Holidays, Holy Days, and Preparation

We had a work day at Beth Am Messiah in preparation for Sukkot, a.k.a the Feast of Tabernacles.  While we were building a sukkah or booth (tabernacle), I put this young man to work cultivating the cabbages.  It seems the Holy Days have slowed down my blogging, so why not include them in the blog.

There are many things about the Feast of Tabernacles that have nothing to do with gardening.  Sukkot is a reminder that while the children of Israel travelled in the wilderness on their way to the promised land, they dwelt in tent like temporary shelters.  Today's sukkah is supposed to be an impermanent temporary dwelling through whose roof you can see the stars.  In the proper climates, people actually live in them during the 8 day holiday.  Even though there are those who brave the elements in our climate for a part of Sukkot, a home sukkah is used more for dining than anything else.  Our congregational service will be used for services from September 30 at 7:30 to a Congregational (Shemini Atzert/ending service) Harvest Potluck dinner on October 8 at 5:00 PM.



Tomatoes 9-16-12

Brocolli 9-16-12

That's where the garden comes in.  My hope was that we would have so much produce, that we could supply the entire meal or at least most of it from the garden.  Well hope is eternal and there's always next year.  However, we most certainly will have somethings made with cabbage, some things made with tomatoes and/peppers.  We will certainly have a small portion of red potato salad.  God willing we will also have some second crop radishes and lettuce. 


Root Parsely 9-16-12



Late Lettuce 9-11-12

You see the another side of Sukkot is one of its other names.  It is called "The Feast of In-gathering."  The in-gathering is of the harvest.  This biblical feast is upon what the pilgrims patterned Thanksgiving.  In Israel, this is the time of the latter rains, which fall in Autumn.  These point to the in gathering of souls to the Messiah in the end of time through the drenching of the rain of the Ruah/ Spirit of God.

So I invite you to ingather your own harvest and if you are in the area join us for Sukkot.  (But please let us know your coming so we can set another place.)

Puddleglumtoo





Dead Vine - Live Potatoes

Russet Potatoes 9-13-12

Red Potatoes 9-13-12

Potato Plant

I am back to my day job as a teacher and this blog as well as the garden has gotten a bit behind.  Last night with the four helpers we harvested potatoes.  As you can see (below) the vines had died back.  Actually about half the vines died off and we left the ones that were still green for later.  We had planted 3 types of potatoes:  a red, a yellow and Russets.  I had thought that these were the Russets.  If they were, then our Russets did not do so well.  In fact, we may have harvested less than we planted.  On the other hand, the red potatoes did much better - compare the bags.  We planted a total of about 12 and a half pounds of potatoes.  Last night we harvested about half of them.  It was about 11 pounds.  That's nothing to boast about, but since the reds did so well, perhaps we'll concentrate on them next year.



Helper 9-13-12

You know its kind of ironic that you dig up good potatoes from a dead vine.  I can show you a series of pictures of any of our plants, but I never did take the first picture.  The first picture would show the preparation of the seed for burial.  It sounds gruesome,but with potatoes it is even worse.  One guy was instructed to cut the potatoes up, leaving at least one eye in each piece.  This seems awful, but unless it is buried, there will be no plant.  Yeshiva compared our lives to the seed that is buried in the ground.  There is a cost to the seed.

Helpers 9-13-13

There is a cost involved in anything we do.  In gardening we recognize the cost of the seeds, the fertilizer, the stakes for tomatoes and the like, but in fact those are the small costs.  There are larger costs still.  A person can give up a lot of land. That limits the ability to use that land for anything else.  You cannot play Ultimate Frisbee over cucumbers.  Even this is not the largest cost.  Time is another issue, but as they say quality is always better than quantity .  Simply looking at the garden plot is not enough.  ,there are weeds to be pulled.  The garden may need watering.  You must care for a garden at all times.  Perhaps as the weather cools the tomatoes will have to be covered as protection from the frost.

Yeshua said in John 12: ²⁴ I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. ²⁵ The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.  There is cost, but think of the gain. 
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Sharing spinach/chard with black eyed peas at the oneg
Sharing cherry tomatoe salad at the oneg
Peppers, Cucumbers 

*An oneg is a light fellowship meal after a worship service

Cycle of Life

There is a certain cycle of life in a garden.  Quite frankly, most people in these parts, Northeastern USA, tend to let their gardens go in about July.  Because our growing season is about from mid-May to mid-October most don't think that it is worth the effort to put anything more in.

lettuce 8-31-12

Although that has been my attitude in the past, it is not my attitude now.  We had early peas.  After they died off, we put in yellow summer and zucchini squash.  We are just getting the yellow squash now.  As the beets and carrots were pulled we added more plantings of beets.  When we pulled our first group of onions, we added radishes and lettuce.  If everything had worked out well, we would have had second plantings of cabbage and broccoli as well.  However,  we are still awaiting the heading of the broccoli and the complete recovery of both.

