Resilience in the Cold, and a Special Note

Red Osier Dogwood in the foreground

Hi Friends!

As we head ever closer to winter, I want to share something I found which could help many of us to be more resilient in our lives. As most of you know by now, we practice permaculture principles here at the Sanctuary, which involves finding ways to live more sustainably.

woodland trail

For quite a few years I have been interested in rocket mass heaters, and have studied up on them, gone to a workshop to learn how to build one, and have planned to put one in the community building we have long been hoping to build.

white oaks standing guard

I have also wished to put one in our home, but because of building code regulations they have not been allowed inside homes (though various versions have been used safely for thousands of years around the world).

white oak

The difference between a rocket heater and a wood stove is that the design of it directs the fire to burn sideways and up into a combustion chamber which gets so hot that even the smoke is burned, leaving only steam and CO2 as the exhaust. So this allows you to heat your home with 80 to 90% less wood, and the heat does not exit through a chimney, so it is incredibly efficient.

late afternoon sun in the woods

A rocket mass heater includes a “mass” in the design (such as a bench) which the heat can run through to disseminate radiant heat.

But what I really wanted to share with you is that I found a company that is now making rocket heaters which are approved for use in homes and you can buy all ready to install, though they do not come with a “mass”. This heater burns both wood and pellets, so if you have no access to wood at all, you can buy the pellets to use instead. It also has a surface for cooking on. https://rocketheater.com

I plan to share more of these types of posts with valuable information such as this (which I am also sharing at our meetups) for my paid subscribers.

NOTE:  We are currently winding down the nonprofit business structure and switching to a private business model at the end of this year. So after December 15, all funds collected here will no longer be allocated to the nonprofit, but will be paid directly to Jean and Dan Cavanaugh for the upkeep of the Sanctuary.

Jean in the fire circle

Dan in the fire circle

I have much to share with you and look forward to continuing this journey together. Thank you to all, past and present, who have contributed to the Sanctuary!

With love,

Jean