Jacqui Ehninger

Dear Fellow Permies:
I have a small (43 acres) farm near Ottawa, Ontario – about 1.5 hours from Ogdensburg, NY to give you a better perspective.
We're very much on-grid, but we do use a large outdoor boiler and also 2 solar systems in an attempt to reduce our reliance somewhat.
I just don't see how to go off-grid with all the stuff here, unless a much more efficient solar system comes along with an equally impressive battery storage (actually a friend is working on something like that so it might still materialize).
There's livestock, orchards, bees, gardens, a greenhouse ("in the snow" style), hayfields and forest.
(Also planned is a large enough pond to keep fish naturally. The universe must've heard me on this, because God send me a couple of beavers to get this project started...).

I have been working with Woofers and WorkAwayers for many years and the vast majority of my experiences has been overwhelmingly positive – we have met many interesting, lovely, curious, kind and helpful young (and not so young) people.
BUT – it takes time to train up and find new people every 1-2 months. I would like to be able to do some longterm planning and am also working on some projects that involve travel – in other words, I'm looking for longer term help.
In the spirit of "If you build it, they will come", I am in the final stages of having added a beautiful 700 sq ft apartment for someone who has permaculture and livestock experience.
This space is large enough for a couple or even small family.

I am hoping to find someone, who has perhaps been toying with trying their hand at Market Gardening etc. and who is tired of having to pay exorbitant amounts of rent in the city, or looking at properties that are either unaffordable or ridiculously remote (or both in some cases...).

I'm trying to be as non-discriminatory as I can – but one thing I am looking for is someone who has NO substance abuse issues and a good amount of male strength.
I'm widowed and while I greatly value female companionship, I need someone that can wrestle with tractor attachments and feeders and heavy stuff etc.
Another requirement is a valid driver's license.

Anyways, I'm just putting this out there – if you know of someone with the right skill set, for whom this would be an opportunity please pass it on.
And if you have any questions please don't hesitate to reach out!

Jacqui

What I can tell you is that some adult tomato plants developed edema in my greenhouse last year when the temperatures went excessively high and I didn’t have the ventilation figured out yet.

Hi Everyone:
Just to answer some questions.
The greenhouse is 60' long by 17' wide.
We only dug down about 2 feet rather than 4, because our water table is so high. Instead we put 1 foot thick styrofoam insulation 8 feet wide all around the greenhouse, covered with about 1 foot of soil, so it is well insulated.
The passive geothermal is just 10 pipes (4" non-perforated, corrugated pipes) buried in a 250' loop, 8 feet deep, with both ends emerging inside the greenhouse and a blower on top of one end. The idea is to circulate that air through for cooling in summer and heating in winter. Unfortunately the pipes have all failed – we are not sure if they got crushed or cracked by the weight of soil and water seeped in or condensation built up, but we have been unsuccessful at pumping them out, so no air is circulating through them at this point.

I think I still have an old Franklin wood stove kicking around somewhere, maybe I can make use of that somehow, instead of a barrel?
I did order the Wisner's book.

Hi Rocket Mass Heater Experts:
I'd like to build the simplest possible version of a Rocket Mass Heater inside my "Greenhouse in the Snow", where unfortunately the passive Geothermal system has failed.
The current problem with this goal is information overload – I just don't have the time to watch a pile of movies and read through a truckload of documents on rocket mass heaters.
Could someone please point me to the place where I am most likely going to find the info I need for a simple rocket mass heater?
If I can build one directly into the ground (or at least partially into the ground), it would be ideal.
Note that the greenhouse is also heated by my large outdoor boiler, but that thing eats a lot of firewood when it has to heat 2 dwellings, hot water tanks and the greenhouse.
If I can do at least some heating with a rocket mass heater in the greenhouse, it would take pressure off the outdoor boiler and reduce my wood usage.
Thank You!

Thanks Samantha!
Unfortunately there does not appear to be a way to see what is available and what's already booked. Is that possible online or do I need to call or email you guys?
Maybe I'm just not looking in the right place for reservations...

Samantha Lewis wrote:

Jacqui Ehninger wrote:Could you post up-to-date info about accommodations for the Jamboree, please and thank You?

Hello Jacqui!


Thanks for asking!
Here is the link to the SEPPer program

https://permies.com/wiki/sepper


Here is the link to the event rentals page:

https://permies.com/wiki/rentals

Could you post up-to-date info about accommodations for the Jamboree, please and thank You?

Hans Quistorff wrote:

Thank You Hans! Is there a make or model number of what you are using that you could give me? Or did you build this thing yourself?
Given my personal situation, I just need to be able to buy something off the shelf. Unfortunately I have neither the skills nor knowhow to rig anything up.

I have good success with this one It will work initially as it comes but I recommend sharpening it with a round file to gradually change the teeth into the scythe shape.

THANK YOU! :-)