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Sunday business

Started by Frickman, April 18, 2004, 06:18:12 PM

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Frickman

I got a question for all you guys and gals who operate a business next to their home, be it farm, mill, or whatnot. What do you do about folks bugging you on Sunday? We're closed for business on Sunday, and have been for over 150 years. God gave us six other days a week to work in my own humble opinion. Anyway, there is hardly a Sunday that goes by without several people stopping and wanting us to sell them hay, wood, or whatever. You tell them you don't do business on Sunday and they answer "We don't want to buy anything, we're just looking". Now if Wally-Mart wants to be open then that's fine with me, but I'm not Wally-Mart.

Today at lunchtime a fellow stops to collect a donation for a project he's involved in. Now I told him two months ago when I saw him in town to stop by, and he waits until today. And he's driven past several times a week since then, but never stopped until today. And then later this afternoon I was sitting out in the yard enjoying the Martinsville race on the radio and some new urban transplants from down the road a ways stop by bugging me about nothing in particular. I ran them off after the lady tried to burn the barn down with a lit cigarrette. I told them to go back to the city where they came from.

Anyways, what do you folks do about this? I hate to appear to be an old grouch to people when I'm really not, but I have to draw the line somewhere. It's nice for an old friend to drop by, even a business associate on a social call, so I don't want to put a fence and moat around the place. And what do you do about people who just go anywhere on your property they want without your permission, including in your buildings? I tell them my barn is a place of business like any store in town and they should respect it as such. It's gotten so bad here that you can't even sit in the yard and enjoy looking at the cows without someone nagging you. I'm just looking for ideas and answers to try solve a little problem I have, and I'll be happy to hear your suggestions.
If you're not broke down once in a while, you're not working hard enough

I'm not a hillbilly. I'm an "Appalachian American"

Retired  Conventional hand-felling logging operation with cable skidder and forwarder, Frick 01 handset sawmill

Pretend farmer when I have the time

shopteacher

Get your manure spreader out and spread on Sat. night. That should keep some away on Sunday. :D
Proud owner of a LT40HDSE25, Corley Circle mill, JD 450C, JD 8875, MF 1240E
Tilt Bed Truck  and well equipted wood shop.

Brian_Bailey

Do like the amish do. Put a sign at the end of your driveway saying NO SUNDAY SALES seems to work for them  ;).
WMLT40HDG35, Nyle L-150 DH Kiln, now all I need is some logs and someone to do the work :)

isawlogs

  Ya know Frickman I get the same thing here ... Just today we where taking down the car Tempo's and a guy drove in and got out of his SUV went to the back gets his chainsaw out comes over to where I 'm at ( in the ladder ) * Would you file my saw I need it for tomorow *...Well yes sir ... I'll get around to it tomorow evening....* but I would like it for tomorow *  Ya I heard that and I told you I'd do it tiomorow evening thats part of tomorow in my book and thats that now if that not soon enough for you file it yourself ....It's sunday and I don't have much time to be with the family and do things around the house .... and I hate being bothered on my time with them... He did leave the saw and I will do it tomorow evening as promised  
  When I'm home and don't want to be bothered I sometimes bring my truck over to the neighbour's to hide it .....and unplug the Dang phone ,
  Now if you want to stop in and have a cold one with me and shoot the _____ whatever , I'll be more then happy to join you but on sunday don't bother bringing me work I gots enough of that that I can find on my own ....
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

CHARLIE

When I go downtown to a business and they have a sign up that reads "CLOSED", then I know they aren't open for business.  I don't know if you have a fence or gate or what, but maybe you could post a very professionally printed sign with large print telling the days and hours you are open for business.  Then if someone shows up on Sunday, just ask if they read the sign. If they say no, point it out to them and ask them to go read it.  I think 99% of the people will respect what the sign says.  Might help.

Charlie
"Everybody was gone when I arrived but I decided to stick around until I could figure out why I was there !"

Frickman

I like your ideas. Brian, a sign like that wouldn't work around here. A cousin has one at his greenhouse a few miles away. Everybody thinks they're special and you'll make an exception for them. Or they ran out of hay and I have to sell them some or their horse will starve. They should have thought about that on Saturday. Most of them overfeed their horse anyway so a diet for a day wouldn't kill it.

Shopteacher, your idea takes the cake. Some people from the big city were visiting nearby, downwind from our place. I waited till the hottest day in August and decided to spread manure. When they complained, I said "Welcome to the country, I'm glad you're here." Another neighbor who really likes the country was standing there and started to laugh. When we were alone he says "You did that on purpose, didn't you?" "Yep, if they want to look at the cows they'll have to smell them too."

