Author Topic: The Blessing of Country Living !!  (Read 20976 times)

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Curt

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The Blessing of Country Living !!
« on: May 26, 2001, 08:50:00 PM »

Wow, what a transition and an experience it has been for me and my family since making this move to the country. It was quite a long time of prayer, watching, counsel with “men of experience” and for 2 years the Lord allowed me to find out a lot about living in the country. Now we reside in a ½ acre property in a semi-residential area about 5 miles outside the city limits. This I believed was far enough for us to experience living with a well and septic system and re-learning the skill of agriculture on a small scale. This year I extended the garden. Having this experience which God used as a training ground I believe we are now ready to tackle larger property with need for more skill.

   Along with the sabbath, the sanctuary, the three angels messages I believe Seventh-Day Adventists are unique with a message to move to the country. So many questions arise when we consider this counsel :
But why move to the country?  
How far from the city is the country?
How large a plot of land to acquire?
What about employment?
Should I simply pack up and run by faith?
What is the benefit for the family members?

I would recommend the “STUDY” of the booklets (1 Country Living – E.G. White and (2 From City to Country Living – Arthur White and E.A. Sutherland. In setting up your home surroundings make your “spiritual prosperity” your first consideration.

I will share from my personal experience and then share from the booklets mentioned. I hope that others will share from their experiences also.

“Parents flock with their families to the cities, because they fancy it easier to obtain a livelihood there than in the country. The children, having nothing to do when not in school, obtain a street education.  From evil associates they acquire habits of vice and dissipation.  ….  Better sacrifice any and every worldly consideration than to imperil the precious souls committed to your care.”  Testimonies vol 5 pgs 232, 233

“At such a time as this, the people who are seeking to keep the commandments of God should look for retired places away from the cities. Some must remain in the cities to give the last note of warning, but this will become more and more dangerous to do.” Manuscript 85,  1908

FAITH - As God's blessed sons & daughters we are to attempt the impossible to the extent that we will fail unless God steps in.   Keep the faith

WendyForsyth

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The Blessing of Country Living !!
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2001, 03:11:00 PM »
Great topic Brother Curt! I look forward to this discussion. I am looking for any help and advice as well because of the 5 acres we are moving onto out in the mountains. I'll share more as time permits.

God bless,
Wendy

I have no doubt that God considers you to be one of His friends; otherwise He would not trust you with so many crosses, sufferings and humiliations. Crosses are God's means of drawing souls closer to Himself.

Fenelon


Clive Nevell

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The Blessing of Country Living !!
« Reply #2 on: May 29, 2001, 05:21:00 AM »
Brother Curt
This is a great topic, it is more than of general interest to me. We live on 45 acres but only use about 1 acre for the garden. Being at the start of winter here things are starting to slow up in the garden.
I have found it a real blessing to live in the country. Some things to remember when looking at places to buy. Water, must have plenty of water. Good soil, you can't grow vegies on rocks. Be flood free. It is very hard to find a place with those qualties here. We are flood free but the soil is not great, it is workable. Water is a problem for us. Despite the setbacks our garden is looking good. I planted out 100 Chineese Cabbage this morning. We are picking cabbage, sweet potatoe, radish, chilli, choko, tomatoe, silver beet. I am starting to use Neem Oil to kill the bugs and hope we have success with it. We could not do this in the city. We can recommend country living to all who would take up the challenge.
Blessings
Clive

Curt

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The Blessing of Country Living !!
« Reply #3 on: May 31, 2001, 05:11:00 AM »

Thank you Sis. Wendy F. As promised I will share my experience as to how I got here. Many have to pray and move when God directs and that he will.

Bro. Clive, that's good information. My plot id just 13' by 18 ft.  :) very tiny compared to your 1 acre. It was good training ground for me. This year Beverley wanted more space. I layed out a new area and tried to dig into it. Just could not get the fork through it, hard mud. I got a rototiller and dug into another 18x 20 ft plot. It took a long time to do 8" depth. I left it for the rain, dug it up again, placed more top soil, left it for the rain, turned it up and placed grass cuttings and turned that up. I have been planting out veggies over the past two days. I placed some top soil into a 5" cube size hole into which I placed each plant. I think that should help to give the soil a boost and the plant a good head start. Let me know how the Neem oil turns out. Selected Messages, book 3 pg 329 has a message about the spraying of plants as necessary because the earth has been cursed because of sin.

