Living Off the Land in New Haven

7/30/2019 Living Off the Land in New Haven

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Living off the land in New Haven, CT

This is not for publication it is just my own personal notes for information that I found across the internet. I have yetto get them organized but thought I would share what I have found so far.

IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT WILD EDIBLE PLANTS

BesureofyouridentificationofthewildedibleplantBEFOREyoueatit!Somewildedibleplantshaveverypoisonouslookalikes.

Youmaybeallergictosomewildedibleplants.Ifyouareatallunsureifyouwillbeallergictoaparticularplanteatjustalittlebitatfirst.

*YOU*are100%responsibleforproperlyidentifyingandproperlypreparingwildedibleplantsthatyoueat.NOme!

Youshouldsupplementtheinformationonthiswebsitewithreallifepracticeatidentifyingtheseplants,preferab

alongwithoneoftheexcellentfieldguidesthatareavailable,andwiththehelpofcompetentpeoplewhoknow

plants.DoALOTofresearch

takeless

than

10%

of

what

is

available

in

any

area.

needtofindplants

Nettle (for hayfever) used for treating rheumatism, arthritis, allergies and eczema, baldness, bladder infections,cough, bronchitis, bursitis, anemia, gingivitis, hives, laryngitis, gout, multiple sclerosis, tendonitis, premenstrualsyndrome, prostate enlargement and sciatica.

Care has to be taken in collecting nettles to avoid it's irritating sting and the wearing of stout gloves is highlyrecommended. However, the leaves are high in nutrients and also very tasty, making it worth the trouble, whilstcooking them destroys the stinging effect and makes them perfectly safe to eat. They are an excellent addition tosoups and stews, but the leaves also make a good soup as the main or even sole ingredient. They can also be dried anused to make a tisane, as can be done with the nettle's flowers. The shoots are also edible and like the leaves can beadded to soups and stews or can be boiled or steamed alone. The shoots can also be used for brewing nettle beer, anancient and much loved drink in many countries. Both leaves and shoots are used in Scotland to make nettle puddingand in Italy to make nettle pasta. They are also renowned all over the world as a spinach substitute and can be used aan alternative to it in any recipe calling for spinach as an ingredient. When squeezed they produce nettle juice which


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can be used as a vegetarian substitute for rennet to curdle milk when making cheese. The root of the nettle, althoughbetter known medicinally, is not regarded as having any culinary value.

ConfirmedplantsinNewHaven

Dandelion

You can eat the greens in salad..or cook them in soup. Store sells these. Younger ones are less bitter.

But Dandelion coffee made from the roots of dandelionsroast and grind.

Cut off crow clean good and towel dry.

Grind to a coffee texture then roast in oven 250 for 2 hours or so.. roast, going from a blonde color to a dark coffee

color. Use 1 level Tablespoon Roasted Root for each cup of water. Or use 1/3 cup root for each quart of water or 11/3 per gallon. You make need to adjust these amounts to your taste if you like it stronger or weaker.

Notes: The roots can be stored in an airtight container after they have been dried in the oven. They will keep this wayfor several months. Dandelion plants, 2 years and older


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Chickweed

Regchickweed mouseairchickweed

Chop common and star chickweed, and add them, raw, to salads, or cook them like spinach. Mouseear chickweeds shairy, you have to cook it.Cooked, chickweed tastes like spinach. Include any of the species in soups and stews, butcook no more than 5 minutes to prevent overcooking. Unlike most other edibles, the stems, as well as the leaves andflowers, taste good.

Cooking shrinks chickweed by 3/4, concentrating the nutrients and compensating for whatever vitamins cookingdestroys.NUTRITION: Chickweed is an excellent source of vitamins A, D, B complex, C, and rutin (an accompanying flavonoid)as well as iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, sodium, copper, and silica.

Applied externally, finely chopped chickweed soothes irritated skin, especially when mixed with marsh mallow(Althaeaofficinale)root. It's good for cuts, minor burns, eczema, and rashes. Bandage it on the affected area by itself omixed with clay, which adds a drying and drawing effect. Change the dressing often.

Of course, try to uncover the cause of the skin malady and work to undo it. If you continually wake up with itchy,swollen areas on your skin every morning, you may find vigorous application of a fly swatter to the surface of themosquito that's been camping out in your bedroom to be the remedy of choice!

To make chickweed infusion, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1/4 cup of chickweed. Cover and let steep, off the heatfor 15 to 20 minutes. Strain out the herb and drink the tea hot.

A mild diuretic, promoting the flow of urine, this beverage is also supposed to cleanse and soothe the kidneys andurinary tract and help relieve cystitis. Unlike the more powerful pharmaceutical diuretics, it wont deplete the body ominerals. Its also reputedly good for rheumatism.


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Chicory

NUTRITION: Chicory leaves are a good source of vitamins A, B complex, K, E, and C, as well as potassium, calcium,phosphorus, copper, zinc, and magnesium.

Add very young chicoryleaves raw to salads, or include them in cooked recipes, the same way you cook dandelions.More strongly flavored than commercial chicory, they cook in 10 to 15 minutes. To overcome the bitterness of olderleaves, you may boil them in 1 or more changes of water.

To make a caffeinefree coffeelike beverage from the roots, scrub, chop, and toast them in a 350F oven 1 hour, oruntil dark brown, brittle, and fragrant, stirring occasionally. Grind to the size of coffee in a spice grinder or blender,and use like regular coffee1 tsp. per cup of water.

A strong tea of the boiled roots, flowers, and leaves is reputed to be a good wash for skin irritations, includingathletes foot. You can apply a compress of the boiled leaves and flowers, wrapped in a clean cotton cloth, to swellingboils, and mild inflammations.


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Clover

Pour a cup of boiling water over handful of red clover flower heads, cover, and steep 20 minutes. Strain out theflowers and enjoy a tasty, healthful tea. You may also pick the flowers from the flower head and use them raw orcooked. They taste a little like sweet string beans.


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CornSalad(lambslettuceorMeche)

Grows all year here in New Haven, only use is salad but a very tasty one and you can cook with spices lightly

Daylilies

Use raw the shoots raw in salads, or saut, steam, stirfry, deepfry, bake, simmer in soups, or pickle.Growing in denstands makes the shoots easy to collect in quantity before most other edibles even appear. Cook the unopened budslike string beans. Once flowered, use flowers raw in salads, in hotandsour soup, or deepfried. Discard the flower'sacrid, green base. Reconstitute the previous day's wilted flowers in soups.


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Elderberry

Pokeberrys (longhanging) elderberrys (ingroups)

POKEBERRYSAREVERYPOISONOUS!! ThisWHOLEPlantis!

Elderberry looks like this when it flowers.

he flowers make wonderful food. Try elder flower (sometimes called elderblow) fritters using your favorite tempuraor pancake batter. Make a light, mild batter, so you dont overpower the delicate flowers. Try sauting them.

Elder flowers make a pleasant tasting tea, especially with mint. They also make a potent, fragrant wine. St Gather theberries like the flowers. This is quick. The real work occurs at home: Pulling small bunches of berries from their stemand sorting the fruit from the debris on a tray, takes time


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Avoid unripe, green berriestheyll get you sick. Even raw ripe elderberries make some people nauseous Cooking ordrying dispels the offending substance, and greatly improves the flavor. Baking this fruit in muffins, cakes and breadsimbues them with a piquant crunchiness. They become the central ingredient whenever you use them in baked goodElderberries arent sweet and contain no thickeners. Rely on other ingredients for these elements, especially if yourmaking the European favorite, elderberry jam.

eeped in vinegarthey add flavor and strengthen the stomach. The berries have few calories and lots of nutrition. Thprovide very large amounts of potassium and betacarotene, as well as sugar and fruit acids, calcium, phosphorousand vitamin C.

