How to Make Apple Cider Vinegar

Requires:

• 4-5 ripe apples without worms or blemishes (there is a high content of sugar in ripe apples)
• 1 package of cake or wine making yeast
• Optional - Honey or sugar syrup

How to prepare:

1. Wash and core the apples, cut them into small pieces.
2. Blend the apples and mash them to release the juice.
3. Strain the juice with a cheesecloth to remove the mash.
4. Pour the juice into a non-metallic (preferably glass) container - note that vinegar reacts with metal
5. Keep a cup of apple juice aside and stir in the yeast until it is completely dissolved. Add the mixture into the rest of the apple juice and stir it in.
6. Cover the container with a cheesecloth and place in a dark place at room temperature (65 degrees to 80 degrees Fahrenheit). 
7. Stir the mixture every two days (use a wooden ladle) for about three to four weeks.
8. After three to four weeks, taste the Apple Cider Vinegar for the desired flavor; if the flavor is not up to par, wait a few days and try again. 
9. Once you find the taste you like, filter the vinegar to strain the yeast. Transfer the vinegar into a large Heavy bottom pot.
10. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture reaches a temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit  in order to pasteurize it. 
11. Let the mixture cool, then pour the cider into a glass bottle, secure the lid and place the bottle in a hot water bath. 
12. Let the bottle cool and store it in a dark, dry, cool place.

 For some medicinal uses for Apple Cider Vinegar which have been around for centuries, see my previous post: Benefits and Uses of Apple Cider Vinegar

Potato Planter -- 2010

My first potato planter.

 

I simply nailed a 1x2 frame together and then screwed pine 1x4's to the outside in order to create a planter.  

 

I was careful to buy untreated wood since I planned to eat my potatoes.Then, I just built it up as the plants grew.

Once the plants got to be approximately four to six inches tall, I would hill them by piling additional soil around the base and leaves of the plant. 

Thermosiphon Solar Water Heater

Since it is winter time and I have not been doing much gardening, I have decided to undertake a project to hopefully reduce my heating costs. I am still in the process of acquiring the necessary materials and so I have not yet tested this system. I plan to build my first one out of plastic materials and PVC piping. I would really prefer to use metal (for environmental purposes) but the plastic and PVC will be cheaper and easier to work with until I am certain this design works as planned.

First, a little understanding of what a Thermosiphon is:

 A thermosiphon is a relatively simple device which uses the natural convective forces of water. Essentially hot water rises above cooler water. When the water is channeled properly, you can use the rising hot water to create a circulation.


Next, how to use this to my advantage:

My house sits so that one side of the house gets a lot of sun and the other side is shaded with trees. My theory is that I can place the solar heater in the sun and the storage tank (see discussion below) on the opposite side of the house in the shade. I can connect the heater to the storage tank by running the pipes under the floor of my house (my house sits above grade). I plan to close off most of the vents under the house (I'll open them back up in the spring to allow for circulation) to minimize heat loss. I am hoping that the heat dissipation from the pipes will heat the under side of the house enough to reduce my heating costs. Since this system is entirely solar powered any energy savings will be a direct reduction to my heating bill. I can drain the system and open the vents under my house in the spring to prevent heating during the summer.

My Design:

As I mentioned earlier, I have designed this system but not yet built it so I am not certain it will work as designed. However, from my research this system should work. I am hoping to acquire the materials soon and have a prototype built before the coldest part of winter gets here. So here is my current design. I will not go into the details of the design of the solar heater or connections in this posting; however, I am sure there will be more discussion in the days to follow. I would like to make two notes about the design:

1. There needs to be a pressure relief tube included - this should be a pipe which extends out of the top of the storage tank and rises above the highest point of the system. This tube will allow for filling the system as well as an escape if the water heats to the point that the system begins to build up too much pressure.
2. There needs to be a drain valve at the lowest point of the system (possibly one on the heater and the tank) to allow for draining the system in the summer.