Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did. ~Newt Gingrich

 It seems as if we've already had a momentous year, getting the EVOO certification, two silver medals, our Processed Food Registration Permit, bottling and labeling all the oil, pruning the vines, racking the 2011 and 2012 wines and keeping those adjusted, updating the rancho website and beginning to get the e-commerce functions up and running.  We are additionally working on promotional materials, and of course, fine-tuning our products so that they are the best we have to offer.  One would expect that one could rest on one's laurels a bit.  However, we've come to the conclusion that there is no laurel resting.  

We had a reminder as to how very fast the year is flying by, the cattle left the property today -- literally, for greener pastures.  2013 has been one of the fourth driest years on record in California since the 1880s, and consequently, it was not a bumper year for grass, which feeds many cattle.  Since the entire property, as well as our neighbor's, has been grazed down, it was time for us to wish them happy trails.
 
Next on the rancho's agenda will be the lavender harvest, which we expect to begin in approximately a week.  We plan to have a crew to assist in the harvest this year and have a plan in place for a more streamlined bud-cleaning process.  Much as I like spending every waking hour in the barn cleaning lavender until the grape harvest, our continuous goal is to do everything better, so only time will tell how effective our contraptions are.
 
Our goal in doing things better is so that more time is freed up so that I can increase production of our existing products, as well as test new products that are in the pipeline. 
 
What new products, you ask?  Check back soon to find out!
 
Happy Trails!

The Ranch Manager

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