Your Flying Farmer – What Have I Done?

There was a 10-foot wall in front of my house that completely blocked my view. Who put that there? It wasn’t there earlier this summer, and I certainly didn’t build it! It was thick, it was tall, and if I got too close it would slice my arms. It’s a cornfield.

For the past few years, this field was alfalfa. We enjoyed a fully open view of the bluff country right from the front yard. But this year we rotated it back into corn, and little by little my beautiful view disappeared as the stalks grew taller.

Now there I sat with a green wall outside my window. I could grumble about it, but the truth is simple: the wall was there because I planted the seed. What have I done? I’ve reaped the natural result of what I planted.

And what a harvest it is! The cows will eat well all year because of the abundance that started with tiny seeds dropped in the soil last spring. It’s a reminder that harvest is always tied to the choices we make months or even years earlier.

The same is true in life. What we plant – day after day, choice after choice – determines the kind of harvest we’ll enjoy later on. “Train up a child in the way he should go,” Proverbs tells us, “and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Plant seeds of truth, discipline, and character in your family, and you’ll reap strong sons and daughters. Plant seeds of laziness, indulgence, and dishonesty, and you’ll reap something far different.

I once heard it said this way: “Sow a thought, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.” That’s the law of sowing and reaping. It works in the field, and it works in the family.

But here’s the danger: our culture tells us that kids should rule their own little kingdoms, and that parents should bend the world to their whims and feelings. That’s a fairy tale. You can prop up a child’s delusions only so long before reality comes crashing in. When the world doesn’t revolve around them, they’ll have a harsh awakening. Better to train them early in truth and discipline so they’re prepared for the real world – and for eternity.

The seeds we plant aren’t only in the soil or in our homes. Think about social media. Hours upon hours are spent scrolling, comparing, envying, wasting time. Those seeds grow into depression, hopelessness, and a sense that life is passing by without meaning. If we don’t like that harvest, maybe it’s time to plant different seeds – time with family, meaningful work, worship, rest, creativity.

Instead of dreaming about things you might want someday, ask: What harvest do I really want? Then plant accordingly. Sow scripture and prayer now. If you want a strong marriage, sow attention, forgiveness, and affection now. If you want peace in your own heart, sow gratitude instead of grumbling now.

Ultimately, the best seeds are eternal ones. Look to the Maker of your soul for purpose and identity. Look to the Savior of your soul for unshakable confidence. These seeds never fail. They produce a harvest of joy that stretches into eternity.

So yes, my view out the front yard was blocked by a wall of corn. But that wall is feeding my cows, blessing my family, and teaching me again: you reap what you sow. 

Plant the seeds today that lead to a harvest you’ll rejoice in tomorrow.

Meet your farmer – Jonathan Gerdes. He and his wife run a farm-to-table raw milk dairy and farm airbnb in Caledonia, Minn. If he isn’t in the barn, you can find him dating his wife, playing with his kids, leading youth group, or flying in the sky. Visit gerdesfreshfarm.com for more info. 

The Ultimate Potato Soup Recipe

6 strips uncooked bacon, cut into small pieces

3 Tablespoons butter, unsalted or salted

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 large garlic cloves, minced

⅓ cup all-purpose flour

2 ½ lb gold potatoes, peeled and diced into pieces no larger

than 1” 

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups milk

⅔ cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground pepper

¼ – ½ teaspoon ancho chili powder (to taste)

⅔ cup sour cream

Shredded cheddar cheese, chives, and additional sour cream

and bacon for topping, optional

1. Place bacon pieces in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat and cook until bacon is crisp and browned.
2. Remove bacon pieces and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
3. Add butter and chopped onion and cook over medium heat until onions are tender (3-5 minutes).
4. Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
5. Sprinkle the flour over the ingredients in the pot and stir until smooth (use whisk if needed).
6. Add diced potatoes to the pot along with chicken broth, milk, heavy cream, salt, pepper and ancho chili powder. Stir well.
7. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork (about 10 minutes).
8. Reduce heat to simmer and remove approximately half* of the soup to a blender (be careful, it will be hot!) and puree until smooth (*half is about 5 cups of soup, but just eyeballing the amount will be fine. Alternatively you can use an immersion blender).
9. Return the pureed soup to the pot and add sour cream and reserved bacon pieces, stir well.
10. Allow soup to simmer for 15 minutes before serving.
11. Top with additional sour cream, bacon, cheddar cheese or chives.

Thanks to sugarspunrun.com for the recipe.