Open Source Torch Table
Lawrence has finalized the open source torch table design, after 11 days at Factor e Farm. Today, we are preparing the workshop space and he’s putting together the frame. Our goal is to complete the prototype in the stated 30 day period. The design...
CEB Prototype II Finished
Aug 18, 2009 Completion of Prototype II of the Open Source Ecology CEB Press After 16 days of active build, the Compressed Earth Block (CEB) press prototype II is finished. You can compare this to Prototype I video in a previous post. We are well on our...
Moving Forward
First of all, thank you for the many useful comments on the recent unfoldings at Factor e Farm. I apologize to Ben and Jeremy for my unjustified accusation, which was my mistake under escalating stress. This is a chance to gain clarity: Factor e Farm...
Factor e Farm: The Early Days
Today marks the 3rd anniversity of settling the land. We came with a hundred chickens, a goat, Massey Ferguson tractor with loader, Chevy suburban, trailer, Lister one-cylinder diesel running on waste oil for electricity, and a lot of dreams and desires.
Dedicated Project Visits
Inga and I refined a collaboration procedure for development work at Factor e Farm. We are focusing our development efforts on dedicated project visits – a topic that we’ve discussed a number of times, and finally put down on paper. All together,...
Taking it to the Next Level: CEB Vault Construction
We’ve got some great news on Inga’s House. We have succeeded in inviting Dipl.-Ing. Dittmar Hecken. He is the hands-on instructor from the Earth Building Course that Inga attended at the University of Kassel, in Germany. University of Kassel...
Augering
LifeTrac is back out in agriculture action. We mounted the power take-off motor on the front loader arms, and attached the post-hole digger. The post-hole digger was from our former, now defunct D17 tractor. We dug post holes for staking our grapes, and...
Facility Sanitation Improvement (by a factor of ‘e’)
To our colonic relief, we added a second composting toilet, a public outhouse with privacy. Now no one needs to wonder who is going to enter the vestibule while performing defecation maneuvers. Albeit temporary, it satisfies our immediate needs. Thanks...
Development Update
There’s nothing as valuable for us at this point in our organizational evolution as completing the full CEB product cycle, to take the CEB press from prototype to market. We spawned some publicity, and much is happening in the background. The viral...
Green Roof
Well, not really green in winter, but it will soon be. Today we put straw and earth on top of the CEB workshop addition – for a living roof. Without LifeTrac assist, this would have been an arduous task. With LifeTrac, we were able to do most of...
