National Farmer's Day, Saturday, October 12th

National Farmer’s Day is this coming Saturday, in the US.  Those who produce our food with responsibility and hard work are so important to the human family and deserve the utmost respect.  Unfortunately, they are now being attacked in America and Europe by the globalists who wish to re-write civilization.  Farmers need our support and prayer. If you can’t celebrate this weekend, it would be fine to extend these ideas to the remainder of the month…the farmers won’t mind!

From the Old Farmer’s Almanac:

“This is a day to honor and thank all of the hardworking farmers and ranchers who plow, sow, grow, and harvest to feed our nation. We especially rely on farmers to get fresh food on our tables during these uncertain times. Let’s pay tribute to the men, women, and families who put food in the grocery stores and on our tables every day.”

From National Day Calendar:

“October does seem fitting for celebrating this National Day as it is near the end of the harvest. Many farmers will be able to take a rest from their hard labor to join in the celebration of this holiday.”

Also see: National Days in Agriculture and Successful Farming with a look at the American history of farming.

Okay, let’s see what ideas I can come up on how to celebrate this day, off the top of my head. I’m going to try to squeeze 10 ideas out of my brain. I did not say they would be good ones.  Try to come up with your own!

1. Take your children pumpkin picking or apple picking or something picking.

2. Do farming-related crafts.

3. Watch videos about farmers.

4. Stick food in water and see what happens.

5. Learn about farming history. Homeschoolers, take a look at the link above, for an easy lesson.

6. Teach children about botany.

7. Organize something to honor local farmers. Maybe work with your Town Hall.

8. Play farm animal sounds for your dog.

9. Get a farming book out of the library.

10. Do a presentation at your local school or church about farming.

But most of all, appreciate the blessings of abundance you have, through the hard labor and discipline of our farmers:)

SAINT ISIDORE THE FARMER, PRAY FOR US!

An Attack on Farmers is an Attack on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass!

A Few Things...

I recently met a lovely man at church. We talked a bit, and he emailed me a poem he wrote. He is a secular Franciscan and belongs to the Knights of Columbus on Long Island. Here is his beautiful poem…

Saint Therese of Lisieux

Your beauty got under my skin, not like a knife, razor or nails

But like tea with honey and lemon, something stimulating, sweet and sharp

It's like you hit me by remote control and pushed buttons without pushing a button

Your beauty is big, like a forcefield that animates joy

And it is little too, like the gleam in sparkling blue eyes, the kind that animates life

If love makes the world go round, is it not true your beauty is being chaste?

Is it not true a question begins with a quest?

This is my response to the question of your beauty

I give the white rose

By Clifford Proctor

~ ~ ~

Charles Dowding “No Dig” Gardening

This guy is amazing.  Start with the 2 minute video on the Home page which shows Dowding's idyllic farm in South Somerset, England.  This site contains a wealth of resources including courses, books and a shop.  Dowding has pioneered cutting edge gardening research, to create simpler methods that anyone can do.  Have a look!

~ ~ ~

“I think it's down to radical non-compliance and what we can do with our own actions and behaviors.”

Aaron Day

~ ~ ~

This is an excerpt from an article at Zero Hedge, by Tyler Durden, from May 2024.  It’s still quite relevant…and concerning.  This isn’t only being done for political purposes, it is part of the move toward green energy.  This sounds great on the surface, but it is being used as a tool to reduce freedom and create a total surveillance grid of energy consumption.  Some might say this is necessary.  Yes, a gradual scaling back is necessary, but defying human rights in the ways the globalists intend to, is unnecessary, cruel and immoral.  Covid was only the beginning…

Biden Drains Entire Northeast Gasoline Reserve In Bid To Lower Gas Prices

“Back in March, when reading the mammoth, 1050-page bill that was meant to avert government shutdown…we stumbled upon something that was truly shocking: after Biden singlehandedly drained half of the US strategic petroleum reserve to avoid obliteration for Democrats in the 2022 midterm elections, Congress has snuck in a provision that would sell off and shutter the Northeast Gasoline Supply Reserve, a move that while perhaps keeps gas prices lower for a day or two, would also leave the entire continental northeast defenseless to any true environmental catastrophe or shock. We were so dismayed by the inclusion of this particular text, we wondered if it hadn't been put there solely for the benefit of America's enemies...because surely nobody in their right mind, not even the illegitimate senile occupant of the White House, would ever pursue such short-term gains at the expense of potentially disastrous long-term consequences to the entire nation.

