New Toy

This baby's got a flywheel, height adjusters, and a three-spool roller. Yep, all that and it was free (props to Meg's mom).

We mentioned a while back that the grass around here doesn't get cut that often. To be a bit more accurate, it's only been cut three times so far this year. I've got to admit that it is quite nice. We really don't have to worry about neighborhood ordinances and what not that would force our landlord to cut more often, so he'll let it grow over a foot before he gives Steve the okay to cut it. That's when we follow with rakes and use the clippings like the straw it is to mulch anything that needs it. Like I said, it is quite nice. The only drag is that the tall grass along the perimeters of our gardens usually trends towards encroaching and being thoroughly bothersome.

Our solution is this new-to-us kick ass mower. A few passes around each garden and we will be good to go.

Side note:
Does anyone know if there is such a thing as a non-electric chainsaw with low emmissions? If no, where would we go for a good timber saw and what would we ask for? If you have any input to these queries, please include your response as a side answer. Thanks a ton.

Homemade Energy

In a prior post Meg and I had said a word or two about the windmills we see off of the Pennsylvania turnpike. During these gray and chilly winter months I think wind powered energy is probably the best way to go as opposed to solar. Let's face it, from November through March, we get a lot more wind than sunshine. Actually if we had our way I think we would try to harness the sun and the wind to provide our energy needs, but those are much bigger projects than what I'm about to unfold here.

Solar and wind power can be had by anyone willing to make the pricey investment. Right now in Pennsylvania the financial incentives for the installation of an alternative energy system are none. Some of the folks we've talked to who want to make the switch are deciding to wait for the commonwealth to make the first move.

We too are in the middle of a waiting game. Before we can make a move on buying land and building Future House, one of the many colleges that I've sent applications too needs to realize their English department will be vastly improved with my superior teaching skills. While we wait for one of these schools to come to their senses, we want to see if we can bring renewable energy to our chickens.

Yes this is ridiculous, but so is calling a two-party system a democracy. (Wow! That came out of nowhere.) What we have in mind is something we can take with us and also make with used or found materials. The reason we'd like to add power to the coop is that we'd like to be able to provide heat for it in the winter and vent it in the summer. In addition to the chicken's level of comfort, we think a wind powered coop would be kick-ass.

Right now we are strictly in the planning phase. While we visited with friends and family this weekend, we picked Dan's (my mother's wicked smart husband) brain about what it would take to make and store energy from a windmill. Aside from the actual windmill the scrounging list would go as follows:

• alternator - attached to the turning blades will create the charge
  
• contact ring - allows horizontal rotation without the wires getting tangled
  
• deep cycle battery - usually found in boats; it can take and give an even charge
  
• inverter - will change the DC current of the battery into a usable AC current

I did some light searching for some of these items on Craigslist and eBay and they are out there. Before we make any purchases though we need to come up with some concrete plans. Our chickens have been quite happy without a heated and vented coop, so we would also have to find some other uses for a power station to make the endeavor a lot less ridiculous and a bit more practical.

Bright Side of a Gloomy Ride

This isn't the greatest photo, but since I took it while hanging out the window in high winds as we flew down the Turnpike I think it can be excused. We like seeing these windmills not only because they're environmentally friendly (aside from any bird-dicing they may cause) but also because they're close to a halfway point on the arduous trek across the state. They're near Somerset, PA, and when they started running in 2001 they made the largest wind farm in the US–pretty cool, but I don't think that's the case anymore. Here's a link with more info and some better pictures.

Everybody Knows It's Windy

Since there's a severe wind warning in effect for a lot of the northeast tonight, I thought these recent New York Times articles might be appropriate.

Homespun Electricity, From the Wind profiles a few families from around the US who have installed wind turbines on their property. One dude had been spending nearly $1000 (!) a month on electricity during the summer and now produces enough electricity on his own that he can sell some back to the power company each month. The article also has some infuriating quotes from people who just can't stomach the idea of their neighbor doing something unconventional.

“I’m not against the environment, but I just think there’s a place for all this,” said Mr. Daddona. “You shouldn’t try to save a little bit on your electrical bill if it affects your neighbors.”

Nice! Yes, heaven forbid you might have to look at a little windmill across the street. It would be a shame to draw attention away from your fishing dutch boy or animatronic Santa. They're like those people who try to ban clotheslines.

Despite the parts that annoyed the crap out of me, the article was mostly positive. The Times also published this companion piece, Determining Whether a Turbine Will Work, which gives some links to resources that explain how to go about investigating wind power.

And if you're feeling especially ambitious, here's a link that shows you how to make your own wind generator.