2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

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RaVaN
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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by RaVaN »

Sunday:
Ah, the day God made for man. A time of reflection, prayer, and rest. Today we laid our burdens down and enjoyed our day in each our own way. I chose to build a tripod for my hops that God increased to 8 plants from 2 last year. I have been meaning to do this since I planted them half a decade ago. I add hops to many herbal teas I make, so I find this to be important for me and others I make herbal teas for. I had decided not to buy anything and construct with what I had and use only hand tools. So off I went, cutting down four poplar trees with a base of 4". They were about 20-25' tall and easy work with my retractable hand saw. I cut three down to 15' and the other into 6' sections. I then began peeling the bark with a five inch old drywall knife and a hatchet to knock off knobs and branches to facilitate peeling. It's a little known fact that you peel logs in the spring when the sap is running. When done right, it comes off without much work. I just run a strip off two sides and pull from the stump side up. I then set them in the sun to dry a bit while I took the bark, branches, and tops to my composters. They greedily went to munching it all down except the woody parts. In retrospect, they could have barked the logs for me since they are far more quicker at it than me.
Now the question I had been wrestling with...nails, screws, or wires. I really hate leaving metal around in things so I decided none of the above and said "if you are going to be a bear, be a grizzly". I set to notching and pegging it together which required me to find a nice ironwood sapling for pegs. Since I hadn't put together a tripod before, it took a minute to figure how it would go together and proper order of things. I made some temporary pegs to hold things together while I worked on two legs and a cross brace. I then found out something I had forgotten...using a brace and bit in green poplar just sucks. No matter how sharp your bit is it will gum...so the old triceps got a workout. Luckily, I only needed 8 holes so it didn't take long. I put a bottom brace around the legs at 30" for weight and stability. All told, it took about five hours with various other things going on like watering, peeling potatoes, getting the grill set up for making supper for the next five days(charcoal is expensive so if you are going to grill, grill enough for a while), and some other sundries. My companion and I carried it 100 yards and set it up. The hops grow wildly fast and are already moving up it so it was nice to play new earth and enjoy the work of my hands.

Now math, my Companion said, "So we are now where you said we'd be, back in the stone age". She's wrong though, more like late 1800s. What she meant though is it was quicker and cheaper to do this than to buy. Poplar will last 20-50 years in the dry and sun if it's been properly peeled. To buy, I would have needed to work a few hours earning 100 dollars or so for treated, spent 1 hour or so buying materials, and then still need to construct it...likely another 2-3 hours. The final tally is I got some exercise, saved some time, and kept money rather than spent. All in all, a good day especially since I love talking to God while enjoying and being amazed at his creation. As well, I can let it rot over the next couple of decades knowing there is no nails or wire to irritate someone.

Still had to herd afterword's. Our new puppy(8 months) is getting better at moving the goats where they need...she seems to think she knows what she is doing, but keeps wanting to get in the face of the goats rather than spook em from behind...so she still gets butted more than she should...other two Aussies just kinda shake their heads at her. Goats are flushing out now they are getting a steady diet of green. After a long winter with heavy snow, they start looking ragged. I truly wish everyone could herd a flock at some point. The scriptures come alive in a way just reading doesn't translate. It is amazing to see a group of 60 animals move as a unit. They communicate somehow with a plan before they even leave the gate. Someday it is grass days, sometimes it is underbrush, and then you have tree push over day. If you watch them and have an understanding of certain herbs it makes sense. Had one fellow berating me about my goats in early spring on how you should feeding them diatomitous earth and sea kelp...cause you know, parasites... Do you know that goats eat a little bit of antiparasital herbs in a environment with a range of plants. I have watched them all take a couple of bites of wormwood and other herbs and move on in the spring. They do it intentionally, and like they are on a schedule. It is amazing.

Anyhow, its good to know our shepherd in Jesus is keeping watch. God bless you all.

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Jason
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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by Jason »

Farming the farmer

RaVaN
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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by RaVaN »

Today:
I was more than a little depressed at work. My brother's drywall company(his business wisdom is amazing to me, I just don't suffer stupid well and herding cats just isn't something I like) is a top tier company...meaning most people even in the trades have no real understanding of drywall or how you achieve a correct product that will last for years or why gypsum is amazing and what it can or can't do. As artisans, the past three years have become harder and harder since so many have moved from doing a great job to just an okay job while expecting more and the customer is the one who had to pick up the tab for sub par work even on the higher end of things. Today was when we had to sit down and discuss the fact that we are just going to have to do more work for less. The last drywall hanging company we worked with has has succumbed likesi many other construction companies doing sub par work. You can't blame them much since the screws that are superior went from $40 to $147 in a year, and the garbage they are using is $70 per box. Understand, this IS a big deal in terms of work. Drywall starts at the foundation. When things are not right...it is incredible hard to catch all the snakes and get them laid out straight. To be clear, both my brother and I are both recovering carpenters...and can build a log cabin(and have) or a stick house, build cabinets, finish concrete with equal facility... Our gift is drywall finishing though. Anyhow, enough preamble.

So to cheer myself up, I went transplanting the last peppers in a thunderstorm. It's a good time, since my garden is in a low spot. Alot of people don't enjoy the rain but there is a cleansing feel to releasing yourself to the elements while being reminded how small you really are. Anyhow, I got another 80 or so pepper plants in the ground, plus some tobacco plants in my other garden. Everything seems on course for a good garden at them moment, but after this rain the first weeding and thinning will be needing done.

Weeding and thinning:
This seems pretty straight forward, remove unwanted plants...the end... Except really weeding and thinning is an art. You weed at the wrong time, and you kill or cripple your plants in a garden you don't water. You weed while raining, or before/after the rain and you waste your time because weeds will reroot themselves. The best time, is on a hot day, in the sun, but not when it is too dry. If it is too dry, the holed opened from pulled weeds will dry out the soil. Sometimes having weeds in a drought will maintain more moisture than they use. I don't water my gardens as a matter of course, and I have observed these things and others over time. There is alot of life lessons in weeding, and it is something that is a joy to do. Now thinning...that is another beast, and an art as well. I don't enjoy it. I think too much on how judging really is. It is a weighty thing, and I have no real interest in playing God. Yet it needs to be done. Sometimes you leave the best plant, and sometimes you leave the plant that will become great, pulling the better plant so the whole will be stronger. Who is worthy to truly be a judge of their fellow man? Have you seriously considered this? And for those that seek to become a God, are you worthy? I know I am neither nor do I have the desire. I find it interesting that so many I have met over the years are so titillated over this prospect.

