Natural Farming Internship (Work in progress, last update July, 17th, 2020 UTC+08:00)

“Meaningless! Meaningless!”
 says the Teacher. 
“Utterly meaningless!
  Everything is meaningless.”

Ecclesiastes 1:2

What if I could speak 
all languages 
of humans
 and of angels?
 If I did not love others,
 I would be nothing more
 than a noisy gong 
or a clanging cymbal.  What if I could prophesy
 and understand all secrets
 and all knowledge?
  And what if I had faith
 that moved mountains?  
I would be nothing, 
unless I loved others.  What if I gave away all
 that I owned
 and let myself
 be burned alive?  I would gain nothing, 
unless I loved others.

  

Love is kind and patient, 
never jealous, boastful,
 proud, or rude.
  Love isn’t selfish
 or quick tempered.
  It doesn’t keep a record
 of wrongs that others do.  Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil.  Love is always supportive,
 loyal, hopeful, 
and trusting.  Love never fails!

1 Corinthians 13:1-8

Late December 2013, I was riding the shuttle bus heading to work in the Vail Valley. I was sitting next to a ski instructor who was flipping through a picture book.  In contrast to the white mountains of Colorado, I happened to notice some tropical looking fruit trees in the pictures so I asked him, to show him that I could identify one, “Is that a cashew tree?”  He answered something to the effect of, “Yes it is! This one is growing on my neighbors plot next door to my farm in the Philippines.”  Over the next few days I continued to see him on the bus and I continued to ask him random questions about his farm.  One morning, as I was snacking on some banana chips, I started the conversation with him by asking, “Do you guys make banana chips on your farm?”  “We sure do!”, he exclaimed.  He then explained how they brush the pieces of banana with lime juice so that they hold their shape for when they quickly fry them in coconut oil.  I was intrigued.  The last time I saw him on the bus he gave me his card, told me how to find his book, and then invited me to do an internship at his farm.  Again, I was intrigued.           

My parents, three siblings, and I lived in a small agricultural community in central Nebraska on the edge of a cornfield and just down wind from a putrid smelling commercial pig farm.  I didn’t grow up on a farm like my parents did, but my hometown was surrounded by cornfields -- miles and miles of conventional farms growing genetically modified corn and soybeans sprayed with pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers.  The grain is harvested and shipped to feedlots or chicken farms to quickly fatten livestock.  The corn can also be used to manufacture plastic, whiskey, or ethanol.  All that to say, except for some sweet corn or possibly popcorn, food in these farmer’s homes very seldom come directly from their multi-acre mono-crop farms.  Even most of the food in our grocery store is shipped over a 1000 miles from various locations around the globe.  Almost everything about this government subsidized farming culture confused me.

I do not claim to be an expert on the subject of agriculture or nutrition.  My primary purpose in writing here is to inform the reader of what I was exposed to during the first four months into my internship.  For the sake of wordiness and repeating too much of what others have written, I will reference books and other forms of media for you to peruse if you are interested.  Knowing that there are many controversial issues within agriculture and nutrition, I reiterate, I am writing this to inform the reader of my experience.  Although, I will share my current views of modern agriculture in order to contrast it with the natural farming methods I was exposed to.  My secondary goal is that you would see the benefits of natural farming and join me in growing nutritious food or creating an eco-village somewhere.  I will begin by sharing a bit of my background, I’ll then do my best to summarize what I have learned during my internship, and conclude with how this knowledge will effect my future plans.

Around 1990 my dad read ‘Fit for Life’ (1985) by Marilyn and Harvey Diamond.  He, along with many others inspired by the book, immediately decided to change his diet, which in turn, caused him to change our diet.  One day he sat us all down for a family meeting and announced, “We are going to change the way we eat!”  He later shared with me how he remembered our pouty faces as he informed us of our new menu of nutritious foods like salads and whole grains -- and no more cheese filled hotdogs!  For the next 10 years of living at home, almost every meal included a lesson on nutrition or how to chew your food properly for a good digestion -- I especially remember the on-going lesson on not using too much Ranch dressing and to stop nuking your food with the microwave.  Others included: ‘If you can it or cook it, you kill it, and if you freeze it, you lose 30% of the live enzymes’; ‘the whiter the bread, the sooner you’re dead’ adage, and eventually the microwave oven had to be disposed of.  His, and soon after, my mom’s continual enthusiasm for nutritious food and fitness became contagious for the rest of our family.  

In college, I remember having many difficult discussions around the cafeteria table concerning the farms that are producing most of the food we eat in America.  As any thinking human should do, I started asking questions about the quality of the food in the grocery stores and in our schools.  Could it be lacking nutrition or even unsafe to eat?  Is raw milk unsafe to drink?  Is USDA organic food more nutritious than conventionally grown food?  Are conventional pesticides harmful to humans or the environment?  The more answers I found, the more I became concerned with modern chemical farming methods -- and I don’t mean air-conditioned tractors and combines, but simplistic NPK mentality, genetically modified organisms, and synthetic chemical inputs instead of age old natural farming methods.   

I have learned that even certified organic food could be low in nutrients or even contaminated with residual chemicals from previous years of spraying on the land.  One of the USDA’s requirements is that farms must be chemical free for three years in order to be certified organic.  But these chemicals are not going to break down in 3 years.  Another reason organic might not be better is if the farmers are only substituting pesticides and herbicides with ‘organic’ brands and not paying attention to the level of nutrients (brix reading) in the plants.  They are monitoring the inputs but no one has to monitor their outputs.  They could be organic by neglect.  They might be growing food without chemicals in nutrient deficient soil.  Ideally, getting to know a farmer and the farming method used on the farm and then buy your food directly from that farm or, of course, growing your own food is even better.

