Upwards

Sometimes, Christmas trees need help growing upward.

On his walks through the tree patch, Jeff keeps an eye out for firs or pines with broken leaders, top branches snapped by birds or deer. When he finds one, he gently pulls up a nearby branch with good needle growth and tapes it to a bamboo stick and the tree’s trunk. This branch becomes the tree’s new leader after a week or two, and the tape breaks off.

It’s a task that shapes the pine or fir into the tree it needs to be for celebrating the Christmas holidays full of light. This process takes place while the tree is still young, years before it will be ready for Christmas, yet it is essential for the tree’s preparation for its bright, shining moment.

Thanks for Reading!

And I hope you feel refreshed and rejuvenated for the week ahead with this moment preserved in picture and prose. Consider:

• What bright, shining moment have you experienced lately, and how did your past experiences shape that moment?

Share your answer and this newsletter with a mentor who helped you achieve your brightest goals.

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This Week on the Farm

Mia had her third sheepdog lesson on Friday morning, and that night, she put her new knowledge to practice out in the pasture.

Because she’s still learning, I used a lead rope to guide her to where she needs to be.

This rope also helps me tell her when she needs to back away from the sheep, as when she gets too close, the sheep split rather than stay together. Sheep’s flocking behavior is what helps make moving them with a dog possible, so individuals splitting off make the job of herding more difficult.

We walked up to the llamas and sheep and politely asked them to move to the paddock next door so that we could move the animals’ water wagon.

We made sure to end on a high note, giving a command that I knew Mia could get right, and then she went back outside the paddock and watched with a happy grin. She likes having a job on the farm!

Farm Shop

Our fleeces are making their way across the country for various fiber artist projects! Check out our Etsy shop before they all leave Indiana!