I expected the economy to be worse by this time.

[cali]

In the summers, I work for friends who have a small business. It's a nursery/tea house/gift shop. My friends grow antique heirloom flowers and we serve teas and light lunches in the garden, on the terrace and in the greenhouse. We're in a fairly impoverished area, and though we get lots of summer people, the bulk of the business is locals. Business was pretty good last year, and it's up so far this year. The prices here aren't cheap- the work is massively labor intensive, but people are flooding in. The average bill for tea is about 15 bucks per person.

That's all anectdotal, I realize, but six months ago or so, I thought the econsomy would be disastrous this summer.

[rosesaylavee]

1. Me too.

I think things in our area were slower retail-wise back in March. Could drive the streets by the malls and shops and there were almost no cars. Still not as many people out as there were in past years, but there are steady streams of people spending money as far as I can tell.

I thought by June we would be existing at a different economic scale altogether. Not sure what that would be but was expecting a huge change. Fortunately, I was wrong.

[glowing]

2. VT is a lot different than some harder hit states. In some parts of FL

rows and rows of homes, whole neighborhoods are sitting with For Sale, foreclosed signs. Its much different living there than in other parts of the country... My parents are still there. Foreclosures are not as high. People always struggle.. there weren't too many times I remember just getting because.

[cali]

12. Yes, Vermont is better off than many places, but you know the Kingdom

and that it's the furthest thing from a wealthy area. We're near Caspian Lake, so there are some summer people but the bulk of our business comes from locals- though people regularly come from as far as Burlington and NH, and even other NE states.

[glowing]

16. Yep, one of the reasons for that school money share thing.. Wealthier towns have to give more money

to help out struggling towns. Pissed off the town my highschool was in because they had to pay... was good for my elementary school because it was in a "poor" town. I don't remember too many details from it all. It sure lit up the Town Hall meetings though.

[tkmorris]

3. People who serve tea and lunch on the terrace are ALWAYS last to be affected

The people used to serving burgers and koolaid on the picnic table may have a different perspective. Don't worry though, you'll be fine.

[cali]

5. Nope. Yesterday I served tea on the terrace to a bunch of retired

hardscrabble farmers-with missing teeth. I don't think you have a clue as to where I live or who are clients are. I live in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom, largely poor and agrarian. Our clients are farmers from down the road and loggers as well as federal judges (Rehnquist (ugh) used to come to tea). There's a summer community on the lake a few miles down the road, but it's not Martha's Vinyard by a long shot. And as I said, most of our business is local- and those folks aren't close to wealthy. People come because they know that whoever they are, whatever they're financial and social status, they'll be treated with great respect and dignity, and yes pampered. We love what we do and the way we make people feel- and we make sure to keep things on the menu that will enable someone with less than 10 bucks, to sit in the beautiful garden, eat something nice and have a pot of tea.

Some economic info about where I live:

The median income for a household in the town was $33,636, and the median income for a family was $39,278. Males had a median income of $27,188 versus $21,732 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,813. About 10.5% of families and 14.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.3% of those under age 18 and 14.2% of those age 65 or over.

[KharmaTrain]

4. A Slow Recovery...We Haven't Turned The Corner...

TARP helped stop the markets from sliding into oblivion that would have made this economy far worse than what it is now...but that's only a part of the picture. It's helping those who lost investments to recover, but not enough to create the capital to go out and invest or build.

And then there's the credit crunch. It hasn't gone away...just papered over with other news. People are continuing to default on mortgages and the number of those falling behind on cards and other debts are growing. Businesses that live on credit are shutting their doors as its both gotten tighter and higher interest rates are taking a toll...sure not encouraging people to hire.

There's yet to be a major investment program...one designed to put people to work. The stiumulus was a stop-gap to keep states from going into default, but little has ended up in the private sector.

The shame here is how the banking lobby and other big money interests have fought fixing the credit mess...half-assed measures at best and this is and will prevent the flow of credit needed to create the new jobs and businesses that will form the backbone of a new economy.

[elleng]

6. Good to hear.

Where are you? A couple of us will be driving up thru VT just into Canada in July; maybe we could stop by for tea!

[cali]

8. Please do! I think you'd find it a magical experience.

http://www.perennialpleasures.net/index.html

[Batgirl]

34. That place looks cool!

And, it's good to hear positive news and that things are looking up in some places.

[Kaylee]

40. I love it! Such a beautiful atmosphere to just sit and enjoy life.

Now, you have me looking for outdoor tea gardens in the Maryland area! :hi:

[ThomWV]

7. Dear sweet Jesus - I sure hope the gowns don't drag in the mud.

It isn't often that you get to see a post that is so out of touch with reality.

