Census of Agriculture 2007

Posted on 4 February 2009 by JC

The 2007 Census of Agriculturewas released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS).  While I was at Kiwanis for lunch.  So much for this afternoon’s productivity! 

“The number of farms in the United States has grown 4 percent and the operators of those farms have become more diverse in the past five years.” USDA press release here. 

The Grand Forks Herald (Forum Communications) summarizes:

In North Dakota, one of 39 states in which the numbers of farms rose in the five-year period, the federal census found 31,970 farms in 2007, up from 30,619 in 2002. Average size decreased, from 1,283 acres to 1,241. Farm numbers increased just slightly in Minnesota, which recorded 80,992 farms in 2007 to 80,839 in 2002. Farm size on Minnesota fell from 340 acres to 332 acres.

Edit 2:45 CST: Star Tribune finds the lemons in the lemonade:

“We’re seeing growth in the two ends of the scale — farms with fewer than 180 acres, and farms with 1,000 acres or more,” said Doug Hartwig, [Minnesota] state agricultural statistician.

Tune in for more in-depth analysis and play-by-play on your favorite rural development channel: jcshepard.com.

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The Day The Music Died

Posted on 3 February 2009 by JC

Lou Diamond Phillips in La Bamba (Wikipedia)

Today is the 50th anniversary of The Day The Music Died.  On 3 February 1959, in a field outside Clear Lake, Iowa, a small plane carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, crashed and killed everyone on board, including pilot Richard Peterson.  As we all know, Waylon Jennings gave up his seat on the ill-fated plane and lived to sing his own songs another day.

Bye bye Miss American Pie,
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys were drinkin’ whiskey and rye
Singing “This’ll be the day that I die,
This’ll be the day that I die.”
–Don McLean, PlayAmerican Pie

Winter Dance Party Tour Map 2009

Minneapolis Star-Tribune Columnist & Twitterer James @Lileks doesn’t think the music died that day.  He thinks the music is doing just fine, blaming McLean’s American Pie for getting it all wrong.  Take a look at an annotated explanation of the cryptic lyrics here.

I’m more inclined to agree with AcktheHack that the music did die a little that day—I wonder how enthralled I would have been with this new-fangled Rock & Roll if I had been a generation earlier.  To wit The American Spectator: “Who, in the early sixties at least, cared to patronize the recordings of sex perverts whose 45s probably received radio spins through bribery?”  I liked La Bamba yet I’m thinking if I was contemporary to the events depicted, probably not so much.  Really more a Hank Williams fan.

The STrib re-visits Clear Lake’s Surf Ballroom and the crash site, video here.  Also on the playbill last night: Bobby Vee, Graham Nash, Los Lobos, Delbert McClinton, Joe Ely and Wanda Jackson.

I could have made the drive, it’s only 182 miles out my front door. Still, I try to stick closer to home come winter time.  Never know when your vehicle might freeze up & get stuck…

-jc

(cross-posted & slightly edited from last.fm back when they had journals)

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Tatterific—My Favorite SuperBowl Ad

Posted on 2 February 2009 by JC

Actually watched the Super Bowl this year.  I liked the Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head ad, Taters, the best.  Only problem being, I don’t remember who the sponsor of the ad is…

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Groundhog Day

Posted on 2 February 2009 by JC

Think what you will of Bill Murray or Andie MacDowell, their performance in Harold Ramis’ 1993 movie Groundhog Day is a delightful little romp through the world of PunxsutawneyPhil and small town America.

One can take Groundhog Day as a simple comedy, a diversion from our mid-winter blahs.  Murray’s self-centered TV weatherman gets what’s coming from him, with MacDowell and Chris Elliott’s original Larry the cable guy along for the ride.

However, if you’re inclined to put on your thinking cap, Groundhog Day—both movie and day—can be much more.  What is it with this “Six More Weeks of Winter” thing?  Growing up in Fargo, where we have 8 months of winter and 4 months of extreme heat, I always assumed the negative case was 12 more weeks of winter.  Of course it’s 6 more weeks until Vernal Equinox as any calendar will tell us.  Wouldn’t it make more sense if it DID see it’s shadow then that means the sun is shining, so it should be LESS winter? 

Anyway…. the collective wisdom of Wikipedia gives us something to think about:

Philosophy

Groundhog Day is a tale of self-improvement, to look inside oneself and realize that the only satisfaction in life comes from turning outward and concerning oneself with others rather than concentrating solely on one’s own wants and desires. As such, the film has become a favorite of Buddhist, Christian and Jewish leaders alike because they see its themes of selflessness and rebirth as a reflection of their own spiritual messages. It has even been dubbed by some religious leaders as the “most spiritual film of our time.”

