Josh Hoffman

James Stott wrote:Did you find your Lemon Balm slow to start? I'm three weeks in and my seedlings are still tiny.

Yes, not as slow as Oregano but pretty slow. But like Oregano, once it gets going, it really takes off!

Cheryl Gallagher wrote:1 cup oil (I prefer avocado)

+1 on the avocado oil. it is great!

Benjamin Dinkel wrote:Hey Josh,
I'm suprised too. I thought there would be a longer period in which it would always compress and compost back down.
The leaves might be part of it, although the ones in contact with moisture and the BSF larvae disappear quickly.

In general a lot of things work better with bigger volume to surface area ratios. The test pile might just be too small.

Okay, so just the ones that stay dry, that makes sense with the open sides.

I think the recommendation is a 1.5 meter cube for a family of 4. I am shy of this but I have solid walls and the top is open so I get to 150-160 degrees within 36 hours of making a deposit and after things start to cool back down the BSF activity gets very high. I try to switch it over every year, while the ambient outside temps are still higher, to get a good base going for the cooler weather.

I like the experimentation you are doing!

Benjamin Dinkel wrote:Deposit #12. It's getting rather full.

Based on the volume in the wire container and the frequency you make deposits, I am surprised it is getting full this rapidly.

We have 2 spots that are 4' cubes (480 gallon volume) next to one another. There are 8 of us and I save 6 buckets full before I deposit them into the pile. The current pile is about a year old and is roughly 3' of the 4' height. I have also added several dead animals to the pile during this past year.

I use grass clippings to cover the pile year round (I bag and save them in a spot next to the compost pile for winter cover). I wonder if the leaves are the reason it is filling so quick. I have a pile of leaves about 6'x3'x3' that my 2 boys pee in all day, every day. I also put leaves in the with the chickens. The leaves do seem to take quite a long time to break down in both scenarios. If I bag them with the mower and they are partially shredded, that helps some.

Can I be dancing, on the inside, in my heart only?

Darya Sevastópolska wrote:Very interesting thread, loads of folks in IT and health-related jobs!

I'm currently in my 2nd year of PhD in Anthropology (with scholarship), with a Master in Conservation Biology and a Professional Permaculture Certificate (which so far has yielded nothing). I hope to continue on this path and try to somehow get permaculture into my academic work, but so far, I've met a lot of resistance. Maybe someday I'll be able to create some kind of Permaculture homestead. Fingers crossed!

Happy to meet everyone <3

This book came to mind when I was reading your post. It may be interesting for you to read his journey through academia, if you have not already read it. I cannot relate to that part of the book, in the way you may be able to, as I have been in the trades since high school. Maybe it'll be an inspiration.

https://permies.com/wiki/21322/Straw-Revolution-Masanobu-Fukuoka

Trace Oswald wrote: I'm just sick to my stomach that we seem to be living in a time that a person saying things you don't like is a reason to kill them, or even call for their death

His pastor made the following statement:

“My friend Charlie Kirk was murdered today by a coward. His life will be remembered for many wonderful things. He built it all with the power of the spoken word. He never used violence but was threatened every day with violence by those who couldn’t contend with logic and truth and now they have done to my friend what evil always does; it takes away life.

Charlie did not die however but instead he has begun to truly live. His life was secured eternally by His Savior Jesus Christ. This truth allowed Charlie to face every threat with courage because he didn’t fear death. All evil knows is death and they derive power from death. Charlie lived for life and will be remembered for this. My heart is broken for his family; His wife Erika and his two precious children. Evil has not prevailed and it will not win.”

Rob McCoy
He called me his pastor but I prefer to be known as his friend and biggest fan.