by Winding Pathways | Jan 19, 2015 | (Sub)Urban Homesteading, Foraging, Preparedness
Few cold winter evening experiences are as pleasant as sitting before the woodstove soaking up the warmth of a fire. That heat is essentially solar energy captured by the tree through photosynthesis on past summer days and released by fire in the dead of winter.
There are plenty of good reasons to consider wood heat and lots of reasons to forget it. Heating with wood is a lifestyle that requires elbow grease to cut, move, split, and stack firewood. Wood needs to constantly be fed into the stove and ashes must be removed every couple of days. Although attractive and cozy, burning wood brings pieces of bark and dirt into the home. These can be downsides, but many people love to work with wood, and cutting and splitting are pleasures, not chores. Wood heat can also save heating money, especially if the fuel comes free.
We have two woodstoves at Winding Pathways. Years ago we ditched our romantic but inefficient fireplace and added a stove. They are much more efficient than fireplaces, meaning that more of the energy in a chunk of wood ends up making a room comfortable and less goes up the chimney.
Now is a great time to plan for wood heat for next winter. It takes time to buy a stove and have it installed. To lay in next winter’s wood supply nearly a year in advance is critical.
The wood of living trees contains water that must be removed before it will burn well. Cut and split firewood stacked in a dry breezy place takes six months to a year for evaporation to remove enough water to transform it into efficient fuel. Late winter is a great time to process wood for next winter. We like to have all of next winter’s wood ready by the end of this March.
Wood is solidified sunshine mixed with minerals. Not all wood is created equally. The energy contained in a chunk is directly proportional to its weight. Dry hickory, for example, is about twice as heavy as the same size hunk of cottonwood and contains double the energy. To learn the heat value of different tree species simply Google Sweep’s Library Firewood BTU Comparison Charts. This chart lists heat values of wood by both alphabet and heat (BTU) value.
Utah State University’s link includes heat value, ease of splitting, smoke emissions, how much a wood sparks and fragrance.
For example, a cord of Maple (Sugar) weighs 3740 pounds and contains 23.2 million BTUs. In contrast a cord of Cottonwood weighs 2040 pounds and contains 12.6 million BTUs of energy. This relationship shows a homeowner would need process and store about twice as much Cottonwood as Sugar Maple to yield the same amount of heat.
Wood is usually sold by the cord or 128 cubic feet. That’s a stack eight feet long, four feet high and four feet deep. Hickory, black locust, white oak and sugar maple are the heaviest common woods of eastern and central North America. Cottonwood, basswood, aspen and most pines and spruces are the lightest. Elm, cherry, silver maple, hackberry and ash fall in between. In a normal Iowa winter we burn about three cords of a blend of oak, black cherry and maple. We’ve burned our share of “poorer” woods like cottonwood and box elder because it was available and we were short of heavier species. Lighter wood generates wonderful heat. It just takes a lot more of it than if we had hickory or oak. Wood is our main, but not only, heat source. We have a natural gas furnace and installed a gas insert into the old fireplace. Both work well and keep the house warm when we go on winter trips and are not around to feed wood into the stoves.
by Winding Pathways | Jan 12, 2015 | (Sub)Urban Homesteading, Energy Efficiency, Nature, Preparedness
People have the good fortune to sit in a warm home watching birds glean seeds outdoors in winter’s frigid weather. It is amazing that they remain active in temperatures that cause human frostbite after just minutes of exposure.
Birds have several adaptations that enable them to function in extreme cold. Perhaps most important is being clothed in highly efficient insulators – feathers. Even in our era of modern high tech insulation, goose down quilts and coats are warmer than any synthetic insulation, so the hundreds of feathers covering small birds keep them warm.
Birds have a high metabolism that produces toasty body heat but requires huge quantities of fuel. They must eat often and spend much of the day foraging. To fight the cold they devour high calorie foods such as weed seeds and frozen insects. But beef suet and sunflower seeds stocked in bird feeders also help keep them warm.
During extreme cold birds often overnight in the security of a dead tree. Tiny birds snugly pass howling blizzards tucked into small crevices. Wood is a relatively efficient insulator and birds squeeze between the bark and wood or in holes excavated by woodpeckers. Bird houses erected in spring to attract nesting wrens or bluebirds serve double duty as safe roosting sites.
Unfortunately winter is the season of death for many birds and other small wild animals. Cold, wind, snow, lack of food and predators take their toll and only a fortunate small percentage of young wild animals live until their first birthday.
This winter we have seen as many as four male and one female bluebirds at one time at our “dogfeeder” waterer.
During the winter provide plenty of seed and suet for the birds. And, remember that critical element – water!
