I have been neglecting this blog but not because I don't want to share. After spring had sprung, there has been so much to do! I will try to fill in the gap and not leave anything out. You see, I have this notepad that I use to track all the things I need to do. It subsequently also keeps track of all I have done so I will use it as my guide for this entry. I have broken down my list for Plan Bee Farm Brewery into 4 major categories; planting, building, brewing and paperwork.
Planting: What's in the ground?
This list is done for the season, so in my notepad everything is crossed off. Evan and I planted starter plants that we purchased from local greenhouses, plants that were donated to us, and seeds which have grown into nice plants. Most of these plants are all in our raised beds that we made earlier this season from recycled wood that was on the property.
To give you an idea of what we are using to brew beer with, in our garden we have pineapple sage, dill, cilantro, orange mint, chocolate mint, chamomile, lavender, rosemary, lime basil, thai basil, sweet basil, purple basil, lemongrass, strawberries, peaches, raspberries, blackberries, grapes, cucumbers, pumpkins, squash, tomatoes, and a myriad of peppers. Our gourmet lettuce was eaten by some small creature last week (I suspect the little white bunny). Our 100 hop rhizomes are doing well. We did lose a few of them during the heat wave but all in all, they are producing beautiful hop combs. We also have a separate plot of land that is housing our two-row barley, wheat and rye. I probably forgot to mention a few items in the garden but there is just so much to keep track of!
I should also mention that we have bees on the property now. Matt from Bee Archetype put their bee boxes up last month and has been caring for them. Once the bees arrived they helped everything in the garden grow quickly. It has been a joy to watch this symbiotic relationship flower over the summer. I was worried about being stung or having our guests swarmed by the bees when they visit but the bees are very satisfied. They keep to themselves and allow us to get close to their home without really noticing us. As I am lying in the sun watching them, I feel satisfied by their productivity as if they are my worker bees and I am their queen.
Building: Making it happen
Evan built 7 raised beds for our fenced in garden which hold all our plants. Just last month, Evan and I finished our project of turning an old doghouse that was on the property into a chicken coop for our 6 hens. The ladies, as I call them, moved outside from the box in our sun room to their new backyard home. They seem to be happy if chickens can feel happiness. They dart around their chicken run and I feed them leftovers from the fridge. In a few months they will be laying eggs. We read somewhere that each hen can lay 1-3 eggs a day. This means we could have 46-126 eggs a week!!
Our building list has several projects on it that are not scratched off yet. These projects include making a sign for the farm to put out front. I am hoping to weed and landscape the small stretch next to the driveway to look inviting. If we get around to it, I would also like to make a small hemlock fence from recycled wood to fence off the front. Evan and I are also hoping to turn the sun room into a retail space once we receive our licenses to sell beer. I am thinking some sliding door coolers for bottles and decor made up of recycled palettes, burlap curtains, mason jars for samples and photos of the farm. We recently purchased a dehydrator to preserve the herbs, fruits and hops that we harvest but we have discussed also building a small oast.
Brewing: The man can brew
Evan has been busy brewing to get in practice with our brew system he has built and to try out different recipes. He has built everything from scratch including the recipes. Last month, we were in the right place at the right time and came into a kegerator that a boat club was throwing away. There isn't anything really wrong with it besides being loud and the doors leak a bit of condensation. This has allotted us the experience of having Plan Bee Farm Brewery beer on tap in our house along with beers from Peekskill Brewery, Captain Lawrence and Sloop.
**I have asked Evan to follow up from this blog post with a posting of his own to discuss all that he has been brewing . . .
Paperwork: Save the trees!
We finished our application on 6/4/13 for the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (federal) and were told it can take up to 80 days to hear a response. Once we are approved, we can then move on to filling out the Farm Brewery license for the state license. I have been taking an accounting course this summer through SUNY Empire so I have been learning how to do our bookkeeping properly for the business. I have our general ledger in order along with our balance sheets. Unfortunately this course hasn't taught me how to file my own taxes so I am going to need a tax professional for our quarterly filing once we are approved to sell product.
