Local Boy Makes Good

For those of you who may have missed it or live outside the Waco area, our very own David Cole, farm manager here at WHRI, made it on to the cover of the Waco-Trib today with an article highlighting the recent conversion of his diesel pickup to run on vegetable oil. 

While we are very proud of David, the best dang farm manager around, we were a little surprised to see that the article made no mention of the real reason that he first became interested in using vegetable oil as an alternative fuel source - his frightening addiction to chicken fingers.  Seriously.  He needs help.

YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE BECAUSE THERE IS A REASON

Have you ever asked yourself the question why am I who I am? Have you ever pondered over why you are not a citizen of any other country than your native country or even why you are from a particular location of your country of origin? One more thing you might not have ever considered is why you have met certain people in your life.

Whatever it is I just want to remind whoever has the opportunity to read this short article to rethink critical at the above questions and several other unasked questions about who we are in life and what is expected of us in our walk on this planet.

Certainly there is a reason why you came to this planet through certain particular parents and a location different from other people. Again there is certainly a reason why certain resources are made available to you in life. How conscious are you with regards to the resources around you considering countless number of people who might not be privilege to have such an opportunity. “To who much is given much is required”

This is my first time of blogging on the internet so I do not want to write much but you will certainly have the opportunity to read very interesting and thought provoking articles from me by the grace of God.

Before I sign off I believe that I will do you a lot of good if I give you a clue as to how you can get answers to the questions raised above. Jeremiah 1:5 (you may read the verse 5 to the end of chapter 1) gives us a good guidance by showing us where we actually come from and from where we can have the maps of our lives for our walk on this earth.

Just ask the Lord who fashioned you and has in hands every step you need to take and every relationship you need to make on this earth to fulfill why He made you. I assure you that He will be ever willing to answer and direct you.

You might not be convinced about what I am taking about if you are very conservative in life but I am not forcing you to go along with what I am convicted of but all that I trying to do is to remind you that life will be very frustrating to you if you make any attempt to reject why He made you and be struggling to fulfill some other person or persons reason for being.

Thanks for your patience and for making time to read this. I will catch you some other time.

Stay Blessed

Samson Abukari

beauty

Hello again from Nicholas. I have heard that it is customary to "blog" on the weekends that you have "farm duty." And so, this weekend I drew the straw for weekend duty. Furthermore, because I am finding myself with a bit of free time, I thought I would share another meditation that may get lost in the shuffle:

The beauty on the WHRI farm is incredible. But, for me, the appreciation has been growing. When I first came here, I noticed un-mowed grass, clumps of weeds, a messy barn, and many other things that to the 21st century eye (addicted to plastic, artificial things) might seem a bit unkempt and "messy." But, it is in these things that I am finding more and more beauty. The farm acts as a boundary between nature and man, and everywhere the two meet, beauty flourishes...in the rusted farm equipment, in the compost piles, in the community kitchen and its myriad of nooks and crannies, in the garden and its furrows and beds, in the blooms, the farmcats, and the farm family(ie)s. Wherever labor is sown, order is grown from chaos, and creativity brings forth beauty.

I am just amazed and so grateful to be on this lovely farm. It has started to refine my "type A" personality and humble me in ways I didn't know needed it. Thank you God, and thank you farm for being so beyond my "control" that it is laughable.

the "pen-ultimate"

Hello all from one of the newest farm members!!! My name is Nicholas Waters, Idaho native, and grass fed; I come to Texas with my amazing wife Molly Scott Waters and am so excited to be on the farm...I am learning so much with each passing day. The ins-and-outs of bee-keeping details: queens, bee-space, drones, workers, broods, capped-honey, swarming; how to prune and side dress tomato vines; goat milking, and the differences between a larva and nymph, as they relate to complete and incomplete insect metamorphoses.

However, amidst all the newness (of schedule, surroundings, knowledge, responsibilities, friends, community, and cockroaches) there has been one meditation in my heart that has remained constant, and seems to be growing in my heart: that of the "penultimate." The penultimate refers to "that which comes right before the last." i.e. "the penultimate chapter of the book." So, in my estimation, it is a thing which is probably quite important (in that it is leading up to the ultimate, or conclusion), but it, in and of itself, is not the end.

And so, being on the farm and not only thinking about the importance of sustainable agriculture, organics, local-food production, but believing in it and being a part of it, I am even more resolved that these things are not the ultimate...they are "penultimate"...in a certain sense. Are we living, dying, and putting our ultimate hopes in these things? Do we entrust our very souls and spirits to them? May it never be so.

"For since the creation of the world His invisible attribute are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful , but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man...[they] exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen" -Romans 1:20-25

The ultimate is God, and our "worship" should be directed to Him alone (an object or being of worship is that which we profess to be of ultimate worth...and as God is of ultimate worth, He is the only thing of worth, for everything else of worth: goodness, truth, love, and purity, flow from Him) . So, Jesus may you direct our hearts, our minds, our lives toward things that bring you glory. May you lead our minds and efforts towards things that you are blessing. May Jesus have the glory, honor, fame, and praise that is due His name!!!

In Christ,
Nicholas

Chicks and Goat Kids

Hey all you fine folk out there! I wanted to let you all know of some opportunities to take home a bit of the farm with you to your very own home!

Goat Kids for sale!!

...Remember that blog back in February about all the kids who were born?!
They are all weaned now, being over 3 months old and we want to sell them!

~ Does: $50
~ Wethers (boys): $40
~ Also 1-yr-old Wethers: $70 (these are quite a bit bigger, 60-80lbs)

They are a fine looking bunch and weigh in around 40 lbs. each, give or take. So, if you have a piece of land and need an animal to keep down the brush, want to raise a doe that can be a future milker, have a palate for goat, or any number of other things, come take a look, give us a call, or email Jocelyne at the farm's livestock address (can be found here.)

Chicks for sale!!

We have a bunch of chicks that were incubated by local school children in their classrooms. If you want to start raising your own chickens for eggs rather than buy them at the store, come and see our selection! We have some ranging from newborn to 3 months old.

~ Chicks: $3 - $8 (depending on their age when you buy them)

At about 5 months old your hens will start to lay and you won't be disappointed in the superior taste of home-grown eggs over store-bought! With 2 hens you should get around 1 dozen eggs a week! They love grass, fresh water, scratching the ground to find bugs and worms, need minimal looking after, don't require much feed (mostly for a protein source), and are all-around hardy birds!