Carson Beauregard

It has been discussed. Some refining of the design and building process would have to be done first and I definitely wouldn't be the one heading up the production. Andrew would be the better person to ask about that. You can contact him through http://rocketmassheater.ca/

After months of planning, a week of hard work, some uncomfortable conversations, a stolen computer and a lesson on wood sorrel here it is. We give you......The amazing Mobile Rocket Barrel Oven! We still have one last little detail to address before we cook anything, but that should be done by the end of this weekend. We're probably going to extend the chimney a bit to create a little more draw, but it does work right now. Also instead of the chimney we could build a thermal mass bench and run the exhaust through that for the purpose of warming butts at our winter pizza and ice fishing parties. We will see though. For now we're all super happy with the way this turned out. Thanks go out to Andrew Brunning of Rocketmassheater.ca and his compadre Joel the metal magician.

I'm not sure how to bump a post? Directions would be appreciated.

Over the past few months, the Karma Project Inc has been working with Andrew Brunning of www.rocketmassheater.ca to design a bake oven for our community garden in Penetanguishene, Ontario. We're happy to announce that the project is nearly complete.

This Friday the 27th of June, we will be assembling our new oven at the gardens on the corner of Fox and Beck St. We'd like to invite anyone in the area who's interested to a pop-up oven building potluck party. Monetary donations will also be accepted. It should be very exciting and informative. The oven will be of the Cob Barrel design with a 6" pre cast J tube Rocket Mass Heater Core. The first of it's kind in the world, as far as we know.

It will be a great opportunity to spread the word on the rocker mass heater technology and increase the velocity of permaculture. So if there are any videographers who would like to come document the build, it would be much appreciated.

Thanks go out to Andrew Brunning for helping guide us through this process, the Guelph Organic Conference (http://www.guelphorganicconf.ca/) for connecting us to him and of course Paul Wheaton and all those who have worked on refining this technology over the past few years.

It's going to be freakin sweet!

I posted a review of the NTFP Business Companion in the books section. Here's the link https://permies.com/t/21906/books/Canadian-Timber-Forest-Product-Business#179952

I mentioned this book in a farm income thread(The beginnings of a comprehensive income list) a while ago, and have recently obtained it, so I thought I would do a quick review. Hope its helpful. If your interested in purchasing it, check out pmtech.ca, and I'm not affiliated with the author in any way FYI.

The Non Timber Forest Product Business Companion can be broadly summarized as a compilation of extremely useful information relating to the personal and commercial use of plants in Canada. More specifically it is an everyday horticulture reference database, a how-to manual, a resource archive and an NTFP industry Rolodex.

The book is filled with practical information and innovative ideas. Beyond the over 50 comprehensive lists of distinct useful plants and potential product ideas, the author Gina Mohhamed has broken down and organized the non timber forest products industry into 7 sectors. Within each of the seven sectors she describes many potential entrepreneurial focuses and proceeds to explore each of these individual focuses by outlining and describing necessary equipment and costs, marketing advice, hints for success, precautions, regulatory and legal information, relative plants, products, tools and supply data. She has also included recent case studies of enterprises with identical niches, ranging from maple syrup and wood carving, to skin creams and bio fuel.

At just over 800 pages, the Canadian NTFP Business Companion could be considered a wise investment for any research scientist, farmer, entrepreneur, teacher, student, government official, or regular individual interested in developing a small or large ecologically minded local business in a northern climate.


The Author

The Non Timber Forest Product Business Companion represents over 10 years of academic research undertaken by Dr. Gina Mohammed, a Canadian research scientist with a P.H.D in plant physiology. According to the Companion (Mohammed, 2011), Gina specializes in “alternative uses of northern forest plants”, and was the first to author a “major study of Ontario’s non timber industry, titled Non-Timber Forest Products of Ontario - An Overview.” which can be found on the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Website. In addition she has authored over 130 publications and is co-owner of P&M Technologies (pmtech.ca), a consulting and research and development firm that specializes in “identifying commercial prospects for many of Canada's 4000+ plant species within an ecologically sustainable framework”.

Oh and NTFP stands for Non Timber Forest Products

So after having a good chat with the friendly university reference lady, we found a fair sized overview of this book online, for free!!! Its 66 pages and full of useful information. It briefly goes over the various uses for a huge number of Ontario plant species. The different uses include food, natural health care products, medicinal plants, resins, essential oils, household fragrances, plant biomass, recycled wood material, biological pesticides, floral and craft products, carvings and natural dyes. Definitely a great permaculture resource. Check it out!! Here's the link.

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=non%20timber%20forest%20products%20gina&source=web&cd=1&sqi=2&ved=0CB8QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mnr.gov.on.ca%2Fstdprodconsume%2Fgroups%2Flr%2F%40mnr%2F%40ofri%2Fdocuments%2Fdocument%2F279238.pdf&ei=eEahUM-bELGgyAGT6YCICA&usg=AFQjCNGjWS_6YTMzGmu5521sJwMaOyuF6A&cad=rja

This looks pretty freekin sweet. I think everyone loves when the time lapse shots are posted. It shows progress so clearly. Definitely an inspiration to others trying to develop their own food forest systems.

Its analogous to when you hear an awesome song and all you want to do is LEARN TO PLAY IT!!.

Lets make peoples faces melt with Permaculture!!!

Hmm it seems like a good idea, but from what I gather on the website, the mix consists of a bunch of different varieties of grass. I think this would still be considered a monoculture despite the differences in variety. All that grass will still be giving off nothing but grassy goodness.

I think to truly make it a poly culture you would have to add a few completely different species of plants. You could take that grass seed and add some different types of yarrows, and clovers, and strawberries, and thymes and plantains and dandelions and so on. Depending on your climate and conditions you could tailor each mix to preform according to how you use your lawn. If you prefer not to mow and wanted something to just sit there and look nice you could plant a bunch of wildflowers or mullein or burdock or st johns wort into the mix. If you wanted something that would get a lot of foot traffic you could maybe use thinner stemmed plants that are more bare foot friendly and will also tolerate mowing.

I'm just speculating here because I have not actually planted a lawn like this but from what I've observed, there are lots of plants that will invade and coexist with grass in a lawn and will also tolerate mowing.