The farm is changing as new fall greens, turnips, sweet potatoes, squash, and spinach move up through the soil. Weeds are down. Plenty of garlic orders to fill. I was able to take the boys out with me this past weekend. I helped them feed chickens, collect eggs, feed the turkeys and the cows... I hope they remember what they experienced.

The work ahead is overwhelming... cleaning out the tomato greenhouse, mulching, and planting for the winter, cleaning turkeys for thanksgiving, planting the garlic fields and other fields with cover crops...

I will try to remember my camera and post some pictures of Just This Farm

a practicing community

If we are about learning discipleship in Christ (apprenticeship), then we need others to practice disciplines with. Matt and I are practicing some very simple things together. Today, we will practice walking meditation... taking very literally the instructions the Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians : "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." Galatians 5:25

Each step will be a step of peace.

Anyone want to join us?

Voluntary displacement

From Henri Nouwen: "According to Webster's dictionary, diplacement means, to move or to shift from the oridnary or proper place. This becomes a telling definition when we realize the extent to which we are preoccupied with adapting ourselves to the prevalent norms and values of our milieu. We want to be ordinary and proper people who live ordinary and proper lives. There is an enormous pressure on us to do what is ordinary and proper - even the attempt to excel is ordinary and proper - and thus find the satisfaction of general acceptance. This is quite understandable since the ordinary and proper behavior that gives shape to our ordinary and proper lives offers us the comforting illusion that things are under control and that everything extraordinary and improper can be kept outisde the walls of our self-created fortress" ("Compassion," 1982).

Eberhard Arnold, Why We Live In Community

"Admittedly, with our present nature, without God, we humans are incapable of community. Temperamental mood-swings, possessive impulses and cravings for physical and emotional satisfaction, powerful currents of ambition and touchiness, the desire for personal influence over others, and human privileges of all kinds–all these place seemingly insurmountable obstacles in the way of true community. But with faith we cannot be deluded into thinking that these realities are decisive: in the face of the power of God and his all-conquering love, they are of no significance. God is stronger than these realities. The unifying energy of his Spirit overcomes them all."

community

The following is a slideshow of all the madness that happened at 827 nw bld while we were away on vacation... Jen, Kelly, Matt, Kelli, Jeremy, Jessica, Arin, Kristina, Holly, and more helped make our house really warm when we got home... others in the community helped out financially , Amy, Kyle, Kelsie, Curtis, Jeremy, Jessica, Jen, Kelli, Matt, Kelly, Arin, Kristina, Holly, and others. It was for Kerri's birthday, but also just because. Awesome.