Our latest Wat/San project really had nothing to do with water or sanitation but it was a lot of fun and very interesting. In this project the PC worked with a few families out in the campo who were in need of improved stoves. PC provided the materials free of cost if the families were willing to let some green PC volunteers-to-be practice stove construction in their homes. We arrived with no guidance beyond a paper manual for another type of stove that we weren’t supposed to build. As you could probably imagine we didn’t get off to a blazing start.
Step 1 – destroy the existing stove… not too excited about that since we weren’t sure we knew how to build a new one!
Step 2 – mix together horse crap and dirt to make a sort of campo mortar.
Step 3 – go for it! We just kinda started putting bricks together. Finally, an actual PCV who had built these things before showed up and gave us some much needed guidance. We didn’t get too far on day one but we had 2 hours the next day to finish up.
And so on day two we were off to a quick start. We installed the chimney, a much needed improvement as the old stove just filled the house with smoke. We finished up the brick work and mudded the whole thing to give it a little bit of aesthetic appeal. The “improvements” are a more efficient design that allows for more heat with less wood and a chimney that gets the smoke out of the house (benefit obvious). Anyways, it was a rewarding project and despite a serious time crunch the final product was good enough… take a look for yourself.
Just like Extreme Home Makeover…well sort of? That was a stove? Hmmmm
Cool job! Were the bricks made of horse s@*# too? Our first house in Tucson was made of horse s@*# adobe bricks. haha
Don´t think the bricks were sh!t, but who can be sure?
hahaha yuckyyy.. but very cool. love and miss you D!
Great job guys
I’m currently stockpiling horse poop for my own personal pan pizza cooker. This post has been vital for the success of my personal pan pizza cooker.
I don´t know how to respond to this…
I knew there had to be a good use for horse poop! You and Kris can build your own house when you come home. Love Brandon’s post.
Horse S@#& mortar!!! Now why didn’t i think of that? What is the proper s&*^ to ratio?
4 parts dirt – 1 part sh!t
Cheryl and I just finished reading most of your blogs since you began in January. We are impressed with what the two of you are doing and will continue to follow your story!
Wasn’t Horse s#*t the focus of your masters degree anyway? that and shooting rubber bands at frisbees? I think it’s all finally paying off.
Don´t you mean OUR master´s degrees? How´s Blacksburg?
Way to go David! , now that’s what I call getting your hands dirty. we miss you guys, Have fun !