News letter faa 22022022
Short hi, Introduction
It has been a third year in a row when I've shared with you what I've been up to summarizing the happenings into my yearly personal news letter, the summary about Cidrerie Jara project can be found here. First of all apologies to many of you, with whom I'm in touch but somehow I did not contacted you by email when the letter went life last two times. I've tried to write everyone personally but it doesn't work, I don't reach out to even half of the people I would like to. Therefore I've decided to change a strategy and I'll send the announcement as a mass email, I don't like it but in this manner nearly everyone gets at least "little hi" from me. Depending on how much the time allows I'll write to you personally later. Please one way or other, if you have the moment and you feel like, just send me a note, I would be very happy and do my best to answer.
Last Year developments
Now what I've been up to last year around this time? Well as it has been a standard for past several years around February I've been getting ready for bottling of my cider. In the same time I've been working for cidrerie Vergers de Ducy helping them with their season and putting some of my knowledge and experience into practice but rather learning how bigger installation like this operates. It has been my fifth year in France. Well in certain way non of that is true anymore. Because of the warm winter, I'm most likely to distill all my cider this year rather than to bottle it, it fermented too quickly. That would be the biggest difference and by the way the cider bottled last year developed really nicely! My working contract has ended in April last year and I decided to dedicate time to my cider activities and to work on our family house in Czech Republic a bit during the summer. As for living in France, well I'm still present there, I'm for sure keeping there my legal credentials, cider production and place to stay, my caravans. However since December 2021 I'm in Switzerland where I'm now working, actually finishing first job in restaurant as waiter and looking now for second contract somewhere else. For me, importantly, after several years I've met someone very special, so I'm very happy to share my days again in a close relation ship. My original plan was to stay in Switzerland till this autumn, leaving for two months and half for France for cider season, that still holds and spend here next winter, to earn money to continue supporting my cider project, that is also still valid.However it is very likely that I'll be staying till summer next year but we will see about it, it has to be discussed.
Bit about cider
Now I've slightly touched my professional project Cidrerie Jara, as I said at the beginning of the news letter for more up to date and more detailed info check the project directly, however just few words on the topic because it is my main professional endeavor. The 2021 season, which means 2021 autumn harvesting season and fermentation during 2021/2022 winter and later on bottling and distillation activities in the spring 2022, is my sixth cider season and third professional one. Compared to the 2021 season, I've increased the transformation from around 18 tonnes, resulting in 110 hl = 11 000 l of moût/juice, to 30 tonnes, resulting in 210 hl = 21 000 l. This size is being in cider circles considered a minimal one for full time professional occupation. That is one of the main reasons why even when having very limited finances I decided to go for it. I was very happy for help of several of my friends, including some of my country-men and country-ladies. It helped me very much because I could physically relax and you know, it was the way how I would like to do it in the future, together as a community activity with me taking care about the organization, planning and putting my energy in it. Because of the warm winter I'll most likely not bottle this year, the cider fermented too quickly and I do have no need for extra-bruts and total-bruts because I've enough from previous two seasons, still having well over 4 000x of 75 cl bottles of bruts, the total stock of cider actually being more than 10 000 bottles some of them 37.5 cl, I'm well stocked for this year 2022 and most of the 2023. The season costed so far around 9 000€ in apples, materials and service and I expect another 2 000 to 3 000€ to finish it properly. This means if there is no bottling, that would count for another 2 000€ or so for some 2 000 bottles or so. My previous predictions were investments of around 12 000€ into processing of 30 tonnes which would with proper bottling of around 7 000 of 75 cl bottles be an underestimation by 3 000€ to 4 000€ but with the increases of prices and investments into fermentation vessels it was not so far off, I would say 2 000€ off. For next, 2022 season, if again 30 tonnes are transformed and around 7 000 of 75 cl bottles bottled, 15 000€ of investments should be adequate.
Plans for Summer&Autumn 2022
I love to plan, in the same time I definitely like to have some space for changes and it seems like that the development of the world in the last few years is giving me a plenty of opportunities to sharpen my "flexibility skills". As mentioned above my main professional focus is on promotion of my cider and related products starting to sell them in bigger quantities especially through professionals, that is the number one. On personal level, I would like to dedicate adequate time to my family and my girlfriend, share some quality time with person who is close to my heart. In the past four years my parents died and it made me more profoundly realize that we are not here forever and thou I feel it is important to do in our lives what we feel should, having time for the closest ones is the life it it's essence. Because I have to pay back money I've invested into my project, now around 27 000€ in total (including this season which I'm finishing to pay off), I need to work in some job, income from sale of cider is not sufficient yet. It seems to me reasonable to aim for 80% contract somewhere because full-time would be limiting me too much both in promoting my products and spending time together. I hope to find something reasonable within March latest beginning of April, if I could put aside from the wages around 1 500€ per month I would be quite happy. By mid of September I need to finish in the job and dedicate next two and half months to cider season in Normandie. I've now two caravans there, I would like to put up 5x10m tent (the Food Hacking Base (fhb) classic) and fill it with a field kitchen, build up simple toilets and shower and hope that people who are into the cider and would like to spend some time in Normandie by doing something meaningful will find their way to join the project. If you read it as an invitation, you are right, if interested talk to me, I really need help and I think we can figure out something nice for both sides ranging from few to several days stay till longer. Still keep in mind, it is the most important part of the cider season, really busy time, not a holiday and it is important to keep the atmosphere of "diligence" in the air. But of course having time off is very important.
Winter 2022/2023 and further
Now based on the development of the world in the past few to several years I've made some prognoses and plans. For years I wanted to take at least week or two after the cider season, beginning or mid of December, as a holiday and go somewhere for thermals, if I could do that, I would be very happy, my body asks for that. It seems like I'll need to do one more winter season and work also during spring to earn money in Switzerland. I need it both to support myself and the business but also my girlfriend is likely to finish her university studies by summer 2023, so till than we stick to it. After that I really do not know. It depends a lot how well my cider sells. If things go well, than I would love to go around the world for few months at least, traveling and promoting my products. Autumn is quite clear, every year, cider season again.
As you have read many times ago, I would like to buy a land in the countryside somewhere aside and live there starting a community which would be quiet independent. Lets be honest with the prices of land and properties, even the ones which are for demolition, going up a lot, this is more and more difficult. In the same time when I see what is happening around us, I think it is still the best thing which I can do, even when it will be quite challenging.