Many older herb books recommend using elderberry leaves, roots, or bark medicinally, probably because Indianherbal experts used them. This doesnt guarantee safety: Never use these parts of the elderberry. Theyre poisonous.They contain a bitter alkaloid and glycoside that may change into cyanide. Children have been poisoned usingelderberry twig peashooters, and adults have been poisoned using hollowed twigs to tap maple trees. However, thereis a benefit to the toxicity: People use dried, crumbled elderberry leaves in their gardens as a natural insecticide.

Ginko

The gingko tree's dull orange globular fruit, which grows on female trees only, smells like...vomit. But be brave, for ahidden treasure lies withina beige, almondshaped, thinshelled nut, enclosing a jadegreen seed. The kernels can beeaten as an appetizer, or in soups, stews, or Asian dishes.

WHEN TO PICK IT: The fruit ripens in late fall.

NOTES ON HANDLING AND PREPARATION: Discard the fruit wearing rubber gloves, to keep your hands from

smelling and to avoid the poison ivylike rash the fruit sometimes incurs. Rinse the nuts in a colander and toast 30minutes in a preheated, 300 F oven, stirring occasionally (rawnutsarepoisonous).Tap the nuts with a water glassto crack the thin shells and remove the edible and delicious kernels.


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Knotweed

FOODUSES: Best when 6 to 8 inches tall, the intensely tart, tangy shoots (discard all the tough leaves) taste likerhubarb, only better. A tough rind that you must peel (good for making marmalade) covers the taller ones.

Slice the stems, steam as a vegetable, and simmer in soups, sauces, fruit compotes, and jam, or bake in dessert dishes

Use sparingly. I've made terrific applesauce and excellent strawberry compotes using just 1 part knotweed to 10 parfruit.

You may even substitute cooked knotweed, which gets very soft, for lemon juice, transforming familiar recipes intoexotic ones. Or use a chopstick to pierce the membranes that separate the segments of 1foottall shoots, peel, stuff thstalks with sweet or savory stuffing, and bake in an appropriate sauce.

NUTRITION: An excellent source of vitamin A, along with vitamin C and its cofactor, the antioxidant flavonoid rutin,Japanese knotweed also provides potassium, phosphorus, zinc, and manganese. Its also an excellent source ofresveratrol, the same substance in the skin of grapes and in red wine that lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol and reducesthe risk of heart attacks. Resveratrol may delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease or slow its progression. Normally,glialcells in the brain support the neurons (nerve cells) and apparently modify the way they communicate, but inAlzheimer's disease, an accumulation of gunk called amyloidplaques signals these helper cells to kill the neuronsinstead. Resveratrol seems to block this deadly signal. And resveratrol will also increase your lifespan by 30%, butonly if youre a fruit fly. It activates sirtuin genes, which increase cell longevity the same way a calorierestricted dietdoes. Whether this might also slow human aging is still open to question.


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Garlicmustardhttp://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/food/edibleplants/garlicmustard/index.html

Garlic Mustard is a seriously invasive alien plant. Left to itself, itcan completely take over an area, crowding out all native plants. Feel free to pull up (and eat) as much of this plant asyou can.The crushed plant smells of garlic, hence its name. To prepare Garlic Mustard, simply boil or steam the wholeplants (the part that's above ground). Pesto too.

CrowGarlic

use like garlic


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QueenAnnesLacewild carrot

you want to find first year carrots. These are ones without flowers they taste better but you can eat the older one to.This biennial (2year plant) begins with a basal rosette: finely cut leaves spread out in a circle along the ground,arising from the taproot. The leaf stalks are fuzzy, while poison hemlock's are smooth.

when it looks like this

The seeds of the flower are also birth control This herb is generally used like a morning after pill. One commonlydiscussed method is chewing up and eating the seeds, but the tea or tincture may be more effective. The flowers canalso be used alone or with the seeds. There are a variety of options. Robin Rose now generally recommends that the

tincture be used 3 times after intercourse, once every 812 hours, at a dosage of 1/21 dropperful each, seeds andflowers. She emphasizes not taking it too much, that withdrawl from the herb is part of its effect. So I emailed andasked the obvious question: What if you are having sex every day!? Would you take it only when you were mostfertile?

Her response was quick and concise:This question has certainly come up before. You could use that approach, take ionly during fertile times, it works great unless you have a second ovulation or ovulate at a different time than usualduring a monthso Im more confident with that approach with women who chart their cycles /take theirtemperature, etc. What I would do is lower the dosage to one time after each intercourse instead of 3 times. And takebreaks from the wild carrot when you are absolutely sure youre not as fertile. Hope that helps.


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Puffballs(Warningthereisonethatwillmakeyouveryveryill!Somakesureyouhavetherightone)Theon

thatmakesyouillturnsblackinsidewhenitmaturessomaybeworthwaitingaseasonandwatchingand

gettingtoknowthem)

WHATTHEYARE: Puffballs are among the best tasting and easiest to identify mushrooms. Saut them, add them tosoups, stews, or casseroles, bread and bake them, or grill them. They have a rich earthy flavor, and a texture likemarshmallows.Butbevery,verycareful!Therearenopoisonousspeciesofpuffballsbutonelook-alike,thepoisonpig-skinpuffball,canmakeyousickenoughthatifyouatethem,you'dwishyouweredead!

andlooklikethisinside.Alwayscutopensmallpuffballsto

makesuretherearenogillsorsteminside,indicatingpossiblydeadlyamanitas.Becausepoisononescanbe

whiteinsideatitsearlystages..nevereatanythingifyouarenotsure!

WHENTOPICKTHEM: Puffballs appear mainly in late summer and fall. Eat them in their immature states, whenthey're white and very soft inside, like cream cheese.

HOWTORECOGNIZETHEM: The giant puffball (Calvatiagigantea) is the easiest to recognize. It grows on hardpacked soil or wellmanured pastures, and looks like a white soccer ball, beach ball, or mass of Styrofoam.

Pearshaped puffballs (Lycoperdonpyriforme) grow packed into large troops, on dead logs and stumps. They're offwhite, pearshaped, and the size of a golf ball or smaller. Look for them from mid to late fall.


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The gemstudded puffball (Lycoperdonperlatum) is about the same size as the pearshaped puffball, only it grows inthe grass, and its surface is studded with tiny spines. They are most common in early autumn.

PoorMan'sPepper

This common European weed of sunny, disturbed habitats, poor or sandy soil, and roadsides, grows throughout theUS, from spring to fall. Use the spicy leaves, flowers, and seedpods in salads, soups, sauces, casseroles, and for makingprepared mustard.

Strapshaped leaves spread in a circle along the ground early in the spring. Note the teeth pointing toward the leaf tip(dandelion leaves teeth, usually much larger, point downward).


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Sycamoretree

Thesap

contains

sugar

and

can

be

used

as

adrink

or

be

concentrated

into

asyrup

by

boiling

off

the

water.

The

syrup

is

use

asasweeteneronmanyfoods.Itcanbeharvestedinlatewinterbutisnotproducedineconomicquantities.About25

gramsofsugarisobtainedfromaliterofthesap.Thesapcanalsobeusedtomakeawine.Theflowisbestonwarmsunn

daysfollowingafrost.Thebestsapproductioncomesfromcoldwinterareaswithcontinentalclimates.Thekeysofthe

developingseedshaveasweetexudationonthemandthisisoftensuckedbychildren.Theleavescanbewrappedround

foodsuchasbunswhenbakingthemandtheyimpartasweetflavor

Thebarkhasmildastringentpropertiesandhasbeenusedtomakeawashforskinproblemsandaneyewashforsoreeye

Theinnerbarkofthetree,containingthesweetsap,canbeusedasadressingforwounds.

