Category: OTHER

Emberlit Stove Review – After 9 years

John2 Comments

When you spend enough time outdoors; camping, hiking or just exploring – you need a reliable means to cook food, boil water, or simply have a small fire. Of course, there are a plethora of ways to get this done – portable burners, alcohol stoves, stick stoves…but my favorite, is still the Emberlit Stove that I purchased over 9 years ago.

My son and I recently found it amongst our old camping gear and decided to brew some hot tea with it. While dusting off the old soot, I was reminded at how convenient and easy this stove is to put together. We loaded it with some small sticks, struck a match and in moments we were getting a boil on in the kettle. He loved it.

I took a moment to reflect upon where this little stove has been: On many canoe trips throughout Ontario, the blue ridge mountains of Virginia and even the highlands in West Virginia. This little thing has never let me down. On those cold nights under the northern lights, a warm tea boosted our spirits and helped us get a good nights rest. I think of the rainy days in Algonquin Park, when all is soaked and wet, but we found enough dry sticks to make a small fire in the stove and rekindle our spirits from the damp. Through thick and thin, this thing has been an absolute tank for us. If you’re thinking about it, just get one.

Pros:

  • requires small amount of wood to keep burning
  • reliable and sturdy
  • simple assembly
  • packs away with a small profile (comes with a case now)
  • Comes with cross bars which can add further stability when cooking

Cons:

  • can be messy with the soot (all stick stoves have this problem)
  • needs close attention while cooking to continue adding fuel (small sticks)
  • Can’t use in areas where open fire prohibited

Specs:

  • 304 Stainless Steel
  • ~ 11.3 oz/ 320g
  • 5.5″ x 5.5″ x 6″
  • Comes with Crossbars and Case
  • Sells for approximately $37.00
Little Otterslide morning: cooking with the emberlit stove to make breakfast in Ontario, Canada.
Lake Moomaw, Virginia: The emberlit stove has a stable platform for cooking.
In the winter time in the Virginia mountains, I carry this stove around to brew tea.
The emberlit stove also works well with all types of cooking pots. It has a sturdy cooking surface.

Planting Oak Trees

John1 Comment

We’ve been eyeing a dying chestnut oak tree on the side of our house for some time now. The size of it’s base is formidable and stands as a reminder of its once splendor. Over the years, the base of the tree had been hollowing out and it was time to bring it down, especially as the rains and winds approach. The kids watched in awe, as the tree surgeons dismantled this once magnificent tree. They asked me several questions: how old was it? why did it die? how long will it take for a new tree to grow here?

Chestnut oak leaf, autumn is here.
Firewood and lumber for days
Oak canopy

So, to help answer their questions, we decided to raise some oak trees from the beginning. This was the perfect time of year for it – the time when the soft thuds of acorns hitting the ground could be heard echoing between the trees. The kids gathered acorns of 3 varieties, white oak, chestnut oak and red oak. After conducting a float test to see which ones were viable, they twisted off the caps and planted them in jars with soil. It could take anywhere from 4-6 weeks for the acorns to germinate, depending on the species. Somer species of oak will not germinate unless exposed to cooler temperatures such as the red oak acorn. We will keep these in the refrigerator to simulate the ideal physiologic environment.

mixture of acorns
The float test for acorns
red oak acorns
good luck

In the mean time, we got to work trying out a cross cut saw. I recently purchased a Lynx 4′ cross cut saw for simple tasks around the property that would not require a chain saw. Safer and also a whole lot of fun. We cut a cross sectional cookie slab, and the kids got to work counting the rings…..104 in total! This tree had been around for more than a century. We applied a generous coating of pentacryl (a wood stabilizer to it) and will let it dry for another season.

Chasing frogs
Lynx 4′ crosscut saw. A lot of work, but a lot of fun.
Pentacryl is wood stabilizer, it can help reduce “checking” as the wood dries. Wood “checking” refers to the splits and cracks that happen when the wood shrinks as it dries. Wood shrinks much more along the growth rings (radially) than it does across the rings (tangentially), so this can lead to cracking or “checking”. Pentacryl is applied while the wood is still green to help stabilize the wood. In many cases, the checking of wood is unavoidable.
104 year old chestnut oak slab with pentacryl applied. I will let this dry for another season before planing and sanding. It could make a cool charcuterie board or table/stool.

So while we wait for the acorns to germinate, the kids have learned a lot about oak trees, and their livespans and how like all things can be susceptible to disease. An adult tree could provide enough oxygen for 2 adult lifetimes. With the felling of this tree, we hope to raise several more in its place. Time will tell! Stay safe and healthy out there everyone.

Awaiting germination….
This is a neat Timelapse I ran across online.

Box Turtle Hatchlings

John2 Comments

I never would have suspected that the bottom of our dogwood tree would the site of a turtle nest. It is actually a high traffic area for the kids so I’m not sure when a female would have found the time to dig a nest and lay her eggs. Nevertheless, life somehow found a way.

