I have found that a good neighbor is one of the most valuable gifts you can be given in life. It has been especially appreciated when living out in a very rural area trying to manage a farm. We have great neighbors up and down the road but my neighbor across the road has truly taught me what loving your neighbor looks like. For the past seven years when he wasn’t out working as a captain of a tugboat, Rodger would cross the road at some point in the day with a dog biscuit for Farmdog. I would stop whatever farm chore I was involved with and we would chat. Conversations varied from topics of: traffic on our road , the animals, Covid, sickness, mowing, life, and dogs… We talked quite a bit about dogs.
When we first moved onto the farm I think he must have known right away I needed some help. When I began mowing our overgrown acres down with our old push mower, he would ride his over and mow circles around me. He eventually bought a newer John Deere and drove his old one across the road, into my driveway and handed me the keys. With amusement He must have also watched me push my tiny red wheelbarrow (that had no business as a farm implement) all around the property, mucking up after animals and moving this an that from here to there. One day I came home from running some errands in town and there was a brand new, very large , beautiful yellow wheelbarrow in my driveway. He didn’t ask if I needed one, he just knew I did.
Not just a generous man but thoughtful and kind. In May of 2021 my favorite goat Daisy had to be put down after our vet tried for over an hour to deliver her kids. It was a difficult morning, after Brandon and I buried her we left to get away for awhile and clear our heads. When we got home there was the sweetest array of flowers in our driveway, some that he had purchased and others he had picked from his yard. It was a kind and caring gesture that instantly brought me to tears, the good ones. Those are the moments you know you are truly rich with what really matters in life.
Three months ago when we had to put our beloved Farmdog down due to cancer, there were tears in Rodger’s eyes as well. He had taken the time to gain this dog’s trust and was deeply loved by our boy. Even as he could barely breathe Farmdog jumped to his feet to greet Rodger at the gate one more time. I’m pretty sure dogs can see past all our exteriors to the character of the heart and that scene of pure love will forever be etched on my heart. I have grown up hearing that God calls us to love our neighbor, I know that this isn’t always an easy thing to do. People don’t always make the effort but Rodger so simply demonstrated what it looks like. I am forever grateful, I share this with you, with tears running down my face, because we lost our beloved friend and neighbor this week. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to tell him how much he meant to us and that he was truly loved in return. I know he would not like being fussed over, he would rather be under the radar so to speak. Even so, I can’t ignore the opportunity to encourage us all to love our neighbors. Take the time to notice other’s needs or stop by for a kind word of encouragement. It makes a huge impact, I know it did for me.
So if you drive by our farm you may see a little yellow rose bush planted on the street side of our gate in honor of my friend, and a loving reminder of our neighbor Rodger.
The project was a success because we stayed in budget and nobody got hurt, and most importantly the ducks and the chickens seem to really enjoy their new enclosures. They now have trees and bushes to hide under for protection from predatory birds and relief from the summer heat. One of the bonuses of the completion of this project is that Farmdog now has access all the way to the goat barn and can enlarge his area of patrol. He especially enjoys chasing away the birds who try to steal feed and the occasional egg laying on the ground.
The Smith Farmhouse 