Here it is September putting 2025’s summer in the books, and it has turned into another very dry one. Jefferson County is in a severe drought according to state agencies and I must agree wholeheartedly. The pastures and the pond are definitely showing it. Trees are losing their leaves and the ground has cracked. It’ll be yet another year where hay gets fed early and the concern of having enough is real. Yet this evening I sit listening to the lovely sound of rain hitting the metal roof. Praise God, He has listened to the farmers’ prayers!

I have my doubts the fall nectar flow will be sufficient for the bees to have a proper store through the winter. I have started feeding the two hives at the farm and I’m considering feeding the two hives at the Orchard as well, although their stores are looking better. The late garden was pretty much a bust because of the concerns on watering. I’m utilizing the house well for not only the house but the pasture and the garden also, so I’ve been doing my best to try to ration. I made the decision to limit the amount the garden received in order to direct enough to the animals. I still got enough to put by I think to get me through the winter, and I harvested almost a 5-gallon bucket of potatoes, so I’m satisfied with that harvest.

The real meaning of this Blog today, though, is I want to talk about showing Appreciation. As those who live near me are aware, I have done an excessive amount of work on the house in the last year and a half. New siding, a new roof and wraparound porch plus the new picket fence surrounding it has made the old house quite the looker if I do say so myself. Two new ponds dug, a waterline ran to the pasture and over an acre of brush dozed out rounds out the year for projects.

I have been both pleased and humbled by the number of people who have reached out in the last few months to tell me how much they love what I have done to the old farmstead. The daughter of one the former owners actually sent me a wonderful message, telling me how proud her father would’ve been of the work that I had done and how good the property and the house look. I’ve also had several individuals send me text messages, Facebook messages, and even a card, encouraging me and recognizing the hard work that I do on this farmstead. Many of these people are practically strangers! I’ve had new customers tell me they have been seeking out my products after seeing a shared post, how much they love the farm stand and more.

I’ve spent most of my life struggling unseen. To be honest, I’ve spent far too much of my life determined to prove my naysayers wrong and doing things “the hard way” to prove the point I could do it. Finally, after almost 20 years of pushing, striving to move forward there are people saying that what I do does matter and they actually appreciate it. I can’t tell you how much those words mean to me!

I know there are other others like me out there. Those that are trying so hard to get ahead, to make their dreams reality. And like me there are those that are barely keeping their heads above the ocean of negativity. Let me tell you this: Our dreams and our goals are never foolish! We are not wasting our time to strive forward and to be More! It costs us nothing to give an encouraging word, a pat on the back, a little card to say I see you and what you’re doing matters. In these times of uncertainty and anger, we need to do more of it.

We are moving into the Christmas season where we all have a budget to spend. So, I’m going to issue my challenge. I challenge each of you to spend part of your budget for gifts with a small business owner(s)/farmer(s) of your choice.

Let’s help return America to what it was meant to be: A nation of truly small business owners and small farmers. Let's show these folks how much we appreciate what their doing and their efforts are not unseen. In the meantime, let’s keep encouraging each other and spreading God’s grace one kind word at a time.

Until next time, Choose Prayer, Choose Kindness, Choose Freedom.