Evan and I are having the Hop Harvest Festival in September in the style of a 1950's luau. The event will feature the crowning of the Hop Queen along with minor physical labor - the harvesting of the hops. Evan wants to roast a pig in the traditional Hawaiian style which entails digging a pit in the ground and covering the pig in banana leaves. The details of this event are on our facebook page.
We also will have another Clove Road Classic in late October. Our hopes are to have a spring and fall tournament each year. We had the first ever Clove Road Classic on 6/2/13 which was a wiffle ball tournament. Eight teams battled for the chance at the PBFB homemade trophy and their name engraved on our house plaque. After almost 8 hours, the winners came out "Tony Danza's Hit Parade". The tournament in the Fall will be a corn hole tournament so start practicing now!
Time has flown by since March! I am looking forward to the Fall when things outdoors will need less tending and the heat will die down. The list of things 'to do' will continue to grow but this does not cause me stress, it excites me with possibilities!
Friday, August 2, 2013
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Spring has sprung
March has been a busy month for us here at the Plan Bee Farm Brewery. We have been working outside through the warm sunny days and the many Nor Easters. Even though the calendar is telling us Spring is here, the winter chill has not lifted from Fiskhill, NY.
On the farm this month, we built 5 raised beds from recycled lumber, we have cleared brush and briars from a 20' x 10' spot behind the house and we have begun weeding and raking up the flower bed. There have been morning chats about a fire pit, hammocks, bee hives and a chicken coop. The evening temperatures are still landing somewhere in the 20's so we will have to wait for the soil to thaw before we can start working the dirt.
On the business side, we have registered Plan Bee Farm Brewery as a LLC and our EIN from the IRS is on it's way. Next steps will be to get our license through the New York State Liquor Authority before filling out the application to become one of the very first New York State Farm Breweries. Thank you Governor Andrew Cuomo for the legislation to make this whole venture a little easier. For the full farm brewery bill, click here.
We have a Facebook page now as well, check it out here. I just posted over 50 new photos of becoming Plan Bee Farm Brewery.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Moving to the Farm
On January 26th, Evan and I moved from our apartment in Dobbs Ferry, NY to a house on a small vegetable farm in Fishkill, NY. The previous tenants didn't farm the 1/4 acre so there is a lot of work to be done to get it back in working order.
The house is a 3 bedroom, 2 full bath with a large kitchen, wood burning stove, master bedroom with walk-in closet, and the cherry on top is the full length of the house sunroom. One of my favorite areas to enjoy a book while listening to a vinyl record is the couch next to a fire, under the sky light where I can see clouds floating by.
In addition to the house, the property has a small enclosed, heated building that Evan is using as the brewery. It was once used by the owner for her own small business so it has a sink, plenty of shelving, electricity, and a large window looking over the farm. The fire wood is housed under an overhang attached to the 'brewery' which we will have to replenish as things start to warm up outside.
The landlord did tell us the property has two peach trees, an apple tree, wild grapes, blackberries and mint which consistently produces even when neglected. The land is over grown with tall grasses, there is a pile of building materials in the back, small toys and bird houses scattered around the lawn and the back of the property feeds into 5,000 acres of public, preserved lands. Did I mention we have some work yet to do?
There is much on the calendar for 2013 but just looking at March, we have 3 main objectives:
The house is a 3 bedroom, 2 full bath with a large kitchen, wood burning stove, master bedroom with walk-in closet, and the cherry on top is the full length of the house sunroom. One of my favorite areas to enjoy a book while listening to a vinyl record is the couch next to a fire, under the sky light where I can see clouds floating by.
