There's hope yet amidst all the mayhem in NZ........

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Two inspiring articles in local papers "down here" caught my attention as I read about all the election broohaha and the world in a general state of collapse......whether financially,or spiritually,take your pick......but meantime check these out.

Dominion Post today (18/11/11),"Farmer's gone and dung it"...yeah I know,Wellington humour.......but it's how a local dairy farmer,while actually thinking while working milking and all that (dont ask me,I'm a townie) mused about all that cowdung that he was up to his knees in,remembering that in other countries,they either burn it as fuel or use it as building material with clay and straw.
And here apparently it is either "gathered" in tanks and sprayed (yuk) everywhere all over the farm as fertilizer.And he remembered seeing in his world travels before settling back down on the family farm and after university etc......(ok,dont berate me about landed gentry)......and he started experimenting. Frankly I couldnt imagine experimenting with such material,but it does take all types......lol.
And now he's producing the "Kakariki brick" comprising 70% cowdung and 30% clay.
It's the thinking I like......so typically NZ !

And then the other article......in the Wanganui Chronicle 17/11/11.........
"Bright spark switches into power."
Whanganui humour..........
Another dairy farmer who turned excess irrigation water into power generation,and now returns excess power back into the power lines company for credits that reduce his normal power useage by a fair whack.
Ok.....not many blokes have a huge 18ha irrigation lake out the back,or even have spare 5.5kw 3 phase moters lying around in the garage.....or even have the capital to afford installing specially designed switchboards and piping.....but that's not the point.He made a micro hydro generator system for $30,000 after being quoted $100,000.
It's the thinking I like !
So typically NZ !

What what is it about dairy farming that produces such thinking?
Being knee deep in what politicians spend most of their time trying to stay out of?
Are we or them missing something here...........?
Fascinating !
Peter

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