Larger Greenhouse

Feb 21, 2026 13:44:38

Hey Paul, are there any plans for building a larger passive greenhouse somewhere on your land. One that is large enough to provide at least some fresh produce for you and the boots during the winter??

I've been impressed with your design and seen photos from last year of a Jade plant growing in a raised bed inside the greenhouse. This design does indeed work. I would be willing to kick in some coin to help with a new larger greenhouse.

Any plans along this idea??

Peace/Heddwch

Feb 21, 2026 13:59:40

There are no plans at this time.

Currently, we have three crops we harvest in the winter: sunchokes, walking onions and kale. This year I hope to plant at least two more (skirret and parsnips) and have my eye on a sort of mountain yam that can be harvested in winter. So rather than try to grow a bunch more stuff indoors, I like the idea of growing 50x more stuff than that - but outdoors!

I would also like to get the whole "grow a lemon tree, outdoors, in montana" project rolling. But that would required some heavier construction.

There is a big project that needs to be finished. The sepp holzer root cellar

We could use some coin to bring JR back in as a ringer for a couple weeks.

Feb 21, 2026 14:46:36

Root cellars are a good thing. OK, count me in. When time allows come up with some numbers and a time frame. There are others on the site that would be willing to help also.

Its a busy time for me with the tax people and my bean counter (sorry Elanor) all do their best to give me a patooty rash. And I may just be nearing the end of my quest for a patch of dirt in West Virginia ( you're welcome Jay).

Let me know, either here or by my email.

P.S. those cookies that were in my package were[b] OUTSTANDING ![/b]

Peace/Heddwch

Feb 21, 2026 16:56:07

Checking with JR.

Mar 30, 2026 15:13:36

I really like the idea of finishing the root cellar.
One of the main issues we were having at the PTJ (besides too few willing workers) was the time it was taking to make the saddles.

I found this Turboplane 4" Tungsten Carbide Woodcarving Disk which attaches to an angle grinder

At multiple points during the video you can see it being used to carve a concave section fairly quickly.
I think this would really help speed up the processing.
It is not cheap ($179/disk at time of writing)

The other major problem we encountered was Rex, the excavator.
By the last day he was exceptionally tired... Multiple leaks in the hydraulic lines and issues with the cab being unstable/unable to lock rotation/forcing the operator to manually maintain the orientation (though, I can't remember if JR said that was/not related to the hydraulic issues...)

I believe there's a chance we could finish without Rex, but I think it's a longshot.
We have most of the logs on top, could possibly get the remaining few up there with a gin pole, but in order to button it up, we'd be doing a lot of manual dirt moving.
Can't drive the tractor on top... or at least, I won't be driving the tractor on top.

Regardless, though I'm not quite a ringer, I'd be down to come for a week and make progress here!
A workboree to make up for lack of jamboree?
Less structure/fluff more targeted working?
Honestly, I'd be down to stay at the lab the whole week and work.
Skip breakfast and lunch, eat dinner after dark. Get the most out of those ultra long Montana days.
The stone ain't gunna grind itself ;)

As if that wasn't enough, a dog then peed on the tiny ad.

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