I have some other problems with the film, like the fact it was filmed in Illinois, not Pennsylvania, but I’ve got some of my own self-improvement to get done this Monday morning.  Congrats to the Steelers, and by the way, bundle up.  Phil just saw his shadow.

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At the Root of the Music

Posted on 31 January 2009 by JC

Uncle Tupelo is the fulcrum of my ROOTS music universe. All things good, bad and ugly; happy, melancholy and sad, flow thru the music and the people and the places of the boys from Southern Illinois.

The melancholy is mine–youth is wasted on the young they say. While I was navel-gazing up at Urbana, potential contemporaries Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy were finding their way with a guitar just a stone’s throw across Midwestern cornfields. If I would have got off my lazy, hair-metal-addled, butt and explored something off mainstream country/rock radio I coulda found these guys when they coulda saved my wasted youth. I took a move to Denver and a long drawn-out journey thru Rocky Mountain Bluegrass for me to find my musical Roots.

It just kinda hit me this week, listening to the Compadre Records podcast. They were bought out by an L.A. R&B outfit. The deal looks good on paper, I thought, more cashflow & distribution for Billy Joe Shaver & company. Then the podcast turns to sh*t this week. It’s all Beyonce, whose daddy pays the bills. It’s their choice to push that, but I don’t want no part of it. Don’t say you’re still ROOTS then pull that stuff.

Then again, who am I to say what “ROOTS” music is…. Where for me, I seem to throw a fairly wide lasso around the term. It’s likely ROOTS to me if it’s somehow connected, back or forth, through UNCLE TUPELO.

Most obvious example: Carter Family‘s No Depression (in Heaven) was the inspiration for a favorite genre tag, magazine, etc. UT brought the Carter Family music to a new generation, both faithful to the original and making it their own. Similar ex. can be found for Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Williams. UT’s music is modern, grounded in the roots of original folk and country.

Less obvious example: Take the flip side, I’ve been arguing lately with teenage stepdaughter why Shania Twain & such are more a POP star than a TRUE COUNTRY (ie. ROOTS Country) star. I can argue song structure, songwriting, instrumentation, marketing, till I’m blue in the face, ain’t going to change her mind. There’s no context there. It’s not that I don’t like her Shania (much preferable to the above Beyonce ilk). She walked a hard road, but she’s a master of bubble gum and empty anthems, not the meat & potatoes and heartfelt gospel of the boys in Uncle Tupelo. They’re both masters of their craft, they just do different thangs.

**************************

Repost from lost.fm, November 2007.  As far as I know, the last year was just more of the same.  Uncle Tupelo’s No Depression just scrobbled #80k on my last.fm.

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LinkedIn

Posted on 29 January 2009 by JC

linkedin

Following the pied piper of social media, you can now find me at LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jcshepard

RT @BrickandClick Retweet @cheeky_geeky LinkedIn is my Rolodex. Facebook is my scrapbook. Twitter is my lifestream idea generator (hmmm) 11:18 AM Jan 17th from web

I’m looking at my claim on my professional name @ LinkedIn as more of a defensive mechanism than an offensive move into new public policy career space.  I am more and more convinced of the old saw: It’s who you know as much as what you know.  So for those in the know, John Shepard be there on the Rolodex of Web 2.0.  All 3 dozen of us.

Mostly it’s another bee in my bonnet on the topic of work-life integration.  There’s some buzz going on there.

As for Facebook, yeah.  Scrapbook.  that’s good.  I’m leaving lots of scraps on there.  Not keeping track of my Friend-count to see if I’m scaring ’em away.

Twitter, tho, that is becoming my idea drug of choice, in multiple flavors @johnshepard, @jcshepard, @johncshepard.  Watching The Matrix In Code.  Good ideas.  Bad ideas.  Data, data, data….

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Edit 4 Feb 09: 8 Twitter Networking Tips: From Online to In-the-Flesh 

1. Use Your Twitter Profile As You Would a Business Card, 2. Let Your Twitter Feed Be Your (Ongoing) Portolfio, 3. Grow Your Twitter Network, 4. Get the Lowdown, 5. Tweet Yourself Up, 6. Ask for Help, 7. And Help Others, 8. Plan a Tweetup.

