This year marks 7 years at this property – it’s the longest we’ve been anywhere! We moved here looking for property. Land! We wanted a place to train our children where they could raise animals, grow a garden, plant trees, and build a home. After finding the idyllic spot at a fraction of California prices, we were thrilled to find 43 acres with ponds, trees, fields and barns. Immediately we began our “homesteading”. The children acquired goats, the parents cows, we planted trees, tightened fences, tilled the garden, and broke ground on the house we have now lived in for 5 years.
This being our seventh year, we sought to honor the Lord by letting the land rest. In our eagerness and ignorance, we had overgrazed the few goat-tight paddocks, and it was taking its toll. A rest was just the thing. Gardening is thrilling, but we backed it down this year to only essentials – garlic, potatoes, and fresh greens – our rest being a break from canning crops which take a lot out of the soil and create a lot of work for the planters. We even sold off the milk cows, and the flock of sheep!
God’s timing really is perfect, and He knew what this year would hold. After a stroke last May, Papa Rose and Nana Rose moved here to the homestead with their respective Parkinsons and Dementia. At the turn of the year, Papa had a second, fatal stroke, taking him home to the Lord after 11 days of hospice in our home, and leaving an anxious Nana behind. Family lovingly gathered to mourn, and labour, and rejoice together. We had 4 families in our house that week – 8 adults and 15 children! February was filled with the whirlwind of phone calls, funeral planning, travel back to CA for the memorial, and all the paperwork that mercilessly follows death. As if a counterpoint in God’s perfect orchestration, in March we were joined by a new little Rose, my precious Grace! Our JOY that comes in the morning! Individually, each of these events would have been quite the adjustment – collectively, they were a tsunami! How thankful we were that in the midst of all these tumultuous events, we had cleared our mind and property in preparation of this year of “rest”. It would have been a challenge to manage milk animals in the midst of all that!
Now that all that excitement is behind us, we find ourselves wondering what to do with ourselves. No cows to milk, sheep to shear, goats to chase… Now what?
Well, the kids have been working on their individual dogs – honing their training, refining their record-keeping. Driving school came and went for Matt. Jean has taken on a baking challenge. And, you’d never have guessed it – we certainly wouldn’t have – they’ve taken up TaeKwon Do! Now that they are older, and doing more “on their own”, we figured a little self defense was in order. It also doubles as P.E. for their homeschooling! How thrilling that first class was, getting their dobuks, stitching the patches on, and passing their first belt tests! The nice thing about having a “pack” of kids, is they can really influence the tone of a class. When four kids show up to a class of 8, really focused and determined, it really amps up the atmosphere of the place. They are looking forward to their yellow belt in a couple of weeks, and their first tournament in July!
Around the farm, we’ve been trying to tie up loose ends. I replaced a few empty tree spots in the orchard. Father and I put in two 50′ rows of raspberries (thank you Anderson Family Farm!). We broke ground on another building project on the property. Father and Matt finished the basement – very handy for family coming to visit Nana more frequently. We divided the giant lilac into little starts and planted them around one corner of the property in hopes that it will grow into a beautiful, fragrant privacy hedge. One of my long awaited dreams is finally coming true – a real lawn! When the dozer was out for the excavation, Father had him grade all around the house for proper drainage. Then we installed timed irrigation, brought in topsoil. The kids raked and leveled, and raked, and removed rocks, and raked again. Finally the day came to seed, and we waited with baited breath for lawn to appear. After about 5 days, fine verdant hairs were visible – if you lay on your belly at dusk. 10 days later you could see it from the window! Now I am perusing Stark Bros for the perfect shade trees and shrubs to plant around the house – so exciting!
So what next? Well, while we are dairy-animal-less, we thought we’d take a trip between litters with the family to show the kids the ocean, and do some sight-seeing with cousins before my little chicks begin to fly the coop. I can’t imagine it will be long before we obtain more critters for the property. We keep looking at the growing grass, and you can’t fight the desire for grass eaters forever! Plus, we have these little ones who need to grow up with the delight of raising chicks and goats and sheep and cows… I already have the go-ahead to pick up some ducks for the orchard. Let the Craigslist window shopping begin!
This year of rest started out so unexpectedly, but we know we can trust the One who knows all. What began as an act of faith has grown our faith, and we are enjoying this time of reflection and refinement, while looking forward to the next year and all it will hold. How good it is to know that the Creator of all, who put the moon and stars in place, who gives us the Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall every single year without fail, has a plan and purpose for us too! With this knowledge, we can navigate these seasons of life with a peace that passes understanding – trusting in our Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ.
~Ecclesiastes 3:1~
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven
~ Mother
Rosehaven Homestead 
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