For an easier life you need to …

Posted byThe Autistic ComposterPosted inFascinating MusingsTags:, , , , , ,
Fascinating Musings
Season 1 – Tuesday – 04/04/23
Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.
Lao Tzu
Music – Onward
New Beginning
Over the last few months, I have been experiencing anxiety ranging from mild to severe, and it’s not the typical form. It’s more like an adrenalised tension where l can’t slow down my mind. I had to examine what was causing it, and there were several triggers, if you wish, ranging from this blog to problems with my health to the weather and maintaining hot composts and expectations to worm farming and Gazen Salts.

I had my blood pressure tested, and thankfully, it was considered excellent, given everything going on. So at least, that is one thing. I sat down and examined in a priority fashion how l could alleviate some of my anxiety. One was to redirect my blog, which l did last month.

The others, like the weather, l couldn’t control, so l must accept that, and it is easy enough to maintain warm composting strategies. I lowered the expectations l had for the allotment and planting season. OK. Great. Those things helped.

However, when l looked at the two causing me the most angst, l realised that 1] Gazen Salts was a prime contender to making me mad almost all the time and 2] worm farming had to be reexamined with regards to outdoor farming.

Worm farming creates stress because l live in the UK, where we have erratic weather, and l am trying to become an outside worm farmer to sell worms. However, configuring a system allowing outdoor farming methods without cover is very hard. I have had to lower my expectations for the operation and ask myself what would work if not looking to sell worms.

So l have finally decided not to sell actual worms but concentrate on vermicast, which l am legally allowed to sell in this country without jumping through burning hoops and over giant logs as l would do if l wanted to sell actual compost.

So selling clean worm poo is OK, but not cleaned by worms compost. Why? Because all sorts go into the compost created by human waste products, whilst only pure vegetation goes into worms. OK.

Vermicast is also easier to farm, and this spring, l am making moves to transfer all three herds from Willow down to the allotment into huge farms with lasagne-type layers to help them survive winters and summers. I will write about this in due course and more depth and detail, explaining the stresses.

But once l made this decision, l started to feel some of my anxiety loosen. There is still work to be done on this, like finishing off the new farms, emptying off, and rehoming the herds, but at least l have some of my control back. This latest move will significantly reduce my stress and invigorate the business more, and they will no longer be right on my doorstep, so l don’t have to look at them and worry if a, b or c is correct.

But if l thought the worms were stressful, they were nothing in consideration to the politics in Gazen Salts. Which l will write about in more depth in the next series episode.

Some of you will already be aware, especially this season, of my thoughts concerning Gazen Salts and how there are stresses that have been building that are not worth having, given how short life already is.

Sometimes l feel you can love something, but it’s not suitable for you. I think this way regarding the charity. The shame is that it is NOT the reserve that l love that is at fault, but the politics surrounding the committee, the hidden and not-so-hidden agendas and the administration’s poor top management. I admire most of the committee members, but not all, and it is the not-all aspect that made me finally decide to say enough is enough today. Some things are just going to stay the same and will never move forwards.

As hard a decision as it has been, l think this is the way forward for losing even more of my anxiety. So this month, or even more minute than that, the next two weeks will probably be my last as an active volunteer, a potential committee member, or even just an acknowledged trustee.

Published by The Autistic Composter

Earthly Comforts is a wildlife journaling scrapbook focusing on the countryside, wildlife biodiversity and environmental conservation, flora and fauna volunteering projects, gardening, composting and vermiculture, inspiration, poetry and photography.

25 thoughts on “For an easier life you need to …”

  5. You’ve taken the first step by facing the situation. I’m not surprised Gazen Salts is causing you anxiety. Seems politics are playing an unpleasant role, which you mentioned previously. It’s time to take care of Rory and alleviate the stress.

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  6. Lol … your question for why you can sell worm 💩 poop… but not the compost the worms eat… when the poo still contains that lol

    That is perplexing lol 🤔

    I have had a lot of anxiety too 😕

    We run parallel lately lol with weather … and anxiety lol

    The weather definitely doesn’t help lol … this year just was so much – totally not prepared for so much… totally expected a normal year… but I had forgotten we are STILL in the 2020’s lol

    I think life is teaching things … like change, and adapting … but also is teaching when to know something is toxic for you? How to find your life peace ☮️ ❤️

    I’m looking for my life peace too 😘✌️

    We will find lol … we just learning 😊❤️

    The 2020’s are a decade of enlightenment – cause the world doesn’t listen to a pandemic … life needs an entire decade to teach the world lol ✌️

    We see lol

    But it’s ok – I’m right there paralleling you lol …

    Hugs to you for the loss of G Salts ☹️💔 I’m sorry that it is not enjoyable for you anymore and a source of anxiety ☹️

    But it is good for your worm poo biz, and it is very good for you to remember yourself ❤️🤗

    But ya know, I’m one to talk lol 🤷‍♀️… I am currently sorta loosely paralleling you lol – with the anxiety totally! And things similar category to your G Salts

    I also wasn’t sure I still wanted death? But ya know – I know death, death held my hand through a lot … and for some reason – death won’t let me go? Lol 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

    Sorta similar to your worm poop – very loosely lol 🤷‍♀️

    Is ok – we are strong 💪 your BP you say yourself is excellent range … so that’s good!! 👏

    Maybe now that some stress off – we can somewhat relax? Take a breath ❤️✌️

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    1. Hey Trisha, yes, we are paralleling each other’s leylines at present – there are a lot of similarities – and it is strange how worms and death bizarrely are connected.

