05/31/2026
There are many things happening in this moment and it’s hard to explain without a novel. It’s a long 2 min video of Owen operating and Charlie by his side.
Strolling upon what was happening in the Maple Bush, I find Owen in the piece of machinery we named Cheeto (classic for Cheeto Charlie.. it’s orange and Charlie’s love of heavy machinery annnnd Cheetos :) )
Owen hasn’t really been the operator of heavy machinery in the last couple years, that was Charlie. Owen has been deep in all the poultry animals, sports activities, scholastic shooting club and caretaker of many other things on the farm. Lately, Owen has shown interest in learning how to operate heavy machinery and tractors.
While Joe is the main teacher, what you see here is Charlie 🚜, the younger brother, teaching and leading all of his knowledge he has learned to Owen.
Owen is gracefully learning, slow and steady applying, and operating.
Something that often gets overlooked is that when you pay somebody to do a job, you’re not just paying for the heavy piece of machinery, you’re paying for their knowledge, application of skills, and doing a job in a timely manner. Whether it is construction job, a plumber, a teacher or a doctor, it’s the skills they’ve learned and can apply to your need.
What you’re also seeing is also unfortunate because why are all the trees dying suddenly? You can go down a deep rabbit hole of whatever your opinions are, but why are your plants and vegetable plants dying, the random trees in your yard, and all these established trees in the maple bush?
We’re caretakers of this land and doing our best but some days it feels like an uphill battle against things out of our control.
In the meantime, we will continue to teach, apply, learn, and do our very best as the caretakers of the land that God has given us. Our kids are doing their best and seeing Charlie 🚜 teach Owen and Owen learn has deep meaning to Joe and I.
Pray for some rain, be patient behind the tractors and be sure to enjoy your day ahead 🥰
