Our Cabin Complex Renovation Project has necessarily extended into 2011.
Construction began in April 2009 (see 2009
Monthly Archive). Work continued throughout 2010 (see
2010 Monthly Archive), but we have had to again recalibrate our
completion date to Fall 2011. This construction effort has indeed transformed our property into a
fully-functioning, year-round, business event and agri-tourism destination, but
the scope and difficulty grew over time as well. We are diligently working to complete the interior of the Cabin
and the final touches on our outdoor Wood-fired Oven. Please
continue to check back each month to see our progress in 2011, and for the
announcement of our Grand Opening celebration this Fall.
[Progress Photos below taken
January 31,
2011]
Our
efforts this month have completed a myriad of diverse tasks - each necessary
to complete our project:
  The
snowfall after Christmas, although modest, was sufficient to destroy four large
white pine trees along our entrance drive. Pictured to the left is the tree trunk
remains of one near our pasture overflow parking entrance. We will have the logs cut into pine boards with a portable band
saw to satisfy some of our future finish carpentry needs.
In the photo to the right, see a new 16' gate, as well as a
completely revamped corner fence and repositioned water barrel. These changes widen
the entranceway for overflow parking from the Cabin complex. Stone
(crush-and-run) will be added to
provide mud-free vehicle access to our front pasture. Speaking of pasture,
we had to purchase (and unload) a tractor-trailer load (42 - 4'x5' round bales) of
hay to extend our hay supply through what has become an unusually long and cold winter.
Our annual
property conservation easement inspection was performed on January 28th by the
Tar River Land Conservancy. I walked the entire property perimeter with Amy Edge
- re-enacting an historic North Carolina requirement to once a year, re-visit
each property corner to demonstrate your knowledge of the land, and thereby
retain ownership.
  Framing
inside the Cabin focused this month upon finalizing the Stairwell from basement
to loft (see photo to the left): resetting the step rise/run where needed;
replacing all temporary 2x4 vertical supports with cedar tree sections harvested
from the property; framing all sidewall surfaces for future sheetrock and
seasoned barn boards; prepping basement stairs for carpeting; reinforcing open
steps where necessary;
Additional
framing was completed on the loft walk-in shower to create a shower seat and
accommodate the routing of the exhaust pipe from our Island Range Hood in the
Kitchen below (see photo to the right). Final plumbing of the stacked
Washer/Dryer and emergency drain was also completed.
The Kitchen design has been finalized (see
plan-view below) and includes: an oversized Refrigerator/Freezer, Dishwasher, Sink,
Electric Range, stainless-steel Island Range Hood and antique-iron Pot-Rack.
Cabinetry is below counter; the counter-tops will be granite; with open wooden
shelving installed above - thereby maintaining a rustic look with
exposed logs and chinking. This small, but efficient, Kitchen opens to the Cabin
living room
and back porch and is designed to support cooking
demonstrations.
We are still awaiting delivery of a few
back-ordered electrical and plumbing fixtures. Final plumbing and electrical
rough-in will be finished in February. The Island Range Hood will be
installed and the Kitchen ceiling-soffit framing completed. Final furring
of the basement block walls will be performed.
Once we insulate the Cabin,
tile-work in the both the loft and
basement bathrooms, log-chinking and
sheet-rocking can proceed. Keep in mind that we estimate Cabin
insulation is a 2-day job; sheet-rocking a 3-day job; log chinking a 4-day job;
bathrooms, an 8-day job These are high impact tasks. Kitchen cabinets, trim work and
painting, and oak board floor installation follow. The end is in sight.
[Progress
Photos below taken February 28, 2011]
 Sixteen
tons of crush-and-run were purchased and graded to level the front- pasture,
overflow parking entranceway (see photo, left). This completes intended
improvements to the pasture corner fencing, gate and cattle water barrel.
Additional landscape improvements were initiated nearby to form a large
plant bed that will channel vehicles to the entrance from the main driveway.
 The Cabin
Loft ceiling space (see photo, right) was both
foam-spray and fiberglass-bat insulated to "seal" the Cabin above the sill line
of the hand-hewed log frame. The interior log gaps will be foam-spray insulated
next ,to prepare for the addition of wire-mesh and cement chinking. All
electrical and plumbing work is now complete in the Cabin Loft.
 In the photo to the left, you can see
changes made to the Loft walk-in Shower.
A new chase wall was built to accommodate
the 6" Kitchen stove exhaust pipe (below, on main floor).
Re-routing of this pipe was necessary to avoid cutting through a "collar" log
above the Kitchen window.
Kitchen plumbing (concealed in a
soffit) altered our original plan to vent through the Cabin side-wall. We now
are venting through the back-wall above the roof-line of the Cabin back
porch.
