Friday, December 23, 2011

Peace on Earth?

Being a dyed in the wool idealist, I've had to wrestle with Christmas the last few years.  For writing a blog about simplicity I sure can make things complicated.  There are basically two sides of the Christmas coin that I've been focused one. 

Ideology One
Christmas is a an American tradition rooted in Christianity.

Ideology Two
Christmas is a pagan celebration and we ought to steer clear of it.

Some of my readers may not realize that both of those sides exist, but they do.  There are many other facets, of course, and I'm over simplifying for the sake of blogging.  My focus in this post is to look at this year and my peace with Christmas.

If I've learned anything over the past 2 years I've learned to rethink those ideologies I try so desperately to attach myself to.  I'm learning to read the Bible from the perspective of those who experienced it first hand.  I read a great blog post (click here for installment 1, installment 2, and installment 3).  It really highlighted the uncertainty of Joseph and Mary.  Here is Joseph, a seemingly kind and devoted man, who hears that his wife is pregnant.  She also tells him that the Child is a result of the immaculate conception.  It is God's Son.  Joseph's response?  He decides to put her away (hide her and end the betrothal) quietly.  I'm not sure if he really believed her or not. 

Or take David.  War hero.  Chosen of God.  Adulterer.  Failed parent.  I can't imagine that at the end of his life he was taking stock and saying "Obviously I will be known as a man after God's own heart."  He may have been just a tad bewildered as to how his life got so messed up.

And so it is today that I look over my life and question a lot of the decisions I've made over the years.  I wonder if I can really be "on track" with God.  He knows what I've done.  He knows who I am inside.  Even when I uphold the rules of christianity that I learned as a child (read your Bible, pray, don't drink, don't smoke) it is merely a veil to hide who I am on the inside.  Knowing that, can God really even find me acceptable in His sight?

Then I remember the birth of His Son.  Born to a doubting earthly father.  Brought into a world of utter darkness.  He lived among us.  He became one of us.  He did all of that so He could call me His brother.  It is then, and only then, that I realize that there is a whole bunch of grace that He has poured on me.  And that's the real story behind Christmas.

You already know it's not about the presents.  You already know it's not about the tree and Santa, cookies and egg nog.  It's not even really about family.  It's about Him and His birth.  It's about our relationship with Him and how that affects our relationship with others.

So with that said, I've made peace with Christmas.  I have good friends who don't celebrate the holiday, but they celebrate Jesus.  I have family who go all out for Christmas (think about the Griswolds), but they celebrate Jesus.  I can stand with both sets of people and respect them for the decisions they make and celebrate, with them, the birth of Christ.  I guess I've simply come to the place where it doesn't seem to matter how you "celebrate" the holiday.  It only matters that you celebrate Jesus.

As for me and my family, we have a tree in our house.  We play Christmas carols and sing loudly (especially at "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer"...all 7 of us).  We don't have Santa stuff in our home and we don't go to see Santa.  Right now, as I type this, we are eagerly awaiting the unwrapping of gifts, visits to Grandmas house (before she gets run over), and more food than some third world countries see in a year.  And I'm happy.  I'm looking forward to celebrating Jesus,  my Brother, with my brothers and sisters.  I assume they've made their peace with Christmas.

What's your relationship with God like?  Now's a good time to talk with Him about it.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Of Texas and Texans

Recent travels have brought me into frequent contact with Texas and Texans. I've always loved the mystique surrounding the Lone Star State. As a boy I watched Westerns religiously and still do today. I've read the history of the Westward expansion and studied the history of raising cattle in America. Texas, of course, plays a significant role in all of those topics. But it is only recently that I have had so much exposure to the real Texas.

I've got to say...I'm impressed.

I like living in Michigan. Don't mis-understand. I like the weather (most of the time) and I love the lush woodlands, the marshes, and the Great Lakes. What strikes me about Texas, though, is the attitude. 

I was recently talking to some business associates. I made the suggestion that perhaps we utilize some government resources available to us. The room got quiet and the group squirmed in their seats. Finally someone tactfully spoke up and said "Well, I know what the owner of our company will say. He'll say 'I'll close this shop permanently before I'll let the government run my business.'"

I laughed heartily at that.

I think that very statement encapsulates what endears me to the people of Texas. How much better off we would be if the people of the United States thought (to use JFK's popular phrase) not of what their country could do for them, but of what they could do for their country. And how satisfying to think of a government that empowered its people to lead and not pay politicians to live a life of extravagance. Unfortunately our country is in a state of decline. I believe much of that decline is a direct result of a lack of accountability. It has become our expectation that someone else is responsible for taking care of us. Yet deep in the heart of Texas I find much of the opposite viewpoint.

Take their gun laws for instance.  The laws are much less restrictive than what we have in Michigan. In an informal poll I've been taking I have found that at least 75% of those I spoke to carry a fire arm. 75%!  Each one believed that it was not only his or her right to bear arms, it was their responsibility. In the minds of those I talked to it is their responsibility to care for themselves and those they love. I have watched videos shot in other states where the elderly were brutally beaten, by standers gawking at the scene, and not a hand raised to help the victim. I somehow cannot see that scene unfolding in a state where most folks carry firearms and aren't afraid to use them.

