Preparing for troubled times ahead - Advice on what is needed.....

[Broch]

The point I'm making is a dry hay box will not generate its own heat. Put something cold in it and It wont be cooked 5/6hrs later. Try it if you doubt me.
But a wet hay box will.!! Exactly the same as a compost heat. 2" of wet compressed organic matter gets hot! Again try it if you doubt me. A good compost heap steams when you turn it over. All gardeners know this!!

No-one is disagreeing with you about the heat generated by damp grass/hay - the point was that the 'hay box' described earlier does not rely on 'generated' heat but just insulating the heat to continue cooking food that has been brought up to temperature by boiling or otherwise.

 

[Coach]

No-one is disagreeing with you about the heat generated by damp grass/hay - the point was that the 'hay box' described earlier does not rely on 'generated' heat but just insulating the heat to continue cooking food that has been brought up to temperature by boiling or otherwise.

Sorry!! Cross purposes. Thought we were talking about cooking without power!!

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[Scottieoutdoors]

Sorry!! Cross purposes. Thought we were talking about cooking without power!!

.

Glad that all got wrapped up (no pun intended). You raise an interesting point however.... "cooking with damp hay"... can it be done?

 

[Coach]

Glad that all got wrapped up (no pun intended). You raise an interesting point however.... "cooking with damp hay"... can it be done?

Yes, It was done frequently during the first and second world wars and especially in rural areas when coal was hard to get.

 

[Woody girl]

Someone more knowledgeable than me will correct me but I believe the 'hay' needs to be damp to create heat. Like a compost heap its the actual breakdown of the plant matter by micro organisms that generates heat - hence why a farmers 'haystack' needs to be absolutely dry to avoid it bursting into fire.
Dry Hay just keeps the existing slowly declining heat in, damp hay will act like a slow cooker. At least thats what we did when I was a kid.

The whole point of hay box is to bring your food to boiling and then place your food into the insulated box to keep cooking ,untill it's ready. Not to cook from cold.
I do not think even damp hay could generate enough heat to bring food up to a suitable cooking temperature.
There is, as has been pointed out, the possibility of spontaneous combustion, which would not be a good idea in the middle of your kitchen!
The whole point is to reduce stove top cooking times, and save energy, rather than spend hours cooking and using fuel. Not to completely do without fuel.
I'd be interested in you trying a wet haybox, and making say a soup from cold in it, and let us know your results. You never know, it might work well, but I doubt it myself.
I've watched many videos and read about it quite a bit, and nobody so far has advocated wet hay.
It is possible to used blankets and towels to insulate the hay box. So the principle is to preheat food, then place in the insulated box to continue cooking, using retained heat.

 

[Coach]

The whole point of hay box is to bring your food to boiling and then place your food into the insulated box to keep cooking ,untill it's ready. Not to cook from cold.
I do not think even damp hay could generate enough heat to bring food up to a suitable cooking temperature.
There is, as has been pointed out, the possibility of spontaneous combustion, which would not be a good idea in the middle of your kitchen!
The whole point is to reduce stove top cooking times, and save energy, rather than spend hours cooking and using fuel. Not to completely do without fuel.
I'd be interested in you trying a wet haybox, and making say a soup from cold in it, and let us know your results. You never know, it might work well, but I doubt it myself.
I've watched many videos and read about it quite a bit, and nobody so far has advocated wet hay.
It is possible to used blankets and towels to insulate the hay box. So the principle is to preheat food, then place in the insulated box to continue cooking, using retained heat.

Not wishing to get into a pointless argument about this but a damp compost heap can get hot enough inside to actually scald you. In times past farmers would check their haystacks with metal rods thrust into the middle.

 

[Woody girl]

Not wishing to get into a pointless argument about this but a damp compost heap can get hot enough inside to actually scald you. In times past farmers would check their haystacks with metal rods thrust into the middle.

Not disagreeing with that at all, but I don't know many people who cook on compost heaps! I've worked with horses as a youngster, and the manure pile often had steam coming out of it, and needed to be opened up to cool it a bit. But its not what I'd ever want to cook on.! That sort of heat would take days/weeks to build up and is not realy controllable.
I can only reiterate what I said before about hay boxes. The principle is to retain heat, not to cook from scratch.
By all means give your idea a go, report back, and if it works, I'm first to adopt a wet hay box, but it will be outside, not indoors! I don't want a combusted hay box on my kitchen table.

