Kurtwood Farms

The second half of Growing a Farmer is about Kurt's experience raising and slaughtering animals. He explains how he raises pigs and chickens and the different things to consider when taking care of them. These animals each make their own contributions to his farm in different ways. His goes into a very gruesome detail about the slaughtering and butchering of his animals. Kurt finishes with talking about the current state of his farm and what they produce. Kurtwood Farms is home to vegetables, fruits, cows, and other animals. He is able to sell the cheese and keeps the rest of his food to serve at Sunday dinners that people come to eat. He explained why his other endeavors didn't and couldn't work on his farm and still make him a profit. But cheese is something people are willing to pay for. His weekly dinners that he cooks for people is all food from his own farm, and other than a few ingredients like salt, is fresh comes directly from his soil. He is very proud of his farm's growth and the food he produces, even though it is not the biggest or most profitable.

I am impressed at everything Kurt tried when he started his farm. He tried different plants and animals and he failed a lot. But he kept working to make things better and figured out better ways to do things. He was able to settle into a routine on his farm, but only after spending years finding out what didn't work and what he liked best and was capable of doing with his skills. He taught himself how to be a farmer, and it is really admirable how he was able to start something so impressive from scratch. This book made me realize that anything is possible if you are motivated enough and realize you have to work for everything you want.

A Tale of Bay Area Hockey

A Tale of Bay Area Hockey

How One Player Forever Changed the San Jose Sharks

Ever wonder what it’s like to carry a team and a city on your back? And to be thought of as a curse to the people you’re trying to please? Patrick Marleau knows exactly how that feels.

In the past, hockey has been overshadowed by other more American sports like football and baseball. But that is starting to change. The San Jose Sharks and other teams like them are transforming the status of the National Hockey League. In the Bay Area of California, hockey is on the rise. And the Sharks can thank one man: Patrick Marleau.

This article is about the rollercoaster ride of the San Jose Sharks franchise, and how one man shaped the team’s identity. Marleau’s presence has propelled the Sharks’ popularity and success, but he is also at the center of the most controversial disagreements among Sharks fans. I will explain how the Sharks were born and the era of Patrick Marleau, how he and the team have thrived through periods of condemnation, and how they have emerged from judgment and are blazing a new path to make a name for themselves in the hockey world.

A New Era - Starting From the Ice Up

The San Jose Sharks began their franchise in 1991, playing in the Cow Palace. At the time, the Cow Palace was more known for the rodeos it housed than the hockey team playing there. The team started out as a joke, going 17-63 in its first season -- the worst record in the NHL. But no matter how rough the city was and how badly the team played, the people of San Jose immediately became loyal to the sport and the team. The Cow Palace was sold out every night and merchandise sales were the highest in the league (Sports Illustrated). The next few years had some ups and downs. They made the playoffs and surprised everyone with an upset win, but couldn’t keep that momentum up. The year of 1997 was the year everything changed. The Sharks drafted Patrick Marleau as the 2nd overall pick. He was 18 years old and still a kid, but people thought he was the next big thing. He had his good and bad moments like any 18 year old who had the pressure of a new team on his back. Marleau came under intense scrutiny as soon as he was drafted, but he improved his numbers every season. He was named captain of the team in 2003, a huge honor in hockey. The fans loved him because he was humble, kind, and led by his actions (San Francisco Chronicle). But he was never consistent enough to please the fans. People kept asking: is Marleau a future superstar or a too-young burnout? People thought he could be a real turning point in the Sharks’ unpredictability, but every year fans were disappointed (The Hockey Writers).

