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Rebekah and Paul's Mentoring and Projects

Paul Fookes

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Location: Gulgong, NSW, Australia (Cold Zone 9B, Hot Zone 6) UTC +10

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posted 1 year ago

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This Page is for Rebekah and Paul to grow PEP 2 projects and make notes.

Failure is a sign of activity and learning. It had nothing to do with under achievement
I never want to have a team member who has never failed - They are not doing!! 👍

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Rebekah Harmon

Apprentice Rocket Scientist

Posts: 1333

Location: 4a, high mountain dessert

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posted 1 year ago

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Yay! Morning, Paul! This week I am going to finish the firewood bb :
https://permies.com/wiki/101204/Split-stack-dead-standing-wood
Unfortunately, I've been working with Aspens for this wood. I don't think there is any specific direction in the species. But in my area, sagebrush high mountain dessert, trees are very scarce. My husband and I get trees folks have cut from yards and golf courses for our firewood. Fir, spruce, pine, usually. But those are delivered to us in green logs and we process them and store them next to our house, with no roof over them. So, to meet the requirements of cutting dead-standing trees, I've asked people in town if I can cut down their dead trees in their yards, and I've gotten several responses, but they are all old, aged out aspens. They aren't straight and tall pines, that's for sure. So getting the pile to be all within an inch of eachother has been a challenge. I have NOT used several of the rounds I cut just for this bb, because of how they bowed, and therefore didn't look clearly 15.5 inches in the pile. Also, I had to find a roof to stack them under. I'm about halfway through, and I've been waiting for toddler-free time to use a chainsaw. Do you see any problems with what I've got so far?

Secondly, I've been getting ready for building a RMH. I've got the barrels burned and the paint peeled, most of the stovepipe pieces, and I will pick up the rest today, including the flashing and double walled pup that Opalyn said I needed in the clarification thread. I've got the site prepped and sand ready for leveling. My husband and I are still arguing over what materials to use for the bench. And until yesterday, I hadn't found soil clay-heavy enough for the cob around the feed box. But now I've found some! I think! Soil test pending. Any suggestions there?

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Being weird is easy. Making it mainstream is hard. Be brave! https://www.youtube.com/@healthygreenbrave

Paul Fookes

gardener

Posts: 2366

Location: Gulgong, NSW, Australia (Cold Zone 9B, Hot Zone 6) UTC +10

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Hi Rebekah,
Remember that one of the rules is that it has to be your work:

and we process them and store them next to our house,

I will look at the requirements so we can discuss on Wednesday (MT)

Will discuss RMH options. Look at what you have. I had an acquaintance who always said "you have enough"

Failure is a sign of activity and learning. It had nothing to do with under achievement
I never want to have a team member who has never failed - They are not doing!! 👍

Rebekah Harmon

Apprentice Rocket Scientist

Posts: 1333

Location: 4a, high mountain dessert

660

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posted 1 year ago

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Oh, yes, I am careful to work on this bb firewood stack by myself. All our family wood is pine/spruce, so it's easy to tell my aspenwood apart.

Being weird is easy. Making it mainstream is hard. Be brave! https://www.youtube.com/@healthygreenbrave

Rebekah Harmon

Apprentice Rocket Scientist

Posts: 1333

Location: 4a, high mountain dessert

660

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posted 1 year ago

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Mentoring Meet-up 1:

In this call, we covered the firewood bb clearly, going over

ideas to "clearly" show the wood is all the same length (as the requirements state)
different ways to mark length as well as pile size of 4x4,
successful submissions of other's in this same bb, and how they chose to show the requirements were met
Also, I was concerned that some of my wood won't make a certifier happy, because it's not split and there are several small pieces. Paul pointed out other's piles in approved bbs that have 4-inch rounds which are not split, as well as very small pieces. He says there is no requirement covering these ideas, so not to worry about them too much.

