Got the keys...

We are very excited to get things rolling in our new space on Main St. in KCMO. It's going to be a couple weeks of demolition & minor construction before it's functional. 4 blocks from home, I can once again walk to work before my coffee is drinking temperature.

Time Capsule: The day arrived

The day the new-to-us roaster arrived, was a head-scratching day. The main question on my mind was, how am I going to get this 300 pound piece of steel down 9-10 steps? At the same time, how was I to keep it & myself in working order after the job was done?

Enter friend, & think-tank, Randy. He brings a stout perseverance to any table he approaches. I knew he would be interested in helping solve this problem.

At this point, the roaster is in a crate (about the size of a couple refrigerators)outside the shop. It's perhaps 38 degrees, & sunny. At my disposal, I have a fantastic oversized scraper a friend made for me in N.C. It was designed to scrape the underside of a two bag coffee roaster cooling tray. It's a fine piece of steel. It has been used as a pull up bar, an ice breaker, & potential self-defense weapon. Now it was being used as a pry-bar, and a lever to inch the half-crated roaster towards the shop door.

Randy arrives, we take a coffee break.

Break over, we head back outside & deliberate the preferred methods of overcoming this obstacle. Half-hearted attempts at mumbling brilliant solutions exit our lips, and dissipate weakly into little plumes of steam.

Enter friend #2: Wes. Phone call:"hey man, I was wondering if you were roasting today, and I could swing by and pick up a bag of coffee?" Me:"um, yep. C'mon by..." My response upturned not so casually at the last second with the optimism of a guy who truly almost believes this substantial task will "just take a second."

Accelerating the story now, Wes arrives, we all deliberate, and start moving the mother towards the doorway. Maybe we lugged it up a step onto the landing, when the idea that had been brewing, slowly dawned on me. One must draw upon what one has to work with when one is in a position of challenge, no?

Being a climber has aided me in a number of applications, as it helped me this day. I grabbed my harness, tied in, and tossed the rope over one of the supports of the warehouse. After tying the rope to the roaster, the fine citizen, Andy Michael stood near to grab on and hang off of me as I dangle. Wes & Randy lifted as I hoisted & Andy hung.

As you can see by the picture, the roaster and I made it in one piece. The other fellas survived as well. "Welcome to the coffee industry," I said, as another of the many foolish things done in the name of coffee roasting was finished.

We are moving the roaster again in a week. However, we will utilize the roll up door this time.

Post Ric Rac

Saturday was a good time. It was hot, it was breezy, & many folks came out to forage on the goodness that was there. We enjoyed meeting lots of new people, and a few who came back for more from last year.

Right @ 4 p.m., the storm came and threatened to blow us away. I think everyone got soaked in the effort to protect any goods the rain might pain. It's been a long time since I have been that wet from a warm summer rain. I definitely took a few minutes to stand and take it in.

Also, Friday night, we went out to check out the I-70 latte art competition @ the Roasterie. Thanks to them for hosting the event. It was fun to have the greater Kansas City baristas & roasters in attendance. We met some new folks & enjoyed connecting once again with some current ones. We are hopeful for the the progressing state of the coffee community here in K.C.

Cheers to you, coffee freaks.

we're back & inspired

Yep, we're back. Colorado was amazing. We were blown away by all we expected to be - creation, culture, people, altitude & positive attitudes. It's inspiring to see people going for it. Going for what? Pursuing passions & augmenting local community is the 'it' that fuels our fire.

I will expound on that thought process in the near future. This week, we are preparing, gearing for the Ric Rac Roundup in Westport KCMO this weekend. It's a collective bizarre bazaar of local artists and craftspeople. Last year was great, and we are honored to be back again.

We will be selling whole bean, fresh roasted coffees in printed and illustrated bags, as well as fresh & chilly toddy. We are experimenting on what coffee to serve, and I am leaning towards a washed Ethiopian Sidamo. It's complex, with a soft,warm-canned peach flavor, with big cocoa tones. What better to drink on a hot midwestern plains day? Beer? Touche.

a post @ long last, & inspiration ho

photo:Brandon Hill

It's been a while since we have last posted(thanks for the nudge, Brian!). If you check this blog regularly, this is no surprise. Organization and consistency not strong points for me (switching from we to me to lay the proper rebuke). That said, it is time to update.

Oddly Correct is ever changing, it seems, in location & roasting situations. We are currently @ threehouse, with Jer Collins (check this film out) and the Howdeshells duo(trio). It's been great, however, we are moving on to a new space with wholesale back room for roasting & printing, and a retail front, so coffee freaks can find us easier. More to come on that in August & September.

Over the past couple of years, much inspiration has been absorbed in terms of how life can be lived more fully in relation to the place we live, the communities we are part of, and the work we do for income(oh, and that which we are passionate - the two can be one!). I will write in more detail on this. One of the main points of inspiration occured @ New Belgium Brewery in Fort Collins, CO.

My friend, Ryan, & his family were moving to Portland, OR. I was asked to accompany him on the journey west, in a Uhaul trailing a Volvo, for 5 days with a dog and no timeline. I accepted the offer. I was expecting to be inspired, because - hey, it's the west! However, I did not expect to be blown away as much as I was by the culture that surrounds New Belgium, in terms of a lifestyle of work & family & play.

Sarah, my wife, & I are headed out west for some inspiration, rest and much needed climbing time together. We will be hitting up Boulder, CO, first, and then up to Fort Collins to catch the brewery tour, and then we nestle ourselves here(click & enjoy).

Talk to you on the other side,

xogrk

some fresh (hammer)press

we are excited to be on the shelf of our favorite letterpress slash general store, Hammerpress, here in Kansas City.

Stop in and check out their fine goods.

Article here

hello again

Spring is here, and it's time to get physical again. We have been monkeying around all winter climbing and hanging on things. It's time for some cardio, now that a 3 season biker can endure the weather. Friday home delivery for Midtown-ish KC folks is in effect. Orders received by Wednesday night/Thursday morning will be delivered to doorsteps on Friday.