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ear Friend of Hope For Farm Families in Latvia,
The HFFF team sends greetings and good news!
We've received a very good report, which is copied below, from Dr. Genovefa Norvele, Latvian Director of the HFFF program. She describes the first steps taken to set up the test plots for the drought-resistant pasture project.
Working with a Latvian agronomist, Dr. Runce, and using seed bought locally and sent from the U.S., 3.4 hectares (about 8.4 acres) have been planted with different mixtures. Dr. Norvele and Dr. Runce will evaluate the plots through the summer and check the yields in the fall. From these test plots, we can make recommendations to farmers as to which seed mixtures will yield good fodder for their sheep, even in drought years.
We were able to move forward with the pasture project due to special gifts received since our March newsletter. Praise the Lord!
Dr. Norvele conducted sheep-breeding supervisor training in May, with eleven farmers from the Latgale region of eastern Latvia earning certification. Her continuing education is raising the level of expertise throughout the region. Farmers are using this knowledge to increase the yields of their flocks and provide for their families.
What a blessing it is to know that enough contributions were given this spring so that we can retain Dr. Norvele for the HFFF program for the next twelve months!
Talis Kopels, first recipient of a HFFF flock, has completed his two agreements with the program. In July, he'll return nineteen ewes to the program. Dr. Norvele already has two farmers selected to receive these ewes and begin two-year commitments with the Hope For Farm Families program.
Talis, his wife, Iveta, and their two preschool children are now capable sheep farmers, with one of the largest flocks in their area. We thank the Lord that past donations have provided this brother in Christ with a sustainable livelihood!
We praise God for His blessing and provision and thank you for your continuing interest in this program.
Please pray with us that we will be able to raise additional funds to provide ewes for two additional farmers (,500), prepare for importing fifty high-quality sheep from western Europe to cross-breed with the small local sheep (,500), and send a HFFF team member over in 2004 (,500) to consult with Dr. Norvele and meet with the farmers we serve.
In Jesus' Love and ours,
The Hope For Farm Families team
Gifts to HFFF can be given through Bridge Builders International, Box 625, Philomath, OR 97370-0625. Please put HFFF in the memo line. 10% of each donation supports BBI's foundational work in Latvia, and 90% funds the HFFF program.
All donations are tax-deductible and sincerely appreciated!
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Dr. Norvele's letter:
Dear HFFF team members:
A brief report of the activities.
We seeded 3.4 hectares of pasture on May 26th. Aleksandrs had to work hard, the pasture had not been ploughed in 12 years; had to run the cultivator twice, remove the stones, to roll it down, and finally seed it. Both Aleksandrs and I were learning, because neither one of us had the experience. Encountered some difficulty to correctly set the seeding machine rate. At first, the amount of seed for one hectare was used up on 0.8 hectares, and finally, had it set correctly on the third field.
The seeding results were as follows:
Since 0.8 ha field remained unseeded, after seeding the above three plots, we seeded:
1) 0.3 ha with 2.0 kg of Birdsfoot trefoils, 6.0 kg of timothy, 1.0 kg of meadow grass, and 6.0 kg annual rye-grass.
2) 0.3 ha with 10.0 kg of red clover, and 6.0 kg of annual rye-grass.
3) Aleksandrs also seeded 0.2 ha rye field with 1.0 kg of lucerne, and 6.0 kg of timothy.
We thought up the above three variants on the spot, in order to seed all the prepared land, and utilize the purchased grass seed.
Expenses are the following:
 From the 651 Ls funds sent for pasture preparation, - 331 Ls remaining in Program account.
Aleksandrs covered some of the expenses of ground preparation.
Talis Kopels deposited 1,200 Ls in the Program account, repaying his fence and feed loan.
Talis agreed to return to Program 19 ewes in July. He will return eleven older ewes, one - 1.5 year old ewe, and seven ewe lambs that were born this year.
I plan to give nine ewes to Anita Sprukte, in Berzgales county, and the other ten to Aleksandrs. They both plan to raise purebred sheep. I have observed both of them to be industrious, and both have graduated from supervision courses in sheep breeding.
I weighed all the lambs on Talis' farm. Ram lambs averaged at -34 kg, ewe lambs at - 31 kg. Lambs are growing well in the pasture. The ewes have recovered, except No.53 is sickly weak. After inspection, the veterinarian said that the ewe may have diseased liver or lungs, he cannot cure it, it would be better to liquidate it, he will do the biopsy.
I conducted sheep breeding supervisor course in Jelgava, May 17 - 21, with eleven farmers from Latgale receiving the certificates.
With sincere greetings to all,
Genovefa
Automatic monthly donations for HFFF can also be set up. Call Crystal Kelley at 541-929-5627 or click HERE.
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