Harvested tomatoes and beans
8-31-12

Potato and cucumbers 8-31-12

Some people have been a little anxious about the potatoes.  Some well meaning people thought that we were planting them too late.  Now some of those same people already harvested their potatoes last month.  Well we haven't pulled any yet.  They have to die off at the tops before we dig out the tubers.  We are planning to have a digging "party" when the tops die off.  Just remember, the long they grow, the more and larger tubers will be produced.



Summer Squash
8-31-12

Ecclesiastes 3 says that there is a time for every purpose under heaven.  This blog is going out late because I was caught up in preparing for a Torah service.  Our lives get crowded and sometimes we have to let some things go.  The same is true in both life and a garden.  Currently we are (mostly) in the harvest time around the garden.  Yet, we have still been planting.  When we reach out to others about the Lord, we need to constantly plant seeds of love, grace, and the good news of Yeshua (Jesus).  The growing season is short.  So is life.  Let us be sure that we both sow and reap all that we are able, while we can.
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 Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Beans (for most), Basil, Dill

Sharing the Produce of our Lives

Bean Blossoms

We have a problem.  We have produce, but not enough of particular kinds for everyone.  Let me explain what has happened.  The weather has been a bit drier, so the cucumbers and butternut squash have suffered.  Some of their leaves are turning yellow.  We have not sufficiently watered them.  Also, while I had placed something to discourage the deer in that garden, something seems to be enjoying the tips of the cucumber plants.  I have not been enjoying the effect.

One of the few cucumbers

We are blessed to have beans.  The problem with many vegetables is that if you do not pick them early, they get tough or even go to seed.  When a plant goes to seed, from its point of view, it has done its job.  In other words, seeds of the children of the plant.  So  when I picked the first of the beans, I noticed enough (I judge) for 2 units.   Now we all know that a few veggies can be added to stir fry, but what how do we divide the first cucumbers and beans?  So I have made an executive decision.  We will rotate who gets the beans and cucumbers or items in small quantities.  We also will continue giving herbs and vegetables to Beth Am Messiah  and others.

Summer Squash at Beth Am Messiah

Yellow Squash soon to be ready

Produce from Gan Am Messiah will be shared in the best way I know how. Like the quantities and the manner in which plants produce, each of us does things in different ways. We all have different personalities, gifts and talents. Those of us who have been directly receiving vegetables have put money, time and expertise into the garden.  One family even allows us to use their back yard for potatoes, cucumbers and butternut squash.  Spiritually we are to use these within our congregations to build both the congregation and each other up.. 

Using her gift to picking tomatoes

⁷ Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸ To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. (Corinthians 12:7-11 (NIV)).

As we share our produce, I hope we will continue to grow in sharing life together in the Messiah Yeshua - Jesus.

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Glacier and Cherry Tomatoes, Perpetual Spinach and Chard, Onions, Basil and  ?

Protecting our Garden

Tomatoes 8-17-12

We have truly been blessed with the garden.  I counted about 60 (small) tomatoes that I picked today.  Yes, they were all cherry or Glacier, but there they were.  We should have Marketmore cucumbers by next week.  We have been decorating with and giving away excess basil and other herbs.  We look forward to yellow summer squash, zucchini, and Provider green beans.  But there have been set backs.



Bean Blossoms 8-14-12

Carrots and Beets   8-17-12

I have written about various troubles that we have had.  Troubles come in many shapes and sizes.  Some problems are to be expected and should be planned for.  Others are totally unexpected.



Cucumber 8-17-12

Onion 8-17 12

We did not expect Goniff, the groundhog, to take up residence under the porch at Beth Am Messiah.  We did expect our fence to keep out the critters out.  We did not expect tunneling under the fence.  Everyone expected that we would need to water, so arrangements were made with hoses at both sites.  However, despite drought in other parts of the country, we have had regular thunderstorms.  Of course we have had weeds and actively pull them at least weekly.

Another problem that we have anticipated was a deer invasion at the other site.  We have been fortunate, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  We were given (of all things) fox urine to scare away small animals including groundhogs.  I also obtained a system that dispense a similar scent that repels deer at the other site.




