It’s time to get caught up on what has happened on the farm these last few weeks. The weather has been beautiful so we have been working outside most days.
Mat worked the ground for a huge garden spot. It took the most part of three days. It is a wet soil, but with some work we hope to have a good plot eventually.
The boys planted a variety of apple trees and a few elderberry bushes around the yard. Silas enjoyed a wheel barrow ride and Peter enjoyed working on his fort once the trees were in.
Last week, the young ones and I took a trip to the post office to pick up our last batch of chicks. Mat was busy cleaning out the brooder and fertilizing our garden with the bedding from the previous chicks. When we got home, Peter, Silas and I worked together moving the third batch of chicks we had to their nice and clean bigger brooder. I am continually amazed at how these little boys take on new challenges. Peter helped catch the little chicks gently and Silas gently put them into their new home.
Braised Peanut Chicken
This is a recipe we enjoy and it works so well with children. Not only do my kids have fun preparing this with me (Silas helped me peel the carrots and garlic tonight), but they also love eating it. I suppose anything with peanut butter is a hit in our house. I received this recipe as part of a cookbook put together by a group of wives of pastors and apprentices of the Bethlehem Institute (now Bethlehem College and Seminary). I can never leave a recipe alone, so I’ve made a few changes.
I’m excited for this recipe in more ways than one. Soon we will be eating our own pastured poultry. As Mat says in our most recent newsletter:
“We are now up to 4 batches of chickens (approx. 400 birds). We have ages ranging from 9 weeks down to 6 days. Soon we will begin processing our chickens right here on the farm…We might even take our maiden voyage with the equipment during this upcoming work weekend with a few of our bigger birds. If you are interested in purchasing some healthy, pastured poultry you can either contact us directly by email or phone to place an order or you can fill out our order form and send it in.”
I recommend serving this recipe with apples, since they are so tasty dipped in the extra sauce…
When I Am Afraid …
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in You”
Psalm 56:3
We have taught this simple verse to our boys to help them when they are afraid. Many times when they wake up with a nightmare or are afraid to go to bed I remind them that they can trust in God when they are afraid. Then we think about why they can trust in Him.
1. He is the Creator of this universe, there is nothing more powerful than Him. He is Almighty
2. He is everywhere, He promises to be with us always.
3. He knows our hearts and knows what scares us, He will hear our cry for help.
4. He promises to uphold us with his righteous right hand.
As we talk about these things the boys usually are calmed and are able to go to sleep. Often I forget that these Bible verses I am teaching my boys were written for me also.
The bees are coming
To tell you the truth, it doesn’t seem real that we have bees coming this Saturday. We just got done with maple syrup season. The chickens are happy in their respective pastures and so fun to watch as they waddle run toward us. Now for the bees. It feels like another new adventure. Silas has been helping paint the homemade hive today. Mathew is a hero for making it himself. Over the winter we had a lot of help from some great friends cutting boards and such. Mat will be collecting the creatures and some equipment in Hackensack. Then he and his dad will place them in their new home. Mat set up the site pne evening by leveling off some ground, clearing extra debris, and setting up a solar powered electric fence. Even though the sting sends us running, the bears are a bit more determined to get their paws on the contents of the hive. We have the pollen patties made and ready. The flowers on the maples just blossomed and more buds pop every day. It seems a weighty thing to take on this new challenge, but Mat has been given such talent in learning, problem solving, initiating working ideas, etc, that I am not anxious. He recently told me how to get the queen out of it’s carrying case. I had never even thought of that. It is a whole new world of information. Here we go on another adventure.
Enjoy some pictures of the hive in process…
Hive inserts with beeswax liner
Little painter and the hive body
Firefighter Pete
Peter recently had an experience few kids have and fewer adults want to have. He was a real fire fighter. We started a fire in an old pasture not thinking of the six plus years of grass that had not been eaten down. It has been fairly wet and still is in most areas around the farm. The fire quickly spread to some dry grass which found more dry grass and so on. Mat had a bucket of water on hand but needed more. He also needed to keep putting out the flames before they got to the barn or spread to neighboring pastures. Peter was quick in bringing Silas inside, then in running to the barn to get a little bucket full of water. He went back and forth from barn to Daddy, stamping out a few flames in between. We are proud of how God is shaping him into an obedient and quick minded son. Without him, the fire could have been really big and damaging to us and neighboring farms.
We learn from our mistakes, but please pray for us that our future mistakes are not life threatening or pray that we can learn from others so we don’t have to make big mistakes.
The fire was started well behind the barn and spread up this far.
Gardens of Praise
Mathew started Gardens of Praise a few years back. We felt lead away to do a new thing on the farm while staying connected with and being an extension for the ministries we love so much in the city. Under Jericho Road Ministries, Laurie took on leadership of the gardens and we are so blessed and excited at what is happening there.
I just wanted to share the link for the most recent newsletter. Click here. There are some great pictures that show the beautiful diversity that we miss. God is doing great things.
May Day Fun
In trying to be neighborly to those near our new home, we decided to try something new… May Day baskets. My boys and I were excited to get little gifts together, make (and eat) yummy treats, and go to homes and deliver the baskets. Peter was especially excited this morning that he was able to run away from others in order not to be caught.
I watched as the boys ran to the door or ducked under windows, rang the bell or knocked hard on doors, then Peter would run and Silas would scamper away.
Our baskets had the following: Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Peanut Butter balls, Zucchini bread, a card and pictures drawn by the boys, bubbles, a magnet, a Hawaiian tradition, and a marigold. We enjoyed putting these together. Yesterday it was a little too nice outside to be inside baking. Today could use some warming up. We will definitely be drinking warm cocoa with the extra cookies today.
Later in the day we received a May Day basket on our doorstep. Peter chased our visitors all around the yard and did some show and tell of his frog egg discovery and the new home for our older chicks. We have definitely found a new love for May Day and those that let us break into their morning.
Righteous Oaks Farm 