The Would-Be Farm: Civilization in a Nutshell

It took two and a half years of procrastination and one short day of work to get solar power at the Would-Be Farm.

Some readers may remember our solar ambitions and my brief return to calculus. What I neglected to mention is that I didn't finish that class. Stupidly enough, I lost my notes from class while transporting myself and the late small dog across the Philadelphia International Airport. 

I know: duh.  

Anyhow, the notebook contained my calculations for the first weeks of class as well as the splattered remains of those four brave brave brain-cells that had remembered something about calculus. I honestly couldn't face doing that homework over again. Never mind the work for the rest of the semester.

I was raised to look for solutions in the pages of a book. Thank you, O Beloved Bookworm!

Mumsie, cigarette in hand, shuts her book briefly to consider Grampa Charlie Newton's forearm. This is the pose I remember from most of my childhhot.

So, to book! The class in solar system design was actually a bit of overkill. I just wanted to set up a couple of batteries and some panels so that we could have light and be able to re-charge our electronics.  

​(Oh, which reminds me of this potty-mouthed and funny political Tweet. )

The go-to-solution book this time was Stand-Alone Solar Energy by Oliver Style, a clearly-written, solution-oriented reference that focused on installing systems in remote, underdeveloped areas with ITACA and Concern America. 

So, two panels, a controller mounted on the side of Base Camp, two batteries, an inverter, and poof: we have power for the water pump, lights, various small electronics, and we can charge battery packs for our power-tools.

Utility! Civilization! No unsightly power-lines and no monthly bill.