Chris' Think Tank
Greetings,
We finally experienced our first heavy snow of the year. I am guessing 6-8 inches at my home. It was a very peaceful storm that, little by little, over the course of 12 hours, kept adding layer and layer of thick snow. All afternoon and into the evening the cars were driving very slowly. The next morning, as I headed into the bakery, I found the road to be very messy. It was covered with snow. Some of the snow was hardened into ice making the road very bumpy. The cars were still driving very slowly even though it was sunny and not snowing. The road was very narrow as well. I thought to myself that the snow plows must not have went at all last night and will be starting this morning. Just then, I noticed a snowplow coming my way. I had to pull way 
over into deep snow to let him by. I thought to myself 'now the road will be cleared' but after he went by the road didn't look much different. In fact, most of the morning as I paid attention to the roads, they didn't get much better. It took lots of salt, plenty of warm sunshine, several scrapes by snow plows, lots of traffic and no more snow for the road to get back to normal.
As I thought about this, it made me think about my life. When I was born my road was clean and smooth. But as I grew, the circumstances around me, the choices that I made, the things I have done, all had the potential to be snow falling on the road of my life, over the course of time, I have found areas of my life to be covered, bumpy, icy and narrow...sometimes difficult to navigate. I would find myself wanting to find the quick fix. I would throw a little salt here and shovel just a little there or look for a snowplow to clear it all out. I found my dilemma to be two-fold. First, I kept letting the snow fall. There is no way to get ahead of snow removal if it just keeps falling. As long as I kept doing the things that heaped the snow on the road of my life. it was never going to be easier traveling. Second, I realized that there is no amount of shoveling or salt throwing that I can do to get rid of the slush on my road. There is no magic snowplow in this world that will take it away. That is, until I realized that only God could remove my slushy mess with his ultimate snowplow Jesus. Only then could my road be cleared. I still may have a road that is marred and scratched and have a few potholes, but someday it will be paved with gold! Can you say road trip! Awesome!
Blessings,
Chris
Birky Events
Valentine's Dinner Theater - South County Love Your Neighborhood is sponsoring a Night of Love & Laughter dinner theatre on Tuesday, February 14, 2012. The dinner that evening will be provided by Birky Family Farms Country Gourmet and will consist of Boneless America's cut pork loin, baked potato with the fixings, chicken noodle soup, strawberry spinach salad, homemade dinner rolls, punch, crackers and cheese spreads, and your choice of homemade pie or cheesecake. The entertainment, provided by Cornball Productions, will feature Kevin Birky, pastor and comedian, and the goofy Birky gang. The event will be held at the Porter County Expo center. Doors open at 6 pm and the show/dinner begin at 6:30 pm. The event will benefit HealthLinc (formerly Hilltop) of Valparaiso and NW Indiana. Proceeds will be used to provide free breast cancer screening and exams for women that cannot afford it. Tickets are $30 each and are are available at Birky's Country Market (219) 462-4150, Birky's Bakery & Coffee Shop (219) 766-3851 and at the Porter County Expo Center (219) 464-0133. Save $1/ticket by purchasing a full table of 8. Come have a great time, with great food and great laughs for a great cause!
Birky's Bakery & Coffee Shop Grand Opening - Stop by 205 South Main Street, Kouts, IN 46347, Friday, February 17 or Saturday, February 18, for free coffee, yummy samples, great sales and even new products. Hours for the Bakery are Mon-Saturday 5 am - 2 pm. Breakfast and lunch entrées are available everyday along with fresh baked breads, doughnuts and pastries and awesome Equal Exchange gourmet coffee! You never know...you might just see Sweet "B" the pig!
March ? - Keep on the lookout for the first Birky's Piggies & Cream at the Point in North Judson!
April 14 - Springfest at Birky's Country Market - Mark your calendars for grilled brats and vintage sodas for only a buck each. Huge Spring kickoff with sales and samples and more! 10 am - 3 pm.
April 21 - St. Mary's Catholic Church Spring Pork Chop dinner. 5 pm. Tickets soon available at Birky's Market and Birky's Bakery.
April 27 - South County Love Your Neighborhood will sponsor an Easter Spring Time dinner theatre at the Porter County Expo Center. The evening will begin 6pm with dinner at 6:30. More info to come.
Birky News
New Products- There is a new basil vinaigrette that will be in the store this week. It is fantastic.
The bakery staff continues to amaze me with all the new creations they bake up. Yummy just can't describe them well enough! Don't forget they serve breakfast and lunch as well at the new bakery.
Hours - Bakery Mon- Sat 5am - 2pm, Market Tu-Fri 10-6, Sat 10-3
Hams - The Easter hams will start coming in toward the end of the month.
E-Club specials
Get 15% off our bratwurst, Italian links, Polish links, jalapeno & cheddar brats, Cajun and hot dogs.
