Winter Composting, Fish Emulsion, and more

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/how-to-make-organic-fish-emulsion-for-your-garden#.UsJTG7RGTRo

http://www.organicauthority.com/organic-gardening/composting-over-winter-for-gardening-success-in-spring.html

Firewood 101

Copied from Before its News

Thursday, December 19, 2013 17:45

0

(Before It's News)

Collecting firewood is more involved than just cutting trees down, cutting them up and stacking them to be burned in a wood stove.  Here is some very important information to follow when gathering firewood.

1. Burn only well seasoned firewood
Seasoned firewood comes from two  sources.  1. Trees that are dead and standing or on the ground. (Needles/leaves have fallen)  If the bark is partially or completely missing this usually indicates that the tree is probably dry/seasoned.  However, notice if part or all of the tree has deteriorated beyond usefulness.  Standing dead trees can be dryer than fallen dead trees.  2.  Green/wet wood that has been cut to the proper length for a particular stove, split, covered and allowed to air dry for at least 1 year or more.  It may require more than a year to dry if the wood comes from a region that receives a large amount of precipitation per year resulting in wood that contains more moisture.  Why should unseasoned wood (green/wet wood) not be burned in a wood stove?  When unseasoned firewood is burned the moisture in the wood becomes vaporized and is expelled up the stove pipe.  As the vapor travels farther away from the fire it begins to cool and collect on the inside of the stove pipe, solidifying and forming creosote.  Under certain conditions the creosote can ignite and become a dangerous “chimney fire”.  During a severe chimney fire a steel stove pipe can melt down causing the house to catch fire. Also a mason chimney/chase can get so hot it will crack and allow flames to lap thru catching the attic/roof system on fire.
2. Have at least a 2-year supply of firewood on hand
What if the firewood cutter in the family got sick or broke a bone?  Or, what if there was an unforeseen emergency, whether national or global, that prevented one from collecting firewood?  Wouldn’t it be wise to have at least a 2 year supply of firewood on hand?
3. Save trees on your property for times of emergency
According to a Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin titled “Woodlot Management”, one needs a minimum 5 acres of trees to maintain a renewable supply of firewood.  This  depends on the climate of the area, the size of the house, how well it is insulated and the efficiency of the wood stove.  What if you don’t have a minimum 5 acres of trees available for firewood on the property?  It would be prudent to collect at least a 2 year supply of firewood from other sources until those sources are no longer available. Then and only then start using the firewood on your own property.
4. Know your trees
Not all trees are created equal.  Some species contain more  heat units (British Thermal Units…BTUs) than others.  This is to say that some species will give off more heat per pound of wood, burn longer and leave less ash than others.  Each region of the country usually has at least one of these species of wood.  You must make yourself aware of which is the best in your region.  The following table shows various species of wood and their corresponding list of “Available heat at 50% efficiency in millions of BTUs. (Most wood stoves)”
Species                                  Millions of BTUs
Hickory                                         13.8                               
Apple                                            13.2
White Oak                                     12.8
Sugar Maple                                  12.0
Red Oak                                        12.0
Beech                                           12.0
Yellow Birch                                  11.8
White Ash                                     11.8
Hackberry                                     10.4
Tamarack                                      10.4
Paper Birch                                   10.2
Red Fir                                         11.1
Cherry                                          10.0
Elm                                                9.8
Black Ash                                        9.6
Jack Pine                                         8.5
Norway Pine                                    8.5
Lodgepole Pine                                8.8
Hemlock                                         7.9                           
Black Spruce                                   7.9
Aspen                                            7.3
White Pine                                      7.2
Balsam Fir                                      7.2
Grans Fir                                        8.4
Cotton Wood                                   6.7
Basswood                                       6.7
White Cedar                                    6.1
            Compiled from information from the Univ. of Minn. and the Univ. of Idaho.
5. Estimating the number of trees needed
Once it is established how many cords of wood is needed to heat your dwelling for a season, the following table can be used to estimate how many trees will need to be cut.
                                     Table for Estimating Cords per Tree
DBH             Cords/tree           No. Trees to Make a Cord
                                                                                                           
