Get started with PEP - Weekly PEP Sprint!

I made rice today in a third way (solar oven).  Next is a haybox cooker but the issue is that you have to heat it with a rocket stove.  I don't have a rocket stove.  But I have some fire bricks laying around.....

That looks great! I like the moss and twigs rather than just rocks in the insect waterer. I feel that choice may lead to attracting more diversity. Also its visually appealing. The down fall being that you may need to replace it more often than just rocks.
I'd be interested in seeing which species are more attracted to which textures/colors/shapes/smells

Mike Haasl wrote:I made rice today in a third way (solar oven).  Next is a haybox cooker but the issue is that you have to heat it with a rocket stove.  I don't have a rocket stove.  But I have some fire bricks laying around.....

Where there are fire bricks there can be rocket things!!!

Did you make that solar over?

Also I don't think I've ever used an oven to make rice. Always boil steam or fry it. I guess this could be a steaming method?

Regardless that's a cool pot!

They're the 1/2 split bricks but I figure I can cobble something up that will cook for a little while...  We'll see....

We bought it, it's a Sun Oven.  And the pan comes with it

Yes, I think you'd say it steams it.  The oven was at 300 degrees when I pulled the rice out.

I was fighting so hard to get the : Plant 200 Seeds for Humming Birds BB so I could get my animal care straw badge. Turns out I already had 5 because I forgot I had done the Sprout Grains for Chickens! Looking forward to my badge

Ashley Cottonwood wrote:I was fighting so hard to get the : Plant 200 Seeds for Humming Birds BB so I could get my animal care straw badge. Turns out I already had 5 because I forgot I had done the Sprout Grains for Chickens! Looking forward to my badge

Congrats! Badges all seem so far away for me but I'm really enjoying some of the projects the pep has inspired.

Also I've still got to make a list of all the bbs it seems like I've done half of them just out of living normal life and haven't documented it only finding out later it was bb worthy!

Did you plant the 200 seeds by the bicycle bed?

Hey Clay,

The badges are closer than you think! Part of it is finding the BB's you're already equipped to do.


I, like you, felt the need to keep track of my BB's, and was daunted at first.  (Shameless Plug begins here) That's why I created My PEP Badge Tracker: https://permies.com/p/963012 It's on sale right now, in fact. (/Shameless Plug)

Ashley Cottonwood wrote:I was fighting so hard to get the : Plant 200 Seeds for Humming Birds BB so I could get my animal care straw badge. Turns out I already had 5 because I forgot I had done the Sprout Grains for Chickens! Looking forward to my badge

Congratulations on your first Badge, Ashley! With all your chickens, I'm sure you'll get Straw in no time.

Yay, two badges in one day - Go team!  

Clay, they ARE closer than you think.  Just start knocking them out and you'll be there before you know it.  I hadn't planned on doing Food Prep and Preservation at all since many of the things aren't ones I do.  But thanks to the 20 days of PEP I started doing a couple.  And now I realize I'm a rocket stove build away from being able to complete that badge.  

Mike Haasl wrote:Yay, two badges in one day - Go team!  

Clay, they ARE closer than you think.  Just start knocking them out and you'll be there before you know it.  I hadn't planned on doing Food Prep and Preservation at all since many of the things aren't ones I do.  But thanks to the 20 days of PEP I started doing a couple.  And now I realize I'm a rocket stove build away from being able to complete that badge.  

I got .5 oddball points today for moving my brothers carport!

About to submit for another bb after I eat it!

I also got PIE today! I didn't know that was a thing but I love pie!

Mmm, pie and pizza all in the same day!

Now just to go to the pandemic destroyed grocery and find all the materials to make some gluten free crust truly from scratch so I can get that bb!
Maybe I'll have pizza again tomorrow!

That's the spirit...  More pizza!!!  num  num  num

I'm still eating the rice I did yesterday in the solar oven.  In a few days I'll be ready to try the rocket.  I don't have a haybox cooker but I think I can cobble one together.

A hay box cooker is just a well insulated box right?  

Yup, I just double checked and the picture from the BB shows a cardboard box (yay!).  I have some planer shavings that I'll use as my hay.

I made pickles yesterday!

They sealed just fine, but I couldn't wait:

Ash Jackson wrote:I made pickles yesterday!

They sealed just fine, but I couldn't wait:

I was recently gifted a 2 gallon fermentation crock! Can't wait to get my kimchi on.

Do you know if cold processing pickles is reasonable at home? I really want some sweet and spicy pickles like my grandma makes with the crisp couch on commercial Klaussen dills!

Clay Bunch wrote:Do you know if cold processing pickles is reasonable at home? I really want some sweet and spicy pickles like my grandma makes with the crisp couch on commercial Klaussen dills!

No clue. Yesterday was the first time ever that I'd made pickles (been meaning to learn for a long time).

