Energy

This tower in the grain field was erected to measure
wind speed and gauge the feasibility of wind power.

A rocket stove in the making. This has become an increasingly popular tool for making the most of wood as a cooking and heating fuel, particularly useful in areas where deforestation has made wood scarce. The rocket stove was developed by Dr. Larry Winiarski, technical director of a community and sustainability education center in Oregon called Aprovecho. The stove pictured will replace the propane ranges in the longhouse kitchen, and there is talk of another being built to heat part of the barn / agricultural education center.

The garn houses a large furnace that also uses wood fuel (a pattern emerging), this time to heat water which flows through pipes under the basement of the longhouse, heating the area where most of the community sleeps.

Solar panels on the other side of the garn roof, for solar hot water (this time for bathing).

One of two masonry heaters in the long house, another technology for maximizing the energy released by burning wood. The masonry heater uses thermal mass (i.e. all of the stone surrounding the hearth) and a long, meandering flue (which runs through the soapstone) to capture more heat and release it slowly into the room. As a result of this process it also releases a much cleaner smoke.

Flying my flags. The ole hang dry is a zero electricity technique.