The Ravens follow the Wolves in winter. We haven't seen a raven for 2 months and today they are back along with a Lone wolf track on the shore across from our cabin on the narrows.
Dreams of Wind Power....coming true...soon we hope
Vikki....A while back I had a cabin down in southern BC run all by solar. I was 8 km from the power line. There were two panels and I had a small microwave oven, a tv, lights and hot and cold running water by solar. My cook stove was propane and I kept my propane fridge outside. I had a wood stove for heat.
In the summer out here we hardly run the generator because there is so much light. We just need the gen to check on email and have a hot shower. We use a solar electric fence to keep the Grizzly , Black Bear and Wolves away. We have small solar panels to charge our MX Radio battery. We have small solar panels for lights at important places....but in the winter....which is long here Solar does not do the job. We use the generator/gas lamp/candles in the winter. We have Wind in the winter...We are on the narrows of the lake and we have wind.
We just about ordered a small wind Turbine last year but at the last minute found out it was made in China. Things cost us so much to fly out here... .80 cents a pound, that we need something we can depend on. Been looking hard on the internet. Maybe 2010 will be the summer we finally do it.
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Bryan and Vikki,
ReplyDeleteI've been lurking for a while now. I love your blog. You will love wind power, but you are right to get a known brand name.
Can we see more of your home? Are there still chickens in the shed?
hello AlberaFarmer...yes...still 7 leghorn and 7 eggs a day. The first year here we used egg replacer but it is horrible. Our girls have a wired open door looking into Bryan skinning shedand he keep a wood stove going for them all the time. they are spoiled like all of us here. I have a bag of frozen cabbages from the garden that they love once a week. Good to hear from you
ReplyDeleteThere's a great magazine (Home Power) and web site (www.homepower.com) that has great info of solar, wind, and water. I've been intrigued with the small source water options but lack that ever running stream. I've also looked at small format wind but also don't care to invest in anything made in China
ReplyDeleteHi Bryan@Vikki
ReplyDeleteIn the warmer months could you build a water wheel in your nearest creek giving some more free power?
Do you give yourselves some time off at cristmas or is it a working day ?
Brian
This is so interesting to me. Thank you for describing how each thing is powered up there. Now I am going to investigate the solar electric fence, just because I have the interest.
ReplyDeleteHi Brian...We have a good running creek within 200' of us. It would be good for power from July to Oct. but those are months we don't need lights....only the computor for 1/2 hour each day...we are outside 18 hours a day. Last year we had 3 different lines to check and because you check each line ever 3 days...we had little time off. This year we are only going to run the Inklin line...so when the weather is bad we can stay home. We have learned that if you wait a day after a storm it is alot easier...and not so dangerous.
ReplyDeleteHi TechnoBabe...the solar electric fence is a Zareba....charges up to 25 miles of fence. sealed rechargeable 6 V battery. puts out 9,000 v. 1.4 Jouls...cost us 250. Made in the USA...
ReplyDeleteIt came in real handy this summer...we had a week of problems with Wolves trying to lure our old dog out into the bush... one afternoon I hear a big yelp and went running calling our old deft dog....but she was sound asleep on the porch. The fence is also wonderful for Grizzly and Black Bear. We will take this unit with us next summer when we make camp down by the Inklin....even more bears there than here.
Hi Bryan & Vikki
ReplyDeleteThanks for looking at my blog I left you a comment there. Brian your happy trapper fan from Scotland