wish washing throwing

Well lets see, i have been MIA from blogger for some days now.

I am just going to start listing events, topics, projects and thoughts starting from right now and working back as far as i can. WISHWASH throw up...

Today is Thusrday Feburary 19, 2009

drinking soem sorrel ginger tea, hanging out at the commcenter with many others as we all shelter from the rain that has pretty strong all morning.

Earlier today Ben and Don cleaned up, picked up our solar panals, and extra wire. We were trying to hook up an additional 4-180 watt panels to surge the batteriers to clean them from sulfate bonds that ruin the lead plates in your batteriers. This process of cleaning/maintaining your battery's is called equalization. Rreally important to do this procedure once a month for the longevityof you battery bank. However we we not able to do this because the voltage coming from the panels already in the system on the cabanas was at 70 open circute volts, compaired to our additional 4 panels at 55 open curcit volts. Thus causing the 70 volts to spill over into teh 55 volt array. Basically you need the different PV array voltages to be similar so that the currents dont spill into each other. So we discontinued the extra panels and set the charge controller to Equalize once a month automatically with the preexisting panals on the roof.

Wednesday i planted some Pineapple with Ben.
Pineapple like loose rocky soil that allows for good drainage, as the are capable of root roots very easily. They also like to intake water from the top of the plant. The water collects in their "cup" formed by they long spike leaves sprouting from the top. If you have a Pineapple and wish to plant it in your garden cut the top off, making sure to leave some of the meat connected to the top, plant in the soil, and it will grow from that, however it will take some time, probably two years for a nice sized harvest. There are shoots that sprout from the pineapple that can be taken and transplanted.

There is a new farmer to the crew, Jay is his name. He is studying for a masters degree in ethnobotany with specialization in tropical fruit trees. Great addition. he and his girlfreind will be with us for a while once he finishes up his thesis.

This week we are focused on renewable energy. Don who has set up most of the systems here, is our teacher for teh weel. Monday my brain was about to expload with an overlaod foundation of electricity, and some how it tapered off into the political, social, arena's. He is a great teacher though, able to break down the foundations of elctricity and solar electric systems.

Sunday and Saturday I participated in teh Agriculture festival here on StCroix. The Farm had a kick ass booth that we constructed of bamboo. Basically we set it up to look like a bush shelter, and it deffinetly attracted people. We were trying to and succesfully tought children and big kids, like myself how to make seed balls and the importance of the,. Basically you mix clay, compost, and seeds and add water roll into balls and then trow the balls out in an area that you want to have plants growing in. Nature does the rest. YOu dont have to till the land, you dont have to water unless its super dry. We wanted the children and people of StCroix to understand how eaiser planting seeds can be and how important it is for our land, and own health. For example the seeds we put into the balls were three diferent types.

1. Crodilaria- its a legumes plant(fixes nitrogen into the ground), it has a nice yellow flower that attracts bees. The dry pods of seeds can be a shaker for an instrument.
2. Sunflower seed- edibal seeds for us and birds, insects. Beautiful flower to have in your garden, it also Cleans the soil, it can pull up toxins out of the ground, making a healthy invironment.
3. Pigeion pee- Edibal peas green or dry. This plant is also a nitrogen fixer. Nitrogen is essential for plants health.

So when you have plants that provide beauty, nutrients through food, healthier soil, and attracts wildlife, your incentive to broadcast seeds increase's. At least to me it does.

We also had Bow drill fire instruction. Teaching the people an ancient skill of creating fir with sticks. Some kids really enjoyed this, and a older male made his own kit and was persistant with his effort until her created the fire.

The purpose of our booth was to inform more people about the farm and the education that is available here. We want to teach everybody how to grow their own food, in healthy ways for us and our invironment, as well as skills that are precious.

St croix used to be called the "breadbasket of the caribbean, providing food for all the surrounding islands. Sadly now the island imports 99% of its food. We are trying to bring back the bread basket.

It was great to walk around the fair and check out the local food, and vibes.

MUCH MUCH MORE to write but i got to hit the head (bathroom) hahah

peace to all

Sustainable Building Day 5

Bohio Day 5

Palm Roof & Bamboo Walls

2/6/09

Well yesterday we harvested palm leaves from The Palms Resort in christiansted, and then enjoyed a a nice sunset at Cane Bay.

I would love to check out carambola resort it looks lush with vegitation and a great beach.

