Down a few days

Due to some unexpected circumstances we will be without internet access for about a week. When we are back we hope to post some updates on the gardening and some pics from around our place. Until then, God bless and keep you.

Potatoes, Carrots, and FROST!

Our last frost date in North Central Florida is sometime around February 23rd. The Farmer's Almanac is usually the most reliable indicator of this event and is the standard by which all the old-timers here plant the first crops of spring. We are not old-timers. Still, we have enough appreciation for the results that we have seen in some of these folks' gardens to follow the advice and pray for an increase. So far we have been well pleased with the results. Even now we are in high hopes that there will be enough cool weather left to help the newly planted carrots, raddishes and potatoes grow a decent crop. We have been concerned that we waited too long and the hot weather would soon overcome our efforts, but true to the Almanac, we are now having a slight cooling trend that should help get these first crops off to a good start! We are thankful. Below I will try and post a few pictures from our homely garden.

Above is a shot of the wide row method we use. Below is how we covered the rows to keep the weeds down while warming the soil for early planting.



This is a shot of the Master Gardeners at work digging the double-dug beds!

Here is a fine shot of just how deep these beds are before the raking and smoothing, the bed is also dug and turned some 2 feet below the pile.

The logs that are lying around are left over firewood we are using to help keep the row covers on.

We have decided to go with the wide row, deep till method and are hoping for better results than the square-foot method we have previously attempted. One thing is for sure with this method, there can be no excuse for the carrots and other root crops not to grow plenty with all the depth they should have. We have been composting in our home-made tire stacking system for a while, and have also added plenty of organic manure/compost. We are using a cheaper brand than the popular Black Kow brand, but at $1.23 a bag, we are satisfied. We also added a small amount of blood-meal and bone-meal to each row/bed and will follow-up with some diluted fish emulsion as a regular feeding when needed. We are really battling with two issues here in our small patch of the world; one is the philisophical need to limit outside inputs to our homestead, and two, is figuring out how to keep the sand that we are so blessed with here, in decent moisture/nutrient range with just the 'stuff' that we produce. We are not experts at either end, but I can say that we are making good effort. Nothing, and I do mean nothing, is wasted here. We save every scrap and trimming from kitchen to chicken yard. The occasional hay that we scatter for the chickens is the base of our compost and the litter from both the chicks and the rabbits is thourougly mixed in and the whole mess is thrown into the first of 3 stacks of tires. After a couple weeks, we pull each tire down, one at a time, (my back appreciates this method), and move it to stack #2 if ready. By the time this makes it into the third stacker, it is showing some good progress and usually takes a good month before it has turned into that miraculous mass that we gardeners love so much. As for the amendments that we have brought in this year, we figure that with time, more compost, and the wide rows, raised beds and deep-till method, our soil will become a little more acceptable. We try to remember what another blogger once wrote about this fine art of cultivation, that it matters not one bit if you are male or female, American or otherwise, you will get out of the soil, exactly what you put into it. Of course, as christians we see the limits of this thought, but the general premise still holds. We have taken some comfort in the simple fact that we are at least involved with the process. I am sure that there will be mistakes made and lessons learned along the way, but at least we are confident in knowing that there is real truth in this idea. There is so much more to God's grace than mankind realizes! I shudder to think of how much man will answer for in over-looking the simple, every day forms of mercy and kindness that He has bestowed on this world. Even the simple fact of seed germination is a blessing for all of mankind. It truly doesn't matter if you are a Christian, or the most ardent pagan, God in His grace and mercy, has so ordered the events of this world, by His express will, that every being is given the same starting place in terms of this effort. I, for one, am thankful that He has allowed, a boy from the inner-city this kindness of rediscovering the benefits and trials of living this way.

Strength in weakness, Hope for the Church in post-modern America?

Lately has been a series of difficulties and pains here at our fine farm. First, has been the resurgence of dibilitating pain from the several torn and slipped disks in my lower back, and now I fear a slight touch of the "bug" keeping us sufficiently miserable. Still, even in the midst of trial, there is no darkness. Rather, there is much thankfulness and joy, and renewed hope.

