I didn’t mean to insinuate that the show was the purpose of the project.. rather that it could be used to generate funding. As long as it’s not the scripted drama variety, or a survivor type game show. Plenty of folks using various video platforms for income. Not really my thing, but I’m perpetually hovering just above broke, so...
Max Stadnyk wrote:I have been in and around the construction industry for almost 50 years. I prefer rammed earth (RE) wall systems over ICF systems for a few key reasons. The first is just a simple reduction of material needed. Re does not need an interior or exterior finish, so no drywall, paint, siding, etc. It adds a thermal heating and cooling mass. Done correctly it`s a minimum 500 year home anywhere on planet earth. For me it`s a no brainer.
I agree Max. The biggest benefit I see in earth building, is that when they do fail.. they just return to the earth. I used to live in a ghost town in New Mexico. The old adobe homes that were abandoned, and had no upkeep slowly melted with each passing year. This led to much philosophical pondering on my part about time, and impermanence.
Imagine if we spent our lives suspended in isolation tanks, with a constant stream of virtual reality directly into our brains via Neuralink by Elon Musk (TM), or better yet.. if our consciousness was captured at conception and loaded into a quantum matrix, before our physical bodies were terminated and fermented into a nutrient cocktail that was fed to the breeding stock of the next round of beneficiaries. We could skip all of this pesky life stuff, and have infinite experiences that have yet to be imagined. This is the future that the technophiles are dreaming of.. a transhumanist nightmare where real life is sacrificed to their artificial god.. oof.
The water flows freely from the earth here at a miraculous volume, and is crystal clear and delicious. I was told that I must become a certified public water system operator by some state “advocates”, who offered classes to prepare for the examination. During the training on disinfection/treatment, I was asked what we do to disinfect. I said “Nothing, because our water is already pure.” I was told that this was unacceptable, and we must disinfect. Nope.
Do you know how they test for proper disinfection? Residual disinfectant at the tap.. showing that all microbes have been neutralized, and the remaining chemical poison is for you to drink! Approved safety levels, blah blah. I was done then and there. People used this water since time immemorial, but now it’s only safe with the addition of chemicals? Now, there are UV and other “treatments”, but I’m sticking with the Creator..
Betty Garnett wrote:I have to assume this is sarcasm. Am I wrong?
Sarcasm, devils advocate, or dead serious? Impossible to know for sure, but I would say that technology is taking us in the wrong direction. (The Garden is WAAAY back thataway!) I think it’s about time we admit that some mistakes were made, check our pride and hubris, and turn around and retrace our steps..until we find our way home! It’s never too late.. is it?!?
Hit “post reply” button below. Right above the typing field should be buttons for options. Hit the one marked ‘Youtube’. Maybe it’s configured differently for your device? That is the extent of my computer hacker skills.. learned here at Permies.. haha!
p.s.: to embed your video link, hit the YouTube button at the top right of the reply screen. A prompt and box will appear, and you paste your link there. So easy, even I eventually learned how! Haha.. (Caveman Ted)
If I wasn’t engaged in my fully committed current project, I would help you. I love Seligman, and Old Route 66 up to Peach Springs, and Grand Canyon Cavern. (and eventually down to Kingman..) Drove this stretch during a monsoon rain.. the two lane blacktop with old Burma-shave advertising signs is a magical time machine that I highly recommend to all! Good luck, and keep us all posted..
You are wise to research this carefully. There is increasing regulation against disturbance or use of “wetlands”, and that definition can be, and is, interpreted broadly!
How much money to save? Too much is never enough.. so don’t let that be your deciding factor. With that being said, the secret to making a small fortune with Permaculture? Start with a big fortune! Haha..
Your idea of furrows or swales on contour is excellent. People have been doing this, and terracing slopes much steeper than your 10% for ages. Good luck on your project!
Not sure if this is feasible in your situation, but have you considered building a new pond above the field? Gravity is superior to pumps, as it tends to be historically reliable, and requires no parts, maintenance, or repairs. You could just temporarily divert your stream source to flood irrigate, but a pond gives you the option to stock fish, and the fish waste nutrient rich water can be used to irrigate.. not to mention the possible subsurface infiltration of water under your field. Please keep us updated, whatever you decide!
Laurie Dawson wrote:Ted I agree with much of what you say, these are more challenging days it seems.
