Our society has become very specialized. We are told that most everything must be completed by a professional and that expensive, specialized training is essential before attempting most everything. We used to believe this paradigm, but not anymore. Our family is no longer fearful to try new things like growing, building, or fixing things that most people found necessary for survival not that long ago.
Throughout my education I received really good grades, but it wasn’t because I was learning the material or because I was a smart person. I simply learned how to beat the system. I’m ashamed to admit that I only read one book cover to cover in my public education. I learned to cram enough information into my brain, do well on a test, and then let the information go. It wasn’t until I started educating my own children that I realized, besides math, how little I knew. I have also learned that I’m not alone. I have visited with many people that had a similar experience. Even more shocking has been the people I have met that received poor or average grades in school that are really knowledgeable and wise. One thing I found in common with these “poor students” was that they did a lot of reading throughout their lifetime. Through this process of home education, I have realized that anyone can work hard to attain knowledge and wisdom even at a later age and how important it is to keep learning. We are mindful that Proverbs 1:7 states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” It is He who has given us a love for this wisdom, and I see that in each of my children.
Our main focus in teaching ourselves, or the children, any subject or skill is to build a solid foundation and then teach them how to learn. We love the classical model of learning and feel it can be applied to anything in life. It has been empowering for all of us! We start by doing a lot of memorizing in the grammar phase, then learn to write effectively, and finally to speak and teach. As I read historical books, I’m reminded that this is very similar to the one room school houses of the past.
Over the years our family members have learned a wide variety of skills that will benefit everyone for years to come. These skills are useful, profitable, and can be a blessing to others. Through these learning experiences, the Lord has used these opportunities to teach us character qualities like patience, perseverance, flexibility, time management, working as a team, and prioritizing.
Gardening is an excellent example of a lost skill. I didn’t grow up growing or producing anything. When my husband and I were married, I decided I would grow a garden, have a green, golf course-looking lawn, and a few cats and a dog. Thinking back to my first garden about 17 years ago, I remember having great expectations of a bountiful harvest with very little work. Apart from weeds, I didn’t end up harvesting very much. Surprisingly, I didn’t give up. The second year came around and I remember someone sharing what seemed like a great idea. They suggested using Preen and Green in order to keep the weeds down and easily fertilize the garden. I knew nothing about this toxic fertilizer and didn’t do any research. After purchasing it and spreading it on my garden, my chest started burning and my throat gradually got sore. I stopped in the middle of my work and stood there wondering, “What am I doing? This can’t be good for us!” It was then that I decided that I would never use anything that could cause damage to myself, our family, or the environment, and that I would research every idea I was given. It took a lot of years of learning and an enormous amount of loss before we had much to show for the work. We went to considerable toil year after year only to have things mostly destroyed by bugs and disease. We didn’t give up and each growing season I was noticing improvements in plant health and yields. Through the power of observation, a willingness to change, and being humbled enough to seek out help and learn from others, we have gained so much knowledge about building healthy soil which equals healthy plants. The most important lesson we have taken from this experience is that gardening takes work, proper planning, sowing in the proper season, diligence, and a lot of discipline to get things done at the right time. We still have a lot to learn, but it’s so exciting when you seek the Lord, work hard, and finally get to witness some abundance. It’s empowering, healing, and so worth it.
The last few years I have added a new challenge, growing open-pollinated plants from seed. These plants “breed true” and are roughly identical to their parents. The seeds can be saved and planted the next season. We love the flavor, higher nutrients, and easier digestibility they offer, but I find them harder to grow than hybrid plants. I have learned that they require a lot more fertility through the growing season and finding the right plants for our area has been challenging. I’m learning more about them, but I feel there is still so much knowledge to be gained.
Several years ago, I decided that I would never drive our van and trailer. I had watched my husband navigate through the city or back up at the sale barn, and I always thought I could never do that. Over time, out of need more than desire, I started driving our van and trailer on easy missions, like going to Milford to buy goats. A few weeks ago, our daughter had some goats to sell and wanted to take them to the sale barn. My husband had so much going on that he was unable to take them. I prayed about this and finally decided that I would attempt it. On the way to Columbus, I was thinking about how I was going to do this. When we arrived, I was so thankful to see that nobody was backed up to the place I had watched my husband unload several times. I started to back up, but before I finished, I noticed there was caution tape on that load out. I felt panicked, everything I was expecting to do had changed! After some confusion, a worker at the sale barn helped me back up to the right chute. I was very nervous, finished the job very crooked, and it took me longer than it should have. In the end we were able to unload everything quickly and without any goats running wild through Columbus! The Lord frequently reminds me through these small trials that I can do anything in His strength and to be careful not to think I can’t do something. It’s often the things I say I’ll never do, that I find myself required to do!
Our family has embraced a new way of thinking and learned a lot of skills that have improved our health, land, animals, house, and property for far less than we would have paid had our paradigm not changed. While it takes more time to learn something new and not every completed project has been a savings, we are so thankful that we have learned these skills during times of abundance. It’s reassuring to know that if/when life changes, God has blessed us with many skills to fall back on and is working out more as we speak. Most importantly we have saved thousands of dollars over the years, and I am allowed to stay at home with our children. Through this process we have learned that it is best to start small with new things and projects don’t always turn out perfect the first time. We can’t do everything well and there are many times that we should encourage and bless others in their businesses by supporting them.
The Lord has really put it on my heart to empower others about how our food has changed over a short period of time. We are reaching more and more people with our website and newsletter and LOVE to hear your stories about how natural, clean foods have changed your lives. Please help spread the word and keep those stories coming! Since spring has arrived, we look forward to the work that lies ahead and to blessing others with our products. Homesteading and farming are not simple tasks, but when you enjoy the work you are doing and get to feel a great sense of accomplishment at the end of the day, it is completely worth it. This spring we pray that you are encouraged to grow great food, find and get to know a great farmer to buy from, slow down and enjoy each day, and be blessed with abundant health.