  4”                0.01                                   67.00                      
  6”                0.04                                   23.00                       DBH = diameter outside bark
  8”                0.09                                   10.50                                 at 4.5’ above ground.
10”                0.17                                     5.80 
12”                0.28                                     3.50
14”                0.41                                     2.40                      Univ. of Idaho Extension Service
16”                0.58                                     1.70                                             Data.
18”                0.70                                     1.30
20”                1.00                                     1.00                  
22”                1.20                                     0.82                      Cord = stack of firewood
24”                1.50                                     0.67                                4‘ W X 4‘ H X 8’ L    
26”                1.80                                     0.57
28”                2.20                                     0.46
30”                2.50                                     0.40
6. Finding the right kind of firewood
While looking for a particular species  in a forested area try to find a stand of trees of that species. The possibility of finding a dead tree of that same species will be increased. If cutting firewood in a National or State forest be sure to have proper permits with you and know the regulations.  Also if cutting wood in a National or State forest it is best to be one of the first in the area you are looking thru.  This can assure you of being able to find good firewood near the road you are driving (“Low hanging fruit”) which makes it easier to get the firewood into you truck.
7. Tools needed
Chainsaws – Husqvarna and Stihl are two of the best on the  market.  Dealers, parts     and service are readily available in forested regions of the country.  Both brands make chainsaws in three different grade levels:  1. Professional grade  2.  Farmer/Rancher/Mid-grade and  3. Homeowner grade.  It is recommended to purchase saws only in the top two grades of these two brands. 
A Stihl “Farm Boss” with a 20” bar is a mid-grade saw that should be durable enough to cut a persons supply of firewood, and then some, for years to come.  I believe it is one of the best saws for the money.  I have owned four Stihl chain saws over the past 25 or so years and have been very satisfied with every one. 
If you have back problems or are in your golden years I recommend a Stihl
Pro MS 261 with a 20” bar.  If this saw is taken care of it should cut all your firewood and then some for many years.  It will do the same work as a much larger saw only a little slower.
Why a saw with a 20” bar?  A person doesn’t have to bend over as far when de-limbing a downed tree and of course it can cut larger trees.
I recommend mixing the manufactures brand of oil in the chainsaw fuel.  I also recommend using non-ethanol fuel (If it is available in your area) even if it comes only in premium grade.
Crosscut Saw -  If your chainsaw breaks and for what ever reason it is impossible to get it fixed at the time, a sharp crosscut saw is an excellent back up.  A good place to find old crosscut saws is flea markets and yard sales etc.  If an old saw isn’t missing teeth, doesn’t show much ware and isn’t pitted with rust to deeply they can often be restored back to good working order.  New crosscut saw can be ordered from www.traditionalwoodworker.com.

