Tom Leyde 9:07 p.m. PT May 15, 2017

Fresh flowers are among the crops JSM Organics grows in north Monterey County. Zamora picks a fresh bouquet at one of his farms.(Photo: Tom Leyde/For The Salinas Californian)Buy Photo

Javier Zamora looks proudly at a rolling field full of flowers, fruits and vegetables.

I like being out here, he said. It calms you down.

On a walk to the top of the hill, he points out certified organic heirloom tomatoes, beets, parsley, cilantro, sugar peas, squash, strawberries and lavender. His organic growing business, JSM Organics, grows a variety of crops but focuses heavily on strawberries.

In five years, Zamora, 43, has gone from near ruin to becoming a successful grower. He came to the United States from Michoacan, Mexico, at age 20 and climbed the ladder to success at a restaurant corporation in Los Angeles. He had a large home and expensive cars.

But the housing crisis in 2006-2007 sent his life into a tailspin. He, his wife Paola and two daughters wound up in a one-bedroom apartment. The couple decided to move to Stockton, where his wife had relatives. Zamora found work and went to school to obtain his GED.

One of his teachers encouraged him to go to college. He did and earned associate of science degrees in horticulture and landscaping, studying at Delta College in Stockton and Cabrillo College in Aptos.

The couple then moved to the Watsonville area, where Zamora worked for a flower grower. He then attended classes to learn how to become an organic grower at Agriculture and Land-Based Training Associaton (ALBA) in Salinas. He graduated and went off on his own.

I started with zero money zero. Just my passion for growing my own food, Zamora said.

He began by obtaining a $5,000 loan and leasing one acre of land. He now leases several farms, totaling 60 acres that he works with the help of more than 20 employees. He recently purchased 200 acres of his own in the Royal Oaks area.

Although he didnt start out to be a farmer, he grew up in a farming family in Mexico. His father farmed there and so do his brothers.

At 7, I was farming with them in Michoacan, Zamora said.

Today, he willingly shares his farming expertise with other growers and students. In April, he was honored at the Salinas Sports Complex by the Monterey County Resource Conservation Districts annual stewardship and scholarship barbecue. Zamora was presented with the Cooperator of the Year award.

This is my Oscar for farming, Zamora said after receiving the honor.

The award acknowledges his successful farming operation and his contributions to organics. He has developed contacts with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to implement projects and practices to address erosion, soil health, water quality and water conservation and pollinator and wildlife habitat on his ranches.

Zamora has shared his knowledge at the EcoFarm Conference, the Salinas Ag Expo, the Latino Farmer Conference and elsewhere. He also sits on the boards of ALBA, the USDAs Small Farmers and Ranchers Advisory Committee and the Pajaro Valley Water Management Association. He has even helped four of his employees start their own farming operations.

His lifes philosophy is about giving.

I think its more of how many people can you help and what can you leave behind, he said. I thank God and Im really blessed As long as were healthy and were still here and have a positive attitude I think we will be OK.

Tom Leyde is a freelance writer and former Californian staff member living in Salinas. Contact him at thomasthomas9330@sbcglobal.net.

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Javier Zamora outlines his path to growing organic produce - The Salinas Californian

While his peers were chasing B-school placements, MNC jobs, and the big moolah, Raghav decided to venture into organic farming.

In an age where people are chasing B-school placements and those big pay cheques, few choose to tread a different path and follow their passion.

For Raghav Baldwa, a 24-year-old from Indore, growing food organically, farming, and leading the lifestyle that it entails meant much more than pursuing a degree in business administration. And thats how Mangalam Organic Foods was born.

Raghav, who is an MBA dropout from T.A. Pai Management Institute, Manipal, began researching organic farming and its scope in India. The more time he spent learning about it, the more he was convinced of becoming an organic farmer and addressing the issues faced by farmers in the country.

Raghav, who took a keen interest in organic farming, soon found out that there were major grey areas in the field. I realised that no matter how educated people are, they give almost no importance to the source of the food they eat every day. Many people claiming to sell organic produce failed to show any certifications related to it. Using this level of ignorance and the lack of information, organic retailers started taking advantage of the situation, says Raghav.