We were wrong: earlier today, just two months after the bill was signed by Biden into law, the panicking administration announced that it would sell the nearly 1 million barrels of gasoline in the US managed stockpile in northeastern states, the Department of Energy said, effectively closing the reserve.

The department created the Northeast Gasoline Supply Reserve (NGSR) in 2014 after Superstorm Sandy left motorists scrambling for fuel. But, according to some megabrains hoping to justify the dumping of gas so its price drops for a few weeks ahead of the summer and avoid even more anger aimed at the President, storing refined fuel is costlier than storing crude oil, so closing the reserve was included in U.S funding legislation signed by President Joe Biden in March.”

Tracy Thurman: Food & Medical Freedom Advocate

[Edited since posting.]

From Brownstone Institute, a post-Covid freedom advocacy organization:

“Tracy Thurman is an advocate for regenerative farming, food sovereignty, decentralized food systems, and medical freedom. She works with the Barnes Law Firm's public interest division to safeguard the right to purchase food directly from farmers without government interference.”

Articles by Tracy Thurman

Topics center on the globalist’s agenda involving food and how we can work toward greater freedom and safety.

Below, Chris Martenson interviews Thurman-it’s a fabulous discussion, well-worth the 2 hours of viewing. It took me about 2 weeks to get through it with my busy schedule, but I learned so much, including the potential healing properties of raw milk. From Martenson’s notes:

“In this critical interview, Tracy Thurman recounts her front-line experiences working with Robert Barnes to help protect the nearly relentless assaults on Amish farmers by a deeply corrupt Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture coupled to an equally corrupt PA court system.”

Tracy Thurman: The War on Food (and on the Amish, and Farmers)

Here are some insightful quotes by Tracy from the interview:

“I came back to a place of faith through witnessing evil, and concluding that if

evil with a capital E exists, so must good with a capital G,

and that I needed to look for it.”

“If something is already filling the God-shaped hole in your life, it’s very hard for the state to become your God.”

“The control grid is built before it’s turned on.”

“I want to support the farmers who are giving me this incredible blessing of health.”

“Stop eating processed food. It’s poison and it’s becoming more poisonous. Get to know your food and your farmer. See if you can find a local supply. Be intentional about what you eat. Build a local community and start considering how you can set up payments for transaction with your farmer outside of the credit card or digital system because at some point that is going to be shut down for anyone who is a dissident raising healthy food outside the corporate system…

but the two most important things are find your community and find your farmer.”

~ ~ ~

Sometimes when I say Grace, I ask God to bless all those who had a hand in getting the food to my table. Thinking about this, I realize how many thousands of people are involved in our food system and how unnatural that is. A society requires balance between the local and the wider network. You can’t rely entirely on local, in the event that a disaster occurs. You also can’t rely entirely on complex systems which are by their nature, vulnerable (Martenson often talks about the unpredictable nature of complex systems and how disruptions can have a domino effect). All sorts of things can interrupt supply chains and recently, we are seeing more of that. The reasons are varied. With increasing geopolitical tensions, this is now an even greater concern. You may say (just an example), “Oh, we can get our food from California.” What about the trucks that need parts made in other countries? What if California suffers a major earthquake? There are so many things that can go wrong in our highly interdependent, fossil fuel dependent system. These natural resources are depleting, while population continues to grow and the non-Western world is starting to want its piece of the pie. Maybe we’re starting to hone in on why the globalists want their “Great Reset.” Is it all about resources?

