Open Source Ecology - User contributions [en]

Chris Fornof

2011-05-23T12:33:30Z

FactorChris: /* WHO are you? */

=Team Culturing Information=

last updated: 10. May, 2011

==='''WHO''' are you?===
*''Name'' - Chris Fornof

*''Location (city, country)'' - Colorado Springs, USA

*''Contact Information (email, phone, Skype)'' - FactorChris (at) gmail (dot) com

*''Introductory Video'' -

*''Resume/CV'' - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1q57oHuuXx-oYmGIB2FS2wXFEW3qsVDPHN21itH-XETQ/edit?hl=en&authkey=COHknKMI

==='''WHY''' are you motivated to support/develop this work?===
*''Do you endorse open source culture?''
Completely.

*''Why are you interested in collaborating with us?''
My mission in life is to catalyze the creation of connected communities. 
 
Collaborating with OSE seems like a great place to explore the potential.

*''How do you think that the GVCS can address pressing world issues?''
Tools multiply labor. Having a huge library of tools that can be easily, quickly, appropriately, cheaply (and possibly automatically) fabricated holds a great possibility to transform the world for the better. 
I believe that enabling communities to organically reform will lead to many issues being solved. 
The potential of post-scarcity economics is mind-boggling.

*''What should happen so that you become more involved with the project?''
Internet, food, shelter. In that order. I could come out to Factor E Farm within a week or so, but I will require a food stipend. 
Alternatively, we could delay it for 6 months or so which would give me enough time to build up enough capital to coast for a while.

*''What are you missing in the project?''

*''What are your suggestions for improvement of the project?''
Develop a map of active Open Hardware projects and bring them together under the Open Source Ecology banner. Outsourcing aspects of the GVCS to dedicated communities already focused on creating such things will multiply your efforts. 
Factor E Farm is creating some really really cool tech, but its positioning in the open hardware community could potentially be far more valuable in the long run.

==='''WHAT'''===
*''List all of your skills in these areas: Communications - Organizational - Computer Support - Finances - Design - Natural Building - Electronics - Automation - Metallurgy - Engineering - Fabrication - Agriculture - Energy - Architecture - Video/Graphics/Art - PR/Marketing - Education - Construction - Industry - CNC - Chemistry - Product Design - Other''
Communications => I can write. I can give speeches. I can boil down complex ideas to simple concepts. 
Organizational => I've been close to some powerful leaders. I've studied how to organize people. I like connecting people together. 
Computer Support => A little coding experience. I can fix things. 
Finances => I can make Excel dance. I've drafted business plans. 
Design => I offered a freelance design service for a few years. Everything from set design to retail. I can build prototypes, mockups, digital and physical. I enjoy envisioning new things. 
Natural Building => As a kid I made large thatched structures that lasted for years. I've researched earthworks, sandbags, adobe, and straw bale construction. 
Electronics => I've taken some electrical engineering classes. Hope to play with an Arduino soon. 
Automation => Heavy interest. 
Metallurgy => Not too much experience, but I am familiar with some of the chemistries. 
Engineering => While I hold no certifications, I have studied quite a few of the disciplines, and am familiar with many of the concepts. 
Fabrication => Comfortable in a machine shop. I've made some cool sculptures from scrap metal. 
Agriculture => Studying molecular biology. I hope to be capable of doing some basic genetic engineering soon. 
Energy => I can diagram most energy production mechanisms. I've researched motor design (got distracted by multi-physics simulations). 
Architecture. I've trained architects in CAD software. I was hoping for an internship before the housing bubble killed all the firms. 
Video/Graphics/Art => I've been around video most of my life. I have some experience in every role of the media production process. 
PR/Marketing => My previous job. 
Education => Passionate about it. On OLPC and Khan Academy mailing lists. I've researched it heavily. 
Construction => I like building things. I've studied many techniques with many materials. 
Industry => Heavily researched. 
CNC => I've worked with CNC and 3D printers. Excited about automated self-replication potential. 
Chemistry => Studying it currently. 
Product Design => My idea of fun.

*''How have you already contributed to the project?''
I've spread the word and shown OSE videos to dozens.

