The Adventures of Fric and Frac: Adventure 551: Penultimate Leg 2019 Journey/Boulder City, Nevada

Yes, all of you.

After a vigorous week on the Stoneybrook Farm (Gary and Loey Hooley's place), we find ourselves grateful to be holed up in the Canyon Trail RV Park in Boulder City, Nevada. Tomorrow, we'll make the last leg of this year's positioning trip for the truck and trailer (Fric and Frac) at the Ellsworth's winter home in Lake Havasu City. They've graciously allowed us to store the vehicles until January. But whew! What a sale week. The sale, a satellite fair trade event that's been held at the Filer Mennonite Church for the last twenty-four years. The proceeds help artisans from around the world earn a living wage and provide the community with access to marvelous and unique gifts. It netted @ $34,441 this year. Also, the cause matches the Mennonite philosophy of giving more than is received and provides church members a way to actively give in a way that makes the world a better place.
The artisans are paid a living wage up front. The proceeds made from the sale are immediately re-invested in more goods. The sale, a three day event, requires much volunteer help. This is the third year Judy and I have helped, and we recruited Liz Ulmen to help us this year. It's an amazing process. On Sunday of sale week, the church is transformed into a market. Rooms are emptied, shelves are put in place, and goods are unpacked. Anna, manager of the mother store in Boise directs traffic and uses her incredible marketing skills to display the items for sale. Besides the sale items, each day the "Hooley Crew" bakes pies, bread, sticky buns, pumpkin rolls, sour dough loaves, and wheat bread made from wheat grown on the farm and ground daily. In addition, Ardith's crew bakes cookies. The bake sale item proceeds return to the church to pay for advertising. This year the bake goods netted @$3,140. The sale takes three days to set up, includes three days of actual selling, and then, Saturday night, the unsold goods are repacked, the church is re-assembled, and the crew enjoys a celebratory dinner at the end. It's a Wow example of "best human practice" in action. I'm valuable during set up and take down, carrying whatever. I also transport the fresh baked goods each morning. Otherwise, this year I helped winterize Loey's garden, but my most joyful time was spent helping demolish Sarah's new house. I tore down lath and plaster, sheet rock, and pried up stubborn carpet strips. Not to worry, there is still much work to do before Sarah can move in, but I helped as much as I could. I had great help from Tom Losser, Sarah's uncle by marriage. His truck and trailer proved very valuable in a land fill run to dispose of the debris. Meanwhile it was harvest time on the farm. The Hooley's: Gary, Andy, Lisa, Loey, Sarah and Virginia (Loey's sister) all kept up their normal frantic farm chores. It's stunning to watch. I've often thought that even if I had the knowledge to help with the farm work, I'd only be able to last part of one day. I stand in awe of the work these people do each and every day. As Gary says, "Even on Sundays cows eat and irrigation has to be managed. Needless to say, I'm bushed, but bushed with that glow of a good job done well. It made me realize even more that life is good, especially today
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I was able to practice Tai Chi a few times this week: my venue.

Peafowls lord over Stoneybrook Farm.

The Hooley bakers made 59 pies, 24 pans of sticky buns, a half dozen pumpkin rolls, at least nine loaves of sour dough bread, and three dozen loaves of wheat bread. That doesn't count the cookies and fudge that Ardith's crew contributed.

Lottie, a very young and naughty collie, spent a few days tied to the pole of remembrance.

These buckets are filled with plaster and dry wall scraps.

Lois (Church member volunteer) and Loey Hooley waiting to greet sale customers.

The Hooley clan fans over a thousand acres, managing fifty fields. Part of the work this week was baling, loading, and stacking hay: Some for sale, some for feed.