THE GREAT FIREWOOD BAN

[jigglestick]

check it out.
I guess it was only a matter of time.

my kids are selling cut and split birch firewood on the corner at our home.
the birch came from Rajala timber company out of Deer River MN.
this wood was cut in Itasca Co last fall.
ash borer's do not infest birch. they infest ash.

this new law will effectively shut down my kids little roadside buisness.
http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/articles/index.cfm?id=42588&section=News&freebie_check&CFID=35558669&CFTOKEN=84978836&jsessionid=88307e232a1f4f7c4c18

[iceman]

man thats sux.

[jigglestick]

I am about to illustrate a classic example of taking the bull by the horns.

today after reading the article in the duluth news tribune, I was just bummed out for my kids.
they wanted to punch someone in the guts. I didn't blame them.
I feel in the great scheme of things, trees have been around for thousands of years. you think it is just now that they are coming up with invasive species?
bugs and diseases have been around for as long as plant and animal life has been around.
NEWS FLASH*** we aren't going to cure it. mother nature is a force we have no clue how powerful and I have news for anyone who thinks we can tame her in any fashion. we are at the mercy of the environment. when she is tired of us trodding around on her, she will shake us like a dog shaking water off it's back.

meanwhile, we are stuck in this ant like existance, following the rules in a mannor that will give us the best chance of achieving the american dream and avoiding encarceration.
these are nearly instinctive behaviors. we can count on this.
that is why I chose to go directly to the source of this latest oppressive law and get to the bottom of it.
I stopped by the Deer River office of the MN Dept. of Natural Resources, division of forestry this morning.
I asked the man in charge what he knew about the new ban on firewood in state properties, ie: campgrounds etc.

he told me that the legislation was just passed last week.(proof that they did get something accomplished this session)
he said that we were the first ones in this district that had come in and applied to be Mn state certified firewood vendors.
he explained to my kids why they were doing this, and also, how it can bennefit them in their buisness.
they were all ears when they heard they could keep their firewood buisness going.

not only can they keep their buisness intact, but we will also be put on a list of certified vendors for people to call when they are looking for campfire wood.

this is cool stuff for us. a slight pain in the butt for campers, but the biggest thing will be getting people to stop the urge to haul their wood along with them from home.
other than that, those who usualy buy there wood when they get to the campground, will basicly see no change except that we will give them a reciept with the vendor information on it, so they can show the campground attendant when they are approached and asked about the orrigin of the wood they have onsite.

this year will be a warning and next year will be a one hundred dollar fine per incident.

the forester told us it was their instruction to persue this campaign agressively.

so, there you have it.
we can still roast marshmellos over a campfire.
we just need to buy it from my kids cause they are CERTIFIED!!

[Mayfly]

Well lets see about getting them a banner and putting them up on the site.....Are they interested in advertisng?? Tell them its on the house......

[jigglestick]

well, seeing that they are very small scale vendors, it isn't nessecary really, but they would get a kick out of it.
we only sell localy to the campers from either campground up the road.
so it doesn't amount to alot, but buisness will pick up after they get established.

[JackpineRob]

Way to go Jiggle!  Sometimes things that look bad actually turn out for the best.

Hope your kids get filthy rich selling their wood.

[WoodChuck]

  :rock:yet again jiggles come to the rescue of and for the members of MNO !! THANKS FOR THE BUZZ MY FRIEND !! now that we are certified vendors we can keep up with this changing world . hope your young,uns make it to the fortune 500!! GO KIDS GO !! ::rockon::

                                         WOODCHUCK

[Realtree]

That's awesome Jigglestick!! I'm glad you and your kids were able to get that taken care of and have it actually turn into a benefit for your kids and their firewood business. Young entrepreuners of tomorrow!!!