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wheaton laboratories

what is on the wheaton labs tour

posted 9 years ago

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I kinda wanna start this document and flesh it out as I remember stuff. And maybe add pictures and links and stuff.

You can watch a 5 hour tour of Wheaton Labs that was taken in 2017.

And at a little while later, another tour with Justin Rhodes, here.

In 2021 we made the 65 Low Tech Things - Tour of the Wheaton Labs movie! It is also available as a physical DVD.

Here is a nine minute turbo tour of 65 things

Skip to here for a brief summary of our two properties at wheaton labs.

the lab:

Allerton Abbey (wofati 0.7)

rocket cooktop in allerton abbey

chateau de poo

tipi with a rocket mass heater

the bee hut

Cooper Cabin (wofati 0.8)

With a rocket mass heater in cooper cabin and rocket wood cook stove in cooper cabin

solar voltswagon - solar trailer with 750 watts of panels

solar leviathan - solar trailer with 3000 watts of panels

electric sawmill with the leviathan

lemon tree site

Ant Village (wofati, cob house, oehler structure, more junkpole fencing and gates)

basecamp:

hugelkultur and berms

junkpole fence, gates and rock jacks

haybox cooker

matt walker's rocket mass heater smoker

Sepp Holzer's grain

rocket mass heater in the fisher price house

rocket mass heater in the office

the lightbulb test still going on

the red cabin with the "minnie mouse" rocket mass heater

the berm shed (1200 square feet of covered space for $92 in materials)

rocket water heater

the shower shack

willow bank and serviceberry terrace

the batch box rocket mass heater in the shopitorium

the rollie shelves in the shopitorium

the love shack with the super simple solar system

solar food dehydrator

two different styles of solar food dehydrator

couch balcony

willowonka

the easy bake coffin

the chest fridge

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Jeanine Gurley Jacildone

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posted 9 years ago

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Is there a date for the tour?

1. my projects

paul wheaton

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posted 9 years ago

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Jeanine Gurley Jacildone wrote:Is there a date for the tour?

We give the tour about 30 times per year. I thought it would be good to have a thread that has the grand list.

you say "tin pot dictator" like it is a bad thing!

paul wheaton

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posted 9 years ago

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What might I have left out?

you say "tin pot dictator" like it is a bad thing!

Kim Stewart

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1. Is there a cost for the tour?
2. Do you need to sign up for the tour?

paul wheaton

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posted 9 years ago

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Kim Stewart wrote:1. Is there a cost for the tour?
2. Do you need to sign up for the tour?

We are trying to set things up so that there are regular tour dates and there can be a reduced price for the tour.

So far, we have given the tour to people that are here for workshops, or for people that are here as part of our bootcamp program or gapper program.

We have given the tour to people with big media at no charge.

you say "tin pot dictator" like it is a bad thing!

Jocelyn Campbell

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posted 8 years ago

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For more about how to visit, see this thread: visiting wheaton labs. (It's also a hyperlink at the very top of the wheaton labs forum.)

For more general info about wheaton labs: best, simple summary of all things wheaton labs. (Also a hyperlink at top of the wheaton labs forum.)

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Jocelyn Campbell

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posted 6 years ago

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Skip to 2020 tour dates here.

We have 2019 tour dates! (these dates are now past)

May 19, Sunday
June 15, Saturday
June 30, Sunday
September 29, Sunday

~~Tours start promptly at 9:30 a.m. and meet behind the shop/auditorium (in Arrakis) to get started.~~ If you are late, you could miss the group.
Pack your own lunch for a lunch break from 1:00 to 2:00 or so, depending in the group.
The tour resumes after lunch and usually goes until 5:00.

Skip to 2020 tour dates here.

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Jocelyn Campbell

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posted 6 years ago

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Just a reminder that, unfortunately, in most cases, we are unable to accommodate drop-ins or visitors on dates that are not tour dates or not part of the bootcamp. In the past we had residents who would accommodate special requests, and that might happen again soon. Or we might have a private tour fee at some point in the future.

One other option is the SEPPers Program - Serioulsy Excited About Permaculture Pampering which does include a shorter, 3 hour tour as part of that package.

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Jocelyn Campbell

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posted 6 years ago

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If you want to stay over a night and try out a Rocket Mass Heater (RMH) before or after one of the tour dates, see our new wheaton labs rentals thread.

The love shack which has a tiny RMH called the "fat rabbit" is just one of our rental offerings.

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Jocelyn Campbell

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posted 6 years ago

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Let's have a potluck dinner together after each tour! Shooting for 6 p.m.

Depending on the group size, we can set up our banquet tables and a buffet line in the auditorium. Or, simple chairs and tables outside at base camp.

