From an email to my relatives

New wood cooking stove for the Hemlocks

            Only 50 are coming to the USA, and the Hemlocks gets one of them. Most go to Mexico.

Here’s the brochure on the new widget: http://www.ecozoomstove.com/products/La%20Mera%20Mera_Information%20Sheet.pdf

In the cold season the heat off of the exhaust pipe will generate needed room heat. I think it might get moved to a covered porch in the warm season. In the end, all exhaust must end up outside for human health reasons.

Supposedly it uses 70% less wood, and the seasoned tree tops are already in the large compound yard here to provide the small wood needed. After that is used up, deadfall in the yard and nearby woods should work just fine.

My deployed time in the Marines has accommodated me to the lower standards than most of us are used to. Of course in good times, I just use public electricity for the usual reasons.

This stove uses two zoom versa rocket stoves, and the Hemlocks already has one of them, too. In theory I can even use my pressure cookers on it (like for putting up food). I say in theory, because I still use my electric stove to put up food. Here’s a YouTube video on how to cook with a zoom versa rocket stove: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM6IpV38ZtQ

It can also use coal, and the Hemlocks has a high quality anthracite coal seam about 1/4 mile away from the Compound. Here’s one review on cooking with charcoal: http://foodstorageandsurvival.com/ecozoom-zoom-versa-rocket-stove-review-charcoal/

The Hemlocks has two fold out Coleman “camp” ovens for baking, either on this stove or any of the other wood stoves. The design goes back over a half century, and I know it works because I have used it.

Add in the solar oven, and we can bake OK, I think.