Category: Uncategorized

So God Made A Farmer.

Grateful For All We Had, Were Blessed With. My Mom Taught Her Four Boys That.

Maine is rural, simple living.

Hardworking people and no, not everyone these days is a Maine farmer like they were not so long ago. But most Mainers have exposure to farm life. Growing up, working on a Maine farm. Getting your hands dirty. Down on your knees in the dirt. To make spending money. Or scrape together extra funds to help contribute to the family household finances.

From Maine potato farms to blueberry barrens raking. To fishing grounds, farming a new area of deep cold ocean, working on lobster boats. No matter what the stormy weather. Gotta fish or cut bait. Or oh my aching back clam flats raking, hoeing for big belly steamers. Maine truck farming for local markets. Apple picking, honey production, growing crops, raising critters. Dairy farming in Maine is even more intense, round the clock full throttle. Never lets up. Can’t get sick, you’ll get behind. Never catch up. Get lost by the wayside.

I am lucky enough to have grown up on a Maine farm.

Why was the experience a good one, to place both feet on the ground, help keep the head screwed on straight? To give perspective about life, a greater awareness and appreciation with deep gratitude the take away? Because Maine family farming, any farming operation is serious stuff. Not part time, hit or miss. You’re in or your out. Sink or swim. Do or die. You pay you stay, your don’t you won’t.

Paul Harvey “So God Made A Farmer” Video.

Why do you do what you do? How do you do it? What is your purpose in life and what is the source of passion, awareness, work ethic? What is filling the well deep inside you that stirs, causes fire in your belly? Mine is outdoors, the Maine land. What really matters. Shakes you up, makes your tongue hang out. The source of peace, contentment, my industry. Thank God in Maine. Away from mobs of people. Where you can hear yourself think. Sitting down at a bean supper at the local church, farmer’s museum. Or pulling up a diner stool with someone to share our breakfast eggs and bacon. Rubbing elbows. Comparing notes. Exchanging life puzzle pieces. Without the spin, hype, drama, happy horse, cow, chicken, sheep etc STFU manure bull crap.

Life, no one gets out alive.

But before we draw our last breath, don’t get too comfortable. Apply pressure to stop the bleeding, slow the shift of the life sands in the hour glass. I am so lucky to live in Maine, Vacationland full time. Because the four seasons splendor, unspoiled natural beauty is here to tap into, enjoy year round. And if you happen to want to capture the hard work, not all glamour of owning a Maine farm, I know a Maine real estate broker that’s an eager beaver. A little red hen to give you a leg up. Owns one too. Walks the talk. Not all hat and no cattle. Did you notice that something about back to basics simple living, down on the farm theme stole the show? Saturated this year, hitting the Super Bowl ad spot cluster rotations all over the place.

Double click, or tap tap the screen for something with lots of acreage, hectares of Maine farm dirt, land.
For more on Maine farms, property listings. Oh and for the record, I love Dodge trucks. Got a four wheel drive maroon colored one in the Maine family farm estate purchase from my three brothers. A 1999 Dodge pickup with a 318 V8, a Fisher quick switch snow plow and only 11,000 miles on her so far. Not registered. Stays, works on the Maine farm round the year. Ram tough. Like real down to Earth, hardworking people in Maine.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com

February 17, 2013
Pididdle, Skin A Cat (Elevator Tree), Chalmerize.

Local ways of communication, expressions slung back and forth in conversations in Maine.

Where everyone in your small Maine town knows exactly what you are saying. But use the word, expression unique to your area down country or out of state and whoa. Eyes get big, conversations you are in grind to a halt. And others left behind wonder what did he just say?
Maine Moose Further Up In Aroostook County Safe From Drunk Hunters. Shooting Lower State Cows, Horses.

Canadian English, or the influence of French Acadian poetic license part of the different dialect here in Maine. But terms like “chummy”, “wicked good” are “mister man common” as all get out in Downeast sections. A yuh. You cunning chowdah head. Somehow eating more seafood and all that salt water, brisk damp air and lighthouses all add to the comedic language twist.

Comedians in Maine make their bread and butter from the colorful expressions that cause a chuckle.

Like “she has a wicked decent body but looks like someone took a clam rake to her face”. ‘Nuff said. We’re still in the family hour and this blog post is G rated. More on Atlantic Canadian colloquialisms.

