June 14th-20th, Week 12
RuthAnn’s Weekly Garden Diary
Documenting Progress and Reflections in the Garden
My attempt to document the planting, growth, harvesting, and preserving of our family’s 8000 square feet of garden.
Northeast Iowa Gardening in growing zone 4
Last frost date May15, First frost date September 15
JUNE 14th-20th, WEEK 12
If I could choose when to invite you over for a garden tour it would be middle of June! We would admire the lilies and hollyhocks while the hummingbirds and Baltimore orioles’ flit around, waiting for us to admire their fledglings. We would pick a few remaining strawberries to snack on as we wander to the main garden. There we would snack on peas while we load up our baskets with Lettuce, onions, cucumbers, broccoli, and we might even dig a few early potatoes before we wander back to the house to prepare a feast of homegrown goodness.
What we harvested this week:
- 3.5 bushels English Peas which gave us 25 pounds of blanched peas for our freezer. This equals approx. 12 meals worth of peas.
- Spring onions (fresh eating)
- Lettuce (fresh eating)
- Snap peas (by the handful for snacking)
- A few strawberries for snacking
- A few early cucumbers for fresh snacking
Other Garden Tasks:
- Tore out the Early Glow variety strawberries and transplanted some of my later variety into their place. The Early Glow blossom too early in the season for us and we often end up losing a significant part of our crop to frost. I am hoping a later variety will solve this problem.
- Added more grass clippings to the tomato alley
When our Whole World Smells like Herbicides.
We smelled it the minute we stepped out of the car after our trip to the Seed to Spoon Summit in Ohio. Elvin and I exchanged a look, we both knew. Herbicide season had arrived in Iowa while we were out of town. When thousands of acers are getting treated all around the countryside it doesn’t matter if our neighbors sprayed under perfectly regulated conditions. Herbicide Vapor can travel for up to 7 miles and still be moving around 24 to 72 hours after application.
I was prepared for what I’d find when I walked into the garden. After all, I’ve spent 25 years gardening in this area, so I’m no stranger to herbicide vapor and drift. The big change is that, nowadays, people understand what I mean when I mention it. Previously, I recognized herbicide damage, but whenever I mentioned it, people reacted with confusion, as if I were imagining things. However, since Glyphosate has been featured in the news more often over the past few years, awareness of the issue has grown. Now, many are willing to acknowledge that the experiences in my garden and orchard are genuine, and I’m not just a gardener clinging to a conspiracy theory.
I have included some photos the visible damage to the garden.
As I got on my hands and knees to pull some weeds, I started crying and then praying. After a while my weed bucket was full, I got up and walked the perimeter of our land, praying God’s protecting and healing power over the 20 acres that include our pastures, pig pens, chicken coops, pond, garden, yard and house. As I walked and prayed my heart gradually shifted, from being filled with anger and frustration to embracing humility and growth.
When I first started walking and praying my heart posture was purely human nature and I wanted to make a big fuss. I felt like a child whose favorite toy got broken or was unfairly treated, and maybe if I cried loud enough someone would fix the problem and put my world right side up again. I wanted vengeance, I wanted someone to pay for ruining my favorite toy.
The longer I walked and prayed and cried the more God started working on my heart posture:
Who cares? Well, no one cares as much about raising healthy crops from our little corner of land as I do. If I make a big fuss, I am still only a small drop in a big ocean.
So, then I am all alone, Isolated. Because no one that could make a difference care about our measly 20acres.
If I don’t make a fuss than no one will know how upsetting and wrong this whole thing is!
My chest started feeling tight, my breaths became shorter, my heart started racing and my throat burned.
“It’s the Herbicides making me sick,” I thought, “I’ve got to get back to the house.”
“I must shut all the windows and bring the family indoors.”
As I started back to the house in a feverish state, I recognized my symptoms for what they really were. A panic attack.
Deep breaths and prayer, lots more prayer.
And then I started leaning into what I know to be true about God.
