The Quack Shack

[Miss Lydia]

Hi

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

After 10 days of all-day frost, a day of spring-like warmth and a day of snow, we're back to frost. Single digit F overnight. Various gates won't open easily, old boots frozen to the ground, ducks take 5 steps and sit down. Three more days of this are forecast and then a warm period.

It's interesting for me to follow the discussion about heating because we're in the EU, the entity which has decided to perform energy suicide by phasing out old stuff before there's sufficient capacity of new stuff. It's hard to plan any kind of heating for new buildings because of mixed policy signals. On one hand money stimulus is paid to people to install a wood- or gas-powered furnace and on the other there's persistent talk of both being banned.

I find it really hard to understand many modern policy decisions because they seem completely irrational (and their consequences keep confirming this) while the majority is happy to cheer them on. Feels like "The Emperor's new clothes".

In the US you're blessed with an abundance of natural gas and a sensible enough attitude towards it (at least compared to the EU which is not a tall hurdle to overcome; yes, I've heard of the ideas about gas cooking ranges).

Nevertheless I think a wood stove is hard to beat for just plain self-sufficiency if you have a local source of firewood. We cut down some from our own little property and buy the rest from others in the village who have larger forest plots. In its basic form a wood stove is a way of heating that does not rely on anything else - no pipleline or distribution network, no contradictory things like wood pellet furnaces needing electricity to function.

Some models have a feature where fresh air is pulled in from the top of the stove, making its way down slowly and getting seriously pre-heated even before it reaches the fire. They say this makes for a cleaner and more complete burn, provided of course the firewood is also of good quality - properly dry most of all.

Don't get me started on the stupidity of the EU and - especially - on Germoney! - Too much green and left in politics, the »Big Boss« (Ursula von der Leyen) of the EU is also a German. She went from »Super-Mommy« (Minister of Families) to »Shotgun Ushi« (Minister of defense) to »Censursula« (Minister of Digital stuff / EU-Presidenta).
^C - ok, i stop! ^C^C

I don't think there is any environmental friendlier method for me to heat the house than wood: I need to cut down trees and shrubs to keep the driveway open, prevent the pasture from being overgrown and in the future i will have to trim the fruit trees and berry-shrubs… If i had a wood-chopper, i could turn all that wood into wood-chips for the dux and turn it into compost. But imho burning it and use the ashes and the charcoal in the potato patch is even better, so i have a fire-pit where all that heat is wasted. I intend to change this.

 

[ShrekDawg]

How are you!?

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I was thinking humidity in the propane which could have frozen the lines. But since *nothing* works, that's probably not it.

I want a properly rated stove for in the trailer. Unfortunately, those camping ones won't do. But, they would be perfect for the patio!

Never heart about humid propane, but water in the Diesel was exactly the reason for the ruined company car…

I looked around on the tropical-river's web-site and fell in love with this one:

Its a bit more expensive ($280 - 400) but it has a small glass door and its cast iron.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Thanks, Chris it is heartbreaking.

I would imagine there would be deaths due to this awful weather.
How are all your birds?

Mine seem okay. Although I worry a bit about how much they've been eating these past few days (the ducks, the chickens will eat anything in sight). I don't want to feed them in their coop, but they dislike the cold so much they've been leaving food out. My chocolate barred drake lost his webbing to frostbite. Apart from that, they fared fairly well. Even the OEGB. They're in with three fluffy banties, so I assume they all pile together for warmth at night.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

to all the above. I can sure attest to wood heating it is really the best way especially with the way the power grides are now. In our town and some of the surrounding area power went out which isn't so good when it's single digits and no backup heat like a wood stove.
We're at 7*F this morning with a high of 13F

I cannot install a woody in the house right now, the insurance companies go crazy about open flames inside of houses. You cannot get home-insurance if you have a wood-stove or a fireplace (except fake or gas ones). Still have to pay off the mortgage and the lender insists in carrying comprehensive insurance. - So technically, a wood-stove on the patio isn't inside the house is it?

 

[Canadian Wind]

Never heart about humid propane, but water in the Diesel was exactly the reason for the ruined company car…

I looked around on the tropical-river's web-site and fell in love with this one:
View attachment 3730546
Its a bit more expensive ($280 - 400) but it has a small glass door and its cast iron.

OH! That looks perfect for my place! What are the dimensions?

 

[Canadian Wind]

How are you!?

Hey Dawg. Cold! Yourself?

 

[ShrekDawg]

Hey Dawg. Cold! Yourself?

Sameeee! LOL although probably not as cold as you

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

You are most welcome Frank. We bought a house with Fuel Oil years ago. Husband at the time worked for a Propane Company and we got the propane for next to nothing. Then years later next Husband had furnace converted into Natural Gas because it finally came through to our area. I love Natural Gas and we got City water about the same time as it came through to and we hooked onto both. It makes me pay a water bill but after being on a community well for years and having to take care of it myself it was a real blessing. I watch how much water I spend on the ducks but they are fine with everything they get and seem to do well. I often times spray them with the hose when weather permits and they stand there and love it. I hope you get your patio fixed the way you want it. It sounds like it will be really nice when you are done with it.

Before this house was connected to shitty-water, they had multiple wells here, but i was unable to locate a single one. My neighbors all have secretly kept their wells and use them for their gardens and their animals. I am planning on a rainwater collection system and i am planning to dig my own well in the future, my hill-site is like a sponge, full of water.