In addition to the house, the property has a small enclosed, heated building that Evan is using as the brewery. It was once used by the owner for her own small business so it has a sink, plenty of shelving, electricity, and a large window looking over the farm. The fire wood is housed under an overhang attached to the 'brewery' which we will have to replenish as things start to warm up outside.
 |
| The sunroom on moving day |
 |
| The brewery during the blizzard |
The landlord did tell us the property has two peach trees, an apple tree, wild grapes, blackberries and mint which consistently produces even when neglected. The land is over grown with tall grasses, there is a pile of building materials in the back, small toys and bird houses scattered around the lawn and the back of the property feeds into 5,000 acres of public, preserved lands. Did I mention we have some work yet to do?
 |
| Our goal for the hen house |
There is much on the calendar for 2013 but just looking at March, we have 3 main objectives:
- To build all our 10' x 4' raised beds for our brewer's garden which will have many aromatic herbs, fruits and vegetables
- Convert an old dog house into a chicken coop (yes, we will have some laying hens!)
- Complete our paperwork for becoming an LLC with an operating Farm Brewery License
Looking ahead, we have 100 hop rhizomes on their way, we have to purchase the seeds/started plants for the farm, we need our 3 chicks, and Evan needs to convert the equipment he purchased for brewing into working order. Spring is on our doorstep, we need to be ready to greet her so she can share her magic with us and help turn this soil into deliciously fresh, from-the-earth beer!
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Phase one: In search of dreams
I am at the mercy of Mother Nature and I feel fine. Well, I'm getting use to it I guess. We live in a rapidly cycling planet that is heating up. Experiencing the wrath of super storm Sandy followed by a Nor-Easter has been a reality shattering whirlwind. The convenience of power, the need of gasoline, these storms have exposed the thin margin between an effective society and chaos. Abbey and I are observing the snow mounds out our window over some coffee. I am reflecting on the last months of summer and the coming, then going of Autumn.
Evan and I are still moving forward with our Plan Bee. Phase one: We are immersing our selves in the world of plant life and agriculture. I have to say, even though it has only been a short time since the start of this journey, I feel exponentially happier each day. Instead of dreading the winter and the cold I am day dreaming of our winter rye, wheat and barely tucked under the skin of the earth. I hope they survive this weather and find a spark in them to grow come Spring. The mystery and power of bringing new life into this world feeds my spirit.
October 14th, 2012
Evan and I drove up to an alpaca farm in Pawling, NY and planted 1/4 acre of winter barley, wheat and rye. It took us two months of weekend trips to clear the land to make it ready for this day.
The weather was on our side that day. Temperatures were in the low 60's, a little bit of sunshine to keep our hands warm but cumulonimbus clouds kept us from sweating as we labored. The air carried the smell of dry leaves and animal coats. The alpaca watched us curiously as we spread the seeds over the tilled earth.
The majority of the 1/4 acres is winter barely, the base grain used in beer. Thirty percent of the 1/4 acre was split between the winter rye and wheat which will be used as specialty grains to flavor the beer. The white bee boxes hummed.
After we spread the seeds, we took rakes and turned the soil. Well turned, we set about packing it all down. It was a spectacle for those alpaca as we all bunny hopped over the mixture of manure, fresh earth and kernels. Finally, we unfurled hay bails over the lot to protect it from the rain that was coming the next day. We thought the hay might also keep away the birds and squirrels temporarily but the land keeper wrote us about the heated fury that took place upon our departure.
"A few hours after you guys left I walked over to the hill and there were 4 squirrels and about 10 birds foraging the soil for seed. I chased them away but it's definitely going to be an issue. One of the squirrels actually stood his ground, puffed up his tail and started chirping at me. I might try putting out containers of seeds around the area. Hopefully if they have easy access to food they won't bother with the soil. Also, it'll only be problematic for the first few weeks until the seeds sprout." - Matt
October 21st, 2012
Back up at the alpaca farm, we wanted to see the sprouts that covered the hill. To our surprise, there were green and red blades cutting through the hay all over! Education: when rye first sprouts it's blades are a purple-red color but as they grow towards the sky they change to green. The wheat and barley both have green sprouts but their silhouettes are different from one another. My mind is imprinted with these images and I have gained the knowledge to identify the difference between winter barley, wheat and rye in it's early growth stages. How can I quantify this education?