My son was the first to notice a small hatching, crawl out of the soft dirt. Behind it, the earth seemed to start to crack and cave, as others behind it began to stir. There were remnants of leathery egg shells and tracks out of the hole. I was amazed at how mobile these little guys were right out of the gate. My suspicion is that they are Eastern Box Turtles however I will need to investigate closer. The kids got a huge kick out of it, and they were mostly amazed that the eggs were here the whole time. The nest must have been deep enough for the soil to blunt the impact, because this was a heavily trodded area. It was an inspiring thing to see.

This little guy is scurrying off to explore this huge new world.

Spring 2022

John3 Comments

Some of my favorite shots this Spring season. All shots with the oldie but goodie Sony a6000. Stay safe and healthy everyone.

Yoshino Cherry Blossoms in Midlothian Mines Park
Woolridge Family Cemetery in Midlothian Mines Park
Life finds a way
Growing some phlox
Dogwood
Lovin those buttercups

Chesapeake Bay Oysters – The First Harvest

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After almost 2 years of growing, my son and I were excited to harvest our first bag of Chesapeake Bay (Eastern/Virginian) oysters. It has been several months since our last check on the float, we found the whole thing was actually submerged due to the weight of the now much heftier oysters. This was really not an issue, as the oysters were protected in a cage. When we initially placed these guys in their cage, they were called “spat” not much larger than big sunflower seeds. After 2 years of filtering the brackish waters of the bay, several of these guys were actually larger than 4 inches! This was our first growth cycle, and it has certainly been an interesting and fun experience.

April 2022

While we sat around the grill preparing a feast, we reflected on what we have learned:

  1. Raising oysters is very easy. If you have a sturdy oyster float, and access to the water, you can raise oysters. They really don’t require much. They simply need to be upsized into bigger bags and cages and they grow. This is usually done every several months. If you also want to keep them separated and growing beautifully, shake and jostle them around in the bags so that they don’t grow to one another. This will also cut down on barnacle growth. Hosing them down every once in a while, will also keep algae off and keep them in better shape for harvesting and bringing to the table.
  2. The spat is not expensive: $35 can buy you a bag of 1000 oyster spat.
  3. 1 oyster can filter 50 gallons of water in one day. This is why they are essential animals in the battle of cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay.
  4. The “R” rule doesn’t necessarily pertain to these types of oysters (triploid, sterile) . Seafood enthusiasts have always followed the “R” rule when it came to eating wild caught (diploid) oysters: “Eat wild caught oysters only during the months with the letter “R” in it.” There are two reasons for this rule.
    1. Food safety: eating raw shellfish, always carries the risk of food borne illness from bacteria such as vibriosis (caused by the bacteria vibrio vulnificus). The risk of contracting this illness is higher during the summer months when the water is warmer. The reality is that this illness can be contracted from eating raw shellfish during ANY time of the year. It is more prevalent during the warmer weather however due to more favorable conditions for the bacteria to proliferate. Properly cooking your oysters can virtually eliminate the risk of catching this infection. The CDC estimates that approximately 80,000 people get vibrio infections each year and 100 people die from it each year in the United States. I always eat my oysters cooked.
    2. Taste: Wild oysters are diploid organisms, meaning they carry a set of chromosomes from each parent. Farm raised oysters for the most part have been selected and altered to be triploid, meaning they actually carry an extra set of chromosomes. These oysters are sterile and do not reproduce. During the warm summer months is when wild oysters are active in the reproduction cycle. During this time, the oysters under go physiologic changes which alters their taste. They are more watery, bitter and just not tasty. Many of the restaurants that serve oysters year round, serve farm raised, triploid oysters. Triploid oysters grow faster because they do not go through the reproductive cycle. All o their energy is put towards getting larger. They grow to bigger sizes and they maintain their taste throughout the year.
  5. Oysters are highly nutritious!
  6. Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) nutrition facts per 3.5 oz serving. (Approx 3 oysters)
  • Calories: 79.
  • Protein: 9 grams.
  • Carbs: 4 grams.
  • Fat: 3 grams.
  • Zinc: 555% of the Daily Value (DV)
  • Vitamin B12: 538% of the DV.
  • Copper: 493% of the DV.
  • Selenium: 56% of the DV.

7. Be safe when shucking oysters. Wear proper gloves when handling the cages and the oysters as their shells can be razor sharp.

Be safe and have fun.

Fishing Bay, Chesapeake Bay. Fall 2021

Camping and Growing Oysters on the Chesapeake Bay

John1 Comment

November 13, 2021: It looked like peak fall time in Virginia. The hardwoods were showering leaves and the nights were certainly approaching freezing temperatures. My son and my brother were convinced this was one of the last weekends for a good campout. We decided to go back to my father’s land on the Chesapeake Bay. It was also time for us to upsize the oyster bag on our small oyster farm project that we started back in June 2021, so we decided to make a fall campout trip out of it.

