Free-Range Living

Husbanding', 'husbandry' - old-fashioned terms no doubt in modern tech-e life, and considered 'old hat' by some. The Chambers dictionary definition of a husbanding person include 'a thrifty manager', 'a conserver' and 'one who manages with economy' , the longer-term  nature of which may help to explain the role's decline in today's 'borrow now-have now' super-consumer mainstream culture. Some, though, it would appear, are concerned with longer-term possible realities, taking the 'husbanding' stance, whilst quite a few seem to be pretty busy 'super-consuming', giving presumably quite a schizophrenic element in society. 

[Read more →]

Starting and running a 'freeranger'-type lifestyle enterprise can be an attractive way of 'freeranging', but there can still be potential pitfalls such as over independent thinking, lack of 'heart/head' balance and adoption of generalistic, assumed objectives rather than 'freerange' objectives suited to the enterprise.    Lifestyle enterprises can be seen as the vehicles which deliver the satisfaction of an array of multi-dimensional 'freeranger' needs,  and as such need a more encompassing system of assessment than a purely financial assessment might deliver.

[Read more →]

The ‘big’ free-range idea is to give animals such as egg-laying chickens and dairy cows a natural (to them) environment which then allows them to express their innate, unique behaviour patterns, for their own sakes, and to facilitate their natural proclivities and productivities. The ‘spiritual’ foundation to this appears to be a feeling that as ‘top animal’ man should be working ‘in partnership’ with them and recognising their needs, rather than just trying to dominate and control them; husbanding and caretaking rather than merely exploiting, paradoxically though often leading to good sustainable levels of productivity. There’s just something so satisfying, too, about seeing those chickens scratting busily and contentedly about in the paddock.

[Read more →]

‘Delicious dosh’

No, of course it’s not the money that’s consumed, though, it’s really just a medium -  it’s what it can give access to that really counts: survival, security, exclusivity, social standing, clout, protection, conviviality, pleasure, personal development, philanthropy to name but a few.

[Read more →]