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Post by 12540dumont on Jun 5, 2013 1:20:12 GMT -5
Storms to soapbox.
God I hate PG&E. In the latest effrontery, I got a notice on May 15th that as of June 1st, I could no longer water from 12 - 6 without paying a substantial rate increase. Of course this increase only affects small and medium farms.
So. Why couldn't I be notified in a timely fashion...like before I planted?
Large farms already have subsidies. They don't need lower Piggy rates.
I just want to stamp my feet and eat a meter reader. Oh yeah, that's right, they changed out my meter to a smart meter so that they could bill me extra for time of use, the human meter reader is jobless.
Why are stupid industries that need aircon (because the designed buildings without opening windows) more important than food? Tell why shopping in the air con mall is more important than food?
Tell me why Piggy can do absolutely no investment into their infrastructure and put it on my back because they don't have enough power for all these people and all these buildings?
I have been conserving water for 20 years with drip irrigation. The "BIG" farm down the street is still using water cannons and sprinklers for crying out loud. It's really hopeless. I can't get all the watering done, unless I water all day. There's just too many rows. The neighbor just came over and told me that she just found out that next year it will be 10-6. When the hell am I supposed to farm?
I just want to cry. Stamps foot and falls inside soapbox.
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Post by ferdzy on Jun 5, 2013 7:27:23 GMT -5
Oh Holly.  |
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Post by bunkie on Jun 5, 2013 9:17:18 GMT -5
Dayum Holly!
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Post by dustdevil on Jun 5, 2013 10:24:29 GMT -5
The little guy/gal always gets the squeeze! Can you buy some plastic water tanks/barrels at auction? I'm thinkin' you could fill the tanks during low rate hours and use a small gas pump to use the water during the day or mount tanks up on high wood stand and use gravity for additional savings...
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Post by 12540dumont on Jun 5, 2013 10:27:55 GMT -5
Thanks Dust, that's what Leo came up with too. However, it means that every darn dime I made this season will go into buying water tanks...and here in CA, they are very pricey. Leo's thought was pump to tank at night and solar pump during the daytime. It's lots of extra work. Lots of extra time (which I have none of right now) and lots of $$$ Phooey on Gilligan.
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Post by dustdevil on Jun 5, 2013 10:43:27 GMT -5
Holly, I can buy food grade plastic 55 gallon barrels back here for $7 to $10 apiece. I got some vinegar barrels from one guy who even steam cleaned them out, so they were safe to use for water. The larger 200+ tanks with the wire cage always seem to be a bit pricy or they have had some nasty chems in them. I see some good deals on 1,000+ tanks at farm auctions.
You are in a tough spot because of your drought conditions.
How deep is your water table?
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Post by billw on Jun 5, 2013 12:07:39 GMT -5
Can you not pass the additional cost on to your customers, or are you competing with more cost-efficient producers?
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Post by davida on Jun 5, 2013 13:32:57 GMT -5
Thanks Dust, that's what Leo came up with too. However, it means that every darn dime I made this season will go into buying water tanks...and here in CA, they are very pricey. Leo's thought was pump to tank at night and solar pump during the daytime. It's lots of extra work. Lots of extra time (which I have none of right now) and lots of $$$ Phooey on Gilligan. So sorry for this "headache" that you did not need. If you need to solar pump during the "peak" hours, one great idea that Joel Salatin uses to transfer water is the small battery operated pumps that are used to pump out the water in boats. He says that they are only around $80. He just clips it to a battery that can be solar charged or electric charged. |
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Post by 12540dumont on Jun 5, 2013 14:15:13 GMT -5
Dust, my well is at 220' the water is at 80 (or was last time the head was pulled. The only thing you can buy in California for $10 is a hamburger. And I'd need Fifty 55 gallon drums to make a dent. We have no rain in the summer. None, nada, zip. So each and every crop needs irrigation. And every row needs to be watered at least once a week, twice if the temperature jumps over 80 Bill, my CSA box is at $35 a week. Much more than that, and I think they'll go to Whole Paycheck, I mean, Whole Foods.  Davida, thanks, I'll pass that on to Leo. |
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Post by steev on Jun 5, 2013 20:59:56 GMT -5
Hot-tub pumps are of possible use and also run on 12VoltDC.
My well is on solar and pumps directly to drip-tube. You have the advantage over me of being on-site, so no need for multi-valve controllers, just a circuit-breaker box for when you want it shut off, otherwise it's on when Sol is up. Whistles and bells (pressure tank, pressure switch, switching controllers, and cup-holders) can be added when you're healed from the initial installation, if you want them.
It really comes down to: how many GPM do you need (your chosen crops and area); how many GPM can you pump (your well capacity and pump); how many bucks do you have for up-front costs; how much do you resent PG&E.
Grundfos makes a good line of DC pumps to drop down the hole (Yo! Grundfos! Get in touch about the size I'd like my free testimonial pay-off pump to be. Thanks ever so.)
Grundfos is unrepairable, but needs no added doohickeys down the hole nor on the surface. So you pay up front, or you pay down the road; life is a bitch, and if your ancestors didn't steal enough that you're on a trust, it's pay-as-you-go.
Truly, California is blessed, but not with rain, half the year (the hot half).
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Post by 12540dumont on Jun 6, 2013 15:27:11 GMT -5
Steev, I checked on line could not find a Grundfos at Grainger.
I think you should send me the specs of your system, or come and help me get everything and put it together and we'll buy 2 pumps and you can take one home.
And for the record...I despise PG&E just below Monsanto.
What I'd like to do is put solar on the well, but the estimate for that was absurd....along the line of $25k. Which I would happily do if I never had to associate with PG&E again, ahhh, but that amount is only to re-charge their grid. Like I would lift even my pinky to help PG%E.
So, Leo and I are leaning to solar on a trailer, so we can move it around the field. A tank 5000 gallons, pump, and bells and whistles. If anything else goes wrong this week, just bring a cup holder.
Unfortunately for me, my ancestors were all folks with scruples.
With my old pump, I could pump 120 gallons per minute. However, when the PIGGY jumped to $500 a month 10 years ago, We opted for a 2hp pump. What a sorry ass thing. I have only enough pressure to water 300' into the field. I can't make any runs longer than 50 feet. And I can run the shower and the washing machine at the same time. So a tank in the field at the 300' mark, would finally let me expand another acre.
Did I say I loathe PG&E?
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Post by steev on Jun 6, 2013 21:03:14 GMT -5
Just search "Grundfos". My other pump is a Lorentz, apparently more repairable, but needing plenty of components above-ground.
The Grundfos that's down the well, at 90', is only 6GPM and needs 48volts DC. So it can drive ~700' of 1/2GPH in-tube dripline.
I got all my pump stuff from Harmony Farm Supply, in Graton.
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Post by 12540dumont on Jun 6, 2013 22:14:52 GMT -5
Steev, can you send me all the specs of your system?
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Post by mnjrutherford on Jun 6, 2013 23:17:05 GMT -5
Holly, I totally feel for you. I HATE PG&E!!!! But, what do they have to do with your water?
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Post by steev on Jun 6, 2013 23:49:03 GMT -5
I'll send what I can find.
You might want to call Harmony to speak to their solar/pump guy, whose name eludes me.
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