When will the blueberries arrive?
We still do not have a date, but it will be soon, within the next week or so. When our rancher calls we will have one day to call all of you to set up the appointments. So when it happens, it will happen quickly.
I know blueberries are out there, but they are the earlier varieties. The jersey are a mid season berry and are just starting to be picked. They will be here soon.
That answers the question right up front, but if you have time to hear the story behind the answer I would love to share it with you. Other wise, you can just read the post titled the short version of the blueberries or skip to the bottom of this post for the information that we need to hear back from you on. It is the bolded information.
First a little history . . .
We first began selling blueberries three years ago.
Year one ~
It started out as a friend sharing a good deal she had found, thanks Jamie and Martha! After a few phone calls, we got the go ahead to share it with our friends and we would just have them delivered on a certain day to our homes. What a great adventure!
Year two ~
It went so well the first year that we all decided to do it again. We made a few changes to how we did the pick up day and had a lot of fun talking to and meeting many new people.
Year three ~ 2011
Every year is a new year. This year the blueberry plants have been hit hard by the weather. The gentleman that we have worked with for the past two years called and said he could not secure enough blueberries this year through the blueberry ranchers that he normally used. However, there was another rancher that his guy told him about and he thought he would be willing to work directly with us.
Well this is where our story really begins.
Mr. Yoder, being the extremely kind man that he is, made the initial call up to the rancher to introduce me to him and from that point I began talking to him to see if we could get blueberries from him. After many phone calls, a price and conditions were agreed upon. We took orders for almost ten thousand pounds of blueberries. My sweet Breanna, whom many of you have either spoken to or have emailed with, spent many many hours on the phone and computer taking orders and answering questions. You have all been a delight to work with!
On Friday, August 22 we closed the orders. I had been trying to call our blueberry guy all week, but was never able to get a hold of him. I left messages and even found an email address for him and emailed. Still nothing. Oh no! Ten thousand pounds plus Jamie's orders of 3,600 pounds and I can not get a hold of our guy. I called Mr. Yoder to get some counsel. He said that he was probably just extremely busy and he would call, but to keep him updated. Well, on Saturday the 23rd, I decided to try to call him on a different phone so that my phone number would not show up on his caller id. Well guess what, he answered and as soon as he heard that it was me, he hung up on me. I was crushed. I did not know what to do. What were we going to tell all of you. So Seth and I began looking up and calling every blueberry farm we could find a number for. Only to find out that it did not look good. The very cheapest that we could get blueberries for was $1.95 a pound. And that was not cleaned or with boxes. We were discouraged to say the least. I called Mr. Yoder again and told him what had happened. He said he would make a few phone calls and get back with me by Tuesday. Never the less, we knew that apart from God preforming a miracle, the best we could come back to you with was $1.95 a pound for blueberries.
I hope you enjoy long stories, because I think some of the details of this next part are just too neat to not share.
Here are some of the verses that God gave me during this trial.
I found myself wanting to worry and God brought this verse to me.
Phillipians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
At another point the Lord brought to my mind a passage of scripture that was something fresh from recent change in our lives.
But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!" and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid." And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
(Mat 14:26-33)
How often I begin in faith and then when I see troubles of any kind or some difficulties, like Peter did, I look at the waves (ie. circumstances) and begin to sink. But isn't Christ's response so comforting? Even though I lack faith, He is ever so faithful. So in our home, a key saying has become 'Quit looking at the waves and keep focused on Christ'.
One morning this week I sat down to pray and read and began to open my Bible up to the book of John where I was reading currently. Not really thinking about what I was doing, I turned to 1 Peter. When I realized I had turned to the "wrong" book, I conscientiously began turning to the book of John, but just felt a strange sense that I was to read 1 Peter today. Never ignore those nudgings! God was again encouraging me. He is so awesome!
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
(1Pe 1:6-7)
Trials are for our growing, that our faith in God would become strong in the God in whom all our hope lies. It is all for His glory! That as we see Him more clearly for who He is, that we would praise and honor Him as He reveals Himself to us more and more. That was so comforting to see and be reminded of.
You can only imagine how I felt Saturday after knowing that the man I had been working with and relying on to be good on his word, hung up on me and then to spend the whole day on the phone only to be able to come up with $1.95 uncleaned berries was, to say the least, despairing.