Our forefathers sought to create a county that was united in the Independence of their respective states.  Although in no way anarchists, they sought to limit the strength and over-arching dominance of a national government.  Sadly, today we beg for the intervention of the Federal Government.  If only we had listened to those who have gone before us.  Instead we have recreated the intrusive government entity that they fled from so many years to go.  Selfishly I look around and feel hemmed in.  Unlike the founding fathers I don't know where else to go.  Is there any undiscovered habitat in the world?    I'm fiercely proud of our American heritage and I am profoundly disappointed in what we are fast becoming. My heritage is comprised of European immigrants and Native Americans.  The need for freedom somehow flows in my blood.  The continued growth and dominance of a central government strikes fear in my heart.  Yet there is a glimmer of hope.  Texas has talked of seceding the union.  Hmmmm...there's something to think about.

Really, from the Austin music scene, the Dallas oil refineries, to the cattle ranches that dot the Texas landscape, the state has made a name for itself as being an example of "State's Rights" in the 21st century.  Heck, if they do end up seceding from the union, they may find the population grow by one family.

Oh, and by the way, did I mention that Chuck Norris lives somewhere near Houston?

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving

Make sure you set aside time today to dwell on all those things you are thankful for. Gods blessings are abundant and sometimes we overlook them. Use today as a time to remember. Give thanks to the giver of all good things. May He bless us all.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

That's What Faith Must Be

As my readers know I am a Christian. Sometimes I cringe at saying that because I know some of the preconceived notions that people have about Christians. Unfortunately some of those notions have proven true over the years. When I think of what it really means to be a Christian I am left with really only one answer. At its core, its very essence, Christianity is faith in the God of the Bible and His son Jesus Christ. The question then becomes "What is faith?"

Since this is a simple blog I can only answer simply. I'll leave the detailed explanations to the Theologians. For my part I will only answer from my experience.

Last year I blogged about my family and the joy we shared at the coming of a new baby. Children are always a blessing from the Lord. But in November we lost that baby. I blogged a bit about that too. It was a hard time. We looked forward to the baby with great anticipation. He was one of us; flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone. Though I never knew him I still loved him. Then he was gone. A relationship ended before it had begun.

And so I wondered at God. Why does He do things like that?

I never got an answer to that question. I didn't really expect to. He is God. I am not. That's just the way it is.

A year has passed now. I'm still asking the Lord some hard question. Since the time of the scenes laid before you in the above paragraph I have also lost a dear friend and brother unexpectedly. Now I find myself in a situation where my house is sold and I have no place to move my family. In short I find myself in an ever shifting landscape that I don't understand. It's a very unsettled place.

Even though I don't "get" what's going on I'm still walking with God. My beautiful wife of 14 years is again pregnant. What a blessing! And yet even in this pregnancy I am walking by faith. Faith in what? It's not a faith that the baby will thrive. It's not a faith that we will get a new house. It's not a faith that when I get through it all it will suddenly make sense to me. It's a faith that God is God and that He is Good. That's it. It's that simple.

As a final thought, please don't read into this that I am strong and brave. I am neither. I am asking God hard questions because my faith is weak and I struggle. Like the man in the Bible I cry out "I believe. Help my unbelief!". I'm walking in faith and believing that He knows what's best...because I don't.

UPDATE:  The buyer for our house found that they can't get financed after all.  That's the second deal that's fallen through for the same reason.  What's that mean for us?  Not much.  We're still unsettled and still waiting on the Lord.  Our faith is being tested once again.  Right now I can thank God that He is still working.  

Monday, October 31, 2011

A Vote for Conscience

Have you ever heard the term "vote your conscience"?  I hear it every time a presidential election starts to gear up. The truth is I'm not very politically minded by nature. It's a chore for me to follow elections and campaigns. In recent years, though, I have become increasingly aware of my responsibility as a good citizen of the world.

As a Christian I do not feel that I can definitively commit myself to a single party. My heart belongs to Christ and Him alone.  Not surprisingly C.S. Lewis did a remarkable job of explaining it in an essay in the compilation called "God in the Dock.  I have searched for the title of that essay and I can't find it.  I'll plan to post it in a comment when I find it. But I digress.  In the last election I had to look at all the candidates to evaluate them based on what qualities I felt would make a good leader. I ended up not at all sure who to vote for.

On the one hand I had the Democrats. I am pretty conservative overall so I generally shy away from this party.  However, I do not bitterly hate anyone from the party and find that some of the ideals are in alignment with things I believe in (I think I just heard and audible gasp from the Republican readers of my blog).

On the other hand I had the Republicans.  Yes I'm conservative, but when you really look at an individual candidating for the American presidency, you must also evaluate their leadership abilities.  I didn't see much coming from the GOP.  Also, just because a candidate has conservative ideals doesn't mean their life is not full of compromise.  That was also a common theme at the time.

So what's a white middle class conservative Christian American male to do?  I...I can hardly say it...I voted 3rd party!

As you pick yourself up off the floor, I'll let you know that I'm not going to write in this blog which party I voted for.  It doesn't really matter.  The point is that I voted 3rd party. 

An acquaintance of mine was absolutely appalled.  He is a died-in-the-wool Republican.  He works to distribute literature locally and is a staunch supporter of the GOP.  He was quite animated that I would throw away my vote.  Isn't it interesting that even in the land of opportunity we assume that there are really only two parties?  We don't even pretend that a 3rd party will win.  It just will not happen.  According to this person if a conservative voter does not vote Republican, it's almost like giving your vote to the Dem's.  And so I was duly chastised.

Frankly, when I look at a candidate for anything I'm looking at 1) personal character and 2) leadership abilities.  I really don't care what party they are affiliated with.  I want to know who they are and can they handle this position.  And I pray.  I don't make a move of this magnitude without prayer. 

