It has been an on going process around here. Cutting wood, sifting rock, arranging tanks, changing tanks, and getting the flue all hooked up for the backup stove.

the rock and the screen we used

the flue is in

the smoke goes out

More will come I'm sure.

The wind is blowing and its going down to about 10 degrees tonight. Tomorrow it is only going to be in the 20's with a strong NW wind. It looks like winter has hit. It will be a few nights of keeping the fires stoked up.

The pumps arrived this evening. They look to be in good shape, I will unpack them tomorrow.

It's been a few days since the last post. I have changed the flue on the big furnace, it wasn't drawing right.  I have most of the ground cloth down. There are two tanks set up with the next two in the process of being installed. I will have to put a support beam in to hold the ends of the grow beds, as I have changed the basic design again. Tomorrow is a ride to the big city with a neighbor. He is going to get some material for his house, and I am going to pick up the greenhouse supplies I have on order. Here are a couple pics of the progress so far.

 Here is the back up heater, that will double as a water heater if need be.

just so you know, the heater is the brownish thing in the middle with the fan on top  :)

It rained yesterday, so it was off to town. Most of the plumbing fittings and pipe are here. I have the pumps on order and should be here in a week or so.  I need to find two adapters for the valves that come on the IBC's. Two of them came with NP threads, but the other two came with what is called camlock threads. The PVC pipe will not connect to these without the proper adapters. (Note to self), next time check the threads :)
I was finally able to get the threaded centers out of the fill caps. Now it will be time to build the bell siphons.  I still need to find a tap to make the threads in the blue barrels. Then I can assemble the siphons for them. This project is taking a lot longer than I had figured on, but then I guess I have never done anything around here that went just right.