Greetings,
Happy New Year has been said by me and to me a bunch lately. As I think about that statement, I would have to say that it could be viewed as a completely unrealistic statement. It is so easy to get caught up in the “American Dream” and the pursuit of happiness. The desire to be happy is a powerful fuel that motivates us to do and try more and more things. It can become the goal or standard we all attempt to achieve. I see it in myself and in my kids. Our “wants” tend to dictate what will bring us happiness, but the funny thing is that “true happiness” is not something “wants” can give or at least sustain. Even someone like me, the eternal optimist, who thinks two drops of water makes the glass way over half full, knows being happy all the time is realistically impossible. I know the Bible tells us that with God all things are possible, but being happy all the time? I don’t think that is how God made us.
How about ‘have a Joyous New Year’ for a completely different approach? Happiness is an emotion, but joy is like a state of being. It is like the wake behind a ski boat where the water is calm all the while waves are crashing all around. Jesus tells us that in this world we are going to encounter lots of struggles/troubles, but he also says emphatically that we are to be of good cheer because he has overcome the world.
No matter if I am happy or sad, rich or poor, healthy or sick, alone or with friends, I can still have Joy. Joy doesn’t hinge on my circumstances or what I have or how I feel like happiness does. It hinges on God’s promises. It hinges on His faithfulness and His promise to never leave me or forsake me. Joy stems from God’s love for me. Joy stems from my trusting in God. It is joy that gives me peace no matter what things are happening around me. Joy is everlasting. Joy is that spring of Jesus’ goodness that bursts forth from deep within us and is a refreshing fountain to everyone we meet.
I hope and pray for you a JOYOUS new year! I pray that the fountain within you be a gusher in 2012! It is our goal for 2012 that we can bring joy to you and your family. We pray that everything we do would be a blessing to you and bring refreshment to the communities we serve.
Blessings,
Chris
What's New
Valentine’s Dinner Theater – South County Love Your Neighborhood is sponsoring a Night of Love & Laughter dinner theatre on Tuesday, February 14, 2012. The dinner that evening will be provided by Birky Family Farms Country Gourmet and will consist of Boneless America’s cut pork loin, baked potato with the fixings, chicken noodle soup, strawberry spinach salad, homemade dinner rolls, punch, crackers and cheese spreads, and your choice of homemade pie or cheesecake.
The entertainment, provided by Cornball Productions, will feature Kevin Birky, pastor and comedian, and the goofy Birky gang. The event will be held at the Porter County Expo center. Doors open at 6 pm and the show/dinner begin at 6:30 pm.
The event will benefit HealthLinc (formerly Hilltop) of Valparaiso and NW Indiana. Proceeds will be used to provide free breast cancer screening and exams for women that cannot afford it. Tickets are $30 each and are are available at Birky’s Country Market (219) 462-4150, Birky’s Bakery & Coffee Shop (219) 766-3851 and at the Porter County Expo Center (219) 464-0133. Save $1/ticket by purchasing a full table of 8. Come have a great time, with great food and great laughs for a great cause!
Birky’s Bakery & Coffee Shop Grand Opening – Stop by 205 South Main Street, Kouts, IN 46347, Friday, February 17 or Saturday, February 18, for free coffee, yummy samples, great sales and even new products. Hours for the Bakery are Mon-Saturday 5 am – 2 pm. Breakfast and lunch entrées are available everyday along with fresh baked breads, doughnuts and pastries and awesome Equal Exchange gourmet coffee! You never know…you might just see Sweet “B” the pig!
April 14 – Springfest at Birky’s Country Market – Mark your calendars for brats and vintage sodas for only a buck each. Huge Spring kickoff with sales and samples and more! 10 am – 3 pm.
April 21 – St. Mary’s Catholic Church Spring Pork Chop dinner. 5 pm. Tickets soon available at Birky’s Market and Birky’s Bakery.
Coming soon – We’re bringing Birky’s Piggies & Cream to the Point in North Judson. We can’t wait to share our yummy treats with you!
New products – We have found anew Sweet Basil Vinaigrette that is awesome! Pick some up today. We’ll soon be adding roast turkey to our Birky’s Heat and Eat product line.
Birky Pies – For your convenience, Birky’s Pies are now available at Tysen’s Country Market in DeMotte. Thanks Tysens!
Market Hours – This is the first year we are staying open with our normal summer hours. Tuesday – Friday 10 – 6, Saturday 10-3. Thank you for helping us grow!
Birky News
The phone, the phone is ringing! (Yes, I watch “Wonder Pets.”) – We are beginning to get several calls to book events for this year. If you considering using Birky’s this year for your special event, please give Julie a shout at 219-766-3851 and get it on the calendar so we make sure we’re able to serve you!
Good News – South County Love Thy Neighborhood hosted a Christmas dinner theater and 91 people attended. We raised $500 for Sheree Gudeman School of Vocal Performance. They will be hosting a free big band recital with their students at the Memorial Opera House on January 17.
We also gave $50 to help assist with Noah Gudeman’s recovery. South County will also be hosting an Easter dinner theater. Date April 27.
E-Club specials
Receive 15% off Rosebud farm-raised turkeys. Also, get 15% off grain-fed and grass-fed ground beef. We will start to have other grain-fed beef products available early February. The steers are growing fast. Looks like late March, early April for grass-feds from Millers and Yoders.
