Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Farmerboy16]

Thanks everyone.

MIchicken- that is funny.

Chambertin- Yes, I am very thankful that I was able to use it for free for so long, and I will have a lot of adjusting to do.

Maahbeaker- The now former owner did know that I have been wanting to buy it since he had it for sale in 2008. I just did not have a job then.

Snowflake- I agree that God does work in ways that I may not understand at the time, but its always for the best. I am just disappointed that my plans was not in his plans.

Ladyrsanti- I do think that he was sitting on it for me, but a better offer came along and decided to take it. It will not affect the milk partly, will have to not get another cow until I have more space. I am planning to dry Bella sometime in May, so we will be without milk until she freshens in August.

The now former owner lives in the city, he had it for sale since '08 and he had let me put up the fence on his land so he does not have to mow it, I have been using it for 4 years now. First it was for the chickens, then a horse, then last year, its cows. We only have 5 acres. Its a Lawyer that brought it, which makes me wonder if he will sue me for something if I did something offensive to him. He looks like that he is in his late 20s early 30s. Oh well, I have the Right to Farm Act to protect me and my farm.

I did a lot of thinking, and I know that not all of my plans had gone out of the window, but most of them. I cannot think of moving anywhere else. Where I live to too perfect for me to move anywhere else. Might take a walk on the road tomorrow to see if any other neighbors is willing to sell a piece of land. But I do know that when God close the door, he opens a different door. I might someday look back and laugh at my old plans and loving what I have now. Just got to have faith.

Thanks for letting me share.

 

[RIRJen]

Quote: I do not recommend refridgerating eggs you want to hatch. I find the best method is room temp in an egg carton with the "pointy" egg down. I've had eggs hatch that were in the fridge, but I do believe it lowers the hatch rate.

 

[ladyrsanti]

Anyone watch Doc Martin on PBS? LOVE IT! His Auntie has an organic chicken farm and I'm always looking around the plot and story to see her chickens. I think it was the first episode where she picked one up and snapped its neck for dinner. Reason enough to keep watching. There was another episode where she was battling the neighbor for spraying pesticides near her property, afraid she might loose her organic certification. Anyway, just a point of interest if you haven't watched it. British humour.

Speaking of the Brits. I've been "battling" a customer from the UK over a sample of yarn. She's doing her senior thesis in fashion design and set her eyes on one of my hanks for sale on Etsy. She is working with a straw element and the yarn I made was very straw-like in color. I don't like to take samples from hanks but I told her I would and then I got it out and the color didn't match the photo I'd posted of it last year. Two things were at play. First, the natural dye darkened some while in storage. It was dyed with walnuts from my yard. These things happen. It was still a rich and beautiful brown but not straw gold like my picture showed. So I took a new photo of it, wanting to be honest and kinda-sorta hoping she decided against me shipping a sample overseas and then changing her mind. But then the photo I posted to her didn't match the photo I had open in Photoshop. The color management settings were off. Talk about frustrating! When I finally got it sorted out and a new picture up, she decided she still wanted the sample. I had quoted her a low price, enough to cover shipping and a token for my trouble. When I went to make the label, the stinking Etsy shipping app tried to charge me three times what I'd charged her. WHA??? I know the rates are going up and services being dropped but geeze! Luckily my handy-dandy desktop shipping program and the ACTUAL post office was on the money and I got it printed for the lower, quoted price. That was probably really lucky too because I'm betting in the future, it's going to be the higher price - like $6 to send a 1 oz. letter to the UK.

But what a hassle. I hope she likes it because I'm *THIS CLOSE* to shutting down the Etsy shop. I had a return last month because the yarn apparently didn't match what the customer saw on their monitor despite every effort to match photo to product (and I ALWAYS have a disclaimer as such) and another return about the same time from a customer that thought the yarn was weak and poorly spun. UGH! When I got the yarn back, I promptly knit it into some leg warmers, strong and warm legwarmers. It was fine. I've never had these problems before and all of the sudden, BAM! It's so hard when you can't touch and see the yarn in person. I need to find venues to sell it locally so that people can see what they're getting, for real.

Anybody know a place? Heheh.

