Bio diesel: Currently we are running our diesel tractors on locally made bio diesel fuel. The tractors run better and have more power on the bio diesel fuel.

Solar heated Greenhouse: We were awarded a grant from Colorado State University to run an experimental solar heating greenhouse operation from 2004-2007. We built a solar heating system for 19 grow beds in one of our greenhouses. The beds then grew salad greens all winter with only solar heat. To read about this experiment go to xxxxx

Low tunnels and frost blankets: We use low tunnels in our greenhouses to capture heat for the plants for the night. We also uses frost blankets to hold in heat at night. This system has allowed us to totally stop using propane heaters in all of our greenhouses.

Solar Hot water: In 2007 we installed an active solar hot water system for the main house. It has reduced our house propane usage by over 50%. We also use this same hot water system to wash our wool. Wool requires lots of hot water to clean it. We clean wool on the sunny days and use the "free" hot water.

Passive solar heated house: We built the main house in 1996. It is super insulated and has a passive solar heat system. This house requires very little heat to maintain the house. We rarely run the heater after February and it doesn't come on until after Thanksgiving and we live at 5500 ft. in the Colorado Rockies.

Composting/Recycling: All of our plant waste from our gardens, house and greenhouses gets composted in with our animal manures to create our compost for the following year.