Jack Edmondson

When my dogs get picky, I make white rice or sweet potatoes.  I will put 3 to 5 pounds of potatoes in the instapot for 25 minutes.  Makes them nice and soft.  I leave them in the fridge and mass one up at dinner time.  Always gets well received; and not expensive.  

I would suggest buying a box of nitrile (surgical) gloves.  They have a better feel than latex and you will not have the same sensory experience touching dirt, worms or 'ick'.  You will be able to peel off the gloves anytime you feel gross and be clean and back to normal.  You can even put garden gloves over them if you are dealing with thorny or sharp material.

I don't know if you have encountered this, so may be a solution to a problem that does not exist for you.  Never the less, on inductrial cardboard balers (which this is very similar, albeit non hydraulic) they put chains or straps on the front bottom.  They lay on the floor in channels (so the bailing wire does not get under them) and hook to the "ram".  So when you are done with a bale, pushing the lever up will flip the bale out of the chamber with little fuss.

A inexpensive 1" binder strap or tow strap should be stong enough, if you chose to incorporate into your baler.  This is the best hand baler I think I have seen in my years.  Tell you neighbor to get ahead of the schedule for the highway departments maintenance crew next spring.  Be ready and they will cut all the hay you can handle.  All he has to do is allow to dry, rack and bale.  It can even be done on the right of way.  With this he will never run short of hay.

Well done.  A deserved apple for sure.

https://www.hotspotenergy.com/ground-water-temperature-map.jpg

Andrew Welser wrote:6 foot down the temperature of the earth will vary seasonally, around 20' down it will stabilize (close) to the average annual air temperature of your area, normally very similar to the ground water temperature:

About a year ago this was posted on Permies by Andrew...

I ran the question "what is the average temperature of the soil at a depth of 2ft in Austin, TX."  through an AI program.  Answer back was 70 to 75F.  It should be a 'go', if your soil has no obstructions.  Give it a try.  

While researching this for other locations, I found you need a lot of tube, usually in coils to cool the amount of air you need to cool your space.  This requires loops of tube buried in a trench.  Calculate the cubic footage of your greenhouse.  Pick a fan like a house fan to draw the air.  It will have a cubic feet per minute rating.  Guess or test how long it take to transfer heat from the soil to the tube to the air.  It is a slow transfer.  Then you will have a better idea of how much tubing to use.  It may help to put something in the tube that is porous like a glass beads or steel wool to increase the surface area in contact with the airflow to speed cooling.

You may want to use a 75% shade cloth on the structure rather than a traditional plastic or poly cover.  

John,

I would enjoy hearing more details about your experience with biochar and trees.  How it progressed.  What worked well.  What you might do differently if you were starting new.  

Oh, we are here.  I think most of us are quietly executing our own versions of 'the plan'.  I am a year older than you.  Never married no kids.  Building a plan for how the rest of my time may be used productivly.   (Dogs are always part of the plan, but coming to peace with the knowledge I only have time for a few more furry friends commitments.  My current pals area a half Great Pyr and German Shepard cross; and a very old schitzu that adopted me.)

In our age cohort, we are out there.  It is just more difficult to make connections.  Most of the avalble dating pool is either already on a set path; or trying to rebuild and regroup from the complications in life that disrupt plans.  My advise is to set a path that brings you joy and ignore all daily distractions that impinge on that joy.  Find Peace in your own company; and validate yourself and mission.  No one needs to approve or even understand what you are doing.  Only you.  We only get a few trips around the sun.  Don't leave with regret.

... and welcome to Permies.    

For ease of construction and cost consider the gothic arch.  It can either be laminated or use inexpensive lumber.  

It can be made into quite a nice little cabin for not much money.  If you go with a tamped earth floor or other natural foundation it can be very inexpensive.  

Here are some examples, but it can be done as two story as well.  There is a gentleman in Russia that has plans for a 200 sq ft building that I have lost in my bookmarks.  If I find it I will add it to the thread.

Late to the party....

I did roughly 30 years in supply chain/logistics in different industries mostly inventory management.  5 years ago, I was looking for a challenge and fell into industrial maintence fora  'factory food' manufacturer in the midwest.   I sold my project property in Texas and am now looking for the next turn of the wheel...

I have been dreaming of a 'greening the desert' project for several years; but have my eye on a place in Costa Rica that would 'retire me' to raise liverstock in Central America should all the stars align.