 

[Coach]

Not disagreeing with that at all, but I don't know many people who cook on compost heaps! I've worked with horses as a youngster, and the manure pile often had steam coming out of it, and needed to be opened up to cool it a bit. But its not what I'd ever want to cook on.! That sort of heat would take days/weeks to build up and is not realy controllable.
I can only reiterate what I said before about hay boxes. The principle is to retain heat, not to cook from scratch.
By all means give your idea a go, report back, and if it works, I'm first to adopt a wet hay box, but it will be outside, not indoors! I don't want a combusted hay box on my kitchen table.

Its not My idea. I remember watching my grandad putting the Sunday joint into a galvanised metal bin full of wet hay out in the back yard then covering it with a lid and wrapping it with a WW2 canvas tarp to keep the heat in. This would be Saturday afternoon and I was 5 or 6 at the time - the joint would be beautifully cooked for Sunday dinner with a unique flavour from the hay. Its a long time ago now but I think he wet the hay with boiling water?? No manure involved!!

 

[Woody girl]

I guess that

Its not My idea. I remember watching my grandad putting the Sunday joint into a galvanised metal bin full of wet hay out in the back yard then covering it with a lid and wrapping it with a WW2 canvas tarp to keep the heat in. This would be Saturday afternoon and I was 5 or 6 at the time - the joint would be beautifully cooked for Sunday dinner with a unique flavour from the hay. Its a long time ago now but I think he wet the hay with boiling water?? No manure involved!!

Now you've explained it better, I guess that might work. Never heard of that method though. I think we were trying to relate it to a normal hay box, that's why there were questions.
Was the joint raw when it was put in, or partially cooked?
What sort of roast would it be? Chicken? Pork? Beef? Lamb?
I'd worry, particularly with chicken or pork that it wasn't properly cooked right to the bone.
Galvanised metal bin.. like an old style rubbish bin?
Very intrigued with this idea.

 

[Scottieoutdoors]

This wet hay box is very intriguing actually.
I 100% get the concept of the dry hay box described, but a self generating heat box is v interesting to me!
If you recall how does one protect the joint? Wrap it in foil or something?

 

[Coach]

I guess that

Now you've explained it better, I guess that might work. Never heard of that method though. I think we were trying to relate it to a normal hay box, that's why there were questions.
Was the joint raw when it was put in, or partially cooked?
What sort of roast would it be? Chicken? Pork? Beef? Lamb?
I'd worry, particularly with chicken or pork that it wasn't properly cooked right to the bone.
Galvanised metal bin.. like an old style rubbish bin?
Very intrigued with this idea.

T.b.h. I was only 5 so the specifics are a bit faded. I THINK grandma browned and seasoned the joint first which was invariably beef, it was a big family so a chicken wouldnt have been enough. I think it was put in a roasting tray with any juices/ dripping then wrapped in muslin cloth??? to keep the hay off it. The bin was shaped like a beer keg with corrugated sides if you remember what I mean, you used to get them a lot on allotments to collect rainwater off the shed/greenhouse roof.Oh and I THINK potatoes were put in the tray around the joint as well.

 

[Kav]

“When in worry, when in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout.”
The most comprehensive Bunker full of freeze dried Lima beans and colloidal silver won’t mean squat if some guy with a cricket bat gobsmacks you in the dark from behind. Are you part of a COMMUNITY? Pagan biker gangs, zombies and Americans driving on the wrong side of the road can’t beat FRIENDS.

 

[Woody girl]

Being an ex girl guide, I always like to be as prepared as I can be for anything life throws at me.
I've had some real doozies over the years, and if it's taught me anything, it's taught resilience and adaptability.
No need to panic. I'm sorted enough to keep going along in relative comfort for me, compared to what some consider comfortable.
I know people who are not topping up central heating tanks waiting for the price to fall... what if it doesn't and either stays the same or goes up?
I see my neighbours house lit up like a Christmas tree, two massive tvs going, one upstairs one downstairs, till way past midnight.
Years ago, the landlord gave us the choice of a multifuel burner, or having the chimney capped and an electric fire, and £700 cash.
I went for the stove....I'm not regretting it, talking to some of them the other day, they are asking the landlord for permission to open up long disused chimneys and fit wood burners, and finding the answer is no.
Hate to be smug, but when we were discussing options all that time ago, I was told I was stupid to go for the stove. All they wanted was clean instant heat, and £700cash to spend on luxuries.
I do not have a 50 inch TV, but I do have a multifuel burner.
Luxury!

