The past week has been very busy. Our fifth solar system went into production.   We have been pleased with Harvest Solar and the job they have done for us.  The 99.36 KW unit is producing all our needs on good sunny days and feeding little power back out to electric coop. One inverter of five has been giving a little trouble. It kicks out every once in a while.  A USDA grant helped us afford this biggest of our 5 solar systems.  The solar system for my house has cut my coop electric bill by about 60 % my son at his house on public utility has cut his bill down to only a few dollars.  It has not been over $50 and most months around $20. The utility company gives kilowatt per kilowatt so his system was designed for total usage. The systems here at the farmstead is on the  coop and they only pay a few cents per kilowatt going back into the system so we designed our systems to only produce 60 to 70% of our total usage.  It has taken lot of paper and computer time but it sure looks like been a good use of time.  The other two systems are different, one is with battery backup at hunting cabin and other one is dc water pump to supplement our pond water for the hog barns.  We have in all most 3 years not had to start backup generator at the cabin. The battery has provided all power we need up to three days.

On a personal note my wife Linda fell and broke her hip and has been and still is in Blessing hospital in Quincy Illinois.  Been there little over a week and looks like may have to stay a little longer and then will have to have a lot of help for a few months.   Do not tell her I told everyone who looks at this blog she will be 85 December 2.

One other little note after visiting Linda I was having dinner with my son and his family and a man came up and introduced himself to me and talked about how much he enjoyed my book “ Your Food- My Adventure”.  Grandpa felt good when grandkids said you better start signing autographs.