When Disaster Strikes

Well friends I had a COMPLETELY different post planned for today, but as the Lord would have it, plans change. Let me start at the beginning.

This day has started rough. I will admit I was a bit of a grump and then you add two children who have bad attitudes as well and let's just say it's a recipe for disaster. Not only do I have to deal with myself, but I also have to teach and train my children as to what it means to be happy, thankful, and not complain about every-single-little-thing-that-isn't-perfect. Oh, my what a hard job parenting can be! It's difficult to try to make myself get a better attitude let alone a 5 and a 3 year old.

Breakfast time was a task and we made it through. We all ate, were satisfied, and even smiled a little. I talked to my hubby during that time and he told me that I should just take the kids outside and go for a walk to get some fresh air. Little did he know...

When baby went down for her first nap I thought it would be a good time to go let the chickens out into their run and let Jude and Ella burn off some steam (literally). My mood was definitely perking up as I was putting on my tennis and feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin. The kids were thrilled to get to see the chickens and maybe, just maybe get to catch one. It's so nice to see how little things make them so happy. They catch chickens everyday and yet it never gets old for them.

As we were walking towards the coop together talking about how beautiful of a day it was, I looked up and about died. Yes died. Our whole garden was under water! The beautiful garden we just finished planting, the one I just finished weed eating, the one that we've been waiting for was under 5-6 inches of water. My heart dropped and I promptly turned around to go get my irrigation boots on. Damage control was in need and I had to get prepared. My first thought was about my beloved seedlings that I just planted, but alas I can't do much for them but wait and hope the the water will drain quickly. I hope everything doesn't die, but there's a good chance that it will. I'm thankful that we can flood irrigate our property, but we need to prevent it's passage into our garden and chicken coop.

Oh, yes I said it, the chicken coop. It definitely didn't escape unscathed. The poor girls were probably wondering what the heck happened. I just bought two sacks of organic feed for the chickens. You and I both know that it ain't CHEAP and I knew it was sittin' in the water. I got a empty garbage can and a bucket, two garbage bags, and pruning shears. Since the feed bags were upside down I couldn't open them properly and had to cut the tops off. I scooped out all of the dry feed and put them into the bags that lined the garbage can and bucket. Thankfully we only lost about a fifth of each bag so it definitely could have been worse. I decided to let the wild birds have some goodies and instead of throwing the damp food away I spread it out in our front yard and figured the sun would dry it and the birds could have an easy meal.

I seriously could cry over my seedlings. I know it sounds silly and pathetic, but I've been doting on those darn things for weeks now and only one week after planting them I might lose them. I so desperately want a garden and to be able to feed my family from the place. I want to spend time with my kids teaching them about the rewards of hard work and get our hands dirty together. All-in-all I want everything to be perfect.

That is the problem. Perfection is unattainable this side of heaven. Life happens and lessons are to be learned.

On a spiritual note, I was humbled today. I myself woke up a bit grumpy and then was irritated when my kids did the same. I wanted them to just change their attitude and be nice, respectful, and happy. Just like that. I wanted to quickly go let the chickens out so I could come back to the house and clean, clean, get ready for company, and clean. I have laundry that needs to be folded, a house that looks like kids live here (cause they do), dishes to do, and the list goes on and on and on. While scooping food into the dry bags I was thinking about how the day already is a bad one and then no sooner did I think that then did I realize it was a great day. What do I have to complain about? I have a house, food, children, a husband, I have animals to care for that will provide food one day (Lord willing), and I have a garden. Even though it's under water, I still have one. I'm one of the Lord's and He's blessed me. I should NOT complain, my life could be infinitely worse.

The Lord was changing my heart and helping me to see my blessings and not the  events that I was dwelling on as the makings of a terrible day. I got perspective in a hurry. While I was grumbling in the coop about the over-abundance of water, my children were outside playing and having a joyous time. Imaginations were running wild and I could hear them defeating the crocodiles and saving the lady bugs from imminent death. Such grand tales from such little souls.

Again, humbled.

Farm life has unexpected twists and turns. Sometimes it seems like everything is going right and that life couldn't get better. Seeds are growing, sprouting, producing, and animals are thriving, healthy, and reproducing. There are the times when disaster strikes and flooding washes over your garden (or a drought), animals get sick and die (or eaten/attacked), and I could go on.

