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offthegrid

And the pressure is on

Pressure cookers that is, yesterday while surfing the internet, I ran across an article on Mother Earth News about cooking with pressure cookers. It reminded me of how much I love mine, I have a 6 quart stainless steel Presto pressure cooker. Some of my favorite meals to cook in it are pinto beans, potatoes (baked potatoes), chicken soup, other soups, stews, rice, veggies… lots of different foods.

One of the benefits of using a pressure cooker, is it takes so much less time and fuel to cook with, the fuel factor is big with me since we have limited fuel (propane), I just can’t afford to let something simmer on the stovetop all day. Foods cook faster, retain more nutrients and just flat out taste better.

Some folks are afraid of pressure cookers, who hasn’t heard the horror stories of someone’s grandmother (or aunt, or neighbor, you fill in the blank) who was cooking in a pressure cooker and it exploded, beans all over the ceiling? Well I’m here to tell you the pressure cookers you buy today have many safety features built in, you’d have to try pretty hard to get one to actually blow on you. I had a “worst case scenario” happen to me when using a friend’s older aluminum pressure cooker. I was cooking chicken and didn’t put in enough water, it wouldn’t come up to pressure, then it made a loud BANG! Sounded like someone shot a gun off in the kitchen, I went over to it, the seal had blown out. No big deal, the pressure was relieved, so I opened it, reseated the seal, added more water, put the lid back on and continued cooking, lesson learned, make sure you add sufficient liquid for the time you will be cooking.

The other things you can do is make sure the vent hold is clear-not clogged, make sure the rubber parts are in good shape and properly placed, make sure you add enough liquid, don’t overload your pot, just use common sense and you will be perfectly safe using a pressure cooker.

One dish I love making in my pressure cooker is chicken soup, here is my (more or less) recipe…

2-4 raw chicken breasts
enough water to come up at least an inch or two in the pan
2-4 carrots, chopped
2-4 celery stalks, chopped
1 onion, chopped
seasoning

I put the chicken in the pot, add enough water to bring it up at least one or two inches, I bring it up to pressure then time it for about 15 minutes. I let the pressure off, remove the chicken, shred it and place it back into the pot, then I add the veggies, you add what you like, I put in enough water to bring it to the top of the veggies, replace the lid, bring it back to pressure …

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12X12 tiny home made of pallet wood

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I have handled my fair share of pallets over the years working in warehouses, the ones I’ve worked with were strong, but splintery, I suspect this (and any other pallet wood projects) would require lots of sand paper and elbow grease, but I’m also sure that they would make strong structures if you plan carefully.

This guy built his tiny home (almost) entirely out of pallet wood and other recycled materials. I love that he has the story behind every piece of material he used. Enjoy these two videos.




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Happy Fathers Day

Today is a bittersweet day for me, it’s Fathers Day AND it’s my mother’s birthday, both of my parents are deceased, my mother many years ago, she never got to see my life as I live it now but I know she’d be proud. My dad however did get to see the first few years of our off-grid life, he contributed to it as well, bringing lots of goodies each summer when he would come for his annual visit.

My father and I had the dream of going off-grid long before off-grid was a “thing”, I can remember as a little girl, my dad and I planning on moving to Alaska, building a cabin and living off the land, he was an amazing man, he could do anything, much like my PB does today.

Unfortunately like a lot of us, my dad wasn’t able to really live his dream, he had a family to raise, he worked in and retired from building aircraft (civilian then military), he waited too long and had too many ties to the city by the time he retired. He did live vicariously through us though, with his yearly visits, he would spend a good month out here, enjoying the quiet and fresh air, I also believe it helped his health, in his latter years, he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure, coming up to our altitude, it was hard for him to breathe, and that was before hiking up the hill to get to the SkyCastle.

We would set up a couple of “rest stations” along the way so he could sit down and catch his breath before beginning the trip uphill. By the time the final week of his visit, he would be able to go all the way from the road to the SkyCastle in one go without having to stop or rest, I know he felt like a million bucks by the time a month had passed and he went back down in altitude.

I know he loved what we are doing here, I sincerely hope all you fathers out there have a great Fathers Day, I also sincerely hope you have a great relationship with your family (parents, kids…), if you don’t, maybe it’s time to re-examine that relationship, we are here but a short time, yesterday is gone and tomorrow isn’t promised, you have now to take care of business :)

Here are a few pictures of my dad and family.




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Pope Francis surrounded by crowds, but fails to recognise the population issue
People

Blatant Flaw in Papal Eco-Encyclical

*Humble Pope Blasts Market Economy
*Adds Voice to Man-made Warming Arguments
*But Fails to Address Contraception
*Birth Control and Population Limits Not on Agenda

ROME— Pope Francis’ much-discussed Full text of encyclical on the environment is a burning indictment of the global financial sector, but it does nothing to address the single biggest cause of the Earth’s environmental ills – population growth.

The humble Argentinian, who has given up many of the perks enjoyed by previous holders of the his office, weighs into multinational banks and companies like Unilever – accusing them of plundering the Earth at the expense of the poor and of future generations.

