So, what the hell? I found this little “toy” at the local farm and garden center amid hundreds of small scale replicas of tractors, wagons, hay balers, combines and a whole array of farm animals. This piece (with the John Deere label affixed to the price tag) is part of a huge collection of precision cast miniatures of farm and construction equipment manufactured by Ertl Toys, a company that’s been around since 1945. This particular tanker is labeled anhydrous ammonia, which is a broadly applied and inexpensive source of nitrogen fertilizer used in farming. That said, it is also highly toxic and crazy dangerous to handle. And, as it happens, drug dealers now use it in the manufacture of methamphetamines. Hmmnnn, I’m not sure that inculcating our youngsters with this type of approach to growing food is the best way forward. Would a truck full of chicken poop be a better alternative? Anyway, maybe skip the chemicals and stick with the tractors and the cows.

This is a repost from the earlier days of this blog. These fantastic Japanese clips are from one of the first curated shows/shops at Kiosk…one of my favorite all-time shops in NYC. I have a set to look at and a set to use. And use them I do!

Pure visual delight! RBG6 is a film and graphic design studio based in Stockholm. No surprise there.
Via A plus B via The Science of Creativity.

I think these Tub Trugs are indispensable. I use them for countless chores and storage. I find the yellow ones to be especially lovely. The shallower designs are also new to me…so quite exciting. For even more sustainability there is a recycled plastic line as well. If you’re gonna get someone a gift, it might as well be useful, right? I’ll take one of each please. Oh, and by the way, these last forever!

Right now, this would be my number one gift choice for anyone who deigns to pick up a pencil. Much to my chagrin, I don’t believe these are in production. But maybe if we send Ignacio Pilotto (the designer) some pleading messages, he’ll get the ball rolling.