My son, Gordon, got an itch to harvest maple syrup this year - if you've been to the farm lately you've likely seen the buckets hanging from the big maples in our front yard. He scouted out the trees, tapped them, and went through the lengthy process of boiling down the sap over a fire outside. In the process, pots, spatulas, and jars started showing up by my sink, coated in a thick, black soot. The greasy kind that sticks to everything. The kind that, when you try to wipe it off, simply expands onto any surface it touches. Even Dawn dish soap wasn’t cutting it. What a mess.

The project started a few days before Ash Wednesday.

While sitting in church last week for the first Lenten service of the year, I discovered that dirty black soot had followed me. Under BOTH of my forearms, where I couldn't see while washing up, was a series of dark black smudges. Stained. I was distracted in church, stained, and then in the moment it all felt fitting.

Sin is like that, isn’t it, Reader?

It sticks. It spreads. It’s impossible to clean up on our own. We try to wipe it away, and instead, we just smear it further. We think we’ve washed it off, only to realize later that it’s still clinging to us in places we never even noticed.

Ash Wednesday reminds us that we are dust, and to dust, we shall return. We come before God marked—stained—not with soot from cooking sap over a flame, but with the sin that no amount of scrubbing can remove. We are reminded of our mortality, our brokenness, and our desperate need for a Savior.

But here’s the good news: Christ does what we cannot.

He doesn’t just try to wipe away the smudges; He washes us completely clean. Not with water and soap, but with His own blood, shed for us on the cross. He takes the filth, the stains, the mess that we can’t fix, and He makes us new. Forgiven. Redeemed. Spotless.

In Christ, we aren’t left to scrub at it in vain. He does the work. He cleanses us. He declares us righteous, not because we managed to get ourselves clean, but because He already has.

The process of making real maple syrup can be messy, but the end result is sweet. Life is messy, but the end result—through Christ—is far sweeter.

As we walk through this season of Lent, remember: we are dust, we are stained, but we are also redeemed. And that changes everything.

Blessings,
Leah​
Great Heritage Farm

Farm Fresh Sheet

Products available for the week of March 10-15.

Respond to this email or text me at 507-232-9902 to reserve your order and schedule a preferred pickup time. I will set your farm goodies aside, and you can pay in person (cash/check) or request a digital invoice if paying online is easier for you.

100% Grass-Fed & Finished BEEF

• MONTHLY BEEF CSA – SOLD OUT FOR THE SEASON – Thank you, everyone, for your support!
• BULK BEEF SHARES – Our signature product! Limited ¼, ½, or whole shares available. ​[Learn more]​
• Retail beef cuts will be restocked in July 2025.

A2 RAW MILK – $10/gallon or $5/half

Bring your own container and pick up on the farm.

• Pick-up days: Monday, Thursday, Friday – Up to 5 gallons per family, first come, first served.
• You must schedule a time and confirm availability before pickup.

Free-Range Chicken Eggs – $5/dozen

• Limit one dozen per family.

Starter Kits – $10 each

• Sourdough or Kefir – Includes jar, starter, beginner's guide, and recipes.

Looking Ahead

• Bulk pork shares and bundles will open in April for June/July butcher dates.

Reply to this email or text Leah at 507-232-9902 to place your order or with any questions.

Thank you for being part of our farm family!