The trees are fastgrowing and make a good windbreak for exposed and maritime areas. They are often used in shelterbeltplantings. This species usually selfsows freely and is often the first tree to invade disused farmland, cleared woodland etc.Its ability to tolerate difficult environments make it a good pioneer species for reestablishing woodlands. It is a good fueland also makes a good charcoal that can be used as a fuel.

Propagation

Seed best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame, it usually germinates in the following spring. Presoak stored seed for24 hours and then stratify for 2 4 months at 1 8c. It can be slow to germinate. Seed should not be dried below 35%moisture. The seed can be harvested 'green' (when it has fully developed but before it has dried and produced anygermination inhibitors) and sown immediately. It should germinate in late winter. If the seed is harvested too soon it will

produce very weak plants or no plants at all[When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots andgrow them on until they are 20cm or more tall before planting them out in their permanent positions. Layering, whichtakes about 12 months, is successful with most species in this genus. Cuttings of young shoots in June or July. The cuttingsshould have 2 3 pairs of leaves, plus one pair of buds at the base. Remove a very thin slice of bark at the base of thecutting, rooting is improved if a rooting hormone is used. The rooted cuttings must show new growth during the summerbefore being potted up otherwise they are unlikely to survive the winter. Cultivars can be budded onto rootstocks of thespecies. Any grafting is best carried out in September rather than February


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Blackbirch

Smells of mint when you peel the bark off the twigbrew in water one cup is equal to an asprin. The best time to getsap is mid November into december

MapleisinthesapinthespringandSycamoresapisthesame. Pinesapisnotareallyfordrinkingoreating

Theresinisusefullylikealacquer.

SappingatreetomeseemsabitdestructivebutIdolikethistechniquethattreefriendlypeopletotheyjustsniptheends

ofafewbranchesseepic.

Butforlargertreesthisisnotpossiblesobegentalandonewholepertreeandcorkitupwhendone.

Drilltheholeabout2inchesdeep.Drillwithaslightupwardslantsothatthesapwillrunoutbygravity.3/8hole.

Youcandoamakeshifttapoutofpvcorthinpipeevenwood. Hangabucketunderitandmakesuretoputsomething

overittoprotectfromrainanddebris.

syrupisproducedbyboilingwaterfromthemaplesap,concentratingitintoasweetsyrup.

NOTE:Sometimestreessufferfromunnaturalblisteringoroozingofsap,whichmaybecausedbynumerousthingssucha

disease,fungus,orpests.Onaverage,however,treesdonottypicallyleaksapunlessdamagedinsomeway.

Sumac


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This Plant is Edible Midspring, late summer, early fall, midfall, late fall.

The berries of various sumac species come into season from late summer through fall. Smooth sumac and squawbushripen in late summer, staghorn sumac ripens in early fall, and winged sumac ripens in midfall. And you can harvestthe edible young shoots in the spriSumac usually has long, feathercompound leaves, upright terminal spikes orpanicles with many tiny, yellow to greenyellow, fivepetaled flowers, and upright fruit clusters consisting of many

tiny, spherical, hard, red berries.ng. This is a group of shrubs or small trees which usually use underground runners tform dense stands. They can reach from four to 30 feet in height. The stout twigs exude a white, sticky sap whenbroken.

Their lemonscented alternate leaves, usually feathercompound but sometimes palmatecompound, can grow to ovetwo feet long. The many pointed, toothed, paired, elliptical to lanceshaped leaflets on the feathercompound leaves,pointed at both ends, turn a beautiful scarlet in the fall.

Fragrant terminal spikes or panicles two to 12 inches consisting of many tiny yellow to greenyellow, fivepetaledflowers bloom in midsummer. They give way to dense clusters of small, hard, dry, sticky, spherical, red berries, eachwith a stony seed inside. The berries turn rust colored with age and persist through the winter, even more faded, andattached to their brown, stiff, branching stems.

Don't rinse off these berries before use or you'll wash all the flavor down the drain. The bestknown way to use sumais by making a wonderfully flavored pink lemonade with it. Submerge the berry cluster (minus any six or eightleggestragglers) in a bowl of room temperature or warm water, and squeeze and twist it with your hands for a minute or s(you may also steep the clusters in hot water, but lemonade is better cold). Strain out the berries through a fine sieveor cheeseclothlined colander, sweeten to taste, and enjoy.

You can also make sumac concentrate, which you can use like lemon or lime juice.

The young growth at the tips of the plantsthe shoots, are also edible, raw or cooked, after you peel them. They makquite a tasty vegetable you can use in a variety of dishes.

I've discovered that you can make a very useful and tasty sumac concentrate by processing about five batches ofsumac through the same water. When you achieve the acidity of lemon juice, you can use this in any of the thousandsof recipes that need a touch of acidity or call for lemon juice or lime juice, or vinegar.

Sumac will imparts its own special flavor to any appropriate dish, from salad dressings to desserts. It's especially goowith mulberries, which lack the acidity of other berries, or other nonacidic fruits such as bananas, papayas, orpawpaws, not to mention mildflavored vegetables such potatoes or cauliflower.

You can also freeze sumac concentrate in ice cube trays, pack the sumac cubes into freezer containers, and defrost asneeded.


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Sumac berry clusters, unwashed

Lukewarm or room temperature water as needed

1. Place the 1/5th of the sumac in a bowl, cover it with water, and squeeze and rub vigorously with your hands for aminute or so, or until most of the color has been transferred into the water.

2. Strain out the used sumac in a colander, and put the colored water back in the bowl.

3. Repeat step 1 with the remaining 4 portions of fresh sumac branches successively, until you've used up all thesumac.

4. Strain through a cheesecloth or fine sieve to remove all the debris.

Medicinal Uses: Sumac is an astringent, and it's been used in herbal medicine as an antiseptic and tonic. Sumac pinklemonade was used for fever. It may not get rid of the fever, but like lemonade, it will make the patient fell a littlecooler.

A decoction of the cambium or an infusion of the leaves has been used for diarrhea, dysentery, asthma, urinary tractinfections, sore throat, chronic gum problems, and cold sores. The Native Americans chewed the root to ease swollen

or infected gums and to stop kids' bedwetting, and they applied sumac compresses to burns and cuts, to stopbleeding, and reduce swelling. This plant certainly merits scientific testing.

Poisonous Lookalikes

Make sure the flower clusters are upright, and the clusters of berries are upright and red or redorange. Poison suma(Rhusvernix) has drooping clusters of white berries, quite different from the edible species. Touch it, and you'll have severe rash for a month that can recur over and over.

Poison oak has leaves similar to skunkbush, but the flowers are small and inconspicuous, and the berries are yellowbrown, not red.Cautions Sumac is related to cashews, mangoes, and poison ivy. If you're you're so sensitive to poisonivy that you can't eat cashews or mangoes, you should avoid sumac too

Thin Leafed Plantain (FairyBand-Aids)Yesyoucaneattheseinsaladbutchewonthemabitandapplythemtostinksandbitesanditmakesthepaingoaway!

Theotherkindofthisplantiscalled BroadLeafedPlantain (Plantagomajor) Same uses as above. This also has seeds in thefall which can be collected and used in oatmeal, breads, flours, and as a substitute for psyllium seeds, which are also a Plantago.


