Diversification

It seems that recession is on the way. I could have told them that some time ago. The bow making business is the same as ever but it's the selling that has slowed to a grinding halt. English longbows are a luxury item and it's these lavish goods that are the first to go to the wall in troubled times. A bit like new narrowboats. The builders are going to suffer over the next year as the number of new builds decrease, the number of boats on the second hand market increase and prices fall.

However, farmers are always told to diversify, to try other methods of making money, to use their land for other purposes and this seems like a very good idea. There are many wooden items on boats from cratch boards to virtually anything on the inside. I have the tools, I'll have the workshop, I am soon to gain the experience so I think that the openings are obvious. It really depends on the quality of the fit out .

On the subject of cratch boards, they contain about six main pieces of wood and some mouldings, a method of joining them together, some screws and maybe a bit of glass. Manufacturers charge between £300 and £650 for these and would probably take a day to knock up. I'm in the wrong business. Making a good longbow takes a lot more skill than making cratch boards or am I missing something. I'm probably missing something. That's what Lisa says anyway.

Terri's back from uni tomorrow and it'll be good to see her. She has little enthusiasm for the boat and we had to wait until she left home to allow ourselves to order it. The second bedroom on the plan is hers, if she ever wants it. Personally I would have extended my workshop and she could have slept in the lounge but I don't make the decisions around here. I only think I do.