Winter Blues
December 20th, 2005 by Northern FarmerI’m busy but want to post a quick one. I don’t even know why because I don’t have one thing to say. Might be the best blog yet. Anyway there’s not to much earthshaking news from the farm in the frozen north. I just came in the house to unthaw a bit, that’s one thing about snow cover, it always seems colder than it is. I’ll be updating this blog in a bit with some new links, well, they’re not new to most that follow this blog group but I’m a tad bit behind as always in updating around here. I’ll cut some dead blogs and if they get going again I’ll repost them.
In the evenings about all that I do now is work on a room downstairs, finishing it for a bedroom and also work with OP corn cobs, setting them up for a final drying. Seed catalogs are arriving almost daily now and a person can only dream. Kinda in the northern hibernation mode here. Can sleep all night and get a good nap at noon without a problem. Totally the opposite of summer.
I was feeding cows the other day about a half mile from the yard in the truck and had the radio on and some expert was talking about the winter blues. Says that people sleep too much, eat too much, and are kinda groggy during the dark cold months. And they had treatment programs, (which cost money), to help a person be more active and all that. I don’t know about most people, but around here I welcome the long nights. If a person had to work year round like during the busy season I figure they wouldn’t last to long. This is God’s way of giving us on the land a break without the feeling of guilt. So why should I fight it.
I see Kansas Milkmaid is writing a book, I sure do hope that I can buy an autographed copy when it comes out. JM is podcasting over on his blog and I have no way of listening, but not to fear, I’ll listen to him live shortly. All these other bloggers with all their different projects and here I am wondering if I should delete this blog and just forget it. Sometimes I could take the computer and just blow it away with the twelve gauge. I’m a person of the land, not some computer lover. I hate computers!! Remembering how simple life was before the personal computer just makes me want to …… well, you get the drift. Remembering when going to the mailbox was the highlight of the day. Heck, I went for years without a phone even. And life was good. Now it’s just floods of worthless information that I could care less about drowning us. All that said the “only†bright spot is the folks of the Christian Agrarian blog group. All statements that I made do not apply to these folks. There’s a reason these folks are blogging and more are popping up on the sewer called the internet, and the reason is very important. I pray that they continue in the selfless ways that they are blogging.
Whew, I must be suffering from them winter blues that that quack was talking about on the radio. It’ll pass, maybe in the next few minutes even. I can smell the T-Bones broiling upstairs! Life is good.
December 20th, 2005 at 5:42 pm
I, for one, hope you keep blogging. Your post about the local co-op dropping the big name seeds gave me such hope. If nothing else, it makes me feel better that someone else is farming somewhere even colder than northern Iowa
December 20th, 2005 at 7:03 pm
OKAY, I am not the threatening sort, but if you quit blogging, I shall find you and we will have a discussion under the auspices of my new social program:)
It is people like you who kept me from laying six foot under with hands folded in rest last December. We were struck so hard by the enemy. We were labeled basic goofballs by our community of believers for farming on a small farm for the glory of God. It is the fellowship and encouragment I get from your blog…and others that helped me find passion and determination to keep on keeping on.
As a token of my thank you, you will recieve a sneak preview of what I am writing. I have shared a few drafts of the first few chapters but this is more polished.
You kept me going in a very dark hour. The tapping you did with your fingers made my world a little brigther. I then was able to support my guy with a stronger understanding of where this little farm could go. I know this may sound like excessive flattery, but I can see clearly-very clearly how Fuller Family Farms is what it is today because of encouragement we recieved from you, Herrick, Scott T, Scott H, JM, TNFarmgirl and others. Okay so we could do away with the web…but God is being glorified here too. Off to ship you a copy of the first chapter and maybe the second. Blessings from both of us!!!
December 20th, 2005 at 8:56 pm
Tom,
I want to encourage you to keep on - I know it is discouraging when you post over and over with no one commenting but please…your blog is one of the highlights of my day - I am so encouraged, and learn so much. I hear about your farm and hope that we end up as far along as you are when we hand it over to our children.