I wish I could simply say that the farms that use GMO technology do agriculture one way and natural farmers do it another way, but I believe it is necessary to inform people of the controversy concerning this new technology that has become such a world wide industry.  I didn’t hear about genetically modified organisms (taking genes from one species and putting them into the DNA of another species) until my late teenage years.  I suspect that GMO’s were not a household term 10 years ago because GMO food was snuck into the grocery stores without the consumer’s knowledge.  Why would they have to tell us?  They didn’t have to and they still don’t.  The FDA’s policy allows this because ‘the agency is not aware of any information showing that the foods created from these new methods differ from other foods in any meaningful or uniform way.’ (FDA Federal Register
 Volume 57, Section VI – 1992)[1] But there are many scientists who disagree with this statement or even outright call it a lie.  This is why you sound like a conspirator for even hinting that GMO foods are unsafe for human consumption.  However, the vast amount of information coming from sources that do not make money from this technology has convinced me that GMOs should be avoided, both for the sake of your body’s health and for the health of the environment.  If you are interested in the history of GMOs and why they were created, the documentaries I suggest later on are good starting points.  There is also a lot of research on the health effects of GMOs.   If you would like to look into these things further, Dr. Arden Anderson PhD has an informative seminar speech called ‘Soil Nutrients and Human Health’ and Jeffery Smith, author of ‘Seeds of Deception’, has a presentation called ‘Don’t Put That In Your Mouth’ that is also worth listening to.  (I’ll post the links for the downloadable audio files in the footnote.[2])

Primarily, agriculture should be about feeding people nutritious food, not just merely filling their stomachs with calories or farmers filling their pockets with money.  According to Dr. Ross Welch PhD, the lead scientist and plant physiologist at the United States Plant, Soil, and Nutrition Laboratory (USDA/ARS) farmers should think of themselves as nutrient providers.[3]  It is sad to think that there are farmers that do not even know about the quality of the food that they are producing, they just buy the recommended chemicals and spray.  According to the big company selling the seeds, pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers, the sold out farmer is feeding the world the most safest food with a sustainable system that builds communities around farms.  Oh yes, and they sure like to mention how sustainable they are.  Well, actually they need the farmer’s business in order to remain sustainable.  They are only ‘so-called’ sustainable because those conventional farmers are dependent upon the company – they couldn’t exist without each other.  Check out the documentaries listed below for a clearer picture of what is happening in the world with modern agriculture.

Until recently I was unaware of the few small organic farms (farms that do not use synthetic chemicals or genetically modified crops) in the area where I grew up.  My dad’s backyard organic vegetable garden was one of the few that I had seen.  Therefore, being exposed to a fully functioning organic farm, like the one I am about to write about, was like walking into an entirely different world.  I found myself on a farm that truly operates to serve the community (socially equitable), benefit the environment, is economically sustainable, and most impressively, the pig pens did not stink!

This grand discovery, that I am thankful to God for, came about in the summer of 2014.  I accepted the ski instructor’s invitation for a four month internship in the Philippines on the island of Palawan in the city of Puerto Princesa City, at Aloha House[4], an orphanage on an organic farm located on a hill overlooking Honda Bay to the east and Mount Beaufort to the west. 

The internship started with a 3 day intensive training led by the executive director of Aloha House Inc. and the author of ‘Sustainable Agriculture In the Tropics’ (2011)[5], Keith O. Mikkelson, the ski instructor.  During those 3 days, my group was given a farm tour, hands on training[6], a history of organic farming, and an overview of many different types of natural farming methods from around the world.[7]  In short, Keith (2011) quickly introduced us to ‘almost’ everything their ministry does to better serve their on-site orphanage[8].  The farm is a large part of Aloha House’s ministry because it provides highly nutritious food for the developing children who often come in sick and malnourished.  The farm also helps bring in funds to help run the orphanage – i.e. buy diapers.  On the fourth day, the bonus day, we were introduced to the nutrition side of the ‘indoctrination’.    

If you want to know how I have been indoctrinated or want to be indoctrinated yourself, short of becoming an intern at Aloha House, start by reading Keith Mikkelson’s (2011) short book that I referenced above and then watch these (somewhat dated) documentaries:  ‘Food Inc.’, ‘Future of Food’, ‘The World According to Monsanto’.[9]  Nutritionally speaking I have been highly influenced by Sally Fallon[10], her presentations of Dr. Weston A. Price’s[11]  discoveries, and her informative cookbook “Nourishing Traditions” (1999). Thanks to these discoveries I have gained a great appreciation for animal fats (because of the fat soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K), liver, and other organ meats, only from grass fed and/or organic feed fed livestock.  Additional Weston A. Price Foundation seminar speakers such as Joel Salatin[12] from Polyface Farms in Virginia, Jerry Brunetti[13], and Dr. Arden Anderson[14], (just to name a few) have changed the way I view farming and nutrition.  I also feel it is necessary to include Aldo Leopold in this list of influences for his ‘Land Ethic’[15], other writings, and work he did.         

How did I respond to this research?

Well, I did and continue to do, more research.  In Charles Walter’s 2003 book, ‘Eco-Farm An Acres U.S.A. Primer’, he explains that proper nutrition all starts with ‘feeding’ the soil.  If we feed the soil which feeds the plant then ultimately it feeds the animals and humans nutrient dense food.

 Microbes (See Mikkelson’s [2011] book.)

            We feed the soil because the most fertile soil is alive, teaming with  micro-organisms.  (Walters 2003, p. 81)  A large percentage of the microbes in nature are neutral, they are neither harmful or beneficial.  But they end up following the majority either the beneficial or harmful (pathogens) microbes.  The natural farmer’s job is to ensure there are more beneficial micro-organisms than pathogens, while the conventional farmer kills them all with high sodium based unnatural chemicals.

