Tuesday, April 29, 2008

A little rain won't hurt

Well, we got the garden tilled this weekend. We were going to plant on Monday, but heard the weather would not be too great the following days. It was raining chickens and sheep out there today, and we needed the rain pretty badly.

We are supposed to receive 2-4 inches of rain before the storm is over, and that should get things nice and sloppy for planting the next few days. I would like to plant tomorrow, but we will have to see how the soil looks in the morning. If we can't plant, I have some fencing to do, along with a brooder to get ready for chicks coming Friday.

Friday, we are expecting 12 bantams of assorted breeds, mostly decorative types, all bantams. These will be our hatching ladies, and pets for the kids. We finished clearing the pasture, and are working on fencing. Everything has been seeded and is starting to grow well. The grass out front is also looking mighty green with the new rainfall.

So, I guess that is it for now. A lot going on, and not much time to write. I have to work all week, so finding time to spend in God's Word, with family, and then the regular chores, along with company a few nights this week, it will be a busy one. I will try to write soon, and promise to post pictures of the chicks when they get here( or soon after)

Have a great week, all.

Mark

The next generation of Biblical teaching

At the chapel recently, we have been talking about how to study the Bible, and how to put our thoughts on Scripture on paper to share with others. The men of the church were challenged to bring a 10-15 minute devotional this past week for men's group. I shared about the Lord's supper, and it went well. Evidently, someone was listening and today I had opportunity to talk with Nathaniel about it.

Nathaniel is our 12 year old son. He reads his Bible independently, and with the family when we gather for reading after breakfast. He asks good questions and seems to think a lot about what we read. Nathaniel wanted to do his part in the men's meeting, and was wanting to study more about Jonah.

Nathaniel and I talked for a while about the story, and its implications on our lives today. He and I came up with an outline. I helped him put his thoughts into words, but he did most of the work. We then searched the Scripture for the points he wished to express along with comparative passages dealing with the themes from Jonah. I was impressed with the finished product and with his dedication and desire in this undertaking.

As a 12 year old, I know I had no desire to study God's Word thoroughly, and I was not challenged to do so at home, so to see this desire in him is great. As a father, I have to remember that our kids will usually wish to be like us, and that puts the bar ever higher for me to live up to. I need to make sure that, as a father, I am keeping up with the responsibilities of leading our home and teaching our children. Nathaniel will be the first to be able to help me see my need to behave as a father according to what God wants me to do.

Nathaniel will be sharing his outline and his thoughts on Jonah this Sunday, if time permits. Three of us men shared last time we met, and time is limited, but Nathaniel wants to show that he is capable, and desiring to serve God through teaching. He is still young to be leading a group, but the skills and other things he needs to learn will be honed through time and dedication to the Lord. I count it a privilege to be the father of such an intelligent young man with a heart for God.

Now, I just pray that it goes well and he is encouraged. It is courageous of him to speak in front of a group of men that have many years of learning and life over him, but Nathaniel's desire is to serve God and make his Daddy proud. He has already accomplished both, and I can't wait to see how God uses him in the future.

Mark

Monday, April 21, 2008

Almost planting time

We got our seeds this year from Johnny's Seeds, a Maine seed company. They produce organic seed here in Maine, and have a great reputation, from everything I have ever heard. This is our first time using their seed, but everything is here and ready for when the fellow comes to till.
Sara and I have planned our garden, where to plant each veggie, which will be multiple crops, and harvest times on each. There is a lot of planning to do this time of year, and truth be told, we are late in our efforts. I plan on planting later this week shell peas, sugar snap peas, dill, spinach, and romaine lettuce. Adding over the weeks will be green beans, corn, onions, carrots, a few varieties of cucumbers, broccoli, squash(spaghetti and zucchini), peppers, parsnips, and turnip.
Our family of 5 has a larger plot to tend to than in years past. We expanded to an area 32'x60' this year in hopes of providing more of our families food this coming year. We still have a lot to learn, but are reading and asking questions of our more seasoned farmer friends. No doubt we will make some mistakes along the way, but we all enjoy gardening and it provides for our family. The kids all have a part in the process, with planting, weeding, watering, harvest, and storage. We will be canning this year, and freezing also.
Along with our garden, we have fruit trees coming, strawberry plants on the way, and of course the sheep and chickens I mentioned in an earlier post. We have finished clearing and seeding the back of our lot, and should be seeing timothy and red clover coming up soon for the critters to eat.
We are so excited this year, as things seem to be coming along for us quite nicely as a homestead. We are not exactly self sufficient yet, but working and getting closer each season. We do have all our wood cut for this year, limbed and cut to 6' lengths. Next step is to truck it home and buck up and split. This year we will not make the same mistakes as last year, worrying more about taking time off and then not getting all the wood we needed. Oil is ridiculously expensive, and I don't plan to have to buy any ever again for heating purposes. We shall see, but that is certainly our goal.
Another goal is to get our outbuildings set up right this year. Last year, I planned poorly and paid the cost for it. This year I am already working on what will go where for each season. With most of the clutter removed, it will be a lot easier to organize than last year. We now have more storage space then we did, and most of it is open, rather than clogged arteries of junk.
Looking back over this post, I am thinking about changing our garden plan... again!!
And so it goes around the 1 acre homestead, until it is in the ground, the plans evolve and are fine tuned. I love spring.