Raghav also points out that most retailers who sell organic produce at a premium price do so without any certification from a public or private entity. The middlemen who claim to sell organic produce, meanwhile, often have no clue as to how and where the produce they are selling is grown.

Raghav was concerned about the huge problem that the use of pesticides and fertilisers was giving rise to. Be it the increasing health problems, the degrading quality of the land, or farmers woes, everything could be traced to how our food was grown, and thats exactly what Raghav decided to focus on.

Having witnessed ignorance and malpractice in his very hometown, Raghav decided to start organic farming the right way, and started Mangalam Organic Foods.

In May 2015, a month after dropping out of his MBA course, Raghav, along with his father, purchased 20 acres of barren land in Harjipura village, about 80 km from Indore.

The barren land was converted into highly fertile organic farmland using natural methods. We practisedchemical-free agriculture, and focused on all the naturalways. We consciously chose not to use any chemicals or fertilisers on our farmland. We used naturally grown neem manure, gobar manure made of cow dung, vermi compost, and so on. We use techniques such as crop rotation, manual weeding, mulching, and composting, says Raghav.

We received certification after high level scrutiny and multiple lab tests of our produce and soil in May 2016. Officials from MPSOCA (Madhya Pradesh State Organic Certification Agency) visit every now and then for surprise checks, says Raghav.

Apart from managing the land that has been purchased, Raghav is also working towards developing land by taking it on lease from farmers nearby. He is currently leasing lands from farmers who are in debt and have land to spare but no resources to cultivate it.

We prepare such land for farming, train those farmers in organic farming, and take care of all the certifications, rules, and regulations. Employing those farmers again on their land means that they do not have to shift to cities for work, says Raghav.

Raghav and his team are currently managing 42 acres of land, including land that is under lease from six different farmers. The venture employs over 150 farmers and workers.

The produce from the land is sold directly to the consumers, doing away with middlemen, which has allowed Mangalam Organic Foods to sell the produce at prices 15-20 percent lower than those in the market.

We even sell our produce to Big Basket in Indore, and also ship it on demand to various cities in MP, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. We are currently selling over four tonnes of produce every month, with some handsome month-on-month increases in sales, says Raghav.

Raghav and his family rely completely on the produce from the land. The land currently produces multiple crops on rotation, such as grains, pulses, vegetables, pomegranates, oranges, drum sticks, and pulses like tuar, moong, and urad. The farm also has 12 desi cows and four bulls, a gobar gas plant, and a vermicompost pit as well.

Raghav mostly lives on the farm now, and intends to make a homestay out of the place pretty soon. I want this to be a place where people get to take a break from their busy and hectic lifestyle. A couple of tree houses are already under construction. The idea is about making people acquainted with organic farming and its benefits while they enjoy a relaxing short stay, he says.

Raghav also hopes to launch organic food trucks, which can supply Indore according to a fixed bi-weekly schedule, so that people can buy organic produce at a highly competitive price at their ease.

Raghav is currently working on various methods to increase their production and yield, including a moisture sensing technology. Presently in its nascent stages, the technology would be able to sense the moisture in the soil, which can enable them to time watering accordingly and save a lot of water.

More here:

Dropping out of his MBA to become an organic farmer, this 24-year-old is lifting farmers out of debt - YourStory.com

The Mindfulness Room at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh. Courtesy of Carnegie Mellon University

At the University of Vermont, a popular brain science class begins and ends with mindful meditation.

The class is part of the

"Mindfulness can take many forms meditation, mindful eating, mindful walking, mindful relationships," said Dr. James Hudziak, chief of child psychiatry at the UVM College of Medicine and program founder.

It can help regulate aggression and impulsivity, as well as improve attention and performance on academic tests.

"It's weightlifting for the brain," he told NBC News.

And research backs this up.

A

The randomized study recruited unemployed adults and took them to a three-day retreat. Half the group got skill training and did mindful meditation and the other half had a relaxing group activity.

Researchers took brain scans before and after the retreat.

