Bryant Family Farm Blog

Samuel

2012-02-13T20:20:00.001-06:00

The world's largest snowball...
Samuel had a special surprise for his birthday as it
snowed for the first time this winter

Happy happy 11th birthday Samuel!!
We love you and are thankful for you! Have a happy birthday!

Our favorite homemade chocolate black bean cake

Meet Our New...

2012-02-07T15:34:00.000-06:00

Last week, one of our heifers had a solid black bull calf!

Travis

To protect our sheep herd, we welcomed a great Pyrenees puppy to Bryant Family Farm! She will live with the sheep to keep the coyotes and other predators away from the defenseless lambs. She is a welcome addition since Sam, our dog of 11 years, died last fall.

Miss Sasha Pearl

SNJ Survival

2012-02-02T13:39:00.000-06:00

Nathan, Jonathan, and Samuel are pleased to announce their brand-new company, SNJ Survival. At their new store, you will find hand-crafted 550 paracord survival bracelets. Check them out!

Renovation: Complete!

2012-01-17T13:05:00.004-06:00

The past few months, our home has been under renovation. We are thankful for the many memories of working together and the fruitfulness of hard labor!

Refinishing the ceiling: our boys learned many handy skills

Adding insulation

The work crew: clearing lines

Installing new doors

Many hands make light work

We were extremely grateful for a sunny, warm January day,
on which our painting crew was able to completely paint
all of exterior doors and molding

Before

After

Just in case...

Thank you guys for your diligence in every project - you did a wonderful job.

"Give instruction to a wise man,

and he will be yet wiser:

teach a just man, and he will increase in learning."

{Proverbs 9:9}

Happy New Year

2012-01-05T23:22:00.001-06:00

On New Year's Eve, we made customized homemade pizzas

We enjoyed a wonderful night together playing a game
we haven't played in years, the "fruits of the spirit"

Yummy cranberry scones - thank you Maggie!

Capping the night off...and welcoming a new year in...with party poppers

God bless you and your families this new year!

Nathan's Catch

2011-12-29T11:02:00.000-06:00

One less chicken predator!

Christmas Joy to You

2011-12-26T17:11:00.002-06:00

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:

and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called

Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God,

The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

{Isaiah 9:6}

"We have seen and do testify that the Father

sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world."

{1 John 4:14}

"Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth."

{Isaiah 42:10}

"Exhort one another daily."

{Hebrews 3:13}

"Whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me."

{Matthew 18:5}

"If we love one another, God dwelleth in us,

and his love is perfected in us."

{1 John 4:12}

"I write unto you, little children,

because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake."

{1 John 2:12}

We are so thankful for the season to rejoice in the incarnation of our Savior, Jesus Christ! We are called to rejoice in the salvation and redemption of our Lord all throughout the year: may the love of God fill your hearts every day in this new year!

~The Bryants

Celebrating Life

2011-12-23T10:35:00.000-06:00

Dear Dad,

Today we look back and remember the incredible protection of the Lord in your life; 19 years ago, you were miraculously protected in your accident in Somalia. Thank you for your service to your country and for turning your focus and heart to your family in these intervening years. I am so thankful for God's protection and sparing your life; we would not be where we are today without you!

May God bless you with many more healthy and happy years. I love you!

-Sarah

Rachael's Birthday Gift - THANK YOU!

2011-12-22T11:50:00.000-06:00

Today, my favorite sister Rachael gave me the most special and thoughtful birthday gift. At breakfast, she gave me a carefully wrapped package, and as I opened it, I was amazed to find a notebook - with a beautifully designed cover. As I opened the cover, I immediately recognized the face of a dear friend...and another...and another!

Rachael, without my knowledge, over the past month has notified many of my friends, via email and phone, of a surprise birthday gift she was compiling for my birthday - a scrapbook with personally-designed pages, each with a special birthday message, Scripture verses, and picture. I couldn't believe the work that Rachael went to to compile this work of art - and the dozens of friends that sent in a birthday page for me! As I have read each page, I have enjoyed "meeting" many young ladies who receive KBR that I have not even met before, but who took the time to make this scrapbook unbelievably special to me.

Rachael, thank you SOO much for this beautiful gift of work and love! The time you put into this is so amazing to me and I will treasure this gift forever. Thank you, sweet sister!

Also, a big "thank you" to each one of you who sent a page in for this gift - I am tremendously blessed by your birthday wishes and prayers. I am so thankful for the fellowship Jesus Christ has given me through your walks with Him - truly, in His name we are One and will meet one day in Heaven! May the Lord bless each of you as you continue to walk in His love.

"For this cause we also, since the day we heard it,

do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the

knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing,

being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power,

unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

Giving thanks unto the Father...

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness,

and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son."

{Colossians 1:9}

Praise the Lord for His unspeakable gift toward us in all of life's blessings!

~Sarah Lee

Sarah's Birthday

2011-12-22T11:49:00.005-06:00

Happy Birthday Sarah!