We are getting more people involved with Plan Bee and working on potential next steps. Winter is a time for respite and contemplation. It has been seven short months since Evan and I set our compass in the direction of becoming a self-sustained, farm-to-beer brewery in the Hudson Valley. From where we stand now, I can see our path but there is an arch coming up ahead. What is around the bend? I am eager to find out but reluctant.
"My heart is a traitor," the boy said to the alchemist, when they paused to rest the horses. "It doesn't want me to go on."
"That makes sense," the alchemist answered. "Naturally it's afraid that, in pursuing your dream, you might lose everything you've won."
"Well, then, why should I listen to my heart?"
"Because you will never again be able to keep it quiet. Even if you pretend not to have heard what it tells you, it will always be there inside you, repeating to you what you're thinking about life and about the world."
"You mean I should listen, even if it's treasonous?"
"Treason is a blow that comes unexpectedly. If you know your heart well, it will never be able to do that to you. Because you'll know its dreams and wishes, and will know how to deal with them. You will never be able to escape from your heat. So it's better to listen to what it has to say. That way, you'll never have to fear an unanticipated blow."
The boy continued to listen to his heart as they crossed the desert. He came to understand its dodges and tricks, and to accept it as it was. He lost his fear, and forgot about his need to go back to the oasis, because, one afternoon, his heart told him that it was happy.
"Even thought I complain sometimes," it said, "it's because I'm the heart of a person, and people's hearts are that way. People are afraid to pursue their most important dreams, because they feel that they don't deserve them, or that they'll be unable to achieve them. We, their hearts, become fearful just thinking of loved ones who go away forever, or of moments that could have been good but weren't, or of treasures that might have been found but were forever hidden in the sands. Because, when these things happen, we suffer terribly."
"My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer," the boy told the alchemist one night as they looked up at the moonless sky.
"Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second's encounter with God and with eternity." - The Alchemist
 |
| Seeding by the bee boxes |
Evan and I are still moving forward with our Plan Bee. Phase one: We are immersing our selves in the world of plant life and agriculture. I have to say, even though it has only been a short time since the start of this journey, I feel exponentially happier each day. Instead of dreading the winter and the cold I am day dreaming of our winter rye, wheat and barely tucked under the skin of the earth. I hope they survive this weather and find a spark in them to grow come Spring. The mystery and power of bringing new life into this world feeds my spirit.
October 14th, 2012
Evan and I drove up to an alpaca farm in Pawling, NY and planted 1/4 acre of winter barley, wheat and rye. It took us two months of weekend trips to clear the land to make it ready for this day.
The weather was on our side that day. Temperatures were in the low 60's, a little bit of sunshine to keep our hands warm but cumulonimbus clouds kept us from sweating as we labored. The air carried the smell of dry leaves and animal coats. The alpaca watched us curiously as we spread the seeds over the tilled earth.
 |
| Sample section of seed distribution |
 |
| Hay covering |
 |
| 2 week old winter barley |
October 21st, 2012
Back up at the alpaca farm, we wanted to see the sprouts that covered the hill. To our surprise, there were green and red blades cutting through the hay all over! Education: when rye first sprouts it's blades are a purple-red color but as they grow towards the sky they change to green. The wheat and barley both have green sprouts but their silhouettes are different from one another. My mind is imprinted with these images and I have gained the knowledge to identify the difference between winter barley, wheat and rye in it's early growth stages. How can I quantify this education?
 |
| 2 week old winter rye |
"My heart is a traitor," the boy said to the alchemist, when they paused to rest the horses. "It doesn't want me to go on."
"That makes sense," the alchemist answered. "Naturally it's afraid that, in pursuing your dream, you might lose everything you've won."
"Well, then, why should I listen to my heart?"
"Because you will never again be able to keep it quiet. Even if you pretend not to have heard what it tells you, it will always be there inside you, repeating to you what you're thinking about life and about the world."
"You mean I should listen, even if it's treasonous?"
