!!! In the quiet hours of the bootcamp grind, I found myself: Esteban's Bootcamp Experience

Thanks for the explanation Esteban! I don't have much experience with J tubes so I'm mainly going from the experience of cutting firewood to 15" for Paul's wood burners.  I'm assuming you're currently using those woody bits so you're getting direct feedback on how well they work.  Keep at it!

Mike,

I talk about this a lot here

https://permies.com/t/362506/attempt-heat-home-winter-cardboard

And made a video here



Maybe some mention in some other videos and podcasts.

There is an experiment going on now.  Estaban has been kind enough to keep me supplied with carboards and what we are calling "garbage wood" or "woody bits".

It is true that the j-tube design is for standard length fire wood:  15 inches to 16 inches.  And that is the stuff that is most delightful to work with.  And, with that same j-tube, we are conducting a winter long experiment.

B.E.L. Post # 74

After the morning meeting, I headed over to the Fischer Price house and did the usual topping off of cardboard and woody bits. It’s one of those small, repeat tasks that doesn’t look flashy but really adds up over time.

After that, I powered through the rest of the day working up at the Abbey. I was able to get all the vertical posts set on the section of fencing I’ve been focusing on, which felt really good to complete. There’s something rewarding about seeing a line of posts standing straight and solid at the end of the day.

Tomorrow I’ll start framing them in and bringing the whole section together.

B.E.L. Post # 75

Today was one of those solid, full-spectrum days where a lot of small efforts added up.

The first half of the day was all about materials and momentum. I processed a good amount of cardboard and woody bits, continuing to build up the turtle berm with soil from the Beautiful Project. I also headed up near Raspberry Rock and hauled more dead-standing logs back down for future firewood—always satisfying knowing that’s one less task waiting when the cold really settles in. Wrapped that part of the day up by making a hearty lamb stew, which felt like the perfect reward after moving earth and wood all morning.

In the second half of the day, I shifted gears and headed over to the Abbey. I started placing the horizontal pieces on the fencing and managed to complete three panels—many more to go, but it’s great to see it taking shape section by section. Before calling it a day and wrapping up the boot day, I processed even more woody bits and cardboard to keep building up the stockpile for the colder nights ahead.

Steady progress, good food, and work that will keep paying off down the line. Grateful for days like this.

Mike Haasl wrote:Thanks for the explanation Esteban! I don't have much experience with J tubes so I'm mainly going from the experience of cutting firewood to 15" for Paul's wood burners.  I'm assuming you're currently using those woody bits so you're getting direct feedback on how well they work.  Keep at it!

Thanks, Mike — I appreciate that. Yes, I’ve been actively using the woody bits, so it’s been helpful getting real-time feedback on how they perform in practice. The hands-on experience has been teaching me a lot, especially about sizing, consistency, and how different materials behave. Always more to learn, but I’m enjoying the process.  Thanks for the encouragement.

B.E.L. Post # 76

Today I made my way to the Abbey and put up a few more horizontal pieces on the junkpole fencing. Progress was good, but I decided to stop once I realized the remaining junkpoles on hand were either too short or smaller in diameter than what I’m comfortable using for this section.

Rather than force it, I took some time to scout the surrounding area and found all the trees I’ll need to fell for the remaining horizontal pieces. I’ll take care of that on Monday so everything stays solid and consistent.

Afterwards, I processed one crate’s worth of cardboard and woody bits, then called it a day.

The rest of the day was intentionally slow and grounding—spent some time playing with my dog, journaling, and reading a book. It felt good to balance physical work with reflection and rest.

Grateful for steady progress and listening to what the land (and the body) is asking for. 🌱

B E.L. Post # 77

After the morning cleaning blitz, I headed to the Abbey to harvest thicker, longer junkpoles for the horizontal fencing pieces. I felled 10 trees, took time to delimb them cleanly, and staged everything with future work in mind. Having the material laid out thoughtfully feels just as important as the cutting itself—it sets the tone for the next phase and saves both energy and frustration later.

Tomorrow I’ll harvest 10 more, which should complete what I need for the remaining horizontal runs. It felt good to stop at a natural point rather than push past it, trusting the rhythm of steady progress instead of rushing the process.

Back at basecamp, I processed more cardboard, then closed out the day watching a movie with Paul. Ending the day with a bit of rest and connection felt like the right balance after physical work—another reminder that sustainability applies to people just as much as projects.