Hello from a simple dairy farmer in upstate NY

plainjane6476 · Coal Joined: Jul 20, 2008 Posts: 12

I have a 50 cow dairy farm in upstate NY. I just happened upon peak oil about 2 months ago when I was trying to find out what direction the economy was headed to make some decisions about my farm. It led me to peak oil. I admit, when I first read and saw some of the interviews with Matt Simmons, Robert Hirsch, Colin Campbell and others, I couldn't eat or sleep for about 2 weeks. My first instinct was to sell the farm and move to a survival cabin in North Dakota (it was blackest on the earth view at night). Since then, I have come to my senses and started thinking more realistically about what I could do here instead. Diesel fuel, fertilizer and feed are pinching all dairy farmers even though the milk price is good compared to historical prices. So, I'm doing what I can to button up this old drafty farmhouse, servicing the wood boiler, building a greenhouse, root cellar, ordered a biodiesel maker, ordered a cheap 20W solar panel to learn with, and sending my husband to oxen school this fall. Some of my family and friends think I'm going overboard and I tell them- I hope that when it's all said and done, in 5 years, you can tell me I was a real kook! And I really do hope that's how things turn out. But reality tells me, that it's wishful thinking. Imagine that- I am wishing to be called a kook!
Anyhow, I'm going to read some posts from the educated folks on here and try to learn more. I'm really interested in Picken's plan, but I don't know where he's gonna find all that natural gas. I'm going to lease the farm out for ng rights- at least it's a start!

plainjane6476 · Coal Joined: Jul 20, 2008 Posts: 12

I'd like to add a sig:
and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. -Gandalf

Homesteader

Shannymara

Welcome. I lived in the Red Hook area (Dutchess County) from 1990-1996. Beautiful up there. I miss it, except for the long winters. Smile

Sounds to me like you have a pretty good setup going there.
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"Every junkie's like a setting sun..." - Neil Young

dunewalker

plainjane6476 · Coal Joined: Jul 20, 2008 Posts: 12

you know, it's funny.. there's alot of Amish up here now and I'll bet they have NO IDEA we are facing an energy crisis...
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..and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.- Gandalf

dunewalker

I was just kidding you about sending your husband to oxen school, of course. Welcome and a big hug. BTW what do they do in oxen school?

If we were all Amish there would be no impending energy crisis...
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"When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon."
Thomas Paine

plainjane6476 · Coal Joined: Jul 20, 2008 Posts: 12

It actually looks pretty cool- peak oil or not. You learn how to train and work with draft animals. It's up in New England in the beginning of August. There's also a big draft animal fair here every year in Cortland, NY. They have competitions and you can buy and sell equipment and animals.
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..and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.- Gandalf

Cashmere · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Mar 27, 2008 Posts: 1971

PJ - Awesome to have you aboard.

You're not going overboard. You are right. Trust your rationale and your gut, both of which are telling you you are right.
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Massive Human Dieoff must occur as a result of Peak Oil. Many more than half will die. It will occur everywhere, including where you live. If you fail to recognize this, then your odds of living move toward the "going to die" group.

alokin · Intermediate Crude Joined: Aug 24, 2007 Posts: 872

I guess you are in a very good position for the future, having a dairy farm. I bet you will have plenty of very cheap farmhands in future which replace all your Diesel.
Maybe there will be no cooled milk truck n future (maybe) and maybe you will make all the yummy raw milk cheese on the farm, and no controller can come out...
Your milk will be lot more valuable but maybe you qill produce less.
Welcome and it's good to have some farmers here!

plainjane6476 · Coal Joined: Jul 20, 2008 Posts: 12

I'm making a presentation to my local milk co-op next month on PO. I've been thinking we could get a milk tanker full of used grease and several biodiesel makers at various farms. We could produce our own biodiesel all winter and store it up for crop season. We already have a distribution system (milk trucks go to each farm every other day). I have a biodiesel maker coming next week and I'm gonna try to brew my own fuel here before the end of the month.
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..and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.- Gandalf

Cashmere · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Mar 27, 2008 Posts: 1971

FYI - my opinion is that biodiesel is likely a dead end, much like ethanol.

The problem with biodeisel is that it likely takes way too many FF inputs. Why not just burn the diesel that was used to . . . whatever.

My point is, unless you can use the biodiesel to make more biodiesel, then what you might find is that investments in biodiesel are really just investments in petroleum that is converted to biodiesel.

So please be cautious. My gut on this is that BD will end up going the way of ETOH.

This reminds of the Atkins diet. When I first tried it, I kept trying to find ways to substitute for the things I normally ate. Then, after trying low card bread (about the same thing as saying "low wetness water), I finally decided that, to do that diet, I'd simply have to just eat different foods.

Likewise, we won't find a substitute for oil.
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Massive Human Dieoff must occur as a result of Peak Oil. Many more than half will die. It will occur everywhere, including where you live. If you fail to recognize this, then your odds of living move toward the "going to die" group.

Consensi · Tar Sands Joined: May 28, 2008 Posts: 86

alpha480v

Hello and welcome to the forum fellow New Yorker!

Olaf

Another Upstater! Smile

Glad to see you here.

Olaf
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"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." - Henry David Thoreau