Around the Farm

Our family spends many afternoons riding around the farm in order to break up long days and survey the land around us; on these days, I often grab my camera to take pictures of the crops or of nature in general.  The landscape is ever changing, and beauty presents itself in many forms.  Before moving to the Delta, I seemed always to picture flat land and power polls.  Now, I see something lovely on every turn row. 

Please forgive my lack of photography skills.  Beauty is easier to see than it is to capture.  I hope to learn to use my camera properly one of these days.  Right now it is hard to find time between digging crayons out of Walker's mouth (he's a fiend), cooking and cleaning, and wrangling our precious 3-year-old and a 1-year-old.



 

Watching weather move in across the flat land of the Delta is an amazing sight.

 

Soybean field

 

 

Beautiful bayou area adjacent to the farm property

 

Cane Lake

 

Cattails



 

 

 

 

 

 

Meet Audrey

 

 

A Delta sunset is something to see in person.  My picture doesn't do it justice.

 

 

 



Farm Life 101

We have now been living in the Delta for a year, so I thought I would write a little bit about the farm.  David's family's farm is called Arant Acres, and it is located between Greenwood and Cleveland.  We grow corn, soybeans, and rice.  I say we, and by that I mean the family members that take part in the farming process.  I do not drive a tractor, combine, or any other piece of equipment, but every member of a farm family gives in some way to the operation.  Farmers work long, hard hours, and farmers' wives also put in long hours at home.  Farming in the Delta is probably a little different from what most people think of when they hear the word "farm."  We have no red barn, cows, horses, pigs, goats, etc.  The farm operation is industrialized, which means we use large, complex equipment to plant, grow, and harvest crops.  The crops produced on our farm help to feed animals and families all over the United States of America. 

Corn

  

 Soybeans

 

Close-Up of Soybeans

 

Rice

 Farm boys

 



Farm life revolves around the four seasons and the various tasks that must be accomplished in order to have a successful harvest.  I have never in my life cared so much about the weather, but now it affects my family's livelihood and everyday schedule. 

Spring/ Planting: 

Corn, soybeans, and rice are all planted in the spring when the ground warms up enough for a seed to germinate.  Usually, planting begins in March, and the first crop to be planted is corn.  This year's spring was quite rainy and much cooler than usual, so planting was a little more difficult.  We were able to see more of David than we normally would during planting because he couldn't do as much work in the rain.  He was really busy running water furrows in order to drain the water off of the fields.  A water furrow is a small trench cut in a field with special tires on a four-wheeler.  This process prevents the water from staying on the field and damaging the crop.  Rice was the second crop planted, and the last was soybeans.  After the seeds are in the ground, the wait for them to germinate begins.  After 10-14 days, the plants emerge from the ground, and the stand is evaluated (the stand is number of plants per acre; you don't want too many or too few plants).  For example, the ideal stand for corn is between 30,000- 34,000 plants per acre, depending upon the variety.

 Carver with the planter

 

 If you look closely in that hole, you will see a tiny pink corn seed.



 

The light green in the background is the beginning of a stand of corn. 

 

Summer/ Irrigation and Growth:

 

As the weather warms, the crops begin to grow steadily.  The corn gets taller, puts out tassels, and makes an ear.  The soybeans get dark green and bushy, bloom, and produce pods.  The rice grows tall and produces a seed head.  The crops need the warm weather to grow and to pollinate, but it also gets tricky with the weather.  The corn needs temperatures under 85 degrees in order to pollinate.  Like I said before, everything relies on the weather.  Ideal temperatures produce the best yields.  With summer's hot temperatures, the need for water also increases.  Farmers irrigate their fields in order to water the crops when rain is scarce. David is in charge of irrigation this year, and it is a busy job.  Watering crops requires constant monitoring.  Irrigation at Arant Acres begins by running polypipe along the upstream end of a field; polypipe is made of a thin plastic material and looks like a big water hose with holes punched into it.  The pipe is then connected to a water source and holes are punched into it so that the water flows down each row in the field.  A good rain alleviates the need for irrigation and also conserves water and fuel on the farm.  David has been working really hard to evaluate the farm's water use efficiency and has implemented new strategies for conservation this year.  Summer is also the time when crops have to be sprayed with chemical in order to prevent weed growth and bug infestations.  With such a large farming operation, the use of chemicals is a necessity in controlling these yield-robbers.