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Vigilantes 1864

Posted on 28 January 2009 by JC

 Vigilantes at Bannack 2001

Vigilantes 1864

Cold cruel winds blow down intent

upon the Bannack mining camp.

Just days before an Innocent

had spilled his guts, the saddle tramp

Told one and all:  the Road Agents

were sheriff’s men, which none could trump.

In Virginia, Nevada, all up Alder Gulch,

Catholic and Mason, from South and from North,

Stormed forth the Committee for Vigilance-

defend their homes, they swore the oath.

‘Cross rivers frozen and sagebrush adrift,

a vision, revelation, to the very last pale horse.

Come ghosts of the hundred murdered before.

Come Deputy Ray, you will kill no more.

Come Deputy Stinson, leave your saloon whore.

Come damned Sheriff Plummer, let us finish this chore.

Come dance in the gallows, plead for your souls.

Come peace to Montana, 10 January 1864.

 

(c) jcs 18.01.01

Reposted in honor of the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering at Elko, Nevada, this week. Bannack became first capital of Montana Territory on May 26, 1864.

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Kiwi Architecture

Posted on 27 January 2009 by JC

Friends of mine had the opportunity to work on sabattical in Christchurch, New Zealand last year.  Dan Barringer is an architect, now back in Ohio.  While he favors a more avant garde style than I, he’s a smart guy and knows architecture.  Dan posted some bullet observations & photos on architecture in New Zealand on his blog. 

  1. Along with the social and political framework of a planned city, comes a idea of an architectural style to match. Style can come from existing cities that match the social and political ideals of the planned city.

We can argue about urban planning another day.

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Durum Delivers

Posted on 26 January 2009 by JC

U.S. Durum Growers Assoc. held a You Tube Pasta Contest last October to celebrate and promote National Pasta Month.  Winners were just announced, including 1st place to Sara Neubauer, Bottineau, ND, for “Durum Delivers” filmed at the Air Force Academy:

Durum wheat flour is used to make pasta and bread.  North Dakota has about 72% of all U.S. acres in durum production.  According to North Dakota State University statistics, most of that is grown in the northwestern part of the state.  (I could do the math, but I do work in Minnesota now, and we only have a very few acres in wheat overall.)  Montana and Arizona were #2 & #3 in durum production as of 2002.

New 2007 Census of Agriculture stats are due out next week.

(Tip of the hat to Red River Farm Network radio news. )

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All Alone In This Together

Posted on 24 January 2009 by JC

We Are All Alone In This Together

Graham Lindsey

Spacebar Recordings (2008 )

 

What is it in a simple progression of notes that can bring a person close to tears?  Even before adding in a well-crafted lyric.  How a few notes strung together in a very specific manner evoke a primal reaction, a blood lust of the ear.

 

Graham Lindsey does this to me with “The Bird That Lived In  A Burning Tree”, on his new Spacebar recording, We Are All Alone In This Together in general circulation this week.  I’m a long-time fan of Graham, once compared him to Bob Dylan channeling Hank Williams.  Twangville compares and contrasts him with Old Crow Medicine Show or The Avett Brothers.  Yes.  And no.  Graham Lindsey simply brings together an honest appreciation of folk traditions with a hard-driving post-punk honky tonk spirit.  Graham is the man.

 

The album opens with a plaintive line on “Tomorrow is Another Night” and moves through a dozen strong tracks of love, life and stuff on the shovel.  “Old Roger” caught my attention right away.  Graham uses a variety of session players to enhance his typical solo show, adding dobro, pedal steel, percussion, fiddle, upright bass, organs, horns, even piano and Henry’s bark.  I’m sure more than a couple of those instruments saw the inside of Music Villa in Bozeman.

 

Yet it is Track 4, “The Bird…” that grew on me with each play.  A simple one-two progression builds, adds lyrics without overpowering the instrumentation, builds acoustic instrumentation without overpowering the guitar, then fades away into the night.  I’m sure that somebody who stayed awake in music appreciation class could swiftly identify the artistic device.  The technical terminology.  The proper analytic context.  How the melody and instrumentation build a memorable wave.

 

I just know there are a very few times in this life when a melody hits me upside the head like a shovel.  The 2nd part of Bach’s Double Violin Concerto in D Minor.  Hank Williams’ I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.  And now Graham Lindsey.

 

Check him out on Myspace at http://www.myspace.com/grahamlindsey

 

Cold wind blows

make you weep and moan

why has this found my home?

because that’s the one we chose

everybody’s got to choose

everybody’s got to choose

 

(Cross-posted from last.fm)

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