This the last part of a 7-minute video titled “Shelter – A Video about author Lloyd Kahn” made by Jason Sussberg (shooting 35mm film!) in 2009, when I was 75. He shows Lesley and me doing stuff around the homestead.
Jason included a minute or so of me skateboarding, with the sound guy on his crew (a skater) skating behind me and alongside me with the heavy 35mm camera.
Then I sat on the curb (in front of my skateboard) talking about housing.
Sorry this is so blurry, Jason’s work is clear, we copied this from YouTube.
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Tags: architecture, builders, building, carpentry, food, gardening, half-acre homestead, homes, homestead, homesteading, house, media, skateboarding, tools, woodwork Tags: building, California, food, gardening, green building, half-acre homestead, homes, homestead, homesteading, kitchen, natural building, salvaged materials, sauna, small homes 
We were talking about old cookbooks with a friend the other day and pulled out this gem, circa 1890. This was in the ’70s, when we were doing some small-scale farming, and trying to relearn skills of the past (as documented in, ahem, The Half-Acre Homestead).
Note: We have an unconditional guarantee on all books. If unsatisfied, call us and we’ll refund price and postage; no need to return book.
Also, we have a 30% discount on two or more books — which usually beats Amazon — with free postage in the USA.
Just sayin’.
NYTimes
By Ivan Penn
March 13, 2022
“Citing more blackouts, wildfires and higher electricity rates, a growing number of homeowners are choosing to build homes that run entirely on solar panels and batteries.”
NEVADA CITY, Calif. — In the Gold Rush, Northern California attracted prospectors looking for financial independence. Now, this area is at the vanguard of a new movement — people seeking to use only the energy they produce themselves.
Angry over blackouts, wildfires caused by utilities and rising electricity bills, a small but growing number of Californians in rural areas and in the suburbs of San Francisco are going off the grid. They can do so because of a stunning drop in the cost of solar panels and batteries over the last decade. Some homeowners who have built new, off-grid homes say they have even saved money because their systems were cheaper than securing a new utility connection.
www.nytimes.com/2022/03/13/business/energy-environment/california-off-grid.html
From Maui Surfer
I’m going to put on a new roof soon, working by myself. Hardest part is getting the shingles up on the roof. I’m building a gable patio roof at the same time so I don’t want to rent a lift several times to load different roof areas as it progresses. While doing a search for info I came across this:
–Lew Lewandowski
A little blurry, but you get the idea. I’ve asked Lew to send us a video of his version.
Bundles of asphalt shingles are heavy!
From our pal and kindred spirit Deek:
Check out some of Deek’s other ventures and adventures here: www.lloydkahn.com/?s=deek
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Picked up one of these at REI last week, 5 gal. Bucket, about $20. Looks to me like much better solution than the typical campers’ shitting in plastic bags, which end up in landfill. Ugh!
I would use either peat moss, sawdust, or rice hulls to cover each deposit. Ward Hensill makes an upgraded model of this and uses a plunger to compress everything.
No urine. Have 2 of these so when close to full, you let one sit while you fill the other. Then back into soil. Circle (cycle) completed.
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Lesley’s been weaving shawls, blankets, scarves, and knitting hats for her Open Studio event on Thanksgiving weekend. I’ll post a reminder a week or so before.
