I love to read books to my kids. It seems that a very common theme in children’s books is farming. It’s often a story about the farmer and his trusty tractor, or about how the blue truck and the farm animals save the day. Sometimes it’s counting veggies and learning shapes in the perfect garden, or one that I remember reading as a kid, the kitten who got lost and has an … [Read more...]

Many folks like us have an apple tree nearby. Some years the blossoms are profuse. Apples may or may not grow as a result. Bugs and other maladies can affect any plant or tree as it seeks to produce fruit. And when fruit appears, bugs may still mess with the crop. But this year turned out to be different. Our fruit trees did the unexpected. Tree branches hung low under the … [Read more...]

Science has proven that emotions are created by thoughts. Pause there. Did you actually digest that? Here it comes again: science has proven that emotions are created by the thoughts that we think. This means the feelings we will experience today come from the thoughts we are thinking. So, how are you feeling today? Maybe you’re anxious? Discouraged? Disappointed? Feeling … [Read more...]

It was a perfect evening. You, dear reader, know what I’m talking about. There’s a certain feel in the air, a certain smell on the breeze, and the open space in your life has popped a little dream into your head. What is that dream? Maybe it’s a longing to go on a hike in the park, head to the fishing hole, or go out with friends. For me, it was to be soaring around the skies, … [Read more...]

Memories can come at any time.  But today as I have been out in the garden, memories invaded my thoughts.  As I picked each buttery-colored wax bean, I thought of my mother.   Even when she lived with me at the age of 94, she helped me snip beans.  Along with the beans, I brought in a fine bouquet of gladiolas to please her and to perk up the scenery in the house.  Though … [Read more...]

I recently saw someone talking about their food, saying, “Why do farmers need to spend so much time and effort when most people just get their food from the grocery store anyway?” Grocery stores must have a great big manufacturing facility somewhere that takes air and turns it into all the food that you eat. I imagine that a grocery store would be kind of like that … [Read more...]

With the ripening of berries like currants, Juneberries, and especially raspberries, I have been reminded of past situations at berry time.  The following story taken from the book, “Tales From Heritage Farm” by Randall and Wenda Grabau illustrates such a memory. Judy, my mother-in-law, had a raspberry patch which I inherited when my husband and I moved onto Heritage Farm. I … [Read more...]

Eleven days ago, I held my dad’s hand while he took his last breath. After a 15-month battle with brain cancer, he stepped from earth into eternity with Jesus. In the last hours of his life, we hung on every breath as apnea caused long pauses between each one. Each pause brought the loudest silent words I’ve ever heard as we collectively wondered “was that his last one?” … [Read more...]

Have you ever been to an ice cream shop with freezers as far as you can see and thought, “I wish there were more flavors of ice cream in this shop. These 47 options are not enough. I think they need just one more flavor and then I would be satisfied.” I’ve served ice cream when there is one flavor and I’ve served ice cream when people had to pick between 10 different flavors. … [Read more...]