the permaculture bootcamp in winter (plus half-assed holidays)

Nicole Alderman wrote:

Paper making for cards/wrapping paper. Use old scraps and such to make better paper

Making cards for each other!

Maybe everyone picks a name of someone else and makes something random for them out of just what's available at Wheaton Labs. Being able to give and receive gifts can really brighten people's day and help with a sense of community...even if the gift is just a bar of soap, or a spoon, or knitted hat

Nicole Alderman wrote:

Paper making for cards/wrapping paper. Use old scraps and such to make better paper

Making cards for each other!

Maybe everyone picks a name of someone else and makes something random for them out of just what's available at Wheaton Labs. Being able to give and receive gifts can really brighten people's day and help with a sense of community...even if the gift is just a bar of soap, or a spoon, or knitted hat

paul wheaton wrote:Some people seem to think that there is nothing to do here in winter, but there is LOTS to do:

  - keep that sawmill running!
  - frost seeding
  - garden planning
  - permaculture designing
  - the festival of shelves
  - junkpole fence at basecamp:   Winter is the perfect time to build junkpole fence at basecamp
  - interior natural building
  - equipment maintenance
  - we run rocket mass heaters and other rocket contraptions. Winter is the best time to really understand the value of all the rocket mass heaters we have.  And to build experience with each of them.   And because we have so many rocket mass heaters, this place might be one of the best cold climate places to be in the winter.
  - as we use firewood, we try to replace it for fuel to be used next year
  - Winter is a good time to make skiddable structures next to the shop.  When the structures are done, we can move them where we need them.
  - Experience the ATI of the wofati and the wofati greenhouse  
  - Plow some snow with the tractor from time to time


The great list of half assed holidays!

Updated for winter of 2021/2022

thu nov 25 - thanksgiving

fri nov 26 - day of fire - a half day of improving fire stuff

 - build indoor and outdoor firewood racks
 - do all rocket spots have
         o a kindling cracker
         o a poker
         o an ash bucket
         o ample fire starting paper and a propane torch
         o a nearby fire extinguisher
         o good firebricks for the wood feed
 - find quick and easy ways to upgrade rocket mass heaters
 - make improvements to the bun warmer space
 - evening with the bun warmer
        o plus a tiny camp fire in the middle (with our little camp fire contraption)
        o smores
        o hot dogs
        o hot drinks (tea, spiced cider, etc.)

wed dec 1 - day of light - a half day of improving the lighting in and around our nest

 - add mirrors
      o on walls
      o in window wells
      o lots of creativity
 - add lights that are more efficient by lighting people more than the room
 - add solar night lights outside - find artistic themes
 - different sorts of prisms in the windows
 - add indoor night lights
 - make full room lights that can be turned on at the source that add HUGE light to the room
 - light experiments
 - possible candle lit dinner
 - an evening campfire (bun warmer or pavilion)
 - maple foods
      o maple meringue cookies
      o maple rolls
      o maple cookies
      o spaghetti with each person adding about a tablespoon of maple syrup (tip of the hat to Elf)
      o horchata sweetened with maple syrup
      o fresh bread served with whipped maple butter
 - hot spiced cider

wed dec 8 - wooden spoon day - half day

 - we all carve wood kitchen utensils
 - maybe one cutting board
 - make lots of soup that people eat with wooden spoons!
        o make bread bowls for soup
 - ice cream to test the strength of wooden spoons

fri dec 10 --  christmas decorating day - a half day of

  - setting up a tree and all the decorating
  - popcorn
         o +maple syrup to make popcorn balls
  - make a wreath
  - convert a cubbie into a "nativity" featuring wheaton labs stuff
  - christmas movie

wed dec 15  - christmas stocking day - a half day of

  - making christmas stockings (for current and future boots)
  - baking
  - further cool decorations
  - christmas movie

wed dec 22  - christmas baking day - a half day of baking

  - and a christmas movie

fri dec 24  - christmas eve - half day of (i need ideas)

  - I will go into missoula and get chinese take out for everybody
  - egg nog
  - fudge
  - confections
  - add an ornament to the tree
         o must be something that can be used for many years
         o says your name plus "christmas 2021"

sat dec 25 - fancy foodening

tue dec 28  - wood box day (half day)

  - try to replace plastic bins with wooden crates and boxes
  - maybe try to make a box that will almost hold water
  - maybe even try to make some dovetail joints
  - some boxes will be quick and some will be very nice
  - unlike wooden spoon day - wood boxes will remain with the bootcamp

fri dec 31   - half day of putting away christmas stuff plus movies

  - black eyed peas, greens and corn bread
  - spaghettit

hot springs day - mixed in somewhere.  Surprise half day

wed jan 5   - fermentation day (half day)

  - water keifer
  - kim chi
  - miso
  - kraut
  - sourdough
  - keifer

  (i need ideas to flesh this out)

mon jan 10  - national houseplants day (half day)

  - overhaul all of the houseplants
  - modify stuff to be houseplant pots
  - coleus seeds
  - plant edible stuff, maybe herbs
  - add plant shelves and grow lights
  - experiment with self watering stuff

thu jan 13 - proenneke day  (half day)
   - small roundwood projects all with hand tools
         o coat hooks (cut forked branch style)
         o coat hooks (dry pegs in green half-round of wood)
         o a kitchen chair (probably pretty big and blocky)
         o repair projects
         o sawbuck

wed jan 19 - quilt day (half day)
  - collectively make one quilt for one thing
      o maybe a window quilt
      o maybe a curtain for somthing
      o maybe a bed quilt
  - each person has their own square or two to be added to the quilt
  - they can add messages with laundry markers
  - each boot can add their name
  - somewhere it says "bootcamp 2022"
  - ravioli served so it looks like a quilt

wed jan 26 - pina colada day (half day)

  - blended drinks (with umbrellas), pizza and the house is 80 degrees
       o beach music
       o drink from pineapple cups
  - improve the dock
       o add tropical somethings
  - improve the library
  - movie featuring pina coladas or beaches
       o shrek (plays the pina colada song)
       o pirates of the caribbean
       o lilo and stitch
       o fantasy island
       o swiss family robinson
       o guardians of the galaxy

wed feb 2 - groundhog day (half day)

  - the movie - duh
  - music "I got you babe" by sonny and cher
  - pancakes for dinner
  - if 6 more weeks of winter - build more shelves
  - if spring comes 6 weeks early - seed stuff
 
wed feb 9 - dye day dye dye dye (half day)

   - just one natural dye color for each year
   - a white t-shirt (or similar) for everybody
   - dingy sheets and other house fabrics could go in
   - everybody can bring their own stuff too
   - thai food
   - fruit punch color matches the color of the dye


cat house day (feb 16)
   - build a cat house
   - eat lasagna
   - maybe a movie featuring a cat

art day (feb 23)
  - signs and labels
  - maybe tiny rock jacks to hold up outdoor signs
  - food that would be served at an art gallery
            o foods impaled with toothpicks
            o foods served on a cracker
            o grapes

sushi day (march 2)
  - upgrade the free shelf stuff
  - sushi



Changes?  Stuff to add?

This looks great! I’d love to be there! Working on it…