Jay Angler

I woke up this morning and saw two birds sitting in the sun in my backyard, eating ice cream.

They were Basking Robins.

Why are frogs always so happy?

They eat whatever is bugging them.

source

I'd join in, but in fact I'm *really* hoping we don't get snow this week!

In fact, I suspect our predicted rain would wash that little army away by morning.

Judson Carroll wrote:There are several alternatives that contain berberine.  Oregon grape will grow most anywhere.

Yes! We have Oregon Grape. Is it the berries that contain the berberine?

Yes, this was definitely worth a watch. I have been preaching thermal mass for a long time, but I had no idea that they considered wood thermal mass, as I was taught it was a "poor insulator".  Finding the kind of wood they were talking about isn't going to happen where I live, but there are other ways to help add thermal mass.

What the video *doesn't* say, is how our modern homes get sick when too well sealed because we have too many artificial materials treated with toxins inside that envelope. This is why I push for second hand *solid* wood furniture, rather than plastic/manufactured wood. Fabric is a problem, because companies aren't obliged to tell us what chemicals (like formaldehyde, PFAS etc) they have treated fabrics with. HVAC is part of the solution, but well chosen house plants can be a part too!

I have read about people who are very happy living at 55F, but not only do I turn into an icicle, in my environment, I suspect there would be a lot of mold growth. Masonry heaters/RMHs are both systems where you heat with a short hot fire, then count on radiant heat to keep the living area comfortable.  That coupled with a return to smaller rooms, lower ceilings, and intelligent design that keeps the heat contained where I need it, would be a huge help.

Zeus forero wrote:I noticed that you might not be on wheels anymore but there's a way to feed plants and run out of urine through a recirculating system inoculated with kombucha or certain molds that grow on sweet water, then couple it with wetland species or vetiver on barrels/planters that mimic wicking beds.

What do you mean by a recirculating system? Are you using a pump and if so, is that just for aeration?

A diagram would really help me. We are extremely wet in the winter and I don't want the urine either running off the surface, or soaking in below the active biological level, as both of those would turn an asset into a liability.

I have a friend who swears by Goldenseal for treating chicken injuries. We don't think it will grow in our ecosystem, but I don't really want to even try until I feel I've got a safe place to get it started, as deer and bunny pressure is huge.

Alas, somehow, I seem to be the only person I know who can kill sunchokes...

I am always being told that they thrive on neglect. Maybe the deer aren't neglecting them enough?

Mine rarely bloom - maybe that's a sign of their unhappiness with my ecological niche?

Matt McSpadden wrote: I have seen some bicycle powered pumps, and the old fashioned bucket and rope. These options are not as easy as an electric pump, but would be less costly.  

Yes!  I remember seeing a nifty bicycle powered pump - very simple, easy to maintain and the design was free to use.

The bucket and rope is a learned skill - my friend is proficient in it, but alas, I seemed to lack the essential "flick of the wrist at the right moment".  Something I haven't had long term need for, so it never made it high on my list.

There is also some simple tech called a "jiggler" - basically a ball in a shaped cup at the end of a semi-rigid tube. You pump the tube up and down that the water goes into the tube, but the ball then blocks it from leaving at the same rate. It wouldn't be anywhere as efficient as the bicycle pump, but I've used it to get water out of rain barrels.