==='''HOW''' can you help?''===
*''How are you interested in contributing to the work of GVCS development?''
I've got a range of skills, I can plug in wherever I'm needed. Ideally, I'd like to assist on other people's projects for a bit, before starting one of my own. 
One idea I would be interested in connecting OSE with other Open Hardware groups that are independently creating pieces of the GVCS. Connecting people together more efficiently might be a more powerful way to augment the development speed.

*''Can you volunteer to work with us, and if so, how many hours per week?''
Yep. How does full-time sound?

*''Are you interested in working with us for pay? If so, what services can you offer, and what is your hourly or per-project rate?''
I'm more interested in learning and making something cool. 
That said, I do need internet, food, and shelter. If those are taken care of, I'm good to go.

*''Are you interested in [http://openfarmtech.org/wiki/Dedicated_Project_Visit Dedicated Project Visit]?''
I'd prefer working on someone else's project, or rotating between projects if it is possible. I'm easily distracted by shiny things, and I don't like to leave things half-finished. I work best augmenting / assisting others, floating in, doing a crapton of work, then disappearing for a bit. 
Helping other people on their projects seems like it would accomplish more.

*''Are you interested in purchasing equipment from us to help bootstrap development?''
Possibly.

*''Are you interested in bidding for consulting/design/prototyping work?''
Possibly

*''Are you a [http://openfarmtech.org/wiki/True_Fans True Fan]? If not, why not?''
I don't like partial buy-ins. When I commit, I go all in.

*''Would you like to see yourself working with us on a full-time basis?''
For a few months? Sure, why not?

*''Are you interested in using the technologies that we are developing directly?''
One day!

*''Are you interested in being part of the world's first, open source, resilient community? The GVCS is the preparatory step for the OSE Village Experiment - a 2 year, immersion experiment (2013-2014) for testing whether a real, thriving, modern-day prototype community of 200 people can be built on 200 acres using local resources and open access to information? We are looking for approximately 200 people to fill a diverse array of roles, according to the Social Contract that is being developed. This may be the boldest social experiment on earth - a pioneering community whose goal is to extend the index of possibilities regarding harmonious existence of humans, ecology, and technology - as a beacon of light to benefit of all people on Earth.
Another Utopian attempt? Sure. Why not? Sounds like fun. 
I'd like to see what ideas are being kicked around.

[[Category:Team Culturing]]
[[Category: Video Editing team]]

Factor e Farm

2011-05-19T13:34:20Z

FactorChris: /* Finances */

=Introduction=
The [[Factor e Farm]] '''(FeF)''' experiment aims to take everything that civilization has learned to date, to create communities that work - starting from raw land. Is this sufficient to create advanced civilization, free from compromise?

Factor e Farm is the land-based facility where we put the ''theory'' of Open Source Ecology '''''into practice'''''. Factor e Farm is not a [http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/factoryfarming/ factory farm]. Why [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_(mathematical_constant) e]? It is a transcendental number. We aim to transcend. We push towards open source. Factor 10 reduction in price. Or at least e. Ten times cheaper means ten times the freedom. It is Factor e improvement in quality of life. It is technology for ecology.

We started with 30 acres of raw land in rural Missouri - a former soybean field. We paid our last electricity bill three years ago. We are getting our power from waste vegetable oil and the sun. We drink pure free rain water. We grow most of our food. We are free. Welcome to our life. We want to help others do the same. Decentralization. Regain control of your life. Be your own boss. [[Evolve_to_freedom|Evolve to freedom.]]

[[Factor E Farm Site Plan]]

[http://www.youtube.com/p/FF0B396794CE6CDE&hl=en]
Click the arrows to see another video.

The Factor e [[Distillations]] are a review of Factor e Farm in 2008.

[http://www.youtube.com/p/8222E33C29B683CE&hl=en]

See a slide show presentation about the [[First Year at Factor e Farm]], 2007.

[http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=-710075551990473235&hl=en&fs=true]

[[Image:oekonuxtalk.jpg]]

[http://openfarmtech.org/weblog/?p=611 See the latest presentation from 2009, given at the Oekonux 4 Conference in Manchester, UK.]