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Jocelyn Campbell

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posted 6 years ago

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Usually, the first half of the tour is of base camp. The second half after lunch is usually a tour of the lab. Here's a quick summary with cartoon illustrations (not to scale!) of the two properties.

wheaton labs is comprised of two pieces of property:

base camp

base camp is a ROCKY, very hilly chunk of land with a steep rise culminating in a 500 foot little peak that we call the "hollowed out volcano with good submarine access" and has:

good well water

on-grid electricity

wifi

outdoor willow feeder "willow bank" (like an outhouse)

outdoor shower shack (rocket / wood-fired water heater)

the lab

The lab is two miles from base camp along a paved, then gravel, then steep dirt-sometimes-mud-or-snow-adventure road. It is a much larger, more diverse, forested property surrounded by US forest land. lab features include:

off-grid

no wifi

solar electric power via the small "voltzwagon" at Allerton Abbey

solar electric power via the "solar leviathan" at Cooper Cabin

no water source yet (bring water from base camp)

limited cell service, some places no cell service

two outdoor willow feeders - "the chateau de poo" and the "willowonka" (next to Cooper Cabin)

lots of wildlife - including black bears, so please store food properly to avoid attracting bears

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Coco Fernandez

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posted 6 years ago

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September 29, Sunday
is canceled due to weather.

Thanks,
Coco
Fernandez

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Jocelyn Campbell

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posted 6 years ago

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We have 2020 tour dates!

April 5, Sunday
May 3, Sunday
June 28, Sunday
September 20, Sunday

2020 tours canceled due to the coronavirus virus

Tours start promptly at 9:00 a.m. (a change from 2019) and we meet behind the shop/auditorium (in Arrakis) to get started. If you are late, you could miss the group.
Pack your own lunch for a lunch break from 1:00 to 2:00 or so, depending in the group.
The tour resumes after lunch and usually goes until 5:00.

Be prepared for uneven and steep ground at times, and being outdoors in Montana weather. We used to do the tour in about three to four hours (cue the Gilligan's Island theme song!), though now it takes at least 6 hours, and can even be 8 hours long if there are a lot of questions. There is walking, albeit not overly long distances, quite a bit of standing, and parts of the tour are driven (we might use our trusty/rusty old van Toots for the driving parts), with limited actual chair or bench seating at some parts of the tour where we gather around to talk about something.

There are two pricing options:

free if you have already paid to attend a workshop or event or if you've paid the bootcamp fee

$40.00 per person just for the day tour (click here to pay $40 - you will need to click and pay again for each additional person)

Directions are sent after payment is received.

The goal is to have the tour dates adjacent to other events. So, if you pay to attend that event, you can tag on to a tour as well! This post will be edited if we add more tour dates, or if tours fill up.

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Eileen McGurty

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posted 6 years ago

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Are there 2020 workshops to go along with the tours? The link goes to 2017 workshops

paul wheaton

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posted 6 years ago

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Eileen McGurty wrote:Are there 2020 workshops to go along with the tours? The link goes to 2017 workshops

We hope to get those announced in the next 7 to 10 days.

you say "tin pot dictator" like it is a bad thing!

Taliyah Sansa

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posted 5 years ago

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If i pay 40 for the day tour, and decide it is a good fit, can I use that 40 towards the 100?

Thanks!
Taliyah

paul wheaton

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Taliyah Sansa wrote:If i pay 40 for the day tour, and decide it is a good fit, can I use that 40 towards the 100?

Yes and no.

No tours this year.

I take it by "the 100" you mean for the permaculture bootcamp?

you say "tin pot dictator" like it is a bad thing!

Taliyah Sansa

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paul wheaton wrote:

Taliyah Sansa wrote:If i pay 40 for the day tour, and decide it is a good fit, can I use that 40 towards the 100?

Yes and no.

No tours this year.

I take it by "the 100" you mean for the permaculture bootcamp?

Oh okay, no tours... Got it. Having a hard time finding info here, sorry. I was hoping to join in wherever I can - The bootcamp seemed to be that place. I just don't want to throw a100 down if it's not a good fit. But I am looking for something to broaden my horizons, until November, when my season with Buffalo Field Campaign starts back up.

paul wheaton

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posted 5 years ago

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The cool thing is that everybody here has put up the hundred smackers. We used to get some folks that were not a great fit. I think the $100 barrier has improved the crowd quite a bit.

I think it might be fair to think of this more like a cheap, slow workshop.

you say "tin pot dictator" like it is a bad thing!

Taliyah Sansa

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paul wheaton wrote:The cool thing is that everybody here has put up the hundred smackers. We used to get some folks that were not a great fit. I think the $100 barrier has improved the crowd quite a bit.

I think it might be fair to think of this more like a cheap, slow workshop.

Well, that is a good thing! Yeah I think it sounds like a great opportunity, but I also have my dog too (very well trained). So anyways, I would really like to see what I'm getting into before I put up the 100. 🙃

paul wheaton

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Taliyah Sansa wrote:

paul wheaton wrote:The cool thing is that everybody here has put up the hundred smackers. We used to get some folks that were not a great fit. I think the $100 barrier has improved the crowd quite a bit.

I think it might be fair to think of this more like a cheap, slow workshop.

Well, that is a good thing! Yeah I think it sounds like a great opportunity, but I also have my dog too (very well trained). So anyways, I would really like to see what I'm getting into before I put up the 100. 🙃

Which is why we have hundreds of podcasts, hundreds of videos and thousands of threads. All free.

you say "tin pot dictator" like it is a bad thing!

