Taking a Stand
August 19th, 2006 by Northern FarmerWe received an inch of rain last night and it sure is doing good. The whole land around here is rapidly turning green from that rain and the one we received last Sunday. The creek is truly running now, more than a trickle, and mowing the grass looks like it’ll be on the job list someday soon. The table is full of garden goodies at all times and I know that I don’t want that to end! But end it will in the next few weeks.
But I know that I’m looking forward to Fall, it’s probably my favorite time of year. Harvesting the remaining garden vegetables, finishing up any and all farm jobs before winter. Make a little more wood and see how big we can make the woodpile this year. I like to have around ten cord per furnace, plus a bit more for small wood stoves. Any apple or cherry wood that we clean up will be put to the side, under a roof, and saved for smoking meats. That’s always my job, being the meat and sausage smoker, one I guard jealously. This year we’ll be adding smoked turkeys to the smoking list. Them gobblers are doing good here and smoked turkey is a good way to make a real lunchmeat. I’m not a big fan of eating regular turkey more than at Thanksgiving and Christmas time, but the smoked stuff I can eat all the time and never get sick of it.
Plus we’ll be making some old fashioned ham, Virginia style, some bacon, sausages and wieners. Add to that, enough beef to feed an army and life is good. Plus the chickens, (White Rocks and our home hatched roosters), now all we have to do is add vegetables. Sounds good to me! Yup, we’ll make it ok in the long Minnesota winter. Notice, Gilbert is safe.
I’ve been ranting a good bit lately, and for good reason. Now it’s come to a head on this blog. I started this blog on a rainy Sunday in May over a year ago, just playing around with blogger, seeing how the thing runs and all that. I’ve said this many times before and it’s just as true as ever; I never expected anyone to read this thing, never. It’s been fun and I’ve meet a lot of good folks on the computer and many in person because of it all. But there is a big, big thorn in my side that needs pulling out, now. And that’s the so called Christian Agrarians, now I love that word but sometimes it also makes me want to throw up. A long time back, maybe last winter I found out how to check who links to this blog and what I found surprised me and sickened me. And it has made me wary ever since.
First, I’m not some sort of devil following white supremacist, hiding behind some Christian denominational name, figuring God loves me and my family more because we are white. These folks are on a one way road to Hell, period, but the problem is they’re dragging down other folks too that are listening to their perverted words. A sick, sick, perverted people, and they have a strong toe hold in what’s called Christian Agrarianism. No matter what they do, it’ll never work, quite simply, their master, the devil wants to destroy them also. And the sad part is they can quote Scripture with the best of them, just like the devil quoted Scripture to Jesus. They’ll come up and quote the Law, meanwhile disobeying the second commandment our Lord Jesus gave us, “to love our neighbor as ourselvesâ€. They’re a slippery bunch and I run into them to often in blogdom. They love to show how wise they are while spreading their hate. Now, I know who a lot of them are and I would ask these modern day Pharisees to drop this blog’s link. And trust me, they can talk up agrarianism, but they’ll never amount to squat. First, they’re perverted and also a bunch of losers. That’s why they’re not successful right now, and they never will be, at agrarianism.
Around here I don’t care if a person’s Catholic, or Lutheran, or Reformed, or Baptist, or Pentecostal, (whoops, almost lost my English on that one 
), or whatever denomination. God doesn’t recognize denominations, so who do I think I am to do so? That’s where a person can tell a fake, when they knock all other denomination, where they squabble about little meaningless manmade traditions, where they say what happened in the early church doesn’t happen today. It may not happen in their church, because God won’t come in unless invited, and so many keep Him out just to satisfy their own lusts. Well, I’m sweeping this blog clean of such stuff. Why, because I have to answer to God someday, even for this blog, and I will not have these Pharisees and fakes, these spreaders of hate, around here.
So for any that figure I went over the line on this one, good! But no one can say I’m wrong on this, no one! And I’m not going to quit blogging, (Christina), it’ll just give me more elbow room to move in. Now, if anyone else wants to drop their link to this blog, I understand because I won’t be the most popular guy around after this, but I’ll still be right. There is no in between, love verses hate, God verses the devil. I wipe my hands clean of many that figure they’re some master race, but looking them all over, if I farmed people they’d be the first ones culled.
Now with that taken care of, and me with no plans on ever becoming a writer or ever writing anything for anyone, I can get back to business around here. Everything from farming to homesteading, our faith and friends, good times and bad. Ah, I feel good!