Mark

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Our bodies are a temple- mine is more like an expansive mall!

Well, I see from my front page that I have not written in a week or more, and looking back on the last few weeks, I have been pretty busy. We have started eating even more healthy and I am trying to take the weight off. At 6'4", I am about 300 pounds. That is unacceptable to me, and is a great contributing source of the pain I feel each day.
With a history of back problems including bulging discs and half a dozen injuries via tree or other large heavy object hitting me, it is a wonder I can get around at all some days. Coupling that with a family history of arthritis and weak knees and ankles, and you have a very large body on an ever weakening frame. Being 50 lbs over weight is not helping this issue.
More than the pain and stress on my body comes the issue that it effects how I live my life each day. Maybe losing weight will reduce the stress on my body enough to control my seizures, maybe not. The focal point is that I need to be who God wants me to be, and serve Him with mind, body, and spirit. This cannot be adequately achieved if I do not lose some of the weight.
In every area of our lives we need to look to see if we are honoring God and living up to what He has for us. I have never thought before that being "a big fat guy"(self labeled) was not honoring to God. There are often reasons that people get heavy, and it is very easy put weight on, but hard to take off. Because it is so hard to lose weight, I must take on a lifestyle that promotes good health, increases my energy, and hopefully reduces my daily pain.
So, where do we go from here? We have eaten fairly well according to American standards for the last few years, but I have a sweet tooth and a history of giving in to cravings that I should not give in to. Candy, chips, and soda were still a part of my diet, and usually more so near bed time, which is the worst time of all to eat this stuff. The candy is gone, the soda is out, and chips are not in the house either. Pretzels are pretty much the worst thing I have eaten in weeks.
In the process of eliminating food that is "bad" we really had to look to the idea of what God provided for us and what we are to do with it. When God created the garden of Eden, it was good, perfect, just how man should live. God gave us food, meat, fruit, veggies, in their natural state and man tends to mess with everything in order to make it better. Most of the time, however, it is not better but worse.
I am no member of the Weston Price society, but I have friends that are, and they certainly do know their nutrition. The basic idea is that Weston Price, a dentist, went to all these societies that were untouched by the modern world. The idea was to learn about dental health and eating habits, from what I understand. In the process of finding these tribes, villages, and groups of people, he noticed that they did not deal with cancer, diabetes, dental problems, as a rule. They were very healthy. So, one has to ask themselves, why then in a nation (USA) of doctors, nutritionists, scientists, and every technology (and diet program) known to man do we lead these "uncivilized" people in all manner of disease rather than cure? I think the source is that of misusing the tools God has given us.
We abuse the food God provided by overcooking, preserving by unnatural methods, using artificial growth hormones, and expecting a can of peaches to last 2 years on a shelf. This is not natural. I live in Maine, and God created the food that grows here to keep well here. If you expect oranges, melons, and peaches to last the winter, you would have to use some serious preservatives, all which either take something good out of, or introduce something bad into our food.
If, however, we plant and eat apples, carrots, parsnips, turnips, squash, and a host of other items the preserve well in our climate, you don't need to do much to keep them good. This is part of our aim at this point. Anyone who has read here knows that we are trying to do our best living on our "1 acre homestead" which most would consider ludicrous. I think it can be done with a little hard work( which we all need) and some time investment.
I will detail later what our plan includes, but for now, the kids just got up and we have chores to do. We also will be eating whole wheat toast, with home made peanut butter, served alongside organically produced eggs from our chickens and a glass of milk (still working on how to get a cow here) that is un-messed-around- with and from a local farm that treats their cows right. In such a short time, I have not seen results on the scale end of things (it won't read my weight because I am over its capacity right now, OUCH!!) I feel better and through the aches and pains can look back on each day knowing that today I worked hard to bring glory to the Lord with how I took care of the body He gave me. In time, it will be more evident and hopefully I will have less pain and be able to do more and more for Him.
Sorry to unload so much, but this is very important to me, and I feel it is something I have to do. We take for granted so much, including our health, and we must take charge of our situations and not allow the way we treat our bodies to affect how we serve our God.

