Making Progress

The sellers finally made it out but....they left a big mess for us. Well, good things never come easy, right? We will keep plugging along and hope to be in soon.

Weather Lore and An Update

When you are outside much of the time on the farm you begin to notice things in the natural world. One day it catches you by surprise when you look up at the sky and realize that the clouds tell you that it is going to rain in the next day or two. You find it so surprising that you haven't actually studied the clouds to learn this, but you have learned it.
 I have been reading and enjoying the book "Folklore of American Weather" by Eric Sloane. I enjoy his books very much and this one is no exception. I have been interested for quite some time in learning more about forecasting the weather and was so pleased to find this book at the library close to where we are staying. For all of you agrarian-minded folks, here are a couple of quotes from the book that you might enjoy: "Farming has become a big business with little place for folklore, but a century ago farming was a way of life, a philosophy of living, rich with lore of the land." And, "You might argue that almanacs were for farmers, that the lawyer or shoemaker or storekeeper need not use them. Yet the lawyer, the shoemaker, the storekeeper had to be a farmer also, for he grew his own food and fed his own horses from his own hayfield. Thus, everyone in early America was close to the ways of nature, by necessity."
  We are still in between farms. After several delays, the sellers showed up at closing asking for five more days to get out. It has been a test of patience but we are trusting in God's perfect timing in all things. The phone caught us offguard last night when it rang at ten o'clock. A new neighbor had called a mutual friend to get a number to reach us to let us know that our cows and horses were gone. What?!! And, that our Jerseys were seen at a farm on the highway close to us and that the sheriff was there. Oh no! Lots of worst case scenarios came to mind but the Lord said it would be o.k. The neighbor said that he was going to rope the cows in where they were at and pen up the cow and calf that were out on our farm. No word about the whereabouts of the bull and steer, though. He felt that the horses were probably somewhere on the farm and that all of the animals would bed down for the night so it wouldn't do any good to come before morning. (We aren't staying close to the farm.) An hour-and-a-half later, Boots was heading to bed so that he could get up at four a.m. to take care of things, when the phone rang again. The neighbor said that the cows had come home and he had them all penned up. Wow. God is very very good! Boots reset the alarm to five a.m. and awoke to a heavy blanket of fog. After waiting for it to lift he took off and found the neighbor and a friend that had come to help. The animals were all there, they are all fine, and they are secure. One could never place a value on good friends and neighbors. That's for sure.

Why Farm?

  "That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:
   That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store; that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets:
   That our oxen may be strong to labor; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets.
   Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord." Psalm 144:12-15
  

Check Out This Video

The Thread

I was speaking to a young mom this morning and she told me of her and her husband's desire to move to the farm. It caused me to think back to when we made the decision to move our family there. I told her that it was the best time of my life. And our goals were accomplished in our children. There were obstacles and difficulties but the good times far outweighed the bad. And they still do. If you know why you do what you do it will get you through the tough times. Ponder it often and search the Word and other writings for answers. She said that so far when they have made an offer on a place it hasn't gone through. So, as we all do, she wonders if they are on the right track. I told her it sounds like it just isn't time yet. But, if you put it in the Lord's hands it will be just the right timing when it all comes together. And when you are having those doubts that come when you are doing anything worthwhile, you will know that the Lord has taken you there.
There is a thread that runs through our lives that connects everything. Sometimes it is hard to see. It looks more like the broken scattered pieces of a mosaic to us. We see the mistakes and wrong turns and forget that our lives are in the hands of a loving God. He is working everything for our good. And one day we begin to see the pieces come together to form a beautiful picture and realize that God saw it that way all along.
This is a journey that we are on. But, a wonderful journey it is. A woman called the other day taking a Gallup poll and wanted to know how I would rate that day on a scale of one to ten with ten being the best. I told her any day that we are alive has to be a ten.
When you start to think about all of those things that you wish you had done differently step back and see the whole picture. See the thread that runs through it. See the mosaic.

Worthy Goal

When looking up a few words in Webster's 1828 Dictionary, I came across this:
HUSBANDMAN, n. A farmer; a cultivator or tiller of the ground; one who labors in tillage. In America, where men generally own the land on which they labor, the proprietor of a farm is also a laborer or husbandman; but the word includes the lessee and the owner.
FARMER, n. In Great Britain, a tenant; a lessee; one who hires and cultivates a farm; a cultivator of leased ground.
3. One who cultivates a farm; a husbandman; whether a tenant or the proprietor. United States.

One of the things that our country was founded on was the independent family farm. Certain things are the very FOUNDATIONS and this is one of them. In order to bring back our country we have to bring back this foundation. It is a must.
After reading these definitions I am aware more than ever of the precious gift that was given to us here in America. To own the land that you work. To be independent. To be free.
Bringing this back to our country is a most worthy goal.

"but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather." I Cor.7:21

Money-Saving Ideas

   The more you buy; the more money you have to earn. This takes you away from your children and your land.
   "And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands as we commanded you;
   That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing." IThess. 4:11&12 
   Some things that you can do are big: like growing your own fruits and vegetables and keeping your own animals for milk, meat, and fiber. (There are many other blessings to keeping animals and growing food,  but today we'll stick to money saving ideas).
   Then there are the not-so-big things that you can do; and many of you can start right now; right where you're at; while waiting for your land. Some suggestions are: make your own toothpaste and deoderant, make cloth napkins to use instead of buying paper ones, handkerchiefs instead of tissue, use rags instead of paper towels, sew your own clothes, make soap, make your own laundry detergent and household cleaners, create your own facial moisturizers and bath salts, etc., learn to spin fibers to knit, crochet, weave, and felt, learn how to and make your own home health remedies, grind your own grains for flour, and bake your own bread.
   Toothpaste can be made as simply as combining baking soda, coconut oil, stevia or honey for sweetening, and essential oils for flavor and breath freshening. Or you can remove the outer hulls from black walnuts, dry them, powder them, and dip your damp toothbrush in it for brushing.
   When you start sewing your own clothes you will have scraps of fabric left to use for making napkins. If you have a serger you can make a lot of napkins right away by cutting out the squares and serging around the edges. If you don't, just fold the edges over a little, press, fold again, and sew. You will also want to use some of those scraps to make quilts. There is nothing like a homemade quilt for warmth and comfort.
   If you use fabric that frays (the sides unravel) make your handkerchiefs like the cloth napkins. Flannel makes very soft handkerchiefs. If you use something that doesn't fray, like a cotton knit that you got when you took an old shirt apart, just cut out the squares and you are ready to go.
   You will save a lot of money when you make your own laundry detergent, household cleaners, and personal care items, and you will be able to make them non-toxic.
   Hope these things will help you get started.
   Recipes, more ideas, and how-to information will be coming up....