Well with the palms we collected we began to thatch the roof. It scomplicated to explain, but i have pictures, and video yet, blogger is not letting me add videos and pictures right now. Sorry abou that.

We also started to construct the bamboo walls. Let me just start out by saying I love working with bamboo, I just love bamboo, its look, they way it sounds when wind blows through it and how it creaks. Its one of teh strongst natural materials, yet flexable in the wind.

So we had some bamboo that was harvested by Kyle, and then with a machete we cleaned up the notches on the nods. Then with this bamboo spliter we split the bamboo into 8 pieces, from there we cleanded it up a little more then with cordage that we made tied up each slate in order, to provide a beautiful mosic of color and texture, that created a roll up bamboo wall, that lets some sunlight and air through, Perfect for this tropical climate.

I give thanks for the hands on education, the abundont resorce and positive unity that surrounds and creates thi scommunity.

Bless

Sustainable Building Day 4

Every tuesday and thursday i meet, discuss and work on, my focus project (Solar electric system) with my Dan my focus instructor. So the morning was filled with consulting with the client, about his energy needs, and trying to reduce his use so that his price for the total system would drop. And it did we were able to drop about 900 dollars.

Even though it is some what of a mock situation, getting to research, size a system, present a figure, and then cunsult with a client and tend to his energy needs, feels like a job that i would like to learn how to do proffesionally.

Its fun providing a service for people, that makes a positive difference in their life.
I am glad i chose renewable energy to focus on while I am this programe. But check out my other blog for mor info on this topic. http://solarvisfi.blogspot.com/


The rest of the day, lets see, we talked about Earthen floors.

Earthen floors are floors that are made from compacted earth. for example, mud/clay/straw these are the elements we will be using to construct our floor in the Bohio. Basically we be putting in an adobe floor.

We were assighned a research project to find out the following about adobe...

1. What are our concerns?

• drainage- we dont want water to absorbe from the top, and we dont want water to pool up beneath the floor. A french draine could help the water to flow away and not pool up. A sealent prefeably a natural non-toxic sealent like boiled linseed oil could be applied to seal and coat the top of the adobe. Thus preventing water from absorbing through its poures texture. A vapor barrier will be placed under the adobe and above gravel to block any water from being absorbed through the bottem.
• cracking and fragmentation- this happens when the amount of clay in the mixture is to high or to low. More than25-30% clay in mixture, it will crack. Less then 15-25% clay in mixture it will fragment.

2. What are our recommendations?

• Level out the ground, build a frame, place 2-3" of gravel, find correct soil and add proper amount of straw, etc..

3. What materials do we need?

• Adobe- 25% clay 70% mud/dirt/sand, 5% choppod straw, and H2O
• seelents- beeswax, linseeoil
• Gravel
• bamboo, form boards
• vapor barrier - tarp, plastic

4. How to test for quality adobe soil.

• Jar test- Place one cup of soil in a jar with a 1teaspoon of soap to help seperation of material. fill rest with water, leave some air in jar. SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE!!!! Let it sit for a few days. Gravel will be on bottom follwed by sand, silt, clay, water, and orgaic matter. This method lets you see what type of soil you are dealing with.

The rest of the day was nice and mellow, decided not to go to Ultimet frisbee, i need to let my toe heal up from a sprain.

SO just kicked back and relaxed played some music. And took the raft into the pond for a relaxing bamboo flute session.

Blessed

Sustainable Building Day 3

Bohio

Rafters

1/4/09

I went to bed some what late last night maybe aroudn 10:30 or 11pm. Yet I woke up before the sun again. I was tired but was deffinetly up, i like this pattern that i am starting to notice, i naturally am just rising up, while everything is till quite and still.

The sunrise was brillient with light today, as i sat and drank a cup of tea and watch all colors being born again.

Today is day three of Bohio construction. Today we put up the rafters. 16 total, we actuall only did 8. I think Marshell will help finish the rest as his focus area is sustainable building.

I got to laern how to use a Beval square today.

A beval square allows you to transpose any angle to another piece of wood. Its a really important tool for those who work on ships, and alot of carpenters could benifit from it, yet dont have it in their bags.

Later tonight we will be larning how to make cordage.

Cordage is primitive twin, string and rope.

Its made of natural fibers that are harvested and dried out.

A few plants i know of that have great fiber for cordage are, Snake plant, Cat Tail, and i am sure i will learn alot more.

