Quail_Antwerp: Words from the Barnyard...

[Denim Deb]

I had that in high school. I had a car, so all these people that didn't have any use for me suddenly wanted to be my friend so they could get a ride. I put a can in my car, told people if they wanted a ride, they could contribute to the cost by putting some money in the can. They all stopped asking reaaaaaaal quick!

 

[Farmfresh]

Possibly they are just a little (or a lot) out of touch with costs.

I doubt they are trying to cheat you, but they are very frugal and probably have NO idea about the costs incurred. How about a little notebook full of pricing info? Hand it to anyone who is disputing a charge.

First, I would find out what their average hourly wage is when working off farm and they charge them an equal amount (prorated when necessary) for your TIME and driving experience.

I would also make them a written itemized list of your costs, including insurance, gas, oil, and other maintenance fluids. I would include a box with prices for tires, batteries, wipers and a blue book print out of what your van would cost to replace.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

I don't want anyone to think I think ill of the Amish, I'm just frustrated with a few of them around here.

This particular Amish person and his wife told me that they heard other Amish were upset that we raised our rates by a nickel. A nickel! The wife said she understood, because gas is high, and we can't drive for nothing - but then they turn around and ask me if they could just pay $55 for a trip that by mileage would be $75 and would cost me at the very least $20 in gas to boot. Plus, I'd be gone for nearly 3 hours.

Amish around here don't charge for work off farm by the hour, they charge by the day. they charge $100 per day, per person working. They usually only work for 6 hours a day off farm because they have to get home to do chores and feed veal calves.

FarmFresh - all good suggestions, but I am telling you, I can show them in Black and White what it costs, and they won't believe us. E likes your suggestions, so we might have to try that and see what reactions are.

They don't consider our time as a factor, nor do they want to pay us for our time. They want to pay mileage, and that's it.

For example, a typical shopping trip to New Phila is 35 miles one way to Walmart. But, they don't just go to Walmart...they go to thrift stores, all the dollar stores, etc. So a 70 mile roundtrip becomes more like an 80 mile round trip and costs close to $30 in gas (at the current gas prices, was less before). So that's $52 and their shopping trips usually take 6-8 hours - UNLESS you go to Holmes County shopping (which is over 100 miles round trip) then it's usually an 8-10 hour trip. On the Holmes County trips, the kids get home from school before I do. Thank goodness E is home on those days!!

So, that 80 mile shopping trip, I only make $22 after gas costs. Not worth it, IMO. That's not even the cost of an oil change!

E gets more per mile for the truck, but he's stopped using his truck for Amish.

As for frugal, I don't think our Amish are, or they wouldn't call for a driver to take them 1.5 miles up the road. That's what I'm doing now. An Amish guy wants a ride to his mill every day. It's 7 miles from my house, but only 1.5 miles from his house. He said he's just tired of walking. Then he didn't want to pay what I told him it cost (same guy who called for the trip for his wife tomorrow that I'm not doing).

Here's another example.

There's an Amish family 1 mile behind our house. Another amish family lives 1.5 miles the opposite direction. The family 1.5 miles from us will call us to take them to the Amish house 1 mile behind us, and want us to wait 45 minutes to an hour while they visit or whatever and then take them home. That's only 5 miles round trip - but they pay a flat $10 every time.

We know another driver that gets paid $600 a week to drive an Amish crew to their mill site (it's a portable mill so the sites change). BUT the Amish men who split his pay expect him to drive their wives anywhere they need to go all week long without extra pay. no matter mileage or his time, $600 is the most they will pay him. And they get mad if he has to do something for his own family instead of driving them.

The school driver gets $350 per week per school - there's 2 schools. I'd like that job!

 

[abifae]

Sounds like you just need very firm rules. This is the new cost. It will change as gas prices go up. The end. Take it or leave it.

I had to do that with people and had the same results Deb did

eta: definitely didn't think you were bad mouthing any group in general, just a person's behavior in specific.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

I don't think anyone really thought I was bad mouthing, but I understand that there may be concern that it could have turned into amish bashing - and I don't want that at all.

I've told E we should type up our price list and tape it to the dash of the van. Or something.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

I can't believe it - THE RAIN STOPPED!!

For how long? who knows!

but I've already been out, fed the chooks, let the goat out, cleaned out the bourbon red's brood pen, and now I'm going to be heading out to mow - yes mow - while I can!

Happy Wednesday!! and

 

[Javamama]

Stop staring at the lamp QA, that ain't the sun

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

we go outside - start to tinker around...and then come back in to get drinks and make lunch .....

FIL pulls up the driveway and the rain comes with him.

It's all his fault!

 

[keljonma]

The sun showed itself for an entire 5 minutes! We're getting THUNDERSTORMS here now.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

KELJONMA! CHECK YOUR PM'S!!