Well, you know the end of the story: the Dem's won out, the GOP started searching for a new candidate, and my life went on pretty much like always.  Did my vote help put a Democrat in office?  Maybe.  But at the end of the day I can stand before God and I am confident that I am not simply voting for a party.  I'm voting for God.  I may get it wrong sometimes, but that's okay.  He knows my heart.  In fact, He's the one speaking to me in that still small voice...my conscience.  So vote your conscience.  God knows who will win.  I don't think He's intimidated.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Be A Man

As many of my readers know, I am a proponent of manhood. Yes, some may call that sexist but it's not. I do not promote manhood against womanhood. It is merely a celebration of being a man. I've been giving some thought on the topic now that the weather in the Midwest states begins to feel very autumn-ish. As always happens this time of year I get ready to walk out the door and I am put into a quandary. To wear or jacket or not to wear a jacket. That is the question. As I am typically a hot blooded sort of man I don't like to wear a jacket until it's good and cold. However, when it raining hard I generally use a windbreaker. That's just how I roll.

What is amazing to me is that every time I wear a jacket or a coat, almost without exception, someone will question my manhood. "Are you serious? Do you really need a jacket? It's not even cold out here!". Or "I don't wear a coat until it gets below freezing!".

Every single time.

Men need tests of manhood in their lives. Say what you will but it's embedded deep within our psyche. We must prove we are men. I don't think that's all bad. Every society must choose for themselves what the test will be.

Ours is apparently whether or not you wear a jacket.

Seriously it is pathetic what we in America do to prove we are men. If you scratch yourself and drink beer you must be a man. If you curse and disrespect authority you must be a man. If you gain power and image you must be a man.

It was not always the case. In America we had fine men who knew what it was to be both strong and kind. They knew how to act in the field and display manners at the table. Today we are in desperate need of modern examples of manliness. Real men who are not defined by societal influence but are rather driven to do that which is right. If you'll indulge me, I'll provide a few examples.

Example 1: My Grandpa
My Dad's dad was a true man. He was part of the last great generation. He served in the second world war and afterward moved to Detroit. He wanted to work in the automotive industry but became an educator in the public school system. He even wore a pocket protector. What made him a man, though, was his commitment. He was a loving husband to two wives (one died at a young age) and fathered three children. He could fix anything that broke. He was a master with wood and genius with mechanics. If you had a problem with your car, he'd come over for a visit in his trademark dress slack (yes....slacks is a good description) and short sleeved button down shirt and climb right under your car to start working. Yet he was, in my mind, refined. He was an antique dealer and his table manners were impeccable. The truth is, he was a nerd before being a nerd was cool. He was committed to seeing his family taken care of. He was committed to serving God in church. He was committed to helping others. He was committed to doing what was right even when there were easier ways.

Example 2: Harold
My friend, Harold, is father to 9 children. That was not a typo. He has structured his life, both professionally and personally, in a way that allows him to give of himself to his wife and children. He has had a series of successful businesses (construction based) in which he actively involves his sons. He considers his wife's needs and desires in his decision making and actively communicates his love for her. He puts a strong emphasis on loving God and serving others. Selfless is the word that comes to mind. And the results? I've never met a finer bunch of kids in my life.

Example 3: Chuck Norris
No, this is not a joke. I've spent some time learning about Chuck. I've been a martial arts fan my whole life. Although the Chuck Facts may be humorous (some are not) they do not in any way truly measure this man. Despite what you may think of him politically you cannot deny that Chuck is in every way a gentleman. He is passionate about God and country. He loves his wife and children. He uses his ample resources to help others, including under-privileged children who receive martial arts classes that emphasize self worth and good citizenship...all for free. His dedication to serving God in more recent years has been evident in his life and his writings. Plus, his roundhouse kick totally rocks.

The truth is that manhood, real manhood, is not about brute strength and Neanderthal-like thinking. It's not about power and prestige. It's not about money. Its not even about wearing a jacket. Its about commitment, honesty, integrity and love. It's about a selfless devotion to God. It's about strength of character.

True manhood is about living to serve.

As I thought of this post I found it difficult to identify modern examples of real men.

How about you? Who are your examples of real men?

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Sweat Equity


You can’t live in America without noticing a change in industry.  It’s not secret that manufacturing has largely moved overseas.  Manufacturing, some time ago, replaced agriculture as the primary way to make a living.  Now that both of these powerhouses are disappearing, we are moving to a service society.  Again, no surprises there.  But one thing I’ve noticed is that the manual labor, or traditional blue collar jobs that are available are being taken by older adults. 

I watched the other day as a road crew was working on the side of the road.  I noted that many of them were older men.  In fact, I would guess 90% of them.  I started noticing that trend in most places where manual labor is done.  I’ve recently visited some manufacturing plants and airports where most of the manual labor is being done by older men. 

I want to be clear here.  There is nothing wrong with these men doing the labor.  They are strong, young enough to work, and experienced enough to work hard.  What concerns me are the young men.  I was recently in a restaurant where a young man waited on me.  While he wasn’t serving my table, he was at another table and talking with some other young men and young women.  Those who were seated were studying to become anesthesiologists.  They all agreed that they were looking for position where they don’t have to work outside, sweat, or in general get “icky”. 

That’s my word…and I am making fun of them.

I think we can learn something from this.  First, don’t have a casual conversation when I’m in earshot because I do eavesdrop.  Second, I think we can learn that the generation of today, my generation, in general has no intention of getting their hands dirty.