Will green energy save the day? Well, it has its limitations. At this time, green is not even remotely capable of doing what oil, gas and coal can do, and is itself, dependent on these resources (see the work of another great mover and shaker SIMON MICHAUX). Perhaps a gradual transition to green is possible, but I don’t think it will be without concessions.

In the end, nature will have her way. In the end, the Authentic Life, the life God meant us to live, must return. This is His world and we are His children. As a society, we have a lot to think about going forward…and we need extremely competent leadership that is willing to make tough decisions.

Update

I know this month’s output has been light, but I hope some of you have tried my homemaker hacks (men can do them too!). Feel free to share yours as well, and we may post them.

We’ve been working on our house and will be, for the rest of the year. I will have to try to balance it all a bit better. We’ve been hiking as a family and spending some wonderful times together...and I’ve been working on my healthcare. These are always great and necessary things, but with the continued degrading of the state of the world, it seems more urgent than ever…to push forward, take advantage of opportunities while we still can, and stop and smell the roses. Geopolitical tensions are tighter than they have been in decades and there is concern about the upcoming US elections (or possible failure to hold elections at all, as some are predicting).

I would urge all our readers to print the “15 Points Preparedness Worksheet” (see link on Home page) and work on it with your family. Also, please print our “Eclipse Pilgrimage of Mercy” supplemental prayers. Included is Cardinal Burke’s 9-Month Novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe and a prayer for the United States.

I have also been getting ready for my trip to the Catholic Land Movement Conference at Our Lady of Martyrs Shrine in northern New York (about a 4-hour trip for me), this coming weekend! I’m so excited, it is my first time there. This is a traditional Catholic organization and the Tridentine Mass will be offered. These are the kinds of things I do as research and networking, to bring the knowledge I aquire, to all of you. I hope to share some pictures and some of what I will learn, in the coming days. It’s going to be like a retreat/agrarian/prepper learning experience all in one! There will be wonderful Catholic devotions and confession, along with workshops and social time. There is an optional farm visit, where animals will be slaughtered, which I will be attending. Some of the workshops I plan to go to are “Garden Planning at Home,” “Wells and Spring Development,” and a presentation of 2 faith-centered farms. I also hope to attend Chris Martenson’s Peak Prosperity Annual Summit 2024 in New Hampshire in September (the early-bird rate is ending June 30). I attended his conference last year in Massachusetts and it was life-changing.

Due to the fact that I will be away this weekend, our Month of July post may be a day or 2 late. God bless you all and your families! Chiara F Mathews:)

May is the Month of Our Lady

We begin on May 1st with the feast of Saint Joseph the Workman, a feast which reminds us of the dignity of holy employment.  There is much that can be contemplated on this, these days.  So many people are drawn into working for a system which is worldly at best and diabolical at worst.  It takes great trust to be willing to leave a job because it compromises your Catholic beliefs.  It is a leap of faith that God certainly will look kindly upon.  Let us pray to Saint Joseph for all those struggling with these issues.

The Ascension of Our Lord is celebrated on the traditional Thursday, the 9th or Sunday, the 12th.  Check your diocese to see if the 9th is a Holy Day of Obligation, though of course, those who love Our Blessed Lord would flee with great joy to attend Holy Mass and receive His Body…lest these great privileges be taken from us once again, as they were during the dreadful and unjust time of Covid lockdown. 

We have several Marian feasts in this month of Our Lady.  Our Lady of Fatima, whom Nomen Christi Apostolate is dedicated to, is celebrated on the 13th, the date of the first Fatima apparition to the 3 children.  In the new calendar, we have the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, on the 20th.  On the 31st, we have a double Marian feast…the Visitation in the new and the Queenship in the trad.  There are so many ways to honor Our Lady during this month.  Consider attending Mass on one of her feasts or choose another devotion.  This is a wonderful time to think about the requests of Our Lady of Fatima, such as starting the First Saturday Devotions and praying the Rosary daily.