"We know that unemployment is a massive stressor for folks and we wanted to see if mindful meditation could manage that," said lead author J. David Creswell, who is an associate professor of psychology and the director of the Health and Human Performance Laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University.

The researchers did brain scans before and after the experience.

"The folks in both programs loved it," Creswell told NBC News. "But what we found were changes in how the resting brain was wired in the mindfulness group."

In those who meditated, scans showed more connections in the stress regulatory areas of the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that manages emotions and attention.

"It suggests how meditation training might foster resilience," he said.

But are those changes permanent? Scientists don't know, said Creswell, but a four-month study follow-up suggests, "there is some lasting benefit."

"Like any other type of behavior, it has a benefit over time, but won't persist, if we don't do it," he said.

But CMU senior Rob Stephens says that for him, he hopes mindfulness will be a lifelong practice.

"You have this one body and this one life to live," he said. "Especially at a place as rigorous as CMU, we often don't check in with ourselves. I always make sure to take a moment to see how how I am doing with life."

"Less stressful people are more successful because they lead more fulfilling lives."

Read more here:

Mindfulness Meditation May Help Students Combat High Levels of Stress, Depression - NBCNews.com

Photo credit: Shutterstock.

Here are two verses from the New Testament for your consideration.

First:

For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God. I Corinthians 2:10

And:

Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. Romans 5:5

Please join with me in reflecting on these two verses.

First, the Holy Spirit of God is a gift, given to us. This is hardly controversial: Jesus himself breathed on his disciples, giving them the Holy Spirit (John 20:22). But what I love about the verse from Romans is this notion that the Holy Spirit is the means by which the love of God has been poured out into our hearts.

Consider this. Your heart is a chalice into which the love of God has been poured, through the Holy Spirit, Gods gift to us.

Now, hold this thought alongside the verse from I Corinthians. Here we see Paul proclaim that the Spirit scrutinizes (beholds) everything eventhe very depths of God. This is the same Spirit given to us, mind you. The same Spirit through which the love of God has been poured into our hearts.

So, to the extent that we calibrate our hearts or, should I say, that we allow God to calibrate our hearts to live with trust and gratitude in that Spirit so generously given to us, we can joyfully live into these promises:

In other words, when we pray by the aid of the Spirit, who intercedes beyond the depth of words (Romans 8:26), we ourselves areinvited, our hearts filled with Divine Love, to gaze into the very depths of God.

My friends, with this in mind, let us pray.

Stay in touch! Connect with Carl McColman on Facebook:

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Even the Depths of God A Brief Meditation - Patheos (blog)

Josie Gibson got really graphic about her surgery (Picture: Getty/ Instagram)

Josie Gibson displayed the results of her recent surgery with a really graphic Instagram photo.

Josie recently underwent abdominoplasty to remove excess skin after the reality TV star lost weight.

To show the results of the surgery, Josie showed her fans a picture of herself in excercise gear, clearly happy with her figure.

But she went one further and included an image of the skin and fat that was removed from her stomach in the procedure resting on scales.

The picture is seriously ickyso make sure youre not eating if youre going to take a look.

The former Big Brother star said: So happy with the results of my abdominal plasty in September. Scar is amazing and healing nicely. Elain Sassoon was my surgeon and she is an incredible woman. Thank you botch up bodies.

Speaking about the abdominoplasty in November, Josie revealed she had 6lbs of skin removed.

Last year she appeared on Loose Women after losing six stone to convince people she had not undergone surgery to lose the weight.

Showing the excess skin she had been left with, she explained: I cant do anything about it and I worked so hard. The only thing I can do with it is cut it away.

Part of me thinks, Josie, be happy with what youve got but the other part thinks, well you only live once you might as well have the body you want to have.

This isnt the first time Josie has shared pictures of her, erm, excess bits. After undergoing a dermaplane facial, a physical exfoliation procedure that shaves the skins surface to remove dead skin and peach fuzz, she posted an Instagram picture of herself alongside a handful of the peach fuzz hair that was taken away.