I might have to do like sawlogs, hide the vehicles and then hide in the barn. They might find me anyway.
If you're not broke down once in a while, you're not working hard enough

I'm not a hillbilly. I'm an "Appalachian American"

Retired  Conventional hand-felling logging operation with cable skidder and forwarder, Frick 01 handset sawmill

Pretend farmer when I have the time

redpowerd

this is incredible, the brother and i were just discussing saturdays, and how everyone takes them off. cept the farmers.

of course we do only whats needed on our day of rest, usually just feeding the cows and milking. and i dont appreciate phone calls or salesmen or whatever stopping by. usually salesmen to farmers were once farmers anyway, so they appreciate the end of the week, and know you do, too.

what got us talking is the quitters of saturday. all of everyone takes saturdays off. course you can get supplies or other items at a store, but the reparmen or equipment dealers, the folks you really rely on to keep things moving, prove unreliable for a saturday fix, so were stuck till monday without a needed part, or someone to order it(2 more days).

i reserve saturdays for finishing a weeks work, or preparing for monday, whichever comes first. strange how others dont quite have the ethic.

our conversation was motivated by a seized motor in the silo saturday morning. >:(
get the pitchfork! ;D 8) 8) 8)
NO FARMERS -- NO FOOD
northern adirondak yankee farmer

Frickman

Charlie, one of the problems is we really don't have a fence or gate across a lane. I wish we did. The state two lane road runs right down the middle of the farm for close to a mile. We have two farmsteads with three houses and two barns and my mill strung up and down it. All the buildings set a hundred fifty feet off the road or less. It was real convenient a hundred years ago when two wagons and a kid on a bike were alll the traffic in a day. Now with increased traffic I wish we were a half-mile off the road. Our road is also a perceived "shortcut" for a lot of people. It may cut a mile or so for some but they lose alot time. Still the traffic continues to increase all the time.

As for putting up a sign with my hours, there are many, many people in my area who can't read. No kidding. We are on the edge of the Appalachia culture and it comes with the territory. Even those who can read think the sign pertains to everyone but them. It's really hard too to put down specific hours, because then I'd have to guarantee I'd be here. If I have to go cut trees or look at timber I do. I can't wait around for an occasional customer. My policy is if you know when you'll be here, make an appointment, I'll be here. Or you can try to catch me. I'm open 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM six days a week, if you can find me. I try to stay around on Saturdays for folks who work a regular job, they've gotten to know this and I do alot of business Saturday morning.
If you're not broke down once in a while, you're not working hard enough

I'm not a hillbilly. I'm an "Appalachian American"

Retired  Conventional hand-felling logging operation with cable skidder and forwarder, Frick 01 handset sawmill

Pretend farmer when I have the time

Fla._Deadheader

 Fine yerself a junkyard dog and tie him to yer chair. Let HIM tell them folks you ain't open. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

Jeff

I think the sign should say "Weekdays are for Customers, Sundays are for God"  

If they dont pay attention to that, ask then who the hell they thing they are.
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Brian_Bailey

I have a hard time keeping a straight face when someone asks me if I'm usually around during the day. I usually reply, "yep, unless I'm somewhere's else".  :D :D
WMLT40HDG35, Nyle L-150 DH Kiln, now all I need is some logs and someone to do the work :)

Frickman

I like it Jeff, I like it.  :)
If you're not broke down once in a while, you're not working hard enough

I'm not a hillbilly. I'm an "Appalachian American"

Retired  Conventional hand-felling logging operation with cable skidder and forwarder, Frick 01 handset sawmill

Pretend farmer when I have the time

CHARLIE

OK, how about this solution. When someone comes on a Sunday, look at them and grin and say, "Well sir, I'm closed for business on Sundays but I'm sure glad you happened along. My help isn't here and I need some help cleaning the barn. I'm sure glad you stopped by. You don't mind helping me do you?" :D
Charlie
"Everybody was gone when I arrived but I decided to stick around until I could figure out why I was there !"

Frickman

You guys are coming up with some good ones. I'll have to try that sometime Charlie. Hand them a pitchfork and they'll disapear real quick.

The urban transplants today asked if there are foxes around. They were concerned about leaving their pampered, declawed, sissified cat run outside. I said yeah, and coyotes too. The coyotes grab one of our cats every now and then. And I even saw a bobcat about two miles from here on Friday afternoon. And of course you have to watch for copperheads and rattlesnakes. They said that they didn't have those things in the city where they came from. Just then is when the lady walked into the barn with the cigarette and got shown the door. That's when she was told to go back where she came from. I restrained myself from telling her where she really could go, it being Sunday and all.
If you're not broke down once in a while, you're not working hard enough

I'm not a hillbilly. I'm an "Appalachian American"

Retired  Conventional hand-felling logging operation with cable skidder and forwarder, Frick 01 handset sawmill

Pretend farmer when I have the time

Bro. Noble

Frickman,

Our place has a county road running through it too.  We get a lot of town people driving by going to the creek or just joyriding.  
some of them seem to think they are doing us a favor by driving down our road.  If they see something across the fence that they want they seem to have the 'finders keepers' philosophy.  We've had them knock on the door (or pull up in the drive and honk) at all hours asking directions,  needing gas,  wanting to use the phone,  wanting to use the bathroom,  needing a tire changed,  needing to be pulled out of the ditch etc.  They come in the milkbarn during milking and think I should stop milking and take care of them.


