Trenching, Ironing, Spraying, Designing, Oh My

A little bit of everything happening a the winery today.  RJ got up early today to pick up the trencher.  Trencher, you ask.  He’s raised the priority of the irrigation for the south field.  You see, we have signed a cost-sharing contract with USDA for earth-friendly irrigation.  The problem is we pay for everything up front and don’t get reimbursed until everything is complete, so we are out some cash.  Next on RJ’s list was a visit to our fabricator to redesign the bin dumper for what must be the 10th time.  Harvest is around the corner (if there is a harvest) and we still have some equipment issues.  Then RJ went to the Plum Hill Vineyard to spray.  Barely got on the tractor and it started to pour.  So much for that and with schedule conflicts for Friday, not sure when he will spray.  It was not supposed to rain.  Now, RJ is back in the field running the trencher. 

I have a month or more of ironing and mending to do.  I bring it to the winery since I spend more time here than home.  I also have winery tablecloths to iron.  I have been planning some marketing events including a Progressive Harvest event for next year.  See Facebook for more info. on that.  I am also trying to get the gift shop restocked; not an easy task.  And then those darn customers show up.  How dare they?  lol  Here’s a start at our Fall/Halloween display:

I’m Back with Building Permits in Hand

Our company has left, weddings are over, our social events have tapered off, so I am back to blogging again.  My biggest news is that as of Thursday, August 28, we have our building permits.  It was a long, hard struggle, but we have them, and it’s full steam ahead.  But wait…a new hurdle!  We just received notice that we can no longer access our Home Equity Account; the one we were counting on to pay some of the contractors we have engaged and will be engaging.  So I am back pounding the pavement looking at other financing options.  I have a few ideas up my sleeve, but none have come to fruition yet.  On a happier note, I received the base pages for my scrapbook from Charlene last week and have finished one page with another well on the way.  These will go faster as I move through the book.  However, I have managed to misplace my camera (see what happens when you get a smaller purse), so pictures are going to be few and far between.  The plumber is working today in the tasting room, sooner than we expected.  Much of the irrigation is in thanks to Russell, Roger, Jim and Henry.  Russell was like “a dog on a bone” wanting to get at that vineyard and they accomplished alot.  We’ve had our share of tractor issues and may be upgrading soon (oh yeah, that money thing again).  We’re doing another tasting tonight at Urban Decanter for First Wednesday.  That will be a relief.  Pictures are of the irrigation and drain work and our Big 0 Birthday bash.