Starting out
Sunrise Alternatives is a company born in mind about 1978 when I was a
pre-Engineering student at the University of Minnesota.  The family farm
that I grew up on held skeletal remains of pre-REA (Rural Electrification
Act) wind generators which peaked my interest in natural wind energy,
plus working the summers growing organic produce while in college
peaked my interest in letting the Earth and Sun do for us what coal,
nuclear and petroleum now do for energy, and chemicals do for
agriculture.  At this time we cannot live without these Earth degrading
chemicals and heavy metals but there is absolutely no reason to live with
them much longer.  It is time to phase out the old and ring in the new, or
is it “phase out the new and ring in the old.”  After all, the wind and the
sun were here long before modern energy methods.
Overview
The mission of Sunrise Alternatives in not to take on the whole world but
to concentrate on saving the Small Family Farmer; reversing the trend
of losing small family farms to corporate farms; helping small farmers
become energy independent; helping small family farmers produce   
clean fresh and locally processed food for their local communities; and
make it possible for small family farmers to become viable energy
producers.
Mission statement
1.
SAVE THE FAMILY FARM!
2.
Design and develop renewable energy systems suited to small scale
production of energy for the operation of small farms.
3.
Design and develop renewable energy systems suited to small scale
production of energy to be sold to utilities or directly to energy consumers.
4.
Design and develop agricultural machinery (including the use of advanced
robotics and computer control) for vegetable and other small crops which
are affordable for small growers. i.e. (a farmer does not need a $250,000
combine to pick 5 acres of tomatoes in Minnesota.)
5.
Develop methods and machinery to process crops on the farm into final
food products and develop networks to distribute local grown food to local
 communities.
6.
Help to expand the local Farmers Market network by educating consumers
on the importance of locally grown clean produce and what their support
can mean to the security of the United States;  the cleanliness of our food
supply;  the economic impact on the local economy;  the reduction in
petroleum usage and the preservation of our topsoil.
7.
Help re-establish the Family Farm and the Family Farm way of life back
into American culture.  
This site is currently under construction
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