Pentecost or Whitsunday is celebrated (following the Vigil) on the 19th, followed by the traditional Octave of Pentecost.  Trinity Sunday is one week later, beginning a new Liturgical Season in the trad, Time After Pentecost, which remains until Advent.  We also remain in the Cycle of Easter, when we meditate upon the Mystery of the Redemption.  Upon Advent, we begin the Cycle of Christmas, the Mystery of the Incarnation.

Corpus Christi (Body of Christ) is the 30th, Thursday after Trinity Sunday.

We’re not done yet!  May gives us not only the Minor Rogation Days from the 6th to the 8th, but also the Ember Days of Summer, the 22nd, 24th and 25th.  So, a lot of prayer and penance this month for the coming season and for mercy.  The Rogation Days and The Ember Days are similar in spirit and intention, but with different origins.  A few more notable feasts…

3rd-Saints Philip and James the Less, new

11th-Saints Philip and James the Less, trad

14th-Saint Matthias

15th-Saint Isidore the Farmer (we like him!) Another link. Farmers need our support these days. Let’s not forget about our local farms. Saint Isidore, pray for us!

Here is the full trad calendar for May:  calefactory.org

2 Important Upcoming Conferences: New York & New Hampshire

From Catholic Land Movement:

“The 3rd Annual Catholic Land Movement Mid-Atlantic Conference will once again be held at the beautiful Our Lady of Martyrs Shrine in Auriesville, NY. Once a 17th century Mohawk village, it is now a Roman Catholic shrine dedicated to the first North American martyrs and to St. Kateri Tekakwitha…The conference will begin early on Friday 6/28 [to Sunday 6/30] for anyone interested in hog and sheep butchering [I’m going to pass on this, I saw a rabbit get the treatment at Peak Prosperity’s conference last year, that was enough for me]…We have a packed weekend with events including Mass, confessions, Divine Office, Rosary, workshops and discussions. Camping is available free of charge at the Shrine. Nearby hotel accommodations can be found in Amsterdam, NY. In order to keep costs low, food will not be included with your conference ticket, but will be made available for purchase…If you're interested in volunteering or hosting a workshop or a discussion group, please get in touch.”

The price for the 3 days is $50 per person, free for those 14 and under. Some of the topics to be covered: Various aspects of homesteading, gardening/farming, canning, traditional Catholicism, dairy, carpentry, wild edibles, masonry, water supply. Definitely all the things supported by Nomen Christi Apostolate-reserve soon!

From Chris Martenson’s Peak Prosperity:

“Transitioning from the beloved Honey Badger Gathering to the Peak Prosperity Summit, [Friday 9/13 to Sunday 9/15] we not only change our venue but also deepen our commitment to resilience, sustainability, and community…Nestled in the breathtaking surroundings of Lake Winnipesaukee [New Hampshire]…The Lodge at Camp Robindel…Economic Resilience: Cultivating a robust financial foundation to withstand and adapt to the unpredictabilities of the global economy, ensuring stability and self-sufficiency when traditional systems falter. True Sustainability: Embracing a lifestyle and practices that enable us to not only survive but thrive independently when external supply chains and conventional resources are compromised, ensuring our ability to live off the grid if necessary. Personal and Community Empowerment: Fostering a culture of health, wellness, and mutual support that prepares us to face adversities together, strengthening our individual and collective capacity to navigate through tough times…Foundations of Preparedness…Advanced Resilience Techniques…sessions will cover everything from homesteading to advanced medical training, alongside hands-on demonstrations and keynotes focused on practical, life-enhancing skills.”

Included in the reasonable ticket price: Workshops and Educational Tracks, Accommodations, Food, Interactive Exhibits and Vendors, Recreational Activities, Networking and Socializing, All Necessary Amenities. Reserve soon for early-bird price! Please note, on-site accommodations may not be private, preferences may be indicated when ordering, verify details to make sure you will be comfortable, as this is a camp site with both men and women.

