The Wilkes Team

The weather has been very cold here in Virginia. Daniel decided to start tapping the maple trees outback. We began last week. I went with Daniel and Kenan and watched them drill holes into the maple trees. We have begun with eight or nine trees and are hoping to tap more. A couple days ago, the temperatures were so cold (like 10 degrees all the way down to below zero) that our small pipes were frozen full of sap. The best conditions for tapping are when temperatures are below 20  degrees at night and around 36-40 degrees in the day.

We boiled down about 1 – 1 1/2 gallons of sap on our wood stove. When done boiling, there was about 1/3 cup of tasty maple syrup. We had to watch the sap very carefully towards the end.

I am so glad the Lord has given us maple trees for making syrup. I am looking forward to having fresh Virginia maple syrup on my pancakes.

Maple Syrup Resourcs:

 How to make maple syrup and tap your own maple trees

 Here is a slightly different set up

 Maple Syrup facts

 To beware of when storing maple sap

 Backyard Sugarin: A Complete How-To Guide

8 Comments » | posted in Farming 101, Outdoor Adventures

Ssshhhhh!!! We don’t want to scare the deer!

Some of the Wilkes team woke up real early Thursday morning to go bow hunting on the land.

Others came out later and as we drove up to the land I was encouraged by some other eager hunters in the car to drive as quietly as possible and to stop before I reach the top of the hill.

Communication between those out on the property hunting and us in the car was made through walkie talkies. This was just the beginning of a great day!

We dropped off some at the land and picked up others and went and met with our builder. We are still in the paper stages but getting closer!!

We came back to the land and had a great picnic lunch. Hoping that maybe someone got a deer but, not this time.

It was such a beautiful day! The farmer who takes the hay off our property had just gathered the hay in bails. And there is nothing prettier than seeing a field of green grass and bails of hay sprinkled throughout it!

Daniel and Kenan checked on the bees. They are doing great.  Dad did some finally mowing for the year.  And the younger ones had a blast in the hay fields!

It was a wonderfully relaxing and joyous day together!

4 Comments » | posted in Family News, Farming 101

(First read The Conventionalism of Agriculture)

It twas a fortress.

It twas unique

It twas Polyface farm.

Instead of a drawbridge it had a car bridge over a creek.

Instead of walls there were fences.

Instead of soldiers there were farmers.

Instead of chariots and horses there was a hay ride and a tractor.

Though perception makes it out to be more of a farm then a fortress, it is a bulwark in the war of ideas. With mainstream American agriculture plummeting towards highly sophisticated farming, demanding huge cost and debt,  Mr. Salatin is advancing with a different approach. One which we as a family were able to experience after a short road trip and during a information packed tour.

At 10:00 am (or close to this time), a hay ride started with Joel Salatin directing it on the tractor. At this time, we embarked with around 50 other individuals on a fantastic tour with Mr. Salatin being the tour guide.

His 650 acre farm is situated with mountains surrounding and forests covering two-thirds with the remaining being pasture land.

Something Mr. Salatin spoke of quite frequently while giving the tour was the need for diversity. One of his goal is to create a very diversified landscape using forest, pasture land, water, and animals. Some of his ways of doing so we were able to experience while others were only mentioned. Many modern farmers live on solitary faced farms. As examples; They have acres and acres of  land for only one crop, or they are dairy farmers only. Mr. Salatin doesn’t see this method as effective. That’s why he named his farm Polyface (the farm of many faces). He doesn’t just have cows but also chickens, turkeys, pigs, and rabbits. He has pasture land for animals, forest lands and many ponds dotting the landscape.

This is just the beginning of his diversity plan. For example:

1. His cows move through a field, and then he has the chickens come through afterwards in their mobile shelters eating the parasitic bugs and spreading the cow patties. 

2. Instead of leaving the woods to only wildlife he is taking dominion of it by fencing off areas with a single strand of electrical wire wrapped around trees and has his pigs eat the nuts on the ground and dig for grubs. Then on a frequent basis he moves this simple fence with the pigs to other parts of the forests. This creates a two fold benefit: Pigs our living the way they were made to and the forests are becoming healthier with the upheaval of the ground.

