Living Vision Ground-breaking!

What an exciting day at 2640 Quick Rd! My neighbor Andy helped me till the first 1/4 acre plot that we’ll be farming come spring. He scored a big-ass Massey-Ferguson tractor with a hydraulic tiller attachment that turned up the deep, sandy soil in no time. He did most of the driving with his two sons Wyatt (5) and Weston (2) on his lap in the cab.

The soil here is pretty sandy and lacks some key nutrients, but with plenty of manure, compost, and consulting with Michigan State’s Extension up here, we’ll be producing crops in no time. Speaking of manure, our other neighbors just brought their two horses home to their new barn and pasture. They were out shoveling horse crap while we were plowing, and so I sauntered over and asked if I could have some of their manure on a regular basis. They said I could take all of it off their hands (and feet) if I wanted to come and get it. So the soil should thicken up nicely with a regular supply of horse cocca.

How great is it to have neighbors who are so willing to chip in and give a rookie farmer a hand? They like the Living Vision project and are happy to help bring it to fruition. I’m really grateful to all the folks who are helping us get started. We must have a couple hundred egg cartons our friends have saved for us, so that once our 23 chickens start laying we’ll be able to store and deliver them easily. The projected lay date is early November, and our first couple dozen are going to the Manna Food Project and Brother Dan’s pantry – the two main food banks in the area. Living Vision is going to practice “first fruits” giving, a practice dating back to the ancient Hebrews, who would offer the first fruits of their harvest every year to the temple and its priests. It’s an important discipline that will keep our focus on others rather than ourselves and keep us grateful for every meal we eat. I can’t wait!

Farming is an incredibly vulnerable enterprise. The farmer is dependent on so many external forces, that he can never count his chickens before they’re hatched. Plentiful rain, moderate temperatures, and an absence of intrusive varmints are just a few of the things our community will be dependent on as this farming experiment gets underway. Living with vulnerability and the uncertainty that accompanies it will be a challenge for our community and for me in particular. But I look forward to living more harmoniously with nature’s rhythms and cycles, just as I look forward to producing and consuming totally local produce.

Hope you’ll stop by and lend a hand. We’d love to have you along!