🌾 The Quiet Work of Winter
By A-7 Farms — Lexington, Texas
🌅 The Shift of Seasons
The land still holds its green this time of year in Central Texas, but the change is here. Leaves are turning, the evenings come quicker, and the air feels different — cooler, calmer, edged with that quiet that tells you winter is on the way. Around 6:30 each evening, the light fades, and with it, a little of the day’s rhythm changes too.
We’ve got four garden plots staked and ready — forty rows total for next season. A big jump for our little farm. We’ve hatched another dozen chicks and plan one last round before the holidays. Through the winter, the work won’t stop; it’ll just shift. Cooler weather makes it easier to move soil and prep beds, but the short daylight reminds me that every task counts.
Each morning still begins the same: coffee first, one quiet cup before the day starts. Then the hum of life begins — the kids waking, the roosters crowing, the soft chatter of hens in the run. And even as the world slows a bit for winter, the growing never truly stops.
🌱 Preparing the Ground
Right now, the garden is in prep mode. I’m turning beds, shaping aisleways, and laying the groundwork for spring. Soon, fresh compost will be spread — a new layer of promise for the year ahead.
Each 30-inch bed is planned with purpose. They’re laid out north to south for even sunlight, and I use a program called Heirloom to map succession plantings and harvest windows. It’s simple, but it keeps the vision clear: steady progress, row by row.
This year, I’m most excited about trying a new salad mix — something fresh and cool for early spring. I’m also eager to add a few herb and flower areas for diversity. There’s something deeply satisfying about inviting bees, butterflies, and other life into the garden.
Of course, there are lessons tucked into the soil too. The first few plantings taught me what happens when you underestimate pests — especially the harvester ants that can wipe out a stand of corn overnight. So this time, I’m fencing, planning, and praying smarter.
Central Texas soil teaches humility. It’s sandy, thirsty, and full of potential if you treat it right. With time, compost, and patience, it’ll grow richer. And just like faith, it strengthens with care.
🐔 The Rhythm of the Farm
Weekdays start early — chores, feed, and quick checks on the chickens before work. Evenings are short now, so every minute counts. After work, I’ll spend half an hour in the garden, collecting eggs, leveling beds, or just breathing in the peace that comes with twilight.
Weekends are a different story. Saturdays are full throttle: early mornings, coffee, and then everyone pitching in. We take breaks for breakfast, then get back to work — beds to build, weeds to pull, soil to move. Sundays are for church and gratitude. I try to rest, but truthfully, I often find myself sneaking out to the field for “one more thing.”
Cooler weather brings changes to the flock. The hens slow down their laying, and we shift their feed — adding cracked corn and protein to help them stay warm and rebuild feathers. I’m sitting on thirty-plus dozen eggs right now, so I’m not worried about production. Fridays are my delivery days; a few neighbors and local families keep us steady.
Each of us finds calm in different parts of the farm. For me, it’s watching the chickens scratch or the rows settle after a day’s work. Eli enjoys feeding in the afternoons, Grayson’s taken to helping with filming for the blog, and the girls bring joy — Lila with her curiosity, Kira with her constant laughter and determination. Emily’s always there — the quiet strength behind the motion, the one who steadies the storm when I can’t.
🌾 Building Toward New Growth
The focus this winter is on the garden, but the next horizon is clear: meat poultry. I’m not rushing it. The start-up costs are steep, and I’d rather learn slow than fail fast. Every project on this farm has taught me that smaller steps build stronger roots.
I’m excited by what’s coming, even in the uncertainty. Each improvement — each small system that starts working smoothly — feels like progress. We’re building something sustainable, piece by piece, without loans or shortcuts. Everything the farm earns rolls into the next season, and every season grows us stronger.
Faith and patience are the backbone of it all. God has given us enough for now — enough to learn, enough to grow, enough to keep believing. And even when it feels slow, I remind myself that forward is forward, even if it’s just one task a day.
🙏 Planted in Faith, Reaped in Love
Winter teaches you to trust what you can’t see. The fields look quiet, but the work continues beneath the surface. Seeds wait. Soil breathes. Life builds in silence.
That’s what faith looks like. You plant and believe that the effort will bear fruit — in time. Rushing it only leads to missed lessons. God’s timing is better than ours, and patience is the bridge between planting and harvest.
Scripture keeps me grounded in that truth:
James 5:7-8 — Patience like a farmer waiting for the crop.
Psalm 27:14 — “Be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
2 Peter 3:9 — God’s patience reflects His mercy.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 — “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity.”
Galatians 5:22 — Patience is a fruit of the Spirit.
So, this winter, I’ll keep tending. Keep trusting. Keep working quietly while God works the rest. The faith is in the waiting; the love is in the harvest that follows.
🌤 The Season Before the Bloom
The thing I’m most looking forward to this spring is new life — in every sense. Our son’s arrival in January will bring new energy into our home, just as the gardens and chicks begin their own renewal. It feels like the perfect reflection of what A-7 Farms stands for: growth, family, and faith rooted deep.
I hope my children remember these years not for the hard days, but for the laughter in the middle of them. I hope they learn the worth of honest work and the peace of seeing something grow from your own hands.
If I could sum up this season in a single moment, it would be the crisp breath of cold air through the trees — quiet, refreshing, full of promise. It’s the calm before everything begins again. The waiting isn’t empty; it’s sacred.
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🌾 A Small Update from A-7 Farms 🌾
We’ve decided to slow things down just a bit — our blog will now be posted once a week, every Friday at 6:00 AM. ☀️
Life on the farm (and with the kids!) has its seasons, and this one’s calling for a little more balance. 💛 By keeping to one post a week, we can pour a little more heart and care into each story we share.
Thank you for following along and growing with us — we can’t wait to see you here every Friday morning!