MORE: Big Brother lovebirds Josie Gibson and John James Parton had a really awkward reunion

MORE: Josie Gibson shows off her excess skin after six-stone weight loss

Excerpt from:

Josie Gibson shares graphic image of excess skin after tummy tuck - Metro

Indore: Aerobics Club Meghdoot organises an hour of free aerobic exercises for 1600 club members at Meghdoot Garden everyday from 6:30 am to 7:30 am. The club was started on January 26, 2015 by Suresh Baitwal (60), Jitendra Mishra (46), Vikram Tripathi (48) and Vikas Vijaywargiya (44) with a motto of increasing awareness on healthy lifestyle. Club administrator Vikram Tripathi said that around 400 people follow a combined regime of aerobics with guidance from coach Jitendra Meshram. Yoga instructor Vipin Khandelwal and acupressure expert Dr Surendra Verma also provides assistance in the camp.

Tripathi also informed about the clubs alliance with city hospitals like Greater Kailash, Medanta and Apollo Hospital to provide 10% to 20% discounts to club members undergoing check-up or treatment at these hospitals. The club only charges a onetime membership registration fee of Rs 100.

FREE PRESS catches up with club members to know about their personal experiences.

SPEAK UP

For past two years, continuous aerobics has brought tremendous changes in my body. I have reduced 12 kg weight

Mahesh Rasal (46), Club Coordinator

I started aerobics at age of seven in the club. I have twice won National Aerobics Competition held in my school

Drashti Ralebhat (9), student of SICA school

I started practicing aerobics five months ago and have gained 10 kg weight. I get inspired by other members and now, my energy level has increased

Sada Shiv Joshi (78)

I have been practicing aerobics for last two years. It has brought discipline in my life. I started this activity for fun and have now achieved a better personality

Yogesh Kumar Bhatt (42)

I have seen unexpected changes in my body. Aerobics has become a part of my daily routine and it gives me relief from body pain

Poonam Bhagat (62)

I was suffering from slip disk, which restricted most of my movements. But, now I can easily perform aerobic workout for one hour at a stretch

Chhaya Rasal (41)

I was suffering from blood pressure fluctuations. Continuous exercise helped me stay fit and stop my medications

Maya Meshram (42)

Due to my knee joint problem, I was suggested by friends not to do aerobics and other exercise. But, aerobics strengthened my joints and helped in keeping myself fit. Club members are very punctual and they even practice aerobics outside on road when the garden is closed due to rains

Shakuntala Agrawal(62)

I have been feeling very energetic for last one year after doing aerobics regularly. Problems like fatigue and weakness have reduced

Kuldeep Singh (27)

I was motivated by my mother a month ago. Aerobics helped me reducing 2 kg weight in just four days after I joined the club. Now, I have become a motivation for my friends and relatives

Akshita Trivedi (15)

I came across this aerobics group while strolling in Meghdoot and felt an urge to participate. Now, I feel active throughout the day

Manish Pithdiya (42)

I do not follow any medication, as aerobics have kept me away from any illness and injuries

Usha Khator (52)

I was suggested physiotherapy due to my frozen shoulder, but I started aerobics and now, have overcome my illness

Vranda Uikey (52)

Continue reading here:

Indore: Early to bed, early to aerobics makes a man healthy, wealthy ... - Free Press Journal

Onjoining a new pilates session in Harrow-on-the-Hill, you may be surprised to find the instructor is a 17-stone, bald, bearded, 6ft-tall bodybuilder.

Dont let that put you off, trust me.I went along to the first of Christian Cochranes new class held in St Marys Church hall every Wednesday at 7pm.

Christian has a sharp wit that might catch you a little off guard at first, but his company and instruction soon make you feel comfortable.

His soft demeanour and palatable passion for pilates gave way to a well-constructed and informative session.

He began the class by giving some background on himself, explaining that he was always into his fitness and strength training, but never anything that conditions the body like pilates. His mother, however, was a big fan and one year, insisted Christian join her for a class on her birthday.

He admits to being completely taken aback at how much he struggled.

But he soon became a fan and subsequently trained as an instructor, offering lessons in Kingsbury for 10 years, as well as leading a boot camp course and working as a personal trainer.

Christian also explained the history of pilates and the principles of practice before getting things started. As it was his first class in the area with all new participants - many of whom were first-timers - he went through things with great care and attention to detail with each individual.