8-17-12

Butternut Squash
8-17-12

In the same way, we guard the garden against troubles, we should be guarding our own lives and the lives of our family.  Prudent people take out insurance to avoid the complications of fire, theft, and other kinds of loses.  How much more important is it for us to guard our spirits and souls.  The Scripture says that he who has the Son has life (1John).  Perhaps it is time to take out an Eternal Life policy.

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Small Tomatoes, Basil, Beets, Carrots, Mint, Onions

Second Chances

Bean Blossom 8-10-12

Glacier Tomato 8-10-12

We are in high summer.  When I was young, high summer meant that it was time to let nature take its course.  That is we would pick the produce and not weed as much.  We would certainly not do any more planting.  It is a little bit different at Gan Am Messiah - the Garden of the Messiah.  This is both in terms of the actual garden and the way He cultivates our lives.

Eaten Peppers

It is fortunate that we get second, third and sometimes even fourth chances.  We have been successful with keeping Goniff (translate as thief), the woodchuck out of the garden.  Our methods against deer will hopefully continue to work (,more on that next week).  We are pleased to have second chances with our vegetables.

Eaten Cabbage

Second Chance Peppers 8-10-12

Please compare this week to past in weeks in terms of our peppers, squash, and cabbage. Each of these vegetables have received second chances to produce fruit.  Now a special word about the cabbage.  When cabbage it eaten down it tends to sprout up with more than one head.  This week I removed the "extra head."  Those of you so involved will find some of it in your bag.  We will be picking ALL the carrots and beets next week to ensure that they do not get woody.  (Yes, we have and will be planting fall beets and perhaps other things as well).  There is a discipline involved in the garden and involved on our second changes in life and with the LORD.


Second Chance Cabbage
8-10-12

Yellow Squash Buds 8-10-12

After denying Yeshua (Jesus) three times, Peter not only felt awful, he also in fact failed, as we all inevitabily do.  It was not easy for Yeshua to discuss this with Peter, nor was it easy for Peter to answer.  Three times Yeshua asked if Peter loved Him and three times Peter replied.  It was a difficult turning for Peter. (John 21:  He had to turn from self reliance to Yeshua reliance.  In other words, in the past Peter had thought he knew best.  He was the one who told Yeshua that Yeshua must not die (Matthew 16:22-24).   He was the one who boasted that he who never denounce Yeshua (Luke 22:31-34).  Peter's turning to put his trust in Yeshua rather than his own understanding of the times.  Even and especially in these times, we must choose to do the same.
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cherry tomatoes, perpetual spinach and chard (mixed), beets, carrots and cabbage

Choices

Cherry Tomatoes  8-1-12

Last week we had our first tomato and were congratulated by my brother.  Now my brother has extensive horticultural experience.  He has had his own mini-farm from which he has sold vegetables at a Farmers Market.  He has been in the Peace Corp and trained others and he has a Masters Degree in Horticulture.  In the family we like to say he is a  "master of peaches."

Ripeening Glacier Tomatoes  8-1-12

Early production of tomatoes run in the family.  We had an uncle who used to brag that he would have a tomato by the Fourth of July... and he did.  However,  if I remember correctly his tomatoes gave out before ours did every year.  He chose to purchase early producers and got what he desired.  The three tomatoes that we have had so far are from the variety Glacier.  While I grew these from seed, I also knew that it was a very early producer.   The tomatoes are just beyond cherry size.  In fact  I  should have had the tomatoes earlier.  Those tomatoes will give out before the end of August.  We have other cherry and mid-season tomatoes planted just for that contingency, but it was a matter of choices.



Moulton, Jim. fawns.jpg. July 15, 2009. Pics4Learning.
 3 Aug 2012 <http://pics.tech4learning.com>

Our beets and carrots are small, but probably not going to grow much more.  Even if they do, they may become "woody."  To pick or not to pick... it is a matter of choices. 

Should we put up a fence at our other site, chance the deer population or use deterrent.  That too is a matter of choices.

Marigolds   8-1-12

So often in the garden and life itself we have decisions to make.  We often make (minor) mistakes in the risks we take.  Sometimes we even make major mistakes and land in major problems.  Our choices are often determined by timing.  There are better times than others to plant things.

