I’ve been contemplating the name of this blog and what it means to me personally. I don’t know the thought behind the name, as I was not involved in its development. What does insteading mean? According to the Urban Dictionary, the definition of insteading is: When you’re doing anything but the assignment that you’re supposed […]
New Garden Resolutions: Mulch, Mulch, Mulch
I’ve never been a big fan of New Year’s Resolutions. I understand the intention to start a new year with healthy goals, yet they rarely last longer than a couple of months for most individuals. Instead, I am personally more successful with season resolutions. This year, as I toil away in the garden, my new
Propane: The “Dirty Little Secret” of Living Off the Grid
Living off the grid sounds romantic…no more bills from dirty energy companies, self-sufficiency, green power, etc.; however, there is one “dirty little secret” found in most alternative energy homes. Without it, some off-gridders couldn’t cook, refrigerate, heat water, or dry clothes. That dirty little secret is propane. Propane is a “by-product of natural gas processing and petroleum refining,”. Due to
Living Off-Grid: Our Micro Hydro Alternative Energy System
As a follow up to Sean’s post on Micro Hydro Essentials, I thought I would share an overview of my system, which has powered my home for over 13 years. We are fortunate to live on rural mountain property in Northern California with a creek that is not seasonal, although the volume of water does