His classes are small, with just 12 people, and after demonstrating the positions and concisely talking us through the breathing technique, he then circled the room to adjust where necessary and offer alternate positions where they might be desired.

Despite being somebody who swims, runs and weight-trains, unknown muscles tensed and wriggled out of the woodwork in my otherwise fit and fairly strong body.

Much like I imagine Christian would have been in his first class, I was astounded by how much a small and seemingly simple movement caused my muscles to tighten and limbs to shake.

On the flip side, the relaxing music and low-lit room meant I left the hour-long class feeling both soothed and relaxed.

Whatever your age, strength, flexibility and fitness, I would highly recommend it. Whatever your ability, Im sure Christian will push you to your perfect limit.

More info atchristianmcochrane.wixsite.com/trifitness

Read more:

We review the new pilates class launched in St Mary's Church hall in Harrow-on-the-Hill - Harrow Times

Now that the semester has come to an end, its time to relax. The second annual Pink Yoga on the Green helped students do just that outside the Klotsche Center on Friday.

Its really exciting that they can come in and do yoga for free during finals, and take a little break, said Sara Luelloff, the fitness program director with University Recreation.

University Recreation partnered with Susan G. Komen for the Cure to offer this fun event where they provide educational resources all about womens health.

Students at UWM participated in Pink Yoga on the Green.

Booths providing information about different kinds of womens health issues stood in front of the yoga area where women in pink listened to relaxing music as their instructor guided them through the motions.

Amberlea Childs represents Kohls Conversations for the Cure, a breast health, education and screening program. Childs is especially passionate about reaching out to the younger generation.

The hope is that if we can get young adults active in lifestyle changes and living a healthier life in their 20s, by the time theyre in their 30s it will be easier to continue a life like that into your 40s and 50s, said Childs.

Childs was diagnosed with breast cancer in her late 30s. As a seven-year-survivor, she strives to encourage young adults to live a healthy lifestyle, to be preventative about their health, and to not wait until theyre sick to make healthy life changes.

Listen to the body, said Childs. Its telling us things all the time, but were so busy working our internships and classes that we forget about it or push it to the side.

Susan G. Komen Mission Manager Gloria Singleton-Young was there representing Sister Pack, a new initiative that shes doing in the city of Milwaukee thats primarily based on the black community. Her mission is to inform and educate them that they need to have the awareness of breast health education and to know that they need to be seen by a physician to have their breast exams and mammograms.

According to Singleton-Young, who is also part of the Wisconsin Cancer Taskforce, there are seven zip codes in the city of Milwaukee where black women are dying at twice the rate as their counter sisters.

I live in one of these zip codes, said Singleton-Young. I live in 53206 and so just working there and me being aware of whats going on in there makes me more passionate.

For the past four years, Shelby Wester, a nursing student at UWM, has collaborated with Komen Race for the Cure to provide breast health education and breast exams and to promote self-care and self-love.

During the semester, most of the Klotsches exercise classes are free, including boot camp, Zumba and guts and butts. Wester was in the Klotsche Center helping provide the free breast exams given for this event.

It was a nice day to relax and learn about womens health before finals

Its really important for something like this to be here on our campus because breast health is not just for older women over 40, its for all women and men too, said Wester, who is ready to graduate this semester and start working at Aurora West Allis in the womans pavilion.

Wester says self-breast exams and knowing your body are crucial ways to preventing breast cancer. Womens breasts are not all the same. Some can feel more fibrous inside while others can feel smoother.

Know your normal, so you can feel when somethings not normal, said Wester.

Follow this link:

Pink Yoga on the Green comes back to UW-Milwaukee - UWM Post

15 May 2017 10:00 (UTC+04:00)

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By Laman Ismayilova

If you are looking for the ultimate exemplar of soft rock music then we have a good news for you: YARAT Contemporary Art Space will host Retro & Soft Rock concert on May 16.

The event is organized as part of YARAT Freestyle project,an open platform for everyone who looks to engage creatively with a broad and diverse audience.

