Well, for the first time ever, the family farm has running water to the living quarters. The contractors are still working, but as of Tuesday evening the kitchen taps were functional. No more filling pails for indoor use, no more carrying them to the house from the old pump all through winter. Part of the 20th century, and it only took to the end of the first decade of the 21st century.
Soon, if it isn't done by now, the plumber will work on the toilet. I am happy about all but this.
Flushing toilets are perhaps the most bothersome aspect of modern civilization. Indeed, higher population concentrations have always had troubles dealing with their own bodily wastes. In an effort to inhibit pathogens from continuing to cause death (an obviously worthy endeavor) we have harnessed yet another limited resource, perhaps the most vital... naturally occurring fresh water.
As most of us now know, flushing our toilets is the largest use of fresh water in our homes. Such use commits this water to long periods of time in toxic conditions and introduces these toxins back into the water table before there has been time to remove them naturally. As well, in order to reduce the amount of water sitting in holding lagoons, this water is processed out of the lagoons, sterilized by harsh chemicals, and then sent back into the drinking water supply to be re-used.
Mmmmm chlorine water....
If we only had a balanced outlook on our own wastes, much of this situation could be fixed. Composting toilets DO require a bit more effort and care, but the reward is huge. We could re-engineer our water and sewage infrastructure in a far more sustainable and healthy manner, as well as properly reintroduce vital nutrients and healthy soil building matter to our environment. Humanure (a word coined by a dude whose name I cannot remember just now and which I don't have time to find again), once composted (preferably vermi-composted), is one of the finest fertilizers around. If there is a concern about remaining pathogens, it can be used for non-fruit or nut bearing trees, although properly composted humanure is toxin and pathogen free.
I can't believe we used to dig all those damn outhouse holes, when all we really needed was a bucket chamber and carbon material such as peat moss (which is all over the bottom of the lake/slough), chopped straw (which we always had plenty of), or wood shavings/sawdust (which we also had plenty of due to two wood stoves). In that case, ignorance WASN'T bliss, it was harder work, more dangerous.
So in closing,
Don't hide from your shit!!*
*Note: This is good advice for more than just bodily waste.
3 years ago
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12 comments:
Very true. We did our stint with a compost toilet and in many ways it was just as easy as flushing. The key was to be prepared in the first place, have your compost area ready for example. While we moved it outside once we got water (we have so much other work on our plates at this time that it just isn't feasible to have one more chore) we do plan on taking it up again later when we can think it through more.
I agree that preparation is likely the key here, as it so often is. Glad to hear you're planning a return to a compost toilet.
My plans to return to living in the country certainly include a comprehensive composting system including humanure. Shit is shaping up to be a big part of the rest of my life it seems. LOL
Well as they say, "Shit happens". Have you thought of using cow manure to generate electricity? I actually don't know if you own cows and I imagine its a pricey set up, but some farms are doing it in Wisconsin already.
No I can't say as I have looked into it. We don't have many cattle tho, and I think Alberta is becoming too dry for them. Im thinking alpacas actually.
I have thought about looking into a manure removal company but I wouldn't want most of the business that would likely be available, because of chemicals, hormones and such in industrial scale feedlots and the like.
I was also looking at alpacas but then a friend who is really knowledgeable about fiber told me that the bottom fell out of the market. I don't have the details and meant to look further into it. Are you thinking of alpacas for fiber?
Yep, although I am curious about their meat as well. I suspect it would be quite lean and somewhat like goat. Any of the Alpaca breeders that I have asked, however, give me kind of a odd or even dirty look when I ask about their meat. Most people still have them primarily as pets and are the type to use the fibre themselves.
I don't really see either cattle or alpacas as much of a money-making venture these days. I like to eat beef and dairy products so I always want to have a small herd of cattle, even if it gets quite dry here. And I like animals in general, and we still have quite a bit of good grazing land but I think it is more appropriate for animals more suitable to an arid climate. So this is why I'm looking at Alpacas. If they paid for themselves, I would be happy.
My main money making ideas still remain in greenhousing and industrial hemp production and/or end use manufacturing. Sadly, they are going to require capital that responsible animal husbandry just isn't going to provide. So for now I am biding my time and trying to find ways to raise the value of the remaining property in case the folks decide to sell after all. It looks like the next big task might be renovating the old farmhouse that I grew up in. If the structure is solid enough, I want to take out some inner walls and turn the small attic into a loft. I think it could end up being a decent single person or young couple kind of dwelling. I would live in it for awhile but I could see it becoming an intern dwelling or the like.
As I keep saying, I could do soooo much with a million dollars, lol.
Shit, I could do quite a bit with 10K!
Yes, money is the issue here too. We so far have found ample supplies on the farm, just left over from days gone by. I am trying to price some of the things that we did find in the hopes of selling it in order to bankroll the things we want to do on the place.
Alpaca meat Soapbox! I know that you will treat yours well but I am not sure that they are edible. I suppose they are. I'm still feeling guilty about a llama in a petting zoo that wanted to be coddled but I was too scared to go near it. I can't see eating an alpaca with my "tender" constitution. Loved your most recent post but have to run for now, will post there again soon.
See? That's everyone's reaction so it may not be so marketable. LOL.
A very long time ago, I met a woman who sold exotic animal meat from a catalog. Things like zebra and I don't know what else. Imagine trying to eat a zebra! If lions can I guess so can humans! But alpaca? Good for transport and wool. I am not sure if their milk is even consumed. Good guard animals I have heard, like donkeys, they scare predators away. If worse comes to worse and you invest, you can finally get rid of your car:)(if you have one that is)
Zebra must taste like wild horse I guess, not that I have eaten wild or domestic horse. Its out of my 100 mile zone tho, lol.
And yeah, living in town but working out on the farm isn't so great for my carbon footprint. Not that I worry about that too overly much. I kinda like my little truck though.
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