“Bounty” is the first word that comes to mind during a late August tour of the terraced, shady backyard of a house on a tiny plot on a street near downtown Kalamazoo and Western Michigan University. Food is everywhere in varying stages of maturity: cold hardy kiwi, hazelnut, pear, nectarine, apple, cherry, pine nut and paw paw trees; gooseberry, blueberry and blackberry bushes; abundant herbs, chard and beets, sugar peas, spinach and winter squash fenced from hungry wildlife.
Native pollinator plants are sprinkled throughout, and there are a few patches of grass “for the dog’s sake.” Sherry Opalka throws a ball for Deacon … again and again … while sharing stories about her sustainability journey.
There’s so much plant life on your land! Gardens in the front and a food forest in back. Hardly any grass. Why have you embraced growing food in such a big way?
I think I inherited a love of farming from my grandmother, Emily. As a child, I spent every August on her farm in Nebraska. She had a large garden. There were cows, pigs, sheep, chickens – an old time family farm. Vegetables and meat for the family, and milk and butter sales enabled my grandparents to survive the depression. So did the oil well they leased on their property, which seems ironic to me now that I think back on it from my perspective as a climate activist. My grandmother could dispatch a chicken to the dinner table with her strong hands, stubby fingers and swollen knuckles. The neck breaking, plucking, butchering, and cooking… I watched the whole thing. And now, with all that’s been accomplished here, I’ve started to think of myself as an urban farmer. The more I do, the more I want to do. This is what I’m doing for climate change. And it’s not just about growing food.
Your house is nearly 90 years old. What other projects have you undertaken to make it habitable in the context of an increasingly unstable climate?
One of the earlier projects is a rainwater catchment system that was designed and built with a permaculture mindset to ‘keep all rainwater on the property’, including a ‘hundred year flood’ drainage system, which helps to avoid erosion of the soil from run-off. A container holds water for irrigation in the front and back gardens. I had a wood stove installed in the living room, and recently added insulating quilts to all the windows upstairs.
Solar panels (also called photovoltaics, or PVs) were installed on the roof in 2018. They supply between 45-60% of my energy needs. Insulation work was recently done in the attic (and throughout the house) in preparation for installation of a metal roof and additional solar panels and home batteries. The old insulation was removed, and replaced with blown-in cellulose or foam. 
All of these things have made my home more comfortable and quieter (less noise from the heavily trafficked road out front). It’s too early to estimate the effect of these projects on my energy bills, but I’m pleased to know I’m doing what one person can do to mitigate climate change.
You’re a trailblazer! What advice do you have for folks getting started on their own sustainability journeys?
I’d say first decide what the end goals are. I wanted to be able to grow a lot of my own food so I started there. My house was drafty and cold in winter, so comfort was a huge motivator for me. I strongly recommend researching the reputations of the vendors that provide the materials and services. Talk with people that have already done the things that are priorities - their lessons learned, what benefits they’ve seen.
Technology is evolving and I’ve appreciated collaborating with businesses that are committed to energy conservation for the long term. A lot of flexibility and tenacity is required to navigate sometimes confusing zoning laws, fire and electrical safety ordinances, and energy company regulations, so I recommend choosing businesses that will partner with you.
Your current projects are eligible for Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding, a 2022 law that provides incentives for clean energy and a reduction in carbon emissions. What’s been your experience with this so far?
Two of the vendors have incorporated their rebates into cost estimates for their projects, which lowered my up-front costs. They also listed what I should take to my tax preparer on the invoices. Beyond that, I’m not really familiar with the details of the IRA.
Author note: Here’s MiCAN’s Executive Director, Dr. Denise Keele, to help us get our arms around the IRA law:
Most folks are not aware of the benefits available and we are fortunate to have many forward thinking builders who know how to pass these savings on to their clients. This is one of the reasons we think it is so important to tell stories like Sherry’s - to celebrate how the lives of Michigan residents have been improved by using funds from this legislation and hopefully inspire others to do the same.
The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (known as the IRA) is a comprehensive federal legislative package that aims to reduce inflation by investing in clean energy, healthcare, and tax reforms. Homeowners and drivers can benefit from rebates and incentives for energy-efficient home upgrades, renewable energy installations, and electric vehicle purchases.
Rewiring America estimates that American households can receive an average of $10,600 in federal incentives to help convert from fossil fuel-powered appliances and technology to electric-powered replacements, which can save households an average of $2,000 a year on energy bills.
And, by inputting a few details about your household, you can get a free personalized estimate of how much you can save on efficient electric appliances and energy-saving technologies. You don't even need to register or share your email! Use the free calculator here.
Donna McClurkan, MiCAN Culture Club Contributor
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