Teach a 1.5 Hour Workshop - PEP BB community.straw.teach

Nov 18, 2020 08:53:03

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

In this Badge Bit, you will teach a 1.5 hour workshop!

( source: September-October Homestead Skills Jamboree 2019)

Minimum Requirements for this BB:
- Teach a 1.5 hour workshop
- the subject of the presentation has to be related to permaculture or homesteading
- hold the attention of the students for the full 1.5 hours
- 6 students = 1 point, 1/2 point for every additional student, maximum of 5 points

To document this Badge Bit, provide proof of the following as pictures or a video (<2 mins):
- the workshop (with countable attendees) as it is beginning (including a clock or phone with the time)
- the workshop (with countable attendees) as it is ending (including a clock or phone with the time)
- you teaching the workshop with at least one identifiable attendee
- some students doing a workshop activity

gir bot · Jun 18, 2025 13:48:17

Here is a tea foraging workshop I led for my scouts.
We started just after 10am and ended just before noon.
There were 18 attendees besides my own kids, a mix of parents and thistles.
I had trouble getting my camera to focus on a wide angle for the group and a close up of my watch, so I took a clear shot of my watch and a group shot right after.
We picked 7 species of tea-making plants and brought them to the Pavillion in a nearby park plug in an electric kettle. Each kid made at least 6 cups of tea.

gir bot · Sep 01, 2025 10:41:40

I hosted a workshop teaching folks how to operate a rocket oven and make pizza in it.

First we covered the basics of heat transfer, the fire triangle, how to achieve complete combustion, how to split wood on the kindling cracker that I built, how to start a j-tube, how to feed a j-tube, how to troubleshoot/understand performance of the rocket, and how to make a pizza so that it rolls off the peel.

We made 20 pizzas in <90mins and the workshop lasted a little over 2hrs. The oven performed very well with minimal smoke at the start and one additional time when there was too little airflow at the inlet - which was great for demonstration. The crowd especially loved splitting wood using the kindling cracker, watching the fire contraflow, and the pizza turned out perfectly!

12 students are in the photos not including myself in the red tank top and note that I edited the faces of the minors.

gir bot · Sep 21, 2025 15:28:55

I hosted a workshop teaching folks how to operate a rocket oven and make pizza in it, again.

First I covered the basics of heat transfer, the fire triangle, how to achieve complete combustion, how to split wood on the kindling cracker that I built, how to start a j-tube, how to feed a j-tube, how to troubleshoot/understand performance of the rocket, and how to make a pizza so that it rolls off the peel.

The pizza-making choreography went better this time. However, the pizza didn't come out as good this time, something went funny with the yeast and didn't rise well after I proofed it. I'll have to continue to fine tune this for the next workshop. There were still rave reviews and all the pizza was eaten.

11 students are in the photos not including myself in the brown and blue floral shirt and note that I edited the faces of the minors.

gir bot · Oct 06, 2025 20:07:44

I hosted yet another workshop teaching folks how to operate a rocket oven and make pizza in it. This time I reached out to permies in the community whom I didn't know well or at all. I had over 20 RSVPs, a few no-shows and a few unexpected extra people. I wasn't able to get all of the people in the start and end photos but at least 12 students are in the photos not including myself in the orange shirt.

First I covered the basics of heat transfer, the fire triangle, how to achieve complete combustion, how to split wood on the kindling cracker that I built, how to start a j-tube, how to feed a j-tube, how to troubleshoot/understand performance of the rocket, and how to make a pizza so that it rolls off the peel.

I figured out that instant yeast and active yeast behave totally differently so I was able to improve the dough making. It seems like the max operating temperature is 650/675degF measured from the center of the oven (so likely the temperature at the circumference of the oven has at least a 100deg differential from my reading). The oven was able to hold that temp pretty well even with opening and closing the oven every 2.5mins.

Don't mess with me you fool! I'm cooking with gas! Here, read this tiny ad:

The new permaculture playing cards kickstarter is now live!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/paulwheaton/garden-cards