If your dreaming of a farm, please know that there are highs and lows much like life. If you have farmed or are living on one, I'm probably preaching to the choir.

I have come up with a short list that I will leave you with. One that I think is a compilation of what you need to have on hand when you have to deal with a flooding garden and chicken coop.

• Empty and clean garbage cans


• Garbage bags (preferably the LARGE ones)


• Scissors (or garden shears when your desperate)


• Irrigation boots


• A good attitude


• Sanity

The Path Less Taken

I live a blessed life. Truly, I have a blessed existence. The Lord in His providence saw fit to place me here and gave me strong convictions about life and purpose. I have many thoughts coursing through my mind and at times, it is difficult to sort them through, to place them in the highest order of importance, and it can be draining to someone who wants to fix the worlds problems (me) and realize that I cannot. Only God can. I am His tool however and I pray that I will be used mightily.

My intention for this blog is not to show off my accomplishments (they are few) and to make much of myself. No, that is not my goal and I hope it doesn't seem to be. My goal for this blog is to journal mine and my family's life here on our farm so we can encourage others who would like to do the same. I want to be the Proverbs 31 woman. This may seem silly to you, but I desire to be her with every bone in my body. I can get discouraged when I read of her because I can see my failings so clearly, but God gave us this woman as an example of what a godly woman can and should be. I therefore conclude that He can also give me the strength to fulfill the role He desires for my life.

Every morning and evening when I go out to do chores I see God and His hand in creation. Life is bursting here on the farm. The fruit trees are already getting heavy with fruit. Apple, peach, plum, and pears - just to name a few. The walnut trees are absolutely majestic, so big and grand with their long branches and broad leaves. My seedlings - even under the care of a black thumb - are doing amazing. The tomato seeds I planted last week are growing like crazy! It seems like they grow every time I check on them, which is often. My pumpkins are still the greenhouse kings and they let the rest know it. Already, their vines are taking shape and towering over the other seedlings showing off their distinct leaves and quick growing ability. The chickens are pretty much full grown and we still have worries of a rooster. I hope we are wrong in our assumptions. *Only about 30 minutes after writing this post it was confirmed. We have a rooster.*

My sheep are another story. I called our shearer the other day and he's supposed to come out soon to clip them of their winter wool. I am awaiting this day with great anticipation because we aren't positive they are bred. Our ram is pretty young and even though his effort was never ending, we just aren't positive that he was - ahem - 'ready'. Time will tell and we still have a little while before we can officially say yea or nay. I so desperately want lambs this year, I may shed a few tears if we don't have any. Sniff. Wouldn't you?

I often wonder about this life that God has led my husband and I to. What is His plan, purpose, and direction for it? I read about, hear about, and witness people all around me getting the 'bug' so to speak. Right now it seems that people are really wanting to go back in time a bit and live a simpler life. People want to witness life in all it's forms. Really we all are wanting to see God and it is so easy to when you live this way. I'm not sure how you can deny His existence when you see a lamb be born, or your very first seedling pop up from the soil. It's truly a thrill! I believe 100% that the most miraculous event (physical...not spiritual. Salvation of course reigns supreme.) that a person experiences is the birth of a child. There is nothing sweeter than the reward of a child after the hours of travail and grueling pain. The sweet smell of a newborn, the warmth of their skin, looking them over intently and meeting the new little one that God has given you. I'm almost to tears right now, I love my babies!

Are you one of those people? Do you yearn for a garden, livestock, a simpler life? Do you desire a spouse, happiness, children? These are great things to desire, but I hope that all of us desire God the most. I hope that we surrender our lives to Him and let Him guide us. It is easy to get distracted these days; there are so many things that can take away our attention. The Lord is merciful and is always patient with this child of His - moi. He always gently leads me to the Rock that I can lean on, the River where my thirst will forever be quenched.

Physically my family is taking the path less taken. Farming is not necessarily glamorous and it seems that celebrity and glamour are what a lot of people want today. Farming is definitely not the life of ease.  We want a life that is spent growing, raising, and nurturing life so it can in turn nurture us. We desire to spend our time helping others, for we truly desire with our farm to bless others. Right now we are still figuring out the kinks, but this farm is not ours, it's God's and we want to use it to bless others, feed others, and point others to the One that matters.

