shucking peas

I have heard it said that the problem with today's society is that "no one shucks peas with Grandma any more" .. Well on the farm there is no end to the pea shucking, the cucumber pickling, the tomatoes stewing, carrot pealing or corn husking for that matter .. and there is a certain community building when everyone sits around the tables and helps out. 

Bekah was out to the farm to bring out salaries for everyone and to get an idea of the work force that we will have next month .  We will be losing several of the kids at the end of the month when they head back to collage and university.  We still have a little ways to go with the tuition needs, but we will just "Keep calm and carry on" as if the money was in .. I think we are still about $2800 short, but we still have a couple weeks, and it is such an important need that I have no doubt that we will meet that target.  

The roses in the apple orchard were getting a little over grown  so we had to trim them right down so they could get in to add some irrigation ditches .   Some amount of "over grown" is welcome, like the flowers along the walk between the main house and the hostel.  

Since Emma and Jengish have been home we have hosted a couple bbq's at the house for friends and supporters  .  I think we had about 77 the first night for ploff and shashleek made in our outdoor Kyrgyz kazan and oven . 

The second party was for the Kawartha Bikers Church .  For them we made a trip to the farmers market for some sweet corn.  Jengish found is new favorite dog .. he just needs a saddle.  

Out at the bonfire Jengish shared about the work they do in Kyrgyzstan and had a time of question and answers .. 

Orphans visiting the widows in their time of need.

Jengish and Emma landed safely last night. The flights were great and they cleared customs  with out a hitch, and all their bags made it with them.. can't ask for much more then that. 

 The blessings continue to flow from the farm.  Today Sergey and Arture lent us a hand.  The delivery was to the seniors home in Kemin, a little far for our guys so Sergey volunteered to help.

There is certainly another bumper crop.. It was just a few days ago that this field was picked clean of peppers for Bacute orphanage , and today it gives up another incredible bounty . 

this picking we have started to get corn and beets to add to the usual cucumbers, tomatoes, zuccini lettuce and cabbages . 

 I love witnessing the bounty again this year, it is so incredible  Knowing the impact this we have on all those we are able to support with all this fresh food is such a blessing.  

But most of all seeing the sense of accomplishment and joy in the orphans as they "visit" the widows in their time of need.   This is something that all our our sponsors have planted seeds in over the years, and today we again see some of the "fruits" of our labors .. 

Thank you all so much for being a part of this in so many ways. 

even more smiles

We have some guests staying at the guest house this week.  They have been checking out the village and the farm.  They were also up to the yurt for a visit.  This morning they were helping the kids working in the garden.  I got a text from Nick that they needed to do another delivery.  

So today the delivery went to Bacute orphanage.  😄

This is a huge delivery and a huge blessing to them . 

It was nice for the kids to have a visit as well .. 

a delivery like this will be enough for a few weeks of great nutrition, it will also be enough for the orphanage to start canning for the winter .  

today's delivery has a value of about $200 .. the cost for us to deliver is about $10 .  It may not seem like a lot but if we are looking at daily deliveries like this for the next couple months  we could be soon overwhelmed by the delivery expenses, but right now we are fortunate to have guests staying at the farm .. a couple nights stay will pay for our delivery expenses for the next couple weeks😄 .  Next up is the seniors home. 

I have shared so many needs over the last few weeks , I am always hesitant to share, but am overwhelmed by the continuous  out pouring of support .. Just in the last few weeks we have been able to purchase the tickets for Emma and Jengish  😄 as well as their medical insurance😄, and they will be leaving Kyrgyzstan in a few hours  😄 ...  Marat was able to go to the dentist 😄 and has registered in Art school and has had a week of entrance exams 😄, Nick got his new glasses so he is ready for school in the fall 😄 Olga has had her operation thanks to many of you 😄three other orphanages have received food drops in the last couple weeks 😄, we are making great headway with the scholarships and the thermometer has begun to climb 😄we were able to get about two weeks worth of canning supplies 😄we have been able to get material for crafts in the gift shop and blankets to give out to families in need 😄 we have been able to give away goats and pigs to families who are so blessed by the boost 😄  We also have one sponsor that will help Auxana rebuild her home and barn 😄and another that is going to replace all her lost animals , and some 😄 A couple days ago we ordered and put the deposit on a second yurt that will make it possible for kids from the orphanage to have some outings at the mountain ranch. 😄 and Julie and I have our tickets to return in a couple weeks. 😄     Then there was the air conditioning we put in one hospital clinic  😄 and about 80 % finished the needed renovations on Dr Tatyana's clinic 😄   One of our boys was able to complete his driving lessons and got his drivers licence 😄 we were able to receive a new boy on the farm.  😄

