Aviv Search 2008

Some Basic Biblical Principles About Grain Agriculture. by Brian Convery April 12, 2008

Response to the claim that the biblical year is a normal one instead of intercalated. by Brian Convery March 15, 2008

(Final Report) Monday March 10, 2008

Greetings to all,

We were not able to see the new moon Saturday night from the area's we were in due to very heavy cloud cover. It is my understanding that it was so throughout the country. The various groups who report monthly sightings have stated the same from what I have been told and read. The 9th would have only accounted for the 29th day in the cycle. Thus the 30th day would be used to start the 13th month. That would make the 10th of March new moon day based on how I personally do things. As is the case in all doctrines we must each seek out our own salvation under the terms of the second covenant for it is very personal, a one on one relationship between Christ and ourselves.
The inspections are over for another year. As our reports stated the barley crop, both Hordeum Vulgare (modern domestic barley which is manipulated) and Hordeum Spontaneum (self seeding or wild barley) were very young in every region of the country. Determinations were very easy to make this year because of that very fact. All the same it still takes 12-15 hour days of inspections.
I had a report read to me Friday from the other reporting group which stated the exact results from their search as well, even to the stages of growth in the various regions.
A point of interest to some may be the fact we found incredible amounts of Almond trees in bloom. This lends itself to the agricultural time frame we are in. Meteorological data we followed combined with pictures of early barley growth for the past 2 months confirmed what we found in the field during our inspections.
These are patterns we are continually observing and putting together. For instance we did not see a lot of tillering going on in young plants in January due to the lack of rain. Many of those plants were 6 inches in height. In March many tillers and large root balls where the norm due to the moisture from the rain and snow received in late January and February. Most of you are aware that this is stage 2 on Zadoks scale. This takes place in all its forms generally anywhere from 14 to 25 days. Tillering is greatly affected by the moisture content in the soil. With the extreme changes in the weather from the end of the 3rd week in January and most of February, growth slowed dramatically. Thus the barley crop is very immature.
As we reported the most advanced barley we found were sparatic stalks near the Jordan River. As well they were right along the road. A few were in the very early "worm" stage. Under very good conditions these individual stalks would be aviv on their own in 25 to 30 days. Almost all barley had not even passed the flowering stage. Keep in mind the commonly accepted growth time for healthy barley through all its various stages to being mature on its own for harvest is 85 to 95 days weather related.
Sunday April 27 is going to be Wavesheaf Day. That is 7 weeks from now. There will be fields not rock outcroppings of standing "aviv" barley in the 3 grain growing agricultural regions of Israel. The majority of the harvest will probably take place during the second to fourth week of that 7 week count to Pentecost or the feast of Weeks. We will keep an eye on its progress in an effort to accumulate relevant data for future use. Another point of interest is that the wheat crop is much more advanced than the barley in many locations. One of the reasons that altered wheat is no indicator of the biblical timing of the new year in this day and age. We are already planning next years trip to inspect the crop growth. We will be in Israel the week of March 22, 2009. The end of the 12th lunar month should be Friday March 27th 2009 at sunset. The new moon will be easily seen at that time if there is not cloud cover. That will be a very good year to see samples of early barley in all the final stages of growth in many area's of the country.

My family and I will be using the following dates for the appointed times in 2008 with the caviot taken as to the actual new moon sightings.

The new moon on Monday April, 7th after sunset should be easily seen if there is no cloud cover. Be mindful this will be the 29th day based on the negative sighting reports for March this year. So it is important we see the April reports from Israel if in fact you yourself go by this standard.

All dates start from sunset on the previous Gregorian Calendar day.

First day of the year: Tuesday, April 8
Passover: Monday, April 21
1st day of UB: Tuesday, April 22
Wavesheaf Day: Sunday, April 27
Last day of UB: Monday, April 28
Pentecost: Sunday, June 15

The 7th month should begin after sunset on Wednesday October 1 for the new moon should be easily visible in Israel if there is no cloud cover. At this point we do not know whether it will be the 29th or 30th day. All days start from the sunset on the previous Gregorian Calendar day.

Trumpets: Thursday, October 2
Atonement: Sabbath, October 11
FOT: Thursday, October 16 through 22
LGD: Thursday, October 23

Once again thank you for your prayers for the success of the inspections and the safe travel of the inspectors. We hope you have a wonderful and peaceful time rejoicing before our Creator at the appointed times.

Brian

(Day 3) Wednesday, March 5, 2008
It was a beautiful sunny day in Israel today and we covered alot of miles of ground. Our inspections started in the Jordan Valley, north of Jericho. We traveled some of our normal route (90) and some roads located east of it, closer to the Jordan River itself.
As has been the case the past two days, we encountered very young barley. Our inspections took us north of Beit She`an, to the upper heights of the Golan. We covered the Gilboa Mountains and Jezreel Valley, as well as the coastal areas north to Ra`anana.
The most advanced barley we found today would be the early stages of milk development, being #7 as figured by the Zadok scale.
Nothing we have inspected comes close to the minimum standard of Leviticus 2:14 for a first fruits grain offering. Our next report will be following our looking for the New Moon at the close of Sabbath, on Saturday evening, March 8th.
We have concluded the field inspection portion of the trip, unless anyone has a special request for us to look at some specific fields.

Thanks for your prayers.
Rick Andrews, Brian Hoeck, Zach Boettner, and Brian Convery

Tuesday, March 4th, 2008
Greeting from Israel.
We got out early this morning and headed to the northern and western Negev. Results of the search produced much of the same results as what we observed yesterday. Vast quantities of barley (both wild and domestic) were still in the boot, which means the heads have not emerged from the stocks. We inspected sporadic locations where the heads had emerged and flowering was readily visible.
At one of the locations just east of Ashkelon we inspected a field of self-seeded two row and six row barley with some wheat stocks scattered throughout, which was fully headed out. Some of the heads were exiting the flowering stage (#6) of Zadock's Scale with some in the milk stage (#7). This location could possibly be Aviv on it's own in approximately five weeks under current weather conditions. If the weather turns much warmer it is possible that it could be a little earlier, by maybe six or seven days.
The vast majority of the barley we inspected today is eight to ten weeks away from being Aviv. We will be conducting inspections throughout the Jordan Valley and Samaria tomorrow.

1st report from Brian & crew in Israel for Monday, March 3, 2008
We arrived in Israel this morning and got settled in early afternoon. We took advantage of the good weather and the balance of the day to do some spot inspections on our way to the area of Masada. We were on a sulfur ball search so Brian Hoeck could see this area which is purported to be the ancient hometown of Sodom and Gomorra. We were successful in finding some nice samples.
The areas we inspected today were in areas we do not traditionally use. However, they are areas which have been reported in the past. The most advanced specimens we found were in the flowering stage (Zadoks #6). Some of these heads and stalks in these locations were already showing signs of stress.
Tomorrow we will inspect our traditional fields in the Negev and report back after our return to Jerusalem. This year's inspectors are Rick Andrews, Brian Hoeck, Zach Boettner and Brian Convery.