Ax, Maul, Steel Wedge, Sledge Hammer etc. – Snow and Neally manufactures some of the best axes for the money.  Forged steel heads and tight grain New England ax handles enable these tools to have a limited life time warranty.  Axes can be used to de-limb downed tress. They can also be used to cut fire wood if all other cutting tools fail. Mauls are used to split “rounds” of fire wood.  If the rounds are too large for a maul to be effective steel wedges driven with a sledge hammer will split the large rounds down to a size where the faster splitting maul can be used.  Good quality mauls, steel wedges and sledge Hammers can usually be found from local hardware stores or logging supply stores in forested regions of the country.
Peavey – What is a peavey?  A peavey or peavey hook is a logging tool consisting of a handle, generally from 30 to 50 inches long, with a metal spike protruding from the end.  The spike is rammed into a log, then a hook (at the end of an arm attached to a pivot a short distance up the handle) grabs the log at a second location.  Once engaged, the handle gives the operator leverage to roll or slide the log to a new position.
Log Lifter – A log lifter is a device similar to a cant hook (a cant hook is similar to a peavey except it has a blunt end where the peavey has a metal spike) and has a short metal leg and foot attached to the handle on the opposite side from the hook.  After the hook is forced to snag the log the operator pushes down on the end of the handle which in turn rolls the log up onto the metal leg/foot lifting the log off the ground.  This makes it possible for the log to be cut without the chain saw touching dirt which can dull the chain.  It also raises the log off the ground keeping the operator from having to bend down so far to cut the log.
Snatch Cable and Snatch Block – If a desirable tree is dropped where the end of it falls within 90’-100’ of a road, a snatch cable can be used to pull it out to the road where it can be cut (“bucked”) into proper length rounds. 
This is how it works. The downed tree is de-limbed. Using either a short chain or choker cable one end of the snatch cable is attached to the end of the downed tree closest to the road.   The other end is connected to a vehicle on the road which drags the tree out of the forest.  If the only area where the vehicle can be driven, while pulling the snatch cable, is on the road a snatch block is then used.  The snatch block is a heavy duty pulley which is attached to a substantial tree next to the road.  The cable is run thru the snatch block and then connected to the vehicle.  The vehicle is then driven slowly down the road pulling the cable thru the snatch block which pulls the tree out to the road.
8. Safety
Basic rule of thumb:
          A. NEVER CUT FIREWOOD WHEN YOU ARE TIRED! 
          B. ALWAYS HAVE ANOTHER PERSON WITH YOU WHEN CUTTING!
Other important safety measures:
Chainsaw Chaps and Steel-Toed boots – Most accidents that occur while using a chainsaw cause injury to the body from the waist down.  Therefore it is most important to use chainsaw chaps and boots with steel-toed shields.
Protective Helmets – Before cutting a tree down always observe the upper part of the tree for the presence of a “widow maker”.  A widow maker is any upper part of a tree that is so fragile from decay or some previous damage that it could break and fall causing serious injury or even death to the tree cutter below. This is why it is very important to wear a helmet for protection when cutting a tree down.
Ear Protection – The loud sound of a chainsaw WILL cause the loss of hearing to unprotected ears.  Therefore it is imperative to wear some kind of ear protection devices.  Ear protection devices can be purchased from home improvement stores.  Ear protection devices used while shooting firearms is a very good way to protect ones ears and can sometimes be priced quite reasonably at stores that sell firearms.
Eye and Face Protection – Wood chips being thrown while cutting with a chainsaw can
cause injury to the face and eyes, even loss of eye sight.
There are chainsaw helmets that have face, eye and ear protection devices attached to them and are usually available at chainsaw dealers.

Northern Illinois Farm Blog with a member share

http://all-natural-mama.blogspot.com/

Grow lights for plants indoors

Excerpts from
http://www.kulekat.com/led-home-lighting/do-led-grow-lights-work.html


Photosynthetically Available Radiation (also called Photosynthetically Active Radiation and abbreviated to PAR) defines the spectral band between 400 and 700 nanometres (nm) as illustrated in the diagram where plants find light suitable for photosynthesis.
The standard unit of measure for PAR is µmol (micromoles) per square meter per second which gives the photosynthetic photon flux density (PPF or PPFD) – essentially how much light is hitting a given area. Where lumens per watt are used to determine the efficacy of regular lighting (i.e. intended for humans), PPF holds sway in horticulture.

How much light do plants need?

Now generally speaking, the more light the better where plants are concerned; however there is a distinct point beyond which they are unable to make further use of extra light. This is rather boringly called the Light Saturation Point and for your average plant this is around about 500 µmol/m². For comparison, the maximum amount of PAR available on a clear summer day is 2000 µmol/m².
Subjecting plants to light in excess of their particular saturation point (this obviously varies for individual species) is not only wasteful but in fact counter productive as they will actually grow less well. An easy way to adjust the PAR is to simply alter the height of the lights above the plants.
For example, the saturation point for lettuce is about 300 µmol/m² and a typical 130w LED grow light can deliver between 200-1400 µmol/m² as the distance is varied from 3 feet to 6 inches. The optimum height for growing lettuce would thus be at about 2 feet.
To sum up then, what plants require for healthy growth is light that radiates at four specific wavelengths (two types of chlorophyll times two absorption peaks each). To be technical, chlorophyll “a” absorption peaks are at 430 nm and 662 nm, and chlorophyll “b” sits within “a” at 453 nm and 642 nm.

