Subscribe to the Blog
Recent Comments
- rich on The Giant Pool of Money
- rich on Socialist or Entrepreneur?
- Matt Smaus on Fukuoka sensei, is this Zen farming?
- Trevor Bacon on Fukuoka sensei, is this Zen farming?
- Trevor Bacon on Socialist or Entrepreneur?
Categories
Archives
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- July 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
- June 2006
- May 2006
- April 2006
- March 2006
- February 2006
- January 2006
- December 2005
- November 2005
Author Archives: frank
The Gaia Response
Yesterday I attended a meeting with the Agriculture Collaborative of the Mid-Region Council of Governments, a local organization in the middle Rio Grande valley of New Mexico. The topic was global warming. On hand to present their data were some … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Philosophy
Tagged climate-change, conciousness, earth, gaia, Global Warming
3 Comments
A Silent Revolution
The case has already been made for revolution; our systems of policy, public administration, self-defense, agriculture…all corrupted and bankrupt. Is an apolitical, non-violent revolution possible? We do not know if the culprit is a system based on false premises or … Continue reading
EETA Dominican Republic
For over 25 years, the people at the Experimental Station for Appropriate Technology (EETA) have worked directly with local farmers to develop appropriate technologies. EETA defines appropriate technology as anything that addresses an identified need and can be developed at … Continue reading
GIS Showcase
The image gallery below is a showcase of some the outputs from our GIS department. Click on the thumbnails to see a larger version. As you review these photos, keep in mind that each map is an example of a … Continue reading
Irrigated Alfalfa Pasture Design
Throughout the course of the year 2009, Agroinnovations worked with RMCI Inc. in the design and installation of irrigated alfalfa pastures. These laser-leveled irrigated pastures were installed as part of a Waste Water Treatment Facility project for the Acoma Pueblo. … Continue reading
Posted in Engineering & Design
Tagged cut fill analysis, gis, irrigation, laser level, valve, wastewater treatment facility, water-flow
Leave a comment
Video Summary: Apiculture Bolivia
The video below is an audiovisual summary of our Apiculture Bolivia Project.
Posted in Apiculture, Bolivia, Video
Tagged apiculture, Appropriate Technology, beekeeping, Bolivia, video
Leave a comment
Soil Health: A True Investor’s Safe-Haven
As our markets implode and wave after wave of bad financial news hits the wire, wild-eyed investors search in vain for a “safe haven” from risky, highly leveraged investments; high risk investing started with complex investment instruments like credit default … Continue reading
OSAT: Mass produced or distributed?
The argument of mass production versus distributed production at this stage of the game, in my opinion, is a false dichotomy. Personally, and ideologically, I lean towards distributed production, but I do not think that this has to be at … Continue reading
Posted in Appropriate Technology
Tagged Appropriate Technology, mass-production, open-source, OSAT
1 Comment
Democracy and Imperialism in Latin America
I finally got a chance to watch Rachel Boynton’s excellent documentary “Our Brand is Crisis“, a film I have been meaning to see since it came out sometime in 2006. This one really set my wheels turning. I don’t have … Continue reading
Self-Replicating Machines and the Edge of the Sword: A Distillation
After reading what Lucas has been brilliantly putting out over the past 48 hours or so, the picture becomes clearer…we’re getting closer. If anyone needs a quick catch-up, the real edge of the sword is the reprap machine. As per … Continue reading
Posted in Appropriate Technology
Tagged Appropriate Technology, open-source, OSAT, reprap
10 Comments
We Need a Revolution
If it’s true that what we are doing, while it may help many of us mitigate the chain reaction effects of collapse, might be too little, too late, then we need to really think hard about what will change that … Continue reading
Posted in Appropriate Technology
Tagged Appropriate Technology, Fab-Lab, open-source, OSAT
6 Comments
OSAT Emerging…
As a movement, we have arrived. When I first started writing about this topic, the idea was a nascent one, and the movement nearly non-existent. Now, within less than 24 hours, my last post “Too Little, Too Late” has generated … Continue reading
Posted in Appropriate Technology
Tagged Appropriate Technology, open-source, OSAT, twitter
Leave a comment
Too little, too late?
