I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Removing pain
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Lord, let my word
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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Hello, and welcome to
another 3ABN Today program.
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Thank you so very
much for joining us today.
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Jill, my wife is
not able to join us,
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but I'm so glad that
you are able to join with us
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as you do each and every day.
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You know, we do appreciate
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your support of
the ministry of 3ABN.
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Thank you for your
prayers too that is,
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mean so very much to us.
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And I know
sometimes we get to meet you
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maybe face to
face at camp meetings
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or maybe when we
are out traveling,
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we always like to
meet you face to face.
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But if not some day,
we won't have this glass
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and we're coming
through the cameras,
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through the TV,
we'll be able to meet
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face to face in
the earth made new.
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Now today we have a program
talking about agriculture.
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You may say,
agriculture, I live in the city,
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I might as well
not tune in today
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and let me just flip the channel
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or wait until this
Today program is done.
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I wanna encourage
you, don't do that
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because the guests
that we have today,
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they were talking
about agriculture,
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and farming, and
the spiritual benefits,
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and how God ordained that
way back in the Garden of Eden.
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There are ways even you
that are maybe in a city
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or an apartment can be involved
in agriculture in some way,
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so make sure
that you stay tuned.
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I want to introduce you
who we have with us today,
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we have David...
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I'm gonna see and make
sure I say your last name
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correctly Obermiller
with us. That's correct.
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And you come from where, David?
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So I'm farm manager of
Harvest Fields Organic Farm,
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which is on the campus
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of Fresno Adventist
Academy in California.
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Okay, so California,
all the way from California.
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A little warmer
that too. That's true.
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And with you,
sitting next to you
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is Darren Greenfield.
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Welcome, Darren we're glad that
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you're here joining us
today and where are you from?
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Weimar, California.
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So both of you
are from California.
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And you do what?
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I'm the farm manager
there, I teach agriculture.
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And you've been there how long?
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Nine years. Nine years?
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Wow.
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And then, David, how
long for you with Fresno?
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We moved there
and started the farm
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in 2014 January, so
just over three years.
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Wow, yeah, that's great.
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And I know that we
want to get to know them
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a little bit better too
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but I wanted to
just turn to Genesis,
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you know, all
throughout the Bible
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there's a lot of references
to won't say gardening
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but to, you know,
you think about John
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and John 15
talks about the vine.
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There's a lot of
texts on reaping,
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and sowing, harvesting.
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There is
references in the Bible too,
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you know, seed must die
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in order to
bring forth much fruit.
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I go all the way
back to Genesis 2
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and let's look at verse 8.
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And it says, "And the
Lord God planted a garden..."
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Did you catch that?
He planted a garden.
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"Eastward in Eden
and there He put who,
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the man and the woman."
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And you think about that.
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God actually didn't put
Adam and then, of course,
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Eve in a big city
or anything like that,
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He put them in a garden
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and there's a reason
and a purpose for that.
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So we're gonna talk about
Weimar and their gardening.
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We're gonna talk about
Fresno Academy and their farm.
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But we're also going to
look into the spiritual aspect
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and the
tremendous benefits there is
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that God has ordained
with working with the soil
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and what He
originally intended for us.
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And of course this earth
and this world is full of sin
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and sickness and
there's a lot of toiling
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because I should know that...
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Well, I like to garden
here in Southern Illinois
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and there's a lot of weeds.
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So there is a lot of toiling
when I plant my green beans,
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and my tomatoes.
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Boy, it doesn't take
long until it seems like
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the weeds are
growing almost faster
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than the things
that I've planted,
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so there is toiling and
stuff here in this earth
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but there's still a lot of fun
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and there's a lot
of benefits to that.
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But we look forward to
heaven and the earth made new,
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I know that we'll be
able to work with the plants
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and all the
wonderful things of heaven
00:05:01.53\00:05:03.06
and the earth made new.
00:05:03.10\00:05:04.90
But before we get into
today's program any further,
00:05:04.93\00:05:07.94
we want to go to some music
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and we always
appreciate ET Everett,
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she is our sound
center general manager
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and she was in our
studio not long ago
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and she played a
couple of piano pieces,
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so the one we selected for today
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is "Holy, Holy, Holy".
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Thank you, ET.
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Wow, what a powerful
song, Holy, Holy, Holy.
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Thank you, ET, always
for using your talents
00:11:02.52\00:11:04.56
for the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:11:04.59\00:11:06.09
You know, He has
given us all talents
00:11:06.13\00:11:07.63
and it's up to us to use
them for His honor and glory.
00:11:07.66\00:11:12.33
In case you're just joining us,
00:11:12.37\00:11:14.30
we're talking
today about farming.
00:11:14.34\00:11:16.87
You say, "What on 3ABN
you're talking about farming?"
00:11:16.91\00:11:19.37
Yes, we are but our guests today
00:11:19.41\00:11:22.04
are gonna be tying
in the spiritual aspects
00:11:22.08\00:11:24.55
of working with the soil
00:11:24.58\00:11:26.92
but also about the
different ministries
00:11:26.95\00:11:28.42
that they're involved with.
00:11:28.45\00:11:29.78
We have with us
David Obermiller,
00:11:29.82\00:11:31.89
who is the president
00:11:31.92\00:11:33.69
of Harvest Field
Farms, Organic Farms.
00:11:33.72\00:11:36.12
Harvest Fields
Organic Farm. Okay.
00:11:36.16\00:11:37.79
In Fresno,
California there at the academy.
00:11:37.83\00:11:39.63
Yes.
00:11:39.66\00:11:41.00
And we have Darren Greenfield
00:11:41.03\00:11:42.46
and you're the farm
manager at Weimar College.
00:11:42.50\00:11:44.77
Yes. Yes.
00:11:44.80\00:11:46.13
So, and you guys have been
00:11:46.17\00:11:47.50
in your positions
a number of years.
00:11:47.54\00:11:49.40
But, David, tell us a
little about your background,
00:11:49.44\00:11:51.67
have you always been
interested in farming?
00:11:51.71\00:11:55.14
Or it's just been like
a passion all your life?
00:11:55.18\00:11:57.78
Or it's just
something you just got
00:11:57.81\00:11:59.18
interested in recently?
00:11:59.21\00:12:00.55
That's a great question.
00:12:00.58\00:12:01.98
And no I was not thinking
that I was gonna be a farmer
00:12:02.02\00:12:07.12
if you would have
asked me when I was a kid.
00:12:07.16\00:12:09.22
I actually wasn't
raised a Christian
00:12:09.26\00:12:10.89
so my journey kind of began
00:12:10.93\00:12:12.69
with becoming
Christian back in 1997.
00:12:12.73\00:12:16.33
And I studied
theology at Union College
00:12:16.36\00:12:19.17
that was I gonna be a pastor.
00:12:19.20\00:12:20.70
Wow, to be a minister.
Yes, that's what I thought.
00:12:20.74\00:12:22.07
And I actually got into ministry
00:12:22.10\00:12:25.01
after leaving Union,
00:12:25.04\00:12:26.84
but as I was studying the Bible,
00:12:26.88\00:12:28.38
studying the Spirit of Prophecy,
00:12:28.41\00:12:30.45
I became really convicted about
the information on gardening,
00:12:30.48\00:12:33.98
or farming, or agriculture,
which by the way for me
00:12:34.02\00:12:37.25
those words are
so interchangeable.
00:12:37.29\00:12:38.89
That's a good point.
00:12:38.92\00:12:40.36
You think of farming
is something professional
00:12:40.39\00:12:42.39
and gardening is
something like hobbyist.
00:12:42.42\00:12:45.33
Like kind of what
I do. I do gardening.
00:12:45.36\00:12:47.00
So that's good point, I
think that is gardening.
00:12:47.03\00:12:48.86
But really no matter
which word you're using,
00:12:48.90\00:12:51.37
it's the act of
growing food or something,
00:12:51.40\00:12:54.17
flowers maybe or herbs.
00:12:54.20\00:12:55.54
That's true. Good point.
00:12:55.57\00:12:56.91
And we're really
talking about growing things
00:12:56.94\00:12:58.31
not your vocation or...
00:12:58.34\00:13:00.51
So as I was studying the Bible,
and you mentioned this earlier,
00:13:00.54\00:13:03.45
you start to run in
all the object lessons
00:13:03.48\00:13:05.11
that Jesus used,
00:13:05.15\00:13:06.48
the parable of vine or vineyard,
00:13:06.51\00:13:09.08
or the mustard seed,
00:13:09.12\00:13:10.45
or all these
different object lessons
00:13:10.49\00:13:12.79
that extend all
through the Bible,
00:13:12.82\00:13:14.36
Genesis to Revelation.
00:13:14.39\00:13:16.19
And, of course, the
writings of Ellen White,
00:13:16.22\00:13:17.69
she talks a lot
about agriculture
00:13:17.73\00:13:19.49
in the context of education,
families, and all this.
00:13:19.53\00:13:22.43
I was very, very
convicted about it.
00:13:22.46\00:13:24.97
So in 2010 my wife
and I made the decision
00:13:25.00\00:13:27.97
to leave ministry
00:13:28.00\00:13:29.47
and we went to work on
a friend's farm in Arizona
00:13:29.50\00:13:32.04
for four years.
00:13:32.07\00:13:33.41
My real passion was to be...
00:13:33.44\00:13:35.68
My real burden was to be back
00:13:35.71\00:13:38.31
in a ministry
setting with a farm.
00:13:38.35\00:13:41.55
And I didn't know this
but about the same time
00:13:41.58\00:13:44.85
Fresno Adventist
Academy was going through
00:13:44.89\00:13:47.52
a sort of
philosophical shift about
00:13:47.56\00:13:50.59
what their school was about?
00:13:50.63\00:13:52.06
And what they were there for?
00:13:52.09\00:13:53.70
And what they were
offering to their young people?
00:13:53.73\00:13:56.03
And they had decided
that they were interested
00:13:56.06\00:13:57.80
in starting a
farm on their campus.
00:13:57.83\00:14:00.00
And it was through sort of a
providential meeting of sorts
00:14:00.04\00:14:04.17
that we connected
and they found out
00:14:04.21\00:14:06.61
that I was on a farm,
00:14:06.64\00:14:07.98
and I found out they were
interested in having a farm,
00:14:08.01\00:14:10.95
and so they brought me
on in 2014 to start a farm
00:14:10.98\00:14:13.98
on the campus of
Fresno Adventist Academy.
