Faith Farm

where to start-part one

Start at the basics.  Evaluate your current financial situation.  List your debts-list your assets.  If you have debt what can you do about it?  Talk to your family.  The number one thing I could recomend to anyone is have your housing situation covered.  Are you living in an area that promotes the kind of independent life style you seek?  Ideally your looking at a rural location-someplace out of town with some kind of land to use.  Keep it simple-this probably won't be what you would like to have but is workable.  This is no easy task.  Trust me I remember all too well that moment.  It seemed impossible to me.  But - It's not.  There is tons of reasons you can think about "How this won't work."  I know I thought about them all.  It's tough.  But the truth is It can work.  So do your best to keep the emotions in check and figure out exactly what and how you can do it.  Write it all down.  Any ideas or possibilities at this point could be an option.  Remember this is all just on paper at this point--your not making final decisions....your evaluating your options.  Ask yourself what is the bare minimum I would have to have to sustain my family.  How can this work attitude!  Keep in mind your not building your dream house and dream life (that will come later-LOL)---your evaluating your options--be real.  It is possible.

Blessings>faithfarm

Preparing for a depression?

October and a great recipe!

Good Morning All!  I just love Fall and I really enjoy October.  Cool nights and warm sunny days-what could be better?   The new hens have started laying and breeding season has begun.   The rabbits should be in full production by the end of the month and the HE-Goat is visiting the does in the pasture.  I tried to do selected breeding to have some kind of order to kidding season but that just didn't work out so now the timing is all up to them.  Kidding season is always fun anyway--why try to fight it-lol. 

A friend gave me a recipe this week and I thought it was wonderful!  Just in time for fall.  You should try it-It is so easy and so good!

Caramel Dip

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar (we like dark brown sugar best!)
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Drying Tomato seeds?

cool hand tool!

Hitting bottom

Winter Preparations???

Yes I know it seems odd to be talking about winter prep in August, but if your anything like me time just goes by too fast and with this crazy weather we have been having it just seems right.  All the ol' timers are talking about a hard winter and various tell-tell signs are agreeing with them.  Sooooo.......I thought I would share some tips about winter prep I found:

Prepare your home and family

• Prepare for possible isolation in your home by having sufficient heating fuel; regular fuel sources may be cut off. For example, store a good supply of dry, seasoned wood for your fireplace or wood-burning stove.
  
  
• Winterize your home to extend the life of your fuel supply by insulating walls and attics, caulking and weather-stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows or covering windows with plastic.
  
  
• Winterize your house, barn, shed or any other structure that may provide shelter for your family, neighbors, livestock or equipment. Clear rain gutters; repair roof leaks and cut away tree branches that could fall on a house or other structure during a storm.
  
  
• Insulate pipes with insulation or newspapers and plastic and allow faucets to drip a little during cold weather to avoid freezing.
  
  
• Keep fire extinguishers on hand, and make sure everyone in your house knows how to use them. House fires pose an additional risk, as more people turn to alternate heating sources without taking the necessary safety precautions.
  
  
• Learn how to shut off water valves (in case a pipe bursts).
  
  
• Know ahead of time what you should do to help elderly or disabled friends, neighbors or employees.
  
  
• Hire a contractor to check the structural ability of the roof to sustain unusually heavy weight from the accumulation of snow - or water, if drains on flat roofs do not work.

Prepare your car

• Check or have a mechanic check the following items on your car:
  
  
  • Antifreeze levels - ensure they are sufficient to avoid freezing.
    
    
  • Battery and ignition system - should be in top condition and battery terminals should be clean.
    
    
  • Brakes - check for wear and fluid levels.
    
    
  • Exhaust system - check for leaks and crimped pipes andrepair or replace as necessary. Carbon monoxide is deadly and usually gives no warning.
    
    
  • Fuel and air filters - replace and keep water out of the system by using additives and maintaining a full tank of gas.
    
    
  • Heater and defroster - ensure they work properly.
    
    
  • Lights and flashing hazard lights - check for serviceability.
    
    
  • Oil - check for level and weight. Heavier oils congeal more at low temperatures and do not lubricate as well.
    
    
  • Thermostat - ensure it works properly.
    
    
  • Windshield wiper equipment - repair any problems and maintain proper washer fluid level.
    
