Issue No. 9, November 2005
I am so glad we have no deadline for the Harvest Haven Herald! The last issue was April! I was beginning to wonder if we would ever have another, but here we are!
Much has been happening:
We are expanding our layer barn to produce more eggs to keep up with demand. Mark and Trevor decided to build the addition as a straw bale structure, and I think it is great! It is a practice run for other buildings in the future, Lord willing.
We are installing a large display cooler, attached to our storage cooler, so that everyone will have a view and easy access to our certified organic dairy products, eggs, fruits, nuts, flours, oils, and whatever other products need it. What a story for how we got the cooler, but for another time!
We are now working on www.harvesthaven.com, at long last, so that we will be able to more easily and conveniently inform you of everything you need to know about what we offer and about us. It should be up and running by the time the next HH Herald comes out! That gives you plenty of time to get a computer…although many of you are way ahead of us.
Who Is Who or What at Harvest Haven?
We thought you might like to know, if you don’t now.
Marilyn Hafichuk very competently supervises wholesale orders, retail grocery sales and customer service. She helps Mark plan gardens, meat production and processing. She is also a homeschool teacher of our son, Jonathan, which is a full-time job in itself. She has two jobs, two homes, two beds, two pillows, and, she thinks, too many things to do. Have you seen her smile lately?
Mark Benson, the farm manager, has his Masters in organic agriculture. He speaks Japanese well, supervises farm staff, is a carpenter and woodworker, beekeeper, researcher, speaker, writer, comedian, cow milker, cattleman, shepherd, and a walking computer of knowledge. He oversees general farm operations in many aspects, and is very helpful informing those coming to us seeking a better, healthier life. If you want to know all there is to know about anything, ask Mark. He will be more than pleased to talk, hoping you will be more than pleased to listen. Mark sleeps about three hours a night…unless someone wants to talk. Have you heard him talk lately?
Trevor Benson is a welder, a mechanic, a bookkeeper, a carpenter, large and small appliance repairman, computer tech, groundskeeper, farm staff supervisor, comedian, a shipper and receiver. He is the man for servicing and operating farm machinery, vehicles, and irrigation. He supervises the broiler chicken and hay production. He manages the pastures and water systems. He does construction in all aspects...carpentry, plumbing, electrical, and more. He is our rifleman and trapper, protecting our fowl and us from predators. He takes care of our HTE, Ionizer, Aquasmart, Sunrider, and other orders. Trevor sleeps about two hours a night, provided there are no emergencies. However, emergencies are the norm rather than the exception at Harvest Haven…never a dull moment. Have you seen him napping lately?
Ingrid Nicolay is the shopkeeper, helps keep inventory records, has a memory for some details, works with Marilyn on grocery orders, gathers, cleans, candles and grades eggs, and helps out wherever she is needed. Recently, she has had a crash course in shepherding.
Lois Benson, my aunt, is the Harvest Haven “whip,” keeping her sons Mark and Trevor, and everyone else in line. She tries to make sure everyone gets at least two hours of sleep a night and three round meals a day. She does most of the housekeeping, cooking, baking, cheese and yogurt making, canning, dehydrating, freezing, laundry, some yard keeping, and generally fills in with a host of activities, like egg gathering, strawberry picking, weeding, turkey feeding, painting, and even haying. No hay bale is too big for her.
If anyone ever needs anything, they ask her. She has a “Tickle Trunk” closet, something out of Narnia, because whatever you ask or can think of asking for, she will go to her closet and bring it to you, almost without delay. She is an artist, and helps with displays in the store. I hope she likes the picture I just painted of her. She never sleeps. Mustn’t let those closed eyes deceive you. Has she had you doing anything lately?
Jonathan Hafichuk, my son, generally “hates” the farm, mostly “because of all the conflicts,” nearly all of which, he says, I, his father, create. But when there, though schooling keeps him occupied most of the time, he enjoys supervising children whose parents are shopping. He also helps with weeding and harvesting, such as picking strawberries and raspberries. He gets many of the “gopher” jobs. With utmost conviction, he says he will never be a farmer. Have you heard any “famous last words” lately? But I believe him.