"We're in a fairly impoverished area, and though we get lots of summer people", "prices here aren't cheap", "It's a nursery/tea house/gift shop", "we serve teas and light lunches in the garden", "the work is massively labor intensive".

Do you have any idea what real hard work is like? "Massively labor intensive" indeed; building the Great Wall of China was massively labor intensive, boiling some water and hauling cups to a garden table is not.

[liberalmuse]

9. Why the need to be so rude?

I'm reading this nice thread and this post just ruined it. You do not know the person you are so harshly judging. You've no idea what they do in a day. You forget your manners- common courtesy. I see more and more of this on DU and it is sad. I thought liberals were better than this.

[elleng]

20. Manners?

From wv, after all. 'COMMON' courtesy: VERY common.

and 'Dear Sweet Jesus' must have forgotten 'Do unto others' that Sunday.

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[elleng]

26. YOUR behavior is very common,

and you're repeating it.

My daughter attends WVU, and is very happy there and with her WV friends. The POST does not demean real work; people like you do, with your ignorant assumptions and crass language.

[ThomWV]

23. Because its a fucking insult - just a plain and simple insult

And if you don't get it I presume you've never done a day's worth of actual work in your life either.

[izquierdista]

25. Go back to ripping the top off your mountain

Work doesn't have to be brutal and brutalize everything around to be hard. Some of the hardest work is remediating what is left after such hard workers have made their mess.

[cali]

32. Just got home from having worked my butt off all

you are a clueless little man.

[inna]

46. exactly.

"Why the need to be so rude?

I'm reading this nice thread and this post just ruined it. You do not know the person you are so harshly judging. You've no idea what they do in a day. You forget your manners- common courtesy. I see more and more of this on DU and it is sad."


:(

[cali]

10. Gowns my ass. Massively labor intensive is field growing flowers and herbs

and keeping threee acres of gardens in good shape. Massively labor intensive is working 10 hours a day in a tiny, funky hot kitchen. yeah, I think I know. And we serve more farmers, loggers and retired people on small fixed incomes than we do "ladies in gowns". Yes, it's unique and quirky and yes it's massively hard work for a small return.

[inna]

47. you rock! great post, and the OP too.

:applause:

thank you and please don't be upset by "rude people"! :)


(will rec this thread as soon as i'm done with this post.)

[lpbk2713]

13. Had your coffee yet?

:eyes:

[Ikonoklast]

44. They just might have home-made baked goods to go with the tea.

And if you don't think scratch-made bakery isn't labor intensive...

[cali]

49. I bake everything but the bread for tea sandwiches. Scones

cakes, tarts, etc from scratch. We use organic local produce (mostly) for savory tarts. And the gardening is very labor intensive. Keeping three acres of gardens in shape doesn't just magically happen.

[Frank Cannon]

11. Well, since I'm one of those in jeopardy of imminently losing their home...

just take my word for it that the economy is plenty bad enough.

Enjoy your tea on the terrace, though.

[cali]

14. Yes, the group of retired hardscrablble farmers- some missing teeth

one in a walker, did enjoy tea on the terrace yesterday. So did the 2 mentally challenged folks from a local group home along with their workers, as well as the nationally known photographer. And it was my great pleasure to serve all of them.

[etherealtruth]

15. Michigan

I thought the economy would be a little better here, by this time. We continue to bleed jobs.

The services and products geared to the more affluent segments of our area are suffering greatly, as well.

Michigan.

[madrchsod]

17. it`s going to take years to see any real growth in the economy

there`s going to be at least one generation that will see no real economic gain.

the united states will never see the standard of living we had from 1945 to the mid 70`s. those days are going to be looked upon as the middle class golden age.

[nevergiveup]

18. I am happy for you

I have a small retail/mail order business in the midwest. For 35 years we have had steady growth but last fall the bottom began to fall out and we are now going day to day trying to survive. If anyone in the past had ever told me that business could be this bad I would have laughed at them. Most of my suppliers which are also small American companies are also struggling. I don't know what you are doing but keep doing it and count your blessings.

[cali]

19. I'm sorry to hear things are so bad for you.

My friend has been doing this business for 25 years and it's year to year every year- it's seasonal of course. I think sehs' finally just getting the renown she deserves. And I think what we do well is great attention to customers- and we're quirky as all get out. Hope things look up for you soon.

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

21. I expected things to be worse by now, also. Granholm is shutting 8 prisons down in MI

5 are in Northern Michigan. Guess it's just takes time for things to get worse. Most seem to be not aware of the reality of our economy.

Checked out your link for flowers and tea, what a Beautiful place to work!

[cali]

22. thanks. it really is a labor of love

Rachel and her mom have put their heart and soul inot it. There was nothing there but overgrown scrub when they started. I run the tea room and do the cooking. They're my closest friends in the world so it's great to see things going well.

