In the early 1990s Sam Warren came home to the farmstead and began with a couple of solar panels to generate enough electric to run some lights after he'd built the cabin on the pond. Without government subsidy or financing from an electric company, Sam set out to make the farm energy self-sufficient and remain off-the-grid. He added solar panels, inverters and more batteries to bank the electric power. He put a small wind turbine up on the roof and later added a larger windmill atop an 80 foot tower. In upstate New York winters are long. When the sun doesn't shine, usually the wind blows. The windmills complemented the solar energy supply. Sam constructed a waterwheel in 2003 that can generate 3-phase electric. When the sun doesn't shine and the wind doesn't blow, it's raining. Sun, wind and water supply us with sufficient energy to run the farm.
Living off-the-grid requires a lifestyle change to daylighting. Up with the sun and to bed when it sets is a radical energy policy. During the dreary winter months there are a few days when the sun doesn't shine, the wind doesn't blow, and it's too cold for a melt we need to decide whether watching a DVD is more important than keeping the electric fence on so the buffalo don't get out.
Living off-the-grid requires a different mind set. Doing things by hand instead of electric machinery isn't just an Amish thing, although they have taught us much. The no-digital diet of media means no cellular reception, no internet connection, no cable or satellite, no electric appliances like hair dryers, frying pans, can openers, toasters, blankets, etc..
In the early 1990s Sam Warren came home to the farmstead and began with a couple of solar panels to generate enough electric to run some lights after he'd built the cabin on the pond. Without government subsidy or financing from an electric company, Sam set out to make the farm energy self-sufficient and remain off-the-grid. He added solar panels, inverters and more batteries to bank the electric power. He put a small wind turbine up on the roof and later added a larger windmill atop an 80 foot tower. In upstate New York winters are long. When the sun doesn't shine, usually the wind blows. The windmills complemented the solar energy supply. Sam constructed a waterwheel in 2003 that can generate 3-phase electric. When the sun doesn't shine and the wind doesn't blow, it's raining. Sun, wind and water supply us with sufficient energy to run the farm.