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KousaDogwood

Soft, red, globular, longstalked fruits, containing hard seeds, ripen in early to midfall. Enjoy the red, pronged,globular fruit rawit turns bitter cooked.

BurdockRosetteandRoot

Leaves are more for the goats but the roots You can harvest the large, deep, beige taproot from the basal rosette form(as soon as the flower stalk appears, the root becomes tough and woody) from early spring to late fall. Its hearty flavois a little like that of potatoes, although its related to artichokes. Scrub the root with a coarse copper scouring pad, budont peel it. Slice it razorthin on a diagonal, orientalstyle, or use the finest slicing disk of a food processor. Simmer20 minutes or until tender. You may also saut it, but add liquid and cook it in moist heat another 10 minutesafterwards, or it may not get tender. You may also harvest the immature flower stalk in late spring, before the flowerappear, while its still tender and very flexible. Peeled and parboiled for 1 minute to get rid of the bitterness, it tasteslike artichoke hearts, and it will enhance any traditional recipe that calls for the heart of artichokes. Cook this foranother 510 minutes. istheofficialherb.Yourwouldroasttherootthesamewayyoudothisdandeliontomakeacoffee

sub.


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RecentresearchhasshownBurdockisoneoftheforemostdetoxifyingherbsinbothChineseandWesternherbal

medicine[254].Thedriedrootofoneyearoldplantsistheofficialherb,buttheleavesandfruitscanalsobeused[4].Itis

usedtotreatconditionscausedbyan'overload'oftoxins,suchasthroatandotherinfections,boils,rashesandotherskin

problems[254].Therootisthoughttobeparticularlygoodathelpingtoeliminateheavymetalsfromthebody[254].The

plantisalsopartofaNorthAmericanformulacalledessiacwhichisapopulartreatmentforcancer.Itseffectivenesshas

neverbeenreliablyprovenordisprovensincecontrolledstudieshavenotbeencarriedout.Theotherherbsincludedinth

formulaareRumexacetosella,UlmusrubraandRheumpalmatum.Theplantisantibacterial,antifungal,carminative.Itha

soothing,mucilaginouspropertiesandissaidtobeoneofthemostcertaincuresformanytypesofskindiseases,burns,

bruisesetc.Itisusedinthetreatmentofherpes,eczema,acne,impetigo,ringworm,boils,bitesetc[244].Theplantcanbe

takeninternallyasaninfusion,orusedexternallyasawash.Usewithcaution.Therootsofoneyearoldplantsare

harvestedinmidsummeranddried.Theyarealterative,aperient,bloodpurifier,cholagogue,depurative,diaphoretic,

diureticandstomachic.Theseedisalterative,antiphlogistic,depurative,diaphoreticanddiuretic[218].Recentresearchha

shownthatseedextractslowerbloodsugarlevels[.Theseedisharvestedinthesummeranddriedforlateruse[254].The

crushedseedispoulticedontobruises[Theleavesarepoulticedontoburns,ulcersandsores.thatseedextractslowerbloo

sugarlevels

Dock

Rumex

The'milk'ofthedockleafisknowntocontaintanninsandoxalicacid,whichisanastringentAtinctureofdockishelpfulfo

problemsofthemenopause.Accordingtofolkremedies,dockroothasapronounceddetoxingeffectontheliverandit

cleansestheskinTheleavesareoftenappliedexternallyasarusticremedyinthetreatmentofblisters,burnsandscalds.

Therootcontainstanninandisastringentandbloodpurifier[.Ateamadefromtherootshasbeenusedinthetreatmento

jaundice,whoopingcough,boilsandbleeding.Aninfusionoftheroothasbeenusedasawash,especiallyforchildren,to

treatskineruptions.Onereportsaysthattheroothasbeenusedasacontraceptivetostopmenstruation.Therootis

harvestedinearlyspringanddriedforlateruse.

EdibleParts:Leaves; Seed; Stem.

Youngleavescooked.].Abittertaste,especiallyiftheolderleavesareused[.Theleavesareusuallycookedinatleaston


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changeofwaterinordertoreducethebitterness.Leavescanalsobedriedforlateruse.Theleaveshaveamuchmilder

flavourwhentheyarefirstproducedinearlyspring.Youngstems cooked[257].Seed raworcooked.Theseedcanalsob

groundintoapowderandusedtomakeagrueloraddedtocerealflourswhenmakingbreadetc.Itisrathersmallandfidd

toharvest.

GoldenRod50differentkindsThisisthemostcommononeinNewHaven.

All are ok and have the same uses but this one (sweet golden rod has a better medical effect)

An infusion of the dried powdered herb is antiseptic. The leaves make a very pleasanttasting tea that is mildly astringent,carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic, febrifuge and stimulant. It is useful in the treatment of coughs and colds, dysentery andulceration of the intestines. The essential oil has been used as a diuretic for infants, as a local application for headaches and for thtreatment of flatulence and vomiting. The flowers are aperients, astringent and tonic. An infusion is beneficial in the treatment ogravel, urinary obstruction and simple dropsy The root can be chewed as a treatment for sore mouths plants can be cooked.flowers are edible raw. seeds are edible raw.

The fresh or dried leaves and flower buds brew up into a delicate, golden, aniseflavored tea. I prefer mine dried, the flavor ismore mellow and less green. . Drinking Goldenrod tea relieves my itchy eyes, post nasal drip, headache and persistent cough;caused by other pollen bearing plants

clip the top of the plant; making sure I take less than 10% of what is available in any area.

But beware! Wild parsnip grows near and looks a bit like golden rod!

WildParsnipsBut beware! Wild parsnip grows near and looks a bit like golden rod!


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ThefoliageofWildParsnipistoxicandirritatinginthepresenceofsunlight,particularlywhenitisinbloom.Thisisthe

resultofthefoliagereleasingsingletonoxygen,whichischemicallyhighlyreactive(toanevengreaterextentthantriplet

oxygen,orozone).Thus,thefoliageinthisconditioncanirritatethedigestivetractsofherbivoresandraiseblistersonthe

skinofhumans.Itismuchlikepoisonivyontheskinbutlastwaylonger!!!But with that said. Everywhere I have read says that the root is edible parsnip. Not sure if I have the balls to eat them

Mugwort

Leavesraw

or

cooked.

Aromatic

and

somewhat

bitter.

Their

addition

to

the

diet

aids

the

digestion

and

so

they

are

often

usedinsmallquantitiesasaflavouring,especiallywithfattyfoods.Theyarealsousedtogivecolourandflavourto

glutinousricedumplings(Mochi) Theyoungshootsareusedinspring.InJapantheyoungleavesareusedasapotherb.].

Thedriedleavesandfloweringtopsaresteepedintotea[.Theyhavealsobeenusedasaflavouringinbeer,thoughfellint

virtualdisuseoncehopscameintofavour.

