"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." ~ Walt Disney
We're taking Walt Disney's advice to heart and have begun doing. What is it that we're doing? Well, after three months of diligent effort attempting to obtain our Construction Permit for the renovation of the ranch house, it was finally received on Friday, March 21. Couldn't you hear the shouts for joy from there?
While we waited all winter for rain, it seemed the rain waited until the construction permit was issued. Progress has been swift, though. The entire two ends of the home have been deconstructed, about 21,000 pounds of concrete and stucco have been removed, and numerous architectural, construction, and decorative details have commenced.
One might wonder, "Isn't it awful for the ranchers to reside there during the construction?" The simple answer is yes -- but we are ranchers, so like all ranchers accustomed to adverse conditions, we have moved to The Barn (did you really expect me to say we were living on the Range or Prairie?). We then took Walt's advice to heart again and decided some improvements in The Barn were needed. Picking up on a theme here?
"But what about the ranch products?" Inquiring minds might ask, "How are those getting done?" Very slowly is the answer to that question. Fortunately, this construction was planned to coincide with our dormant growing season and hopefully be completed by the heat of the summer. How young and naive those ranchers were. It will be done by August or harvest or New Year. Some time it will be done.
As if all these changes weren't enough, we decided it was time to begin doing with respect to our products, so we are adding some new additions to our product lineup this year. Some of the highlights will be a lemon olive oil, a smoked olive oil, a smoked seasalt (for seasoning meats or any recipe), an estate-blended BBQ rub, and a strawberry jalapeno jam. We have also streamlined our website, for a more efficient customer experience. And since we're shaking that whole menu up, we decided to go through all the pain at once and switch bottles. Apparently elves are making these bottles in trees somewhere, because it is nearly impossible for a small producer to locate, purchase, and have delivered said amazing bottles -- which has held up our bottling process. Without bottles, it is difficult to bottle.
We have also come to realize that bottling hundreds of bottles of wine, hundreds of bottles of olive oil, jam, jelly, etc., and doing everything by hand is nearly impossible, especially in light of the fact that one of the team had particularly stressed arms and hands to begin with. More change. All of our jars and bottles are going to be round, so that a labeling machine can do whiz through that. Next change, you might ask? Researching and purchasing a labeling machine.
Meanwhile, things are have begun growing early this year. Our olive buds are on the trees, although it doesn't look as if it will be a very robust growing year. There are buds, but we will again be biting nails in November waiting to find out if we have a half ton of olives.
And speaking of olives, just so we can eliminate this issue of worrying whether we have enough olives to take to the mill, tomorrow, the irrigation is going in for 120 new olive trees that will be planted next month.
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Tired yet? Wait, we're not done. The grapevines have leafed out early -- very early, and there are some restless nights, as temperatures have plummeted to the low 30s and worry about frosts and freezes dominate the subconscious, interfering with the sheep counting that should be going on in one's head when one is sleeping.
So, Rancho AyO has truly taken Walt's advice to heart, we have quit talking (well, as much as possible for this author) and begun doing. There are other amazing things happening, as well, but why not just revisit this website in the next few months and find that out for yourself. Until then, this ranch manager will wish you happy trails and head off into the sunset to find that perfect bottle of wine for cocktail hour.
Cheers!
One might wonder, "Isn't it awful for the ranchers to reside there during the construction?" The simple answer is yes -- but we are ranchers, so like all ranchers accustomed to adverse conditions, we have moved to The Barn (did you really expect me to say we were living on the Range or Prairie?). We then took Walt's advice to heart again and decided some improvements in The Barn were needed. Picking up on a theme here?
"But what about the ranch products?" Inquiring minds might ask, "How are those getting done?" Very slowly is the answer to that question. Fortunately, this construction was planned to coincide with our dormant growing season and hopefully be completed by the heat of the summer. How young and naive those ranchers were. It will be done by August or harvest or New Year. Some time it will be done.
As if all these changes weren't enough, we decided it was time to begin doing with respect to our products, so we are adding some new additions to our product lineup this year. Some of the highlights will be a lemon olive oil, a smoked olive oil, a smoked seasalt (for seasoning meats or any recipe), an estate-blended BBQ rub, and a strawberry jalapeno jam. We have also streamlined our website, for a more efficient customer experience. And since we're shaking that whole menu up, we decided to go through all the pain at once and switch bottles. Apparently elves are making these bottles in trees somewhere, because it is nearly impossible for a small producer to locate, purchase, and have delivered said amazing bottles -- which has held up our bottling process. Without bottles, it is difficult to bottle.
We have also come to realize that bottling hundreds of bottles of wine, hundreds of bottles of olive oil, jam, jelly, etc., and doing everything by hand is nearly impossible, especially in light of the fact that one of the team had particularly stressed arms and hands to begin with. More change. All of our jars and bottles are going to be round, so that a labeling machine can do whiz through that. Next change, you might ask? Researching and purchasing a labeling machine.
Meanwhile, things are have begun growing early this year. Our olive buds are on the trees, although it doesn't look as if it will be a very robust growing year. There are buds, but we will again be biting nails in November waiting to find out if we have a half ton of olives. And speaking of olives, just so we can eliminate this issue of worrying whether we have enough olives to take to the mill, tomorrow, the irrigation is going in for 120 new olive trees that will be planted next month.
So, Rancho AyO has truly taken Walt's advice to heart, we have quit talking (well, as much as possible for this author) and begun doing. There are other amazing things happening, as well, but why not just revisit this website in the next few months and find that out for yourself. Until then, this ranch manager will wish you happy trails and head off into the sunset to find that perfect bottle of wine for cocktail hour.
Cheers!
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