The Time is Coming to an End

October 2010

Eight wonderful months have passed and the first signs our little adventure were coming to an end when our first intern decided to part. Cuatro, our resident natural builder, found a job in Taos New Mexico working for a natural building company and he decided he needed to leave the internship early. We bid him a farewell knowing our turn was coming soon.

Roby and I have found our next stomping grounds for the year 2011, Bolinas California. A cool beach town about 15 miles west of San Francisco off Highway 1. We are going to be the resident Farm Managers at the Regenerative Design Institute. It is a famous permaculture center and run by internationally known permaculture experts. We are excited and looking forward to another year of learning. Our next adventure begins November 15th so stayed tuned.

We will be closer to the City so all must come to visit!!!

West Coast Green

September 2010

As if we had not killed ourselves enough preparing for Solfest, (see Tiny House Blog for event description) the masochists that we are, we volunteered ourselves to help Massey and the "Super Natural Builders" install an exhibit at the West Coast Green Event in San Francisco. This meant after working for 12 hours for 8 days straight we would wake up the next morning bright and early and drive 2 hours to then engage in physical labor for another two days of 12 hours. Oh yeah it was fun!

We helped put together an exhibit demonstrating all the different facets of natural building-bamboo, cobb walls, natural plaster finishes, green roof, and an edible urban garden. Several thousand architects and professional green builders were going to see our work.

Roby and I stayed at my sister Ami's house and I think we scared her when we showed up the first night with mud from head to toe. She walked me right to the shower. Which I do have to say is a sweet shower!

10 days of non-stop work finally came to an end so we decided to relax with a 14 hour drive down to Phoenix!

Crushing Grapes

September 2010

The SLI's permaculture site is flush with food in every nook and cranny. Fall is "harvest" time in Mendo. Our site has several varieties of grape and we had a small window of time to pick them for perfect sweetness. With hectic schedules we all cleared our calendars and spent two days gathering as many grapes as we could to take to the old-fashioned press. We headed to Gini's house and each took turns crushing and pressing until we had 20 gallons of fresh grape juice. What a sugar rush! Mott's you can't compete.

The Vacation of a Lifetime

The best experience is the one you least expect. This can be said about our trip to Tahoe and Yosemite. I knew we would have a great time with our friends from Phoenix staying at a luxury home right on Lake Tahoe (had indoor plumbing which is always a plus), but I was inspired by the trip. After an incredible evening hanging out on the outdoor patio overlooking Lake Tahoe, watching the boys fish from the boulders outcropping from the water, Roby and I mapped out our bike ride along the Famous Flume Trail. This has been on our bucket list for years and we were finally going to ride it. We decided to do an out and back trip instead of taking the shuttle. We arrived at the trailhead, suited up for the ride and headed out. The first five miles were along an old jeep trail through the woods. Did I mention the entire ride was uphill. The struggle paid off when we reached the summit and rode around Spooner Lake before we hit the Flume Trail. The entrance sign reads Careful, steep route, rock slides! No time to think we headed down the rock slope. Once out of the woods we emerged on the single track trail hugging the mountain ledge with the most amazing view of Lake Tahoe and the surrounding Sierras. One false move and you would be swimming! One of the best mountain bike rides we have been on-the beautiful scenery, the perfect weather and the peacefulness of the ride. Put it on your bucket list.

4 1/2 hours late we returned to the truck, gave each other a high five, and knew we had just experienced an epic ride.

Not thinking we were going to top it, we headed the next morning to Yosemite to hike Half Dome. Another bucket list adventure. We had been to Yosemite about 8 years ago and only made it to Vernal Falls so we were motivated to hike to the TOP. Luck was on our side because we were able to get the last two Wilderness permits. Yosemite is known for its bear activity so while camping the night before our hike we encountered two bears in the campgrounds. Thankfully they were only curious and all the food was locked away.

