Pruning

"He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes^* so that it bears more fruit."  This agricultural reference to life was in my Bible study this morning.  I feel especially blessed because we are expecting our 12th grandchild in August.

The grand kids like to go name their apple trees in our little orchard.  They won't accept the two existing trees that Grandpa Cochran planted for each of his children.  Those two still bear fruit and had a bountiful crop last fall.  So, I had to go get two more trees to catch up on our ever expanding family.  We were picking up supplies at Grant's Farm last week and I found two Gala trees I liked when the fellow in charge came and said I bet you want two Honeycrisp's.  They were planted last Friday and are doing well.  I think I need to go back and see if those two Gala trees are still there because that day we found out about the new grand child and I expect more so one to grow on has always worked well for me.

I've had a lot of pruning done to my old tree over the years.  How about you?  The result has been more bounty than a person could ask for.  The pruning happens whether you ask for it or not by just how you live out your life.  Either I acknowledge who is in charge and ask for guidance or it happens to me by the school of hard knocks.  I should have a degree from that school, too.

None of us wants to be "pruned."  We may not even know why we are here!  Thankfully, most of us has accepted that and the truth is we are going to get pruned whether we acknowledge it or not.

Farmers are anxious to plant their annual cash crops across this nation today and for good reason.  It's planting time!  May is traditionally the month we plant most of the cash crops in this country.  April is a great tune to plant but it didn't work out this year.

It's just been too cold and too damp to plant.  These crops too will be "pruned," like an orchard.  We prune them with pesticides, like it or not.  Few farmers can manage a farm today without pruning from insecticide, herbicide and fungicide in one way, shape, form or another.  God Bless you if you can, there is great demand for organic food today!

Every herbicide prunes the roots a little.  I remember that from the test boxes at Wilmington College decades ago.  Like our daily lives, everything needs a little "pruning" to bear fruit!

Are you open to be pruned a little today in order to be a better person and a better farmer?  It's going to happen whether you accept it or not.  That wheat plant in my field is an off type that was left in the seed supply.  Will nature prune or do I have to?

Ed Winkle