Brian McNabney

I have had a similar experience with trying to experiment with alternate technologies ... There is a blue million of people that can tell you what won't work ( possibly from experience ) But, not many (if any) that will tell you what will . SO, ........
What I believe will work is a large stirling engine to capture the remaining heat from the rocket exhaust . I would build a rocket stove that is self feeding ( via magazine ) if this is possible ? and put a generator on this to generate electricity. The problem with modern (or should I say Old style generators) is that they have a back emf that will limit you .
The tesla turbine is meant to operate with high velocity steam . It's application could be to capture the steam from a geyser .

I started out by using a large dc motor as a generator . unfortunately, our power grid and what is available off the shelf is set-up for ac . I like the high frequency generator ideas coming on , or maybe a dynamo built from briggs and stratton engine coils.?

I really appreciate trail blazers . Each one of us could work in a selected field and come up with answers that we all need. If we all pool our experiences and findings of new technologies ( And not running to the patent office so it can be eaten alive and destroyed . but, given to the people. This would be a better world .

Unfortunately, greed stands in our way , What value is money anyway? , and living in a box is boring.

I just had to reply to your idea of using pallets .... I have tried this idea and it works pretty good . To stabilise the lineup ,I ran a 2x4 through the pallets and screwed or bolted them together. at every other joint I put a tee post . We had this fence up for 2-3 years then some of the thin pieces started to loosen and fall off. That pasture held sheep and cows . Didn't try pigs But, for pigs I would probably put insulators up about 6 inches and run electric fence so they wouldn't undermine it. OR just train pigs to stay in hot wire. I myself am not that brave yet and prefer a safety net of a good perimeter fence.
I bought a gloucester old spot gilt from a friend last year . Crossed her with a tamworth boar . I need to pick 1 gilt from the new litter as a replacement . WHAT A HARD JOB ...I know their mother and their father and both are almost pets . I think I would rather judge a miss America pagent. The losers get to meat our friends for dinner.

Talking with my Wife....( really,she should be the one replying .)
The variety called "Music" is a good one for the location . It is a hardneck (you won't be able to braid it ) but, it should give you a good yield.

Well, I do not know much about garlic . but, I thought I would help this thread out with a little more discussion.
When you say best type ... do you mean variety. or hard neck vs. softneck or even elephant garlic .
Are you planning on going commercial or just increase your odds at getting a crop in a garden.
Are you planning to use it yourself or weave it into decorative braids to sell at farmers markets ?
Have you tried to plant any....
My wife raises it for us in the garden . Mostly hardneck now . She has tried softneck and elephant also . Elephant seems to be the more tricky.

I have been growing OP corn for over 12 years .
Each year I look forward to selecting next years seed ,and seeing it transform into a unique corn.
I started out with 2 varieties and now have 5 in the genetic mix .
Each has it's good and bad traits ... such as lodging , OP corn is known for this (by some farmers)
The trick is to get the traits you want in one plant and then make it stick.
This is better than playing chess with a tough opponent.
and no 4th of July firework is ever so dazzling than seeing that one of a kind ear of corn.
I'll name a few parents : Bloody butcher, Blue Clarage, Texas gourdseed ,and a 100 yr. handed down corn from Tenn.
Anyone else raising OP.

I got a kick out of this post . You people are hooters .
On the serious side ... I wanted to let you know of my experience with the Tam sows.
I raise my own open pollinated corn . The pigs and the rest of the animals for that matter will eat this corn first , ask for more,then if there is nothing else eat the commercial variety.
I protect this OP corn as best as I can from pollen and spray drift from other fields . I have to position it in the center of my acreage to be safe .
I raise no where near the amount that I can use. SO I need to buy feed after it runs out.

Can I sue somebody for being boxed in like this and loosing money ?

The wildlife also will cross a cornfield to get to this OP corn.
AND.. the animals seem satisfied after eating 1/2 the amount than commercial corn.
I have been raising and selective breeding OP for over 12 years.
I also grind it and eat it myself . I can't imagine doing that with the commercial corn I buy.

OK........

While purchasing corn and feeding it , The Tam girls cycles seemed irregular or would skip . I put them in with the Boar and they still did not seem to take.
This also happened with the cows that year.
Both animals were starting to leave the corn and pick out other grains.
I did notice some black corn ..... the feed dealer assured me that it couldn't be the corn and they offered to put cherry flavor in it the next time.
Instead I substituted other grains and the animals came out of it.

I am not sure what it was ........... but, it wasn't good.

As for animal fertility ... really wacked it out..

I have heard good things about the marbling in the meat of Berkshires. I just recently purchased a Berk boar but, was disappointed that he had no intrest in eating grass. I know that the pig was raised on concrete and fed ground feed. So, I am hoping that his offspring will consider grazing.
I will use him on my 2 Tamworth sows.
I have been trying to look into the specific breeds to see what breed groups are the best grazers (not foragers but, grass eaters)and would like to cross kunekune with maybe a red wattle for a good grass eating pig.
This may be a hard thing to do ?
I have been in the show ring and know how the show pigs are judged but, this type of genetic selection goes beyond just the looks of the animal. If judges would consider the meat production with the lowest input possible. It would be a different story entirely.
Any other good grass eaters ?