We also discussed how, in some cases, such as a fireplace that doesn't fit a 15.5 inch log, or an area of the world that doesn't have poplar trees, a SKIPper could submit a bb as a Permaculture Experience according to Rebekah (PER, or whoever was posting the bb) instead of PEP. I had no idea this was an option! If I am unsure, it's a good idea to ask beforehand in the bb clarification thread. The bb would still need to have similar work involved.

Next, we went through Paul's routine of bbs, and he showed me how he manages them. He keeps a journal with

bb requirements copied and pasted,
pictures of each bb put in a folder on his desktop. One folder for ones he is still working on, then moving them to finished bb folders.
the layout of his photos in the journal helps him double check that he meets the requirements
finallly, he makes notes of what he learned during the bb process.

At the end, we discussed the idea of making a protocol for all folks who certify bbs. We both have a feeling that some training for new certifiers would help everyone.
This was a good, and careful discussion that will help me come up with my own routine for bbs. I hope to start on that this week :)

Being weird is easy. Making it mainstream is hard. Be brave! https://www.youtube.com/@healthygreenbrave

Paul Fookes

gardener

Posts: 2366

Location: Gulgong, NSW, Australia (Cold Zone 9B, Hot Zone 6) UTC +10

1230

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posted 1 year ago

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Great first meeting. Looked at different options for submitting BBs and proper labeling of photos to make identification easier.
Parts of a BB submission:
- Intro to BB and discussion points.
- Notes on requirements
- Written proofs
- Photo or video proofs
- Final notes (if required)

PER - Permaculture Experience Rebekah to manage BBs that are too specific to complete outside of the Lab
Prior to submission, Rebekah will need to discuss on forum https://permies.com/t/120/210060/skills-inherit-property/BB-clarification-thread#2435746
Rebekah is a great person to work with. Loving the experience.

Failure is a sign of activity and learning. It had nothing to do with under achievement
I never want to have a team member who has never failed - They are not doing!! 👍

Rebekah Harmon

Apprentice Rocket Scientist

Posts: 1333

Location: 4a, high mountain dessert

660

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posted 1 year ago

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So for a long while, I've been working on this bb:
permies.com/wiki/150149/pep-food-prep-preservation/Store-Food-Living-State-food#1173161

It has these requirements:
Minimum requirements for this BB:
- Storing food in a living state (possibly in a root cellar)
- At least 20 pounds of each food
- Six different species - Possibilities include:
- Tree fruit
- Root crops
- Onions
- Garlic
- Cabbage
- Tubers
- Winter squash
- Nuts
- Seeds

To show you've completed this Badge Bit, you must provide proof of the following as pictures or video (<2 mins):
- at least 20 pounds of 6 different species of food
- preparing the storage space/medium for the food stuff
- food in stored in a living state (obviously not spoiled in any way)

I've got my 6 species: apples, potatoes, sunchokes, parsnips, onions, pears. I'm not sure how to show the food obviously not spoiled in any way. How would you show this in a picture, Paul?

Being weird is easy. Making it mainstream is hard. Be brave! https://www.youtube.com/@healthygreenbrave

Paul Fookes

gardener

Posts: 2366

Location: Gulgong, NSW, Australia (Cold Zone 9B, Hot Zone 6) UTC +10

1230

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I've got my 6 species: apples, potatoes, sunchokes, parsnips, onions, pears. I'm not sure how to show the food obviously not spoiled in any way. How would you show this in a picture, Paul?

- Show the setting up of the storage spaces being set up
- Take a wide photos showing the product on the scales, then stored and a close up of some of the product showing its quality.
My thoughts would be to play to the strengths of the product.
I know that some onions can last 12 months or more hung in a cool, dark, and airy space. IE, a larder room, where the walls allow for free air movement but exclude vermin and insects.
Research areas could include how to store apples. Potatoes, chokes and parsnips do well in a root cellar. There is a 'how to' here on Permies using a large garbage bin with a lid burried in the garage shed.

