Rory Rivers

I wouldn't discount the value of a weight-driven wind-up mechanism. It would require some height (less the heavier the weight is), but the force required to lift the weight and the force produced would be more consistent (mass x 9.8 m/s/s). I think that would eliminate problem 2 since you could reliably gear down the lifting so that a windmill could do the work. I'm not sure how it compares to springs in terms of efficiency/max energy storage.

The thermal mass absorbs light and converts it to heat. So I would think you would want 000000 to absorb all the light. I wonder if there is a linear relationship like FF00FF reflects 2/3 of the light and 00FF00 reflects 1/3

Just a thought: Any kind writing on wood will fade, but what if you etched it in by burning it? I used to write words into wood with a magnifying glass. That would probably be too slow though.

Non toxic... that means they're edible, right?

I like these things. They're pretty indestructible and at least as strong as the other kind.

Finding dirt is always the hardest part for me too. I don't get as much as I would like by removing the topsoil where the bed will be. If I dig too deep, it's just clay. I recently dug a foundation for a sunken greenhouse, and that produced enough for a good sized huglekultur.

Your situation may be too far gone for this course of action, but I didn't see it mentioned here yet. Ants find food by following pheromone trails left by other ants who have found food. Vinegar seems to do a really good job of making those pheromones hard to smell.

I attempted to register Test Testingson on Chrome and Firefox (Ubuntu 12.04). I got "Please, fill the Email Address field" both times even though the email address field and confirmation were filled and identical. Could it be because I was trying to register an email that is already registered to an account? I am sure these screenshots won't be helpful, but here they are anyway. Let me know if I can help investigate this apparent problem further.

I understand that planting trees in a hugelkultur bed is a bad idea because tree roots really don't like air pockets. Your idea seems like a really clever way around that limitation. The only potential problem I see would be access to the center... depending on how high the bed is.

Check out this current topic for ideas on first-year hugelkutur crops.

I realize it's not for everyone, but sleeping on the floor can be surprisingly comfortable. You just need something to insulate you from the ground and provide a little cushin (I use two wool blankets each folded in half). The first week or so it feels like, well, sleeping on the floor; but after that it just feels like sleeping in your bed i.e. the most comfortable place to sleep.