Anyhow, I left my garden feeling incredibly refreshed and humbled. My Companion and two dogs came seeking me as I finished, she had been busy in her garden as well, so we both rejoiced in the fact that though we had a rough day, and through storm, we still muscled through and achieved our goals.

Anyhow, I am glad to have a righteous judge in Israel, one who I can put my faith and trust, and I pray others can find that same faith and trust in Jesus Christ, for he is merciful and true.

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Cruiserdude
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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by Cruiserdude »

RaVaN wrote: ↑May 23rd, 2023, 10:11 pm Today:
I was more than a little depressed at work. My brother's drywall company(his business wisdom is amazing to me, I just don't suffer stupid well and herding cats just isn't something I like) is a top tier company...meaning most people even in the trades have no real understanding of drywall or how you achieve a correct product that will last for years or why gypsum is amazing and what it can or can't do. As artisans, the past three years have become harder and harder since so many have moved from doing a great job to just an okay job while expecting more and the customer is the one who had to pick up the tab for sub par work even on the higher end of things. Today was when we had to sit down and discuss the fact that we are just going to have to do more work for less. The last drywall hanging company we worked with has has succumbed likesi many other construction companies doing sub par work. You can't blame them much since the screws that are superior went from $40 to $147 in a year, and the garbage they are using is $70 per box. Understand, this IS a big deal in terms of work. Drywall starts at the foundation. When things are not right...it is incredible hard to catch all the snakes and get them laid out straight. To be clear, both my brother and I are both recovering carpenters...and can build a log cabin(and have) or a stick house, build cabinets, finish concrete with equal facility... Our gift is drywall finishing though. Anyhow, enough preamble.

So to cheer myself up, I went transplanting the last peppers in a thunderstorm. It's a good time, since my garden is in a low spot. Alot of people don't enjoy the rain but there is a cleansing feel to releasing yourself to the elements while being reminded how small you really are. Anyhow, I got another 80 or so pepper plants in the ground, plus some tobacco plants in my other garden. Everything seems on course for a good garden at them moment, but after this rain the first weeding and thinning will be needing done.

Weeding and thinning:
This seems pretty straight forward, remove unwanted plants...the end... Except really weeding and thinning is an art. You weed at the wrong time, and you kill or cripple your plants in a garden you don't water. You weed while raining, or before/after the rain and you waste your time because weeds will reroot themselves. The best time, is on a hot day, in the sun, but not when it is too dry. If it is too dry, the holed opened from pulled weeds will dry out the soil. Sometimes having weeds in a drought will maintain more moisture than they use. I don't water my gardens as a matter of course, and I have observed these things and others over time. There is alot of life lessons in weeding, and it is something that is a joy to do. Now thinning...that is another beast, and an art as well. I don't enjoy it. I think too much on how judging really is. It is a weighty thing, and I have no real interest in playing God. Yet it needs to be done. Sometimes you leave the best plant, and sometimes you leave the plant that will become great, pulling the better plant so the whole will be stronger. Who is worthy to truly be a judge of their fellow man? Have you seriously considered this? And for those that seek to become a God, are you worthy? I know I am neither nor do I have the desire. I find it interesting that so many I have met over the years are so titillated over this prospect.

Anyhow, I left my garden feeling incredibly refreshed and humbled. My Companion and two dogs came seeking me as I finished, she had been busy in her garden as well, so we both rejoiced in the fact that though we had a rough day, and through storm, we still muscled through and achieved our goals.

Anyhow, I am glad to have a righteous judge in Israel, one who I can put my faith and trust, and I pray others can find that same faith and trust in Jesus Christ, for he is merciful and true.
Feels like reading from myself πŸ™πŸ™πŸ™ keep up your posts!

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Ymarsakar
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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by Ymarsakar »

I love the rains after and during. The air smells alive and without the chemicals and metals.

I weed by putting a cover around stuff I like to keep, and they eventually go black and die out. Then the roots will also die out. Doens't look pretty, but is great to help nature compost weeds that have served their purpose in breaking up soil and extracting deep bottom soil minerals to the top.

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RosyPosy
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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by RosyPosy »

I do calisthenics at home. HIIT and intermittent fasting definitely works. My goal is get to 15% body fat.

I dont own land but my folks live 10 minutes from me and I'm going to help my dad with the garden.

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Cruiserdude
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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by Cruiserdude »

RosyPosy wrote: ↑May 24th, 2023, 8:34 am I do calisthenics at home. HIIT and intermittent fasting definitely works. My goal is get to 15% body fat.

I dont own land but my folks live 10 minutes from me and I'm going to help my dad with the garden.
That's what I've resorted to as well. I'm not currently on land so I've helped Pops get his veg garden and a couple other folks I do work for I kinda helped reaffirm their desire for a veg garden and helped them get it all tilled and planted, etc.... If you don't have it available, help ensure those that do have it do actually get their gardens goingπŸ‘

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Ymarsakar
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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by Ymarsakar »

Cruiserdude wrote: ↑May 24th, 2023, 8:52 am
RosyPosy wrote: ↑May 24th, 2023, 8:34 am I do calisthenics at home. HIIT and intermittent fasting definitely works. My goal is get to 15% body fat.

I dont own land but my folks live 10 minutes from me and I'm going to help my dad with the garden.
That's what I've resorted to as well. I'm not currently on land so I've helped Pops get his veg garden and a couple other folks I do work for I kinda helped reaffirm their desire for a veg garden and helped them get it all tilled and planted, etc.... If you don't have it available, help ensure those that do have it do actually get their gardens goingπŸ‘
You getting a lot of bonus points there, my cousin. You'll be rich in karma points during the apocalypse and after ; )

Karma points are what angels and gods use, and you can obtain items, blessings, and other things. Kind of like a Divine economy.