But population campaigners were frustrated that the Pope failed to mention the single biggest cause of global warming – the burgeoning population of the developing world. Both the consumption of energy and other resources, and the production of waste depend more on population size than any other single factor.

In passionate language, the pontiff attributed global warming to human activity, blamed special interests for holding back policy responses, complains that we have raised the Stock Market above God Himself, and said the global North owes the South “an ecological debt.”

The 183-page document, which Pope Francis addresses to “every person living on this planet,” includes pointed critiques of globalization and consumerism, which he says lead to environmental degradation.

“The Earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth,” he writes.

The encyclical’s severe language stirred immediate controversy, signaling the weight the pontiff’s stance could have on the pitched debate over how to respond to climate change.

“Economic powers continue to justify the current global system where priority tends to be given to speculation and the pursuit of financial gain,” he writes. “As a result, whatever is fragile, like the environment, is defenseless before the interests of the deified market, which become the only rule.”

The Vatican published the document, titled “Laudato Si” (“Be praised”), on Thursday. In the encyclical, Pope Francis wades into the debate over the cause of global warming, lending high-profile support to those who attribute it to human activity.

A “very solid scientific consensus indicates that we are presently witnessing a disturbing warming of the climactic system,” contributing to a “constant rise in the sea level” and an “increase of extreme weather events,” he writes.

“Humanity is called to recognize the need for changes of lifestyle, production and consumption, in order to combat this warming or at least the human causes which produce or aggravate it,” he adds.

While acknowledging natural causes for climate change, including volcanic activity and the solar cycle, Pope Francis writes that a “number of scientific studies indicate that most global warming in recent decades is due to the great concentration of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxides and others) released mainly as a result of human activity.”

The …

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Join our Crowdfunding campaign

1x1placeholder (1)*Documentary in Production featuring Noam Chomsky
*Looking for volunteers to help us spread the word on social media
*80% already filmed but professional editors need money….
*Visit Kickstarter link below

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Battery desulfator review – update

“How many blinks do we have?”, “It’s time to change the panels…”, those are common phrases around here, if you hear these statements, we are talking about our solar system. It’s a small system, very small by most standards, but it’s just fine for us, of course I’d love to have a mega system, but don’t want the mega system headaches or the mega price tag.

The blinks are referring to our charge controller, a Xantrex C35, it blinks a green light to let us know how much of a charge we have on the batteries, it starts at 1 blink and goes to 5 blinks then to a solid green light when the batteries are full, it delights me to no end when I have a solid green light up there :)

When we talk about changing the panels, some of our panels (not all of them) are on a manual tracking system, we can tilt them to catch the morning and evening sunlight, the rest of our panels are fixed in place on the roof and get whatever they manage to get.

Our newest addition to the solar system is our permanently attached battery desulfator. I have had, used and reviewed other battery desulfators, and they worked but they were designed for use on one or two batteries at a time, this battery desulfator is the first of its kind designed for larger systems, for those of us who live off of our battery banks and need something that will desulfate all of our batteries at the same time, not just one or two.

This is the Battery Extra battery desulfator model “EX02 12-48-400“, this work for 12-48 volts up to 1500 Ah, there is one above this unit, it will handle up to 120 volts and 3000 Ah.

 

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You can read more about this desulfator in the first part of my review here: https://off-grid.net/energy/i-finally-got-it

I have been using this for a few months now, one thing I really like about it is it shows me exactly how much of a charge my batteries have, the digital readout is clear and can be seen from across the room, day or night. Another thing I like about it is it’s quiet, the previous desulfator I had made a high pitched humming noise, it wasn’t loud but you could definitely hear it. It does have an internal cooling fan, I have never heard it make a sound, it either hasn’t been hot enough to come on, or it’s just that quiet. This unit is well made, sturdy, easy to hook up and set up.

Bottom line, I have very happy with this desulfator and this company, I recommend that you visit their page, even if you aren’t in the market for one of these desulfators though if you are using lead acid batteries in this capacity, …

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Summer is (almost) officially here

I say almost because it doesn’t officially begin until the 21st of this month, and the fact that I am sitting here with thermal pants on, it’s cold! Well not really COLD, but cool, too chilly for shorts that’s for sure! I love living in the high desert of far west Texas, no where else in Texas is it this cool in mid June!

That being said, it’s still hot during the day, OK it’s nothing like it was when I lived between Dallas and Fort Worth, but after being here for 8 years, I’m spoilt, our rainy season is just starting and this is our hottest part of the year, we don’t have air conditioning (electric or swamp coolers), we rely on opening all the windows and using fans, we also have a few places around the property that are cooler, under the trees and under the SkyCastle too.

I found this article on how to keep cool in the heat of summer, let me know if you use any of these and how they work for you, AND if you have any improvements on these or other ideas for keeping cool.


 

Sweat beads up on your forehead and then all over your body. The heat becomes heavy and you can barely breathe in the hazy conditions. As summer gets closer in Charlotte, we’re already on the verge of breaking records. Use these Pinterest search results to ease the pain.