 

This is polypipe.  Notice the water shooting down each crop row.

 

David swapping a line of pipe.  These are not his normal work clothes, but the water must be checked all day every day/ night.



David working on a power unit.  Power units provide a source of power for pumping water.

 



Fall/ Harvest and Field Prep:

 

Once the crops mature, it is time for harvest.  The combines are rolled out to begin bringing in the crops.  The combine is a huge machine that cuts the stalk, separates the seed, and transfers the seed to grain trucks or dollies.  The seed is then taken to the grain bins for drying and storage.  David drives the combine, and let me tell you, the hours are LONG.  They cut the crops from sun up to past sun down.  The combines run non-stop (minus breakdowns), and he eats lunch on the go.  During the long days, the kids and I go for visits.  Carver loved riding last year, and I know Walker will be so excited to ride this year.  He has a love of buttons, and the high-tech combines have TONS of buttons.  After the fields are harvested, they have to be prepared for the next year's crop.  They must be disked (tilled) and rowed up for beans and corn.  Rice fields are left flat.  The more field work they get done in the fall, the less work they have to do before planting in the spring.

 

Combine without the header attachment

 

Winter/ Shop Work, Hunting, and Family Time:

 

Winter brings a welcomed break around the farm.  The pace is slower and allows for more family time.  During this time of year, David, his dad, and uncle work on repairing and constructing new equipment to use during the busy parts of the year.  David is an avid hunter and is able to pursue this hobby in the winter before work.  On most early winter mornings, he can be found in a deer stand or a duck blind.  In the winter, we are also able to go on vacation. Spring, summer, and fall are busy for farmers, so David is not able to get away.  We utilize the winter to spend lots of time together and enjoy our family.

 

Vacation with David's family

 

Vacation with my family

 

One of David's hunting conquests

 



Fun in Pascagoula!

Last week I decided to take the boys to spend some time in Pascagoula with my family.  Tackling a five hour drive alone with Carver and Walker is sometimes tricky, so we decided to hitch a ride with my sister.  She and my brother-in-law were in Jackson for a tennis tournament, so David took us to meet them on Sunday. 

We always have a ton of things that we plan to do while on the Coast, but we usually end up having to scale back because the kiddos get tired and things just take longer than I plan for them to take.  We had hoped to go to the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, and I had wanted to call a few of my friends to get together and catch up; however, both of those agenda items got put off until next time.

Here is a rundown of our week:

On Sunday, we got up super early so that we could get dressed and drive to Jackson to attend church at Trinity.  We miss our old church and love getting to worship there when we have the chance.  I got to see Carrie and many of our church friends, so that was super nice.  After church, we went to lunch at Honey Baked Ham and then ran to Dillard's.  I really wanted a new swim suit, so I thought that I could run in, try a few, and get David's input.  Well, we ended up only having about twenty minutes until I had to meet my sister, so, obviously, I didn't have much success.  Bathing suit shopping is so hard!!!  I bought three to take and try, and we ran out to the parking lot to load our stuff in my sister's car.  The ride to Pascagoula was blissfully uneventful (well, minus Walker receiving a light kick in the face from his older brother).  I was so thankful that we had no crazy potty stops!  Usually, when I am by myself, Carver has to go to the potty a couple of times, and that is somewhat stressful because I have to tote them both inside and get Carver on and off the potty while holding Walker.  If you know me, you probably know that germy places like public bathrooms give me the heebie-jeebies, so suffice it to say that my children are making me a stronger person.  But, I digress.  We made it safely to Pascagoula and had a low-key night with my family.

