A little body work on the side.

Several years ago I worked in a body shop. So when the opportunity to buy a Durango (that needed some bodywork) came my way, I took it. I figured it would be a good time to brush up on my paint and body skills and make a few bucks as well.

All to often we get caught up in what were doing, missing valuable opportunities to teach our own children. While I was in the middle of sanding bondo on a fender, one of my little guys says: "hey Dad can I sand that?"
My first thought was: "you're too small." Then he asked again.

A little surprised at his request, I handed him the sanding block and proceeded to show him what to do. You never know what may spark interest in the eyes of your children. Take the extra time to teach them whatever it is that you are doing.

A missed opportunity may be lost forever.

Hatching eggs

Thirty nine years old and I still get a kick out of hatching eggs. We have really increased our flocks this year.We have also added several new varieties.

• Red golden pheasants
• Yellow golden pheasants
• Bronze turkeys
• Chinese fancy button quail
• Some rare chickens
• and New Zealand rabbits.

It's been a lot of fun hatching eggs with my children. They can tell you how many days it takes to hatch a quail, pheasant, turkey or chicken. They did their own research to figure this out. It has been a good learning experience for them.

My young entrepreneurs also sell hatching eggs, chicks and bunnies. I would have to say the quail are by far the funnest to hatch. To see a little chick the size of a grape hopping around is pretty cool!

We've just hatched over 30 quail this morning. We are selling the chicks for $2 each. We also have hatching eggs for sale, that we can ship.

About me

I'm a 40 year old Christian father of eleven. Born and raised in the California Bay Area, now raising my children in the Mid West. We live a debt free life on ten acres.

I always have several projects going, such as animals, vehicles, building projects, making films, and a few home businesses. I enjoy encouraging others. If you tell me it can't be done, I will find a way to make it happen. I love a good challenge!

"With God all things are possible" Matt. 19:26

Bartering still alive and well

You would be surprised how much bartering still goes on these days.


If you get out and talk to people, especially in the country, they are bartering for just about everything. You can always find someone that has something you need or want. Likewise you probably have some goods equally appealing to them.

I put bartering to the test for the last few weeks. Here's some of the things I came up with that we have traded:

• Chicken hatching eggs for duck hatching eggs.
• A stack of lumber and two pheasants for a four wheeler.
• A bottle calf for a riding mower, (the yard looks great now!)
• I cleared a fence row for some treated posts.
• I loaded logs on a sawmill for enough lumber to build a nice size barn.
• A mini farm truck for a full size truck and a dune buggy.
• I also traded eggs for milk.

You never know unless you ask, so put your money back in your pocket and start bartering.

It's fun.

Can you really live a life of abundance on ten acres?

We started with ten acres, two open, and eight in woods. To start with, we needed a house. So, we borrowed a band saw mill.

We bought a chain saw, cut down some of our pine trees, and sawed them into lumber on the mill. This was a learning experience, but it went very well.

We were careful to pick and choose trees from different spots, you could hardly tell that we took any out. We worked on our house plans at night, and cut the trees into lumber during the day.

In only a few months, our house was taking shape. And best of all, we acquired no debt, since we were making our own lumber. With the exception of the foundation, my family and I built the entire house, with some help from friends with the heavy stuff.

We read in Proverbs that the borrower is servant to the lender. Not having a loan on our home is one of the best things we've ever done. The freedom you experience by not being indentured to a bank for thirty years is unmatched.

The Lord knows and provides for our needs.

Our first need has been met, a home for our family. Not only was there an abundance of trees to build our home with, but we were able to sell some of the lumber we sawed in order to pay for some of the things that we couldn't make. Things like insulation, the metal roof, and plumbing.

We have enjoyed the good of all our labor, it is the gift of God.