The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world and all who live in it. Psalms 24:1
God knows and sees what is happening to His earth, and He knows and sees and cares what is happening on my tiny corner of His earth. I don’t have to yell and scream to get His attention. I already have His full attention. And his complete love too. He already knew that I would be disappointed, and He cares enough to want to hear all about it. Because it’s through the prayer of telling him how disappointed I am that my heart begins to align with His.
And when our hearts align with our father’s then we catch a glimpse of his great vision for His creation. What is it that God cares more about than the purity of his Earth? The People! God cares more about the hearts of His people. I know he is grieved when we are not good stewards of the earth, but I am certain that He is even more grieved when we are not good stewards of the soil of our hearts which are eternal.
And so, because I know little ole me, on 20 acers, is powerless to stop the evil by clamoring in indignation, I will do what I know is within my power, I will pray for the healing of the land and the people that dwell in it, and I will focus on the soil of my heart more than I focus on the soil of my garden. I know that God in His goodness can heal the land through soil microbiome that we have been faithful in building over the last 25 years. I know that God says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
What good thing can God grow out of the soil of my heart? The longer I walked and prayed the more aware I became of how contaminated the soil of my heart was and how twisted and ugly some of the fruit I was producing was. By the time I had circled back to the garden my Joy had returned, and as I pulled weeds, I was praising God for using something that the enemy meant for evil to bring about more fertile heart soil that will grow better fruit and has the potential for leaving an eternal legacy.
Pouring bitterness, unforgiveness and fear onto the soil of my heart does more damage to mine and my family’s health than the herbicides that are floating around me as I sit on the patio typing this. I am not naive about the negative effects of these dangerous herbicides, I have been actively trying to shield my family from them best I know how for the last 20 years, this week’s frustrating experience was simply a reminder to be more focused on the health of my eternal soul than I am focused on the health of my mortal body.
Watch for Saturday’s YouTube video on how we help our plants recover from the effects of herbicide drift or vapor.
53 Responses
I watched your YouTube video about this topic. I know you added three things to your sprayer to help the plants recover. One was Bills Perfect Fertilizer but what were the other two? God knew I needed to watch your video and read your diary entry. My heart and mind weigh heavily about herbicides and especially geoengineering / chemtrails. Your wisdom and God’s truth helped relieve my struggle. I know I need to trust God and that this is a fallen world. I need to focus on Him so I have peace and joy. Thank you!
Oh, the Lord knew I needed to hear the same things He’s telling you. Thank you for sharing his message. I’m using my sadness over the drift damage to teach future generations that we can and should steward creation better. I loved the talk you had with your son at the end of the video – teaching the next generation so casually and beautifully. My sons (9, 7 and 4) were watching too, and I could see their little hearts stirred and listening (to that talk and the entire video).
Thank you so much for your post. This helped me evaluate the soil of my heart. Life is tough and sometimes unbearable but I think when that’s how we look at situations we aren’t using them for stepping stones to get better and closer to our Heavenly Father but rather stumbling blocks that we keep falling off of, which keeps holding us down. Thank you so much for your kind words.
I love this so much. I struggle with the wrong things in life and I often don’t know what to do with my feelings and frustrations. Thank you so much for sharing how you handled all the pent up disappointments in a healthier way. You have been a true inspiration to me and I love watching your channel.
Mrs Ruthann, your you tube video on June 26-27 was a blessing to me, and your gatden post was much needed heart lesson for me. I don’t have an opportunity to have a garden, but the emotions that you shared and expressed regarding the things that happened that you were beyond your control, are very relatable for me. I find myself getting caught up, thinking this is not right that is not right regarding various things in my life. Why is this happening, I’m too old for this., ( 71 yrs) still raising grandchildren after seven years, rather than trusting as you say that this is not a surprise for the Lord, He has a plan. He is working His will, and your words were a reminder to me, and encouragement to just keep drawing close to the Lord, and my joy and peace will return. Thank you.
Ruth Ann you truly are an inspiration. I have been struggling lately with my faith, feeling lonely in a busy world, anxious with no reason but the darkness of the world and a little lost for God’s true meaning in my life.