Monday came bright and early.  Both boys were up before 6:30 ready to start the day, but it was raining.  We stayed inside and visited until around lunch time.  After lunch, I put Walker down for his nap, and Carver and I went shopping in Gulfport with my mom and my nephew Caleb.  My dad was so sweet to keep Walker.  Papa is Walker's favorite person, so they had a good time at home.  We picked up a few things at the Outlet Mall and then went to the Dillard's in Biloxi to try to find a bathing suit for me.  The three from Sunday were no's.  After a ridiculous amount of trying-on, I found one I liked.  Everyone was tired after that excursion, so we went back home. 

The early wake-up time repeated itself on Tuesday.  We had our morning coffee and started getting ready for the day.  Walker took a morning nap while I finished getting dressed and worked with Carver on some of his letter E activities.  I ran and got some Edd's for lunch.  If you aren't from the Coast, Edd's is a legendary Pascagoula hamburger joint that has been there since the 1950's.  They have awesome chili-cheese burgers and milkshakes.  When we finished our lunch, we loaded up and went to The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies in Gulfport.  The kids got to see a cockatoo, stingrays, nurse sharks, horseshoe crabs, and dolphins.  Both of my boys loved the dolphin show, and I really enjoyed the touch-pool.  I thought Carver would love touching the sharks and stingrays, but he was very nervous about it.  He liked to watch me do it, though.  At the end of the day, we were all hot and exhausted.  Walker had kept us especially busy chasing after him.  My parents and I took the boys to grab a quick supper, and then we put them to bed early!

At the touch pools with Carver and Alex. 



 Walker, Papa, and Caleb

 

 Sweetness and mischief rolled into one!

 

The boys decided to sleep in on Wednesday and woke up at 7.  Ha!  They were just too excited to be at Nanny and Papa's.  We had thought about going to Lynn Meadows but decided against it because the boys were tired from the day before.  I didn't want to overwhelm them by cramming their schedules full, so we opted to go to the library for story time.  We explored the kids section, did some coloring, and checked out a few books on tape for our ride home.  The Pascagoula library had a huge section of audio books for kids, and I was so excited to find Winnie-the-Pooh, Farmer Boy, and James Herriot's Treasury for Children: Warm and Joyful Animal Tales.  We have particularly enjoyed Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  Much of it is above Carver's head, but he likes trying to listen and asks many questions about what he hears.  After the library, we stopped by Edd's again.  This time we got a strawberry milkshake as a special treat.  Dad made BLT's for lunch with tomatoes from his garden.  They were delicious!  After lunch, Walker went down for a nap, and Carver and I got ready to go to the pool with my sister and my nephew Alex.  While we waited for her to get off of work, we went through old pictures.  I always love looking back at those photos because they provide many laughs and fond recollections.  I really think I went through the most awkward stage of anyone in my family.  Some of the pictures are hysterical...think big glasses, high-waters, and a polaroid camera around my neck! We had a good time at the pool.  Carver is really enjoying the water this year, and the Puddle Jumper has been an amazing help.  While we were swimming, Nanny and Papa were spoiling Walker.  He learned quickly where the Vanilla Wafers were kept and figured out how to get as many as he liked. :)  Carver got to spend the night at Aunt Mandy's for the first time on Wednesday and loved it so much that he was sad to come back to my mom's on Thursday!

We met my Aunt Sharon for breakfast on Thursday morning.  It was great to catch up, and afterwards my Dad and I took Carver to the beach to dig in the sand while Walker took a nap.  I was sad that Walker didn't get to go, but it worked out for the best because the sweet baby eats everything; I can't imagine that sand digests well!!!  We built a little castle, but we didn't stay long because it was really hot.  My sister and I had planned a 40th anniversary dinner for my parents that night, so when the kids went down for their afternoon naps, we got busy.  I cut some flowers from my mom's yard, gathered up some old pictures that I had found of my parents through the years, and headed to my sister's to decorate.  I arranged the flowers, and Mandy (my sister) worked on some of the other details.  My parents knew that we were going to have a dinner together and that my sister's friend was catering it, but they didn't know that we had invited a few guests to help us celebrate.  The night was a success, and we had a great time celebrating a wonderful marriage that has lasted 40 years!  My parents have really set a great example for us. 