"Treason is a blow that comes unexpectedly. If you know your heart well, it will never be able to do that to you. Because you'll know its dreams and wishes, and will know how to deal with them. You will never be able to escape from your heat. So it's better to listen to what it has to say. That way, you'll never have to fear an unanticipated blow."
The boy continued to listen to his heart as they crossed the desert. He came to understand its dodges and tricks, and to accept it as it was. He lost his fear, and forgot about his need to go back to the oasis, because, one afternoon, his heart told him that it was happy.
"Even thought I complain sometimes," it said, "it's because I'm the heart of a person, and people's hearts are that way. People are afraid to pursue their most important dreams, because they feel that they don't deserve them, or that they'll be unable to achieve them. We, their hearts, become fearful just thinking of loved ones who go away forever, or of moments that could have been good but weren't, or of treasures that might have been found but were forever hidden in the sands. Because, when these things happen, we suffer terribly."
"My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer," the boy told the alchemist one night as they looked up at the moonless sky.
"Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second's encounter with God and with eternity." - The Alchemist
Sunday, July 15, 2012
The Kharma Equation
 |
| Plan Bee product-Wedding present for Robbie and Abigail |
Where the best we can do is play along...
Things just ain't going according to plan,
Maybe this is just one of those days,
But there's still time left for some more things to go wrong." - Robbie Gil
Friday was just one of those days! I have to say, I am very blessed that I don't have many of 'those days'. It's probably due to my philosophy for life; I am a firm believer that you create the mess you find yourself stuck in - kharma baby! For those of you not familiar with the Buddhist theory, I like to think of kharma as a mathematical equation:
Action (good being a positive, bad being a negative) x quantity = happiness/suffering
Therefore, since each person is completely in control (freedom of choice) of their individual actions and reactions, thoughts and feelings, people that have good thoughts, actions and feelings will have a positive situation in life, happiness. And obviously, people who choose to have bad thoughts, actions and feelings have a negative situation in life, suffering.
Since I understand that the only input into this equation is the 'in' that I 'put', I try always to put in good actions so that my life equation stays in the positive. Yesterday's negative life situation was my failure to react to the negativity that surrounded me. Not that I want to have a bitch-fest, but let's just take a glance at yesterdays shitty kharma equation:
Friday, July 13th (shit it was Friday the 13th!)
Normally I work from home on Friday's but this week is Freshmen orientation at Purchase College therefore all employees in Enrollment Services needed to work Friday and Saturday. There were a few people in my office that were radiating negativity for 8 hours because they were so upset about having to work. I tried to deflect this energy all day = (-8)
Traffic was horrendous! I received an email a week ago from the traffic gods (I honestly don't know who or how I got this email) about the George Washington Bridge going under construction starting Friday which warned all drivers that there would be an increase in congestion especially around commuter hours. For some reason, traffic makes everyone want to kill thy neighbor because there was serious road rage emanating from every car that surrounded me. I took a deep breathe and tried to sing along to my favorite tunes to get me through the hour in an attempt to dodge the negativity and a potential car accident = (-6)
(By the way, the numerical values I am assigning each of these situations is subjective the only important thing to note is whether they are negative or positive numbers)
Finally, after 6 PM I made it to the Captain Lawrence brewery and had a cold liquid gold. It melted away the traffic jam but I couldn't shake the feeling of a long day at work. So a group of us decided to head to a new mexican restaurant down the street to have margaritas (that is the best medicine for a bad day) and some enchiladas (also good medicine but not as effective as tequila). We popped down the street and got a table right away, had a slow start to getting our order in but soon the margaritas hit the table and the conversations took flight. Fast forward, two hours later we are dry of drinks and still without food. The table across from us finally received their food and shortly after they began eating, several of them sent back their plates complaining of the taste, temperature and texture of their food. This was the cattle prod to my butt that got us moving. I was up like lightening, storming out of the restaurant with an empty stomach. Talk about being kicked when one is down, "The patient needs her medicine!" = (-20)