August 19th, 2006 at 9:16 pm
Tom, you said what had to be said. May the Lord continue to bless you, your family and your fellowship!
August 19th, 2006 at 10:23 pm
Tom, That was truely written from the heart. Sometimes we have to loose things that are in our heart. So He can move in even further. God will bless you and your family, and all that read this blog from now on. Be Blessed.
August 19th, 2006 at 10:49 pm
One of the reasons I like reading your blog is because you are plain spoken in that Minnesotan kind of way. Don’t worry about people getting their shorts in a knot because they disagree with you. I happen to disagree with you now and again (I ain’t sayin’ on what,) but knotted shorts are not my cup o’ tea, and they make it tough to get any work done. Besides that, I know that where we disagree I’m right and you’re not.
In particular, don’t worry about the White Agrarian Movement. Besides, its hard to be a White Agrarian because whenever they see dirt on their hands they have to run to the mirror to see if their face is getting darker too.
May the Lord continue to bless you, Tom.
August 19th, 2006 at 11:37 pm
HI Tom!
I agree with what you are says. Love thy neighbor as thyself. That doesn’t leave much ‘gray area’. I find it kinda hard to relate to ‘religious people’ that only love those that are card carrying members of their own religion—lots of people like that.
If you lose readers by telling the truth, then that is their problem. Like the story of the Watchman in the tower. If the watchman sees the enemy approaching and doesn’t sound the warning, the the blood of those killed is on his head. But if the watchman sees the enemy approaching and does sound the warning, then those that ignor the warning and lose their lives to the enemy, their blood is on their own heads.
Take care my friend!
May the Lord continue to bless your efforts in His name!
August 20th, 2006 at 2:14 am
Oh My Tom!!! My oh my!! You are validating the word of God and the spirit of wisdom is with you.
As I read your thoughts, I agree. You are right about the white supremacist. You are right about the pharisees. You are facing a lion. It seeks to devour a person when they advocate the unity that Christ prayed for in those last hours before his death. We need to rightly divide the word, but should we rightly divide each other? The sinful nature of man says yes. The great deciever loves to take the truth and ever so slightly twist it to a horrid lie. A person really needs to examine their hearts when they start attacking, criticising others who may not have identical views and understanding of God’s word. God gave us the sword of truth, did he mean for us to use on each other for doctrinal disputes. My how we love knowledge. My how we love to flaunt our biblical knowlege. My how we love to flaunt our SELVES. If only, we treasured wisdom, discernment and humility far more. Arogance runs strong in blogdom. There is also a high brow theology that runs rampant too. I get a chuckle out of it as I think of the many unlearned men who were Christ’s disciples. It would be interesting to see if the religious intellectual elite would admit to the root of their arrogance. It seems to me to be a connection to the Greek philosophers. It is very strong in America because we worship higher education. It is the very thing I have pointed out in my articles on self-sufficiency. The “it” that I am referring to is this:
We take the simple pure truth and twist it with higher education making it unreachable for comman man. Everything requires specialization and professionalization to understand. Intellect is valued over hard work. Theory is valued over “get off your duff and do it”. Let them sit and pontificate. In the meantime, we are farming for the glory of God in practice, not just theory, theology and philosophy.
I am glad you won’t quit blogging Tom. Folks need to hear what you are saying. It still makes me giggle to think of this comment:
“Wow, you mean you live this life and have never heard of R.C. Sproul or Doug Wilson or Wendell Berry or Michael Bunker? You mean you don’t know the formal definition of agrarianism? I mean, you live out the theories they espouse and have never heard of them? You are living out what they are trying to contrive and you are living it out in a more genuine way.”
Gasp, imagine that! I am living out a Christian farm life and have never been educated (professionalized or specialized) by a theologian to properly do so. Makes no sense that a simpleton could pick up the bible and just get it, eh?
Well, you may not quit blogging, but I will be booed and hissed out of bloggerville when some folks read this.
I will zap you an e mail here in a few days.
Blessings!!
August 20th, 2006 at 10:31 am
Haven’t a clue who has said what but Tom I agree with your post. I don’t look at what church someone belongs to. I look at how they live their life and how they treat their fellow man. If they are truly living their life for God they don’t need to speak about what they are or what they are doing….. it shows in their actions. I haven’t been visiting your blog every day but when I do I go away knowing I have visited a true lover of God and a man that cares about his fellow man. Glad you are going to keep posting and I will keep reading. Thanks for being you and not bending to those that waste their time trying to act like something they aren’t.
