Coming...and Going...and Coming...

This summer Pine Ridge Farm had a revolving door. It looked like this:

Matthew left to work at Iowa Regular Baptist Camp.

Grace came home from her year in Montana.

And left a day later for an internship at Hitchcock Nature Center near Omaha.

The farmer and the Mrs.checked soybeans on the 4-wheeler. Most were doing well. A few had to be replanted.

Even if the beans were struggling, Mrs. Hawley's flowers were beautiful. This bouquet made it up the country road and back to Pine Ridge Farm.

We started repairs on the smokehouse and outhouse,

attended a wedding on the other side of the state,

regrouped, and traveled to Missouri to pour concrete at Missionary Acres.

After arriving home, we caught up, packed up Grammy and the kitchen sink and headed to Iowa Regular Baptist Camp as a family.

After a stint at camp, this rogue teenager "borrowed" my phone at the laundromat...

Some of us made it back for the county fair parade,

and were joined by the full-time staff from IRBC the next weekend for a hot dog roast, trailer races, shooting skeet and touring the grain bin facility.

The next day everyone left except Gram and the farmer's wife--who drove the mower to take care of things at Mrs. Hawley's. It was a gorgeous night, even if Highway 6 is a little risky on a riding mower.

After the farmer's return we checked soybeans--and tried not to get lost!

Our motto when we moved to Iowa eighteen years ago was, "Things grow here."
Looks like they still do.

To celebrate their wedding anniversary, the farmer and Mrs. got their hands on an RV and traveled west.

A covered bridge in Madison County, IA.

Grace was ready to pack up and leave, so we got her things before visiting the zoo in Omaha. From there Mr. Farmer and Grace went to Oklahoma for a graduation at Ft. Hood and the Mrs. drove the RV home. That was another adventure--glad the other drivers made it home safely....

At the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha with Grace after packing her up after her summer adventure.

Once home the girls crashed.

We celebrated a couple of birthdays.

Started school...and are preparing for harvest. Whew. We made it.

...And We're Off!

It was a beautiful, productive spring at Pine Ridge Farm.

The princesses stopped in for pictures before prom.

And we got to celebrate with the birthday girl who came home from Missoula, Montana.

Due to some changes by John Deere, we decided to install our own GPS receiver here at home.

Flowers broke out along the river,

and sticks covered Mrs. Hawley's yard, so we called reinforcements to help with stick patrol.

Our farmer has been a busy, busy guy. He sprayed for weeds, then planted

and made a few repairs and adjustments along the way.

Afterward he made another complete round with go-go juice. When weather's unpredictable, you work when you can.

On the home front, Miss Laura rewarded us with homemade spaghetti and meatballs as part of her Family Consumer Science class.

Matthew graduated from Iowa State University...

And celebrated in true Iowa style.

We welcomed four new babies

and got them tucked in....

but not without suffering a loss or two.

The rain came. And...well, we're off!

Winter to Spring, the Fun Never Ends

Lest you think it's been quiet at Pine Ridge Farm over the winter, here's a look at what's been happening. Gram joined this year's traditional Christmas-break poker night. We couldn't get her wound up on Mountain Dew. Maybe next year...

For the second year in a row, David ordered farm chemicals from China--snake oil we call "Ancient Chinese Secret,"One thing he did differently this year was to rent a telescopic forklift.

Gram helped unwrap the bags of goodies.

I hauled away the wraps and ties with one hand and drug the Kerbinator with my other (good thing our men have long legs--I braid their worn out jeans to help Kerby floss his teeth).

David put the Ancient Chinese Secret into the Terra-gator and went directly to the field. By God's grace he got it all on before the spring rain.

We only have a few young sheep this year so we decided to wait until next year to breed them. There weren't enough to hire a sheep shearer, so David took it on for the first time ever. I don't know many people who could/would share pictures of their first shearing venture. He did very well.

One "before" and one "after"

Breakfast in the barn.

Matthew was home for a day--and the weather was beautiful--so he and David pruned the fruit trees. It sure helps to have a buddy!

Now that the snow is gone the chickens have found the pile under the bird feeder. It was fun to hear their hicks and maws as they cleaned up the place.

There might be a dull moment at Pine Ridge Farm, but it doesn't last long. Spring is a comin'!

Fall 2015, Part 2

With harvest done, we had time to do a few other things. Our friend, Mary, stopped by for a visit and found Laura playing baseball with fallen apples. Not one to pass up a good time, Mary picked up a handful and started pitching. Needless to say, Laura was a mess by the time they got done!

She's not the only one. Mr. Farmer thought he'd get some dirt work done before the ground froze, but 3/4" of rain was enough to slow him down.

Stuck.

Unstuck!

I drove the tractor home a few miles--and was thankful not to fight traffic. This farm wife is a little skittish about driving big equipment on busy roads.

We also picked up leaves and dumped them just inside the pasture gate. What was once a 10'-wide berm has grown into a monstrous leaf pile that builds up year after year!

A couple of weeks later a large wind storm tore through the area and collapsed a hollow tree.

Laura went to investigate and ran back to the house, excited about what was inside it. She grabbed a 5-gallon bucket, which earned us a parade of corn-chasers. We whooped, clapped, hollered, and swung the empty bucket, then turned it upside down and climbed up to take a peek.

This is what we found....

Raccoon remains, perhaps?

And, as I was cleaning out the refrigerator the other day I realized we haven't shared the bane of Pine Ridge Farm: the chicken pile. Since it's the most un-favorite house chore, and I'd never ask you, our guests, to help, I thought a digital introduction might be best. What is it? A simple 6x6' patch that's set aside for organic waste: egg shells, vegetable peelings, the remains of canning, gardening, etc.

It was here, just like this, when we moved in 18 years ago  (almost to the day) and hasn't changed--other than the animals that make their way in and out. Long live the chicken pile!

And, now, on to basketball, Thanksgiving dinner, slow, cold days and hauling grain--each one an opportunity to be thankful and live in gratitude as the good Lord purposes and provides.

Blessings to you and your families from Pine Ridge Farm, Iowa!

Fall I

Harvest was finished in good time this Fall, thanks to help from our friends Larry, Ross and Brad. This farmer's wife filled in a few hours here and there, kept our farmer fed and watered and the household running.

On the family front we enjoyed marching band and cross-country.

The cross-country team runs the football from the opposing school and presents it to the refs the night of the Homecoming Game.

Our Homecoming friends

Our Resident Pirate Co-Drum Major

With harvest cleaned up, we were ready to move into winter preparation.

Washing the combine

Mixing and loading fertilizer

But Fall was not without its challenges. Early on the grain bin that stores soybeans failed to empty properly. Apparently the center drain filled with pods. Our farmer began by running a 20-some-foot metal pole in from the top of the bin.

Because NO ONE should EVER go into a grain bin without proper help and preparation, I got to sit on the platform as the lookout. It was a hard, arduous job--for our farmer, not me. I simply sat on my mittens, watched, prayed, and encouraged.

Inside the top of the grain bin with harness, rope, ladder and equipment.

My view (smile)

After working with a vacuum, drain pig, and lots of prayer, it gave way 5 days later!

It's been an eventful Fall. See part II for a more recent update (coming soon to a farm in Iowa).