Walkable Community Project

Jeanie and I met with food and kitchen consultants in Dallas, Texas this past week to view and  discuss the newest concepts in green kitchen technology . There are many new and exciting options for new businesses.  Click on the link below and and you can see one of the many options available today.    We are determined to make a difference in the winery and the bistro.  I have always been told that if you do things the way they have always been done, you can expect the same results.   We are discovering new options and we will make a difference by the choices we make in life and business.

Green Kitchen Concepts

I have worked as President and Chief Operating Officer for a large company and have owned a number of my own businesses.  Today working for a large corporation is not fun.   There is a constant pressure to improve the bottom line.  Cash flow is the order of the day.  To meet the demands of Wall Street you must increase revenue by acquisitions or by increased pricing.  The pressure on corporations demands growth.

Owning your own business is not easy but the only one you have to please is yourself.  Sometimes building a business is fun and rewarding.  Currently we are running radio ads throughout the Texas Hill County for dog training.  You can listen to our radio ad by logging on to http://www.kingcarepetcenter.com/audio_gallery and clicking on Radio Ad .  Ed Chandler is a DJ from the Ranch Radio Station in Kerrville.  Ed has a morning radio program and has a wide and loyal following.  Ed has sent us his dog Mojo for training.  Every day Ed is going to call the King-Care Pet Center for live updates on how Mojo is doing.  We are posting daily videos of Mojo’s progress on our website.  You can check out Mojo’s progress by logging on to  http://www.kingcarepetcenter.com and then clicking on Mojo’s Progress.  Check out Mojo’s videos.  I just posted one on Mojo’s week 1 progress for the week.  It is  a funny video and was fun to do.

This is what I mean when I said, business can be fun !  I hope that you will join us in the “Walkable  Community Project” by developing your own business in Junction.

See ya at the Junction Rivers Winery ~

Joe King

Let me share some thoughts on the economics of a walkable community.  My home is approximately 15 miles from Junction.  My pickup gets 15 miles per gallon.  A gallon of gas today cost $3.07 in Junction.  A round trip from the ranch property to town and back cost me approximately  $6.14.  I make the trip every day and on somedays make 2 trips.  On an annual basis this adds up to a least $2,241 per year for fuel.

I am told that gasoline could hit the $5/gallon mark very soon, possibly this year.  When gas hits the $5 /gallon mark the economics of a round trip changes dramatically.  My annual fuel cost increases to approximately $3,650 per year.  If I live and work in a “Walkable Community” that cost goes away.

Secondly, let’s look at the price of electrical energy.  I just received the January bill from Perdernales Electric.  My electric bill for January was $476.42.  I used 4,670 kWh at $.06506 per kWh.  January was an extremely cold month and I ran heaters in the house, barn, and guest quarters 24 hours/day to keep pipes from freezing.  January was not a typical month but it illustrates our desire to become less dependent on the electrical grid.

Our plans for living in a “Walkable Community” include two fundamental changes in life-style.  One -reduce our dependence on automobiles.  Two – make the move to alternative energy such as wind and solar.  We plan on using Structural Insulated Panels  (SIP) in the house and winery.  I will insert a photo of a SIP in this post so you can see how they are made.  We are currently working on making wind generators and solar heating panels to use at the Kennel, Winery and House. Slowly, we will move toward less and less dependence upon the electrical grid.

Jeanie and I encourage others to make this move with us.  Living and working in a “Walkable Community,” reducing dependence upon traditional energy sources and using green technology.  This is not an easy decision to make, but the concept is right, the time right and the place is right.

See ya at the Junction Rivers Winery ~

Joe King

Structural Insulaed Panels:

I am posting a photo of the Junction Rivers Winery floor plan.  As it currently stands, the winery is a 2600 square foot building that will contain a winery, tasting room, gift shop, indoor-outdoor dining, and …  a few surprises.   You can view the floor plans using the following link:

http://www.junctionriverswinery.com/winery_floor_plan

The following post is a progress report on the walkable community concept:

We are moving forward with a number of Walkable Community components.  Dr. Greg Bogard and I are  working on building wind generators and solar heating panels for the house on 8th street, the winery and the kennel.   Jeanie and I have floor plans for the building on 8th street and for the Junction Rivers Winery.  We have applied for a  federal license for the winery and will follow that with state licensing requirements.  We have quotes on building costs, pad estimates, plumbing, electrical, and winery equipment.  I have hired a winemaker for the winery.

The building on 8th street is 2 blocks from the winery, kennel and clinic.  Jeanie and I are determined to move away from our dependence upon the electrical grid and supply a majority of  our power needs using wind and solar energy.  This project is not only  a vision of a Walkable Community but also of a Green Community.  We are encouraging others to follow our lead on using alternative energy and living within a walkable distance of their business.  This will allow us to move away from our total dependence on automobiles.  We hope that others will grasp the vision and join us in making this vision reality.

In the days ahead we will be posting floor plans of the winery, progress reports on our alternative energy initiatives, and photos and videos displaying the beauty of Junction.  The junctionriverswinery.com website has a photo and video album of Junction. We will be posting photos and videos of our progress as we move forward. We have had comments from people as far away as North Carolina on the Walkable Community concept.  The idea is right, the time is right and the place is right.

