We're trying to post - often, we hope- some of the stories & photos we collected of life on the farms but then couldn't fit in to the book, either becasuse we went waaay off topic or there simply wasn't room. The writing's by Joan, the photos & italic comments by Gale. From some farms, we'll share a pattern that got (sniff) cut . Enjoy! (gz)
When we visited the farms included in Shear Spirit, we were interested in the animals and the fiber, but we also came across some other fascinating aspects of pastoral life. At Old Mill Farm, in Mendocino, California, for example, while the organic sheep are in the pasture, the electricity comes from the sun.
front view of the main house at the top of a
mountain
Old Mill has made use of solar power since founder Chuck Hinsch first became interested in the technology three decades ago. “He started getting it in 1977 or ’78,” says Barbara Sochacki, who now helps her son Cas manage the organic farm.
the view from behind , the solar collectors and water tank are on the tower
“Chuck was really good about having a vision of what would make life easier,” though at first, she adds, his lights were about as bright as a flashlight beam.
Today, solar panels power the lights, computers, TV, and stereo in the main house, with a propane generator as backup. Solar power provides hot water in summer, though she admits you have to build a fire to take a warm shower in the winter. Barb Sochacki in the solar powered Old Mill office
The system has proved extremely reliable. When a recent windstorm cut off electricity in Mendocino, “we didn’t realize that the power was out,” says former intern Beverly Healy, since Old Mill Farm remained unaffected.
And visitors who rent Old Mill Farm’s Aloha Cabin can get a taste of life off the grid, notes Barbara. “People like to come for a week with their family. It’s not totally camping, but you can’t run DVDs or game boys there.” I stayed at the Aloha, left, wish I'd shot some images of the inside- it's pretty luxurious, like a Sundance catalog kind of aesthetic- a big double bed, woodstove and kitchen and sitting area, tons of candle lanterns, full bathroom indoors and dreamy outdoor shower too, and a sleeping loft up above, in it's own little clearing about a half mile from the main farm house. 
All over the property, solar panels on wheels are positioned to face the sun. The mobile units electrify the movable temporary fencing that creates mini-sheep pastures wherever they’re needed. A small solar panel is also mounted on the vehicle that Cas Sochacki has brought to farmers’ markets; it fuels the freezer that holds the organic lamb and pork for sale.
Even the water system is tied to solar energy: The well has a solar pump at the end of the garden that sends water to the Aloha Cabin, fills that tank, then fills the other tanks. It provides enough water for the houses and to irrigate plants in the greenhouse, though the pastures rely on rainfall.
The farm’s trucks and tractors run on bio-diesel, and the houses and cabins are heated by wood stoves. Generally there’s an emphasis on self-sufficiency here, which may be one reason Cas Sochacki has acquired a reputation as a proficient brewer of beer and also why he was interested in planting a vineyard.
some of the greenhouse' daily organic harvest, being washed & sorted for local restaurants. needless to say, we ate well at Old Mill
He’s even experimented with making soap. “We sold it at the farmers’ markets,” he says, “but mostly we used it ourselves.”
More photos after the jump