On the Cabin main floor work began on the
Kitchen soffit and island range hood installation. This work will be completed
in March, after the last of the Kitchen electrical wiring is installed to
support the Electric Range, Range Hood, Dishwasher and Garbage Disposal Unit.
  Final
framing work in the Cabin Basement was completed: (1) furring strips were glued
and screwed to the cinder block wall (photo, right); (2) the bathroom closet
and entranceway drop-ceiling; and (3) utility room "slop-sink" with countertop
(photo, left). Some
electrical wiring details remain in the Basement and are scheduled for
completion in the first week of March; otherwise, partition close-up can begin.
There were a few days in February when we
could have performed masonry work on our outdoor, Wood-fired Oven, but we opted
to wait until March for longer stretches of warm weather. Additional fire-bricks
will be purchased to complete the Oven construction. Only a
cast-in-place Oven exhaust transition (rectangular to circular shape) and a
sufficient length of double-walled pipe to vent above the existing Shed roof
peak are needed to create a functioning Oven. Other decorative siding and
tile-work will be added once the Oven is "cured" and fire-tested.
 So far, it looks as if the landscape
materials we planted around the Cabin Complex last year have weathered the drought and cold of
winter. As well, we finally were able to spread the chicken-manure on our rented
land (25 acres) in February. With some luck, we should have a bumper hay crop
this year, and minimize our need to purchase hay to feed our growing cattle
herd.
By the way we had our first new calf this month - others are on the
way - it's Spring you know. The photo shows a day-old heifer calf - incredible!
Check back next month. We are staying on
schedule. Much of the construction work thus far has been sequential in nature.
We are transitioning to the final phases which helpfully become parallel in
nature, thus compressing our timeline to completion.
Progress
Photos below taken March 31, 2011
 In
our farm woodshop, Bob is shown passing a 13 foot 5/4" rough cut oak board
through a 15" JET Planer. Up to a dozen passes are needed to create a true 1"
thick board. However, this is only the first step in a long process. Next a
near-straight edge must be cut on one side with a skill-saw; then that edge is
passed through a 6" Powermatic Jointer to create a perfectly straight edge; then a
Rockwell
Table Saw with a Rip Blade is used to cut a parallel edge of either 5", 7" or
more; then a Dado Blade is used on the Table Saw to cut out a Lap Joint ( 1/4" x
1/2") on both board edges; then all sharp edges are sanded; and finally each
board is stained on all surfaces. Next, each end must
be cut to length (and re-stained), then pilot holes drilled for the traditional cut nails that
we are using
to "face-nail" the boards to the Cabin living-room floor joists. All
boards have been processed and are now ready to stain and install on the main
Cabin level.
The Oak trees were felled over four years ago
by Mike Wheeler (Logs-to-Lumber) and cut into
5/4 lumber with a portable Band Saw in Wilton, NC;
the rough cut boards have been drying in our Shed Barn since then. Needless to say, when you walk into the
Cabin, the floor has
quite a story to tell - like much of the Cabin - not your ordinary structure.
  The
photo to the right shows the Kitchen ceiling soffit framing; the suspended
stainless steel island Range Hood (covered with protective blue film) and the
antique wrought iron pot rack (unpainted). The soffit will conceal all visible
wiring and plumbing. The underside will be sheet-rocked, while the vertical
sides will be covered with 12" weathered barn boards - giving the appearance
that the soffit is floating (not attached to the ceiling above).
The
living-room photo above shows the boxed-in steel, ceiling beam that will
soon be "covered" with weathered barn board to give the appearance of a large
rough-cut wooden beam that spans over 14 feet.
 The
outdoor Oven photo shows the current status of construction. Scaffolding has
been erected to elevate the 10" diamond saw used to make all necessary firebrick
cuts and provide a level work surface. A new course of bricks has just been
added (see the darker mortar) and the intersection of the dome and arched
entranceway is underway (tedious). After the next course of bricks is laid,
completion of the dome will move along quickly. Now that I am working at the
Oven "table" level, it is not as tiring to fit and mortar each brick,
one-at-a-time. I now know why they manufacture pre-fabricated ovens, but in our
case the size and features we wanted were not commercially available.
 Our
landscaping efforts last year have paid-off. The Cabin grounds look great -
and will look better as time passes and our plant materials mature. We were
concerned because of last summers drought, and how cold it has been this winter.
We will complete the installation of our drip/spray irrigation around
the Cabin before the heat of summer. We will use water pumped from Lynch Creek, not our Cabin well, for
that purpose.