Looking out at Fishing Bay, in the Chesapeake Bay.
I’ve been packing a small water color painting kit in our camp gear and it’s been a fun activity for downtime on these trips.

We arrived late in the day around 5:30pm and it was already dark, we set up our tent and made a large fire to keep us warm. The winds were fierce and the gusts fueled the fire to roaring heights. It would dip to 34 degrees F that night but our spirits were high and we were dressed properly. My son was eager to sleep in the tent, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

In the morning, we trekked out on to the dock to check our oyster farm. We started with 1000 tiny oysters (spat) in mesh bags, and it has been approximately 1 year since we started raising them. Every 6 months, the oysters would need to have their bags upsized so they can grow properly. We were amazed to see how quickly they have grown. Most of them appeared to be larger than the 2.5 inches which is typical table size for serving.

Chesapeake Bay waterman
The water in the bay was especially clear
Red Shouldered Hawk

The eventual goal is to hopefully repopulate the oyster population surrounding our waters. Oysters serve as filter feeders for the Chesapeake Bay and their ability to filter the water and promote growth for plants, fish and crabs, have made it one of the most important players in the restoration and maintenance of the bay. For now, it’s time for a feast, and time to up our oyster farm game! Happy Thanksgiving everyone, and get your boosters!

Frazier Discovery Trail – Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

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  • Distance: 1.3 mile loop
  • Elevation: 2852 ft
  • Elevation gain: 462ft
  • Rating: Easy (although still some steep segments)

The Frazier Discovery trail is a 1.3 mile circuit hike on Loft Mountain in Shenandoah National Park, notable for several great overlooks. With an elevation gain of 462 ft, it is labeled as one of the easier trails in the park, we found it perfect for our small hikers (4 and 2 years old). Located at milepost 79.5, it is closest to enter from the Southern end of the park at Rockfish Gap (approx 20 miles). There are several overlooks on your way to the trail head, so take your time getting there.

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Make sure you take the time to pull on one of the beautiful overlooks as you make your way to Loft Mountain.
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View from one of the outlooks from Skyline Drive near the Rockfish Gap Entrance to Shenandoah National Park.
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The beginning of the trail. Cross Skyline Drive on foot to begin.
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Trekking poles are helpful but not mandatory. A hiking stick can be just as good.

We parked at the Loft Mountain Wayside Camp store and information center and crossed the road (skyline drive) to begin our hike. Hiking on a Tuesday, we were fortunate enough to have the mountain to ourselves. It appeared that the leaves were changing colors slightly later than normal. I find that peak fall color in the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountain region is last week of October and early November.

The trail is well marked, and frequently traveled. There are plenty of rocks so hiking boots are definitely recommended. Unlike several other trails through Shenandoah National Park, there was no stream or river bed on this hike….But the views were killer. Have fun out there, and be safe.

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Overlook from Frazier Discovery Trail on Loft Mountain
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Don’t forget snacks!

Things to bring:

  • hiking boots (highly recommended)
  • water
  • map
  • compass
  • trekking poles (helpful)
  • dress appropriately
  • snacks
  • camera
  • helpful maps below

Pine Needle Tea

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A cloudy and muggy, Saturday kept us mostly indoors. The kids were both with stuffy, and runny noses. A mild cold was here to stay for the next few days.

I told my son that during these times, the perfect remedy was something we could easily concoct in our backyard…pine needle tea.

Ingredients:

  • eastern white pine needles (about half a handful)
  • honey (optional)
  • milk (optional)

A very simple brew that can be made on virtually any canoe trip, pine needle tea has so much to offer. It is loaded with vitamin c and A as well as anti-oxidative properties. While it can be made with several different types of pine trees, I think the classic pine needle tea is usually with eastern white pine. This tree can be easily identified from yellow pine by the fact that the needle clusters grow in clumps of five. A good way to remember this is that the letter “W” for white, has 5 points in it. (A pretty useful mneumonic). *whenever you are consuming plants or trees outside, please make sure you know exactly how to identify the species you are dealing with. There are several types of conifers, such as yew that is not suitable for consumption. Also, pine needle tree should not be consumed that anyone bearing children.

White Pine: The needles grow in 5 needle clusters.

Once you have identified the proper needles, you can wash them to get off any dirt or bugs. You can cut the needles into smaller pieces or leave them whole. I generally do not boil the needles. I heat the water to the point before boiling as to slow the steeping process and not to release too much bitter tannins. The younger pine needles (lighter in color) are generally a little sweeter, although with less ascorbic acid (vitamin C). The darker, older needles contain more vitamin C but are more bitter. I generally let the tea steep for about 15 minutes. You can mix in a little honey or milk if you wish. In no time at all, you’ve got a warm, healing drink from your backyard that should help you get over your cold.

5 needles

While we are no longer worried about vitamin C deficiency and scurvy in this part of the world, this trusty and simple pine needle tea recipe will hopefully serve you well.

Have fun everyone!

*Be careful once again when identifying trees and plants of all kind!