00:14:14.02\00:14:16.12
Wow, you know, that's amazing
because really when you think
00:14:16.15\00:14:18.45
about gardening, agriculture,
farming is sort of seems...
00:14:18.49\00:14:23.26
I mean, I know there
are always gonna be food,
00:14:23.29\00:14:24.66
there's always
gonna be professional,
00:14:24.69\00:14:26.03
you know, you think
of these massive tractors
00:14:26.06\00:14:27.46
where it seems
like 20 wheels on them
00:14:27.50\00:14:29.50
or we know massive
pieces of equipment.
00:14:29.53\00:14:32.17
And so we will always
know there is those out there
00:14:32.20\00:14:34.67
because we need food.
00:14:34.70\00:14:36.20
But when we think
about schools in agriculture,
00:14:36.24\00:14:38.54
it almost seems
to be would be dying.
00:14:38.57\00:14:41.21
I mean, I don't necessarily
think of schools like,
00:14:41.24\00:14:43.65
"Okay, let's bring farming back
00:14:43.68\00:14:45.01
or start a new
program in agriculture."
00:14:45.05\00:14:47.32
You know, it's interesting,
probably a lot of people
00:14:47.35\00:14:49.38
listening today are
thinking something very similar,
00:14:49.42\00:14:52.82
but what we're
finding in America
00:14:52.85\00:14:54.42
is that people are becoming
00:14:54.46\00:14:55.89
more and more
interested in reconnecting,
00:14:55.92\00:14:58.43
hands on learning,
particularly through nature,
00:14:58.46\00:15:00.90
and through farming
with our educational model.
00:15:00.93\00:15:03.83
And that's
certainly what happened
00:15:03.87\00:15:05.20
at Fresno Adventist Academy.
00:15:05.23\00:15:07.94
We live in the most
prolific agricultural
00:15:07.97\00:15:10.14
valley in the world in
the San Joaquin Valley,
00:15:10.17\00:15:12.77
lot of farming in the community.
00:15:12.81\00:15:14.91
Much of America's food comes
from our part of California.
00:15:14.94\00:15:18.75
And I think the
school board realizes
00:15:18.78\00:15:20.62
they look back...
00:15:20.65\00:15:21.98
And many of the
school board members realize
00:15:22.02\00:15:24.92
that type of
education they had growing up
00:15:24.95\00:15:27.16
as a kid was very
hands on and they look back
00:15:27.19\00:15:30.49
and see the value
that hands on learning
00:15:30.53\00:15:33.56
provides to young people
and they wanted to offer that
00:15:33.60\00:15:36.87
to their kids today.
00:15:36.90\00:15:38.23
Very good.
00:15:38.27\00:15:39.60
And I came to
that same conclusion
00:15:39.63\00:15:41.17
kind of separately
so I studied education,
00:15:41.20\00:15:44.51
not only Adventist education
but education on America
00:15:44.54\00:15:47.78
and more and more universities,
00:15:47.81\00:15:49.94
more and more people in
general coming to the conclusion
00:15:49.98\00:15:52.91
that hands on learning,
specifically tied to nature
00:15:52.95\00:15:56.62
improves
academic performance, GPA,
00:15:56.65\00:15:58.85
as kids stay in
the school longer,
00:15:58.89\00:16:01.19
they get better scholarships,
less disciplinary issues.
00:16:01.22\00:16:04.29
There are lot of things
that the people are realizing,
00:16:04.33\00:16:06.70
so maybe we're
seeing a renaissance of sort
00:16:06.73\00:16:10.07
of reintegration of
farming and education today,
00:16:10.10\00:16:13.74
or gardening and education.
00:16:13.77\00:16:15.10
Sure. Yeah, okay.
00:16:15.14\00:16:16.47
So we'll find out how
it's going then in Fresno
00:16:16.50\00:16:18.21
but I wanna to go you, Darren,
so tell me little bit about
00:16:18.24\00:16:20.78
how you got into
farming, or gardening,
00:16:20.81\00:16:23.14
or agriculture did...
00:16:23.18\00:16:24.71
Were you a little kid
00:16:24.75\00:16:26.08
and enjoyed
hoeing in the garden,
00:16:26.11\00:16:27.45
and pulling weeds,
00:16:27.48\00:16:28.82
and picking
flowers and vegetables?
00:16:28.85\00:16:30.19
Actually the
opposite when I was a kid,
00:16:30.22\00:16:31.95
I didn't really
enjoy that part of farming.
00:16:31.99\00:16:34.22
Even though my father and family
00:16:34.26\00:16:37.43
had 1,000 acre farm
with sheep and cattle
00:16:37.46\00:16:40.03
and kiwi fruit in New
Zealand where I was born.
00:16:40.06\00:16:42.43
Okay, I was gonna say, well was,
00:16:42.46\00:16:43.80
had been in another country.
00:16:43.83\00:16:45.77
Yeah. Okay.
00:16:45.80\00:16:47.14
So I enjoyed riding the horses,
rounding up sheep and cattle,
00:16:47.17\00:16:50.84
and working with the animals
00:16:50.87\00:16:52.21
but I didn't really enjoy
the growing part side of it.
00:16:52.24\00:16:54.91
But as I grew up I was
an unconverted young man.
00:16:54.94\00:16:59.88
I wanted to farm
that was something
00:16:59.91\00:17:01.58
I had a dream to be a farmer.
00:17:01.62\00:17:03.59
My parents said to me
when I wanted to leave school
00:17:03.62\00:17:05.92
and farm, they said,
00:17:05.95\00:17:07.29
"Well, there's
no money in farming,
00:17:07.32\00:17:09.02
you need to go and learn a trade
00:17:09.06\00:17:10.39
or something like that."
00:17:10.43\00:17:11.76
They knew that I
liked working with my hands.
00:17:11.79\00:17:13.70
So I went on apprenticeship
00:17:13.73\00:17:15.56
at the Sanitarium
Health Food Company,
00:17:15.60\00:17:17.57
which is an Adventist owned
food manufacturing facility
00:17:17.60\00:17:21.74
in New Zealand and Australia.
00:17:21.77\00:17:23.81
So I did an
apprenticeship there as a fitter
00:17:23.84\00:17:25.57
and a machinist working with
food manufacturing equipment
00:17:25.61\00:17:28.61
and that's become
very valuable actually.
00:17:28.64\00:17:31.11
And a lot of counsel we're given
00:17:31.15\00:17:32.98
in the Spirit of
Prophecy for education
00:17:33.01\00:17:35.48
is to teach our
young people trades,
00:17:35.52\00:17:37.79
which I'm really
excited that Weimar offers
00:17:37.82\00:17:40.02
that opportunity in the academy.
00:17:40.06\00:17:42.79
And so...
00:17:42.82\00:17:44.66
How did you get call to Weimar
to take on the farming manager?
00:17:44.69\00:17:47.80
Yeah. It's an interesting track.
00:17:47.83\00:17:49.83
After my conversion actually
I went to Weimar College
00:17:49.86\00:17:54.57
and studied theology.
00:17:54.60\00:17:56.54
I wasn't
planning to be a pastor,
00:17:56.57\00:17:58.54
but I wanted to
learn how to win souls
00:17:58.57\00:18:00.34
and that seemed to be
the closest thing to it.
00:18:00.38\00:18:02.71
So then after
studying there for four year,
00:18:02.74\00:18:06.61
I was then hired as the
work education director,
00:18:06.65\00:18:09.52
worked there for two years,
00:18:09.55\00:18:10.89
then I went to Mission College
of Evangelism to get some more,
00:18:10.92\00:18:16.16
you know, soul winning training.
00:18:16.19\00:18:17.86
And I got a call
to Mission Conference
00:18:17.89\00:18:20.66
and work there for
seven year as a pastor.
00:18:20.70\00:18:24.27
But while I was
there, I kind of saw that
00:18:24.30\00:18:26.77
we were losing our young people.
00:18:26.80\00:18:28.34
I was concerned, you
know, with what was happening,
00:18:28.37\00:18:31.01
and I remembered reading about
the benefits of agriculture
00:18:31.04\00:18:35.84
and, you know, manual training
00:18:35.88\00:18:37.85
and how there's a
actual spiritual component that
00:18:37.88\00:18:42.08
Ellen White actually says,
00:18:42.12\00:18:43.45
"Many souls will be
saved in the kingdom."
00:18:43.49\00:18:44.82
And perhaps we'll share that,
you know, later that quote.
00:18:44.85\00:18:48.06
But that sort of
resonated in my heart
00:18:48.09\00:18:50.03
and that was really deepened
00:18:50.06\00:18:53.06
when I went on a
mission trip to South America
00:18:53.09\00:18:55.16
where I went to a school
that had a work study program
00:18:55.20\00:18:58.63
and I was doing
a Week of Prayer.
00:18:58.67\00:19:00.50
So during the day I went
out and worked with the kids
00:19:00.54\00:19:02.24
while they were
working and it really showed me
00:19:02.27\00:19:06.04
how that worked
with the students,
00:19:06.07\00:19:08.94
you bond with them in a way
00:19:08.98\00:19:10.31
that you can't in
any other activity.
00:19:10.35\00:19:12.28
And so while I was doing
that, I was able to talk to them
00:19:12.31\00:19:16.92
about their spiritual condition,
00:19:16.95\00:19:18.89
and as a result
there was a number of them
00:19:18.92\00:19:21.59
there that had never
given their lives to Christ,
00:19:21.62\00:19:23.46
never been baptized,
00:19:23.49\00:19:24.83
they were actually
non-Adventist kids.
00:19:24.86\00:19:26.19
Yes.
00:19:26.23\00:19:27.56
And as a result
of that connection
00:19:27.60\00:19:29.26
in the Week of Prayer,
00:19:29.30\00:19:30.63
they made decisions
for baptism, all of them,
00:19:30.67\00:19:32.83
and I was really
excited to see that.
00:19:32.87\00:19:34.94
So I went home
and I prayed, I said,
00:19:34.97\00:19:36.71
"Lord, I really
enjoy this type of work.
00:19:36.74\00:19:38.37
If you want me to
go back into this,
00:19:38.41\00:19:40.54
I would love to do it
and if you open the way."