 

[Coach]

“When in worry, when in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout.”
The most comprehensive Bunker full of freeze dried Lima beans and colloidal silver won’t mean squat if some guy with a cricket bat gobsmacks you in the dark from behind. Are you part of a COMMUNITY? Pagan biker gangs, zombies and Americans driving on the wrong side of the road can’t beat FRIENDS.

Ehh!?? Have you been smoking something you shouldnt?

 

[Coach]

Being an ex girl guide, I always like to be as prepared as I can be for anything life throws at me.
I've had some real doozies over the years, and if it's taught me anything, it's taught resilience and adaptability.
No need to panic. I'm sorted enough to keep going along in relative comfort for me, compared to what some consider comfortable.
I know people who are not topping up central heating tanks waiting for the price to fall... what if it doesn't and either stays the same or goes up?
I see my neighbours house lit up like a Christmas tree, two massive tvs going, one upstairs one downstairs, till way past midnight.
Years ago, the landlord gave us the choice of a multifuel burner, or having the chimney capped and an electric fire, and £700 cash.
I went for the stove....I'm not regretting it, talking to some of them the other day, they are asking the landlord for permission to open up long disused chimneys and fit wood burners, and finding the answer is no.
Hate to be smug, but when we were discussing options all that time ago, I was told I was stupid to go for the stove. All they wanted was clean instant heat, and £700cash to spend on luxuries.
I do not have a 50 inch TV, but I do have a multifuel burner.
Luxury!

Good choice, but isnt hindsight a wonderful thing?

 

[Woody girl]

Good choice, but isnt hindsight a wonderful thing?

It is, but I have learned to think ahead, and have foresight. Much better!
Ordered my fuel in the summer, and collect wood all year round.
Never let a good branch go to waste.

 

[Woody girl]

Heads up, if anyone hasn't ordered their coal yet, do it this week. Its going up next week again. The price did not go down over summer like it normaly does so we are already paying winter prices in the summer.
Whereas it was £10 a 20kg bag approximately, its now £13.80 and set to rise again before the end of September, normaly the winter price rise is mid october.

 

[Kav]

Ehh!?? Have you been smoking something you shouldnt?

No, but perhaps you should. I used humour to make a point. We live in very scary times worldwide. Being prepared is prudent. But mankind has gone through scary times before; many times.
We did as a social animal in a COMMUNITY. To much Hollywood and right wing lit is a Mad Max, zombies, Red Dawn Us vs Them
Don’t trust your grandmother with that last can of peach’s mindset.

 

[henchy3rd]

Heads up, if anyone hasn't ordered their coal yet, do it this week. Its going up next week again. The price did not go down over summer like it normaly does so we are already paying winter prices in the summer.
Whereas it was £10 a 20kg bag approximately, its now £13.80 and set to rise again before the end of September, normaly the winter price rise is mid october.

I’ve put all my coal in the front locker of my boat & padlocked it, along with the gas bottles.
I’ve also put a lock on the diesel filler cap as it won’t be long before people start taking drastic measures.. I can’t blame them if they have a family to keep.
I’ve already spoken to a couple who’s had their coal stolen off the roof & it’s only going to get worse as winter sets in.

 

[Coach]

No, but perhaps you should. I used humour to make a point. We live in very scary times worldwide. Being prepared is prudent. But mankind has gone through scary times before; many times.
We did as a social animal in a COMMUNITY. To much Hollywood and right wing lit is a Mad Max, zombies, Red Dawn Us vs Them
Don’t trust your grandmother with that last can of peach’s mindset.

Then why didnt you say that in the first place instead of that nonsensical rubbish you posted. What has colloidal silver, Pagan biker gangs and zombies got to do with hay box cooking!?? You have a very obscure sense of humour my friend.
Doesnt matter how funny you think you are if others dont understand the point you're trying to make, its totally wasted . Have a nice day! And BTW Grandma didnt bother with canned peaches. fruit cocktail was her thing!