Summer is wrapping up

Here is my annual promise to keep up better on my blog. :-)

It has been a busy summer. I have been painting the east side of the house this year. There were some old cedar shakes on the gable end that were falling off and rotten. So, I pulled all of them off and replaced them. I didn't replace the windows at the same time. I hope that wasn't a huge mistake. But, I was already enough $$ into this project.

Here is a shot from just after last weekend. I am just shy of finishing the first coat up on the gable end. And, I have about twelve feet of eves to do. Then, first coat will be finished. The second coat will go fast. I would think I could do it in about three days. Surely this year has three good days left in it, doesn't it?

Had to say though. Cold temps and rain tonight. I turned on the gas fireplace for a bit tonight because I was gone all day today. Usually the kitchen heat from baking and cooking warms the house during this season.

I have a few things to blog about. The first is something close to home.

The Chetek City Council recently approved the development agreement with James and Mary Bohl for Community Energy Corporation, a factory which will manufacture wood pellets as a form of alternative energy.

Quoted from this full article in the Cheteck Alert, of Cheteck Wisconsin. Though I have to say I don't like the picture much. These pellets look softer, less tightly packed than most I have seen. Maybe it is just the photo though. It is great to see these small scale pellet mills springing up on the market. My vision of the future doesn't have us hauling anything great distances, so to have more of these local producers is great! I really wish they were up to speed. I would love to buy pellets at $130/ton.

If agricultural scientists are right, all you need to reduce your home heating bills is an acre of land.

From an article in the CBC News. Is this the future? If these plants are hybridized and made to grow in northern climates, it could be a good thing. It has the capability of a much better acre to BTU ratio than what corn has. But, by growing it, we are offsetting our food supply. I am very happy to see this research though.

And, another article

Today, with 10 years of research under their belts, the farmers are gearing up to produce switchgrass for commercial use.

This one from Biomass Magazine, farmers are contracting their switchgrass to a 726 megawatt power generating station. This article also mentions growing the grass on land not particularly suited to growing corn.

So, as I say, I will try to keep up better on this blog. Jobs, kids, guitar and other web sites do take time too. Like a new year's resolution though, I will try to be better.