Homeowners can help birds safely winter by protecting dead trees and erecting bird houses before cold weather arrives. Put the latter on your list to do this spring and give the birds a hand for next winter.
by Winding Pathways | Nov 18, 2014 | Nature, Preparedness
Few household items are as handy as a pair of binoculars. Sure, they are great for getting a close look at birds visiting the feeder, but they are also helpful to:
- inspect the roof from the ground for loose shingles. No climbing up a ladder.
- view from a distance butterflies, bees and other insects. No scaring them off.
- bring distant worlds into view from the backyard. In today’s overly lit cities and rural farmyards only a few stars are bright enough to see with the naked eyes. Binoculars bring many more into view along with planets, comets and even the International Space Station.
- make viewing ball games, concerts and large stage shows more interesting and intimate.
We don’t have just “a pair” of binoculars at Winding Pathways. We have several. Each of us keeps a pair in the car. One is near our dining room table, another in an upstairs bedroom and a final one in our offices. We also have a compact pair that gets tucked into the suitcase when we travel by plane.
Binoculars are an outstanding gift, but buying a quality pair without breaking the budget can get confusing. Dozens of brands and models flood the market and range in price from under $20 to several months mortgage payments. How do you choose?
Most people are best served by versatile general purpose binoculars. A few numbers are helpful to know. For example many binoculars are 8X40 or 8X42. The first number means how much magnification the binocs provide. In this case it’s eight power. The second number tells how large the lens is at the end of the binocular and indicates how much light it lets in. The bigger the number, the more light the binoculars let in and the wider the outer lenses are. In this case, if you divide the first number into the second, the result is around five. They will be a great general purpose pair of binoculars. Mini compact binocs commonly have a division factor of three. They will be easy to carry but less useful when the light is poor or for astronomy. On the other end of the spectrum are binoculars designed for low light. They will have large second numbers and are usually too big and bulky for general use but ideal for astronomy and spotting wildlife at dusk.
At Winding Pathways Rich prefers eight power binoculars and Marion uses 10 power models. As the power increases they become harder to hold steady without vibration and the field of view gets smaller. In other words you see less of the landscape with 10 power than with eight, so it may be harder to find that distant deer or bird. Ten power is great for people with steady hands.
Price gives some indication of quality. Avoid very inexpensive binoculars like the plague. If all you can afford is a $25 gift buy something other than optics. On the other hand there’s no point in buying expensive binoculars for general around the home use or for casual use. Fortunately optics on mid-priced binoculars has gotten much better in recent years, and outstanding models are available at modest cost.
We’ve used dozens of pairs of binoculars of many configurations and brands and believe those in the $125 to $250 price range are generally just fine for around the house use. Double the price and you’ll get better optics but you won’t get double the value because it takes companies more expense to get small improvements in quality.
Be sure the binoculars are comfortable in the hands, provide clear viewing, and are fun to use. We like to view butterflies and bees that are often only six to ten feet from our eyes, so close focusing is important to us.
So, what brand do we use? In recent years we’ve mostly purchased Alpen binoculars. They feature excellent optics at reasonable cost. But, many other brands are also outstanding. Binoculars can be purchased in stores, through catalogs or over the Internet. Buying in stores gives an opportunity to hold them and examine the optics before the purchase is made. Buying over the Internet makes returning, if necessary, easy and gives a chance to read reviews. Internet purchasing is becoming more common.
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From time to time Winding Pathways will profile companies that provides equipment or services helpful in managing and enjoying wondrous yards. We have used their products and found them well made. However, we recognize that competing companies sell excellent products and services, so we encourage people to shop the market and find goods and services they like at a price they can afford.
In coming months Winding Pathways will feature profiles of Murray McMurray Hatchery, The Seed Savers Exchange, Milwaukee Tools and manufacturers of bird feeders.
Our inaugural profile is of the Alpen Outdoor Corporation.
Tim and Vickie Gardner established Alpen in 1996. He had been VP of Bausch and Lomb’s Bushnell division and wanted to provide a line of sports optics that delivers high quality and value. Alpen sells a wide array of binoculars and spotting and rifle scopes.
Although a relatively new company, Alpen has won several prestigious optics awards including Outdoor Life Magazine’s GREAT BUY award seven times and its EDITOR’S CHOICE award once.
Alpen is a family owned business and, although smaller than big brands, it is proud of its superb customer service and its” no fault” lifetime product guarantee.
When asked what distinguishes Alpen binoculars from other brands, Tim Gardner replied, “We work to provide more value and better quality compared to other manufacturers. We keep overhead low and concentrate more on customer service than fancy advertising.”