Cucumber with blossom - 8-1-12

One of my acquaintances was sure that our potatoes were planted much too late.  While I have to agree that they should have been planted earlier, they seem to be doing very well.  In fact when another strongly opinionated gardener visited our potato patch, the comment was,..."well you can plant potatoes later, they mature quickly."   Choices can be good, better or best.

Onions, Squash and Potatoes
8-1-12

In determining when to do something, the Eternal One knows just the right time.  Scripture says, " But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons." (Galations 4:4,5 - New King James Version).  This term - "fullness of time" is translated in different ways.  It can be translated as "time fully come" (NIV), "proper time" (Amplified), and "appointed time" (Complete Jewish Bible).  This is not a matter of chronological time, but of the proper, special, strategic time.  The Greek word is kairos.  In the same way we need to plant at the very best strategic time, so the God sent His  Son - Yeshua/Jesus for us.  In the same way that we have a choice to plant seeds at specific times and the best times, we have a choice to accept Yeshua as Messiah even today.  There are many choices to make... is this your kairos time to make them?

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Herbs:  Dill, Basil, Parsley  available to all at oneg at Beth Am Messiah  August 3, 2012

Weeds! Weeds! Weeds!

Gan Am Messiah has two sites.  One at the Congregation and another at a member's home.  We have alot of variety at the  Beth Am Messiah.  We have planted, picked, and pulled up lettuce, peas (podded and edible pod), and spinach.  We have re-planted with beans, yellow and zucchini squash, more beets and more tomatoes. We have been blessed with our first tomato, which we will enjoy on a platter with store bought tomatoes at our oneg this Shabbat. 

There have been problems, primarily a groundhog who my wife has named Goniff.  (It means thief.  She also said that if he keeps stilling we'll make him - gone if...)  The fences have been fixed and beautified with marigolds.  After I determined that Goniff had pushed our gates open.  I created a "lock" for those gates.  Thankfully others have found some substance that should deter Goniff and send him to tastier pastures..er gardens.

The garden at the congregation is in raised beds filled with topsoil graciously given us by a landscaper.  However, the other site is a first year tilled, unraised garden with lots of weed seeds. We planted crops that would take up more space:  potatoes, butternut squash, and cucumbers,. You can see from the mini-videos those weeds (and my learning curve with an ipad camera).  Weeds are another enemy of the farmer.

Yeshua (Jesus) used them in some of His parables to illustrate one of the ways the enemy of our souls attacks us.  Yeshua had more than one parable about weeds, but let us look at the one in Luke 8

⁴ While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: ⁵ “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. ⁶ Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” (NIV)

I like raspberries, but they do not belong in the garden. I have a saying. Anything that is growing where you do not want it to grow is a weed. Thorns are particularly nasty weeds. Not only do they hurt plants but they also hurt those who try to remove them.
Then Yeshua interpreted the parable, you can read the whole but I want to merely quote His teaching about the weeds. 

¹⁴ The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature  (Luke 8:14 -NIV)

In the garden of life where our souls dwell, we are surrounded by many of life's worries and cares.  Clearly the economy is a worry for many of us.  We worry about whether the right person will be elected as president.  We work to advance ourselves in school or in our professions. There may be good reason to have concerns about these, but even they can be a distract. 

Of course distractions can come in very minor ways.  Did I DVR that show I like so much?  Did I remember to "like" the online game I have been playing?  Did I get to the store in time to get the super terrific bargin on bon-bons?  My Uncle Walter used to describe a donut shop that made excellant donuts.  He said that the donut maker had a secret recipe and there were people who worried that the man would die without sharing his recipe. 

All of these things, even our rightful concerns, when they become the center of our lives are weeds.  We need to deal with those weed.  It takes work to pull them out.  Even if the weed it a raspberry, it takes work to transplant it to where it belongs.  We must not let the weeds crowd out the things that our Heavenly Father has given us.  He has given us family, friends, and even most importantly His Messiah - Yeshua.  Yeshua spoke of the things that we have need of in the Sermon on the Mount saying, "³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."  (Matthew 6:33-34-NIV).


"  ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Messiah Yeshua." (Phillipians 4:6,7 - NIV with Messiah Yeshua subtituted for Christ Jesus)

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Perpetual Spinach,  Swiss Chard, Beets with Greens and Basil

Enemies: Part 2

There are many enemies of the garden.  The groundhog is the chief enemy at the congregational garden, but it is not the only enemy.  I have included a picture of a "nice" squash plant and a cut off one.  These were planted in hills of about 7 seeds and were the first plants to come up.  You will see two things.  First,  it is is very dry.  We have had 90 degree plus weather off and on for the last three weeks.  Second, if you look carefully, you will see a stem without leaves.  Something has eaten it.  I could claim all damage on the groundhog, but there are insects and other things that enjoy young plants.

