It’s another busy Thursday morning here at Paradise Fields. After a quick meeting with my team, we all hurry off to the various farm tasks that need to be done. Shortly after, one of our volunteers arrives. I show her what to do and continue with the rest of my long to-do list.
But then there is this impression to join my volunteer and weed the arugula beds with her. “But God I’m really busy today with more pressing things” I mention to him. But then he reminds me that farming has a bigger purpose than getting things done. So I join her with weeding. We start talking. She has been coming faithfully once a week to our farm for over 3 months. Unable to continue to work in her career as a police officer due to a traumatic experience, she has been battling with a lot of depression and PTSD. The last years have been rough for her. So I take the time to check in with her. She has become so much happier and more positive since she first came.
Soon we start talking about faith, religion and God. And then she says “Eunice, God always has placed people in my life that help me get back to God. When I was a little kid, I always went to the nearest church even though my parents never went to any. When I was in college, there was that one christian girl that was so different from the rest of the students and we became good friends and now I’m working here on this farm.” Moments like these are so precious and remind me again that our profession/career is just a cover for our real purpose on this earth: leading souls to Jesus. And farming offers such golden opportunities for that.
In a world where there is such a disconnection between the origin of food and the consumer, more and more people seek out a personal relationship with the farmer – a personal encounter with nature. I believe that God placed this longing in us so that we can come closer to him in nature.
Pollution and nutrient deficiency in our food is normal nowadays, more and more people are waking up and rethinking their diet choices. They are realizing how important it is to spend time in nature.
For that reason Paradise Fields was established in 2016 by successful serial entrepreneur Mario Roque. His vision back then as well as now is to produce nutrient-dense, healthy and tasty veggies and fruits and provide a place for healing physically, mentally and spiritually as well as preventing illnesses.
Fast forward a couple of years and this place not only has a market garden, a big orchard, a substantial microgreen production (all organic) and a farm/health food store. We run multiple cooking classes, seminars, brunches with doctors, wellness/newstart retreats and so much more. The plan is to build a wellness center on the farm within the next 2-3 years to further increase the influence of the farm and provide a more holistic and allrounded program. We have adventist nutritionists and naturopaths offer consultations on the farm.
It is such a joy witnessing our customers find true healing through our various programs. But not only customers profit from it. As a market garden manager, it is such a privilege watching my (non-adventist) team members grow and becoming happier.
I still remember one of my workers being really depressed when he first came to the farm. He would not smile at all and just seemed very miserable. After a couple of weeks I could already see a positive change in him. He started smiling more often. Working in God’s nature has such a healing power. After a while he was a quite happy person – positive and fun to be around.
Another person showed up on the farm one day dealing with depression and anxiety. He started volunteering with us. After a while he got bible studies and got baptized. If you met him today, you would not believe he was dealing with depression. He is so full of energy and creativity.
I could add so many more stories.
Ellen White actually says quite a bit about using farming and nature to help the sick and bring them closer to Jesus.
Here just a few of my favorite quotes: “In the effort made to restore the sick to health, use is to be made of the beautiful things of the Lord's creation. Seeing the flowers, plucking the ripe fruit, listening to the happy songs of the birds, has a peculiarly exhilarating effect on the nervous system. From outdoor life men, women, and children gain a desire to be pure and guileless. By the influence of the quickening, reviving, life-giving properties of nature's great medicinal resources, the functions of the body are strengthened, the intellect awakened, the imagination quickened, the spirits enlivened, and the mind prepared to appreciate the beauty of God's word.” (Counsels to Health, 167.2)
“And not only are they entertained by these surroundings, but at the same time they learn most precious spiritual lessons. Surrounded by the wonderful works of God, their minds are lifted from the things that are seen to the things that are unseen. The beauty of nature leads them to think of the matchless charms of the earth made new, where there will be nothing to mar the loveliness, nothing to taint or destroy, nothing to cause disease or death.” (CH 169.4)
And one more: “Locate sanitariums on extensive tracts of land, where in the cultivation of the soil patients can have opportunity for healthful outdoor exercise. Such exercise, combined with hygienic treatment, will work miracles in restoring and invigorating the diseased body, and refreshing the worn and weary mind. Amid conditions so favorable the patients will not require so much care as if confined in a sanitarium in the city. Nor will they in the country be so much inclined to discontentment and repining. They will be ready to learn lessons in regard to the love of God—ready to acknowledge that He who cares so wonderfully for the birds and the flowers will care for the creatures formed in His own image. Thus opportunity is given physicians and helpers to reach souls, uplifting the God of nature before those who are seeking restoration to health." (CH 170.4)
You might be wondering now how you can apply these quotes on your farm/in your garden since you don’t have patients or a sanitorium on site?
It doesn’t have to be that big. Think about what your garden, your farm, your property offers (for example fresh produce and products, forest, areas to relax, pond or stream, animals, etc). Take inventory of what you have, what your skills and talents are. What about your family, friends, church members? Ask God to show you how you can use these things to reach out to souls. Ask him which group of people you should focus on. And then start (even if it’s small).
Here are just some ideas for groups to focus on:
kids
elderly
people with disabilities
people with mental health challenges
professionals/managers
first responders (police, medical, …)
etc.
I don’t have enough space here to go into detail of how each group specifically benefits from what we can offer them as farmers/gardeners.
Not sure what to do on the farm?
What about:
gardening workshops
cooking classes & health presentations (different themes like garden to table, seasons, …)
story time for kids (imagine a wonderful summer day in the shade of trees surrounded by kids listening to your stories and what powerful influence these stories might have :)
gardening club
going on walks and taking care of animals
weeding (nothing is more relaxing and satisfying than weeding surrounded by nature – trust me!)
just the everyday farm tasks
providing community garden beds
Collaborate with your local (adventist) health professionals to provide your customers a holistic approach to health.
On a mission trip I went on to a very remote (mostly indigenous) community in the wilderness of Canada, we built garden boxes, delivered them to various community members, gave them seeds and then matched them with local church members as their personal gardening coach. It not only helps them with food security but provides a natural way to interact with church members.
The ideas are endless.
I dream that each of our farms and gardens are becoming centers of influence, places where people get to know Jesus, places where many lives are changed!
Will you make that dream a reality?
Eunice Schendel has worked on various farms in various countries before joining Paradise Fields (www.paradisefields.ca) as a market garden manager in southern Ontario, Canada. She has degrees in Agriculture and Business Management and is really passionate about good food – whether growing, cooking or eating it. But her real passion is reaching souls through farming and watching people change and grow.
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