But if you are ever on a national big money game show. Quizzed under the hot center stage spot light about the headline for this Me In Maine blog post, here are the answers if “from away”. A piddle is a one front light out motor vehicle. Skin a cat means climb up a tree until it bends over and glide back to the ground safely. Variation of the term by kids trying to get the same point across whip up their own code expressions. That just those in the neighborhood or the same tree clubhouse would ever know how to decipher what the term “elevator tree” means.

Chalmerize, think detailing a car like no other.

Spit polished, clean, keen and show room spiffy. Coined from a car detailer name Chalmer Karnes who applied the elbow grease to making a car factory fresh for a small fee. Not just glossing over the vinyl, leather or genuine imitation wood trim of a vehicle with a can of Pledge. Using tooth brushes to with dental floss precision remove lint, grime, crud, junk that builds up in a car.

From drive through spills, animals, lousy weather snow and mud, gravel that pile up, travel with a motorist. Chalmer (locals call him Chalmah) would remove seats, deep shampoo several times the rugs and go the extra mile of car detailing. Got a reputation as Top Gun from his attention to detail. Punch buggie no return can cause a flinch, your arm to hurt just with the words uttered too while we are on the subject of cars. That spotting of a VW bug and the bonus points for a pididdle blinded in one head or fog light. But a pedunk is a car or truck with a missing tail light.

Something for the kids to pass the time on a road trip to Houlton Maine. Along with counting cows, other collectibles to kill time on the highway. While Mom and Dad “shoot the breeze” up front. Taking turns switching off shot gun position, playing Bonnie and Clyde.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com

February 15, 2013
Warmer Temperatures, Melting New Snow On The Maine Farm.

Find Yourself In Maine. All Four Seasons It Means Get Outdoors. Horses Like You, Me, Need Fresh Air!

Outdoors, fresh air, not just you and I thrive on it in Maine.

Barn yard animals, like this Hammond Plantation Maine horse loves being turned out. Not being stuck inside a closed up barn small box or standing stall. Sometimes the fresh air and new snow can have the same effect on horses a new field of clover does.

Eating too fast, too much because it is such a change from the ho hum winter diet.
Horses Like Their Backs Scratched, Rubbed ! And Make Snow Angels Too.
From the few flakes of hay, a coffee can of grain and lots of water to wash it all down. And a mineral lick. Then whoa. Suddenly dessert happens. A rich, thick new red, white, green lush sweet bed of new clover. To wine and dine on. To roll in. Spring fresh air casts the same spell.

Enjoying The Day. Scratching Your Own Back. Making Yourself Happy. Maine Horses Do It.

Caught a few hay burners in Maine horsing around this afternoon and thought I would share their antics.

Makes you take a lesson from the animals. To live in today, enjoy the weather and being grateful we all live in Maine. Get to tap into Vacationland all year round. Not just a three day weekend, one puny week a year and that’s all you get. To tide you over until next year.

Any season, for a slew of reasons, get to Maine. Don’t keep her waiting. Staying away too long only makes it hurt more once she gets into your system. As she tugs on your heart playfully. Sample other Maine images. And be honest. Don’t you feel a stir inside, an urge, an itch to make Maine part of your mental health and physical exercise diet? Square away the spiritual side of things too with the surroundings of natural, unspoiled beauty that no way man could have created.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com

February 13, 2013
Customer Service, Nothing Like One On One Personal Flexibility.

The Problem Solving Of A Customer Service Rep is Harder These Days. The Callers Problems Trump Manners Sometimes.

The product, service you got a whale of a deal on is all fine and dandy until something fetches up, hits a sandbar.

Goes a ground. Until things end up a muck, you don’t lay awake nights wondering whether the firm gets five gold stars for service. Is not something on your personal radar. Until loss of a service. Rut ro. The product dies that you are dependent on big time happens. And you find yourself in the breakdown lane flashing four ways with the hood up so to speak. Just wanting restoration.

For starters, it’s not the fault of the person in quality control, trouble shooting.

But training to be sensitive, get to the bottom of the problem and to direct the “back on your feet” process is key. Sensing frustration growing from the customer but not taking it personal. Being tough skinned but sensitive and caring. Tender hearted, empathetic is an art form and needs an ET glowing heart to power it.

