!! SEPP to Boot: Stephen's Experience (BEL)

Suggestions requested: after my almost-two years of splitting wood here, more and more bark has piled-up at the furthest-back cell of the Berm Shed. We'd burn it for firewood, but it's smoky and expands in the wood feeds. Personally, I'm drained (from all the wood-splitting lately, I guess) and not very forthcoming with novel ideas on how to use spare bark. Any suggestions on what to do with this stuff?

Yes the complex hydrocarbons in the bark can be smoky but that is what the hot riser is for.  That bark should be dry enough that moisture content is not a problem.  It should work at the end of a burn where there are hot coals in the bottom but not enough flame to keep the riser happy.  Sprinkling the bark chips on the hot coals should keep feeding the hydrocarbons into the riser and not leave behind the char that tends to give off CO until it goes out for lack of volatiles.  At least that is how it works in my stove with secondary draft to burn the smoke.

Stephen B. Thomas wrote:A few unwelcome visitors scope out the eats around the yurt. Leave, you turkeynecks...!



Suggestions requested: after my almost-two years of splitting wood here, more and more bark has piled-up at the furthest-back cell of the Berm Shed. We'd burn it for firewood, but it's smoky and expands in the wood feeds. Personally, I'm drained (from all the wood-splitting lately, I guess) and not very forthcoming with novel ideas on how to use spare bark. Any suggestions on what to do with this stuff?

So Christmas dinner is hanging around the fortress of gertitude and you are trying to scare it off?

Thinking ahead to spring, do you have any areas where you want to suppress "weeds"? The bark works as mulch, like around the base of small trees. I'm guessing full on 'lasagne' gardening is not going to happen around there though...

Stephen B. Thomas wrote:BRK #461
Suggestions requested: after my almost-two years of splitting wood here, more and more bark has piled-up at the furthest-back cell of the Berm Shed... Any suggestions on what to do with this stuff?

One of the main reasons trees make bark is to protect themselves from fire...to keep the wood from burning (except maybe birch). Yes, it can burn, but not really the best use of it.

I usually like to use it as mulch around small seedlings. If you angle it right, you can direct more rain right to the base of the tree.

Not currently applicable to the Lab, but
If you have chickens that always scratch away your wood chip or straw mulch from trees, the big slabs of bark can foil their efforts.  

For the small left over scraps, they are great scattered on icy footpaths. They give some traction and the dark color helps to melt the ice.

I'd use them to "pave" walkways or areas that you want to be a bit wood chippyish.  

Or attempt some sort of shingled roof using them.  Since they're curvy it might not work.  But I'd try to even up the edges and use them like shakes.  Probably with only 4" of reveal so they have multiple layers.  And on a steeply pitched roof.

BRK #462

Happy Soupy Tuesday to you...!

This was actually our first Soupy Tuesday, basically a way to mix things up regarding our typical Taco Tuesday evening meal and meeting. A couple weeks ago, we had Wooden Spoon Day (one of our Half-Assed Holidays), where I baked bread bowls and made a pot of split pea soup. It went over well, so we scheduled it to happen again. Bread bowls were baked last night, and the soup started cooking at lunchtime today. Here's my pan full of carrots and onions, which I added to the soup to dress it up a little.



Here's the current look of the kitchen, now that it's decorated for the holidays.



Finally: earlier today Paul and I discussed how to retain more warmth in the Classroom in the cold season, to implement before the class begins in late January. I'm looking for input on the first version of the design. Here's the picture I submitted.



That's all for now. Thanks for reading, and enjoy your day...!