Another Hog Catch

 My trapper caught a largish sow and SIX small pigs in a single catch.

Of course you can not tell from the above low resolution photo, but there were only THREE pigs when it came time to load into transport trailer.   Only one of the pigs is clearing visible in the transport trailer.  Three had escaped through the "hog panel" wire of the trap.  The transport trailer in the photo was made from hog wire with slightly smaller openings.  So, four hogs left my place yesterday.  

This "escape from the trap" is a fairly common problem.  Some people subscribe to the idea that the hog meat from hog control efforts should be put to good use.  My trapper is one such.  Even though it seems fairly obvious (to me) that hogs, once caught, should NOT survive capture.  Escaping a trap makes then more wary about getting caught again.  Therefore adding to the enormous hog problem that we have.  I have no compunction about shooting the hogs in the traps even if it means the meat will eventually rot.

As I was taking the photo, I asked my trapper if he carried a pistol; the answer was "yes".  But he feels obligated to put the hog meat to use.  When he discovered the trap with the seven hogs, around ten more were milling about in the area.  So, out of a group of perhaps 17 hogs, we removed only four.  At least three of those 15 survivors are now trained to be more difficult to catch; perhaps the other 12 that did not spend time in the trap also received some training.

More serious trappers video monitor traps and the gates are dropped remotely when the group in the trap seems to have reached a maximum.  Further, they are highly likely to shoot those caught while they are still in the trap.  Of course that strategy results in having to manually load dead hogs on to a trailer and then having some risk of the meat deteriorating between the time of death and refrigeration of the meat.  Commercial slaughter houses accept only live animals for processing. 

The World's Sexiest Woman

 An alternate title: "A Challenge to YouTube Viewing Stamina".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgMSjAHIV1w&t=3720s

A video from "Green Forest Farm" YT channel.  A few uncertainties.  She makes mortar from portland cement and something that looks like high organic material dug at a certain place.  I guess it is just dirty looking sand.  Note the livestock protection enclosures.  Stronger and more stable than straight wall enclosures.  I wonder how she developed her expertise at such a young age?  Does she have a "behind the camera"mentor?  I wonder the setting.  Somewhere in IndoChina, I imagine.  This video makes me wish we had access to large bamboo. Our local bamboo is small and offers to cut up whoever tries to use it.

One of my first reactions, after watching her pedel her products at a market, was "that girl needs a pick up truck".  But I quickly realized that such affluence would mean a poorer quality lifestyle.

I thought the above showed construction of the water wheel; it does not.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8Bb1gNQdx8

The construction of the water wheel was the most interesting (not to mention astonishing) part.  I suggest you find and view at least that portion.  Maybe flooding is not a big risk on that river.  A flood would almost certainly sweep the whole thing away.

After watching numerous videos provided on the "Primitive Tool" YT channel.  That channel, also, is well worth viewing.  I've seen indications that the Primitive Tool guy lives in northern (hot, sparse population, desertic) Australia.  But, his "actors" also seem Cambodian or similar.  The PT guy also seems to use much more primitive tools and strategies than the GFF.  PT seems to use wood pegs and bamboo lashings instead of nails, screws, and wire used by GFF.

I want bamboo!  I suspect that the three native varieties in North America are a "slicing hazard".  One must use sturdy gloves when handling.  I HOPE that is not a hazard with asian varieties.  In addition, the American native varieties are much smaller than the depicted asian bamboos.  I found a Florida nursery that offers "Emerald" which makes the large canes seen on YTs.  It is supposed to go down to about 15 deg.  The problem is that a ~$35 specimen costs more than $20 to ship.  More shopping is indicated.

https://bambooplantsonline.com/products/emerald-bamboo-bambusa-textilis-mutabulis-clumping-hedge-bamboo

Like most of my blog posts, I grow weary before I said everything that I think needs to be said. 

5/13/2023

I ended up planting two each of two bamboo varieties.  One of each variety near the travel trailer where I can easily keep and eye on them and the other two in a more obscure location where there is acidic soil.  The varieties are "Golden Hedge" Bambusa Alphonse Karr and "Blue Timber Clumping Bambusa" Bambusa Chungii.

More Windmill Tilting

 Here, I intend to discuss how badly we have screwed up by not using heat pumps when installing central air conditioning units.

Since about the 1970s, I think when heat pumps became available.  If "heat pump" does not mean much to you, think "reversible air conditioners".

Early "reversible air conditioners" did a relatively poor job of heating.  That, because the "heated space temperature" and outside air temperature difference can be only about 30-40 deg F.  With outside air temperatures around 40 deg, heated air can be no higher than about 70-80 deg.  More modern heat pumps, since about 2010-2015, can produce sufficient heat with outside air temperatures as low, or lower than, about 20 deg.  "Northern" heat pumps can go as low as about -20 deg but have higher costs than our modern "Southern" heat pumps that go down to 0-20 deg.