Soda slushy!

To be fair we haven’t tried this one so test it with caution. Per this Tumblr account, shake an unsealed bottle of soda and pop it in the freezer for about three hours. Loosen the cap to release pressure, then flip the bottle upside down to get out the goodness.

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Freeze aloe for sunburns

Pop it in an ice cube tray, then chill before gliding over your scorched skin.

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Lighten your locks

When chlorine turns it green, freshen up your hair with olive oil. Put it on before swimming.

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Build a homemade air conditioner

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Thrillist

If you don’t want to run you the bill, get a bucket, a fan and a few more items to make your own ventilation. See how here.

Beach belongings

Clean out a sunscreen bottle and put your car keys or cell phone inside to trick a thief.

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Pickup truck pool, anyone?

When the real version is out of reach, grab a tarp and make your own “cold” tub.

truck-pool

Frozen food

If you like your wine chilled but sun is warming it up too quickly, lower the temp by dropping in some frozen grapes.

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Chill a beverage in minutes

Don’t worry if your forgot to put your drinks in the refrigerator. Wrap them in a wet paper towel and stick in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Voila!

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Always have ice cold water

Fill your water bottle …

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Arrests Celebrate 800 Years of Freedom

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Police moved in on Runnymede Eco-village friday night to prevent a 3 day “Alternative Magna Carta Festival.”

The Historic site, where the Magna Carta was signed 800 years ago, has become a symbol of the fight for real environmentalism and democracy.

The events were covered by our documentary crew which will be releasing a film after the event. Call or text with news to +44 7768 507693.

Citing Section 63 Anti-Rave laws, cops from 4 forces barricaded the three remaining entrances to the 40-strong eco-community.

But the Rave, in a separate field to the rival Magna Carta festival was set up by another group which invaded the site earlier this week.

“We think they might even be police, acting as agent provocateurs” said Vinnie, one of the longest standing residents and main organisers of the Eco-camp.

Vinnie is one of the lead characters in our documentary – you can see the trailer here

The National Trust, acting on police advice, had already financed a 6 foot security fence around the entire site prior to the festival launch tonight (friday).

The fence, built by private contractors to ensure HM the Queen (and possibly President Obama) can freely celebrate our freedom under the law (yeah right), was erected in the runup to the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta this Monday 15th June.

HM The Queen and 5000 dignitaries will be there on Monday – although Queen Elisabeth has to leave early as it is the monthly lunch for members of the Order of the Garter – which apparently comes slightly above the Magna Carta in the hierarchy (geddit?).

Please send your info to nick@off-grid.net

Get involved – help us spread the word

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Container home for sale
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Canadian container home goes viral

OTTAWA–When Joseph Dupuis decided to spend the summer of 2012 building a cabin in the woods out of three shipping containers, he never realized his project would go viral.

That’s exactly what happened to him when his photographer friend, Japhet Alvarez, posted photos of Dupuis’ home on the popular web-site Reddit around midnight May 31.

By 10 a.m. the next morning, the photos had gone viral.

“I was in meetings all morning and (Alvarez) was like, ‘Joe, you need to do something about it, this thing’s got 750,000 views!’ It went viral really fast,” Dupuis, 28, told Postmedia Network.

The turn of events was unexpected for Dupuis, who says he isn’t a Reddit user himself.

“I don’t have Netflix, I don’t have a flat-screen television, I don’t have a microwave, I don’t have a kettle,” he said.

Dupuis has chosen to live a holistic lifestyle in the woods in the Ottawa Valley.

The idea came up in 2010 while he was a student in the mechanical engineering technology program at Algonquin College.

“I dropped out after two years because, to be honest, I was frustrated with being a broke student and living the college lifestyle,” Dupuis said.

“My dad had just bought a piece of property in the Carp area and I pitched him the idea of building my dream cabin and he said OK and we started that day.”

Dupuis said the land his 365-square-foot cabin sits on is considered farmland, but because there are no crops or farm animals on site, property taxes are very low.

He spent $20,000 building the house, and $30,000 designing and building a solar-powered system for his six lights and heating.

He said his cost of maintaining the home in an average year is about $300.

A lot of heat in the winter comes from firewood, which he also trades with his neighbour Tim, in exchange for water running through his cabin.

The idea to use shipping containers, he said, was inspired by a style of log cabin built by lumberjacks in the 1940s.

Dupuis, who had been studying the containers for three years, decided they would fit the model well.

Dupuis lived in his house, secluded in the valley, for two years before taking an apartment in the city.

He plans to move back this August.

While he never expected his home to become so popular, he hopes to use the exposure to help others wanting to live a minimalist lifestyle.

“I’m about living holistically with nature and building a community of people who think the same way,” Dupuis said.

He hopes an upcoming Kickstarter campaign will allow him to help others get started living the same way.

“It’s a very humbling lifestyle,” Dupuis said.

As for the whereabouts of his cabin, Dupuis says while he is not a recluse, he enjoys his privacy and would rather keep the location secret.

“You …

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