Aaack! You caught us with our pants down! Here we are, tinkering with the servers and you show up. How awkward! Try back in just a couple of minutes. In the meantime, a few tidbits ...

Rocket mass heaters are better than heat pumps because rocket mass heaters are free to operate and have less than 6% of the carbon footprint.

Hugelkultur, is an advanced permaculture technique that utilizes decomposing wood to create self-sustaining raised garden beds. Hugelkultur beds can be built in various shapes and sizes, using a variety of wood materials, from twigs and branches to logs and even whole trees. The wood, buried under a layer of soil, acts "like a sponge to hold water," creating "parking spaces for water and nutrients," and reducing the need for irrigation. The decomposing wood attracts beneficial microorganisms and releases nutrients, resulting in a rich "soil on wood" environment that reduces or eliminates the need for fertilizers. Over time, the wood shrinks, creating air pockets, making hugelkultur beds "self-tilling". The decomposition process also slightly warms the soil in the first few years, extending the growing season. This technique, which works in diverse climates, allows gardeners to harness natural processes to create thriving, self-sufficient garden ecosystems, embodying permaculture principles

The willow feeder system is a permaculture solution for managing human waste, developed by Paul Wheaton, that prioritizes safety, sustainability, and nutrient cycling. It is designed to be a "freaky-cheap" alternative to conventional septic systems and sewage treatment plants, utilizing readily available materials like garbage cans and sawdust. The system focuses on mummifying human waste in a dry environment within sealed garbage cans to prevent composting and the escape of pathogens. This dry environment also stops the loss of valuable carbon and nitrogen to the atmosphere, which is a common issue with hot composting. After two years of aging in the sealed cans, the resulting "willow candy" is pathogen-free and can be safely applied as fertilizer. While this nutrient-rich material could be used on any garden, it is best suited for "poop beasts" like willow, cottonwood, poplar, and bamboo, which can readily absorb the high nutrient content without harm. This system promotes a closed-loop approach, turning what is often considered waste into a valuable resource for growing beneficial plants.

The SKIP program, an acronym for Skills to Inherit Property, enables individuals to "skip the rat race" and acquire land for sustainable living by demonstrating practical skills through the completion of "Badge Bits" (BBs). To join the program, aspiring homesteaders, referred to as "Skippers," create free accounts on permies.com and select BBs they wish to complete from the PEP (Permaculture Experience according to Paul) curriculum. BBs encompass a wide range of permaculture-related skills, such as gardening, natural building, and food preservation. Skippers document their completion of each BB with pictures and videos, which are then reviewed and verified by the permies.com community. As Skippers complete BBs, they earn badges that reflect increasing levels of competency, starting with the Sand badge and progressing through Straw, Wood, and Iron. These badges, displayed on their profiles, serve as evidence of their skills and dedication to potential "Otisies" – landowners seeking worthy successors for their properties. The permies.com forums provide a space for Skippers to interact, share experiences, and seek guidance, fostering a supportive community within the SKIP program.

Rocket mass heaters are better than wood stoves because they run cleaner and use less wood. Wood stoves lose a lot of heat out the chimney that the rocket mass heater stores in the mass. 75% efficient wood stoves are often run at 3% efficiency at night. Rocket mass heaters use the mass to keep things warm at night.