For Encouragement

July 2013 Greetings From Chris   "Freedom" Happy 4th of July! As I reflect on our nation's freedom and watch the fireworks burst in the sky my thoughts go to Jesus' words...you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. It is somewhat interesting when I take a step back and look at how much effort and focus I tend to direct to achieving and maintaining certain freedoms. Often my thoughts tend to get me to believe that my happiness and contentment are wrapped up in these specific freedoms. It is definitely a tremendous blessing to not be an...

August 2013 Greetings From Chris   "Blessings" I know you have heard it before, but our motto or mission at Birky Family Farms Country Gourmet is 'Bless & Refresh'. This came from a time long ago when reading Genesis 12. God said to Abraham "I will make you into agrea nation, and I will bless you. I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." At that moment in time God spoke to my heart and taught me that a...

September 2013 Greetings From Chris   "Rest" Happy Labor Day! I look so forward to the changes of the seasons, but it is always hard to say goodbye to summer. I love the warm long days of summer. It is probably good that they do not last. I am not a man with hobbies, but thoroughly enjoy all the things that God has given me the opportunity to do. I love to work. If the days were always long I could wear out! As I reflect on my journey thus far, I have never really had the opportunity to have a...

October 2013 Greetings From Chris   "Harvest Bounty" Last year we found our whole nation in a drought.  Throughout the summer we heard stories of crops drying up.  This was very difficult to embrace, especially when we kept getting rain.  It is a very humbling thing to receive a blessing when others are going through difficult times.  We began harvesting our soybeans last week.  All summer long we heard how the beans were not going to be very good.  The thoughts were that corn would be pretty good, but beans not even close to last year.  It would be pretty impossible...

November 2013 Greetings From Chris   "Yield Monitor" We are continuing to bring in the harvest, but can see the end in sight. We are picking corn right now. Our combine is equipped with GPS and a computer that monitors the yield of every acre and allows us to map how each part of the field did. It is so interesting to observe the yields on the screen while you are going through the field. It has been very interesting this year seeing the difference in certain parts of the field and also between different fields. When you drive up a...