    
• Install good winter tires. Make sure the tires have adequate tread. All-weather radials are usually adequate for most winter conditions. However, some jurisdictions require that to drive on their roads, vehicles must be equipped with chains or snow tires with studs.
  
  
• Maintain at least a half tank of gas during the winter season.
  
  
• Place a winter emergency kit in each car that includes:
  
  
  • a shovel
  • windshield scraper and small broom
  • flashlight
  • battery powered radio
  • extra batteries
  • water
  • snack food
  • matches
  • extra hats, socks and mittens
  • First aid kit with pocket knife
  • Necessary medications
  • blanket(s)
  • tow chain or rope
  • road salt and sand
  • booster cables
  • emergency flares
  • fluorescent distress flag

 Around here there a few things added onto our list:

Cut wood---Lots and lots of wood!

Stock up on feed and hay for winter.

Fix, mend, build adequate shelter for animals.

Prepare garden soil for winter rest.

Stock up on batteries, alternative lighting, matches, ect.

Go through winter clothing and boots-replace what needs replacing.

Medical supplies--Now is the time to replace outdated cold meds and freshen up the "cold box"  Keep comfort items such as Kleenex, 7-up, gatoraid, jello and soup on hand. 

Gather necessary hunting items and seasonings before they become high demand products.

Order kidding supplies and necessary vet kit items.

Food Storage:  Anytime is a good time to do this-we just make an extra effort to examine supplies on hand.

And what should have been #1:  Take a moment to think about all the things you thought about last winter to get ready for this winter.  Take note of those items that you thought were a priority in the middle of a winter storm.  Hopefully this years "if only's" won't be next years "I should have done's"

Hope this has been helpful!  Blessings>faithfarm

Just my thoughts

Good Morning Everyone!  I hope this finds you well today.  It is a quiet morning here on the farm and I felt like blogging a bit.  I have some things on my mind this morning and not all of them are politically correct so if you continue to read this it is your choice because this is my opinions only.

I have been hearing and reading so much about how Christians are intolerant and hateful.  Yes, I know it's the times we live in.  However instead of these comments making me mad they actually give me some hope.  Here is how I got there.  That tells me that there are true Bible believing Christians out there who are not going to 'go with the flow' and accept things that are not right.  Everyone says: who are you to judge what is right or wrong? and the point is it is not individuals who are saying what is right or wrong.  The Bible does.  The Word of God.   AND there are those who are willing to stand up for what they know to be true....and that gives me hope.  So in this day of compomise and tolerance and liberal points of view I am pleased to see true Bible believing conservatives (you know the "intolerant haters") standing up and being heard.  Because folks---it's not ok.  I heard someone say last night.....'It's not ok to make this world a better place to go to hell from".  The irony in that cracked me up.  The truth is if we really do care about the people of this world we will stand up for what is right and we will help those who have been lead astray...not by tolerance but with love for our fellow brothers and sisters eternal souls.  This is not done by accepting and tolerating what we know to be wrong.  This is done by what we know to be right.  Who would have ever thought that the Bible in the US would become too radical to follow!  One of our own presidential candidates said: the Sermon on the Mount - a passage that is so radical that it's doubtful that our own Defense Department would survive its application?   and then used the same passage to justify civil unions.  It boggles the mind.  Don't get me wrong---I'm not trying to get political here....I think both candidates are far from being a true conservative candidate.  And for the first time in my voting history I feel like I don't have a candidate or a good choice.  That's not a good thing.  The point I am failing to get at is just this:  We live in a dangerous time---right is wrong and wrong is right---Don't go blindly into what the world is doing.  Question and search the bible for what is right.  What your neighbor or politician or friend thinks is not going to matter in the end.  And to coin my DH favorite phrase "That's between you and God."  Be prepared---Read your Bible daily---don't be deceived.  Thank you for reading this and I pray God gives us all the strength and wisdom we need to do what is right and to live in this time.  Blessings>faithfarm

Wonderful Idea!!!!!

Here is plans for homemade "self-contained gardening system" !!!!  This is a great idea and it conserves water!  These plans are made available free of charge by http://www.josho.com/gardening.htm.  Cheap and easily done.

