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Small Holdings Festival
Recently, one of my office team members invited me to bring my family to a new festival being held in Bucks County, PA. The First Annual Small Holdings Festival showcased area suburban self starters. The various exhibitors were regular people who found have found ways to live off the land, to live off the labors of their own hands, and to make decisions that will provide while being good stewards of the earth around us.
My team member, Eric, spends his spare time running Barefoot Gardens with his wife, Linda. Together, they take care of a “farm” that serves their CSA and provides for local restaurants who are seeking to serve locally grown produce to their patrons. Part of Eric’s farm includes raising approximately 100 egg laying chickens. (Eric has become one of my mentors in the whole chicken farming thing.) Eric built a chicken coop for the festival.
Other exhibitors for the festival included bee keepers, cheese makers, gardeners, canning experts, vegetable fermenting experts, bread makers, clay oven makers, and several others. I was definitely inspired by the talents presented at this festival. And I look forward to going again next year!
What inspires you? If you could try something new, what would it be?
Ain't No Rock
Yesterday, I planted three of four shrubs/trees at our house. This turned out to be quite a task. For one, it was in the mid 90s and humid. Secondly, it hasn’t rained here for a while, and we have some of the worst soil known to man. The soil is filled with rocks for at least the first two feet. Despite the effort required to tackle this task, I enjoyed my time outside working with my hands. Times like this give me a chance to think and pray about the things going on around me.
One thing that I was reminded of through all this digging was a passage from Luke 8:1-15 which describes the Parable of the Sower. In this story, Jesus tells about a farmer who sows seeds. Some lands on good soil. Some lands on rocky soil. Some lands on a path. Some lands on ground surrounded by weeds. The seed which fell on the rock grew up but then withered because there was no moisture.
In reflecting further on this passage, I realized that we cannot always control how our “seed” will be received. But just like a farmer works his soil, removing the rocks, adding key nutrients, providing moisture, and making it fertile, we can be diligent in working the soil. Encouraging one another. Providing instruction and teaching. Correcting and rebuking with great patience. Watering with words of wisdom.
Just a few thoughts from a few hours of digging.
Until the next post….
Ain’t No Rock
Yesterday, I planted three of four shrubs/trees at our house. This turned out to be quite a task. For one, it was in the mid 90s and humid. Secondly, it hasn’t rained here for a while, and we have some of the worst soil known to man. The soil is filled with rocks for at least the first two feet. Despite the effort required to tackle this task, I enjoyed my time outside working with my hands. Times like this give me a chance to think and pray about the things going on around me.
One thing that I was reminded of through all this digging was a passage from Luke 8:1-15 which describes the Parable of the Sower. In this story, Jesus tells about a farmer who sows seeds. Some lands on good soil. Some lands on rocky soil. Some lands on a path. Some lands on ground surrounded by weeds. The seed which fell on the rock grew up but then withered because there was no moisture.
In reflecting further on this passage, I realized that we cannot always control how our “seed” will be received. But just like a farmer works his soil, removing the rocks, adding key nutrients, providing moisture, and making it fertile, we can be diligent in working the soil. Encouraging one another. Providing instruction and teaching. Correcting and rebuking with great patience. Watering with words of wisdom.
Just a few thoughts from a few hours of digging.
Until the next post….