Theresa Whited

I am placing some raw lumber for looks in my cob house. I wanted a red cedar in the center debarked and bleached but I don't have one big enough on my property and I don't want to bring one in. I have lots of Black oak, white oak, hickory, pine and a few others. I was looking at whole tree building with lots of great ideas but I could not find what trees are most advantageous to use. I was also wanting information on how to preserve them and maintenance them inside the house. I am in the midwest as I am thinking location is important. I don't know a lot about raw trees so any information is much appreciated. Thanks

"Woman, (formerly) off-grid
Owns a .22
Livestock dog guarding livestock

Sheesh".

I don't own a gun or a dog.

I know Missouri just came up as the meth capitol again this year. I have smelled someone cooking while I was rock hunting. Unfortunately I know more about dangerous drugs than I do guns from the city. I agree totally that its not so much just getting robbed its being caught between a meth head and a means for the next hit that makes him much stronger than I. I am friends with the local dea here in St. Clair, MO because I know my best bet is knowing the local law and they know me. I have teenagers and their friends tend to know where the drugs are before the law. I also agree that just like the city, there are good people and bad people where ever you are. I have lived in some very close neighborhoods that stuck together and we were happy kids playing in the streets all night and such. There where a lot of troubled youth in the city including me and we stuck together to keep from the gangs and guns. I have a big heart when it comes to people with bad circumstance that may just need a little help.

I grew up in North County, was born in Ironton MO, spent summers on a farm in Monitcello IL, and a family farm in Lonedell MO. I'm not just a city girl my fathers side is knee deep in drugs to the point where I have had police follow me just for my last name. I won't move because I already really enjoy my gardening, canning, neighbor who tells me where I can get sawdust, rock, and supplies afford ably. I know this area has good families that have been trying to get the meth out. It was my neighbors that pushed out the meth head on my property 3 years ago. I will inform the law when I smell someone cooking and I will get a gun and stay for my neighbors. It is a case where I would not be where I am with out my neighbors help digging my foundation with a tractor and dropping my mound of rock for building. Actually I don't think anyone has helped me like these folks have especially in the city. Its worth owning a gun and standing up for a safe place to live. The city is a good example of how bad neighbor hoods turn around all the time into nice places to live without having to move.

Thanks for all the ideas and advice on gun ownership, I have learned tons in this thread:)

I have been eliminating anything that is not useful to me. The magazines with country cottages full of little trinkets, baskets, etc with something in every corner does not appeal to me and seems like wasted space. If your hang your pots in the kitchen now that is efficient. The thing I liked the most about cob as oppose to straw bale is cob is easily formed for thermal properties and space. You can create nooks and shelves in the walls to keep more organized and have no clutter. Time is money and everything you spend time on should be valuable. So point taken, eliminate everything that is not a necessity. I have moved too many times from on conventional home to another and we all know the truck loads of furniture etc. I will gladly not do that again.

I am right now trying to decide if I want to hook up to the grid or start with a battery and inverter. Its $400 dollars to connect to the grid starting with a temporary then hook to the electrical panel. Its probably at least $700 just for the battery and inverter and 1 solar panel that produces 100w is about $200. I was thinking of hooking to the grid and buying the inverter and batter while I have the excess funds and buy panels as I can. This way I have the electric to finish building and as soon as the building is done I can focus on just the panels.

Things I know will be new to me that I am kind of nervous thinking "how much will this affect getting ready for work, cooking dinner, etc"

A compost toilet: From what I have read the toilet dehydrates better if it is in the sun. I think you start a compost for the dried matter and so I guess you simply empty the chamber as needed. Is anyone using one of there's and is it convenient?
Cooking: I didn't make room for a typical stove in the cob house because I can always use a small electric top or the top of the heat source. I am installing a clay oven, grill and fireplace right outside the house. I don't think this will change much in cooking time and convenience?
Water: I am still working on this one but the end product like washing cloths and bathing I think I will get an electric washer and hot water heater that I can hook to the grid for now.

As for careers, I have been laid off (like a lot of people) from the automotive field and so I decided to work for my self and insure my shelter. I am looking for jobs close to my property, what ever it is so I can have income while I work on going off grid and hopefully self sufficient. So, I have to be able to move there and work the property while being able to work.

It was my neighbor who said "get a shotgun" and she is a mature, kind person. I'm not sure why this is so controversial or why anyone would be negative. The topic isn't about gun control or ownership it is simply your advice on how to protect your homestead. I'm a little shocked that there are such intense feelings about this. No one has much to say about surveillance? or is that a different topic?

Brenda Groth wrote:ninja with samuri

I was wondering if anyone would bring up Asian weaponry, they do seem to be very creative with hidden metal stars and such. I think you would have to definitely be trained an knowledgeable if you want your hands and feet to be deadly weapons.

I am on a north slope also and just ordered pecan trees. I don't know technical terms but I've been seeing this idea of the opposite of terracing where you dig in the hill. This person planted an entire orchard under ground and covered it with plastic that supposedly keeps them frost free. I was thinking of excavating a small area for a nursery. Is this something like what the v-wing term is? Sorry I'm having trouble with some of the terms. Thanks for patients:)

I have started building a cob house and how do you "put the kids to work"? My teens are very city-fied and now they think I am crazy. I am trying to get them to understand the value of land and shelter with no mortgage, its not working well. Now I am threatening that if they don't get on the boat with my crazy idea then they will be sleeping in hammocks and washing in the creek..ha that's not working well either. I did see a spark in my daughters eye when I let her build a lean-to. Oh well they are good kids and they do help me but most important is I get good quality time like never before when I drag them to the building sight.

i am getting a compost toilet to live off the grid and what a great idea compared to a large septic drain field that does nothing. I did hear you can use the compost on everything but edibles because of E coli? Of course this is dehydrated humanure not just urine.

Excellent! good news! I have family in Spokane I'll make sure they support!