Mariko Shinji is with us here at Harvest Haven, and has been a blessing. She worked in an organic store in Japan, and has presented us with a number of good ideas. She…oh, I guess I should tell you…she and Mark are engaged and to be married soon, Lord willing! Plans are in the making. Have you been hearing any bells lately?
Dena Dahl has recently joined us here for as long as the Lord wills, be it weeks, months, or years. She is quite capable on computer, research, and customer service. We are entrusting her with gathering and processing material for our web site. She brings with her a wealth of knowledge in the health field and has already helped many, including us, with her simple and valuable advice. Have you had any questions about nutrition lately?
Then there are those behind the scenes:
Sara Schmidt helps us from Helena, Mt, doing research, advising us on what to do with our computers, works with documents for distribution to all. She is a key person in formatting and managing the details of sending The Issues of Life, a correspondence concerning real people and real issues from a spiritual perspective, with the Bible as an authoritative resource, from which Paul Cohen and I glean information and answers for all those who need the answers. She is also the webmistress for our spiritual website (see below).
Paul Cohen too is in Helena, and works with HTE equipment and Grander Living Water with us. He works full time on The Issues of Life, which we mail out twice weekly, as well as maintaining, with Sara, www.thepathoftruth.com, a site that tells our stories and shares the knowledge we have received from God concerning all aspects of life in this world. By God’s grace, we have answers for all. No problem is too great for Him.
Last of all (I will not be so forward as to say, “but not least”), here am I, yours truly, Victor Hafichuk, trying to be useful, free and cute, yet informative with this newsletter, having my nose into a little bit of everything, yet letting everyone else take responsibility for it all, one way or another. My main occupation, seriously, is with Paul, writing The Issues of Life. If interested in receiving, at no charge, let us know.
The Spiritual
Our foundation of life, indeed life itself, is the Lord Jesus Christ, the one most people tend to be embarrassed about and shun. Interesting. Why? Why not blush when Buddha, Mohammed or Krishna are mentioned? Why not blush when any other philosophy or person in all of history or the present time is spoken of? Why is there that automatic, natural recoiling in the human spirit when Jesus Christ is mentioned? Have you ever thought about it?
The Bible is very clear on that matter. Here is what Jesus said, to those who believe and love Him, and profess His Name:
"If you find the godless world is hating you, remember it got its start hating Me. If you lived on the world's terms, the world would love you as one of its own. But since I picked you to live on God's terms and no longer on the world's terms, the world is going to hate you. "When that happens, remember this: Servants don't get better treatment than their masters. If they beat on Me, they will certainly beat on you. If they did what I told them, they will do what you tell them. "They are going to do all these things to you because of the way they treated Me, because they don't know the One who sent Me. If I hadn't come and told them all this in plain language, it wouldn't be so bad. As it is, they have no excuse. Hate Me, hate My Father--it's all the same. If I hadn't done what I have done among them, works no one has ever done, they wouldn't be to blame. But they saw the God-signs and hated anyway, both Me and My Father. Interesting--they have verified the truth of their own Scriptures where it is written, 'They hated Me for no good reason.' (John 15:18-25 MSG)
Things have not changed in 2000 years. Tell me, does your heart sing when you hear His Name well spoken of, or do you turn away, change the subject, saying, “I have my religion,” lifting your collar to cover your face? If the former, you are my brother or sister. If the latter, only prayer to Him for deliverance from such a state will do. Only He can correct it. He is The Savior.
The Hsin Ten Enterprises Products (Chi News)
For this last quarter of the year, HTE has offered the Electro Reflex Energizer at sale price. It also has made available combination purchases of machines, with fine carrying cases included, that anyone considering purchasing the Chi, Hot House, and Energizer should seriously consider doing it soon. Free machines come with them! Added to that, for November only, all distributors buying or selling any of the machines receive double points, translating into significant earnings. Ask for details!
Air
We have many surprised and satisfied customers who have tried the Heaven Fresh Ionizers to clean and refresh their air, removing dust, pathogens and odors very effectively and economically. There are models to suit many purposes and situations. Talk to Mark, Dena or Ingrid! They can tell you stories!
Water
Good water is essential to life and health. The problem is, we seldom have good water. It is estimated that 75% of all Americans are dehydrated. In most cases, water is not capable of properly penetrating the body cells. It is crippled. Because water is crippled, we instinctively resist drinking it. How many people truly feel good about drinking water? Not many.