Empty Nester Conversation #....I forget

Me: What time are the shed people coming tomorrow?

Hubby: 8 to 10.

Me: AM?

Hubby: Yes, AM.

Me: Wasn’t The Shed People a horror movie in the 80’s?

Hubby: No, it was my band. Don’t you remember? You came to our show at Paramus Middle School’s science fair.

Me: Gee, don’t know how I got that wrong.

(This actually went through several drafts which were even less funny.)

Our brand new shed installed today!

This will help on so many levels. We can now clear a lot of things out of our basement and garage, and organize them better. Mainly this will be yardwork and gardening paraphernalia. Sheds are great to have and great for resale value of a house. This one has a waterproof floor and a heavy-duty ramp. The window and skylight are important for letting light in-it can be rather dark in a shed otherwise. Of course, you can leave the door open for more light. We now have to bring shelving in and we are all set! My life just got better:)

Are You in Idaho??? / Ideas for a Catholic Prepper Event

Modern Homesteading Conference offers two full days of practical, strategic, and proven presentations. It will be held in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho on June 30th and July 1st. You’ll gain insights from individuals who have honed their techniques over many years. There will be live demonstrations to bring these concepts to life before your eyes. When it comes to pursuing a self-sufficient lifestyle and turning your homesteading dreams into reality, mere aspirations and online tutorials can only take you so far.

What: Modern Homesteading Conference

When: June 30th and July 1st

Where: Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

The curated lineup of speakers have thrived in challenging northern climates. These experienced individuals understand the unique demands of short warm-weather growing seasons, enduring long winters, and two months of rain scarcity in July and August. They’ve not only managed to feed their families year-round from their homesteads, but have also extended their offerings to provide pasture-raised livestock to others. The speakers will equip you with information for: 

• Enhancing food production.

• Leveraging the benefits of herbs for personal and livestock use.

• Incorporating livestock into your homestead.

• Mastering the art of preserving food for year-round consumption.

• And much more!

Thanks to Peak Prosperity for this info. It has been copied from their email.

If you are not in Idaho or the surrounding area, and you have expertise in these topics, please consider chairing a community, diocesan or parish-based event. How do you Catholicize (I just made up that word) it? Obviously, you can come up with your own ideas. I might suggest discussing: Saint Francis, Saint Isidore the Farmer, Saint Fiacre or Saint Hildegard of Bingen…Saint Joseph was a woodworker!…the Ember Days…growing wheat and grapes for the Holy Mass (we should all have these seeds)…how to perform an emergency baptism…Biblical support for preparedness. Also, the Catholic Bug-Out Bag!

We will post it for you, of course. Gotta get the info out for the children of God and their little ones to navigate the coming days!

Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary / Month of October

[Edited since posting.]

The Gospel for today’s feast in the old rite, is the Annunciation…

And the angel being come in, said unto her:

“Hail full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed art thou among women.”

Luke 1:28

This angelic salutation became one of the most repeated quotes in all human history, as the first part of the “Hail Mary” prayer.  It is fitting that this should be the Gospel on the feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, since the Annunciation is the first Mystery we contemplate when reciting a complete Rosary…the first in the timeline of the Joyful Mysteries, proceeding to the Luminous, the Sorrowful and finally, the Glorious.  Never forget, the story ends with the Glorious.

We celebrate Our Lady’s Divine Maternity on October 11th, further calling to mind in this month dedicated to the Rosary, the Joyful Mysteries.  Each Mystery contains some aspect of her Divine Maternity.  Mary is also called to mind in the Mysteries of Our Lord’s First Miracle at Cana, the Assumption and the Coronation.

Saint Therese of Lisieux is the lone saint this month to be given the title “Doctor of the Church.”  Her feast in the new was on the 1st and in the trad, on the 3rd.  Please take a look at her bio from the Catholic Encyclopedia on New Advent.