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mudflap
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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by mudflap »

RaVaN wrote: ↑May 21st, 2023, 9:25 am @mudflap
I am not going to pretend I know your area, so take what is useful discard the rest.
Gypsum loosens clay soil, I don't know the amounts so that is wisdom unearned. In general adding to your soil structure always works over time. First year gardens tend to always produce poorly I am unsure of exactly why but what has worked best for me is planting land tamers in a first year garden. When I start break in a new garden, I plant tobacco in it. The tobacco "tames" the ground, pulls out nutrients weeds and quack grass thrive on, and loosens the soil. Corn works too, but doesn't seem to work quite as well.

I have looked into alot of methods over the years, and the traditional pre-mechanized methods are the best, specifically the ones people used in your specific area wherever a person is. The natives had alot of things down to a science. Some of these things we don't get to do because of laws and regulations. Controlled burning is an example. Works similar to compost in making the soil more friable. You add in the the trash fish from spring runs, plus some other things you have a relatively weedfree garden in easily worked soil that over time is very fertile. The goal is not to till the whole field, but rather just where you need it. And these native Americans did this with digging sticks and shoulder blade hoes over acres and acres. Conceptualize that. It was work, but you work smarter not harder. The problem with that system is making money,it is not efficient for growing a cash crop, and that is the issue the Europeans had, they wanted money for the things and looked down on those that didn't have "proper" things. This is throughout period books.
Now that being said, what I do with these methods is take the useful trash the rest, but you need a baseline for it. The best way is to find an old farmer, and tell him the method, if he spits tobacco near you and goes "Well, it sound like a good way of growing tomatoes, but it wont feed a family", maybe listen. And always remember we all know how to be better farmers than we are. God bless you and your family in your endeavors.
Thanks, good advice. I've been dumping sawdust, wood ash, and clippings in last year's garden area. Going to let it lie fallow this year, and then try again next year. My ex's grandpa always got a lot of production out of his garden. I asked him about his method for getting good soft soil, and he said he just throws all kinds of junk out there - he broke a plate accidentally one day, so he ground it up and scattered the dust in the garden. I'm going to see what happens with mine. Eventually, we'll have a lot of chicken manure to throw out there. I know a lot of this stuff is bad ("too hot") for a working garden, but I think it'll break down over a year and I can till it under later. I'm trying to build it up somewhat and break up the clay.

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Ymarsakar
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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by Ymarsakar »

mudflap wrote: ↑May 24th, 2023, 9:32 am
RaVaN wrote: ↑May 21st, 2023, 9:25 am @mudflap
I am not going to pretend I know your area, so take what is useful discard the rest.
Gypsum loosens clay soil, I don't know the amounts so that is wisdom unearned. In general adding to your soil structure always works over time. First year gardens tend to always produce poorly I am unsure of exactly why but what has worked best for me is planting land tamers in a first year garden. When I start break in a new garden, I plant tobacco in it. The tobacco "tames" the ground, pulls out nutrients weeds and quack grass thrive on, and loosens the soil. Corn works too, but doesn't seem to work quite as well.

I have looked into alot of methods over the years, and the traditional pre-mechanized methods are the best, specifically the ones people used in your specific area wherever a person is. The natives had alot of things down to a science. Some of these things we don't get to do because of laws and regulations. Controlled burning is an example. Works similar to compost in making the soil more friable. You add in the the trash fish from spring runs, plus some other things you have a relatively weedfree garden in easily worked soil that over time is very fertile. The goal is not to till the whole field, but rather just where you need it. And these native Americans did this with digging sticks and shoulder blade hoes over acres and acres. Conceptualize that. It was work, but you work smarter not harder. The problem with that system is making money,it is not efficient for growing a cash crop, and that is the issue the Europeans had, they wanted money for the things and looked down on those that didn't have "proper" things. This is throughout period books.
Now that being said, what I do with these methods is take the useful trash the rest, but you need a baseline for it. The best way is to find an old farmer, and tell him the method, if he spits tobacco near you and goes "Well, it sound like a good way of growing tomatoes, but it wont feed a family", maybe listen. And always remember we all know how to be better farmers than we are. God bless you and your family in your endeavors.
Thanks, good advice. I've been dumping sawdust, wood ash, and clippings in last year's garden area. Going to let it lie fallow this year, and then try again next year. My ex's grandpa always got a lot of production out of his garden. I asked him about his method for getting good soft soil, and he said he just throws all kinds of junk out there - he broke a plate accidentally one day, so he ground it up and scattered the dust in the garden. I'm going to see what happens with mine. Eventually, we'll have a lot of chicken manure to throw out there. I know a lot of this stuff is bad ("too hot") for a working garden, but I think it'll break down over a year and I can till it under later. I'm trying to build it up somewhat and break up the clay.
Worms are what helps break down the biological stuff faster.

Egg shells and rocks/ceramics leech some of the trace minerals that the soil needs to produce exotic food.

Fire obviously just accelerates the entire compost cycle to begin with. That is why forest fires are part of the cycle. But people are afraid of fires and smoke. Even now still. Genetic fear.

If you just dig a very deep hole, you can put the chicken stuff in, then weeds will grow on top and then you harvest the weeds and compost them. Next stage cycle. The auto growing weeds are actually part of the Earth's nano tech, that breaks down stuff that is finicky to deal with.

Once broken down and reput into the soil, then the plants that grow food can use it more.

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mudflap
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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by mudflap »

RaVaN wrote: ↑May 23rd, 2023, 10:11 pm Today:
I was more than a little depressed at work. My brother's drywall company(his business wisdom is amazing to me, I just don't suffer stupid well and herding cats just isn't something I like) is a top tier company...meaning most people even in the trades have no real understanding of drywall or how you achieve a correct product that will last for years or why gypsum is amazing and what it can or can't do. As artisans, the past three years have become harder and harder since so many have moved from doing a great job to just an okay job while expecting more and the customer is the one who had to pick up the tab for sub par work even on the higher end of things. Today was when we had to sit down and discuss the fact that we are just going to have to do more work for less. The last drywall hanging company we worked with has has succumbed likesi many other construction companies doing sub par work. You can't blame them much since the screws that are superior went from $40 to $147 in a year, and the garbage they are using is $70 per box. Understand, this IS a big deal in terms of work. Drywall starts at the foundation. When things are not right...it is incredible hard to catch all the snakes and get them laid out straight. To be clear, both my brother and I are both recovering carpenters...and can build a log cabin(and have) or a stick house, build cabinets, finish concrete with equal facility... Our gift is drywall finishing though. Anyhow, enough preamble.