      The weather has NOT helped either of us. You are spot on in that assessment! The weather has hindered everything from my side and slowed the approach of spring’s warmer arrival on yours. Of course, l need that, but the non-stop rains have made everything depressing.

      GS is a blow; l will write later; l am observing April but have told the prominent members that by May, l will probably leave. I have another volunteer opportunity coming up, which might be more enterprising, especially for the business concept l am creating as an addition to the business itself.

      Worm poop is astonishing here in the UK. How utterly complex it is. I can sell worm poo with no problems. No licences are needed. Yet if l want to sell finished, sieved and dressed compost, l need licences and administrations galore. Because the food products, garden wastes, paper and all sorts that go into making finished compost are somehow dirtier than worm poo?? I struggle with that.

      Don’t get me wrong, l am grateful there are no burning hoops, but confused.

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      1. Lol – yes they are oddly connected

        Well yes I want the rainy season to stop – because I am dying for awesome sunny warm weather … but it is depressing with so much gray and rain – and I also do not want to fix my fence or gazebo until this crap is done 🤨😝 I’m not gonna fix if gonna blow back down

        Good for you, I think you be happier and no princess complainer

        If someone buys worm poop …what do they do with it? Isn’t that also for gardens? Is it not used for fertilizer or something?

        Hahaha yeah don’t look a gift horse in the mouth 😄✌️

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      3. Here is the rules from California? Is same as yours?

        https://calrecycle.ca.gov/organics/compostmulch/compostis/

        ** but keep in mind California is extremely protective with what comes into the state – we are an agriculture state and have many natural beautiful areas …

        Here are California’s rules if you want to come into the state lol …things you can not bring into California :

        https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/know-before-you-go/prohibited-and-restricted-items

        Welcome to California 🐻 😘✌️

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      4. Sort of but not, l know that makes no sense – but this:

        Packaging and labeling: Compost that is suitable for use in organic production in California must be registered as an Organic Input Material with the California Department of Food and Agriculture and may use the CDFA Organic logo. Such products may also contain an approval from the Organic Materials Review Institute, but this is no longer required in California.

        Compost products that make claims for nutrient values must have a CDFA fertilizer label. Compost products that make no claims for organic production or for nutrient values may legally be sold without registration.

        Reading it as l am, as long as the home grown compost makes no mention to nutrients can be sold without regulation.

        Here in the UK any compost made by a non-commercial graded and licensed unit cannot be sold.

        Worm poop or vermicast is a very different material here but because it is produced by worms it can sold without license, but compost is made from many materials and has to be passed by high licensing and grading.

        California is a lot like Australia in so far as what is allowed in or not. It’s the best way to be.

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      5. So the UK makes you do what? Be registered and have license in order to sell?

        It makes me think of Skittles in a round about way… they are trying to look out for the health and safety of their people…

        Americans eat many items that are banned in other countries due to health issues or possible health problems

        So they just looking out… maybe trying to protect health –

        America is little lenient in that area…

        Is plutocracy and commercialism – the almighty dollar 😉 … they allow because cash is king – unless it’s really really bad

        Even big pharm same way. Just depends

        California protects its environment … even with people who have boats – your boat must be checked meticulously for any foreign bodies before placing in boating area – we have had non native species of things introduced to lakes and water ways and it wreaks havoc!! Destroys eco systems – can kill native species

        The tiniest foreign thing can become the biggest problem 😮

        I’m sure is same with Australia 🇦🇺

        And yeah we do seem very similar to them 😊✌️

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      6. Yes, here in the UK, to sell domestically made compost, you must become commercially licenced and pass the grading selection. So you might make fantastic compost, BUT if the graders don’t like that it might have certain ingredients that have not been commercially graded with heats above 190 F on a 24-hour basis, then as far as they are concerned, you cannot sell the compost.

        Suze was working with shop-bought compost the other day and was shocked to see how bad it is/was and asked why? The answer is that shop-bought compost has only some of the nutrients that homemade does, and homemade is softer to work with, whilst shop-bought is coarser.

        Licencing here, in simple terms, means that not every Tom, Dick or Harry can sell compost, and YET they are happy for worm poo to be sold directly to the shops because worm poo is basically dirt.

        Liked by 1 person

      7. It does sound like same difference so that is odd??

        And in regards to commercial grade compost – they don’t want you giving away all the nutrients lol … they still want you in stores lol

        If too good then that could open can of worms lol – the puns tonight are plentiful lol ✌️

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      11. Sad – at the expense of the people

        The pound and the yen at least offer universal healthcare

        The US does not – it is a business – everything here is a business, including education

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