The electrical and plumbing rough-in for
the entire Cabin is finally complete. Only the Loft HVAC unit remains to be
installed (after sheetrock).
 If you haven't heard, Lynch Creek
Farm has been included in new UNC Press book "Farm Fresh
North Carolina". We thank the author , Diane Daniel, who personally
vetted the sites to be featured. We accept the responsibility to
proudly represent the broader farm community of North Carolina.
Other activities completed during March
included (among others):
1) We sold our first and only "get-out"
calf this week. For those unfamiliar with cattle - occasionally you have one
that is determined to venture outside the fenced pasture. Despite all my
containment strategies, I finally came to the conclusion that the only solution
- for my sanity and the safety of the animal - was to sell her at auction. This
was the first and only cow since I have kept cattle at Lynch Creek that behaved
in this manner. I hope its a long time before I have another like her.
2) In preparation of acquiring a new
flock of chickens, we totally cleaned and repaired our chicken coop and
containment fencing. Age and predators had taken their toll on my Plymouth
Barred Rock flock. I am thinking of changing breeds, but have not yet decided -
stay tuned.
3) In a defensive erosion control
measure we seeded pasture grass along the driveway fence line of our front pasture.
Downed trees and new landscape plantings disrupted the existing cover in a
sloped area subject to runoff. Usually we would seed in the fall, but storm
damage over the winter created a problem area. Hopefully we can establish a
cover before the heat of summer. In another erosion control measure, we expanded
the new entranceway berm near the Cabin and installed drain pipe from the
driveway drain edge under the berm to the woods.
4) Twice a year we "winterize" our
outside water lines and creek pump. We re-installed and electrified our pump in
Lynch Creek and tested all drained water lines that supply hose bib outlets on
the property. Hopefully our below freezing temperatures will not return until
Fall.
5) It was time to once again pump our
property septic tank(s). Generally
every five years or so is recommended. With a country property, you pay no water
and sewer bill, but in turn have total responsibility for the maintenance of
your well and septic tanks; we have no garbage collection services, and haul our
waste to the County convenience centers or landfill; we have no street cleaning
services and pickup litter along our quarter mile road frontage
weekly; we rely, only as needed, upon calling County Sheriff and Volunteer Fire for emergency services.
6) Joey Hite, our farrier, came to trim
Molly's (the donkey) feet. She had terrible hooves when I purchased her, and
it's taken about two years to finally get her sound. Quarterly trimming and
Coppertox seem to have been the trick. She's finally running and walking fine in
both dry and wet weather. There were times when I just wasn't confident we could
ever get her fixed. She's our guard animal for the cattle; loves the baby
calves; and fends off all threatening intruders to the pasture.
We've been extremely busy. The cold and rainy spell at months-end
slowed our outdoor activities somewhat, but progress inside the Cabin remains on
schedule. Check-in next month to begin seeing us finish-up the Cabin interior.
Progress
Photos below taken April 30, 2011
 Our
custom, random-width, 1"-thick, oak floor boards are being "dry-fitted" onto the
Cabin living room floor joists. Once all openings and perimeter cuts have been
made, each cut-nail location will be pre-drilled, then the boards will be
removed in order, completely stained (both sides and all edges and openings),
and face-nailed into their final locations. Authentic 3" cut nails are being
used to permanently secure the boards. Each nail is tilted somewhat (not
vertical) to prevent the boards from loosening over time due to foot traffic.
The stained underside of the boards will serve as the ceiling for the basement
level below. The basement double joists shown in the photo will be covered with
old barn boards to give the appearance of solid wooden support beams .
 All
sheetrock, where needed in the Cabin, has been applied, taped, spackled three
coats, and finished sanded. Next, a paint primer-coat will be applied followed
by two finish-coats. In the Loft photo, notice the thin, remote controlled, wall
mounted, split heating and air conditioning unit that doubles as a functional
picture frame.
 The
outside compressor that services the Loft wall unit has been fully installed
(conduit and electrical service). Additional landscape treatment of the outside
utility area can now be completed.
Both the Basement and Loft bathrooms
have been prepped for tile work that will begin next week (see our
upcoming May progress report for photos). Durock cement board has been applied
where needed.
 The
intricate Oven brickwork forming the intersection of the arched entranceway and
domed oven body has been completed. Only circular courses of brick remain to be
laid. Work has begun on the formwork for the cast, high-temperature concrete, exhaust transition - roughly
3" x 12" rectangular to 8" circular - needed to interface the Oven exhaust with
a double-walled, stainless steel, exhaust flue.
 The
exterior landscaping that we planted last year continues to grow and flourish in
the filtered light through the trees that surround the Cabin.
