Saturday, October 24, 2009

Operation Trumpet Call pt 3.

Foundations for Farming – Formerly Farming God’s Way
Revelation to Feed A Nation


Brian Oldreive


I’ve known Brian and Cath Oldreive for 13 years and they are truly remarkable. Stephen and I lived with the Oldreive’s for 3 months and they have become our “spiritual parents.” What you see in public is how they are in private: loving, honest, compassionate, humble, gentle, God-fearing folk - People who genuinely love the poor and have a heart to seeing the poor empowered. They are such a blessing to all who meet them. I love and respect them so much. We were so encouraged and inspired listening to Brian share at Operation Trumpet Call held in Bulawayo.

The Foundation
Foundations for Farming started many years ago when the farm which Brian Oldreive was managing in the North of Zimbabwe was nearing bankruptcy. Burning and deep soil inversion were common practice on the farm causing terrible sheet erosion to occur resulting in loss of seed and water. Increasing amounts of money were being spent on the machinery required for ploughing and double rollings of the lands, and yet the yields were declining.

Being a man of faith, Brian asked God to reveal a way for him to get out of the dire situation he found himself in. God began to reveal to him that in natural creation there is no deep soil inversion and that a thick “blanket” of fallen leaves and grass covers the surface of the soil. This led him to research how he could apply theses ways of nature to his farming. He began to experiment with zero-tillage using a simple hoe on 2 hectares at the highest standards possible.


The results were outstanding and so he had the faith to increase the hectarage under zero-tillage. Within six years the whole farm of 1,000 hectares was under minimum tillage and in subsequent years, due to the yearly profits from then on, other farms were bought and he oversaw the farming of 3,500 hectares of net annually cropped area. The success of the principles advocated, are undeniable in his life’s testimony.

Foundations for Farming was born out of a man basing his farming and life on the foundations found in God’s word, the Bible. If you would like to find out more about these foundations, why don’t you read the Bible for yourself? We recommend that you start by reading these verses:
Proverbs 3:5 – 6
Isaiah 58
Matthew 25:14 – 30
Luke 6:38
John 14:6 – 7
Romans 3:23
Romans 6:23

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