Off-Grid Solar and Wind-Generated Power

Topic: Lifestyle P 2

Protector of our "freedoms"?
Meet Jack
Jack the Springfield Rooster

The previous owner of this particular Rooster was a kid girl that raised him as a "domesticated pet".

She had named him "Jack".

This is the first rooster that has not attacked me (ever).

As a matter of fact, although he appears aggressive like other roosters, he's really just wanting to be picked up and petted (other Roosters would probably find this degrading to its natural machismo instinct).

He's also the smallest rooster I've ever had. Even his crow is not offensive, unlike other Roosters.

However, Jack the Rooster was almost soup when for a few days he began crowing incessantly. Little did I know that one of the hens had died and was found under the bus out back (another story for another time). Jack was crying for days to let somebody know his girl is dead under the bus.

Needless to say though, Jack almost was scheduled for termination, I call him "Lucky Jack" now.

The thing about butchering your own hens and roosters is that it's kind of heart-breaking; they each have their own personalities, which makes them more like pets. But for food, pertaining to roosters, you have to eat them when they're young or else the meat is terrible, no matter HOW you cook it.

In the past I've tried roasting roosters, boiling roosters, pan-frying roosters, and can say this: If they are over teenage (in bird age), the meat is only good for other animals and pets to eat.

Yes, we're talking about you Jack; and pick up that Wing right this minute!
The little rooster with short legs

Comical Jack even abandons the hens, leaving the hens to follow me (his little legs have to run to keep up).

Enough of Jack though. Let's talk swamp.

The area around here in the German Township becomes saturated quickly with standing water during various stages of the seasons.

Standing water might not be entirely eliminated by the installation of a catch-basin, but the installation of a catch-basin should diminish the standing water that affect a few of my neighbors as well.

The water catch-basin is born. (*not yet completed)

Solar Water Pump

A solar panel creates the electricity for the pump.

Although there is a switch to turn the solar panel on and off manually, left in the ON position, the pump starts to push water as soon as the sun rises, and ceases automatically when the sun sets (so there's not really a need to ever turn it off unless servicing something, or not needing the water).

The simple 12v pump has a variance of about +/- 7volts and allows for the direct connection to a 12v solar panel without the need for batteries.

The water coming from the hose shown below has been transferred through over 75 feet using the method mentioned above.
Springfield Catch-Basin

The un-finished catch-basin with a pump just tossed in for testing.
Springfield Ohio Water-Catch Basin

The Catch-basin project was started late 2017.

The completion of the project is expected to be sometime this year (God-willing).

A couple of the area Springfield Masons, such as Wright & Sons Masonry, as well as other contractors and residents, began bringing in truckloads of masonry and dirt debris which has been layered to allow for easier underground travel of the water to the location of the pump.

In retrospect, I should have just stockpiled the masonry in one pile and the dirt in another and kept digging for a lower depth.

Where will the water go? That's a good question, I'm leaning toward a large pond and a couple of laying geese.

As it turns out, just today (May 1st of 2018 right now), was stacked the first load of brick.

2018 late frost killed everything that was planted.

So the plan is to build a small greenhouse to allow for kale and other hearty vegetables to survive prior to planting when the weather is absolute.

Below are the first stage photos of the small green house in the making. It is hoped that the greenhouse will aid in starting the seedlings for early planting of the more hearty vegetables such as Kale, onion, garlic, etc.

There are 3-foot steel stakes that have been driven into the soil leaving an predetermined equal height, which was accomplished by simply using a pole-driver until it hit earth for each stake. The legs of the greenhouse were then slipped over the steel stakes, while the tops of both sides were pulled together and secured to allow a good pitch for the snow to fall.