Likewise, because LEDs accurately target the wavelengths preferred by plants they both don’t need to be and in fact don’t seem so bright to us, even though they are actually delivering a greater amount of “useful” light.
That perception is further bolstered by the fact that HIDs emit a lot of light in the green/yellow part of the spectrum which increases their perceived intensity to the human eye (unlike plants we favor light around the 550 nm mark). But the fact is that they are just wasting all this additional light since it is of little benefit to plant life.
If we take a 400w HID as an example, about 260 watts of that will actually be completely outside the Photosynthetically Available Range (PAR) so at least 65% of the light (and the energy used to produce it) is completely wasted.
So with less than 40% of the light generated by HPS and MH lamps being absorbed by plants, and barely 10% of the electricity you pay to run them being actually converted into light in the first place this is not looking promising for conventional lighting. On these figure about 4% of the input energy ends up doing some good for the plant (it’s not quite that bad to be honest, but it’s fun to push the data around to draw extreme conclusions).

spo--you can use combinations of blue and red LED or it might be cheaper to just use a full spectrum LED and get the benefit of a SAD light box.

 Light intensity and distance
It’s worth also reiterating here that because LED lights have a very low heat output, the Inverse Square Law of light (mentioned above) plays to their advantage. Let’s say you have a set of grow lights positioned two feet from your plants that delivers, for the sake of argument, 400 lux (the intensity of light per square metre). If you halve that distance to one foot then the light delivered will be equivalent instead to 1600 lux – a massive increase in light density without any additional expenditure.

To be at all effective, each individual LED should consume at least one watt of power. Below this level there is insufficient penetrative power. There is a balance to be maintained between overall light coverage and individual light intensity. Consider for example replacing a 50w halogen lamp with 10 x 5w lamps – the intensity is simply not there.
So if (to use an example that may be familiar to some) a panel is rated at 13.8 watts using 225 LEDs then you can easily calculate that each one is 0.061 watts – about 16 times below the minimum threshold, or equivalent to using a 6w light bulb in place of a 100w one

To go back to our Edison 1W LED by way of example, the same Edixeon S in the form of a 3w bulb is indeed brighter at a total of 85 lumens, but the lumens per watt figure is one third that at just over 28lm/w. Put another way, 3 x 1w LEDs gives a total of 150lm (3*50lm)which is a lot more light than 1 x 3w LED outputting 85lm. The same effect is observed as the wattage increase through 5 and 7 watt LEDs.

But you can compare what is used in any given product with a respected standard such as this Edison High Power 1w LED. Note that this lists luminous flux for LEDs emitting light at different wavelengths, so we can easily see that at 620~630nm we get 50 lumens (per watt, obviously since this is a 1 watt lamp).

Many 1st generation LED grow lamps were bi-band (just red and blue) which experience has shown to be insufficient for most plants. Although these two wavelengths satisfy the bulk of a plant’s needs, most still require trace amounts of light from other portions of the spectrum. However, many growers reported good results even with these early models – once considered state of the art and yet still the subject of heated debate – plus ça change…
More modern (so-called 2nd generation) system are tri-band and incorporate an orange component and there are now 5 band lights that match both chlorophyll absorption peaks in the red and blue zones plus orange.
You should be looking for anything above 90 watts, so an LED grow light 120 watts or more should suffice depending of course on your specific requirements and situation. The reason incidentally that it is common to find LED grow lights 120w advertised online is that this is approximately equivalent to most standard 400w HPS setups (in much the same way that in the world of domestic energy saving light bulbs a 6w LED is shorthand equivalence for a 50w halogen lamp).

Winter gardening Blog from Minnesota

http://www.milkandhoneyfarm.com/garden/winter.html

Bypass flow through humidifier

How to Install Second Bypass Flow-Through Humidifier

In order to mount a second bypass flow-through humidifier you have to do the following:









To assure optimal product performance, be sure the template is level before marking.
Determine the location for the humidifier below the existing one and draw a level line.

