The Asper Family

Lamplighter Guild Challenge: Horticulture

Submitted by Julia and Aaron Asper

May 1, 2020

Since God brought Aaron and I together, we have had homesteading on our hearts. We want to keep our (hopefully!) big family together, busy, happy, and healthy, and we believe farming together is God’s plan for our family. Since marriage, we have lived in an established neighborhood in SC with a backyard to host a small flock of chickens, vegetable garden, and a bunch of children’s toys. The three just didn’t work out well together! We prayed, saved, and hoped for our own land. We traveled between SC and PA, my husband’s childhood home, seeking but always praying for the Lord’s will, and his answer was, “Not yet.” Now, after 6 years of marriage, we have 3 children, a good church, a good job with a family oriented company, yet many homesteading property hopes deferred. Again, we prayed for the Lord’s will. I told my husband, “If God could bring us together, even though I’m from SC and you’re from PA, then He will bring the property to you.” “To the front door?” my husband replied, “That’s impossible.” Still, I encouraged that he knows what we need, so we don’t need to be discouraged. He will make it happen as He knows best.

Then, it happened! At the beginning of 2020, our kind neighbors announced their son and family were moving. Then one morning, their son drove by while my husband was in the front yard and asked him if we be interested in renting their newly renovated, home on 12 acres for only an affordable little bit more per month than we were currently paying. Aaron thought about it for a while, and realized this could be a good idea. We only had to drive 5 minutes up the road to excitedly see what the Lord may have planned. Wow! It was a lovely, bigger home for our growing family, with a beautiful kitchen, fireplace, and peaceful pasture land waiting to be used. It was what we had been praying for, almost as if they were fixing up the home for us all this time!

Now, with permission to farm and motivated by the Lamplighter Guild Challenge, we have put our garden plan down on paper to share. This Lamplighter project is actually being used now to guide us as we plant our summer garden. We are currently planting one section at a time as we wait to move there at the end of summer. All the food elements shown are what we plan on adding as the former horse/cow pasture has only a boundary fence, well, and shed outbuildings in place for farming. My husband dreams of transitioning from electrician work to full time farming with egg layers so we can be together as a family.

Asper Family Garden 1

Head Feeding a Growing Family! The annual garden is the subject for this project, but we included other elements to feed our family and provide potential income in the future. We have a family of 5, with 3 children ages 5, 3, and 1, and we prayerfully want more! We live a debt free life, with Aaron as the sole provider. We believe God will provide for us what we need to feed our family, and we see this land as a way to his provision. If we have abundance, we would love to share with others, and sell what we cannot preserve, like watermelon, to the local stands or at our local farmer’s market. What a blessing if we can expand to having a CSA with eggs, vegetables, and bread!

Proposed Layout of Back West Side of Property

Property Pine Pine Pine Pine Pine Pine Pine Pine Pine boundary Pine Pine TreesLong Term Trees Trees PineTrees Pine Trees Pine Trees Pine Trees Trees fence Pine Pine Trees Pine Compost, Worm Trees Trees Trees Trees Trees Trees Tree Bins, and wood Trees Trees chips Top Bar Beehive Pine Dog- Mid Early Pine Late Pine wood Pear Pear Pear Tree Tree Pine Pine Early Mid Late Tree Peach Peach Peach Pine Trees Late Late Late Late Pine Apples Tree Mid Early Mid

Early Mid Tree Black Berries along tree line Plum Plum <---More Pasture with Orchard sporadic young pines with a Tree row of pines making a windbreak and keeping Trees Tree Tree 400' pastured egg layers for profit

Pine L L Trees M Pine Blueberries L M E Egg Laying Chickens with M Pine Pine E Mobile Electric Fence Tree E Elder wheat, field peas, oats, clover, turnips and mustard. Elder Suggested crop rotation: Pine Plot1 Pine Pine Pine Plot2 Trees Plot3 Plot4 Plot5

Chickens provide manure, tilling, education, healthy eggs, Tripods with timers for watering Shed and healthy meat. They live a happy, stressfree life by 50'x100' Animal Feed Garden 50'x100' Annual Garden and changing pastures to forage with their mobile design. (5 crop rotation) The electric fence and auto water and feeder helps remove stress of maintenance. Sporadic trees provide some shade Spigot Herb Garden Thermo Sheds compost Playground! area