00:19:40.58\00:19:43.18
So two years
went by and meanwhile
00:19:43.21\00:19:46.28
while I was
pastoring in Michigan,
00:19:46.31\00:19:48.45
one of the churches had a school
00:19:48.48\00:19:50.42
attached to the church
00:19:50.45\00:19:52.22
and just we had 14
kids in the school.
00:19:52.25\00:19:55.99
So I decided to put in
a garden with the school,
00:19:56.02\00:19:59.43
and I worked
with the kids there,
00:19:59.46\00:20:00.80
and the kids really
loved it, they just had a ball,
00:20:00.83\00:20:03.30
the teacher came
out worked with them.
00:20:03.33\00:20:05.23
And I, again I experienced the,
00:20:05.27\00:20:07.70
you know, the
bonding that goes on
00:20:07.74\00:20:09.17
when you're
working with the students
00:20:09.20\00:20:11.14
and talking to them.
00:20:11.17\00:20:12.51
I played games with them,
00:20:12.54\00:20:13.88
I've done all kinds of things
to try to connect with them
00:20:13.91\00:20:15.41
that connected me
with them so deeper
00:20:15.44\00:20:17.55
and you could talk to them
about the spiritual things.
00:20:17.58\00:20:20.18
And so the church loved it,
they saw what was happening,
00:20:20.22\00:20:23.49
it was just a big hit.
00:20:23.52\00:20:24.85
Parents were saying to me,
"This is amazing, you know,
00:20:24.89\00:20:28.82
I've got, my kids don't
like eating anything green.
00:20:28.86\00:20:32.16
But, you know, they
bring home the stuff
00:20:32.19\00:20:34.23
that they've been
growing and they say,
00:20:34.26\00:20:35.60
"Mom, can you cook this?"
00:20:35.63\00:20:36.97
Because they want to eat with...
00:20:37.00\00:20:38.33
And they got excited
00:20:38.37\00:20:39.70
because now the
kids wanted to eat
00:20:39.73\00:20:41.07
something
healthful and, of course,
00:20:41.10\00:20:42.44
it tasted better than
what you can buy in the store.
00:20:42.47\00:20:44.67
So, you know, that led to
00:20:44.71\00:20:47.58
when I was given a call
to go to Weimar Institute
00:20:47.61\00:20:51.35
about nine years ago...
00:20:51.38\00:20:53.31
So that was two
years after you said,
00:20:53.35\00:20:54.68
"Lord, open up the door for me."
00:20:54.72\00:20:56.48
And two years,
you waited two years
00:20:56.52\00:20:58.69
and then, wow, you
get this called to Weimar.
00:20:58.72\00:21:00.62
Yes. Amazing.
00:21:00.66\00:21:01.99
And then after being
there for a few years,
00:21:02.02\00:21:03.76
I was asked to
be the farm manager.
00:21:03.79\00:21:05.26
Now, I'd had no
commercial experience
00:21:05.29\00:21:07.10
as a farmer.
00:21:07.13\00:21:08.46
But there's a
promise in Isaiah 28,
00:21:08.50\00:21:11.83
it's actually God talking about
00:21:11.87\00:21:13.20
how He gives
wisdom to the farmer.
00:21:13.23\00:21:15.24
So I claim that
as a personal promise
00:21:15.27\00:21:16.97
and I said, "Lord, I
don't know how to do this,
00:21:17.01\00:21:18.81
I like to grow
but I know so little,
00:21:18.84\00:21:20.84
will You teach me
and give me wisdom?"
00:21:20.88\00:21:23.14
And so it was amazing to see
00:21:23.18\00:21:25.21
how He just
brought people into my life
00:21:25.25\00:21:27.38
to mentor me and to give me
00:21:27.42\00:21:29.92
the basic
knowledge to get started.
00:21:29.95\00:21:33.15
And I think the biggest
thing was soil fertility
00:21:33.19\00:21:35.52
because that's, you
know, where it starts.
00:21:35.56\00:21:37.93
And what was really
powerful about that is that,
00:21:37.96\00:21:40.63
you know, the model that
we follow is really close
00:21:40.66\00:21:43.40
to the creation model
because when we were created,
00:21:43.43\00:21:46.40
we were created from
the dust of the ground
00:21:46.43\00:21:48.14
and all the trees
that provided food for us
00:21:48.17\00:21:50.47
came out of the same ground.
00:21:50.51\00:21:52.14
And so when the soil chemistry
is added, it's ideal balance,
00:21:52.17\00:21:57.15
it's really close
to what we're made of.
00:21:57.18\00:21:58.51
Yeah. Amen.
00:21:58.55\00:21:59.88
So the plants flourish
00:21:59.91\00:22:02.25
and I experience the
power of that witness,
00:22:02.28\00:22:04.95
I'm just sharing
that with customers
00:22:04.99\00:22:06.89
and with people
00:22:06.92\00:22:08.26
because we would
go to the stores,
00:22:08.29\00:22:11.89
try to get it in their
store to sell the produce.
00:22:11.93\00:22:15.06
And we had an
interesting experience
00:22:15.10\00:22:16.56
where one store
they had a malfunction
00:22:16.60\00:22:18.80
in their display
where everything froze,
00:22:18.83\00:22:20.97
the computer
played up and the manager
00:22:21.00\00:22:24.54
when I brought the
next delivery said to me,
00:22:24.57\00:22:28.51
"There's something
different about your produce."
00:22:28.54\00:22:31.71
He said, "We lost
$5,000 worth of produce
00:22:31.75\00:22:34.18
but none of your
produce perished."
00:22:34.22\00:22:37.19
There's something, he
said tell me about it,
00:22:37.22\00:22:39.05
so I was able to tell him about,
00:22:39.09\00:22:40.96
you know, this
foundation of growing
00:22:40.99\00:22:43.26
with minerals and so
it was powerful to...
00:22:43.29\00:22:47.20
You have an opportunity
actually to witness and...
00:22:47.23\00:22:49.26
Yeah. Yeah, that's amazing.
00:22:49.30\00:22:50.63
You know, David,
there is a benefit,
00:22:50.67\00:22:52.33
isn't it to work
with young people?
00:22:52.37\00:22:53.80
Yes. You know, my dad..
00:22:53.84\00:22:55.50
You know, when I was a
young person we had a...
00:22:55.54\00:22:57.11
To me it seemed
massive because the rows
00:22:57.14\00:22:58.84
that I had to hoe and
pull weeds seems so long.
00:22:58.87\00:23:02.04
And I was like,
00:23:02.08\00:23:03.41
"Dad, you've got
to be kidding me,
00:23:03.45\00:23:04.78
I've got to weed that row?"
00:23:04.81\00:23:06.31
But really as I look
back some of the best memories
00:23:06.35\00:23:08.68
because my father and I built
a good relationship doing that.
00:23:08.72\00:23:13.39
You know, we're out
there in the garden together,
00:23:13.42\00:23:14.82
he worked full time job
but we'd work the weekends,
00:23:14.86\00:23:17.59
you know, go to church on
Sabbath obviously Saturday.
00:23:17.63\00:23:19.89
But still we work
together in the field
00:23:19.93\00:23:22.06
and then you have
some great conversations.
00:23:22.10\00:23:23.47
Right.
00:23:23.50\00:23:24.83
And so with the school
at Fresno same thing, right?
00:23:24.87\00:23:27.44
Parents are
excited about this project
00:23:27.47\00:23:29.00
where the kids are
learning, eating the food.
00:23:29.04\00:23:31.11
Definitely, so, I mean,
we wouldn't have the farm
00:23:31.14\00:23:34.24
if it wasn't for the
parents and the teachers,
00:23:34.28\00:23:36.04
administrators at the school.
00:23:36.08\00:23:37.41
And like Dan was
talking about to, you know...
00:23:37.45\00:23:39.61
When you have... You
take kale for example.
00:23:39.65\00:23:42.68
I don't know if kids
naturally like kale or not,
00:23:42.72\00:23:45.05
but when kids are participated
in growing something,
00:23:45.09\00:23:48.72
then they're gonna have
00:23:48.76\00:23:50.33
a different
relationship to that thing.
00:23:50.36\00:23:51.69
Of course.
00:23:51.73\00:23:53.09
And, you know,
you talked about weeds
00:23:53.13\00:23:55.40
and that's actually one
thing as far as possible
00:23:55.43\00:23:57.80
we're trying to
avoid have the kids do
00:23:57.83\00:23:59.53
and that's pulling weeds.
00:23:59.57\00:24:01.80
On our farm we have 13 acres.
00:24:01.84\00:24:03.44
Okay. You got a great farm.
00:24:03.47\00:24:04.81
Got an acre of table
grapes, four acres of citrus,
00:24:04.84\00:24:07.84
our greenhouses
are on the screen
00:24:07.88\00:24:09.74
for the audience at
home, friends at home.
00:24:09.78\00:24:11.98
Those are some nice greenhouses.
00:24:12.01\00:24:14.68
How many are those four?
00:24:14.72\00:24:16.05
There is four greenhouses there,
00:24:16.08\00:24:17.42
30 feet by 100 basically.
00:24:17.45\00:24:19.72
We're growing tomatoes inside,
00:24:19.75\00:24:21.46
cucumbers, peppers,
and we grow year around.
00:24:21.49\00:24:23.66
And that's
really important for us
00:24:23.69\00:24:25.03
because it's
during the school year,
00:24:25.06\00:24:26.49
you know, when
kids are in school.
00:24:26.53\00:24:28.40
And the objective of
Fresno Adventist Academy
00:24:28.43\00:24:31.13
as well as Harvest
Fields Organic Farm
00:24:31.17\00:24:33.40
is to provide
kids a wide variety
00:24:33.44\00:24:35.74
of learning opportunities.
00:24:35.77\00:24:37.81
So some of the kids
helped build the greenhouses...
00:24:37.84\00:24:40.61
We have chickens also
and some of the kids help
00:24:40.64\00:24:42.34
with the chickens, they
help us to pick oranges,
00:24:42.38\00:24:44.71
and then when they...
00:24:44.75\00:24:46.11
Here's a picture
of kids with potatoes,
00:24:46.15\00:24:48.52
that's an
elementary school group there.
00:24:48.55\00:24:49.88
Well, those are some long rows.
00:24:49.92\00:24:51.55
Two hundred
fifty feet long. Okay.