August 20th, 2006 at 11:33 am
Ya! Fall is my fav season!! I love smoked turkey too!! Our wood pile is growing but it is still “on the hoof” so to speak. We have a small property so we get our pork from Sugar Creek Farm and our neighbor across the street is raising our beef. All natural! yum yum. Veggies put up for winter..jellies sparkling on the shelf.. Our God is sooooo good..if we let Him be
give Gil a hug ………
August 20th, 2006 at 8:40 pm
Brent,
Thanks for understanding where I’m coming from with this and may you all be blessed bigtime!
PJ,
Well, I’ll answer you on here just to be proper, eh. Let me know how that picture you took today with me and that OP corn plant turned out. That was a good one! What a little water will do! Thanks!
James,
Thanks for the kind words. And you know, if your right and I’m right even when we disagree, well, that’s pretty good don’t you think?? Because you know, I’m always right, even if your right when disagreeing with me. Maybe I’d better quit while I’m ahead here……..
Steven,
Thanks my friend! Well, no one ever accused me of laying down and getting run over. And I ain’t starting now. It took me a while to finally get around to all of this, I was just hoping it would go away by itself, but it didn’t. So……
Christina,
Some mighty fine words there girl! Amen to that!
“Wow, you mean you live this life and have never heard of R.C. Sproul or Doug Wilson or Wendell Berry or Michael Bunker? You mean you don’t know the formal definition of agrarianism? I mean, you live out the theories they espouse and have never heard of them? You are living out what they are trying to contrive and you are living it out in a more genuine way.â€
I do like that quote. And I’ll add to it. I never read anything from the first three except for a book or two from Wendell Berry and it was so humdrum that I never finished them. And MB, well, excuse me, I had to pick myself up off the floor from laughing.
I have tremendous respect for doers and people that forge ahead, the rest, well, not much respect. I have no respect for clowns that raise a handfull of chickens and demand that people send them offerings through paypal, saying the Lord demands it. Get a life folks, I mean a person has to be pretty desperate or just plain dumb to believe some of this stuff. And if you believe this is God’s will, have at it. But don’t ever come bothering me with it.
I have a lot of respect for the folks in this blogging comunnity too, and it’s because of this love and respect for folks that are at all stages of this way of life that I will hammer out what I believe is the truth. I don’t care if a person has a patio garden in their apartment or a few thousand acres, if the person loves the Lord and wants a simpler life I respect them with all I have. But there are a few out there that I have no respect for at all because of the lies that they spread. And are basically parasites.
But in a society conditioned to let someone else do the thinking for a person many folks fall into these traps. That’s a huge pitfall, instead of being free, these folks are looking for somebody, anybody, to lead them.
I wonder what ever happened to living free?
Peggy,
Thanks! This post was meant to shake lose the parasites that link to this blog and my old NF blog. Not one person on my blogroll or that has commented here is targeted. I’m just cleaning house a bit, I want to know when I write something here or when folks read this blog that it’s what the Lord calls good! I don’t want to be associated with one of these anti God sites. And that’s all they are.
Patti,
That smoked turkey is one of our family’s favorites, I love that stuff and it’s kind of an area tradition around here. Sounds like you have about the best pork anyone could ever eat if your getting it from Sugar Creek. They farm right and I really enjoy stopping into their blog. Besides, it gives me an opportunity to try out Iowa jokes, eh
Oh, Gilly is doing just fine and hugs back to you
August 20th, 2006 at 8:53 pm
evening Tom ,
how did to day go?
August 20th, 2006 at 9:11 pm
Jan,
Really good! Had church today and the last half of the afternoon PJ and family stopped in for some farming talk. I see PJ just posted a picture of me today over on his blog tonight.
Have a good one and God Bless!
August 20th, 2006 at 10:09 pm
Whew!! Tom, I’m glad you got that off your chest! Keep up the good work. WE are all grateful for your insights…
JM
August 21st, 2006 at 5:37 am
Morning Tom ,
I seen the pictures and almost didn’t know you with out your hat
have a great week
August 21st, 2006 at 5:39 am
Hey JM,
I don’t have much chest left after that blow out, but it’ll grow back. Them hogs are sure doing good over here, kids are slopping them and gradually building up the garden scraps. Ahhhh! Life is good! My wife just finished the book you folks brought over and I’ll start it this week, she said to tell you all thank you and that she really liked it!