It is December and harvest is over. We had a great Thanksgiving, and we have been spared nasty winter weather so far. I spent the last couple of weeks getting our new bakery and coffee shop open for business. Thanks to so many of you who have stopped in so far. Please feel free to offer any suggestions you can think of to help us make it a great place to be blessed and refreshed. When you stop in, give all the ladies a thumb up for their hard work; they all do such a good job.
December for me is a time to reflect. It is a time to think about how I did in 2011. Was I a good husband? Was I a good dad? Was I faithful enough to God? Did I manage the farm well enough? Was I a good employer? Could I have done a better job serving our customers? How well did I take care of the pigs? December is also a time for me to reflect on 2012 since it's just around the corner. Knowing that there is much room for improvement in the answers to the questions above, I take time to plan on how I can do better, be better. Much planning and thought goes into the coming year and what lies ahead. There are two special verses that I cling to regarding life. One is found in Proverbs. It says "in a man's heart he plans his course, but it is the Lord that directs his steps." The second is the verse that tells me "to walk by faith and not by sight."
It takes great faith for any of us to just live today. With all the struggles and difficulties this world seems to bombard us with, it sometimes seems that even faith isn't enough to stand on. That is what I like about December. December reminds me and gives me the other leg to stand on when I feel wobbly in my faith. December gives me hope. Hope with faith, empowered by God's love is unshakable. It is greater than any of the many shortcomings of mine. It is bigger than any problems that I am facing. It is brighter than any darkness in my life. It is of greater worth than anything that I could ever attain or own. Joy to the world; the Lord has come! For unto us a child was born, a son was given! This is hope! This is why it can be a Merry Christmas!
There is always hope for tomorrow as long as I have faith and there is nothing that can take that away from me. Thank you so much for your support in 2011. With God's help and the love of Christ, we (me and all the people that serve with me) will do our best to make sure that you be blessed and refreshed during 2012.
Blessings,
Chris
I know that many people do not like the time change, but I am delighted. I am a person with several strange quirks and one of them is waking up early. It is before 5 a.m. that I am writing this note to you. The house is quiet and still; the kids and the pigs are still sleeping, and now it gets lighter earlier! (yeah!)
A little more than a couple weeks ago my brother and I were ready to start harvesting soybeans. We had several fields that were ready. It was a Friday afternoon and somewhat overcast. We were able to shell the beans out of the pods, but the beans were too wet to harvest. We needed one more day of sun and drying for the soybeans to be just right for harvest. The next day it rained. The day after that it rained. The day after that it rained too. In fact, throughout the course of the next 7-10 days it literally rained everyday, all day long. Well....it did finally end and since last Saturday we have had some of the most beautiful weather one could ever ask for. We started harvesting Monday and haven't stopped since (except for a couple breakdowns...combine, not emotional).
It seems as though it was just last week that I was driving and looking at the corn and beans and they were lush and green and then I remember it was! In just a few short days my bean fields are turning yellow and my corn stalks are browning up. Ready or not, fall is here and harvest is just around the corner! It is at moments of realization like these that I have to be careful and not allow myself to become overwhelmed. The list of things to do is always full, but when you begin to have a time (harvest) in your head when they need to be completed, it can become stressful. This was more of a struggle when I was younger and a lot more ambitious. The funny thing I have learned over the years is that I knew it was coming. In fact, Fall and harvest come every year and pretty close to the same time whether I'm ready or not. The peace came when I just began accepting it.
A couple months back I was asked to speak at our local high school baccalaureate service. I thoroughly enjoy speaking opportunities. As I reflected on what to share I realized that this would be my 25 year high school reunion. Unbelievable how much time flies and how everybody else gets old! I wasn't real sure what I should share, but had lots of stuff come to my mind, but didn't know how it all tied together. That's when, for some strange reason, God caused me to remember that David Letterman introduced his Top Ten list my senior year of high school. That was it. I knew what I was to share: "The top 10 things "If I had only known then, what I know now" list. Since that time I have had several people ask if I could post it somewhere. Of course that had not happened yet, so I figured this would be as good of a way as any. Without any further babbling I present you my....
It is time for the fair again! I love the fair. I have so many fond memories of the fair. The food and my friends were all great things, but my fondest memory is showing pigs. I showed pigs at the fair for 10 years, and my nieces and nephews have all showed pigs at different times.
Planting is finally completed, at least for the first time. I truly love the opportunity to farm. I take very seriously being a good steward of that which God has entrusted me. It is great to see the "Green" efforts many people are taking to better the land we manage. My brother and I have chosen no-till farming as one practice to greatly help reduce our carbon footprint. It dramatically reduces fuel usage, wear and tear on us and our equipment. It virtually eliminates top soil erosion and minimally disturbs the soil's own microbial activity. This is just one way that we are trying to wear a smaller environmental show.
A short year ago we finished planting on May 4. Funny how different farming is every year. It is now May 3 and we probably will not start planting for a few days.