00:24:51.59\00:24:53.79
That picture there on the screen
00:24:53.82\00:24:55.16
with the oranges
was a really valuable
00:24:55.19\00:24:56.73
learning
opportunity for the kids
00:24:56.76\00:24:58.89
because it took them
about seven times as long
00:24:58.93\00:25:01.86
to pick the bin of oranges.
00:25:01.90\00:25:04.07
Not that picture
on the screen there,
00:25:04.10\00:25:05.53
but a bin of oranges
is about 1,000 pounds.
00:25:05.57\00:25:07.40
Oh, my...
00:25:07.44\00:25:08.77
And it took them
much longer to do that
00:25:08.80\00:25:10.14
than I would have done it
00:25:10.17\00:25:11.51
or my crew would have
done that works on the farm.
00:25:11.54\00:25:14.08
And so then we talked to
them about business and finance
00:25:14.11\00:25:17.15
and how much wages cost,
00:25:17.18\00:25:18.85
and how much it really cost
00:25:18.88\00:25:20.45
based on their time
to pick the oranges,
00:25:20.48\00:25:22.72
and then the time
that it takes to pack
00:25:22.75\00:25:24.99
and to size and
to grade the oranges.
00:25:25.02\00:25:26.92
And we showed them on
paper that actually at the rate
00:25:26.96\00:25:29.82
that they were picking oranges,
they would have lost money.
00:25:29.86\00:25:32.89
And so the next
time they came out,
00:25:32.93\00:25:35.80
they actually
improved their time
00:25:35.83\00:25:38.10
to where they were
picking at the same speed
00:25:38.13\00:25:40.27
as me as an adult
00:25:40.30\00:25:42.27
because once they could
see the information on paper
00:25:42.30\00:25:44.77
and they had
lived that experience,
00:25:44.81\00:25:47.08
they could connect
it to the value of money
00:25:47.11\00:25:50.21
and the idea of losing
money versus making money.
00:25:50.25\00:25:53.42
And it only
took one conversation
00:25:53.45\00:25:55.15
the first time
to the second time
00:25:55.18\00:25:56.52
they picked oranges
00:25:56.55\00:25:57.89
it was radically
different experience for them.
00:25:57.92\00:25:59.75
And we wanted in the school...
00:25:59.79\00:26:01.72
When I say we, the
farm and the school,
00:26:01.76\00:26:03.49
it's a partnership
between the two of us.
00:26:03.53\00:26:05.63
We wanna not just get
the kids out into the farm,
00:26:05.66\00:26:08.80
we actually wanna pull
the farm into the classroom.
00:26:08.83\00:26:12.10
So the school's objective
is to take every subject taught
00:26:12.13\00:26:15.40
at the elementary
school and high school
00:26:15.44\00:26:18.11
and pull real world
hands on learning illustrations
00:26:18.14\00:26:21.94
into that classroom.
00:26:21.98\00:26:23.45
All the things you can
teach about math from the farm,
00:26:23.48\00:26:25.81
all the science, the biology,
the chemistry, the botany,
00:26:25.85\00:26:29.08
all of that's there to
be pulled into the classroom
00:26:29.12\00:26:31.79
to make learning very real.
00:26:31.82\00:26:34.36
Teaching business, or finance,
00:26:34.39\00:26:36.12
or just money management
in general to the kids.
00:26:36.16\00:26:38.63
And the more we
can get kids away from,
00:26:38.66\00:26:41.83
you know, just
pulling weeds and that's,
00:26:41.86\00:26:43.47
you know, certainly
something has to be done.
00:26:43.50\00:26:44.83
Oh, yes.
00:26:44.87\00:26:46.20
But to really
broaden their perspective
00:26:46.23\00:26:48.27
on all those things
00:26:48.30\00:26:49.97
makes learning very
interesting for them
00:26:50.01\00:26:51.84
and the kids go home,
many of them having had fun,
00:26:51.87\00:26:55.88
but also having
learned something from the farm
00:26:55.91\00:26:57.78
or the classroom there.
00:26:57.81\00:26:59.18
Yeah. Go head.
00:26:59.21\00:27:00.55
It's interesting also that
00:27:00.58\00:27:02.58
farming or
agricultural work of weeding
00:27:02.62\00:27:04.92
is kind of considered
to be something to avoid.
00:27:04.95\00:27:09.86
Yeah. Sort of meaning tasks.
00:27:09.89\00:27:11.73
I had a well meaning dean
one time called me up and said,
00:27:11.76\00:27:15.30
"I've some boys I need
to give some punishment,
00:27:15.33\00:27:19.30
can you give them some
hard work on the farm?"
00:27:19.33\00:27:21.77
And I said, "No,
00:27:21.80\00:27:23.14
it's a privilege
to work on the farm.
00:27:23.17\00:27:25.84
You know, I didn't want them
to have that kind of mindset
00:27:25.87\00:27:28.61
that this is something
you do when you're punished
00:27:28.64\00:27:31.05
because as one of my students
00:27:31.08\00:27:32.81
actually said to another student
00:27:32.85\00:27:34.18
who was kind of,
00:27:34.22\00:27:35.55
they were dialoguing and
one of them was grumbling
00:27:35.58\00:27:37.55
about the hard
work and she said,
00:27:37.59\00:27:39.59
"It's a privilege
to work on a farm,
00:27:39.62\00:27:40.96
it's a blessing."
00:27:40.99\00:27:42.32
You know, and so we wanna convey
00:27:42.36\00:27:43.76
that kind of
sentiment to the students.
00:27:43.79\00:27:46.19
And actually that really is.
00:27:46.23\00:27:47.60
I remember one student,
00:27:47.63\00:27:49.06
she had
transferred from another school
00:27:49.10\00:27:51.20
and I asked her,
"How do you like it here?"
00:27:51.23\00:27:52.57
And she said,
00:27:52.60\00:27:53.94
"Well, it was a
little bit harder to adjust."
00:27:53.97\00:27:55.80
But she said, "I
really feel alive."
00:27:55.84\00:27:57.64
I said, "How
come you feel alive?"
00:27:57.67\00:27:59.34
She said, "Well, I'm working out
00:27:59.37\00:28:00.71
in the fresh air and..."
00:28:00.74\00:28:02.08
She said, "I really feel good."
00:28:02.11\00:28:03.95
So after they get used to it
00:28:03.98\00:28:06.15
the initial
adjustment to the work,
00:28:06.18\00:28:09.22
they really appreciate it a lot.
00:28:09.25\00:28:11.89
You know, if I
can add something,
00:28:11.92\00:28:13.25
one of the other components
to what we're trying to do
00:28:13.29\00:28:17.16
is to teach kids
00:28:17.19\00:28:19.06
that we are here to
serve the community.
00:28:19.09\00:28:20.56
Amen.
00:28:20.60\00:28:21.93
And farming is a powerful
way to connect with communities
00:28:21.96\00:28:24.83
and maybe you wanna say
do evangelism or service
00:28:24.87\00:28:28.54
through the
nontraditional means of that.
00:28:28.57\00:28:30.94
Evangelism, you know,
because a lot of times
00:28:30.97\00:28:32.54
we think evangelism
is somebody standing up
00:28:32.57\00:28:34.44
as an evangelist and
doing a revelation seminar
00:28:34.48\00:28:36.88
or something along those lines.
00:28:36.91\00:28:38.41
But what you're saying
is associating farming,
00:28:38.45\00:28:42.62
agriculture with evangelism.
00:28:42.65\00:28:44.59
That's powerful.
00:28:44.62\00:28:45.95
And I particularly
like the word service.
00:28:45.99\00:28:47.76
Good.
00:28:47.79\00:28:49.12
There is a number of
things that we've been doing,
00:28:49.16\00:28:50.93
you know, I mentioned
earlier that we pick oranges
00:28:50.96\00:28:52.96
and sell oranges
through the farm.
00:28:52.99\00:28:54.83
But we took about
30, 40 of the kids
00:28:54.86\00:28:57.83
from the high
school about a month ago
00:28:57.87\00:29:00.24
and they helped us pick oranges,
00:29:00.27\00:29:02.14
they packed those
oranges into ten pound bags,
00:29:02.17\00:29:05.11
and then we took 300 bags...
00:29:05.14\00:29:07.64
Wow.
00:29:07.68\00:29:09.01
Three hundred 10
pound bags of oranges
00:29:09.04\00:29:11.38
and gave them away for free
00:29:11.41\00:29:13.01
to people in the
community around the school,
00:29:13.05\00:29:15.18
so the kids got to
connect with the community.
00:29:15.22\00:29:17.75
Our farms also connected
with other elementary schools,
00:29:17.79\00:29:21.06
public schools,
charter schools in Fresno
00:29:21.09\00:29:24.09
like we had 120 kindergartners
from a local elementary school
00:29:24.13\00:29:28.46
back last fall,
00:29:28.50\00:29:29.86
and some of the
kids from our school
00:29:29.90\00:29:32.27
helped to lead the groups
00:29:32.30\00:29:33.90
of elementary
kids around the farm,
00:29:33.94\00:29:35.64
and give farm tours,
00:29:35.67\00:29:37.04
and we
connected with that school
00:29:37.07\00:29:38.91
and created an
annual event out of that.
00:29:38.94\00:29:41.41
And I think that
there's a relationship
00:29:41.44\00:29:43.55
that we can build with
people in our community
00:29:43.58\00:29:45.45
around food and
the act of growing food
00:29:45.48\00:29:49.18
that allows us access to people
00:29:49.22\00:29:51.25
that we wouldn't
really have access
00:29:51.29\00:29:52.75
through other means of outreach.
00:29:52.79\00:29:54.69
One story that really
impressed me early on,
00:29:54.72\00:29:57.79
we were approached by
a group from Sacramento
00:29:57.83\00:30:01.10
that takes policy
makers and leaves them
00:30:01.13\00:30:04.80
on these bus
tours to educate them
00:30:04.83\00:30:06.43
about environmental
issues in California.
00:30:06.47\00:30:09.77
One of the biggest
environmental issues
00:30:09.80\00:30:11.14
in California is the
large amount of pesticides
00:30:11.17\00:30:14.51
used in proximity to schools
00:30:14.54\00:30:16.85
because we got rural
agricultural region school
00:30:16.88\00:30:19.15
out in that community.
