How to build a composting toilet

We always planned to be 'green' meaning that we would think about what we were doing - how much our activities would compare with the one planet philosophy, and aim to work towards sustainability and a 'sufficient' lifestyle.


We are lucky in many ways; one is that we have a well that we can take water from. This has been in use for generations, and served our predecessors well, as it does us.


If we take water off at too fast a rate for long periods, like watering plants, the well level drops, the pump runs dry and cuts out.


It's OK the pump has sophisticated electronics, so it looks after itself. 


After an hour or so, the water is back up, and all is well (!)


It does focus the mind however, and it feels like there is not a limitless supply (as there isn't of course!)


We are gathering the grey water in a primitive bucket based system, to be improved in due course, and we are now going to install a composting toilet.


So much of our beautiful clean water is used to flush away perfectly suitable compostable waste into a septic tank (in our case) or the sewage system, only to be cleaned up at later date. What a waste - why not keep it and use it ourselves? 


A bit unorthodox perhaps!


But as Kevin McCloud of Grand designs says:

But human poo? Who’d put that on their garden? Anyone who has a composting toilet. These lucky souls use their large intestine to create a supply of rich, sweet-smelling fibre (and it’s fine, I have smelt it) that, to all intents and purposes, might be the finest prepacked Arthur Bowyer’s: wholesome, healthy and about as recycled as you can get.

With no better an advocate here we go.

We have a ready made enclosure: an outside loo with more or less a roof. 
It's attached to remnant of other buildings - 


That will need tidying up!

Today we set about removing the unstable, and the unwanted.

The result:

the roof is off - and much of the side wall - but at least the greenhouse will get more light!

what better thing that smashing away at a concrete wall?

broken toilet pan, and overhead cast iron cistern made in Newry - a treasure

more rubble - oh joy

that's about it

ready to start!

Opening Times

We are open every Saturday and Sunday 11am to 5pm, and still working on jobs around the place; the barbecue is nearly finished. 


It is already far more 'finished' that the one we had at Trassey!

Almost ready for action.
The bricks are from under the workshop floor
(follow the link to see the post)

Thank goodness the weather is now back to normal - drizzle turning to rain, wouldn't want to wear the barbecue out too soon!


Please come up and see what we're up to, we are getting making again, Mount Stewart Garden and Craft Fair is in two weeks (21 & 22 May) so it's about time!


If you want to visit outside weekends, that's no problem, just ring 028 4065 0848 or email info@turniphouse.com to be sure we'll be in.

Charlie on duty!

a panorama of the Turnip House Courtyard

Rain!

After weeks of dry weather we have rain at last today - it was good to see a 'soft' day! The plants have been crying out for it, and it will put out the remains of the wildfires.

April was hottest on record in some parts, we recorded 20.5 degrees C on 10th April, with night time temperatures at the beginning and end of the month below 3 degrees C.

April's weather data can be downloaded here or from the link on the right of this blog.

There is an excellent monthly report from Met Éireann which can be seen here

Slievenaboley wreathed in mistiness

welcome water droplets for the singed lupin leaves

Barbecue place

These old bricks from the floor of the Turnip House find new life as support for the slabs.

Another fantastic day; strong winds, but warm sunshine. We set to work on the plinths for the barbecue table.This area at the lower end of the Turnip House courtyard gets the evening sun right to sunset.


We are thinking about doing barbecue evenings, if there is a demand for it.
When finished, this will be a great place for entertaining.

fires still burn in the Trassey Valley this evening; our old home

Plumes of smoke from Northern Ireland seen 700km above Earth - Northern Ireland, Local & National - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk

This remarkable picture courtesy of The Belfast Telegraph,

& NASA

Plumes of smoke from Northern Ireland seen 700km above Earth - Northern Ireland, Local & National - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk

The Mournes Ablaze

We're in the unfortunate position of being able to see all too clearly the fires - caused deliberately - on the Mournes these past few weeks.


As the Belfast Telegraph said:

Embattled firefighters have had to deal with more than 1,100 gorse fires in Northern Ireland in the last two weeks — a staggering 97% of which have been started deliberately

Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/fires-sweep-northern-ireland-countryside-15149750.html#ixzz1LC5LB24t

smoke form the fires on Lamigan yesterday pour over Slievenaglogh

multiple fires on our side of the mountains this morning

this seems to be from the wood at the top of the Trassey Valley near Fofanny reservoir

Meanwhile life settles down in the New Turnip House, we are now open every weekend, and are delighted to say that people are finding us! Some of you who follow the blog have come down, and new visitors who just find us in passing.


We are heartened by all the lovely comments that we're getting, and are so pleased to have established 'base camp'. This gives us motivation to continue onwards!


In the pipeline for the next few months:

• get making again!
• build the composting toilet
• start the vegetable beds
• plant more trees
• finish the barbecue area
• get ready to replace the roof in the Big House!

Furby's just worn out by the thought of it all!

The red kite

another great sunny day

Easter Sunday 2011

Day two - plenty of friends to sample the view and the lemon drizzle cake - still on form I'm told.
We had Red Kites in the sky all morning until 10.30, but then annoyingly distant until after lunch (when most people had gone!)

Now the silage bales are away the 'car park' is in use. Perfect timing!

