Happy New Year From the Farmhouse!

Happy New Year and

greetings from my farmhouse!

I'm inside where it's nice and cozy, while the cold rain is pouring off the porch roof by my desk. I'm thankful for a warm, dry house! 

I could be grumbling. My family is once again out for the evening at church for our once a month youth night. After 8 months I'm still gaining strength from my head injury when I fell in the spring. There has been soo much I've "missed out on" over the past months! But then again, there have been sooo many precious times with my Lord in the quietness of my empty home also! 

My area of greatest weakness is my mind. It's not only the injured part of me, but it's where satan dares to wage battle after battle. To begin this year strong I'm meditating on past lessons on being mentally focused.

"...whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise; think on these things."

 Philippians 4:8

I've been writing the blog all during this time of

The picture is framed
so you can't see the
HUGE mixer bowl from
making bread in my
sink.

recovery. (I wonder if the late April and May entries even make sense!) I've been sharing with you a small part of or family, our farm, and my life. A blog is only a small picture ...mostly bloggers want you to see what they focus the "camera" at...with words and pictures. Most make their lives look perfectly organized and rosy. If you were to see what they "cropped out of the picture" you'd see where they need to improve...

My blog has been aimed at the bigger picture without "cropping". I want to share the triumphs and the struggles. I want you to see the battles that have been waged in my life that eventually bring God's blessings. Prayerfully you'll see strategies that you can use to grow also.

I gave Charity a broken
sewing machine to make
believe with. She is
"sewing up a storm"
beside me as I sew
new jumpers for the
coming busy season.

With 13 children there are a lot of blessings in my day! On the flip-side there are also many problems to deal with also. I can very easily dwell on the negative if I'm not careful. Problems have a way of growing sometimes in my mind....it's then the Holy Spirit whispers, "Is what your're thinking really true? Are you representing this child honestly to your husband without emotional embellishment? Could a good report be given of you by the Holy Spirit who knows your thoughts and and the intents of your heart? Are your thoughts about this child/situation virtuous and praise worthy?" 

I'm so thankful for these heavenly whispers. They often bring me around to a humble, "No". It's when I look at each struggle through His eyes (often through a word from my husband) that I gain the perspective I need to act wisely. 

Another way my thought life is being strengthened is how I dwell on certain people and events. The Holy Spirit has prompted me over the years to use the initial thoughts of particular people as a prompt from Him to pray for that person. I don't fully understand His ways...for I've often replied that I don't know how to pray for them! Then the Holy Spirit showed me that they are a lot like me...that we all struggle with basically the same things. (This is comforting to know!) So I use the temptation to dwell on the negative or tempting as a prompt to pray for that person as I would pray for myself. 

As I begin the new year of 2015, I want...no I neeed to be mentally focused on the true, honest, just, the pure and lovely, that which is of good report, and infusing my mind with the virtuous and praise worthy things that will enable me to be strong mentally. Will you join me on this path that will lead to blessing in 2015?

This week on the farm....

*The first planting of tomatoes has been planted, and are being babied in the farmhouse. When the greenhouses are heated, they'll be moved out there.

A frosty mountain morning at chore time.
Our outdoor furnace in the forefront is keeping our
house warm and our water HOT. We have 3 , 48' greenhouses that we heat with wood. Our young men take turns sleeping out there to keep the barrel stoves burning and the plants from freezing during the night. (Sometimes that's hard to do!) So for now, the 4 plug flats of tomatoes are inside where they can be pampered.

These are old pictures, but I wanted to announce that we now are offering 2 meat share options for the coming season!

The hogs are raised on Colvin Family Farm vegetables and NON-GMO corn. They are busy clearing out woods for us by grubbing out the roots of small trees! All naturally raised.

The chickens are pasture raised and are fed vegetables and NON-GMO grain.

For further information visit our web page.

Of course whole hog sausage/various cuts of pork and chicken are being offered now at winter markets:
Oak Ridge Farmer's Market~ Saturday 9 -12
Main Street Farmer's Market, Chattanooga~ Wednesday from 4-5 p.m.
Market Square's Winter Markets
Every other week @ Central United Methodist  Church near Downtown Knoxville (see their FB page)
Cumberland Sustainable Farmer's Market, Crossville
(to be announced)

Egg production is picking up now that the days are "lengthening" and we have a new chicken house!

Our new hen house is built on skids to allow us to move it to fresh pasture easily. 

Inside the coop there are 84 nest boxes!

Isaac and Farmer Steve got each of the younger boys involved with the building of the new coop. 

We have over 200 Black Australorp chickens
grazing on our fields.

*

Our "sour dough" French Baguettes have many health benefits. We use fresh stone ground wheat that "ferments" for up to 2 weeks. This process pre-digests the wheat's protein that makes it difficult for some people to eat modern wheat.

Request a loaf to be delivered to your winter market. $5

Fresh cinnamon rolls are made with stone ground wheat, sorghum molasses, sea salt, natural sugars and oils.  A healthy breakfast sweet!
Large Singles $3       Plates of 3, $6

Since Adam and Caleb will both be married in the next 3 1/2 months the men are all busy building their houses. This is Adam's ground breaking scene for his 1,000 sq. ft. "cabin" being built at our farm.


Caleb's home is being built on his new 12 acre farm not far from our farm here on the mountain. It is here we will be growing mushrooms and raising hogs.

The boys are busy gathering materials from saw mills to building centers!


One of my favorite times of the day....snuggling, reading, and napping with Charity!


Charity's sewing is growing into recognizable projects. :) She sewed this pin cushion by hand with tiny stitches!


Faith Anne is taking a video sewing course called "You Can Sew"!

Charity has been reading quilting books we inherited from my Momma. Here she is trying to make a "Cathedral Window" quilt! I love a 6 year old's imagination! Anything is possible!

I know I've put this picture in the blog all ready...I just loved that afternoon! Charity talked and sang to herself as she "sewed"...reminded me of my mother. She even hummed the words when she didn't know them half way through the song!

Long winter evening inside..a rowdy game of UNO kept the family occupied while supper was being made.

Have a blessed week...

"...whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise; think on these things."

 Philippians 4:8

Abundant Blessings,
The Farmer's Wife
Val