Pears can be stored on the tree until ready to pick and from my experience last 2 - 3 weeks once picked. They do not ripen on the tree but go to juice suitable, fermented or otherwise.

Once it is stored and you have completed the BB you will have the opportunity to bottle (can), pickle, or dry the pears and apples.

As discussed, look at what the others have done and select the best bits.
Speak Monday

Failure is a sign of activity and learning. It had nothing to do with under achievement
I never want to have a team member who has never failed - They are not doing!! 👍

Rebekah Harmon

Apprentice Rocket Scientist

Posts: 1333

Location: 4a, high mountain dessert

660

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posted 1 year ago

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This week, I am still working on the RMH build bb. It has these requirements:

To get certified for this Badge Bit you must provide:
- pic of area before build
- pic of core (exterior of burn tunnel, heat riser and manifold) without barrel
- pic of ducts or stratification chamber before mass
- 3 pics of manifold
- pic of completed product
- pic of vertical exhaust going into the ceiling
- pic of vertical exhaust coming out of the roof
- 2 minute video of starting the fire and proving there are no smoke leaks
lots of photo and video proofs

In addition to these, I've been given specific direction from permies staff to improve the existing chimney in alignment with codes in my area. I think I have all the parts for that now, so the build can go on.

Being weird is easy. Making it mainstream is hard. Be brave! https://www.youtube.com/@healthygreenbrave

Rebekah Harmon

Apprentice Rocket Scientist

Posts: 1333

Location: 4a, high mountain dessert

660

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In the background, I'm working on a textiles bb, knit or crotchet a sweater. It will take me most of the winter. I also have two bbs I am waiting for neighbors help with. Moving scoops with a tractor bucket and butchering a pig. As soon as those neighbors are ready, I'm jumping in on those, although they may be this week or next.
For this BB, the minimum requirements are:
-Start with 1 Live Pig
-Killed in a humane manner
-Processed and properly stored

To document your completion, provide proof of the following as pics or video (less than two minutes):
-Living Pig
-Pig after slaughter, depicting the method used
-Organs separated into suitable for human consumption / not suitable for human consumption
and
Requirements:

- it must appear that at least five scoops was moved

To get certified for this BB, post five pics.

- The pile of material before you begin
- The destination before you begin
- action pic
- a pic of the source pile at completion
- a pic of the destination at completion

Being weird is easy. Making it mainstream is hard. Be brave! https://www.youtube.com/@healthygreenbrave

Rebekah Harmon

Apprentice Rocket Scientist

Posts: 1333

Location: 4a, high mountain dessert

660

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posted 1 year ago

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For our second mentoring session, Paul and I discussed these things:
1. success of the firewood bb!
2. A plan for the 5 scoops with a tractor bb, to make a video for ease of proof.
a. Show source pile and destination piles untouched.
b. show driving between piles
c. each dump
d. after shots of both piles
e. option to show the clock and how long it takes me.

3. Paul taught me about differences in butchering a big versis a sheep, both of which I hope to have a crack at this winter. There are differences in organs, kill processes, and treatment of the skins in the animals. *research is the key* Paul suggests pointing out when I receive help with the heavy lifting of the carcasses, that it was the only time I was helped.

4. For the RHM build, Paul suggested starting a thread where I could post all my pictures as I go, since it's a long process.
5. The storing food in a living state bb is finished, and I'm ready to turn it in. I've looked at what other successful submissions looked like, as suggested.
6. For the Ruth Stout composting bb, it is not allowed to bury the food scraps under soil, only under mulch. I will remember that for future verifications.