You may not feel like you are accomplishing much but your typing is sending ripples of change throughout the lives of those who read you…including me
Blessings!
Cheri
December 20th, 2005 at 9:05 pm
I have to pipe in and concur with KSMilkMaid and TNFarmGirl. You (along with several others) are the real deal. You provide the kind of wisdom and balanced encouragement to us newcomers that only comes with experience. Thank you!
Keith
December 20th, 2005 at 9:14 pm
Tom,
I smell the T-Bones Too!!! Love that smell. Yes, you are correct, the internet is a sewer and one day we may all regret ever letting into our homes. On the other hand I beleive we are building community. I firmly beleive that one day we WILL NEED each other, and the connections we make now are going to make it better for us and our decendents. Let’s face it, Tom, when our society completely crashes, and we are all told to get the chip. And we konw only those with the mark of the beast will be able to do business.
Then, who will be the last bastion of freedom for our people?
The answer is simple, Christians who know how to raise food.
You are already there, my friend. Keep on spreading you good (often hilarious) words!
And don’t worry about missing out on the podcast! When we get up there, we can do one together and I’ll show you how to do it. Maybe we can have a regular feature…
“GOOOOOOOOD MOOOOOOORRRRRNNNNNINGGGG, MINNESOTA!!!!!!!!!!!!”
PS 12 Ga is too messy, I think a couple of well placed rounds with a .45 automatic would be more fun and do the trick!!
Laughing in Indiana!
JM
December 20th, 2005 at 9:37 pm
Just wanted to add another comment that we as new Christian Agrarian wanna bees really enjoy your blog and the other Christian Agrarian Blogs we have been reading… I got off of all email groups so that I could spend the time reading all the different blogs… thanks for your wisdom and humor.
December 21st, 2005 at 5:43 am
I’d sure appreciate it if you stuck around, but that’s just me being selfish, truth is without your contributions, I think we’d be lesser for it. I for one could use a few more lessons in “Cow Chips vs. Computer Chips†and though I’ve ‘fried’ a couple of motherboards in my time……I’d nary say they smell or taste anything kin to those T-bones you we’re mentioning a moment ago……….. Kind Regards.
December 21st, 2005 at 6:29 am
I’m another one who very much appreciates you being here! I hope that you’ll keep writing.
I grew up on a farm in Vermont, and though I don’t live on a farm right now, your writing “brings me back” every time, and makes me miss the life we had.
It is only now, at nearly 50 and reading the agrarian blogs, that I am able to appreciate what we had then.
I never would have given it a thought if it hadn’t been for those of you blogging.
Thank you so much.
December 21st, 2005 at 7:08 am
Tom,
I want to echo the sentiments of the folks here. I wholeheartedly sympathize, and have often affectionately pondered a harmonious, yet brief matrimony of my Dell to my beloved Remington. A new meaning for a “shotgun wedding”. But please resist the temptation. Realize that there are likely many people reading your posts that do not respond in the com box. I am sure that there are many, like me, that are only beginning to dream of the agrarian life, but are in circumstances that currently prevent them from realizing it. While I sit here, day in and day out, in my 6×8 prison (cubicle), your blog, and all the others like yours, give me hope and inspiration. Hope that the life I truly want is attainable, and the inspriation to take action. I realize that sometimes this must be a sacrifice for you, but I encourage you to continue this blog for as long and as often as you reasonably can.
December 21st, 2005 at 7:26 am
That does bring an episode to mind…
My brother, an electrician by trade, is not very savy when it comes to computers. He hates to use them, so he’s never learned how to. His wife however, bought a computer and hooked it up to the internet. Well, I guess my brother was bored one day because he decided to mess around with the thing. To this day, he doesn’t know exactly how he did it but he got on the internet and clicked on a few things and was summarily brought to a “less than reputable” site. He said he sat there for a few seconds, got up, went to his bedroom closet, came back out and put a 9mm slug through the screen. And that was the end of that.
