Carding the wool...wiggling towards weaving?

When I was at the library today, I remembered that I wanted to check out the new Barbara Kingsolver non-fiction book about eating locally for a year and so I picked it up. Part of my wiggling and as I get closer to weaving included reading Kingsolver's chapter 6 on the birds and the bees first, because although I would truly enjoy just sitting down to read her book cover to cover the reality is that I need to focus on this project. I love the description of her young daughters laying flock and her adoration of her chickens along with her business sense.

I find myself getting deeper into the books, websites, pictures and ideas that I have been reviewing and an image of what I would need to do coming into my mind. I have begun to try to develop a web...however, I don't really like visual concepts maps, so I'm struggling with the development. I prefer to use pen and paper for that phase and to take notes. My note taking is my way of beginning to organize the ideas and help my brain process the information.

As Kuhlthau notes the exploration stage often brings more uncertainty and doubt. I visualize that doubt as kind of a swirling cloud in my mind...so many ideas that I am waiting for the key that will bring them together. I have continued to have informal conversations with many individuals about chickens--including a recent late night call to my dad to talk about the neighbor's chickens with the beautiful blue eggs when I was a child at his parents' house.

Another concern I am struggling with is linking to standards. I know everything links, but I am not sure how. I have reviewed the standards and there are some specific agricultural standards in Indiana State Standards that are a definite link, but I know there are others that I need to flush out--likely dealing with ecological issues, food sources, nutrition.

This morning when I talked with my teenage nephew about my class project, I was so pleased that he mentioned that I should consider coming to his school to interview some of the farmers there. He goes to a private school with a very democratic student centered style in which the students are encouraged to learn in their own ways and free inquiry is required a great deal. It was satisfying to know that he is familiar with the process of finding information that includes asking, interviewing experts in person first hand.