So to cheer myself up, I went transplanting the last peppers in a thunderstorm. It's a good time, since my garden is in a low spot. Alot of people don't enjoy the rain but there is a cleansing feel to releasing yourself to the elements while being reminded how small you really are. Anyhow, I got another 80 or so pepper plants in the ground, plus some tobacco plants in my other garden. Everything seems on course for a good garden at them moment, but after this rain the first weeding and thinning will be needing done.

Weeding and thinning:
This seems pretty straight forward, remove unwanted plants...the end... Except really weeding and thinning is an art. You weed at the wrong time, and you kill or cripple your plants in a garden you don't water. You weed while raining, or before/after the rain and you waste your time because weeds will reroot themselves. The best time, is on a hot day, in the sun, but not when it is too dry. If it is too dry, the holed opened from pulled weeds will dry out the soil. Sometimes having weeds in a drought will maintain more moisture than they use. I don't water my gardens as a matter of course, and I have observed these things and others over time. There is alot of life lessons in weeding, and it is something that is a joy to do. Now thinning...that is another beast, and an art as well. I don't enjoy it. I think too much on how judging really is. It is a weighty thing, and I have no real interest in playing God. Yet it needs to be done. Sometimes you leave the best plant, and sometimes you leave the plant that will become great, pulling the better plant so the whole will be stronger. Who is worthy to truly be a judge of their fellow man? Have you seriously considered this? And for those that seek to become a God, are you worthy? I know I am neither nor do I have the desire. I find it interesting that so many I have met over the years are so titillated over this prospect.

Anyhow, I left my garden feeling incredibly refreshed and humbled. My Companion and two dogs came seeking me as I finished, she had been busy in her garden as well, so we both rejoiced in the fact that though we had a rough day, and through storm, we still muscled through and achieved our goals.

Anyhow, I am glad to have a righteous judge in Israel, one who I can put my faith and trust, and I pray others can find that same faith and trust in Jesus Christ, for he is merciful and true.
Sorry for your troubles. Wife and I are finishing up the drywall in our cabin. She is doing an amazing job, IMO. I know it is not professional, but I've had a few builders look it over in person, and they say she's doing a better job than the pro's they know who build these "pop-up / mushroom / subdivision" homes.

Folks don't know how much the price of raw materials affect the bottom line, so hearing this about drywall screws is crazy. I know I bought at least 2 boxes of 500 screws, so it wasn't a big deal to do a one time purchase, but when you repeat that for several purchases and then repeat - and if you're doing it for a living - you can't just easily pass that cost onto the customer - because like I said, they don't understand how the price of raw materials affects the bottom line.

And this is just for one trade for finishing homes. Imagine the end cost when you consider all the trades - plumbing - a stick of PVC used to be $10 - now it's like $40. and the schedule 80 stuff I was buying for burying cable was $75 a stick! It would've cost me almost a thousand dollars to get to the road! But luckily I used direct bury cable, and dropped it 3.5' to avoid having to use conduit. But look at framing, concrete, roofing, electrical - even fuel for dirt work. Not to mention international pressure like Brazil buying oil in Yen or whatever. More than half the world can now buy oil in something other than the US Dollar. When Joe Biden took office, EVERYONE bought oil in DOLLARS. But Joe the wrecking ball has destroyed 50-60 years of dollar dominance in just 3 years. I don't know how contractors are going to survive. This is bad. It's really, really bad.

I'm so so SO glad we are on the tail-end of finishing this thing. Can't imagine starting to build in this economy....

I just think our economy is going over a cliff - things are going to get pricey. It'll be slowly, and then all at once.

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Ymarsakar
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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by Ymarsakar »

It is good, even great. It is proof that babylon can no longer sustain itself.

London bridge is falling down, falling down. Nothing can stop what is coming for it is biblica.

Whether good or not that depends on the individual.

How many regrets are in your life? Got some family blood feuds unresolved? Better put the shoulder to the wheel, time grows shorter.

Get your bonus points wherever u can. It all counts for the entrance tests.

Yen is the japanese currency. Yuan is what brazil is considering, chinese rmn. Rin men bi

Brandon is just a tool used by god. Much like cyrus or nebu vs is ra el.

RaVaN
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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by RaVaN »

A Time of Trouble:

It has been an eventful couple of weeks. As of my last post, my Companion's brother who disowned his family a year ago ended up in jail for domestic assault, confirmed by his own admission to the police. Before we judge, without understanding the dynamics, it is easy to judge unrighteously. Her dad and her travelled down to see if they could help, and her dad decided to bail him out if he wanted which he did with no restrictions. This suddenly went from a small fire to a firestorm of trouble. Family dynamics, trauma, gossip, and just flat out danger from all sides.

Trauma:
We all are traumatized in someway. It is only through choice and faith that we overcome it. If we overcome our base nature by overcoming our trauma, it is our duty to seek to help others. We ended up being the only people who could take him in. His father couldn't because the mother of the brother's wife is the Companion of the brothers dad. She wanted him to stay in jail to protect her daughter who she fears for, and rightly so. Her family on occasion kill each other over things like this. So make no mistake, trying to fight firestorm like this is incredibly dangerous and hard to keep everyone from exploding into mass chaos.
My companion's brother is a disabled veteran with supposed ptsd. I love him as a brother, and it breaks my heart that he is going through this. We all have ptsd, and no one gets a pass or use it as an excuse. Anyhow, when you are teaching someone the tools someone needs to deal with trauma, you have to share your own and how you resolved it. Everyone wants to believe their pain and suffering is somehow worse than anyone else's, which is a lie. The tools you use to deal with it are the same for everyone. People chose to use those tools or not. So he entered into my Companion's and mine therapy. It's not a fun thing for people wanting to create the hero/victim story and wanting to rage about the injustice of it all...and the shame. He was in an abusive relationship that was flat out toxic. I love his wife, bright, intelligent, beautiful, wonderful mother and a sociopath who scares the hell out of me...and I don't scare easy. He was told this before he married her. Most people don't listen when you tell them someone is a sociopath...I suspect because no one understands that at the heart of a sociopath is a broken thing that protects that inner core at all costs. I see right through them and it makes me weep...doesn't make them any less dangerous.
Anyhow, Long story short he finally took off after play acting at being in an out of control rage that was comical. My companion had told him early on that if he left, don't just take off like a thief in the night...which he did. He was thinking he was being sneaky about it, but even my brother(we put him into drywall therapy as well) could see he was taking off. At least he was shown the tools he needs to fix himself should he chose.