=More Information=

See the [http://openfarmtech.org/weblog/ weblog] for the latest updates.

You can view videos from Factor e Farm on our [http://www.youtube.com/user/marcinose Youtube Channel.]

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/11113094@N03/ Pictures] from Factor e Farm.

See [http://factorefarm.org/ Factor e Farm.org] for discussion forums.

The core team members are the people at Factor e Farm who are engaged actively in the reserach and development program for the [[Global Village Construction Set]].

<html>
<iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=105613177309411485244.00046566d85d9fb56693f&ll=39.865297,-94.374259&spn=0.00722,0.005482&t=h&output=embed"></iframe> View <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=105613177309411485244.00046566d85d9fb56693f&ll=39.865297,-94.374259&spn=0.00722,0.005482&t=h&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">Factor e Farm</a> in a larger map
</html>

=What it's like at Factor e Farm=

Definitions: ''Core Team'' or ''Factor e Farm Core Team'' or ''Factor e Core Team'' refers to the full time people at Factor e Farm, who are also involved in the research and development program.

Learn about what it's like at [[Factor e Farm]] before you come.

Current as of April 25, 2009.

We are on 30 acres in rural Missouri.

==Shelter==
[[image:Solar_cell.jpg|thumb]]
[[Image:Cordwood_Structure.jpg|thumb|Cordwood structure]]
[[image:Outside_Hexayurt.JPG|thumb|Hexayurt]]
[[image:Hexacube1.jpg|thumb|Hexacube]]

*We are totally off-grid with [[Solar_Panels_at_Factor_e_Farm|solar panels]] that charge a forklift battery. Buildings are wired, including the new CEB workshop addition. We need to wire the two workshop silos, and install an electric fence charger for the goat pen.
*We have wood stoves in the cordwood, earthbag, and CEB workshop buildings. We have 4 acres of wooded area, but this is not sufficient to sustain all stoves without upgrading to efficient stoves, proper solar design, Babington burner option, and central hydronic heating. We aim to address these points by end of 2009.
*[[Solar Cubicle]]s are insulated, the CEB workshop is partly insulated, while earthbag and cordwood structures feature only thermal mass.
*Buildings:
**[[Earthbag hut]]
**[[Cordwood hut]] - Usual visitor area.
**[[Hexayurt]] - uninsulated
**2 [[Solar Cubicle]]s - $380 insulated housing unit built in one day
**[[CEB building]] and [[greenhouse]] - thermal mass retains heat
**Army tent
**[http://openfarmtech.org/weblog/?p=632 Solar Village] planned for 2009.

==Water==
*Hand pumped water well
*Roof rain water catchment system on greenhouse, with about 1000 gallon storage capacity. Pressure tank provides water to sink in earthbag structure, CEB addition sink and shower, plus greenhouse irrigation. Hose can be extended to water the garden. Well pumping can be automated via 3" submersible pump (not available) or a manual-to-motorized handpump converter (available). On-demand electric heater is installed for kitchen sink and shower.
*Next improvement will be a deep well - beneath bedrock at 100 feet - after we build an open source [[Well Rig]]

==Electricity, Internet, and Fuel==
*We presently have 1.4 kW of solar panels installed. See [[Solar Panels at Factor e Farm]]. This is sufficient to run lights, internet, appliances, and workshop tools without problems. It is ''not'' sufficient for extensive electricity usage, such as electric heaters, welders, or items left on when not needed. As such, people need to be conscious of energy usage. Battery voltage should be checked regularly (readout on inverter) to make sure there is no unaccounted energy usage or leakage. As a general rule, voltage should not go below 12.0 volts, and charging should not exceed 14.0 volts. The inverter shuts off automatically below 11 volts and above 15 volts. The overcharge condition can degrade the battery rapidly from its 20 year rated life.
*Higher power items, such as welder, are run off the tractor generator, which can produce 20 kW of electric power.
*Internet is provided. It can be supported easily all day by our available power, but it should be turned off whenever not in use.
*We make our own biodiesel for the [[LifeTrac]] tractor and Suburban farm truck.