Pine Pine Pine Pine Pine Trees Trees Trees Trees Trees <---Woods continue along the front of Pine propetyPine Pine Pine Pine Medicinal & Trees Culinary Herb Trees Trees Trees Trees Well Pump Garden 30'x30' Old Barn Pine Pine Pine Pine Pine Back of House with Deck--Full Trees Trees Trees Trees Trees Sun for seed starting 300' *Only Tractor Sheds, Pine Trees, Pond, Playground and House are pre-existing

Asper Family Garden 2

Sowing a Variety of Seeds

We hope and pray for an abundance of food to cook with and preserve (freezing, water canning, pressure canning, and drying). Our annual garden will produce mainly vegetables, legumes, and grains, which are listed on the chart below. There are some herbs for the health of the garden and to protect from pests: oregano, chives, thyme, comfrey, and onion. These can be split and spread. Most of the culinary and medicinal herbs will be in the separate herb garden. Also, we will have a separate orchard with beehive, worm compost bins, and mobile egg laying hens with electric poultry fencing nearby, that will help with our compost piles and tilling needs.

Asper Family Garden's Crop Rotation Plan - Rows Rotate DOWN Each Year -

When to Plant: Jan Feb March Apr il May June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec

Bench Flower Border Sow Annuals: Marigolds, Sunflowers, Zinnias, Cosmos, Nasturturium, Chives Maintain perr. herbs: Rosemary, Oregano, Chives, Thyme, Comfrey

Row 1 From Fall: Turnips & Mustard Red Potatoes- 12" x 2 rows, 24/b seed potatoes leftover left on Sweet Potatoes- 12" x 3 rows, 300 plants, yield: Hulless Oats cover crop are in place from fall planting the bed to Turnips- 2"x 2 rows, 1 oz seed (See Row 8) mulch

Row 2 From Fall: Hulless Oats cover crop (see row 1) Bush Beans: 4" x 5 rows, soak.5lb/row; pick green, rest dry out, leaves= mulch Transplant Broccoli i 24" x 2 rows staggered to outside of rows with chives, marigold transplants; Sow Mustard 2"x 1 rows on left, first second third succession planting Kale 12"x1 on right, and turnips 2"x2 rows on inside

Row 3 From Fall: Broccoli, Chives, Mustard and Turnips leftover for mulch and feed Popcorn: 6" x 5 rows, presoak .5lb seed soaked and let dry on stalk Dry Onions- "4 x 3 rows; 50 feet left in place from fall planting See Row 2) Garlic - 4" x 3 rows; 50 feet

Row 4 From Fall: Dry Onions- "4 x 2 rows Transplant 50 Heirloom Tomato (det & indet); 48" x 2 staggered rows + herbs, flowers, onionsWinter legume: peas, lentils (animal feed), can trellis on old tomatoes 54' Garlic Transplant 50 Pepper from mild to hot, variety bell colors and sizes; 48"x2 staggered rows

Row 5 From Fall: Winter Spring Planting: Transplant Broccoli 24" x 2 rows staggered with Collards 12" x 1 Collards 16"x 1 row in middle; Kale 2"x 1 rows on left side of collards, and spinach 2" x 1 legume cover in place row on left and Kale 12"x1 row on right, Marigolds & chives near broccoli too; Then, row on right side of collards (see row 4) spinach down the middle 6"x1row

Row 6 From Fall: Collards, Mustard, Turnips Ambrosia Sweet Corn: 6" x 5 rows, soak; 1/2 lb seed leftover Scarlet Globe radish 1 row, Cosmic Carrots 1 row, Buttercrunch lettuce (1ft in middle), Bok Choy (1 ft in middle), danvers carrot 1 row, Daikon 1st 2nd 3rd 4th succession planting by blocks for mulch radish 1 row…Sow at three 2 week intervals ?":

Row 7 From Fall: Greens and Roots from fall Ice box Watermelon - 36"x2rows; 2 oz seed Crookneck(Butternut)Squash: 36"x2rows 1st half Wheat Cover crop planting….Sow Radishes and anything else that 1st 2nd succession planting Spaghetti Squash: 36"x2rows 2nd half has finished in January (see row6)

Row 8 From Fall: Wheat cover crop from Fall (see row 7) Jumbo Peanuts: 10" x 3 rows; 1 lb seed Turnips & Mustard Cover (feed)