 Our
farm Hoop House is finally being put back into production after the storm damage
experienced last year. The photo shows our Austrian Crescent fingerling and
Yukon Gold potatoes growing beautifully. After we pull the double-poly layer
over the structure, we will begin transplanting our shallot seedlings, tomatoes,
peppers, spinach and lettuce.
Next month we will: spray insulate and
chink the log joints; finish paint the wall board and trim out the windows and
baseboards; Oven brickwork should be completed; kitchen preparation should
begin; bathrooms should be complete.
While it does not look like we will be
totally finished by the end of May, let's see what remains to be completed at
the end of May. Come back and see; pencil-in July 4th on your calendar for
our opening party! (whew - this month ends two years of continuous work on our
Cabin complex renovation project - gotta get it done)
Progress
Photos below taken May 31, 2011
Well, it's May (and we're not done yet),
but a tremendous amount of work has been completed.
  For starters, we completed "chinking"
the logs of the inside of the entire cabin. That entailed several steps:
1)
Spray "hard" foam insulation between the logs (white expanded foam on the left
wall of the photo)
2) Cut and nail wire lath between the log joints (black
paper backed wire on the right wall of the photo)
3) Apply special mortar mix to "seal" the inside log face and act as
"chinking" (clay mud in the old days)
4) Cleaning up the entire Cabin (big
job).
 The Kitchen
(left) and Loft (right) photos show the completed chinking, sheetrock
and primed wall paint.
  Two weeks before we "chinked" the logs,
both the Basement (left) and Loft (right) walk-in showers were tiled with travertine and accent
patterns. Glass shower doors remain to be installed, together with the installation of
additional bathroom hardware
Considerable progress was made on the
wood-fired Oven. The Flue transition (from rectangle to circle) was formed and
cast with special high-temperature "Metalcast" concrete. The transition
shape was formed with styro-foam and removed after the pour hardened. An 8" stainless
steel Duravent base plate was fitted to the top of the transition and attached
with anchor bolts embedded in the concrete.
 Next, a wall was constructed to
establish the Durock slate tile base (yet to be adhered). From the photo series
the final "look" of the Oven is beginning to emerge. An Oak mantel will complete
the Oven entranceway.
Double-walled stainless exhaust pipe will next be fitted
through the tin shed roof, then the balance of firebrick will be laid in courses
to complete the Oven by July 4th for
our Cabin Open House celebration. Plan to come see what we have completed (and what
yet remains to
be done) - detailed announcement to follow.
The outdoor Patio areas are complete and
were used this month for the Annual Picnic of the Louisburg O'Henry Book Club. 
The living
room Oak Floor installation continues and will be completed shortly. On the farm side, our potato garden is
progressing well; we harvested Spring hay for use next winter; we "lent" a bull
to our neighbor's cow herd; gave the swarm of bees to a "first-time" beekeeper;
had an additional calf born; planted basil seed; and continue working hard in
the Summer heat.
Progress
photos below taken June 30, 2011
Although in a severe drought, we planted
vines to obscure our HVAC equipment in the sideyard.
  The
Oven facade is now complete except for the opening surround stonework that is
scheduled for installation next week. Notice the flue pipe is complete; the
slate tile work has been completed and sealed; the oak mantel surround has been
cut/fit/stained and sealed; rubber floor mats have been installed; siding boards
now cover the Shed logs to the left. The top of the oak mantel and oven
firebrick are level as shown and provide ample workspace. Oven brickwork in the
background yet remains to be laid.
 We
constructed a large (nearly 4' x 8') galvanized serving surface that sits atop
the outdoor fireplace (as needed) to serve as a buffet table.
 The
living room stairwell has been finished with old barn boards and cedar tree
trunks harvested from our property. An antique rubber printing press wall sconce
has been installed
 The
living room oak floor has been completed (dry-fit) and the overhead beam
enclosed with old barn siding. The kitchen soffit has been completed in a
similar manner. Hand-made, antique fireplace andirons are shown in the photo.
All final sheetrock touchup and prime
painting has been completed (basement and loft bathrooms).
At month-end we are busy preparing for
our Ben Franklin Society 4th of July Open House - promotion, cleanup, food prep,
etc. It's been really hot and dry this month! Baby calves keep coming, but we
are already feeding hay (the grass is dormant/dry) which is a bad harbinger for
next winter - but the cows must be fed. We need rainfall badly.
Final electrical and plumbing
installation work will be completed in July. Inside trim work will begin for all
windows and doorways. The kitchen cabinet installation will be the last major
work expected to be later this summer. The end is in sight, but the devil is in
the details.