MATERIALS (figure 0):

• 2 18-gallon (or similar) tote boxes with lids, such as Rubbermaid. Dark colors are preferable. Also, a box that is somewhat wider is preferable to one that's deeper. (You can also use larger totes, but note that once you fill them with soil, they'll be very hard to move.) The more straight-sided the box, the better.
  

• 1 5" pond basket (these are plastic planters with perforated sides to allow the free flow of water). See note 3 at bottom of page regarding pond baskets.
  
• 1 2-foot length of 1-1/2" plastic pipe or tubing (1-1/2" should be the outside diameter). DO NOT USE PVC PIPE AS SHOWN IN THE PHOTO BELOW; I NO LONGER USE PVC IN MY "SELF-CONTAINED GARDENING SYSTEM". (See Note 5 at bottom of page.) I use flexible black tubing now instead; it works identically. Also: not shown in the pictures is the fact that I cut one end of the tube at an angle. This helps the free flow of water through the tube and into the water reservoir in the bottom of the finished box.

   

Figure 0

EQUIPMENT:

• a pencil or pen
  

• a drill with a 1/4" or larger bit and a 1-1/2" bit
  
• a saw (handsaw will work, but a jigsaw makes it much easier)

   

STEP ONE

Take one of the totes, the pen/pencil, and the pond basket. Mark the HEIGHT of the basket all around the outside of the tote (see Figure 1).

.
Figure 2

STEP 2

Cut along this line. When you've cut the entire box, discard the top (open) half; you won't need it. See Figure 2.

Figure 2

STEP 3

Turn the bottom portion upside down. Take the pond basket, put it upside-down on top of the bottom portion of the tote, and trace the circle. Cut the circle out, but you're going to cut about a half-inch or more INSIDE the circle (so that this hole is about an inch smaller in diameter than the top of the pond basket). After you've done this, drill a 1-1/2" hole in the corner of the tote bottom, and a lot of small (1/4" or so) holes all over it. See Figure 3. We'll call this piece the "base."

Figure 3

STEP 4

Take the pond basket and put it right-side up in the bottom of the second tote box (the one that hasn't been used yet). See Figure 4.

Figure 4

STEP 5

Put the base in the tote box (drilled side up), wedging it down as far as it will go, and positioning the pond basket directly under the big hole. See Figure 5. Because the big hole in the base is smaller in diameter than the top of the pond basket, the pond basket will help support the weight of the base once the soil is on top. And because the pond basket will be filled with soil, it will act as a wick for the moisture (much like the square wicks in opposing corners in the authentic "self-contained gardening system" that was my inspiration for this container).

Figure 5

STEP 6

Drill a 1/4" (or slightly larger) hole straight through the outer box AND the base just below the level of the base. This is the drainage hole. See figure 6.

Figure 6

STEP 7

Cut the end of the 2-foot length of 1-1/2" pipe at an angle (if you haven't done so already) and feed this angled end into the 1-1/2" hole in the base. This is the pipe you'll use to fill the box with water. See Figure 7.

Figure 7

STEP 8

You're pretty much done. Drill a matching 1-1/2" hole near the corner of the lid for the pipe to go out, and enough other equally spaced 1-1/2" holes in the lid for however many plants you're going to put into the box (I use the planting guide that came with my commercially-available "self-contained gardening system" to tell me how many plants of any given type I can reasonably fit in the box). SEE NOTE AT BOTTOM OF PAGE REGARDING THE PLANTING GUIDE. Fill the box with soil (the pond basket and the entire remaining box above the base). Pour on the fertilizer stripe as shown in the planting guide that accompanies the commercially-available "self-contained gardening system". (They also recommend adding lime or dolomite to the soil if you're planting tomatoes.) Put on the lid. There you are! See Figure 8 for the box I made for last year's herbs.

UPDATE: May 20th, 2005

Last summer, I tried an improvement on my homemade commercially-available self-contained gardening system. Didn't want to post it 'til I'd tried it. It worked just as I'd intended, so here it is.

The improvement is to the LID ONLY. I'd decided that drilling the holes in the lid to plant the seedlings through was pretty inconvenient if you were planting more than a couple of seedlings -- the dirt balls wouldn't always fit through the holes in the lid, so you had to plant them in the box WITHOUT the lid and then put the lid on and feed the seedlings through the holes...which could hurt the seedlings and was troublesome if the planted seedlings didn't line up perfectly with the holes.

