Easy Refrigeration?

That is a good idea we stuck 4 extra peices of rebar in the ground and I tied a tarp to them for our shower in the marhalls, I made a little cement pad to stand on also. By the way I was feeling nostalgic today I guess LOL I have my two days off a week on tue and wend back to back now, so had the time to check out great threads. Think I will eat and go play some vollyball now.

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marching to the beat of a different drummer

Well since you are from Texas, I am thinking an outdoor shower would work well most of the year anyway. Basically an elevated storage tank, aprox.100 gallons, fed by a single gutter should suffice for one person. Water has been an issue at our place from time to time and I am here to tell ya most folks don't realize how much water they waste. My girlfriend, son, and I all can take showers and used only 10 gallons of water. We crack jokes about it and call ourselves the masters of three gallon shower. I am sure we could have used less but using around three gallons a piece left us feeling very clean. As far as a fridge goes well, what about a cooler like MTMAN suggested?? Maybe you could combine the use of blocks of ice when available from your work.The evaporation system sounds interesting, don't know much about it but I would think the cooling effect would be nominal at best.

Here's a link to this:
http://www.rolexawards.com/laureates...-bah_abba.html


Here is a classroom application:
http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/classactivities/IntermediateActivityNaturalRefrigerationJan2002.pd f#search='earthenware%20refrigeration'

If the stream is cool enough, you could put the items to be kept cool (in tightly closed containers -- canning jars with screw on lids perhaps) in the center section of a minnow bucket - the part with holes. Or maybe even two or three minnow buckets -- you might be able to pick them up at garage or estate sales, flea markets, etc.

Or you might even figure out a method of immersing a large plastic storage container in the stream (in a shady spot), securing it with rope or wire so it won't float away (creating a kind of springhouse set up), and filling it with the things that need to be kept cool. Good luck!

MaryNY

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"...creating & living an independent, self-reliant, building constructing, garden-/animal-raising, food-preserving, ecologically sound, solar/off-the-grid, self-made, individualistic lifestyle..."

Two suggestions for the shower:

I use a Hot Water On Demand from Coleman. It comes with pump, water heater, sprayer and a 5 gallon collaspable storage container. One small propane bottle will heat 80 showers and costs about 1.20. We get our water from friends or family in town. We built a tarp tent and use 4 concrete pavers for the flooring. Total cost: 200.00 Pricey but I knew this would be a long time need. I use it for dishes, showers and hand washing.

My Brother uses a 55 gallon barrel ( heated by the sun) with a plumbing spigot and water hose. He fills up this at a car wash on the way out to the property. He pressurizes the barrel of water with the air compressor that we use for the nail guns and sprays his kids down after they soap off. He also uses a tarp tent for privacy.

For refrigeration...I have used block ice in a large cooler. It lasted about three days with no one going into the cooler but me once or twice a day. I learned to make small meals, use items that require no refrigeration..basically changed my eating habits but never really noticed.

On the well, make sure that it concrete hasn't been poured init. There is a 225 foot well on this land that a gas company used to blow out the gas well..anyway when they left they filled it with concrete. We cannot get anyone to restore it...so we have to get a new one dug for 4000.00.

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Christanie Farm...living life as it was intended

We have two RV gas/elec refrigerators just in case they are needed. Near Charlotte there is an RV repairman if you are nearby. For camping showers we used a 100 ft coil of black plastic water line simply coiled on top of the shower bldg. Caution,it will get toooooo hot and scald you so have a cold water mixing valve available in case it gets too hot.
When a child we used a spring just behind the home for cooling. It was covered with two layers of tin and would keep milk fairly well. Best to you and do not work around that well without help and a strong rope around you.

Cabin Fever, I just had to laugh on that one. Did you not notice where she is?

It just don't get that cold in Austin even in the winter.