So much for under the radar...

Ah well. I am being outted this morning. I was one of the topics in the company newsletter that came out on Friday. With the holiday Monday, it is hitting everyone's inbox Tuesday morning. Remember Walker, paybacks are hell.... :-)

Every time MPCA webmaster John Abbott opened his heating bills last winter, it was a painful hit to his pocket book. With a monthly natural gas bill approaching the four-figure mark, he began investigating alternative sources of energy for his 100-year-old, Craftsman-style home.

John started looking at corn as a fuel source after seeing a corn-burning stove at a relative's house. Locating companies that sold corn-burning furnaces was relatively easy, but he needed advice on more practical questions. How much corn will I need? How do I store it? Do I buy it in bags or in bulk, and from a co-op or directly from a farmer?

He quickly discovered that there wasn't much info available about this technology. To fill the void, John started up a Web site chronicling his experiences working through problems that have cropped up since installing his burner, and offering advice for others considering a switch to this renewable fuel source. Up and running since last August, his site presently draws about 800 unique visitors every day. Even if corn burner isn't for you, some of John's narrative makes good reading. Check it out at : www.iburncorn.com.