On the farm side, we had to replace our
walk-in cooler compressor that was destroyed a few months ago by a lightning
strike. Our potatoes are still in the ground and awaiting the cooler for
long-term storage.
Some farm philosophy: Never a day goes
by without a surprise (good and bad) on a farm. If you have a game plan, it will
always change due to a crisis. Everyday can always find a way to get longer - on
shorter days you just work in the dark. Cannot wait to see what tomorrow brings.
Progress Photos below taken July
31, 2011
Well, July has been (I think) the
hottest month on record in North Carolina history. So many days over 100-deg-F
with high humidity that I've lost count. I was consumed with the conflicting
demands of calving, digging potatoes and oven brickwork this month, while
trying not to die from heat exhaustion. If you work all day in air conditioning,
it's hard to imagine how working 7-days-a-week outside wears you down. In spite
of these obstacles, we continued to make progress on the Cabin.
 While
on a visit to Pennsylvania for my Dad's 90th Birthday party, I stopped in
Doylestown, PA at metal-smith, Ray Mathis' Studio, to pickup our Oven Door. As
you can see in the photo, Ray has added a "vine" handle and base, and a 1/2 inch
"acorn" peephole that will allow me to "mist" breads with water to create that
rustic "crust" you will all become familiar with when I start baking breads this
Fall. A thermometer remains to be fastened through the metal door. Also notice
the detail of how the Oven Floor fits flush with the Oak Mantel. The Mantel has
been sealed, waxed and fastened from behind through the slate facade. Track
lighting has been added to illuminate the facade and outdoor work surfaces. Tile
expert, David Campbell, has yet to adhere the decorative stone-surround of the
oven entrance.
 The
photo shows the Oven Dome taking shape. I've completed 12 courses
of brickwork so far - with 40 or so half-brick pieces to the course, that's
nearly 500 pieces - each requiring 2-3 diamond saw cuts plus individual
mortaring. The 56" inside diameter dome is shaping-up nicely and should be
completed by Labor Day Weekend. I can almost smell the bread and tomato pie
(a.k.a. pizza) cooking. By the way, I plan to enter our oven in the 2012
worldwide FornoBravo Oven Design
Contest.
All electrical work has been completed
in the Cabin (by Stancil Moss) - all outlets, ceiling and track lights, wall
sconces and ceiling fans are installed and operational. Only the kitchen final
equipment hook-ups remain to be completed. Final plumbing fixture-connection
work in the two baths and utility room are scheduled for completion in August.
 From
the photo on the right, you can see some of the fine potato crop that I was
finally able to harvest once the Walk-in Cooler was repaired - Austrian Crescent
fingerlings and Yukon Golds. The sturdy, stackable oak bins shown were
custom-made in my woodshop from free discarded pallet stock.
Both Shallots and Basil were
transplanted to our Hoop House. I plan to pull the double-poly plastic cover
back on in September and grow vegetables this coming winter.
 White Pine
rough-cut wood is now drying in our shed barn. If you remember, we lost several
large trees in the January snowfall. Perhaps these boards will become open
Kitchen shelving for the Cabin
With the drought we have been
experiencing, Lynch Creek has been at record low levels - so much so we have
not, for the first time in fifteen years, been able to pump irrigation water
from the creek. Needless to saw we need rainfall - a lot of it.
We hosted a July 4th Ben Franklin Society Open House
event and had over forty folks attend. Some great food, company and
conversation. Plan to come to our next event - Labor Day Weekend! Our Cabin Complex renovation Project
should finally be completed this Fall - long overdue, but not overdone.
Progress
Photos below taken August 31, 2011
 The
Oven Entrance and Facade are now complete. An Oven thermometer and a
brass-metallic finish to the handle were added. The Entrance surround stones
were adhered with colored mortar, grouted and sealed. Might look simple to do -
think again.
 All
plumbing work in the bathrooms and basement utility room are complete. Notice
the surface mounted stone sink and faucet. Only glass shower doors remain to be
installed. The outdoor plumbing stack vent was completed at the 40 foot tall
roof-top with the help of a study extension ladder - not my favorite activity.
 We
have completed over 16 courses of brick so far and the Oven orifice is
closing-in rapidly. The last single "keystone" brick will seal the Oven soon.
The late month hurricane Irene consumed
a week of effort getting ready, enduring the event and finally cleaning-up the
farm. We have several trees downed, but fortunately no significant structural
damage. Our winds were higher than expected, but we had less rainfall - only
about 2 inches.
We have continued to weed our Hoop House
plant beds and transplant fall Tomatoes. Our Basil and Shallots are doing fine.
We will pull our plastic covers back on in September and resume Winter vegetable
production we lost last year when our building collapsed in the January snow/ice
storm. Really looking forward to growing inside again!
