What should Fouch-o-matic do next?

Hi, everybody. As some of you know, my family has a YouTube channel. We're off-grid homesteaders for nearly four years now and we're good at making cute videos. We are permaculture-compatible but not particularly permaculture experienced. Over the last month or so we decided to make a jump and make a rocket mass heater and it was awesome!  

Now that our rocket mass heater venture has been a success, not only in helping us to live a better, more efficient lifestyle, but also in being able to share something that others are interested in, my question for all you permies is..are there any other projects you suggest we take on and share?

Best projects for us:

1. involve some building;
2. have plans or at least a clear body of knowledge we can follow, since we're not likely to have a grasp over all the concepts and would love to succeed;
3. are appropriate for an off-grid homestead in the woods in a climate similar to Montana

Give me your ideas! And thank you so much!!!

our YouTube channel is here for reference Fouch-o-matic Off Grid

Esther

How about a root cellar?  Maybe based off a Sepp Holzer design.  

Earth bermed or underground greenhouse?  Maybe based off a Mike Oehler design.

I'm taking the time to poke around your channel to see if anything jumps out at me. One of the catch phrases around here is 'it depends.'

Do you have plans that you will eventually get around to? Often where this forum shines is finding creative solutions for those projects you can't visualize how to achieve. If there are any that fit that description for yourself, maybe opening them up to some group brainstorming will help find the next project you work on.

I may come back with an actual selection after I've wandered through several of your videos.

Hi Esther,
I love your channel! (both your family's and your personal one) I really appreciate all the practical building videos and your videos that break into the intellectual/philosophical side of things

I'm casting around for ideas and so far I'm having trouble coming up with something. What comes to mind for me is that you're really good (in my opinion) of a) videos that teach me how to build things and b) videos that make me think and that start really good conversations. Anything in those veins would be great.

Some building projects that I would love to see, personally, are: beehives, greenhouse, smokehouse, or a root cellar, as mentioned already.

For philosophical topics, that's a little harder. I suppose it would have to come naturally to you in order for it to be inspiring.

Any project that can combine those two strengths would be a really awesome video gift to the community, I think

I just thought of a topic that would be nice to have a conversation about, one that you might consider doing a video about, maybe on your personal channel. I think you've done videos that have touched on it, but I would love to hear and think more about the intersections of eating disorders and homesteading/growing your own food. For me this is a powerful topic and I think that it's relevant for so many people. Eating disorders were one factor that really pushed me into permaculture/homesteading/farming.

I can't do You Tube because my computer has no sound and I have a very slow internet provider.  I can name some other folks here at permies that can't do You Tube either. It would be really nice if all the You Tubers here at permies would do a thread in the Project Forum or Homestead Forum with lots of picture so other like me can see what you are doing.

Anne Miller wrote:I can't do You Tube because my computer has no sound and I have a very slow internet provider.  I can name some other folks here at permies that can't do You Tube either. It would be really nice if all the You Tubers here at permies would do a thread in the Project Forum or Homestead Forum with lots of picture so other like me can see what you are doing.

Esther does also have a blog http://estheremery.com/blog/ where you can read about stuff rather than watch videos. And while she does embed videos in the blog, they are not required to get something from the blog.

Some possible ideas for fun projects might be.

1) A kid's fort, the kids would need to help in construction and design and you and Nick would help guide them.

2) Wood fired hot tub. Pure Living for Life did their ceder hot tub this year, and it was a fun project to watch and they seem to be enjoying the benefits of it. A hot tub could be a nice way to relax for you and your family.

3) Double chambered Cob "pizza" oven. There is a good thread here https://permies.com/t/52989/double-chamber-cob-oven-plans and it is another Ernie and Erica plans project.

4) Some sort of garden project. A hugelculture project, a green house, raised beds, etc...

*edit to add, oh and I 2nd the root cellar idea. It would vastly increase your food stores capabilities. Which is something you had mentioned in videos was minimal while in the yurt.

Devin Lavign wrote: Esther does also have a blog http://estheremery.com/blog/ where you can read about stuff rather than watch videos. And while she does embed videos in the blog, they are not required to get something from the blog.

For security reasons I do not clink on links or go to blogs.   We are getting where we are computer dumb and with the newer versions of windows can't always fix viruses, so I just don't go to unfamiliar sites.

One of the reasons I like permies.com is you can find the answer to almost every question right here.

It is nice to know that she has a blog, thanks.  I wish them the best in their endeavors. I just thought it would be nice if they shared their experiences here.

Ester,  I have fallen in love with yourself and Nick, you guys are great!  Were I you, I'd build a trout pond.  I've been thinking of the tiny house as a piece of furniture that you can live in, you and Nick seem to feel the same way. A natural pond would give you watercress as well, which is one of the best green veggies there is. Also crayfish.  All three great, free, food sources. All the wildlife in the "hood" will come by to drink.  A three hundred gallon pond can support 50 trout.  A fresh water stash is a good thing to have, trouts insist on clean running water if they are alive the water is potable.  There is a very savvy English dude on youtube, the pond guru, he is awesome. In a permaculture garden, aquaponics can be a big part of an alpine environment.  Maybe I'm just being selfish, I have built three trout tanks, in three restaurants over the years and I just want to see how Nick would interpret The pond Guru?  I'm going to try and do a "Gapper" visit while you and Nick are at Wheaton's lab in May.  I'm Bub, the chef in Salt Lake City.  Best wishes!  (You need a Pond permit, mine was $45 bucks, a local trout farm will deliver if you have a permit).  We had live Idaho Trout in a tank at the Four Seasons, in New York City, for truite au bleu, back in 1975. That started me on my trout journey.