Spiritually we are living the path less taken. It seems that the idea of God is attacked from every corner. And let me just say, God is NOT an idea. He is not just some moralistic 'being' that floats in the sky and tells us the things we cannot do. He is not some goody-two-shoes that is a pushover and merely makes suggestions for how people should live. He is not a figment of the imagination that people have created so they can explain away their fears. No, He is the embodiment of perfection. He is truth, He is holy, He is righteous, and He is just. He is the Creator of life and without Him, we wouldn't be.

May my life, my family, and yes, this blog point in one direction...up. I am living proof that God loves and saves sinners. Lord willing, my life will not be lived in vain. Lord willing, my husband and I will use what we've been given to bless and teach others.

When I am old and my life is spent, I hope to look back and see Christ and all the He's done through His servant.

I hope I will always continue to take the path less taken.

It's Plantin' Season

I love the smell of dirt.

The earthy, wet, and sweet smell of organic material in it's humblest form.

Soil.

God surely knew what He was doing when He created this world with all it's many cycles of life that are contained on this globe.

My Sis and I got busy today doin' what we do. We planned our strategy or more like I was whipping out seed packets and getting ready to plant while my sister being the studious one that she is, read the directions on the packets and separated the seeds into categories. After looking over my shoulder and realizing that she wasn't on board, I hopped to it and joined in the proper planning and categorizing. There are a pile of seeds we didn't end up planting because they need to be sown directly into the soil after the last frost. Seeds such as:

• onions
• carrots
• kale
• spinach
• lettuce
• garlic chives

We did however get to plant quite a few things and it was quite the nice time. I love spending time with my sissy and I love the prospect of food as well. It is such a cool thing to get to plant a few seeds in some dirt and with the addition of water, wait for the little sprouts to pop up. As a child, I never knew that watching plants grow would be such a thrill. Well it is. Here is what we DID plant:

• cayenne peppers
• jalapeno peppers
• pumpkins
• cucumbers (regular, lemon, & pickling)
• broccoli
• watermelon
• cantaloupe
• I'm sure I've forgotten a few. It's late...

As you can see in the above picture, we still have a lot to plant. I will be getting more seeds this weekend and finishing what we started. I'll just say the obvious, we are lacking a huge staple in everyone's garden. Ummm....TOMATOES!

I sure hope this black thumb of mine can turn green, heck brown would even be an improvement. I am so very excited for a garden this year and I'm sure there's a future post that's going to be filled with pictures containing dirt and little green sprouts.  Ooh, yes!

Please forgive me, it was such a beautiful day that I couldn't resist taking a few pictures of Spring's arrival.

Isn't it just beautiful this time of year?

Happy planting.

The Musings of a Farmer

I had an awesome day yesterday. I was tied to the house all week last week due to things that NEEDED to be done. Laundry, dishes, cleaning, organizing, and the list could go on and on. This week has been a breath of fresh air. I've been wanting to get out of the house and I made it happen. We've had absolutely glorious weather here, I'm talking 80 degrees. My friends, it doesn't get much better. I know we need the rain in a bad way, but I'm not gonna complain if the good Lord decides to give us a sunny streak. No way.

With the completion of our chicken coop I took it upon myself to clean out the green house and get it prepared for our soon to be seedlings. While I was in the throws of scooping up the chicken poop encrusted wood chips and trying my best to NOT flick it into my hair (yeah right) I got to thinking. Side note- why is it that I always ponder life and it's possibilities while I'm scooping poop, mucking out the barn, or other related tasks? I don't know either. Moving on...

In my reflections I was thinking about how blessed I am to live the life that I do. I know there are people scattered all over this earth who live in terror for their lives, are starving, and are abused and helpless. I pray for these people daily and hope that one day I can help, but until then prayer after prayer is offered up. I am blessed and there's no two ways about it. I have a great marriage, healthy kids, and have been given the opportunity to return to the farm. I am so very thankful for this and my Lord is thanked daily. I know everyone doesn't want to farm, but I do think everyone needs to be aware and interested in what it takes to grow a garden and raise animals for food. In a very simple sense, we need a few things physically in order to survive. Shelter, clothing, and possibly the most important one is...yep, you guessed it...food.

