The orchard sprouts

About a year ago I began trying to grow trees for an orchard; I only planted two seeds as an experiment and one grew. That particular tree is currently 14 inches tall and budding with new leaves.

Two weeks ago Michael ( my girlfriend ) and I planted a series of seeds we collected from grocery store apples. As of this post there are four sprouts. When these trees mature they will provide shade and food. Provided all the trees survive we will be able to make fresh apples available for purchase.

This endeavor will of course use a considerable amount of water, however we will have it "plugged in" to our grey water system so there will be no need for wasting this valuable resource.

Vacation

We have had alot of family ask are you coming back from Nevada when you go out in March. The answer is yes we are only going out for a week to total nine days. Using my van as a camper and using camping supplies we have received as gifts or bought we will be driving out and photographing the land. This is in advance of moving because we want to properly detail the development layout and make sure that when we do move we are more than ready.

Earthbag Resorces

I was requested this info and felt I should place it here. If your looking at earth bag building here are a few places it may be possible to get bags. I personally am using bags I receive from a local horse farm.

Regular & Misprint Bags:
Agriculture Bags MFG., Inc. C.H.K. Manufacturing, Inc. 960 98th Ave. Oakland, CA 94603 Tel. 510-632-5637 Fax 510-632-2056 Contact - Jeff Kuo
Innpack, LLC www.innpack.com Memphis, TN Contact: Nina Sanders 1-800-622-3695 Ext. 102
Polytex Fiber Corp www.polytex.com Houston, TX 1-800-628-0034 Contact: Denny Smith
www.esandbags.com
Bags & Tubes:
Berg Bag Company 410 Third Ave. North Minneapolis, MN 55401 1-800-658-7201
Central Bag Company www.centralbagcompany.com Kansas City, MO 1-816-471-0388 Contact: Chris Klimek
Fulton Pacific Packaging Co. www.fultonpacific.com 1-800-521-1414 Contact: Rett Schuler
MaxKatz Bag Co. P.O. Box 1666 Indianapolis, IN 46206-1666 1-800-225-3729 Contact: Don Katz, ext. 3666
NYP Corporation 805 East Grand St. Elizabeth, NJ 07201 1-908-351-6550
Donald Davis Bags1020 S. Church St. Ext. P.O. Box 8369, Spartanburg, S.C. 29305-83691-800-662-7756www.donalddavisbags.com

Another chicken egg

Ok so I wanted to try something a little more delicate and ornate than a skull. I'm not sure if I'm finished with this one yet. I really don't feel satisfied with it. I have another one I'm working on but it requires tools I don't have yet. It will be a functioning world globe on a chicken egg. Also my girlfriend said her sister had some brown eggs for us and those shells will be perfect for portraits.

House Plans

After doing research for the last several months looking for the best design for the area and using organic design; we think we finally found something we want. A hybrid organic using earthbag, strawbale and stick frame design. Using passive solar and an open floor plan we have even managed to incorporate an indoor greenhouse and a self cooling pantry.

This will be a three level structure south facing and the lower level will only be partially under ground and separated by a rail instead of a wall to allow for more even flow of air. I had hoped to do a house using just earthbags but this hybrid design seems to be better designed as far as insulating properties and self heating abilities.

We will be building up against the hill and using it to help with the thermal mass and this will also make it easier to incorporate a living roof on the back half of the structure; which will also add to the insulating properties.

We hope to be permitted to use a less conventional method of waste removal. Using a composting toilet and simply using waste drain water from sinks and showers for irrigation. In this way our landscaping efforts in permiculture will not be using extra water to be sustained but will become a part of our living home where everything has a purpose and nothing is wasted.

First Egg

Ok so this is a picture of the first carved egg I completed. I destroyed four others but everyone was a learning process. I will be making many more and will place there photos here. This one still needs soaked in bleach and clear coated but I still think it looks pretty good and it only took two hours start to finish. I'm thinking of trying a type of acid etching using vinegar but I need to go buy some more eggs. We will also be getting some eggs from Michael's' sister next time we go out there. These will be brown eggs and perfect for portrait carving as the color can be removed leaving the white calcium under shell left intact. Carving chicken eggs is kinda like petting a butterfly, you have to be so careful and gentle.