Judgment and Condemnation

Despite Marleau’s work ethic and leading the team to playoff appearances in his first 5 seasons, people were never completely happy with him. While the team stuck behind Marleau, fans were quick to throw him to the dogs. Yes they loved him as a person, but he wasn’t producing what the fans thought the team needed. The Sharks never made it past the third round of the playoffs. So, in 2010, they demoted him and took away his captaincy. Rumors spread that he was soon to be traded and these rumors swept the news for years. Every season people were more certain that they knew what was best for the team. Unfortunately for Marleau, what people thought was best was to not have him around (Kawakami, 2012). He wasn’t what the Sharks needed to win the championship. His nickname changed from “Hat Trick Patrick” to “Pointless Patrick” in one season (Purdy, 2011). Still, the Sharks coaching staff kept him around. Through all of this, Marleau kept his head down and powered through, playing his heart out every night. But this constant fear around the trade deadline divided the fans. There were those that thought he was a curse on the team, while others couldn’t imagine the Sharks being the same without him. Most Sharks fans were as loyal as they could be, but everyone questioned what the general manager was thinking. These issues plagued the Sharks, and the entire league even questioned the Sharks’ future. The fans were subject to embarrassing criticism from other fans around the country when the Sharks made the playoffs every year and then choked. Their leaders almost completely stopped producing goals or making any impact. The Sharks fell apart at the end of each season and no one knew why, so they blamed Marleau. But it all changed in 2015 (Purdy, 2015).

The Future of the Sharks

In 2015, Joe Pavelski, a new face in hockey, was named captain of the Sharks and rumors about Marleau being a plague on the team ceased. The controversy surrounding Marleau in 2010 dissolved and a new age of the Sharks surfaced. With the addition of Joe Thornton -- the 1997 1st overall draft pick coincidentally -- the Sharks continued to improve. With minor setbacks, today they have crafted a newer, younger team. A new coach this 2016 season did the impossible and led them to the Stanley Cup finals. They have overcome adversity and harsh condemnation from teams and fans throughout the NHL (New York Times). By making the decision to remove Marleau from high-pressure leadership positions, they have allowed him to lead through experience, letting the younger generation take over (Purdy, 2010). The Sharks are still yet to win the Stanley Cup, but they have tremendous potential. They continue to surprise (and disappoint) San Jose fans, but the cheering has not quieted. The years of doubt surrounding Marleau made the Sharks and their fans stronger. It hasn’t been forgotten, but people have moved on and the Sharks have proven they’re more than just one player. Every year the Shark Tank comes back louder than before, and the sold out stadium continues to believe that this could be the year they win it all. They know how to fail. Now they need to learn how to win.

Citations

Bensch, Andrew. "No Reason to Panic on Patrick Marleau." The Hockey Writers. N.p., 01 Jan. 2015. Web. 28 Sept. 2016. http://thehockeywriters.com/no-reason-to-panic-on-patrick-marleau/

Cooper, Tony. "It's Taking Patrick Marleau a While to Adjust to the NHL, but the Sharks Feel They've Landed a Big One." San Francisco Chronicle. N.p., 4 Jan. 1999. Web. 28 Sept. 2016.

Kawakami, Tim. "It’s Time for San Jose Sharks to Part Ways with Patrick Marleau." Mercury News [Oakland] 23 Apr. 2012: n. page. http://www.mercurynews.com/2012/04/23/kawakami-its-time-for-san-jose-sharks-to-part-ways-with-patrick-marleau/

Pollak, David. "Penguins Finish Off Sharks to Win Stanley Cup." New York Times. N.p., 12 June 2016. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/13/sports/hockey/pittsburgh-penguins-finish-off-san-jose-sharks-to-win-stanley-cup.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FSan%20Jose%20Sharks&action=click&contentCollection=hockey&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=collection&_r=0.

Purdy, Mark. "Mark Purdy: San Jose Sharks Need More Soon from Pointless Patrick Marleau." The Mercury News. N.p., 07 May 2011. Web. 28 Sept. 2016. http://www.mercurynews.com/2011/05/07/mark-purdy-san-jose-sharks-need-more-soon-from-pointless-patrick-marleau/

Purdy, Mark. "Purdy: Why Patrick Marleau Will Remain in Sharks' Teal for Awhile Yet." The Mercury News. N.p., 12 Nov. 2015. Web. 28 Sept. 2016. http://www.mercurynews.com/2015/11/12/purdy-why-patrick-marleau-will-remain-in-sharks-teal-for-a-while-yet/

Purdy, Mark. "Mighty Marleau Silences the Doubters." Oakland Tribune 08 May 2010: n. http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_15048798

Prewitt, Alex. "Sharks Tales: First Season Was Classic Exercise in Futility." Sports Illustrated. N.p., 06 June 2016. http://www.si.com/nhl/2016/06/06/san-jose-sharks-original-team.

