Build a Solar Dehydrator

...plywood and consists of a heat collector containing a black metal screen housed in a box with a clear plastic top. This screen heats up on a sunny day and feeds hot air into a wooden box above it. Vents at the bottom and the top of the contraption create an upward airflow through natural convection (hot air rises). You put the food on screen covered trays in the upper box. With sliced tomatoes it takes about two full days of drying and you have to...

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Dave Miller on Baking with 100% Whole Wheat

...just on the fly. Whole wheat flour soaks up a lot of water. The recipes we used called for over 100% hydration. Miller bakes in a hot oven to get loaves that are very dark. With the exception of the rye bread Miller made, the wheat breads had a similar method: Starter was added to flour and water to build up a levain. This was allowed to ferment for three hours. Miller likes a long autolyse. Flour and water for the final dough were mixed and allow...

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Searching for Energy Vampires

...used it to test most of the gadgets around the Root Simple compound. I focused on the stuff that’s plugged in all the time to see if I could discover any hidden energy vampires. Unsurprisingly, the refrigerator uses the most power and costs around $81.67 a year to operate. At the risk of turning this blog post into an exercise in appliance virtue signalling, that’s not too bad. We keep the freezer full which helps conserve a small amount of power...

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Free Webinar on Making and Using Compost Teas

...an improved understanding of compost teas and how they can be beneficially used. About the Presenters Dr. Lynne Carpenter-Boggs is an Associate Professor of Sustainable and Organic Agriculture at Washington State University. Her work aims to improve global health and sustainability through biological and appropriate technologies for agriculture. Catherine (CeCe) Crosby is a Ph.D. candidate in Soil Science at Washington State University. CeCe has l...

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Trees Susceptible to the Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer

...for treating ambrosia beetles. Prophylactic spraying of the bark could be used to protect uninfected trees in some situations. Sterilize pruning tools between uses to avoid spreading the fungus. This handout can guide you through deciding when to remove an infested tree, and how to handle the wood waste. Chipping and solarizing/tarping infested wood can help to limit the spread of the beetle/fungus complex. Wood should be chipped to pieces smalle...

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