So instead...

STEP 8 REVISED

Take the lid that fits onto the box. Cut out the center of the lid, leaving just a rim (about 2" worth), enough to snap back onto the box. (You can discard the center piece, we won't be using it.) It should look like this:

(Notice that I've cut a circular area in one corner for the pipe. This is not strictly necessary. I did it so that I could have the pipe all the way in the corner, leaving more room for plants.)

STEP 9

Now cut a piece of plain black tarp (vinyl, etc.) so that it is at least a couple of inches bigger around than the top of your self-contained gardening system. Cut a hole in it for the pipe to fit through. When you're ready to plant, cut "X"s in the tarp where the plants will go. (This is very much like how the real tops work on commercially-available self-contained gardening system.) (In this photo, there's some black tubing instead of the PVC pipe. NOTE: Do not use PVC pipe. See note at bottom of page.)

STEP 10

Now just snap the rim onto the box:

Note that because of the tarp, the lid may NOT snap neatly into place anymore. This may not be an issue for you, but if you're in a windy area, you might find it necessary to tie the rim in place:

There are several advantages to this arrangement. First, planting is significantly easier through the flexible tarp than through the inflexible plastic lid. Second, because the tarp is black, it helps heat the surface of the soil, which is better for the plants. Third, if you want to plant items in a different arrangement from year to year (with, say, fewer holes), all you need to do is cut a new piece of tarp instead of drilling a whole new lid.

NOTES (added 4/25/07)

1. One of the companies that sells "self-contained gardening systems" have been gracious in putting their planting guide online: Planting Guide - PDF Format. It's a large file; give it time to load. Print it out, and be sure to read the whole document before using your self-contained gardening system (whether it's commercial or homemade).

2. People have asked me why I haven't put photos of my plants online, so that I can demonstrate the effectiveness of these boxes. Except for a few years ago when I was first introducing my family to commercially-available "self-contained gardening systems," it's never occurred to me to take photos of plants. I will take photos of my plants this season (the 2007 growing season) and put them up.

3. Many folks have trouble finding "pond baskets." (BTW, the 5" refers to their HEIGHT, not their diameter, but the height is not at all crucial...it will just dictate how tall your insert is.) They're also sometimes called "water baskets." I find mine in the "water feature" area of my local gardening center or Home Depot/Lowe's-type store -- the area where they have fountains, pumps, and hoses. In the event that you can't find a suitable pond basket -- and they CAN be square, circular, tall, short, etc, -- you can improvise this a couple of ways and even perhaps save some more money. You can use a large coffee can, removing the top and bottom and punching lots of holes in the sides. (Just substitute the can for the pond basket in all the steps above...marking the height of the can in Step One, etc.) Or you can use a bunch of smaller cans, as long as they're all the same height, and spacing them out so that they help support the platform -- cutting the platform to the height of the cans in Step One, and cutting smaller holes, properly spaced, in Step Three instead of the one large hole.

4. A number of people have asked me what I do about staking. The commercially-available self-contained gardening systems have small holes at either end of each box, each of which will accommodate a small stake. These stakes are fine for small plants, but they don't come close to supporting the weight of tomato plants! So I have two methods I utilize. For one, I have my boxes up against a chainlink fence, and I tie the plants to the fence using plant ties. But frequently the plants are too big and lush to all be attached to the fence. So I buy the very sturdy, tall, heavy wooden stakes sold at my local hardware store's gardening department, and pound them into the ground around the boxes.

5. I no longer use PVC in any of my boxes. PVCs have been demonstrated to leach plasticizers and harmful chemicals, including endocrine disruptors. There are plenty of alternatives, so there's no good reason to use PVC and risk putting these chemicals in your homegrown fruits and vegetables.

MORE NOTES (added 5/14)

1. I've been asked what to do in place of PVC pipe for the watering tube. I'd recommend copper tubing (although this will a very small bit to the price of your homemade self-contained gardening system), available widely at home supply stores. Aluminum tubing would probably also work fine. Garden hose can be used as long as it's marked as drinking-safe. Other kinds of plastic may be acceptable.

