A windpump arrives at pointReturn

There is a windmill standing at the pointReturn site right now. It’s pumping water from about 120′ below the surface. It shows all signs of being a reliable source of water. It was erected just over two weeks ago. It didn’t pump steadily right away and so took some tweaking before it would. Even now it’s under watch. But the charm and power of the wind are already on view. windmill

The pointReturn site has no readily usable source of water. Water of course is essential when one wants to accelerate regeneration. Open wells and 5 hp motors driven by free electricty supplied by the government is the pattern in all land-holdings around pointReturn. There is no attempt to save rain water on individual holdings, small or big. There are reasonable public works consisting of storm water channels that lead to large lakes. But the run off is so copious and violent that it delivers a double whammy: valuable top soil is carried away and lakes silt up fast reducing their capacity.

One of the things I have chosen to demonstrate at pointReturn is that a gentler way of profitable farming is possible that does not require a lot of electricity nor suffers run off. It will take time and some capital investment of course but in the long run it will be wise business that accountants will approve.

If one were to calculate the total cost to the farmer in terms of lost fertlilty, opportunities lost due to power outages and drying up of wells it will become clear the farmer is the end loser. The writing is on the wall for free power. It’s a great populist offer that wins elections but no state can supply endless power forever free. Governments duck the promise with irregular supply. In the meantime rich and poor farmers have gone lazy on free power. I personally know well to do landowners as much as poorer farmers avail of free power. I know a lady who boasted she has two free services at her large homestead. It is not uncommon for farmers to switch their motors on and walk away for other errands – water runs for hours without consideration of need.

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