There are a host of enemies attacking the garden - bugs, larger animals like groundhogs and even deer, drought, and perhaps even ourselves when we are careless.  This again is parallel to the world, the flesh and the devil.

Cucumber 7-11-12

Yeshua/Jesus spoke of a sower going out to scatter seeds.  Not all the seeds met a good end.  If you remember some were scattered on stony soil.  They sprang up and had no root.  Others were chocked out by weeds.  Some were eaten by birds.  But some fell in good soil and gave a good increase.  You can read parallel accounts in Matthew 13, Mark 4, and Luke 8.

Yeshua interpreted the parable for His disciples in Matthew 13:18-23

 ¹⁸ “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: ¹⁹ When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. ²⁰ The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. ²¹ But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. ²² The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. ²³ But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” . 

Tomatoes 7-11-12

In the past when I thought on this, I was troubled.  I said to myself,  how can anyone be sure that they are good soil?  However, working in the garden has given me some perspective.  I can choose to take the stones out of the soil.  I can choose to weed the garden.  I can choose to cover the seed to keep it from the birds.  Granted,  troubles come to Gan Am Messiah and to the gardens of our lives.  The woodchuck/groundhog lurks nearby.  Even so, in each case we are able through prayer and the help of the Almighty, we learn what to do, do it and prevail against our enemies.  Yes, there are times when all that we can do is pray... and it is enough.
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No veggies this week - 7-21-12

Enemies- Part 1: Groundhog

This past Wednesday I was repairing breaches in the garden fence.  On Thursday I took steps to make it pretty.  Robert Frost wrote,  “good fences make good neighbors.”  He was not, however, referring to our congregational neighbors –the groundhog family.

Noonan, Linda. groundhog1.jpg. July 11, 2005.
Pics4Learning. 12 Jul 2012
 http://pics.tech4learning.com

Recently I heard how the cute little groundhog runs around, playing with the squirrels on the property.  I suppose he is cute, but whenever we see each other he runs for his hole under our porch.  The first time he dined at Gan Am Messiah, he devoured chard, perpetual spinach, and lettuce.  So the fence went up.  He made some holes under and through the fence,  eating cabbage, additional helpings of chard, garnished with the tips of budding tomato plants.  I put asphalt around the fence to hold it down

A lover of the beauty of gardens decided that the asphalt looked ugly.  Indeed it did.  Through no fault of his own, he was ignorant of our ravenous neighbor.  In the meantime, the groundhog found another way into the garden.  He had a second helping of cabbage.

Cabbage taken 7-11-12 -
Groundhog returned for thirds at night.

On Wednesday I inspected the garden and discovered additional holes in the fence.  One near a parking lot and the others were renewed where the asphalt had been.  I don’t blame the lover of groundhog cuteness or the lover of beauty.  Both persons are not wrong, but I would like us to grow crops and eat them too.  So I returned the asphalt to the area of groundhog holes.  I came back on Thursday and camouphaged the asphalt with soil, planting young marigolds in the soil.

I had said that I would take additional measures and I did.  Is this the end of the groundhog problem?  No,  it pushed in bottom gate and made a space.  It ate the other half of the cabbage.  I found a way to lock the gates shut.  Is that the end of the groundhog problem?  We'll see.

One remaining pepper in bed-
destroyed the night of 7-12-12

Let us be warned that the same sorts of things happen with our spiritual life.  Our spiritual enemy is not a cute little groundhog, in fact we have many spiritual enemies.  Specifically this includes the world, the flesh, and the devil.   As it is written in 1 John 2:15-16 "¹⁵ Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world."   Also see Ephesians 6: 11-12,   " ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. "

Other part of pepper be with dill, basil and thyme

These enemies are much more powerful than a little groundhog and even more persistant.  Don't despair because as "A Mighty Fortress is our God" says of the enemy,  "one little word shall fell him."  Despite our inadequecies, that Word (or logos) is Yeshua/Jesus.  The success of the garden and our own ultimate success have something to do with how we live our lives, yes.  There is something about active faith, yes.  Yet ultimately sucess is based on what Yeshua/Jesus has done.

Next Week:  Part 2 of Garden Enemies
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Chard, Perpetual Spinach, Beet Greens and Basil.

Next week there will be no distribution of veggies.  I will be away.