Beneficial micro-organisms cannot thrive without organic matter to feed on and a suitable ‘house’ to live in.  The organic matter we use at the Aloha House farm includes charcoalized rice hull, fermented rice wash, inoculated rice bran, copra meal, manure, fermented kitchen garbage, seaweeds, fish emulsions, compost, weeds, crop residues, etc.  The microbes go to work for the farmer to brake down the organic matter into easily accessible nutrients and minerals for plants.  It has been amazing learning about this unseen world and how much the microbes do for the plants.  

According to Mikkleson (2011), plant roots secrete substances such as carbohydrates, amino and organic acids, and active enzymes.  Microorganisms use these secretions for growth.  During this process, the microbes also secrete root dividing hormones, antioxidants, amino acids, nucleic acid, a variety of vitamins, and other hormones.  Phototrophic bacteria helps synthesize the sunlight.  The phototrophic bacteria can be applied as a foliar spray -- they live on the surface of the plant’s leaves.

As many natural farmers can tell you, it can take years to build fertile soil, but if you inoculate your soil with beneficial microbes then you can jump start your soil and turn years into months.  The Aloha Farm uses a product that was first created in Japan called EM-1® (Effective Micro-organisms).  The microbes are in a dormant state in the bottle until they are released into the environment.  We ‘extend’ the EM1 by giving the microbes molasses to wake them up and feed them – the process takes one week before they are ready. 

EM Extended (EME) Ingredients

45 ml. EM1, 45 ml. molasses

1 liter of non-chlorinated water 

We add the EME and fermented rice wash to our compost to help break down the organic matter more quickly.  A twelve month waiting time can be reduced to three months or even three weeks if turned to add oxygen regularly.  The entire farm is sprayed with the beneficial microbes once a week with a backpack sprayer and a pump and hose.  The leaves of trees are sprayed as a foliar spray.  All of the livestock live in an EM environment – that is why the pigs do not stink.  We even put a little in their water as a pro-biotic or pour it down drains and toilets to treat septic tanks .

IMOs

One of my projects, inspired by the Korean Natural Farming method, was to harvest indigenous micro-organisms (IMOs).  I used cooked white rice in one foot (30 cm) lengths of bamboo and placed it on the floor of an old growth forest.  Four days later it was furry with yeasts and molds.  That was our IMO1.  We then mixed it into molasses (1:1) and stored it in a clay jar, never plastic (as the Korean Natural Farmer Master Cho says), with a non-soy inked piece of paper for a cover.  One week later it can be labeled as IMO2.  We then strained it, bottled it, and added 500 ml to 2 sacks of rice bran, IMO3.  It got steaming hot over night; the active microbes were really loving it!  Although, we did make a mistake with our extra IMO2.  When we stored it in our plastic bottle (was that the mistake, Master Cho?) we didn’t leave enough head space.  The  bottle blew it’s top and spilled into Keith’s shoes that were nearby (which created a whole new IMO!).  We then went on to making IMO4 by adding soil (1:1). Finally, we completed the project by making an IMO5 by adding fermented manure (1:1).  You can then use these for different applications around the farm to add to your soils fertility.

All that to say, EM-1® will get you more than just the yeasts, and molds.  It has the lactic acid bacteria group and the photosynthetic group as well.  The producers of EM-®1 also have these groups balanced in proportions with the others so that they will thrive symbiotically when they are released into the environment.  Seeing EM-1® at work on the farm has convinced me that EM-1® can save you time and money and knowing how to make your own is great in case in the unlikely event that EM-1® ever becomes unavailable.

Now that I have given you a bit of my background and introduced the foundation of natural farming, building fertile soil, I’ll move on to summarizing what I have learned during the Aloha Natural Farm internship. 

Instead of rewriting Keith’s (2011) book on the 10 fundamentals I will merely list them here in no particular order.

1.    Companion planting (intercropping)

2.    Crop rotation

3.    Cover crops

4.    Legume usage

5.    Mulching

6.    Green fertilizers

7.    Compost

8.    Insect Habitat

9.    Minimal Tillage

10.         Animal Integration

To be continued…

 I just finished my stabilized rammed earth house project.  Here is the first video of my progress:  http://youtu.be/-XzSQxXones

 

I will soon expound upon the following aspects of the internship (while spending more time on the aspects that are not in Keith’s [2011] book): the 10 fundamentals, anaerobic and aerobic compost (double vortex compost tea brewer), mineral mix (mineral rock crusher), bokashi, bokashi mudballs, fermented kitchen garbage, fermented plant matter, egg and bone extract, fish amino acid, aquaponics, animals on the farm (pigs, goats, chickens, ducks, cows, water buffalo) allowed to express their distinctiveness throughout their life and for their ‘one bad day’ the farm’s implementation of low stress culling procedures, vermicast (T.H.M. [Top Harvest Method]), farm made potting soil, stabilized rammed earth building projects, EMAS hand pumps, rocket stoves, thai charcoal kilns, lumbering and milling, raised grow beds, whiz bang chicken plucker, whiz bang cart, homemade soaps and cheeses, permaculture, herb spirals, bio-gas, bio-dynamics, Italian Pompeii dome pizza oven construction, and of course, carnivorous plants such as amorphophallus and pitcher plants.

All this to say, I have become a lifelong student of the many processes I was exposed to.  Visit us at Food Web Gardens in Ord, Nebraska to see all that we have implemented from the education we received from Aloha House.  I am grateful to God to have something to offer with the work of my hands that enriches the local community, heals our land, and offers a substantial livelihood. 

Or visit us at our Facebook page... https://www.facebook.com/foodwebgardens 

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[1] Link to FDA’s website:   http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/Biotechnology/ucm096095.htm

[2]  "Soil Nutrients and Human Health" by Adren Anderson, PhD, DO.  “Don’t Put That In Your Mouth.” by Jeffrey Smith.

[3] "Agriculture as a Tool For Better Health" by Dr. Ross Welch PhD (Audio file).  Here is a website that has a short bio of his credentials and research interests:  http://www.ars.usda.gov/Research/docs.htm?docid=9445

[4] One of the definitions of Aloha is love.