Bench Flower Border Sow Annuals: Marigolds, Sunflowers, Zinnias, Cosmos, Nasturium, Chives Maintain perr. herbs: Rosemary, Oregano, Chives, Thyme, Comfrey 106'

CROP COLOR CODE: Nitrogen Fixer MAIN SLOPE: SOUTH: SUN PATH: SOIL: Sandy, former cow/horse pasture Grains Greens and Roots Allium SECONDARY SLOPE: ZONE: South Carolina ZONE 8 Solananceae (Full sun; hot summer; mild winter with only one month (Dec-Jan) of less than 10 hour days) Cucurbits Roots WATER: Well pumped irrigation to tripods with timers Flower/Herbs for Pollinaters Heavy mulching and trenches in direction of slope in place to support water

We choose T-bar fencing for protection and ability to relocate or expand since it's in pasture. There are 2' row paths of wood chips with a trench dug underneath to retain water, suppress weeds and reduce compaction. The 4' beds are double reach to ease work, not compact soil, and build beds rather than tilling to preserve soil structure. Beds are mulched with one straw bale per row to retain water and suppress weeds. Flowers and herbs are planted along border for pollination for beneficial insects and beauty. The

Asper Family Garden 3 crop rotation (move down the chart) utilizes the benefits of the nitrogen/carbon plants and periods of rest. Plants will receive homemade compost and compost tea from the elements of their local environment: dried chicken manure, healthy plants, and fall leaves.

Chart of Yield, Value, Planting Time, Harvest Time

Here is a chart to show the types of food from our annual garden, expected yield and dollar value, planting time, and harvest time.

Annual Garden List of Plants, Yield, Value, and Dates Time Plant Variety Exp Yield Ind Value $ Value Plant Date Harvest Bok Choy 50lbs $2/bunch $200 15-Aug 15-Oct Fall *Broccoli Waltham 50 lb 2.50/lb $125 1-Sep 1-Nov Spr *Broccoli Waltham 50lb 2.50/lb $126 15-Feb 15-Apr *Grape Tom Grappino 250 lb $3/lb $750 1-May 1-Jul *Peppers 200lb $1/lb $200 1-May 1-Jul *Tomatoes 250 lb $2.5/lb $626 1-May 1-Jul Bush Beans Snap 150 quarts $3/lb $225 April 1, 15, May 1 1-Jun Bush Beans Black 45lb $3.5/2lb $79 1-Apr 1-Aug Bush Beans Navy 45lb $3.5/2lb $79 1-Apr 1-Aug Bush Beans Kidney 45lb $3.5/2lb $79 1-Apr 1-Aug Spr Carrots Cosmic 120lb $1/lb $120 1-Aug 1-Oct Fall Carrots Danvers 120lb $1/lb $120 1-Aug 1-Oct Collards Vates 38lb $2/bunch $150 15-Feb 15-Apr Collards Vates 38lb $2/bunch $151 1-Aug 1-Oct Dry Onions 115 lbs .42/lb $48.30 1-Nov 1-May Spr Garlic 25lbs $5/lb $125 1-Nov 1-May Fall Lettuce Butter 50lbs $2/head $100 15-Aug 15-Oct Spr Kale RussJagg 38lb $2/bunch $200 15-Feb 15-Apr Fall Kale RussJagg 38lb $2/bunch $200 1-Aug 1-Oct Mustard 200lb $2/bunch $200 1-Aug 1-Oct Peanuts Virgina Jumbo 90lb $2/lb $180 1-May 1-Oct Popcorn 60lb $3/2lb $90 1-Jun 1-Oct Potatoes Red 150lb $1.62/lb $243 1-Mar 1-Jun 100 9/15, 10/1, Radish Scarlett Globe $1/bunch $100 8/15, 9/1, 9/15 bunches 10/15 9/15, 10/1, Radish Daikon 200lb $1/bunch $200 8/15, 9/1, 9/16 10/16 Spr Spinach 40lb $5/lb $200 15-Feb 1-Apr Fall Spinach 40lb $5/lb $200 1-Aug 15-Sep 5/1, Sweet Corn Ambrosia 40 dz ears $1/4 $120 3/1, 3/15, 4/1, 4/15 5/15,6/1, 6/15 Sweet Potatoes 120 lb $1.5/lb $180 1-Jul 1-Nov Fall Turnip Roots 50lb root $1.39/lb $140 1-Sep 1-Nov Spr Turnips Roots 50lb root $1.39/lb $141 1-Mar 1-May Watermelon Ice Box Sugar Baby 200lb $4/melon $240-480 4/1, 4/15 6/1,6/15 Winter squash spaghetti 230lb $1.5/lb $345 1-Jul 1-Nov Winter squash Crookneck 230lb $1.5/lb $345 1-Jul 1-Nov *Start Seedlings 8 weeks before plant out date