2. What sort of plastics are to be avoided? Of course, you want to avoid these all throughout the self-contained gardening system, not just with the watering tube. The kinds of plastics we generally regard as safe are those with the numbers 1, 2, 4, or 5 (these numbers are usually found inside the recycling symbol). The ones we seek to avoid are 3 (Polyvinyl Chloride/Vinyl), 6 (Polysterene/Styrofoam), and 7 (Polycarbonate and others).

3. A terrific idea for using the parts of the second box that aren't used in construction. All credit for this wonderful "less waste" idea goes to one of the people who've written to me about their Adventures in Self-Contained Gardening Systems, Linda Alldredge. She writes:

   "The left-over tops of the boxes make instant frost covers for those of us in the north. We already have the lids—just put the lid on and set the whole thing right over your tender plants in the garden. Take it off in the morning. If you want to get fancier, cut out the center of the lid (like you did to hold the plastic) and drop in a piece of Plexiglas. Voila—instant cold frame.

4. Here's another idea for using the parts of the second box. This one comes from Denise Slipka: "I also wanted to let you know what we have done with the leftover top. My husband pulls a garbage bag through it, and then uses it when he rakes up grass or leaves or whatever junk he rakes in the yard! That way it stays open for him and he can rake it right in. I must say, he thought he was very clever for thinking it up!"

5. Another terrific idea just sent a couple of weeks ago (I haven't secured permission yet to use the contributor's name):

"A greener solution for your homemade [self-contained gardening system] water tube would be bamboo. I made a similar box after purchasing an original. A friend of mine in Cincinnati has a neighbor who planted bamboo as an border hedge. My friend constantly complains because he has to remove the bamboo shoots that grow on to his property. Over the years I've harvested poles of bamboo for many uses, one use being the watering tube for my homemade [self-contained gardening system]. Works great. "

 

Free Resource!

Good Morning Friends!  I found this site this morning and just loved it!  I wanted to share with you as I know many of you are putting together this years lesson plans.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.  Blessings>faithfarm

http://www.trainupchildren.com/children/bible-child.php

Remember me???

Hi everyone!  I had a quick moment to spare so I thought I would update a bit about whats going on here at faithfarm.  The summer has been a whirl-wind of gardening, canning, family and friends.  I can't believe it is already coming to an end.  We are trying to get back into the school schedule and wind down some of the garden activity.  It has been an unusual year of weather here.  We had a couple of weeks of extreme heat followed by some of the coolest and wettest August weather I have ever seen.  It has been an amazing sight and I am loving every minute of it!  The garden produced cukes, tomatoes, peppers, potato, watermelon, squash, and pumpkin.  We have beans, sweet potatoes, peppers, and winter squash growing now.  All in all it has not been a record year of harvest.  Too many extremes I suppose but still plenty to meet our needs-Thank God.  We have had an abundant year of fruit though.  We have put up peaches, apples, plums, elderberries, blueberries, (we ate the strawberries), and we still have more apples and the pears will be ready soon.

On the home front: I have been trying to declutter the house and get it ready for winter schedule.  It is amazing how much stuff you gather over a year.  We are just now finishing this years lesson plans and getting "school" organized.  We have not done much work on the inside of the house as we usually do that in the winter.  We are still waiting on the new roof to be put on.  Hopefully it will be this week. 

On the farm front:   We are working on completing one of the goat barns this month and then the new fence and milkroom/birthing barn to be completed in October.  We are installing small solar lighting setups in the barn and yard and just purchased a video/audio camera that will be installed in the birthing room.  After last years birthing events we decided it would be worth every penny to be able to monitor the does from the house until the actual birthing started.  Yeah!  The midnight trips to the barn in the cold and wet will be less!  I'm pretty excited about this.  We have begun to bred the rabbits and are waiting on the goats now to begin this years breeding season.  The new hens should be laying anytime.  They are alot larger than I expected.  The new sows and feeder pigs are growing fast.  We are going to pick up the bore pig this weekend.  Everything else is going on normally.  We decided to not raise Turkeys this next year so come fall we will use what we have for holiday meals.  We have all but given up on the idea of having a dairy cow as our needs have been more than met with the goats milk.  The hay issue got resolved.  God provided a wonderful opportunity and our needs have been met for the winter.