[5] Links to a free e-book copy of Keith’s book and more information about the Aloha House can be found at www.alohahouse.org.

[6] The hands on training included the following: compost, compost tea, raised garden beds, animal feeds, fermented plant extracts, eggshell and bone extracts, fermented rice wash, fish emulsion, minerals from the rock crusher, soil blocks for the nursery, extended Effective Micro-organisms, used a broad fork, and built a stabilized rammed earth wall and rocket stove.

[7] Here is a list of the types of natural farming methods that I have been introduced to:  Nature Farming, Permaculture, Organic Farming, Bio-Dynamic Farming, Biological Farming, Korean Natural Farming, Kyusei Nature Farming, Demeter Biodynamics, F.A.I.T.H. Gardening, French Raised Beds, Farming God’s Way, Keyline Design, SALT Farming, Sustainable, Square foot Gardening.  I only heard of Organic Farming before interning here at the Aloha House.

[8] Keith informed me that in the Philippines an orphanage is called a ‘children’s home’ because they say that every child is a child of God.  Therefore, if you call them orphanages you might be corrected by those who persist on calling them children’s homes.  But if you then ask, “So, it sounds like an orphanage.  Is it?”  They will say, “Yes.”

[9] Most of these can be found on Netflix or YouTube.  They are all a little dated now.  I remember watching them years ago.  It is good to be aware of what is happening in our world.  In my opinion, the documentaries are heavy on the ‘evils’ of the chemical industry and light on what to do to change things.

[10] Here are links to Sally Fallon’s presentations, part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4.  Audio for Part 1, Audio for Part 2, Audio for Part 3.

[11] From the 1920’s to the 40’s, Dr. Price observed the teeth of indigenous people groups who did not have road access and therefore were not introduced to modern diets.  He recorded his findings in his book “Nutrition and Physical Degeneration” Weston A. Price, DDS.   The indigenous people lived off what they themselves produced.  He found that their teeth came in straight and their faces were more rounded which allowed plenty of room for their wisdom teeth.  A very small percentage (less than 1 percent on his three month trip in Switzerland) had signs of minimal tooth decay.  In contrast, he studied the same people groups who had road access and had been introduced to the white man’s diet (sugar, white flour, pastries, candies, jams and jellies, canned condensed milk, canned foods and vegetables oils—at that time mostly cottonseed oil) their teeth were rotting and falling out.  While doing his studies in Alaska, he found that tooth aches and pains were the main causes for their high suicide rates.  These people were introduced to a modern diet before there were trained dentists in the area to fix their dental problems.   Price also noted that all of the groups that had been introduced to modern diets had multiple cases of tuberculosis, while this sickness was unheard of with the secluded groups. 

[12] Emancipating Traditional Foods Seminar Speech (speech starts at 5:15).  We also enjoyed his ‘Polyface Farm’ DVD.

[13] Audio of Jerry Brunetti seminar: Plant Secondary Metabolites

[14] Audio of Arden Andersen seminar: Consumer Rules

[15] Here is a link to a PDF that recaps Aldo Leopold’s ‘Land Ethic’. 

  

Honda Bay

The sustainable agriculture internship has been very informative and a bit overwhelming at times. I am thankful for trips like this to get out and enjoy the island.

How do I start...

May, 22^nd 2014

I grew up in a small town in central Nebraska.  I grew up feeling like a city boy, that is, comparing myself to the kids who lived on farms in the area.  I learned to pride myself as having lived on the outskirts of town.  Our house was on the edge of a corn field and just beyond that field was wide open pasture land – an incredible park to explore and play in. 

Maybe it was growing up in Ord that made me all the more curious of the  ‘outside’ unknown world.   Ord is a small town where everyone knows everyone and we were not used to seeing people we didn’t know.   Out of town cars and people stuck out like sore thumbs.  I remember one summer my friend and I made it a point to get out of Ord and drive to other small towns in the area.  They all had their own unique feel or vibe.  Every town was different and made you feel different which also made you think a little different.    

During my second year of college I was ready to move somewhere entirely different.  I wanted to study abroad in Ireland, but I forced myself to stick it out for the remainder. 

After graduation I went on the internet in search of a VW camper van.  I wanted to roll into Los Angeles and feel that city out.  The search led me to a class C RV sold by a car dealer in San Antonio, Texas.  My dad fronted me some money for the purchase and within a month I was saying goodbye to ma and pa in the airport. 

It was tough, but it was an incredible adventure.  I was able to get jobs and quickly paid off my school loans and proudly paid my dad back for the RV at the same time giving all the glory to God.  Once I was debt free – nothing could stop me from… well… anything!

I did end up in a romantic relationship for a few years.  I tried to avoid getting attached after a long relationship in high school but somehow after about nine years of avoidance I got attached again.  We ended up realizing that we didn’t want the same things, she was ready to settle down and I wasn’t and I’m still not.

I don’t know why I started this post this way.  For some reason this trip has got me thinking about a lot of things -- but what’s new!  I would like to try and explain where I am and what I am experiencing but I don’t know if it is possible.  Also, I can not think of a good reason to share my heart on this website for all the world to see.  I haven’t even posted this yet so in reality it is only on my computer for me to see and I can always go back and edit things out.  But what for?  These are the thoughts I am having in my information filled brain right now. 

My brother just brought me a 6 to 7 inch live scorpion.    

Da da naa!

While spending the winter working in the Colorado mountains I met a ski instructor on the bus that owns a sustainable farm in the Philippines.  He was reading a magazine that had pictures of cashew trees in it and I recognized them from my trip to Vietnam.  We started talking everyday for a few weeks and I was sold on doing an internship after finding out that they make their own banana chips.