YARAT FREESTYLE aims to set up a scene for creative groups and individuals and is open to actors, dancers, performance artists, musicians and other cultural practitioners. Anyone with a project or an idea can reach out YARAT.

The concert will feature the performance of by Tarlanthis (Tarlan Agakishiyev), a soft rock musician and The Halband. During the concert you will get the chance to enjoy both Azerbaijani retro and soft rock songs.

Tarlan Aghakishiyev (Tarlanthis) performs soft rock music for almost four years.

In the previous years he was performing in many different bands. Currently he is a leading vocalist and guitarist of Mad Band. Both music and lyrics are crucial for him.

The Half band is quite young collective. They perform psychedelic and alternative rock for five years. Nijat Gulmammadov - solo guitar; Jahid Rasullu - rhythm guitar; Tevfik Aykhan - vocal.

Dont miss the night full of relaxing music!

Performers:

Tarlanthis - vocals, guitar

Jahid Rasullu - rhythm guitar

Nijat Gulmammadov - solo guitar

Camilla Muradkhanova - backing vocals

Novruz Gurban - cachon

Guest performers:

Shahin Alizadeh

Aysel Guluzade

Hasan Badalbayli

The concert will start at 19:00. Admission is free.

For more information, please contact:

+99412505 1414

YARAT is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to nurturing an understanding of contemporary art in Azerbaijan and to creating a platform for Azerbaijani art, both nationally and internationally. Based in Baku, YARAT (meaning CREATE in Azerbaijani) was founded by Aida Mahmudova in 2011.

YARAT realizes its mission through an on-going program of exhibitions, education events and festivals. YARAT facilitates exchange between local and international artistic networks including foundations, galleries and museums.

---

Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter:@Lam_Ismayilova

Follow us on Twitter@AzerNewsAz

Go here to read the rest:

Enjoy Retro & Soft Rock! [PHOTO] - AzerNews

For most of the art, music, and theater students here at Transy, the Mitchell Fine Arts building is like a second home. Mitchell Fine Arts Haggin Auditorium is also home to a grand instrument that sits above the rows of seats.

When I first heard about the possibility of doing apiece on the organ at Transy, I was a bit unsure of where to start. What kind of questions would I even ask? Dont most people already know, basically, what an organ is and how it works? Naturally, I had to ask an organist.

People come in for different things in the auditorium here, and they just see this big thing up here, and they never really get to see what it can do. Allen Fletcher is a rising senior and a double major in history and music performance. He is also the first organ performance major that Transy has had in twenty-five years. As a result, he is one of the few people actually familiar with the organ that looms over Transys largest auditorium. Transylvania is one of the few colleges in the state that still offers organ lessons, as UK just recently cut their organ program following the retirement of the instructor.

For Allen, Music is a kind of de-stressing thing. Its a way to get away from all the work and school stuff. I can attest to the relaxation qualities music brings, being a musician myself, as I am sure other music students can as well.

Fletcher said that being in the auditorium during the early morning hours when its quiet is also relaxing. I usually come here in the mornings because I have to make sure nobodys using the auditorium. So I come in here, and its usually pitch black, and I just get to be here for an hour or whatever, and just be alone, and its nice.

One of the first things Fletcher showed me about the organ was the type of special shoes that are required in order to play the instrument. One thing a lot of people dont know is that you actually have a pedal board where you can play notes with your feet, so you actually have to wear these special shoes, and theyre kind of goofy looking. Theyre really narrow, and theyve got this heel on the bottoms so you can play with your heel and your toes. Theyve got a leather thing on the bottom. The shoes looked almost like old-fashioned tap shoes, and they addanother interesting fact about playing the organ. The organ is a highly fascinating instrument, or as Fletcher put it, Its kind of a mysterious instrument. You can sit here and play notes with your feet, and play a melody with your feet, and have your hands right here. I think thats one thing that makes it so interesting. Not a lot of people are really familiar with it.

