An Innovative Ride

It's been over 5 years since my former student Elizabeth Russell wowed me and her senior graduation project community judges by drinking a "shot" of the canola-derived biofuel that she made with her Uncle Bob.  Her "shot" lit a spark that has fueled my growing passion for self-reliance and learning.

A desire to learn, the willingness to embrace new ideas, Polk County students and teacher support, and a local set of patrons with a desire to help, has led Be Kind Solutions to its new manufacturing home.  Oh yes, the students are now out of my backyard shop and in our school's biofuel class or coming to the WARHORSE shop--where agriculture meets innovation.

This stainless steel tank is the prettiest thing I own.

My husband can now have his work spaces back, the tractor goes back in the covered bay, and some new-used pumps and a bigger tank will cut down on all the heavy lifting and moving of our WARHORSE soap barrels.

repurposed 550 gallon stainless steel tank

A new, pretty Armstrong 2d 1050 circulation pump

Now, we will make our pet and people products in bigger batches, planning to grow our green production, sales, and educational projects.

We have "grown" our WARHORSE team as well--my sister Amanda, who knows the products inside and out, is coming on board full time in the near future; Jody Durham, who knows manufacturing and production, has been on the WARHORSE ride for almost a year, and of course, my husband Carl will still be moving vegetable glycerin, natural oils, and soaps around, but with a forklift now.  Learning to drive that forklift is on my To-Do List this week.

My sister Amanda is whipping up a new recipe for hand cleaner with pumice.  Gibbs Welding guys been trying it out with great results.

Jody risks his safety for the perfect photograph while watching a soybean crop harvest in Newton, NC. Jody is a strong force on the WARHORSE and Be Kind team. He brings loads of manufacturing and quality control experience to our new production facility, and we benefit from his creative and artistic experience as well.  Many of the pics you see on our website are from his lens.  All of the pics on our blog and website are authentic and relevant.

We have launched our new pet shampoo and horse shampoo, after several years of customer feedback and veterinarian evaluations. 

Thanks everyone who tested and gave feedback to our new all natural pet and horse shampoo products, especially Red Oak Farms, Bonnie Brae Vet. Hospital, and Univ. of Georgia Vet. School.

My former Polk County High student Jacob Hrobak completed a biofuels graduation project last year.  He also helped Polk establish its bioufels science course by working with Appalachian State and our Polk teachers. Jacob is now an Industrial Engineering student at NC State University. He recently visited the new WARHORSE shop in Landrum.  We hope to offer him and other students internship opportunities in science and engineering.

 Even though it's a new year and a new start for Be Kind and WARHORSE, things won't change that much.  We will still work and learn from our old friends, and collaborate with our new additions to the WARHORSE family--Advantage West, Appalachian State and Catawba Biodiesel and Research EcoComplex, Clemson University Bio Systems, New Earth Fabricators, to name a few. The WARHORSE was born with the help of many. More people and projects are on the journey, and we shall see where this ride takes us.

Thanks everyone.
Tawana Weicker
Be Kind Solutions

All You Need Is Love, Warhorse

So the Beatles knew that LOVE is all we need--even in business?  Here's the song if you've missed it somehow.

So when the is in the angst of which circulation pump to buy on ebay, of waiting on a biofuel grant for our high school, of how to create a job for a loan laden-NC State-agriculture science-graduate, all I need is LOVE?  Of course, it is.

Victor Hwang, co owner of T2VC and author of a book about building innovative ecosystems called The Rainforest, deconstructs that yes, the solid foundation for an innovative business begins with LOVE.  Here's his article that gives evidence-supported logic: Innovative Ecosystems need LOVE