00:30:19.18\00:30:20.72
So this group approached us,
00:30:20.75\00:30:22.62
and they asked if
they could tour our farm
00:30:22.65\00:30:24.72
because they
wanted to model a school
00:30:24.75\00:30:27.26
that was chemical free
00:30:27.29\00:30:29.16
that wasn't exposing the
kids to all these pesticides.
00:30:29.19\00:30:31.96
So you are organic.
We are certified organic.
00:30:31.99\00:30:34.20
Wow, at Fresno
Adventist Academy.
00:30:34.23\00:30:35.90
That's correct.
Yeah. That's incredible.
00:30:35.93\00:30:37.43
So they brought about 80 people
from department of pesticide
00:30:37.47\00:30:40.84
regulation, EPA,
policymakers from Sacramento,
00:30:40.87\00:30:43.44
and they toured the farm
00:30:43.47\00:30:44.87
and it was a great
experience by itself.
00:30:44.91\00:30:48.24
Couple of months later I
got a phone call from a lady,
00:30:48.28\00:30:50.95
her name was Maria and she said,
00:30:50.98\00:30:52.81
"Hey, you know, you
probably don't remember me
00:30:52.85\00:30:54.55
but I was on
this tour of your farm
00:30:54.58\00:30:56.38
and your facility.
00:30:56.42\00:30:57.75
And I work with a guy
00:30:57.79\00:30:59.52
who has his kids in
a school in Sacramento
00:30:59.55\00:31:03.12
and they're doing this
summit, they called it,
00:31:03.16\00:31:06.76
on food and
learning and education.
00:31:06.80\00:31:09.96
And we were wondering
00:31:10.00\00:31:11.33
if you would be
willing to speak at this school
00:31:11.37\00:31:14.60
and talk about farming in
the context of education."
00:31:14.64\00:31:16.71
I said, "Wow, of course."
00:31:16.74\00:31:18.07
Yeah. What an opportunity. Yeah.
00:31:18.11\00:31:19.44
It was great
opportunity. Yeah, for sure.
00:31:19.47\00:31:20.81
So we went
through this conversation
00:31:20.84\00:31:22.34
and she never told me
the name of the school
00:31:22.38\00:31:23.71
that was kind of funny.
00:31:23.75\00:31:25.08
So at the end I asked, I said,
"Well, what school is this?"
00:31:25.11\00:31:27.62
And she's, "Well,
00:31:27.65\00:31:28.98
it's the Jesuit High
School in Sacramento."
00:31:29.02\00:31:30.45
Wow.
00:31:30.49\00:31:31.82
And here's that that
you say the word Jesuit.
00:31:31.85\00:31:34.06
Opportunity there for you.
00:31:34.09\00:31:35.66
Right, a whole group of people
00:31:35.69\00:31:38.56
that we would never connect with
00:31:38.59\00:31:40.73
through our
traditional means of outreach
00:31:40.76\00:31:42.60
and evangelism,
theology, Bible study.
00:31:42.63\00:31:45.80
But I had the opportunity
00:31:45.83\00:31:47.34
to stand in a Jesuit
run school in Sacramento,
00:31:47.37\00:31:50.41
talk to 300 high
school-aged boys.
00:31:50.44\00:31:53.68
And I entitled my talk
educating the whole man,
00:31:53.71\00:31:56.81
mind, body, and soul.
00:31:56.85\00:31:59.05
And talked
about the farms impact
00:31:59.08\00:32:01.18
upon educating
the mind, the body,
00:32:01.22\00:32:04.72
and the impact
that physical exercise
00:32:04.75\00:32:06.49
does on the body.
00:32:06.52\00:32:07.86
But I asked the
administrator at the school,
00:32:07.89\00:32:09.36
I said, "I know
you're religious school,
00:32:09.39\00:32:11.56
would you mind if I shared
00:32:11.59\00:32:13.76
from the Bible
and it was spiritual?"
00:32:13.80\00:32:15.70
She says, "Please
we would love it."
00:32:15.73\00:32:17.60
And so the last part of my talk,
00:32:17.63\00:32:19.03
I talked about how
we can learn about God
00:32:19.07\00:32:22.30
and the spiritual
world through farming.
00:32:22.34\00:32:25.24
An opportunity
to share the gospel
00:32:25.27\00:32:26.91
with a group of people
00:32:26.94\00:32:28.54
that I can't
think of any other way
00:32:28.58\00:32:30.15
I would have ever
connected to that group.
00:32:30.18\00:32:32.61
You know, I've done Bible work
and other types of evangelism,
00:32:32.65\00:32:35.32
I would've never
connected with these people.
00:32:35.35\00:32:37.35
And so we wanna
our kids to learn
00:32:37.39\00:32:38.92
that through the farm and food
00:32:38.95\00:32:40.79
is an opportunity to
connect with their community
00:32:40.82\00:32:43.46
the people they associate
with locally and to serve them.
00:32:43.49\00:32:46.63
You know, I
think because all of us
00:32:46.66\00:32:48.00
we all need to eat.
00:32:48.03\00:32:49.36
I know I love to
eat, I enjoy food,
00:32:49.40\00:32:51.43
you know, so that's
something that all of us
00:32:51.47\00:32:53.20
as human beings
as a world population
00:32:53.23\00:32:56.27
food is very
important, you know, to us.
00:32:56.30\00:32:59.07
And it's sad that, I
mean, a big part of the world
00:32:59.11\00:33:01.48
is actually in hunger,
00:33:01.51\00:33:02.84
they don't have
enough food to eat.
00:33:02.88\00:33:04.38
I know that
you're, I think board chair
00:33:04.41\00:33:07.45
of an Adventist
Agricultural Association.
00:33:07.48\00:33:11.75
So tell me about that
00:33:11.79\00:33:13.12
because that's
not just with Weimar,
00:33:13.15\00:33:14.49
this is actually an association
00:33:14.52\00:33:15.86
of Adventist
agricultural people,
00:33:15.89\00:33:17.23
people interested in it.
00:33:17.26\00:33:18.59
Right.
00:33:18.63\00:33:19.96
So it basically
grew out of people
00:33:20.00\00:33:21.73
like David and
myself, and others who...
00:33:21.76\00:33:25.10
God was bringing
back to being involved
00:33:25.13\00:33:28.20
with agriculture with schools
and families and so forth.
00:33:28.24\00:33:31.94
And so I know God
had put on my heart
00:33:31.97\00:33:34.98
there's a need
for an association
00:33:35.01\00:33:36.58
so we can network
and share information
00:33:36.61\00:33:38.51
and things like that.
00:33:38.55\00:33:39.88
That's great.
00:33:39.91\00:33:41.25
And so I called a few farmers
that I knew and they were busy
00:33:41.28\00:33:44.45
and, you know, we
tried to share some ideas.
00:33:44.49\00:33:47.39
But then there was a conference
that was held at Uchee Pines,
00:33:47.42\00:33:50.59
Bob Jorgensen held it
00:33:50.63\00:33:52.83
and it was
agriculture and education
00:33:52.86\00:33:55.46
was the title of it.
00:33:55.50\00:33:56.83
And in the advertising
00:33:56.87\00:33:58.40
the e-mail that
went out it said,
00:33:58.43\00:33:59.77
we gonna talk about
forming an association.
00:33:59.80\00:34:02.34
So I was interested so I
went and there was a bunch of us
00:34:02.37\00:34:07.24
that got together afterwards
and formed the association.
00:34:07.28\00:34:10.31
And it was such
an amazing experience
00:34:10.35\00:34:12.61
because God was there,
00:34:12.65\00:34:13.98
it was such a
spiritual need that was there.
00:34:14.02\00:34:19.15
And so we
started this association,
00:34:19.19\00:34:21.62
we came up with
some mission statement
00:34:21.66\00:34:23.83
and some objectives
to kind of steer us,
00:34:23.86\00:34:26.63
and out of that we've
had annual conferences,
00:34:26.66\00:34:29.90
we've had three now,
and every year we have more.
00:34:29.93\00:34:34.67
And each year it's been growing
almost doubling in attendance.
00:34:34.70\00:34:38.71
Wow.
00:34:38.74\00:34:40.08
So in the most recent
one how many people attended,
00:34:40.11\00:34:42.41
do you think
attended this conference?
00:34:42.44\00:34:43.78
Close to 800
people. Eight hundred.
00:34:43.81\00:34:45.35
Yeah.
00:34:45.38\00:34:46.72
And this will be
people from around the world
00:34:46.75\00:34:48.08
or from just the North America?
00:34:48.12\00:34:49.45
We had international people
there as far away as Australia
00:34:49.48\00:34:53.22
and South America
00:34:53.25\00:34:55.32
and some of the
Caribbean islands.
00:34:55.36\00:34:57.93
So, yes, we had people
00:34:57.96\00:34:59.39
but a lot of even
school teachers, principals,
00:34:59.43\00:35:03.23
even a couple of
conference presidents came
00:35:03.26\00:35:04.97
because they want to
see something happened
00:35:05.00\00:35:06.97
in their schools
with agriculture.
00:35:07.00\00:35:08.94
So there is an
interest, a growing interest,
00:35:08.97\00:35:11.84
you know, part of
the plan but in this,
00:35:11.87\00:35:14.88
you know, field and...
00:35:14.91\00:35:16.28
And so the conference has become
00:35:16.31\00:35:17.65
an excellent place for
networking a lot of schools
00:35:17.68\00:35:21.35
or institutions
looking for farmers come there
00:35:21.38\00:35:23.45
and they're looking
00:35:23.49\00:35:24.82
and there is a
shortage of Adventist farmers.
00:35:24.85\00:35:27.96
You know, we're
going to actually put up
00:35:27.99\00:35:29.32
some contact
information you maybe see
00:35:29.36\00:35:31.59
some lower thirds pop
up during this program
00:35:31.63\00:35:33.50
but at the end we
always go to our address break,
00:35:33.53\00:35:35.76
so make sure that
you get a pencil and pen
00:35:35.80\00:35:37.97
ready that you can get down
00:35:38.00\00:35:39.63
when maybe the next seminar
is gonna be held or conference,
00:35:39.67\00:35:43.30
I think you called
it for agriculture,
00:35:43.34\00:35:45.07
in case you're interested in it.
00:35:45.11\00:35:46.47
But I wanna ask
you this question,
00:35:46.51\00:35:47.98
why, because God has
reasons and purposes,
00:35:48.01\00:35:51.68
you know, had purpose
for putting Adam in a garden.