The instrument is responsible for a phrase people often use. To quote Fletcher, If youve ever heard the phrase pull out all the stops, thats where it comes from. Fletcher proceeded to show me how he makes the sounds using stops, which consists of pulling several out at one time. He explained that if he pulls a bunch of stops out at one time, it creates a full, large sound, compared to when he pulls out only a few stops, which creates a smaller sound. Theres what we call principal stops, which are unique to the organ. Theyre kind of the typical pipe organ sound. Then you have some that try to kind of imitate other instruments, like theres flute sounds, and then you have what are called reeds, and this would be like a trumpet sound. Then you have string sounds. So youve got all these different imitation stops. If you only have only one [stop] pulled out, it can be really pretty soft, but if you want to get a big sound, you can pull out a lot.

There is also something called the crescendo pedal. Instead of having to take the time to pull out all of the stops, it helps the organ increase its volume much more quickly.There are also buttons for preset stop combinations so that the person playing it doesnt have to pull out, as Fletcher put it, fifteen different ones [stops], you can just press a button.

The vast number of pipes required to produce an organs unique sound makes it a monstrously large instrument.

Although Fletcher has a background in piano, he says that playing the organ is still a challenge. I am still getting the hang of it. Ive played [the organ] for about two years now and played the piano for a lot longer. He said this has helped him a great deal when learning the organ. Ive been playing the piano since I was six, and I played the organ a little when I was growing up, but not very much. I took lessons one semester here a couple of years ago, and I loved it. Ive just been working at it ever since.

Allen said that although the organs accessibility is limited, only to those who take organ lessons, anyone is able to take them. Not just anybody can come up here, but anybody can learn how to play it. We offer organ lessons for anybody that wants to take them.

Fletcher played several pieces for me, and I listened in awe. Not only was he playing the melody with his hands, but his feet were playing a melody on the pedals below. For me, its a lot more difficult, just because youve got your feet to think about. I used to think that playing the piano with all these notes was hard, having to read treble clef, bass clef, all these notes. Then you get to the organ, and its like, you have to play with both hands, and you have to play with both feet too, so now youre reading one, two, three staves of music at one time. Its difficult, and Im still getting the hang of it.

After he played a few pieces, Fletcher explained that there is, in fact, a learning curve when it comes to the difference between playing the piano and playing the organ. You have to kind of get acquainted. I know the first time I came up here, I had no idea what any of this stuff meant, and I pressed all these notes and nothing came out. So there is a little bit of a learning curve to it, and its almost essential that you have some kind of piano background.

When asked what made him decide to learn the organ, Fletcher said, Its something different. I played the piano for so long, and the organ is the same principal, but its different in a lot of ways. Its kind of mixing things up.

I started the organ a couple of years ago, and I just really took to it, and really have gotten to know the teacher here, so I decided to add a music major.

I decided to do an organ performance major, and I think they said this was the first organ major theyve had in twenty-five years. Fletcher said he took the performance majorjust kind of for the heck of it.

Fletcher said that Transys organ instructor, Richard Dwyer was one of the reasons why he likes playing the organ. Ive really gotten pretty close with him, [Dwyer] and hes really been one of the main reasons why Ive taken to the organ so much. Hes a really fantastic guy.

Fletcher grew up around the organ and heard it played in church. Growing up, I would go in churches or different places, and I would hear people play the organ and I was like wow, thats really a grand instrument. Its called the king of instruments, and now I kind of see why.

I actually played the piano for my church when I was growing up, so Ive got some experience with that. A church job would be a good kind of side job in the future. Thats one reason Ive really taken to the organ.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Transys organ. Fletcher said it has had a few problems over the years, such as various things like a broken pedal board (that has since been rebuilt), tuning issues (the organ has over 2,000 pipes), and keys that stick together among other ailments. The most expensive thing is getting the organ tuned, Fletcher said. Its really expensive to go through 2000 different ones [pipes]. Its not a cheap instrument, but its in pretty good shape. Although there was obvious wear and tear from years past, the organ seemed to be in remarkable shape for its age.

The organ seems to be an instrument fadingin popularity. Fletcher seems to realize this. Its kind of a dying art in a lot of ways. Like I said, churches are really the only place you see organs anymore, and even churches arent using organs that much. Theyre starting to use drum sets and guitars, and more contemporary stuff.

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The Organ and the Organist - The Rambler