Mugworthasalonghistoryofuseinherbalmedicineespeciallyinmattersconnectedtothedigestivesystem,menstrual

complaintsandthetreatmentofworms[238].Itisslightlytoxic,however,andshouldneverbeusedbypregnantwomen,

especiallyintheirfirsttrimester,sinceitcancauseamiscarriage[7,238].Large,prolongeddosagecandamagethenervou

system[268].Allpartsoftheplantareanthelmintic,antiseptic,antispasmodic,carminative,cholagogue,diaphoretic,


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digestive,emmenagogue,expectorant,nervine,purgative,stimulant,slightlytonicandusedinthetreatmentofwomen's

complaints[4,7,13,21,147,165,178,201].Theleavesarealsosaidtobeappetizer,diuretic,haemostaticand

stomachic[176,218,222].Theycanbeusedinternallyorexternally[218].Aninfusionoftheleavesandfloweringtopsis

usedinthetreatmentofnervousandspasmodicaffections,sterility,functionalbleedingoftheuterus,dysmenorrhoea,

asthmaanddiseasesofthebrain[176,243].Theleaveshaveanantibacterialaction,inhibitingthegrowthofStaphylococc

aureus,Bacillustyphi,B.dysenteriae,streptococci,E.coli,B.subtilis,Pseudomonasetc[176].Theleavesareharvestedin

Augustandcanbedriedforlateruse[4].Thestemisalsosaidtobeantirheumatic,antispasmodic,andstomachic[218].Th

rootsaretonicandantispasmodic[243].Theyaresaidtobeoneofthebeststomachics[4].Theyareharvestedinthe

autumnanddriedforlateruse[4].Theleaves,placedinsidetheshoes,aresaidtobesoothingforsorefeet[238].The

compresseddriedleavesandstemsareusedinmoxibustion[176,178,218,222,238].Anotherreportsaysthatthedown

fromtheleavesisused[4].

Thefreshorthedriedplantrepelsinsects,itcanbeusedasaspraybutcautionisadvisedsinceitcanalsoinhibitplant

growth[20].Aweakteamadefromtheinfusedplantisagoodallpurposeinsecticide[201].Anessentialoilfromtheplant

killsinsectlarvae[218].Thedownontheleavesmakesagoodtinderforstartingfires[115].

Acornsandoaknuts

Acorns were a traditional food of many indigenous peoples of North America, but served an especially important role forCalifornian Native Americans, where the ranges of several species of oaks overlap, increasing the reliability of the resource.[12]

Unlike many other plant foods, acorns do not need to be eaten or processed right away, but may be stored for a long time, as donby squirrels. In years that oaks produced many acorns, Native Americans sometimes collected enough acorns to store for twoyears as insurance against poor acorn production years.

After drying them in the sun to discourage mold and germination, women took acorns back to their villages and cached them inhollow trees or structures on poles, to keep them safe from mice and squirrels. The stored acorns could then be used whenneeded, particularly during the winter when other resources were scarce. Those acorns that germinated in the fall were shelledand pulverized before those that germinate in spring. Because of their high fat content, stored acorns can become rancid. Molds

may also grow on them.

Native North Americans took an active and sophisticated role in managing acorn resources by using fire, which increased theproduction of acorns and made them easier to collect.[citationneeded] The light ground fires killed the larvae of acorn moths and acorweevils by burning them during their dormancy period in the soil. The pests can infest and consume more than 95% of an oak'sacorns.

Fires also released the nutrients bound in dead leaves and other plant debris into the soil, thus fertilizing oak trees while clearinthe ground to make acorn collection easier. Most North American oaks tolerate light fires, especially when consistent burning haeliminated woody fuel accumulation around their trunks. Consistent burning encouraged oak growth at the expense of other treless tolerant of fire, thus keeping oaks dominant in the landscapes.


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Oaks produce more acorns when they are not too close to other oaks and thus competing with them for sunlight, water and soilnutrients. The fires tended to eliminate the more vulnerable young oaks and leave old oaks which created open oak savannas witrees ideally spaced to maximize acorn production.

ground until the meal is so fine that "it will stick to the basket sifter" when it is turned upside down. When you have determinedthat you have ground the acorns to "primo" consistency, you must then leach it. This was traditionally accomplished (before wehad woven cloth to work with) by building a mound of fine sand, near a spring or the river, and then scooping out the center. Thmeal you wished to leach was placed in the center of this mound and water poured over a clean cedar bough which was placed oheld above the acorn meal. The tannin would leach out of the acorn meal and harmlessly down into the sand. When tasting itshowed the tannin had been removed, the meal was carefully removed from its sand "colander" and put into a cooking basket.

Water is added the correct amount for the amount of acorn meal you are going to use, which is something that takes a while toadjust to. Too much water will require cooking longer to get the consistency you want. Not enough water and the acorn will burnThen special cooking rocks were heated in a fire, rinsed off, and using special stirring sticks, the rocks were stirred in the basketto heat the acorn solution thoroughly. As each rock cooled down, it was removed, and another hot clean rock took its place in thecooking basket. The rock that had been removed was washed off and placed back in the fire to reheat and await its turn to becoma cooking implement once again. In what seems like no time at all, the acorn soup is boiling, and the stirring continues until thesoup is of the desired consistency either thin to eat with a spoon, or thicker to eat with a fork, depending on what the "cook" hin mind. Though the above "soup" was eaten straight by the traditional people, I usually add a little salt, and occasionally somedried currents or blue elderberries, or even raisins. Some people like to add a little cinnamon.

The rocks are saved for the next time, since finding perfect rocks that won't explode when subjected to heat, or won't crumbleinto the food, or give a bad taste, etc., are not as easy to find as you might think. The baskets, tools, implements, rocks, etc. used tcook acorn are considered a family legacy and kept within a family to be passed down from generation to generation. What maka good cooking basket is the subject of another dissertation and shall not be gone into at this time. Ask the next expert basketweaver you meet to explain to you how a cooking basket is made.

FYIremember3leavesandshinny!..poisonoakhasaredtinttoit.

AndyouknowthosevinesinthewoodsthatlooklikegrapevineswellNOTtheyarenogoodforeating

They are vines moonseed vines.


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But a gound plant that looks kind of like has berrys you can eat. The Thimble Berries

Pretty much the same as a PurpleFlowering Raspberry, just white flowers.Rubus odoratus

This plant doesnt have thorns and are quite pleasant to pick!Theyre pretty much like a raspberry but a little drier and more tart. Theyre used a lot to make jams. The reason its typically noseen in stores as a berry is most likely because it doesnt hold its shape in containers very well.

You take it off the plant and itll break up very easily, so putting them in a bucket, they get squished and broken up really easy. Iprefer to eat them as I go, or throw them in my metal bucket mess kit rather than my canvas water bag as itll get messy.

I think theyre delicious. On occasion youll find the plants in tiny groups, but most of the time, you find thimble berry plant therewill be a ton all over the place, if not a huge patch/field of them! Theyre pleasant to pick, unlike raspberries at times lol.

FatHen


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has many names, most probably forgotten. This Wild Vegetable is actually a fast growing weed that is generous in all of its lifestages. Other names include White Goosefoot, Lamb's Quarters, Dungweed or Dirty Dick. This weed isnt just famous here in theUK, its names continue in other countries where it is names include Grasse Poulette in France, in Germany it is called Fette Hennor in the United States where it is called Pigweed. Although Fat Hen has so many names and is globally renowned it is largelyforgotten as a food here in the UK. Indeed a close cousin of Fat Hen is now commonly grown in gardens and vegetable patches.Tree Spinach is now planted in its place whilst the shoots of Fat Hen are pulled from the earth.

Fat Hen is a tall annual and a member of the beet and spinach family. Its leaves are lance shaped and greygreen with the plantreaching up to 1m in height. Both stems and leaves are covered with a light white very fine hairs and the leaves can be easilyrecognised due to their close similarity to a ducks foot. The small, greenish flowers grow in clusters from leaf joints on spikes anare also edible.


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Fathen will practically grow anywhere, it can be found whenever the frosts have ceased but is most prolific from May to OctobeFat Hen prefers rich soils, a good reason why it is so often found in well cropped gardens! This love for good soil, like all goodvegetables, leads to good and downright delicious leaves that are enjoyed by humans and many other creatures alike.

