The Very Berry Barlow farm and the Squirrel Riders

There was a family who owned a beautiful piece of land.  They decided that they would be farmers.  They grew many fruits and vegetables for the surrounding area.  The youngest child in the family was named Mari and she focused all of her time on growing berries.  She loved berries and with the help of her mother she became one of the best berry growers ever.  She especially liked to grow strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.  She loved it when her mother would take these berries and make a smoothie or cover the berries in yogurt. 

They had a lot of success growing berries until the rains stopped coming.  When the rain stopped all there berry bushes stopped growing new berries.  Mari was very worried.  She did not know where she would get the berries she needed.  Many people are expecting to buy berries from Mari.  She did what her Dad taught her and she started to pray.  She had a feeling that she needed to go on a hike with her family.  So she talked to her Mom and they packed up the picnic basket and blanket and most of the family when on a hike into the mountains that bordered the farm.  Hyrum had to stay and finish his work.  Mari decided that he needed to come to.  So we all waited until Hyrum finished his work.

The hike was super fun and really long.  They kept hiking and hiking until it got really hot.  They decided they should stop for lunch.  It was then that Dad got really still.  Mari asked what was wrong and Dad told her to be very quiet.  He started looking around and decided that they could keep looking for a place to stop for a picnic.  It was not long before Dad frozen in his steps.  He told everyone to stop and be very quiet.  Mari looked around and saw that they were surrounded by hundreds of squirrels.  There were squirrels in the trees and all over the ground.  When Mari looked closely she saw that they were not just squirrels but squirrels with little people on their backs.  One of them asked what they were doing.  Mari told them we were looking for a place to eat.  Mari's Dad told her to stop talking and to be still.  Mari tried to be still like her Dad told her.  The same little man asked Mari's Dad why they had come but Mari's dad did not say anything.  the little man asked and again and Mari's Dad still did not say anything or move.  the little man started to get upset.  Mari told her dad to say something to the little man but he looked too worrid to say anything.  Mari realized that Mari's Dad did not hear the little man. He wasn't even moving his lips.  Mari heard the words in her mind.  the little man was speaking to her mind.  The little man again asked what they were doing.  Mari said they were looking for a place to eat lunch.  The little man introduced himself as Binlock King of the Squirrel Riders.  He told Mari to follow them.  all the squirrels started to move away in the same direction.  Mari's Dad looked confused.  Mari said to follow her.

They walked until they came to a large meadow with a large lake and waterfall.  It was the most peaceful and beautiful area Mari had ever seen.  They all sat down had a great lunch.  The squirrel riders did tricks and played games for Mari's family to see.  When they were done Binlock spoke to Mari again.  he said they he could tell the family had a big problem they are trying to  figure out.  Mari told them about their farm and the great things they would grow.  Binlcok was very impressed.  he loved all the things the Very Berry Barlow Farm grew.  He shared with them a secret that they use to get rain.  He had 4 squirrel riders create a bundle of herbs and flowers and tied them together with some long grass in the meadow.  He told Mari to she needed to have the family bury the bundles in the 4 far corners of their farm, gather the family in the middle, and sing their favorite garden/farm song.  The bundles where beautiful.  They were so beautiful that Mari's Mom did not want to bury them but decorate the home with them.  Binlock knew that would happen so he had his riders make larger bundles that are meant for decorating.

When they returned home they choose the place to bury the bundles and gathered in the middle of the farm.  They then tried to decide what they should sing.  As they discussed this the wind began to blow.  They stopped to listen and their was a faint melody that carried among the trees on the far bonderies of the farm.  Mari began to sang along with the melody, "The Prophet said to plant a garden, so that's what we'll do . . ."  The rest of family joined in.  When they were done they all had dinner and went to bed.

The next morning MAri was woken by a loud BOOM.  She was scared.  She rain downstairs and saw her Dad sitting at the kitchen table.  He was looking outside.  Mari snuggled  up next to him as they watched the biggest rains storm they had ever seen.  Their was lightening and thunder and water everywhere.  The rains topped around dinner time.  They whole family went out to see the farm and they were amazed at what they saw.  Every plant and bush had berries.  not only did they get rain but they got rain that gave them berries on the same day.  They were very excited to start harvesting.  They had miore berries than they could eat or sell.  They decided to take some the Binlock and the squirrel rider.  Binlock was impressed by the size and quality of the berries.  They had a berry celebration.  They decided that they would come back every year and have a Berry Celebration to remember the time the Mari and the squirrel riders saved the Very Berry Barlow Farm.