The 2019 growing season flew by a little too fast for all of us. We have learned a lot of lessons through trials and struggles, were blessed with an abundant harvest, and savored our time together on this farm that is improving, changing, and blessing our family richly. We are planning for the next growing season as we think about what worked well, what could be improved, and what new things we would like to try. My husband and I really try to be open to new ideas, and we continually strive to improve upon things and not get stuck in a rut.

The weather has turned very cold for this time of year. The windows are all closed tight to keep the weather out, my outdoor kitchen (screened in porch) is no longer bustling or smelling of food, most days my clothes line is empty, the leaves are changing colors and falling to the ground, preparations for the shelter of our animals for the winter are almost complete. Our fruit trees have been prepared and only a small area in my wood chip garden remains uncovered, and while the animals are still grazing, they will soon be returning to their winter shelter. I love getting back into the routine of school, the fun of learning, returning to our cozy, warm house with the fire burning after chores, and a feeling of getting close to completion as we continue to cross things off our list that is getting shorter. I enjoy the change in seasons that Nebraska offers, and while we are still busy, it feels like a time of rest as we get to bed a little earlier and have more time to sit, read, and continue to teach our children.

We are excited to still be grazing animals. This is the longest we have made it into the fall without feeding hay. The grass in the pasture is longer than last fall and Lord willing we hope to start grazing earlier in the spring than we have in the past. We have seen great success in daily moves and plan to continue this in the future. Since things have slowed down a little on the farm, my husband has started putting up stone on our house and plans to start putting siding up soon. I have definitely had to learn patience with all of our projects that get started, but not finished very quickly, due to all the farm work. We have all learned that doing things without debt and having time to really think things through pays off significantly.

This summer has been our best by far as we have grown closer as a family, learned more skills, tried many new things, collected and stored a large amount of nutrient dense food from our farm, and made a lot of good memories. I believe this was the best as I watch things coming together and witness all the hard work paying off. One of the biggest blessings of this summer was when the Lord put it on my heart to start our day with Bible reading and a time of prayer with my children. We have done this in the evening with my husband leading for a long time, but starting our morning with the Lord, praying about our day, and using a list of prayer requests that we have completed as a family, has changed our family and farm in a mighty way. There were so many times that I could feel His strength, energy, patience, and perseverance when things were hard, or I simply didn’t want to do the work. I was thrilled when my kids would pray for someone that was struggling, give thanks for the food and work on our farm, ask for help in storing it up, or confess something they were struggling with. This continues to be part of our daily routine. God is good and when we confess our sins and allow Him to work through us, it completely changes our day in a mighty way. As believers in Christ, it is only the Lord that can give us true joy in all circumstances.

This year has also been a year of some struggles as well. One evening my husband’s dad showed up to find my husband and I sitting together on our oak tree bench with little ones running around looking dejected. We were dirty, sweaty, and stinky. We had both had a really hard, challenging day and we both wanted to quit. This is the first time I can remember feeling this way. We were ready to sell the combine and cut down on a lot of the farm work. Cory’s dad was a great encouragement and later as we prayed together, we felt the Lord’s peace. It took some time of prayer to convince us not to give up and sell most of our equipment. We are both thankful we didn’t quit and excited as we continue to learn and grow.

My husband and I have decided there are many things we need to improve upon and the biggest is time management. I once heard it said that if you don’t have your day planned out hour by hour you are not going to be efficient. Without a list, all those things that need to be done get cluttered up in your head, and it can really overwhelm and exhaust the mind. Many important things could be forgotten. One thing I have really been focused on this year is making lists, numbering and prioritizing the work, and trying to stick to it. I list out housework, school needs, cooking and baking, chores, projects, and extra work that need to be done. If I see something that needs to be completed when I’m working, I will add it to another list to be scheduled for another day if it can wait. At times I schedule the things I like the least first in order to get them done and over with. Another area that we all feel needs improvement is hospitality. We all agree that we need to have more people out to the farm. It is such a blessing to spend time with others and share our abundance. As things slow down we have been more intentional about this goal.

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 fall 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 fall we pray that you are encouraged to start learning and planning 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.