Things had a rhythm now. I was completely focused on work and it was paying off. The first phase of the green power initiative was fully functional. It meant we were able to take one of our farms and two sister farms offline. No more LPS bills. Whooowhoo!
The result was increased confidence both within the company and our surrounding communities. We now had farmers listening to us, asking questions, interested. Our town halls were now full, where as before we couldn't get five minutes going door to door. Everyone hates LPS and the fact that we could shed the need for them, on not one but three farms, three five acre farms, word got around.
I was enjoying seeing my decades old dream come to life. We had six farms now. One was entirely running on renewables from the electricity it used to the grass the cows ate, recycling was involved in some way. Three of the remaining five had 5% or less, direct production waste. In other words, whatever we grew or reared resulted in only 5% waste material at the end of our processes.
As I stood there on my grandfather's small farm looking down the hill, I couldn't help smiling. Grandpa would have been proud. There was life in this place again; cows in the pasture, pigs in the sty, goats and sheep on the back lot. The old outdoor kitchen had been rebuilt and expanded, to hold smoke and curing rooms.
The modifications were hidden wherever possible. The massive collection and fermentation tank, for our biogas unit was camouflaged by logwood and teak trees. The expansions to the old kitchen were built in the same style as the original. Despite it's larger footprint it was hard to tell this wasn't the way it had always been. Even the grey water system, with its network of streams and ponds, blended in.
It isn't just beautiful, it is fictional beauty.
The biogas unit with its solar modifications and our grey water system were the biggest keys to the 5% waste out put. Our biogas unit allowed us to recycle animal and plant waste generating both the energy and fertilizer. The grey water system allowed us to reduce our potable water intake and reuse waste water from faucets etc in low contaminant areas eg. lawn irrigation . It also had the added bonus of beautification, with our use of coye, gold and grouper fish in the settlement as run off ponds. It truly was a beautiful, the teams did an amazing job.
It was approaching dusk now, the rest of the team had left for the day. I sat engaged with the fish watching them swim to and fro. If only all our lives could be that simple.
***
It was barely 6:00am and I was already on the road.
Why on earth had Charlie agreed to a 7:00 am in person meeting? The drive from Portland to Kingston was usually a pleasant one. I had too much on my mind today to enjoy it. We were about to start transitioning to 100% green energy at two additional farms. The model at the first farm had begun to take shape but all the minute details required had begun to wear on me.
To make matters worse our silent partner, Tafari, had decided now was the time to cash-in on our agreement. Today was the worst day for an in person meeting but here I was.
I parked in the lot across the street from CRP's headquarters and hustled over. I was not looking forward to this. I was not looking forward to seeing him.
Thankfully, at the white screen was Angel Michaels. In mid-speech explaining the project to-date, to who I guess were the members of the board. "Just in time! Lady and Gentlemen, allow me to introduce Mrs. Baker. The woman who is the cause of this, our most challenging and unusual project." Angel continued, in his even baritone. Yes, his parents named him Angel, it caught me off guard at first but has since grown on me.
He continued, "As you already know, our meeting today is to discuss the possibility of expanding our current offerings include creating, hosting and managing custom business communications networks. Ellyiot's Inc., was the first project of its kind for CRP. Mrs, Bauer has kindly agreed to join us to discuss the on going project and what lead her to choosing CRP for such an ambitious task. Mrs. Baker..." I was a gasp. I had not prepared for this and was in no way ready. I had walked into the boardroom this morning under the impression this meeting was solely to discuss next steps, with the projects managing team at CRP.
"Lady and Gentlemen of the Board. The project began out of the need for a telecommunications network as reliable internally as it was externally, and the realization that we lacked the capability to build and manage it ourselves. The overhead required to create a department capable of doing so was not immediately available, outsourcing the need was more prudent. CRP's willingness and flexibility made them our first choice...."
I breathed a sigh of relief as I walked through the doors. Despite being blindsided, I managed to impress the board enough for them to that request we collaborate on the development and launch of their new offering.
I need to have a serious talk with Charlie when I get to the office. Charlie, my second in command, is the one that keeps me on track. She is meticulous and extremely detail oriented. It is why I am deeply disturbed at the fact that we were completely unprepared for the walk-of fire I just did. Phew!
I can deal with that later. For now, I just want to drive home, enjoy the fact that I covered impressively. Better yet, I didn't have to see him.
****
So ahhmm, is wah happen mum? A how you dress suh?" inquiring in her usual stern yet lazy tone.
Charlie looks at me with an arched eye brown and continues, "a weh yaah guh? Mmhmm? 'Cause a could a neva work." Ten years my junior, Charlie and I had become almost inseparable over the past five years. Largely due to our similar personalities and to a lesser extent our bloodlines. There was a strong resemblance, so much so we were often mistaken for sisters, I guess being first cousins was about the same. It was a bit too eerie for some of our workers though.
I walked up the front steps and rest my head on her arm. "To see you my dear." I said with a smile.
Sttrrreewup! "Listen no bother me", Charlie retorted. I chuckled. "We are not on the farm today, well not till noon. Or did you forget?" By the puzzled look on her face, I could tell my second had finally forgotten something. Yes!
"We have that ornamental fish farm and the oyster tour." I continued.
"Eww!" Very few things made Charlie squirm, oysters was one of them. "Well, it is the price of getting me to go to that awful reunion next month".
Sadly I had lost the bet on our production numbers, the price of which was to attend our shared alma mater's reunion. Our PR person thought it was a good means of showing social and civic responsibility, if we sponsored the institution. His bright idea included attending the OSA reunion as a means to increase visibility and a soft unveiling of our educational sponsorship initiative.
The entire idea made us both want to hurl, so we made a bet to determine which of us would be the sucker who had to endure it. Sucks for me.
