Friday, November 9, 2012

A Burns Family Blessed Year

This year has been extraordinary for the Burns family.

Our son David, about to be a parent for the first time
and our son Seth, US Marine
It has been hectic, with a lot of work, but also some big changes to our family. Our business nearly tripled this year, and while that certainly is a blessing, also meant hiring and training new employees, some of whom are family members, and others who have become lifelong friends.(It's always a blessing to hire family members but presents unique situations of its own.) We had one daughter get married, one son become a US Marine, and another son announce a new grand baby for us on the way. (That will be 6 total!).  We have been able to take a couple of short trips to Chicago and Iowa, David got to participate in this year's EAS in Vermont, and we spent a week in beautiful San Diego, California and saw the Pacific ocean for the first time. Our family reunion was held in July in Southern Illinois, and we also held a record number of weekend classes and workshops for our business.  Customers have been great (as usual) and while most of our business is online, have been able to meet quite a few of them who venture out here to corn land to see us on our farm. We are currently building a new classroom/learning center facility here at our farm to house our classes for this coming year and getting ready to plan the holidays coming up soon (with 6 children, and (almost) 6 grandchildren, plus spouses, we can fill up a house fast!)

Our new Learning Center

We are looking at a few weeks here at the end of the year to be quiet, calm and peaceful--and then the RED ZONE time for us starts --from about mid January to July when the bee season blasts off.

I hope you find the rest of 2012 to be peaceful and relaxing.  Have fun with your family.


1 comment:

DENA said...

Hi came across your blog from your other web site, i was just looking up , how to start beekeeping? Love both sites and plan to read them all, I'm just a little older than you , but we have so much in common, i have 6 children , 5 boys 1 girl, daughter has 3 girls and son has 1 girl and told me yesterday one on the way, youngest is in the army at fort sills,ok. I would like to get into bee keeping, but not sure if I'm allergic? I got stung a few years back and my arm was swollen a lot, I take in unwanted birds, parakeets, cocktails, finches . also have 2 pheasants , and 2 chickens,Your blog is inspiring , and will continue to read it , Sounds like your life is truly blessed and your living the american dream. Best of luck, if and when I'm ready to start beekeeping ,i will be in touch , i can see you know what your doing, would love to attend your classes , but not in the area.THANKS