Wintry Whiteness

After days and days of endless rain in the month of November, wintry weather welcomed in the month of December. Soggy leaves began to stiffen as the temperatures dropped. The sound of there grass under each step changed from a squish to a crunch. Then one, then two, then twenty, then two hundred snow flakes began floating out of the sky. For hours the sky was blurred by a thick fall of large soft snowflakes. Trees and shrubs, houses and barns, fields and fences were soon covered with a thick, white blanket of snow.

Then all at once the sky stopped yielding it frozen flakes and a quiet stillness fell upon the whole valley. It was so white it dazzled your eyes and so quiet you could have heard a pin drop that is if it had not fallen into the soft snow with out the smallest sound.

There are two times of day when God most reveals His beauty to us, His creatures . . .

At Sunrise...

...and At Sunset

The sun peeps over the hilltops and sheds its warm rays into the sleeping valley below. As it warms and wakes the world below things begin to change–the birds burst into song, the wooly blanket of fog raises to its heavenly heights, and the dew begins to sparkle and makes the world look like it is decked and adorned with diamonds

So too, when just before the day is done and the sun is shedding its last rays over the hill tops and the birds begin to sing their good night lullabies and the blanket of fog tucks the world into bed, there is a time that we ‘round here call “the golden hour.” This happens when the sun is low, and just before it sinks to rest every thing looks golden.

So now that the day is done
and every eye and mortal tongue
sleep peacefully in their beds,
The question still remains
did we do vain and earthly things
or did we strive to praise Christ’s name
in everything we did?

By Stephen Bradrick

Photographs taken by Stephen Bradrick

Frost

Photographs taken by Stephen Bradrick

The Last Rays of Summer

As I looked at this picture I realized that in many ways it sums up the month of October. Here, through the window, the last soft rays of evening light pour in and spill over the rack of warm coats. It seems almost as though the sun wished to point them out and warn us of the cold night to come before it slipped over the hills leaving us amid cooling shadows. During the month of October, we enjoy our last days of warm weather and also enjoy our many nights of wintery chills. And once again the wood cook stove is stoked, giving forth its radiant warmth.




This month has been one of big change at Bradrick Family Farms. We successfully completed another year of farming and now our little spread is settled down for the winter months. If you have read my profile you will know that I am currently working on my B. A. in business and public policy. As a part of my studies, the Lord opened up the opportunity for me to take part in a business internship for the next two semesters of school. As of October second, I have been working in Dallas, Texas as an Executive Assistant to the C.E.O. of RealManage.

RealManage is a Home Owners Association management company. It is a young, fast-growing company with six branches stretching from California to Florida. This opportunity will give me the ability to work side by side with a seasoned business man, gleaning and learning from him every step of the way. I am specifically assisting him with the company's sales and marketing process, doing the back end management of all the branch sales data as well as working on opening new markets and executing marketing campaigns. So for the next six months I will not be living in a cozy little farm house, riding the range on my cow pony, or getting my hands durty doing farm work, but rather I will be living in an apartment, navigating Dallas traffic, and stuffing my brain full of business knowledge for implementing in the management of Bradrick Family Farms.

Since I will not be on the farm to keep you posted on farm happenings, my brother Stephen will be using his skills in photography to help you stay in touch with daily farm life. I hope that you have wonderful winter feasting on Bradrick Family Farms meat, and I look forward to picking back up as lead farm journalist when I come back in the spring.

Until then, your friend,
Phillip Bradrick

CAUTION: Slug Crossing

One of the largest specimens of wildlife that roam the range at Bradrick Family Farms was spotted today crossing the driveway. After holding up farm trafic for the better part of an hour, this slimy creature slugged its way to safety on the far side of the road.

Wood Cutting

Every year, as the summer draws to an end, and as days grow shorter, and nights grow colder we take to the woods to spend the day storing up wood for the winter. Now if you are one of the many people who heat their houses with gas or electric heat you truly miss out on one of the most satisfying days of the year. That is, wood cutting day. Well let me fill you in on today, our first wood cutting day of the season.


After a good nights rest and a morning of chores and preparing equipent for the day's labors, we headed out to the woods pulling our sixteen foot stock trailer. In it we had all the necessary tools for the task: chainsaw, axes, splitting malls, gloves, ect. For the next twenty minutes we wound up our valley and off onto logging roads to a remote place where cull logs had been left from a recent logging opperation. Daddy fired up the chainsaw and began cutting off rounds of wood.

The race was on: man and machine against malls and muscles. We were feeling our oats but we knew the name of the game was endurance.

As round after round was cut, Stephen and I began hauling them to the trailer and splitting for all we were worth. First it was one log, then two, then ten. The trailer began to fill with split pieces.

After we had exausted one area of accessible wood we moved to another. Although our backs began to ache and sweat covered our foreheads the satisfying feeling of a large log cracking and splintering under a powerful well placed blow was enough to keep us going.

When ever we paused for a moment to catch our breaths we could hear the drone of the chainsaw, and knowing that every second we paused caused us to fall behind, we again pushed on.

Although it felt like days, after four hours of intense labor, our trailer was filled to the gills with aproximately three cords of wood. (Which being translated means a whole lot.) As we straightened up after throwing the last log in, we could not help but smile at the amount of work our three man opperation had just accomplished and the months of warmth we had just stored up for the winter to come.

Rain

After weeks of warm, sunny, dry weather the grass at Bradrick Family Farms began to slow in growth and its vibrant green color began to fade to weaker shades and seem to cry out to heaven for rain. When the grass runs low we have to suppliment our cows and sheep with grass hay or alfalfa and this creates more work and expenses for us. So we too looked up to the God of heaven from whom all good things come and prayed for rain. In His perfect time He opened the flood gates of heaven and poured down on both farm and farmer pure, cool, refreshing rain. And then, with Job of old, we marveled at God's wonderful provision.

"But as for me, I would seek God,

And I would place my cause before God;

Who does great and unsearchable things,

Wonders without number.

He gives rain on the earth

And sends water on the earth. "

Job 5:8-10

Heavenly Highlights

As a farmer, one of my most faithful companions and co-laborers shines down from the heavens above. To us, the sun is an absolutely essential part of our farming endeavors. That sphere, guided by the Omnipotent Hand, faithfully morning after morning rises to greet us, shine light on our way, and provide the solar heat necessary to make our vegetative valley brilliantly flourish. Without it we could not grow grass, which means we could not provide you with quality “grass-fed” meat.

Although the sun runs its course from east to west day after day, it continually finds new ways to express its brilliance and declare the glory of its Maker. Here on the farm, we particularly enjoy watching the sun at sunrise and sunset. Often the sun rises, veiled in misty dreaminess, and shines its shafts of light into our fog-laden valley as if groping to pull this vapory blanket from the sleepy lowlands.


And then, when work is over and the day comes to a close, the sun frequently bids us farewell with a dazzling show of color. Now you have to understand that being a tough cowboy I am generally not too excited about pinks and purples. But when they are projected onto an endless screen and given character by puffy clouds on which the sun’s last gleams dance and play, the scene is absolutely breathtaking. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy some of them with me.