Here are his suggestions for general purpose around the home binoculars: “I recommend eight power as it gives the best brightness, field of view and ease of use. A full size 8X52 or 8X25 is outstanding for general use.”
When asked what binoculars were best for children he replied, “The most important thing is for the binocular to be able to adjust to fit the smaller face and closer set eyes of children. Alpen has an 8X30 model designed for kids. It has barrels that are close together to fit a child’s face. Some double hinge compact roof prism binoculars can also be adjusted to fit small faces”.
Contact Vicki or Tim at Alpen Outdoor Corporation, 10329 Dorset Street, Rancho Cucamonga,
CA 91730. (877)987-8370. www.alpenoptics.com.
by Winding Pathways | Nov 3, 2014 | Preparedness
Zombies and Ebola are all the rage and have people worried, but they are a less likely threat than power outages.
Massive storms, like this year’s East Coast Halloween Horror, that dropped up to a foot of snow in the Southern Appalachian Mountains and have caused power outages in the Northeast and curtailed transportation are the serious hazard people should prepare for.
Could your family ride out a couple of weeks without electricity following a blizzard, ice storm, or major flood? Or leave on a moment’s notice if a fire or even lava flow threatens? (Think California and Hawaii) Taking simple steps in advance will make enduring days without power and out of your home a relatively comfortable time.
Winding Pathways encourages families to prepare for a big storm by assembling a kit containing easy to acquire and relatively inexpensive items like nonperishable food and water, and things most people never think about – like having a stash of cash on hand. Remember, credit and debit cards don’t work without electricity. A backup heat source that doesn’t require electricity keeps pipes and people from freezing should a power failure knock out the furnace.
This is the time to get ready for that weather emergency. For details check the Winding Pathways Blog on Preparedness . It includes detailed tips for disaster preparation.
by Winding Pathways | Jul 14, 2014 | Preparedness
Dealing with a two week power failure in relative comfort
Each year natural disasters shut down gas, electric, and water services to millions of homes. More than ever, people’s lives are being disrupted by storms, earthquakes, and fires. But few are ready to weather a week or two without utilities.
A weird accident many years ago helped the Patterson family prepare for future outages. On a pleasant summer afternoon a worker’s cutting torch accidentally ignited a huge Styrofoam dome covering our town’s sewage treatment plant. Black toxic smoke welled up from raging flames and spread over the homes and businesses of thousands of people. Disaster sirens wailed as the police department ordered everyone to leave town quickly.
With smoke thickening around our home we tossed camping gear, food, and a jug of water in the trunk, put the kids in the back seat and headed for clean air. An hour later we pitched the tent in the yard of a friend who lived miles away. The next morning with the fire out, the air cleared and authorities let citizens come home.
Fortunately our disaster impacted a small area for a short time. It happened during warm weather and didn’t harm homes, roads, or utility infrastructure. That’s unusual. Increasingly common are monstrous winter and summer storms, wildfires, and even earthquakes that destroy buildings and knock out utilities for days or weeks.
While predicting where and when a disaster will strike is impossible, certainly millions of people will experience one in coming months and have their lives disrupted. Prudent people will have prepared for a disaster by assembling a kit of items that can be used in the home when utilities go down or quickly tossed in the car if evacuation is ordered.
Enduring a week or two without utilities isn’t fun, but having the basic items in permanent storage keeps life relatively comfortable. The Patterson family keeps enough of the following basics ready to ride out a two-week power disruption:
- Food. Dehydrated meals that keep almost forever, weigh little and are quite tasty.
- Water. 20 gallons in plastic containers plus water purification tablets and a water filter.
- Communications. Solar cell phone charger, a tiny radio with extra batteries and a written list of relatives and important contacts.
- Camp stove, matches, flashlights, paper towels, bleach and warm packs.
- Medications and toiletries
- Camping equipment
We store all items, except sleeping bags and a tent, in bins where they can be quickly reached.
LIVING SAFELY AND COMFORTABLY WHEN A DISASTER KNOCKS OUT UTILITIES
It seems to be happening more often. Wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, and human disasters create enormous damage over vast areas. These natural events knock out electric and gas service, close stores, and make travel difficult. Sometimes it takes weeks to restore utilities most of us take for granted.
The most likely disaster to strike an American family is an extended power outage caused by a storm. Could you ride out a winter week or two in comfort….without utilities?
Few are prepared to either quickly evacuate our homes or stay put while a blizzard rages outside or cope when electricity and gas don’t work. Creating a preparedness plan and assembling simple and inexpensive items make enduring a few powerless days or weeks safe and reasonably comfortable.
Winding Pathways LLC encourages every family to develop a disaster plan and assemble items useful in the event of an evacuation or long term utility outage.