 The table

 

 Pictures through the years

 

 Happy 40th Wedding Anniversary!

 

We packed up on Friday to head back to the Delta.  Before we left, we stopped by to see my neighbor Kay in a rehabilitation facility.  She fell and broke her leg quite a while back and is making great progress!  She is more like a grandmother to me than a neighbor, and we were so happy to get to visit with her.  The boys provided excellent entertainment!  The ride back was pretty good, but we were happy to be out of the car.  I was so thankful that my parents were more than willing to bring us back home.  They stayed the night on Friday, and we all drove to Kosciusko on Saturday to pick up part of a grass-fed cow that we had ordered together.  From there, we parted ways.  I am always so sad to see my parents go home, but I look forward to our next visit. 

The boys and I were so happy to see David, and it is always nice to get back into a routine.  Both of my boys do really well on a schedule, and so does their mama for that matter!

Moving to the Delta

When David and I got married, I always knew that there was a possibility that we would end up in the Delta.  He is a Delta boy through and through, and for those who might not know what that means, I'll give you the run down of my particular Delta boy:

• He loves to work hard and stay busy.
• It is preferable that the work be outside.
• He loves to hunt, and by hunt, I mean he hunts it all....deer, duck, dove, hogs.  Mostly, he pursues the typical animals for hunting, but if a beaver is causing trouble in a pipe or an armadillo is digging in a flower bed, it better watch out. 
• He likes the country and country music for that matter.
• He loves the place where he grew up and where his family has farmed for generations.

Well, after college, we moved to Jackson, got married, and started our life together.  David worked as an engineer for a great company, and we made great friends.  We loved our life in Jackson, but it was not to be our home forever.

As an engineer David spent most of his time behind a desk.  He loved many aspects of his job, but as evidenced from the description above, it was no surprise when he grew restless. His job in Jackson was not what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.  At that point, he began to mention the possibility of farming, and I began brainstorming other jobs that he might enjoy doing because moving to the Delta was not what I wanted to do.  In fact, I had a whole list of reason for not wanting to move our family.  We had our church and our friends, and we were located about halfway between our families.  Moving to the Delta meant that I would be five hours away from my parents and sister.  Other problems included schooling and housing.  The issue of where our children would attend school was a huge point of contention for me, and we had just bought a new house that we both loved.  David also shared these and other concerns, so it didn't really seem like a viable option.  My view was that if I was supposed to move to the Delta then God would have to change my heart, and change it he did.

In the summer of 2011, my Bible study group read Francis Chan's Crazy Love.  While reading this book, God began to change my stubborn will.  My heart started softening toward the idea of moving to somewhere that didn't suit my selfish fancy.  Here are a couple of quotes from the book that really struck home at the time:

• “But God doesn't call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn't come through.”  ― Francis Chan, Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God

• “It is true that God may have called you to be exactly where you are. But, it is absolutely vital to grasp that he didn’t call you there so you could settle in and live your life in comfort and superficial peace.”   ― Francis Chan, Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit

It was around this time that David and I decided that we would start praying about the possibility of moving to the Delta.  We also sought advice from our parents and friends, and we asked God to show us clearly what He would have us to do.  After much prayer and discussion, we both felt led to put our house on the market and to begin the process of looking for possible housing in the Delta.  I had come to see that while my concerns were valid, they were areas of my life that I was seeking to control instead of first seeking God's will for our family.  He showed me that no obstacles were too big for Him.  I also found a real peace in knowing that it is much better to obey God and go where he leads, even if it is not my "ideal" situation, than it is to stay in a place where he has not called me, even if it has the convenience of a Target and multiple good schools and a spacious home.  He graciously reminded me that I had a loving husband who worked extremely hard for me to be able to fulfill my dream of staying at home and raising our children and that I could live this dream out anywhere in the world; my husband's dream job, for which God uniquely gifted him, could only be done in Ruleville, MS. 