Sustainable Building Day 2

Bohio day 2

beams

2/3/09

This morning was dedicated to meeting with our focus group instructor, and working on our final project. My area is reneable energy, and my focus project is to reserch, consult with client, and instale a small solar energy system for a structure that is being constructed on the campus(farm). I wont go into great length about that in this blog, as I and my peer Ben Ruckker have set up a blog just reserved for the renewable energy project. Check it out, http://solarvisfi.blogspot.com/

Allright well, after lunch we got out to the Bohio site and started to place the beams ontop of the poles.

everybody got instruction on how to use a skill saw, and a carpenters square. It was great to see all those who didnt know how to us these tools jump in and learn how to do it. Dez a fellow student, was startled by the power of the skill saw. It was pretty funny to see her jump up, and start laughing at herself.

Basically we got all the beams up and the construction site is looking like stone hedge. Hahah seriously.

After each day of constructing, we stand around in the circle, and talk about how the progress went, what we are greatful for, what could be done better or more effiently, and we have these shout outs, where a word is shouted by everone all at once.

this reflecting after a work session is part of a designed tool for learning, titled Action learning!

Action learning

Definition: is an educational process whereby the participant studies their own actions and experience in order to improve performance. This is done in conjunction with others, in small groups called action learning sets. It is proposed as particularly suitable for adults, as it enables each person to reflect on and review the action they have taken and the learning points arising. This should then guide future action and improve performance

There are three steps involved with action learning,

1. Plan it - this step involves getting together with those who are involved and to brainstorm a plan of where the project is starting at, what the end goal is, and what are teh steps to get from begining to the end. A great way of doing this , especially if you are working in third world countries where there the literacy rate is lower, is to draw a road. The road has a begining where you draw your project as it is, at the end you draw what you want it to look like when you are done, and the middle is filled with drawings that show progression, the "doing"
2. Do it - this is simple just do what you planned.
3. Reflect - After completion of project or certain point of project, gather around again, and discuss how it went. What could have done to better the project? What steps were essential, what were not so essential? How did everyone enjoy it? Did any one have any difficulties?

This Action learning i am discovering, is a great way of getting projects up and going, and completed, and there is a progressing understanding/education/research that is being fullfilled.

OHH YEAH the Monkey pistol decided to expload its seeds. It just so happend when every one was sitting at the table, and keith turned the music down to get every ones attention for an anouncement. Then BOOM it blew and shot its seed every where. Hahah we all were silent for about 3 seconds then all of yelled in excitement. How amazing, Kieth really was tuned into the universe. Perfect time. It actually reminds me of the time i was camping with friends and at night aroundthe camp fire i told everybody to look up at the beautifull milky way spread vastly across the, just as everyone peered up the hugest shooting star shot right across the length of the milky way.

Perfect universal timing! I LOVE IT !!!

Week 3 - Sustainable Building Day 1

Bohio construction

Day 1- posts

2/2/09

Monday started our week of sustainable building. In this week we will learn some basic skills, that include how to use a carpenters square, level, tape measure, skill saws, and drills. I already knew how to use these tools, but it was great to see others who havent learn how to, and its always good to get an overview again.

single

Themes of the week: foundation, structure, roofs, skins, and floor. Five themes five days.

So as you can guess monday is about foundation. Foundation is handedly the most important step in constructing a building. With out a solid foundation all your work has a greater chance to fail in the further step. A solid foundation provides the straighted path for your buildings succcess.

Traditional Foundations

1. Rocks, earth, clay, tree(treehouse)
2. Stilt house ie: palapa structure
3. Substrata- firm rocky ground, no organic matter.

Modern Foundations

1. concrete slab ob grade- rebar, concrete mesh, forms, concrete footers
2. piers- large cylinders of concrete in the ground- good for poor soil area's ie; swelling clay, sandy soil, this technique allows you to add strength to poor soil

Concrete is made of 1 part cement, 2 parts sand, 3 parts gravel, and H2O to make it right consistancy.

Cement is not that great of a sustainable product. Fly ash a by product of a cleaning solution for pipes in a certain industry is a great sustaible alternative to cement.

Alternative Foundations

1. Rubble footings- reused portions of old concrete, concrete rubble footings. savces time money and resource. you would need to build a wider footing when useing a rubblw technique.
2. Rammed earth- if soild condition is right. clay, mud, gravel, sand. Use a tamper to really compress it together.

After the lecture and notes and some nice food to eat, we headed out to the Bohio site. A Bohio is a traditional structure that the Taino indians ( natives of the caribbean before columbus came and busted them up) used to construct. Our main project for teh week of sustainable building si to build one of these.

