Pantry Paratus Radio, Episode 019: Interview at Jehovah Jireh Farm
From homesteading to professional farming
I have a metric ton of respect for the Horst family, they are actually doing what I dream of doing one day with my family. Come along with us as we discuss homesteading today and making the change from a different occupation altogether to a professional farmer. Truth is, I loved my chat with Myron and Joel at Jehovah Jireh Farm—I think that you will get a lot out of their experiences too. Both Myron and Joel approach farming from a Christian worldview and if you listen to the end, I think that you will find out just how much that has helped them stay grounded and develop a profitable farming endeavor from a homesteading heart.
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We talk about:
– “More than a farm — A living laboratory researching the secrets of food, health and life.”
-The Horst Family’s background, how Myron went from working as a professional trim carpenter to professional farming
-Starting small and growing the farm from there
-Wanting to teach your children how to work, to instill that precious work ethic that will help them succeed at anything
-What is it like having that blend of your profession and your family right there together?
-What is homesteading? What is the hardest part to make that transition to professional farming?
-Joel is pretty well read on agriculture, but what was the one lesson that he could not learn any other way than being a farmer?
-The modest boundaries in farming and man’s pursuit of how they can be pushed or overcome with accelerants
-“We go to the Bible to farm . . . and God has taught us an awful lot about farming.” (Isaiah 28:24-29)
-How they got the name “Jehovah Jireh Farm” (which means in English “The Lord will provide”)
-What advice would they give to someone looking to get into homesteading today?
-Significance of gleaning farming instruction from the Scriptures (Isaiah 7:21-22)
-Wilson relays his experience of cooking up one of the whole roaster birds from Jehovah Jireh Farm
-Understanding “price per pound” when they buy directly from the farmer. Perhaps the metric is wrong? May be we should look at it as cost per nutritional unit!
-Cost of food vs. cost of health care and end of life care as a result of “cheap food”
-Wilson quotes Sally Fallon Morell when she talks about the architect designing the blueprint and what you get when you veer off that plan . . .
-If we follow the modern diet of the Farm Bill (“food pyramid bill”) you are essentially eating the derivatives of corn and soy cleverly repackaged. So it becomes very important in the way those two things are raised
-Joel gives us a GREAT breakdown on the health and development of plants and animals
-Calcium in the soil
-Phosphorus (Phosphate) necessary for the uptake (carrier) of minerals also a catalyst for producing sugars
-Sugars are important for the ruminant for their digestion, sugars are also a great indicator in plants because they have more protein and oil (signs of a healthy plant)
-“Potassium (Potash) gives a boost as compared to what?”
-Research of Dr. Carey A. Reams
-Trying to grow healthy plants not just “big” plants
-Joel references Dr. Weston A. Price—this is one smart homeschooler!
-Alfalfa needs Boron to have a solid stem (an indicator of a healthy plant) yields high protein and high Brix level feed
-Healthy corn should be an average of 56 lbs per bushel, how can a corn stalk defend itself against bugs? Healthy chemistry!
-Joel tells a story about dairy cow yields correlated to soil test results—fascinating!
-Green Revolution brought us NPK and the “artificial manures” really is just living on borrowed time
-GMO’s are just another rendition of borrowed time
-I ask Myron and Joel why do they not raise chickens in CAFO’s? Why do they use organic feed?
-“When you raise a chicken breathing in ammonia and manure dust—you are eventually eating that!”
-Embracing the circle of dust, “We are made from dirt.” The quality of the soil is the quality of your own constitution!
-A system based on so many bad practices needs antibiotics and irradiation just to combat the super pests that are produced in such a system
-Lowest cost food is likely lowest nutrition
-The food storage goal for the Horst family to put away for the winter—wow!
-Myron’s favorite dessert: milk & honey in frozen form (aka “ice cream)
-Myron’s advice for homesteaders putting the garden to rest over the winter and animal tips as well
-Taking care to not let the moisture build up in the winter for your chicken coop (wet animals do not stay healthy), chickens do very well with the south part of their building open for fresh air and light
-What is one vegetable that the Horst family misses the most in the dead of winter?
-wrap up
Links:
Wilson’s previous blog on Jehovah Jireh Farm
Cathy Horst’s guest blog for Homeschool Week
Chaya’s podcast with Sally Fallon Morell author of Nourishing Traditions
Research of Dr. Carey A. Reams
Research of Dr. Weston A. Price (WAPF)
Wilson’s podcast with Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms
Chaya’s blogs on Irradiation
Irradiation, Part I: The Basics of Food-Zapping
Irradiation, Part II: Trying to ask the Right Questions
Cooking, What Humanity did Before Radiation was Cool
Proviso:
Nothing in this blog constitutes medical advice. You should consult your own physician before making any dietary changes. Statements in this blog may or may not be congruent with current USDA or FDA guidance.