FAITH - As God's blessed sons & daughters we are to attempt the impossible to the extent that we will fail unless God steps in.   Keep the faith

Curt

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The Blessing of Country Living !!
« Reply #4 on: May 31, 2001, 05:16:00 AM »
After much time in family prayer to move from our house in the city to another location away from the increasingly corrupt neighbourhood influences that were around us, I one day gave in to my wife’s impress in terms of the area she felt we should go (yes God sometimes guides us stubborn guys by our wives  :P ). All the time we were looking there seemed only one area in Ontario that looked feasible and had our size and price combination of homes. We did not have much but prayed that if God wanted us to move that He would help us. This one area kept coming up in our internet searches with homes within the range of our search (budget) was 1.5 Hours away and on a good day it would take me 1 Hr 10 minutes to get to my job each way. I was not prepared to add more stress to my already filled work schedule. One day I said OK, if God wants us to have something in that area he would have to show it to us because after months of looking we found nothing within 30-40 minutes of our neighborhood. So off we went, met a real estate agent in the area and started looking at homes. It was on our second visit with him in the week that we entered a beautiful home with a walkout basement and on ½ acre backing on to forest. As we walked in the kids and my wife all said “THIS IS IT”.

The test was for God to (1) help us make the payments, (2) help with the mortgage rates and payment and (3)work something out with my job so that I can perhaps work closer to home. We also prayed for extra room so that we can house people who needed some time away from the hustle of the city life or for re-cooperation from illness. It is a long but very interesting testimony of how God gave us the money “in our hands”, dropped “MY” interest rate to 2 percentage points below the then prime and gave me a traveling job working from home that I do today (2 years later). Incidentally the book “From City To Country Living” recommended a ½ acre of land as being adequate for a home and small garden. Guess when I read that paragraph on page 35?? Yes, after we found this property and were negotiating a price with the owner. That statement was evidence that God was answering our prayer. It was God’s way of saying “you are doing the right thing and this is what I want you to have”.

Beverley and I have seen the blessing in the behavoral improvements of our boys. We recently heard of things they were exposed to in the neighborhood while in the play park with the other kids (these were very controlled opportunities we gave to them and they were still tempted/tested). How refreshing not to be seeing the Police car on the street twice per week at times.

Now we are enjoying Sabbaths like we never did before, very relaxed, much reduced stress, gardening (flowers and vegetables) and being free in mind to better learn of the truths in the word. It is wonderful and to all who taunt me or jest about living in the bush I say “I am not going back”

[This message has been edited by Curt (edited 05-31-2001).]

FAITH - As God's blessed sons & daughters we are to attempt the impossible to the extent that we will fail unless God steps in.   Keep the faith

Clive Nevell

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The Blessing of Country Living !!
« Reply #5 on: May 31, 2001, 01:21:00 PM »
That is great news to read how you were guided to get the block you have.
I should have wrote we also grew flowers and were able to take a bunch of flowers in every week to our church. Brother Ray was a proffesional gardener and knows what we should do. We have heard of some good reports about Neem Oil, how it has stopped the fruit fly from infecting the fruit. We will see how it goes.
Although it is winter now we have to sart to prepare for the summer planting and prepare the ground so we will not be late in getting the plants out. Now we are busy getting the ground prepared. We want to have tomatoes, beans cucumbers pumpkins ready for the Xmas holidays, as we sell what ever extra we have and that means having them out by mid August.
Thanks Bro. Curt for sharing with us your experiance.
Blessings
Clive

Curt

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The Blessing of Country Living !!
« Reply #6 on: June 01, 2001, 05:12:00 AM »
Bro. Clive,now". Help me to understand your seasons in context of the start of the North American seasons.

What I have planted are Chives, Onions, Parsley, Strawberry, Blueberry, a grape vine, Sweet peppers, carrots, tomatoes, and am yet to put out Broccoli, zuchini and water melon. My wife, Beverley planted the seeds at the end of winter so that they are ready for planting now. She wants to try her hand at some more canning this year as last year's initiation went well.

I am studying the book Gospel Workers and Evanglism to share methods of personal ministry with a local church in a neighboring town. This discussion enlightens me to the fact that we could also come closer to our neighbours by sharing with them from our crop. It is also a good supply for the poor among us. Small home gardens can be a blessing to many.

Have a pleasant Sabbath.

FAITH - As God's blessed sons & daughters we are to attempt the impossible to the extent that we will fail unless God steps in.   Keep the faith

Clive Nevell

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The Blessing of Country Living !!
« Reply #7 on: June 02, 2001, 01:14:00 PM »
"What I have planted are Chives, Onions, Parsley, Strawberry, Blueberry, a grape vine, Sweet peppers, carrots, tomatoes, and am yet to put out Broccoli, zuchini and water melon."
Bro Curt
Our seasons are different to yours according to the time of the year.
Summer-Dec. Jan. Feb.
Autum-Mar. Apr. May.
Winter-June July Aug.
Spring-Sept. Oct. Nov.