We did not cover the Doctors of the month of September, except for Saint Gregory.  Here they are:  Saints John Chrysostom, Robert Bellarmine, Hildegard of Bingen and Jerome.

At the end of this month, let us remember the Feast of Christ the King on the 30th and the beginning of the Triduum of Death, All Hallows Eve, on the 31st.  Along with the Easter Triduum, Holy Church in her wisdom gives us these 3 days to consider our mortality.  It’s how the story ends that matters.

As this is also Respect Life month, what a great time to pray the Rosary for life!

Last year, I decided to make a decorative design with gourds and interesting squash. It is now a “thing.” This is what I put together today. The “Faith” ornament I bought at a drug store. It’s amazing, the vestiges of Christendom which you can still find in unexpected corners, here and there. Last fall, when my squash deteriorated to the point of being embarrassing, I threw them around the edges of my property, in the hopes they would reappear (they didn’t). That is not as crazy an idea as it sounds. When I was involved in a community garden 10 years ago, old crops would regularly pop up in abandoned gardens. Free food just sitting there. There are forward-minded people thinking along these lines…planting edibles in public places for all to access…let’s just hope there aren’t any food fights!

Actually, there are already plenty of edibles all around, you just need to know what you’re doing. See if there are any “herb walks” in your area, you’ll be amazed at what you learn…there are many other resources and books out there and it’s a really fun thing to do with children:) Disclaimer: Don’t eat anything wild unless you REALLY know what you’re doing-you also have to consider it may have been sprayed. BTW, please don’t come to my house and steal the squash. Thanks.

Traditional Priest is Doing Something Amazing in the Italian Alps!

Young Priest Turns Forsaken Farm into Paradise Homestead

I was blown away by the above video. Below are the notes provided by the video-maker, Kirsten Dirksen (she’s got a great YouTube channel, but this is not necessarily an endorsement of all her content). The video is 23 minutes, well-worth your time. We all need to be thinking this way going forward, due to the state of the world. This priest also has filmed 2 documentaries-link is below-I have not seen them yet, but I’m sure they are good…

Five years ago Catholic priest Johannes Schwarz left his parish to "withdraw for a few years" in the Italian Alps (in the shadow of his beloved Monte Viso). He bought an old "rustico" - stone farm building - for 20,000 euros and transformed it into his mountaintop hermitage.

Inspired by the early Christian desert hermits from the "200s and 300s when some people went into the deserts of Egypt and Palestine searching for a more rigorous life", Schwarz found something remote: he has only one full-time neighbor on the entire mountainside and in winter, he often has to snowshoe for a couple hours just to buy food and supplies.

To be as self-sufficient as possible, he makes his own bread and stores plenty of potatoes which he grows using Ruth Stout's "No-Work" gardening method. To grow much of his own fruit and produce, he terraced the steep hillside (using stones from the area) to create micro-climates. "You try to build walls that have southern exposure because they heat up during the day and they give off the warmth and can make a difference of several degrees." (Studies show differences of 27°F/15°C in the ultra-deep Incan terraces). He grows plenty of tomatoes inside his self-built recycled greenhouse.

For heating and cooking, he built a combination rocket stove and masonry heater by creating his own casts and loam coating. His refrigerator, which he transported up the hill on top of his bicycle, is kept in the unheated room, along with his food stores. He uses a tiny 30-year-old 3-kilogram washing machine and built his bathroom out of salvaged materials. To transport the lumber up the hill for his remodel, he got some help from a local farmer.

He divided the old barn into four small rooms on two floors; the living room/kitchen and pantry on the ground floor and a chapel and bedroom upstairs. His bedroom also serves as an editing studio where he creates videos on philosophy and religion.

He created a wooden-arched indoor chapel where he “celebrates the traditional Latin mass” alongside a wall he painted with Byzantine, romanesque and gothic styles in appreciation of "the symbolism of the ancient art."

Johannes’ pilgrimage films: https://www.reelhouse.org/birettballett