The worst was about 20 years ago when a local drunk ran off the low water bridge near our house and spun a valve stem off in the gravel.  It was in the middle of the night and raining 'cats and dogs'.  I pulled him out of the creek and changed his tire and thought I was rid of him.   BUT,  for months,  every time he got drunk (which was often)  he came back to thank me------night or day :-/

I guess we should be glad to  be in a position to help others and I almost always do if I can,  but it's hard to be real cheerful about it sometimes.
milking and logging and sawing and milking

Norm

I know how you feel Frickman, we live on a dead end road but it isn't marked as such because of the cemetary there. People out for a Sunday drive or going to the cemetary think our place is part of the tour. I finally got tired of cars showing up at all hours of the day or night. We put up two big posts with a steel cable strung between them, two no trespassing signs and the cable strung has cut down on some but others will drive through the ditch around it. Those that do that find my sense of humor isn't very good. I like Jeff's idea of a sign, those that don't pay attention should be told just that.

redpowerd

heres a sign that hangs on the door of the shop

HOURS
open most days about 9 or 10,
occasionally as early as 5.
but some days as late as 1 or 2.
we close around 5:30 or 6.
sometimes 4 or 5, but it could be
as late as 11 or 12.
some days or afternoons,
we arent here at all.
and lately i've been here just about all the time,
'cept when i'm someplace else,
but i should be here then, too. :D

im sure some of you cats have read that sign before.
most know where to find me if needed, and i guess the rest are just patient
NO FARMERS -- NO FOOD
northern adirondak yankee farmer

FeltzE

Have a seperate and distinct enterance to the business side of the property. Then have a gate, not a chain or cable but a nice visible gate, on the gate put the sign.. I put up a gate going to the yard, and it basically fixed any problem of people wandering around shopping with out me or pestering me when we aren't at work.

Eric

SwampDonkey

I never call people on saturday or sunday for business purposes, and I don't get calls then either unless its someone asking me to meet them Monday morning someplace. Never have to worry around here about folks wanting to work weekends, in fact if they could just work from tueday to thursday they'de be happy campers. In fact, I know some folks that skip work either monday or friday every week. I dunno how they get away with it, but what heck.  :D ;D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Frickman

The neighbor farmer stopped by for a chat this evening. I told him about my day yesterday and here he had problems with the same city folk last week. He was having breakfast about 7:00 AM and they just tried to barge into his house, didn't knock or anything. The door was still locked, thankfully, as he hadn't looked outside yet. He said they didn't want anything in particular, and the wife had the foulest mouth he'd ever heard. I noticed the same thing about her. We can't figure these people out. They move into the area, build a big fancy house, drive expensive cars, but have no visible means of support. I know alot of people do well in their lives and retire young, but these people don't seem bright enough to have done that. My neighbor suggested that someone might be paying them to lay low, but they're not laying low to well.

Alot of people from the city buy weekend places in the country. I might have to get a weekend place in the city. Probably get more peace and quiet in town than out in the country.
If you're not broke down once in a while, you're not working hard enough

I'm not a hillbilly. I'm an "Appalachian American"

Retired  Conventional hand-felling logging operation with cable skidder and forwarder, Frick 01 handset sawmill

Pretend farmer when I have the time

Corley5

It doesn't matter to me.  If someone stops on a Sunday and wants to buy hay I'm happy to take their money in exchange.  Since I work Monday thru Friday days away from the farm, evenings and weekends are usually when business is done around here.  I don't like to be disturbed before 10 AM on a Sunday morning or any other in mid January when it's 10 below but any other time is OK.  When there's work or business to be done we do it.  One time Grandpa loaned a hay wagon for use in the Lumberjack Fest. Parade on a Saturday under the condition that it was back by Sunday morning as there was hay to bale Sunday.  The guy who borrowed the wagon just couldn't believe that we worked on Sunday ::)  
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

J_T

Norm one them old sechion harrows upside down in that ditch with a little straw over it and you don't got to say a word ;D Frickman tell them you spend your sundays tacking up colections and you sure glad they showed up .
Jim Holloway

Frank_Pender

Weekends around here are my most productive of income.  I have a great number of rubber-necks and more likely than not I get them to open there pocketbooks and share the contents. ;D

   Had a couple walking down the road from a neighbors house they were setting and ended up a very good customer.  They did ask if I was open for business as it was 7:30 in the evening and was tootling around on the gator finishing up some odds and ends before supper.

  
Frank Pender

Jason_WI

It's been a while since I had a day off. I work my regular 40 hour job. After work I usually help my friend in his woodshop for a few hours every night. On weekends I help my dad on the dairy farm which is 100 miles away. This is where my mill is so any free time is spent sawing or plaining lumber. I get three weeks paid vacation and all that is spent on the farm. All my coworker's think I'm crazy to help my dad on the farm and use all my vacation up for nothing. They don't say too much when I tell them I sold a half a pickup truck load of hardwood lumber for $750. That nothing always seems to pay off....

Even as a kid on the farm we always worked 7 days a week. Never seem to ever catch up...... Too many irons in the fire....

Jason
Norwood LM2000, 20HP Honda, 3 bed extentions. Norwood Edgemate edger. Gehl 4835SXT

J_T

When you are helping your Dad to me that would be the best time spent even without the money . Enjoy wile you can 8)
Jim Holloway

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