Green as I live it

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Green green green , all the rage. Long before this word became the trendy buzz I lived green.

Just a frugal country boy that uses what is available. I have a homestead that my wife and I have raised two sons, also a farm where we grow most of our own vegtables, hay and grain for out animals, and manage a wood lot. Recently we purchased a property further away that has a natural trout stream, it is a valley with a south facing and a north facing gentle hillside.

I do sit prep work including tree removal, stump grinding, driveways, foundation digging, and even some geo-thermo. This I do to survive.

The new farm is a dream come true! Eventually it will be our home. We are taking a full green approach to developement. Our home is a combination of underground and timber frame. All the lumber used in building I cut myself from trees I have been paid to remove. My metal roofing is recycle. The foundations as much as possible is laid up from stone found on the property.

I have laid out a 4 phase plan. The timber framed portion of the house is being cut and dry fit at my flat farm, then trucked to the site. I am using a modular concept and this will consist of three sections. Sections one and two are already in place. Section three is under construction. This will hold my mechanical for the entire home.

We are incorporating passive solar, hydro-electric, solar -electric, and geo-thermo through earth sheltered living space. The home is precisely placed for sun tracking. Our waste management is also green. Gray water recovery, composting toilets, and water reuse.

Gathering materials! It amazes me what people either throw away or pay me to remove. Last fall I garnered all my windows from a skyscraper remodel being done in the city. They are all low E tinted glass, gas filled. Also recovered 20,000 sq ft of painted metel panals, that I was paid to remove. I even saved all the screws. Always on the hunt for doors, hardware, or other useful things.

I could go on for hours as there is so much more to tell, but I will stop for now. I fear I am not the classic "Green Warrior,"as I only do "green" because it makes sense and my motives are selfish to some extent. Good management of my resources makes me and by accident everyone else win.