THE PREPAREDNESS PLAN
A family preparedness plan can be as simple as a discussion clarifying what needs to be done and who is responsible for doing various actions in the event of an extended power outage, evacuation need, or some other emergency. Plan items should include having:
- Preparedness equipment, food, medications, cash, and supplies ready in secure containers.
- Predetermined a place for scattered family members to meet and stay in the event of an evacuation order.
- Prepared a list of family, friends, and important professional people (police department, attorney, and physician) with contact information.
All family members should have a copy and one should be in the preparedness container.
PREPAREDNESS EQUIPMENT
Years ago our police department ordered residents to evacuate within one hour because toxic fumes were spreading into neighborhoods from an enormous fire. We had never considered an evacuation and hadn’t developed a plan or a kit of items to quickly grab and toss in the car. Fortunately, we had camping equipment, food, and other essential items scattered about the house and garage. With hurried scrambling we had them in the trunk and were on the road seeking cleaner air within a half hour.
After the air cleared and we returned, our family developed a disaster plan and gathered the items we wanted to take if we ever needed to evacuate again. Or simply use at home if a disaster knocks out utilities.
We store emergency items in three easily accessed places and can gather and load them in the car and be on the road in fifteen minutes.
EMERGENCY BINS
We began by purchasing two large plastic storage bins to hold an array of small items. We stocked them with items we anticipated we’d need if our power went out for a week or two or we needed to evacuate. Many were simple “around the house” items like matches, candles, old silverware we weren’t routinely using. Other items such a tiny portable radio and solar cell phone charger we bought.
Everything in the bins is dedicated to emergency use ONLY. To raid bins for nonemergency use is foolish. For example, if batteries die we buy new ones, rather than raiding the bin. A survey of our home revealed how many devices require batteries! Since batteries have a shelf life, we check the bins annually and replace items, like batteries, that have a shelf life with new ones.
We began stocking the bins with obvious items we’d need. Dried foods, toiletries, and flashlights are logical. But some things are easy to overlook, so we occasionally add something new. Two examples, many people use credit cards for nearly all purchases. When the power goes off they don’t work. Cash does. So, we hid cash in small bills in our bins When Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast in 2012 cell phone service remained working in many areas but homeowners had no way to recharge their phones. So, we added a solar powered phone charger to the bin.
It’s important to have two easy to overlook items safely stored for emergency use: Cash in small bills- Credit and debit cards don’t work when the power goes off- and a cell phone charger, such as a solar powered one.
Here’s what the Patterson’s have ready in case of a massive utility failure:
In two plastic bins stored for easy access. Most items are individually packed in zip lock bags.
- Toiletries, medications, and cosmetics. Reading and sun glasses.
- Toilet paper, aluminum foil, and paper towels. Bleach. Hand sanitizer.
- First aid kit. Small bottle of rubbing alcohol.
- A “multitool” that includes pliers, screwdriver, and knife.
- Duct and black tape.
- Water purification tablets and a water purification filter. Learn how to use it before you need it. (see notes later – water purification)
- Matches in several separate watertight containers and a butane lighter.
- Sunscreen, insect repellent, and “warm packs.” ( sometimes called hand warmers)
- Small transistor radio with batteries stored outside so they do not discharge over time.
- Many spare batteries and two flashlights. (replace these annually) Three candles.
- Paper and pencils, pens, envelopes and postage stamps. (replace these with new-rate ones)
- Cell phone solar charger.
- Contact list of relatives, friends, physicians, attorneys, police, and others. (update annually)
- CASH. When power is off ATM’s don’t work! Cash does.
- Books and games. Emergencies often create much down time and can be “boring” after a few days. Plan ahead.
- Small camping stove and extra fuel. Our stove fits inside a handy pot with a frying pan lid.
- Two week supply of dehydrated food.
- Eating utensils, sharp knife, cutting board, can opener, paper plates and washable bowls.
- Dish soap and small basin.
- State road map.
Items outside the bins but easy to grab:
- Water. Ten gallons per family member. Stored in clean camping jugs or milk jugs near the bins.
- Gasoline. Ten gallons stored in the garage. “Stabile added” to prevent gas from deteriorating. Twice a year we pour the gas into our
- car’s tank and replace it with fresh gas.
- Camping equipment. Tent, ground cloth, sleeping bags, pegs, hammer or axe.
- Battery operated lantern.
- Cell phones.
- Clothing. We can quickly grab appropriate clothing from closets and drawers. What we grab depends on the season and weather. Remember a raincoat!
Tents, sleeping bags, stoves, and other camping equipment are invaluable during disasters. Often they can be purchased at great markdown late in the summer after the normal camping season is over or found at garage sales.