Keep on pluggin over there,
God Bless!
Tom
August 21st, 2006 at 5:43 am
Morning Jan,
Yup, it’s pretty rare I’m without some sort of hat, so I figure someday PJ can sell that picture on e-bay and make big bucks, eh.
Have a Blessed Day!
August 21st, 2006 at 5:47 am
Morming Tom,
I’ll second what JM says. Your insights do give me things to think about on the tractor. I spent a good part of Saturday afternoon thinking about Franken Birds and the like.
Sunday was wonderful here. We went to celebrate Hurricane Creek Missionary Baptist Church’s 100 year anniversary. I think I can say, my wife and I had a wonderful time. Our boys were just sitting there with their jaws hanging down to the floor, not knowing what to think.
Wonderful choir, wonderful speaker, The sermon tied in Micheal Jordon, Jesus, Mary, and Bo Bo Brazil (remember the 70’s wrestler), Our parish priest has never done that. The choir even had old stick in the mud me me tapping my feet. Just wonderful.
My wife and I were talking about it after, and while the service did charge my soul, I’m not one for all that excitement. But I think there is room in this household for more visits in the future.
Rain report, quick shower yesterday while we were at church, possibility of 1-2 inches today. Bring it on Lord, we are ready for it.
See ya my friend,
Brad
August 21st, 2006 at 11:48 am
I agree about the white supremacist thing. I know of several and the idea is absurd, arrogant and unproductive. God made all people and called them good, who are we to say otherwise?
August 21st, 2006 at 5:08 pm
Brad,
Thanks! I don’t want to give you too much to think about, you might end up having an injury between the ears
Oh boy, that’s the kinda stuff I like hearing about, I’m talking about your Sunday! That’s the way we live here! This Wednesday evening there’s our water baptism service on a beautiful lake, surrounded by thick wooded hills, on the most beautiful beach in Minnesota, and all private. I can’t wait! There’s just something about belonging to an old fashion country church, eh!
Here’s to a good long soaker for you folks!
God Bless!
Chris,
Thank you! God favors no one, and it’s hard for me to even comprehend His love. Besides, I have plenty of planks in my own eyes, I don’t have time to look at anyone elses with the big ones stuck in mine. More like a railroad tie!
Blessing!
August 22nd, 2006 at 12:12 am
Hello Tom! I’m am glad you spoke out so vehemently against those so-called white supremacists. I happened to come across one such individual by following a link on another Christian Agrarian blog. There is nothing supreme about them; I was revolted and shocked. What a repugnant and perverse doctrine. Scripture so very plainly states, “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” I will tell you that when I read your words on this blog, filled with the love of Christ, I can see your heart. Your heart which is white, washed clean by the blood of the Lamb. It has NOTHING (yes, I’m shouting!) to do with the color of your skin. To those with skewed viewpoints who have linked to this blog I would say, “Beware! You have encountered a true warrior for the kingdom of Christ.” I hope they all run with their tails between their legs!
August 22nd, 2006 at 5:40 am
Mornin,
Last night, I had just finished off mowing and heard thunder, put everything away and decided to pull out the Old Standby and play a little. I figure I play the thing so bad, I’d get some of Gods tears eventually. The only thing that came of it was my billy goat was looking at me a little friendlier than usual (sigh… no rain). To keep billy off me, I think I’ll try it in the key of G tonite
Have a GREAT one!
Brad
August 22nd, 2006 at 5:56 am
Emily,
Thanks a bunch! If there were ever kind words here, those were the ones! I’ll be putting all this behind me now, it’s done. I didn’t know what would happen, but I just had to tell the truth about all this. Now it’s time to keep marching ahead, talk about some good times and keep hammering at this death culture, even though that’s getting me in trouble now.
With a little luck I can belt out a blog later, last night we raised a windmill up, had it’s moments to say the least, but it’s up.
God Bless you Emily, I know you ARE a woman of Faith!
Brad,
Hmm, sorry to hear about near miss again with the rain, I do know what it’s like. I don’t know if you’ll be resorting to rain dances but a word of warning. When I was a kid we did do a raindance, the kids I mean, and the storm that brewed up knocked down the wooden silo and moved the big barn over a bit. We haven’t done a raindance since
God Bless and you have a good one down there!