Asper Family Garden 4

I would like to share a little about our perennials since they will feed and support the health of our family. (I explained additional features we will use on the last page.) With the extra room we have on the land, we get to have a separate, larger place for an orchard and herb garden outside of our annual food garden. Our honey bees will be busy!

In our 30’x30’ herb garden, 2 sections are for the medicinal herbs and 2 for culinary herbs. The perennials will be transplanted into place in the fall with mycorrhizal fungi, while the annuals will be transplanted into place in the spring. The garden will feature a water fountain to please the ear, poetry about God’s faithfulness to satisfy the heart, a brick pathway to remind us of God’s order and strength, maintained flowers and bushes to please the eye, and a bench to rest and enjoy!

Herb Garden: 30’x30’ Mints Section 1: Medicinal Section 2: comfrey, oregano, thyme, rosemary, elecampane, calendula, spearmint (container), bergamot, hyssop, yarrow, peppermint (container), plantain, dock, chamomile, St. catnip, sages, and lavender John’s wort, lavender, Echinacea and sundial purpurea, marshmallow, motherwort

Water

Fountain and bench

Medicinal Section 3: Culinary “annuals” Section 4: an elder bush, comfrey, dill, parsley, basil, sage, chives, calendula, bergamot, fennel, cilantro, onion and garlic, hyssop, yarrow, plantain, and statue poems dock, chamomile, St. John’s wort (container), Echinacea purpurea, We also have a 175’ x 200’ Orchard space. We are considering these fruits:

Perennial Garden Lists for Zone 8 Orchard Type Variety Harvest Size Yield Poll Disease Res Apple Grand Gala Late Aug Semi15' 5-10b Mid y Apple Grimes Mid Sept Semi15' 5-10b Mid y Apple CrimsonCrisp Mid Sept Semi15' 5-10b Mid y Apple Jonafree Mid Sept Semi15' 5-10b Mid y Apple Fuji Late Oct Semi15' 5-10b Late y Apple Granny Late Oct Semi15' 5-10b Late Apple Gold Rush Late Oct Semi15' 5-10b Late y Blackberry Local canes Summer Fence line 10 qt Blueberry Sweetheart Early June&Aug 8'x5' 1qt Blueberry Misty June 8'x5' 1qt Blueberry O'neal July 8'x5' 1qt Blueberry Sunshine July 8'x5' 1qt Blueberry Rubel Late July 8'x5' 1qt Elder Sam Nigra Mid Aug 6-8' 12lbs Pair Peach Red Haven Late July Stand18' 6b Self y Peach Venture Mid Aug Stand18' 6b Self y Pear Bartlett Late July Semi15' 3-6b Self y Pear Starking Del Aug Semi15' 3-6b Self y Pear Moonglow Sept Semi15' 3-6b Self y Plum Methley Mid July Stand18' 6b Self y Plum Ozark Early-Mid Aug Stand18' 6b Self y

Asper Family Garden 5

Hands

Materials

We used a variety of materials for our annual garden.

Materials Source Materials, Cont. Source Canning Book Own Woodchips Local timbering Canning Equipment Own Straw bales Rainbow Farm Tomato/Pepper Stakes Ag supply Wood stakes Own 18 Wood fence posts Own Seeds Rareseeds.com, Anderson seeds, Saving own seeds T-bars Ag supply Transplants Local farmers 300’ yard heavy wire Ag supply Seed starting trays Ag supply fencing small to large grid Spray bottle/soapy water Own Thermo compost Make with supplies Worm compost Make with worm bins Tarp Ag supply Fruit trees/bushes StarkBros Mycorrhizal Fungi Amazon