Faith:
We have been and still are walking in faith since this is a continuing story that hopefully he honestly seeks to fix himself...else it ends in tragedy. Though our faith is strong, we mourn a brother in pain. I came back from a garden to find my companion weeping while weeding...looked for all the world like a little girl crying in pain. I wanted so badly to sweep her up in my arms and tell her lies about how everything will be okay...instead I told her the truth. Prepare for the worst, because there is more pain coming. She said,"I don't think I will ever see my brother again". Once again, I told her the truth, and then said,"Now we know how Jesus feels all the time". How oft would I have gathered you under my wings, yet you would not.(paraphrased I know).

Anyhow, more coming, and so its back to the trenches. Behind on everything, the stress diet is working though...mentally just wrung out and hurting deeply. Keep the faith my brothers and sisters.

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Cruiserdude
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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by Cruiserdude »

RaVaN wrote: ↑June 7th, 2023, 1:22 pm A Time of Trouble:

It has been an eventful couple of weeks. As of my last post, my Companion's brother who disowned his family a year ago ended up in jail for domestic assault, confirmed by his own admission to the police. Before we judge, without understanding the dynamics, it is easy to judge unrighteously. Her dad and her travelled down to see if they could help, and her dad decided to bail him out if he wanted which he did with no restrictions. This suddenly went from a small fire to a firestorm of trouble. Family dynamics, trauma, gossip, and just flat out danger from all sides.

Trauma:
We all are traumatized in someway. It is only through choice and faith that we overcome it. If we overcome our base nature by overcoming our trauma, it is our duty to seek to help others. We ended up being the only people who could take him in. His father couldn't because the mother of the brother's wife is the Companion of the brothers dad. She wanted him to stay in jail to protect her daughter who she fears for, and rightly so. Her family on occasion kill each other over things like this. So make no mistake, trying to fight firestorm like this is incredibly dangerous and hard to keep everyone from exploding into mass chaos.
My companion's brother is a disabled veteran with supposed ptsd. I love him as a brother, and it breaks my heart that he is going through this. We all have ptsd, and no one gets a pass or use it as an excuse. Anyhow, when you are teaching someone the tools someone needs to deal with trauma, you have to share your own and how you resolved it. Everyone wants to believe their pain and suffering is somehow worse than anyone else's, which is a lie. The tools you use to deal with it are the same for everyone. People chose to use those tools or not. So he entered into my Companion's and mine therapy. It's not a fun thing for people wanting to create the hero/victim story and wanting to rage about the injustice of it all...and the shame. He was in an abusive relationship that was flat out toxic. I love his wife, bright, intelligent, beautiful, wonderful mother and a sociopath who scares the hell out of me...and I don't scare easy. He was told this before he married her. Most people don't listen when you tell them someone is a sociopath...I suspect because no one understands that at the heart of a sociopath is a broken thing that protects that inner core at all costs. I see right through them and it makes me weep...doesn't make them any less dangerous.
Anyhow, Long story short he finally took off after play acting at being in an out of control rage that was comical. My companion had told him early on that if he left, don't just take off like a thief in the night...which he did. He was thinking he was being sneaky about it, but even my brother(we put him into drywall therapy as well) could see he was taking off. At least he was shown the tools he needs to fix himself should he chose.

Faith:
We have been and still are walking in faith since this is a continuing story that hopefully he honestly seeks to fix himself...else it ends in tragedy. Though our faith is strong, we mourn a brother in pain. I came back from a garden to find my companion weeping while weeding...looked for all the world like a little girl crying in pain. I wanted so badly to sweep her up in my arms and tell her lies about how everything will be okay...instead I told her the truth. Prepare for the worst, because there is more pain coming. She said,"I don't think I will ever see my brother again". Once again, I told her the truth, and then said,"Now we know how Jesus feels all the time". How oft would I have gathered you under my wings, yet you would not.(paraphrased I know).

Anyhow, more coming, and so its back to the trenches. Behind on everything, the stress diet is working though...mentally just wrung out and hurting deeply. Keep the faith my brothers and sisters.
I can tell good people when I meet them, hermano. And you are good people. I'm praying for you and yoursπŸ™πŸ™ What a hard thing for a family to go through πŸ˜”πŸ˜”

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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by RaVaN »

@cruiserdude

Thank you for your prayers(and everyone else). These days, everyone needs prayers. I had a couple of missionaries show up to my garden a few weeks back(so many interesting things occur in my consecrated garden) when I was planting my corn. They asked what I was building...made me chuckle when they were amazed at it being a garden...they were Utah boys and just shiny like new pennies. We had a great chat and I told them I would be praying for them since I don't even need to know them to know they had a family in crisis...just like us all. They didn't really know what to do with me and I am an intimidating person apparently...even more so at that moment. Barefoot, tanned bronze, sunglasses, bandana, tee shirt with "notice: Whatever you are doing, thinking,or saying. I am not interested"...on top of my magic power that makes young girls and old ladies love me, but insecure men faint and confident men want to fight me. No brag, just fact. My companion says its because I radiate a father figure in people...oddly enough even with my own father.
As to being good people, really am just another broken person working on being fixed and fully knowing that you make the choice to be healed, but it is Jesus Christ that heals. If he choses to use me to help a brother or sister I rejoice at the opportunity, though at times I wonder how the three nephites can stand the pain, and then I realize if you can help save just one...it is worth it and will sustain you. Anyhow, God is great.