In our society today we've really turned away from having the responsibility to grow our own food. Why would someone want to take the time to grow a garden when there is someone else who will do it for them? Many people have other things they'd rather be doing than this, and I can understand that. I have things that I LOVE to do and they have nothing to do with farming. I still need to eat however, and here is the point I am getting to. There are a lot of things happening right now that are jeopardizing the food we eat and buy. Hidden additives, GMO's, highly processed food that is addictive, severe restrictions on small farms, raids on independent dairy farmers, laws that are being passed and trying to be passed to make it nearly impossible to live simply and not face fines or jail time because of the choices we make to feed ourselves. Big Brother is always wanting his share of the profits and in turn he also wants to dictate our every move. If you have an independent spirit, this can feel suffocating.   We are in the beginning stages of our farm and we also own our own business so needless to say, we know and feel what the powers-at-be are pushing down on small businesses/farms.

I am not saying that everyone should jump and become farmers. Nor am I saying that everyone should be content to turn the other way and not think about those who grow their food and the restrictions they face in doing so either. I think we need to make our money count, voices heard, and be concerned about the nutrition of the food we put into our bodies. The way I look at it, God provided plants and animals for food for us to eat and nourish our bodies with...SO we can do the things He has for us to do. If we eat garbage, we won't be able to do much and we will probably get sick sooner or later. Probably sooner...

Food is not the end all. One hundred years ago, we probably wouldn't even be having this discussion. Food was in it's natural form then and people cooked most if not ALL of the food that they ate. Not to mention that even if they weren't 'farmers' they still probably had a garden and maybe a chicken or two.  It is no longer this way and if we are at all health conscious, then we must think about what we eat and it's affect on our bodies.

This is probably one of the main reasons why my husband and I want to farm. We want to know what we're eating, what's gone into what we're eating, and we want to teach our children how to care for animals, grow food, and care for themselves. There is a lot of confidence that is gained when you know that you can grow a garden and help deliver a lamb, when you can prepare food that will nourish your body and not just 'feed' it, and when you know that if times got tough, Lord willing, that you'd be ok. (Just to get this out there...I am NOT a prepper)

So what do you do if you don't want to farm? My best answer would be to support those that do (As much as your budget allows. I know a lot of people's are pretty tight right now. We are feelin' it too.) Go to the farmers market and buy a few things. Buy your meat in bulk from a local farmer. Long run, this is the best bang for your buck and it's better for you. When the opportunity presents itself, vote for the laws that will HELP farmers. Sign petitions that will help small farms succeed. And if you DO want to farm? I'd say start small, you don't have to live on acres in order grow your own food. You can plant a garden, get some chickens or meat rabbits, or you could lease some property and start a garden or small farm there if you want to do it on a larger scale but can't afford to move. There's always a way if you start small. Here's a great book if you want to know how much you can grow on a quarter of an acre. Or this one if you want to read up on animals too.

Farming may not be everyone's dream. Farming may not be what everyone wants to be doing. I guarantee though, that if you've eaten today, it probably came from one...

Coop Du Jour

Remember this?

I'd like to forget it. This has been one part of our farm that is...how you say, less than desirable to look at? It was an old green house and it also was the pump house. Even in it's 'day' I think it probably was still hideous. I'm serious. Look at this thing, it was definitely built for function with no aesthetic appeal. My opinion and I'm stickin' to it.

Now however things are different and we've torn down this wretch of an eyesore and replaced it with this!

Seriously, do I really even need to say anything? Probably not, but I will. Just continuously scroll up and down and join me in singing, "Hallelujah!" We've been needing a coop for our 'girls' for sometime now and finally finished this beauty. I've been wanting to post updates, but I knew that if I held back I could to an unveiling that this coop deserved. As you can see, this coop blows the ole shed out of the water. Or out of the field you might say. Or the universe, it might be a stretch, but I'd go with it...

***In the second picture you'll see a door, that leads to our water pump that goes to our well and is walled off from the rest of the coop. Just wanted to interject this cause I didn't add a pic of the inside of the 'pump house' part. Not very exciting looking at a water tank.

On the contrary THIS is VERY exciting!

Here we have the doors that open to the back of our nesting boxes. I had to leave for a few hours and had NO idea that my awesome superman of a hubby would make them look so nice. What a guy I have!

Bear with me, my excitement may manifest itself in words...and pictures.

