March 23, 2004

This will be updated as information comes in from Brian Convery.

First Report:
Today is Friday March 19, 22 days before the wave sheaf day if the month of Abib is proclaimed Monday evening. That means that the barley has 22 days to mature to a state where it can be roasted by fire and ground into flour, as the minimum requirement for the wave sheaf offering.

For all of these reports we will be using the Zadok scale for uniformity. It is at the bottom of this page.

Report for Friday.
1. The Saoresh area high in the Judean hills was inspected, the barley ranged from stages 5 to 6. Some heads were just emerging or coming out of the boot or stock and all the way up to the flowering stage. This area's barley is 5 to 6 weeks from acceptance under normal growing conditions.
2. The Ayalon Valley between Lod and Mod'in was next. This is the area just below the Judean hills on the way to Tel Aviv (hill of barley). This barley was in the 6th and 7th stages. It consisted of all the stages from flowering to milk. This area is 4 to 5 weeks away from maturity.
3. Next was the coastal plain area North of Tel Aviv around Hod Ha Sharon. There was a lot of barley here. One field was entirely in the 8th stage. Some of the heads were just beginning to lighten in color with kernels fully developed in size. This area will be ready prior to wave sheaf day.
4. The next area was also loaded with barley. This was further north along route 4, north and south of route 553. This is between Hadarim interchange and Yehuda. Once again all barley checked was in the 8th stage, lots of soft dough and hard dough. The heads of hard dough would break in two when separating a kernel from the head. This barley will easily be ready by wave sheaf day.
5. The next location was in the high altitude Jezreel Valley in the Gailee. Here barley was very abundant and to be found in all ranges from stages 5 through 7. It was especially abundant in the area of Megiddo along route 66. Most of this area will be ready in 4 to 6 weeks.

We can see why there is 7 weeks of barley harvest in Israel. The lower regions mature much more quickly than the higher regions. That is why the ancient records record Israel searching in the Gaza area for the first ripening fields. You can actually track the growth transitions by the inspections conducted today. The ministry of agriculture notes there are at least 6 climatic zones for growing in Israel. Imagine that! I am personally trying to distinguish these zones and their relevance to the maturing process of barley.

On Sunday I will be joining Nehemia and some of the local folks to inspect the fields in the Negev. Monday we will be in the Jordan Valley. Please pray for our success as to the will of God.

Second Report:
Sunday the 21st, inspection by Brian and 5 others.
1. Our first inspection today took place near the Beit Shemesh junction just above the Ayalon Valley. This is at the base of the Judean Hills. The barley was in the beginning of the 8th stage. It should be ready in three weeks.
2. We next inspected a field near Komemivut junction on route 40 in the northern Negev. This patch of barley will be ready in a few days. It is in the hard dough stage right now.
3. Our next inspection was between Kiryat Gat and Kama Junction. This barley will be ready in a week to 10 days easily.
4. We next visited the area around Ofakim which is a few miles from the Gaza. We inspected many fields and conducted four counts of random sampling here. In each count the barley was either majority aviv or past the minimum standards already.

Some of the fields in this area and south of it will not make it to harvest. They are stressed from the lack of moisture. There is a line that crosses the region like an imaginary curtain. On one side rain comes and on the other it doesn't, in some years. The transition zone is as small as one mile in width and is like visiting two different places.

Today's inspection combined with Friday's inspection confirm there will be no intercalated month this year. We will be in the Jordan Valley tomorrow and will return to witness the new moon at sunset.

Third Report:
Monday the 22nd
1. Our first inspection was at the intersection of route 458 and route 1. Route 1 runs from Jerusalem eastward to the Dead Sea. Here we found barley in abib. The balance which was not in abib will be within a week. From here one can see the towers on Mt. Scopius and the Mt. of Olives. The distance between this barley and the Temple Mount would be approximately a 3 to 5 hour walk depending on the individual. This is the arid side of the Judean hills and barley grows well in its higher elevations. It also matures earlier than on the western side of the Judean hills.
2. Next we inspected areas in the Jordan Valley. We traveled north on route 90 which runs the length of the valley. At Fatsa'el Junction where route 505 connects to 90 we found abib once again. Usually there are large quantities at this location. Bedouins had moved in earlier in the year and their sheep, goats and camels ate almost everything in site.
3. Further north on 90 opposite the Jordanian village of Kuraime we found barley ready to harvest by ancient methods. This area is downhill from a village named Khemdat in Israel.
4. Next we swung north through the Jezreel Valley and down the coast to Tel Aviv. I wished to show the other folks the areas I had located on Friday for future inspections of early barley.

We then headed back to Jerusalem to prepare for the new moon sighting. With 2 hours to spare I decided to check several of my favorite locations around the temple mount. I had been told that other participants were going to check these earlier. To my delight I found barley in the 8th stage at the southeast area of the mount. This section will be ready before wave sheaf day. I journeyed over to the slopes below the Old City wall at their southwest area and found barley in a state of abib. It never hurts to double check!

Happy new year.

The dates for the early (spring) festivals are as posted on this site. Please remember that the dates for the later (fall) festivals are still tentative. We will not know for sure until the new moon is sighted over Jerusalem at the start of the seventh month. The Rabbinical calendar date for the Feast of Trumpets appears to be one day early by our calculations. That puts it starting on the last day of the sixth month. Which is a violation of the biblical law of appointed times. There is a very, very slim chance that it will be seen on that night. We need to wait and see.

Thank you for your prayers and to those of you who gave financial assistance. Both were and are appreciated and contribute greatly to the success of this important undertaking in service to the body of Christ. Both the spiritual and financial support you have given has benefitted many brethren as well as those who are afar off at this time.

The understanding of God's plan of salvation and the part the wave sheaf plays in that is so very important to those called by the Father to be betrothed to His Son. Thank you once again for your faithful walk with Jesus Christ and the love you have showed for those you have never known.

Brian J. Convery