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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by RaVaN »

So, yeah I planted two types of corn that are really the same variety. Hickory king and hickory cane. The hickory king seed was bad, so I have replanted that. Since I am using the three sister method, I needed different corn than the howling mob I usually make. Howling mob is the best sweet corn in my opinion. Not super sweet, but with real corn flavor. It is excellent for parched corn. Parched corn is something everyone should know how to make. It is basically corn nuts. You heat corn up in a pan till it puffs up. By doing this, the heat unlocks nutrients that are otherwise locked in corn. Not as good as making hominy, but worth doing. It used to be the travel food of choice. Anyhow, the hickory cane is knee high...in our area the rule to know whether your garden will be good is corn knee high by the fourth of July, and fresh peas in June...which we are on track for.

Way behind on weeding. My companion's brother asked what happened to the garden with the weeds...was everything in my power not to say,"you happened, what you see here is the three days spent bailing you out of jail". Weeds grow fast after that first spring rain, and between solo herding, taking phone calls, and having to keep people from just not doing stupid things to make a volatile situation worse as well as iron manning drywall solo...well I got behind.

My companion put her brother to work clearing trees in the goat yard. She ran the bobcat and him the chainsaw. When someone is suffering from shame and depression getting them up and doing things they grew up doing helps retrain the neural pathways. Every task we gave him was a parable with a lesson. They later joked at me about breaking the bobcat...real funny until twenty minutes later they blew a seal on one of the cylinders. They fixed it that Saturday with their father like good little boys and girls.

My companion tried cutting her finger off with a sickle...pretty impressive cut that will be a nice scar. Her brother is a combat medic, and so he got to practice his skill. I decided it would be good for him since my medicine in that regard is to chew up some comfrey and poultice that up on the cut. It is healing nicely and now she can have something to remember him by.

I made a garden bench finally. I had some old deck cedar 4x4s left over from when we built our outhouse(my companion wanted one, so to teach her some carpentry we built one out of old cedar decking). I basically just did some halflapping and morticing...nothing fancy or fine just expedient. Turned out nice for a 3ft long 14in high little bench. It is just for water breaks since it has been abominably hot and humid.

Anyhow, I thank God for his many blessings and protection these past weeks and I am glad he watches over us all, I just wish we all would listen to him better and do his word.

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Momma J
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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by Momma J »

RaVaN ~ I thoroughly enjoy reading what you share. Your wisdom radiates in your words. Thank you.

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Ymarsakar
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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by Ymarsakar »

humanity itself is much akin to someone in a co dependent abusive relationship. A victim vs victimizer vs savior complex.
RaVaN wrote: ↑June 7th, 2023, 1:22 pm A Time of Trouble:

It has been an eventful couple of weeks. As of my last post, my Companion's brother who disowned his family a year ago ended up in jail for domestic assault, confirmed by his own admission to the police. Before we judge, without understanding the dynamics, it is easy to judge unrighteously. Her dad and her travelled down to see if they could help, and her dad decided to bail him out if he wanted which he did with no restrictions. This suddenly went from a small fire to a firestorm of trouble. Family dynamics, trauma, gossip, and just flat out danger from all sides.

Trauma:
We all are traumatized in someway. It is only through choice and faith that we overcome it. If we overcome our base nature by overcoming our trauma, it is our duty to seek to help others. We ended up being the only people who could take him in. His father couldn't because the mother of the brother's wife is the Companion of the brothers dad. She wanted him to stay in jail to protect her daughter who she fears for, and rightly so. Her family on occasion kill each other over things like this. So make no mistake, trying to fight firestorm like this is incredibly dangerous and hard to keep everyone from exploding into mass chaos.
My companion's brother is a disabled veteran with supposed ptsd. I love him as a brother, and it breaks my heart that he is going through this. We all have ptsd, and no one gets a pass or use it as an excuse. Anyhow, when you are teaching someone the tools someone needs to deal with trauma, you have to share your own and how you resolved it. Everyone wants to believe their pain and suffering is somehow worse than anyone else's, which is a lie. The tools you use to deal with it are the same for everyone. People chose to use those tools or not. So he entered into my Companion's and mine therapy. It's not a fun thing for people wanting to create the hero/victim story and wanting to rage about the injustice of it all...and the shame. He was in an abusive relationship that was flat out toxic. I love his wife, bright, intelligent, beautiful, wonderful mother and a sociopath who scares the hell out of me...and I don't scare easy. He was told this before he married her. Most people don't listen when you tell them someone is a sociopath...I suspect because no one understands that at the heart of a sociopath is a broken thing that protects that inner core at all costs. I see right through them and it makes me weep...doesn't make them any less dangerous.
Anyhow, Long story short he finally took off after play acting at being in an out of control rage that was comical. My companion had told him early on that if he left, don't just take off like a thief in the night...which he did. He was thinking he was being sneaky about it, but even my brother(we put him into drywall therapy as well) could see he was taking off. At least he was shown the tools he needs to fix himself should he chose.

Faith:
We have been and still are walking in faith since this is a continuing story that hopefully he honestly seeks to fix himself...else it ends in tragedy. Though our faith is strong, we mourn a brother in pain. I came back from a garden to find my companion weeping while weeding...looked for all the world like a little girl crying in pain. I wanted so badly to sweep her up in my arms and tell her lies about how everything will be okay...instead I told her the truth. Prepare for the worst, because there is more pain coming. She said,"I don't think I will ever see my brother again". Once again, I told her the truth, and then said,"Now we know how Jesus feels all the time". How oft would I have gathered you under my wings, yet you would not.(paraphrased I know).

Anyhow, more coming, and so its back to the trenches. Behind on everything, the stress diet is working though...mentally just wrung out and hurting deeply. Keep the faith my brothers and sisters.

JohnnyL
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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by JohnnyL »

mudflap wrote: ↑May 16th, 2023, 12:32 pm 1. Health: we cut out sugar about a decade ago. it sucks. every activity at church seems to center around food, and folks always default to cupcakes, cookies, and other sweets. makes it hard to want to go, so we usually don't so as to avoid the stares. It shouldn't be this way in our church, IMO.

I encourage folks to get on freedomcells.org and band together with others in your local community to help each other out. Mostly because our church is doing a terrible job of focusing on this kind of stuff. Maybe it's because food storage is no longer necessary.... lol!
Because it's fast, easy, and people will come, lol. I figuratively roll my eyes when people pray that God will bless all the junk desserts to "strengthen and nourish the food".

