I am happy beyond all expectations on this otherwise dismal day. Not only have we received our renewed license to sell nursery stock, today was our Department of Agriculture inspection. We passed easily without problems, and with a notation that our plants all are healthy. Not too shabby for a two person operation, one of whom has pneumonia and the other is recovering from a broken wrist!
He was especially taken with all the environmentally sound improvements and plantings, the beds of native wildflowers, the young orchards, and use of recycled materials for mulch. His highest praise was on behalf of my Truelove's many young home-grafted fruit trees for this year and next year's sales.
Now we are free to open our farm stand and start the flow of income again. I had been feeling the pressure of all the delayed work that all should have been done two months ago. Recent visitors had added to the dismay by seeing none of the accomplishments and all of the unfinished work and piles of downed firewood, greenhouse materials, etc.
The inspector not only conducted the inspection in a professional and informative way, he took the time on his busy day to encourage our efforts and applaud our accomplishments over the last long and difficult year. Gratitude is too mild an adverb to describe my feelings and sense of relief.