When the BioMass Hits the Wind Turbine

Many of us dream of carving out a little homestead in the country – living off the land. But actually making a living this way can be quite difficult. Fortunately there are a lot of funding sources out there designed to help small farmers and homesteaders. But how can you tap into these funds? Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station in a discussion of what funds are out there and how best t...

Nearly 30 years ago Annie and Jay Warmke quit their high-paying corporate jobs, sold their suburban home, and moved to the hills of Appalachia to build a home out of tires and mud. The goal was to live a carbon neutral – or even a negative carbon lifestyle. Many of the over 35,000 people who have visited Blue Rock Station over the years have asked - “What made you do such a crazy thing? And how di...

Agriculture is rediscovering the ancient practice of managing forests as a source of food and other revenue crops (other than just harvesting trees for lumber). But there are a dizzying number of terms thrown about that each mean something to someone – each a bit different in process and intent. Terms such as food forests, forest farming, agroforestry, alley cropping, and more. Annie and Jay Warmk...

Electric vehicles are changing the way we fuel our transportation system. They are cleaner, faster, more efficient and cheaper than the internal combustion engine. Every major car company (and many you have never heard of) are planning to convert their fleet of vehicles to all electric by 2040. But there are a number of fundamental changes that will be required to how we wire our homes, how we man...

We are used to energy becoming more and more expensive over time.  The cost of electricity has increased 7 fold since 1970.  That same year a gallon of gasoline cost 36 cents. But solar energy has changed that assumption.  The cost of a solar panel has dropped from over $100 per watt in 1975 to only around 25 cents today.  If these trends continue - energy will soon be free. But that doesn't mean...

Every dollar you spend is a vote.  And you should only vote for those companies that support a world vision that you support.  But how can you know what their world vision might be?  And when you vote - how can you tell those companies you did not buy from that you voted for someone else.  In other words - how can you become an annoying consumer. Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for...

For the past decade or so, Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station have observed a three month period of non consumption - their Thanks for Nothing season.  It is a break from our consumer society, where they do not buy anything - and even turn off the electricity. Find out what motivated this bizarre behavior and what lessons are learned - and how it has enriched their lives.

The concept of a food forests, integrating marketable crops into a woodland environment, managing not just the turf for planting – but every vertical layer of space – is catching on in the world of agriculture innovations. But can this concept be successful in an urban environment as we seek to provide local and sustainable food sources where we live? Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station...

How do you create or recreate a vital and vibrant downtown district? As so many cities and small towns have seen their commercial districts fall into disuse and disrepair, there is a movement to recapture the days of locally-owned, walkable business districts. Marietta, Ohio is a small town located at the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers. They have actually been fairly successful in ach...

Ohio is dealing with legacy fallout from a nuclear waste facility that has resulted in widespread contamination and soaring cancer rates. Two nuclear facilities are literally crumbling in Lake Erie and are at the center of a scandal involving bribery and the Speaker of the House and other state officials facing prison time. And power from nuclear energy simply cannot compete with wind and solar wi...

Even big agriculture is beginning to look at this ancient process of using our forests as a food production model and venue for crop planting and harvesting.  So what is this concept, how does it work, and what does it mean for the health and vitality of our planet?  Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion of food forests, not only regarding their economic benefits to margi...

Like humans, many of the illnesses suffered by your pets are the result of an unhealthy diet and lifestyle.  Yet the medical model - which extends to the world of veterinary medicine - seems fairly clueless in how to use natural remedies to keep your pet healthy and help it regain health when things are out of balance.   Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion of the realit...

In the 1950s city planners pretty much all thought that bigger was better.  More growth, more business... all good. Then sometime in the 1970s folks started worrying about the boom bust cycle of development.  Planners began asking how development could be more sustainable.  Growing with the future in mind. Now growth must be resilient, able to adapt and weather the certain storms of climate change...

The history surrounding the early days of electricity involved backstabbing, double dealing, huge egos battling it out in public – the electrocution of horses, dogs, people, and even elephants.   Dubbed “the battle of the currents”, this dis-information campaign pitted Thomas Edison against Tesla (and his boss, Westinghouse).   Another in our Dead White Scientists series – find out what happened j...

Society tells us to aspire to certain ideals.  We should own a big house, drive a nice car, go for that next promotion... eat this, drink that.  What happens when you reject these as goals?  How do you form your own path in a world that judges you against fairly rigid guidelines?  Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion of the realities of sustainable living.  

We have heard of net zero energy.  Net zero construction. But the heart of sustainability is seeking to live a net zero life.  How do you get through this life with as little adverse impact on the generations that follow.   Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion of the realities of sustainable living.

If you have been paying attention, you will notice that the climate is changing.  Plants and trees that used to thrive are dying off.  Pollinators are disappearing.  The seasons seem to arrive early - or late.  It is too wet, then too dry. Climate change is real and it is here now.  So how can we adapt our property, gardens and forests to deal with this new reality? Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Bl...

In a world where it is often a struggle just to get through the day, how is it that some people seem to thrive. What does this involve and how do you get into that state of mind.   Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion on how not to just get by, but to thrive.

Many of us feel that there must be something wrong with us in that we enter college not know what we want to do in life, leave college equally uncertain, enter a job, question that decision, and then seemingly wander through life along an aimless and crooked path. But such a course is likely the norm rather than an exception.   Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a conversation with...

A recent report shows the average cost of electricity rose more than 15% from 2021 to 2022. Yet the cost of producing electricity has fallen just as dramatically over recent years. Why is this happening and what will happen in the future?   Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion the impact of fear, greed and the weather in the world of electric utilities.

In 2021 Amazon shut down all their solar electric systems on their buildings because an incredible 12% of them caught fire since being installed. So does solar PV present a significant risk or was this just a case of shoddy installation?   Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion of rooftop solar and the risk it presents for fires.

Most of us are just getting through the day. But there are a few among us who seem to thrive – embracing each new dawn as a joyous opportunity. How do they do it?   Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion of the realities of sustainable living.

What is cultural appropriation and how does it differ from cultural appreciation? Is it a real thing, or just a Twitter excuse to be offended by just about everything?   Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for an inappropriate discussion about cultural appropriation.

It's hard enough to make a living in agriculture. But for women and those who identify as non-binary, it can be an incredible challenge. What are the unique challenges they face and how can they overcome them?   Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station are joined by Stephanie Enloe, Director of Programming at WFAN (Women Food & Agriculture Network) for a discussion on programs available specifica...

Two things are happening at the same time. America is becoming much less religious, and our sense of community is crumbling. Are these related? Does one cause the other? And as religion wains, what will take its place?   Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion on the intersection of organized religion and a sense of community.