The iron rich leaves and young shoots may be eaten raw as a leaf vegetable or sauteed in plenty of butter and seasoning, try itwith a small grate of Nutmeg and a splash of cream as well (thank me later). Fat Hen makes a great soup cream of Fat Hen soupcan be used in a quiche or flan Fat Hen and Ricotta Tarte. Or simply served as a side.

As well as the leaves, shoots and flowers that are all edible, each plant produces masses of black seeds. The Fat Hen seeds areextremely good for you and are high in protein, vitamin A, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium to name but a few of the elementThe seeds can be ground and used as a rough dark flour, this dark flour can then be used to make pancakes or even bread, justwriting this I am inspired to make a loaf from the dark flour and make open sandwiches with wild Horseradish cream, flecks ofgreen Dill and slices of soft smoked Salmon Yummy!

Fat Hen although disliked immensely by most Gardeners should be recognised and enjoyed by more people. Although worldfamous this forgotten Wild food is definitely the victim of the success of other vegetables and for this reason has fallen off theradar of nonforaging folk. This plentiful and delicious wild vegetable is just sitting their waiting to be rediscovered so get outthere remember this common plant and see what you can cook with it!

WildLeeks

WildLeeks

are

onion

like

plants

that

grow

in

the

deep

woods.

They

come

up

in

the

spring,

usually

before

much

of

anything

elsehascomeup.

Theleavesandbulbsareedible.Pleaseonlycollectwhenabundant,andthenonlycollectscatteredpatchesorindividual

plants.Illeffectsmaybeexperiencedbysomepeopleiflargeamountsareeaten.Iftheydon'tsmelllikeonions,theyaren

WildLeeks.

**PleasenotethatWildLeekshavebecomequiterareinQuebecduetoprofessionalpickersdenudingthewoodsofthem

NowthesamethingishappeningineasternOntario!Unfortunately,thismeansthattheyshouldprobablybeprotectedan

treatedlikearareorthreatenedplant.Onceagain,greedisspoilingsomethingforeveryone.


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HedgeMustard

The tea is popularly used in Europe for colds, coughs, hoarseness, chest congestion, laryngitis, bronchial catarrh.

Hedge mustard contains vitamin C and mustard oil. t is widely used as a condiment in Northern Europe (particularly Denmark,Norway and Germany).

Its young shoots raw or cooked are also edible. They have a bitter flavour and are used as a flavouring in salads or cooked as apotherb.

Seed is also edible raw or cooked. It can be ground into a powder and used as a gruel or as a mustardlike flavouring in soups etc

Hedge Mustard is part of the order Brassicales, whose common characteristic is the production ofglucosinolate (mustard oil)compounds. Plant substances derived from glucosinolate are responsible for the bitter or sharp taste of many common foods sucas radish, horseradish, cress, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, kale, cauliflower, broccoli, turnip, swede, rapeseed and, ofcourse, mustard. Hedge Mustard is said to have a bitter, cabbagelike flavour which is what makes it desirable as a saladcomponent.


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Fillercrapwater

Charcoalcanbefromfirewood.


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Ive had a few days during theHMX build while Im either waiting for parts or waiting for something to dry andhad some free time. Im not exactly one to sit and watch TV when I have nothing planned, so I set out on anotherproject.While I have electricity out to the garage now, heat has been an issue all winter long. Mattar graciously leme his kerosene heater, which did an okay job of taking the bite off the chill. Insulating the garage would go a lonway to help keep the bitter Vermont cold out, but thats a project for another day. I decided instead to takeadvantage of the south-facing side of the garage and build a solar furnace to collect some of that sunshine justbouncing straight off my garage. My dad built one years ago and said he recorded a 110-degree temperaturedifferential between inlet and outlet. And I had enough scrap materials around the basement to do somethingsimilar to what my dad built.


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I started with some 2x4s and plywood to build a simple box. I m no carpenter, but I learned that if its wobbly, juadd more nails.

I actually built the box to certain dimensions, based on what scramaterials I had and on the dimensions of my heat collection method aluminum cans. That sure was a lot ofSprite. Fifty cans in five columns of 10 will funnel the air upward.

Sealed the box using adhesive caulk, just to keep any heated

air from escaping the box.


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So you may have already thought, How can air climb the columns of cans when theres no hole at the bottom ofthe can? Answer: drill press and 3/4-inch bit. Times 45.

The last five cans, the bases of each column, will sit on the bottom of the box and thus will be unable to draw airfrom underneath, so I poked holes in the sides of each of the five.

Stack the cans with liberal doses of adhesive caulk. Give them enough time to dry.


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Once theyre dry, I painted each column with black BBQ paint. Black to best absorb the suns heat, BBQ paint tokeep from flaking off the cans. At the top, I drilled an outlet hole. I left an inch or two of space between the tops othe columns and the top of the box to permit air to flow out of the columns.

I drilled the outlet hole based on the diameter of some wet-dry vacuum hose I picked up, about 1-1/2 inches indiameter.

At the bottom, I used another wet-dry vacuum attachement that would more evenly disperse the incoming air.Screwed it in at each end, then caulked the seal.


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Then started to caulk the columns in place. At the bottom, you can see the inlet hole I drilled. At about this point, realized that a better place for the inlet would have been through the plywood at the bases of each column. In thislocation, the air can simply pass over the cans (theres about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch between the cans and the upperedge of the 24 frame) and not really pick up that much heat. If I were to relocate the inlet, it would force all theair to pass through the cans and pick up the absorbed heat. Next time.

Had some red paint left over from one of Heathers previous projects, so slapped on a couple coats to at least keepthe weather off the bare wood.

The caulk is pretty strong. Kept the cans from falling out while I had the box inverted.


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Also had some 3/4-inch PVC pipe from another previous project. Bought a couple elbows and T-fittings andwhipped up a simple frame to keep the box off the ground and to angle it upward toward the sun. Didnt give theexact angle too much thought.


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Caulked a clear plexiglas cover on the front and sat the furnace out in the sun for a full day over the weekend tosee how it would work.


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Using some advanced technological equipment, such as this precisely calibrated pyrometer, I determined the intakair temperature, which should have been the same as the ambient air temperature, to be about 80 degrees.

Using the same equipment and methods, I determined the outlet temperature to be about 95 degrees thus a 15degree temperature differential. Not 110 degrees, but not bad , considering I didnt even break $50 in materials most of that being the plexiglas window.

Obviously dont have the inlet and outlet attached to the garage figures that the day I finish the furnace, its 80degrees and sunny and it looks like were finally done with winter. Dad recommends wiring a pusher fan at the enof the inlet tube to keep the air circulating through the furnace.

Were I to do this again, Id first make the furnace larger. As I recall, Dads measured something like four feet oneach side. Obviously, the more surface area, the more heat youll pick up. Second, as mentioned above, Idrelocate the inlet to the back of the box to direct all the air through the cans. Or at least Id cut a piece of aluminumto act as a baffle and prevent the air from rising straight up. Third, I might use those small soda cans Ive seen inthe grocery stores lately, just to get more surface area.

Fourth, Id finish the build at the beginning of winter, not the end.

UPDATE: Welcome, MAKErs. I appreciate your comments and suggestions on improving the design of the box. also appreciated the comments over at a similar project page onInstructables. Version 2.0 will be a lot better, sothank you all.

UPDATE UPDATE: The response on this has been fantastic. Thank you all for your comments and feedback. If Ididnt have the HMX to finish, Id already be working on the next version of this box. By the way, Im no engineand only have the vaguest understanding of thermodynamics. I know how old cars work, thats about it. Butcommon sense tells me to build this thing bigger, to insulate it, to add a fan and to snake the air sideways as a fewof you have suggested. Keep sharing your ideas and your successes in building your own boxes.

