Preparing for Uncertainty and Self Reliance

[Montegriffo]

Very cool. What was painted though, the shipping containers?

Yes.
Are they not the most attractive shipping containers ever?

Stunning.

I'm looking forward to hearing about what works, and what doesn't.

Well it is a 20 year research project so you will have to be patient.

[Montegriffo]

Not only are there 4 separate types of straw, there are also straws grown in different soil conditions for each of those varieties.
The monitoring will take place monthly and record moisture content and condition of the thatch along with weather conditions and rainfall measurements.
Paul's son will be responsible for the monitoring due to the length of the project and Paul fast approaching the age of retirement.

The thatch itself should last a good 50 years.

[Speaker to Animals]

Did you guys find any books as sources for how to build that roof?

[Montegriffo]

Did you guys find any books as sources for how to build that roof?

It was built by experienced thatchers. I doubt that any of them learnt how to thatch from a book. In fact I know they didn't, they learned over a five year apprenticeship and thousands of hours of practical experience.
I'm sure books on thatching exist but this is not a project for DIY enthusiasts.

[Speaker to Animals]

Did you guys find any books as sources for how to build that roof?

It was built by experienced thatchers. I doubt that any of them learnt how to thatch from a book. In fact I know they didn't, they learned over a five year apprenticeship and thousands of hours of practical experience.
I'm sure books on thatching exist but this is not a project for DIY enthusiasts.

I don't mean for DIY. I mean for emergencies. Tell them that there are preppers who would pay good money for a physical book that explains how they can do this.

[Montegriffo]

Did you guys find any books as sources for how to build that roof?

It was built by experienced thatchers. I doubt that any of them learnt how to thatch from a book. In fact I know they didn't, they learned over a five year apprenticeship and thousands of hours of practical experience.
I'm sure books on thatching exist but this is not a project for DIY enthusiasts.

I don't mean for DIY. I mean for emergencies. Tell them that there are preppers who would pay good money for a physical book that explains how they can do this.

Unless you grow or have access to old fashioned long straw varieties of wheat such as square head master the information would be useless.
http://allsop-thatching.co.uk/thatching-supplies/

You would also need access to a threshing drum from the 1950s or earlier.
Without a tradition of thatched roofs in your area you will not be able to find the resources you need. They are rare even here in Suffolk which has probably the highest concentration of thatched roofs in the country.
Paul threshed the last of his straw last week and was unable to supply enough for the two thatchers waiting to finish their roofs. They will just have to wait for this year's harvest if they cannot find it elsewhere.

Stick to corrugated steel sheets or some other modern roofing materials.

Google is your freind BTW https://www.google.com/search?q=thatchi ... =firefox-b

[SuburbanFarmer]

Tornado bait.

There are plenty of places that don't get tornadoes.

Not until the trailers show up.

[C-Mag]

It was built by experienced thatchers. I doubt that any of them learnt how to thatch from a book. In fact I know they didn't, they learned over a five year apprenticeship and thousands of hours of practical experience.
I'm sure books on thatching exist but this is not a project for DIY enthusiasts.


I don't mean for DIY. I mean for emergencies. Tell them that there are preppers who would pay good money for a physical book that explains how they can do this.


Unless you grow or have access to old fashioned long straw varieties of wheat such as square head master the information would be useless.
http://allsop-thatching.co.uk/thatching-supplies/

You would also need access to a threshing drum from the 1950s or earlier.
Without a tradition of thatched roofs in your area you will not be able to find the resources you need. They are rare even here in Suffolk which has probably the highest concentration of thatched roofs in the country.
Paul threshed the last of his straw last week and was unable to supply enough for the two thatchers waiting to finish their roofs. They will just have to wait for this year's harvest if they cannot find it elsewhere.

Stick to corrugated steel sheets or some other modern roofing materials.

Google is your freind BTW https://www.google.com/search?q=thatchi ... =firefox-b

I know nothing about it, but it seems to me that this would be very doable in the American grain belt. Old tractors and farming equipment, including thrashers, have become a hobby for farmers and there are a lot of them around.

However, finding people that even know how to handle grain in traditional shocks and that type of stuff would be near impossible, not to mention finding someone that could build a thatched roof.

We just built entire buildings from straw bales.

[SuburbanFarmer]

This is a golden opportunity, Monte. Write the book on thatching.

[Speaker to Animals]

It was built by experienced thatchers. I doubt that any of them learnt how to thatch from a book. In fact I know they didn't, they learned over a five year apprenticeship and thousands of hours of practical experience.
I'm sure books on thatching exist but this is not a project for DIY enthusiasts.


I don't mean for DIY. I mean for emergencies. Tell them that there are preppers who would pay good money for a physical book that explains how they can do this.


Unless you grow or have access to old fashioned long straw varieties of wheat such as square head master the information would be useless.
http://allsop-thatching.co.uk/thatching-supplies/

You would also need access to a threshing drum from the 1950s or earlier.
Without a tradition of thatched roofs in your area you will not be able to find the resources you need. They are rare even here in Suffolk which has probably the highest concentration of thatched roofs in the country.
Paul threshed the last of his straw last week and was unable to supply enough for the two thatchers waiting to finish their roofs. They will just have to wait for this year's harvest if they cannot find it elsewhere.

Stick to corrugated steel sheets or some other modern roofing materials.

Google is your freind BTW https://www.google.com/search?q=thatchi ... =firefox-b

I know nothing about it, but it seems to me that this would be very doable in the American grain belt. Old tractors and farming equipment, including thrashers, have become a hobby for farmers and there are a lot of them around.

However, finding people that even know how to handle grain in traditional shocks and that type of stuff would be near impossible, not to mention finding someone that could build a thatched roof.

We just built entire buildings from straw bales.

Me as well.

Please suggest this to your thatcher friends.