Technology is trying to mimic nature. Most technologies are harming our lives in numerous ways. However, there are some critical technologies that are appropriate. Lots of on-the-farm technologies fall into this category.
This was a fun list for me to write, because I got to take a trip down memory lane and remember all of the mishaps I experienced starting with solar. Some of them seemed obvious, but sometimes it takes us humans a few f**k-ups before we learn our lesson! So here are the top eight…
Have you always wanted to go solar, but keep hesitating to take the leap? Here is my list of the top five limiting beliefs I’ve observed both in myself and others related to using solar energy in the garden, the homestead, or the farm. Our online course Build Solar Energy Systems to Grow Food will…
So you understand the potential for solar energy technology to help us grow more food? Then you may also know that small-scale farming throughout the world needs an energy update in the 21st century. With small-scale solar energy systems, we can not only impact food, but also bring solar energy to places that don’t have…
DIY (“do-it-yourself”) has become so well-known that we now simply use an acronym to talk about it in everyday conversation. With the proliferation of YouTube videos, cooking GIFs, and websites like Instructables, access to step-by-step guides for almost anything is right at our fingertips. There are now communities, forums, and spaces where you can crowdsource…
The conventional approach to going solar is expensive. It’s an inefficient method that greatly increases the costs of going renewable, and it’s why less people are making the change. A holistic approach that includes changing our energy habits and appliances will win, saving us 70% of what the conventional approach to going solar would cost us. If…
There are lots of guides that lay out a step-by-step process for building solar energy systems. But there isn’t a lot out there that explains what to use the technology for. You see, it’s not as easy as just plugging in appliances like you would at home. I wrote more about the conventional way of…
Mismanagement of water and soil are the two biggest mistakes gardeners make. Both are so basic to life that the best gardeners know this, and put a lot of effort into getting better. How often have I heard from gardeners and farmers, “I have so much work to do”? They shun projects because they feel…
I took charge of my energy future by building simple small-scale solar energy systems that I use to run both my farm and garden. For too long, my approach was costly and out of my hands. Positive change didn’t come until I adapted to a cost-effective, simple approach. Although solar energy resonates with my values,…