Comments for Why Electricity Free Day? at http://catawbacoops.com , comment 1 to 16 out of 16 comments http://catawbacoops.com Sun, 05 Feb 2012 07:28:47 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://catawbacoops.com/why-electricity-free-day.html#comment-359 Upon making an Automatic Chicken Coop Door for our coop we researched many different ideas. After building well over five different prototypes we came up with one that we set on our coop and even lured the predators in to see how it held up against them. Over two years later and the door still separate the chickens from what is lurking outside. Also it lets them out at 6AM so I don't have to get up on the weekends. My family enjoys not having to come how early in the evenings to put the girls up since the door locks them all up for the evening. Here is a link to a video of predators trying to get into our coop. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b43RPCPhMmM In the past year we have built many of these same doors and sold them on our site but still making the door as simple as possible to install. The average person can install it in a matter of 15 minutes. We have even made an installation video that is on our site. We have never had a complaint about any predators getting through our doors. Now that doesn't sound like that big of a deal until, I tell you that our doors are sold all over the world. US, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Czech Republic, Italy ect. We take our time creating these doors and never try to save a few pennies, we used the most expensive glues longer staples, and master carpenters. We even linseed oil our doors to keep the door from swelling in any of the weather conditions that it may come against. We have even created a small trim kit piece we send free with every one of our doors to help benefit our customers. Here is a link to our installation video. http://www.youtube.com/user/AutomaticChickenCoop#p/u/9/DVLJQqaZ6wg Our door model we created is made with Model D20 Drapery motor. This means unlike most automatic doors it needs no counter weight so this means no unnecessary counter weight maxing out the weight limit on the door or causing the door lines to get tangled up and jam the door. If you would like to check it out our site is http://www.AutomaticChickenCoopDoor.com Jeremy Smith Automatic Chicken Coop Door - Jeremy Smith Thu, 04 Aug 2011 08:00:10 +0100 http://catawbacoops.com/why-electricity-free-day.html#comment-242 We raise pet bearded dragons which run from 25 and up. If your child or you would like to trade a bearded dragon for the plans to this tractor I will send you a baby bearded dragon you pay UPS shipping. If you live near Gettysburg PA and can actually help me make this thing, I will trade you a high color collectors dragon. Please email terri@fireandicedragons.com. Thanks! - Terri Sommella Mon, 22 Nov 2010 02:08:34 +0100 http://catawbacoops.com/why-electricity-free-day.html#comment-134 Hello ! Just a quick note of gratitude regarding these design plans for the 'Urban Coop' It worked out great and I write an article about this with a picture. Thanks again ! http://www.examiner.com/x-42244-Spokane-Sustainable-Agriculture-Examiner~y2010m3d29-How-to-raise-Urban-Chickens-in-a-safe-and-humane-way Will Olson - Will Olson Mon, 29 Mar 2010 07:17:55 +0100 http://catawbacoops.com/why-electricity-free-day.html#comment-90 The tragedy of the world is that those who are imaginative have but slight [url=http://www.edfashionclothes.com/productlist.php?fid=7]ed hardy clothing[/url] experience, and those who are experienced have feeble imagination.The way to win an atomic [url=http://www.edfashionclothes.com/productlist.php?fid=7&cid=31]ed hardy hoodies[/url] war is to make certain it never starts - shop ed hardy Mon, 15 Mar 2010 02:26:02 +0100 http://catawbacoops.com/why-electricity-free-day.html#comment-89 Almost any situation ---good or bad--- is affected by the attitude we bring to.Perhaps you can’t control your [url= http://www.nikeaf1jordanshoes.com/productlist.php?fid=79&cid=256] cheap prada shoes [/url]job, but you may be able to make other changes in your[url=http://www.nikeaf1jordanshoes.com/productlist.php?fid=45&cid=128]new nike air max[/url] life - air jordans shoes Mon, 15 Mar 2010 02:25:16 +0100 http://catawbacoops.com/why-electricity-free-day.html#comment-88 YS0302RIf winter comes, can spring be far behind?If you doubt yourself, then indeed you stand on shaky [url=http://www.handbags4buy.com/]designer