God help a blind farmer see

How many know what the above picture is, this was a common scene when I was a child. Beans strung and hanging on the porch to dry, for a mountain delight Shuckey beans. I love them cooked with ham and cornbread and a slice of two candy bar onion{ see Appalachian American story two candy bar onion} with a cold glass of milk. It has been a very busy spring and early summer here on the mountain farm, Tari and I extracted the honey yesterday from two hives about seventy five pounds it will be bottled in the morning, it put both of to bed early last night even to tired to fix supper. Beans and tomatoes are ready to start canning this week which is about right as they are calling for ninety degree days this week, we will be starting that between cutting firewood in the mornings , and finishing the nest boxes in the chicken coop for the hens should start laying in the next couple of weeks. Kenny Ray will start picking blackberries tomorrow they are big as nickel this year and are plentiful. We had a storm here last Tuesday and the wind blew my sweet corn down and the heavy rain beat it down even further, I though it was a lost cause but Kenny Ray and I spent Wednesday evening trying to stand it back up, and as of today it looks great, sweet corn will bless the table by the end of the week. We had our last fire the first week of May and Uncle Ken, Kenny Ray and I have been cutting wood in are spare time  ever since trying to get ready for winter.  Kenny Ray and I have also cleared some ground around the house for more garden and pasture for the chickens , the whole farm has been carved out of the wilderness a little at a time from Uncle Ken ,Dad and I to Kenny Ray and I now. Kenny Ray got a case of poison Ivy after clearing around the driveway area for the farm sign. Next week we have chickens to slaughter as the broilers will be seven weeks old Kenny Ray has done a fine job taking care of them, hopefully he will be able to help with the process of cleaning them. I have had some doubts over the last couple of weeks about life here on the farm but every time I get down God and my family bring me back. Last week when the corn was blown down for the second time this spring I was down on myself and Kenny Ray asked me, Dad do you know the story of Job from the bible and I said no , he then begin to tell about Job and how he lost is wealth his children and his wife but his faith in God remained after all his problems. I got out my bible and read Job and my sweet corn was no problem at all. I then also remembered the sermon from church that pas Sunday Luke 16: 10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much , and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. I have to learn to take care of what I already have before I can take on more I have always thought if had more pasture or more garden space the farm would produce better , what I have learned is I most meet the problems that I think I have without losing faith and thank God everyday for the weeds the corn that blew down and is now standing once gain the blight on my tomatoes for all of these he has taken away except for the weeds I am still battleing them, as I have attempted to be faithful in the least of things and being rewarded with a bountiful harvest.

A spring update from Paradise

It is starting to get very busy here over the last couple of weeks and Kenny Ray and I have been busy.
The garden is partly in the ground as we got it prepped and the weekend of March 30th , Mom and my nephew Biscuit { Danny} came down and Uncle Ken came up , Mom Ken and I planted potatoes onions , peas and radish's as well as 62 strawberry plants that mom and give me for my birthday. Mom also cooked us a great dinner. I have since planted cabbage ,spinach, lettuce and more onions and another seventy five strawberry plants as well. Kenny Ray and I have also been planting flowers around the house for Tari. Our baby twenty five Buff Orpinton chicks arrived April fourth and we bought some baby ducks this past weekend at a swap meet two Indian Runners and two Mallards. I am still feeding my bees trying to bring along the week hives and will be checking on them today as well.
               I got to meet the Bainbridge fire department two weeks ago as I set my woods on fire. I had been burning brush for a week and Kenny Ray and I even burnt one of my gardens off , as my grandfather's did their Tobacco beds to sterilize the ground. We had no problems but I start a fire in the trash barrels and the wind carried off a spark and ignited the leaves Kenny Ray and I fought it for about half an hour til I gave up and him go to the house and call 911. They arrived and put it out in less than five minutes, very nice guys. They had just finished putting out another fire in the woods when they got our call, Wade one of the firemen told me they had been busy the last three days with brush fire's getting away from people. Kenny ray joked with me as my dad had set the same area on fire about ten years ago , you know dad like father like son. I said yea you had better remember that.
                                        We have also been busy catching fish we have we managed to squeeze in some fishing it was hard Kenny Ray had to twist my arm{ha ha}to go. Kenny Ray gets angry at Belle the wonder Lab as she runs the bank and goes for an occasional swim but the funny part is that I taught her to retrieve a bobber that I lost and now some times she will go after a bobber when you cast and I have to stop her.
Well I need to get my day day started I have fifteen fruit trees to plant today and one very important thing to do today put up my hammock.