We leave tomorrow morning.  We includes my sister, my younger brother, a friend I met in Colorado, and myself.  We plan on being there for four months.  WhaaaHOOOO!!

alohahouse.org

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aloha-Natural-Farm-Palawan-Philippines/144103812350662

The Great God Adventure! (Mid July River Trip)

I have the desire to go on life changing journeys -- to hit the open road not knowing exactly where I will end up.

Taking a Waterbike toted behind a bicycle from Ord, Nebraska to the Missouri River would be a trip I would like to take.  Then the Missouri to wherever.

I attempted this trip earlier this year.  It was a great trip!  It was a Brian and God trip.  I will never forget the thoughts and words that God gave me on that trip.

Since I am feeling a bit reflective, I will record some of the events on that 7 day trip.

It all started with a thought that I could not get out of my head.  “It would be a blast to haul one of my dad’s Waterbikes behind a bicycle from the middle of Nebraska to the Missouri River and possibly all the way to the Gulf of Mexico!"  The primary purpose of the trip would be to spend time praying and connecting with God along the way.  

So, I presented my idea to my dad (who was a bit skeptical at first) and we went to work on fixing up a bike and making it able to haul one of our pedal powered pontoon boats.  A few days later we had a cool looking rig ready for the open road!  

We went on a few quick test drives and we laughingly dreamt of the possibilities.  Now I was ready!  I loaded it up with my gear and drove it across town.  WhooHOOO!! 

The next day or so I headed out north of Ord and headed to Springdale Road.

See ya!

I wanted to take it on the gravel to see how it would do.  If it went well then I could save some time taking it through the hills to Greeley instead of going all the way around through North Loup and Scotia.  It went fine on the packed gravel roads but the roads with thick gravel made it a very difficult and frustrating task.  I had to get off and push whenever I came to a hill – even if it was only a slight incline.  

There is a particular turn on the road that goes right by the North Loup River.  I stopped and decided to test out my idea for balancing everything (including my bicycle) on the Waterbike while I floated down the river. (Sorry no photos)  The Waterbike has two pontoons on either side and they stick out about four feet in front of where you sit.  I used the PVC pipe (I strapped to the front of the pontoons to hook onto the bicycle for towing) to balance my bicycle across the top of the pontoons in the front of the Waterbike.  It floated!!  Sweet!  

I was going fine for the first 25-30 feet and then I hit shallow water.  Anything under a foot deep gave me trouble. I spent most of the time dragging the heavy beast through sand.  I probably went a little over a quarter mile and decided that the deep gravel on the road was easier to travel on.

Getting everything back to the road was quite a job.  The high banks and rough terrain wore me out as I hauled the boat and my gear to the road.  I ate some lunch and took a nap in the tall weeds under a shade tree next to the river – I was exhausted.  

After the nap I loaded everything back on the bike for road travel.  (The Waterbike sits on two bicycle tires that are welded onto a metal bar that connects them.  The wheels were built for one man to easily haul the boat to water instead of it requiring two people to carry it.  The wheel unit fits in holes in the back of the pontoons.  You can then flip them around and put them in the same holes the opposite way to take them with you while you are on the water.  The wheels have a place to strap on luggage as well – you just have to flip everything around when you go from water to land.)

On one particular hill (with deep gravel) I decided to try an easier way to pull everything.  I tied both ends of a rope to my handle bars and put the rope around me.  I thought that this would be a lot easier than pushing the bike from the side.  But it didn't work so great.  The bike got turned wrong and fell over bending the large bolt that my dad and I welded to the bike to attach it to the PVC pipe.  I lifted the bike up and examined the bolt – it was definitely weaker now but it didn't completely break off…phew!  

I was back on the road.  North Loup was coming into view.  I decided that I didn't want to take the Greeley back roads after all of my struggling through the deep gravel.  (I wasn't sure where the turn was anyway!)  I tried to save a little time not going through the town of North Loup so I took a left at a T thinking that the road would just take me around the town and to the highway.  But my memory served me wrong.  The road took me the back way to Scotia, on gravel.

I remember seeing a lady working in her lawn at a nice looking farmstead.  I thought about asking her where this gravel road went, but I just kept going.  Shortly after passing the farm the bolt holding the Waterbike to the bicycle broke.  The PVC landed on my back tire and brought me to a quick stop.  I thought this was the end; this is when I call and tell my dad that I was broke down and needed a ride home (a call that he was probably ready to receive).  But I decided to try and strap the PVC pipe back on to the bicycle with a ratchet strap that I was glad that I had brought.  It worked!!  Unbelievable!  I was back on the road!

Finally I saw the Scotia water tower!  I was glad to have made it, but I was depressed to have spent most of the day getting there – not only that but I was dead tired.  I collapsed in the cemetery on the outskirts of town and took a nap.  

I can’t remember who called who but I talked with my parents and told them where I was.  I didn’t want to give them the exact location I just wanted to tell them that I was further east.  My dad then said that he and mom could come and bring me some supper.  I told him that he could do whatever he wanted.  I didn't care, I was just miserable.

My parents showed up and we loaded my gear into the truck.  We went into Scotia and ate at the park.  My dad asked me if it was okay to get a ride and I made it clear to him that I am not against getting rides.  I was just on an adventure, I didn't want to add any foolish rules like not allowing myself to get rides!

My mom and dad suggested that I come home and rest for a few days and then start again later.  I didn't feel up to doing anything other than that.

Two days later I told my dad that I was ready to try it again.  He offered me a ride back to Scotia and he dropped me off at a church parking lot on main street.  

He video taped me as I drove off into the sunset (not really…it was late morning).  

It wasn't long and I was pulled over by an old couple that wanted to see what I was up to.  They took my picture and encouraged me with a smile and a wave goodbye.  

I was out on the open pavement!  Oh and it was so much better than thick gravel!!!  The gravel was so much work that I couldn't think of anything other than the work I was enduring, but the ease of the pavement allowed me to think and pray a bit more.  I remember thinking, “Just keep the wheel turning, it doesn't matter how long it takes, just as long as I am moving forward.”  It was fun.  