UPDATE (22.June 2010): Ive taken many of the below ideas into consideration and finally finished asecondversion of the soda can solar heater. From 180 cans, Ive so far achieved a 120-degree temperature differential.


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JUSTNOTESNOTPLANSONHOWTOMAKEAWINDMILLGENORATOR.(AGAINNOTESANDIDEASONTHEWINDMILL)AN

SOMEBITSANDPEACESASIFINDTHEMONTHEGENORATORPART.

Thevanesattachbyfoldingthealuminumflashingoveronespokeandhookingabentnailaroundasecondspoke,Thebe

nailisinsertedthroughadrilledholeinthevane.

Thisshowshowthebladeisattached.Thebendismadebyhand,simplybendingthealuminumflashingoverametalrod

about1/8th

inch

in

diameter.

The

metal

flashing

we

used

(years

ago)

was

thicker

than

currently

available.

You

will

have

to

laminate(rivetorusetwosidedtape)twothicknessestogethertoobtainabladethatisstiffenough.Butyoucanalsoma

bladesoutofwood(1/8inchplywoodordoorskins)orplastic.


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Thisjustgivesabitmoredetailedviewofthegenerator,pulleyandendlessbelting.

NowfromwhatIhaveseenandreadyoucansomehowuseacaraltenator(sawonatvshow)asthegeneratorandthe

sitewiththewindmillpicssaida24voltDCpermanentmagnetmotorfromanoldtowercomputerworks.(Thegeneratoris24voltDCpermanentmagnetmotor.Thisonewassurplusandusedinoldmainframediskdriveunits.)

ThegeneratorismountedusingasimpleLbracket.Shouldbesturdy(notthetypicalshelfbracket)andboththemotoran

thebracketaresecuredwithradiatorhoseclamps.

Thewindmillpoleiselectricalconduitthat1.5inchPVCslidesover.AshortsegmentofPVCpipeisscrewedintothemetal

conduittocreateabearingthatthewindmillpivotson(PVCtoPVC).

Thetailhastobecounterweightedtobalancetheunit.Tedusedabunchofpenniesandgotitbalancedperfectly.What

elsearetheygoodfor?:)

Andhereissomemoreinfoandideas:


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Do-It-YourselfWindTurbineProject

4 Foot Wind Turbine - option for 6 Foot Sweep

There are 2 parts to this project:

1. BuildtheWindTurbine2. Variationsforyourscienceproject

Build the Wind Turbine

INTRODUCTION

There are several DIY wind turbine science projects on the internet. This project is appropriate for high schoollevel and was originally sourced fromhttp://www.velacreations.coma very good site, maintained by a couple

living off-grid. Their site is definitely worth a look. Another good website to visit for wind turbine projects ishttp://www.otherpower.com though these turbines can be fairly large.

We have included some modifications to the original instructions for a larger treadmill motor which weighs moretakes larger blades, requires better fastening for the blades and uses abearing to attach to the tower.

Making a wind powered generator from scrap materials helps keep those materials out of the local dump. Most othe items you need, can be found in your local hardware store, your own garage or from one of the "Freecycle"groups in your area. . Try doing a search on Google for "freecycle" to see what parts you can pick up for free. Fothe wind turbine built in these pictures, we picked up the motor on eBay for $10 plus shipping and the PVC pipefor the blades from a junk pile. The tail is made from an old roller paint pan.

Safety should be your first priority. Your health is more important than a DIY project, so please follow all safetyinstructions you read, use common sense and get help if you are unsure about something. Wind turbines can beheavy, dangerous machines, with fast moving blades and the chance for electrical shocks.

This wind turbine is based on the Chispito Wind Generator with it's simple and efficient design and assembly. Wehave included several photos showing our changes, using the larger 20 amp motor.

Generator

The Permanent Magnet Generator (PMG) - You'll need a PMG that produces at least 1 volt DC for every 25 RPMthus if your wind turbine blades turn at 400 RPM would would generate 16 VDC. A 260 VDC, 5 A continuous


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duty Treadmill Motor with a 6 inch threaded hub is well suited for a small wind turbine. These motors areavailable locally and on eBay or other internet sites. You can get about 7 amps in a 30 mph wind. In other words, is a simple, cheap little machine to get you started.

I picked up a 90 VDC, 20A treadmill motor off eBay for $10 plus shipping. Thismotor requires an upgrade to most of the original instructions due to the increase insize and weight. It also produces a lower output voltage. The motor is better suited fora system with gearing to increase the RPM.

You may use any other simple permanent magnet DC motor that returns at least1 Vfor every 25 rpm and can handleupwards of 10 amps. TheAmetek 30 is one of the best motors but is hard tofind and the price seems to be getting rather high.Try to find a motor that comes with a 6" hub to attach the bladestoo - a circular saw blade with a 5/8" shaft adaptor might work. For our larger motor we initially used a metal slowmoving vehicle sign, bolted to a 3.5 inch pulley. The triangular shape was just what we were looking for. Wereinforced the sign with a wooden ring. This hub ended up blocking much of the wind on the smaller blades andwe eventually switched to a six inch wooden hub, reinforced with metal plating. When hurricane Ike went througthat hub was also damaged. Thus we'd recommend a metal hub such as the saw blade or a used thick metal fryingpan bottom.

Mounting the Generator

6ftof"L"tubing miscnutsandbolts 3/4"SelftappingScrews Forthelarger20Ampmotor,Iusedacaster

wheelwithaholeinthecenter(Casterwitha

HollowKingpin)toattachthemotortothe

tower.Thisallowstheheavymotortoturnvery

easilyanddoesn'tprovideweartothetoweror

flange.

Generator

90VDC,20AcontinuousdutyTreadmillMotor 30 50AmpBlockingDiode(oneway) 4x5/16xMotorBolts 8"X16"PVCPipe orlargerdependingonthesizeofthetreadmillmotor(cover)

Tail

1sqft(approx)lightweightmaterial(metal) usedrollerpainttraywillwork 2X"SelftappingScrewstoattachthetail

Blades

24"lengthof8"PVCPipe 6X"X20Bolts 9x"washers


41/46

3sheetsofpaperandtapeASSEMBLY

Cutting Blades - makes 8 blades (or 2+blade sets) and a thin waste strip.

I have created a separate page with more pictures and expanded on this process a bit. After you've done this once,it makes sense. These instructions could use a little help for the first time wind turbine blade maker.

Here's the link to the page: Making PVC Turbine Blades

1. Placethe24"LengthofPVCpipeandsquaretubing(orotherstraightedge)sidebysideonaflatsurface.Pushthepipetightagainstthetubingandmarkthelinewheretheytouch.ThisisLineA.

2. MakeamarkneareachendofLineA,23"apart.3. Tape3sheetsofA4papertogether,sothattheyformalong,completelystraight

pieceofpaper.Wrapthisaroundthesectionofpipeateachofthetwothemarks

youjustmade,onethentheother.Makesuretheshortsideofthepaperis

straightalongLineAandthepaperisstraightagainstitselfwhereitoverlaps.

Markalinealongtheedgeofthepaperateachend.CalloneLineBandtheother

LineC.

4. StartwhereLineAintersectsLineB.GoingleftaroundLineB,makeamarkatevery145mm.Thelastsectionshouldbeabout115mm.

5. StartwhereLineAintersectsLineC.GoingrightaroundLineC,makeamarkatevery145mm.Thelastsectionshouldbeabout115mm.

6. Markeachlineusingastraightedge.7. Cutalongtheselines,usingthejigsaw,sothatyouhave4stripsof145mmand

onestripabout115mm.

