22-Dec-2008
Dear Elder & Sister Hansen, and all my kids away,
To start off, here is a series of emails to all of the Priesthood leaders in the Eight Stakes, then a request for clarification from (your mother), and a response from one of the High Councilors from the Fresno East Stake, and my response to them concerning the huge loss of crop that we experienced.
-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Jamie Hansen
Dear Stake Presidencies, High Councilors, Bishoprics etc.,
I just got final notice from the packer (SUN-MAID), of our totals. We have 326,704 lbs of "meeting grade fruit", which equals 163.352 tons for the 2008 harvest. This is approximately 100,000 lbs or 50 tons less than our potential. Judging by Tray Counts & Sugar Readings (comparing them with previous years), we should have had a record setting crop somewhere in the range of 420,000 to 430,000 lbs (210 to 215 tons) [The old record was 208 tons in 2003 harvest].
There are many mitigating circumstances leading to this HUGE loss, and no way to sugar coat it, or diplomatically in my reports to the General Welfare Committee and the Prophet in Salt Lake, or in my prayers to the Lord at the end of the day, say it any other way than, it was mostly caused by our failure to roll the raisins up (especially in the sandy areas) in a timely manner, and they became over dried.
Jamie Hansen
From: Jamie Hansen
Dear Stake Presidencies, High Councilors, Bishoprics etc.,
I just got final notice from the packer (SUN-MAID), of our totals. We have 326,704 lbs of "meeting grade fruit", which equals 163.352 tons for the 2008 harvest. This is approximately 100,000 lbs or 50 tons less than our potential. Judging by Tray Counts & Sugar Readings (comparing them with previous years), we should have had a record setting crop somewhere in the range of 420,000 to 430,000 lbs (210 to 215 tons) [The old record was 208 tons in 2003 harvest].
There are many mitigating circumstances leading to this HUGE loss, and no way to sugar coat it, or diplomatically in my reports to the General Welfare Committee and the Prophet in Salt Lake, or in my prayers to the Lord at the end of the day, say it any other way than, it was mostly caused by our failure to roll the raisins up (especially in the sandy areas) in a timely manner, and they became over dried.
Jamie Hansen
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Subject: Re: 2008 Harvest Weight Finals - 18-Dec-08
Jamie,
Jamie,
Please translate this for me. Does this mean we lost 1/4 of our crop, because we did not come and roll the raisins when we were asked to come? So, they got too dry? After all the hard work? This is very sad.
Susan
Susan
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Susan,
Yes, we lost almost ¼ of our crop because we did not roll it up in time, and it over dried.
Jamie
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Jamie,
I do not remember the circumstances surrounding the issue of not getting the rolling done on time. I think we may want to develop a SWAT team to take care of emergency situations when they occur. I am pretty sure that we may not have responded correctly to the need. I think the problem was and is more on the Stake level than a Farm Management problem. I do not know exactly what or how to handle the need; I will make it a matter of prayer and see what understanding I can receive.
Richard M
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Richard M
Richard et al,
Your Stake for the most part was no more than 2 or 3 days late in the Sandy areas on some rows; As was the case for most of the Stakes/Wards in the northern half (2nd week of picking) of the vineyard. But 2 or 3 days added up. I would say a majority of the rows were done late in all Stakes (for the sandy areas). Then we also had a communication problem in getting people to roll the right areas first. As some workers would come and roll whole rows, when it would be better to do two half rows of the upper sandy soil, than one complete row; or would start rolling up on a row that was picked last (when it should have been rolled last). Adding to that, if people did "creative rolling" instead of the way we asked them to roll, and had parts of the roll left exposed instead of fully enclosed, then those bundles continued to dry out. This was especially intensified in the southern half (1st week of picking), because of the higher temperatures, plus some rows were a full week or more late in rolling the raisins (more intense heat and longer duration of exposure). In many cases the amount of man power initially sent out from a Ward was sufficient to do the sandy areas, they just needed to work on the right rows and in the right areas of the row. Then the rest of the rows (and heavier soil areas) could have been done by the follow up crews with minimal over drying. [Again this is using the exact same man hours, just using them more efficiently – in the right areas first, we would have had an additional 25 to 30 tons of meeting grade fruit.]
Jamie
Your Stake for the most part was no more than 2 or 3 days late in the Sandy areas on some rows; As was the case for most of the Stakes/Wards in the northern half (2nd week of picking) of the vineyard. But 2 or 3 days added up. I would say a majority of the rows were done late in all Stakes (for the sandy areas). Then we also had a communication problem in getting people to roll the right areas first. As some workers would come and roll whole rows, when it would be better to do two half rows of the upper sandy soil, than one complete row; or would start rolling up on a row that was picked last (when it should have been rolled last). Adding to that, if people did "creative rolling" instead of the way we asked them to roll, and had parts of the roll left exposed instead of fully enclosed, then those bundles continued to dry out. This was especially intensified in the southern half (1st week of picking), because of the higher temperatures, plus some rows were a full week or more late in rolling the raisins (more intense heat and longer duration of exposure). In many cases the amount of man power initially sent out from a Ward was sufficient to do the sandy areas, they just needed to work on the right rows and in the right areas of the row. Then the rest of the rows (and heavier soil areas) could have been done by the follow up crews with minimal over drying. [Again this is using the exact same man hours, just using them more efficiently – in the right areas first, we would have had an additional 25 to 30 tons of meeting grade fruit.]
Jamie
We had a Great Christmas program with a musical presentation that was composed and directed by Sister M who put her heart and soul into it, and it showed in her face as she conducted the choir and numbers (which included two flute players – Megan F and Paige P, and Floyd F on the cello. These instrumental parts added so much to the feel and atmosphere of the numbers, and made it that much more special, it truly brought the Spirit into the meeting; especially Bro. F on the cello, his music in and of itself is so pure and soothing, but added to that, knowing him – the man behind the bow and strings, and his life is one of never ending, selfless service to others; His humility and testimony show through in his mesmerizing music like a brilliant light in a darkened world, he is making an offering to the Lord of his talent, and it is his gift to the Christ Child, and to all the rest of us, the yearnings of his soul played out in melodic form, complimenting his gifts of other talents and labors of love).
It was interspersed with 3 talks by Reggie A (his time as a Missionary showed in the power and depth of his testimony of the Savior), Bishop B (who told of the Christmas story itself and his wise insights), and then the concluding speaker was Sister Karen B who gave one of the most touching Christmas talks ever. Among other things, she told of her parents with 9 children, and limited means. On one hand having a baby in diapers and on the other trying to furnish their brother to serve a mission, in the dead of winter without a dryer; And one morning waking up to a new dryer wrapped in a bow on the front porch. Then a few days later a cab delivered from an anonymous donor new clothes and supplies for their missionary. She told that how on one hand her parents felt humiliated and embarrassed that others felt the need to give them things, but on the other hand a great sense of gratitude and feeling of love from those who cared for them so much to do this for them.
There were many times that day that tears brimmed in my eyes and dripped down my cheeks, and at times was so choked up by the message of the words and feeling of the music, that I could not sing, but the tank about ran out during Sister B’s talk.
May each of you feel the presence of the Savior at this special time of the year.
Jamie
Jamie
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