Where we are we would plant all of the above bar the onions and broccoli. We plant them now or even earlier. We harvest onions at Xmas time. We are eating broccoli, cabbage now. They are our winter crop. If we were to plant them in spring to pick in summer they would be eaten by the grubs and would go to seed very quick. The grubs do not like the cold weather. Would be interested to know how you control the grubs and the fly as they devistate anything here at all. That is why I am going over to Neem Oil as it is organic and natural.
Blessings
Clive


Curt

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The Blessing of Country Living !!
« Reply #8 on: June 02, 2001, 07:43:00 PM »
WOW!
   born, raised and coming from a tropical climate it was change enough with these seasons and winter temperatures that go from -5 deg. C to -25 deg C before Wind chill (-36). Isn't God interesting how this is arranged.

The grubs are there and I believe they may be worse this year than last. I spoke to my wife about the Neem oil. Please let us know how you use it (diluted, strength, spray on crop)

FAITH - As God's blessed sons & daughters we are to attempt the impossible to the extent that we will fail unless God steps in.   Keep the faith

Curt

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The Blessing of Country Living !!
« Reply #9 on: June 02, 2001, 07:45:00 PM »
“In God’s plan for Israel every family had a home on the land, with sufficient ground for tilling. Thus were provided both the means and the incentive for a useful, industrious and self-supporting life. And no devising of men has ever improved upon that plan. To the world’s departure form it is owing, to a large degree, the poverty and wretchedness that exists today.” MH

“When the counsel to move to the country was given many people were ready to move en masse from Battle Creek and much counsel was given concerning careful planning and prayer for God’s direction so as not to bring reproach on the church and on the name of God. The counsel to move is sound and expresses many many reasons and blessings for the move. Here are some words of wisdom from the book “Country Living” by E.G. White :

“It was not God’s plan that people should be crowded into cities, huddled together in terraces and tenements. In the beginning He placed our first parents amidst the sights and sounds He desires us to rejoice in today.” MH pg 363 (1905)

“In harmony with the light given me, I am urging people to come out of the great centers of population. Our cities are increasing in wickedness, and it is becoming more and more evident that those who remain in them unnecessarily do so at the peril of their soul’s salvation.”  Manuscript 115, 1907

FAITH - As God's blessed sons & daughters we are to attempt the impossible to the extent that we will fail unless God steps in.   Keep the faith

Clive Nevell

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The Blessing of Country Living !!
« Reply #10 on: June 04, 2001, 05:01:00 AM »
Curt
I have only started using Neem Oil, I have been told it is very good, last year one of our church members used it and had  very good results. No friut fly in the peachers at all. The ratio is 5ml to 1 litre of water. In your search type in Neem Oil and you will get all the info about it from the there. What you can grow in your winter and what I can grow in our winter must be yards apart. I do not know what would grow in minus temps.
Blessings
Clive

Richard Myers

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The Blessing of Country Living !!
« Reply #11 on: June 04, 2001, 06:22:00 AM »
Our collards get white fly when we allow them to continue more than a year. We just cut them off and let the plant produce new growth. It seems to keep the white flies in check.

Richard

Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Curt

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The Blessing of Country Living !!
« Reply #12 on: June 06, 2001, 04:58:00 PM »
Bro Clive,
          in our North American Winter one rests from the land and the land hides (in snow) from us. I had average of 4 ft of snow along the sides of my driveway and steps to the front door this winter. This measure of snow fall is good for the underground water reserves so that our wells are up to a good level getting the water when it melts in the spring.  I will give the Neem oil a try, how soon/late in the plants growth do you use it?

Being in the country even the winter is different and we have more outdoor activity. This past winter we went for a slay ride with a Christian Home School group. We met the owner of the local Christian book shop and he invited us to go for a slay ride into the property then spend some time on the snowy slope with rubber tubes. Teo other home school families joined us. From that time we have been joining the home school families here for ice scating on Tuesdays and my wife shared a testimony with them at one of their meetings three weeks ago.

We get a twice daily visit from some rabbits that come out of the forest, occasional visit from the ground hog (I evicted him from living under the shed), the skunk was also evicted, and the chip monks are so cute to watch.

Life in the country is great !!

