A standing offer to roast

[shep]

It looks like my job at GE is just about to tank. I am only scheduled to work one more week for the rest of the year. First quarter next year looks horrible and I expect I will be unemployed by the end of March. This means I will have some time on my hands. Aside from using the time to try to stir up enough business to keep this roaster busy, I want to extend an open offer to my home roasting friends.

Before I went into business, I would have killed for the opportunity to play with someone's commercial roaster. None of the roasters I met in the area would consider this due to the "competition" thing. So, here I am, I have this nice 10 kilo roaster sitting here and I am offering any and all of you the opportunity to come and roast on it. Just to be clear, I am not even close to being an expert here; I don't propose to teach anyone anything (that's why its free!) other than how to run the machine. In fact, I could probably learn from you! Realistically, we would most likely learn from one another.

Anyway, if any of you are interested, either by yourself or in groups, just write or call and we can arrange a time. You can not only get the feel for a commercial machine, you can get a visual of what a home-based business can look like. My shop is board of health approved and organic certified. I can tell you what it takes to meet those criteria and how to prepare for it. My only request is that you bring some beans to roast, as I could not afford to supply large quantities of that. If I could only get some of my kids to move out, I could even put you up, but right now the Inn is full! Plenty of hotel options in Bloomington, however, being a college town they can be expensive.

Shep

[jspain]

Shep,

What a great idea and offer! I am already getting lots of orders for Christmas. I am going to put a deadline on taking orders from the churches and individuals so I have plenty of time to roast. I'm a bit concerned that I will have too many orders and not a large enough capacity roaster to do the job and still have the coffee fresh. So, we've talked about my coming your way some time and if we can work out the details for my road trip I'd love to learn from your new roaster and get a chance to meet you. I will have all the beans! I need to lower this stash by at least 50 pounds in the next month before my wife kicks me out! My guess is I'd have about that much to roast, give or take a few pounds. I'll have my traditional blend, and two or three other smaller batches including some of your decaf!

I'll P.M. you as things develop here if it sounds good to you? Thanks for the learning opportunity! I checked map quest and I'm about 6 hours from you. I'd find a room for a night. Peace, Jim

[shep]

Would love to have you! I have not tried a "full batch" yet, but theoretically you could produce about 42 pounds an hour on the machine. You are welcome to use it anytime.

Shep

[J.Jirehs Roaster]

..... theoretically you could produce about 42 pounds an hour on the machine. You are welcome to use it anytime.

Shep

I would have to mix my whole stash together into mystery blend and we still would be done before the hour was over ?!?!!

[peter]

..... theoretically you could produce about 42 pounds an hour on the machine. You are welcome to use it anytime.

Shep

I would have to mix my whole stash together into mystery blend and we still would be done before the hour was over ?!?!!

That's what I was thinking; Jim would spend 12 hours traveling and 1 hour roasting.   

The great part of course, would be two members getting to know one another.

[jspain]

Peter,
I would spend 12 hours traveling.... You're right about not just to roast but to learn and to meet Jamie. I've been a member for about 9 months and I would have loved to have been at B/Java's gathering and traveled to the "Fest" but I couldn't get away then. I'm thinking maybe we should have some regional gatherings at different dates for folks to meet?
 Looking forward to the "roadtrip" to Indiana..... Jim 

[shep]

You don't have to roast a full batch. I have done 5 pounds on it twice and it came out perfect. Ideally, a group gathering would be great. Now if we could score some really cheap beans from somewhere, that would make it a little more attractive!

Its an open-ended offer if anyone is in the area and wants to play. And, if I have orders to fill, you can help! 

Shep

[J.Jirehs Roaster]

Peter,
I would spend 12 hours traveling.... You're right about not just to roast but to learn and to meet Jamie. I've been a member for about 9 months and I would have loved to have been at B/Java's gathering and traveled to the "Fest" but I couldn't get away then. I'm thinking maybe we should have some regional gatherings at different dates for folks to meet?
 Looking forward to the "roadtrip" to Indiana..... Jim 

I have a thought to organize a rolling party from coffee shop to coffee shop (shops with roasters of course) from Milwaukee to Chicago.. maybe it could be Madison to Indianapolis or Seattle to ?? were is Kuban??? New Jersey??  (via the monkey house and points south of course) obviously people will only go to the ones near them but there could be some token baton to pass... (green coffee from tall over to be blended, roasted and shipped out to all contributers from 'Shep's roaster warming party' Stone Soup Blend)

[jspain]

My wife is a librarian and explained the "stone soup" childrens story to me!!! I do like the idea of gathering and meeting others. I have met many wonderful folks over the last year on this site and would love to sip a cup, chat, and meet others.

How can we get this off the ground? Folks want to post dates and places to meet from across the USA?

Looking forward to the roadtrip to Bloomington, Jim 

[J.Jirehs Roaster]

My original Cheddar Lake to Windy City idea would involve identifying coffee shops with roasters and scheduling a time at each shop.  If you were in for a few or in for it all.. just be at that shop at that time...  maybe let the proprietors know we are coming so they could schedule their best barista (learned that one with JohnF and staylor)

The extended one would have major logistical nightmares since GCBC is not quite represented every where... somebody would have a lot of coffee-less ground to cover...  or just send the proverbial baton to the next oases of GCBC activity.

[jspain]

Another approach would be to set one location at a time at locations most centered to where people are located that are involved in the club. Some folks, including myself, might be willing to hop on a plane and visit a site for a day if it works into their schedule. I know that we have a couple folks here in Ohio so maybe a get together in Columbus? Another in Chicago. One in Texas, and so on??? May be one a quarter?

Many friendly people like yourself I'd love to meet and share a good cup. I can even get a cheap flight to Washington to see Larry and others out there..... But first, Bloomington and Jamie's new roaster! Jim