[siligut]

27. Thank you for your perspective.

The economy has been very confusing. We listen to the business news daily and there has been some hope that things are turning around.

[fasttense]

28. I think that good places, run by good managers, offering

a decent product/service are sometimes the last to be affected. Economic downturns always affect businesses with poor management first and mostly. Not that good businesses don't crash with bad times, but the poorly managed fail first and most frequently.

But one of the reasons I think your place is not suffering is that you provide gardening/nursery items. Just about anything having to do with farming or gardening is doing great this year. People are afraid that the next monopoly to fail will be Agribusiness and so they are flocking to just about anything that offers a way around Agribusiness.

Another reason is that the major difference between this 2nd Republicon Great Depression and the last one is that food prices are not crashing and farmers are not going out of business (farmers being one of your major customers). In fact commodity prices have gone up. Agribusiness has pretty well wiped out all the small farmers that weren't dedicated to it. So the remaining small farmers are tough, well managed, determined folks. They know that if they keep working hard, they will survive this economic disaster better than other businesses and that they will at least be able to feed their families.

So you seem to have picked a good niche to work in during these coming tough times.

My Grandfather lived through the first Republicon Great Depression as a baker. He and his family had plenty of food when others around him were starving, thanks to his considerate boss. The food industry is a good place to be (especially a well run, good restaurant) when times get tough.

[Hannah Bell]

35. "tough, well managed, determined folks" - or trust-funders.

i know some of them. they can afford to lose some money for quite a few years.

[cali]

38. no, my friends aren't trust funders.

they've worked their asses off to build their business for almost 30 years.

[Hannah Bell]

45. didn't say word one about your friends.

wasn't even talking to you or about you.

[TWiley]

29. The equity markets just ended the best run-up in 30 years

Two things here.

First, the equity markets are forward-looking (by 3 to 6 months usually) meaning that recovery takes place there first and then out into the broader economy later.

Second, "bear markets" end, on average, by producing 17% of the ensuing bull market run in the first 30 days. By the end of 90 days, the run-up generally hits about 25% of the total recovery in the equity market. The stock increases since March 6th have followed the historic trend.

Two thirds of the US economy is made up by people spending. The link from equity markets to the broader economy includes two channels related to consumer spending. First, people tend to act rich if they feel rich, and act poor if they feel poor. As 401k balances and home prices increase, people feel richer, and act richer. Second, the increase in spending first creates overtime for the working, and then jobs for the unemployed.

Add to this scenario government intervention (less than 10% has been implemented) which I feel will help to bring the economic disaster of the bush era to an end.

There is still bad news ahead. Thousands more will loose their jobs and homes. However, we do seem to be on track to begin recovery later this summer or in early fall.

That is my guess, and I have been making small plans around it.

[siligut]

30. This has been my reaction also, with some trepidation.

Your guess is as good as any.

[lilyreally]

31. Restaurant work and nursing...

I've done them both and it is hard to compare which one was the the most grueling physically. Certainly after both I would come home often with blisters on my feet, certainly with Charlie horse cramps in my legs. Back ache, neck ache, sprains from falling on greasy floors, wrenched joints from patients going into DT's. Count the bulging veins in my legs to see how many hours they've logged on hard cement floors.

Bless you honey!

[Hannah Bell]

33. vt unemployment rate april = 7.1%. US = 9.4%. MI = 12.4%. My town = 15%.

my county = 15%.

and rising.

[Hannah Bell]

36. VT: Job and employment losses moderated in April with the state actually growing employment

over the month. While this may be a sign of stability, it is still too early to say that the job market has turned the corner. Job gains took place mostly in construction where we would expect a seasonal boost and where the early use of Government Stimulus Funds has been focused."


http://www.vtlmi.info/

[kentuck]

37. Maybe this is the calm before the storm?

And we have not seen the worst of it yet? Maybe?

[shadowknows69]

39. For some of us it's been disastrous for years

With no sign of slowing on my family's front. Glad someone is doing ok.

[cali]

41. I can't begin to tell you the work that

has gone into this business. It was nothing but overgrown fields when they started it. Now there's everything from a little sod roofed stuga with a tiny woodburning stove, table and bed, to beautiful bentwood arbors, hedge enclosed herb garden, poetry garden, statuary and little pools, etc. And all of it was done on the most shoe string of budgets by very creative people. They're still barely eking out a living, but what they've created is so beautiful.

[shadowknows69]

43. I've been a small business owner, sadly didn't survive.

Sincerely I'm glad someone is still able to make a go of it in this mess.

[inna]

48. beautiful indeed! (i saw the website) :)

power to you and again, thank you for a positive and inspiring post. :)

[sendero]

42. Businesses are closing left and right..

... hear in north TX, even though the basic numbers around here (employment, housing prices) are doing better than 90% of the country.