Don’t get me wrong, the pavement was easier, but the hills were still tough.  I’m not sure how much weight I had with me but I would bet that the small to medium sized bike I had wasn't designed to haul as much as I had on it, but I could have been wrong.  I went by faith.

I made it to the turn to Cedar Rapids.  I could have went a mile more to Greeley but I decided to risk it.  It was probably 20 some miles to Cedar Rapids.  This stretch was tough.  It had some huge hills!  I had to stop and take a nap under the Waterbike on one of those buggers!  It was hot, too.  Thankfully I had a guy stop and give me a couple waters.  His little daughter was with him and thanks to her he pulled over.  He told me that she had said, “He is probably thirsty!”  They took a picture of me and said that his wife would not believe him if he told her what he saw today.  

The sun was going down and I was making the turns into Cedar Rapids.  Yes!  I made it!  As I was going down the hill into town I noticed an old lady crossing the road to get her mail.  I also noticed the chickens running around her house so I asked her if she knew where I could get some chicken eggs.  She boldly stated, “Well I have chicken eggs.”  I then asked her if I could buy some from her.  She then said that I could just have some.  She walked me over to her house and didn't seem surprised  or really even curious about my rig.  

She introduced herself as Ernie Rutten.  She welcomed me into her house and we talked a good while.  I asked her if there was a place in town where I could put up a tent and she said that I could put it up in her yard or I could even stay in one of her many vacant rooms in her house if I wanted to; she offered me a shower as well.  I told her that I would be grateful for just a place to put up my tent.  But shortly after I said that it started to rain.  Ernie lives with her son who is in need of in house care due to a broken neck / back (not sure which).  There were people in and out of her house helping.  She said that she likes to think of her house as the hotel in town, since there isn't a real hotel in Cedar Rapids.  I told her that I would accept her offer to stay in her house.  She then let me cook my eggs on her stove and gave me bread with homemade jelly and butter and fresh elderberries that she picked.  What a neat lady!  What a blessing!  Later that night after I showered off and was resting on a nice clean bed I called home and shared with my parents how God had provided for me beyond my needs.

Day Two:

The next day I decided to check out the Cedar River.  My dad told me that it might be good timing because the heavy rain would made it deeper.  I got some groceries and headed to the river.  The Cedar is more narrow than the North Loup making it deeper and easier to float.  It is a popular river to take horse tanks down (tanking).  I went on multiple tanking trips on the Cedar River north of Ord just west of Erickson, Nebraska.

On my way to scout out the river I ran across a farmer who asked me what I was up to.  I told him and he scoffed, “Well that’s not going to be profitable!”  The then ranted, “You know, back in the 60’s the hippies could do stuff like that, but now-a-days we’re all too busy paying off the government’s debt!”  I can’t remember what I said.  He then offered me a job.  I can’t remember exactly how I responded to that either.  He then told me that the river wasn't deep enough and that it wasn't going to work.  He didn't encourage me much.  I can’t remember the few positive things he shared with me.

The night before at Ernie’s someone told me about a free campsite north of town where I could put the boat in easier.  So I checked it out.  It was a really nice campsite just off the river.  As I was loading my gear and the bicycle on the Waterbike, a construction worker stopped by to see what I was up to.  We talked for a little bit and I told him I was headed to the Missouri and possibly to the Gulf of Mexico.  His last encouraging words were said without any filter what-so-ever, “You are crazy.”     

I drug the now loaded boat inch by inch down the sandy hill into the Cedar River.  It was exciting!  I was on the river and it was floating!  

After a few hundred yards and a few turns, I noticed my first major obstacle – an old iron dam.  Sharp jagged edges of the old dam held back water that dropped down less than a foot at one spot in the middle of the river.  There was a small group of girls swimming just down from the dam.  I remember one of them saying, “What the $#%@ is that?”  It was then that I realized that the boat was lopsided in terms of weight.  When I would lean back the boat would tip backwards making everything very unstable.  My blood started rushing as I approached the small waterfall.  The boat scrapped along the side of the metal dam and pushed me sideways against it.  I then put my weight on the upriver side of the boat as I stair-stepped and plopped down the waterfall.  The wide eyed onlookers were silenced…  I made it!!   I think they might have clapped or something (or at least they should have!).  I heard one of them say as I floated away, “I thought he was for sure going to flip!”

Shortly after that I was caught in a tree.  I had to get out and swim to balance the boat to keep it from being turned over in the fast current.  I was somehow able to free myself from the tree and climb back on the boat. I thought to myself, “Man this is dramatic!”  Up ahead I saw the bridge marking the edge of Cedar Rapids; it was also the highway I rode in on.  If I was to pass the bridge I would be saying goodbye to civilization.  Although, I realized that I needed to make some necessary adjustments if I was going to keep going.  The boat was too heavy.  It would get caught up in the sand in the middle of the river and all that weight made it too unstable and almost impossible to steer.

I pulled the boat off to the side of the river and decided to go into town to think about what I was going to do.  I also came to terms with the fact that I was spending most of my time struggling to get somewhere and disregarding the main reason I went on this trip in the first place -- to connect with God.

I pulled everything out of the river and went into town and guzzled a few Gatorades at the gas station.  From inside I watched all the towns folk gawk at my rig.  I have to admit it’s a strange looking contraption – the Waterbikes are interesting enough let alone being hauled behind a bicycle with wheels under them.

I then went back to the campsite where I put in.  I decided to stop everything and read the bible and pray for the rest of the day.  I called a friend, had a campfire, ate, and rested the rest of the night.  I guess that marks the second night.

