Built EarthTainers Today with Gary Ibsen of TomatoFest

rnewste · May 30, 2008

Spent a wonderful day with Gary Ibsen and his charming wife Dagma today building EarthTainers. By the end of the day, Gary was a "pro". Alan Chun "mr_potatohead" over at GW graciously volunteered his time and equipment to professionally create a "how-to" video for us. Gary will be posting it to his TomatoFest website after post-production (and a lot of editing - yes, I dropped a hammer on my foot) is completed in 2 weeks.

Here are some of the photos during the shoot.

Getting "mic'ed up" for the shoot

Would you buy a Used Car from this guy?

Notice that Gary has his hands FAR AWAY from my saber-saw

No blood - - yet!!

Even had a few uninvited "spectators" watching the event

Gary, the proud owner of his very own EarthTainer

Ray

dcarch · May 30, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by rnewste

--------------

Notice that Gary has is hands FAR AWAY from my saber-saw

Ray

That may be the case, but part of your biology is way too close to the saw. BTW do you have any children?

Impressive. Very proud of you!

dcarch

Worth1 · May 30, 2008

And I thought you only did housework.

SWEEEEEET!!

Worth

amideutch · May 31, 2008

Ray, Outstanding stuff and we all be proud of you. You took the ball and ran with it and scored big time. Ray, doin it on the west coast! Ami

rnewste · May 31, 2008

Hi All,

This has really been a fun project, and my "inspiration" to tackle this has come from many inputs from fellow TV member suggestions and ideas. I've teamed up with TomatoFest to promote this "Freeware" design as Gary's organization has worldwide reach, and along the way my hope is that we can raise additional donations for the Feed The Children organization.

I told Gary today to "parachute me into a village in Ethiopia, give me an old 55 gallon drum, use the cover for the Aeration Bench, an old coffee can punctured with holes for the wicking chamber, and a piece of hollowed-out bamboo for the filler tube - - and BAM, you've got an EarthTainer - Peace Corps style".

While I don't believe in "causes" for the sake of a cause, I've seen the growth advantages of bottom-up, self-contained watering and how that could benefit marginal crop production in impoverished areas of the world, so if the TomatoFest website reach can help inform folks in remote areas of the Planet how to build their own EarthTainers, then I am a happy camper.

Ray

newatthiskat · May 31, 2008

I am proud of you for finding a "cause." It is much easier to work hard when you know the cash is going to back it up. But to do this for free just to help others, incredible! This is something that is going to hopefully go beyond you, tomatoville, tomatofest, and who knows where. My Diet Dr Pepper is tipping to you! Way to go. May we all find something we can do to help others and do our bit towards world hunger. It is easy to give food. But when you teach how to grow, people can gain pride and become self-sufficient!

Kat

**Dukerdawg** · May 31, 2008

Ray, congratulations to you sir! That is really awesome. I truly believe we are put on earth to help other people, and in your own way you are reaching out and accomplishing that goal. When we are judged after we leave this earth it won't be about how many things we attained or money earned. On a more personal note please let us know when the video is ready to air. I'm thinking this is going to be my winter project!

Duane

dice · June 1, 2008

A lot of things could make an Earthtainer in the third world:
I could see making one out of a hollowed out log, with a soil
platform and wicking baskets woven of sticks or bamboo, and
a filler tube made of whatever they normally use when they
need a pipe. It could be 10' long, with wicking baskets every
few feet. Once people see the basics, something that
holds water and retards evaporation, a wicking basket, and
a filler tube, imagination will do the rest.

One interesting question will be what they find to use for
fertilizer (guano maybe). Third-world farmers that can't
afford pelleted fertilizer will figure that out by experiment.
For a lot of them, slowing evaporation of their limited
irrigation water is a harder problem than finding materials to
feed the crop.

Those who try it will doubtless find themselves happy with
the ease of weed control, too.

May 30, 2008	#1
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	Built EarthTainers Today with Gary Ibsen of TomatoFest Spent a wonderful day with Gary Ibsen and his charming wife Dagma today building EarthTainers. By the end of the day, Gary was a "pro". Alan Chun "mr_potatohead" over at GW graciously volunteered his time and equipment to professionally create a "how-to" video for us. Gary will be posting it to his TomatoFest website after post-production (and a lot of editing - yes, I dropped a hammer on my foot) is completed in 2 weeks. Here are some of the photos during the shoot. Getting "mic'ed up" for the shoot Would you buy a Used Car from this guy? Notice that Gary has his hands FAR AWAY from my saber-saw No blood - - yet!! Even had a few uninvited "spectators" watching the event Gary, the proud owner of his very own EarthTainer Ray Last edited by rnewste; May 30, 2008 at 08:42 PM.

May 31, 2008	#4
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	Ray, Outstanding stuff and we all be proud of you. You took the ball and ran with it and scored big time. Ray, doin it on the west coast! Ami __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

May 31, 2008	#5
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	Hi All, This has really been a fun project, and my "inspiration" to tackle this has come from many inputs from fellow TV member suggestions and ideas. I've teamed up with TomatoFest to promote this "Freeware" design as Gary's organization has worldwide reach, and along the way my hope is that we can raise additional donations for the Feed The Children organization. I told Gary today to "parachute me into a village in Ethiopia, give me an old 55 gallon drum, use the cover for the Aeration Bench, an old coffee can punctured with holes for the wicking chamber, and a piece of hollowed-out bamboo for the filler tube - - and BAM, you've got an EarthTainer - Peace Corps style". While I don't believe in "causes" for the sake of a cause, I've seen the growth advantages of bottom-up, self-contained watering and how that could benefit marginal crop production in impoverished areas of the world, so if the TomatoFest website reach can help inform folks in remote areas of the Planet how to build their own EarthTainers, then I am a happy camper. Ray Last edited by rnewste; May 31, 2008 at 02:14 AM.

May 31, 2008	#6
newatthiskat Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: texas Posts: 1,451	I am proud! I am proud of you for finding a "cause." It is much easier to work hard when you know the cash is going to back it up. But to do this for free just to help others, incredible! This is something that is going to hopefully go beyond you, tomatoville, tomatofest, and who knows where. My Diet Dr Pepper is tipping to you! Way to go. May we all find something we can do to help others and do our bit towards world hunger. It is easy to give food. But when you teach how to grow, people can gain pride and become self-sufficient! Kat

May 31, 2008	#7
Dukerdawg Growing for Market Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westland, Michigan Posts: 861	Ray, congratulations to you sir! That is really awesome. I truly believe we are put on earth to help other people, and in your own way you are reaching out and accomplishing that goal. When we are judged after we leave this earth it won't be about how many things we attained or money earned. On a more personal note please let us know when the video is ready to air. I'm thinking this is going to be my winter project! Duane __________________ May I aspire to live my life so that I may be the man my dog thinks I am.

May 30, 2008	#3
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	And I thought you only did housework. SWEEEEEET!! Worth

June 1, 2008	#8
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	A lot of things could make an Earthtainer in the third world: I could see making one out of a hollowed out log, with a soil platform and wicking baskets woven of sticks or bamboo, and a filler tube made of whatever they normally use when they need a pipe. It could be 10' long, with wicking baskets every few feet. Once people see the basics, something that holds water and retards evaporation, a wicking basket, and a filler tube, imagination will do the rest. One interesting question will be what they find to use for fertilizer (guano maybe). Third-world farmers that can't afford pelleted fertilizer will figure that out by experiment. For a lot of them, slowing evaporation of their limited irrigation water is a harder problem than finding materials to feed the crop. Those who try it will doubtless find themselves happy with the ease of weed control, too. __________________ -- alias