00:35:51.71\00:35:55.55
I mean, I know you, guys...
00:35:55.58\00:35:56.92
I'm sure there's
scientific reasons,
00:35:56.95\00:35:58.85
there are spiritual reasons,
00:35:58.89\00:36:00.52
talk to me little
about the scientific reasons.
00:36:00.56\00:36:02.19
Why is it
important that God put man
00:36:02.22\00:36:06.33
in a garden to work
the soil, to till the soil,
00:36:06.36\00:36:09.36
to put our hands in the soil?
00:36:09.40\00:36:11.17
I mean, we know it's
good to breath fresh air
00:36:11.20\00:36:12.53
but I'm sure there's
some scientific reasons
00:36:12.57\00:36:14.30
why God did this?
00:36:14.34\00:36:16.40
It's interesting, you
know, this bacteria in the soil
00:36:16.44\00:36:19.94
called mycobacterium
vaccae is very prevalent.
00:36:19.97\00:36:21.64
Well, that sounds bad.
00:36:21.68\00:36:23.01
It sounds bacteria,
when I think of bacteria,
00:36:23.04\00:36:24.38
I think of something horrible.
00:36:24.41\00:36:25.75
But actually there's
a lot of good bacteria.
00:36:25.78\00:36:27.38
Yes, that's right.
There is good and bad.
00:36:27.42\00:36:28.75
But the good
have a lot of benefits
00:36:28.78\00:36:30.89
and this particular bacteria
00:36:30.92\00:36:32.79
actually raises
our serotonin level
00:36:32.82\00:36:34.52
so we feel happier.
00:36:34.56\00:36:36.29
Oh, wow.
00:36:36.32\00:36:37.79
So it's actually
an antidepressant.
00:36:37.83\00:36:40.80
To put my hands in the
soil? In the soil. Yes.
00:36:40.83\00:36:42.50
Wow, that's incredible.
00:36:42.53\00:36:43.87
And there's something
about the green environment.
00:36:43.90\00:36:47.64
Hospitals now
00:36:47.67\00:36:49.00
that are being built
up putting in a garden
00:36:49.04\00:36:50.57
because it's recognized
that there is actual benefit
00:36:50.61\00:36:54.24
to speeding up
the healing process,
00:36:54.28\00:36:57.85
just being in a
green environment.
00:36:57.88\00:36:59.75
And patients need
less pain medication
00:36:59.78\00:37:02.55
so it's being
scientifically recognized now
00:37:02.58\00:37:05.15
that these
benefits from just being
00:37:05.19\00:37:07.22
without even putting
your hands in the soil,
00:37:07.26\00:37:08.62
just seeing and
looking at the plants
00:37:08.66\00:37:10.86
and so on, and
there's a discipline
00:37:10.89\00:37:13.60
or a therapy called
horticulture therapy
00:37:13.63\00:37:17.73
that someone can actually
go and get training in to do
00:37:17.77\00:37:21.50
kind of PT type
of work with patients
00:37:21.54\00:37:24.37
and find out what the patients'
00:37:24.41\00:37:27.71
limitations are by
design and activity
00:37:27.74\00:37:30.01
that helps them
reap those benefits.
00:37:30.05\00:37:32.41
You know, I think, Greg,
00:37:32.45\00:37:35.28
we recognize that even
non-Christians recognize
00:37:35.32\00:37:38.69
there's physical
benefits to gardening,
00:37:38.72\00:37:40.86
that the quality of food
00:37:40.89\00:37:42.22
that you can have growing
in your own backyard as opposed
00:37:42.26\00:37:44.46
to what's available,
00:37:44.49\00:37:45.83
and certainly
the educational value
00:37:45.86\00:37:47.53
of gardening I mentioned earlier
00:37:47.56\00:37:49.16
in the context of the school.
00:37:49.20\00:37:50.97
I think really the big reason
is that spiritual component.
00:37:51.00\00:37:54.47
Yeah, why God
placed Adam in the garden.
00:37:54.50\00:37:55.94
That's right.
00:37:55.97\00:37:57.31
And, you know, we talked about
00:37:57.34\00:37:58.67
this early at
Fresno Adventist Academy
00:37:58.71\00:38:01.04
that there are a
lot of young people
00:38:01.08\00:38:03.68
that are leaving our church.
00:38:03.71\00:38:05.78
The statistics
available conservative numbers
00:38:05.81\00:38:08.45
is that 50% of Adventist youth
leave the church immediately
00:38:08.48\00:38:12.69
after graduating
from high school.
00:38:12.72\00:38:14.79
And that was the
trend that the school board
00:38:14.82\00:38:17.23
as well as myself were
really burden to reverse.
00:38:17.26\00:38:21.53
And there is no place
where you can meet God
00:38:21.56\00:38:24.73
more clearly than in nature.
00:38:24.77\00:38:27.57
The contact with
nature provides an opportunity
00:38:27.60\00:38:31.61
to see the
existence of God in ways
00:38:31.64\00:38:34.41
that no other thing really does.
00:38:34.44\00:38:36.68
It's why Jesus used
so many illustrations
00:38:36.71\00:38:39.55
from nature in the Bible.
00:38:39.58\00:38:41.28
And interesting
thing about Genesis 2,
00:38:41.32\00:38:43.65
if we recall our minds
back to that story it says,
00:38:43.69\00:38:46.55
"God planted a garden in Eden."
00:38:46.59\00:38:50.36
You know, God had the
ability to speak everything
00:38:50.39\00:38:52.36
into existence, He
did that for six days
00:38:52.39\00:38:55.53
but He didn't on two things,
00:38:55.56\00:38:58.23
He formed man with His own hands
00:38:58.27\00:39:00.10
or the dust of the ground.
00:39:00.14\00:39:01.47
Yes, He did.
00:39:01.50\00:39:02.84
And secondly with His own hand
God planted a garden in Eden.
00:39:02.87\00:39:07.68
So instead of just
creating the garden by His word,
00:39:07.71\00:39:11.81
He provided man's occupation,
00:39:11.85\00:39:14.68
man's habitat
with His own hands,
00:39:14.72\00:39:17.65
the same hands that
He had used to form Adam
00:39:17.69\00:39:20.99
out of the dust of the earth,
00:39:21.02\00:39:22.62
He used to create Adam and Eves,
00:39:22.66\00:39:25.69
really mankind's
occupation and habitat.
00:39:25.73\00:39:29.03
Because there's a
connection with him there
00:39:29.06\00:39:32.17
that we don't have
in another vocations,
00:39:32.20\00:39:34.04
and I'm not saying
other vocations are bad.
00:39:34.07\00:39:35.87
No.
00:39:35.90\00:39:37.24
But there's
something there about nature.
00:39:37.27\00:39:39.77
There's a quote in the
writings of Ellen White
00:39:39.81\00:39:42.88
that has really struck me
00:39:42.91\00:39:46.85
as she talks about
00:39:46.88\00:39:48.22
our young people in agriculture
in the context of our schools.
00:39:48.25\00:39:51.12
And I'll read
you this line here.
00:39:51.15\00:39:52.52
Yeah. Go ahead.
00:39:52.55\00:39:53.89
She says, "Many who
graduated from institutions
00:39:53.92\00:39:57.63
that had agricultural components
00:39:57.66\00:40:00.30
and other industries as well
00:40:00.33\00:40:02.36
would come forth with
stability of character."
00:40:02.40\00:40:06.17
She goes on, she says,
"They would have perseverance,
00:40:06.20\00:40:09.30
fortitude, courage
to overcome obstacles
00:40:09.34\00:40:13.48
and such principles
that they would not be swayed
00:40:13.51\00:40:16.48
by wrong influences
regardless of the popularity."
00:40:16.51\00:40:20.52
It's tremendous. It's amazing.
00:40:20.55\00:40:21.88
What we see today
is young people who,
00:40:21.92\00:40:23.62
you know, largely buckle
00:40:23.65\00:40:24.99
under the peer
pressure of society
00:40:25.02\00:40:27.42
but through an
integration of agriculture
00:40:27.46\00:40:30.23
and hands on
learning with education,
00:40:30.26\00:40:32.89
we can develop
character in young people
00:40:32.93\00:40:35.46
that will allow
them to resist temptation
00:40:35.50\00:40:38.03
regardless of the popularity
attached to the temptation.
00:40:38.07\00:40:41.70
And that's a
powerful thing to do in our...
00:40:41.74\00:40:43.64
The most valuable
asset we have in our church
00:40:43.67\00:40:45.94
is our young people.
00:40:45.97\00:40:47.31
Yeah. Amen.
00:40:47.34\00:40:48.68
You know, I think about there's,
00:40:48.71\00:40:50.05
you know, we have
viewers from around the world
00:40:50.08\00:40:51.71
and some are in high
rise apartments buildings,
00:40:51.75\00:40:54.55
so they could be viewing today
00:40:54.58\00:40:55.92
and you may be
viewing at home and saying,
00:40:55.95\00:40:58.62
"That's rather discouraging.
00:40:58.65\00:40:59.99
I know there's
benefits to putting my hands
00:41:00.02\00:41:01.36
in the soil I don't...
00:41:01.39\00:41:02.72
I mean, I'm in an
apartment building."
00:41:02.76\00:41:04.19
And what options do
they have for being,
00:41:04.23\00:41:07.70
let's say in an
apartment building
00:41:07.73\00:41:09.06
in an urban area
that you can't have
00:41:09.10\00:41:11.73
acres and acres of a big garden.
00:41:11.77\00:41:14.30
This may seem perhaps unexpected
00:41:14.34\00:41:16.87
but our farm and the school
is in the middle of Fresno,
00:41:16.91\00:41:20.24
we're right below the airport.
00:41:20.28\00:41:22.18
And so, yeah, we
have a little bit of land,
00:41:22.21\00:41:24.45
but most of the
student interaction
00:41:24.48\00:41:26.35
is in little
gardens, little boxes,
00:41:26.38\00:41:28.78
you know, 12 feet by 3 feet long
00:41:28.82\00:41:31.25
or 15 feet by 4 feet
long at little boxes.
00:41:31.29\00:41:34.09
There's things you
can do in your backyard,
00:41:34.12\00:41:36.46
on your windowsill, and...
