great joy in the ability to help

Today was a very busy day around the farm. We were trying to finish up planting before the rain came at 2:00.  Right now there is no water in the village so I went out early to get a few bottles of drinking water.  It is a dangerous time of year to show your face in the village.  Everyone is needing their gardens plowed .  The owner of the store was rather insistent that I plow his before the rain. I told him that I did not have time at the moment but would have Beksoltan come and see him tomorrow if the rain help off.  

As I walked away I felt a check in my spirit.  Here is the whole story.  The tractor was purchased for us by a good friend who wanted to bless the farm and those around us. This man is one of the kindest most generous people I know and is also the first one to step up and help if anyone is in need... As I walked away I thought to myself how my  friend would have stopped everything he was doing and take great joy in the ability to help someone else.  The tractor has been such a blessing to us that how could I not follow the spirit of generosity and stop what I was doing and go plow the field.  So I went back to the farm, doped off the water and climbed onto the tractor to do what should have been a 15 minute job

No sooner had I started and I noticed that the tractor was having a hard time .  upon investigation I found out why.  This spring we had the boys spread manure on the garden, and Nuric has this habit of throwing the bail strings into the manure pile ,  We are always having him go through and take them out. I think he missed a few. 

Along with what seemed like miles of string, we also found lead ropes, halters, wire and even an old jacket. An hour later we were ready to plow . 

I was now running very late and needed to go.  As I was just about finished the next door neighbor came over to ask for me to plow his field .  I apologized and said I could send Beksoltan back tomorrow.  As I started to drive away I looked back and saw the mans son come out to see what we were doing .. The son had C.P.  So does my friend son... Ya so I turned the tractor around and went back to do another field ..  It was given  great joy in the ability to help.  

I got back to the farm by lunch, then gathered up the boys and headed to the Kashar.  We had to steak down the yurts before the storm.  Then we were starting painting some wales in the kashar.

 

Today was Baktagols last day on the farm .  Tonight she will stay with Kamala, and tomorrow morning early she will head for Turkey.  In a few weeks she will be getting married and beginning her new life .

At the end of the day, I stopped in to see how the little ones were doing. They were quick to come say hello.  

Rainy days.

Today was the second day in a row when it was raining.  Tomorrow will be clear then we will have another week of rain every day.  This is perfect conditions for us to plant the tomatoes and peppers .  We got the gardens all plowed and hilled up before the rain so we are all ready to plant. 

with the rain coming we are starting to work on inside jobs for the next week .  I bought an old painted blanket box at the bazaar for $4.50.  I had Marat strip it down and we are re finishing it.  Today he put a coat of stain, and tomorrow he will start varnishing it. 

We have also started painting the trim for the windows at the kashar. 

The rain did hold off for long enough today for us to get Julies rock garden planted.  

The new calf is doing great,  Momma cow did not want to get up to see us but the calves don't know that they have to lie down when it is going to rain.

a busy weekend at the farm

Last weekend we put the yurts up.  I had a great vantage point to offer some instructions and keep track of the 61 guests we had join us for the day.

While some where puting up the yurts, others were busy making the ploff.

great meal enjoyed by all 

it was nice to see the kids from one of the orphanages that we do stuff with .. the boys on the farm love to spend time with them 

Dianna came as well to see the farm . She is hoping to get into the University in Tokmok and then stay at the farm weekends and holidays 

On their way home from the bazaar 

 

Julies cow Carol-Anne had a calf a couple weeks ago and she is producing more milk then the calf can drink, and this is her first calf so she is not very used to us milking her.  So Sunday we got her a second calf. She came right over to the truck to claim the calf as soon as we got to the farm. 

We sold 3 of the geese and bought 11 more babies to go with the one female goose we kept .

Our big Turkey died a week ago, so we got a new male turkey since the females are all starting to sit so they need a male .. He is a little smaller then Hans was but he is a showman like Hans 

 

So Julie says that  in one day we arranged 7 marriages and facilitated 12 adoptions .    

They should be celebrating

 A time when they should be celebrating.  

 

Olga got a call from the hospital tonight.    A new mother had a difficult birth and the baby has been week,   The father is home with the kids, but has just had an operation and is not able to work so the family does not have food, and this may be why the mother is stressed and not able to nurse. 

Olga went over last night to bring a bit of food to hold them over and see what needs to be done.  Formula is $20 and for about $50 we can get them enough food to last about a month.  We will also get her some Vitamins.  We did have some donations to purchase some vitamins, so we are just looking for help with formula or food . 

Life on the farm

Julie and I have been staying out at the farm this week so that Aigoola can have a bit of a holiday.  The first couple days were beautiful weather and we got a lot done up at the kashar.   The yurts are going back up on Saturday so we are going to have a big yurt raising party . 

The benches were all sanded and varnished 

The yurt platform had a fresh sand and varnish as well 

the winters dirt was swept away 

We have a small part of the barn that does not have a roof on it.  This will be Julies secret garden safe from all the animals that graze an the land .  We will have all the fixings for ploff here . 

Today was a rain day so we spent most of the day in the green house .  

these are our sweet potatoes.  As they grow, we roll up the bag and add more soil 

the cucumbers are still small but there sure will be a lot of them .  Look at how many you can see when we zoom in. Rather then one, there is a cluster of 4 

For lunch today we made a really good Chinese soup with bok choy from the green house.  The boys were eager to help cook. 

OPut in the garden the cabages we planted a few days ago in the plum patch have all taken root and standing up nicely 

In the green house today we moved all the starter plants into the rows, then planted the tomatoes into the ground in one green house and watermelons in the other .. We have planted the watermelons beside the spinach arugula and the lettuce.  in about a month we will have fresh from the fields so we will be able to let the watermelons grow into those spots for the summer when the green house is otherwise to hot to grow.