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A number of small updates in one spot 🙂
Compost heating experiment is ready for some next steps, happy to take on notes and ideas from folks here…
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Happy growing!
24 Comments
Everything coming along nicely there Sean, a little cooler where I am but getting yancy to get the season cranking ☺️
You're so peaceful sounding, brother
Thank you
Oh my, now that hair is quite a change. Don't get me wrong you look handsome (I assume, I'm a guy it's just a guess), but damn that looks so strange on you. I used to have short hair back in the day. What I liked the most was going out right after getting a hair cut and feeling the air blow through. That feeling of the air going over your skin feels neat. Of course that assumes the hair is short enough or thin enough, lol. 🤣
PS I was originally going to mention that I would suggest putting the charcoal on top of your compost before you put down any hay. It might even allow the bio-loading of the charcoal itself. I don't know how much if any you put into your pile already, but I would think it would help to limit the bad gas problem. Obviously it would not hurt to work some in and then to cap the whole pile with a thin layer of charcoal.
Love the heat cable I use a heat tape for water lines and remove the thermostat 👍🏻 not sure if that helps.
Looks good short
I think I’ve seen people put like a pallet over the compost for seed starting. If there’s enough heat rising it may offer a chance for some of the vapors to off gas without harming the seed starting trays. Maybe a simple frame if fence wire or hardware cloth could accomplish a similar air gap?
I'll share my experience using a compost pile to start seeds in my poly tunnel. I built a compost bin for the same purposes as you're playing with now. If I did it again, I'd place some kind of air barrier layer over the top of the active compost, and reduce air movement upward. I'll use a layer of mature compost on top of that, seedlings sitting right on the loose compost beneath them.
A few reasons for that suggestion: The plastic layer will help hold heat by preventing the air flowing from the top of the hot compost from taking the heat with it. This will change the type of heat you're subjecting your seedlings to. Instead of hot moving (If only slightly) air, the seedlings would feel simple radiant heat emanating from the pile below. I suspect the barrier to upward air movement might also keep the pile warmer, and a more consistent range of temps.
The layer of old compost on top of the vapor barrier plays a role as insulation, or maybe two roles: it reduces heat loss from the compost pile below, and allows you to control the temperature of your seedlings as well, by adding or removing a layer of compost.
I did much the same last year, except without the vapor barrier. I had trouble with inconsistent heat for the seedlings. The pleasant heat was certainly noticeable when you walked into the tunnel, much like you found when you arrived at your tunnel.
Wow! $1/board? You suck! Just kidding (jealousy is so ugly, but there you go, I suffer from it- often pointed at you. Hahaaa) That's a beautiful space. I love the flagstone also.
Always love your videos. Charles Dowding has videos of hot bed use in his greenhouse. He uses them every year for keeping seedlings warm, I believe.
Love the Hair!
I'd be tempted to put a pallet on top of the compost and lay out your seed trays on that. The heat rising will be enough to boost germination.
I’ve heard that a layer of finished compost can be used as a bio filter to cap an active compost pile and absorb some of the odors. I learned this from the people that do static aerated pile composting. I suppose you could even plant into that soil if you wanted.
We have found that when Spring hits, the air is different here in Western MA; tends to be a drop in temp and it seems colder.
You would like the book: "Hot beds" by Jack First. He tells you in detail how to make hot beds.
Do you ship comfrey to California?
We enjoy your videos. Thank you Al
I’m so ready for spring!
I love the care you have for wildlife and the ecosystem diversity to allow them comfort and homeliness
Real steal with any usable boards for a dollar! 🙂 Nice gathering area.
LOL I was going to say, that picnic table probably weighs 500 pounds. 😆
Really glad to see the bamboo gone. You are out there so frequently that if it did root, you would have been able to react before it really anchored in. But it's still best to not tempt fate. It did look fantastic though. I always love a 100% natural look, especially when things leaf out in the growing season. There is so much going on in there that it will still look amazing even with more hard elements in there.
For the bottom heat, I forget what is it made out of? It's possible that you are getting scaling on it, that is acting as an electrical and thermal insulator? It may be worth digging it out this summer and trying to scrape some scaling off it is there. The other possibility is just the wiring like you mentioned here.
Wanted to hear your take on merging different kinds of hens and chickens in one coop/run. I've moved in to a lovely commune, where hens have been providing the house with eggs for many years now, and primarily the race bought for that, has been ISA Brown. I've taken over the responsibility of the hens now, and am loving learning new things every day – however I also learned that the ISA hen, that laid on the random eggs we bought in a hurry, when she went fertile, now being two lovely Mille Fleur D'Uccles, are not accepted in the flock. I know that ISA Brown are notoriously known for being harsh on newbies, but what have you done/would do? I see you have some ISAs too. I would love to not get rid of my lovely little ones, but they are forced to sit on a ladder all day, so they are out of bully height from the other ones. Not a respectable life to give such mild and talkative chickens. I have a big run, a big coop, open compost like you do, they have access to many different areas in the run, and I'm left frustrated of why they still need to be bullying the two Mille Fleur, now going on for half a year… What is your experience/advice? Bests from Copenhagen
I hope to build a tunnel this year and enjoy seeing how well yours is doing with the compost helping the heating. Nice hair cut! My guy got his done today.
Does the inkbird record temperatures even if it’s not connected to Bluetooth?
I've been reading about terra preta and wondering how the DNA of terra preta might compare to the DNA of your soil?