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Friday Afternoon Ramblings

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Today is the anniversary of the coldest day on record here in East Tennessee, -24 degrees back in 1985.  I remember it vividly because my father and I got stuck in the snow (we had well over a foot, I do believe) about a half mile from our house and had to walk the rest of the way.  That’s the coldest I’ve ever been in my life.  The walk up and down hills in that snow was strenuous, and my lungs burned from breathing the frigid air.  I was 12, so to me it was a big adventure, but I remember my father being gravely worried about our exposure for that long.

The next morning, we left early to open his store, and my grandfather helped get us unstuck.  We used a woodstove to heat the store, and before I got the fire going, I remember every surface inside the building being ice cold.  Some items in glass jars had busted from freezing, which had never happened before and didn’t happen again for as long as he owned the store.  By noon the temp was up to 26 degrees, and Dad pointed out that the temperature had risen 50 degrees and was still below freezing.  Remembering that night and morning makes the weather today seem not so bad.

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General Posts

Sunday Afternoon Ramblings

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Here’s a quick update on the farm:  The irrigation system has been completed for the prototype, and it works perfectly.  There are still a couple of parts to add in, like the timer and the water sensor, but the basics are in place.  It’s simple and efficient and should be easy to replicate, which is extremely important because I’m gonna have to build dozens more over the next few years.

Next up is the lighting system, which by far will be the most expensive part, but it’s also the most important.  I’ve decided on the Quantum T5 Badboy as my system because of the performance and the efficiency, but each one is pretty expensive, so it will take some time to get the lighting completed.

So far, I’m pleased with the prototype.  The basic components are simple, and it functions very well.  There’s still a long way to go and a lot to learn, but it’s coming together.  I’m also proud of myself because this has been a big challenge, and so far I’ve been up to each step.  That feels good.  After the last few years, it’s nice to have a little positive momentum.

General Posts

Sunday Morning Ramblings

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I woke up early this morning from a nightmare about heights and couldn’t go back to sleep.  Not being ready to dive back into the pile of grading, I’ve spent the morning researching the crops we’re gonna focus on.  So far, we’re strongly leaning towards cauliflower, cucumbers, tomatoes, green beans, and lettuce, and most of my research this morning has been on the particular strains of each we want to specialize in.  The variety is staggering, but I think I’ve got it narrowed down to 2-3 of each.  I’m so excited I can barely contain myself.  While I have no delusions about the hard work ahead, I’m looking forward to it.

The prototype is shaping up nicely, too.  I’ve got the basic frame and irrigation network put together.  Now, I just need a pump, a holding tank, and the lighting unit.  The lights will be by far the most expensive component, so I have to get the right unit that will give the best return on overall price and operating expense.  I think I’ve found the best choice, but I’ll wait until I’ve tested it before I give any endorsement.  On the other end of the spectrum, the water pumps won’t be nearly as expensive as I had originally thought, so that will help out quite a bit.

Also, as we get the aeroponic units operational, we’re gonna work on installing the solar panels.  To me, this is the most crucial step of the farm.  My goal is eventually to have a 100% self-sufficient farm, and the most important aspect of that is energy consumption.  While aeroponic farming is much more efficient, it’s also requires considerable electricity to operate the lights, pumps, fans, and climate control elements, so if we can produce at least as much energy as we consume, the farm will be much more sustainable than if we rely on the grid.

Okay, I’ve stalled long enough.  Back to the pile of grading.