Tools Next, a variety of quality is a real asset to ease the challenges or increase the scope of . Tools Source Tools, Cont. Source 2 Garden rakes Own, borrow Troybilt Horse tiller Own Garden Own Fence post driver Borrow Hammer Own Garden hoses Lowe’s Stringline Own Water timer Amazon Tractor with plow Land owner’s Tripods Amazon Box Land owner’s Planter Amazon Broadfork Amazon Little Amazon Hand clippers Own / Own Garden cloves/hat Own Water wand Own Own Own Own Harvest Basket Amazon Pick-Up Truck Own Soil Thermometer Own Rain Gauge Amazon Backpack sprayer Solo400 amazon Fish pump aerator Amazon Compost tea bag Amazon Dish scrub own Water can Ag supply brush/soap/baking soda 55 gal barrels Borrow from owner Soaker hoses Ag supply

Asper Family Garden 6

Steps and Time to Install Garden

To install an annual garden takes careful planning, pacing, and much work! Here are the steps.

Step Explanation Time 1 Measure perimeter and diagonals. Mark with stringline. Hammer 30 min stakes. 2 Plow pasture with tractor. Break up soil more with box rake. 1h30m 3 Tilled with the Rototiller. 10 hours 4 Rake and hoe the dead grass and dig water conserving trenches 16 hours for walk paths. 5 Put woodchips on walk paths. 8 hours 6 Plant Seeds by hand without planter 16 hours *If we plant seeds with planter 4 hours 7 For transplants, apply mycorrhizal fungi in holes 3 hours 8 Cover beds with strawbales to suppress weeds, conserve water 8 hours 9 Pray for rain!!! 10 Connect hoses together to a water spigot and to tripods. 30 min 11 Drive fence posts and assemble fence for garden. 18 hours

Total 85h30min

Conserving the Water

Dig trenches in the walk paths and cover with untreated wood chips to conserve and store water in the beds using the down slope of the land. Heavily mulch the garden with straw bales. To supplement watering, garden hoses with timers connected to tripod sprinklers water the garden in the early morning. This is the most cost effective solution presently: We hope to invest in a more effective, lower height solution in time. To determine whether a watering is needed, a rain gauge helps to monitor when we need to water, and we check under the soil to see if it damp, as we want our plants to be hardy. The plants selected for the garden are mostly varieties grown in the South or this type of climate for the past centuries.

Reading and Reaping the Weeds!

We use straw bales to mulch the beds to suppress the weeds, as well as wood chips in the pathways. We plan on not heavily disturbing the beds in order to restrict the emergence of weed seeds. When the dirt is disturbed, we plan on planting quickly so that our seeds will outgrow the weeds. From there, we will enhance our plants’ wellbeing with compost teas and homemade thermos composts to give them strength to outdo the weeds. Also, we will read the weeds to learn what messages they are trying

Asper Family Garden 7 to send us about the soil: is it too loose, too compact, and so on. Through crop rotation, we will aim to give enough variety to keep the soil healthy and happy. Last, if the weeds are nutritious ones like chickweed, dandelion, lamb’s quarter, dock and more, then I plan on keeping some for eating, while thinning the rest with my small scythe as to not disturb the soil.

Time Needed for Regular Maintenance and Harvest

Maintenance is a vital part of a garden’s success.

How Often Maintenance Task Time Weekly, or as Check soil moisture, move hoses, set tripods 1 hour needed during hot to water garden days Weekly Inspect garden beds for weeds and bugs, and 3 hours trim or spray with soap water Monthly Mulch with straw as needed and tidy walk 2 hours paths Monthly Check fencing and string trim around 2 hours perimeter Bi-Monthly Prepare compost tea 24-48 hours Bi-Monthly Apply compost tea 2 hours

Harvesting can be a tasty time, but also overwhelming when your kitchen is filled with produce and a time limit. To ease the amount of work, here is a plan of tasks, time they occur, and how long they take.