Being weird is easy. Making it mainstream is hard. Be brave! https://www.youtube.com/@healthygreenbrave

Rebekah Harmon

Apprentice Rocket Scientist

Posts: 1333

Location: 4a, high mountain dessert

660

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posted 1 year ago

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Hello, Paul! I hope you had a great holiday :D

Since we last mentored, I turned in the Store Food bb. I learned some things in the process, such as:
a. My little outdoor root cellar works fabulously for all 3 types of roots I stored in it,
b. Pears don't last nearly as long as apples do.
c. My freeze dryer is in my indoor food storage room. I've been running it, which contributes to the temperatures in there to be too hot. The onions haven't had any problems with this, that I can tell, but the apples and pears have been more mushy. I need to move my freeze dryer out of the room when I'm using it.

I've also turned in some natural medicine bbs. I only have a few left in order to finish this badge.

I haven't had a chance to help my friend butcher pigs or sheep yet. Or move those scoops with my neighbor's tractor. Hopefully those happen this coming week.

Finally, I have been working on the RMH build every day. The system is already a success, in that it doesn't smoke-back into the room, and it heats up the greenhouse space very nicely in a short time with little wood. The cob is not quite halfway finished, and I plan to put about 2-3 hours into this every day this week until Saturday, when I hope to finish the build. I have started a thread for this build, and I have all the picture proofs I need, besides the "finished" pic and the lighting video. I've been putting all the pictures into a specially designated folder, so turning in all these is easy. :D permies.com/t/270223/Rebekah-inch-RMH#2834738

I've also been working on a weaving project for textiles: permies.com/wiki/164743/pep-textiles/Weave-cotton-linen-hand-towel#1292430
I'm about 1/3 of the way through this project as well. It's the most intimidating of all the textile bbs I have left for the sand badge.

Being weird is easy. Making it mainstream is hard. Be brave! https://www.youtube.com/@healthygreenbrave

Paul Fookes

gardener

Posts: 2366

Location: Gulgong, NSW, Australia (Cold Zone 9B, Hot Zone 6) UTC +10

1230

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Great work

Will catch up next week. Safely back

Failure is a sign of activity and learning. It had nothing to do with under achievement
I never want to have a team member who has never failed - They are not doing!! 👍

Rebekah Harmon

Apprentice Rocket Scientist

Posts: 1333

Location: 4a, high mountain dessert

660

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Hey Paul! I've got the pictures ready for the RMH bb, I believe. Help me double check?

To get certified for this Badge Bit you must provide:
- pic of area before build
- pic of core (exterior of burn tunnel, heat riser and manifold) without barrel
- pic of ducts or stratification chamber before mass
- 3 pics of manifold
- pic of completed product
- pic of vertical exhaust going into the ceiling
- pic of vertical exhaust coming out of the roof
- 2 minute video of starting the fire and proving there are no smoke leaks

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Being weird is easy. Making it mainstream is hard. Be brave! https://www.youtube.com/@healthygreenbrave

Rebekah Harmon

Apprentice Rocket Scientist

Posts: 1333

Location: 4a, high mountain dessert

660

I like...

posted 1 year ago

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During this week's mentoring with Paul, we covered several rocket bbs:
a. heating a space for 1 week with a RMH, along with some temperature and thermometer ideas
b. Build a j-tube RMH bb, looking over pictures to make sure I had what I needed for picture proof
c. metalworking bbs that need a forge, and some ideas to make a simple forge at home
d. electrical philosophy and a bit of good practices like using a volt meter and starting small when I get going with the electricity bbs

Paul also teased me with the idea to write a book about my SKIP journey and how I've been able to support my family in being happier/healthier as I build a better world in our backyard
We also discussed what's involved in being a staff member for permies.

We are taking a holiday break before our next mentoring session. I have 10 more sand level bbs left to complete all 22 sand badges. I hope to work on them, 2 or 3 a week til then and finish them in the early new year, then turn my attention to straw bbs in 2025

Being weird is easy. Making it mainstream is hard. Be brave! https://www.youtube.com/@healthygreenbrave

Paul Fookes

gardener

Posts: 2366

Location: Gulgong, NSW, Australia (Cold Zone 9B, Hot Zone 6) UTC +10

1230

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For discussion: https://permies.com/t/197210/PEP-Woodland-Care-Sand-Badge#2832326
8 Jan 25

Failure is a sign of activity and learning. It had nothing to do with under achievement
I never want to have a team member who has never failed - They are not doing!! 👍

Staff note (Paul Fookes) :

AAP Cleared.