Mark

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Anger, wrath, and disobedience to God- a call for change

This issue was brought to my attention lately, and I thought I would share my writings here. It is long, but I believe necessary. I have something else written, but will not share it just yet. Don't skip the reading because you may not think you need to hear it, it applies to us all.

Luke 6:27-29

I have often been wrong about this passage, having been asked many times about it, and wanting to be able to justify my own desires instead of putting myself under the authority of God. I wanted to be able to repay evil for evil, but a born again person, living under the power of God will not seek evil at all, even in revenge or anger.(Romans 12:17-19) We cannot go around demanding people respect us and do what we wish them to do. They will sin because they are sinners. We are not to repay evil, but to do what is good. (Matthew 5:43-44, 1 Peter 2:21-23)

They say two wrongs don’t make a right, and that is true. We can often fix a wrong with a right, though. Often, when we are mocked, disrespected, or persecuted, we get angry and lash out or threaten to. This is not how Jesus reacted. When He was persecuted, He fled to another city. He took the beatings that He did not deserve, and stood “ as a lamb to the slaughter” and “as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not his mouth” (Isaiah 53) We are not talking about a guy who was not able to stand up and clean house, but God in human form that denied his flesh and chose to take punishment that He did not deserve so that God’s will would be accomplished.

Jesus, on the cross, cried out “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” When He was enduring severe physical agony, exasperated and not recognizable as a man from the punishment, Jesus was more worried about the condition of their hearts than His own body. That is to be our example, and I have blown it many times trying to make myself feel better about my vengeful ways. That is not how Christ did things, and I should be patterning my behavior after Him. We judge a tree by the fruit it bears, and if a tree produces apples, it isn’t an orange tree. If it produces no fruit at all, it is dead. If we are Christians in deed, we will bear the fruit of Christ, not the fruit of sin and selfishness.

James 1:19-27
We should be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.
We need to be slow to wrath. A man who is quick tempered does not produce the righteousness which God expects from His children. Those who lose their temper give people the wrong impression(testimony) about Christianity. Overflow of wickedness- vices that are likened to soiled garments that are to be set aside. It refers to those forms of evil which are a holdover from our unconverted days. It also may refer to the sins that flow out of our lives and affect others. Anger, threats of violence, don’t reflect the love of God, but the wrath of man. In order to learn from and be changed by the word of God, we must be morally clean. We cannot expect God to use us when we refuse to make ourselves right before Him.

Another requirement for receiving divine truth is meekness. Often, we read the Bible and don’t think we need to change, or that it should affect us. We study academically, but don’t allow ourselves to be changed, hardening our heart toward God even though we are reading His word. If we refuse to listen AND put it to practice, we are wasting our time and the time of those who wish to help us grow. Christian men spend hours upon hours pouring over the Scripture preparing to share the Word of God with us, and that is God's plan. The Lord uses men to encourage each other in the Word, exhorting us to follow, and rebuking us when we are wrong. The term “implanted word” means that we need to not just try it on or live in the shallow end of the pool, but to immerse ourselves in God’s word, to implant or deposit the truths into our very being, and let God change us more into the image of His Son, Jesus.

The larger part of receiving the truth is obeying it. Refusing to be changed and live for Christ is nothing short of disobedience and is SIN. When the mirror of God’s word says “shave” you don’t think, “wow, maybe I will shave next week” or “I will try to shave if I can make the time” you just do it. If God's Word shows us we need to wash and make ourselves clean before our Lord and master, we need not think long and hard or make excuses, only obey. Religion could be defined as " external patterns of behavior connected with religious belief." Anyone who thinks he is religious that cannot control his tongue... his religion is useless. If what you believe does not get carried out in your life, what is the purpose of it? God is interested in us living a godly life of righteousness.