Now, I should have practiced a little more patience and tried harder to deflect the neglect we were receiving at the restaurant but I had used up much of my patience on the day and all bets are off when I have an empty stomach. I become a scary person without food, not an excuse just an observation from experience. I went straight home while Evan went through the Wendy's drive thru with our friends. The dog needed to be taken out and I had only an hour left before my homework assignment (for my current Microeconomics course) was due. I sat down to the computer after a quick walk and a wave of 'oh shit!' ran over me. It was a difficult assignment that required hours of preparation. The program I use to do my homework grades it as I submit my answers which are a combination of equations, graph plots and fill in the blanks. I receive a 67% at the end of my hour . . . a feeling of defeat = (-25)
After I finished my homework, I went into the living room to share some time with our friends who were up for the night. I tried to focus on having a good night but felt myself apologizing for all that had gone wrong. Really, I was apologizing for my inability to let go and have a good time so I went to bed feeling like a bad hostess = (-30)
Let's roll out the numbers:
(-8) + (-6) + (-20) + (-25) + (-30) = -89 suffering
I don't really know what that number means, except I can feel it and Friday did feel like a negative 89. The next morning, I felt in a funk and it took almost an entire day to shake the feeling. But it was just one of those days and with the passing of time, it stings less and less. I am going to chalk it up to a series of strange events, just one of those days, the magic of Friday the 13th, a test of my patience, and a lesson learned. Because as my mother always has said, "if you don't learn from adversity, it is an opportunity wasted and the lesson will repeat itself until you learn."
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Introduction to Plan Bee
I don't seem to be very good at keeping up with my blog. I don't think I have that many readers anyway but it still makes me sad when my last entry was over two months ago. I use the excuse "I have been busy" but I would rather not make excuses and just dedicate myself to writing more.
There have been many events that have taken place in the last two months and I feel as though I am entering a new chapter in life. It is these transitions that I wish I documented better as I go through them but instead only seem to catch up with my thoughts after the main events have come and gone.
First, summer arrived and left behind the melancholy of winter. Sunshine brings everyone out into the streets and patios to catch up with friends on what the winter brought or left them. The smell of charcoal and the sound of lawn mowers induce an intoxication that sends me into bliss. Summer and the heat are by far my favorite phase in a year. Naturally, the wafting smells of BBQ have brought hungry guests to our home and have kept Evan and I very busy.
In addition, I started my first college course at Purchase College in June. One of the perks of working for the State of New York is I can take one course a semester for free. I started off with Microeconomics, a 7-week online intensive course which is new material for me. I have learned a lot so far but it has required at least 3 hours a day on top of my full-time job and making time for smoked ribs marinated with friendly conversation. Weeks have turned into months and I have been oblivious to the passing of time.
These are all exciting adventures that are improving the quality of life and feeding my mind, soul and stomach. But the Spring season was slow moving and filled with rejection and heart ache. Many of you know what I speak of but those who do not I am going to reserve the right to keep those stories within my family and friends for now and speak only of the triumph that has arisen from the ashes. For now, let's just say 'there were a series of unfortunate events that led to the discussion and planning of Plan Bee'.
What is Plan Bee?
I hope to share with you all of the journey as my husband and I embark on this exciting new adventure which we have deemed Plan Bee. It is a long-term goal with much planning and exciting explorations to come that will hopefully bring us from point A to point Bee (I am teasing now, I know).
Evan and I birthed this plan out of asking the question "what do we want?" which produced the answer "we want to be more". We want to follow a dream that is beauty incarnate and strip away the stress of working to make money for the sake of having money. We want to go back to our roots and move closer to creation and therefore our creator. We want to let our souls fill up our whole until the lines between "I" and "us" become nearly indistinguishable. We never want to work for one man again but work for an entire community.
Evan and I want to go into business together and open a community shared agricultural, self-sustaining brewery in the Hudson Valley. We want to incorporate Evan's Scottish roots of brewing meads and my families history of farming grain together to produce completely local, fresh, made-of-the-earth-we-stand-on beer that will bring our community in the Hudson Valley together.
Hard work? We are up for it!
Learning new skills? Our pleasure!
