This is my first diary since July, although I have been lurking, and commenting on the diary's that draw my attention. Very few will see it, as it is not about:
a)the primaries,
b)some distracting partisan scandal,
c)a baby down the well (in the figurative sense)
Just to get it out of the way, and to my own surprise, we are still alive here at No Snivilin Farm, and will continue to stay that way (if everyone that owes me money pays...currently the roster looks like this (all sustainable energy customers)
BB $3500 (wants to make sure it works before he pays)
IP $980 (is already using a food pantry)
DD $2400 (bank is dragging feet)
SC $2200 (what if it doesn't work?)
CG $4500 (it's new technology, and I should get it for free)
EW $4600 (wants additionnal work done, won't pay until is)
WF $5200 (wants more freebies)
MS $4500 (laid off)
of course, my mortgage company is giving me a break (NOT) and letting me collect, before threatening foreclosure on my mortgage<snark>, and we have instituted no food mondays and wednesdays.
In addition, we had about 600 bales of hay stolen from us, which means buying small amounts at $4.50/bale--cash, and just getting enough for the next 2 days ... grain prices are up 15-17% for the year (and it's January!!).
So, you ask, "what are you doing besides whining?"
glad you asked...
HAE (my sustainable energy company) and No Snivilin Farm are proud to announce we are forming 2 new cooperatives, and moving HAE towards a more engineering and Development footing.
coop #1 working name "Hilltown Mutual Aid" will have the following Raison d'etre:
1)Act a producers cooperative, marketing and consolidating products from member operations to local retail outlets and farmers markets.
2)Develop and adapt methods of sustainable agriculture and energy production for the unique conditions of New England using member operations to field test techniques under real world conditions.
3)Establish a working model for on farm food storage/winter production to partially decouple production and delivery seasons, including biomass/solar bulk refrigeration and freezer storage and biomass/solar intermediate scale drying facilities.
4)Establish internet and print media mechanisms for communication of the results of the above activities to interested parties and the general public.
In short, This co-op will attempt to do what the USDA should be doing for small sustainable farms, but locally.
Coop #2 working name "Cooperative Sustainable Installers-Massachusetts"
1)Establish standards for installation of sustainable energy systems (not based on least common denominator practices).
2)Develop and maintain a core of expertise in sustainable systems through-out MA through training and recruitment, so that small contractors can stay abreast of the technology utilized in these increasingly complex systems.
3)Act as a central billing/specification/engineering resource for member independent contractors for all sustainable operations.
This may seem like a lot for a struggling farm/sustainable energy operation to take on, and with only our own resources, will probably take about 5 years to accomplish...Far to long to make a difference...so of course we are doing it anyway.
and now you know what I have been doing for the past 6 months.
Presently we are attempting an alliance with E2M.org, and attempting to obtain a loan with our local community development corp, both to stabilize/expand the business, and legally birth the co-ops.