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Showing posts from March, 2016

New Flood Protection Measures Created

After a devastating flood event this winter, we have been installing new drainage systems in anticipation of the next storm.  Initial damages can be seen  at our previous post,  Disaster in the Dark of Night Odin and Mitra are testing the new trench that Maarten and Filippo are digging for us.   Boat races are great fun in the heat of the day! We added a third plastic tube to the existing two tubes, as well as an earthen berm reinforced with a stone wall, to keep flood waters from coming down the pathway to our house. We still need to pour concrete, reinforced with iron mesh, to stabilize the ground when the floods pass over the spillway. The large boulders used to build the initial structure are holding firm.  The process of building this part can be seen at Road Building   Now we wait for the next storm to test our new system!

Sleeping Room of the Clubhouse is Finished

The roof is finished and the top level used for sleeping is closed and being tested by our two wwoofers, Filippo and Maarten. We added diagonal braces to stabilize the structure. The remaining job is to close the lower level and install windows and doors, then a kitchen and sitting area.

The Clubhouse is Coming!

 Our WWOOFER Clubhouse is beginning to take shape. We used four recycled phone poles set in concrete for the corners. The framing is freehand chainsaw milled Cryptomeria Japonica.  It is not straight, but very strong and easy to work with. The remaining five pillars are set on phone poles placed upon large field stones to distribute the load more evenly. Our fist two 'wwoofers' for 2016, Camille and Carole, helped us frame and board the second level.  This will be the platform to sleep on when it is finished.  We tested the strength with five adults and two children on top with no signs of stress on the structure. Next, we made diagonal supports between the posts to stabilize the structure from sway. And we took many fruit eating breaks, chosen from the surrounding orchard, while working to stay strong! The first roofing beam is installed. More to come as we build!