Once we listed our house, God continued to give us amazing confirmation that this move was what He intended for our family.  Our house sold to the one and only couple who looked at it.  It had been on the market (for sale by owner) for less than two weeks when we got the contract.  In a slow housing market, this was a miracle!  At the same time, we found a house to rent in Ruleville.  God's timing and provisions were perfect! 

Leaving was still hard.  Really hard.  We were incredibly sad to leave our friends and our church family.  Our last church services as members of Trinity were so heartbreaking.  I cried and cried at the thought of saying goodbye.  When we left Jackson, it really felt like we were leaving a little of our hearts behind, but God was faithful even in the hard times.  Through it all, we felt His peace and knew that he was guiding us all the way. 

At a farewell party that our Sunday School class gave us, our friends prayed for us and for our transition.  It was such a touching time of prayer, and it really strengthened us.  One of the prayers in particular has remained with me and has been a good reminder when things are less than ideal.  It went something like this (I can't remember it all because I was crying like a baby):  "God the Delta is a place full of brokenness, and we know that this is not how You created the world to be.  When David and Rebekkah look out and see the brokenness all around them, remind them that You came to fix all of the brokenness.  We pray that they would reflect Your image to those around them and that they would show Your love to those they meet.  Even though it is sad to say goodbye, we know that one day there will be no goodbyes and that we will all worship you together in Heaven." This prayer reminds me that God has us in the Delta for a purpose, and I am so thankful for his many provisions.  I am thankful that He is a God who reveals His will to us and who walks with us every step of the way.  We are still in some ways transitioning and are still looking for ways to serve in the community, but we know that he will be faithful to lead us in these areas too.

In some ways this post has been hard to write because it is difficult to capture all of the details and emotions that were involved in making this decision, but I hope that I have given some insight into our big move.  We  are so happy where we are now and know that we have made the best choice for our family.  I look forward to sharing some of the details of our life on the farm!

Hello, Blog! Long Time No See!

So, about three years ago, I decided to start a blog. I wrote a whopping seven posts and abandoned my poor blog. So many things have changed in those three years; to name a few, we have added sweet Walker to our family, moved to the Delta, and lost Kimber, one of our beloved dogs.

 

 

 

 

I have decided to blog again because I think writing will be a good outlet for me and a nice way to document our new life on the farm. Also, I want our old friends to be able to keep up with us. I find myself feeling like I keep up with my best friend Carrie because I read her blog and know what is going on in her life, but it occurred to me recently that she probably doesn't get that kind of detail about my life through our texts. I hope this will be another way to keep up with friendships. We also love having visitors on the farm, so all you Jackson folks need to plan a little day trip.

Hopefully, I will have a better blogging record on this second attempt, but I am not making any promises. Haha! My two little boys keep me pretty busy!

Here's to new beginnings! I plan to document our life changes very soon.

A Heavy Heart

Okay, so it was another bad week for blogging. I am not sure why I haven't been keeping up with my posts, but I will try hard this week. I am going to the beach on Thursday, so, hopefully, I can get a few in before I leave. I want to add Part 2 to the "David and Rebekkah Story," and I want to write Carver's six month post (6 months has gone by at the speed of light). Before I write those, I want to share the heartbreaking story that we heard at church about orphans in Odessa, Ukraine.

At our evening service, Michelle Maly, a missionary to Ukraine spoke to us about her work in Odessa. In Odessa, she spends the school year working with the children of Internot Orphanage and showing them the love of Christ. She is not allowed to share the Gospel explicitly, but she forms relationships with them so that they may see Christ through her. During the summers, she travels around the U.S. telling these children's stories and promoting adoption. She began by telling us the story of Andrei, a 15 year-old-boy whose mother emotionally and physically abused him for 14 years of his life and then decided to give him to the orphanage. She ended by showing a video that left me burdened for these children.

