Frannie Koe

Alright!! I am convinced! I am going to build RMH, masonry heaters all over the place here in Alabama! We are going to get it out there and find people willing to help folks build them as well!!

We are trying to get a workshop together to build several of these heaters here in Alabama. I was told to contact Uncle Mud. I am not sure if a name change will help or hurt the interest we are trying to garner for our heater builds. I can put it forth to my group who is working to put together this workshop. I am thinking in our area no one has really heard of a RMH so changing it to another name won’t matter except that many folks go to the internet to look it up. We would have to somehow get the name out there so they can see what it is and refer to the old name for a while?? I have wanted a RMH in my tiny house for years and have not finished my wall in the corner where I wanted it to go since I bought my house 8 years ago!! I still dream of a small RMH there and my partner does not feel it is practical. I do live in Alabama where it is not especially cold for long periods. I am very attracted to the efficiency of it. We live off the grid with solar and composting toilets so adding a heating system that would not burn much wood is my ideal dream. We are going to build the RMHs currently for our green houses. Green houses are not even a great use for the heater here in our state as we have a longer growing season here without green houses.  But I wanted to start somewhere getting this RMH technology in my area. I am truly hoping my other half sees the benefit and then we put one in my tiny house afterward!! I am good with the name radiant masonry heater and cannot think of a better name at this time. I do agree with the comment that it has been a little overwhelming to think of putting this type of heater in anywhere here due to the DIY aspect. But we are doing the workshop to determine if it is much easier than I expect. I did see one built and used at a Mother Earth conference but was not fond of the barrel for my living room so I have scouted more attractive designs ever since. The overwhelm comes more from making it look nice in my house. I am not a builder in any way shape or form. My partner is an amazing artist and builder as he makes Windsor rockers without electricity. He built almost everything on our property. But he is not on board! Thus the desire to put together this workshop next year!! If you have any suggestions as to how we can make the RMH famous in our area I am all ears!!!

I loved the movie!! I watched last night 1/2 and then finished today! I wish I could get on Permies every day! I am so busy in our little town with a private medical practice but I dream of all the ideas I see on Permies and in this movie!! I save every email to a folder to look at one day! I dream of coming to Wheaton Labs!! Maybe in retirement!! I will have to find a way! The movie was great!

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During Covid and the toilet paper shortage I bought a lot of small baby wash clothes! I have hardly bought toilet paper since except for doing the other business end! I have a small bucket to put the used baby wash clothes in. Then they get washed and hung on the line. I also use a small 1 gallon bucket indoors or out and I sit it on a squatty potty that sit at the base of the 5 gallon compost toilet buckets, so then I don’t have to squat so low. I have used pine pellets in it to keep it from being smelly after a couple of days. I usually use the pine pellets for my company. You can pee in a bucket of pine pellets (used for horses, I believe) for 3-4 days with no odor!! Then I add water for dilution, take them out and empty them around my blueberries or other trees and bushes as a mulch. So I go inside and outside depending on if my composting toilets/buckets are inside or on the porch of my small cabins around my property. We have 5 gallon buckets for poo with a squatty potty at the bottom of each and a small 1 gallon bucket for pee. I have used the she-wee but often forget to take it with me when needed. It has worked well for me when I remember it so I don’t have to pull it all down and get cold!

I am in Collinsville which is between Mentone and Huntsville. I am on the side of Sand Mountain with 76 acres and off the grid with toilets and power. We have ducks, chickens, five sheep and three goats. Working on feeding ourselves. Working on regenerative, sustainable, permaculture ideals. My husband builds chairs without electricity, Windsor Rockers. I am a family country doc who does home visits.