The next morning we headed to the trailhead along with many other hikers. We met four retired guys hiking the entire John Muir trail which was going to take them 3 weeks and over 210 miles. It goes from Yosemite to Mt. Whitney. We were jealous. I guess we need to put it on our List. the trail is well maintained and well traveled. Once we reached the "Y" intersection we had to decide "the easy way or the hard way". Which route do you think Roby picked. Yep, we climbed the "stairs" for 3 miles past Vernal and Nevada Falls. We stopped for a much needed pee break and re-nourished ourselves on peanut butter and jelly before we finished the final four miles to the summit. Since we were going to camp near the base of Half Dome, we decided to drop our packs before we headed to the Rock. Good idea since the 2 mile hike was in the heat of the day and plenty more "stairs". The entire way you can watch the people clutching the cables to ascend the mountain. Not until you reach the final quarter mile do you realize how steep the Rock is. Although it is not a "technical climb" it is intense. Thankfully they have a huge pile of gloves for people to chose from to wear. No line so we had no excuse. Put on the gloves and Go. After a few trial rungs, we got the hang of it and slowly reached the summit. Another high five was in order. We watched the birds soar showing off their flying skills, checked out the valley floor beneath us and took in the silence!

Once we reached the Floor we found the perfect camp spot with a stream nearby to fill up our Kanteens. We enjoyed our salmon noodle supper and settled in for a night of sugar plums dancing in our heads. That was until the bears hit our camp. Roby had our ammunition ready tentside- rocks and hiking poles with the pepper spray nearby. One started sniffing our backpacks but Roby had good aim and scared it away. No more
furry friends that night.

After an early morning breakfast with the local deer grazing nearby, we headed back down the trail. Thinking we had avoided all of nature's critters, we let our guard down when we stopped at Nevada Falls for a lunch break. We left our backpacks by the tree jutting out of the rock near the observation deck and took a stroll to get a better glimpse of the Falls. When we returned we found a pesky squirrel eating through my pack to get to my peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I was not as angry with the hole in my pack but with the one he chewed through in my eco-sandwich wrap!!

We chose to take the John Muir trail back avoiding the "steps" and received a whole new perspective of Yosemite Valley. The finishing touches were a swim in the Merced and beers on the "beach" along the Merced sitting in our Kukuiula chairs!



Unless you have been to Yosemite, it is hard to explain its Magic. Being the first National Park with the influence of Ansel Adams, Frederick Law Olmstead and John Muir,Yosemite is the King with the rock outcrops of Half Done, El Capitan, and the power of the Merced River.

Our first visitor

We felt a bit lonesome here at the SLI putting out invites to everyone and anyone to come visit, but no one has taken us up on it. I don't know why anyone would pass up a vacation to the wine country. Somehow I enticed my friend Marykay to take the plunge and she brought along Kevin. I couldn't convince them to stay in the tiny house, maybe because Kevin is well over 6 feet tall and probably would not have fit in the loft but I think it is more that Marykay has gotten soft in her old age!!!

We picked them up in SF and had a perfect evening in the city enjoying a seafood dinner and some great live music. After a leisurely morning and an irish coffee at the famous Buena Vista, we made the trek up north. Before arriving at the SLI we had to make a stop at the Rodney Strong Winery in Healdsburg-a solar powered organic winery. We picked up a few bottles for our party that evening.

Marykay and Kevin were going to be introduced to our intentional community and the permaculture way of life. But first we had to drop them off at the only hotel in town. A cute old 49er's style hotel next to the Hopland brewery which was the first micro brewpub in California. That evening we had a going away party for our site manager Sarah so many people from the community attended. We made pizzas in our earth oven and shared an all organic meal with Marykay and Kevin. The tequila shots included-made from organic agave plants!!

We let them sleep in the next morning and they walked over to a 5 star breakfast. We made omelets on the solar cooker with fresh eggs from our chickens and vegetables picked from our garden. I sent Marykay and Kevin off with Roby to pick fresh strawberries and mulberries from the site trees to mix with our yogurt and granola. With the eggs I cooked some potatoes, onions and garlic also from the garden. I finished it off with some of my homemade solar cooked bread and yerba mate tea. Anyone hungry?? It was a delicious meal if I do say so myself. All fresh, organic and cooked by the sun! I know I sound like a broken record but this is the best way to eat. Maybe sublimely I will get more of you to Go Organic. I am not sure if any of us were able to get up from the table but we managed to get our act together.