Discipline and Organization needed? My speciality!
Creativity and inspiration? Evan's strength!
Stressful and difficult? Not afraid!
Cooperation and collaboration? Will bring Evan and I closer together!
Part I: Education
We have a multi-part plan to get us from where we started (the day after tragedy struck) to Plan Bee. The first part of our plan is education. I am working towards receiving my Masters in Business Administration so that I can make sure that our business is staying above the "shutdown point" (a concept I recently learned in my Microeconomics course) and Evan is home brewing, working extra hours at Captain Lawrence Brewery and as of this last week, building small scale models of brewing equipment and doing test runs.
At the end of October, Evan and I will plant wheat and rye in our front yard in Dobbs Ferry to educate ourselves on the process. We will then be able to harvest, if all goes well, in July 2013 to understand the labor and partake in the experience of turning our homegrown grain from a plant into a malt for brewing beer!
As my fortune cookie read tonight, "Nine tenths of education is encouragement" which means this story isn't for everyone. As I tell our story I want to state that I am not looking for a fight, I’m not interested in making anyone feel faulted, and I’m not trying to convince you of anything you don’t already know.
Evan and I want to be more and we are going to strive to do so with the utmost patience, respect and humility with the best intentions for an uplifting future for our lives and the lives of those around us. So far, I haven't heard a discouraging word although I know Evan has heard a few but happily those moments have helped us build a stronger foundation instead of bringing about doubt or despair.
Thank you in advance for all of you that share encouraging words and love as we dare to be bold and try to be more!
There have been many events that have taken place in the last two months and I feel as though I am entering a new chapter in life. It is these transitions that I wish I documented better as I go through them but instead only seem to catch up with my thoughts after the main events have come and gone.
First, summer arrived and left behind the melancholy of winter. Sunshine brings everyone out into the streets and patios to catch up with friends on what the winter brought or left them. The smell of charcoal and the sound of lawn mowers induce an intoxication that sends me into bliss. Summer and the heat are by far my favorite phase in a year. Naturally, the wafting smells of BBQ have brought hungry guests to our home and have kept Evan and I very busy.
In addition, I started my first college course at Purchase College in June. One of the perks of working for the State of New York is I can take one course a semester for free. I started off with Microeconomics, a 7-week online intensive course which is new material for me. I have learned a lot so far but it has required at least 3 hours a day on top of my full-time job and making time for smoked ribs marinated with friendly conversation. Weeks have turned into months and I have been oblivious to the passing of time.
These are all exciting adventures that are improving the quality of life and feeding my mind, soul and stomach. But the Spring season was slow moving and filled with rejection and heart ache. Many of you know what I speak of but those who do not I am going to reserve the right to keep those stories within my family and friends for now and speak only of the triumph that has arisen from the ashes. For now, let's just say 'there were a series of unfortunate events that led to the discussion and planning of Plan Bee'.
What is Plan Bee?
I hope to share with you all of the journey as my husband and I embark on this exciting new adventure which we have deemed Plan Bee. It is a long-term goal with much planning and exciting explorations to come that will hopefully bring us from point A to point Bee (I am teasing now, I know).
Evan and I birthed this plan out of asking the question "what do we want?" which produced the answer "we want to be more". We want to follow a dream that is beauty incarnate and strip away the stress of working to make money for the sake of having money. We want to go back to our roots and move closer to creation and therefore our creator. We want to let our souls fill up our whole until the lines between "I" and "us" become nearly indistinguishable. We never want to work for one man again but work for an entire community.
Evan and I want to go into business together and open a community shared agricultural, self-sustaining brewery in the Hudson Valley. We want to incorporate Evan's Scottish roots of brewing meads and my families history of farming grain together to produce completely local, fresh, made-of-the-earth-we-stand-on beer that will bring our community in the Hudson Valley together.
Hard work? We are up for it!
Learning new skills? Our pleasure!
Discipline and Organization needed? My speciality!
Creativity and inspiration? Evan's strength!
Stressful and difficult? Not afraid!
