The understatement of the year goes to: Time!

Time flies. In my case it seems to soar. I think that I make the most of my time. Maybe I do and maybe I don't. 2017 has been very busy over at the Young Mugs Coffee Roasters. You can find me at the Douglas Farmer's Market on most Saturday Mornings. My schedule is listed on my main page.

I am also spending loads of time with my kids, which is the best job ever! Esmee starts preschool this year. While I am excited to have the extra time roasting coffee and marketing Young Mugs Coffee, I know I'll miss her here with me every day. The upswing is that I'll get a bunch of one on one time with my son, Andre. There are always pros and cons, I suppose.

Well, this time of the year, I like to reflect on my business. I sold my first bag of coffee two years ago, and have never looked back. It's been a wonderful adventure and has taught me a lot about life, business, and coffee. I am thrilled that I can blend the three things to create a fulfilling life.

Thank you for supporting my business, buying my brand of coffee, and encouraging me to keep up what I am doing. The future holds so much and I look forward to embracing it!

This is a little off the coffee topic, but I love hot peppers.  I never really considered myself a pepperhead, but now that I regularly grow five or six varieties in the garden each year, I might reconsider that title.  I also just ordered seed pods for the Carolina Reaper, the worlds hottest pepper.   They should arrive any day now and I am so excited to grow them next year.  

What spurred this post on today?  I decided to try my first attempt at making hot sauce.  I found a video on Youtube, actually watched a few videos, but decided on this one recipe and got started.

The kids had a blast standing on their little chairs next to me so they could watch me grind the salt and sugar with the mortar and pestle.  As long as they didn't touch anything (those hot peppers) I was happy to have them with me.

I included a link below to the website for the recipe.  I've made sauerkraut, but have never made hot sauce.  Honestly, it looks fairly simple.  I hope that I haven't squandered a whole bunch of peppers in attempting this recipe.  Time will tell.  I'll let the peppers ferment for five days and finish it up.  As soon as it's done, I'll report back and tell you how it tastes. 

Are you a pepperhead, too?  Do you make hot sauce?  Let me me know your experience!

I am pleased to announce that you will be able to find my coffee at Douglas Orchard & Farm. 
36 Locust St
Douglas MA 01516 US
508-476-2198
https://www.douglasorchardandfarm.com/

Time flies. 

As July quickly approaches, Young Mugs Coffee Roasters will have officially been in business for one year.

The time has been filled with ups and downs.  Highs and lows.  Confidence and insecurities.

I have learned many important lessons.  Patience.  Have confidence.  Not everyone will like my coffee, but many people will.  And as it turns out, a lot of people really do love my coffee. 

I have shared my passion with coffee to many people and learned lessons on what makes a business a success.  I have grown as an individual and as a father, because I share these experiences with my children.  I dream of the day I get to have the kids grinding coffee for me, or working the cash register. 

Nearly one year later, I am roasting as often as time permits, taking coffee classes, and reading books to expand my knowledge of the jitter juice.  I am truly happy with the pace my business is growing, the relationships I building, and all the experiences I have gained.  I could not have done it alone. 

First and foremost, I must thank my wife.  I could not have done anything without her financial support, emotional encouragement, and all of her artisan and technical skills with photoshop, illustrator, and Weebly.   Thank you, Laura!!  I love you!

Second, and equally as important, I want to thank everyone who has bought coffee from me since last year.  Your loyalty has been the engine that drives me forward into year two and beyond.  Thank you so much.  I really appreciate your loyalty to my brand of coffee. 

Roll on year two!  I have major goals and I can't wait to lay out the path to achievement!!

I've wondered a lot about what kind of blog I would write.  There are many other writers out there who are more talented, and certainly more knowledgeable about coffee than I am.  But that hardly matters.  I love coffee, and I love fiction and nonfiction. 

Since I first developed the passion for reading, I wanted to be a famous writer.  The first children's book I remember reading was Lady and the Tramp.  I had a copy that came with an audio track that played the story as you read along.  I listened and read that book until it broke. 

The second book I read on my own was Jack London's, "Call of the Wild."  I read it three times in a row and was absolutely fascinated by the story.  I was whisked away and loved the feeling of adventure. 

I then discovered Stephen King.  As a boy in my early teens, I loved Halloween and I loved horror stories.  I found my self drawn to book stores and boxes of books at yard sales and flee markets.  I bought every Stephen King book I could find.  I always looked for his books as if I might find a new one that wasn't listed in his bibliography. 

I've been reading voraciously for almost three decades now, and while I am not a famous author, and I am probably an okay writer, I still love living vicariously through other people's narration, and certainly have had my fair share of adventures. 

My currently adventure in one where I am an extremely fortunate father who gets to stay at home with his children and watch them grow up. 

It was not easy at first, because in ways I felt inadequate for not earning money and not being able to contribute financially.  Laura, my wife, would reinforce with me that I was contributing to the family because I was giving my children a great uprising.  I knew that, but still I heard this voice in my head saying things like I was a mooch, or a burden, that I needed to get a job.  It was tough and eventually I got a handle on those nagging feelings and accepted my new role. 

I love being a stay at home father.  I get to be a big kid.  I am in love with my kids, and am amazed by their growth and development.  Just yesterday, I got to hear my youngest child, André, try to say his sister's name.  He mumbled it.  But it was there.  Esmée told me yesterday that she loves her brother.  I am blessed to be a part of their lives. 

Most of my life I was adamant about not having kids.  It would have cramped my style.  I am happy to discover that was false.  Children have enriched my life and helped me discover who I truly am.  A big kid.  Someone who cares about what brings him happiness.

Last year at this time, I hired a lawyer to help me start up a business, The Young Mugs Coffee Roasters, LLC.  I've been roasting and selling coffee online and at The Douglas Farmer's Market ever since.  I love coffee and am excited about my business and great coffee. 

My daughter is always a big help with me when I need to roast or deliver coffee.  She is a hoot when I'm holding a bag of fresh roasted coffee and she tells me she wants to smell it.  "Daddy, this smells good.  Really good."  I'm not sure how I really feel about a three year old telling me that, but it sure is amusing. 

The adventure is there.  It's called life.  I get to teach my children to work hard.  To work smart.  To follow their passions.  That they are empowered to build a life full of joy and happiness.  I get to be part of their adventure as I follow my own.  Life is beautiful. 

I hope to write about my adventures here.   I pondered what I would write about in my blog.  Would I only write about coffee?  No, I don't think so.  There are many other writers out there who are more knowledgeable than I am about coffee.  What I can write about is what excites me, and no one can do that better then me.   I decided that what I would write about are things that could be talked about over a cup of coffee. 

I hope you enjoy my blog and I hope you enjoy Young Mugs Coffee.