Life this year has surely been and ebb and flow.  It’s been filled with some wonderful realizations, but has surely had it’s share of deep valley experiences.

As a family, we’ve had two deaths of dear family members. My step father, who I knew longer than my naturally born father, and my beautiful brides grams. Both lived a wonderful godly life, and they are now home.

We also have suffered the death of a dear dear friend, Luke. His going home still brings tears to my eyes.  His was a friendship that transcended life. I’ve only met one other person able to do that, whom of which I am given to in marriage, my beloved bride.

This has been quite a year also on Shiloh’s Farm.  We have taken on more critters and lost a few, 4 to be exact, over the last about 10 months, and all chickens.

We gained two goats; Lucy a Nigerian Dwarf and her daughter, Loretta, a Nigerian mix. We bought 6 baby chickens and two baby Indian Runner ducks. One chick didn’t make it, but the rest are thriving!  One chicken died from Wry Neck, one from getting stuck under a roost, one had a neurological disease and drowned in the water bucket, and one…I’m not so sure.  My best guess is she was either egg bound or broke her neck some how.  That one is a mystery.

We also rescued 5 hens.  Curly, our khaki duck, we had to re-home as he was not playing nicely with others.  He is now with his own flock on the eastern shore.  I hope he has found happiness.

We’ve also added what is called a nuc of bees. This is a hive that’s already established and ready to be installed in their new home. There are five frames of bees and you take those frames and put them in your own box, what is called a brood box.  After almost 6 weeks, they are now filling a second brood box.  We are about 1 week behind schedule, but they are doing very well and have grown in population to over twice what I received.

If that isn’t enough, we have found a church friend who is interested in raising meat chickens, called broilers, or roasters. The name is size depended.  If they are 5 pounds or smaller they are broilers, over 5 pounds they are called roasters.  We have roasters, 41 to be exact.  We’ve lost none. 

Tomorrow is harvest day for them.

So, from birds to bees, and life, it is full on here at Shiloh’s Farm.

Lessons learned:

1. Do not take friends and friendships for granted. If you love, love well and ensure those you love know you love them. Romans 16:16 tells us to greet each other with a holy kiss.  How loving and intimate when done out of a pure heart. Pureness of heart, something we need in today’s society. So much of our society is Judas and betrays others with a kiss. So love and love well.
2. God’s creation is fantastic and such a mystery. Animals are animals, but they are a gift from God to be enjoyed on many different levels.  Whether it is provided as just enjoyment as pets, providing eggs for food, honey for food and medical purposes, or true farm to table. We should not take our food for granted, but be thankful for it and care for the animals who provide us our food well.
3. Animals are deeper in their understanding than we give them credit for. I’m speaking more towards my bees, but applies for sure to the other animals.  Bees will follow their care taker, this I just learned. They don’t follow aggressively, but follow the person who cares for them.

There are three kinds of love; Eros, Agape and Philos. It would do us well to learn them well, as 1 Corinthians 13:13 tells us the greatest is love, out of faith, hope, and love.

So live and live well, but love and love well.