Not sure why you would say that when we've had two recent GC talks on being prepared and food storage? The Church has online food storage. Food storage is something that should be done at the local (read: stake/ ward) level, so talk to your High Council/ Ward Council about getting something going. In the USA it's possible sometimes to get Extension services from the local ag college to do presentations--open it to the community, too, for missionary work and knowing like-minded neighbors.

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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by mudflap »

JohnnyL wrote: ↑June 9th, 2023, 5:07 pm
mudflap wrote: ↑May 16th, 2023, 12:32 pm 1. Health: we cut out sugar about a decade ago. it sucks. every activity at church seems to center around food, and folks always default to cupcakes, cookies, and other sweets. makes it hard to want to go, so we usually don't so as to avoid the stares. It shouldn't be this way in our church, IMO.

I encourage folks to get on freedomcells.org and band together with others in your local community to help each other out. Mostly because our church is doing a terrible job of focusing on this kind of stuff. Maybe it's because food storage is no longer necessary.... lol!
Because it's fast, easy, and people will come, lol. I figuratively roll my eyes when people pray that God will bless all the junk desserts to "strengthen and nourish the food".

Not sure why you would say that when we've had two recent GC talks on being prepared and food storage? The Church has online food storage. Food storage is something that should be done at the local (read: stake/ ward) level, so talk to your High Council/ Ward Council about getting something going. In the USA it's possible sometimes to get Extension services from the local ag college to do presentations--open it to the community, too, for missionary work and knowing like-minded neighbors.
yes: just 2. And they referenced food storage to gas light us AFTER everyone in Utah rushed out to hoard toilet paper and food supplies. It sounded like "don't whine to us that we didn't see this coming - it's your fault for not listening to us":
Some Church members opine that emergency plans and supplies, food storage, and 72-hour kits must not be important anymore because the Brethren have not spoken recently and extensively about these and related topics in general conference. But repeated admonitions to prepare have been proclaimed by leaders of the Church for decades. The consistency of prophetic counsel over time creates a powerful concert of clarity and a warning volume far louder than solo performances can ever produce. ~ Elder Bednar, October 2020
But the trend is "to not talk about it":

Image


So on the one hand, we hear: "past prophets have been telling your this for decades"

and on the other hand, we hear: "the most important prophet to listen to is the living one".

Personally, Hinckley's "portent of stormy weather / get out of debt" has been the driving force in my life for the past 20 years. Had some setbacks - divorce, move across the country, find a new job, but we're on the cusp of fulfilling that admonition.

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Cruiserdude
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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by Cruiserdude »

mudflap wrote: ↑June 10th, 2023, 7:12 am
JohnnyL wrote: ↑June 9th, 2023, 5:07 pm
mudflap wrote: ↑May 16th, 2023, 12:32 pm 1. Health: we cut out sugar about a decade ago. it sucks. every activity at church seems to center around food, and folks always default to cupcakes, cookies, and other sweets. makes it hard to want to go, so we usually don't so as to avoid the stares. It shouldn't be this way in our church, IMO.

I encourage folks to get on freedomcells.org and band together with others in your local community to help each other out. Mostly because our church is doing a terrible job of focusing on this kind of stuff. Maybe it's because food storage is no longer necessary.... lol!
Because it's fast, easy, and people will come, lol. I figuratively roll my eyes when people pray that God will bless all the junk desserts to "strengthen and nourish the food".

Not sure why you would say that when we've had two recent GC talks on being prepared and food storage? The Church has online food storage. Food storage is something that should be done at the local (read: stake/ ward) level, so talk to your High Council/ Ward Council about getting something going. In the USA it's possible sometimes to get Extension services from the local ag college to do presentations--open it to the community, too, for missionary work and knowing like-minded neighbors.
yes: just 2. And they referenced food storage to gas light us AFTER everyone in Utah rushed out to hoard toilet paper and food supplies. It sounded like "don't whine to us that we didn't see this coming - it's your fault for not listening to us":
Some Church members opine that emergency plans and supplies, food storage, and 72-hour kits must not be important anymore because the Brethren have not spoken recently and extensively about these and related topics in general conference. But repeated admonitions to prepare have been proclaimed by leaders of the Church for decades. The consistency of prophetic counsel over time creates a powerful concert of clarity and a warning volume far louder than solo performances can ever produce. ~ Elder Bednar, October 2020
But the trend is "to not talk about it":

Image


So on the one hand, we hear: "past prophets have been telling your this for decades"

and on the other hand, we hear: "the most important prophet to listen to is the living one".

Personally, Hinckley's "portent of stormy weather / get out of debt" has been the driving force in my life for the past 20 years. Had some setbacks - divorce, move across the country, find a new job, but we're on the cusp of fulfilling that admonition.
And you making choices that allow those things to happen and then sharing them with us helps inspire us!
Keep up the good work and keep sharing it! πŸ™πŸ‘

JohnnyL
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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by JohnnyL »

mudflap wrote: ↑June 10th, 2023, 7:12 am
JohnnyL wrote: ↑June 9th, 2023, 5:07 pm
mudflap wrote: ↑May 16th, 2023, 12:32 pm 1. Health: we cut out sugar about a decade ago. it sucks. every activity at church seems to center around food, and folks always default to cupcakes, cookies, and other sweets. makes it hard to want to go, so we usually don't so as to avoid the stares. It shouldn't be this way in our church, IMO.

I encourage folks to get on freedomcells.org and band together with others in your local community to help each other out. Mostly because our church is doing a terrible job of focusing on this kind of stuff. Maybe it's because food storage is no longer necessary.... lol!
Because it's fast, easy, and people will come, lol. I figuratively roll my eyes when people pray that God will bless all the junk desserts to "strengthen and nourish the food".

Not sure why you would say that when we've had two recent GC talks on being prepared and food storage? The Church has online food storage. Food storage is something that should be done at the local (read: stake/ ward) level, so talk to your High Council/ Ward Council about getting something going. In the USA it's possible sometimes to get Extension services from the local ag college to do presentations--open it to the community, too, for missionary work and knowing like-minded neighbors.
yes: just 2. And they referenced food storage to gas light us AFTER everyone in Utah rushed out to hoard toilet paper and food supplies. It sounded like "don't whine to us that we didn't see this coming - it's your fault for not listening to us":
Some Church members opine that emergency plans and supplies, food storage, and 72-hour kits must not be important anymore because the Brethren have not spoken recently and extensively about these and related topics in general conference. But repeated admonitions to prepare have been proclaimed by leaders of the Church for decades. The consistency of prophetic counsel over time creates a powerful concert of clarity and a warning volume far louder than solo performances can ever produce. ~ Elder Bednar, October 2020
But the trend is "to not talk about it":

Image


So on the one hand, we hear: "past prophets have been telling your this for decades"

and on the other hand, we hear: "the most important prophet to listen to is the living one".