 

[Herducks]

Anyone watch Doc Martin on PBS? LOVE IT! His Auntie has an organic chicken farm and I'm always looking around the plot and story to see her chickens. I think it was the first episode where she picked one up and snapped its neck for dinner. Reason enough to keep watching. There was another episode where she was battling the neighbor for spraying pesticides near her property, afraid she might loose her organic certification. Anyway, just a point of interest if you haven't watched it. British humour.

Speaking of the Brits. I've been "battling" a customer from the UK over a sample of yarn. She's doing her senior thesis in fashion design and set her eyes on one of my hanks for sale on Etsy. She is working with a straw element and the yarn I made was very straw-like in color. I don't like to take samples from hanks but I told her I would and then I got it out and the color didn't match the photo I'd posted of it last year. Two things were at play. First, the natural dye darkened some while in storage. It was dyed with walnuts from my yard. These things happen. It was still a rich and beautiful brown but not straw gold like my picture showed. So I took a new photo of it, wanting to be honest and kinda-sorta hoping she decided against me shipping a sample overseas and then changing her mind. But then the photo I posted to her didn't match the photo I had open in Photoshop. The color management settings were off. Talk about frustrating! When I finally got it sorted out and a new picture up, she decided she still wanted the sample. I had quoted her a low price, enough to cover shipping and a token for my trouble. When I went to make the label, the stinking Etsy shipping app tried to charge me three times what I'd charged her. WHA??? I know the rates are going up and services being dropped but geeze! Luckily my handy-dandy desktop shipping program and the ACTUAL post office was on the money and I got it printed for the lower, quoted price. That was probably really lucky too because I'm betting in the future, it's going to be the higher price - like $6 to send a 1 oz. letter to the UK.

But what a hassle. I hope she likes it because I'm *THIS CLOSE* to shutting down the Etsy shop. I had a return last month because the yarn apparently didn't match what the customer saw on their monitor despite every effort to match photo to product (and I ALWAYS have a disclaimer as such) and another return about the same time from a customer that thought the yarn was weak and poorly spun. UGH! When I got the yarn back, I promptly knit it into some leg warmers, strong and warm legwarmers. It was fine. I've never had these problems before and all of the sudden, BAM! It's so hard when you can't touch and see the yarn in person. I need to find venues to sell it locally so that people can see what they're getting, for real.

Anybody know a place? Heheh.

I would think you would be able to find a place that would sell it out of their store front. Time to find a nice local craft store!

 

[tdhenson86]

Farmer boy,
I'm so sorry to hear that! I can only imagine how disappointing and frustrating that is!

Silly autocorrect...

 

[BentoMinion]

I am sorry Farmboy. I would not worry to much about him trying to sue you. you are right, you have the right to farm act behind you, but also the fact that you were there with all the animals before he bought the property. He may or may not try something, but you still have that on your side. I do admire your passion. As others have said, things have a way of changing and working out in the end. It is part of life. I know it is not easy when everything seems rip down your plans.

 

[BentoMinion]

Maybe the Fulton Street Market from May to October? In Gr
and rapids? You can get a booth. I know on the weekends there is a good turn out. There is also one in Muskegon, although I see you are in Kent county. Have you tried to search for craft shows? I know it is not a store front, but it is exposure.

 

[ladyrsanti]

Farmers markets are a good idea. That's a lot of time and hassle to invest though, especially on precious weekends. We have one in Alto and Lowell too, though I'm sure they're not well attended like downtown. I'd have to set up to accept credit cards as well, if I wanted to "make it". I just enabled them on Etsy but for non-internet transactions it's different. Shucks, I need one o' them smart phones, mine's dumb, old flip phone. Then I could get a cool swiper.

Ditto on the lawyer, Daron. Just because he's fresh off his bar exam doesn't mean he's unnecessarily shrewd. I'd reserve judgement on that. My FIL is a lawyer... well... Friend of the Court now but yeah. He's a great guy and a seriously helpful asset to have on your side. Or this new guy could be a jerk but just wait and see. Chances are that he knows you're there and wouldn't put the investment into the place just to make trouble.

 

[BentoMinion]

Ladyrsanti - you live near Alto? I went to Alto Elm. when I was little. My parents live closer to Lowell though.

 

[naglady]

farmerboy so sorry to hear, hope you have someone to help you move your fencing.. I agree find a new window of opportunity.. its there waiting for you to find it.. may not seem like it now.. but there must be something better in store for your future. Good luck and Big Hugs