December 21st, 2005 at 8:40 am
Tom,
You can’t leave- I just found you!
Reading the comments written so far, a few things stand out! As Christian Agrarians we are a community! A community is made up of those who know and those who don’t know, where wisdom is shared in a loving and supportive way. You make up the section of those who know, myself and others in a cubicle make up the section of those who don’t know! I know older women are to instruct younger women on how to be godly wives and mothers….there must be scriptural commands on older agrarians instructing younger agrarians in how to subdue our land! (Those with a better memory than I can help us with that!)
And you’re always welcome to come to Texas to get rid of the winter blues!
December 21st, 2005 at 1:27 pm
HH said: I know older women are to instruct younger women on how to be godly wives and mothers….there must be scriptural commands on older agrarians instructing younger agrarians in how to subdue our land! (Those with a better memory than I can help us with that!)
Wherefore, those who are aged, and have planted the fields for scores of years, having sown and reaped the bounty provided by Jehovah, the same shall train those who are few in years to know the times and the seasons, and the taking of dominion over the pests of the fields and every predator that creepeth along the land, to destroy the fruitfulness thereof, that thee and thy children may be sustained to a thousand generations by that which Jehovah hath provided. Hezekiah 13:24
So there you have it
I’m not sure if it’s better memory or better imagination, though.
NF …
Keep pressing on! I think you see a little sample here of those who are greatly built up by your efforts.
JFC
December 21st, 2005 at 1:58 pm
Tom:
Where are You????? Did you get my emails? Please don’t tell me I sent them to some strange someone on cyberspace. I hope they got to you. You obviously have some fans!!!!! I wonder how friends can give a standing ovation on cyberspace? If it were possible, I would initiate one now.
December 21st, 2005 at 2:05 pm
I really look forward to reading your posts every day. I find them to be a great source of inspiration. I am realizing that my “city life” has been comfortable, but not exactly rewarding after nearly 40 years.
There may be many other “lurkers” out here like myself, encouraged by your life.
Thanks for keeping on.
Kelly
December 21st, 2005 at 4:35 pm
Wow, what can I say?
I know one thing, I ain’t blogging no more about the winter blues, after I see the all the trouble I caused. You folks are some good ones, let me tell you. More than humbling, wow. I’ll get back to everyone of you in the next day or so and KSMM, I recieved your books two chapters and will read them soon. Been in a whirl around here today with cattle work and butchering and all the normal stuff besides. I gotta get back out and finish up then head for the hills to church. Just warming my feet now.
December 21st, 2005 at 7:53 pm
*
Well… I missed a day of blog reading and come back to this!
What a great outpouring of support and I do want to add my encouragement to everyone’s else. I truly appreciate the effort you put into your blog, Tom. Take a short break from it all if need be, but please don’t break the connection we have developed here. The Lord is working through this internet community.
December 22nd, 2005 at 7:18 am
Good, Tom: I am so glad I sent the stuff to the right person. I didn’t have your name connected with the email address. As glitchy as computers are, I often wonder if sometimes things don’t get sent to the wrong people sometimes.
I am excited to see the support here too. I wish it were in the real not virtual world. But, I am thankful for the blessings from others.
It is warming up around here. It is just below freezing. A heat wave will be expected the next few days here. 50 degrees. Just got finished with milking some of the ladies. There is nothing like that barn yard smell. Seriously a well balanced barnyard has a beautiful smell. Better yet, there is nothing like a date with my guy while milking cows. I know it is unusual, sure beats traveling to town and witnessing the circus.
Busy day ahead on this little farm. We have sold out of milk four days in a row. Friday will be a heavy day as well as Saturday. So, we will sell out four days this week and it will be a close one today to. Blessings Tom!!
December 22nd, 2005 at 5:05 pm
Folks,
I was going to go down the list and thank you all personally, but the list is huge! So I ask you to forgive me if I do a group thankyou. And to you folks that commented for the first time, welcome! I promise not to shake you all up, at least for a while, like this again. God Bless,
Tom