How to Make a Simple Paint Can Rocket Stove

February 24, 2016

Appropriate Technology, Rocket Stove, Water and Power

...e tube around 6.3 cm. The first cut was made in the top lid of the can. We used a nail and hammer to make a hole for the tin snips. We used a pair of pliers to bend over the rough bits of the metal. Again, our goal was to make something cheaply and quickly. Next we cut a 6.3 cm hole in the bottom of the paint can. Then it was time to fashion a tube out of sheet metal. In the US, it would be a lot easier to use stove pipe material, but it’s much ea...

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Mead!

Mr. Homegrown

January 24, 2008

Fermentation, Food

7 Comments

...ith a fermentation lock. Mr. Doug Harvey gifted us with an old hydrometer (used to measure the density of a liquid) which we used to take a reading of 15% on our finished must. When fermentation is complete we’ll take another reading. The difference between the two readings will be the percentage of alcohol in our mead. A big disclaimer here. We don’t know how well this recipe works, but we’ll let you all know. In the meantime, for those dying to...

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DIY Sage Deodorant

Mrs. Homegrown

September 11, 2014

Body Care, Domesticus, How-to

14 Comments

...ot strong enough, but I didn’t want the alcohol to sting or dry my skin. I used a funnel to put this in the original bottle, which is, happily, glass with a pump top. The label from the bottle even peeled off easily! Thank you, Weleda. Then I added about 20 drops of essential oils to the bottle, which holds 100 ml/1/2 cup. I used a blend of sage, lavender and tea tree. I can’t tell you how much of each, because I was fiddling with it as I went, bu...

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The Difference Between Mulch and Compost

Mr. Homegrown

March 31, 2015

Gardening

2 Comments

...d observations physical concerning them : and in a second part are annexed meditations, and observations theological and moral, in three centuries upon that subject (As an aside, I think we need to bring back really long book titles and creative spelling). In this book Purchas uses the word “mulch” as a suggested material for a beekeeper’s smoker, “Then make a smoak of mulch and wet straw.” Later uses of the word mulch are also about the use of ha...

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Mulch, mulch, mulch!

Mrs. Homegrown

May 14, 2015

Back to the Garden, Garden Design, Gardening, Permaculture, Soil

11 Comments

.... At this time the benefits of mulches such as water conservation, reduced used of herbicides, and reduced soil erosion are very apparent while the risks to termite infestations due to mulches are unknown. Homeowners will continue to use mulches in landscaping around their houses and buildings. Our current recommendation is to be vigilant and up-to-date with termite inspection and treatment. Wood mulch robs nitrogen from the soil: There is also a...

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