purses[/url] ground - handbag Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:31:55 +0100 http://catawbacoops.com/why-electricity-free-day.html#comment-69 [url=http://www.shoesucn.com]nike outlet[/url] [url=http://www.shoesucn.com/news/nike-outlet/nike-outlet.html]nike outlet[/url] - basketball Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:56:20 +0100 http://catawbacoops.com/why-electricity-free-day.html#comment-68 [url=http://www.cheap-uggs-online.org]cheap uggs[/url] [url=http://www.buy-uggs-sale.com]uggs sale[/url] - basketball Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:55:19 +0100 http://catawbacoops.com/why-electricity-free-day.html#comment-25 Thanks for sharing about your electricity free days. Our family has never participated in that; however, we have had "media" free weeks where TV's, computers and game systems were off limits for everyone. It is amazing how the adults and kids struggle with that at first. It's like detox, I guess. But it definitely promotes quality family time, and we all need it. We would never have peace and quiet where we can just enjoy the creation and each other's company otherwise. We are bombarded constantly. Maybe we'll try an electricity free day next. Thanks for the inspiration. - Missy Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:28:16 +0100 http://catawbacoops.com/why-electricity-free-day.html#comment-17 David, Thanks for the time you gave me on Saturday morning during my run in the rain. You mentioned you meet on Fridays to discuss some pretty interesting topics and I wanted to learn more. My email is housejph@hotmail.com. Thanks again, John House - John Tue, 03 Mar 2009 08:10:01 +0100 http://catawbacoops.com/why-electricity-free-day.html#comment-14 One final comment from me on the matter... Mitzi and I loved PBS's reality show [i]Frontier House[/i]. It was a very cool experiment in placing modern day familys in 1880's Montana. We saw the family members doing a lot of things that we would have done differently. Rent the series on NetFlix if you get the chance. [url=http://www.pbs.org/wnet/frontierhouse/]http://www.pbs.org/wnet/frontierhouse/[/url] - Dave Bissette Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:07:32 +0100 http://catawbacoops.com/why-electricity-free-day.html#comment-13 Les, I suppose that my concern is not that my family will return to the 1700s, but that millions of families throughout the US and Western Europe, and the rest of the civilized world for that matter, are about to find themselves unwittingly returned to the 1700s, whether they like it or not. Here in North Carolina, if a hurricane is about to strike, we never know [i]exactly[/i] when or where it's going to hit. People stock up on water, batteries, bread, milk, eggs, etc. It's a way of life in the Southeastern states. And, every 10-15 years or so, we might have to go for a week or two without power. In a way, it [i]is[/i] like being back in the 1700s again. Neighbors come out and help clear trees, tarp up holes in roofs, reshingle, and invite each other over for dinner. Tools and food are shared among those who need it. If you're place of business is without power, you find other productive things to fill your time. All in all, I find it inconvenient but refreshing. I like the convenience of electricity as much as the next man. CatawbaCoops.com relies upon it to operate. But the weatherman says that "hurricane's a'comin', and it's gonna be a big one". I hope to ensure that my affairs are in order before it gets here. - Dave Bissette Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:00:00 +0100 http://catawbacoops.com/why-electricity-free-day.html#comment-12 I don't see a strong connection with electricity free days, the homeless, jobless, and people in Venice, California living in campers either by choice or need. I understand how a visit to a third world country would change your views on more than just American commercialism. Good luck with your endeavor to return your family back to the 1700's. - Les Hydle Fri, 23 Jan 2009 20:34:45 +0100 http://catawbacoops.com/why-electricity-free-day.html#comment-11 There are some caveats to Electricity Free Day. For instance, we do not unplug the fridge, nor the alarm clocks. We don't use the microwave, but we leave it plugged in so that we don't have to reset that clock either. We will answer the phone, but only use it to make critical outgoing calls. We have conditioned ourselves over the years to become more accustomed to the annual temperature swings. During