We completed repairs to our creek pump
that was damaged by the low stream flows we experienced earlier in the Summer.
Water levels have returned to normal and our back-up irrigation and animal water
supply is available as needed again.
We added an additional truckload of
crush-and-run to our entrance driveway to prepare it for the Winter months
ahead. We have bush-hogged our rental fields in preparation of haying this
September. NCDOT finally removed the silt-fencing on our roadway Bridge - to
complete that project. We made repairs to our heated greenhouse shelving in
anticipation of seedling propagation the Fall for transplant to our Hoop House.
We researched and purchased a tenon-making
tool that will enable us to use harvested Cedar limbs to build our rustic Cabin
stairway railings. All Cabin interior finish carpentry will be completed this
Fall and commence as soon as our Wood-fired Oven is completed outdoors. With
Cabin heat and lighting in place - there should be no significant delays once we
move indoors to finish-up the Cabin interior.
Unfortunately we have decided to
postpone or Labor Day Weekend event, and will schedule another celebration later
this Fall. Hurricane Irene stopped our progress - dead in its tracks. The end is
clearly in sight!
Progress Photos below taken September 30, 2011
  September was largely devoted
to completing the brickwork of our Wood-fired Oven. All-told over 1000 brick segments have been cut, fitted and
mortared. Over 22 courses of brick were needed to enclose the dome.
The intricacy of
doing this increased as the Oven orifice became smaller. From the attached photos, you can see the
typical compound cuts
required.
For each succeeding row, the brick
segments became smaller and more difficult to mortar in place.
The final "keystone" became two segments
- making it easier to cut and shape the final brick segment.
By using our home-made, radius-gauge
tool we were able to maintain a perfect spherical shape with an inside diameter
of 56 inches - making the dome height above the cooking floor 28 inches.
  The
Oven elevation-view shows the completed dome or traditional,
beehive-oven shape also called a "forno".
The companion photos below show the
completed Oven dome covered with a 3 inch thick insulating concrete layer. This
layer serves to keep the Oven heat inside. The temperature in the Oven can be up
to 1000-deg-F. We expect the exterior surface temperature of the insulating
concrete to only be about 100-deg-F.
  We
have removed the interior protective plywood and plastic covering the Oven
cooking surface and wire-brushed and cleaned the brick surface.
We did preliminary tests of the Oven
flue which performed perfectly.
The scaffolding supporting our
diamond-saw work platform for cutting the bricks has been dismantled. General
site cleanup was completed.
After the insulating concrete has cured
for about a week, we will begin the Oven "curing" process, whereby we
burn successively larger fires in the Oven over a period of another week -
to dry-out all residual moisture from the Oven bricks themselves and the
insulating layer. This process prevents cracking of the bricks and/or insulating
concrete. Once the Oven is cured, it will be ready to use - by
mid-October!!
Other farm activities completed this
month included:
1) The Kitchen soffit
was painted and the Pot Rack and Vent Hood base support was reinstalled.
2) Two large trees
downed by the hurricane were cut-up and the stumps removed.
3) Hay and re-seeding
operations were initiated for our 25 acres of rented land.
4) Several additional
calves were born and appropriately cared for.
5) The Cabin parking
area was re-seeded to establish a permanent grassed surface. Late last fall we
only stabilized the graded area to prevent winter erosion.
6) Garlic seed was
procured to plant in the hoop-house this Fall.
7) All back pasture
winter hay-feeding areas were re-seeded.
8) Fred Harris, from
the NC Forest Service. inspected some IPS Beetle infestation in our pine grove
adjacent to our main residence. We plan to remedy this problem and thin the 20
acre pine stand at the back of our property this winter.
9) We purchased
a"Greyhound", manual wood-splitter from Harbor Freight. We will need some good
dry oak to burn in our Oven and Cabin fireplace(s) soon.
10) Additionally,
electrical circuits were wired for an outlet to support our refrigeration (and
other) equipment, as well as track lighting for the Oven facade work-area.
We expect to christen our Wood-fired
Oven by cooking Tomato Pie (a.k.a. Pizza) and celebrate the opening of the
Franklin BreadWorks in October (announcement to follow). We should complete the interior of our Cabin by years-end - more to follow - check back
here with us for details each month this Fall.
Progress Photos below taken October 31, 2011
  We
finally completed the construction and placed into production our rustic,
Wood-fired Oven.
We "cured" the Oven starting on October 9th
by burning a series of fires - small to large - over a two week period. This
process slowly removed all moisture from the brick, masonry and concrete to
prevent the rapid expansion (steam) of moisture which could potentially crack
the Oven enclosure.
