Okay, so let me start by saying, I know what you’re thinking. If I stumbled across an article like this on the internet, my first thought would be “Seriously?! A DIY rain barrel?? Step one, buy barrel, step two, collect rain. How hard can it really be?” While that would be a perfectly adequate rain barrel, hear me out, 'cause I guarantee you can do one better. So what more … [Read more...] about Rain Barrel DIY
Rain Barrel Benefits
Go to almost any homestead, and you’ll see something interesting. Many of them seem to have a bit in common with a New York City apartment building--they feature a rain barrel (or three) to catch water. Now on the first glance this seems to make sense. After all, water is essential to human life, so why wouldn’t you want to capture rain? Upon further investigation though, most … [Read more...] about Rain Barrel Benefits
Solar Power Finale: Inverters
I realize at a few points in this solar-power series, I have said a component is absolutely essential to the system. While this may seem hyperbolic, in actuality, it is because most parts of the system I outline are truly essential to its success. While this next component may not be technically essential to collect and store power, it does serve the purpose of making that … [Read more...] about Solar Power Finale: Inverters
Battery Types for your At-Home Powerplant
If you’ve stuck with us this far concerning solar-powered setups, congratulations! If not, perhaps consider going back to review the other articles on solar systems that have brought us here. This week, we’re continuing the series with a discussion of batteries, the primary source of power storage for your system. While they’re heavy, expensive, and can be a real pain, … [Read more...] about Battery Types for your At-Home Powerplant
Soap Suds Symposium
As I’m sure many of you know, we’ve mentioned goats and their uses a time or three on this website. From browsing bushwhackers to cheese creators, goats’ uses are legion. You may begin to find, however, that if you have more than a few goats, and you’re not selling anything you make, you may begin to have more milk and cheese than you know what to do with. So today, let’s talk … [Read more...] about Soap Suds Symposium