8. Takeeachstripandplacethemwiththeinsideofthepipefacingdown.

9. Makeamarkatoneendofeachstrip115mmfromtheleftedge.

10.Makeamarkattheotherendofeach strip30mmfromtheleftedge11.Markandcuttheselines,usingthe jigsaw.

Note: we also made a set of blades 38 inches long using the same measurement - only the length was change

- 24 inches to 38 inches.


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Sanding the Blades

You should sand the blades to achieve the desiredairfoil. This will increase the efficiency of theblades, as well as making them quieter.

The angled (leading) edge wants to be rounded,while the straight (tailing) edge wants to bepointed.

Any sharp corners should be slightly rounded to cut down on noise.

Making The Tail

The exact dimensions of the tail are not important. You need about one square foot of lightweight material,preferably metal. You can make the tail any shape you want, so long as the end result is stiff rather than floppy,

we used an old aluminum paint tray (flattened). Our 6 foot long rail has holes already in it, so we will simplybolted the tail in place near the end of the rail - see instructions below about "balancing" the complete setup.

Drilling Holes in Blades - using the " drill bit

1. Marktwoholesatthewideendandalongthestraightedgeofeachofthethreeblades.Thefirstholeshouldbe3"fromthestraightedgeand"fromthebottom.Thesecondholeshouldbe3/8"fromthestraightedgeand1

fromthebottom.

2. Drillthese6holes 2perblade(3bladesintotal)

Drilling Holes in Hub - using the 7/32" drill bit and " tap

NOTE: You may want to modify these instructions. Try replacing the hub with aold, used 7 1/4 inch skill saw blade. The larger surface area will give you morespace to screw or bolt the blades to. We also used 1/4 inch bolts rather than drillinand tapping holes. I've also see old aluminum frying pans used for thispurpose. They are light and solid!

1. IftheTreadmillmotorcomeswiththehubattached,takeitoff,holdtheendoftheshaft(which

comesthroughthehub)firmlywithpliers,andturnthehub

clockwise.Thishubunscrewsclockwise,whichiswhytheblades

turncounterclockwise.

2. Makeatemplateofthehubonapieceofpaper,usingacompassandprotractor.

3. Mark3holes,eachofwhichis23/8"fromthecenterofthecircleandequidistantfromeachother.4. Placethistemplateoverthehubandpunchastarterholethroughthepaperandontothehubateachhole.5. Drilltheseholeswiththe7/32"drillbit.6. Taptheholeswiththe"x20tap.


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7. Boltthebladesontothehubusingthe"bolts.Atthispoint,theouterholeshavenotbeendrilled.8. Measurethedistancebetweenthestraightedgeofthetipsofeachblade.Adjustthemsothattheyareall

equidistant. Markandpuncheachholeonthehubthroughtheemptyholeineachblade.

9. Labelthebladesandhubsothatyoucanmatchwhichbladegoeswhereatalaterstage.10.Removethebladesandthendrillandtaptheseouterthreeholes.

Note: the metal slow moving vehicle sign is not solidenough to stand-up in high winds. We screwed on awooden ring to the back of the sign to give it the requiredstrength. This blocked to much wind so we ended upreplacing it with a 6 inch wooden hub, reinforced with ametal plate on the back. Even later, we ended up replacingthis hub with a 6" metal hub for added strength.

Make a Protective Cover for the Motor

1. Drawtwostraightlines,aboutapart,alongthelengthofthe8x16PVCPipe.Cutalong

theselines.


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2. Makea45cutattheendofthepipe.3. Slidethecoveroverthemotorandsecureinplace.

TURBINE ASSEMBLY

1. RemovetherubberwheelfromtheCaster.Drillthroughthecasterandbolttoyourtowerassembly(toppipeofyourtower)

2. Placethediodeonthe"L"tubing,about

2

behind

the

motor,

and

screw

itintopositionusingaselftapping

metalscrew.

3. Connecttheblackwirecomingoutofthemotortothepositiveincoming

terminalofthediode(LabeledACon

thepositiveside).

4. Connecttheredwirecomingoutofthemotortothenegativeincomingterminalofthediode(LabeledAConthenegativeside).

5. Placeeachbladeonthehubsothatalltheholeslineup. Usingthe"boltsandwashers,boltthebladestothehub. Fortheinnerthreeholes,usetwowashersperbolt,oneoneachsideoftheblade.Fortheouterthreeholes

justuse

one

washer

next

to

the

head

of

the

bolt.

Tighten.

This

points

the

blades

away

from

your

tower.

6. Holdtheendoftheshaftofthemotor(whichcomesthroughthehub)firmlywithpliers,andturnthehubcounterclockwiseuntilittightensandstops.Ourmotordidn'tcomewithahub,thusweattachedour"pulleyhub"

totheshaft.

7. Attachthecasterdollytothemotorand"L"rail.Balancethiswholesetupbymovingthe1squarefoottailsectionalongthe6'longrail.Onceyoufindthespotwhereeverythingisbalance,boltthetailtotherailatthatspot.

8. Forourlarger(heavier)motor,weusedarotatingcasterwithahollowkingpin,boltedtothetopofthetower.Thedolly/casterneedstohaveaholeinthemiddlethatyouwillrunthe

powerwiresdown,throughthetower.Thedollyisbolteddirectlytothe

DCmotorwhichmadethecompletemountingsystemmucheasier.


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For a longer life span of your wind generator, you should paint the blades, motor sleeve, mount and tail.

On the larger 20A treadmill motor, we attached a dolly bearing directly tothe bottom of the motor and then onto the top of the tower. Get a dollywheel with a hole in the middle, which you thread the power wires through.

We also used the same PVC Blade Pattern to cut 3 foot blades. Just makethe length 3 feet rather than 2 feet. The measurements at both ends stay the

same - 145 cm wide sections that are next cut into 2 blades. This gives thesame curve to the blades.

Depending on the size of your motor, you may want to experiment withdifferent lengths of blades. Our larger blades were not balanced as well asthe shorter blades initially and thus turned slower. We cut them down inlength from 36 inches to 32 inches and balanced them. To balance theblades, we placed the blades and hub, onto a long pointed nail. We than slida washer along the blades to find the balance point. Then epoxy the washerin place (try to account for the weight of the epoxy as well).

How much power can we get from the wind?

Power AVAILABLE in the wind =.5 x air density x swept area x (wind velocity cubed)

Example: air density =1.23 kg per cubic meter at sea level. Swept area =pi x r squared. Our 2 foot blades =0.609m, 4 ft =1.219m. 10 mph =4.4704 m/s, 20 mph =8.9408 m/s.

How much power is in the wind: 2 ft blade, 10 mph winds =.5 x 1.23 x 3.14 x 0.609squared x 4.4704 cubed

=.5 x 1.23 x 1.159 x 89.338 =63.7 watts

With 4 foot blades and 10 mph winds =.5 x 1.23 x 4.666 x 89.338 =256 watts

With 4 foot blades and 20 mph winds =.5 x 1.23 x 4.666 x 714.708 =2051 watts

That's the MAXIMUM power in the wind. However, it's impossible to harvest ALL the power. TheBetz Limittells us that the maximum percentage of power we can harvest from the wind is 59.26%.

Thus our maximum power from these turbines would be:

2 ft blades, 10 mph wind =37.7 watts

4 ft blades, 10 mph wind =152 watts

4 ft blades, 20 mph wind =1,215 watts

These values are the maximum power achievable. Your results will be less, depending on how well you shape theblades, how well balanced the blade assembly is, drag going over the hub, copper losses, etc. A very well builtDIY HAWT would not likely get more than 50% of the above numbers.


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Living Off the Land in New Haven

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