I am saddened by this.

I’m saddened by this because we have lost a valuable commodity that once was so rick in America.  America became a leading exporter of goods pre-19th century precisely because it was made up of farmers and land owners.  They fed the American people and kept them in work.  We could then, as a nation, focus on exports of our commodities because we were rich both in those commodities and in the sweat equity necessary to harvest those commodities.  When the Industrial Revolution hit, we became a world leader again because we were rich in commodities and in sweat equity.  Today, we are rich in commodities….and we don’t seem to know how to harvest them.

I’m not suggesting that there is anything inherently wrong with a white collar office job.  I have one myself and I’m thankful for that.  I am suggesting, however, that when we as a nation turn up our collective noses at good jobs because they are not clean and require sweat then we have failed.  We have failed because if we will not use our own hands to provide for ourselves and our families then we are at the mercy of those who will do the hard work.  We will choose slavery over freedom.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

A Conditioned Environment

I recently made a trip out west.  Specifically, I went to Texas and Nevada...in June.  Why don't business trips get planned according to season?  Why do I end up in New York in January and Fort Lauderdale in July? 

The heat wasn't bad though.  No, I don't mean because it was a "dry heat".  106 degrees is hot whether it's wet or dry.  No, it wasn't bad because I went from one air conditioned building to another in the comfort of an air conditioned car.  To be honest, I hardly noticed the heat. 

But that got me to thinking of by gone centuries where people actually lived and worked in that heat without *gasp* conditioned air.  They lived, and they thrived.  One evening I was in a desert area and the wind was blowing hard.  It was a cool wind, almost too cool.  I think the generations that past must have really loved that wind.  They probably lived to feel a cool wind in their face.

Yet in that heat of yesteryear I wonder how many of those settlers worked indoors.  There had to be some of course, but my guess is that they worked outdoors as much as possible.  Although a roof would provide welcome shade the four walls would prevent air flow and possibly create a stifling environment.  This is conjecture on my part.

But my point is this;  modern industry can only be what it is today because because of our complex energy grid.  Think about it this way.  Would Las Vegas be the mecca it is today if tourists came from far and wide to play games in an enclosed building without air conditioning?  Would they come to see shows in the daytime because without electricity you can't see the dancers?  In reality we only have a thriving office culture world wide because of energy. 

And because of that cultural shift we have lost many practical skills of our forefathers.

I'm so thankful for electricity.  I really am.  I'm thankful for computers, lights, power tools, and air conditioning.  I'm thankful because I know what a benefit they are.  I'm thankful because I recognize that they are luxuries and not a God given right.  And I can only be thankful because I've camped in a tent in sweltering humidity and almost freezing temperatures.  I've spent time butchering livestock and chopping wood.  I've hunted and fished and eaten fresh bass for breakfast.  I've done these things because I enjoy them.  And because of these things I start to realize just how good I've got it.

Spend some time with your kids teaching them these lessons.  Don't keep them inside all day when it's really hot outside.  Turn off the lights one day and purpose not to use them...even in the evening.  take them to a farmers market or a working farm.  Teach them about what life is really like.  They will learn that they've got it good...at least for now.

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Fried Chicken

It was very hot in Southern Michigan today.  They forecast 89 degrees, but in reality it got up to 99 degrees.  The humidity made it feel about 105.  Unfortunately, we lost 17 chickens.  The only thing I see as a cause is the extreme heat.  We don't have those kind of days often around here so this is new territory.   I'll keep you posted.  Right now we're okay.  If we lose many more, I'll have to adjust the orders to reflect the loss.  I'll do everything I can to prevent that.  Thanks for your patience and understanding. 

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Shackled by Must


I went to the Greenfield Village again over the Memorial Day holiday.  It was the Civil War Remembrance weekend.  I can't miss that!  As usual I got lost in thought and a yearning to finally understand simplicity.  This might be the real reason I like to go to Greenfield Village.  Maybe I really just like to get lost in the pre industrial age ponderings. 

As I was watching the re-enactors cooking their dinners over an open fire in the spring rain, I thought again that I am a man born out of time.  My joy would overflow if only I lived in a simpler time.  Yet as I allow that train of thought to take shape, I realize that being born into another time period would not give me the opportunity to appreciate that period.  Knowing me, no matter what period I was born into I would likely be looking to a time before that and longing for an even simpler way of life.

In fact, I realized that simple living starts with simple thinking.  It starts with a determination, a will, to live more simply.

But that's not so simple.

Here is the scene.  A man is rekindling a now damp fire in the rain.  His wife is stirring the pot and wiping the rain from her face with her apron.  Now, for just a moment forget about the fact that they are wearing civil war era clothing.  What are they doing that I could not do?  Notice I say "could" because, in fact, I would not stand in the rain....but I could.  And yet standing in the rain and cooking over an open fire, as much as it appeals to me, is in itself not simple living. 

Still, as I looked at the scene I have just described, I think it does point to something that feels a bit simpler.  The couple standing at the fire has given up a need to control their environment.  They have ceased dwell on the inclement weather.  Instead they have chosen to embrace the uncontrollable.  I wonder how often my complicated life has become complicated because I am trying to maintain control of everything.  It gets hot and humid so I retreat into the air conditioning, therefore I must have central air.  My stomach growls and I instantly reach for a snack therefore I must always have a snack close at hand.  I seek to be as comfortable as possible therefore I must maintain a good job and a high standard of living.  And with each "must" I shackle myself with complexity.