We are so thankful for your testimony and service to our Lord, Jesus Christ.

We are so grateful to have a lovely, Godly Daughter!

We love you,

Dad and Mom

On Sarah's birthday, we surprised her by going ice skating with several friends

Rachael and Kathryn

After ice skating, we enjoyed pizza together

Maurya beautifully designed and decorated Sarah's
surprise chocolate black bean birthday cake - thank you so much!!
Thank you ALL for coming and skating with us - we had so much fun together.

{Thanks to dad for most of these pictures!}

New BFF Members: Sheep

2011-12-20T10:01:00.001-06:00

Last week, Jonathan bought 11 sheep to add to our Bryant Family Farm meat line! We are taking orders for 100% grass-fed lamb available next spring.

We bought the sheep from our friends in Missouri,
the Weinholds, and enjoyed the trip and fellowship

Timothy showed Nathan how to weld

Load 'em up!

Alyssa, Rachael, Mikayla

You are doing an excellent job caring for your flock, Jonathan!

Bread Tasting

2011-12-08T09:27:00.003-06:00

Oatmeal muffins, spelt crackers, quinoa salad, kamut biscuits, and muesli

Last week, we had a cozy afternoon for bread tasting. Our customers and friends brought various items that used different grains (spelt, oat, rye, quinoa, coconut, barley, etc) - healthy alternatives to those with a wheat intolerance. It was fun to learn how to use these various grains and to sample each one. Thank you to all who attend and made this an enjoyable event! Let us know if you are interested in other classes or events.

We had lots of teas to choose from, including Christmas teas from Queen's Pantry

...with Belle's rich cream, of course!

Many ideas and recipes shared along with teas, hot apple cider and lots of laughter

Banana bread made with oat flour

Taste-testers

Sarah and Kathryn

Grains available from Bryant Family Farm

Beautiful Sparkles: The Breath of God

2011-12-01T11:21:00.001-06:00

"By the breath of God

frost is given"

{Job 37:10}

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T09:38:00.018-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families! We're so thankful for the day to set aside and rejoice in all of life's blessings - God has abundantly poured them out in every life. The words of George Washington's Thanksgiving proclamation are a much-needed reminder for the reason we celebrate this day.

We're very thankful for homegrown food and a fresh turkey!

Making a list of 100 things we are thankful for

Wonderful homemade pies

Our cats aren't spoiled!

Playing a fun family game - we write someone's name down (historical, biblical, or current),
put it on another family member's head, and they they each have to guess who "they are"

hints?

Our other cat had to participate in the fun!

"Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul."

{Psalm 103}

My Feet are Cold!

2011-11-22T16:21:00.000-06:00

What's your favorite caption for this picture?

Thanksgiving Turkeys - Just a few Left!

2011-11-17T17:28:00.002-06:00

We still have a few turkeys available for your large holiday feast, so don't miss out on serving your family a special, natural turkey this Thanksgiving! We have several larger (28 lb.) turkeys that we have no room to store; our loss is your gain. We're offering a 10% discount!

"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,

and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name."

{Psalm 100:4}

Veteran's Day

2011-11-11T11:00:00.001-06:00

Veteran’s Day, which is formerly known as Armistice Day, is born from the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I, a war which claimed 35 million casualties. That Armistice established the ceasefire that began on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. Our Nation sets aside this day to proudly honor the millions of Americans who have served in our Armed Forces in both wartime and peace. The sacrifices which these brave Veterans so freely made to protect our freedom are the cornerstone of our great Nation. It is therefore fitting that all Americans pause to reflect on their service.

"Greater love hath no man than this,

that a man lay down his life for his friends."

{John 15:13}

~Tom, for the

Farm Trade Show: 2011

2011-11-08T13:02:00.012-06:00

In accordance with our 6-year tradition, we attended the Farm Trade Show last week and browsed the vendors and gleaned information. Other families and friends were also there so we enjoyed catching up with them.

Soap-making demonstrations by Mrs. Bechard

The young farmers

We enjoyed getting to know the Williams family better over lunch!
Here are the Bryant, Williams, and Weinhold girls

The men

Mrs. Bryant, Williams, and Weinhold

The Kline family, KBR subscribers in Missouri, dropped in toward the end of the day -
a great surprise ending to a wonderful trip.

NCFIC Glorious Marriages Conference

2011-11-03T10:42:00.007-05:00

Last week, the National Center for Family Integrated Churches hosted their annual conference, this year focusing on Gospel-Centered Marriages. We were blessed to be able to attend and glean from some excellent messages by various preachers including Dan Horn, Paul Washer, Kevin Swanson, and Doug Phillips, all upholding the importance of a Christ-centered and exalting marriage.

Various topics were discussed:

Marriage as the picture of the Gospel
The implications of the dominion mandate
Marriage as the foundation for society and future generations
The roles of husbands and wives
The roles of love, romance, and emotions
Redeeming the time with your children
What Christ and His Church have to do with earthly marriage

Registering and fellowshipping

Peter Bradrick with his adorable sons!