the winter, we put on sweaters in a 60 degree house. During summer, temps inside may reach 80-85 degrees. Our children's rooms are furthest from the fireplace. We warm ourselves, blankets, and quilts by the fire then put them on the beds. One other thing is that our house is old and drafty and not well insulated. As such, I'm not concerned with fumes from the gas stove or lanterns. I could see where this might be an issue in one of today's weather-tight homes. In this case I would ensure that a carbon monoxide detector remain plugged in. Then you could learn how to adjust the size of the window openings in your house to ensure that CO is vented, but maintaining a minimal heat loss. I agree with the point you make about us having worked hard to achieve the level of energy dependence we have today. It is very convenient simply to walk into a room, flick a switch, and voila! There's light. This is much more difficult to do when you're living out of your car or RV, or in a tent city in Cleveland, OH. Allow me to point out some of today's headlines from Reddit.com: [i]- Tech Layoffs Come Back With a Vengeance: 80,000 In January, Approaching 200,000 Total - Freddie Mac wants another 30-35 billion dollars from treasury - GE profit plunges 46 per cent - California's unemployment rate leaps to 9.3% - Britain Is Officially in a Recession [/i] These are examples of people's lifestyles advancing from perceived affluence, to in many cases abject poverty and destitution. I specifically want to point out this article I just read: [b][url=http://www.latimes.com/news/local/traffic/la-me-rvzones22-2009jan22,0,4655517.story]Special zones urged for people who sleep in RVs, cars in Venice[/url][/b] [i]Tough economic times have spilled onto the streets of Venice, which has become a favorite place to park for scores of otherwise homeless people living in cars and campers. The practice has ignited a mini-uprising among residents living in the pricey coastal community. The number of cars and recreational vehicles has swelled so much over the last year that Councilman Bill Rosendahl, who represents the city's coastal areas, has proposed [b]creating special zones away from neighborhoods where people can sleep in their vehicles[/b]. "The community has been going ballistic," Rosendahl said. "They can't park their own cars. Some of the folks who live in their cars and in campers defecate and urinate outside and create other issues of quality of life and health." His proposal, similar to programs in Santa Barbara and Eugene, Ore., would allow the cars and recreational vehicles to park in select "municipal properties, parking lots of churches or community-based organizations, industrial areas and other areas that would have minimal impact on residential communities." Current city laws prohibit sleeping in a car or RV on the street. [b]"Let's stop kidding ourselves,"[/b] Rosendahl said. [b]"People are living in their cars. . . . So let's deal with the reality. In this economic downturn, it's even increasing."[/b][/i] I believe in the saying, "Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst." My house is paid, so fortunately I will not find myself living in a car in Venice, Ca. However, I now know that if I can't afford electricty ([url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weimar_Republic]think Weimar Republic[/url]), we have the tools and knowledge to still function daily. - Dave Bissette Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:34:15 +0100 http://catawbacoops.com/why-electricity-free-day.html#comment-10 Hmmm... So, anything that plugs in, you don't use? Does that also include the fridge and freezer? So everyone huddles around the fireplace all night for winter warmth? What if your children's rooms are farthest from the fireplace? How about emissions from the fire? If you don't have a fireplace, or gas stove? How safe are Coleman-type stoves and lanterns in your home? Personally, this would not be difficult thing to do, especially in the Summer. But why? We, in this country, have worked hard to advance our technology and lifestyle so that we don't have to. Cutting back and conserving is a much better idea. - Les Hydle Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:59:54 +0100 http://catawbacoops.com/why-electricity-free-day.html#comment-9 Man you've inspired me! I've thought about this idea for years, for all the reasons you give, but we have yet to implement it. Talking w/the wife tonight. - David Benfield Thu, 22 Jan 2009 08:43:22 +0100