On the family front:  Everyone is doing fine.  DS has found a steady job and is starting to make plans to build his house.  DD has become the baker this summer...you should try her pie crust!  DH is still working--Thank God!  His job has faired well through this bad economy, it is by no means secure but so far so Blessed!    All is well.

On the world front:  Do I even need to go there?  It's crazy.  Time must be short. 

On a personal note:  It has definately been a blurr of a year.  So much has happened and so much growth.  I am finally starting to get comfortable with some of the new homesteading tasks.  There was so much new and so much to learn and try that for years I walked around with my nose in a book and learned mostly from mistakes.  I have come to appreciate the "what not to do's" as much as the "what to do's".  Now, even as busy as it is, there is a routine and a calmness to the day.  Things are becoming much easier.  I have made some amazing 'homestead' friends both in person and online.  To them I give a heartfilled Thank you!  You have brought me wisdom and experience and much needed companionship.  I thank God for you. 

Blessings>faithfarm

Stuffed Jalapenos

Here is a recipe I tried last week and it is great.  It's not too hot if you use the right peppers.  Blessings>faithfarm

• 1 lb deer sausage
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened (goat milk cheese works great)
• 1 cup shredded  chedder cheese
• 22 large jalapeno peppers halved lengthwise and seeded (Use MILD ones)

Directions

1. In a large skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.

2. Combine the cream cheese and chedder cheese, then fold into the sausage.

3. Spoon about 1 tablespoonful into each jalapeno half; place in two 9x13x2 inch baking dishes and bake, uncovered, at 425° for about 15-20 minutes, or till filling is lightly browned and bubbly.

4. Serve with Ranch dressing if desired.

Hello everyone!

Bad times have hit

Bad times have hit

 

Hard time for farmers and those around them.

Got Milk? I live on a farm and times are pretty hard as the area I live in is considered economically depressed     It's so bad, that I've heard some of our neighbors were having a hard time making ends meet. This morning, I woke up to hear a knock at the door. When I went to answer the door -- this is the sad sight that I saw. It just about broke my heart...!! Please scroll down, to see for yourself...! ! * * * * * *       Heartbreaking. ..! Just heartbreaking !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just for Fun---Blessings>faithfarm

Just 4 Fun

Oldie but a goodie!  Can U Read this?

 M R Ducks
      
      M R Not
      
      M R Too
      
      C M Wangs
      
      L I B...M R Ducks
      
      M R Mice
      
      M R Not
      
      S A R...C M E D B D Feet?
      
      L I B...M R Mice!
      
      M R Puppies
      
      M R Not
      
      O S A R...C M P N?
      
      L I B...M R Puppies.
      
      M R Farmers.
      
      M R Not!
      
      O S A R...C M M T Pockets?
      
      L I B...M R Farmers.
      
      === Translation Follows ===
      
      M R Ducks = Them Are Ducks
      M R Not = Them Are Not
      M R Too = Them Are Too
      C M Wangs = See Them Wings
      L I B...M R Ducks = Well I Be - Them Are Ducks
      
      M R Mice = Them Are Mice
      M R Not = Them Are Not
      S A R...C M E D B D Feet? = Yes They Are - See Them Iddy Biddy Feet ?
      L I B...M R Mice! = Well I Be - Them Are Mice
      
      M R Puppies = Them Are Puppies
      M R Not = Them Are Not
      O S A R...C M P N? - Oh Yes They Are - See Them Peeing?
      L I B...M R Puppies. = Well I Be - Them Are Puppies
      
      M R Farmers = Them Are Farmers
      M R Not = Them Are Not
      O S A R...C M M T Pockets? = Oh Yes They Are - See Them Empty Pockets ?
      L I B...M R Farmers = Well I Be - Them Are Farmers

one thing at a time

The Homestead Life

You start before the sun comes up and you finish after the sun goes down.  No harder work have I ever found.  You sweat-you freeze-you get soaked to the bone-you plant and harvest-you teach and you learn-you pray and give thanks-you build and tear down-you dig and bury-you celebrate new life and appreciate your supper---and if you do it all just right................you are Blessed to love every day of your life.

