We are going green when practical.  Our home has a passive solar system and an infrared heater for supplemental heat in the winter.  We use reflective blinds in the summer to cut cooling costs. 

Our goat barn is lit with solar lights.  We are in the process of remodeling our passive solar greenhouse.  An added feature will be guttering and recycled storage barrels to capture rain water runoff from the greenhouse to water the plants.

The dirt in the greenhouse and in the gardens is composted from goat manure, straw, and grass clippings.  No chemical fertilizers are necessary with the composted manure.  The composter is made from repurposed tires.  The garden is mulched with straw from the barnyard or wood chips available free of charge at the local recycling center.  Whenever possible, plants are grown from seeds harvested the previous season, cuttings or transplants propagated from other gardeners.  We eliminated the need to brush-hog the pasture by establishing a goat herd and building mostly goat proof fencing : ).  The kids escape from time to time.  Many of our plants are grown in repurposed tires.

Future plans include establishing rain gardens to reduce rainwater runoff and  building a chicken pen and coop. Chickens will reduce bugs thus reducing or eliminating the need for pesticides.  They also help improve the soil in areas eroded due to the high clay content by way of a mobile chicken coop also known as a chicken tractor.

Some of the antique furniture has been refinished and repurposed.  For example, the buffet is now a linen cabinet. Several local charities have thrift stores and we support those charities by donating items and using quality items from the stores to decorate and furnish the apartment and our home.

Whenever possible natural cleaners are used to cut down on allergens and/or chemicals that may be harmful to the environment.

Current projects include rebuilding our dock, putting in a new water garden and a butterfly/humming bird garden.  We have just added channel catfish to our garden ponds. 

Eco-friendly