Farm Hack Iowa

Learn how to build an ecological. low cost farm house - very efficiently! We are having our MicroHouse Extreme Manufacturing workshop on Sep 25-30 - Kansas City area.

http://opensourceecology.org/microhouse-workshop-4/

We are doing an experiment in radical collaboration, in that we are having the open source community generate the designs for the workshop. Please join our Design Sprint if you want to see how this works -http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/Design_Sprints

Problem addressed: inconvenience of shutting chicken coop door every night/danger of loss to predators Solution: automated door closer and coop lamp for winter powered by PV panel on coop roof

Small motor powers the door (like a window opener on a car)

Bill of Materials: (incomplete) battery charge controller inverter outlet timer cookie sheet for door LED lights

Use LED lights: efficient cold tolerant durable must be cleaned regularly of dust

Question: How to raise salmon/trout with minimal energy inputs in Iowa

Components: vegetarian diet and making own feed versus pellet feed water from well or spring underground to decrease energy inputs, or series of ponds on a hill that uses well water (Austria example) takes advantage of geothermal insulation to regulate temp (temperature of a well is ideal for raising salmon) salmon is best species in terms of time to maturity, price, palatability potential sale products: manure, fish emulsion

Quadracycle (4 wheeled bicycle) for ergonomic transportation:

Weeding and harvest functionality: wheels can weed pathways (similar to a rototiller) Wheels run along pathways with user suspended over the bed User can harvest berries and other low growing crops, or hand weed bed. Possible cultivation add-on *User is in prone position, suspended over bed Power train is most efficient mode of energy transfer

Problem addressed: Improves ergonomics of harvesting, and thus efficiency

Planning to attend Farm Hack Iowa, and already have an idea for the Design Charrette? This is the space for participants to start sharing their ideas, challenges, or anything else to get the charrette process going before we all get together.

Farm Hack:IOWA will focus on on-farm energy for small farms. Out-of-the box farm hacks. Electric tractors, farmer-built machinery, WVO/biodiesel, micro-wind, micro-hydro, and wood gas/producer gas fuels.

Day 1 -Wednesday, JUNE 20