Paul Fookes

gardener

Posts: 2366

Location: Gulgong, NSW, Australia (Cold Zone 9B, Hot Zone 6) UTC +10

1230

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This is a thread example link https://permies.com/t/269382/Rebekah-Paul-Mentoring-Projects#2832987

Failure is a sign of activity and learning. It had nothing to do with under achievement
I never want to have a team member who has never failed - They are not doing!! 👍

Paul Fookes

gardener

Posts: 2366

Location: Gulgong, NSW, Australia (Cold Zone 9B, Hot Zone 6) UTC +10

1230

I like...

posted 1 year ago

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Rebekak and I had a great mentoring meeting. She has a plan for completing sand badges which will require the development of new skills and pushing out of her comfort zone.
Worked through some activities such as attaching a thread/ post link.
This completed our agrees 6 sessions.

Plan moving forward is that we will do Q&A here with zoom meetings by exception.
Rebekah will engage with other Permies members to develop new skills.

PEP 2 or bust😊

Failure is a sign of activity and learning. It had nothing to do with under achievement
I never want to have a team member who has never failed - They are not doing!! 👍

Paul Fookes

gardener

Posts: 2366

Location: Gulgong, NSW, Australia (Cold Zone 9B, Hot Zone 6) UTC +10

1230

I like...

posted 1 year ago

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Well done on the slaughter and clean a sheep BB. Dropping with a shot is instant and does not allow for the adrenaline rush to toughen the meat.
It will be good to hear how it cooks up and tastes.
As a side note, your photo of the pistol shows great handling technique 👍

Failure is a sign of activity and learning. It had nothing to do with under achievement
I never want to have a team member who has never failed - They are not doing!! 👍

Rebekah Harmon

Apprentice Rocket Scientist

Posts: 1333

Location: 4a, high mountain dessert

660

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posted 7 months ago

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Hello, Permies!

A few weeks ago, Paul and I discussed a large BB, the Seed Library bb from the Community Sand badge. The point range in large, anywhere between 2 and 12. I reached out for help on planning for a "magnificent" BB submission.

Some notes from our meet up include:
Making an organizer for the seeds myself, "to fit" Paul suggests, means I'm not reusing any materials with unknown contamination or funky sizes with unusable space. With his suggestion, I plan to make a little shelf/cabinet from scratch. It will be made from jew dimensional lumber, focusing on simple joints/fasteners and finishing with natural oils.

We also chatted about inviting community members to donate seeds. So far, I've visited gardens all over my hometown, collecting veggie and flower seeds alike, inside addition to the large store of seeds I collect from my own plants every year.

20251104_103617.jpg

Being weird is easy. Making it mainstream is hard. Be brave! https://www.youtube.com/@healthygreenbrave

Rebekah Harmon

Apprentice Rocket Scientist

Posts: 1333

Location: 4a, high mountain dessert

660

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posted 7 months ago

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I ran into trouble with the location. While the library board members thought it a great idea to put my seed library in the public book library in town, the librarian was overwhelmed with other projects and didnt feel she had the space to spare.

I worried for a week, contemplating other homes for the seeds, when the librarian got back to me about a space that would work. Under this potted plant! She loves the plant, but said it could sit on abother surface if I could make a shelf to fit that spot. So, with a tape measure in hand, I worked out the size of my seed library, enthusiasm renewed!

I'm happy to report that all the seeds have been loaded into envelopes. The lumber has been purchased, and I have an appointment with a cabinet maker tomorrow to help me develop the plan for the seed shelf, made to fit!

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Being weird is easy. Making it mainstream is hard. Be brave! https://www.youtube.com/@healthygreenbrave

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