Is your cold-process the same salt-brine pickling? (BB: https://permies.com/wiki/105983/pep-food-prep-preservation/PEP-BB-Food-sand-salt)

The BB I did describes a boiled vinegar brine, then the jars are hot-water-canned.  (BB:  https://permies.com/wiki/105851/pep-food-prep-preservation/PEP-BB-Food-sand-vinegar)

Do you think making chicken saddles is worth some oddball point?

Ash Jackson wrote:

Clay Bunch wrote:Do you know if cold processing pickles is reasonable at home? I really want some sweet and spicy pickles like my grandma makes with the crisp couch on commercial Klaussen dills!

No clue. Yesterday was the first time ever that I'd made pickles (been meaning to learn for a long time).

Is your cold-process the same salt-brine pickling? (BB: https://permies.com/wiki/105983/pep-food-prep-preservation/PEP-BB-Food-sand-salt)

The BB I did describes a boiled vinegar brine, then the jars are hot-water-canned.  (BB:  https://permies.com/wiki/105851/pep-food-prep-preservation/PEP-BB-Food-sand-vinegar)

It appears that cold processing pickles are not shelf stable and can not be canned.

However the commercially available cold packed pickles are in sealed jars so I guess I need to to more research!

Enjoy the pickles of your labor!

Ashley Cottonwood wrote:Do you think making chicken saddles is worth some oddball  points

Its probably worth a submission if you can come up with an argument for its need.

Also I feel that you could make an easy account and get some commerce bbs with them

Ashley Cottonwood wrote:Do you think making chicken saddles is worth some oddball  points

You betcha!  I don't think they have odd ball points set up yet for textiles or they'd count for more there.  But put them in the Oddball badge for sure.

For those who are curious, Oddball badge points are rated 1 pt = 1 hr of work for a professional doing the job with a bit of luck.  Oddball points within another badge are rated 1pt = 1 hr of work for a talented newbie.

Not all badges have an oddball option.  Homesteading, metalworking, electrical and a few others do if I remember correctly...

Hey guys I'm still really new and I'm having trouble navigating the pep badges. Where is the make rags out of an old shirt bb?

Thank you!

Hi Clay, that's in the Nest badge.

I didn't do a BB at all today  I did a bit of work towards a community BB and a natural building one, but nothing photo worthy...  Hopefully everyone else out there is making lots of progress today!

Remember, you can start this 20 day effort on any week, so today can be day #1 for you.  And you can do any BB, the ones at the beginning of the thread are just a suggestion.

Thanks for the link and also for letting me have a day to catch up to you!

Ashley Cottonwood wrote:Do you think making chicken saddles is worth some oddball point?

Isn't that chicken a little small for riding? :D

Nothing from Amazon has arrived on time, yay!!?

So I carved a couple of coat hooks:

Thanks for the inspiration ash!
Just submitted another bb!

I worked on one but didn't get it done.  BBs are all fun and easy for a while, but sometimes you get to the situation I'm in.  I'm one BB away from finishing the Natural Building badge.  The only BB on the list I can reasonably get is "Use rocks to level a skiddable structure".  So I'm building a skiddable structure so that I can use rocks to level it    Luckily I need a structure anyway and building it will probably count for a BB at the straw level somewhere.  I hope...

Haha Mike thats how I'm feeling about quite a few of these.

In fact by the time I'm done Otis will want to give me his land but I won't want to leave my own!

So I made a tool to make a tool today!

Wow, looks like it's time to get an auger bit.  I'm realizing I don't have any timber framing tools.  I haven't really needed them but now that I'm building this farm stand the lack of tools is becoming apparent.  

No progress on it today because a buddy had 45 cedar trees that I needed to cut down before the bulldozer arrives.  Woo hoo, free fence posts

Mike that sounds like a great friend! I'd love to go get those trees!

Yes I'm a low voltage and controls electrician and I have a small wood working hobby shop so I thought I had lots of tools...until you and Paul made me want to do everything by hand!

He's the best!

Yeah, I have a healthy woodworking shop and tree cutting gear and blacksmithing gear but I don't even have a spoon carving knife or an adz.  Looking forward to some garage sales...

Mike Haasl wrote:He's the best!

Yeah, I have a healthy woodworking shop and tree cutting gear and blacksmithing gear but I don't even have a spoon carving knife or an adz.  Looking forward to some garage sales...

Garage sales sound great. Do not get the cheap adz on Amazon.
It doesn't have a good curve and the edge that came on it is about like the back side of a machete.
I think I may use a power tool for sharpening it haha

This is after I started sharpening it by hand

I know its ugly but its actually very functional and comfortable!
I have so much more confidence taking on some more of the textiles. This was a great bb to fill the rainy afternoon!

Looks better than mine Clay:



I am fond the the patch I did on my fiance's jeans: