Tying Up Some loose Ends

August 3oth, 2005

Still raining off and on sometimes heavy sometimes not at all. The news is all about the hurricane and the problems with the whole gulf coast. The weather guessers are saying there will be more rain from the storm arriving all day in Kentucky.

After breakfast I got a late start on my chores for the day. First stop is the water company, I got the bill changed over to my name and asked what the bill was like for the previous year. There was were some high months but most of the time the bills were at the minimum rate of $13.oo. I guess the previous owners irigated their garden with county water? I paid a few months ahead and the usual deposit.

I then went to the county extension agent's office for information about farming in the area. I said something about goats and the next thing you know I am recieving information about goats. Meat goats no less. This getting information thing is going to take some time. I will have to get some soil samples to bring into the office and get analysied to see what improvement is needed. How I will be able to do that is beyond me.

I then went to an area called South Fork, there I made some inquiries about wood cooking stoves and other things. I got referred to a store called the Dutchman's. He sells supplies to the locals. The Dutchman's store doesn't look like much from the outside and at first glance not much inside, until one starts to look around. The first floor is for the hardware and general store stuff like bailing twine, boots, shoes, kerosene stove, kerosene lights, mops, brooms, nuts, bolts, nails, hinges, cleaning supplies, and on and on. The second floor was for used furniture; beds, chests of drawers, tables and so forth.

The man tending store was in a talkative mood and he asked questions and I asked questions we had a rather long conversation about the general state of affairs and felt each other out. He seemed pleased that I had bought the farm and even more pleased that I was not going to put in electricity. The store just happens to sell lamps, spare parts for them and kerosene (!!).

I went about my chores and found the Post Office and had a wonderful chat with the Post Master and rented a postal box. I may find that better than home delivery. I will give it a try.
The Post Master gave me a map of the local area and showed how to get to my farm from there rather quickly. I took his advice and headed the truck to the farm.