Hello Dear Friends,
It has been a busy few months since we first felt God call us to shut down our farming business and focus on Redeeming the Dirt and Foundations for Farming full time. My wife and I feel like we are exactly where God wants us to be and he has brought confirmation and encouragement in many ways. It has also been very humbling since we are operating in a new season that comes with a whole different set of blessings, pitfalls, and challenges. But God is showing us so much grace and we are so grateful to him!
Here are a few highlights of the first part of 2022 for us:
Going Off-Grid and Homesteading: Ever since I was a kid God has given me a passion for discovering and developing skills in self-sufficiency. For me it not so much about being self-reliant as it is about learning to be God-reliant through the simple means of production and provision that he has made available to most people throughout history. So our family this past winter and spring have focused on taking the next steps in this journey and calling so that we can equip others who may feel called to similar things in their context. Family projects have included: building a root cellar, supplying water to our house with a non-electric ram pump, setting up a small solar power electrical system and disconnecting from grid electricity, installing a solar and/or wood heating system for water, building a better system for hand washing clothes (if needed), finishing a greenhouse on the south side of our home, etc. As the industrial food and energy systems we have enjoyed for decades become less reliable we want to showcase ways to appreciate and utilize the abundance God has put at our disposal.
Spring Stewardship Conference and Training: In March we had over 50 people for our two-day conference. Following the training around a dozen people attended our 5-day training for trainers.
Foundations in Genesis Idaho: In April I went to Idaho as a speaker for Foundations in Genesis Idaho. With my hosts, Rob and Linda, I toured around for almost a week speaking at churches, schools, and libraries reaching around 530 people total including churchgoers, public schoolers, homeschoolers, Mormons, industrial farmers, homesteaders, and gardeners. May God bless the seeds of Jesus, farming, and disciplemaking that were planted.
Florida Filming Project: In May I had the privilege of going to support a Well-Watered Garden training put on by a church in Naples, Florida. They had sent a couple for training to our farm in Spring of 2021 and have seen a lot of fruit from the subsequent work they have done in their community. We were grateful for several partners who helped fund a video that we filmed while there that shares some of the vision of the Well-Watered Garden Project and the impact it has had on this church and community. You can see the video here. Thanks to all of you who contributed to make the film a reality!
Local Church Training: At the end of May we hosted a one-day Well-Watered Garden training on our farm for a local church small group. Here is a picture of a garden that one of the students went home and installed.
June 5-Day Training: In June we had eight people attend our trainer’s training hosted at our farm. Here is a review from one of the students:
My expectations were beyond met with the training. You passed on years of knowledge, skills, and encouragement not only with great joy but genuine enthusiasm for the students to learn basic gardening. My favorite parts of the week were the conversations. We could ask questions and discuss what we had learned sharing specific knowledge of a topic or asking questions to further clarify a topic. You not only taught the classes but joined us in the conversation to ensure we had a grasp of what we had just learned. . . Making the compost and preparing a 20×20 garden for planting and then putting seeds in the ground not only reinforced what we had learned but showed us the proper the way to put that knowledge to work. . . I would tell anyone that the US Foundations for Farming training is worth the cost. The week long intensive training is specific to teaching individuals tried and true methods for gardening and specifically how to share this information and grow the community in respect to gardens done properly. The reasons being food security but most importantly the aspect of eternal security. – Andy
Lamplighter Guild: In July I flew to Mt. Morris, New York to teach horticulture at the Lamplighter Guild event. We spent the week discussing gardening, worldview, discipleship, understanding the times we live in, and more. I was really encouraged by the passion and hearts of the students.
Summer Break: After a busy first part of the year we didn’t schedule any trainings for August and are taking the time to catch up on projects, family time, writing, school for the kids, and more. The boys and I are trying our hand at timber framing by building a swingset for the yard. And this coming week we are taking a family camping trip to the mountains!
What’s Coming Up:
WWGP Curriculum Development: One of my main focuses right now is writing a curriculum kit for the Well-Watered Garden Project so we can more easily equip people who want to train and pass on information to others.
September and October 5-Day Trainings:We have two upcoming 5-day trainings: one in September that is sold out and one in October (17th-21st).
Fall Conference: We also plan to have a weekend conference/gathering October 14th-16th. Registration should be up soon for that.
Echo Conference in Ft. Meyers, FL: In November I am scheduled to speak at the 29th Annual Echo International Agricultural Conference.
Alabama Survival Gardening Book: I am also working together with David the Good to co-write an Alabama Survival gardening book.
Conclusion: God is on the move. We live in a time where the conflict is escalating between good and evil, light and dark, truth and lies. Food and farming is now at the front line of the battle. We as Christians need to step up to serve as we seek to build resilient, local food systems founded on the heart of Jesus. We have a responsibility to our creator, our families, and our community. God already has a plan. We just need to listen and faithfully focus on the small part each of us has been given to play. What an honor to be asked by the Savior to join him on his mission of reconciliation and restoration!
Thanks to those of you who support us with your prayers and encouragement! It means a lot. And thank you to those who have felt let to support us financially. We pray that God will help us to be faithful and will multiply your generous investment.
Until next time, be humble, be faithful, and keep redeeming the dirt!
Your Fellow Steward,
Noah Sanders
Links:
Free Online Education and Community: https://www.redeemingthedirtacademy.com/
Well-Watered Garden Project: https://www.wellwateredgardenproject.org/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/RedeemingtheDirtNoahSanders
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-redeeming-the-dirt-podcast/id1464602533
Donate: https://redeemingthedirt.com/support/