But during “what’s the problem” trouble shooting, being asked about will you take a little survey on how we’re doing is the last thing on the caller’s mind. Now is not a good time to expect, look for some positive feedback. Like dialing the 800 number for “how’s my driving” staring at you while waiting for the jaws of life.

Stuck wedged, bleeding and looking thru small slit blood shot eyeballs.

Smack dab into the back of the semi that caused the multi car pile up with the number to call request on the wreckage. While the on and off, hold the phone while we reroute this call unfolds. Drags on. Or while the APB goes out for the MIA man hunt for someone else that can offer the caller help. It can get old, tedious. When the derailment of the service, or down time for a product repair or replacement gets some age on it. After weeks and weeks run into each other with still missing service. Or a dead product that stopped ticking, spinning, doing whatever it was trained to do on the assembly line.

If you were a Maine small mom and pop business operation, the on hold ad propaganda to sell something probably would not be playing on and on.

And having to ask someone else for help would not either. Because the owner is in the store, on the phone and deals with the issue all the time. Knows the product and service backwards and forwards. Sometimes help calls re-routed to some other solar system can mean the danger of dying from old age, left stranded on hold.

Automation is part of today and eliminating jobs to have a healthy head above water bottom line. To stay a float in business. But going through the “if this punch 2, if that tap 3” when none really apply can get old. As tons of time eaten up that the automation is suppose to save ends up doing the opposite. And over and over, return calls happen because the issue is not resolved. But for some reason does not get kicked upstairs to expedite resolution.

I feel bad for folks in large impersonal companies that can give the impression they don’t really like where they work. That somehow the caller is being a nuisance. It would have been nice if the whiner with the problem could have called after their shift was over. To get a new “how can I help you” brand new voice.

On hold, selling something pre-recordings that loop on and on interfere with the other end caller.

Where the customer could be doing another task while waiting. But over modulated commercials are coming at the caller like asteroids, or being battered by hail stones. Silence is golden but the caller has to be ready if someone does come on the line. Or wakes you up from droning off in the hurry up and wait that can make your head foggy, swim. Trying to do something productive comes out of the delay if you neck cradle the phone or put it on the speaker for the rest around you to have to sample.

Fix it yourself used to be the only and quickest option before everything got highly specialized. In a throw away, replace the module or entire device happened as quickest, cheapest. The best return of investment of time as personnel feel escalating tension as the issue is not dealt with to the satisfaction of the caller.

The key is sensing when frustration is not anger with you from the person trying to just get help.

It is simply end of their rope, boiling over building up. Down to their last nerve and you are standing on it happening. You are the fortunate one that the luck of the draw, rotation caused you to be the one on the friendly firing range. Keeping your head down and staying calm. Working the scenarios for solutions. Maine, common sense, respect for others stills happens every day. Every one just wants to help.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com

February 12, 2013
What Kind Of Maine Wildlife, Animals Do We Have?

It Was Hunting Season, Told This Maine Moose On My Farm To Run And Three Week Hide.

Questioned a lot on what type of Maine wildlife, the animals of Vacationland someone can expect to see.

Well, sorry to share, break the news no polar bears in Maine. That’s arctic circle, not Maine. Just like our weather being four seasons and not frozen tundra wasteland.

We down hill and cross country ski, snow sled, ice fish, slide down hills. Play pond ice hockey. Skate, shoot, score the puck. Follow winter orange basketballs around parks and rec leagues, Maine high school, college gym levels. No winter hibernation snoozing, napping happening.

So no Maine polar bears. Sorry.

No brown grizzlies dismembering kids either. Just very shy, passive black bears. That do have a weakness for jelly filled donuts. Something sweet the only bait you need to see more of these smaller four legged woods creatures. Oh yeah. Farm fresh Maine corn just coming on in your garden is no secret with black bears. Who visit late at night when the scare crow is off duty.

Come to Maine expecting to capture white tail deer on film or for the freezer.

Larger moose you don’t wanna run into driving at night. They are dangerous, emergency room trip causing hood ornaments. That’s why hiking Baxter Park, biking, or horse carriage riding around Acadia National Park you will see deer, moose up close. They are not in attack mode. Just want to eat, start a family, not bother anyone. Living for the weekends like you and me.