Your faith has renewed me and I know the Lord has sent your message in my time of need. Blessings to you and your beautiful family.
He truly does work in mysterious ways
Thank you for this. I also live in the middle of commercial ag (Nebraska), and the frustration can be overwhelming. I needed this encouraging reminder. I think i will go for a walk and conversation with the one who knows, and cares. Thanks again.
Ruthann, thank you so much for the reminder! The soil of my heart IS more important! I can plow and weed it each moment of the day & know the Lord will produce the fruit He intends to grow😊😊
Thank you so much for the experience of the real battle! Yours is just one of seems like many all around, and I have my own. The one that frustrates and brings me to the point of “speaking my mind” about it. But so true, this stuff outside is only toxic if it gets inside. I love your wisdom, knowledge and encouragement! God bless you and your family!
Thankful for you, RuthAnn. Thankful for our Heavenly Father and His perfect love.
I’m so sad to hear this news. I pray every day that we humans take better care of Earth and all of its inhabitants. I try not to despair. You set a wonderful example RuthAnn and I am so grateful for you!
Thank you Ruthann for your honesty and willingness to hear from the Lord about your reaction to herbicide drift. There are so many ways for me to apply this hearty lesson this week. My hearts been struggling with treatment of others towards me, but I can still hear God’s lessons to me through your words. Thanks my friend! Crystal
RuthAnn, thank you for sharing this message/garden diary! This is such a good reminder – the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it! Amen! This was so helpful for my anxious heart to hear & be reminded of.
Your heart and love for the Lord is so precious. Please continue to post your Garden Blogs, they mean so much to those of us who are also working hard to feed our families from God’s bounty.
Bless your heart, Ruth Ann, you give me strength and hope with your faith and I pray for you and your family.
I wish I could put a bubble around your families 20 acres and protect you from those pesticides….it is wrong that it happens and it shouldn’t…but it does….all too often. Your strength and faith are inspiring and your heart is just so beautiful and such a gift to all you touch. Sending love and prayers to your homestead and family
blessings, Dawn
Very well said!
I would hope no one would use pesticides, we could live a better life without it.
I hope the very best for you and your family!
You are a wonderful person and I feel lucky to see your videos with you and the family, you sure have taught me a lot. And appreciate it!
Thank God he has given you the courage to make videos so you can reach out to millions of people and help them in there life and make them feel as they feel you are there friend!
I feel blessed!
Thank you again!
Thank you Ruthann. I’m in the same place of guarding my heart. Here it is weather, it’s made gardening a challenge. I live in west georgia. I was having anxiety also, but now I pray and keep a thankful heart.
Thank you, RuthAnn. What a wonderful message and lesson. What a valuable insight. I was crying with you, and now I am praying with you. (Eastern Oregon)
Thank you RuthAnn. From looking at your plants, I think that’s what I’ve got going on in my greenstalks and raised beds too. The county sprayed the trees on the sides of our road, and though we are a quarter mile off the road, drift and wind brought it to us. Have a lot of other things right now also trying to ruin my heart soil, mostly health related, but I trust the Lord to lead me through it all. Looking forward to see how you treat your garden for this problem. Love your YouTube channel.
Bless you and your heart! Although I don’t have to deal with herbicide vapor since I live in the middle of a concrete and asphalt jungle, this was what I needed to hear. We do the best we can and we pray. Thank you!!!!
Oh Ruth Ann you are such a great writer! This resonated with me 100%. God bless you.
Beautiful. Thank you.
Thank you for this! I needed these words today.
Thank you for sharing RuthAnn. I appreciate your honesty. I often realize how short I fall when I focus on the wrong things and thought I was alone in this; making me feel like a terrible person but I do not always realize how blurred my focus is as quickly as you. God bless you and your family for this mission of sharing.
Oh RuthAnn, What an AMAZING story! You really really touched my heart and wow how much I gleaned from your words of the soil of our hearts! So so true and how I need to work on my soil of the heart, daily!
Thank you for such an inspiring story.
Many Blessings, Delinda
P.S. I’m deeply sorry for all that has happened to your garden and area.