J Johnson

While I am not in the extreme cold country, (South Carolina) I find my hibernating activities centered around smaller projects which can be tackled with a pocket knife and/or an exact o knife or other cutting instruments.  I save up assorted chunks (pieces) of various woods and when the thermometer dips the chips fly.  often it is just kitchen utensils (great gifts) but occasionally a quail or owl works its way into the mixture.  

Jim Johnson

Alas,
I had to give up my acres in the Missouri woods for the "burbs."  But, I managed to bring enough critters to ensure adequate fertilizer for my roses and future garden.   I am wheelchair bound.  With that I was "forced" to abandon my barn and blackberries.  I did bring my critters to convert kitchen waste to incredible fertilizer.  They even eat my coffee filters and shredded news paper.  Jim   Upstate South Carolina

I used to do the square foot garden thing; however, I became leg-locked and used commercial bunk feeders (plastic ones on steel legs).  Also, now I am stuck in the "burbs" with miniscual yards compared to my 10 acres of oak and hickory in Missouri.  And, alas, my wheel chair is not equipped for use in the wilds of a Burmuda grass yard.  

I, though obviously mentally incapacitated, still have my worms.  They have been with me since 1990 and have "pooped" on many a plant.  
Jim Johnson
Simpsonville, SC

It took "forever" to find the Wood Magazine.  Found it and supposedly downloaded it but now cannot find it.  Its a bit wierd.

jj

Water and it's uses is a fascinating topic.  There is a book out there called "Dam Nation" that tells an interesting story relative to the dam projects generally out west.  Then, of course there is the Tennessee Valley Authority's string of dams used for electricity and recreation.  

It is said that the Ogalalla aquifer is depleting at about one foot per year.  It supplies water for the folks from Midland TX all the way up to Nebraska.  Alas, it is a finite resource (does not replenish) and the folks that use it have taken measures to drastically reduce the the waste that was prevalent for years.  but, West Texas is a big oil producer and those wells need lots of water to bring them in.  (look up "fracking" to understand the process.  All wells get fracked.)  It is estimated that the Ogalalla will be "dry" in about 20 years.  That region produces about 20% of our nation's food.  So, what are the coasties going to do for their grains.

In the southeast farmers have started to use river water to supplement the rains to bring in better and more consistent yields, but the rivers run lower and that affects the fishing industry in Apalachicola Fl.  

The way the current laws are written, the water under the land belongs to the land owner.  Too bad if somebody pumps so much water that his neighbor's wells run dry.  We willl need laws that regulate how much water any one can draw without harming his neighbor's access to "free" water.  Oh, that will include cities.  Just 'cause you have a bunch of yahoos packed together like sardines does not mean you can pump down everybodies wells.  We do not need to use drinking water to flush toilets and wash autos or water yards.  In much of the us that can be done with captured rainwater.

Water is not simple and the government only mucks things up.  You know that the original settlers in the dust bowl were told that a plowed field will make it rain.  Then it got a little dry.  

I am happy that  you are looking at ways to use water more effectively.
Jim Johnson
Greenfield, Mo

It's nice to get stuff separated.  Here is an idea about your burn barrel.  

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=burn+barrels+rocket&&view=detail&mid=BB030629D67EBA075D6CBB030629D67EBA075D6C&rvsmid=F48C92C4735F4578669AF48C92C4735F4578669A&FORM=VDRVRV

Do notice the lack of smoke which indicates a complete, clean burn of the materials.  This particular approach emits a subtle roar when it kick off.  Once started, we toss in the miscellaneous sticks and twigs from our forest floor.  

Being lazy, we use a butane torch to ignite the pile.  

We don't burn leaves.  They get mulched and left to decay over winter.  

Jim Johnson
Greenfield Mo

"Green Rocks"  does it suggest growing lichens on a rock or that "green" kicks butt.  Perhaps rocks surrounding the garden patch or an apple tree espaliered against a south facing rock wall.  

To me, visual images on a book cover create a single mental picture which might corrupt the reader's interpretation of the text/illustrations.  But then, I am 76 and have only been avidly reading for about 66 years and it is a very rare book that is purchased or even read based on cover art.  Now, magazine covers can be mentally corrupting.  Yeah old Norman Rockwell's art; or Hefner's.  

I do note that my hard bound books have no art on the covers, but often have various images on a separate book cover.

just a couple of thoughts
Jim Johnson
Greenfield Mo

Nice discussion on tree cultivation.  I live in SW Missouri and here we are blessed (or cursed) with black walnuts.  If one has an anvil and a 3 lb hammer extracting the fruit--quite tasty--is no problem.  Surely there are less troublesome techniques.  Good eats as they say.  However all members of the Juglans family produce a toxin which slow or stops the growth of many plants--tomatoes being one of them.  Ouch!  Oh, the less challenging English Walnut is equipped similarly to indigenous black walnut but much easier to crack the shells.  Some oaks and sassafras produce jugalone as well.  So depending on location there may be some real challenges.     My slice of heaven on earth is composed of rocks, clay and many walnut trees (90+feet) such that I use bunk feeders to elevate my "garden" (rabbits hate me)  and have a herd of worms that defecate fertilizer.  Also I am getting old and levitating myself off the knees is near impossible.  Just be aware of some trees. Be Well. jj

Interesting film.  No hard specifics.  This year relative to GDP, China dumps 6 times more carbon into the air than the USA and India only dumps double ours.  The USA contributes very little plastics to our oceans while about 90% comes from the orient.  If, in fact we have had 6 or 7 ice ages and that the last one was about 10000 years ago, then why would not the planet continue to warm until the cycle reverses and again we descend into another ice age?  yes, we should strive for sustainable living, but controlling other countries carbon emissions that will be difficult, especially if they manipulate any data.   Using  rocket stove for home heat, if one is actually using renewables for fuel and after the free power of the sun is maximized.  However, as the sun produces about 1000 btu for every square yard per hour, too often we miss the opportunity to build a south facing greenhouse for day time isolation, with night time insulation.  Alas, we have not asked our designers to lay out subdivisions with solar maximization (for northern USA) and minimal insulation for those in warmer climes.  Accounting for the sun in building has been around since the Anasazi, but, we seem to have a problem incorporating their design elements into our homes.    Jim Johnson 10 2020