Rappahannock Farm Tour

My husband and I had a wonderful early-Autumn adventure last week... we took part in the Rappahannock Farm Tour here in Virginia.  Once a year, several farms, vineyards, schools, and even a distillery open their doors to the public, sharing their knowledge and experience and passion for the land.  There are so many opportunities on the tour; we were blessed by our visits with the kind folks at Mt. Vernon Farm, Waterpenny Farm, a Montessori farm school, Copper Fox Distillery, and the Link Community Center...

First stop:  Mount Vernon Farm!  Totaling 830 acres, Mount Vernon Farm is nestled along the Blue Ridge Mountains in Rappahannock County, and has been farmed by the Miller family since 1827.

 

The barn at Mt. Vernon Farm was said to be the largest east of the Mississippi when it was built... it is an amazing structure!

Inside the barn loft is cavernous!

Mt. Vernon farm practices management-intensive rotational grazing. This is a complex management skill that ensures top quality health for the land, pastures, and animals by preventing the livestock from overgrazing the grass. This ensures that grazed pastures have enough time to recover before being grazed again. Using this technique allows the livestock to have access to high quality pastures and to fertilize the land. This eliminates the need for dietary supplements and synthetic fertilizers.  Llamas guard the flock of sheep in the photo above.

Next stop:  Waterpenny Farm, a 10-acre vegetable farm in Rappahannock County. Since their first growing season in 2000, they’ve been committed to running the farm in harmony with the environment, using sustainable farming methods, with no chemical pesticides or fertilizers.

What IS a waterpenny?  From the Waterpenny Farm website:

"Waterpennies are beetle larva that can only live in clean water. Their presence in a stream, along with a diversity of other macroinvertebrates, indicates that the water is healthy. Our farm is named for the waterpennies we find in the North Fork of the Thornton River, which borders our farm. We intend to run our farm in a sustainable way that allows the waterpennies, and our local ecosystem, to thrive."

 

On to Mountain Laurel Montessori Farm School for lunch and a tour.

We were served a fresh and delicious lunch by the culinary manager at the school:  a ninth grader!  This intelligent and engaging individual had planned and prepared BBQ from the farm school's pork, farm school egg quiche with spinach and feta, perfectly mashed potatoes, bright and tasty greens, and a sweet local-apple cobbler.  Our tour included the classroom space, the hoop barn and future hoop house (providing fresh food to the area's needy), the vegetable garden, the pond and games green, and chicken, pig, and sheep pens.  History, chemistry, biology, physics, literary and performing arts are all lived out in the landscape.  Truly inspiring!

Ah... the Copper Fox Distillery!

What an interesting place!  Copper Fox is the only distillery in North America to hand malt their own barley, and they use apple and cherry wood smoke to flavor the malted barley.  The entire operation is completed by a handful of dedicated folks, creating Wasmund's Single Malt and Rye Whiskys.

We're home now, continuing to praise God on our 1/5 acre of suburbia...

 

The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others.

Mark 4:14

Psalm 122:1

the steeple at Providence Presbyterian Church

I was glad when they said to me,

“Let us go into the house of the LORD.”

I love my church.  Today's music was inspirational, today's sermon was right on target, today's fellowship was sweet, and today's prayers were heartfelt conversation with the King.  After the service, everyone gathered for our yearly church picnic.  I truly was glad when it was time to go into the house of the Lord, time to openly and publicly worship God. 

Time has been a wonderful teacher.  Time spent taking notice of God's ways.  Time spent pondering God's miracles.  Time spent absorbing God's truths.  

Time has taught me that the committee meeting will take place, the cookies will appear for fellowship, the lesson presentation will go smoothly... these are not the most important items on the agenda.  Time has taught me that these things are meaningless if my preparation (worship, study, and prayer) is lacking.  Time has taught me that worship in His house must come first, and I am glad.

Were you made glad by something today?

Heritage Day 2010

What a glorious day!  My sweet husband drove me out to the Southampton Agriculture and Forestry Museum's Heritage Village for their annual Heritage Day event.  The weather was perfect, the displays were simple and homey and comforting, and I felt alive with hope and health.  For this, I am so very thankful...

Forestry wagon

Having a chat with the goats

Blacksmithing

 

Making soap

Doing laundry

Pumping cold water...

...into the Dairy House to keep milk cold

Canning

 

Cottage kitchen

Cottage sewing corner

Washstand

 

Doctor's office

General store

Church pews

The time of business does not differ with me from the time of prayer; 

and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, 

while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, 

I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were on my knees.

Brother Lawrence

Healing and Refreshment...

I've been feeling well these last few days.  Really well.  For the first time in a really long time.

Those of you who know even a little of my story know this to be a true blessing.  I am so thankful for it.  I'm almost afraid to tell of this priceless gift lest it evaporate before my eyes.

But right now I feel really well.

Last night I was reading my favorite Bible passage, basking in the comfort of the words, know that my Lord is trustworthy and true:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
   and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
   and He will make straight your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6.

For the what felt like the first time ever, I kept reading:

Be not wise in your own eyes;
   fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.
It will be healing to your flesh
   and refreshment to your bones.

Proverbs 3:7-8

Could this really be the first time I read this passage?  Healing and refreshment.  I kept looking:

...be attentive to my words;
   incline your ear to my sayings.
  Let them not escape from your sight;
   keep them within your heart.
For they are life to those who find them,
   and healing to all their flesh.
Keep your heart with all vigilance,
   for from it flow the springs of life.