Thanks Laurie, and I’m sure we are not the only ones to notice. The greatest danger is that everyone and everything is so connected and dependent on the spiderweb, that in the event of an outage or collapse, there will be a catastrophic social paralysis while they stare at their screens waiting for service to be restored. Truly dystopian..
Celebrating my 300th post by bumping my own thread! Thank you Permies.. for the platform, and all of the wonderful people, information, and most importantly.. the inspiration that this community provides! Love always..
..and to clarify on the “digital disconnect”, a perfect example is cell phones. People live with their phones 24/7 for the most part, (not all, but most) but constantly ignore incoming calls, allowing it to go to voicemail. Pondering the psychological aspect of this, I think the devices have become an electronic gatekeeper, and this behavior allows the user a feeling of control in the power process.. in a life where they subconsciously or otherwise feel quite powerless. I don’t know.. but it’s a bummer.
Internet networking for help is tricky enough.. I wouldn’t even consider attempting a romantic connection online. People are so flaky these days, and the absence of manners and traditional communication protocols is disheartening. I don’t know if it’s what I like to call the “digital disconnect”, but I have to wonder about the sincerity of anyone that initiates an exchange. Almost every single one drops out mid exchange with no explanation. Replies go unanswered, resulting in a feeling that it is just bored people fantasizing and LARPing, with no consideration of my time and efforts. Maybe even AI bots? Who knows, but it is bizarre.
I would suggest a physical tie in from your ICF wall interiors to the cob. ICF usually have attachment points which are crossmembers at 16 inches on center to coincide with modern/“normal” building approaches and materials. These can be used to attach anchors and lathe or chicken wire that will grab the mud cob and physically hold it to the wall. Great idea, and I hope you keep us updated here! Have fun with it..
Jay Angler wrote:My theory is that it is best if children test gravity and learn to respect it while they're still small enough/young enough to bounce/bend rather than break, rather than deciding to test gravity at age 16 in your car.
So build away, let them climb, let them take chances that might "hurt" but not result in death, and pay attention to what they will land on - lots of soft tree duff - yes! Sand - yes! Sharp, pointy rocks - no!
I agree Jay. I don’t believe children should be bubble wrapped with helmets in padded play areas. Real life is dangerous, and I think that play areas that reflect that reality will teach them better to survive in the long term. Looking back, I realize that some of the play equipment I grew up with was downright treacherous. (Remember lawn darts?!? Haha.) One in particular that stands out in my memory was a “fire engine” fashioned from black pipe and plumbing fixtures. I was sitting on the crossbar of the “dashboard”, and teasing my older brother about something, and he pushed me back. The back of my head connected with the spine of the “hood” and split. Lots of blood, and a few stitches.. but I survived! Playgrounds and natural selection?... hmmm
I helped to build quite a few ICF homes in SE Ohio years ago, but they were giant foam LEGO blocks, which once assembled, were filled with concrete. The ones in the video look like some sort of light weight papercrete variation.. which I like better than styrofoam.
This is a stretch.. but you should pay a visit to the Bee Chama Farm in Lemitar/Polvadera, just north of Socorro. It is a permaculture/ alternative building site based around beekeeping and honey sales. The owner Arik Glesne is a force of nature, and they frequently host WWOOFER types who may be able to help. I lived and worked there for a couple years, and it’s worth a visit regardless to check out the place and sample from what may be one of the largest selections of honeys in the world! Ask to see the “Mohai”.. an Easter Island inspired fireplace that I created for an enclosed patio.. best of luck!
Growing up, we had a natural playground. It was everything and anything outside of the house (including the outside of the house itself.. like climbing the exterior of our brick chimney to get on the roof!)
My mom loves to tell a funny story from my early life. My older brother and I were playing outside, and she heard me calling her.. “Mommy! Mommy!” She went out to investigate, and found me near the top of a pine tree.. to the point where it was beginning to bend under my weight, but I was laughing and waving. She panicked, but realized to play it calm, and told me sternly to climb down.. which I did. I was about three years old at the time.
I love the idea of a created play area from logs and such. You could deeply bed it in wood chips for the inevitable falls. Carve stumps into whimsical creatures, and make hand painted signs with positive messages.
Michelle Muellner wrote:Hey Ted
How are you doing at your dessert oasis? I'm curious as to how things are going as it sounds and looks like an awesome initiative in a beautiful sustainable spot, and you haven't posted in awhile. Hope all is well
My name is Michelle, I'm a mature Canadian from a rugged Kootenay Mountains lifestyle with many survival and homesteading skills. I'm exploring new opportunities in intentional community living and permaculture stuwardship here and abroad.
