Jeff McLeod

Haven't been around for a while (job commitments) so only just coming back to the forum today. Does it have to be gasoline that you mix the WVO with? Could you do the same with say isoprol (sp) alcohol or any other kind of alcohol? Or would that cause other problems (detonation etc)?

Now if we could just gain access to more fuel efficient diesels - and convince folks to use them .....

Thought this was pretty exciting. Hopefully a good alternative to dino-fuel

http://www.pnnl.gov/news/release.aspx?id=1029

"RICHLAND, Wash. – Engineers have created a continuous chemical process that produces useful crude oil minutes after they pour in harvested algae — a verdant green paste with the consistency of pea soup."

A master thatcher here in the US

http://www.thatching.com/index.html

"I decided at the tender age of 7 that I wanted to be a thatcher. When I was 16, my school counselor gave me the names of 50 thatchers working in England, and I began looking for an apprenticeship. In England, a 5 year apprenticeship, in addition to college courses, is mandatory before a thatcher can work alone. During my apprenticeship I won my first award - for best journeyman / apprentice - for work on a roof in Essex."

A nice little FAQ

http://www.thatching.com/faq.html

A properly thatched roof done by a real thatcher would IMHO be worthwhile addition. Going the DIY route is going to be asking for a multitude of problems. There is a reason it takes years to learn to be a thatcher.

Thanks for the encouragement everyone. It means a lot. Well we had our meeting last Friday with one of the area agencies. It's taken a while to digest what happened. But the basic outcome was in some ways what was expected. Nothing in the way of funding. I did however get a few contacts and will be exploring those over the ongoing months. And skiing season is upon us - I volunteer with Special Olympics so will hopefully be picking up some contacts through this as well.

We've always been teflon free. Stainless steel for everything - with the exception of pressure cookers. Currently my wife is using a mix of all-clad and revere. Cast iron is just too damn heavy for her and since we share the cooking - it makes more sense to buy pots and pans that she's able to lift.

I ride bikes, until very recently year round in NH. Seems to be an interesting vehicle. But for my money I'd rather have a motorbike with a sidecar. Not sure where the notion of 'high maintenance' comes from? On my current bike the only thing I've done is change the oil. On previous bikes I've had that have covered over 100,000 miles the most I've done is air/oil filters, tires and brakes.

Having said all of that - I can see this being a good city car - which is really where the SMART is also aimed.

Does it have to be a "homestead"? I know a few 'gypsies' that have taken boats down to the Islands. It may be another way to go?

Hey Josh - rather than going the ultra $ new route. Have you thought about getting a Gravely? There seems to a decent supply here in the Northeast. We're working on a non-profit farm for learning disabled adults and that's the route we're looking at. That way we can put additional money into housing and facilities.

Jeff

Thought I'd post a quick update since today could be one of the big days. I've spent most of the waking hours when I haven't been working putting some estimates and a few proposals together. So hopefully today could see some traction or at least some additional suggestions.

- Found out that I can use my IRA to fund a business without incurring any penalties (seems to be one of those loopholes). Now to find out if I can do the same if I use it to fund or partially fund a non-profit.
- May have found a buyer for my old Land Rover. I'll be sad to see it go but hopefully it's going to a good home. Money will be useful for a walk behind tractor of some kind. (We still have plenty of Gravely's up this neck of the woods).
- Will be putting my bike up for sale in the New Year - once I have figured all this out.

Another property to see this weekend. Unfortunately properties in my budget and the right size are few and far between. Having said that I have a few folks on the lookout for cheap leased land as well so maybe I can get this thing kicked off.