When the BioMass Hits the Wind Turbine

Every dollar you spend is a vote. Every dollar you invest or save is also a vote. How can you make sure that the companies you support also support an agenda and a world vision that you agree with? And just what should you look for when trying to decide where to place your money? Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station as they speak with Michelle Wilson, Financial Planner and owner of Athen...

The average age of an American farmer is 65. More and more farmland is transitioned to other purposes, such as condos, suburban homes, or commercial properties. Each year we loose about 400,000 acres to development. So how can we reverse this trend. Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station as they speak with Ian McSweeney, organizational director of the Agrarian Trust, and organization that...

The world is teetering on the edge of disaster. The Great Depression – the Cold War – 9-11 – Katrina – the 2008 Economic Meltdown – Covid... Doesn't it make sense to build yourself a bunker, stock it with beans and ammunition, and wait out the Zombie Apocalypse? Is that what it means to be a “prepper.” Or is it just a common sense approach to have the skills and supplies on hand to deal with whate...

Ah, the suburban dream. A lush, freshly cut lawn stretching as far as the eye can see. But as far as the planet is concerned, that lawn is an ecological disaster, a toxic polluting wasteland devoid of biodiversity. Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion of the resources consumed and the environmental problems unleashed when we pursue the perfect lawn. And what are some alt...

The raising of livestock is one of the major contributors to greenhouse gas.  Our industrial meat production processes are cruel and inhumane to the animals as well as the people who work within the system. The over-eating of meat is a major contributor to the decline in health of the planet's population. So why not change things up a bit? Flexitarian is the new buzzword for those who have decided...

Huge solar arrays are beginning to dot the landscape - sometimes 300 acres of them spreading out across farmland and next to highways. So what is happening? What are the dynamics that are changing the utility landscape, closing coal and natural gas power plants and replacing them with acres of solar? And is this all a good thing?   Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station are joined by Jake Kuss,...

Social media, virtual reality and the advent of artificial intelligence will push us and our society more and more towards being alone – together.  A sense of isolation has become a reality for a large portion of the population.  We were not meant to live this way.  We are social creatures. Join Jay and Annie Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion of how each of us can work to build a sustai...

When we give birth, it is generally with the help of a midwife or a doctor who has been through the process before and knows what to do and what to say to ease us through what is, after all, a natural process. So why is it not the same with death? In the not-so-long-ago past, death was a community affair. Friends and relatives would take charge of the process, assisting the dying, helping those th...

How can we reach a world where energy generation is carbon free?  One solution being proposed is to electrify everything. First it must be understood that electricity currently only accounts for about 1/3 or all the energy we use - the rest is used in transportation (oil products) and industry (primarily natural gas).  So this two-step solution envisions an electrical grid composed of renewable ge...

Many of us dream of chucking it all and moving out into the country, living the idyllic life on a small homestead. But then there is that nasty reality of having to make a living.   Well, one option is to set up your business and property and create a non-profit homestead – opening it up as a learning center for others who have the same dream.   Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a...

We have all witnessed a certain decline in civility within our society (some more than others).  So why can't folks just be nice to each other?  And just what does it mean to be nice?  But shouldn't we strive to be kind rather than nice – and just what is the difference? Join Jay and Annie Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion of the nature of niceness versus kindness, how they are the same...

We are already dancing around the edges of universal basic income.  Of the 267 million working-age adults in America, about 100 million have already opted out of the workforce.  Artificial Intelligence soon may realistically eliminate 20 percent of all the jobs currently held by high-paying professionals.  Is it time to consider that our relationship with work is about to change in very profound w...

It is a common dream. Buy some land out in the country, build your little cabin, raise some chickens and some tomatoes and maybe a goat or two – and watch the craziness of the world sail past. But just how do you go about making this dream a reality? What should you look for and what should you avoid when seeking out that little patch of paradise? Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for...

Often the news can be a bit depressing and overwhelming.  But there may be hidden gems that give an indication of just how sustainable this world we live in can be.   Join Jay and Annie Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion of a few stories in the news and their impact on our lives.

Increasingly agencies are turning to solar as a workforce re-entry pathway for those dealing with drug addiction or trying to find a career after leaving prison.  Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station speak with Jimi Braswell of Clean NRG Solar Recovery who, after leaving prison, founded a successful solar installation business and employs folks like himself who are trying to get their act tog...

We are just beginning to hear about artificial intelligence and the ways it will change our lives in the future. Is it a means to a prosperous and sustainable future – or the blueprint for the destruction of human existence? Join Annie and Jay Warmke for a discussion of artificial intelligence and how it will change our lives in the near term – and perhaps well into the future (if we last that lon...

Often the news can be a bit depressing and overwhelming. But there may be hidden gems that give an indication of just how sustainable this world we live in can be. Join Jay and Annie Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion of a few stories in the news and their impact on our lives.

For many, the world can seem a pretty hopeless place. We are constantly bombarded with negative messages. The problems we face, both personally and globally, can feel overwhelming and without solution. But there are tools and practices that can help you take control of your responses to these negative inputs and face each day with a hopeful attitude. Join Jay and Annie Warmke of Blue Rock Station...

You may have noticed a large number of strikingly similar signs popping up on farms throughout the Midwest protesting “No Solar on Prime Farmland.” So what and who is behind this campaign? And why are farmers protesting against this new potential revenue source? Join Jay and Annie Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion on this Washington DC political maneuvering posing as a grassroots campai...

How much is enough?  Is the next generation less obsessed with a big home in the suburbs?  Can comfortable shelter be achieved on a small footprint... with a small budget?  Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station as they speak with Destiny Dame, a student intern at Blue Rock Station who is currently working on the $5,000 tiny home project- and contemplating how to live a life and create a b...

The electrical grid has not changed much since the days of Edison and Tesla. The electrical system in your home has largely remained the same since screw-in fuses were replaced by circuit breakers in the 1960s. But all that is about to change. Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion of how distributed energy (wind and solar) is changing how power is delivered to your home a...

What is social justice and why is it not incorporated in all aspects of life, business and our culture? What can we personally do to help promote a culture of fairness and equity in our everyday activities.   Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station are joined by Jarod Marsh, who recently graduated with a degree in human rights and sustainability from the University of Dayton - then packed off to...

In 2004 Rural Action started a produce auction in the heart of Appalachia. In the early days, a number of volunteers and a group of Amish farmers formed the core of this enterprise. Over the years it has grown to be an economic engine within the community of Chester Hill, Ohio – as well as an unlikely tourist destination. Join Jay and Annie Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion with Emily E...

Things are always changing, often without us noticing. This is especially true in the world of solar energy. Join Jay and Annie Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion of a few stories in a typical week in the world of solar and how these events will impact our world, our culture and our lives for decades to come.

Just as tiny houses require all the limited space to be used efficiently for shelter – urban forest gardens use every bit of available space (side-to-side as well as up-and-down) to grow a mix of local produce. But farming in an urban setting present a unique set of challenges – from codes and zoning that may shut it down, to theft and vandalism, to tip toeing around utilities and easements. Chad...