Day Three:

I spent the morning being lazy reading and praying and just seeking God’s presence and guidance.  I then got everything loaded up and started driving into town.  On the way into town I noticed a small tire shop and an idea came into my head.  I parked in front and walked into the old garage.  I asked one of the two workers if he had any old tractor inner tubes that I could use to float down the river on.  He said that he did and he quickly patched an old tube and filled it up with air.  I asked him how much he wanted and he said that it was free.  Sweet!

My idea was to put all of my luggage on the inner tube including the bicycle.  Now, I was headed to the river with a new excitement.  I met the not so encouraging farmer on my way back to where I got out the previous day.  He stopped and asked me how it went, I told him that it didn't go very well and he said that he told me so.  I was also stopped by the local newspaper journalist for an interview.   

I was happy to see that everything balanced on the inner tube.  I then just run a rope from the Waterbike to tube.  It was encouraging to see the boat floating as it should be now that all the weight was off of it.  So, again, I was floating and it was exciting!!  I was now headed away from civilization with the bridge disappearing behind me.

What a ride!  When I was in the current all I had to do was sit and watch the scenery go by.  What a great way to experience nature!  Just before dark, I came across a group of cabins.  I tied off my boat to investigate a bit and to possibly find a place to set up a tent.   After climbing up the bank of the river I discovered a nice sized sandpit with quite a few mobile homes and cabins around it.  It was a nice area.  I then decided to call home, but I couldn't find my phone.  It became a big deal to me because I didn't want my parents to worry about me.  We agreed that I would check in everyday and without a phone…well I probably wouldn't be able to go any further.  I was stressed.  I decided to go back to town to look for my phone.  For some reason I decided to carry my bike to the highway on the other side of the river, through the trees, through a pasture, and up a huge hill.  I rode the highway into town and went back to the campsite.  Nothing.  Either it is gone or it is packed away with my stuff.  I rode back on the gravel road that went by the sandpit.  I found out that it was private property and that had to ignore some ‘No Trespassing’ signs in order to get there.  The only thought that I had was something I heard about called ‘the right of passage’.  I didn't now for sure if this ‘right’ applied here but I jumped the fence and took off down the road like the criminal that I am. 

Not long after getting back I found my phone in some safe (secret) place in my stuff.  It was a relief to have it back.  I called home and then set up my tent.  I walked down to the pond that night and saw some neat fish feeders by the docks.  They there bright lights with fans in front of them that blew the insects that came to the lights into the water for the fish to eat.  It was a calm night and I snuck down and watched the large bass, bluegills, turtles, and catfish swim around under the light.  It was memorable night.

Day Four:

The next day I floated down and cooked some eggs on a sandbar.  There were tall trees growing thick on either side of the river.  I remember thinking that this place would be a neat place to hideout for awhile if you wanted to.  The Cedar winds around and around – it’s a beautiful river.  Nebraska is definitely more beautiful in my mind because of this trip.  

I floated down the river until dark and I found a clearing to stop and put up the tent.  I tried to start a fire but the wood was either to wet or too green, so I just went to bed.  It was nice getting out of the river wherever I pleased to camp.  It felt like a free country.  I liked that.  

Day Five:

The next day I floated down a few miles and realized I forgot my campfire grill that my dad and I made for back-country camping back at the last campsite.  I didn't think long about going back for it.  I went on foot through the pastures to the last bridge I went under.  I walked a little over a mile around a cornfield and down to the wooded area where I camped.  I found the grill right where I remember laying it.  It blended in with the sand making it easy to leave behind.  Oh well…

As I was walking back towards the bridge an elderly couple driving a pickup stopped and offered me a ride.  He said, “Hop on the back!”  I said, “No, it’s okay I am just going to the bridge,” which was less than 200 yards away.  Up ahead there was another pickup parked on the bridge; it was a road maintenance pickup.  The old man insisted, “It’s okay, just hop on the tailgate!”  So I hopped on and rode to the bridge.  The old man had it in his head from the beginning that I was with the maintenance workers.  He saw the odd shaped grill thing in my hand and was sure that I was with them doing something or other.  He asked me what I was up to and I told him that I was floating down the river.  But he didn't understand me.  He asked me again, “What are you doing?”  “I’m going down the river,” I said.   “Oh come on, what are you really doing?” he said again.  Then the maintenance guy in the pickup spoke up rather loudly for me and said, “He is floating down the river!  For FUN!”  I’m not sure if the guy ever really understood what was happening.  Then I ended up doing something I regret.  I turned to the maintenance guy and asked how far I was from Fullerton (the next town along the river).  He then went on to tell me a story of how he and his brother had a canoe race from Cedar Rapids to Fullerton and how they finished it ‘in an afternoon’.  And he said, ‘in an afternoon’ so cool and confident like it was definitely something doable if you were a real man.  I thought, ‘Well I’m a real man, I can do this, no problem!’  He said that it would probably take two hours if I made good time and pushed myself.  The kid who was with him agreed.

I felt good after hearing how close I was.  I walked back with my returned campfire grill and envisioned pulling into Fullerton in three or four hours knowing that it might take me a bit longer than the guys who raced in their canoes that infamous ‘afternoon’.  

Going down the Cedar River was not easy by any means.  The river was shallow in the middle and the current zigzagged from side to side as it twisted and turned through the hills and trees.  When the current moved to the other side I would get beached in the middle of the river.  I would then have to stand up to take the weight off the boat and take short steps to scoot the boat to deeper water.  It felt like I did this over 50% of the journey…I’m not sure if I am exaggerating either.

This is when God began to speak to me -- during the struggles.  He gave me some perspective.  The Faith Perspective—My relationship with God (my life) is purely based on faith. (Romans 14:23b)  

The Job Perspective –God is God and most worth to be praised and worshiped regardless of my circumstances and understanding of my circumstances.  