Heat pumps can be used instead of air conditioners (only) for an additional cost of $500-$1000.  Most of the heating hardware is present on "only cooling heat pumps".    Even old style heat pumps can produce the needed heat for outside air temperatures as low as about 40 deg.  And produce that heat FAR cheaper than the "normal" heating home heating system.

Why are modern heat pumps so desirable now for both heating and cooling?  The smaller the temperature increase desired, the less power/energy a heat pump needs to reach that temperature.  Heat pumps are most efficient when the differential is ~30 deg (+/-).   A heat pump CAN be the sole source of heat even at much greater differentials.  Overall, heat pumps are almost certain to be more  cost efficient than resistive or combustion heating.  That is even when the heat pump is operating at large differentials because those periods are short compared to the periods when heat pumps are operating more cost effectively.  A ground source heat pump can produce needed heat cost effectively in all climates and temperatures.

I've been speaking of "air source heat pumps" rather than "ground source heat pumps".  Traditionally, ground source has been considered prohibitively expensive in The South because of the expense of reaching the ~70 deg temperatures that are below ~100 feet in our area.

If The Boring Company can tunnel much more cheaply than other digging options, they could create under ground plenum chambers that could supply whole neighborhoods with ground temperature air for direct heating and cooling or as a "ground source" for heat pumps.  In this (central Texas) area, the ground temperature 100-200' deep is about 70 deg year round.  Additionally, here around Dale, the digging is easy; rocks are fairly rare.   Someone might estimate how large a cavity is needed to supply a house with ground temperature air.

For decades I've contemplated how ground water (from a well) might be used for a ground source heat pump.  I'm sure it can be done much more cheaply than boring holes dedicated to the function.  BUT, there are leakage and corrosion problems that need to be anticipated.  The problem is that apparently no one has applied themselves to the problem; all the ground source installers want to sell the expensive excavations.  In The South, I don't believe such expense can be justified.  OTOH, I've estimated that well water costs about $.10/1000gal to produce.  That is a result of my time irrigating many acres from wells.  That cost included power, water well installation costs, etc in the 1970s-1980s.  We are in a aquifer recharge zone; that means that any water put on the ground eventually finds it's way down to the aquifer rather than running off to the Gulf of Mexico.  That is, no second well to put water back into the ground is needed. 

I'm not finished with this.

Good mini split article

 https://cleantechnica.com/2023/04/02/set-it-forget-it-how-heat-pumps-resolved-a-long-term-marital-dispute/

You will find a comment from me on what is missing from the story.

I have not yet followed this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcwIz6heDss

The above is WELL worth watching!  About 1.5 hours.  A very significant "take away" is that southern air conditioners are "over sized" because the cooling demand is much greater than the heat demand.  The charts indicate that most of our air conditioners could also serve as heaters for outside temperatures down around 20-30 deg F.  We would be far better off if the air conditioners were sold as "heat pumps", able to produce needed heat under most conditions.  Instead, the "low cost path" has us burning natural gas or electricity at all times that heat is needed.  Another take away might be that heat pump heating becomes more expensive than petroleum burning or electric resistive heating at some point of temperature.  On average, the heat pump is almost certainly cheaper due to the few hours that are spent at those inefficient hours.  In Caribou Maine, the cross over points are -2 and -9 deg  (for propane and natural gas, respectively) both give great heat pump savings over entire winter because few hours are spent below those cross over points.  In Texas, an air conditioner that works for heat also should serve as a heat source under most to all conditions; that is, in part, because our air conditioners must be sized (over sized) for our hot summers.  Another take way might mean that Menkes should run their heat pump more since "always on" instead of daily thermostat adjustments is cheaper to operate.  They seem not to discuss the value of dehumidifying with a heat pump as I have recently discussed. 

Take away from Q&A session:  A heat pump gives better "bang for buck" than insulation and air sealing.  That is in opposition to "conventional wisdom".  Recommendation is do heat pump first, then insulation/filtration remedies.  At least, that is the case in Maine.

Advertised numbers/ratings indicate that the smaller mini spits are more efficient than the larger units.  That was a factor in my selection of units.  Those numbers/ratings may or may not be accurate.

4/16/23

Here is an excellent blog post case study of conversion to heat pumps:

https://cleantechnica.com/2023/04/16/our-cleveland-duplex-case-study-the-all-electric-side-saves-money-compared-to-the-gas-side/

Note that the heat pump installed was a low-end, low efficiency, unit that is 
"ducted" rather than a mini-split.  The overall efficiency rating (for both heat and cool) is SEER 16.  My Diamond units are in the range of SEER 22-25.  I don't know the heating efficiency rating on my units.  The Cleveland study unit is HSPF 10.  Note that my installation is very much "zoned"; the ducted units do not lend themselves to zoning.  "Zoning" meaning using heat/cooling only in occupied space.  My house has a small (9k BTU/Hr) in the bedroom; it is used only at night.  The two daytime living area units (9k and 18k) are used either one at a time or both and rarely at night.