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Nicole Alderman

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posted 5 years ago

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I'm thinking a really good place to look to see what's going on right now, and what people are learning each day, are on some of the other Bootcamp threads:

Jen's thread with over 100 days worth of pictures and videos.

Josiah's Thread 95 days of pictures and videos

Orin's Thread 77 days of pictures and videos

Clayton's Thread 20 days

Jen and Josiah have been at Wheaton Labs, in the Bootcamp program, for over half a year. I think that'll give you a good feel for what life is like there!

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paul wheaton

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posted 5 years ago

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Orin gave us a glimpse of the new fence a month or two ago:

Jen share's a pic of the new fence and new hugelkultur at allerton abbey

A few pics of allerton abbey from josiah:

starting some new hugelkultur on allerton abbey:

A hot day is a good time to work inside allerton abbey where the mass makes is really cool. The final layer of the cob floor ...

Josiah took this pic with the drone. You can kinda see where the new hugelkulturs are being built:

you say "tin pot dictator" like it is a bad thing!

Nicole Alderman

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posted 5 years ago

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2021 Wheaton Labs Tour Dates

Tour Dates:

March 7th, 2021 first day of our Work Trade for PDC+PTJ+SKIP

June 27th, 2021 (between the PDC and PTJ)

Friday, October 1st, 2021 the day before Rocket Mass Heater Jamboree begins

Tour Details

If you are paying $20 to for the tour, we'll meet you at a public location in Missoula at 8:00am

Tours start promptly at 9:00 a.m. (a change from 2019) and we meet behind the shop/auditorium (in Arrakis) to get started. If you are late, you could miss the group.
Pack your own lunch for a lunch break from 1:00 to 2:00 or so, depending in the group.
The tour resumes after lunch and usually goes until 5:00.

Be prepared for uneven and steep ground at times, and being outdoors in Montana weather. We used to do the tour in about three to four hours (cue the Gilligan's Island theme song!), though now it takes at least 6 hours, and can even be 8 hours long if there are a lot of questions. There is walking, albeit not overly long distances, quite a bit of standing, and parts of the tour are driven (we might use our trusty/rusty old van Toots for the driving parts), with limited actual chair or bench seating at some parts of the tour where we gather around to talk about something.

Pricing Options:

free if you have already paid to attend a workshop or event or if you've paid the bootcamp fee

$20.00 per person just for the day tour (click here to pay $20 - you will need to click and pay again for each additional person). We meet at a predetermined location in Missoula and carpool/caravan at 8:00am on the day of the tour.

The goal is to have the tour dates adjacent to other events. So, if you pay to attend that event, you can tag on to a tour as well! This post will be edited if we add more tour dates, or if tours fill up.

Lulu Bigley

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posted 4 years ago

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Come join us Saturday, April 24th, 2021 for a full tour of Wheaton Labs!

Tour Details

If you are paying $20 for the tour, we'll meet you at a public location in Missoula at 8:00am.

The Basecamp portion of the tour will begin promptly at 9:30am and meet behind the shop/auditorium to get started. If you are late, you could miss the group.
Pack your own lunch! Lunch break will be around 12 - 1:00pm.
The tour resumes with the Lab portion after lunch, and usually goes until 5:00.

Be prepared for muddy, uneven and steep ground at times, and being outdoors in Montana weather. Hopefully it will be beautiful & sunny, but packing a rain jacket just in case is not a bad idea.

The Wheaton Labs Tour has gotten steadily longer each time we do it. It will be at least 6 hours, and can even be 8 hours long if there are a lot of questions.
It is a walking tour, so wear comfortable shoes that can handle muddy bits and are good for quite a bit of standing.
When we gather round to chat about something, there will be limited chair/bench seating, but ground sitting is, of course, perfectly acceptable.
Parts of the tour are driven (we might use our trusty/rusty old van Toots for the driving parts).

Pricing Options

Free if you have already paid to attend a workshop or event, or if you are currently a SEPPER at Wheaton Labs, or if you've paid the bootcamp fee.
$20.00 per person just for the day tour (click here to pay $20 - you will need to click and pay again for each additional person).
We meet at a predetermined location in Missoula and carpool/caravan at 8:00am on the day of the tour.

Questions?

Please email our event coordinator, Lara, with questions & requests: lara@richsoil.com

Liv Smith

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posted 4 years ago

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Here's a short version - the Turbo Tour - of "Tour of Wheaton Labs, the movie", to be released this fall. To pre-order the movie, go here.

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Robert Lawless

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posted 3 years ago

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Hello,
Are there any tour dates in 2022? I live in Idaho and cant take two weeks off for the bootcamp... although that would be awesome.... but I can make it up for a long weekend. Really want to come see your great experiment.
Regards and Respect.
Rob

paul wheaton

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posted 3 years ago

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We are thinking that there would be a full proper tour as part of the PTJ. Outside of that, there are no current plans for an in person tour.

You did see the "turbo tour" right? And the full 2 hour tour movie, right?

you say "tin pot dictator" like it is a bad thing!

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