Winter is here!

We had a wonderful Chanukkah here on Shekinah Farm! We hope your holidays were joyful.

Now we are planning and preparing for spring planting. We are planning for early planting this year and hope to use all raised beds for our two gardens.

January will bring tree pruning and soil prep. We plan to burn the sorghum field and potato and tomato beds, add a green house and plant seeds for seedlings.

We are also using the Moon phases and astrological signs for planting, weed control and harvesting this year. We hope it will help with the weeds and pests.

We are also looking forward to having some Wwoofers here as well to help with the farm. We love having wwoofers here, they give us such a wonderful insight to our farm and help so much! :)

Well, here we go again!

Sorghum Harvest!

After Sukkot we harvested the sorghum. Here are the pics Grandma took while we cut and loaded the sorghum on the trailer!

Christie and Shelly in the field picking up the stalks after Satch cut them down

The trailer is 20 foot long.

Gathering sorghum stalks and putting them on the trailer

Minding their own business!

Satch picking up stalks

Sheep moseying over

Field is cleared and ready to let the animals finish it off before plowing

It's getting full!

Oh, oh, the sheep found the sorghum. Mmm Mmm Good!

I'm 5'1", the sorghum is taller than me and 20' long! Not bad for a half acre!

As we are putting it in the barn, the sheep have followed. Everyone loves sorghum!

Even the horse get's into the sorghum. Everyone will be happy this winter!

Esav gives Ja'akov a gift?!

This day is significant only because of the two sons' present before each other.

On 17 August, two students made inquiry about the strings attached to my clothes. Because we were at a convenience store, I try to give a quick account about Numbers 15:37-41 and about the woman with an issue of blood, who grabbed Messiah's garment and was healed. The next day before leaving for work, I gather my tallit to take with me, not realizing what was in-store for me. When I arrive at work, I put together some material for the students from the previous day. When the students arrive, I present them the material and show them my tallit and tell them some of what it represents.

Later during the day, we gather for a farewell luncheon. When we're about done eating, our Commandant makes a comment that today's visitor, his supervisor, was fasting during the day, (this would confirm his faith as Islam (Ramadan)). I've been wearing my tallit majority of the day. So, I say to my ABBA “that's a good one Daddy!” He has a gooood sense of humor...

After the luncheon, we proceed to commence with our award ceremony. All the persons that were to receive their awards were concluded, our guest presenter called me up to the stage (remember, I'm wearing a tallit still), I am the only non-military to approach the stage during all this time. I am now being presented with a coin of excellence from Esav to be given to Ja'akov. Remember the story of Yitzak's sons. At the reunification Ja'akov presents Esav with gifts. Now this day Esav presents Ja'akov with a gift. Our Daddy's good humor.... 

Taking the Heat!

Hi friends,

The heat has hit Shekinah Farm hard! One of our horses, Hicks, collapsed and died the day before my birthday (not a happy gift) and Aviva (our youngest bred heifer) had a still birth. The calf was a bull and was half born when I went out to check on her. I pulled him the rest of the way out and gave Avi some food, water, probiotics and a vit. B complex shot. She was fine by the next morning. But the heat is bringing much concern and sad tidings here.

Our farm has a pond and a stand of trees at the back of the pasture that gives a cool area for the animals. Typically, the animals are in separate paddocks, but during the worst heat we open them up and let them all go to the back of the pasture to the pond and trees so they can stay cool and have plenty of water, and we watch them very closely for issues... unfortunately, this just was not enough for Hicks. In the morning he was doing fine, by mid day he was dead. This is a very difficult loss on our farm.

The heat has also taken it's toll on our milk and egg production. The chickens are stressed and are not laying as much as they should and the cows are slowing down milk production. It looks as if we may have to come up with some other options for keeping the animals cool during the unusual heat we are having.

If the heat continues like this through August and September, I'm not sure what we will do. The animals are already stressed and I'm afraid we may have more losses this year. Praying Yah's hand on Shekinah Farm!

Essential Oils!

Hi Ya'll,
Well, here we go again! We are gearing up for our Essential Oils order and I wanted to include some recipes and Ideas here for you to consider while you are ordering!

1/4 tsp Eucalyptus oil to 8 -10 oz water in a spray bottle is great for discouraging fleas on pup and kitty!
Lavender oil uncut, put immediately on a minor burn will reduce heat and stop burning.
Tea Tree oil is antifungal
Oregano oil is anti-viral and antibacterial... it is also safe both externally and internally

Many of you use Thieves Oil so here is a link to the research and recipe that I use 

http://shekinah-farm.blogspot.com/2011/06/thieves-oil-recipe-research-and-uses.html

Here is another link with some wonderful advise for using Essential Oils... Lots of good information!

http://www.essentialoils.co.za/treatment/index.htm

Share your recipes with us!
deodorizing, cleaning and sanitizing the home
health care
animal health
Tell us what you use!

Difficult times on Shekinah Farm

We have had some difficult times lately... But we continue to work diligently to remember that Yah, the creator of all things has our best interest at heart and is guiding our path...

Some of you already know that Jaffa got sick with Ketosis. She had to be put down and her calves are being nursed by Shemayim. That brings our milk production down and puts extra stress on Shemayim. We are watching her closely.

31's calf is ready to wean and we are milking her twice a day and letting the calf strip her off after milking. Soon she will be ready to sell.

My mother had gall bladder surgery... she is recovering nicely.

Satch's Job is ending in September and he is looking for work. We are working on cutting our living costs more so that we can live on his military retirement in case we don't get work.

How we have prepared and cut costs:

• Installed wood cook stove for heat and cooking during winter months
• Paid ahead for 2 fills on our propane tank for next year
• Cut down our phone bill
• Cancelled tv (skyangel)
• Cut down on the number of vehicles (lowers insurance and gas)
• Practiced living without A/C (been doing that for the past couple years)
• Growing feed for the animals in winter
• Growing food for family
• Making repairs to home and farm (fences, barn, houses, etc)
• Purchasing items for future repairs and maintenance to have on hand
• Training horse to pull plow
• Increasing classes on the farm to bring in extra income
• Shopping for cheaper insurance for car, home, etc
• Plans to install wood cook stove on back porch for summer cooking
• Plan to sell several animals in fall if Job doesn't come along
• Plans to build an outdoor oven
• Plans to sell stuff on E-bay/Craigs list

It is amazing where we can cut back and tighten the belt if we are willing! Yah will continue to bless in the midst if we continue to give him Honor and Glory!

Pic of the Day... Bread~

It's too hot to bake bread, but we are missing our warm fresh bread so I decided to post this pic in remembrance of home baked bread! :)