Vegetable Harvest Task Time Mid growth Mark 2 strongest plants with a string to save seeds 2 hours Dry seeds Collect seeds, place in a non-windy location to dry and 10 hours sort. Place in a special marked bag the seeds. Brassica Pick brassica leaves as needed on those plants saved for 2 hour picking; 4 pick as you go. The rest can be harvest as a whole and hours preserving rubber banded for sale/giving. Weekly blanch and freeze gallon bags. Snap Beans Use green beans as needed for family. Weekly blanch 2 hours picking; 4 and freeze gallon bags. Monthly pressure can quart jars hours preserving of green beans. Dry Beans Allow to dry, then shell and allow to dry more before 2 hours picking; 4 putting in storage tubs. hours preserving Peanuts Allow to dry, then loosen soil and hang out for 2 weeks to further dry. Solancea Pick as needed, and aim to water process quarts of 2 hours picking; 4 tomato sauce weekly. hours preserving Greens and Pick as needed. Freeze carrots in slices in gallon bags. 2 hours picking; 4 Roots Sell or Give away extra lettuce heads. Freeze spinach in hours preserving

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gallon bags Potatoes Allow to dry, store in a cool basement location, sell/give 2hours picking; 4 abundance. Pressure can new potatoes. hours preserving Sweet Corn Pick as needed. Sell or Give away. Blanch and slice corn 5 hours picking; 4 for pressure canning and freezing in gallon bags. hours preserving Turnips Pick as needed. Keep in ground over winter. Blanch and 2 hours picking; 4 store in gallon bags in freezer. hours preserving Watermelon Pick as needed. Sell or Give away. 2 hours picking; Crookneck Pick as needed. Sell or Give away. Cook and puree, 2 hours picking; 8 Squash then put in freezer snack size bags. hours preserving Spaghetti Pick as needed. Sell or Give away. Cook and puree, 2 hours picking; 8 Squash then put in freezer snack size bags. hours preserving Broccoli Pick before browns. Sell or Give Away. Blanch and put in 2 hours picking; 4 freezer gallon bags. hours preserving Onions/Garlic Pick as needed, and allow dry to cure before selling or 2 hours picking; 4 giving away. Blanch and freeze in snack size bags. hours preserving Popcorn Allow to dry. Sell or Give away extra. Store in sealed tub 2 hours picking; 4 for popping, chickens, and making cornmeal. hours preserving Parts not used Toss to chickens and put in compost pile. Leave in place 1 hour some that would make good mulch or a good cover until the next crop comes.

Heart

How Our Faith in Jesus Impacts the Design

We both had an in born desire to live naturally. We grew up in stable homes with a typical modern life of public school and TV. I believe what led us to the path of sustainable living is basically listening in our spirit to how God made us to be: workers of the land! God provides! We believe God made man to work the land and for the woman to support her husband as a helpmeet. God also gives men different gifts for vocations and a desire for his family. Therefore, creating this garden and working the land shows our faith that God has made a way for us to be together through simple living. We believe Jesus wants us to have a family of his choosing of size for his glory and service, and we aim for a big garden to feed a big family. We also believe that we ought to be good stewards, as in His parables, and protect our garden with fencing, mulching, herbs, and walk paths. God wanted Adam to protect, too! We want to be a witness to having a happy family and give God the glory for how He provides by sharing our beautiful garden.

Asper Family Garden 9

Scripture Directions for Tending Land

God likes gardening! He provides many examples of gardening, and basically provides a sustainable way to care for your family. The righteousness found in your daily life could reflect the way you tend your land.

Scripture Explanation Genesis 1:28- God gave man dominion and an abundance of vegetable to eat so 29; 3:16, 3:19; we tend , even when it is hard by the sweat of the brow. We Proverbs 12:11 grow a big family if God allows and God will provide. Genesis 2:15, Soil has to be disturbed and water added for growth of 3:18, Matthew vegetables…and weeds! So, seeds are sown after light disturbance 13:24-30 to get a head start on the weeds. When weeds grow, pick while young before growing strongly with the seeds. Genesis 2:15- God told man to dress and keep the garden. Man needs a help meet 2:20 for him to help him in his work so he doesn’t feel lonely or discouraged. Therefore, we work together. Genesis 2:2 Work 6 days and rest. The garden is given a rest too with cover crops. Ruth 2:15-17 Grow abundantly but we don’t aim to be greedy, rather to be givers and share with people and even animals. Proverbs 3:5-10 Trust in the Lord, pray for his leading of where to have land to garden, and honor him with the first fruits. Grow plants worthy of honor and know God will provide a way to supply your food to preserve. Provers 22: 6 Train plants up early in the way they should go. We also will train up our children to help with joy in the garden so they have happy memories and continue growing hopefully when they are older. Proverbs 30:25 Prepare your food in the right seasons to preserve for times of little growth like the ants. Psalm 1, Prov. Follow good counsel and keep a good name with your work for 22:1 blessing and prosperity Ecc 3:1-2 Have order and a time for every task. Luke 8:4-8 Plan where your seed is to be sown in good soil and protect from the birds. Matthew 25:14- Use what God blesses you with to invest in an increase. Save your 30 seeds and plant again.

