Slipped to the "other" side

So for anyone paying attention we bought a farm and relocated to north central Wisconsin.
Got my self a part time job as an employee of Harley Davidson in their Tomahawk Somo plant.
Snow, salt and sand on the roads up here so won't be sliding the XJ to work . . . .

Being what they call a 'casual' employee I am helping on the production floor for the upcoming 2016 models. All we do at this plant is paint fairings, saddle bags, and tour packs. The 'surge' work force is usually over by May, so chances are good that me and my Yamaha won't be able to show all those baggers what a real bike should be like . . . .

Nice enough folk and no one has threatened to raise my sweet XJ650 in a crane and drop it!

 

nooo say it aint so
congratulations on the farm and the job
employee discount?

 

Hey Stumpy,
Congrats in the new job!

Dave F

 

2 wheels is 2 wheels. Enjoy the job, and here's to becoming a full-timer.

 

New job, new farm, miracle last second Packers win, life is good in Wisconsin!
You could use this as an opportunity to spread the word. Sneak XJ pamphlets into the lunch room, XJ4ever stickers stuck in the bottom of the saddlebags, ghost Yamaha logos hidden in the paint...

 

Thanks guys, after I pass my probationary period I get a discount on HD apparel.
Then if they hire me on as full time I get a discount on (I think) only brand new bikes.
I have never bought any vehicle that was brand new, probably never will (unless the lottery hits).

Thanks for the cheers Kmoe, but I like the idea of being a part-timer; we have large farm dreams. So getting layed-off in spring would be good. We have already planted 1,200 clove of garlic (18 varieties) going to grow diverse produce for market/ CSA and local restaurant sales, raise honey bees and slowly start getting into livestock. Start with a cluster of chickens and a few dairy goats, and I certainly foresee a pig or two (you know, that bacon thing of mine). They grow ginseng in this area also, may have to get a couple acres of that going $$$.

The 33 acres has been in pasture for the last 40 years, so if we desired getting the soil certified organic it should be relatively easy. We are leaning towards using strict organic practices and marketing instead of jumping through the bureaucratic red tape of getting 'certified'. Another step towards good husbandry practices is our idea of getting a team of oxen and training them (for now the 75 hp Leyland 270 is a really good/ fun way of working the soil).

 

I used to keep goats to control brush on our small tree farm (I miss that place). They are great livestock, but you better build a really good fence. Our billy used to like to take afternoon naps on top of my wife's Miata.

 

someone told me goats love to eat poison ivy. i didn't know if he was jerking me around or what

 

Yes, my understanding is that they eat poison ivy/ oak and it doesn't transfer into their milk on a level that would cause any concern to human ingestion. They are 4 legged weed eaters and are adept at eating 'trash' plants while leaving the good stuff behind.

Fencing will be required, first order is high voltage double fencing to put around the bee hives to keep the bears away. Although I am considering a Great Pyrenees for bear protection, and then I was thinking another blue healer for herding . . . Got to be careful or I will be raising more dogs than livestock.