Mike Haasl

This is a badge bit (BB) that is part of the PEM curriculum.  Completing this BB is part of getting the Straw badge in Traditional Skills.

How did they keep food cold in the summer in the olden days?  They had an ice house.  Let's try to build one!

 
 

Here's an idea of how they're used:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKmSav64bR4

Minimum requirements:
  - Make a traditional ice storage building
  - At least 8 cubic yards of ice storage
  - Very well insulated
  - Drainage for melted ice to leave
  - This can be combined with the Building badge, just extra points here to cover ice house nuances
  - This bb can only use materials that existed 200 years ago

Provide proof of the following as pictures or video (<2 min):
  - The place the ice house will go
  - Midway through making the ice house
  - Finished ice house showing the interior dimensions

This is a badge bit (BB) that is part of the PEM curriculum.  Completing this BB is part of getting the Straw badge in Traditional Skills.

Meat preservation and/or flavor can be improved by smoking it.  Let's make a smoker!

 
 

Here's one way to do it:


Minimum requirements:
  - Make a traditional smoker or smoke house
  - Can be a hot, cold or dual smoker
  - At least 2' by 2' by 4' high smoking space
  - This bb can only use materials that existed 200 years ago

Provide proof of the following as pictures or video (<2 min):
  - The place the smoker will go
  - Midway through making the smoker
  - Finished smoker showing the interior dimensions
  - Running the smoker

This is a badge bit (BB) that is part of the PEM curriculum.  Completing this BB is part of getting the Straw badge in Traditional Skills.

How did they keep food cold in the summer in the olden days?  They had an ice house.  Let's try to build one!

 
 

Here's an idea of how they're used:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKmSav64bR4

Minimum requirements:
  - Make a traditional ice storage building
  - At least 8 cubic yards of ice storage
  - Very well insulated
  - Drainage for melted ice to leave
  - This can be combined with the Building badge, just extra points here to cover ice house nuances
  - This bb can only use materials that existed 200 years ago

Provide proof of the following as pictures or video (<2 min):
  - The place the ice house will go
  - Midway through making the ice house
  - Finished ice house showing the interior dimensions

Craig Weiser wrote:Chaining/winching the tree in the direction of the fall is essential but perhaps use heavy equipment to add force, to flush out any weirdness?  So make the wedge, then do the big pull.  If the tree resists, go back and do the cut.

I'd say the chain/winch is only needed if you worry that it wants to fall a different way than how you want it to fall.  I'd caution against the idea of only doing the wedge cut and then pulling.  If you put a bunch of tension on it and then go to do the back cut you can cause a barber chair.  If they're that worrisome, hire the pros (with insurance)

This is a badge bit (BB) that is part of the PEM curriculum.  Completing this BB is part of getting the Straw badge in Traditional Skills.

When the snow comes, the wheelbarrow becomes a bit less useful.  Let's build a sturdy sled to haul stuff across the snow with!

 
 

Here's something kind of like what we want:


Minimum requirements:
  - Make a traditional wooden sled
  - Strong enough to carry 200 lbs
  - Ski tips can ride over a 6" snow ridge
  - At least 5 feet long
  - Include a rope to pull it with
  - This bb can only use materials that existed 200 years ago

Provide proof of the following as pictures or video (<2 min):
  - The wood you're starting with
  - Midway through making the sled
  - Finished sled

This is a badge bit (BB) that is part of the PEM curriculum.  Completing this BB is part of getting the Straw badge in Traditional Skills.

Long, dark, snowy winters mean it's nice to get outside and play on the sunny days.  Let's build a toboggan!

 
 

Here's one way to do it:


Minimum requirements:
  - Make a traditional toboggan
  - Use a steam box to bend the boards
  - At least 6 feet long
  - Include a rope to drag it with
  - This bb can only use materials that existed 200 years ago

Provide proof of the following as pictures or video (<2 min):
  - The wood you're starting with
  - Midway through making the toboggan
  - Finished toboggan

This is a badge bit (BB) that is part of the PEM curriculum.  Completing this BB is part of getting the Straw badge in Traditional Skills.

Carrying drinking water around in a clay pot is fine but if the pot breaks, you're in trouble.  Let's make a leather canteen!  

 
 

Here's one way to do it:


Minimum requirements:
  - Make a watertight canteen from leather
  - Including a strap or means of hand-free carrying
  - This bb can only use materials that existed 200 years ago

Provide proof of the following as pictures or video (<2 min):
  - The leather you're starting with
  - Midway through making the canteen
  - Finished canteen
  - Canteen visibly full of water above a surface that will easily show leaks (paper, dry cement, etc)

This is a badge bit (BB) that is part of the PEM curriculum.  Completing this BB is part of getting the Straw badge in Traditional Skills.

Clay pots are nice but it's hard to eat a steak in one.  Let's make a plate!  

 
 

Here's one way to do it:


Minimum requirements:
  - Make a plate from natural clay
  - At least 8" in diameter
  - This bb can only use materials that existed 200 years ago

Provide proof of the following as pictures or video (<2 min):
  - The clay you're starting with
  - Midway through making the plate
  - Finished plate before firing
  - Finished fired plate

This is a badge bit (BB) that is part of the PEM curriculum.  Completing this BB is part of getting the Straw badge in Traditional Skills.

As you get into doing pottery, you may struggle to find a kiln to fire your pots.  If an open fire is too persnickety for you, it might be time to build a simple brick or earthen kiln!  

 
 

Here's one way to do it:


Minimum requirements:
  - Make a simple kiln for pottery
  - Intended to be reused and stationary
  - Made from bricks or earth
  - This bb can only use materials that existed 200 years ago

Provide proof of the following as pictures or video (<2 min):
  - The place where the kiln will go
  - Materials you'll build it with
  - Midway through building the kiln
  - Finished kiln

This is a badge bit (BB) that is part of the PEM curriculum.  Completing this BB is part of getting the Straw badge in Traditional Skills.

In the olden days there weren't many lighting options.  If you have easier access to oil than beeswax, you might want to make an oil lamp.  Let's give it a shot!  

 
 

Here's one way to do it:


Minimum requirements:
  - Make a clay oil lamp
  - "Closed-in" style as in the pics and video above
  - Fired
  - Sealed to keep the oil from leaking out
  - This bb can only use materials that existed 200 years ago

Provide proof of the following as pictures or video (<2 min):
  - The clay you're starting with
  - Midway through building the oil lamp
  - Firing the lamp
  - Sealing the lamp
  - Finished lamp with a lit wick