10E2476: Burton x Filson Mitts

 

• Filson® 8.5-oz. 100% Cotton Oil Finish Shelter Cloth w/  18oz 100% Virgin Mackinaw Wool Accent
• Fleece Lining
• Leather Palm 
• Knit Cuff

 $90 via Burton for the completist.

10E2475: Farm Aid '30' concert is tomorrow (Sat Sept 19)

Willie once said the government's treatment of our family farms is a "black eye on America" - concur. 30 years after the first Farm Aid concert happened to raise awareness, and support, and advocate for smaller farms - the message still needs to be broadcast. The underlying reasoning here is that a diversity of agriculture (as opposed to planting 100 sq miles of soybeans) was healthier for the land, and locally owned farms cycled money back into their communities more effectively than investment-owned factory farms... The continuation of farming traditions and a certain way of life also factored into this no doubt; the idea of the farmer as a cornerstone of rural life as described in this blog many times. In agreement...

Farm Aid raises money all year for various programs as above, but the concert is the focal point - for many years anchored by Dave Matthew, John Cougar Mellencamp, Neil Young and Willie Nelson.

Concert kicks off at noonish Chicago time tomorrow - you can watch by webcast from 2:30 [EDT? - ed.] . Willie goes on last, around 10pm. Watch and donate throughout via FarmAid.org. Heck - they even have an app...

10E2474: Return of the Snurfer

Grab a rope and get your balance on! 

The creators of Vew-Do balance boards (sort of like indoor skateboard trickery - originally based in Manchester, VT) have purchased the rights and IP of Snurfer - the original snow-surfer-before-there-was-snowboarding. Producing wood boards from maple they are taking us back to a simpler, backhill style of fun. Sherman Poppen of Michigan invented the Snurfer concept on a legendary Christmas Day, 1965. I am on board with the below;

 "As modern snowboarding has evolved, we’ve lost something in the ever-expanding market of lift tickets, energy drinks, lifestyle clothing, and redundant “tech.” That’s why we’re reintroducing the low-tech, incredibly fun Snurfer, the board that started it all... [Our] boards ditch the frills and let you get back to what matters—having fun outside! We’re celebrating American ingenuity and craftsmanship, too. Unlike many of the snow-sports products on the market, our boards are made in the USA from 100% North American hardwood..." - via Snurfer

I for one am excited. You can get the the original shape (produced by Brunswick Bowling back in the 70s) - a stick thin version for $99. Or for $150 get an adult sized Drifter reminiscent of Burton's Perfomer boards. The Scout looks pretty great too - $100 and change for kids up to 100 pounds. This is all an extension of a general winter move to backyard and non-ticketed snowboarding such as PowderJet wooden boards, the NoBoarding movement [no bindings - ed.] and others. #hattip