Paleobird's Next Big Adventure page 204

[Crabbcakes]

I really do want to buy that Humanure book. At some point, since I have the land for it, as a personal experiment, I would like to see how that works. But then, I would also like to see how composting toilets work as well. I have no obsession with shit, but when you read/hear on news all the stories of untreated sewage, sewage spills, algae blooms, sickness, and the concerns about fresh water supplies around the globe, it really does make we wonder. If the water goes out in a town or city - watch out; even more so than electricity, you know?

[honeybuns]

Well, the Chinese called it night soil and fertilized the fruit trees with it.

[Paleobird]

Extreme Composting! Sounds like a new cable reality show.

[badgergirl]

I really do want to buy that Humanure book. At some point, since I have the land for it, as a personal experiment, I would like to see how that works. But then, I would also like to see how composting toilets work as well. I have no obsession with shit, but when you read/hear on news all the stories of untreated sewage, sewage spills, algae blooms, sickness, and the concerns about fresh water supplies around the globe, it really does make we wonder. If the water goes out in a town or city - watch out; even more so than electricity, you know?

The book is available as a free download somewhere - I have read it many moons ago. It was interesting and I'd be open to giving it ago, but we live in the burbs.

[zoebird]

You don't need the book. I read it once -- got it from the library. But, if you do a google search, there is A LOT of information available to you. One woman did a year's worth of composting on a small lot -- literally a patio. She had to use compost bins (dark ones) and she used worms, but apparently no one even noticed what she was composting. She said that it required 3 bins -- when one was full, she left it to continue it's work, and about a year later she had soil. The link is out there somewhere.

My main interest in it initially was the whole "living off the land/grid" thing, but *now* my interest in it is "earthquakes cause water issues" thing. I know where there's a fresh spring where I can get drinking water (walking distance from my house), and I also am looking at getting a 5l distiller (so awesome, btw, how it works) which will even distill seawater to freshwater, and of course looking at rainwater collection and filtration (again, see distiller). And then also the foraging.

I mean, poor christchurch -- hard core times.

[JoanieL]

Paleobird, I saw in the What did you eat today thread that you're thinking about getting a pressure cooker. I posted there, but in case you don't go back to that thread any time soon, I just got this one:
Amazon.com: 5 - Pc. Fagor Rapida Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker Set: Home & Kitchen

but if you get it at Costco.com (and maybe the warehouse) it's only $90. I opted for that one because of the steamer basket and because both lids go on both pots, so you essentially get two pressure cookers (8 qt and 4 qt) which I thought would be handy for a single person since, except for bone broth (which only takes about 2 hours total), I knew 8 qts would be larger than most of my needs. So far, so good. I really like it. I'm itching to doing beef shanks in it.

[Paleobird]

Paleobird, I saw in the What did you eat today thread that you're thinking about getting a pressure cooker. I posted there, but in case you don't go back to that thread any time soon, I just got this one:
Amazon.com: 5 - Pc. Fagor Rapida Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker Set: Home & Kitchen

but if you get it at Costco.com (and maybe the warehouse) it's only $90. I opted for that one because of the steamer basket and because both lids go on both pots, so you essentially get two pressure cookers (8 qt and 4 qt) which I thought would be handy for a single person since, except for bone broth (which only takes about 2 hours total), I knew 8 qts would be larger than most of my needs. So far, so good. I really like it. I'm itching to doing beef shanks in it.

Cool. Thanks for the recommendation. OTOH, I already have way too many kitchen gadgets and maybe I should give some away to the Goodwill before buying anything else.
Anybody want a very lightly used Jack LaLaine Juicer?

[Paleobird]

I've been a bit MIA the past few days due to having a houseguest. She is a friend from my hanging out in Baja days who is up here now and then for medical treatments.

We made a delicious beef loin in the crockpot yesterday and today I have a huge mess o' ribs on deck for dinner.

Things are moving quickly on selling my house. The listing doesn't even officially go out until Feb 1 but I already have two VERY interested potential buyers. One even delivered a hand written three page letter to my mailbox along with a copy of his CD (he is a classical cello player). The letter basically said, "Pick me!!!". But I can't let my decision be about who is the nicest. The other lady was a great person too.

I have the feeling the minute the listing hits, there may be a bit of a bidding war here and I just might end up with even more than I had thought.

[Paleobird]

Another great thing about having my friend from Mexico here was that she helped me get rid of a bunch more stuff. She runs a school down in Baja that has academic and vocational classes such as food service. I gave her my juicer, a coffee pot, a toaster and a whole mess of dishes I don't need.

One really appealing thing to the idea of getting rid of everything down to what would fit in suitcases is that, when/if I did decide to settle down again, I could start completely over again with all new stuff that all matches as sets. As it is I have a bit of Grandma's, a bit of Mom's, plus various bits I've bought along the way.

[zoebird]

I'm so glad that the sale of your house is going well, and I hope you do end up getting a good price for your place. It's awesome to have so much interest in it.

And, you got to give away stuff you don't need. That's awesome.