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Date: Saturday July 03, 2010
We began preparations for this weekend as early as Memorial Day weekend, when we rented that large excavator. Farmer Steve used that excavator to pull and pile all the stumps from the hillside (Future Pasture A/B/C/D).
For evenings and weekends after the excavator rental, Farmer Steve and I spent the time working that hill by hand. Picking up roots, sticks, twigs, and large branches and adding them to the pile. We also began to move all the rocks from around the pile and stack them up on the other side of the hill.
The stump pile was huge, approximately 20 feet across by 15 feet high by the time we were done. Farmer Steve decided Fourth of July weekend was the moment we were to set it ablaze. I was freaked out. I was totally prepared for this stump pile to set the entire state of Maine on fire. In my mind, I would need the flame retardant suit to simply roast marshmallows. Every time Farmer Steve and I walked by the pile I made some comment about how scared I was to set it on fire. "Wow honey. That is going to be a huge blaze. Remember the stories we have been told about the Maine fire of the 1947 where over 200,000 acres burned. The worst fire tragedy in history?" He would mumble something about me being a chicken and over reacting. "What if a stray spark caught the wind, traveled hundreds of yards, got into the barn and caught the hay on fire?" "Won't the blaze be so hot the bees will melt and die?"
This went on for two weeks, as that stump pile grew.
On Saturday morning July 3rd, I set out to run errands. One was to go get the burn permit from the Fire Department. I thought "Whew, no way they are going to give us a permit, it's been so dry here. This is my way out of this expected disaster." No such luck. Mr Fire Guy handed me a permit.
"Wow, permit indicates fire has to be out by midnight, this is going to be a huge fire (arms outstretched to provide visual cues as to the size of the blaze, giving him a chance to say "well then missy, maybe we shouldn't give you this here permit.). Not sure we will get it out in time for midnight."
"Ayuh, good fer yah. Sounds like it will be a good one", he says, "Come back in the mornin for another permit if ya need it."
Okay, that tactic did not work. I then scrutinize the permit further. "Sir, it says here you will only require us to have shovels and hand tools to control the fire. Wouldn't it be wise for us to also have water hoses under pressure? I am not sure we could get our well to fight this fire ourselves. This fire will be enormous."
He responds with "Ma'am, I only put down the minimum requirements for the permit, if you want to go above and beyond, then that is fine with me. Have a nice weekend."
My reply "I will try. Hope not to see you on the Mount later today." I huffed off, discouraged that we got the darn burn permit.
I dropped the permit off at the farm then went on my merry way to get grain. Farmer Steve said he would have the fire going by the time I got home. I was glad not to be around when it started. The whole ride home I was watching the Mountain, expecting to see plumes of black smoke rising above the fire tower. I saw nothing.
When I finally arrived back I noticed the fire had not amounted to much of anything. No flames ten stories high, no burning embers catching the windınothing spectacular. Farmer Steve sat there grinning. "See I told ya."
Okay. Although I am glad this did not set the entirety of York County ablaze, no one got hurt etc, this will forever be part of the dialog between Farmer Steve and I. He tends to think I overreact to most things. I am cautiously optimistic. I always have a worst-case-scenario in the back of my head. Helps me to be prepared for life's little hiccups. Here are some examples of our future dialog:
Me "Honey, I think alpaca so-and-so is sick"
Farmer Steve "Remember when you got all worked up about that stump fire? Was nothing."
Me "Honey, maybe you should be more careful with the tractor, you could get hurt"
Farmer Steve "Remember when you got all worked up about that stump fire? Was nothing."
Me, in my 80ıs "Honey, I think I just broke my hip falling down the stairs."
Farmer Steve "Remember when you got all worked up about that stump fire? Was nothing. Get up and Shake it off."
I made the most of the fire and cooked some corn bread in my dutch oven, it was so delicious I did not take photos of the final product. Here are some photos of our calm smoldering stump pile.  This was approximately 8-hours after the pile was started.  Here Farmer Steve is putting more hot rocks on top of my dutch oven. Farm Hand Adam looks on.  Scout is always a big help around here.  Adam, Scout, and Farmer Steve tending the corn bread. Thanks to Adam for coming on up. Never one to miss a fantastic bonfire. Adam, sorry I made it sound like Texas A&M's annual bonfire would be put to shame. No less hot, just less sparkle. Anyone interested in an unused flam retardant suit, contact me via the email form to the right. |
Abenaqui Alpacas has been raising and shearing their alpacas now for 5+ years. Up until this point we have been sending much of my fiber to a co-op. The fiber co-op serves a really great purpose and I will continue to use the co-op to process my fiber. The downside of the co-op is that I do not necessarily get my fiber back when I order finished product from the co-op mill. Yesterday was a major milestone for us. I picked up my finished fiber from the mini-mill. 