I know the scripture calls us to take dominion over the whole earth, to provide for our families, and God promises to meet our needs.  Still, I wonder what would happen if I made a list of "must's" and started letting go.  Maybe I'd begin to learn what real needs look like...and maybe life would be a little simpler.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Announcing the Farm CFO


The chickens are finally here.  Well, they actually arrived last Thursday.  I’ve been very busy and so have neglected my blogging duties.  Oddly enough, I haven’t been busy at all with chickens.
 
My good friend Mark is caring for the day to day needs of the chickens this year.  He was hired in to Legacy Family Farm as the CFO (Chief Feed Operator).  Mark and his brother, Josh, have been voluntarily helping out with chickens for the last two years.  Because I do not have land on which to raise livestock, they are able to be there when the need arises.  They do an awesome job too! 

Thanks!!!

Saturday, April 23, 2011

The New Brooder



Tis the season…for chicken preparations.  I’ll let you in on a little secret.  I have a serious problem.  It’s a problem that developed at an early age.  As I grew older, it seemed to take a bigger hold on me.  I tried to fight it, but it almost always wins.  As a grown man, I find that it’s an even bigger problem than before.

The problem?

I’m stubborn.

Two years ago when I first started raising chickens I had an emergency.  You can read about it here.  I found a brooder design online.  It was simple and effective.  So last year I used the same design.   But this time I needed a lid on top.  I built it.  It worked.  But it was ugly.  I don’t just mean that it looked ugly (which it did) but it was a little awkward to use.  I had a good plan, but I lack the technical skills to pull that sort of thing off.  I’m a very big picture, good enough sort of person.  I very much appreciate fine workmanship.  I just do not have the skill or patience to be a master craftsman.  

Now enter the community.  See, in a community, there are people of all sorts.  There are craftsman and non-craftsman alike.  Some like to work with numbers while some like to work with words.  Some like to sing and some like to dance.  In this case, some like to build and some like to raise chickens.

Last year, as I set out to build the brooder, I knew I could do it.  I bought the materials and built it myself.  It took me several hours across several days to make it workable.  And, as I already said, it was ugly.  But this year was different.  I set aside my stubborn pride and shared a desire for a newly designed brooder with some friends.  I would purchase the supplies and even contribute a good amount of sweat.  But I needed help with the design.

A friend told a friend.  That’s the way things work in a community.  I received a call this past week.  Someone had an excess of building supplies that they needed to get rid of.  My friend and I rode over there and we drove back to his house with a truck full of material.  In fact, we had all the material necessary to make a brooder.  It cost me nothing.

The next day, while I was at work, my friend then called up my two oldest sons.  They hopped on their bikes and went down to his house.  An afternoon later the three of them had built the brooder.  I stopped by after work to find a brand new, expertly designed, chicken brooder.  And I didn’t sweat at all.

And it is not ugly.

When the time comes, these friends will get their chickens free of charge.  The skill and material they provided is so much appreciated that I can’t help but reward them with something that I can do with my own hands.

My point is to say that we all don’t have to be good at everything.  My guess is that you are good at something, even if it’s remedial.  So share you gift, and let others share their gifts with you.  This is how community is built.  This is what God has called you to do.  Listen, I’m not a great example of this, but I’m willing to learn.  How about you?

P.S. The friend who built the brooder also built the chicken plucker.  

July Orders are Closed

For those interested in our chickens, the first and second batch orders are closed!!  I'll put in our order on Monday.  We had a great response this year.  We're so thankful for all those who choose to buy from us.  Didn't get to order?  Don't worry, we'll order more sometime in June.  But don't wait, that list is getting full already!  Questions?  Let me know...

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Village People


It was another successful “Opening Day” at Greenfield Village.  For those who don’t live in this area, the Village was started by Henry Ford.  He brought in all sorts of historic buildings and created a living museum.  Click here to see more about it. 

It’s always hard for me when we go to opening day.  I take the day off work and we go, rain or shine.  Today it was wind…lots of it.  My favorite part is the Firestone Farm.  Yup, you recognized the name alright.  It’s the farm that Harvey Firestone, the tire magnet, grew up on.  Men in period dress use horses to plow fields.  They herd sheep, milk cows, feed chickens, and tend fields.  The women, again in period dress, make meals over a wood burning stove, wash clothes in a tub, plant gardens and preserve food of all sorts. 

It’s beautiful.

I walk away every year deep in somber thought.  It’s as though the entire scene is yelling to me that we, as a society, have moved in a direction that is not sustainable.  It’s funny that I would use that word.  Everything we read about today focuses on “sustainability” and yet, in the light of history, it is not actually sustainable.  Case in point:  there is a building near the front of the Village that reflects on the changes in farm equipment starting in the 18th century.  We went from using horses to using horse powered machinery.  Then we moved into steam powered machinery and migrated to gas and electric powered machinery. 

Compare this to watching the gentlemen of the Village working the farm today.  They used draft horses to plow and harrow one of the fields.  The horses, being horses, spread fresh manure on the field.  A man walks behind them getting in his exercise for the day.  The horses do eat a lot of food, but then they also work to grow the food they will eat.  An added benefit is that, if you choose, they can breed their own progeny who will in due time take over the duties of the “older model”.

So where are we today?  Today we use dwindling fossil fuels to spread chemical fertilizers on our fields.  The farmer must then also take out a gym membership because he no longer walks anywhere…he rides.  And he must be sure to separate out a percentage of his income to set aside for the maintenance of the tractors.  I should also mention that he must also take out a percentage of that income to buy a new tractor once he wears out the “older model”.

