On April 23, 2005, we moved to the family farm. Matt’s dream of farming became my dream too, and when the opportunity came for us to buy the family farm, we took the chance. We knew it was not going to be easy and we knew we were taking a risk.

Those young people in the picture below did not know they would have to face sickness and death so soon within their family. They didn’t know they would have to sell all their hogs. They didn’t know they would have hours of book work. They didn’t know that there would be countless repairs. They didn’t know that they would have to make it through a drought. They didn’t know how tight money could really be. All they knew was that they loved the farm and they couldn’t imagine anyone else living there, so they were willing to take a chance.

But with the risk, there is the peace that comes from watching the sun rise and set over the cows grazing in the pasture. There is the excitement in watching a wobbly calf. The freedom to walk through corn and hay fields, daydreaming on the porch, or resting on a bale of hay. The feeling of gratitude as the rain falls after a long dry spell. The blessing of having our children work alongside us and watching them grow on the seat of a tractor. The feeling of accomplishment after a hard day’s work, and the feeling of humility that the Lord has given us the opportunity to be stewards of this farm.

April 23, 2005 - The day we moved to the farm.

The Family Farm

Homemade Whipped Cream

Supper-in-a-Dish (A recipe using ground beef)