Update to solar still

Update to solar still.  This would have been a good idea.

Solar Still

Back in March I built a solar still in my backyard.  As Arizona is a dry place and my backyard does not have a creek in it, I tried to suck moisture out of plants. This did not work. I finally got around to editing the video.  Watch below if you care to watch my [...]

Local library video and desert survival

I checked out the video Stay alive! a guide to survival in mountainous areas from my local library. Random comments after watching: According to the host, Preston Westmoreland, if you have ever heard the idea that you could add whiskey to water to clean the water than that is not true.  Ummmmm, I have never heard [...]

Compost tea and solar panel

I got the idea of making compost tea from the Grow  House as well as the book Gardening When it Counts.    It is also my first experiment with solar energy.  The solar panel pictured above hooks up to a tiny little air pump.  This system is supposed to be used in backyard ponds.   I bought it [...]

Update on the Garden- Low yields and over-watered

Before leaving for 9 days I asked my neighbor to water my garden once while I was gone. I can tell from the exact position where I left the hose that he did not. Despite that everything (except the gopher attacked agave) looks good. In fact, I am glad the garden did not get any [...]

How should I use my vacation?

Here is my list of events one should attend in order to prepare for the apocalypse. Burning Man – techno-nerds, socialmediaeanglists, pop-culture survivalists, and dancers.  Kind of an obvious first choice. The NRA Annual Convention If for no other reason, see what you might have to contend with later. Some sort of organic gardening convention [...]

Weekend Update: Fire and Water

I did not have a lot of success with my experiments over the weekend. On Saturday I dug a shallow bath-tub size hole, put six handfuls of weeds in the hole, and covered it with clear plastic. This was my first attempt at a solar still. Water did collect on the bottom of the plastic, [...]

Weekend plans: Brittlebush, Creosote and a hole

I am looking forward to the weekend.  I had to work last Saturday, which made the last two weeks go long.  I have not been able to do many experiments in the last couple of weeks, so I spent more time doing internet research.    This weekend’s plans include the following: Turn Brittlebush leaves into medicine. [...]

Insert Irony Here.

So in all of my preparations for the end times, I somehow overlooked paying my water bill for 4 months in a row. So the city shut off my water last night, today I got it turned back on.  I have no excuse for not paying my bill.  I find it funny that I spent [...]

Water filter Video and Lessons Learned

Two weeks ago I gathered water from the mountain, built a water purification system, and drank some water that went through it. I did not get sick, but I suspect that was more because of dumb luck rather than my engineering skills. I used the World Wildlife Foundation’s instructions on how to build a water [...]