Mrs. Hayden, whose sweet family we met in 2008

The Helstroms

Doug Phillips

We met the Seargeant family in Texas in 2006, and it was great to run into them again!

Seargeants

What a dynamic speaker - Kevin P. Swanson!

We were blessed to meet Tiffany Pope of KY, another attendee of the conference with her father

Paul Washer with the incredible message, "The Center of All Things: The Gospel"

Talking with Mr. Washer

Mrs. Washer and their son

Board Discussion

What a delight to meet Sarah's friend, Amy Vest, in person! She is such a blessing!

There are never enough vans...

Healthy food at a local restaurant was enjoyed!

Enjoying dinner and fellowship with the Juartez family and friends

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

Cleaning rooms out

A spelling bee

And most fun of all, looking at old pictures and watching videos of our family from many years ago.
How everyone has grown! This is Nathan when he was about 10 years old.

We're so thankful for the opportunity to fellowship with those who love God's Word and to hear it preached.

"That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing,

being fruitful in every good work,

and increasing in the knowledge of God."

{Colossians 1:10}

Canning Applesauce

2011-10-27T13:20:00.000-05:00

Jonathan has been canning our apples this week! In the winter months, all the children love applesauce to go along with their breakfast. Jonathan has perfected the art of peeling, slicing, and cooking the apples. We do not add any sugar to the apples after they boil slightly. Just put them in jars and boil bath them - an easy, natural and tasty treat!

Thank you for your work, Jonathan!

"Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

Provideth her meat in the summer,

and gathereth her food in the harvest."

{Proverbs 6:6-8}

The Northern Lights

2011-10-25T12:14:00.000-05:00

Last night, as the boys were putting away our chickens, they noticed a changing color in the clear skies, and told the rest of the family. Not even realizing that we were witnessing a rare display of the Northern Lights in Kansas, we captured its colorful beauties with the camera. What a treat to see the wonders of God's creation in the heavens!

"I have made the earth, and created man upon it:

I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens,

and all their host have I commanded."

{Isaiah 45:12}

Fellowship From Near and Far

2011-10-20T13:25:00.013-05:00

Prigges, Parkers, Parishes, & Bryants

Last week, we had a wonderful time of fellowship with many friends. We met the Parker family at the Vision Forum Entrepreneurial Bootcamp in 2006 and have correspondence with them throughout the past five years. They recently visited our area and we were thrilled to see them, along with local mutual friends, the Prigges.

"Tailgating"

Samantha and Sarah - thankful for 5 years of friendship

Never enough cameras around!

Another sweet family, the Parishes, have also blessed us with their friendship after we met them through KBR Magazine. They were able to come "join the reunion" with the Parkers!

Praising the Lord through song and music

Cute little friends - Sarah and Cora

With over thirty children between four families, we enjoyed many fun games together

Races

Our first "pyramid" picture!

Tug 'o war

Sweet friends

Thank you all for visiting, friends! We are so thankful for fellowship in our mutual heavenly Father.

"I am a companion of all them that fear thee,
and of them that keep thy precepts."
{Psalm 119:63}

Boat Rides

2011-10-18T11:19:00.005-05:00

Our family has enjoyed the long autumn season here this year. One day, we decided to take some boat rides on our pond, pairing up in teams to see who could row across and back in record time! What a blessing to spend time together.

Samuel and Nathan's turn

Rachael and Jonathan's turn

Mom and Sarah's turn

Dad and Mom's turn

Row, row, row your boat...

A beautiful sunset

Up, down, up down...

The boys took the opportunity between boat rides to catch up on their October exercise challenge!

Bridges

"I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty,
and of thy wondrous works."
{Psalm 145:5}

Reserve Your Turkey!

2011-10-13T15:07:00.000-05:00

Your thanksgiving turkey is growing every day on our luscious grass. Don't forget to reserve your turkey soon! Delicious, hormone-free fresh turkeys will be available to pick-up on November 19.

Fall Tour & Customer Appreciation Day

2011-10-11T13:02:00.023-05:00

We appreciate our faithful customers' dedication to our all-natural, healthy foods! Our first annual customer appreciation day was held on a beautiful autumn day.

All aboard for the hay ride!

Enjoy a tour of Bryant Family Farm via photos!

Jonathan's gobbling turkeys are growing fast

Our only white goat - everyone's favorite

Meeting Belle

Remember Nathan's piglets? They're all grown up now!
This is our newest batch that will be in our freezers next March

We were happy to see our friends, the Karbuamers

Carrie provides fresh, organic produce for our customers each week.

We used her delicious veggies in the homemade Brunswick stew and chili we served

Feed bag races with the youth were fun for everyone!

Winners

Woops!

Confetti poppers

Rachael's homemade Ice Cream

Thank you all for coming and making the farm tour/party special. We appreciate you all!

"The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy:

teach me thy statutes."

{Psalm 119:64}