==Food==
*400 tree fruit, nut, and berry orchard
*Garden with many raised beds planted out in 2009
*Asparagus and raspberries are presently available in abundance
*Orchard was planted 2 years ago from small trees.
*Chickens - eggs; [[Incubator]] recently open-sourced, and in testing. Abundant eggs and chicken meat expected later in 2009.
*Goats - milk; meat reserve if needed; present population of 7, with 2 males.
*We buy food that we don't grow on the farm
*Agricultural Permaculture tasks, landscaping, taking care of plants
*We try to eat together

==Waste==
*2 [[Composting Toilet|composting toilets]]
*3 compost bins
*Need to reestablish redworm population for vermiposting, as these have died out over winter.

==Sanitation==
[[Image:molly_sink.jpg|thumb]]
*Installed hot water, dish washing sink, and shower in CEB addition
*We have an indoors sink in the earthbag structure; pressure tank froze last winter, and this winter we aim to have the pressure tank in a heated space.

==Finances ==
(last updated March, 2010)

*Finances are handled individually. Factor e Farm provides electricity, internet, and Core Team members are responsible for their food. See [[Transparency]]
*[[1000 True Fans]] campaign provides ongoing funding. We have 360 supporters as of May 2011. True fan funding totals about $4000 month
*Project-based crowd funding is deployed via ChipIn and PayPal.
*Need to set up donation handling via Revolution Money Exchange.
*We (by Core Team principled consensus) will negotiate the level of financial responsibility and joining costs for prospective Core Team members based on the interests and resources of the applicant

==Governance==
*Priorities of the [[Global Village Construction Set]] determine direction and funding allocation. Director of Research and Development is responsible for setting research and development priorities, as well as for determining necessary infrastructure improvements.
*Council of Elders settles disputes by mediation. Council of Elders is presently being recruited. Core Team selects Councils of Elders by ''principled consensus''. Anyone may bring up a topic for mediation, and in case of any objections, the decision to enter mediation will be determined by 'principled consensus' of all core team members.
*Board of Academic Advisors is currently being recruited.
*[[Rules of Conduct]]
*Core Team members are required to study consensus techniques and conflict resolution techniques. We expect all participants to accept the responsibility for effective conflict resolution.

==Legal==
*Legal structure and land tenure is discussed at [[Transparency]]

==Learning==
*DSL internet connection
*Wireless router
*We are not set up well for training Core Team members in various skills for living, research, and development work. We typically require prospective members to come with skills, and this point is negotiable.
*We are a learning community, and we are all expected to help each other grow in practical, mental, emotional, and spiritual techniques.

==Tool Use==
*People may use tools either:
**by bringing their own
**demonstrating proficiency in using and maintaining Factor e Farm tools
*We are also building various tools, and whoever builds one may also use it and teach others to use it

Build technology for ecology to easily provide the above and replicate it at low cost for others
*The [[Global Village Construction Set]]

We are seeking interns for our research and development program to help develop open source technology for building resilient communities. This includes designing and building "permanent agriculture," agricultural machines, infrastructure buildings, and metalworking products. We don't just make diagrams or theory, we make machines that help people achieve their dreams. Please consider [[volunteer]]ing at Factor e Farm.

[[Category: FeF]]
[[Category: Resilient Communities]]

Calendar

2011-05-19T13:13:33Z

FactorChris: Created page with "<iframe src="https://www.google.com/calendar/b/0/embed?title=Factor%20E%20Farm%20Calendar&height=600&wkst=1&bgcolor=%23FFFFFF&src=of2p9185ik1jembj1ies5a6060%40gro..."

User:FactorChris

2011-05-19T13:10:39Z

FactorChris: Created page with "Calendar"

[[Calendar]]

Agricultural Robot

2011-05-18T12:01:23Z

FactorChris:

Agricircle or agri circle:
https://www.youtube.com/embed//mYrJ0BJ4Qak

TED Presentation
https://www.youtube.com/embed//ZwP3A6z4sFc

[[Category: Notes]]