beware of people who say they "know"
Idle dreamer
beware of people who say they "know"
Ben_R wrote:
I was thinking about planting some bamboo.......I think it would be handy to have some for building various things...
Anyone have any exp with this?
beware of people who say they "know"
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tribalwind wrote:
fantastic for building things. it's what got sucked me into music and craftwork. i began playing cultural bamboo flutes,then making them,then found woodworking,then rustic.
here is a WONDERFUL site/forum for bamboo.
it's a must-visit if you're looking to work with bamboo
http://www.bamboocraft.net/
i'm ashamed to say i havent been active there in quite a while,
edit:my heart sank as i noticed the passage on the main page just now.this is shocking.
Mark Meckes.creator of the site(along with his beautiful wife carol) passed away in 2007.i had no idea.
i had the great pleasure of meeting Mark and Carol in 2003 at the international bamboo festival in Miami florida...he was an amazing artist ,community builder,and friend bamboo lovers worldwide.
beware of people who say they "know"
rose macaskie wrote:
Geof Lawton mentions using bamboo along swales because it does not have deep roots.
I dont know but maybe deep rooted things near a water course or in a pond tend to lead the water into the ground and as a swale is desig¡ned to hold water that will sink into every part of the hill at the height of the swale, if the water all went the way of the roots of one plant that would be counter productive.
There is a good video on a bamboo plantation in japan where everyone goes to get bamboo shoots in spring when the new bits of bamboo start to poke up through the soil. The shoots need boiling well they are like almond stones they have a bit of, synide is it, in them.
They pick the bamboo shoots to eat and they cut out bamboos to use, so you get a nice open Bamboo grove. I suppose tha the chinese and japonese have lots of ways of keeping bamboo in order, they plant it a lot.
I enjoy pruning and such it is outdoor exercise that is not as heavy as digging but i think i have to learn to dig at a regular pacce but a slow one, it is not the sort of job you can go at like the clappers without doing yourself up. agri rose macaskie.
"I don't think, therefore I'm not."
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Julia Winter wrote:I asked about using the timber bamboo at Columbia Ecovillage in Portland (OR) and was told that things they've made of bamboo have only lasted 3 years or so. I don't think they put the bamboo up away from the ground, though, that might make a big difference in longevity.
Cassie Langstraat wrote:
Here is part of a little goat fence:
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My project thread
Agriculture collects solar energy two-dimensionally; but silviculture collects it three dimensionally.
Richard Forster wrote:
Julia Winter wrote:I asked about using the timber bamboo at Columbia Ecovillage in Portland (OR) and was told that things they've made of bamboo have only lasted 3 years or so. I don't think they put the bamboo up away from the ground, though, that might make a big difference in longevity.
There are various factors that can influence the longevity of bamboo. The time of harvest is reputed to be very critical - that is, for greatest durability the culms should be harvested during the dormant period of the plant's growth cycle - when sugars and starches have been drawn out of the culm and down into the rhizomes, as it is these sugars and starches that attract the boring insects that are the most common cause of rapid deterioration of bamboo poles. The bamboo culm itself also needs to be harvested at the right age - for most species the culm should be at least 3 years old, ideally in its 4th year... Then too, some species are better suited for some uses than others.
There are also various forms of post-harvest treatment that can extend the useful life of the bamboo. Chemical treatments (such as copper sulphate or borax/boric acid) are probably the most straight-forward and effective, although traditional methods such as soaking in salt/brackish water and/or running fresh water, and heat treatment can apparently also be helpful. Robyn Francis of Djanbung Gardens in northern NSW has an interesting article on using trans-evaporation to get chemicals into the cellular structure of the bamboo. Be sure to check out the discussion in the comments as another Permie in North Queensland also reports on their experiments which are now into their second decade, if I remember correctly...
Proper curing - drying for six months or so in a shaded location after harvest and before use is also pretty important to avoid shrinkage and cracking...
I recently used some bamboo that I planted about ten years ago, harvested a couple of months back and treated using the flame from a propane torch (I know, not very cool, maybe for my next project I'll use a rocket stove!) to make a frame for a "flow-through worm bag." I'll try to get my act together and post a pic soon![]()
http://notquitethereyethomestead.blogspot.com/ --On the highway going from here to there the question is oft asked "are we there yet". The oft given answer is "not quite yet". So it goes with life and with my little piece of it. This is my story. I get to tell it my way. I hope you enjoy it.
Cj Verde wrote:
Cassie Langstraat wrote:
Here is part of a little goat fence:
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Is it just me, or do those goats look like they are starving?
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Cassie Langstraat wrote:
Also, just a quick note: When I was in Central America, ALL of the livestock I saw looked like those goats. I am not over-exaggerating either. Every goat. Every cow. Every horse. So, there is something to think about too.
My project thread
Agriculture collects solar energy two-dimensionally; but silviculture collects it three dimensionally.
Cj Verde wrote:
Cassie Langstraat wrote:
Also, just a quick note: When I was in Central America, ALL of the livestock I saw looked like those goats. I am not over-exaggerating either. Every goat. Every cow. Every horse. So, there is something to think about too.
Even beef cows?
I know dairy cows can look really skinny/boney but I don't think you should be able to see their ribs.
I wonder if it's parasites?
Not trying to derail the thread, just hard to focus on the bamboo fencing while looking at those goats!
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Shenanigans of the sheep and wooly sort.. And many more.. https://www.instagram.com/girlwalkswithgoats/
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