God as the Owner

God is the owner of our Garden and our lives. Therefore, we want to garden respectfully for our family, the crops, and the life around and in the garden. We grow honorable, healthy, GMO free crops and don’t use harmful pesticides or fertilizers that destroy the soil and soil life. For God’s garden, we have a plan so he will be proud of our stewardship, yet we have periods of rest and restoration, as he showed in creation.

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We aim to make it visually appealing through maintenance, and God chose Adam to maintain His garden.

God as the Wise Creator

To show our belief that God is the Wise Creator, we use mulching to mimic how nature protects plants. We aim to not disturb the soil greatly in order to preserve the soil structure the soil life creates. God wisely created crops to work differently with the soil so we use crop rotation. We plant legumes to fix nitrogen for the brassicas. We later follow with grains and solanaceae to have less nitrogen to focus on capturing carbon more than vegetative growth. Our compost works as God has designed to break down waste to create nutritious amendments. Cycles of seasons give a wise plan to plant at the times the plants like the best as to not stress them, and times for us all to rest! Being diligent with herbs and a careful eye, God has made a way we can protect plants naturally from infestation. By following God’s wisdom of how creation works together, we can avoid more harmful interventions.

Love Your Neighbor as Yourself

A garden’s visual appeal and maintenance not only blesses the owner’s eyes, but guests and neighbors, too. Keeping pleasant odors also supports friendliness, so we avoid nasty smelling soil amendments. By growing a garden bigger than our need, we have more to share. When we sell our excess, we will be selling the types of foods we would want to eat: GMO free and harmful pesticides free. The animals of the forest and air are our neighbors, too, and while our garden has a boundary, it will not harm them and still allows them plenty of space to live. Last, since we will not be destroying the soil life, we will leave good soil for the future owners as well as some tasty or beneficial perennials!

Dependency on God’s Provision

Ultimately, the success of our garden is up to our Lord. We need to pray for success and time and energy to perform necessary tasks, but we still need to be aware that the weather is up to God and our times are in His hands. Even if it fails, we know God is ultimately providing, and we are just working as we believe He would want us to work. We currently do not have all the tools desired. We also will not go in debt to buy all the perennials or beautiful tools desired. We will be patient to learn and be dependent on God to provide as we need items, and He does! Gardening is an excellent way to be close with God daily and to stand in awe at the works of His hands.

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Supporting Elements from Property for Garden

A Net and Pan Orchard utilizes the down slope to increase retention of water.

Each tree has a perennial guild within the expected mature dripline. These can be mowed and come back. Guild Plant Purpose comfrey mulch, healing herb yarrow pollinator, healing herb daffodil deer repellent chives insect repellent oregano insect repellent red clover pollinator, healing herb borage pollinator The varieties vary from early to late producers to support pollination, spread harvest time, and monitor health with a variety. They are grouped to ease maintenance, pollination, and harvesting.

The Dogwood is feed for birds, flowers for pollinators, and to distract deer.

The Top Bar Beehive supports pollination and gives the family much honey and learning experiences.

The Animal Feed Garden provides chickens with healthy corn, wheat, field peas, oats, clover, turnips and mustard. Suggested crop rotation: Summer Winter Plot1 Corn Turnips & Kale Plot2 Field peas Oats + clover Plot3 Sunflower Lentils/Peas/Barley Plot4 Mustard Wheat Plot5 Buckwheat cover Clover

Chickens provide manure, tilling, education, healthy eggs, and healthy meat. They live a happy, stressfree life by changing pastures to forage with their mobile design. The electric fence and auto water and feeder helps remove stress of maintenance. Sporadic trees provide some shade

Herb Garden The herb garden provides culinary and medicinal herbs to support the family. The perinnials are protected being closer to the house, but receive plenty of sun. Annuals are sown are transplanted as needed. It is an object of beauty with brick paths, a sundial, fountain in the middle, and poems about God's goodness, beauty, and faithfulness.

A playground is close to the annual garden so the family can work together while giving little ones a break as they grow in strength and stamina.

A pond provides more habitat and water for animals. Asper Family Garden 12