>faithfarm

Increased Knowledge

Making an outdoor oven

Here is another great article--How to make an outdoor oven cheap and easy:

http://www.dirtcheapbuilder.com/howtobueaovb.html

An oven is just a hole in the ground – light a fire, heat it up, and bake! An earthen oven is about that complicated. If you made mud pies when you were a kid, you can make a beautiful mud oven. You can also do it for nothing (or next to it), and it will work as well as a custom-built masonry or ceramic model costing thousands. Earth is not only more common, safe, cheap, and easier than brick, it’s also more environmentally friendly and, I think, beautiful.

Mud or brick, however, it’s what we’re all made of. (In Hebrew, Adam means ‘red clay’ and when you think about where your food really comes from, the bible phrase, “for dust thou art...,” suggests a deep, but perhaps different truth.)

The three basic steps to oven-making are: 1. Make a pile of damp sand, and pat into a hemisphere.

2. Cover with a layer or three of mud.

3. Cut out a doorway and remove the sand.

If you fire-dry it, you can bake tomorrow. To bake, fire the oven without a door cover. Then clean out the fire and load your loaves or meat or veg into the hot oven, put something in front of the door, and wash your hands for supper.

Two or four details:

1. The floor: brick is a common choice – new, old, red brick, or firebrick.

2. The mud: In most places, there is clay subsoil below the topsoil. Like cement, clay holds things together. If you have a garden, you likely have good soil for building. Use it straight out of the ground, or mix it with sand. If you have no garden, anyone digging a hole will probably give you some.

3. The base, or foundation: You can spend lots of time (and money) on a magnificent stone foundation. Or build on the ground, on a pile of rocks, on logs or railroad ties, old metal barrels, or even on sawhorses.

4. Protection from the elements: A roof is nice, but not necessary. It takes a long time for an oven to ‘wash away in the rain’ (look how long the hills last...). But a wet oven takes longer to heat up. So cover it with a tarp or bend pieces of roofing tin into a vault for a simple, elegant, and cheap solution.

DON’T USE PAINT OR CEMENT! An earthen oven, like a living thing, breathes.

When baking, it ‘exhales’ steam. Cement or paint will trap moisture and destroy your oven.

Tools & Materials
• Water • Dirt (subsoil) • Sand to mix with mud: ‘sharp’(not rounded or beach) sand is best • Material for the oven form: sand,or anything that will make a firm, but removable form (topsoil, chunks of turf, etc.)

• Firebricks or standard red bricks, new or used, free of old mortar • Wood for a baking door • Newspaper • Shovel • Wheelbarrow • 20 litre (5 gallon) plastic buckets • Tape measure • Tarps: 2x2.5m (6x8ft) minimum.

In the United States, they throw away huge plastic lumber bricks. Make the walls near vertical at first, to give your loaves ‘head room’. The form should be a bit higher than the radius of the oven floor. wrapper that’s often stronger than the tarps you can buy • Spoons, spatulas, dull knives, etc., in case you want to do any sculpting • Lumber scraps • Old clothes to get dirty in, and boots if you don’t want to go barefoot • Spirit level, two or four foot (optional)

Your oven can be one or more layers thick. Here we’ll just describe a single layer, to give you the idea. It’s easy to extrapolate and improvise.

--First: Finding Clay Subsoil

Clay subsoil is pretty easy to recognize. I take a pinch of dirt in my palm, spit into it, and mix it with a finger. Silt or organic matter feels floury or crumbly. Clay feels sticky, slippery, and a bit greasy. Wetted, it rolls into snakes between your palms and wraps around your finger. (Beware dirt that may contain glass or debris; ask permission where necessary.) When dry, the clay should be hard, not crumbly. Test it. Make bricks and let them dry. See how much they crack and how hard they are. Try mixing dirt with sand, and make more bricks. If they show less cracking and shrinkage, good! Compare and choose the best. Remember what your proportions were.

--Your Oven Floor

The simplest and easiest thing to do is simply to set your floor bricks in a 10-15cm (4-6in) bed of sand, tamped and smoothed into an even, level bed. No mortar is necessary. The bricks will be held in place by the heavy, solid oven walls. Set your first brick carefully, level and solid. The more even and flat your bricks, the easier you’ll be able to clean it. Hold the next brick level and about 2.5cm (1in) above the sand; gently ‘kiss’ its long side to the matching side of the previous one. Set it flat and firm on the sand. Don’t wiggle it! Minimize cracks and gaps. When they’re all down, set them lightly with a hammer handle. If one stands up a bit proud, tap it down.

