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<title>Re: [GSBN] Hand Compressed bales</title>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green'>Dear Martin<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green'>Thank you so much for your detailed and
informative reply.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green'>Given the extreme cold experience (there
are only 3 frost free months there a year), I would tend to stay with the
thicker bales, but was particularly thinking of the smaller ones for some of
the internal walls.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green'>Indeed we have found that the local straw
in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Lesotho</st1:country-region></st1:place>
has a value locally, particularly for its use as roofing thatch. Luckily we have
the co-operation of the local chiefs to hopefully control prices from escalating
once people see a new use for it. So there is already an established price which
we have discussed with the chiefs. It is sold in bundles, which is oriented in
one direction for thatching. This means the laying of the straw end to end
alternately is the way we would need to go when loading up the baler. In any
case we have wheat straw, which is pretty brittle, so I have my doubts for how
a random style would work. However, I have also seen big stacks of it unbundled
for use as animal bedding. I did not get right up to it and see if it was any
less thick and tough. But it is worth investigating especially if it is more
readily available and less expensive. Straw certainly has uses in <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lesotho</st1:place></st1:country-region> and
does not look like it ever gets wasted. I have not seen it burned in the fields,
though they do burn their stubble. Incidentally in the <st1:place w:st="on">Cape</st1:place>
there is massive amounts of straw burnt causing massive pollution problems in
the summer. Soil erosion in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Lesotho</st1:country-region></st1:place>
is chronic and part of what we do around food security issues will need to take
this into account. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green'>I have also done urine separation toilets
before and as the locals are used to long drop toilets this may not be such a
jump for them as our city folk. Apparently if you also add in some half rotting
leaves as well as dilute the urine min 1:5 with water it makes an excellent
fertilizer ….the leaves are supposed to improve the diluted urine.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green'>I am still awaiting Darcey’s
detailed plans for his compactor and I would be interested to understand how it
compares to the fulcrum type that Habib sent me. It would certainly appear to
be less physically demanding. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green'>Clearly one of the issues with the car
jack will be how one keeps it clean and well oiled, so I imagine regular cleaning
and re-oiling is a critical part of making sure one does not mess up the jacks.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green'>I am looking forward to experimenting with
it all and will be going up during December and look forward to more lively
discussion and input from this group. Be sure that I will also feed back my
experiences.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoAutoSig><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span lang=EN-US
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green'>Many thanks again <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span lang=EN-US
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green'>Kind regards,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span lang=EN-US
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green'>Andy<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span lang=EN-US
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span lang=EN-US
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span lang=EN-US
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green'><img width=576
height=119 id="_x0000_i1028" src="cid:image001.gif@01CC9FD0.692CCF20"></span></font><font
color=green><span lang=EN-US style='color:green'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span style='font-size:
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