The next day was the Lord's day and how thankful I was for that. I awoke, got a cup of tea and sat down to pray and read. I started out by reading the following from Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotional
“Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.”
- Exo_14:13
These words contain God’s command to the believer when he is reduced to great straits and brought into extraordinary difficulties. He cannot retreat; he cannot go forward; he is shut up on the right hand and on the left; what is he now to do? The Master’s word to him is, “Stand still.” It will be well for him if at such times he listens only to his Master’s word, for other and evil advisers come with their suggestions. Despair whispers, “Lie down and die; give it all up.” But God would have us put on a cheerful courage, and even in our worst times, rejoice in his love and faithfulness. Cowardice says, “Retreat; go back to the worldling’s way of action; you cannot play the Christian’s part, it is too difficult. Relinquish your principles.” But, however much Satan may urge this course upon you, you cannot follow it if you are a child of God. His divine fiat has bid thee go from strength to strength, and so thou shalt, and neither death nor hell shall turn thee from thy course. What, if for a while thou art called to stand still, yet this is but to renew thy strength for some greater advance in due time. Precipitancy cries, “do something. Stir yourself; to stand still and wait, is sheer idleness.” We must be doing something at once-we must do it so we think-instead of looking to the Lord, who will not only do something but will do everything. Presumption boasts, “If the sea be before you, march into it and expect a miracle.” But Faith listens neither to Presumption, nor to Despair, nor to Cowardice, nor to Precipitancy, but it hears God say, “Stand still,” and immovable as a rock it stands. “Stand still;”-keep the posture of an upright man, ready for action, expecting further orders, cheerfully and patiently awaiting the directing voice; and it will not be long ere God shall say to you, as distinctly as Moses said it to the people of Israel, “Go forward.”
You can only imagine how encouraged I was and as I shared it with the family how encouraged they were. At that point I had a peace that passed all understand and I knew that we were just to stand still.
Monday evening I received a call from Mr. Yoder, one of the kindest and giving men I think I have ever worked with. He was one of the instruments that God would use to show Himself mighty! He had spoken to two of the men that supply his berries and God moved in their hearts to supply our berries at the original price!!!!! The blueberry market is not doing well this year. They lost between 35-50 percent of the crop due to weather. Blueberries are at a premium this year. For these men to supply 13,000 pounds of blueberries to us is beyond words. No where else could we be getting this for this price. That is why the first guy backed out.
Now these berries are not clean. I know for some of you that is very disappointing. However, I have been able to find a farm that will supply us with clean boxed berries also. However, the price is much higher.
Here are the standing details:
We have Jersey blueberries that will be, as quoted before, $1.25 for under 100 pounds and $1.20 for over 100 pounds. You will need to bring your own containers on the day of pickup and these will not be clean. If you have gotten berries from us in the past, it will be the same as the last two years.
Also, for those of you who really wanted cleaned boxed berries we have:
Blue crop berries in 5 or 10 pound boxes for $2.10 a pound. Box is included in the price. So a 10 pound box of clean berries will be $21.00 and a 5 pound box will be $10.50.
We have tried so hard to provide something that will be desirous to each of you. I know that everyone's needs are different. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you and hope that you will extend grace to us as this has been totally out of our control. We understand if you would like to cancel your order or make changes to it.
We need to hear from each of you to know what you would like to do. Here are the options.
1. I want to leave my poundage as is and I realize that the berries will not be cleaned nor are boxes available, so I will bring my own containers on the day of pickup. The price is $1.25 if under 100 pounds were ordered or $1.20 for over 100 pounds.
2. I would like to take advantage of the cleaned and boxed berries at $2.10 a pound, keeping my poundage the same.
3. I really want cleaned berries, but at $2.10 I would like to reduce my poundage. Just let us know to what amount you would like your order reduced to.
Oh, I hate to even list this option as we hate to see anyone go away not satisfied but,
4. What a hassle please cancel my order.
We look forward to hearing from each of you over the next couple of days. If you can, please drop us an email visitalexanderfarms@gmail.com and let us know what you would like to do. We really need to hear back from you all by Thursday.
Again we apologize for this inconvenience.
