Ben Brownell

I spread a few yards as a deep 'mulch' over an area, mainly out of curiosity, a few years ago. Has been walked on a fair bit, but not as heavily as a path would be. It's held up pretty well, not a lot of noticeable pulverizing or dispersal, except when heavy rain creates enough surface flow to wash some of it downslope, since it floats so readily. It's slightly compacted now, but footsteps still feel somewhat "crunchy" - I could imagine a 50/50 mix of char and sawdust (not chips) might be a nicer overall matrix and feel for a durable walking surface.

Also worth keeping in mind that char dust is not something you want to be breathing in, so would be cautious spreading it in high traffic areas that stay dry for long.

Really worth digging (lol) into the central Mexican traditional "lama bordo" incremental terracing system, which is raised in the latter half of this relevant thread here (& might be where I first encountered the idea as well!):

https://permies.com/t/119683/small-rocks-bad-building-steep

There's a couple of options that I'm aware of:

1) find a situation that caters directly to mobile/tiny house/RV living, such as a designated park or community which is explicitly permitted to host those units

2) find a county that either has no zoning policy, or very little enforcement thereof, and do what you're comfortable taking on for yourself there

3) find a county that's willing to permit mobile/TH/RV as a primary residence, which is actually becoming more widespread in California of all places, especially in fire prone rural areas

I'm not very particular about it because I'm not really trying to optimize the output, I'm usually pit burning to process brush piles so I just go with the flow of burning what I need to, letting it cook down just a bit further at the end, and quenching when I'm ready to move on. Usually that means a bit of ash and a few larger chunks of uncooked leftovers, neither of which bothers me since I'm just putting it all in the ground anyhow, not processing further.

If you are cooking batches in a dedicated setup, it sounds like you're on the right track of observing and adjusting based on your circumstances and aims. I'm sure you can get fairly scientific and try to reach a certain temperature for a set time...if that's important? What do you want to use the char for, may I ask?

Can I ask what your intention is for the existing tree/brush cover on the land? I hope you're not planning to just bulldoze it to a 'clean slate' to start from! Have you taken the time to identify what's growing there currently, what purpose it serves in the ecosystem and how it could be useful in some way to some of your design goals?

Looks great, my only question/suggestion would be: any moisture seal around where the treads sit on the stringer? Unprotected wood on wood joints in a seasonally moist environment will start rotting pretty fast. I'd consider just adding a bead of caulking around the perimeter of that cut out surface before plopping the steps on top, to minimize seepage.

Hello Kathleen! Thanks for asking and sharing some of your own offerings. Those sound like nice complementary goals in general.

It certainly could be worth a visit and further discussion, however at first read I suspect that my site and setting are probably more rugged, wild, and removed (not isolated, but definitely set apart) from surrounding community than what you're after. Also given your emphasis on soil health and microbiology, I imagine that a forested setting with more hydrated, fungal based soils would be preferable to what I have, which is an open grassy woodland or savanna landscape, with bacterial dominant drier soils. There is lots of variety and potential in the area though, and perhaps I can help you locate some better suited opportunities!

One such project I know that might appeal and be worth looking into is this:

https://www.cedrestoration.org/guys-gulch-ecological-reserve-ca

Let me know if you have additional questions, you can message me direct as well.

Apparently the (recently formed) https://www.manzanitacooperative.com have devised and patented a new industrial method for leaching at commercial scale, and are starting to scale up production in northern california. I can't find any specifics of their system on the website, but this page gives a good general overview of best practices, and links to some deeper reading on the subject at the end:

https://eatacorn.com/recipes/leaching-acorn

May want to try posting to the Southwest regional forum? Good luck - awesome place! Several distinct satellite communities within 20-30 min that may be easier to find rental space (and welcoming community) in, worth exploring a bit on the ground to see what feels right for you.

https://permies.com/f/38/southwest-usa

You bet, Austin!

I'll message some more details to arrange, and welcome direct outreach from anyone else considering a visit. This is a good base location for lots of enticing outdoor rec in the area, and I can make tailored suggestions.

Wanosh is on my radar too, although I haven't been out for a visit. Love the northern Mendo / SoHum coast range and wish it was a tad closer. At the same time the convoluted mountains and canyons that make driving around the region somewhat arduous/adventurous are a natural buffer to crowds and commerce - my location is a decent compromise given I can be on smooth interstate in minutes, train or plane in an hour. Or a scenic slow boat to the coast in a few moments, and several PCT trailheads in easy reach! Only real missing piece is decent bike/cart infrastructure, but some signs of progress on that too.