Saturday, October 18, 2008

Boys Joys

Corbyn has been blessed to get some work helping out a local area farmer. He's enjoyed the opportunity to learn many new things: driving tractor, baling hay & straw, rowing the bales (putting them into rows for easy pick-up with the semi-truck/trailer), loading the semi, going for parts when/as needed, building corrals and who knows what else ... for an aspiring young farmer those experiences are invaluable.

And that is just one bonus. He really enjoyed giving his younger three brothers their first rides in a tractor as well - he called it a field trip . Smile. Literally!

I'm just sorry we didn't get that in picture.

Another bonus, (which was the reason for the littles being at the field in the first place) was that Corbyn got to salvage the broken straw bales for use this winter for his/our cattle. The option was to burn those broken bales. His boss was only too happy to let Ken & Corbyn pick up the brokens.

And there are more bonuses to this job, all in addition to the $$ he is earning. It gives him a sense of purpose as he/we struggle to find our "place" in this new setting.

It was an answer to our prayers for Corbyn. Once we had settled into the house, then the shop and gotten much of the yard work done, there needed to be more to occupy his time and hands. The farm work was God's answer and it is good - at least until further notice.


The younger boys have had a great start to their school work this Fall despite the many distractions and detours (more in later posts), but in addition to their lessons they were also hankering to earn some spending money. That too became a matter of prayer - and God provided.




Timothy especially, at age 7, really wanted to earn a little money (after all he used to earn a little cleaning eggs for us on a daily basis). Once he'd opened his bank account here, he wanted to have the expectation of adding to it. He'd asked his Dad if he could take care of a few chickens for him and sell the extra eggs ... well, to date we haven't been able to find a place to buy chickens. We can buy farm eggs, yes, but they are nothing like what we produced on our organic farm at Warman - we're still looking for some laying hens ...

A couple of weeks ago a neighbor whom we had not yet met stopped by having heard that we have a bunch of boys - he wondered if some of our boys would like to earn a little spending money catching gophers/moles on his pasture and hay fields which are just across the road from our place. His land NEEDS a measure of control for those litte rodents!

What a perfect "job" for young boys!!!!!! So Carsyn & Brayden are using the traps Mr. Walker provided to catch the gophers while Timothy and the twins continue to trap gophers for Daddy on our pasture & field. It seems like a never ending job after so many years of neglect, but it is necessary for the safety of cattle and for less obstructions (dirt piles) on the hay fields which makes haying difficult and eventually impossible.

At $2 a tail, the spending money adds up though it isn't making a good "living". It is just perfect for boys. Just fyi, the farmers here can submit the tails to the municipality for a $1 reimbursement.

Again, we count these bonuses:
- getting paid to get physical exercise
- motivation to get physical exercise
- meals for the dog and cats (Dad & Mom get that bonus, reduced bills)
- working together in a "business"
- etc.

As mother to boys I don't always take part in their adventures, but I'm enjoying the opportunity to get my own physical exercise (& reaping the benefits) by accompanying Timothy and the twins on their gopher trips each morning and evening. Our land is so rolling that a little 1/2 to 2/3 mile walk through the bush and into the pasture is a nice little workout, not to mention quality time spent with my sons.

And pleasure is added when Ken can accompany us. He, of course, adds his own ideas to the whole multi-tasking endeavour by grooming the trail as we walk it (tossing small broken branches off into the deeper brush - and next thing I know he'll have the hatchet with him to knock out those few stumps that are impeeding a safe walk -- Ah-h, he's my Protector! I am so-o-o blessed!)

So God is leading and guiding us in every way. It is so exciting to see Him work!

To God be the Glory!

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