God's blessing work and laughter

Such a good day here on the farm, Uncle Ken and Kenny Ray and I  cut and split three loads of firewood today ,  two on Uncle Kens porch and one on mine. We should have enough to last now,  hope spring will show up and stay , we had clear skies and fifty degrees today but a big snow storm is expected tomorrow I have heard any where from one to ten inches, crazy weather. After we finished the firewood, Kenny Ray and I went over to the Mennonite bakery and picked up some donuts for tomorrow morning and some birthday brownies as it is my birthday tomorrow. On our way back home we drove past the home of a Mennonite friend of Mine, and his son was plowing one of his fields with a big team of Morgan horse's. I thought the ground was still to wet and when we got back
the our little farm I decided to try and plow one of my gardens. I did manage to get one plowed but the other one was still to wet. I had spent Friday working on my old IH tractor and it started on the first try which I was very surprised as it has always been very temperamental, I got on my knees and thanked God and has caused me to lose my temper thru the years, but it was Uncle Ken's so I have an attachment. I am hoping it warms up enough and all the snow misses us as I would like to get the garden disced and potatoes and peas planted this week, and mom should have some cabbage plants about ready and she is expecting some strawberry plants in that she is giving me for my birthday.
                       Uncle Ken tried to buy Kenny Ray's dog Belle This afternoon for two dollar's after he watched her retrieve a duck decoy from the pond. Kenny Ray said two dollars was to much and a dollar was more fitting. Uncle Ken laughed and said that two dollars was about a dollar and half to much. Well I think there is hot water now for my shower Kenny Ray has had his and gave the Belle
one and she is past out by the wood stove. My body is aching but my soul is very satisfied , as I sat out by the freshly plowed garden with my pipe and thanked God for bringing me to this point in my life as I have never been happier all that is missing is my lovely bride and she will be here soon.

The first days of spring, here on the farm

One thing about Ohio if you do not like the weather wait five minutes and it will change. Yesterday was a beautiful first day of spring, clear blue skies and forty seven degree's. Today looks more like February, gray skies twenty eight degree's and snowing.
                Yesterday morning I got to burn some brush, which for some strange reason I always enjoy.
It brings back memories of days past when Uncle Ken , dad and I first cleared the ground here and burnt brush for two days. It never seemed like work when we spent time together burning brush , or cutting firewood for winter, or putting in a garden. We laughed and joked as we went, Kenny Ray at times all he understands is the work. I say son it is not work to me, when you are improving your land and taking care of your family, at the end of the day you can see what all your efforts did. When you work in a office or factory you see no fruits of your labor at the end of the day. In Ten years no one will say Hey remember the day I typed that report or The day I built that washing machine, but they will remember the day you planted that apple tree or cleared that piece of ground for the garden.
       I finished burning brush about noon Yesterday and came in for dinner, Kenny Ray had just finished his math we ate and discussed what we were going to do that afternnon. I said son we need some more firewood, we need to drag some out of the woods I will cut it up while you haul some top soil and leaves from the bottom of the hill to fill some of our raised beds, we finished around four thirty, a truck load of firewood and two raised beds filled, and after supper I went out and planted onions, lettuce , as well as set some cabbage, brocclie plants that my mother had gave , and covered the boxe's with some row cover. The job of placing the row cover was made more difficult as Belle { our six month old Lab pup} wanted to help I covered and she pulled it off. I finished the day as it began Belle and I walking the farm together thanking God.

GOD has a plan for me

Once again GOD has stepped into my life and altered my plans, he has humbled me and my ego. I feel he has been working on me for the last couple of months, as I look back over some of my writings I see he was preparing me now for what lies ahead. Those people that know me , know that I have always planned on trying to retire from the body shop business at age fifty, well I did not make it to fifty as my employer let me go on January 28, I would have been in the shop thirty one years come April eighteenth. I have worked a job everyday  since I was sixteen years old. It was kind of weird as I was relived, it was like a great burden had been lifted off my back.
I have spent the last month working on getting my affairs in order, and reworking the cabin as my families new home. Kenny Ray and I have been moving our family belongings a pickup truck at a time. My wife Tari is taking care of things in our city home and is still working until the end of May or til the that house sells. I have ordered our chickens as well as some more fruit trees which should all be here by the end of the month, and in the process of planning the garden for the year.
While I have had some sleepless nights I have not been all that nervous about what lays ahead.
I walk and talk to GOD every morning as I walk over this little piece of mountain land, and wonder what he has planned for me next. I will take things one day at a time and enjoy each day and prepare the farm for my wife's home coming.

