Mike Haasl

When I tried compost inside my greenhouse it gave off funny odors and didn't really do much for heating. So I wouldn't focus on that benefit, but designing it to be consumed/replaced every year or two could be interesting.

I think your concerns are valid. Those bales would have to be sealed impeccably well from the interior to keep from sucking up water and rotting.

It might be nice to point out which are the arms and legs. I assumed the opposite of how I think you mean.  If I'm now correct, I think the post is the spine, the legs go up in the air and the arms reach down to the ground?

Another way is to find someone with a bunch of asparagus (hopefully at least one female plant) and ask them for berries in the autumn.

There's a BB for making a trail :)

How about a reciprocating saw with a 12" metal cutting blade on it?  I'd definitely try that before a torch...

This is a badge bit (BB) that is part of the PEP curriculum.  Completing this BB is part of getting the sand badge in Foraging.

Foraging is like gardening but without all the planting, weeding, nibbler protection or watering.  If you live in the country there are lots of road sides to search.  These must be wild foods - not gleaning or harvesting from an actively cultivated space.

Plant identification is the most important part of foraging.  Get one or two good books on the edibles of your region.  Be sure you know what you're picking!

To complete this BB, the minimum requirements are:
Make a cup of tea from one of:
- nettle
- rose hips
- mint
- pineapple weed
- raspberry leaves
- chaga mushrooms
- pine needle
- fir tip
- Ceanothus americanus/new jersey tea
- kinnikinnick
- sumac
- Linden flower
- wild strawberry leaf
- fireweed
- birch bark/leaves
- clover
- rose petals
- dandelion
- bullthistle

To document your completion of the BB, provide the following:
 - A picture of one of the plants in the wild
 - A picture of the harvested goods with the remaining plant in the background
 - A picture of the yummy tea in a cup

Clarifications:
 - This is "Foraging" so the plants can not be cultivated by you
 - This can't be the same plant you use for the "make an infusion" BB

That sawmill sure can be fiddly sometimes.  Good luck figuring it out!

Sorry to harp on this but I think the notch cuts bypassed one another on that big tree.  It's hard to be sure but looking at the pic, I highly suspect the upper cut of pacman's mouth ended at the red line and the lower cut of pacman's mouth ended at the orange line.  You really want these to end at the same spot so pacman's mouth can close smoothly.  

If the wood is green, it's going to check.  If it's dry, it'll've already checked.  At least then you'll know how bad and where the checks are I guess. Orienting them downwards would help when the rain falls on them.  I think beefier logs for the mortise (hole) pieces would be helpful

As for Q1, I don't know of any BBs for larger solar systems. I think that would fall into Oddball.

For Q2 there is a lot of traditional carpentry in the PEM system, but not in PEP that I'm aware of.  Permaculture Experience according to Mike