Kate McRae

Matt Goto wrote:

Kate McRae wrote:Sounds like a blast, a really good deal for people wanting to make their own RMHs.

I won't know for months if I will be able to come or not, but I sure hope it happens - what a great event!

The number of tickets that were required to have the event weren’t purchased in the time needed. So the event is NOT happening, to the best of my knowledge.

What a bummer! Thanks for letting me know,

Sounds like a blast, a really good deal for people wanting to make their own RMHs.

I won't know for months if I will be able to come or not, but I sure hope it happens - what a great event!

Josiah Kobernik wrote:We are designing a new skiddable rocket powered sauna here at Wheaton Labs and I am considering trying something new for mounting the structure to its skids.


This works well for sheds, willow feeders, and other outbuildings. The sauna is however, an indoor heated space and I would like the floor to be draft and insect proof. There is also a question of structural integrity of the current method for when the structure is moved large distances over uneven ground.

I don't know if this is relevant at all any more, but having built, insulated, moved and demolished some saunas now, I say that there's no need to have draft-proof floors. In fact, since the sauna's going to be a humid environment, it's really important to air that moisture out, and let the sweat and wet from the water on the stove drip down and away. My most recent sauna build was on plinths, and had slats in the floor similar to the showers at WL. Not quite as wide, but still, the water can drip down, and fresh air can come in to help the stove burn.

In the 3rd space sauna at WL, which we moved and insulated in 2023, we took an inch off the bottom of the door, partly because it didn't fit once the floor was properly supported, and partly to get som O2 into the room, with a little sliding vent high on the opposite side. Would have loved to have an egress window opposite the door too, but that wasn't an option. The new, big window would be pretty easy to pop out in an emergency, though.

If it's winter, and the floor is cold at the beginning of the sauna, you can toss down a few rag rugs to keep the heat at first. Make sure to hang them to dry once you're done! Sauna benches should be high enough that your feet are at the level of the stones on the stove, optimally. Below that will always be colder than comfort.
Löyly, and all that good stuff.

Hope this helps!

Hey Catherine,

did you get the answer in the live q&a?
The reason for willows is for an abundance of caution, putting the aged feces on a crop that won't be consumed by humans.
The risk of any pathogens reaching acorns is beyond minimal, in my opinion, much like I doubt it reaches the nuts on walnut trees.

Willows are abundant and grow heartily, so I'd suggest getting some cuttings from basketry willows if you have the chance and a little space for it. You can coppice them for fire wood or for making baskets, and they're alse oa great windbreak. But your oak trees will fare well with the willow candy (in my opinion, but again, Paul suggests willows because they're hungry and can eat a lot of candy, and people don't tend to eat them, breaking any potential cycle of hazardous contaminants.

Enjoy your oaks!

Catharine Slover wrote:What if you don't have willows?
We have live oaks mostly

Liv Smith wrote:

Come hang out with Paul and guests, and help us reach the kickstarter stretch goal!

It's all about stool!

I love this level, what a cool stretch goal prize... on the upside, people are going nuts for courses on how to build willow feeders over here in Sweden now - I've held two weekend courses so far this year, and the family I'm building the light straw clay insulated sauna with are probably going to be adding one next year to make their new homestead more resilient. Right now, they're hosting a sauna building course, and it sure would be a benefit to have a few willow feeders here too.

That's what's caught on with the other courses too - we've seen a sharp increase in utility costs over the last few years, at the same time as systems have been failing. It's nice to have a backup when the systems are backed up... and a place to go when you need to go!

One of the willow feeders is on wheels - we've called it the Wheelow Feeder - not as heavy as the skidded ones at WL, and about 5x5 ft (see Alan, I can do imperial too!). I don't have the same tractor power to move them around, so a small wheeled trailer will have to do. I did get a whole bunch of basketry willow (Salix viminalis) to plant as a wind break, and I've been collecting cuttings and small plants from other willows this year too. So far, I've got goat willow (Salix caprea), weeping willow (Salix babylonica ), and one that's locally called globe willow, it grows like a big lollipop (Salix fragilis `Bullata`).
All beautiful, all useful. And, like I said, the bees' breakfast.

Deane Adams wrote:Clay, I've given my word to help by sending some coin for someone to attend.   I still intend to do this, "but" in full disclosure I was sent home by the oncology folks and told to prepare to die.  That was two years ago, daaang so if I'm to help, maybe a fund could be set up??  Talk to Beau about it.

I'm in no way saying the medicos were right, my ex once said I was too mean to die, I sure hope she wasn't right!

Peace

Deane,

I am so sorry to hear about your troubles, and wowed that what you're thinking about is giving forward. I hope the medicos are wrong, and that the rest of your life is good and long!



As for the advanced PDC with Alan, as I've written before, I wholeheartedly recommend it.
However, it is indeed advanced, and it requires some previous knowledge and an ability to absorb massive quantities of information in lecture format.

There is no time for practical portions, so it is like being in college, but with the most interesting and fun lectures handpicked for you.

For anyone out there who's got a PDC already, this is an excellent next step, and if you haven't taken one before, just come prepared to learn - a lot. It is expensive, and a time sacrifice, but I honestly can't think of any other PDC course I'd rather take. Or take again. It's that good!

So, if you're in the throws of indecision, this is an easy one.
Do it.

I love it, thanks!
William Prince has such an incredible voice.
Listened to his NPR Tiny Desk Concert during the pandemic, but kind of lost track of him since then.
Also, I work in a harbor, so very on theme.
You've inspired me to look him up, and it turns out he's going to be playing at Merlefest in April. I'm going to try to be in that general area for a cob course the week after, so now I might go volunteer at Merlefest to see both William Prince AND Mandolin Orange, aka Watchhouse. So many good musicians at that festival!

Speaking of incredible voices, I was watching the show Justified and found the little known Lynda Kay through a bar scene in it. She's a contralto with a very distinctive style, which stays with you. I think it was Jack and Coke in the series, but here's her Dream my Darling.

Peace and dreams to all, /K

John O'Connell wrote:Thanks Kate. Wow, that's a great one. Love it. I see your song about wolves and I raise you a song about the ocean. "Leave It By the Sea" by William Prince, a Canadian Native American singer-songwriter.

Best of luck, John!

Your post made me think of Mandolin Orange, and this song in particular.
May you find all that you are longing for.
Howl on!

Okay. Still don't have the sketchups done, so I am just putting up more of the very early sketches.

Q: Why did we "waste" beautiful cedar on the inside of the willow candy box?
A: we want the box to be fly-proof. Using good materials and building it without gaps and cracks, and a draw-bridge style hatch that opens downwards to easily pull the candy bucket out onto, and then closes completely, will make it so much more hygienic and far easier to keep flies out (as long as people remember to close the lid on the seat, too).

Let there be only one crack in the outhouse, and only when in use.