Since 2005 I have been a strong advocate for the development of open source appropriate technology (OSAT). Since then much has happened on this front. It was an idea that I can hardly take credit for, as this was something … Continue reading
Posted in Appropriate Technology
Tagged Appropriate Technology, Collapse, open-source, OSAT
12 Comments
A Real Transition
An earnest attempt to encourage the inevitable transition of our economies would place small business at the center of the strategy. Now personally, because of my libertarian leanings, I am not one to put much faith in government programs and … Continue reading
Posted in Appropriate Technology, Politics
Tagged Appropriate Technology, capitalism, open-source, Politics
1 Comment
Phone Book Spawn
Here’s an experiment that I’m toying with after finding years and years of old phone books lying around our office space. True, there are phone book recycling services, but I figured I’d try to turn these phone books into a … Continue reading
Oyster Mushroom Production
Producing oyster mushrooms in our small, urban farm has proven a rewarding experience. The above photo was taken several weeks after inoculation into freshly cut elm logs. Inoculation was done using plug spawn, or wooden dowels heavily colonized with oyster … Continue reading
Tracking Changes
There is so much going on in the world, and changes are happening so quickly that most of us can barely keep track of it all. My own thinking has evolved considerably since my last run of frequent postings; there … Continue reading
Wind Power in West Texas
In West Texas, wind is the new oil, but this time around it is cleaner, renewable, and distributed, meaning that it generates revenue and opportunity for the communities in which it is installed. A couple of weeks ago I had … Continue reading
Pickled Radishes Part II
Almost two years ago, I wrote about an attempt to pickle radishes just by slicing them and putting them, mixed with the brine, in a Clausen pickle jar. Recently, on the comment thread for that post, Rob asks “So how’d … Continue reading
Fallen Fruit and Apricot Jam
Here is a picture of the apricot jam I made just yesterday. Apricots produces beautifully in New Mexico, but once harvested, they spoil quickly, so the fruit-picker has to think quickly as well, and this is the second year in … Continue reading
The Giant Pool of Money
This post takes its name from this week’s episode of This American Life. As always, these guys do a great job of putting together a solid and informative weekly public radio show, and this particular episode struck me so much … Continue reading
Building Healthy Soils
As I mentioned several weeks ago, we are in the process of rebuilding our soil fertility in our garden. One great service that I will personally attest to is that provided by a local company called Organic Technology International. For … Continue reading
Posted in Agriculture, Microfarm, Mushrooms, Permaculture
Tagged gardening, Microfarm, mycelium, New-Mexico, Organic, soils
1 Comment
Return to the United States
I am back in the United States, having left Bolivia almost a week and half ago. There are many things in the Bolivian sphere I could comment on, but I am reluctant to do so. In short, I will comment … Continue reading
My Life Without Water (Part II)
Water, as we all know, is critical to almost all forms of life. Previously, I noted what my life was like in rural Bolivia, where there was no potable water system, and the community where I lived, myself included, was … Continue reading
Carnival of the Green # 122!
Welcome to the 122nd Carnival of the Green. Last week’s Carnival was hosted at Conserve Plastic Bags, and now, here we are at Agroblogger. After reading through the submissions, I became aware that so much of what is addressed by … Continue reading
My Life Without Water (Part I)
From the years 2000 to 2003 I lived in a small Bolivian village that had no potable water. Though there was no water in taps, we did have the irrigation canal (pictured above), that made life possible and bearable. Living … Continue reading
Technocracy
We all know the word, and we all seem to have a sense that we live in a technocractic society, but I am not sure how well aware we are of how this translates into our reality, or why it … Continue reading
Castration
A provocative title, indeed, but the reality is a bit more practical. The tool in this photo is a castrator, for mules, horses, donkeys, and bulls…am I missing anything? No, not humans, not in this day and age, at least. … Continue reading
Posted in Agriculture, Appropriate Technology, Bolivia
Tagged Appropriate Technology, Bolivia, castration, livestock
Leave a comment
