Maine 4-Season Greenhouse Grow

[Blew Hiller]

He using dowels too

Yes, it's pinned mortice and tenon.

What type of composting toilet you gonna use?

We plan on vermicomposting....the fish boxes I keep the worms in will be a good fit for the outhouse plus the size is right for one person to handle.

Eggs dont taste as good in the winter time

We have to buy store eggs in the winter...it sucks.

 

[Bode]

Highya BH,

That's some pretty fancy post and beam work. Looks great! You're doing the whole Little House on the Prairie thing. Sounds like a lot of fun. Hope your guests like it as well. Cheers

 

[Blew Hiller]

That's some pretty fancy post and beam work. Looks great! You're doing the whole Little House on the Prairie thing. Sounds like a lot of fun. Hope your guests like it as well. Cheers

As I get older I am more interested in quality than quantity....post and beam will last for generations.

(And I also heard Laura Ingraham grew some stank out on the Prairie!)

 

[Preston9mm]

As I get older I am more interested in quality than quantity....post and beam will last for generations.

(And I also heard Laura Ingraham grew some stank out on the Prairie!)

I've been a builder for my entire adult life (except military years)... I still struggle with fine mortise & tenon work like that.

You're builder is on point! Very well done!

 

[Blew Hiller]

I've been a builder for my entire adult life (except military years)... I still struggle with fine mortise & tenon work like that.
You're builder is on point! Very well done!

I helped him winch up the timbers and sledge them into their slots...I was pretty amazed how well they all fit...he only had to shave a few edges and then...KLUNK....in it would go. Best part is he is a good guy....I enjoy working with him and that is priceless.

 

[Tattoodlineman]

post and beam will last for generations.

One of my old barns built in 1926 all post and beam and still solid

 

[Blew Hiller]

One of my old barns built in 1926 all post and beam and still solid

As Wayne would say....Schwang!

 

[Van Stank]

As I get older I am more interested in quality than quantity....post and beam will last for generations.

(And I also heard Laura Ingraham grew some stank out on the Prairie!)

Where did you hear that? I went out to her homestead out in South Dakota.

 

[Van Stank]

I helped him winch up the timbers and sledge them into their slots...I was pretty amazed how well they all fit...he only had to shave a few edges and then...KLUNK....in it would go. Best part is he is a good guy....I enjoy working with him and that is priceless.

Funny how that becomes more important later in life huh.

 

[Blew Hiller]

Where did you hear that? I went out to her homestead out in South Dakota.

C'mon now...all those references to "Laura running through the tall grass"??

 

[Blew Hiller]

Ok, since we are going down the Post and Beam Porn Hole...here are some construction shots of our 20x20' Cottage 3 years ago...SIP over Post and Beam. The second photo was tacked on drywall that we sandwiched between the SIPs and structure. We had the whole thing assembled and enclosed (with roofing) in 6 days.

 

[Mr. Magoo]

Very Nice!!!!!

 

[StoneOtter]

Good morning Blew, I'm considering keeping vermicompost bins this spring. You have a strong understanding. Can you put me on to a good book or website to get started with? Thanks.

 

[Blew Hiller]

Good morning Blew, I'm considering keeping vermicompost bins this spring. You have a strong understanding. Can you put me on to a good book or website to get started with? Thanks.

There are many opinions/methods on VC, and most of them probably work fine. There is no particular book I could recommend for VC, but I would recommend Rodales Composting...to me it has all the basics of composting easily laid out...and VC is just one component in a successful soil.

I am not sure of the scale or volume you want to produce, but it all begins with a 1-2lb package of red wrigglers that you can get from Jim's on Zon. I would recommend starting sooner rather than later...you can turn the 1-2lb into 5x that amount in 2 months, and then increase that another 50x over summer (if you have the space and inclination).

Get a container with a lid...drill 12x 1/4" holes around the rim of the container just below the lid (for air, not light). Fill the container 1/4 full with (any) combination of well shredded newspaper, pro-mix, coco, dryer lint, etc. Something to create some aeration and structure for the worms. Moisten all of it well...no standing water in the bottom, but near so. Add coffee grounds, tea bags, cucumber/potato/carrot peelings on top of the media. Toss in worms. Close lid. As you get more of the inputs, just add them on top. No stirring, etc. Worms feed on the bacteria from the decaying organic matter...in 2 months you will have many more worms (plus worm eggs), and then you can take handfuls of that initial bin and seed other bins with a similar setup. If you want to keep them outside during summer, like I do, you can start throwing a lot more inputs in there....I my winter inputs simple because there is zero smell from those decaying inputs. Outdoors I put in corn husks, all veggies, seaweed, etc...it smells more but it is away from people so no biggie. You will learn the difference between anaerobic (bad) and aerobic (good) smell, which is an easy fix but not something you want inside.