Growing a Farmer

Growing a Farmer, by Kurt Timmermeister, is about his journey from life in a big city to the adventure of becoming a farmer. Being a restaurant owner, Kurt began to take an interest in food and where it came from. The more Kurt saw the meat being delivered and the food being prepared, he was fascinated by how it all came to his restaurant. He soon realized that he wanted to try to grow his own crops. Kurt wanted to be a real farmer. He bought some land on an island nearby and started to tend to his land. He tried many things, bought tools, read books, and eventually learned the best ways to do things. He was still reliant on his restaurant’s income, but eventually he was able to sell it and focus on the farm. One of his big projects was raising bees for their honey. He hit a lot of speed bumps on the way, but eventually he learned the most effective way to get what he wanted. Then he tried making hard apple cider from apple trees. But deer ate his trees, and he had to adjust. So he instead made vinegar and apple juice. Kurt thought he needed animals on his farm, so he got a sheep. He explained it as a gateway animal, the first animal that farmers get because it doesn’t take a lot of effort to take care of. But what Kurt really learned was that the lambs are what make raising sheep worth it. They are cute animals, but also provide meat. Since sheep only produce offspring once a year, Kurt discovered early on that he needed to save the lamb meat more carefully. Kurt thought that in order to be a real farmer, he needed a cow. So he bought a cow from someone, and began raising cows. He loved having something he had to get up for every day. He learned a lot about the physical aspect of being a farmer when he milked his cows by hand. He had to learn some basic medical procedures, giving cows medicine when they got sick. This is when Kurt learned he was going to be a dairy farmer. While this book is about Kurt learning how to grow his farm and be a farmer, it is also filled with many successes and failures. Kurt learns the hard way that being a farmer takes patience, time, and sometimes just luck.

I think this book is incredible. I find it interesting because I can really relate to Kurt Timmermeister. I love the idea of growing your own food, doing things with your hands, and working hard for a product. I admire the way he overcame the many obstacles he faced. He didn’t quit as soon as he experienced setbacks, he kept on going and worked harder to find solutions. It was very courageous how he quit his steady job in the city to make his dream happen. Even though he didn’t have any experience with being a farmer, he was smart and determined. He writes in such a way that it is easy to read. He makes me want to read more because I want to know how he solved his problems and what idea he had next. It is interesting when he goes into a lot of detail about things he does. He explains how the tractor works, how to put bees in a hive, how to milk and care for cows. While these may not seem that interesting at first, he has so much passion for what he does that it’s hard not to be intrigued. I want to learn how he does all these things even if I may never do them. While it is in some ways an autobiography, he also teaches the reader. I feel like I have learned a lot just by reading what he has done on his farm. He’s not afraid to admit his mistakes. This book has made me realize that when people set out to do things, no one really knows what they’re doing at first and that’s okay. What’s important is being patient and willing to learn.

Why Tigers are the Best

Even though tigers might not be the most interesting or funny-looking animal, there is something about tigers that make them so majestic. They are the biggest feline, and have tons of power and strength which makes them a fierce and potentially dangerous animal. But they are also beautiful and they look so cozy and fuzzy sometimes I think cuddling one would be awesome. Especially the adorable cubs. Siberian tigers are the most numerous, but there are still less than 2,000 in the wild. Today, tigers are only found in South and Southeast Asia, China and the Russian far east. Tigers are mostly nocturnal, live in a variety of habitats, and use their stripes as camouflage. They kill their prey with a bite to the neck, and are normally solitary animals, except during mating season. They are also really good swimmers. Cubs don't leave their mothers until they are about 2 and a half years old. The Siberian tiger is the biggest and my favorite subspecies. It might just be because the Siberian tiger's habitat is much colder and thus more snowy, so pictures of these tigers make them look even more magical and incredible. What I admire most about the Tiger is the way that they are a very intense predator, but unlike sharks (which I believe are naturally man-eaters, whether I'm totally wrong or not), they very rarely attack any humans unless they are sick. I like that in some places people can go pet a tiger because they can be gentle creatures if in the proper habitat. I've never heard of anyone cuddling a shark.