I've been thinking of possible ways to heat our house and barn into the future. If I live long enough, I suspect petro-products will be 5 - 10 times what they cost today. At some point, if a person lives in areas with severe-cold winters - seems there's going to be a huge heating problem.
We heat 100% with wood here, but that is very labor intentive, and I know it's won't be long before I can't do it myself. I got thinking about this after looking out today and finding 2 feet of snow on our roofs that I'll have to shovel off soon (just the flatter roofs). I also need to bring more wood inside soon.
If people are complaining now with the present prices of heating oil, diesel, and propapne, what about when it goes WAY up. It has to, at some point.
I've thought about building an under-ground house and use it only in the winter. I might do it; we'll see.
I got reading some local newspapers for this town in central New York, from the 1880s. Keep in mind that just about everybody here at that time had a life connected to farming in some way.
In this town, there was an event called "Moving Day" that happened twice a year. When Fall and Spring came, older farmers would trade housing with younger people who live in small houses in the village. So, many young people took over the farms and dealt with heating, feeding and watering animals in the cold, etc. The newspaper published a list of the farmers trading housing with young people in the village. Gave addresses and contact info where to find the old and the young people when things got switched. In fact, my house is listed.
Seems that's something that couldn't fly today.
We heat 100% with wood here, but that is very labor intentive, and I know it's won't be long before I can't do it myself. I got thinking about this after looking out today and finding 2 feet of snow on our roofs that I'll have to shovel off soon (just the flatter roofs). I also need to bring more wood inside soon.
If people are complaining now with the present prices of heating oil, diesel, and propapne, what about when it goes WAY up. It has to, at some point.
I've thought about building an under-ground house and use it only in the winter. I might do it; we'll see.
I got reading some local newspapers for this town in central New York, from the 1880s. Keep in mind that just about everybody here at that time had a life connected to farming in some way.
In this town, there was an event called "Moving Day" that happened twice a year. When Fall and Spring came, older farmers would trade housing with younger people who live in small houses in the village. So, many young people took over the farms and dealt with heating, feeding and watering animals in the cold, etc. The newspaper published a list of the farmers trading housing with young people in the village. Gave addresses and contact info where to find the old and the young people when things got switched. In fact, my house is listed.
Seems that's something that couldn't fly today.