00:41:36.49\00:41:38.73
On your windowsill?
00:41:38.76\00:41:40.13
Wow, so you think of agriculture
00:41:40.16\00:41:41.50
on your windowsill.
00:41:41.53\00:41:42.86
That's right.
00:41:42.90\00:41:44.23
In the little spaces typically
between houses on the sidewalk,
00:41:44.27\00:41:47.44
you know, in little steps
where you can plant flowers
00:41:47.47\00:41:49.37
and things around your house.
00:41:49.40\00:41:50.81
You don't have to
have lots of land,
00:41:50.84\00:41:52.87
you can do a lot
on a very small space
00:41:52.91\00:41:54.61
or ground even in an urban area.
00:41:54.64\00:41:56.88
Even vertical gardening.
00:41:56.91\00:41:58.25
There's vertical garden
panels that have pockets in them
00:41:58.28\00:42:00.42
and you can grow
vegetables in those pockets.
00:42:00.45\00:42:03.45
So there's different
ways for city dwellers
00:42:03.49\00:42:06.19
to be able to grow food
00:42:06.22\00:42:07.92
and the more you become
00:42:07.96\00:42:12.73
in tune with nature and
loving the activity of it,
00:42:12.76\00:42:15.73
the more you want.
00:42:15.76\00:42:17.10
And I think that
ultimately God is leading people
00:42:17.13\00:42:19.70
to a deeper experience with Him
00:42:19.73\00:42:21.47
through nature
because nature has a way
00:42:21.50\00:42:23.84
of just unlocking the
mysteries of the Bible
00:42:23.87\00:42:26.68
and just making them real
because they're God's thoughts.
00:42:26.71\00:42:30.38
You know, creation is
His thoughts revealed.
00:42:30.41\00:42:31.95
And so as we
look at His creation
00:42:31.98\00:42:34.52
and see how seeds
grow from that miracle,
00:42:34.55\00:42:37.29
that little seed just planted
and just see it germinate
00:42:37.32\00:42:39.89
Oh, yeah.
00:42:39.92\00:42:41.26
It's like Jesus
breaking the loaves and fishes
00:42:41.29\00:42:43.02
and it's
happening in slow motion,
00:42:43.06\00:42:44.96
but it's still a miracle.
00:42:44.99\00:42:47.36
Yeah, absolutely, you
know, it's neat because...
00:42:47.40\00:42:48.90
My dad, he's a pastor
00:42:48.93\00:42:51.97
but he also
oversees because he's pastor
00:42:52.00\00:42:54.87
of a Seventh-day
Adventist church,
00:42:54.90\00:42:56.24
several churches
actually in West Virginia.
00:42:56.27\00:42:58.47
And one of the
churches has a school
00:42:58.51\00:43:01.71
and so my dad has helped
the school build a greenhouse
00:43:01.74\00:43:06.08
and thinking about
what you're mentioning,
00:43:06.11\00:43:07.45
all the kids, they're
so excited to go out there
00:43:07.48\00:43:10.09
and plant those
little bitty seeds.
00:43:10.12\00:43:12.25
And, of course, it's
like they can't wait,
00:43:12.29\00:43:13.62
you know, almost every hour,
00:43:13.66\00:43:14.99
you know, you
almost want to go out there
00:43:15.02\00:43:16.36
and say what's
happened to that seed.
00:43:16.39\00:43:17.73
Once they start
to grow, oh, my word,
00:43:17.76\00:43:19.39
it's like, "Wow,
this is so exciting."
00:43:19.43\00:43:20.90
And then when you get to eat
00:43:20.93\00:43:22.66
the fruit of your
labor so to speak,
00:43:22.70\00:43:24.80
and then to
recognize that God is the one
00:43:24.83\00:43:27.17
that gives life to that
seed to grow into the plant,
00:43:27.20\00:43:30.21
it's truly amazing.
00:43:30.24\00:43:31.57
We've had the same
experience with the kids
00:43:31.61\00:43:33.14
that they love getting outside,
00:43:33.17\00:43:34.51
they love getting
their hands in the dirt,
00:43:34.54\00:43:36.08
especially some of
them more than others
00:43:36.11\00:43:37.55
but, yeah, same experience.
00:43:37.58\00:43:38.91
It's powerful.
00:43:38.95\00:43:40.28
What spiritual lessons,
00:43:40.32\00:43:41.65
you know, one
can learn from that?
00:43:41.68\00:43:43.02
So what are the
spiritual lessons
00:43:43.05\00:43:44.39
or things can be
gained from agriculture?
00:43:44.42\00:43:45.95
Oh, great question. You got one.
00:43:45.99\00:43:48.66
Well, I think there's a
lot that come to my mind.
00:43:48.69\00:43:51.59
These illustrations
00:43:51.63\00:43:52.96
as there's so many symbiotic
relationships in nature
00:43:52.99\00:43:55.53
that show that, you know,
God didn't create anything
00:43:55.56\00:43:58.17
to just live on
its own to itself,
00:43:58.20\00:44:00.54
everything
benefits something else,
00:44:00.57\00:44:01.90
you know, in a relationship.
Well, that's a great point.
00:44:01.94\00:44:04.41
And so the same for us.
00:44:04.44\00:44:06.21
But I think one picture of God
00:44:06.24\00:44:08.68
that really
impacted my heart was,
00:44:08.71\00:44:10.88
we had put up bluebird boxes
00:44:10.91\00:44:12.88
because
bluebirds go and eat bugs
00:44:12.91\00:44:14.55
and they'll eat a lot of bugs,
00:44:14.58\00:44:16.12
so we put these
boxes up over the farm.
00:44:16.15\00:44:18.52
And one morning
I came out early.
00:44:18.55\00:44:20.46
It was just the
sun hadn't even come up
00:44:20.49\00:44:22.59
and I was getting ready to work
00:44:22.62\00:44:23.99
in the cool of
the day in the summer,
00:44:24.03\00:44:25.89
and I looked up
at this blue bird box
00:44:25.93\00:44:27.70
and I saw this what looked to me
00:44:27.73\00:44:29.86
like a wasp nest in
the opening and I thought,
00:44:29.90\00:44:33.13
"Oh, no, I don't want a
wasp nest blocking the way
00:44:33.17\00:44:35.00
for the birds to get in inside."
00:44:35.04\00:44:36.37
I got the handle
of a rake or something
00:44:36.40\00:44:39.64
and I was trying to
break that wasp nest off
00:44:39.67\00:44:41.71
and it wouldn't break off.
00:44:41.74\00:44:43.18
And meanwhile the sun
was just coming enough
00:44:43.21\00:44:46.18
that I could start
seeing then I realized
00:44:46.21\00:44:48.32
it was the belly
of the father bird
00:44:48.35\00:44:50.85
was actually closing
off that hole into the nest.
00:44:50.89\00:44:54.46
And while I'm poking
00:44:54.49\00:44:55.99
it was just
clinging on for dear life,
00:44:56.02\00:44:58.33
protecting its
little babies there,
00:44:58.36\00:44:59.96
and I thought, "Wow,
that's a beautiful picture
00:45:00.00\00:45:02.00
of God's care for us."
00:45:02.03\00:45:03.43
You know, that He has put
00:45:03.47\00:45:04.90
in His
creatures that He created.
00:45:04.93\00:45:08.00
So that was one
that really impacted me.
00:45:08.04\00:45:09.64
And there's many
others, maybe David has some...
00:45:09.67\00:45:13.98
You know, what I
was wondering too,
00:45:14.01\00:45:15.34
you know, we're talking about,
00:45:15.38\00:45:16.71
you know, it's gardening,
you know, spiritual aspect,
00:45:16.75\00:45:19.21
and being able to
use it as evangelism
00:45:19.25\00:45:21.88
What about even churches
like local churches could,
00:45:21.92\00:45:24.45
if they had some land,
00:45:24.49\00:45:25.82
could they do
community gardening?
00:45:25.85\00:45:28.12
I don't know what you all think
00:45:28.16\00:45:29.49
of the community
gardening aspects of things
00:45:29.52\00:45:30.89
but then that could be
just people from your community.
00:45:30.93\00:45:33.06
Yeah, you know, our
farm as I mentioned...
00:45:33.09\00:45:35.36
I don't know if I mentioned,
00:45:35.40\00:45:36.73
our farms a
nonprofit organization.
00:45:36.77\00:45:38.40
Okay. No, you didn't.
00:45:38.43\00:45:39.77
Not only do we work with
Fresno Adventist Academy,
00:45:39.80\00:45:42.17
but it's part of our program
to work with any other church
00:45:42.20\00:45:45.24
or any other
school Christian or not
00:45:45.27\00:45:47.71
who want to
develop garden programs.
00:45:47.74\00:45:50.85
We're working with
three other Adventists school
00:45:50.88\00:45:52.58
in the Central
Valley of California,
00:45:52.61\00:45:53.95
plus we're working
00:45:53.98\00:45:55.32
with Tehachapi
Seventh-day Adventist church
00:45:55.35\00:45:57.39
in Southern California
to build a community garden.
00:45:57.42\00:45:59.55
Oh, that's great.
00:45:59.59\00:46:01.59
And that's part of our program
00:46:01.62\00:46:03.43
as a whole is to assist
other churches and schools
00:46:03.46\00:46:06.39
and developing
programs of their own
00:46:06.43\00:46:07.90
so they can connect
with their community.
00:46:07.93\00:46:09.60
That's good.
00:46:09.63\00:46:10.97
So for us, you know,
this comes back for me
00:46:11.00\00:46:13.23
to the mission of our church.
00:46:13.27\00:46:15.24
Our mission as a
church is to take the gospel
00:46:15.27\00:46:17.97
to the whole world
00:46:18.01\00:46:19.34
whether that's
Matthew 24:14 or Revelation 14
00:46:19.37\00:46:23.21
is to carry that gospel
message to the whole world.
00:46:23.24\00:46:26.11
And there's this
interesting verse in Revelation,
00:46:26.15\00:46:27.95
we probably most of
us are familiar with it.
00:46:27.98\00:46:30.15
That in the last days
00:46:30.19\00:46:31.52
there will be these certain
persecutions and pressures,
00:46:31.55\00:46:34.12
and it says, you won't
be able to buy or sell.
00:46:34.16\00:46:37.33
Now the first
thing I think of is,
00:46:37.36\00:46:38.69
"Well, how am I gonna eat?"