Proverbs 4:20-23

Be humble, fear the Lord, turn from evil, keep my heart... pondering healing and refreshment with these revealed treasures in mind this week...

Be well, dear ones!

Wool Share...

Early this year, my daughter and I bought a wool share at a local farm.  This allowed us to visit and feed lambs, share dreams and conversation with the farm owner and her family, and at the end of the season we'd receive beautiful wool from her sheep.  As an added bonus, we were invited to participate in sheep shearing and wool spinning/dyeing at the farm.  (Here's a secret: my daughter is the knitter... I just wanted to visit the farm and play with the animals!)

Today, a lovely day of sunshine and mild temperatures provided by our Creator, we traveled to the farm for dyeing and spinning.  Others with wool shares were already there, others came later, arriving with expectant smiles.  Our farm hostess and her family were dressed in period garments, and had prepared everything for our visit: fresh wool separated into bundles, vinegar baths and dyes for the wool, wood fires outside to keep the dyes cooking, and a wise carding and spinning teacher. 

The wool bundles had to go through a vinegar bath to help the dyes to set, and then a quick rinse in soapy water and then clear water.   Eight of our bundles were natural that we would dye, and our other two were a lovely dark gray/brown.

Into the dye!  We chose to dye 4 of our bundles with coffee, two with turmeric, and two with a bright aqua blue dye.  The turmeric was the favorite of the day, I think, with its rich tone and fast coloring.

Once dyed the wool bundles were transferred to the clothesline to dry.  Small color sample bundles were also there in the sunshine. 

While our treasures were drying outside, we all gathered for a delicious lunch of fresh salad greens dressed with farm-made goat cheese, sunflower seeds, and a balsamic vinaigrette.  Fresh baked bread, some scented with rosemary, was served with butter and farm-canned blackberry jam.  Farm daughters had also prepared fresh lemonade with honey for us.

This day, the culmination of a season of visits on the farm, was a gift.  Our hostess is so generous with her time and her knowledge, giving us a recipe for a healing tea as we said farewell.   She and her family are a fine example of sustainable and joyful living in what can be a crazy and chaotic world, and a true exhibition of hospitality.  Thank you, M, for the season of wool!

She finds wool and flax
      and busily spins it.
She is like a merchant’s ship,
      bringing her food from afar.
She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household
      and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.

She goes to inspect a field and buys it;
      with her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She is energetic and strong,
      a hard worker.
She makes sure her dealings are profitable;
      her lamp burns late into the night.

Her hands are busy spinning thread,
      her fingers twisting fiber.
She extends a helping hand to the poor
      and opens her arms to the needy.
She has no fear of winter for her household,
      for everyone has warm clothes.

She makes her own bedspreads.
      She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.
Her husband is well known at the city gates,
      where he sits with the other civic leaders.
She makes belted linen garments
      and sashes to sell to the merchants.

She is clothed with strength and dignity,
      and she laughs without fear of the future.
When she speaks, her words are wise,
      and she gives instructions with kindness.
She carefully watches everything in her household
      and suffers nothing from laziness.

Her children stand and bless her.
      Her husband praises her:
“There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,
      but you surpass them all!”

Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
      but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.
Reward her for all she has done.
      Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.

Proverbs 31:13-31

Toxic Childhood

Recently my husband and I viewed "Toxic Childhood" with Dr. Sanjay Gupta on CNN.  It got me thinking again about the things we breathe, touch, eat, drink every day in modern America.

One of the segments of "Toxic Childhood" focused on parents whose only child was taken by childhood cancer: Wilms' tumor, or nephroblastoma.  The parents were citing a recent study that may indicate a link between chemical exposure and Wilms' tumor found in children.  My jaw dropped.

I was diagnosed with Wilms' tumor at the age of 4.  My left kidney was removed and I was treated with radiation and chemotherapy.  That is another story for another day...

Since that time, I've had several other surgeries to remove other growths and other organs, both benign and pre-cancerous.  I've undergone genetic testing and counseling, and though there is NO history of my cancers on either side of my family, the determination is that I have a not-yet-identified genetic syndrome.

First let me say that my God is good, my God is able, and my God is a healer.  I have fallen into His strong arms repeatedly, feeling betrayed by this earthly tent.  Each time, I feel His presence and I am strengthened and encouraged for another day.

But let me also say that there are things in this imperfect world that are dangerous.  The Diet Coke that gives my eyelids a lift each morning.  The cleaners I have used on countless military housing units before agreeing to inhabit them.  The remnants of long-past leaks and floods in the carpet and ceiling of all the offices I have worked in.  BE MINDFUL... take time to think about what you expose yourself and your precious wee ones to each day.  Make wise choices about what nourishes you at mealtime.  Choose baking soda and vinegar to add sparkle to your home.  Cigarettes, cigars and pipes destroy lungs; don't smoke.  Step back from the pace and demands of the day, release the stress that knots muscles and strangles tissues, and just BE.

I will climb down from my soapbox now.  *smile*  Weaving a prayer of joy for your journey today.

Prayers written on strips of cloth and woven onto a loom, joining the prayers of other sojourners.

Massanetta Springs, June 2010

faith...

through a keyhole, Colonial Williamsburg, 2010

Faith makes us sure of what we hope for 

and gives us proof of what we cannot see.

Hebrews 11:1

Blessings to you and yours this day!