A busy April, and a walk with God

I am sorry that I have been gone a while but my ego sidetracked me a little while, but I have got my life back on the correct path once again thanks for your prayers. April has been a very busy month between work and trying to build a farm for my family. I will try to catch everyone up. April 1
Kenny ray and I drove to Chilicothe to meet the fish truck where we bought some Channel Catfish and Hybrid Bluegills to restock our pond. We also put up a automatic fish food dispenser to feed them thru the week.
April 7: Mom, Kenny Ray and I planted six new apple trees for my orchard, and I plowed under my cover crop on one garden spot which measure's 200 ft by 25 ft.
the trees we planted are from a company call Fedco Trees they handle heirloom varieties , I slected the following. 1 Baldwin a all purpose winter apple
2 Grimes Golden a all pupose winter apple
3 Belle de Boskoop a cooking winter apple
4 Cox Orange Pippin, a fall dessert apple
5 Ashmeads Kernel a winter desert apple
6 Black Oxford , a all purpose winter apple
These apples will begin to ripen from September thru November, if the deer do not get them and with Gods blessing.
April 21 Kenny Ray and I installed two, three pound packages of Italian honey bees into thier new homes as well got some of the garden planted, spinach and sweet corn and we  squezzed in some bass fishing and a picnic.
April 28 Kenny Ray checked on the bees to make sure the queens were released and we replinished their sugar syrup. It was Kenny Ray's first time in the bees by himself , I just supervised.
We also got some garden out , cabbage and onions and beets, we also weeded the garlic bed as well as his Chives. We also planted three grape vines, which we still have to build the arbor for. I then gave him some lessons on pitching horse shoes.
That was our weekend chore's plus we started garden plants and built hony bee foundation frames , mowed grass and cut firewood.
It has been rewarding, I thank God for everything.
I just finished a book this past week which I realy enjoyed,Born Again Dirt is the title.
One of the things in the book that I found that moved me was the author's suggestion that you walk your farm with God and talk with him. Show him what you have done to improve the land which is his as we only borrow it for a short time. Pray to God on these walks for the wisdom to see what the land is telling you, pray for his blessing for all that we do is for him. I have always walked the farm that he has entrusted me with  every morning that I am lucky enough to be there.  During this time I have always talked with God about what is going on with my life, to help me make wise decisions.
On my walk yesterday morning at the farm I strolled down the lane toward the pond with a cup of coffee and as I was thanking God for the beautiful sunrise to my surprise I heard a wild Turkey gobble to my left back in my neibors place, and then another gobble out further from the first about two hundred yards. and the another out the point and then another from my woods to my left maybe fifty yards from me, And just when I thought it was perfect i neared the pond a pair of Mallard ducks
rose from the water and flew heaven bound. I listened to turkeys for another hour before heading back to the cabin and another cup of coffee. In closing I would like to thank God for everthing that he has blessed me with.

I need outside for me and my writing

I have not been motivated to write too much this winter. With my shoulder broke it has kept me in the house allot more than normal. I have missed rabbit hunting ,but have been more afraid of falling before my shoulder healed, I did not want to break it a third time. I am motivated by being in Gods outside world not so much his indoor world. I was planning on going to the farm this weekend to cut some firewood and clear some ground for the apple trees on order. But they are now calling for bad weather again tonight and tomorrow. I hope the weatherman is wrong as I need to also work on the tractor and get ready for planting potatoes. I have been flipping back and forth on where to plant my garden this year here in the city or on the farm. Oil prices are trying to tell me here in town but I my heart say 's on the farm.
Tari fixed my last quart of green beans last week for supper and I am already thinking of some fresh beans , tomatoes and corn bread. Tari , Kenny Ray and I have been trying to change the way we eat as Tari was diagnosed as a diabetic and it has hit pretty hard and are trying to learn how to cook. I also know we need to plant more vegetables and store more as well.
I have been doing some editing on some of the stories that I have written and if you read this blog you know that might writing is rough at times. I have had a couple of things published in the past, I am hopeing to get paid for one. I am always afraid that proper english takes away from my story telling. I am keeping my fingers crossed.