How grateful to the weary—accustomed to city life, the glare of many lights, the noise of the streets—is the quiet and calm of the country. How eagerly they turn aside to the scenes of nature! How glad they would be to go to a Family Farm in the country, where they could sit in the open air, rejoicing in the sunshine, and breathing the fragrance of tree and flower.
In the country the sick find many things to call their minds away from themselves. They can be left sitting or lying in the sunshine or in the shade of the trees. They have only to lift their eyes, and they see above them the beautiful leaves of the trees. They wonder that they have not noticed before how gracefully the branches bend, forming a leafy canopy over them, giving them just the shade they need. A sweet sense of restfulness and refreshing comes to them. The drooping spirits revive. There is healing in the sight of tree and flower and grass. The waning strength is recruited. Unconsciously, the mind grows peaceful. The pure, clear air is life-giving, and under its influence the fevered pulse grows more calm and regular.
Under these influences, combined with the influence of good treatment and wholesome food, the sick find health. The feeble step recovers its elasticity. The eyes regain their brightness. The hopeless become hopeful. The once despondent countenance wears an expression of cheerfulness. The complaining tones of the voice gives place to tones of content. This has been our experience on our Family Farm.
JOY OF SERVICE
The joyous experience of serving others is more treasured than anything we can receive from others. So, it is our goal to serve, not to be served. We see that it is better to give than to receive.
RECEIVE TO GIVE
Work to provide for our own needs keeps us from being in debt to others. Without fail, as we provide for our needs we receive many experiences and produce to share with others.
DO TO OTHERS WHAT WE WANT DONE FOR OURSELVES
The most enjoyable gifts to give are the ones that we ourselves understand the value of. Service that surpasses the wants of a person and satisfies their actual needs to restore them to health and happiness is our desire.
WE ARE GRATEFUL SO WE LOVE EVERY PERSON
Young or old, weak or strong, poor or rich, sick or healthy… all need to be loved with the greatest love that we ourselves have experienced. This is the natural response of gratitude for being loved when we did not deserve it. Let’s give love without being earned and without expectation of return.
FERTILE AND BEAUTIFUL
The nicest experiences in nature are those that awaken the admiration of all five senses. When we can taste fruit straight from the tree, see the wonders of the sky and earth, hear the active songs of nature, smell the perfume of blossoms, and participate in all of it with our own hands is something we want everyone to be invited to. So we balance our efforts for a harvest with efforts to provide a most enjoyable experience.
SKILL IS GAINED IN THE WORK ITSELF
Although each one has different talents, none were born with knowledge and skill. These have been learned and developed in the school of life. It is not on the shore, but in the water that one learns to swim. So we invite those with little or no experience to a low stress educational experience. We understand that so-called failures can be the most successful learning experiences.
PLANTS AND ANIMALS WITHIN OUR CARE
It is obvious that the environment and care given to animals and plants drastically affects their growth and health. It is both a privilege and an honorable pursuit to learn to properly and consistently care for the things of nature. Not only will the animals and plants be cared for, but the character of the caregiver becomes solid and trustworthy to handle many responsibilities in life.
WORK AND REST
Many people wear out under constant work without rest. These will benefit from a period of quiet rest in nature where they will have the advantage of massage and a bathhouse suited for restoring the worn out body. Other people rust out being confined to a sedentary life full of much mental labour and worry. These will benefit from periods of pleasant physical work in attractive country surroundings and fresh air. Tending to the flowers, orchards, and vineyards will rejuvenate the body while supplying rest for the mind.
ALL EAT FROM THE FIELD
Kings are served by the produce of the fields. Poor windows and orphans also depend on the produce of the fields. Unless seeds are sown, cared for and harvested everyone on the earth will lack. For the rich man cannot be satisfied eating silver. And, the king cannot decree food into existence. Only by persevering labor will the earth yield its richest harvests. For this everyone can be thankful. It is noble for anyone who wants to grow food for the health and happiness.
FAMILY FARMS ARE SUSTAINABLE
Lifelong skills and purposes are preserved as an inheritance for the next generation. There is a special time in children’s lives when they are naturally curious and enjoy working with adults. This starts very early at even one or two years old. If this natural willingness to do and help is encourage then they receive a gift of skills and experiences that can serve them well for their whole life. When a worker reaches the end of his career he will have younger people prepared to carry his burdens and keep things well kept and productive.
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