It is going to be a octagonal in its lower shape, 20 feet across, 20 feet high at the center, the walls are only about 6 feet high so the majority of the structure is going to be the thach palm roof.

Today we set all the post in their places.

First we found true east, and measured out the distance of 10 feet from the center pole then tied a string to the center pole and with a stake, drew a line in the ground 10 out all the way around the center pole. Then measured the the distances on that line to find the where the poles would be placed.

after a proper use of technology and a little sweat we started droping them and leveling them out.

Well im trying to post pictures and even some videos of this project but it wont let me at this point. So come back at a latter point if your interested to see what i am talking about.

Peace

Superbowl Sunday

Volleyball & Football

2/1/09

Beuatiful day, warm and sunny with a gentle breeze. A great way to start what would turn out to be a active day. I and the rest of teh R2R students hiked to the beach, an denjoyed some snorkeling, i saw soem schools of fish and a big sea urchin, water is so warm and salty so you float really easy, then the rest of the farm crew met us at the beach and just as the band started to play at the bar, we got a volleyball game going. I forgot how much i enjoy active competitive sport. It also helps to be in the caribbean next to a beautiful beach to dive into when you get hot.

Then Ryans father and mother who live on the island picked us up and threw us a super bowl dinner party, they live on the east end up on a hill with a great view of the ocean. Ate some hamburgers and had some beer, and just relaxed with a good super bowl game to watch. We all slept their, i slept out on the deck That warm fresh breeze was to good to pass, and as i lay their ryan and a few others put Into the Wild in the DVD player, so i enjoyed the awesome sound track as i stared into the bright caribbean starlight, reminded of montana, and my sister and brother in law. reminded of how memmories are one the greatest gift life has to offer.

I just have to smile and be thankful for where i am right now, as i know i will have these memories for the rest of my life. What a gift!!!!!

Well its monday morning and im just about to begine first class of sustainable building.
I will be involved in the construction a traditional octagonal "Bohio", the structures that the native Taino indians of St.croix lived in. We are building it of lumber rather than bamboo, becuase Ben (head instructor) wants it to last for many years rather than a season or two.

Alot more to come, with videos and pictures as well.

Saturday Famers Market & Relaxation

This is my post for saturday.

Woke up before the again, i really like doing that, it allows me to fully experience the beuaty of the sunshine. i woke up before alot of the birds did, and hearing them all get up and immediatly start singing together. Ahhh it just lifts me to such high places. Its truly amazing the unity that you can find in nature. Morning unity, which led me to the infinity herb garden as teh sun was rising to hartvest cilantro and dill, with Reylbeck (intern and amazing person) for the farmers co-op down in town. Mandy joined us for the market experience as well.

The VI Farmers Co-op is a great thing arising. its taken three years for it to get to the point it is at now, which is a small tent covered, gathering ever saturday, however the land behind it is now owned by the Department of Agriculture and is going to be leased out to over 50 different farmers, Funding is on its way which will allow the constuction of a permanent, shelter?store for the farmers to sell produce 7 days a week, the Co-op will also be creating networks, for volunteers to come and help out. St. Croix was once considered the Bread basket of the Caribbean, but know imports 99% of its food. The Co-op is a deffinite move back in the right direction.

Aftert spending a couple of hours helping to sell our produce at the market, Reylbeck, Mandy, and myself moved on to get some lunch, Tasty veggie sandwich by the ocean.

The rest of the day went really well, just calm easy relaxation. I sat on the porch of the cabana and played around with some clay trying to make some pendents. I will see if they survive the firing process, and then i cut a hole into a piece of shell that i found on the beach, and with some fibers from a snake plant I made a neckles.

Then after bloggong for a while, just hung and relaxed to some reggae. :)

later on after making some pumking and curry rice, Ryan and I Burnt some resine from the stinken toe tree, we groudnedn up the resine and used a coconut nut as a bowl and ash to hold the bamboo charcol that you light up, and then sprinkle the "loose incences" powrder on it.

The process is amazing and and the scent of the resine was mystical sort of resembled Frankensense

All in all the day is a productive day, of sharing produce, and discovering activities that sustain me with a roots feeling.

I got to go now cause the lizard next to my bed is staring at me, probabply telling me to get off this computer and get myself to the beach for a game of vollyball, followed by a superbowl party.

Miss you all, but truly enjoying myself.

Feed back please.