MICHIGAN Chickenstock North - 2012 August or September

[jrsckn]

This is great....doesn't matter to me where it is.... Grayling, Gaylord, West Branch, St.Helen where ever. As for the date it doesn't matter to me we'll attend as long as we're not scheduled to horse show or have some family "must go" commitment. If a date & place is set well enough in advance, we can do a rsvp request with a deadline. If only a handful reply I think the only thing we'd be out is the deposit....some require a small amount others a larger....it would be a gamble I guess.

Excellent idea!!!

 

[M.sue]

Also I'm thinking for those of us with kids. School starts in Sept and it can be crazy that month getting back into the routine. Someone suggested maybe having it a little later like late Sept- early to mid Oct. Having it then might be favorable too.... a little cooler weather but still nice enough to enjoy being outside.

 

[b737drvr]

My vote is for Sept or Oct time frame. My kids have soccer on Saturday mornings during that time of year, but we would love to travel up and go camping nearby if that is possible. As soon as you decide on a date and location, please advise. I already have weekends filling up in September. I had to put the June CS on the calendar back in March...geesh. I really need a vacation!

 

[Maah]

My vote is for Sept or Oct time frame. My kids have soccer on Saturday mornings during that time of year, but we would love to travel up and go camping nearby if that is possible. As soon as you decide on a date and location, please advise. I already have weekends filling up in September. I had to put the June CS on the calendar back in March...geesh. I really need a vacation!

x2 (Almost thought I posted that! LOL)

3 kids here & all with weekend soccer in Sept/Oct. I wasn't able to get to June CS since I had already scheduled our weekend for something else earlier in the year. I like the idea of **cough, skipping soccer for a day** and camping up north for some chickentivities.

 

[Brethren49619]

August - September are really not that far off, especially for only a couple of people to organize everything. I would love to see this happen, but it can only happen with the aid of others. Anyone willing to volunteer? We will need people to support and maintain threads for food, registration, etc. It has also been suggested that anyone who registers send in $1 per person to help defray the cost of renting a location and food. Hey, these events don't get put on without a cost to someone!

Swampducks - Thanks for starting this thread. We need others to volunteer too.

 

[RaZ]

August - September are really not that far off, especially for only a couple of people to organize everything. I would love to see this happen, but it can only happen with the aid of others. Anyone willing to volunteer? We will need people to support and maintain threads for food, registration, etc. It has also been suggested that anyone who registers send in $1 per person to help defray the cost of renting a location and food. Hey, these events don't get put on without a cost to someone!

Swampducks - Thanks for starting this thread. We need others to volunteer too.

I agree.
There is a lot of work to be done to pull off a good meet. CS2012 was initiated in January and there was a lot of work in those 4 or 5 months proceeding the event.

At the risk of dampening the enthusiasm here, perhaps it would be better to postpone the actual event until next year. I know that we could pull off a good event now if we have the volunteers pull together, but we don't have a date or place yet and I think that is going to take a good bit of time.

A couple of weeks before the real CS, we had a mini CS at my house with Ashli, Kerry and Kim coming by to trade some chicks and enjoy a barbecue. There were about 10 people here for just a few hours. Maybe someone with big yard could do that this fall while we try to get something more formal organized.

Or if someone wants to be bold, just pick a place, rent the pavilion and see who can make it.

 

[M.sue]

I agree.
There is a lot of work to be done to pull off a good meet. CS2012 was initiated in January and there was a lot of work in those 4 or 5 months proceeding the event.

At the risk of dampening the enthusiasm here, perhaps it would be better to postpone the actual event until next year. I know that we could pull off a good event now if we have the volunteers pull together, but we don't have a date or place yet and I think that is going to take a good bit of time.

A couple of weeks before the real CS, we had a mini CS at my house with Ashli, Kerry and Kim coming by to trade some chicks and enjoy a barbecue. There were about 10 people here for just a few hours. Maybe someone with big yard could do that this fall while we try to get something more formal organized.

Or if someone wants to be bold, just pick a place, rent the pavilion and see who can make it.

To be honest the above did cross my mind once or twice. Planning for 2013 now would allow us to really plan, get organized and throw one heck of a CS gathering.

 

[swampducks]

I, too am a bit worried about getting it done this year as much as I would like to. Perhaps we shouldn't be too ambitious and try to make things easier this year, for instance, everyone bring their own picnic lunch and perhaps something smaller to share (I ain't bringing 4 gallons of pasta salad this time, we're STILL eating it and I gave half to my neighbors!).

Also, I've been googling Grayling and am having an awful time coming up with any parks their other than the big state parks which mention camp grounds but not areas with pavilions, etc. Also unless you have that state recreation pass on your license plate you would have to pay a parking fee. I'm hoping someone else may have better info?

However, I think it was kimmie? (correct me if I am wrong) mentioned West Branch. Again googling they have a city park called Irons Park that does have pavilions for rent though I can't find out much on their website as the Iron Park link sends one straight back to the home page. It's probably unavailable through August 13th, they have an Arts Fair and again on Sept 8, when there will be a Mutts March.

Moving into October up here weather wise I think we're getting a bit too cold. We've had snow showers Oct 4th up here in the last 10 years. Not to mention it's already deer season and I know my DH will already be in the woods. (He's actually said he would come to a CS up here.

)

Oh and Irons Park does have rest rooms and a playground. I do not know if it's off the beaten track like Delta Mills is though.

There is a lot of work to be done to pull off a good meet. CS2012 was initiated in January and there was a lot of work in those 4 or 5 months proceeding the event.

At the risk of dampening the enthusiasm here, perhaps it would be better to postpone the actual event until next year. I know that we could pull off a good event now if we have the volunteers pull together, but we don't have a date or place yet and I think that is going to take a good bit of time.
......

Or if someone wants to be bold, just pick a place, rent the pavilion and see who can make it.

 

[Opa]

I thought I'd wade in and suggest that as nice as it would be to see everyone again, for many folks their schedule is planned months in advance. I think that perhaps you will have a much larger turnout it everyone could plan well in advance. This is not to say that there could be one put together by fall and have it turn out wonderfully but it will take a lot of folks coming together is a short amount of time.

 

[BobBry]

I favor the fall meeting. this fall cause I don't know that I'll see next fall. None of us do, of course. I really did plan to go CS 2012. Did not work out, obviously. What I have read indicates that the detailed planning and advanced work by a few hard working people made for a great event. I do not want to demean that, but seems to me that much of the praise centered upon the number of people attending. Is that really so important? Can a smaller number of people not get togather and enjoy each others company, some food and drink and swap tales and or critters, and photos? I've been involved in lots of pot luck meals and never heard of having one person provide enough of one dish to feed all of the planned attendees. I don't know how many did that but, wow, unless the group is really small it just does not seem the way to go. Isn't the custom usually to bring some stuff to eat and a dish to pass. No offense the ones who provided such a bounty. (Opa, Nova, Mom to em all, Swampducks, and probably others I don't remember. POT LUCK Lists are ok but, necessary?

Fall in Michigan, especially northern Michigan is so beautiful. I would love to go to such an event. I in rreality, do not think it's in the hand I've been dealt. luck