Four hours went by and I thought that I was close.  Every bend I came around I expected to see a town.  But nothing.  Six hours, seven hours, and finally I saw a highway bridge…no just a big gravel road bridge.  I came across another big bridge a mile down river and noticed that it was a place where a ‘tanking’ service put in their tanks.  I must be getting close now!  A couple hours later I saw a huge American flag straight on in the distance.  I thought, ‘It’s the town!!’  Two or more hours later I arrived at a river guide outfitter.  I made it…  I was exhausted.  I managed to haul everything through the sand and to the road without collapsing.  There was a large campsite close by so I decided to find a place to rest.  I didn't see anyone that worked there; I only saw other campers.  But, I put up my tent and started a fire to cook a baked potato.  I then met the campsite hosts.  It was a couple and they were all excited to see me, but not a happy or welcoming excitement.  They first expressed how shocked they were that I didn't come and check in with them.  “We've never had any body do this before – just come in and set up camp without checking in first!”  They were not happy with me.  I then asked them how much it would cost for me to stay in their campsite.  They said, “$20.”  I said, “Ok, I’m just going to go and stay somewhere else.  That’s too much for me to spend.”  They said, “Well what did you expect to pay?”  I think I said something to the effect of, “Well I was hoping that it would be free.”  They laughed and snorted and went on to tell me about all of their bills that they have to pay each month.  They asked about the Waterbike and I told them that my dad has the rights to sell them and the guy said, “Well can you just give me one for free?” reminding me of my previous comment.  We ended up taking each other’s information and I took my baked potato and loaded up my tent and left.  But before I left I asked them if there were any other campsites around.  They said no.  I said that would just go look for a place to put up a tent along the river.  Then finally the lady said, “Well there is one place on the outskirts of town that you can camp for free.  It's called the Power Plant Campground.”  She told me that I could even plug into electricity for free as well.  So, I headed out.  Now it was dark.

I wasn't sure of her directions so I pulled up to a still lit baseball field and talked to the umpire of the game.  He was talking with another feller.  That feller gave me more specific directions to the ‘Power Plant Campground’ (or whatever it was called).  On the way I passed a loud eerie sounding feedlot all lit up with lights.  I then passed a grain elevator and went over some railroad tracks and finally pulled into a field that had rundown electrical hookups sticking out of the ground.  "This must be it," I thought.  The hookups didn't work neither did the old abandoned brick power plant building next to the river.  I set up my tent, ate my baked potato, and crashed.

Day Six:

I got up and took everything to the park in town.  I talked with a nice old lady who seemed to have a lot in common with me.  I can’t remember what we talked about specifically but she encouraged me to continue to explore and to do what I was passionate about.  Just as I was talking to her a huge motorcycle rally pulled into town.  Over 500 bikers were going through town for a Nebraska Poker Run.  I decided to drive my rig by them all just for the fun of it.  I also wanted to go to the library to email some friends.  As I was driving through main street I heard my name call out from a crowd of bikers, “Brian Shafer!?!?”  It was a girl I knew from high school.  I’m sure I was a strange site for her to see toting along my Waterbike behind my bicycle and all.  

After the library and an amazing tasting sandwich at Subway, I went a mile south of town to check out the Loup River.  I wasn't going to float it right away, this trip was just for scouting purposes.  I walked under the massive bridge and stared out onto the wide wide river.  It looked five times wider than the North Loup river and way over ten times wider than the Cedar.  I came to the conclusion that it was probably not consistently deep enough for my boat.  

I spent the rest of the day hanging out in the Fullerton park.  I went to the grocery store and the owner gave me a bunch of over ripened bananas for free.  I bought a pint of high quality ice-cream and some premium Butterfingers cookies and took my treat to the park.  I then grabbed my bible and a book and sat in my inner tube with a pad under my butt and ate my ice-cream with bananas and cookies.  I washed it down with some flavored water which wasn't that good, but…I was enjoying myself nonetheless.

As I was there, I talked with a few guys that came for that night’s baseball game.  They were from St. Paul.  We talked about Nebraska fishing and we talked a lot about the canals about 20 miles east of town that people call the ‘headwaters’.  They said that people are allowed to put boats in them and they are consistently 6 feet deep or so.  Hmmmm…  that might be a way to get to Columbus that could get me into deeper water before I hit the Missouri.  

That night I went down to the Power Station Campground and set up camp.  I built a fire ring out of asphalt and then climbed onto a ledge on the old power station and watched the sun go down.  It was a beautiful sight that I can still recall to this day.

I met a police officer that night.  He came down to see if I was causing trouble.  He said that usually people that are down there are up to no good.  For some reason he looked awfully familiar and he thought the same.  It hit him before it hit me but we ended up figuring out that we went to high school together.  I graduated with his sister.  Another strange encounter with someone that I knew.  He must have thought that I went nuts or something… who knows!  

Day Seven

It was Sunday so I went to church.  The police officer suggested the Baptist church.  I really enjoyed the sermon.  He preached the gospel with passion and conviction.  It was encouraging to see a pastor that was so on fire for God’s Word.  I noticed a couple in a row ahead of me that I went to Chadron State with.  They talked with me afterwards.  The girl gave me some shocking news about my best friend back in college.  She told me that he ended up going to prison for life for molestation charges.  My jaw dropped and my spirit stirred within me.  (Later I was able to reach out to his sister, his wife and kids, and to start a dialog with him via snail mail.  I still need to contact his recently widowed mother.  Wow, sad stuff.) 

After church I was asked to go out to eat with the pastor and his wife.  They were such encouraging people; they were so passionate about Jesus.  Their contagious zeal was like that of new believers, but I knew that they weren't.  It was refreshing.  I need to get in contact them as well; I also need to contact Ernie and thank her for her wonderful hospitality.  

I felt a peace about ending the trip there.  Plus my friend John and I were planning our yearly Rumpspah for the end of July (coming up in a week).  I called my dad and he joyfully came and picked me up (thanks Dad!).  

Wow, thank you God for such a great trip!    

God is faithful!