Galatians 5:18-21 Fruit of the flesh
When we walk in the flesh, we deny the spirit of God the place it deserves in our lives. The flesh is marked by adultery, uncleanness, idolatry, hatred, wrath, contentions, and selfish ambitions. These breed heresies, envy, and many other of the problems we see in churches. When we try to balance between living for ourselves and for God, we are not seeing the problem clearly. There can be no balance. God demands our all, everything we are and desire. We cannot serve two masters, for we will cling to one and hate the other.(Matthew 6) We cannot serve ourselves and God. There is no in between, and that is the hardest thing for me to work out. What does it look like in daily living to be completely sold out for God?

Galatians 5:22-23 Fruit of the Spirit
Love (the love of God, agape love, sacrificial and pure of heart), joy, peace, longsuffering (patience through afflictions and trials), gentleness or kindness, goodness (shown to others and lived out in our own lives) , faithfulness (to God and in our human dealings) self control (desires to sin, anger, wrath, all need to be kept in control). This is what we see in the lives of those who are truly saved, willing to seek what God has for them and not put their own ideas into God’s word, but to come broken and contrite before the Lord. When we are incapable or stubbornly set against what God shows us to do, and how we ought to live, we are spitting in the face of Almighty God. We who call ourselves by the name of Christ have no excuse to continue on in our old ways, living like we did before the Holy Spirit came into our hearts and changed us. It is not "how I always was" or "something to work on" but blatant defiance of God's instructions when we choose to disregard the Spirit's working in our lives. If we "walk in the Spirit, we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh."

Matthew 10:32-33
What is more reasonable that if you believe in Christ, that He is God, and subject yourself to Him, giving up your own life, and taking up His cross, that we should not deny God before men? We deny God when we say we believe in Him, but won’t be obedient to the scriptures. We deny God when we refuse to reach out in love, as commanded, to those who are dying and headed for hell. This is what we do when we ruin our testimony before men, and disregard the calling to share Christ with those we come in contact with.

Who do we fear, God or man? It would seem we fear men too often, and forget that God is not just a God of love, but also of justice and judgment of sin. Hell was created for a reason, and those who deny God will spend eternity reaping the consequences of the choice to walk after the flesh rather than follow a true, righteous, and holy God. This is all the more reason to follow God and not "lean unto our own understanding. In all our ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct our paths"(Proverbs 3:5-7)


Denial of Christ on earth will be repaid with denial before God in heaven. Anyone willing to deny Christ has not been regenerated by the spirit of God. If God has brought you new life, you will be changed. If you are not changed, or convicted of sin, then God does not truly live in you. You cannot have the Holy Spirit living in you and deny God. You are either changed or you are not. There is no fence to straddle, but more like a cliff. You either live with Christ, or die in the flesh. "Choose you this day whom you will serve, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."(Joshua 24:15,24)

Mark Cowperthwaite

Public education- time to step on some toes again!

PUBLIC SCHOOL
The state sponsored religious institution also known
as the "State Church Of Public Education" or SCOPE

A few questions regarding the idea of sending your children off to people you barely know, assuming they will carry out your will in regards to the education of your children. Let’s start with the basics.

What does religion teach?
-origins
-purpose
-ethics
-behavior
-hope for the future
-priorities

Doesn't the public school system teach the same things, but all from the very religious perspectives as the following religious thoughts?
-atheism ( no God in origins, evolution, no difference in man and animal)
-humanism (man is hope for future/ savior or himself)
-relativism( no absolute standards or truth)
-multi-culturalism( all beliefs are equal and equally valid)

Isn't it included in my rights the free exercise of religion to keep my children away from opposing religious beliefs being indoctrinated in my children? What does the freedom of religion and separation of church and state mean if not freedom from a state mandated religious system? Must I even register my children with the state sponsored"State Church of Public Education"?

Is it God's will for Christian parents to hand their responsibility of training their children over to the ungodly? The Bible commands us often to instruct our children in God’s Word, and keep them from evil and false teachers. Does God desire for Christian parents to be "unequally yoked" with godless schools in an attempt to raise Godly children? It is clear in scripture that we are not to be bound together with ungodly people, and it would logically follow that we should not work together with a group that holds true faith in God as the one thing they refuse to be tolerant of.

