Ready for Winter!

[Mo]

In England peat bog is an endangered habitat.
I noticed when we visited County Clare 15 yrs ago that it was still piled outside houses for fuel, and used for making turf walls at the cliffs of Moher, whereas we were being urged to stop using peat-based compost in the garden.

[Steve the Gas]

I think it's a shame that peat is dug up. It's a very important habitat for lots of wildlife..

[Maggie1]

The peat situation over here is much the same. The bog owners have a limited time to cut and sell. There has been a lot of controversy of people saying that there's going to be a shortage of peat. The bog owners who's bog is their livelihood, have a certain few weeks that they can cut it. If they do it after they get hefty fines.
I am an avid nature lover and going over to the bog is an experience. There is NO shortage of wildlife over there and the flowers over there are beautiful and I've had to come home and look them up to see what they are as I've never seen them before. Last time we went over collecting the turf we had a job to avoid picking up frogs, and the beetles are all different colours and are enormous. If its in that much danger they wouldn't be there.

[Kernow]

No doubt in England if there were such extensive peat bogs they would be drained and those really important office blocks or power stations would be built thereon.
A lot of wildlife was lost due to the channel tunnel for example, we noticed this whilst we lived in Kent.

[Steve the Gas]

The habitat is being steadily reduced which has got to have a negative impact.

[Kernow]

Perhaps ALL fossil fuels should be stopped? Oh! perhaps not, after all we need coal (if only to generate electricity), Oil (for transport, heating, machinery, generating electricity etc.) Gas (a bi-product of fossil fuel) for heating, cooking, etc.) What's left? well peat isn't really fossil neither is wood because its not old enough. Oh! well back to the caves, furs and woad.

[Spreckly]

When we moved into our retirement home six year since, we foraged for wood. There was always plenty lying in ditches, on road sides and grass verges. Two years later, and there was none to pick up.

I was chatting to a friend one day - farmer's wife, loads of wood on the farm, etc., and she said "I wouldn't dare". I felt like a thief, and it was only lying there rotting away.

[ChrisG]

Anyone ever thought of building a rocket stove?

http://www.permaculture.co.uk/videos/1309111095/how-build-rocket-stove

[Orfy]

Yes I've looked into and thought about building one for the back yard.
They are more for cooking than heat.

This isn't realy a rocket stove but it simple.

http://www.permaculture.co.uk/videos/08 ... cket-stove

[LynneP]

Last year parts of the UK had a true north american winter- remember that electric heaating tape on water pipes is far cheaper than having to call the plumber or replace pipes yourself.

And can you get electric pet bowls there now? great for all pets and for chickens