FAITH - As God's blessed sons & daughters we are to attempt the impossible to the extent that we will fail unless God steps in.   Keep the faith

WendyForsyth

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The Blessing of Country Living !!
« Reply #13 on: June 06, 2001, 07:44:00 PM »
Well the Lord is full of blessing!!! Since I last posted He has seen fit to stair step us closer to the goal He has in mind. We were living in a small city about 45 min. from our 5 acre plot. It made it very hard to work the land and get it livable. But....a home opened up in the same "town" as our property, so we are only minutes away. Also, we are surrounded on three sides by rainforest(talk about an education) and our back porch opens up onto the Hood Canal. So we have marine habitat as well. Our lease is only for six months so I know the Lord wants us to use this opportunity for improving our land, and making sure that we have a home on it by the time our lease runs out. It is amazing how this fulfills Mrs.White's statement that as opportunities arise we should take the chance to move to the country. It never ceases to amaze me how God leads.

Wendy

I have no doubt that God considers you to be one of His friends; otherwise He would not trust you with so many crosses, sufferings and humiliations. Crosses are God's means of drawing souls closer to Himself.

Fenelon


Clive Nevell

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The Blessing of Country Living !!
« Reply #14 on: June 12, 2001, 05:48:00 AM »
That is good news from Wendy and Curt, more country people. Last Sunday I took into my neices place 5 big bunches of silver beet for the "townies" they were real happy to get them. Today I took in a bunch to the kids athletics coach, he always likes it.
Because we are now in Winter the bugs are not very active and I only have sprayed Neem Oil once. I would imagine you can use it on small plants even if it is diluted down. As there is no with holding time for it, you can spray it on as required. Not in the middle of the day as the ultra voilet rays does something to it and it is less effective.
Blessings
Clive

Curt

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The Blessing of Country Living !!
« Reply #15 on: June 19, 2001, 06:20:00 AM »
I must apologize for the lapse in my posts.

Under this topic I intended to bring out some points on Country living, it's importance, its benefits and blessings. Feel free to add information you have read that will encourage others to consider this life and to pray that God will guide them when the time is right to make such a move.

Why Country Living
· Enhanced spiritual appreciation of the works of God
· Blessing to the family – environment, garden, training in manual labor
· Place for the sick to properly recover from illness
· Place for the poor and homeless to find work and make a living (Adventist farmers to help members)
· Place of recovery for the tempted and the intemperate
· Remove the youth from the evil environment
· Prepare for the coming crisis
· Recommended location from which to minister to the city
· Recommended location for our hospitals/sanitariums. “The instruction is still given, Move out of the cities. Establish your sanitariums, your schools, and offices away from the centers of population.” Letter 26, 1907

God wants to protect us as He did Lot from Sodom.

FAITH - As God's blessed sons & daughters we are to attempt the impossible to the extent that we will fail unless God steps in.   Keep the faith

Clive Nevell

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The Blessing of Country Living !!
« Reply #16 on: June 20, 2001, 04:50:00 AM »
They are all good reasons for Country Living, Brother Curt.
Shifting out of "Sodom"
I know we can not hide and escape all the problems of city living, but at least lets give it a chance and see how God can help.
Where we live there is often the chance to pick up very cheap vegies. That is by bag lots. At times the farmers will let us pick up left overs by the trailer load, mainly water melons and pumpkins when they are in season.
Blessings
Clive

Clive Nevell

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The Blessing of Country Living !!
« Reply #17 on: June 26, 2001, 03:54:00 AM »
Last week the grass along the side of the road had become very long and the Council had it cut. Driving by I thought it would make good cheap compost for the coming summer. It will get hot and dry again. On Sunday we went and were able to help ourselves to as much as we could take home.
We had been thinking of buying garden mulch and now we do not have to.
It would never happen in the city as the grass is kept short all the time.
We now have a huge stack of grass to use in the summer.
Another blessing from our Lord.
Blessings
Clive

WendyForsyth

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« Reply #18 on: June 26, 2001, 10:23:00 AM »
Amen Brother Clive! :) There are so many blessings like that from the Lord. I tend to get so used to shopping for the things I need that I don't always see the bounty before us.

God bless,
Wendy

I have no doubt that God considers you to be one of His friends; otherwise He would not trust you with so many crosses, sufferings and humiliations. Crosses are God's means of drawing souls closer to Himself.

Fenelon


Clive Nevell

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The Blessing of Country Living !!
« Reply #19 on: June 28, 2001, 04:33:00 AM »
We picked our first beetroot this season today. It was just about three months from sewing the seed to putting them into the pot for tea. I was surprised this morning to find them so big. Most are between two and three inches in diameter. They have done well. Further blessing of country living.
They did not come up very well, my three rows made up one full row of about four metres long after transplanting the seedlings. Will be putting in more seeds in the morning.
Clive

[This message has been edited by Clive Nevell (edited 06-28-2001).]