3. Both turkey and chicken youngsters grow up together in the same building. Conventionalism states this is horrible and counter productive but Mr. Salatin has found that the difference between turkeys and chickens actually worked together smoothly.

Polyface farm is now producing food for hundred’s of restaurants and families. There is an incredible movement in America to obtain food locally. Mr. Salatin is meeting the need and he is encouraging other farmers to do the same.

Mr. Salatin speaks about utilizing the great technology and information available but not to the point where incredible money expenditure and debt is necessary and where God’s creation is totally severed from the natural ecosystems they were made to be a part of.

After seeing his farm, we as a family have become proponents of many of his ideas and hope to implement them in the near future. If you ever have a chance we recommend visiting this Polyface fortress and truly experience an incredible way to farm; using technology and inventions while never compromising the God given ecosystems. It truly is a unique experience!

Go to www.Polyfacefarms.com to learn more about Mr. Salatin’s farm and books he has written.

4 Comments » | posted in Family News, Farming 101

Conventionalism is sweeping the agricultural landscape. The small farmer is dwindling in significance while the grandiose mega farms are dominating and being modeled with their chemically pumped, genetically engineered, and denatured animals and crops. It is thought that in modern times we are definitely better educated and therefore don’t need to learn from the past as much as focus on the future. Furthermore, we’re extremely capable of developing an incredibly vast panorama of new ideas. Such as:

Pump your farm animals with antibiotics and other important chemicals; it will bring better sanitization and less death.

Get rid of ponds. They are problematic because of their possibility of attracting a bird flue carrier.

End your other agricultural pursuits and become a soybean/corn producer, because there is the $$$.

The chickens grow best when fed dried poultry pellets,

The cows are easily sickened creatures and demand incredible vet bills

The larger the building or machine = greater efficiency

The greater the governmental involvement = a guarantee of greater success.

Now this is just the top of ice berg! The incredible list of innovative ideas and theories are endless and it just continues to grow. In magnificent proportions, this army of mighty conventionalism is breaking down barriers and infiltrating all levels of farming.   As this army moves in, bringing its message and results, there are certain fortresses situated in places which are close to impregnable. They stand in  opposition to this moving army, have prepared for battle, and are actually in the conflict. One of these fortresses occupies a space in the Bread basket of the Southern Confederacy also known as the Shenandoah Valley. It’s a farm run very efficiently and unconventionally by a farmer named, Joel Salatin. You will hear more about him soon as we give account of our recent visit to his farm!!

Oh, how needful these fortresses are. For, in the end, the conventionalizing of American Agriculture is bringing some serious problems. The dire results will not be truly realized for a couple more years.  It was thought excellent to convene upon certain venerated ideas but it has turn into a  conventionalizing of agriculture which will not bring an enjoyable conclusion. Why so? The answer for this question will be shared in a following post entitled:

A Solution – The Farm of many faces.

6 Comments » | posted in Farming 101

It is with great joy that I report we have had 9 out of 10 grafted trees bud. Truly a miracle indeed. These sets of two individual pieces of wood, when unified together, will bring thousands of pounds of apples in the years to come. What a picture of marriage and of our union with Christ.

“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit…” John 15:5

While it is possible for the pieces of scion wood to bud prematurely apart from the rootstock, they will never bear fruit and will wither away shortly after budding.

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” John 15:4

Earlier this year, dozens of branches were clipped off and stored in pieces 12 inches long inside our refrigerator until the time for grafting arrived. Only a handful were chosen to be grafted.

“For many are called, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:14

With warming temperatures, consistent moisture, and daily sunlight, 9 out of 10 unions are now bursting forth in radiant life.

“For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church.” Eph. 5:29

“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” 1Pet. 5:7

“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” 1 Peter 2:2-3

Every tree is different, grows at different speeds, and will only produce the fruit it was predestined to bear.

“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.” Romans 12:6-8

Through providing nourishment and caring for the apple trees, it is our desire that all 10 will bear much fruit in the years to come.