As I look ahead at the projects in the next couple months, like  winter coal needs , more tuition's and on going health care and operating expenses on the farm, it is easy to get overwhelmed, but all I have to do is look back at all the great sponsors and actually start to get excited about what is going to be next   

 😄😎😘😵😫😡😗😍😌😖😪😳😩😟😋😋😊😔😞😨😧😝😱😤😣😙

More things that make me smile.

Tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers, cabbages  .. What a blessing to be able to have this produce for them already, Most of these will not be available off most fields for another few weeks, so they are still far too expensive for the orphanages to have normally. this not only represents  the first fresh veggies of the season for them, but marks the start of a long growing season when this will be a regular stop on our deliveries . .

I love when the kids that grew up in this orphanage can take part in growing and bringing fresh food to them .. it is so good for them to be a part of this. 

Now is the Harvest :  Its all hands on deck now that we are beginning the harvest .  

Nick with the tomatoes .. the raspberry patch is behind him, another couple weeks and they will be in full swing as well .   Dustan is bringing in the green peppers 

Over in the green house they where picking the tomatoes .. well at least Dustan was , I think Romma was too busy eating them . 

Ulukbek unloading at the Red River Orphanage 

 Look at these beautiful yellow peppers along with the fresh tomatoes 

We had to get more canning supplies .. this was about $150 and will last about 3 or 4 days .  This is always a great way to support .. sponsors  purchase the jars and we fill them up and bring them to families and institutions  in need through out the winter. 

We had some animals purchased from the farm for us to give away .. The pigs are a little trickier. we can not bring them to the orphanages because of the hole pork thing, but we do have some very good supportive hard working neighbours in the village that could sure use the food .   

here is a cute picture of Sammy that makes me smile as well. 

Things that make me smile.

Its nice to see the cellar filling up again.  They have been very busy at the farm.  

They have been getting lessons on the soap making as well.  Up until now Emma has been doing this but now the others must learn the process, but most importantly they need to learn the importance of EXACT measurements. 

We are just $400 CDN / $300 US away from covering the extra renovation expenses for Dr Tatyana,s office  ,  We have sent the first part of the funds to keep them working, and will send the rest as soon as the donations come in. 

We are also excited that funds have started to come in for the scholarships .  Marat got his registry in on time.  He has also had to bring in a portfolio and write some entrance exams .  Next he will go back to Bishkek tomorrow to paint a painting on demand at the school.

One year ago , Marat was told he would be totally blind in three months, A year later because of sponsors like you, Marat has a hole new future ahead of him.   Stuff like this makes me smile .. 

"you say Tomato - I say Tomatoe "

And just like that we have tomatoes .. Now along with the cucumbers, we will be in the tomato business.  I wish I could say it was easy but not everything is easy, but we are up and running now, and look forward to being able to provide fresh tomatoes and cucumbers year round.  


Here is a little look through the last year.  

March  2016 breaking ground 

putting in the foundations  

mud and straw back walls built

welding the frames 

parging the walls

 Polly Carbonate installed 

digging down  the ground 

breaking up the soil and adding manure 

Preparing the beds 

planting the seedlings 

starting to grow 

starting to climb on strings 

tall and mature , starting to pollinate flowers with a small paint brush 

and we have fruit

starting to ripen  

ready to pick 

We have two greenhouses. One is producing tomatoes and the other has cucumbers. 

we have started harvesting off of the fields as well .. cabbages, cucumbers, zucchini and lettuce.  Yesterday they were picked and delivered to the Chui orphanage  

I wanted to bring up the need for Tatyana's medical clinic again.  The repairs turned out to be way more extensive then planed and to get the clinic back open again we need about $1200 .  This is such an important need for so many people who rely on Tayana for their health care, including every one that we work with, both on the farm and in the community .