January 2012
January 1st. New Years' resolutions (kind of)
It's a sunny and modestly warm day and I will be able to finish planting the garlic as the ground still retains it's late fall workability. Post holes will be dug to complete those for the first 5 hoop houses, a general clean up, inspection of the cabbage heads and other crops in the fields, fixing the loose felt on the roof of the chicken coop, residential work (including the front door) are all on the schedule for the light of today. Later I will work on a painting I plan to submit at the end of the month as part of my Arts Fest application. Accounting also. I can't proceed with 2012 without knowing what exactly happened in 2011.
As for resolutions- easy. I will try to do everything that I had planned on doing in 2011 but failed. The wood fired oven, a small cheese cave, cultivation of mushrooms, raise chickens, and ducks and have some good help. New resolutions which really are this years' goals are to bring the gross business reciepts up to $80,000 by increasing crops by 400% (sounds like alot but with season extenders, irrigation and additional livestock sales it is very realistic), starting catalog sales, and so on. I think the biggest problem will be manpower. I am going to look to Penn State and my CSA members for help though- something that I have not pursued in earnest. I also expect to have a long term intern starting in April- going through November and to have two ten week interns during the summer months. A cabin has to be built to accomodate the interns which will be a time-line challenge. The residence must be pulled together with working electricity and plumbing so that I can live there, and perhaps one other in the second bedroom. Another time related challenge. Cash flow will continue to be an issue but with the review of last years' flow (and cash problems) and the creation of some new income streams, I think it will be less of a problem. My personal energy and outlook will be a challenge. Serious setbacks could put me into a downward spiral of depression and end the entire project. Not a likely scenario. A business partner would be a huge help as would a personal one. For the moment, I am more positive than I have been recently and honestly, the entire forecast for success is a very delicate balance and could turn on a dime to failure. I do still think of shutting down the CSA, and moving to Kentucky and I may have to but that projection doesn't feel right. Still there is no contract so a trip to the attorneys once again seems inevitable. How can you run a business without a contract with the land owner?
The 55 hen chicks are doing quite well and I can't wait to get them out of my apartment. I have lost two which is an acceptable rate of mortality. I will be recieving 75 broilers on the 13th of January and by then, I hope to have the temporary pens set up in the first floor of the residence. The temporary chick pens will be on the kitchen side and my temporary workshop will be adjacent. The old wood burning furnace from the 1850's brick house which had originally be slated for a hoop house will be moved in to provide heat. Insulation will have to be completed for the entire building. The next phase (February) will be to get the new coop built. The old coop will be remodeled to accomodate the hens. The new coop will get a concrete floor with a drain, and insulated walls. The structure will be raised first, then a wood burning stove installed so the floor can be poured. All done in the comforts of freezing weather.
Monday January 9
I'm waiting for my usual breakfast of fried onions & potatoes with the occasional egg, (and a dose of ketchup). It is sunny outside and the month has been quite mild thus far. I trapped the opposum that was killing the chickens and living in the comforts of the residence and killed it humanely. A land lease has been worked out with the land owner and though it will be expensive it will be less disruptive to remain here than move the entire operation to another location over the winter. The budget for 2012 is done and is based on the actual figures of 2011, includes a membership increase of 15 and the addition of chickens, ducks, geese, rabbits, and eggs. Together, they will contribute 22,500 gross to the totals with a net of about 17,500 once all the expenses are deducted. Catalog and outside sales (arts, crafts, furniture, etc) will be increased from last year's $3,000 to $10,000. I am already busy designing, painting, sculpting and so on. The priority however, beginning with this week are the hoop houses. I stopped working on all farm projects about two weeks ago (I was away for a week), as I believed the business would be moving. I also needed to stop farming- to have a mental break. I can get three hoop houses completed this week. That is the goal. As usual there are many other important projects so the days will be full speed ahead very shortly. Distributions will begin on January 20th (tentatively), and I meet with an intern candidate this Saturday. In short, the approach to this year will be quite different than the past three. The hoops give me a jump on the growing season. I am going to actively pursue help and work through the winter blues instead of succumbing to them. This is the "quantum leap" year. The year where half the debt gets payed off, we grow enough crops, and raise birds and rabbits successfully. We get the mushroom project going, are prepared for the Farm Tour, and hold the social dinners for the CSA members. There is a great deal of construction to do. I will have to see how much help I can get.
Saturday, January 28 It's official: change
It has been a warm and muddy month thus far. I am almost out of my doldrums and have gotten back into the swing of things with work on the hoop houses (for February plantings) along with completion of insulation of the residence first floor along with the plumbing line runs to the bathroom toilet, sink and bathtub. An old furnace will be brought in to provide heat and front door will be built- custom oak with an insulated interior layer, a keyhole window and carved irises sweeping up from the exterior kickplate. It goes with me when I make a future departure. Finally solved the mystery behind the chick die off. Probably the local feed. Switched to a medicated feed. The remaining seven (of 55) hen chicks have finally percked up and are acting normally now. Chicks and a workshop will be temporarily housed on the ground floor of the residence. 100 meat birds arrive on the 16th of February.
As for the workshop: Ceramic tiles, T-shirts, cedar window planters, garden ornaments, and fine stone sculpted lamps for the high end market will be made to supplement the farm income. An absolute necessity to get product sold over the next 4 months or I will be financially short again. Making excellent progress thus far. First up: a pair of Minoan Bull pots with horned handles. Very unique, I expect to sell the first pair or two quickly. The craft work will have to be concentrated from now through April. After that, naturally, the farm work takes precedence. I will have to make a quick trip to Kentucky in March and may take a week off in May and travel overseas if I can get a replacement passport on time. A very speculative idea but it could be a good mental break and since the CSA is year round, I might just do this once every four months- not fly overseas but get out of here, hiring an experienced house sitter to cover the chores.
New Help: I will know in a week if I can purchase the two Percheron draft horses I've been negotiating on for a few weeks now. The owners just have to check if some friends of theirs want them or not. If not, they will be mine. What beautiful beings! Not too large, actually small sized for draft horses, they are docile, very well behaved and easy to command. I must say that I am in love with Betsy and Alta (two new girlfriends if I am so lucky...). They will make the plowing and planting of five times the crops that were put in last year (as long as I get the irrigation system in). They will be worth ten interns without exagration and no insubordination! They will spend the spring here, and much of the summer on a neighboring farm, helping with the haying, etc. It is an excellent arrangement. For $1,000 I get the horses, full harness gear and a sit down plow (the long wood tongue needs to be replaced). A small stables will have to be built and fencing extended, pastures upgraded. If they are offered, I will be taking them around the Ides of March in order to get the prep work done. Only have to hold my breath and cross my fingers for a week!