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Friday, March 29, 2013

RePost: Simply So Good: Crusty Bread

Simply So Good: Crusty Bread: I must begin by saying where the recipe originated, if in fact it originated anywhere...really.  I think bread has been baked for c...

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

14x14 Solar Cabin

I stumbled across a great site today with videos and information on solar and wind energy. The site also has wild food recipes, food storage, and natural remedies.

http://thehomesteadsurvival.com/build-14x14-solar-cabin/#.UVIlQxx1SSo 

photo credit simplesolarhomesteading.com

Monday, March 25, 2013

Radiant Heat Floors

Living in Florida, heating isn't usually a huge issue. But I long for Asheville ... so I want to make sure I can stay warm (especially since I'm sooooo acclimated to Florida winters!!) I cannot sacrifice a hearth in my home so I will be using the amazing miniature cast iron wood stove my Mom found for me. I have no idea where she found it but she has a real knack for finding awesomeness at flea markets and yard sales! ($5 bread maker? Yes, please!) But the wood stove will require tending & tinder and carries the risk of fire. With just 150 sq. ft., one mistake and I'm cooked! So, I've settled on radiant heat flooring as my primary heat source. Here's the run-down of what I've learned:

There are two major types: Electric and Hydronic. I personally didn't give much consideration to hydronic systems. The system is thicker, taking up vital space in my house AND I can just envision the nightmare scenario where one of the pipes burst and there's moldy, soggy devastation everywhere. No thank you. (Apparently leaking isn't much of an issue these days because of PEX ... I still don't want to risk it.)

The electric systems are supposedly easy to install. I'll let you know if that's true in a few weeks. But for now, we'll assume it is a snap.

Pros:
  • super duper energy efficient
  • doesn't make a peep during operation
  • kind to your nose: avoids blowing allergens around & doesn't dry out the air
  • heat rises! and warm toes
  • less drafty
Cons:
  • a breakdown in the system likely requires extensive work to access it (i.e. ripping up the floors)
  • electric heat is not the cheapest method (I'm curious how a solar set-up would handle the draw of an electric system ... if using the Hydronic system, solar heating is quite efficient)
  • more expensive than traditional forced hot air (electric system is ~$6 per sq. ft for materials but very inexpensive labor/install costs)
  • not all flooring is compatible with radiant heat (wood expands and contracts with humidity)
    Post coming soon: flooring choices when using electric radiant heat

As a chemist, I got a kick out of this description I came across...

Wood as a hygroscopic material - changes in moisture results in a change in dimension.
Wood - a hygroscopic and anisotropic material
Colored scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a block of wood from an elm tree. At top is a transverse section and at bottom is a longitudinal section. Xylem vessels (larger tubes) transport water and mineral nutrients from the roots throughout the plant. Its thick lignin walls also provide structural support for the stem. Due to woods cell structure a change in moisture content results in a change in dimension. 
Image credit: Andrew Syred/Science Photo Library

Friday, March 22, 2013

First Degree Pinstrosity :/

One of the perks of working in academia - Spring Break! I've spent a lot of my break in the kitchen. And I just committed a first degree pinstrosity.

What it should look like: (http://food52.com/blog/4717-homemade-tootsie-rolls )


Nailed it!

I think putting the powdered milk through a food processor would have reduced the graininess. Tastes great. Looks like poop. 

RePost from The Couple In A Camper

My friend Amelia posted this earlier ... I used most of these sites in my planning process too. So, for those of you stumbling through the internet for inspiration on your own tiny home, check out the info here!

The Couple In A Camper: How We Got Started. Part 1: Learning: I know that many people are yearning for an alternative lifestyle, but don't really know how to go about rearranging a lifetime of habit...

Crowded Kitchen...

Well the boxes keep coming in ... the replacement toilet arrived in just over 24 hours. I find that rather impressive considering the first one took two weeks to arrive! Here's the new beauty:


But I can't throw out the busted one. UPS has 14 days to decide if they want it. So here's what my kitchen looks like at the moment:


Notice there's not much room. But there is lots of citrus. Yum!

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Puppetry

Admittedly, I'm not tech savvy. The prospect of doing a promo video for my Turtle made me panic. I'm not being dramatic. But, with the help Tori and Cuc, I now have a brand new promo video :P



Thank you, United Parcel Smashers...

I've been anxiously awaiting the delivery of my most recent purchase for the Turtle ... my new toilet. Here's what I got ...

Fortunately the customer service at FaucetsDirect.com is spectacular ... a replacement is on its way. Unfortunately, I do have to hang on to the smashed one for 14 days in case UPS decides it wants it. I didn't need to be able to walk through my kitchen anyways...

On the bright side, I scored four double-paned transom windows for $10/each!








First Blog - Here goes nothin'!

I am very new to this world of blogging so please forgive my ineptitude as I learn! So I guess I should start by introducing myself ... I'm Em :) I am a curious and passionate adventure chic! My list of hobbies include kayaking, mountain biking, rock climbing, aerial silks, spelunking, slackline, geocaching, live music, yoga, mud runs, crafting, and cooking. I love to challenge my mind and my body. 

To my mom's dismay, my adventurous spirit often leads me on solo excursions. As a science educator, I am fortunate to have a ridiculous number of days off each year, including 2.5 months in the summer! Last summer I was bouncing around Australia. 

I also daydream about a thriving homestead where my food supply is completely self-sufficient and I am free of fossil fuels (obviously, that is an ideal as the manufacturing, packaging, and/or shipping of 99.999% of commercial products involves fossil fuels. (I obviously made that statistic up ... you get my point though.)

So how do I balance my wanderlust with my homesteading mentality? Why, with my Wandering Turtle! Throughout the last four years I have been quietly collecting tidbits of ideas and inspiration for my dream home. I spent a fruitless three days of looking for the price of an Ofuro (Japanese style compact tub) from an obscure South Korean company. An entire weekend disappeared into the customer reviews of tankless hot water heaters.  Countless moments have been devoted to its design … every cozy 150 square feet of the off-the-grid cottage house-on-wheels I lovingly refer to as the Wandering Turtle. I want to share my journey - from picking a flatbed trailer to sinking the first nail to the first night in my home.  I hope to show the world that you don’t have to sacrifice a full life in order to live with less. With rainwater catchment, gray water system, solar energy, and a homesteading mentality, I will declare my self-sufficiency.   


I have been saving what I can for two years to purchase the trailer and building materials. To raise money, I have also been creating jewelry and crafts to sell at farmers markets. I have already been able to purchase stabilization jacks, a low flow tankless toilet, a sink, four windows, and a tankless on demand water heater with money I raised at the market. 

You might wonder where I'm going to park this thing ... I'm pleased to say that I just found a beautiful piece of land in an orange grove. The farmer is providing me space in exchange for the care of his flock of hens. I had to relocate my hens when I moved so I am happy to have feathery fowl friends again! My hens Bodhi, Anitya, and Karuna were so dear to my heart and it was hard to have to relocate them when I "moved" to Australia (obviously I didn't stay ... I was offered my dream job just after embarking to Oz ... and the job was just two hours away from where I had lived before moving to Australia!) 

So ... my plan for this blog is to share my experiences for those of you who are interested or are thinking of doing something similar. Learn from my mistakes instead of making them yourself! I'm sure I'm going to sprinkle in tidbits from all my non-Turtle adventures too :P