Personally, Hinckley's "portent of stormy weather / get out of debt" has been the driving force in my life for the past 20 years. Had some setbacks - divorce, move across the country, find a new job, but we're on the cusp of fulfilling that admonition.
Why did you build a cabin? Why are you getting ready while half the Church members in the USA who could be, even after recent reminders, still aren't doing anything to get ready? When you listened to Hinckley's "portent of stormy weather / get out of debt" talk, did the Spirit tell you something?

For those who ONLY rely on the 15 for their spiritual guidance, yes, the lack of "food storage" etc would be a problem. And yes, that "conundrum" deserves a "Really, dude? You couldn't throw in a lousy reminder article in the Liahona, or a 1 minute blurb in GC??"

Yeah, they talk about other things. But anyone who has been listening to the past 4 years has remembered message after message, especially from President Nelson. about drawing close to God and getting the Spirit; the Spirit "will show unto you all things what ye should do" (2 Nephi 32:5).

And everyone remembers DC38:30: "If ye are prepared ye shall not fear."

A great talk about the Holy Ghost, getting Him, using Him:
https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/todd-b-p ... -behavior/

JohnnyL
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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by JohnnyL »

RaVaN wrote: ↑June 7th, 2023, 1:22 pm My companion's brother is a disabled veteran with supposed ptsd.
Free healing for active military/ veterans: https://www.stresssolution.org/

This guy heals PTSD in about 4 minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTq-n5VNuO0

RaVaN
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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by RaVaN »

"O ye house of Israel, whom I have spared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens; and you would not." (1830 Book of Mormon page 474). :

Been busy busy busy. Everything is growing at a phenomenal rate, the hops is almost to the top of the tripod I made. Had a surprize yesterday after herding. We were bringing in the goats and suddenly I was shocked by an unexpected sight of a hen with 6 new chicks. I was at such a loss for words that all I could say was oh my God, oh my God on repeat til my companion said what is going on...that snapped me out of it, told her to get the goats in, keep the dogs out and control them. We jumped to action getting the gate closed and she asked again what was up. I told her to go inside and look which she did...immediately peals of excitement shot out of her. Our chickens free range so we don't always have an accurate count. Anyways, later that evening I went out to put her and her chicks in a bit more safer place. How many people really understand that verse? I picked that hen up and found no chicks underneath. I placed her in the nesting space I made for her and chicks just came tumbling out of her wings. She began to call to them and put them back safe. Amazing lesson there. I woke up at 1:20 this morning wide awake pondering this. I felt just a warm light and peace roll over me...the same feeling from a previous dream of heaven I had that I shared on this forum. Then something interesting happened. My cat came from her sleeping spot across the too and began purring while my new puppy hopped on the bed(yes, we are those people) and curled around my head and began gently licking my forehead before laying her down to sleep. So, I want to just say, God loves us so incredibly deeply. He wants us to hear him and come unto him. We put up such resistance where none exist, allowing our guilt and shame to prevent us from repenting. Anyhow, remarkable experience.

So all of my squash and pumpkins are coming up except this one type that some gave me that supposedly was taken from some claypot and was a lost variety...yada yada yada..but really is just a uncommon variety that people have been growing for years. I am on a quest this year to find a squash I can eat. It is just too good of a food source to not be able to have regularly. I basically just feel off after eating it for about 4 hours, nauseated, weak, sleepy, and little energy which is wierd for me. I get the same feeling from eggplant. So hopefully this is the year. Anyhow I hope you all have a glorious Sunday and remember God loves you.

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Re: 2 Topics for Doers: Health and Food-growing

Post by Cruiserdude »

RaVaN wrote: ↑June 11th, 2023, 8:17 am "O ye house of Israel, whom I have spared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens; and you would not." (1830 Book of Mormon page 474). :

Been busy busy busy. Everything is growing at a phenomenal rate, the hops is almost to the top of the tripod I made. Had a surprize yesterday after herding. We were bringing in the goats and suddenly I was shocked by an unexpected sight of a hen with 6 new chicks. I was at such a loss for words that all I could say was oh my God, oh my God on repeat til my companion said what is going on...that snapped me out of it, told her to get the goats in, keep the dogs out and control them. We jumped to action getting the gate closed and she asked again what was up. I told her to go inside and look which she did...immediately peals of excitement shot out of her. Our chickens free range so we don't always have an accurate count. Anyways, later that evening I went out to put her and her chicks in a bit more safer place. How many people really understand that verse? I picked that hen up and found no chicks underneath. I placed her in the nesting space I made for her and chicks just came tumbling out of her wings. She began to call to them and put them back safe. Amazing lesson there. I woke up at 1:20 this morning wide awake pondering this. I felt just a warm light and peace roll over me...the same feeling from a previous dream of heaven I had that I shared on this forum. Then something interesting happened. My cat came from her sleeping spot across the too and began purring while my new puppy hopped on the bed(yes, we are those people) and curled around my head and began gently licking my forehead before laying her down to sleep. So, I want to just say, God loves us so incredibly deeply. He wants us to hear him and come unto him. We put up such resistance where none exist, allowing our guilt and shame to prevent us from repenting. Anyhow, remarkable experience.

So all of my squash and pumpkins are coming up except this one type that some gave me that supposedly was taken from some claypot and was a lost variety...yada yada yada..but really is just a uncommon variety that people have been growing for years. I am on a quest this year to find a squash I can eat. It is just too good of a food source to not be able to have regularly. I basically just feel off after eating it for about 4 hours, nauseated, weak, sleepy, and little energy which is wierd for me. I get the same feeling from eggplant. So hopefully this is the year. Anyhow I hope you all have a glorious Sunday and remember God loves you.
I sure enjoy reading what you share, hermano πŸ™πŸ™

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