Much chat, history, philosophy, stories past and future. Just what we're here for.

good friends, old and new

two kites catching a thermal, just after lunch

First Day open again!

It was a cold start today  9 degrees C, not looking too good, as the days before were hot.


Elaine was at the Easter Craft fair in Castlewellan Forest park (our 24th Year!) and today we were open for the first time in Benraw.


we've spent many hours at work preparing the place, it's like the closer you get the further away the goal becomes. 


A stone wall in a piggery may look OK, and pretty sound. But when it comes to making it real internal space suitable for living and working, then the true extent of the work becomes apparent.


But at last we are now at the moment where we have a new workspace.(There's still more to do, but we are now inhabiting the space)


And it is fantastic! We have tried to keep the best of the old work, the stone walls, floor and, most important, the beautiful granite quoins and lintels.


Thanks to all who came to visit us today, and inaugurate our new home!

inside; old roof , new stove ; furniture modified to fit it's new home

 New double doors let in the southern light and give us unbroken views over the Mountains.

view from the sofa!

from the outside - see the reflection

Charlie in his element

 red kites showed up three times today - here's one soaring on a thermal.
this is the same tree as in the 'view from the sofa 'picture

old and new: the Acer planted in the picnic lawn contrasts with the May blossom by the river

At the  end of the day another 'gift'.

The bales of silage that have been our companion since August last year were taken away (without us noticing!) so clearing the upper courtyard.

This meant we could burn the last of the ivy cleared from the house.

an impromptu celebration fire
perfect!

Opening: Easter 2011

We will be open tomorrow Easter Saturday 23 April 2011!

We will be open every weekend and bank Holiday until July, when we will be open 7 days, until the end of August. 

Please come and visit us to see where we are and what we're doing.

We love our new home, and are sure you will too.

We will try to continue what we set out to do in 1987 -

shift the work/life balance

gain more connection with nature and landscape

try to take less and give more

focus on life's real priorities

What does this mean in practice? Well, that's the journey!

In the next few years the plan is:

aim towards a more sustainable lifestyle

live in the Mournes AONBeauty

earn our living by means of craft

make and sell knitwear and knitted felt products

open a tea room and craft shop at the Turnip House

create an open, creative space for others to enjoy and participate in

Easter Holiday 2011

Home made organic vegetable soup,
wheaten bread
lemon drizzle cake

- back on the menu, and on the house!

We are also please to be back making again - our Unique Celtic Sweaters, from stock or made to measure, Felt hats, jewellery, bags, and many more new ideas! All made exclusively by us.

We are delighted to show you what we've been up to since we came up to Benraw. Very much a work in progress (that's the fun of it!) Please call in any time - if you want to make sure we will be there, phone or email.

We will be open anyway every Saturday and Sunday.

You are welcome other times. email or phone to check we will be there.

Felt Workshop in Delamont

Elaine held another felt making workshop in Delamont park near Downpatrick on Saturday, under the auspices of Down Arts Centre.


A beautiful day, coupled with beautiful work from the 10 participants!

There will be another workshop, specifically on felt bag making to come, check out the Down Arts site for news

Egg Production in 1967

Whilst clearing out the house we've found the receipts from Annie Stevenson's egg production in the late 1960's.

a slice of farming history: dockets from 44 years ago, on a wire

In the week of 21st December 1967 Annie's chickens produced 22 dozen eggs - pretty good for  mid winter!

January 1968. Still producing well. 

Our hens generally stop laying from November to February, so to have production in the winter months requires extra measures. The hens were probably kept in one of the outbuildings - now gone. Keeping them under cover would have helped with productivity.

Elaine reckons that Annie could have had up to 50 hens to produce this rate of eggs, in winter, when they will probably only be laying every other day.

This is another priceless insight to life in on the farm which is now our home.

Our two producers - one a day each at the moment!

Complete with Cockerel - who knows he may come in useful sometime!

Mother's Day

Today after some years, we were again years celebrating two Mothers in the family. As is right and proper, Motherhood moved down the generations, so Kate as well as Elaine now hold that honourable position.

It's my Mum's first Mother's day!

To mark the day, we forsook our 'hell for leather' renovation of the Turnip House for some future building: in the garden.


As we have not yet got to the greenhouse 
(we've decided to build our own much more fun, but... takes time!)

we cleared the space for the future greenhouse- leaning against this wall

looking to the south, it will get the sun most of the day

  In the meantime, we've cleared out and patched up the back porch of the house to act as a temporary potting shed.

tidied up the outside

nice space - and a sink for the compost!

the very fine - but totally woodwormed living room table is perfect for holding pots and things

we patched the roof to the porch - our first work on the house proper. Pity this is the bit we'll be taking down!

As we said before, we cleared an awful lot of plant stuff from around the place in September and October, and composted it against the back walls. Some of this is already OK to use:

saves a lot of peat bogs!

beautiful stuff!

the compost heap - with a mighty fine view!

a red kite - one of our daily companions

Weather For March

March ended with a blast - on the night of the 31st and the morning of the 1st April, we had 40 miles per hour gusts of wind - shook the pictures off the caravan wall no joke!


This morning the Mournes look majestic as ever in this chilly morning - 4 degrees C

Complete weather data for March can be downloaded from our website via the link on the right of this page