It's finally happening! I got a truck for Iron Shot Cafe!

It's not much at the moment but with some love and all Dan's skills it'll be a good little food truck!

We have a game plan but I don't wanna give it away! You'll just have to find out as we get stuff done! Updates will span all my platforms but the most up to date will likely be instagram via @ironshotcafe so go check it out and hit follow!

Try new things!

WTF was he thinking? Motorcyclist nightmare!

Chilling with the car keys while daddy buys all the plants. 3hrs of shopping without a fuss! What a trooper!

I love our plant selection! Can't wait to get them planted!

Dan's hard work! All I did was bring the stone from around the house after digging it up.

 Today is a day for cleaning & making! Aidan quietly plays with his blocks as I sew up his tree spirit! Then while he sleeps I finish cleaning the kitchen. ..just to dirty it again. Sigh!

Busted out the sippy cups and the tiny Tupperware. Clean and ready to go.

So I made Aidan his first batch of puree. Apples and avocado. The food processer didn't like the apples so Aidan is a bit unsure. I'll just have to remember to mash before feeding!

Weighed out the butter for a new poundcake and prepaired the rest of it's ingredients that require some special attention.

Made myself an affogato and of course took some photos for Iron Shot Cafe!

That of course is as far as I got before Aidan woke back up. So we're eating lunch and playing! Lunch with tea also required it's own photoshoot!

On a side note my last day of a 15 year career is next Saturday. It's time I focused on my family. Pray for focus! I'm a terrible procrastinator!

Another side note. It's about time to move my citrus to the patio. Their new home. I need to find a way to protect them at night as it still gets cold.

Clean me!

Affogato

I did some crazy baking these last few days. Chocolate chip cookies for my mate and as a gift for some alpaca fur! Then the crazy part...I made macarons! Whipped that meringue by hand!

The macarons were actually easier than I was thinking going into it. The hardest part was hand whipping the meringue. After all that work though, the damn things stuck and I had to cut them from the cookie sheet....I almost scraped the whole lot! Luckily I persevered! They taste great and got lots of complements! So I have a few things I'll change about my recipe but not much. These will definitely be on Iron Shot Cafe's menu!!!

It's so strange to think that I'll be having a baby soon. I never thought I'd have children. At least before I got my farm! & here I am, in my 9th month, due to have wee Aidan in 2 days. Am I ready? I have the skills I think, after helping Stacy raise her 3. I hope I have the patience, though people tell me that I won't let my child's behavior reach the point that I get annoyed! I can only hope. Dan and I have differing opinions on some parenting things but I'm willing to compromise since the end result will be a well behaved child.

I'm definitely of a mind that it's my responsibility to train my child right so that civilization doesn't have to discipline my child later in life. We will give him every opportunity we can without forcing him into something he doesn't wish to do. & I pray he feels he can come to us if someone hurts him though we plan to have him trained to defend himself should the need arise.

Hmm must have some baby hormones going on! Onto lighter topics! His room!!! Almost there, grandma is sanding and painting his changing table. I'm about to finish his curtains and that damn dreamcatcher I've been working at for what feels like forever! Oh, I need to put some sheets on that bed.... well time to get back to it!

Still in need of curtains and the changing table.

The Traveler gift box

I've still been working on my Iron Shot Café. I know it's hard to believe but I have! Just finished putting together my largest gift box "The Traveler". Inspired by my girl Amanda who is always out of town. She informed me that the places she stays doesn't offer coffee ... or breakfast [which is harder to help with, without being there].

If interested in getting this lovely gift for that special traveler in your life just visit my online store.

Back in the garden! I thinned out the basil and made some pesto. Ate some with dinner and froze the rest for later enjoyment. Looks like I'll be the only one enjoying it though as the mate says it tastes like yard! Huff!

Today shall be in the yard. Taking my time mowing and raking then edging. Ugh! To have my full strength and energy back!

Dinner

Pesto blueberry bagel with a Mayan mocha!

I'm sad to say I've been busy! Just kidding that's a good thing!

I've got some produce in the garden getting ready to pick. Super excited about this! The storm that came through a few days ago, and lasted till yesterday did some damage. Seems it took out my lowly watermelon and bent some tomato plants. I also had to toss an acorn squash as it got ripped off the vine.

Besides all that I got my pantry restocked for Iron Shot Cafe! Then proceeded to make some goodies! Dark pretzel clusters and some energy bites. Both available for sale! I'm working on the new gift box. "The Traveler" based on my dear friend Amanda who travels constantly! It would seem there is a terrible lack of coffee available for her and, well, I just can't have that! I hope she likes everything I put into it for her!

Baby news update:  Aidan is head down [ie butt up!!!!] and kicks like a pro. One month and 7 days to go!