Does God place a higher priority on academic education or on training in righteousness? Does any Christian believe that children can be properly trained in godliness by the ungodly? Yet many Christians send their children off to be trained in this tainted and deceptive world view that denies God.

Can we teach God's Word to our children diligently, talking about it (Deut 6:7)"when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up" when the spend half of each day's waking hours in an ungodly environment that forbids mention of God or His Word? I think anyone who honestly seeks God’s will in this area will know the obvious answers and is commanded to take charge of the situation for the protection and future of our children.

Allowing your children to continue to be brainwashed by a religious viewpoint that denies God’s very existence is tantamount to handing them over for indoctrination. Do not wait another day, take action today. Take responsibility. God gave your children to you to take care of, teach and instruct in His ways. Every day in a public school takes them further into the pit of lies and deception. They are receiving a mixed message that their parents care about them and live out their faith, yet they send the most precious and susceptible members of our society to the dogs.

How can Christians willingly place their children under the authority of ungodly teachers and school administrators? Every aspect of the state church of public education has stated goals, methods, and core beliefs that directly oppose the tenets of Christian faith, yet Christians send their little ones off to the pit of sin and godless thought and somehow believe that their children are mature, fully trained missionaries ready to assail Satan's greatest stronghold in western society the SCOPE. Most adults are not mature enough in their faith to be able to withstand the brainwashing of a secular work environment. These are adults who should be able to stand up for themselves. How much less is a child able to withstand when they are commanded by their parents to submit to an authority that is working directly against what a Christian family should stand for.


As Peter told the council "We must obey God rather than man" in Acts 5:29, Paul exhorts believer to "be in subjection to the governing authorities" except when the governing authorities contradict God (Rom 13:1) In that case, we fall back on Peter's response in Acts. In scripture, God never directs children to be placed under the authority of the ungodly, nor does He give responsibility for raising Godly children to any besides their parents.

Paul writes in Ephesians 6:4 "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord" Raising children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord is not possible at godless schools by ungodly teachers amidst ungodly peers. Thus the SCOPE provokes children to anger. How much more difficult can it be for a young child than to be told that “mommy and daddy are not trained to be teachers” or “mommy has to go to work”, and seeing your children grow up years later and realize that you were more focused on money, fun, vacations, politics, tv, and everything else than their well being?

I have lived it, and seen it in many that I am close with. You might as well tell the truth that you have chosen not to be obedient to God and trust Him to provide for your family while you take seriously the task of raising children up for God. Confess to them that you would rather go to work then spend time with them. It is nothing more than pure selfishness to go buy a new car, or go on a wonderful vacation, shop for things you don’t need nor will glorify God , spending the money you made while you left your children to the care of someone other than you.

I have run the numbers on minimum wage jobs, and my family lives on less than a single wage earner would make at minimum wage working 40 hours a week. I have 3 kids and a home. We do not go without, and we never have. We give to the Lord and often to things that God shows us we should give to, yet we still have a roof over our heads, clothes to wear, and food on our table. Don’t use the excuse that “it takes 2 incomes to survive nowadays” because I don’t know anyone in this country that just “survives,” On the contrary, most have nice ( or multiple) cars, cable tv, internet, computers, vacations, movie nights, pets, and a host of other things that spend money gained at the expense of raising our children properly. If we need to downsize our home, fine. If we need to skip the vacation, but get to raise our children properly, and do it ourselves, it is worth it. We have many things, and would readily give them up if we had to for the sake of raising our children properly. We have not had to make those choices, but we have already decided what would go first if the need arises. Honestly search what needs to go so that you can keep your kids home.

Another excuse is that “we aren’t educated enough to teach them” and this one bothers me. God blesses us with children, and “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me” means just what it says. It means that if God gives us a task, He will provide what we need to fulfill that task. He never leaves us stranded when we follow after Him and make our lives all about Him. “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” sure makes it clear that if we reach out in faith, believing that we need to follow after His kingdom and His righteousness, then He will take care of the details. The problem is we are so accustomed to living how we want and doing what we please that we disregard what God has told us to do. We are not here on this earth to serve ourselves, but to serve God, the creator, master, and Lord of all creation. Many times we want Jesus as Savior, but not allow Him to be Lord over all.

