Fresh Pastures, Foxes, and Trusting God’s Protection

A lot has happened at Larson’s Land since our last update. If there is one overarching goal for us out here, it’s striving to better the land around us and improve the quality of life for our animals.

This week, we took a big step forward on that front. We finally finished connecting the fence on the southwest side of our property. Because of that, we were able to run our electric fence straight down the middle, dividing the property in half. This gives the cows a massive rotation of fresh grass to eat. Let me tell you, there are few things as rewarding as opening up a new section of pasture and watching a herd of cows literally gallop out of excitement.

The Reality of Predators But farm life isn't always galloping cows and green grass. We are currently working on adding a new upper door to our chicken and goat coop because we've got a predator problem.

We are pretty certain a fox has been hunting the animals at night. Over the past two weeks alone, we have lost over 15 chickens and ducks. Honestly, it sucks. And if you know anything about raising animals, you know the  mistakes are going to happen. Physical boo-boos are going to happen. Emotional hurts and heartbreak are going to happen. No matter how high we build the walls, the reality of living in a broken world means the fox occasionally gets in.

"The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you." — Psalm 9:9-10

Because we can't protect our family from every single hurt, having faith that God will protect our loved ones is essential. When those inevitable hurts do happen, how we react matters. Instead of living in fear or anxiety about what could go wrong, we have to pray that Jesus Christ is with us to help navigate the hurt and guide the healing.

We do our best. We build the fences. We mend the coops. But ultimately, we have to hand the protection and the healing over to God.

Keep moving forward, folks. Have a great week.