Harold Skania

Anne Miller wrote:I did not read the article.  What is the point of these heat tables?  Seed starting or keeping foods warm?

The purpose is to keep people warm. The heater is on the bottom side of the table, so it radiates heat onto your legs. And then blankets draped over the table hold the heat in. It is like Paul's video on micro-heaters, but it's built as a more finished product.

Kris de Decker just published an article about how to build an electrically heated table like the Japanese Kotatsu or the Spanish Brasero di Picon. His table runs on 12 volts, using 75 watt hours in the first hour that it runs, followed by 50-60 watt hours after that. He tested it this December and found that it warmed him up quickly.

It's cool that we aren't limited to PEP.

There is something beautiful about buildings that are built out over a stream.  When they are integrated into the landscape they can bring people down into the ecosystem while generating respect for the riparian area. In Japan there are kawayukas, or decks built on stilts for restaurants. People can eat and dabble their toes in the water. It looks to me like these structures are pretty minimalistic. Either easy to dissasemble and remove during the off season or not a great loss if they are swept away. They use natural materials as well.

Do you have a favorite spot that is built on or over a stream?

In my house long winter evenings are for working out. We have a strength and mobility routine that keeps us flexible. Workouts might not seem like a gardening hobby, but we sure are glad we did them when Spring comes around.

Looking at seed catalogs and planning next year's garden.

I am always adding compost to my pile, and now I add wood shavings from the shop to my hugel.

Have you ever listened to a song and wondered, "How would Dire Straits play this song?" Laszlo Buring asks that question all the time. And then he tries to answer it.

plant	area	uses
fig, ficus carica	mediterranean	fruit
silver lupine, lupinus albifrons	california,oregon	nitrogen fixation
Olive, Olea europaea	Mediterranean	fruit, oil
Fava Bean, Vicia faba	Mediterranean	bean