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Robert MoonShadow
ParticipantHal – I have changed my mind on political topics (and many others, including religion) – I’m not narrow-minded enough not to, if given a logical course of thought to consider – however, I don’t ever listen to dogma at all. But then, I’m a freak of nature, I guess; because I’ve got some conservative values… and some equally firm liberal ones, too. I’m not “middle-of-the-road” at all –> I just have a value system based on what I’ve studied & contemplated & decided fits me. I just don’t fit into any of those tight harnesses of thought. My opinion can change as the opportunities & circumstances change. I don’t fit my values & beliefs to fit any certain political party or figure… I actually have the audacity to expect the politicians to change to fit my needs & desires; with the knowledge that if I am not in the majority of thought, my beliefs won’t prevail – which is as it should be in this country. But then, I won’t knock it (a la Rush Limbaugh), but rather attempt to change my fellow citizens to my way of thought, via persuasion – not ‘moral’ brow-beating (a la Obama supporters). I guess I’m just your average everyday liberal-thinking, morally conservative democratic republican dirt farmer. Um, which political party might that be? :confused:
ParticipantNo, I think it’d be to avoid “becoming one with…” the brown moguls, not just getting them on your skis. 🙁
ParticipantRichard: From Winter ’08 issue of SFJ: Heritage Machine Works = phone:#319-646-2989 email: srodgers@netins.net “Antique farm machinery repair & restoration – parts rebuilding/new fabrication – machine shop/welding, etc.” They’re located in Iowa. That’s the only one in the current issue that you haven’t mentioned talking to. Hope it helps… if not, I can look through last 2 years of back issues, no problem.
ParticipantNo matter what your view of the situation is, the bottom line is:
What are you going to do about it?
You can take it as it is, work to change it, or b***h about it.
Like Samuel Clemens {AKA Mark Twain} once said: “Politics is like the weather: everybody complains about it… no one does anything about it.”ParticipantRichard – I get SFJ… who are you looking for? I see Balster’s, Mullet’s, Macknair’s, Heritage Machine Works {they say they rebuild/manufacture parts}, etc.
Participant@jenjudkins 6562 wrote:
Does anyone know when that draft horse barrel race is?:p
Jen ~ I think it’s right after the ‘drafthorse polo match’. 😀
ParticipantI agree with Erika; the sales help will be very important. Not just their attitudes & general knowledge, but their availability. But this goes beyond just marketing basics; as in most direct-marketing, it’ll depend on relationship building – not just customers/seller, but in seller/seller.
The most helpful (and hardest to answer) question to ask is simply “What’s in it for me?” –> from a customer’s viewpoint AND from a seller/producer’s. Why should I, as a customer, pick your store? Alternatively, why should I, as a producer sell at your store? I don’t mean it as a negative attitude, but positive… if the answers are right, you’ll be overwhelmed with custiomers – and with sellers with good attitudes. If not, you’ll be underwhelmed… and have only your things on the shelves. My personal hardship is explaining my vision to others = what’s obvious to me in my mind’s eye, isn’t neccesarily so to others.ParticipantYeah, it’s weird how things are different, sometimes not far from each other… The mill over the pass is still buying a lot (and it was just sold); Potlatch’s pulp mill in Lewiston (halfway between Geoff & I ) seems to be holding about steady, yet a lot of others not that far away are sinking…
The guy around here who’d really doing well is Eli Peneda… the Hispanic guy who owns the fencepost mill –> he hires about a dozen migrants each year, and buys only lodgepole; but steadily churns out fenceposts, split-rail & log-rail fencing. He never gets any bigger… or any smaller, and according to the locals it’s been that way for going on 20 years, now. Maybe somewhere in there is the key, if anyone here can figure it out & use it?ParticipantFirst of all, I want to say that I have absolutely no experience in horselogging. However, you can’t live in this section of Idaho w/out rubbing elbows with loggers. You’re probably aware of the ‘let it die; let it burn’ policies out West, here – I’m not going to get into it – but there’s a major & growing market for firewood. I sell 70 – 80 cords a year. I do want to learn how to fit my donkeys into this, and fully intend on asking advice here, as I get closer to that end of it. I wanted to mainly just let you know what I see as going on, here in Idaho… the other thing for horseloggers is the state/federal policy around here for having horseloggers log out the strips of land between the highway lanes –> especially the Interstates, that are often divided directionally, leaving 50′ – 300′ or so wide strips of land that just don’t have the room for the skidders, etc. = I’m thinking that it’s mainly about finding those little niches where the “big boys” can’t fit… because the mills (the ones that are left) are screaming for logs. Out West, it’s not so much not having the prices – but of having the timber sales actually go through w/out lawsuits, etc. from stopping them – although my friends here say it’s getting a little better. I hope this helps with info from out west.
ParticipantThank you, Mike & J-L!! I’m definitely going to try these guys, just as soon as the donkey gets here. {When you’re getting free transport of an animal from the other side of the country, ya kinda gotta ‘go with the flow’… and be very patient}. I like supporting these small businesses – and these guys sound like they’re definitely ‘old school’ in their way of doing things. It says something about them, when in the days of emails & websites, they don’t have a site, but continue in business, anyways. Evidently they don’t NEED one.
Again, thanks for supplying input & opinions. – it helps this newbie avoid costly mistakes. {I really like this forum!}ParticipantJen ~ And you’ll be sure to supply us with plenty of action-photos of you & Peanuts’ learning experiences while logging… right? 🙂
ParticipantRod ~ Sure thing! How about you delivering it? What I’ve got to offer: I live 30′ from the world-famous Salmon River… and there’ll be the fall steelhead run = some of the best steelhead fishing you can find! All for the low, low price of some of that pig! 😀
The article I just read the other day that I believe it was Jen who linked us to was about Salatin… seems he layers barley/corn/etc. in the compost as he piles it up… kinda sprouts the grain that way or something = evidently the hogs love it. I’m actually wondering if there’s any need to “seed” the piles –> most of the stuff in my piles would seem to be ‘pig cuisine’.ParticipantFor a basic overview on compost-heated greenhouses:
http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/PDF/compostheatedgh.pdf
or
http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/compostheatedgh/html
a good place to start, with their usual references & contact listings.ParticipantIf I might add to Hal’s question: I’ve heard that ’round-penning’ doesn’t work near as well with donkeys (too easily bored with it all), and am wondering if anyone who’s had both donkeys and horses here would know? And what about mules? Somewhere between the two in their responses to it or more like one or the other?
ParticipantAnother thing that’s interesting is that we, as anyone who breeds any type of animal, really want that type of female; that bonds & nurtures her young – and often cull those that aren’t ‘good mothers’. Yet it still surprises us that the bond can be so strongly expressed. We know the “love” can be strong, just we don’t seem to expect them to express it in such “human” terms.
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