• Tape a template and trace around it
  
• Remove the template and carefully cut the rectangular opening by piercing the initial hole with a screwdriver and a hammer and cut the opening with red aviation snips
  
• Disassemble the humidifier
  
• Remove the cover and take out the humidifier pad assembly

P. 1                                                              P. 2

Sidewalls are interchangeable for either left or right bypass installation. To change direction, remove the screws holding each sidewall, switch sidewall locations, and reinstall the screws.
P. 3                                                                                                                            P. 4

• Unscrew the solenoid valve and store it properly. You may need it in the future to replace if the existing one on the first humidifier will get broken
  
• Drill the hole in the top of the humidifier housing and install the tubing fitting connector (P. 2, P. 3)
  
• Position the humidifier housing in the opening (be sure it’s level), so the locking tabs are in place on the lower sheet metal edge of the opening
  
• Secure the humidifier housing to the opening at the top and bottom using sheet metal screws
  

P. 5                                                                                                                          P. 6

• Remove 6” elbow and piece of pipe from the existing humidifier and the 6” collar or 6” take-off from the plenum and
  
• Mark out 8” opening over the existing one by using 8” template or 8” collar itself
  
• Cut the opening for 8” collar or 8” take-off or elbow with a red aviation snips
  
• Install the 8” elbow or collar (P. 5)
  
• Install a piece of 8” pipe with the 8-6-8 Tee and 8”>6” reducer from the 8” elbow (P. 6)
  
• Connect a 8-6-8 Tee to the humidifiers by using two pieces of the 6” pipes with dampers installed on the inside and three 6” elbows
  
• Reinstall the humidifier pad assembly in the humidifier housing (P. 4)
  
• Hinge the cover in place and secure with the thumb screw located at the bottom of the cover

P. 7                                                                                            P. 8
For connection to the gravity drainage:

• Connect a ½” or 3/8” drain tube to the humidifier drain fitting and run to the condensate line (P. 8).

See list of applicable bypass flow-through humidifiers in the widget below:

Ticking Noise Elimination

Materials:
   

Silicon               Polyethylene         Silicon Lubricant
3" Long Screws, Drywall Screws, Zip Screws

Tools:
   
  Cordless Drill           Screwdriver                         Nutdrivers                  Flashlight 

Hammer                                                           Caulk gun                    Drywall saw

If you are having ticking noises in your basement most likely, they are coming from the hangers!
If you did not finish your basement off yet then it would be relatively simple to fix. Also, if in your basement you have a drop ceiling then consider yourself as a lucky one, the most difficult task would be if your ductwork is covered with the drywall!

Let’s start in the basement with the drywall on.

First of all, you have to locate where the noise is coming from. Don’t even waste your time on that! When supply duct contracting or expending it’s rubbing against the hangers and makes the ticking noise! So, where those bad hangers are? The first pair of hangers should be right at the duct’s end or maybe just a foot away. Find where, approximately, the supply duct ends and knock on the drywall. Find where drop’s member (I’m intentionally naming piece of 2 x 4 as a drop’s member because in your case it could be a metal stud or something else) ends and make a pilot hole by using a screwdriver and a hammer. Don’t use a drywall saw to make a pilot hole, because if accidentally you will hit a drop’s member you may bend it out:

• Shove a drywall saw in the pilot hole and cut it until you reach the next drop’s member
• Cut it in the opposite direction
• Make an opening big enough so you are able to work inside

Once the drywall is opened up:

• Unscrew the hanger, use a cordless drill with a ¼” magnetic socket or a nutdriver for that, bend the hanger up and look at it

First what you will see are the black spots. Those spots are indicating that in those particular spots a hanger is touching a duct and it's making this noise!

In order to fix the problem you have to put some silicon right on the black spots. Use only permanently flexible type of silicon, which is remain permanently flexible and will resolve your issue forever! After you cover up all the suspicious spots with silicon, screw the hanger back on.

However, some of my customers could not find this kind of silicon. So, if you are also having difficulties in obtaining the permanently flexible silicon use a piece of the polyethylene. For the better result use only thick one so it lasts longer. Cut a piece of the polyethylene, put it between the hanger and the duct and screw the hanger back on.

In some instances supply and return ductwork is hung too close to each other or it is too close to the I-beam, or to the drop’s members. In cases like this, you may use a hammer and a screwdriver to knock out a screw or maybe just pry the hanger away. Once it is done you can use a brush to bring some silicone in, or you can use a silicone-based lubricant.

After you have been done with the first hanger, find the second hanger on another side of the duct. Once the first pair of hangers was found and taken care of, you have to find the second one. Usually the last piece of duct is shorter than pieces before it, and it could be only one set of hangers taking care of this particular piece, but in general a piece of duct is 8’ long and the hangers could be found 1’ away from the each end. Sometimes there are pieces of duct 4’ long, this type of ductwork usually has only one pair of hangers and it’s difficult to be certain where they are. However, you can try to see them from the last opening in the drywall you just cut out.

