzzling. However, the main issue throughout the story was about hunting. To me hunting is not bad thing, when it’s needed for food and living necessities. It does become a serious issue when looked upon as a sport, or when people hunt just for the hell of it. For example, when you go into someone’s house and you see live stuffed animals, or heads of dear, or bears, or whatever it might be; you look at it like murder, a crime. Why would anyone be proud of that, that they would mount animal heads on their walls? When I eat any kind of animal, whether it be meat or chicken of fish, I don’t think of their death and think oh wow people had to kill this animal so I could eat it. To me that is how we survive, that is how we live. If there were another species higher than us in the food chain, we would probably be killed as well. Now, to hear about those animals that were brutally murdered and treated like garbage, that’s also another story. Hunting is not a bad way of killing animals compared to when people beat them and starve them in the process. In my overall opinion, hunting should not be looked upon as a bad thing, unless only done for the fun of it. In fact, it is a good way of killing animals for food; they are healthy animals who are killed quick and painlessly for our needs of survival.
ReplyDelete“October” in the Sand County Almanac” was less to me about the actual process of killing the animal and more about the ‘hunt’. This is very similar in real life; to many who hunt it is the process, the enjoyment of nature, the solitude and reflective time that are what makes hunting, not so much the kill. Aldo and his dog wander along the sand hills and the forest, communing with each other and with the changing of the season. When a beautiful buck emerges from the bush Aldo doesn’t grab his gun, throw down his sandwich and shoot. Of course it might not have been deer season, nonetheless Aldo’s first instinct wasn’t to kill but to appreciate. In our armchair lives we look for our food in the freezer section. We have distanced ourselves from the earth and the natural processes of survival. We can sometimes loose touch with the concept that something must be sacrificed (often another’s life) for us to survive. We wipe our consciences on our fast food dinner napkins and say ‘well we didn’t kill the animal.’ I think Aldo’s respect for animals and nature is greater because he hunts, he understands the natural necessity of man and animal to live and eat. He doesn’t remove himself from nature, holding it on a pedestal, he understands he is, in a sense, a part of it and has as much right to take what he needs from it as a hawk does.
ReplyDeleteNya Jordan
ReplyDeleteADP III
September 28, 2010
Weekly Response
When reading Sand’s County Almanac, I was a bit intrigued by Aldo’s ability to have a hunting back round as well as be involved as a naturalists.
That’s seems whether contradictory but I can see where he does draw the line. One may assume that if someone has such sincerity about nature and the way things have intended to be, that the person would also have a care for animals.
One thing I sought interesting was the way the Chickadees’ responded to the sudden drop of a tree because they understand that dead bugs live inside the trees. No matter what that noise may be, they have a sudden reaction to it.
The previous statement lead me to wonder to what extent would people go to drop everything and flee to a certain situation that draws their attention. It’s a serious matter how some people prioritize and care for things that serves as a non-necessity to mankind.
While reading Sand’s County Almanac, I thought of how Aldo puts up with the Dog-Tree to protects the Pine Tree. It sort of inspired me because it seemed to me as if the Dog-Tree was only a stepping stone and the Pine Tree serves as the big picture. Sometimes I have to sacrifice doing some of the things I don’t want to do, just so that I am prepared for the best, or at least I feel like the end results is worth it.
Aldo’s tone in the book was a little subtle for me because I am so use to reading different pieces of literature but overall I was impressed with his ability to balance the aspect of appreciating nature and hunting animals.