Picked today!

Storm Damage

Acorn Squash

Full Pantry

Goodies

Progress. Now some hand stitching.

Update:

All done with 2. Not sure how many I should make for market. Also, wee Aidan has been kicking and moving about the whole day. So incredibly nauseous.

So with all the nice hot sun I decided to brew some sun tea! I have here a traditional black tea and a raspberry green tea. Both can be purchased from Iron Shot Cafe. They will come loose in baggies or tins.

Aside from the awesome sun tea I went around the house and took down some of the closet doors. The one by the front door just blocks our tiny entry way. I really wish to blow out the wall but Dan doesn't even want to know what's in it! The one in the kids room is just pointless so it came down too. All their hardware is bagged up and put away and the doors themselves stored in the basement.

No gardening news since I didn't play outside. Though my cucumbers broke ground yesterday and the rest today! So Lots of cucumbers to go around. I might give them to coworkers or Heidi to sell at under Middle Earth Plants.

I've a few things to get ready for the farmers market this year. I'm crossing my fingers. A few signs and some packaging requirements. I want it to look presentable as well as be delicious. I would love to start selling my coffee soon but sadly that can't happen until I get a trailer. Anyone wish to donate?!!!!

Oh! I'll be making personalized cups soon! & cute cards that are all coffee/baking related for the market and online!

Sun teas in the making

This does happen. Now to make it easier to get on my cards.

Did some experimenting last night with my favorite chocolate cookie! Turned out great the first time!

Then this morning after rushing out of the house thinking I was late, only to turn around about 5 miles out once I realized I was an hr and a half early;  I baked orange cinnamon rolls and made myself a well deserved coconut milk latte!

Orange Cinnamon Rolls with Coconut Milk Latte 

Oreo truffles

Iron Shot Cafe: Campaigns 2017

I thought I'd try a new tactic with the new year. Two really.

The first is rewards for writing reviews.

Phase one I've started and is for all my coworkers who I know have tried/sampled most of my treats to date. If I can get 75% of them to write a review I will bake what they desire and bring it in for them to enjoy.

Phase two is to offer this to all my customers. I'm thinking a 20% coupon, good for my online store and/or the market booth.

The second campaign shall be "Refer a Friend". This is requiring a bit of research as to how I track the referrals. There are programs out there, all for a price, but just how effective are they? I could record it the old fashioned way [in excel].

Food for thought.

Got some bark making on after a long day of errands! Sadly most of the shopping were things we didn't need....

I have some ideas!...when don't I....

So the first is all about getting my drinks & treats out to everyone. If I go to farm markets I have to have tables, covers loads of cookies & all the nitty gritty of running a business out of my car. Not so bad. I've done it before. BUT, if I wanna serve my drinks that's another animal entirely. I need a temp venders permit, good for 1 day & $80, a commercial kitchen just to make it even though it doesn't fall under "potentially hazardous" plus everything else.

So, how do I make this easier & cheaper!? Have my own bloody trailer. Well that adds a whole new element to the cost. It's by far more cost effective, no kitchen fees, no temp permits. I'll have one yearly cost for both. Oh the up front costs of it all!

Enough moaning! In rolls the Ford Transit. This adorable mini sprinter van would work. I couldn't carry my own water supply but honestly where will I ever be that won't have public hook-up?! I even have plans on where everything will go. Now to get funding! Anyone got an extra 10k laying around?! LOL!

Ford Transit

Gardening. It's about time to tuck our beds in for the coming freeze & I'm still looking at potting benches! This beauty was at Oakland Nursery tucked into a corner.

Oakland Nursery

Baby peach tree!

Getting things ready for Samhain & my costume party.

My besom! To protect my home from unwelcome visitors.

Light a fire for your ancestors!

Reading about Mercedes Lackey's Companions reminds me so much of Big Brother. It leaves this ack in my chest yet invokes such happy memories of our 25+ years together and yet again tears treck down my cheecks.

What do you do when you get a bad grind from your favorite coffee house? A whole bag mind you. Do you toss it? Use it some other way? Take it back?

Well this is the second time it's happened (so sad) so I felt wrong about taking it back. I did so some experimentation! Those who follow my Iron Shot Cafe know that espresso is amazing in my shortbread! However a fine grind make a surprisingly weak french press. So I took some of my courser ground beans & mixed it in a bowl one filter size at a time until I found a ration that extracted perfectly! Thankfully it only took 3 tries!

My ratio on my breville is 2 scoops (tbls) commercially ground espresso grind to 1 scoop drip grinds. Leaves just enough space for no pressure overload!

Sewing with salvaged espresso!

Georgia is loving this time of year! 

Follow Georgia on facebook

Follow Iron Shot Cafe on facebook & Instagram