First, due to the kindness of a brother and his family in Christ, we have been able to procure the rest of our seed order for the upcoming season! While we were pleased and thankful to the Lord for the small amount we had already purchased, this unexpected blessing has over-joyed us and allowed us some considerable peace. We have also used the kindness of this unnamed brother to purchase a canner to make our harvest last longer. Our new canner should arrive today! I will give an update soon on the many varieties that we are hoping to produce. Hopefully, it will include some decent pictures as we learn how to post them. There were many other real needs met by the Lord's grace through this charitable brother. We will not seek to publicly praise this brother much, but shall pray that God will bless him by making true that promise that, "the things done in private, shall be openly shown," in that day.
We have also purchased a copy of Suzanne Ashworth's book, "Seed to Seed", at the reccommendation of brother Scott Terry

Another reason for our joy, even in the midst of trial, is the following posting by our dear friend in Rayville, MO:
It is a much needed and very helpful discussion of how we, as christians, can both glorify our Lord and impact future generations. While we have some differences on eschatology, (end-time events), myself being somewhat of an undecided amillenialist/historicist, we are not divided by these fancy terms. Rather, we are united in our understanding of the great Covenant of Grace which has been bestowed on us through the Word of God and testimony of Jesus Christ our Lord. We share a common vision of hope! The hope that one day the Church will again take seriously the call to purify herself in all realms as she seeks to live out her calling as salt and light to this generation. It is a beautiful and real hope, that we as christians will take seriously our duty to stewardship. First, of our own lives, families, estates, and then, of our individual local churches and the relationships to each member thereof, according to our place and station, and finally, to the local community around us as we seek to implement this understanding of just what it means to be an agrarian-minded christian. The idea being, that we could eventually unite and/or replicate ourselves throughout individual communities to develop the vision that we all hold dear, a localized, christian community based upon an agrarian understanding of biblical and economic thinking.

I realize that this is a tall order that many would see as a doomed endeavor. There are many who earnestly believe that the days are waxing worse (myself included), and that tyranny, globalism, increased debauchery, and universal persecution are well on their way to us now. The prevalent thinking is that if things are going from bad to worse, then the studious and intelligent thing for the believer to do would be to get out and go into hiding, or at least to prepare as far as humanly possible to move ourselves to a more defensible position. This is wise and good, and in keeping with my personal eschatological view, however, there must also be consideration given to our earnest brothers and sisters who see a more hopeful view of things, along with our call as they understand it, to go forward in the earth proclaiming the Kingdom in hope. To my thinking, and according to my friend's post, these views are not so diameterically opposed that we must separate from one another and begin to hurl verbal "stones" at one another, as some seem to do. We will choose to work together in the unity of Christ, and our fidelity to the Word of God as defined by our common confession, as we move forward in our efforts to build real covenant keeping, Reformed communities to sustain our families....whatever the future may hold.

Joy and Pain

I am slowly recovering from several days of bad pain. Seems I have missed quite alot in the blogosphere. Several friends have had their share of trials this past week as well. Here in our little corner of the world, life was too overwhelming to keep up on the blogs. Even in the midst of my bad days there has been much blessing and joy that I will write about soon. To those who have undergone their own trials, please know that we are praying for all of you and can't wait to get back in touch. To those who have been waiting on answers to their comments, please hang in there over the next few days as I get back on my feet. Also, please pray with me about finding the right doctor and chiropractor. It has been difficult just getting out of bed, much less doing anything else. Your prayers are appreciated.

Quick update and Praise

The Chickens are starting to lay again!!! Just one egg so far, but for 3 days we gave gotten this same amount! Very thankful and excited. It seems silly that a man would praise the Lord for 1 egg, but that is just what I am doing. Also, have Jerusalem Artichokes starting to poke through and so far we have about 30 tomatoes sprouted! This is a great thing to our little clan. We are all thankful and staying warm despite freezing temps of late.
There are so many others who are learning through trials and tribulations around the world and we feel so very thankful for the moments that God gives us encouragement. We are thankful for His people and their love also.
Today is a day of much thankfulness and joy for us. We pray the same for all of you!
Indebted to His Grace, Bob

An easier read: It's Sola Scriptura, not SOLO!

This is another very good explanation that shows the need for a creed/confession in the Church today. Note this opening quote by Robert Lewis Dabney, renowned theologian, and Namesake of son #7, the bath-tub baby):



"He who would consistently banish creeds must silence all preaching and reduce the teaching of the church to the recital of the exact words of Holy Scripture without note or comment." - R. L. Dabney

He sure did have a way with common sense, didn't he! This link is a much easier read than yesterday:

http://www.apuritansmind.com/Creeds/McMahonSolaScriptura.htm

A.A. Hodge on the Importance of Creeds and why they are needed today

Just a line to keep the fire stoked. I have been reading the junior Hodge's Commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith and have been stirred up to better understand why it is so important to have a creedal faith. I know that there are many who do not care for 'creeds of men', but I felt that this might be a useful subject to cause us all to think about our traditions.

There are many reasons given by good, moral, and God-honoring Christians, as to why they don't like creeds. I will not try to address these here because Hodge does it so well in the link that I am including.

As you will see, there is no question as to whether it is 'right' to use a creed. It is a direct consequence of being a student of God's Word. The only question left then is, which creed is the right one? Ah.... that's the part we don't like! It is far easier for us to keep our traditions. Defining the right creed from the wrong creed is hard work that reveals to us our errors concerning Scripture. It is spiritual labor that results in being able to digest meat, and not milk only, and to fight against the heresies of our day.