I submit to you the two models.  Which is actually sustainable?

Friday, April 8, 2011

Rethinking Energy

By now we've all seen the horrifying pictures of Japan.  We've watched as freighters floated down main thoroughfares.  We've witnessed second hand as buildings and people have been swept away by walls built entirely of water.  In what may be the most horrifying scene of all, we've shuddered as healthcare workers, wearing little to no protective gear, take readings on the Japanese population to test their radioactivity.  Each scene looks like some surreal excerpt from a sci-fi or apocalyptic movie.

The disaster in Japan has prompted governments world wide to revisit their safety policies for nuclear energy.  Yet as I sit back in the comfort of my home and watch the drama unfold, I can't help but wonder what we really think we're going to do to prevent a disaster like this again.  No, I don't blame the Japanese at all.  Rather, I wonder at the collective fault of mankind.  Now, I'm no scientist.  If you spend much time with me at all, you'll know that science is not my strength so I don't pretend that I can speak effectively to that angle.  Rather, I'm looking at our great need for "energy".


Without waxing too political, when President Obama took office, his energy platform was off-shore drilling.  Whoops.  After the BP disaster in the gulf, it became clear a new platform was needed.  So, it seemed that the President then began to embrace nuclear energy.  Whoops.  And now the new platform seems to be bio-fuels.  That in itself is fraught with risk, but I'll leave that for a later topic.  I have stated my political observation without animosity to the President.  In his position, I'm not sure there were other choices.  He did not make a radical statement when he took those energy platforms.  He did what most analysts expected.  He took the safe road...which turned out not to be so safe.

Yet in all of that posturing and planning, who was standing up and asking the obvious question?  Where was the free thinker who saw that we have only approached this issue from one angle?  Which person with a voice in government looked at the other angle and said,  "Is there a way we can cut back on energy?"

Silence in the room.

It's not like those thoughts aren't out there.  They certainly are.  But it's not really popular.  Less energy means....drum roll please....less money.  So which politician, which political action committee, which CEO will stand and proclaim that they are for...less income.  It seems that such a statement would tend toward a shorter career.  Yet for all our talk of "green", clean energy, environmental awareness, and global climate change (formerly known as global warming) why do we continue to find fuel sources through avenues that destroy the very environment we supposedly want to help?

The answer, I believe, is simple.  Greed.  And I'm not just talking about the money.

The truth is that energy has brought to us a lifestyle that is, well, easier.  Think of the electric washing machine.  That wasn't invented by a health nut.  It was an invention that made the drudgery of washing a bit easier.  And what about the microwave?  Energy embodied, it cooks food in a fraction of the time required by more conventional methods.  Then there is everybody's favorite..the television.  'Nuff said.  These inventions were revolutionary in their day and they freed up our time and personal energy.  But it wasn't enough.  Our washing machines need to do more things faster.  The microwave just wasn't fast enough.  And the television just wasn't entertaining enough. Now we stream video across a variety of platforms instantaneously.

And it's still not enough.

So we have a government that subsidizes the sale of corn for bio-fuel and we applaud our "greeness" all the while demanding more energy sources.  We recycle our computer components and praise our environmental awareness while some person in China strips out the hazardous materials with their bare hands.  When will it end?

It won't end.  Greed is a worldwide epidemic brought on by the fall of man.  But as I look at our already over-bearing government, I ask why it's so wrong to begin to subsidize things that really are beneficial to the environment.  Why not offer incentives to corporations who allow workers to work from home?  Why not subsidize the income of a family, or groups of people, who live sustainably?  Why not give grants to those who grow their own food sources.  And for heavens sake, why not give a tax break to people who reduce their electricity usage to a bare minimum.

For all out talk about living in the land of plenty, I hope we see that we are bringing needless tragedy upon ourselves.  I encourage you, my friends, to implement these things in your lives, as much as possible.  We cannot expect the government to step in and intervene.  The government wants to stay as is and so it will continue to cater to the energy greed of its constituents.  We, however, have a choice.  I know that there is so much more I could do.  Yet as I reflect on the great tragedy that has occurred, and is occurring, in Japan it spurs me on to think a little differently about how I use energy.  It causes me to think a little more simply.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Spring Newsletter 2011


It's time!!

We are thankful for a new year and looking forward to the challenges and joys God has in store for it.  As spring is slowly making its way, we are getting ready to start taking orders.   God was good and showed us His grace throughout last year.  We processed 213 chickens and 10 turkeys!  It was a year of learning as we continued to understand what it takes to raise clean poultry.  Based on our experience, we will need to make some changes for 2011.  First, there will be a limit on how many chickens we will raise.  So put your order in early to ensure a spot.  Unfortunately, due to rising gas prices and a better understanding of costs, we also realize we will need to charge $14/bird.  This year it will be a flat rate no matter what size bird.

