After four healthy years in the ground, all our trees took major damage last year from cicadas, fireblight, or a cherry tree disease that the Ohio State University agricultural lab was not able to identify. We lost a cherry and will probably lose the fireblighted pear and another cherry, which once was our biggest one. This year, we’re simply hoping that nothing else dies. A bountiful harvest would be wonderful, especially in the pears, which were stupendously tasty last year (in what was our test production year). Sadly, our remaining pear trees did not have a lot of blossoms this year, which means diminished fruit. We’re not sure why we had so few blossoms, as the remaining pear trees are all vigorous and healthy.

Thank you for your encouragement. Needless to say, for what happened to our trees (and for many other reasons), we’d like to forget 2008 and move on to a better year, which so far 2009 has been.

May you be blessed with a BOUNTIFUL HARVEST this year.

All His love to you,
TruthBeTold

I prayed that God will make a way where there has been no way.

Truthfully, I would not advise starting your own business unless you have five years’ worth of savings or alternative income that you can fall back on during the startup time. I did, and that was what got us through the rough spots. I would also advise that you leverage as much of your home business as possible by thinking about running more than one business. I have a seasonal one (the orchard, which may produce for us this year after several years of waiting) and my year-round one (my writing & editing business).