My father-in-law built the roost and I must say it was very smart of him. What a great use of space! I love it and the girls love it too, which is a plus cause ya know, they like to roost and all.

My precious Ella wouldn't stop sitting on the bar. She found out why I told her it was not a great idea. Can you figure out what happened?

I wish I had this on my front door. I am always amazed at how many sales men and random people show up on my front door. I at times want to tie our dog to the door, I'm pretty sure no one would come a-knockin'.



Franco actually is the sweetest dog EVER, but for the undesirables comin' to my door...they don't need to know that.

Rabbit trail, back to the coop.

I love the men that God has placed in my life. What blessings to have a husband that is far beyond what I deserve and a son who lights up my life! Speaking of my boy, he LOVES the girls (the chickens that is) and has declared himself the best bird catcher ever! He may be right.

I am thankful to the Lord to be able to have such a nice coop and the ability to own and raise chickens. Such a blessing and I'm convinced that that first egg will taste so good. Mmmm.

Now that the coop is done, we are wasting no time and getting started on the garden. I hope it actually grows this year. Last year was a flop. Big time.

I will give you a quick glimpse into our gardening endeavor and also a look into the crazy stuff I find my adrenaline junkie hubby doing.

Yep, he's not satisfied with just moving the mound of wood chips, he has to be on it at the same time. Ugh! I keep telling him that I want to grow old with him. I hope he is listening...

If pictures are worth a thousand words, than I have spoken thousands upon thousands.

I have one more picture for you and let me tell you...it speaks millions.

I'll let you guess why...

Farm Update

Life around here has been busy and wonderful. Seth is swamped with work right now, which is a blessing, but can also make for some l-o-n-g days. Needless to say, I am very much looking forward to cooler weather and eventually winter. It's not that I like winter all that much, but there is hope for a huge storm to roll in and my hubby possibly getting to stay home. One can hope can't she?

Our garden this year was a major dud. Anyone following for a while would remember my beautiful seedlings, they'd remember that we planted them with great anticipation, and they'd remember the garden getting flooded for days and the whole thing going to pot. There are a few stragglers however...

The spaghetti squash is thriving and I'm thrilled! I'm not a huge fan of regular squash, but I LOVE this stuff. I heard it freezes well too, so I'm pretty happy about the prospects. 

I went out last week to check on the chickens and I always, always look at the garden and sigh. I think about next year and the lessons we've learned this year. My hubby and I plan on doing some raised beds for next year in hopes that if it floods again, my plants won't be submerged...again. Anyway, I looked at the garden and my eyes about popped out of my head. I saw two tomato plants! Not that they'll ever produce, but the fact that they were there was amazing! I just squatted down and stared at them, so happy for their existence. I am no gardener and indeed, I have a very black thumb. Anything that grows amazes me. I better start expecting more of my garden than just plants, but this year I'll be thankful for a un-producing tomato plants. 

Our lone pomegranate seems happy. We've had three others on the tree, but the birds thought they were too pretty to leave alone. What amazes me is that when they first grow on the tree, they are that gorgeous burgundy color. Then as they start to grow they turn green and as you can see in the picture, once they get closer to the desired size they start to turn color again. God has truly made everything so unique!

Chickens are fantastic and fun as ever. We have an abundance of eggs to say the least. 12-16 eggs a day is what we're collecting and so thankful for the goodness they provide.

Cows are growing and thriving. One of our new heifers however got pink eye and so we had to doctor her up a bit. She was a high-headed thing and very high strung. Of course she's the one to have the problem...

Just a note if you are unfamiliar with working cows- It's not a glorious thing or a pleasant thing to have to doctor a cow, especially a spirited one. She wasn't hurt by the rope, but in order to work on her eye we had to have control of her head. As you can see, if we didn't try to help her, she'd lose an eye. I understand this could be shocking to some, but this is the reality of life on a farm.

As you can see, happy cows. Gus is going to be butchered in about a month and I'm looking forward to it. A freezer full of meat is a blessing and not to be taken for granted for. Our farm's purpose is to raise animals in a healthy way, care for them as we should, and harvest them when the time is right. We are making an effort to feed ourselves well and we want to be able to help feed others as well. Thankful for where the Lord has placed us and trying to give Him the glory for it all. After all this farm is His, not ours.