Cooperation and collaboration? Will bring Evan and I closer together!
Part I: Education
We have a multi-part plan to get us from where we started (the day after tragedy struck) to Plan Bee. The first part of our plan is education. I am working towards receiving my Masters in Business Administration so that I can make sure that our business is staying above the "shutdown point" (a concept I recently learned in my Microeconomics course) and Evan is home brewing, working extra hours at Captain Lawrence Brewery and as of this last week, building small scale models of brewing equipment and doing test runs.
At the end of October, Evan and I will plant wheat and rye in our front yard in Dobbs Ferry to educate ourselves on the process. We will then be able to harvest, if all goes well, in July 2013 to understand the labor and partake in the experience of turning our homegrown grain from a plant into a malt for brewing beer!
As my fortune cookie read tonight, "Nine tenths of education is encouragement" which means this story isn't for everyone. As I tell our story I want to state that I am not looking for a fight, I’m not interested in making anyone feel faulted, and I’m not trying to convince you of anything you don’t already know.
Evan and I want to be more and we are going to strive to do so with the utmost patience, respect and humility with the best intentions for an uplifting future for our lives and the lives of those around us. So far, I haven't heard a discouraging word although I know Evan has heard a few but happily those moments have helped us build a stronger foundation instead of bringing about doubt or despair.
Thank you in advance for all of you that share encouraging words and love as we dare to be bold and try to be more!
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Mrs. Watson
Wow . . . it has been a while since I have written! My last entry was about my resolutions for 2012 and sadly I have not kept them. The vegetarianism went on February 1st when I went to Cedar Street Grill in Dobbs Ferry. They had amazing looking chicken wings that I couldn't resist and to be honest, I didn't even feel guilty after the meal ended it was that good. As for writing in my journal, I honestly tried and through March I wrote consistantly but then something happened and I started writing only once a week. Busted!
The biggest news has yet to be shared! I got married on January 14th, 2012! I am now officially a Watson and have legally changed my name to Emily Ann Watson. It was very organic the way it came about. Over the Fall in 2011 I started planning a big wedding for Memorial Day weekend, May 27th 2012. It wasn't going so well and quickly I realized that I was planning a big wedding because I thought I should, not because I wanted to. Without passion the planning fizzled out and I cancelled my reception reservations without a clue of when the wedding might be rescheduled.
The biggest news has yet to be shared! I got married on January 14th, 2012! I am now officially a Watson and have legally changed my name to Emily Ann Watson. It was very organic the way it came about. Over the Fall in 2011 I started planning a big wedding for Memorial Day weekend, May 27th 2012. It wasn't going so well and quickly I realized that I was planning a big wedding because I thought I should, not because I wanted to. Without passion the planning fizzled out and I cancelled my reception reservations without a clue of when the wedding might be rescheduled.
For the duration of the Fall (after the planning of my wedding was off the table) I searched for a job and amazingly I was offered a position at the State University of New York in Purchase, NY to work in the Registrar's Office (where I currently work). I remember it was a Thursday night, Evan and I went to dinner to celebrate the news of my job offer and acceptance. We talked about moving back to our old stomping grounds and when we would take off and where we would look for an apartment and when I would go and if Evan would come out later . . . and then the topic of marriage came up. When would we be getting married?
Evan preferred to get married in Indiana where his family resided and where we were living at the time. I thougth that wasn't a bad idea but I needed to leave Indiana in a week to start my new job. Therefore, it was decided that in a week on January 14th we would be married and that same day we would drive to New York City to look for an apartment! Evan and I went to the local mall and picked out our wedding day attire, reserved the church for that Saturday and invited our parents and siblings. All planning was done in a day! It wasn't the least bit stressful because it was too simple and too short of time to have the time for stress.
The morning of the 14th we had a lovely brunch at Jamie and Dwight Watson's house followed by the cutting of the cake. We then went to the church one block from the house and in 15 minutes it was done! We were now Mr. and Mrs. Watson and off to New York. It was a beautiful day and I couldn't have been happier.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)