Make A Sand Form: Shape The Void The sand form is the shape of the void. Sand (or whatever) should be moist enough to pack into a ball, but not so wet that it slumps. Make a pile on the floor bricks. Make the walls near vertical at first, to give your loaves ‘head room’. The form should be a bit higher than the radius of the oven floor. Too high, and you get cooling eddies at the top of the dome; too low, and the fire won’t get enough air. A 69cm (27in) diameter oven, with a 34cm (13in) radius, should be 40-50cm (16-20in) high. Hold a straight stick level across the top; measure the distance to the floor to get the interior height of your oven. Multiply it by 63% (0.63) to determine the proper height for your oven door. Write down the number!

--Mix Mud

Use whatever mixture gave you the best, hardest, strongest test bricks. Prepare a pile of dry mix on your tarp. (If you’re using pure subsoil, you may need to do nothing, or just add a little water so it’s moist enough to build with.) With two people, hold two corners of the tarp each – feet spread, knees bent, elbows down and shoulders back – roll the mix from side to side. Don’t lift! You can do this solo by pulling one end of the tarp over the other, rolling as you go. A longer tarp is easier. Or just use bare hands and feet and muck around in it. Add water slowly. Take off your shoes, jump in, and do the twist – seriously! As you twist and turn, your feet work like rotating pistons, breaking up the clay and pressing sand into it. Play music! Grab a partner! Dance ’til it starts to clump, like dough for pie crust. Test it. Pack a hard ball (50-100 pats from hand to hand). Drop it from breast height. It should hold together. If not, add a little water. If it’s too wet; add dry mix (harder), or use as is and allow more drying time (easier).

--Build!

First, cover your sand form with sheets of wet newspaper (so that later, you’ll know where the void ends and the oven begins). Smooth them down flat. Press handfuls of your mix around the base of your sand form. Use your fingers as a gauge to guide you in maintaining thickness. Make a layer at least three inches thick. You can make it thicker (it will hold more heat), but a thicker oven also requires more fuel.

Maintain a well-defined edge. As you go higher, the face of the layer should angle upwards (see diagram). Cover the whole form, even where the door will go (you’ll cut it out later). When it’s all covered, take a flat board and pack the material ’til solid. If it squishes and/or sticks to the board, don’t worry! Your mix was too damp. Rock the board firmly back and forth, up and down, or rub it as if you were polishing.

Make it beautiful.

Say your dome is 45.5cm (18 in) high (interior height). Your door should be 0.63x45.5=28.7cm 0.63x18=11in) high. As for width, 30-50% of the inner diameter is good. Scratch a line in the material where the door will be. Cut a hole just big enough to get your hand in. Dig a narrow channel into the form. If the mix was moist but not wet, you can dig out the whole form immediately. If, when you poke the thermal layer with a finger, it’s firm and resists denting, go on and dig. If it’s soft, or you’re in doubt, wait and let it dry (this can take days or weeks depending on the weather)! When you remove the sand, watch for the newspaper so you know you’re not digging away the oven. Refine the doorway so it’s smooth and even.

--You’re Done!

Air drying the finished oven can take weeks, but if you’re impatient to bake, make a small fire in the oven to speed up the process. Even when they’re not quick-dried, they may crack. If so, don’t worry. Cracking due to natural expansion invariably occurs during firing. If the cracks don’t close when the oven is cool, you can fill them (from the outside) with mud.

When I’ve built a quick oven and heated it up in a hurry, I’ve sometimes sealed it with bricks and sand, or whatever else I could get my hands on. It doesn’t even need to fit perfectly, since you’ll drape it with a wet cloth to keep it from charring and to add steam for baking. You can also soak it in water, or screw a sheet of metal to the inside, or wrap it in foil. You’re ready to fire your oven, and bake

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Campfire cooking recipes

Here is a wonderful website just full of campfire cooking recipes:

http://www.koakampgrounds.com/recipes/campfirecooking.htm

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