steve temp

I have wrapped bottom of post in plastic bags and tied tight. Increases post life dramatically.

I found I need additional heat source at night and cloudy days. Or bring food in. Not much but a small gas flame to keep the temp up a bit.
My plan is a solar oven type dehydrator with reflectors and thermocouple -fan, to blow out air when it becomes about 150*f. This should keep the food temp about 130f I figure.

Punch out all divisions except the bottom 2. Stand on end in a barrel.
Make a solution of boric acid and boiling water. Pour this into top end of bamboos. Let soak and refill for a couple days. This will help.
Can find more info on amount acid per gallon online.

I would think any plan for world domination would need to include Food Cooperatives. These could start out small. A few neighbors buying flour, beans, cereals, rice sugar etc. in bulk. People could bring their own containers to fill. Thereby reducing packaging and waste.
The theory would be to keep food costs down by buying wholesale and rely on volunteer member work and later perhaps hire some helpers.. Coop members choose where to buy, locally when possible. Also they choose what to buy, the healthiest products possible. the people could demand non gmo and chemical free products. Perhaps creating local jobs by asking Jo to grow our carrots. Helen to produce our egss. Keeping the money local. Members could preorder their products, reducing waste. Most people have no idea the huge amount of food that is wasted because store managers must guess at what will sell this week. People being as they are you can only guess how difficult this task becomes. Where they overestimate this good food goes to further pollute the landfills.
Build community by working together. Community being way underrated and most important in permaculture.
Coops could give much needed control back to the people. In time and with cooperation these could surpass the chain stores. Yes they could help dominate the World!!

Just maybe Permaculture is about giving back. Giving something of yourself to make this world a better place.
There are difficult choices, its natural to want to take and get what we can in life. Doing a job for the money rather than what the job means to the world. Does my work give something back to world? Does work just give me the most money as easy and fast as possible regardless of consequences.
Myself being the hunter gatherer type. i struggle between taking something from nature, or even buying a product. Its important to question these choices. Asking myself if it is in the best interest of all. If I get myself out of the hungry greed thought pattern. I can ask what I can contribute rather than take.
I think if we do give it our all, we may be rewarded at some time. If not ourselves for the future generations that have been sold off. I find after years of learning and struggles. Now I am reaping some of the harvest. It's been damn difficult to get to that point. But very possible.

Farm is incredible. fincaparaiso.org Now producing more fruit, meat and vegetables than we could possibly eat. Can provide some income and much more possible. 8 years of work to get to this point. Will sell one half of farm with concrete home for 180k or best offer. Total farm 280k. Would finance half farm, with large down payment. Also consider investor for interesting projects here. Just trying to get some cash flow generating. Need more info? Here is a link to an ad I ran in craigslist. http://costarica.en.craigslist.org/reo/5203568096.html

I've found my best hugels are made using raised beds. The sides keep soil near level to prevent erosion. Depending on the rain amounts where you live? Here the torrential rains will erode topsoil off a hilltop. Unless the hilltop has continuous natural vegetation and leaf mulch. So again I think important for mulch or living mulch on beds. Dry mulch seems to be a problem over time as mulch ends up sliding down the mound. I like the design of the S shaped hugel, the hard part is to retain the soil on top. What are your experiences?
Also I'm a bit skeptical about the moisture retention. When I dig up and old root or log its many times dry and crusty. I think with periodic rain it would retain moisture. With a distinct dry season I'm not so sure unless periodic irrigation is used.
What are your thoughts on long term hugel production?? This topic has been blown off on other posts. I found the first year to be the best so far. I expected to be better with time. I'm not sure why? It may be because of my larger initial inputs of compost and manure mixed with rice husks and ash in the beginning. So again how has your hugel done after 2 and 3 or more years.

Hi Jim, I'm on the tip of the Nicoya peninsula, on the pacific side. Does have some things in its favor, like close to good fishing. 5 minutes to the bay. Surrounded by nice beaches and pretty tranquil here yet. Weather is quite stable here. It does get a bit warm during the day, tops about 95. Usually a breeze here in the warm season. Every single evening is perfect temperature. There is some running water on the property half the year. Its possible to grow year round, has taken some time learning what and when. Fresh fruit and stuff every day.

Hello Richard, I understand what your saying. Now would be the ground floor so could develop the plan. I am fairly flexible and I do realize this can be difficult so the initial plan would be important. What I have to offer is a part of what I usually refer to as paradise. Have invested much and learned a lot in these last 9 yrs. So by sharing this would be a huge headstart for anyone interested in joining. I am skilled at various tasks and try to be fairly self sufficient. A person with horticultural experience would be a huge plus. Experience with animals helpful. It would be nice to share tasks and have others to look after the place occasionally.

All infrastructure in place. Have been planting fruit trees and more for 9 years. Food is becoming abundant. Landscape is now stable and improving yearly. Its an incredible small farm about 10 acres. Have lots of volunteer interest, would like to find a longer term arrangement. Wonder if there is are interested parties in forming a community and working together on projects.

Trying to wrap my head around the earthwork configuration, R Scott mentioned. The best I can think of might be 2 swales one slightly up hill from trunk and one below. (not much level ground here). Both with slots for living mulch and drainage cut.
Also wondering if Fire ants might enjoy the plastic shelter?
I would think this would really cut down on the area to be mowed also. Never liked mowing, just a lot of hard work, money and resources down the drain.