Update on Agricultural Projects

In the last few months we've seen a lot of growth in our agricultural projects, both figuratively and literally.  We're starting to see the results from years of planning and planting.  The orchards are beginning to flower and fruit and we've now acquired the animals we need to help provide food for the future. 


Our sheep are prospering.  They are grazing underneath our mahogany trees, keeping other vegetation down. Their population has already grown by seven new lambs in just a few months and we’re expecting more lambs soon.  One ewe even had triplets, but because a ewe can only feed two lambs, the third one moved up to David and Olga’s house for bottle-feeding.  This lamb is named Chepito and he wanders around the yard munching grass, hanging out with the dogs, and bleating.  He's decided that he is a dog and now comes running down to eat dog food when we call for his canine companions. 

Just the other day we got our first chickens.  We've started with two dozen and will purchase more when we finish our chicken coop.  So far, the roosters haven’t kept us up at night with their crowing, thankfully.  (Roosters tend to start announcing the upcoming dawn at about 3am.)  David’s wife Olga really enjoys looking after chickens and she is excited to care for these ones.  We are looking forward to the eggs.

The other day we harvested our first taste of honey from our bees.  The bees are close to filling seven panels with honey and we already had to expand their hive, in just 3 months!  This is faster than any honey production we’ve read about.  We stole one panel of honey just a little early and wow was it good! 

We’re already teaching Josiah all about farming so he’s ready to work in a couple years.  He is studying “The Encyclopedia of Country Living,” which is THE book for what we’re trying to do with agriculture.