The Bill board

This week we're meeting with the accountant to go over the tax situation with the new Lovestead. Since we sold property and bought property allowing us to be forester and farmer, we figure a CPA needs to guide us along this year's IRS route. Bill just finished the forest stewardship report for the Lovestead, and I signed it last night.

We're still pondering on a good business name for our operation, one beyond Lovestead which covers all the stuff we're gonna do with this place. We have to make money for it to be a farm and we have to make money for it to be a forest. I've heard tell that we have some time, though, before we make that money, so we're hoping that we've lost enough in what we've gained to not have to lose any more come April 15.

Since we've been living here for less than a year, we haven't really had time to do much of anything but lose. Everything's been output for buying things, and virtually nothing's been output for bringing in money----except possibly the Bill board. He brought it up to the house yesterday.

About mid-morning I saw him walking across the snowy field from the woods with two dogs trotting behind. He was carrying something long and white over his shoulder. Arriving at the house, he set it down on the garage floor and announced, "Here's the first board produced from timber on the Lovestead. It's not perfect---a little thicker in some parts than others, but it's a board."

"You've been working on that for two weeks," I said while checking it over. Looks to be a 1 by 4 about 12 feet long in my limited eye for lumber. Then, I couldn't resist a jibe. "Must be that's why lumber cost so much cuz it takes so long to cut."

"Yeah, Marc Brinkmeyer (of Riley Creek Lumber) probably isn't feeling too nervous about the competition," Bill said. We both chuckled. It was obvious to see that Bill's proud of his board.

He really has been working at it off and on for two weeks with his trips to the woods. First, he cut down a white pine tree. Then, he put that $39 attachment on his chain saw. In my periodic trips out to his outside workshop, sometimes with Lily, always with dogs, I would see slow progress on his sawmill operation.

First, slabs of bark came off. Then, a square beam started taking form as it sat above the ground atop two blocks of wood. In between his crafting on that log, Bill would start little bonfires and burn limbs he'd removed from the bases of surrounding trees. I have a feeling he was thinking of what step to take next on that log. Eventually he figured it out, and now we have a board.

This morning we talked about where the maiden board will spend the rest of its days. He'd thought about burning in the name "Lodgepole Society" for our God tree, but that's not good cuz it's white pine. And, a certified forester doesn't want to misrepresent a tree species----ever. So, I suggested we hang it out by the road at on that frame where the previous owners hung their Sandy Hill Farms sign.

Before we do that, we really need to come up with a name that covers horse sales, garden produce and lumber production. After all, with time and maybe some more expensive attachments, Bill might polish his skills and put out a board a week. That's when Mr. Brinkmeyer can start worrying about the competition.

In the meantime, I'm still thinking of all-inclusive names for our businesses. Let's see: Lovestead Land and Lumber Co. . . . . Lovestead Posies, Trees and Horsie Farm . . . . Lovestead Farm and Forestry Stuff . . . . The Lovestead His and Her Farm: Trees, Horses and Garden Goodies. . . . The Lovestead: Bill Boards, Happy Horses and Generous Gardens.

Additional suggestions will be welcome cuz we'll need that name for Ms Beverly, the CPA, by Thursday. If we pick a name from submitted suggestions, the winning entry will earn one of Bill's Boards. Collecting the prize may involve a little patience.

Corrections Column: Due to a reporter's error, I must state that the accurate dimensions of the Bill Board are 2 by 6 by 12. I said my eye for lumber is limited.