Former Yankees Suck-man and NYC-er Jamie Manza has relocated to the Hudson Valley where he lives on a former dairy farm. Manza is currently taking the 200-year-old Blough Farm off-the-grid, meaning it will soon be self-sufficient without reliance on public utilities. Medicine is planning on documenting Blough’s progress in words, pictures, and video, in a series called Mr Awesome’s Awesome Adventure.
By Jamie “Mr Awesome” Manza
Blough Farm is a 76-acre property located in central Orange County, New York. The old dairy and hay farm stopped producing as an active farm decades ago, as old Orville Blough’s physical abilities deteriorated. Now, as the current owner and resident, I strive to make the once postcard-like setting vibrant again by raising pastured animals and organic produce.Today, production of wholesome food only scratches the surface of my ambitions; self-sustenance is the goal. But I know that self-sustenance is more comprehensive than feeding oneself. To be truly independent of industrial capitalism’s reach, I’m striving to free the farm from the needs of “The Grid”. To do so, independence from municipal services is critical: no water, sewer service, OR ENERGY from outside the lines of the tax map.
As a developer (or antideveloper), I am R & D ing zero-emission homes and buildings that use only renewable energy captured on site. I have the education and most of the resources necessary to accomplish this task of independent living.
The lacking resource en route to my goal is (wo)man power. If one asks why I do not hire some bulldozers, loaders and excavators, I answer, “They use too much f*#kin’ petro”. I’m also disillusioned by the impact (noise, collateral destruction and disturbance) these machines wreak on the sensitive microclimates. Basically I don’t want to scare away the herons, swans, hawks, and eagles that reside on and around my lake and stream.
My principles create an opportunity for like-minded individuals who share this passion for protecting ecosystems; I need people with whom I can collaborate. I am looking for people to share a solution-searching dialogue and who have an affinity for certain aesthetics: architects, artists, chefs, gardeners/farmers, to name some probable candidates. All should have a viable work ethic in order to be considered.
Integral philosophies of the process are community service andfree, public education. I want everyone to “steal” these methods and the finished product so the proliferation of ideas is a result. The sooner “everyone” achieves these goals, the sooner my work is done.
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July 29th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Manza-powered grid.
July 30th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Eff, I’m speechless! Right now everyone we know is talking about how we want to move onto Jamie’s farm.
July 30th, 2008 at 10:55 am
jamie bought the farm. you start at 5am.
July 30th, 2008 at 10:55 am
now we know who’s going to blough the farm. (ray)
July 30th, 2008 at 11:43 am
im going to assume that Jamie hand wrote this letter and mailed it to MedAd if he is truly “off the grid” as the post claims.
July 30th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Be assured anyone who moves to Manza Commune that no cotton will be used above the waist during the construction of said community.
July 30th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
I would go by “Anonymous” if I were really stupid too, like previous commentor.
First, there is this thing called the internet, and it sometimes comes in the “wireless” format. So the signals come through the air like Superman, or Batman, and land in my computer and vice-versa. “the Grid” is a hard-wired or hard-piped network of utilities and energy supply that you actually “connect” to, and not subliminally or philosophically. Also, there are things called solar panels or wind turbines that produce electricity with zero emissions. Think bro.
Second, not Ray, I, or “the post” claims that I am off the Grid now. To quote the article, “Manza is currently taking the 200-year-old Blough Farm off-the-grid, meaning it will soon be self-sufficient without reliance on public utilities.”
Preview, scan, then reread for best comprehension results.
July 30th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
fucking awesome
July 30th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
no pun intended
July 30th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
u mad? i thought the whole thing was very cute, relax. if youre interested, i know a jewish girl with big tits who’d love nothing more than to move in with you and help get the farm operational, along with the odd hobby and crafts. it would be a lot like “our house” by CSNY. think about it.
July 30th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Attn Anonymous: I’m not mad. haha. I just get annoyed by a “devil’s advocate” type, but I should probably get used to it. Tell your Jewish girl I went to Brandeis University.
And I am interested in offering my resources to like-minded people; unfortunately, big muscles might be better than big tits, but I think I can make some exceptions.