00:46:38.73\00:46:40.06
And a lot of people
ask that same question.
00:46:40.10\00:46:41.50
Sure.
00:46:41.53\00:46:42.86
And I think we often
view farming or growing food
00:46:42.90\00:46:47.77
in the context of the last days
as an act of self preservation.
00:46:47.80\00:46:52.61
But really that's not true
00:46:52.64\00:46:54.98
because as long as
probation is still open,
00:46:55.01\00:46:58.21
then people can
still make the decision
00:46:58.25\00:47:00.68
to give their heart to Christ.
00:47:00.72\00:47:02.05
That's correct.
00:47:02.08\00:47:03.42
And Revelation
13's no buy, no sell
00:47:03.45\00:47:07.79
is really a call
for us to grow food
00:47:07.82\00:47:10.26
to sustain ourselves.
00:47:10.29\00:47:12.43
Or as Ellen White would say
00:47:12.46\00:47:13.80
because the problem
of buying and selling
00:47:13.83\00:47:15.26
will be a serious one
00:47:15.30\00:47:17.17
but so that we can preserve
our mission as a church,
00:47:17.20\00:47:20.74
whether it's a school
like Fresno Adventist Academy,
00:47:20.77\00:47:23.67
or a church
building, a community garden,
00:47:23.71\00:47:26.24
or one of our hospitals,
00:47:26.27\00:47:28.14
or other institutions
that puts in a garden or farm.
00:47:28.18\00:47:31.65
It's so that at that last moment
00:47:31.68\00:47:33.78
that we can preserve
the mission of our church
00:47:33.82\00:47:36.48
at a time where economic
pressure is being applied
00:47:36.52\00:47:39.82
to prevent us from
sharing the gospel.
00:47:39.85\00:47:42.39
Revelation 13 is really just
an old-fashioned classic siege.
00:47:42.42\00:47:47.20
You surround the
city with your army,
00:47:47.23\00:47:49.70
prevent the food
from going in, going out,
00:47:49.73\00:47:52.00
and lead the people
00:47:52.03\00:47:55.40
you're attacking
into emotional submission.
00:47:55.44\00:47:58.51
And I think that, that
appeal there in Revelation 13
00:47:58.54\00:48:01.84
is really rooted
in the preservation
00:48:01.88\00:48:03.95
of our mission as a church,
00:48:03.98\00:48:06.31
as schools, as
other institutions
00:48:06.35\00:48:08.58
to be able to
reach out to people
00:48:08.62\00:48:10.05
and connect with them
00:48:10.09\00:48:11.42
on the most basic
of human necessities...
00:48:11.45\00:48:13.25
Wow, amen. And that's food.
00:48:13.29\00:48:14.79
Yeah, that's incredible.
00:48:14.82\00:48:16.32
I know with the association
00:48:16.36\00:48:17.73
the Adventist
Agriculture Association
00:48:17.76\00:48:19.46
that website for
that is AdventisAg.org.
00:48:19.49\00:48:24.83
Okay, so AdventistAg.org
00:48:24.87\00:48:28.14
and there will
be more information
00:48:28.17\00:48:29.50
on there about the
conferences and the association
00:48:29.54\00:48:33.01
that you with
agricultural people
00:48:33.04\00:48:34.54
from around the world.
00:48:34.58\00:48:35.91
Yes, that's correct, Greg.
00:48:35.94\00:48:37.51
The conference
information will be there,
00:48:37.55\00:48:39.31
registration when it is up
00:48:39.35\00:48:40.88
will be available to
register on the site,
00:48:40.92\00:48:42.92
and information
about the classes.
00:48:42.95\00:48:45.69
We've many classes like
00:48:45.72\00:48:47.16
Lynn Holweg
teaching how to plant trees
00:48:47.19\00:48:50.33
the way Ellen White
would show and envision...
00:48:50.36\00:48:52.33
Oh, fantastic.
Very popular class.
00:48:52.36\00:48:55.06
And classes for
beginners, advanced farmers,
00:48:55.10\00:48:58.03
for people who are
schooling, educating,
00:48:58.07\00:49:00.47
how to integrate
it into the classroom.
00:49:00.50\00:49:02.64
So you can
attend even if you know
00:49:02.67\00:49:04.01
nothing about agriculture,
but just interested in it.
00:49:04.04\00:49:06.14
Yes. And go there to learn.
00:49:06.17\00:49:07.64
And, Greg, I wanted to
share just one short experience
00:49:07.68\00:49:10.58
that is really powerful
00:49:10.61\00:49:11.95
and I think it illustrates
what's being talked about
00:49:11.98\00:49:14.22
the potential for the church
to harness reaching people.
00:49:14.25\00:49:18.99
So our college students went out
00:49:19.02\00:49:21.02
one day just door knocking
00:49:21.06\00:49:23.22
and they've
done that many times.
00:49:23.26\00:49:24.73
And, you know, you get a
lot of people close their doors,
00:49:24.76\00:49:26.83
they're not interested,
and it's a hard experience
00:49:26.86\00:49:29.13
to have doors closed
00:49:29.16\00:49:30.50
and people get upset
with you coming to their door.
00:49:30.53\00:49:32.73
So I gave them excess
produce we had and said,
00:49:32.77\00:49:35.30
"Why don't you give this away
00:49:35.34\00:49:36.67
when, you know,
you go door to door."
00:49:36.71\00:49:38.21
Free of charge. Yeah.
00:49:38.24\00:49:39.57
Wow, that's great.
00:49:39.61\00:49:40.94
So they went to the doors
and some people came out angry,
00:49:40.98\00:49:42.31
you know, and they said,
00:49:42.34\00:49:44.15
"Well, we're just here to
share some of our farm produce."
00:49:44.18\00:49:46.85
And that anger turn
to a smile and, you know,
00:49:46.88\00:49:51.09
one particular lady was so
grateful that she opened up
00:49:51.12\00:49:53.59
they were ready
to do the service.
00:49:53.62\00:49:55.16
And when that
students came back they said,
00:49:55.19\00:49:56.86
"You know what
this was really powerful
00:49:56.89\00:49:58.99
because not one
person turned us away,
00:49:59.03\00:50:01.53
every single person
talked to us and was interested
00:50:01.56\00:50:04.87
because we gave them
some of the farm produce."
00:50:04.90\00:50:07.74
So look at the
potential for a church
00:50:07.77\00:50:10.24
or a school to reach communities
00:50:10.27\00:50:12.07
just through
sharing these blessings.
00:50:12.11\00:50:13.74
The doors of opportunity
opened wide that's for sure.
00:50:13.78\00:50:16.11
Just like Jesus
feeding the multitude
00:50:16.14\00:50:18.81
and their response to Him.
00:50:18.85\00:50:20.18
Yeah. Amen.
00:50:20.22\00:50:21.55
I know here that
we're running out of time,
00:50:21.58\00:50:22.92
but there's a book here
David called the Greenprint,
00:50:22.95\00:50:25.65
and I know there's
a website for that.
00:50:25.69\00:50:27.12
What is the website?
00:50:27.16\00:50:28.49
And tell us a
little bit about this book.
00:50:28.52\00:50:29.86
It's
harvestfields.farm/greenprint.
00:50:29.89\00:50:33.40
That's our farm
website. One more time.
00:50:33.43\00:50:35.53
Harvestfields.farm/greenprint.
00:50:35.56\00:50:38.77
Okay. And what is the book?
00:50:38.80\00:50:40.14
So over the course
of about seven years
00:50:40.17\00:50:42.74
I've been studying the Bible
and the writings of Ellen White
00:50:42.77\00:50:45.04
on regard to agriculture
and that book is a compilation
00:50:45.07\00:50:48.98
of everything
that Ellen White spoke
00:50:49.01\00:50:52.31
on the subject of agriculture.
00:50:52.35\00:50:53.72
Everything she
wrote about agriculture,
00:50:53.75\00:50:55.08
gardening, farming, growing food
00:50:55.12\00:50:57.89
is in that book there,
00:50:57.92\00:50:59.39
and you can get
that off our website
00:50:59.42\00:51:00.92
and send it to you in the mail.
00:51:00.96\00:51:02.62
This book sounds like an
excellent resource material
00:51:02.66\00:51:04.93
to have on hand.
00:51:04.96\00:51:07.53
This time has flown by,
this hour, that's for sure.
00:51:07.56\00:51:10.47
What I wanna do right now
00:51:10.50\00:51:11.83
is actually go
to our address roll,
00:51:11.87\00:51:13.20
which will provide
the contact information
00:51:13.23\00:51:15.50
for a Harvest
Fields, which is Fresno
00:51:15.54\00:51:17.74
and then also the Adventist
Agriculture Association,
00:51:17.77\00:51:20.78
so let's go to that
contact information right now.
00:51:20.81\00:51:24.95
If you would like to
know more about this ministry,
00:51:24.98\00:51:26.95
then you can write to
Harvest Fields Organic Farm
00:51:26.98\00:51:30.12
5397, East Olive Avenue,
00:51:30.15\00:51:32.62
Fresno, California 93727.
00:51:32.65\00:51:35.86
That's Harvest
Fields Organic Farm
00:51:35.89\00:51:38.33
5397, East Olive Avenue,
00:51:38.36\00:51:41.16
Fresno, California 93727.
00:51:41.20\00:51:44.33
You can visit them
online at HarvestFields.farm.
00:51:44.37\00:51:47.97
That's HarvestFields.farm.
00:51:48.00\00:51:51.81
You can also email them
at info@harvestfields.farm.
00:51:51.84\00:51:56.08
That's info@harvestfields.farm.
00:51:56.11\00:52:00.02
If you would like to contact
00:52:00.05\00:52:01.38
the Adventist
Agricultural Association,
00:52:01.42\00:52:03.12
you can do so by writing to
00:52:03.15\00:52:05.22
Adventist
Agricultural Association
00:52:05.25\00:52:07.79
654, Dry Prong Road,
00:52:07.82\00:52:10.16
Williamsport, Tennessee 38487.
00:52:10.19\00:52:13.46
That's Adventist
Agricultural Association
00:52:13.50\00:52:16.33
654, Dry Prong Road,
00:52:16.36\00:52:19.10
Williamsport, Tennessee 38487.
00:52:19.13\00:52:22.57