The Israelites were repeatedly warned against (and punished for) intermarrying with the heathen nations. Why? Because it brings compromise and idolatry into the hearts of God's people. Christians have no partnerships with the ungodly institutions of the world, chief among which is the SCOPE. When Christians submit themselves to its authority, they immediately begin a losing battle of compromise with the world. Christians are called to be "in the world but not of the world" Taking any part in the state sponsored religious indoctrination of children definitely crosses the line into "being of the world."

Belonging to the PTA does not make the SCOPE better. It is flawed and cannot be turned around. All the politics and voting will not change the state of the world. Only when our nation gives themselves over to God will we see any change. I pray that will happen, but our time is not spent wisely trying to convince unsaved politicians of our plans. Unsaved politicians will not work to bring God back into the schools, and it is a waste of time to try when God called us as parents to teach our children, raising them in the truth of God’s Word. It is not their responsibility, but ours alone. Nothing will change unless the nations gets on their knees before an almighty God. That day will come, but from what I read it isn’t going to be through political campaigns or PTA meetings, but Christians taking up the roles that God set forth from the beginning of time, and being obedient in our homes, our marriages, and with our children.

Paul admonishes Christians in Romans 12:2 "do not be conformed to this world". We must not believe the propaganda. These are brainwashing forces at work constantly trying to convince Christians that public schools are necessary, academic achievement is of highest importance, faith can be taught sufficiently on Sunday mornings, children need peer socialization, morality can be
maintained in godless schools, etc. etc. These are lies directly from the father of lies, Satan. They are aimed at the hearts of Christian parents by the SCOPE to control our children. I for one will not stand back and send them on a bus, deluding myself that there is any good to be gained from the public school system.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Sheep and cows in the future

We have put in our order for 2 sheep. They were born in March and will be weaned in late May or early June. We ordered them from a local organic farm and will be growing them out until September for meat. They should be about 100 lbs. by then. They should dress out to about 50-55 lbs of meat each and we will probably keep the pelts. The chickens will be done before that, most likely. I would like to have planned it so I could go to the butcher once, but chickens don't do so well in the heat of late July and August. We may decide to do the chickens at the same time, will have to see what comes this spring.

Lamb meat will be a great addition to our little homestead, and the cost is minimal since they eat mostly grass. Ruminants (cows, goats, sheep) do the best for meat production with minimal expenses. That leads us to the next step.

After milking Justin's cows a few times, and the kids getting used to having fresh milk, we have been talking more lately about keeping a dairy cow just for the family. I have no interest in selling anything or dealing with anyone else wanting our milk, but a family cow really has a ton of benefits. We use milk, make yogurt, kefir, and could make cheese also. Along with that, the excess and by products could help the other animals in weight gain and health.

We have figured the costs involved and the time and effort needed, and will not be able to have a cow this year or most likely next year. We will have sheep for meat and probably a calf for meat next year. By the time we are ready for a cow, Nathaniel will be 14, Virginia will be 7, and they can do much of the work involved. I can also milk, as can Sara.

The only major issue is that of needing to be on a fairly strict schedule. With a cow needing to be milked twice a day for 10 months out of the year, we would have to make sure we are home. While we may be able to get someone to relieve us in emergencies, I don't want to count on anyone but us. We would have a few months (most likely in the spring) that we would not need to be here and could travel away from home for the night if need be. We have only stayed the night away from here once in the past year or so, so this is not a big deal for us. We have a year at least to figure out the details, and welcome input from those who have experience. The great part about a milk cow is that we would get a calf each year that would gain weight well from mother's milk. We can keep the calf for veal, nursing on the mother, and let them live for about 3 months. I don't know if that is technically veal, or baby beef, but a nice tender and tasty meat.

So, with the expanded garden, chickens, lambs, and fruit trees being planted, we are on our way to being self sufficient. We are not there yet, and it will take years, but the 1 acre homestead is taking shape. We will produce twice as much meat here this year as last year, and 4 times the veggies, at least. Couple that with having more manure available to us, we should have a great year. There is much work to be done, but we love doing it, and the kids are good workers, too.
Well, that is it for today, but I am working on a Bible study that I will share soon. Hope all is well, may God richly bless.

Mark Cowperthwaite
1 acre homesteader