I am curious 🤠
Hi Michelle. I’m still here, and the search for co-creators continues. Thank you for replying to my post, as my weekly self bump to my own thread makes me feel like a man shouting out in the wilderness. I am not sitting on my hands, nor holding my breath, waiting for help to arrive, as life continues and demands my attention and action. This journey is marked with loss, difficulties, and pain.. but balanced with moments of pure ecstatic joy, new life, and the healing hot water that makes it all worth it. In short, a perfectly bittersweet experience.. and that is the flavor this warrior prefers!
Feel free to PM me here, or email me at mad4782@gmail.com if you would like to know more. Thanks again, and have a great day!
Michelle Lee Sallie wrote:My dog attacked my donkey foal and it's mom. Both donkeys were bleeding, the mom pretty bad. My dog wouldn't stop and wouldn't listen. She would run away so i couldn't catch her and then go right back after them. I shot her a week ago and i haven't stopped crying. I was scared and no one around to help me. I feel so horribe.
Sorry to hear about your experience Michelle, and I hope the donkeys are healing? I had to shoot a problem dog early this year, and to be honest.. I’m still a bit down over it. I’ve hunted and harvested various critters in my time, but there is something different about a dog that is supposed to be our friend and co-worker. On the flip side of this bittersweet situation, take heart in knowing that you did the right thing, and that you have what it takes to handle it.
Sandy Amy wrote: An example is that we are 50 miles to the nearest shopping; hence why we are self reliant and intentional in our way of life.
Sandy Amy.. 50 miles to shop isn’t too bad. I used to live 20 miles of some of the worst dirt roads ever North of Magdalena. Once you crawled, bumped, and scraped through that.. THEN it was 30 miles on paved Hwy 60 into Socorro. Ahh, the memories. Here outside of Death Valley, it is 80 miles to Pahrump, Nevada for groceries, hardware, automotive, nursery, etc. Us rurals are resourceful and helpful to each other, and that is how we make it! If you ever want to talk story about New Mex feel free to email me at: mad4782@gmail.com. Pretty committed to the project here.. but you never know!
Glenn Herbert wrote:My niece got a Scotty just like that one about 8-10 years ago in California, pulled it across the country to Connecticut, and lived in it for a year in her sister's back yard. We have it now as a spare bedroom for grandkids or visitors. Not much room but well laid out for the size.
Nice! The Scotty makes a perfect spare bedroom for guests. I have some vague plans about a ‘vintage village’ of old trailers, niced up a bit (but not too much!) for a retro themed guest area.
Mine was in my cousins side yard, inherited from his grandpa who toured and played music. I placed a concrete driveway for him (by myself! A+ quality, by the way), and he asked what he owed in payment. I told him that I don’t charge family, but when he countered with an offer of the Scotty, I relented. Drove it from Reno to Albuquerque with no plates, and registered it there for a PERMANENT trailer plate! I lived in it for over a year when I first arrived at this property.. just because.
You can also make a Permies friendly filter with bio char, peat moss, and sand.. which could be composted when “full”? I’m sure some scientist will argue about the accumulation of heavy metals, etc., but I believe in the alchemical power of microbes to deal with just about anything, and if that’s a concern.. use this compost for non edibles.
So now I am back to considering a social career and keeping trades stuff as a hobby or side business but not a full time gig.
Good choice on not welding full time. I also have a passion for metal work, and have worked for years in the past as a welder. I had an old timer tell me that if I valued my eyesight, to quit welding full time. He was right, and I did. I still weld when, and if, I need to.. as I find it is the best way to permanently join two pieces of metal..
Here’s a pic of another vintage Mobile Scout on the property.. needs some TLC, but pretty good shape for its age and state of abandonment. The desert preserves things that would rot elsewhere!
I believe that I have read here on the forum a post by Wayne who lives in Texas as I do putting minnows in his water trough to keep away mosquitoes. The fish will eat the larvae.
I am also sure that I have read that the fish help with the algae problem that some water troughs have.
I wonder what would be the best kind of fish to stock the tank with.
Maybe a few minnows or mosquito fish.. but I can’t see fish farm stocking levels. Looks like his location is Rocky Mountains.. so too cold for Tilapia. I hope more fish folks chime in on this thread, as I would love to be wrong!
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