I hope you enjoy the link, it is lengthy, but worth it:
http://www.apuritansmind.com/Creeds/HodgeAACreedsAndConfessions.htm

Calling All C.onfessional A.grarian R.eformers

When I began this little diary it was meant to be a journal of efforts toward stewardship and agrarian themes from a distinctively Christian perspective. I have been encouraged and enlightened by the writings of many others who have seen a need for the Church to re-think her role in the modern age of Industrialism and Consumerism. The many voices of this movement have caused some within the Church to look again at the political-social-environmental-economic models that we have followed and consider anew where, if at all, these areas fit in to Holy Scripture. Along the way, there has been a wide array of folks that espoused varying reasons and doctrines as the only 'real' basis of underlying philosophy for a lasting movement. Some see Agrarianism as the only real national security system that a country has. For them, it is a duty to revitalize the small family farm and establish locally grown co-ops, to ensure that individual communities are able to stave off the effects of an ever growing Federalism of local governments. Others have prefaced their belief in Agrarianism by the duty to protect the limited natural resources of the Earth, they see a 'dominion' mandate that is closely linked to the soil and our care for it. If we surveyed the whole of the movement, we would find quite a diversity in motivational causes for choosing a 'more deliberate' existence. From those who simply want to slow down the pace of things in remembrance of simpler times, to some who feel that time has run out, and that the apocalyptic days of the Bible are upon us. People from every walk of life are quitting their jobs and trading their patch of concrete for a 'hobby farm' in the most remote places they can find. There are even groups out there that have begun to build 'intentional communities' for like-minded travelers to get out of the decaying behemoth that they see around them!

The Agrarian Age has come!

Well, O.K. , ...that may be a little hopeful, not to mention a little revisionist historically, but it is easy to see that this thing is catching on again in many circles of Christendom. People are waking up to the fact that there is something wrong with the modern world and the unrelenting push that reduces the meaning of life to a measurable unit of production. Much good is coming from the renewed affections of men who want more 'meaning' to their daily existence than the god of this world has given to them. I am one of those men who have seen that there is more to life than riches, or the pursuit of worldly gain and I am thankful to the Lord that he has shown me this truth. I am also grateful for the writings of many others who have helped to shed more light on the movement of agrarianism. These people have shared their knowledge of hard-earned skills, and opened their methods of living to those greenhorns like myself. Most have done it freely, and with good intentions to see others grow and realize life's potential more. They are well versed in this area and have strong opinions brought about by the hard realities that they have accepted along with this lifestyle. They are rugged, and intelligent folk who aren't afraid to engage in defending the 'agrarian model'. I am trying to find my way among them as I contemplate their presuppositions. With all the variance of ideas and philosophies, it is difficult to establish a systematized 'theology of agrarianism'. I am not even sure if it is possible. I know that there are some who are attempting this. I know of one who shall remain nameless. ( Hint: his name rhymes with Dunker, and his theology does too ;).Primarily, because to challenge him, would be the death knell of a would be agrarian fledgling like myself. Secondly, because even though I am in much disagreement with the presuppositional view that he holds of scripture, and therefore of agrarianism itself, I find him to be a very good source of knowledge. he has written much and he is an elder, therefore he deserves the respect of both accomplishment and rank. And for those who are devoted disciples, please don't misinterpret what I am saying to be a challenge! He has a discussion forum for theological debate that I plan on joining soon to discuss these things in a Christ-like manner. It is just that I am concerned about having a solid exegesis of the scriptures and a good creedal position to help gauge heresy by. There are a lot of ideas being flung out there concerning the scriptures, ( not necessarily by the brother mentioned), and there are folks like me moving into the discussion daily. In my short term as a follower of various christian 'homesteader' blogs, I have encountered some statements of questionable doctrine. I am hoping to better understand some of these statements before simply accepting them. My eventual goal would be to work along side of someone to write a 'confessional' view of the agrarian lifestyle. I am hoping that someone else is seeing the need for this. While, there are some opposing views out there, I think that the example of the 3 Forms of Unity produced during the Reformation is a good model that would allow some level of unity while limiting the tendency to develop heretical teaching. I know this is a little to 'institutional', or denominational for some. But surely, there is someone else out there that believes agrarianism is a valid way of life and also grasps the need to make sure that it is understood through the lens of the reformed faith. Maybe there is some great writing on agrarianism from an orthodox, reformed perspective out there and I am just missing it. Maybe we need one before we miss out... Not all of us 'reformers' believe that we can wait and hope the 'post-mil' crowd is right. It just ain't confessional;/