Another round of wine tasting. Mendocino County is one of the first areas to fully embrace organic wines and several have gone biodynamic. We took them to Jeriko which is owned by one of the Fetzer boys ( Fetzer is a big winery but the family sold the family farm and the boys have their own winery now}. They purchased a bottle of the Biodynamic Cabernet and loved the Port. (We sent them a bottle in a sustainable care package we mailed home to them.) From Jeriko we hit the Stryker winery on the way to Calistoga where they were going to meet some other friends from Fort Collins. We enjoyed the evening with them and then ventured back to the SLI.

Our invite is open to anyone to come experience and enjoy!

Summer Workshops

Summer School is in session. Our calenders were full of interesting classes. We started off with a Solar Design and Installation Intensive 40 hour workshop. 5 days-8 hour days. We can now officially install a PV system for a house. Nikolai Tesla is our hero (the inventor of AC Power) Quite an interesting history between him and Thomas Edison. The dual between DC and AC Power! Quite the geeks we have become. I actually know the difference between watts, amps and volts and how to calculate it all. Upon completing the class we were eligible to sit for the NAPCEP exam. The designation shows we have taken the training and have a basic foundation for designing and installing photovoltaic systems. The most important thing we learned from the class was reduce your need for electricity by becoming more efficient. Trade in the electric coffee maker for a french press!

Next on our list was Solar Thermal-building a system specifically for hot water. This is the most efficient use of solar and can be done as primitively as using a black hose to an elaborate system with sensor and pumps. We are in the process of building a system for the tiny house. Hopefully we will have it completed before we leave.

Another facet of our "homesteading" and permaculture training was learning how to build an earth oven to make pizzas, breads, roasted vegetables and anything else. With our previous knowledge of how to make cobb, clay slip, and natural building, we were pros. So many people in Arizona use these solely as fireplaces but they make wonderful ovens. As a thermal mass, the ovens retain heat so well that after 3 or 4 hours after the fire has gone out you can still bake bread. The best thing is the oven can be built out of the clay soil from your own property and all you need is some water, sand, and fiber. Basically can be built for only pennies! You too can have brick-oven pizzas at home.




Roby and I are for hire if you want one built. Just let us know.

Our fall semester will include classes in DIY plumbing, electricity, carpentry, PV finance, Herbal medicine, bamboo building, mushroom cultivation, primitive technology, greywater systems. Anyone interested in a class check out the website solarliving.org and come for a visit.

Live Power

There are times when you meet someone who changes your world. Visiting Live Power CSA (Community Sponsored Agriculture)in Covello CA and meeting Steve and Gloria was that time for me. Steve a product of the 70's inspired me by his commitment and desire to keep the world "real". He runs the oldest CSA in California and was a pioneer in biodynamic gardening working with the famous Alan Chadwick at UC Santa Cruz back in the 70's. I highly recommend anyone living in San Francisco or Northern California to look up his farm and sign up for his program to get local organic produce delivered to you.

His farm is called Live Power because all the work is done by human or animal power. He owns several Belgian Horses which look like Clysdales and uses the old International Harvesters from the early 1900's to plow and cultivate his farm. He demonstrated how the horses work. It was mesmerizing. With a few commands the horses in a slow trot don't disturb the rows or plants but pull the machinery to pull the weeds or harvest the potatoes. As a group we helped harvest the garlic. I think we pulled over 5000 heads of garlic. After they dry, they will be distributed throughout the fall to his members. We also got a lesson on biodynamic compost building. Rudolph Steiner, the father of biodynamics, requires certain preps be added to the compost piles to make them breakdown appropriately. So after shoveling cow and horse poop to be layered with the waste straw, we applied the preps to the piles. Another chapter to file in my compost notebook.

After a full's day work we headed back to the SLI. Despite its remoteness in Covelo, Live Power has a spirit unto itself you don't miss the city. I think we have figured out Plan B!!!!