Welcome to G&L Aquaponics
God's Love, Gina & Lloyd, Grateful Living
Many many years ago Lloyd and I moved to the country...then promptly lost our jobs in the city. We were living on $144 every two weeks for close to a year...during which time I also gave birth to our wonderful son. We never even thought to ask for help. We had decided to move to the country, it was our choice and so there we were. We had a home, water, wild & growing things outside, love. We felt very rich indeed!
When it was time to eat I'd go outside and see what God was growing today. If we needed medicine, same thing. Soon I began growing some of our own food and medicine. But still, one time I awoke from a dream where my Daddy had given us a whole freezer full of food! It was a good a dream. And our Father (in Heaven) succeeded in making this dream come true. But back then, we didn't know it yet, but He was raising us up.
Perhaps I read it somewhere, or maybe it was just a part of my being, but I 'knew' that if we put God first, God will put us first. We started seeing this right away. If we needed food a farmer would come by and give us a chest full of deer meat or a basket full of veggies. I learned to make the best jerky ever. While other parents had teething rings for their children, we gave our son jerky...he loved it!
The old homestead we owned had fig trees, black walnuts, pecans, chestnuts, pears, wild berries, yucca, poke salad...a feast in the making everyday! We learned why they call yucca, yucca...because it tasted pretty yucky, except boiled and then it tasted like cabbage. My favorite thing to make for company was always a huge yard salad dressed prettily with edible flowers of all types...roses, violets, primrose, etc.
We saved what little money we could to have a midwife deliver our child at home. But when the time came, she was no where to be found and so we went to St Vincent's Hospital in Birmingham...with much relief to my mom! Lloyd would go pay cash for our stay each day with the money we'd saved. Then a month later we got a bill for $2000. I sent them a letter asking for an itemized statement along with a check for $20. They returned my $20 and said 'The Provider' had paid...we didn't have insurance?! Nobody even knew, except Lloyd and I. I just said, "Thank you Lord." And meant it!
Finally came a day that I needed some new jeans. I didn't know what I was going to do...all my old jeans were too small after the baby, plus they were old, torn and stained with years of oil paint. I'd been wearing Lloyd's jeans and now they were too big. A few days later, a dear friend of mine, backed her car up to the house. She got out and said, "Gina, I don't know if you need these or not, but I was cleaning out my closet and thought of you. I think they'll fit you just perfect." She opened the trunk of her car and there were four bags of jeans! Some even had tags still on them. And she was right...they did fit perfect! Thanks God and Cindy!
We had about 5 acres that had to be mowed. We didn't mow all of it but we used an old push mower for the parts we did. It was quite a job...about the time you'd get finished is was time to start over. One day it became apparent we needed a riding lawn mower. Lloyd & I went to Lowe's and Home Depot to see what the cost would be. Even putting it on a plan would be near impossible. About two weeks later Lloyd's Dad calls and says, "Hey son, any of your firefighter friends need a riding lawn mower? I have a brand new one at the lake. I've just decided to pay someone to cut grass so I don't need it anymore." Lloyd stammered back, "Uh, well, Dad...do you mind if I have it?" God provides in very mysterious ways. The more you pay attention the more mysterious things get.
We lived there 14 years and then moved here to Alexander City, AL. I knew it was gift from God, a blank canvas, but I felt uprooted. The lady that had lived here previously told me not to bother trying to grow anything...nothing would grow. GREAT! Now what was I suppose to do. That summer someone had spit out watermelon seeds in the yard and watermelon started springing up everywhere. It was the best watermelon ever and all I had to do was put a little cut up grass around it to keep weeds away. So I figured she was wrong...and she was. But still it's hard growing things in the hot humid southeast.
When we started our Aquaponic System we didn't think anyone would care to know about it. We didn't design it with that in mind. But amazingly people get excited when they see it. Whether you are ever able to visit us in Alabama or just here online. We hope you'll enjoy yourself. We love making new friends and sharing ideas.
We have many new projects that we hope to share with you in the near future so please come back soon.
Gina & Lloyd
When it was time to eat I'd go outside and see what God was growing today. If we needed medicine, same thing. Soon I began growing some of our own food and medicine. But still, one time I awoke from a dream where my Daddy had given us a whole freezer full of food! It was a good a dream. And our Father (in Heaven) succeeded in making this dream come true. But back then, we didn't know it yet, but He was raising us up.
Perhaps I read it somewhere, or maybe it was just a part of my being, but I 'knew' that if we put God first, God will put us first. We started seeing this right away. If we needed food a farmer would come by and give us a chest full of deer meat or a basket full of veggies. I learned to make the best jerky ever. While other parents had teething rings for their children, we gave our son jerky...he loved it!
The old homestead we owned had fig trees, black walnuts, pecans, chestnuts, pears, wild berries, yucca, poke salad...a feast in the making everyday! We learned why they call yucca, yucca...because it tasted pretty yucky, except boiled and then it tasted like cabbage. My favorite thing to make for company was always a huge yard salad dressed prettily with edible flowers of all types...roses, violets, primrose, etc.
We saved what little money we could to have a midwife deliver our child at home. But when the time came, she was no where to be found and so we went to St Vincent's Hospital in Birmingham...with much relief to my mom! Lloyd would go pay cash for our stay each day with the money we'd saved. Then a month later we got a bill for $2000. I sent them a letter asking for an itemized statement along with a check for $20. They returned my $20 and said 'The Provider' had paid...we didn't have insurance?! Nobody even knew, except Lloyd and I. I just said, "Thank you Lord." And meant it!
Finally came a day that I needed some new jeans. I didn't know what I was going to do...all my old jeans were too small after the baby, plus they were old, torn and stained with years of oil paint. I'd been wearing Lloyd's jeans and now they were too big. A few days later, a dear friend of mine, backed her car up to the house. She got out and said, "Gina, I don't know if you need these or not, but I was cleaning out my closet and thought of you. I think they'll fit you just perfect." She opened the trunk of her car and there were four bags of jeans! Some even had tags still on them. And she was right...they did fit perfect! Thanks God and Cindy!
We had about 5 acres that had to be mowed. We didn't mow all of it but we used an old push mower for the parts we did. It was quite a job...about the time you'd get finished is was time to start over. One day it became apparent we needed a riding lawn mower. Lloyd & I went to Lowe's and Home Depot to see what the cost would be. Even putting it on a plan would be near impossible. About two weeks later Lloyd's Dad calls and says, "Hey son, any of your firefighter friends need a riding lawn mower? I have a brand new one at the lake. I've just decided to pay someone to cut grass so I don't need it anymore." Lloyd stammered back, "Uh, well, Dad...do you mind if I have it?" God provides in very mysterious ways. The more you pay attention the more mysterious things get.
We lived there 14 years and then moved here to Alexander City, AL. I knew it was gift from God, a blank canvas, but I felt uprooted. The lady that had lived here previously told me not to bother trying to grow anything...nothing would grow. GREAT! Now what was I suppose to do. That summer someone had spit out watermelon seeds in the yard and watermelon started springing up everywhere. It was the best watermelon ever and all I had to do was put a little cut up grass around it to keep weeds away. So I figured she was wrong...and she was. But still it's hard growing things in the hot humid southeast.
When we started our Aquaponic System we didn't think anyone would care to know about it. We didn't design it with that in mind. But amazingly people get excited when they see it. Whether you are ever able to visit us in Alabama or just here online. We hope you'll enjoy yourself. We love making new friends and sharing ideas.
We have many new projects that we hope to share with you in the near future so please come back soon.
Gina & Lloyd