Weren't really sure where to put this one. At the end of the day, when it came to off grid, living off the land, this baby kept me alive. An undeniable must have for living off the grid in a forested area is a sweet woodstove. Bein the heathen I am this is as close as I get to worshipping anything. Come home froze assfingers with some craw dads stuffed in your fatigue pants and no deer, you know at least you can whip up a sack of Ramen and chuck in some dads for meat. I dried my clothes by it that I washed in the stream. I heated water on it to wash the juicy bits of my body. It produced ash that I used for soap. It heated water to sanitze my dishes (anybody know how important that really is? Off the chart) It dried my small hides for gloves and patches. It dehydrated fish, venison and anything else I asked of it. I baked some of the most awsome bread in its inards. Although I am now on the grid, i still heat souly with wood and I am now switching over from summer to winter mode in the cabin. The alter was covered in beer boxs, bags, paper towels and anything else that would be good tinder when needed. Of all the churches, temples, synagogues and other places of worship, I choose this one as my own. No other has done for me. Selfish as that may be, off grid living requires you to compromise and sacrifice. This 600 pounds of steel loves me like nothing else shy my children. Quick tour reveals an 1800's sad iron top left I use as bacon press. A bacon press per se costs $20, I got her for $2. Got a ribbed bacon pan down low for a buck, had a busted handle. Chucked me a deer antler on it and two combine for what can only be described as divine. To the right of that is a pie sectioned corn bread pan, I use it for bread, biscuits, quiche, hell anything that can be divided into nice little sections that don't stick real bad. varied sizes of fryers and even a corn pone pan. Being on the grid I also have some Caphalon and what not, and that is where the dutch oven is, etc. I can't describe the feeling I get when it turns cold and I know these babies will warm up. I love to cook. I mean, cooking to me is a religious thing. Many religions have eating as parts of the rites. not religious, but living off the grid introduced me to things I can draw similar lines to. It, a silly woodstove and cast cookware, taught me more about understanding God and my fellow man than anything else. While I still believe only in the woodstove, I can connect with other people in a new way. And that is pretty much a pretty cool thing. I ain't really the warm fuzzy kinda dude. I need to check out the cooking and what not section they got here. But i got a challenge, make something I can't make with my cookware and my woodstove and I''l send you a bottle of wine or water, your choice. I've worked my ever lovin' butt off to be able to duplicate modern cooking technoques on this baby. I'm very close to perfect. Lemme see what ya got. Also, I'd love to share techniques with anybody. Say a dutch oven with a lipped lid can be filled with cobbler and set on the stove and then you pile cherrys from the heart of the fire on the lid and she browns the crust and cooks plumb through. If you look at the pic, i also have what looks like two rings up between the 3 small cast pans. They are maybe 1/4 to 3/8 brass wire ring with same size ball feet. makes great stand off for keeping warm or simmering. I get diff. heat, from diff. areas of the stove. Anyway, etc. etc. said the King to i. anybody get that semi quote? A
Hmmm, I don't get but an itty bitty pic, anybody else see it full size? I ain't uber savvy on this kinda stuff.
"Old Fart Senior", huh? God I hope your older than me! Not sure what you was meaning, but when I came back here, the pic is rockin. He says with an incredible prideful grin. It's my favorite corner of the cabin.
More history. Both of the two thick plates on top of the stove are 120# a piece. The stove is a wicked bugger out of 3/8 steel. I can't believe she ain't sunk through the floor. Once she is warm she will wrap her arms around the whole house in the most peacful loving grasp. Unless you are drunk and really get it stoked, than it's kinda like a fire breathing dragon and you wind up naked with the windows (both of them) and the door open. The breeze of the winter air coming in and the super heated air going out is really kinda neat. Also clears any smoke out you may have let in from poor door working. A
There is NOTHING, like the warmth of a BTU stoked wood stove, to cut thru the chill, of a cold encounter, with Mother Nature...