All of the children where Michelle works are between the ages of 11-18. They are not given a good education, and they are not equipped for the work force. Essentially, they are fed and housed. The statistics are daunting: upon leaving, 10% of the orphans will commit suicide, 60% of females will be lured into prostitution (orphans are specifically targeted), 70% of males will lead a life of crime, and only 27% will find employment. How much difference a home full of love (specifically a love for Christ) could make for these children! She said that these children's dream is to be adopted one day.

My heart has been heavy for these orphans, and I hope that it stays that way so that I will continue to pray diligently for these children. David and I picked up two of their pictures and have committed to pray for them. Our "boys" are Vitya (13) and Shasha (9). Michelle has emailed us with specific information about how we can pray for these boys. The stories are so sad! After church on Sunday, I cried and cried thinking about how these children do not have a mother to hug them, sing to them, read a Bible story to them, or even to fix them supper at night. Every day of my life is spent thinking of ways that I can love my son, and these poor children do not have anything close to that. I cannot imagine a life without the love of a mother and father.

My initial reaction was to hop a plane to the Ukraine and bring home about 10 of these children, but that is obviously not possible. Upon further research, I have learned that couples wanting to adopt have to spend at least a month in the Ukraine and that the process is often up to the whims of government officials. Adoption is definitely a calling, and with a 6 month old, I don't think that we are called to adopt a child from the Ukraine right now; however, I do hope that if God would have us to adopt one day that we would be ready and willing to answer his call. I cannot imagine the joys that welcoming a child from this orphanage (or anywhere) would bring.

All we can do at this point is pray for these children, and I ask that if they come to your mind that you would say a prayer for them too. As much as the love of a mother and father would mean to these children, it is most important that they come to know the love of their Heavenly Father. If you are interested in praying for a specific child or in adopting, you can email Michelle at michellevonjoy@juno.com.

A Moving Read

Sorry that I have not updated the blog lately. Our schedule was a little different, and I haven't seemed to be able to find time to blog. I have quite a few posts that I want to write, but I thought that I would start with this one because I haven't been able to stop thinking about this book since I finished it.

A few weeks ago, I checked out Same Kind of Different as Me from our church library. I saw a friend reading it, and I heard that it was good; however, it is not the type of book that I would necessarily pick up to read. It is non-fiction, and, typically, I am a fiction type of gal. During our church's Arts and Sports Camp (sort of like VBS), I noticed it in the library, so I decided to give it a try.



I hesitate to even give a brief synopsis of the book because it is so good that I cannot do it justice, but I will give it a shot. The book tells the story of Denver Moore, a homeless black man who lived the early part of his life as a sharecropper in the Deep South, and Ron Hall, a wealthy art dealer from Fort Worth. The two are brought together through Ron's wife Debbie who has an amazing heart and a love for the brokenhearted. Through Debbie's vision, both Ron and Denver are changed as well as the city around them.

Though it may sound like a typical story, it is anything but that. Each man has a unique voice and perspective that fills each chapter and keeps the pages turning. It is a story of hope, and it is extremely convicting. As I read this book, I sobbed through the heartaches and devastation that each man faces, but I was encouraged and amazed to see the work of Christ in their lives. Ron's wife is a woman of amazing character, and her example has challenged me to care for those who no one else seems to even notice.

The Bible clearly says that we are to minister to the poor, and I have been convicted for a while that I am not fulfilling this command. This book gives a beautiful picture of how Christ calls us to minister to those around us and how he desires for us to live. I am sincerely praying that he will show me how to reach out to the needy around me. God's providence throughout the lives of these people is clearly evident and is an awesome testimony of how He uses all things for His glory.

This description is completely inadequate, but suffice it to say that the book is truly encouraging. Go buy it/ check it out now, and when you read it, let me know what you think!