The plans are similar to last year.  Here’s how it works:
  •     If you’re interested, please fill in this sheet and return it to me.  You may email it back to me or you can print it off and put it in the mail or give it to me in person.
  •     We require a $5 non-refundable deposit for each bird.  This will help us know that you are serious about your order and help defray the up-front costs.  
  •     Next, you wait patiently for a hormone-free, chemical-free, antibiotic-free, pastured, locally produced and processed chicken.  Waiting time is approximately 7 weeks. We’ll contact you in advance with an estimated pick up date. 
  •     Early in the morning of the pick-up date we’ll begin processing the birds.  When you arrive in the afternoon, bring your cooler.  You’ll pick up the birds much like you see them in the store: no head or feet, plucked clean, thoroughly gutted, and packaged.  A lot of people ask questions about that.  I’ll email you with a more specific pick-up time as we get closer.
  •     When you come to pick up your birds, we will subtract your deposit fees from the total cost of your birds and the remainder will be due.   If you’re not sure what you ordered, just let us know.  We’ll keep track of it for you!
Also, we realize that most of us don’t have deep freezers anymore.  Perhaps you want several birds but you do not have the freezer space.  Consider staggering your order.  Below you will see the estimated processing dates.  You can choose between two batches and the number of chickens per date (see estimated processing dates below).  We will do our best to accommodate.  Understand that based on a variety of reasons the plans and prices are subject to change.  If it does, we will let you know.  By the way, we love visitors (especially kids) so give us a call!

Chicken Ordering:

Chickens will have an average dress weight of approximately 5lbs.  This is comparable in size to the whole chickens you might get from the local grocery store. Similarly, this is how you will receive your whole, uncooked chicken.  These chickens have a 6-8 week life cycle.  On processing day we will keep them in a cooler until you arrive.  Due to space and regulatory restrictions we will not be able to freeze or deliver the meat.  As this is working on a cooperative model the money you invest cannot be refunded for any reason once the chicks have been ordered.  However, you will receive clean, fresh, locally grown meat for a reasonable price.  We would love to have you join with us in this vision!

Remember, this is estimated and depends on how many orders we receive.  For up to date and accurate information, “like” our Facebook page (Legacy Family Farm) or track our blog at http://simplelife-thelegacy.blogspot.com/.

Estimated processing date:
July 9th
July 16th
August 13th
August 20th
*To ensure your order, down payment for the first (2) batches is due April 18th.  Without a down payment, orders will not be placed.   Note that chickens butchered on July 16th and August 20th will likely be larger than chickens processed on the other dates. 

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Supermoon

I was standing on a dock off of Lake Eerie watching the Super Perigee Moon rise in the East. The wind was strong tonight. It's always strongest near the lake, but tonight it was unusually strong. And it was cold. Though I was wrapped in my thickest coat, it still tore through me like I was a straw man. I looked away from the moon into the darkness of a small island off the coast. With the wind and cold and dark, it appeared a very hard and desolate place.  I loved it.

Something in that desolation calls. It cries out to be conquered. It whispers to me that we too are a dark and desolate people. Yet Someone calls to us. Someone longs to conquer that stark wilderness of our soul; to bring life to an otherwise lifeless island.

I was pleased to see so many people out to watch the moon. No matter how advanced we get in our “civilized” world, we cannot run from the fact that God's nature is so powerful, so riveting.  We cannot pull ourselves away. Just as the dark island calls to me, so we are called by God through His nature. And as He calls we cannot help but see that He is there...even if we don't choose to respond.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Working Out - Daddy Style


I try to work out.  I really do.  I’ve tried to stay on a schedule, but, well, that seems fruitless.  So I squeeze it in when I can.  Here is a recent episode.

Day:
Saturday.  It’s my day off, so hey, plenty of time, right?

Scene:
Prepping for dinner.  My wife and I are doing dinner alone so I’m heating up food for the kids.  I decide I’ll throw on some shorts, put on a Billy Blanks workout video, and work out while the foods heating up.

Act 1:
Dad gets on his “workout clothes” (i.e. a pair of shorts).  The two year old, realizing what is going on, gets his dress shoes out.  He stutters.  “Daddy, I-I-I-I-I-I got my workout shoos.  Can you-you-you-you-you put them on.”

Daddy puts on shoes.

The nine year old, hearing of the coming events, comes out of his room in a pair of swim shorts…and that’s it. The two year old, somehow feeling like he’s going to be left out, strips off his shirt.  “Daddy, can you-you-you-you-you take off my shoos.  I-I-I-I-I-I-I need to get on my swim short.”  Daddy assures the two year old that he can just workout like this without a problem.

The nine year old disappears for some reason and reappears fully dressed.  Umm.....

The seven year old lays on the floor in the middle of the living room (a.k.a the workout area) facing the screen and ready to watch the show.  Daddy, attempting to remain calm, explains that the seven year old needs to move before I kick him out of the way bodily injury occurs. 

The video does not want to start.  Despite the fact that it’s worked hundreds of times (or maybe twice) before this.  Minor technical difficulty.  Daddy fixes.

Finally the video begins. 

The five and seven year old attempt to point out people in the video that they “like”.  Daddy, attempting to remain calm keeps pushing gently moving them out of the way.

30 minutes, and 5 “pauses” into the video, a fight breaks out at the dinner table. 

Thus ends Act 1....along with the entire workout.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Depending on Food


I’m not one to really get into conspiracy theories.  I enjoy them as much as the next guy I suppose, but I’ve never been able to buy the story that something like three people control events of the entire world.  It’s certainly possible.  Yet as I look at history in an objective light, it looks to me like you have groups of people all trying to do what’s best for themselves.  This all converges to create the impression that world events are being tightly controlled. 

A classic example for those of us in America is our dependence on foreign food. 

This issue has been taking center stage of late as legal mandates require that produce distributors label their goods with the country of origin.  My family recently devoured a small crate of Clementine’s from Spain.  Those Spanish folks grow some tasty citrus.  Importing produce has been going on in America for centuries now.  It’s not new.  But in the past it was special.  It was a treat.  Chocolate from Spain, citrus from South America, Banana’s from Brazil, and Pistachio’s from the Middle East were special items purchased by those who could afford them for special occasions.  Today, in our global marketplace, these items are part of our every day diet.  They are expected in large quantities on our store shelves.  And when we go to someone else's home, we instinctively expect that those items will be present.