“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and  that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8

4 Comments » | posted in Farming 101

Over a period of about 6 weeks so far this Spring, our family has had the joy of watching an astounding attribute of creation unveil before our eyes.

It all began a little over a year ago when Dad, Daniel, and I were blessed to attend a course of apple grafting with Vintage Virginia Apples just south of Charlottesville, Virginia. Under the first class training of Mr. Tom Burford and the Shelton family, all 3 of us were trained in the skill of bench grafting.

During the second week of April, we took on the grafting of 10 apple trees. One month prior, we ordered 10 Malling-Merton 111 (MM. 111) root stocks from Vintage Virginia. Clippings (scion wood) from branches 2 years or older were carefully selected from 3 different locations of mature trees and stored with lightly moistened paper towels in our refrigerator. We worked together to try and keep all fruit, especially apples, out of the fridge to keep the gas emitted from fruits from causing the scion wood to bud prematurely.

The grafting process involves the following steps:

1. Select a root stock that is similar in diameter to the scion wood you are using (leave root stock in bag for as long as possible to reduce the possibility of damage from exposure).

2. Cut out a portion of scion wood with 2-3 buds at least 1 inch from either end to avoid any dried out portion.

3. Using a sharpened knife, slice the scion wood about 3/4 to 1 inch below the first bud at a 45 degree angle. The face should be at least 1/2 inch long.

4. Slice a mirror cutting on the root stock approximately 1-2 inches above the roots (room for mistakes ).

5. In the center of each face gently cut a 1/4 to 1/2 inch cutting parallel to the pieces’ grain.

6. Gently force the two pieces into one another to form an union. Should the scion wood be smaller in diameter than the rootstock, be sure to align the cambium layers on at least one side.

7. Using a tape such as masking or blue painting tape, completely cover the union to deter drying out before healing.

8. Using a waterproofing substance like Doc Farwell’s Grafting Seal, seal the very top of the newly grafted tree.

9. Label the  tree and store in a cool location until outdoor temperatures are well above freezing. Should the grafting take place after the final frost, still allow approximately 7-14 days for the healing to take place before potting. During the healing period, keep grafted trees in a plastic bag (ziploc is perfect). Apply moisture every couple days so roots do not dry out.

10. After the healing period, place tree(s) in nutrient rich soil. Keep soil moist. Budding may take up to 2-3 weeks. Beware of small rodents which will destroy the young tree with little effort. I prefer to keep tree well protected for at least 1 year before planting in orchard.

Stay tuned for post number two which will feature the progress of the newly grafted trees.

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing (John 15:4-5).

2 Comments » | posted in Farming 101

     Let’s see who can dig, turn, and chop up the most dirt!

                           On your mark get set GO!

We all need to learn to enjoy hard work! Being diligent: is visualizing each task from the Lord and using all my energies to accomplish it. And thoroughness: knowing what factors will diminish the effectiveness of my work or words if neglected. These are so key in us having an impact and an influence on those we are serving and working with.

We recently had a need to prepare a 25×25 garden out on our 90 acres. It could have been a lengthy process for one or two people doing it by themselves, but with ELEVEN it went amazingly fast!! Everyone had such joy and enthusiasm in digging and chopping up the ground which will bring us a wonderful harvest this summer if the Lord wills.

Looking back over that day I realized once again that I am the one that controls my outlook! If one person would have decided to let their feelings control their outlook and viewed this time of work as a burden and a bore it would have affected the whole group.

I don’t think we truly understand how much we impact those around us. People are watching us. People are looking for role models! How are we responding to our authorities? How do we interact with are peers? Are we being leaders or are we just following the crowd? Do you grumble over hard work? Do you up hold the standards of your authorities even when others are not?

We need to be different! Be willing to be odd. 2Timothy 3:14 says “Yea and all they that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”  Continue to be loyal to those God has placed over you. Continue to be an enthusiastic, grateful and faithful follower of Jesus Christ! View each task you are given as if Jesus Himself was assigning it to you and use all of your energies to accomplish it!

5 Comments » | posted in Family News, Farming 101