Balazs Dibuz

It doesn't matter how much rain falls on the surface — it's how much has percolated down to the root system that matters.

Our experience on the Olympic Peninsula (east side) bears this out. Our soil is mostly clay, but with many well-established large conifers and big-leaf maples, there is a rich loamy top layer. Last winter we planted 140+ bare-root natives, and then in April we had almost no rain; we usually get a lot. Our property has a ~60 ft rise, and the water from those rains usually saturates the soil but lasts significantly longer throughout the summer in the lower portion of our land than at the hilltop and on the hillside. We were advised to water the newly planted natives for two or three years throughout the summers (when there is no longer sufficient rain in the PNW = long-term drought), but to do so only occasionally and then deeply! The idea being that we want the roots to seek water deeper to establish healthy, drought-tolerant plants. This has been working quite well; we have only lost about 10 of the 140 plants so far, but we noticed something interesting: we weren't surprised that the willows and cottonwoods and nine-barks we planted in the lowest, generally wettest areas are doing fine, but we were surprised to find that the few plants we neglected to water at higher elevations (they were out of sight, out of mind) also are doing very well.

Our thinking about water has shifted from "give them water" to "let them find water," which seems to be more abundant down a foot or two than we expected, even in a year with very little spring rain.

Who'da thought?

My land (five acres, Olympic Peninsula, WA, USA) came with a discarded bathtub. I pick that up with the tines on my tractor and move it to where I have pulled up the (invasive) teasel or cut out the (invasive) Himalayan and Eurasian blackberry---that I have left to dry during the dry months---or to the hut where I dried these weeds out of the rain--note that I do all this after the rains have come in the fall and the burn ban is lifted, and I light up a batch and keep adding layers with my pitchfork so that the fire is always super hot but well-contained, until I have a tub half-filled with glowing embers and, after a an hour or so, I pour gallons of water or run a hose until everything is thoroughly soaked. The water drains out (I put a screen over it to keep it open) and I shovel my char into a wheelbarrow and take it where I need it.

I am also going to try to contact Frank to see if we can work out something there on site at SR. I will be taking my shelter out in a week or two and have purchased a propane heater as a temporary solution. I think bringing materials into the heated space and then building the rmh while relying on propane may be a workable process. I just saw cow dung as a possible mass material, and it made me think "bison patties," how appropriate.

Thanks for your design links, Glenn. I think they will help when I get out there.

What a wonderful idea!

I think many people would be more encouraged to send paper letters if they knew that a few cents would go to carbon sequestration, especially if they were somehow made aware of the fact that mail carriers already travel to every house, so there would be no added cost (and isn't in general) to delivering an actual letter now and then (to go with all those advert mailings we all wish we could get rid of).

I think many would actually prefer to give more more per letter. Even 4 or 5 cents seems very reasonable to me.

A name suggestion: "stamp out carbon"

I don't have time to do the research for this now (building a geodome shelter to take to SR in a week), but I hope you can get ready in time for your meeting--As Bernie would say, this is huuuuge.

all the best

(As to the Standing Rock connection, even though I am an absolute supporter of the Water Protectors, I guarantee that there is no chance of connecting that movement to anything that is in any way related to the government--and may not have the desired results even if it was a possibility).

Hi, Amos.

Do you mean the link to the Sacred Stone Camp fb page? Or Glen's RMH example?

And are you considering traveling to Standing Rock? I will be arriving there between Nov 10 and 14 and would like help building RMH for small shelter.

Balazs

Yes, Glenn. Thank you.

I am new to the forums and am learning the ropes.

In answer to your question, Glenn: yes, I have been in touch with some of the organizers (I met them when I was there in July) and there is real interest in this project. There could be money for more structures if they prove feasible.

I must not have had notifications on for this thread, so i did not see the activity in response to my (and others') requests.

I can travel and I can spend time at camp, I just am not an expert on rmh. The shelter I plan to build (and more of them if it is successful) is a geodesic dome 12ft diameter and almost 8ft tall (with added knee walls for the extra headroom). These would be insulated and are very efficient to heat. Heater would be on ground near center (wall venting pipe determining exact location).

They have lots of donated firewood that could be split into slivers for this and they could request pellet or other smaller dimension fuel as well. There is plenty of material for cob in the area. stove pipes and such could be picked up in Bismarck (1 hour away)

I could stop anywhere between here (Seattle) and ND to pick up helper, supplies, or advice.

I am building 12 ft diameter geodesic dome shelters for Standing Rock and would like to provide rocket mass heaters as an efficient way to heat them (they will run out of firewood quickly if they heat with open fires). Does anyone have a simple, easy-to-construct design that could keep a small, insulated space warm enough to bed down in? Or is anyone interested in joining me in going to Standing Rock (early November) to build one or more?

Thanks,

Balazs

Hi rocket mass heater people.

I have an unusual request:

I am going (back) to Standing Rock to build some geodesic dome shelters for peeps to survive the winter and what better than a rocket mass heater in each to make them warm?

I will be passing through Missoula on my way (because it is between Seattle and Cannonball, ND) and so I thought I would ask if there is anyone there (or anywhere along the way) who would be willing to help be refine a basic rmh design to make it as easy to build and efficient for a small space as possible. I am donating my time and muscle (and what little brain i can boast) but have to keep material costs down and construction simple so we can make a few (10-12) of these in a few weeks before winter really comes down out there.

Anyone want to help or suggest someone who would? For a good cause.

Thanks,

Balazs