But it doesn’t end there.

No longer do we purchase specialty items from overseas producers, we now get our standard fair across our borders.  I submit, by way of example, the infamous corn.  While we produce tons of corn domestically every year, it has become law that grains producers set aside a percentage of that corn for ethanol.  Fuel refiners are offered incentives for mixing ethanol in their gasoline.  So the government subsidized corn production and then subsidizes the use of ethanol in gasoline.  Thus the American tax payer (that means you and me y’all) is paying for corn and gasoline over and above what we pay at the cash register.

 
Now, with all this corn being set aside for fuel, we have a hard time finding enough corn to make feed for our livestock (not to mention human consumption).  So, we supplement by purchasing corn in bulk from foreign countries.  One such country is Mexico.  While I am not against the Mexicans growing corn and supplying a demand, I have a hard time swallowing that I am now subsidizing corn, paying for corn, subsidizing fuel, paying for fuel, and paying import tax on corn brought in to feed myself.

Is it just me or does that seem like it’s asking a lot?

I know I’m simple minded.  Maybe that’s why I keep envisioning a Simple Life.  But why can we not just grow crops?  Let the farmers charge a reasonable price (including profit) and let the people buy them.  Let the government pay the same price.  I know…crazy talk.  But it’s a bit like a home budget.  If disaster strikes, I know where all the money is going and I can divert it to meet the immediate need.  If I’m dependent on others for my money, I may not know exactly what they can and will provide.

So you see that I don’t think that taking away food independence from the American people is a grand scheme of communism or something similar.  Rather it is people fighting for their own agenda rather than the good of all.  This can be seen in a very recent predicament we now find ourselves in. 

Still using Mexico as our example, we import a lot of produce from them.  Produce, in many cases that we could grow on our own soil.  But like us, they are working through unusual weather patterns.  A cold snap has been disastrous on their crops.  Thus, we pay the price with them.  Since we can’t divert our own corn to meet the crisis (since must be used for ethanol) we will start seeing food prices increase for our meat.  Why?  Because our feedlot system is based on corn.  We will now pay big money for corn.  And we will pay big money for meat.  If we could freely produce our own corn, we could meet this crisis head on and divert the corn from green fuel to meat. 


This is what it means to be food dependent.  We do not rely on ourselves to meet our needs, but rather we depended on other governments and economies to do our thinking for us.  Shame on us. 

So what can you and I do?  Grow our own food, even if it’s just tomatoes in a bucket on the back patio.  Support local farmers through farm markets and co-ops.  Think locally, buy locally, and support your local businesses.  This is the key to gaining back our food dependence. 


"If people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as the souls who live under tyranny."
Thomas Jefferson (1778)

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Purposeful Parenting

I had an opportunity to take my family to the Great Wolf Lodge in Mason, OH.  It's an expensive weekend, but we had family give us money as a gift and my wife, whose spiritual gift if discount shopping, found a discount package on-line.  We had a blast!

If you don't know what the GWL is, it's an indoor waterpark resort.  They have restaurants, a spa, pool side bars, an arcade, etc. It's all available for an outrageous price.  But if you're like us, you take your own food and try not to spend a dime while you're there. 

In the water park, there are places that each family member will like.  Slow floating down a canal, high speeding up a roller coaster, and everything in between.  As we walked from section to section it struck me how many people were sitting on the pool side chairs, lounging, reading, drinking beer and such.  They were adults without any kids.

Or were they?

Further observation lead me to realize that they did in fact have children in the park...but the kids were playing by themselves.

How odd...

It never occurred to me to sit on the sidelines while the kids have fun.  I kept wondering what their kids would remember when they got older.  Would the kids remember a weekend away where they entertained themselves?  Would they remember a mom and/or dad who was present, but not engaged in the vacation?  In either case, what you have is two separate individuals entertaining themselves separately.  In many cases that I watched, the only interaction between parent and child was when the kids came up to "shore" to eat.  That was it.

As I thought about my own kids, screaming, splashing, laughing, and having the time of their lives, I knew right then that I would not be a sideline parent.  I made it my personal goal to ride every ride, swim in every pool, float in every canal, and do all of these with someone at my side.  And I did.  And then passed out after putting the kids to bed that night.

I think we've built into our culture the perceived need of having "me" time.  I'm sure you've heard that term, and maybe even used it.  But what is "me" time?  Is there a time when we should care for our needs to the exclusion of others?  Oh, I know (believe me, I know) you need some quiet time to yourself.  I know you need to relax every now and again.  I'm the same way.  Yet as I journey down this path of parenthood, I realize that if I am not purposeful in my parenting my children will be out of the house before I can blink.  Then it will be too late.

I have no idea who you are or what your circumstances are, but I know that you can be purposeful parent.  I know that you make choices that will impact your children in a positive way.  Don't just sit on the sidelines and let other people guide your children.  Don't be content to let your children experience life without you.  Purpose now that you will live life with them, not in spite of them. 

Make a plan.  If you haven't already done so, sit down and find the time in your schedule that can devote to engaging your children.  Find their interests and get them involved.  Give them opportunity to experience those things you want them to experience...just do it with them. 

Your time with your children it like the morning mist.  Soon it will be gone.  What can you do to let them know they are loved?