There are a number of people reading this blog and the entire concept is drawing attention to the validity of the Walkable Community Project. We welcome your comments and thoughts.

Joe King

As we have described in this Walkable Community blog, Joe and I have a vision of a vibrant, sustainable, friendly, prosperous neighborhood located in Junction, TX.

Some may say it has potential but I’m reminded of former University of Texas Coach Darrell Royal who once replied to a reporter asking about a young player who had potential. Coach sniffed and said, “Potential just means you ain’t done it yet.”

People might look at our Walkable Community idea, the Junction Rivers Winery and Bistro where we have yet to lay a brick and our renovated office building home that is still in planning states… and think that these things have potential but are not done.

I want to remind you of the power of a vision and more importantly, of how using your senses in the creation of a vision can make all the difference. As we talk to others, put plans on paper, walk the perimeter of the buildings and visualize vibrant outcomes, we are actually making it more real.

Millions of people watched the Superbowl this past Sunday between the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. My sister and I talked before the game even started and both agreed that the Packers would win. Now, we are not psychic or even gamblers, but there was a strong sense that they would triumph.

She sent me this article today that gives insight to how the Coach pushed the players into believing they would win by having them fitted Saturday night for Super Bowl rings.

On the eve of the biggest game in their collective lives, the Green Bay Packers were already setting their sights on the hardware that comes with winning football’s biggest game.
A day after his Packers won Super Bowl XLV, Green Bay head coach Mike McCarthy revealed that he had his team fitted for Super Bowl rings on Saturday night following the team’s final meeting before the Super Bowl.
“I talked to our football team a lot about having real confidence, and those are just examples and opportunities to express that,” McCarthy told reporters on Monday, according to the Kansas City Star. “I felt that the measurement of the rings, the timing of it would be special, it would have a significant effect on our players doing it the night before the game.
As Packers general manager Ted Thompson pointed out, the Pack would need to be fitted either way since they’d be receiving rings for winning the NFC Championship, but McCarthy’s intended message seemed to resonate strongly with his team.
“It was the night before the game, and we could see that it was right there,” linebacker Desmond Bishop told ESPN.com. “Everything we wanted was right there in our hands, literally and figuratively.”

a link to a different story on this:
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2011/02/mike-mccarthy-had-packers-fitted-for-super-bowl-rings-on-saturday/1

As we think about the outcome of a workable, walkable community with jobs, recreation, social interaction and fresh air and food, I envision the current residents of Junction and Kimble County as ones who will provide encouragement and allow us to work with organizations and groups in a healthy and interactive way. I also see people being drawn to this vision and location and bringing their own talents, abilities, dreams and hopes with them.

If you feel excitement around the vision we are holding, please respond through this blog. We welcome your thoughts, dreams, questions and comments.  Just like the Green Bay Packers made it ‘real’ together, so can we!

Be sure to check out the website, www.elderwisdomcircle.org,  designed for free advice – excluding financial, medical and legal advice – from elders who have years of life experience.

Elder Wisdom Circle is comprised of people ages 60 to 105 with access to internet who are willing to share the value of life lessons to anyone who cares to ask for advice.

This is a great way for people who normally feel unwanted or unloved…and I’m speaking of both elders and young people alike, to connect in meaningful ways.

We understand in our Walkable Community there will be opportunities for people of all ages to come together and connect in person and also through neighborhood groups and interests.

It’s fun to see how the internet is connecting people instantly all over the world and yet, to know that some things remain inherently human ~ such as teenage angst; parenting frustrations; workplace behavior and emotional stress.

Take a moment to check out the website and pass on to others if you feel so inclined.

Celebrating our combined wisdom and abilities, Jeanie

Today I flew from Miami to DFW in the first aircraft allowed to land after snow, sleet and ice caused the airport and many others across the nation to close.

Severe winter storms are sweeping across a 2000 mile swath, creating havoc and dangerous conditions for millions of people.

Unable to drive from DFW, I felt fortunate to find one of the few cabs operating. Two other stranded travelers and I happily shared the cab, stopping and dropping off one at a time.

David, our driver, who just started driving a cab after being recently downsized from a major corporation, introduced himself and asked us all to get to know one another.

In this pocket of shared adversity we experienced a bonding as David picked his way across frozen freeways and treacherous streets. A feeling of camraderie prevailed even as we oohed and ahhed at the cars and trucks scattered in ditches, medians and streets.

This experience reminded me of how our walkable community will function in conjunction with other people. Not only will we know our neighbors and their needs but both in good and bad times, we can be available to others.

Having a walkable, people friendly community will let us know that it doesn’t take a disaster or weather event to let people bond.

While gratified to have had nearly three hours in a shared cab with our driver and other travelers, I know this is not the norm for big city living. We can go weeks or months without meaningful interaction with anyone outside our family or close friends circle.

As Joe and I create the vision of friendly, workable, sustainable community in a great town like Junction, we are excited to consider what life can be like with a built in support system of people who know and care about one another.

Here’s to warm feelings in body, mind and spirit. 
Jeanie Brosius