The solution? There are three pillars of water quality: bacterial purity, chemical purity and structure. The first two are recognized in America but the structure of water is seldom addressed. Lacking the appropriate structuring is like lacking the third leg of a stool. At Harvest Haven we address ALL THREE aspects.
Bacterial and chemical purity are achieved by quality filtration, but not all water filters are equal. Though it is little known, most water filters sold in Lethbridge are not designed to remove chloramine, which our city uses instead of chlorine as the principal residual disinfectant. At Harvest Haven, we carry systems from a Canadian company with 20 years experience that has high quality filters designed to take out chloramine as well as other contaminants. And the price is right.
Addressing the third aspect of water quality is at least as important as filtration, or more so. The structure of water determines if water can fulfill its function at its full potential in our bodies. Unfortunately, tap and bottled water generally have poor structure and thus are quite ineffective. They are “dead water”. At Harvest Haven we both use and sell a proven, revolutionary system from Austria called Grander Living Water. It “brings water back to life,” restoring its power. Grander is used by millions, including companies such as BMW, and scores of restaurants and hotels that love its many important benefits. The units are maintenance-free and last for generations, unlike any other technology that we know of. Granderized water tastes good, feels great, cleans well, and does what it was intended to do. Animals love it (try it with them), and so does all vegetation.
Isn’t it time you had living, good tasting, quality water in your own home today?
Organic Food
Keep colds and flus at bay! Did you know that a cup of frozen strawberries is far more effective than many milligrams of Vitamin C, even the “Ester-C”? They have excellent anti-oxidant value. Frozen Strawberries have much more than C, not to mention the delicious flavor of our berries when you use them in sauces, toppings, smoothies, or eating them plain. We have them available now, while stocks last.
IT’S HERE! From Rancho Vignola, another fresh shipment of delicious, mouth-watering, certified organic nuts and dried fruit, with quality freshness and flavor that is uncommon! Pecans, walnuts, dry-roasted Tamari almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts (Filberts), Medjool dates, apricots, blueberries, cherries, cranberries, date nut rolls, gummy bears, crystallized ginger, mango slices, papaya spears, pineapple rings, prunes, uncommonly available organic macadamias and organic pine nuts, dry-roasted and salted pumpkin seeds, and vegan chocolate chips. We are in for treats this year!
“We Bought the Farm”
The Apprenticeship of Duddy Shepherditz
Some buy the farm; some fall for it. It was time once again to move the sheep. If sheep know where to go, no problem; if not, believe it: problem. We thought we would take no chances of bolting sheep boldly going where no sheep have gone before, so everyone lined up along the road to guide them. But one newcomer ewe was not indoctrinated as the rest, and at the road, turned right instead of left. Now the nature of sheep is to “follow the leader,” no matter where. Down the road she charged, and down the road, right behind, followed the sheep, like sheep!
“Ingrid!” Mark hollered. “Run! Head them off! Here, Mariko! Take Buddy! Hang on to him!” (Buddy, our powerful and almost insanely eager lab had to be restrained if we didn’t want to be chasing sheep in Montana or Alaska…or B.C.…or Quebec). Mariko ran for the first tree, frantically wrapping the leash around it to hold him. Mark dashed after the sheep while Trevor ran to get the ATV. (You will never find Trevor doing anything the hard way.) Lois was watching the entertainment. (You will never find Lois doing it even the easy way.)
Now along our road is a rather steep and deep ditch. Watching Ingrid desperately trying to catch up to the sheep, Lois momentarily turned to see where Trevor was. Turning back, Ingrid was nowhere to be seen. Then suddenly, up scrambled this “creature from the deep” on hands and knees.
Trevor returned, not having seen what had happened. “Ingrid, what’s that grass in your mouth?” he asked.
Had she deserted over to the “enemy”? There she had been, on all fours, with hay in her mouth. The evidence was overwhelming. Why was she feeling sheepish? On further reflection, we decided that no, she had only fallen down on the job…and just when we needed her most. She could be forgiven for that.
Oh well, we finally got the sheep into the pasture where they belonged, and Ingrid was not hurt. In fact, she had taken a quick break, with a bite to eat while laying down on the job, and we have another story to tell.