 

[StoneOtter]

There are many opinions/methods on VC, and most of them probably work fine. There is no particular book I could recommend for VC, but I would recommend Rodales Composting...to me it has all the basics of composting easily laid out...and VC is just one component in a successful soil.

I am not sure of the scale or volume you want to produce, but it all begins with a 1-2lb package of red wrigglers that you can get from Jim's on Zon. I would recommend starting sooner rather than later...you can turn the 1-2lb into 5x that amount in 2 months, and then increase that another 50x over summer (if you have the space and inclination).

Get a container with a lid...drill 12x 1/4" holes around the rim of the container just below the lid (for air, not light). Fill the container 1/4 full with (any) combination of well shredded newspaper, pro-mix, coco, dryer lint, etc. Something to create some aeration and structure for the worms. Moisten all of it well...no standing water in the bottom, but near so. Add coffee grounds, tea bags, cucumber/potato/carrot peelings on top of the media. Toss in worms. Close lid. As you get more of the inputs, just add them on top. No stirring, etc. Worms feed on the bacteria from the decaying organic matter...in 2 months you will have many more worms (plus worm eggs), and then you can take handfuls of that initial bin and seed other bins with a similar setup. If you want to keep them outside during summer, like I do, you can start throwing a lot more inputs in there....I my winter inputs simple because there is zero smell from those decaying inputs. Outdoors I put in corn husks, all veggies, seaweed, etc...it smells more but it is away from people so no biggie. You will learn the difference between anaerobic (bad) and aerobic (good) smell, which is an easy fix but not something you want inside.

Thanks. So the holes go into the side of the container, not the top. Correct?

I'm not sure how big an operation I'll need. I'll never grow more than 4 flowering plants with 4 ready to flower when the first ones are done in the tent. Add to that 3 summer holes maybe 40-50 gallon size in the yard. I'd like to make enough for that. Well maybe a couple of tomato plants or four too.

Thanks Blew, I'll order the book and put your suggestions to work.

 

[Blew Hiller]

Thanks. So the holes go into the side of the container, not the top. Correct? I'm not sure how big an operation I'll need. I'll never grow more than 4 flowering plants with 4 ready to flower when the first ones are done in the tent. Add to that 3 summer holes maybe 40-50 gallon size in the yard. I'd like to make enough for that. Well maybe a couple of tomato plants or four too.

Correct...holes allow some air to move through bin...but worms prefer dark so better on side than top. Best thing to do now is just get a bin and add some worms...there is no trick besides just doing it. By spring you'll probably have some usable VC and then just keep a bin on the go and you'll always have the best soil input (for free).

 

[StoneOtter]

Correct...holes allow some air to move through bin...but worms prefer dark so better on side than top. Best thing to do now is just get a bin and add some worms...there is no trick besides just doing it. By spring you'll probably have some usable VC and then just keep a bin on the go and you'll always have the best soil input (for free).

Thanks sounds good.

 

[Bode]

Well said, BH. I like the organic approach also. I don't know any other way.

Awesome photos of the prior construction. I started looking, and figured you must've used a crane. Must've been pleasing watching it go together. 6 days is amazing. Stories for your grandkids, lol. Cheers

 

[Blew Hiller]

and figured you must've used a crane

The crane was the secret weapon...each one of those roofing SIP panels had to be 1000+ lbs. We just gaffed them with big hooks and slowly maneuvered them into place (both the sides and the roof) and then screwed them in with 8-10" timber screws. I really love the simplicity and structural integrity of SIP and post and beam. The roof is high and steep and we used metal roofing which offers no footing...the guy clipped the boom onto his harness and he drove it using the remote to screw in the roofing...definitely not OSHA approved!

 

[Bode]

OMG, that's quite a story. I love the old-timey type stories. FoxFire has a few, also. Cheers