Jono Tosch is a poet and artist who blogs at Oil Changes, a rolling document that knocks you over the head with its absurdist, agricultural, and poetic thought. Jono bangs a drum similar to what I imagine Thoreau would kick and scream like today were he to be wormholed from the past and into our era. And like Thoreau, Jono is a self reliant, rare to ask a hand for help unless it was of a total necessity.

But now, Jono is asking for help, help to fund a month of “agricultural research”  on the famed garlic farm of Stanley Crawford, author of Log of the S.S. Unguentine. By helping him make his way from Massachusetts to New Mexico, Jono promises to trade ” top-notch road and farm content if you pony up some gas $$$.”

He writes:

Oilchanges is heading out to New Mexico this September, i.e. me, to volunteer my labor on Stanley Crawford’s farm in Dixon, altitude 6000 feet.  Me and Stan planned this trip to his farm (I live in Massachusetts) early this summer after I read his excellent book, “A Garlic Testament.”  One quick email, and boom, I’d signed myself up to be a farm hand beside Stan and some dude named Miguel de Guantanamo.  Caught up in my enthusiasm to take off and learn about farming from a master, I’d completely overlooked the fact that this trip, as important as it will be to my personal growth and development, could also turn into a major financial sink-hole.  Bummer.  Regardless, I decided to go forward with it.  Furthermore, I turned down a number of on-line teaching contracts (I was gonna teach while on the road and on the farm) so that I could better focus on the work at hand: kick ass road and farm blog content.

Not convinced? How about a Jono poem

MEMORY BULL

The contents of my memory
got erased by some bull, some
years in the past; someone told
me about it, about how it came
around the side of the laundry
and kicked over some flowers
with its tail, and so I heard this
dumping sound from my room
and ran outside with my spade
apparently to do something
about it. I was not married but
I never wanted to be. I wanted
to work on a farm somewhere
and grow lettuce and sell lettuce
to everyone. There is lettuce
everywhere nowadays. I am full
of lettuce. I would like to thank
the people who took care of me.

via Glitterpony

How about his Jono made cheese and pickle sandwich

If you’re sold, you can donate to Jono at Oil Changes (Click on the gas can in the right hand corner)

If you still need convincing, head over to Oil Changes and watch this promotional video to have your mind made up  for you.

Luke Bloomfield once told me Jono Tosch is one of the best poets writing today. He was smiling. When Luke is smiling he is never wrong.