OUTHOUSE

Just wondering...Could the privy "shed" incorporate a gravity fed shower? Does anyone see any deal breakers for this arrangement?

Rick, I bought "Dare to Prepare" after reading about it here and by what you said about it. It really is a "must-have" in my opinion. Very good book bought on Amazon.

That's the one. Covers a lot in moderate detail.
pretty good book.

-Rick

Rick, I did a quick search for the book you mentioned, "Dare to Prepare." Is this the book you were referring to: http://www.amazon.com/Dare-Prepare-Holly-Drennan-Deyo/dp/0908477066/sr=1-1/qid=1168211234/ref=sr_1_1/105-9421986-0174024?ie=UTF8&s=books

Thanks,

Louanne

Someone has a good sense of humor!
:oops:

I guess it does run downhill... :shock:

Hmmmmm, yea . . . . . I definitely don't want to be in the lower stall. :lol:

:shock:

click for bigger picture.

You know what? I happen to have a commode that I bought cheap at a second hand store.

If you could somehow make the "shed" moveable and
attatch the commode to the wall, removing the bucket underneath
( or maybe just leave it and empty it often) so the wastes can go
into shallow pit then be composted and moved from time to time....
this way you don't get any splinters nor poison ivy either,
maybe this would work or am I all wet again?

We're with the same idea as 9200 asbury lane, we have a shed, a simple bucket system, nice handcrafted bench, "tasteully decorated", (is that possible?!) We compost & use it with our animal manure. It happens to be in the same shed as our solar power inverter, so its a good time to monitor & check system! :roll:

This book: The Humanure Handbook: A Guide to Composting Human Manure might interest some of the folks frequenting this thread. I haven't read it, and so I can't vouch for it, but a title like this one just seems to be the kind of thing I don't forget about, once I've heard of it.

A distillation of outhouse wisdom, based on my own experience on archaeological digs in the third world: a good outhouse is a one with a very deep pit.

My father and grandfather built a privy using an old army guard post that was available as surplus after the war.
The structure looked like a garden shed. Granted, it was olive drab, but it fit-in with the New England woods.

If your county won't let you build one, you can always use something like Nessmuk's book on woodcraft for ideas on "temporary" privies.

Not too difficult to build, move and set up again. Just got to be strategic and remember where you once had it...not the place to put the new garden.

Regards,

A

A composting toilet/outhouse is detailed in the book;
Dare to Prepare. Pretty slick. I grew up using the
occasional outhouse. You get used to the smell and
other inconveniences. The homemade composter
is supposed to get rid of all or most of the troubles
associated with the old outhouse.

As for Dare to Prepare...
I highly recommend the book. Misses very little and
covers a lot in suffecient detail. Maybe the best book
of its type. About 500+ pages and reasonable price.

-Rick

We have an outhouse till we build on our 15 acres, about 2000 oak trees :lol: comes with a his and hers area and a seperate area for the kids, it also has changing scenery, wildlife contribution, seems like every critter in the woods that "stumbles" on your "spot', also wants to leave thier signature..... :lol:

I always thought in would be interesting to use worms to control your waste.

http://www.wormfarm.com.au/index.php :shock:

9200Asbury rd, I know way too much about those privys that have a hinged flap on the back. The ones I used in another part of the world as a young Marine, had a cut down 55 gal drum inside, and about once/wk, it was someone's unenjoyable task to go around lifting those flaps, dragging out the drum of waste, collecting those 'honey pots', douse them with diesel and set it afire.

Hey!
The good OLE privy! :D
There is a farmer in Norton Ohio who recently filled me in on his unit...... this is interesting.........
He told me that his Grandfather built the family out house.....
He built a "shed". Inside the shed there is a "shelf" with a toilet seat at the same height as an older commode. On the rear of the "shed" is a hinged door. Every couple of days you go and open the rear hinged door, (it lifts up) take a shovel and a wheel barrow and clean it out. Sprinkle some lime on what you removed and throw it in the compost pile, or out in the field.
It sounds easy enough and NO HOLE TO DIG.
****And his wife walpapered the inside and even put cutrains up! I guess it made it more homey! IT IS STILL IN USE after over 50 yrs! ****

Assuming that it's not actually unhealthful, some soils etc.. are really bad for outhouses (polluting watertables and what not) I might suggest the following

A discreet "tool shed /garden shed" (cough) would be pretty hard to object too. (Have a "camp toilet" as a "cover")

Not that I'm advocating violating the law, but since the payable fine might be less than the rental, and the "crime" is just an adminstrative measure, I'd be inclined to ignore it.

Just make sure some joker hasn't made it a $40,000 fine. That would stink.

(A cup of wood ash thrown in afterwards really helps, by the way)

Hey, Tom--

How practical of your county to let you put one in. I'm not sure that ours would allow a "permanent" outhouse, and a few other people we know have said the same. I think that ours would insist on a porta-pot or something like that.

I grew up using an outhouse at our family's property in the summer, and it seemed like quite a practical deal. But people are pretty squeamish about outdoor plumbing these days.

I think anyone else planning to use one would be wise to find out the reg's in their area re: outhouses.

Sara :D