Everyone has something to give.

“Give what you have. To someone, it may be better than you dare to think.” 
― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Today my mind lingers on thoughts of generosity…”what does it mean? and “how does it look?” In search of an answer, I headed over to the Dictionary  to see what old Webster had to say. His definition; “the quality of being kind, understanding, and not selfish: the quality of being generous; especially: willingness to give money and other valuable things to others.” Webster’s basic definition is sound, but in my opinion it doesn’t go far enough.

Everyone has something to give. “Money and other valuables” are tangible things and certainly an important part of being generous, but what if one has no money or valuables to spare… what then? This is where, I believe, the intangibles comes in; something not made with a physical substance. It may  be a friendly smile to someone in passing or a word of encouragement at an opportune time. Perhaps it is pitching in and lending a hand when a need is presented or holding your tongue when angry words might otherwise fly. It’s the intangible things, in my opinion, that tend to have the greatest impact. Everyone has something to give, so what will your gift be today?

Spotlight Thursday

Today, I would like to place the spotlight on Origins Hobby Farm. I first met Kathy, one of the owners, via email. She contacted me to ask if I would be interested in doing a guest piece for her website. Being new to Blog World, I was a little bit hesitant. I had no idea if I could do it or how to proceed if I did. Kathy showed great patience and kindness, and helped walk this newbie through unfamiliar territory. My first guest post, Plan ahead – Enjoy seasonal foods all year long was published. I was grateful for the opportunity and experience and now have the chance to pay it forward!

Origins Hobby Farm is a small farm located on 10 acres in Middleville, Michigan, set on “an odyssey of small scale sustainability.” Here they grow an ever increasing amount of their own produce, manage livestock, forage for wild edibles and hunt wild game. They are continually learning new ways to implement food preservation, and try different techniques on extending their productive season well into the cold Michigan winters. 

Honeybees are alive and thriving at Origins Hobby Farm. Find information on how to filter beeswax, a recipe for cold remedies, hand salve and lip balm right on their website.

I learned something new about rabbits from one of Origins Hobby Farms latest blog post, The Dirty Truth about Hobby Farming this week too! I read there that rabbit pooh was a cold fertilizer known as “Black Gold,” and is perfect for using immediately in the garden without composting. This might be the perfect reason for me to raise a few of these furry little creatures.

I could go on and on about Origins Hobby Farm, but even better, go see for yourself! It is my hope that you will beome friends with Kathy and those at the farm, learn new things and appreciate her as much as I do.

If you’re looking for a personal relationship with someone who produces your food, looking for plants, animals or other supplies to add to your own hobby farm or homestead, or  just a few recipes and ideas to make your life simpler, then pop on over to Origins Hobby Farm and take a gander. I believe Kathy would love to hear from you, so feel free to shoot her an email. I think you will be happy you did.