During this process we measured internal
brick and external insulating concrete surface temperatures with an infrared
temperature "gun". Once we verified that the external surfaces did not exceed
100-deg-F (as expected), we could safely enclose the Oven as shown in the
photos. We are confident that our building is safe from fire hazard - either
within the wooden enclosure or from flue temperatures at the rooftop level.
  The
completed Oven is shown with hidden overhead track lighting for evening use.
It only takes two hours to fire and heat
the Oven to cooking temperature.
Bob is shown cooking and cutting the first
"Tomato Pie" baked in the Oven (on October 24th). Pies cook in three minutes or
less. Crisp and delicious!
 The
Oven will allow us to cook "pizza" at high temperature without using the Oven
door; breads and roasts at moderate temperatures with the Oven door; and
toasting sandwiches and re-heating casseroles at any time.
We are presently only using dry oak wood.
After the first half-hour, there is
no smoke from the chimney - the internal temperature approaches 800-deg-F.
While the Oven is complete, we have some
experimenting yet to do as we learn how to cook with this ancient technology.
Wood-fired ovens have been used for centuries. There is something very special
about cooking in this manner - a feeling of being connected with the past - very
primal, permanent and reliable. Open fire cooking isn't a new trend, but rather
a sensible return to fundamentals - without the stress and fragility that
accompanies modern technology.
  Once
I completed the Oven, my focus immediately shifted to completing the interior of
the Cabin. Shown in the photos are the Cabin living room window and basement
patio door trim work - full 1" thick pine boards that were milled from the 5/4
lumber cut from the excess Cabin logs some years ago. All trim will be stained
once fitted.
Final painting has begun. Two finish coats
will be applied to all sheet-rocked surfaces.
The Cabin should be completed by years-end,
with only some kitchen details lingering into next year.
Other critical tasks completed this
month include:
1) Our Hoop House was
put back into production (link to our Press Release). We
have added a permanent herb section this year for the first time - as well as a
black fig bush. basil, garlic, shallots and tomatoes are growing already. Other
winter vegetables will be planted soon.
2) We harvested our
Fall Hay and re-seeded over twenty acres with oats, fescue and clover (link to
our Press Release).
3) We purchased a new
flock of chickens (Golden Comets) that will begin laying brown eggs soon.
4) We researched and
procured bulk Bread Flour, Pizza Trays and a 20-quart Commercial Food Mixer in
support of our start-up, Franklin BreadWorks project.
Early next month, members of the Ben
Franklin Society will experience the first "tastes" from our new Artisan,
Micro-Bakery - more in next months update.
Progress Photos below taken November 30, 2011
  All
Cabin interior windows and exterior doorways have been trimmed and stained as
shown in the photo on left (the main entrance and stairwells to the loft and
basement). Most baseboard trim is completed as well.
TV, Wi-Ex (wireless) coaxial cable and
Antenna Rotor control connections have been installed from the Cabin exterior
through the logs as shown in the photo to the right. OTA (Over-The-Air) HDTV reception is
augmented by an Antenna Rotor for a 60-mile radius reception area.
Our Wi-Ex cell phone signal amplifier
assures strong cell phone reception (3,4 and 5 Bars) inside the Cabin for all
service providers. This device also assures that we have Verizon 3G/4G wireless
broadband internet connectivity.
When coupled with our Dell Latitude
Computer, InFocus LP70+ Display and large Projection Screen, all essential
communication services are available to our onsite business clientele while they
enjoy the serenity and seclusion of our convenient, but rustic facility.
 A
close-up of the stairwell "lamp shade" made from an antique rubber print block from AGRICO in Henderson, NC that was
once used to print sacks that bore the
label COTTON. We value local history and promote "buying local"
whenever possible.
 The
photo shows the first Rustic Bread Loaf and Torpedo Rolls baked in our authentic,
wood-fired Oven on Thanksgiving Day 2011. A complete range of Franklin BreadWorks products
will be available for purchase in 2012.
 To
support our Bakery efforts, special Artisan Flours have been purchased locally
from The Grain Mill in Wake Forest, NC. As well, we now own a commercial
20-quart Mixer, with Meat Grinder attachment. Not only are our Breads home-made,
but the Sausage used on our Tomato Pie (aka Pizza) as well.
The Cabin interior finish work will be complete by
years-end, with only final Kitchen install work remaining into 2012.
 Our
Hoop House has been additionally reinforced with interior supports as shown in
the photo. Notice the Garlic sprouting in the background. We will be adding
additional plantings throughout the winter to eventually supply the BreadWorks
with home-grown produce in 2012.
