Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Hi, everyone I know I haven't updated for months and you all think I've fallen into one of the ponds and drowned, but despite your wildest imaginations I am still here. I have had a very busy few months. November I turned 30 :0 and yes I'm still in shock, but slowly adjusting to my new decade. My parents came to visit and loved every minute of their time here. I got some good work out of them too. The rest of November was a flurry of activity trying to get the farm in tip top shape for the international agriculture conference we hold annually. Conference rolled around in the first week of December and there were ~270 delegates from ~27 different countries. We managed to have the farm in good working order by then, thanks to some seasonal volunteers who came back early just to help with Conference preparation. 
The week before Conference, my Cousin go hit by a car while walking down the street in Orlando, so I went to Orlando to spend the weekend with her and her family and then came back and attended the conference, then flew home for the weekend to have Christmas with the family. I was back for a week and then went back home and to Iowa with my Sisters, Grandma and the dogs for Christmas and New Years with my Parents. I arrived back in Florida on the 4 of January, and there were two new interns, one of which is my replacement. The last three weeks have brought some very cold temperatures, 26 F one night. With the cold temperatures have come some long nights of watching for frost and checking temperatures around the farm.  We can now easily distinguish between the Trees that are more tropical than sub-tropical. Hopefully most of the damage is just burnt leaves and not completely dead trees. Maybe I will have some pictures soon for you to see the damage. 
I am thinking and praying a lot these days about what my next step should be. I have talked with a couple of places in Eastern Africa, but I don't have any solid leads yet. I appreciate your prayers as I seek God's will for the next year(s) of my life.
Heather

My Garden in December when it was still beautiful
Broccoli
Amaranth (a small grain with a large amount of nutrients)
Amaranth
Eggplant
About 300 Onions for out Market Garden, we sell them to help offset farm cost.
Tropical pumpkins
My gorgeous Tomatoes before they got Late blight:(
Cabbage
Inter-cropping cabbages with onions to help cut down on the bugs.
Green beans
My Birthday
Back row: Stitch, me, Rachael, Heidi, Phoebe, Tim, 
Front row: Marcie, Terri Lynn
Back : Tim, Marcie, Stitch, Trey
Middle: Sara, Me, Heidi, Rachael, Terri Lynn
Front: Phoebe
Me & Phoebe at my Princess Party:)
My Dad and Mom visited in November.
Mom and Cym my volunteer


2 comments:

Monica said...

Thanks for the update. I can't wait to show the kids the pictures. They will love "seeing" you and what you do.

We'll keep praying for God to open doors.

Heather L. said...

Hi Heather! Thanks for the udpate and the beautiful pictures! what a lush garden (especially since all we see right now is snow). We are praying for God's direction for you.