For as long as I can remember we've always had a garden. As a little girl I helped Moma care for it when it was behind our house, and several years ago when I was around twelve years old my Grandmother and I decided to split her garden; one half being mine and the other being hers and that is how it's been ever since. Tonight was one of those nights that was spent in the garden. Over the years as I've spent time sitting and watching chickens and cows, or working away in the garden God always decides to teach me things, and he knows the best was to teach me is through metaphors. Today was no different. If you're like me, you'll sometimes log onto pinterest to find recipes, or just to browse for a little while. You can find anything and everything from Christmas decor ideas (one of my favorites), to weight loss remedies and much much more. Recently I saw a few pins about gardening. The pictures have beautiful flower and vegetable gardens that look picture perfect, they show the fresh picked vegetables and make it look like it's a breeze to accomplish...BUT
If you know anything about gardening you know that you can't just plant the seed or plants and leave them to themselves. No, plants and seed require water to grow and survive. Not only water though, if not properly cared for and tended weeds will sprout up and overtake all the other good plants.
So tonight, as I was hoeing between tomato plants trying my best to demolish those pesky weeds God showed me that this garden is just like my (or your) life. Not only life, but perhaps marriage, a career, children or school. See, we've all been given a garden, or a row to hoe, if you will. Before you get married (or have children, or begin a career), you look out to the garden from a distance and it looks beautiful. The plants are beginning to sprout over the freshly tilled dirt, and no weed is in sight. Your wedding day comes and the garden is still beautiful, the plants are starting to grow and the sun is rising revealing the lovely kiss of dew on the leaves. Several months (or maybe even years) into it you've found out that maintaining your beautiful garden requires effort and hard work. Your spouse may have some weeds that you didn't know about prior to marriage, or maybe they aren't willing to hoe and till it as much as you are, maybe you feel as though you are the only one trying to keep the weeds at bay. Sometimes you might even look at the garden beside yours. You see how beautiful their garden is and how many vegetables they are gathering and you began to despair. Let me encourage you today though, the vegetables are worth it. Yes, the sun is hot, you are tired and it's hard because the weeds keep coming back no matter how hard you try to kill them. Don't give up though. The Master Gardener has been there all along, waiting for you to ask Him to help you manage and maintain your garden. When you try to pull the weeds on your own you become tired and discouraged, but the Master will come alongside you and give you strength to pull those nagging weeds. Yep, you'll get a little dirty and sweaty, but it will be worth it, I promise.
If you know anything about gardening you know that you can't just plant the seed or plants and leave them to themselves. No, plants and seed require water to grow and survive. Not only water though, if not properly cared for and tended weeds will sprout up and overtake all the other good plants.
So tonight, as I was hoeing between tomato plants trying my best to demolish those pesky weeds God showed me that this garden is just like my (or your) life. Not only life, but perhaps marriage, a career, children or school. See, we've all been given a garden, or a row to hoe, if you will. Before you get married (or have children, or begin a career), you look out to the garden from a distance and it looks beautiful. The plants are beginning to sprout over the freshly tilled dirt, and no weed is in sight. Your wedding day comes and the garden is still beautiful, the plants are starting to grow and the sun is rising revealing the lovely kiss of dew on the leaves. Several months (or maybe even years) into it you've found out that maintaining your beautiful garden requires effort and hard work. Your spouse may have some weeds that you didn't know about prior to marriage, or maybe they aren't willing to hoe and till it as much as you are, maybe you feel as though you are the only one trying to keep the weeds at bay. Sometimes you might even look at the garden beside yours. You see how beautiful their garden is and how many vegetables they are gathering and you began to despair. Let me encourage you today though, the vegetables are worth it. Yes, the sun is hot, you are tired and it's hard because the weeds keep coming back no matter how hard you try to kill them. Don't give up though. The Master Gardener has been there all along, waiting for you to ask Him to help you manage and maintain your garden. When you try to pull the weeds on your own you become tired and discouraged, but the Master will come alongside you and give you strength to pull those nagging weeds. Yep, you'll get a little dirty and sweaty, but it will be worth it, I promise.
You might not have been expecting the "sermon" above, but I needed to hear it and just maybe you did too. Thanks for letting me be transparent with you!
Anyway, so what's happening around the farm besides the garden?
We currently have around 600 cornish meat pullets growing. Half of them will be ready in approximately 3 weeks and the others will be ready in about 5 weeks. Also, next week the turkeys will be in! We have 100 turkeys we will be raising for Thanksgiving. You can preorder them on our home page.
Lately we have really been having a skunk problem. They really do stink (and not just from their smell). They have killed many of our meat chickens by breaking in under the barn at night when the chicks are sleeping and overtaking them. What's worse is that they don't even eat all the ones that they kill. Yes, it's very disturbing. Hopefully we will have this problem resolved soon.
I'll be canning pickles and stock/broth (both chicken and beef) over the next several days. I currently have plenty of strawberry jam, salsa and chow chow available. I am also open for requests or suggestions so don't hesitate to let me know. :)
CSA sign-up is still open, however if you sign up prior to the second week of July your initial start date will be delayed until then (since we are currently out of most cuts of chicken).
As always we are thankful for your continued support and patronage. If there are any suggestions please let us know. We are always looking for ways to better serve you.
CURRENT FARMERS MARKETS:
The Greene St. Market in downtown Huntsville every Thursday from 4-8
Bailey Cove Farmers Market at St. Thomas Episcopal every Saturday from 8-12
Anyway, so what's happening around the farm besides the garden?
We currently have around 600 cornish meat pullets growing. Half of them will be ready in approximately 3 weeks and the others will be ready in about 5 weeks. Also, next week the turkeys will be in! We have 100 turkeys we will be raising for Thanksgiving. You can preorder them on our home page.
Lately we have really been having a skunk problem. They really do stink (and not just from their smell). They have killed many of our meat chickens by breaking in under the barn at night when the chicks are sleeping and overtaking them. What's worse is that they don't even eat all the ones that they kill. Yes, it's very disturbing. Hopefully we will have this problem resolved soon.
I'll be canning pickles and stock/broth (both chicken and beef) over the next several days. I currently have plenty of strawberry jam, salsa and chow chow available. I am also open for requests or suggestions so don't hesitate to let me know. :)
CSA sign-up is still open, however if you sign up prior to the second week of July your initial start date will be delayed until then (since we are currently out of most cuts of chicken).
As always we are thankful for your continued support and patronage. If there are any suggestions please let us know. We are always looking for ways to better serve you.
CURRENT FARMERS MARKETS:
The Greene St. Market in downtown Huntsville every Thursday from 4-8
Bailey Cove Farmers Market at St. Thomas Episcopal every Saturday from 8-12
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