 The
hay-field photo shows the excellent progress of our seeding efforts in
October - winter oats, tall fescue and clover.
I must admit that I am finally beginning
to see the culmination of years of focused effort to create an integrated small
farm operation - from farm-to-table. We look forward to begin sharing the
fruits of our labor with you in 2012.
Plan to hold a business meeting, or join
us at a Franklin BreadWorks event, in 2012. We pledge to provide an outstanding
facility and services that focus upon your comfort and success. Your support of our efforts will
ensure that our Conservation Property becomes an integral part of the future of
Franklin County's evolving success story! Let us help you succeed, so that we
can continue to thrive as well.
Progress Photos below taken December 31, 2011
 Although
not 100% complete, I backed-off a bit in December to rest-up some, deal with the
Holidays and resolve some maintenance and animal health issues.
It's been a while since I included an
updated photo of the Cabin exterior. Everyone who visits tells us it looks like
the Cabin has "always" been there. We take that as a sincere compliment -
exactly what we have been trying to build.
By the way, the chimney services two
fireplaces - a traditional stone and firebrick hearth on the main-level, and a
small, free-standing cast-iron one in the basement-level.
 On
the maintenance front, my heated greenhouse hot water heating system broke down
after nearly seven years of continuous operation. The photo shows the "plumbing"
and wall-mounted computer control units. After all was said and done, we had to
1) replace the hot water heater thermostat control unit; 2) re-plumb the
circulating pump flange fittings; 3) re-glue two leaking Schedule 80 PVC joints
in the greenhouse; 4) replace one of three PVC "mainfolds" in the greenhouse;
and 4) fix several small rubber tubing leaks.
 On
the animal health side, I had quite a "scare" when three of my youngest calves
got ill after eating from a new hay roll placed in the pasture. The photo shows
the calves in better health eating with "Molly" as their guardian. After two
weeks in the barn, and a lot of "care" on my part, they are on their way back -
needing to gain weight, but otherwise OK. It's sure a lot easier when they are
all healthy - heads-down eating as shown in the artistic photo.
From the photo you can see that my new
chickens have begun to lay beautiful brown eggs. I've missed having chickens for
while and sure is nice to have fresh eggs daily.
 On
the technology front, we finally established telephone service to the Cabin
using our existing 252-492-2600 business telephone line. Additionally we
upgraded our Verizon wireless Service to include a Data Device (3G/4G MIFI "HotSpot")
supporting up to 5 concurrent internet connections. This works beautifully in
the Cabin with help from our Wi-Ex Cell Zone (signal amplifier). I believe we
have excellent connectivity to support the business meeting use of our Cabin.
Combined with our Computer Display and Large Screen, 21st Century Business can
co-exist with 19th Century surroundings.
On the Wood-fired Oven cooking utensil
front, I finally was able to procure a 3/4" wood tapping tool to adapt bristle
brushes to standard wooden handles for "sweeping" and "cleaning" the Oven. Given
the size of the Oven, custom tools are required to "work" the fire and food
appropriately.
On the winterizing front, I
repaired/replaced an underground waterline shutoff that drains three faucets in
the backyard shed area - completing my winterization for 2011.
On the outside lighting front, we
installed low-voltage lighting and adjusted the layout to provide essential
evening light levels to satisfy our visual and safety concerns.
Some construction updates: 1) Our
interior pre-hung bathroom and glass shower doors were back-ordered and will be installed and trimmed in
January; 2) The plumber has been on vacation and will complete some bathroom
details in January; 3) All remaining 5/4 rough cut pine boards have been planed
and readied for use as doorway trim in the Cabin.
On the cooking front, I have adjusted my
tomato pie (pizza) dough recipe, to accommodate the use of even higher protein
flour that has added more "crunch" to the crust without sacrificing the balance
of taste and texture. Everyone asks me for the recipe - after years of
experimentation - I sadly have to forego publishing my recipe and technique. Do
you really want to spend two days making dough? Come eat with us and enjoy the
benefit of our work. Next you'll want my sausage recipe, meatball recipe, pasta
. . . .
We wish everyone a healthy and
prosperous new year. 2012 has to be better - doesn't it?
Plan to come visit us in 2012 - hold a
business meeting at our Cabin - plan a social event on our Cabin Grounds -
attend a private dining event and support our Ben Franklin Society fund-raising
initiative - purchase some artisan breads and fresh produce - schedule a tour of
our farm with your children. We are sure you will be pleasantly surprised.
Stay tuned for more monthly updates in
2012.
For More Information Contact:
LYNCH CREEK
1973 Rocky Ford Road, Kittrell, NC 27544
Tel: 252-492-2600
Internet:
bob@lynchcreek.com
| 
