A little about myself...

My first Blog

Hello and welcome to GREEN IN SD.

I have thought about what it means to GO GREEN for a long time, even before it was the politically correct thing to do. I grew up with the upbringing that you could do anything you set your mind to and that NEW doesn’t mean BETTER. 

I am the third of six kids and had two loving parents that believed in us. College was encouraged but it wasn’t set as the goal, only a step to reach our potential if we decided to follow that path.

My journey included two years at the University of Arkansas. My plan was to work on the Pre-veterinary program and then apply to a Veterinary School. I developed very poor study habits in high school, even thought I was an honor grad. Lets just says that my first choice didn’t work out and I change or re-aligned my next career site on commercial art. 

With no improvement in study habits I set out on my third option and joined the U. S. Navy as a photographer. Twenty years in and an honorable retirement later and I am were I am today.

I work as a receptionist in a veterinary clinic so I got close to my first dream job. My partner told me after I retired from the Navy that I should do something now that I enjoyed rather than what could make the most dollars in my pocket. That is why I also have kept my toes in the pool so to speak with my website… http://members.cox.net/sdpetportraits/Site/Welcome.html

I grow a garden in my back yard and have grape vines, and avocado tree grown from a pit that finally has fruit on it, a raised planting pet with sunflowers (for the bees), pole beans, green peppers, tomatoes, pumpkin, zucchini, garlic, watermelon and apple gourds right now. The garden is always changing and growing but nothing tastes better than eating something fresh from the garden.

I am addicted to Green Planet on cable, Ed Bagley Jr. is my hero, I have a need to figure out how to make my own electricity with either wind or solar power. I am always spending time on the INSTRUCTABLES website and Google already knows what key phrases I search for… homemade wind power or turbine. I also have my lifetime subscription to Mother Earth News. 

I am starting out small and working with DC motors, one is from an old treadmill and another is from an old cordless drill. Also looking into stepper motors from a printer/scanner but that brings in the whole other issue of building an inverter to handle the power. 

I will try to update weekly with what is going on at the homestead and until then please read and reply. Questions, tips and advice are always welcome. Thanks

 

Thom