James Newtons Massmind wrote:

>
> We plant things that are expensive to buy organic or that we like to have
> fresh. Peppers (my wife is a wiz with peppers), spinach, tomatoes (bad 
> crop
> this year), herbs. Potatoes and corn are great, but you are right: 
> They can
> be purchased for a lot less at the store or local farmers market and the
> organics are not much more. We don't grow them for that reason.
>  
>
We also do a few tomato plants, as well as peppers, onions, radishes, 
spinach, & green beans.  And get zuchinni from my mom so we don't have 
it running out our ears.  They also keep us supplied with muskmelon, 
apples, peaches, and raspberries.

> We also have trees that require less labor.
>  
>


Orange?  I have some family near Modesto CA.  Fresh oranges are SO hard 
to beat.

>> No more layers for me.   Not when I can buy a dozen factory farm eggs 
>> for $0.89.
>>   
>
>
> Eating something that was produced that way turns my stomach. Cost 
> isn't the
> issue.
>  
>

That was written somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but I did formerly have 8 
layers (for two years).  We let them run around outside, eat bugs, take 
dust baths, dig in my wife's flowers, and relieve themselves on our 
steps.  Needless to say, we got a little tired of it.  Yes, the eggs had 
nice yellow yolks, but I didn't really think they were that much better 
to justify keeping them around, so when I ordered my 135 broilers, I 
gave the layers away to make room for the new peeps.

>
> The extra cost and inefficiency of those external units kept me away. We
> paid $4000 for our stove including all labor and installation. It sits 
> dead
> center of the house and heats us up nicely. In SoCal wel do less heating,
> but it will pay for itself in about the same time.
>  
>


I wasn't as aware of just how inefficient the outdoor ones are until I 
came across some website discussing them.  I will say that our house is 
not setup very well for a unit inside.  It would have to be located in a 
room we only spend 5% of our time, and the rest of the house would be 
cold because the floorplan isn't very open.  So overall, I would say the 
decision to install the one I did a marginally good one.  One benefit is 
that all the dirt and dust stays outside.

> I do miss having hot water from the stove in the winter. One of these 
> days I
> need to look into an add-on or just wind some copper pipe around the 
> stack.
> The trick there is to prevent steam forming, but I think a layer of
> insulation will keep the maximum temperature down.
>  
>


We have all the hot water we need.  I actually turn off the breaker to 
the water heater when the outdoor stove is fired.

>> I guess I'd have to trade in my 1952 model woodgathering rig for a 
>> few wheelbarrows, too.
>> http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m168/agarb6/misc/h.jpg
>>   
>
>
> Or you could convert it to electric:
> http://www.flyingbeet.com/electricg/
>  
>


Hey, my neighbor has a G that he restored.

I rather think my dad would frown if I told him I wanted to convert the 
tractor to electric as technically it is still his.  (I've only had it 
at my house for the past 3 years.)

> Mine is a trailer behind our minivan. I get all the wood I can use from
> people around the area who have trees cut down and don't have a use 
> for the
> wood. Most of them have already had it cut and let it lay around long 
> enough
> to be seasoned. I just got a full trailer load (7'x10'x4') of ready to 
> burn
> avocado.
>  
>


I, too, have a trailer for our minivan, but it doesn't work well back in 
the neighbor's woods.

> Splitting the green pine and oak from our house and the neighbors has 
> about
> killed me, but it is a good workout.
>  
>

Very good workout.  I did it the hard way for 2-1/2 years.  Then I went 
in with 3 other people and bought a splitter.


>  
>
>> An AVR project in the works to measure/log some temperatures and 
>> control a circulating pump for the boiler:
>> http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m168/agarb6/misc/avr.jpg
>>   
>
>
> Humm... That LCD panel looks familure.
>  
>

:)

>>
>>
>> Maybe I should sell my 5 acre property, tiller, tractor, trailer, log 
>> splitter, chainsaw, and 3 deep freezers, so I could buy a Hummer and 
>> move to town?
>>   
>
>
> Want to trade? :D
>  
>

I didn't know you had a Hummer...  :)

> ---
> James.
>  
>

Aaron
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