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This campaign is set up to help raise the funds to purchase a tractor for Generations Farm in Graceville, Florida.
Momma Becky and Papa Phil, my mother and father, stepped out in faith last year in November to follow God's call on their lives to prepare a place where they could minister to people spiritually and teach how to live sustainably.
In 2013, my dad completed an intensive Permaculture Design Course, taught by Geoff Lawton. This course really reignited his passion for agriculture, as he learned to design systems that mimic patterns found in nature. He became certified as an instructor and now has a passion to share this knowledge with as many as possible.
Snapshots of the vision:
•Permaculture Demonstrate Site to train people (especially missionaries) in sustainable farming and living.
•Provide a place where people with psychological trauma can spend time interacting with the natural environment, which is a proven age-old natural therapy.
•Teach children and youth how to grow natural, healthy food.
•Help churches and homeless shelters set up sustainable gardens and edible landscape to provide top-quality organic food for their communities.
The vision for Generations Farm:
To break the cycles of spiritual and economic poverty. The plan for the farm is to be a Permaculture demonstration site with a strong focus to train missionaries to live sustainably. At the farm, the principles of sustainable living and permaculture can be taught and practiced at the same time. One of the major challenges in mission work across the world is meeting the needs of shelter and nourishment. If the missionaries were provided with training that meets those needs, then they would have a great opportunity to thrive in the locations where they serve, as well as the ability to teach these principles and help to alleviate economic poverty. Additionally, it is the goal of Generations Farm to teach the value of caring for creation in a way that helps it to be the blessing that it is designed to be.
What they're finding...
At the farm, they have found that children and youth have a lot of excitement to learn about where their food comes from. They have also seen kids become excited to put to practice at their own homes the things they have seen modeled at the farm. This is a really important point. The average age of farmers in America is continuing to rise. The next generation is not as aware as the generation before of the value of healthy food sources. We want to see this trend change.
Mom and dad have been at work on the farm for around 16 months now and have learned many extremely valuable lessons through observation and practice. It was amazing to see what they were able to accomplish without a tractor! They planted over sixty species of plants. They found the ones that grow prolifically and the ones that do not. They were able to give away thousands of pounds of fresh, organic produce to people throughout their community. They made the decision at the beginning of last season to give their first year's harvest away. It has been amazing to see their faithfulness and the ways that the Lord has blessed them in their obedience.
The opportunity:
From the beginning, we have known that there is nothing that would be more helpful in accomplishing the vision than buying a tractor. Whether it is keeping the fields cut, turning compost piles, tilling the growing beds, sowing the crops, implementing the design elements across the property, or setting community farms and gardens in motion in commuties across our region, there is no greater investment we could make than a multi-use tractor.
I believe we have come to a exciting point with the farm. The vision for it is very clear. They are setting in motion a design that will be sustainable and inspiring to everyone who visits the farm. If we can help them in making this investment, I believe that we are going to see a really beautiful vision come to life very soon: Generations Farm in full swing! Let’s help them do it!
Momma Becky and Papa Phil, my mother and father, stepped out in faith last year in November to follow God's call on their lives to prepare a place where they could minister to people spiritually and teach how to live sustainably.
In 2013, my dad completed an intensive Permaculture Design Course, taught by Geoff Lawton. This course really reignited his passion for agriculture, as he learned to design systems that mimic patterns found in nature. He became certified as an instructor and now has a passion to share this knowledge with as many as possible.
Snapshots of the vision:
•Permaculture Demonstrate Site to train people (especially missionaries) in sustainable farming and living.
•Provide a place where people with psychological trauma can spend time interacting with the natural environment, which is a proven age-old natural therapy.
•Teach children and youth how to grow natural, healthy food.
•Help churches and homeless shelters set up sustainable gardens and edible landscape to provide top-quality organic food for their communities.
The vision for Generations Farm:
To break the cycles of spiritual and economic poverty. The plan for the farm is to be a Permaculture demonstration site with a strong focus to train missionaries to live sustainably. At the farm, the principles of sustainable living and permaculture can be taught and practiced at the same time. One of the major challenges in mission work across the world is meeting the needs of shelter and nourishment. If the missionaries were provided with training that meets those needs, then they would have a great opportunity to thrive in the locations where they serve, as well as the ability to teach these principles and help to alleviate economic poverty. Additionally, it is the goal of Generations Farm to teach the value of caring for creation in a way that helps it to be the blessing that it is designed to be.
What they're finding...
At the farm, they have found that children and youth have a lot of excitement to learn about where their food comes from. They have also seen kids become excited to put to practice at their own homes the things they have seen modeled at the farm. This is a really important point. The average age of farmers in America is continuing to rise. The next generation is not as aware as the generation before of the value of healthy food sources. We want to see this trend change.
Mom and dad have been at work on the farm for around 16 months now and have learned many extremely valuable lessons through observation and practice. It was amazing to see what they were able to accomplish without a tractor! They planted over sixty species of plants. They found the ones that grow prolifically and the ones that do not. They were able to give away thousands of pounds of fresh, organic produce to people throughout their community. They made the decision at the beginning of last season to give their first year's harvest away. It has been amazing to see their faithfulness and the ways that the Lord has blessed them in their obedience.
The opportunity:
From the beginning, we have known that there is nothing that would be more helpful in accomplishing the vision than buying a tractor. Whether it is keeping the fields cut, turning compost piles, tilling the growing beds, sowing the crops, implementing the design elements across the property, or setting community farms and gardens in motion in commuties across our region, there is no greater investment we could make than a multi-use tractor.
I believe we have come to a exciting point with the farm. The vision for it is very clear. They are setting in motion a design that will be sustainable and inspiring to everyone who visits the farm. If we can help them in making this investment, I believe that we are going to see a really beautiful vision come to life very soon: Generations Farm in full swing! Let’s help them do it!
Organizer and beneficiary
Phillip Burton
Beneficiary