Besides hangers using to hang the duct, there are some hangers that are using for the pipes. They also can be source for the ticking noise and use of the silicon will eliminate that.

In the same basement, one of the heat runs was making a ticking noise. When I cut the drywall there was not any hangers but it was a lose connection between two 6” pipes. Those pipes were moving against each other and making the noise. It was enough just to lift the pipes up and drive one more ½” zip screw, the noise is gone.

As you can see in the picture above in that basement were more than enough to fix only six hangers.
However, if your ductwork is open, just unscrew all the hangers one by one on all ductwork, supply and return, look for the black spots and fix them.

Once all hangers are done there could be more spots making the ticking noise, but it will be easier for you to find them, because there won’t be so many of them left, and now you know how to identify them – just look for the black spots.

If after you have been done there are still some places in your basement, which are making the noise, take pictures of the spots and send them to me.

Now I would like to introduce you a simple technique how to fix the holes in the drywall without too much trouble!

Buy a 2 x 3 stud (only $1.75 a piece) and start two screws for each piece necessary for the drywall. Cut those pieces with the flip-over saw and screw them to the drop’s members. Screw pieces of the drywall you just cut out, tape, send and paint them.
Some of my customers have supply duct fastened tight to the joists. As you can see in this picture a heating contractor screwed the duct from the side up to the joist. Such installation is illegal because it against code. Of course you can try to unscrew screws just a little bit, bring the duct down away from the joists, but better check out your local code in the code enforcement office and make your heating contractor to fix it free of charge.



If you are having a ticking noise in the walls, it can be because the oval stack is rubbing against

the rough strap at the top, floor angle at the bottom or it is touching the house wood frame. Also, noise can be transmitted from the basement. It is not difficult to understand the nature of the noise:

• If you hear a ticking noise with the metal sound in it, it is definitely coming from the metal parts, otherwise it's coming from the wood frame

Before you start cutting the drywall, try to find where the noise is coming from. If it’s coming from the top or from the bottom try to fix it with the long screws first – it’s always easier to repair a screw hole than a piece of drywall!
As you can see in the  pictures above there should be a rough strap 3 ½” wide at the top, but at the bottom you can screw it directly to the base molding. Some heating contractors are using floor angles  at the top also, so you have to be aware that they are only 1 ½” wide.
If you have a crown molding at the top of your wall you are still able to screw an oval stack to it:

• Predrill a hole with a drill bit. Size of this drill bit should match the screw’s size
• Use another drill bit big enough to hide the screw’s head
• Screw an oval stack to the crown molding and fix the holes with the sheet rock joint compound.

If your heating unit is located in the attic, try to find the oval stack in the attic first, try to move it and shove some fiberglass insulation in the hole around it.
Another source of the ticking noise are the B-vent pipes.


As you can see in the  pictures above, only source of noise can be in the places where the pipe is passing through the floor or to the attic in the chase and it is touching a firestop. The best solution in this case would be just to push pipe away from the firestop and fill the gap with the silicone. This kind of silicon is rated for 400* F and it is safe to use. If you live in a ranch, it is going to be the best solution. However, in the colonial you may need an access to the firestop between the first and the second floors.

Another most unlikely source of the noise could be if the B-vent pipes were not thoroughly attached to each other. In this case, you also need an access to them through the drywall and you can screw them together at the joint. While doing that try not to penetrate with the screw through the inner aluminum pipe and it would be better instead of ½” long zip screws use ¼” long ones. Fill the gap with the silicone.

Also, the noise could come from the duct laying uninsulated on the rafters. In this case you have to lift the duct up and shove some insulation in between, insulate thoroughly afterwards.

In the case of the PVC and copper pipes, you also have to look for the black spots. Normally they do not make any noises if a heating or plumbing contractor hang them right.

The copper pipes usually are making noises when they are inside the walls, so you have no choice, but cut the drywall out.

In the rare case when a PVC concentric is making a ticking noise you have to apply some silicon everywhere where concentric’ cap is touching the outer pipe.

That is it, I hope that I have answered all your questions, if not, please ask them on this page.