Hello fellow countrysiders! I was just wondering if anyone has heard of the Midwest Renewable Energy Association? They are near Custer Wi but I'm not familiar with them or that area (even tho I am from WI). I tried pulling up their website but couldn't find it. It sounds like they provide a lot of knowledge/help with alternative energy. Last year they had a "parade of homes" where people could go to different homes that had alternative energy in use but unfortunatly due to work I had to miss it. Do they have one every year, Does anyone out there near me (midwest WI) have a working solar/wind system that could share some ideas? I'd like to set up something on a area of land near Minong Wi. The only problem(s)are: I don't know where to begin and there are lots of trees so don't know if solar would work. Any help along the lines would be appreciated. Thanks, Barb

-- Barb (WILDETMR@YAHOO.COM), January 28, 2001

Answers

I think homepower goes there, can try their website,,, http://www.homepower.com/ .

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), January 28, 2001.

Their website is still functioning, try again.

http://www.the-mrea.org/

-- Diane (dshogren@uswest.net), January 28, 2001.

The National Tour of Solar Homes takes place every mid-October and is my most favorite day of the year! I highly recommend it. We've been attending for the last three years now and have met the nicest people. Countryside has a booth at the MREA Fair every year, although we haven't been able to get there yet. Maybe this year!

-- Sandy Davis (smd2@netzero.net), January 28, 2001.

MREA is a wonderful organization. If you get the chance, go to the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair in Amherst WI, hel the second weekend in July, I beleive. Lots of good people with good info.

-- ray s. (mmoetc@yahoo.com), January 28, 2001.

The Energy Fair is always in June, close to the Solstice (peak sun power of course!). This year it's June 22-24, in Amherst. They moved the fair to Madison for 2000 only (special event), so this year it will be back in Amherst again -- Portage County fairgrounds. That's in the middle section of the state, BTW.

Hey, if you look at their first page, they're doing an installation of a masonry heater early in February. If you ever wanted to participate in such a thing, this is your opportunity!

Barb, the article in the most recent CS is by Chris LaForge. He's up in Port Wing, WI. Isn't that up near you? I definitely recommend trying to get to the Energy Fair. They have all kinds of informative workshops and lots of vendors, from whom you can learn a great deal as well. I think there are other Energy Fairs around the country too. I think there's one in Minnesota and one in Iowa.

-- Joy Froelich (dragnfly@chorus.net), January 28, 2001.

I generally get to MREA fair each year. I think I've only missed two years since they started. They boast about having the largest energy fair in the known universe and theres usually a good turnout. If you're really into this stuff it will take 3 days to just to attend all the workshops they conduct during the fair. And yes---they have a solar homes tour each year that departs from the fairgrounds.

-- john leake (natlivent@pcpros.net), February 03, 2001.