Kevin the Well Digger is ready to start looking for water.

Your Scribe called him this week, and asked if trying to locate water in a so-called drought would be a counterproductive idea. If the water table is down, will it be harder to find?

But Kevin said no. "If it's there, I'll find it."

I am reluctant to report that Kevin doesn't guaranteee the well. "I dig a hole, and if there is water there, you have a well."

One advantage of the dry weather is that Kevin is willing to take his machine into (the perimeter) of the forest. Two outdoorsmen before him, Bob the Woodsman and Gary the Energetic Logger, never did start taking down trees as contracted because they said the woods was too wet.

(An aside: Gary has started a firewood business, with a big sign at the intersection of Routes 2 and 27 in Franklin County. Perhaps he will want some more wood if the business goes well).

One positive aspect about Kevin's work is that he does not buy the stone or tile for the well until he finds the water. Cost will be about $3,000 if he does build the whole well but I don't know what it will be if I only have a deep hole.

Nor would I know what to do with just a deep hole. (An aside: One of my economic mantras is "The U.S. is the Saudi Arabia of coal." But I don't think there is much coal in Maine).

It will be good to have water at the camp. I am planning a bigger garden next year. Plus, if there was a fire-related emergency, water would be essential.

I am going to see if Kevin will take down some more trees. Because of a clear-cut across the road, the Blue Mountains of western Maine will be in view if we can just knock down a few poplars.

I am looking into solar power for the camp. Right now, there's not enough sunlight to make that possible. Leveling a few trees will help.

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