The Vacationland state portal has lots to say about Maine wildlife, plant life. On a summer lake or pond, you will come across, hear and see three kinds of Maine loons.

Types of Maine fish to expect. Game birds in Maine. You’re on, up. Shake a tail feather.

Trapping regulations for Maine show what’s living in the woods too. Less people translate to more wildlife in Maine. Think like a fox? Where would you rather live? Maine or South Boston, near the Bronx Expressway? Exactly. So leaving garbage out, causes Maine wildlife damage. They get hungry, you become the drive through.

Coyotes are not my favorite Maine animal postage wildlife child.

But Maine biologists talk about letting them be, or dysfunctional wandering Maine coyotes replace the ones we take out, remove from the local habitat.

That’s a wide world of Maine wildlife round up. Hope the links, this blog post is helpful in your search for information. That’s why we crank them out. Maine, she grabs your heart, won’t let go. And you won’t mind a bit once you are bitten, smitten.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com

February 11, 2013
Adopt A Maine Pet, Open Up Your Home For Animal Shelter Cat, Dog, Horse!

Scratch Behind My Ear, Stroke My Soft Yellow Fur, Hear My Purr.

The state of Maine has lots of animal shelters.

Dogs, cats, horses need homes and are waiting for successful lasting pet adoption. Here are a few examples of Ark Sanctuary cats looking to go home with you. The animal placement of a dog is more than a cute photo and the name of the pet too. Making sure you know the animal and can consider if your home situation and lifestyle is the right fit, means the adoption sticks, lasts. Which is a win-win for both of you.

The state of Maine cat /dog sale regulations spell out the do’s and don’ts so learn the ins and outs up front. Horses in Maine up for adoption happens too! As part of the search for the right pair up, thorough details on the background, history of the animal is part of the horse selection /placement process. Information, highlights like “Little Ginger has had a rough past, but her will is still strong. Ginger is nervous to trust but desperately wants to! This 4 year old filly needs a steady hand, and someone to love her unconditionally.”

And just like human baby adoptions, there are Maine animals with special needs where the find a home interview process goes to even deeper levels.

Addition checks, balances and investigation needed. To seek out that unique, loving and patient person willing to with open arms and a strong desire adopt a pet that needs extra skill from the new home provider.

My Aunt Ruth was a horse lover, had two particularly special horses that were 32 and older. Not for riding and the saddle long ago removed and hung up for these more friends, companions than animals. Stardust and Melody lived to their ripe old age with a caring, loving woman giving them the extra attention and love they needed, deserved.

I have a small Maine farm for sale with rescue horses living their days out very comfortably too.

The Maine home and land owner bought a fifty acre land property and has built a bigger barn. To house more horses once her old place sells. Bigger than a cat or dog pets, from out west. Meet them in the Maine horse farm video.

Horsing around, enjoying their days. Their small farm horse barn box stalls are immaculate. They have a radio playing for entertainment while she is away at work. Her lunch hour spent sharing a snack. They are her babies, like kids. The horses can run in and out of the barn and get away from the wind or rain. Have a brook, view, plenty of green pasture grass. Get lots of attention, good nutrition from top shelf grains, quality hay she and her husband farm cut, bail, stack themselves. Nothing colic causing, no golden rod or junk musty flakes of hay for these like her kids horses. Regular vet and blacksmith farrier visits. Dental health not neglected, say cheese. (Whinny, neigh, snort sound.)

These transplanted, adopted Maine horses are kick up their heels happy, like the farm owner.

And the rescue horse adoption was not just an instant snap your fingers quick process either. Background personal and farm property checks, a year’s probation while the horse is in your possession, under your care happens. To assure the bounced around misplaced horse, pet with a troubled past has a life from here on out that is not so unstable, uncertain or rough. And lives pretty much happily ever after. Learn more about western rescue horses up for adoption.

Have a place, the space in your heart and home to adopt a Maine pet? Lots of options, places to start the process to add something extra special to your life. And you make the world of difference, bring out the sunshine in their days on Earth.

Maine, the place with the space. And really neat people, drop dead gorgeous scenery too!

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com

February 10, 2013