Stocking a camp for 4-6 months.

[rg598]

As far as wood, you will need a lot. There are others here who can give you more exact numbers, but since you will be living in a canvas tent, the amount will be much greater than when living in a cabin. The tent offers virtually no insulation. The moment the stove stops burning, the temperature inside will drop significantly. I would stay away from wool as insulator for the shelter because you will have to use up a lot of fuel drying it. Go with something like space blankets. I have seen them used in shelters to good effect.

As far as food, if you are using high calorie foods like rice, dried potato flakes, and dried meat, supplemented with a good amount of oil, you should be able to do fine with 1.5 lb of food per day. The easiest way to do it is to figure out a simple diet, calculate the number of calories per unit of weight, multiply it by the number of days you will be living in the shelter, and start weighing the appropriate amounts.

 

[nathancooper]

Thanks for the input everyone. Here is a picture of the temporary set up. I've measured it for a tent platform and have ordered the wood and should be able to start on that after this next kids camp. Hope to have the internal frame done soon after. Spent 2 nights in it so far.

I'm not too worried about wood and warmth... Wood is always something you can use more of. These tents are mostly used in Alaska and northern areas so I know it is possible. Also I slept an entire winter out here in a hammock in prep for running across Canada and only had a few cold night (I do have a -20'c sleeping bag...). I've tested out the stove for heating and cooking. The tent in is a sauna with a fire using half of the burn box and it cooks up coffee, eggs and potatoes well. I'm going to hit the dump to see if I can get a load of bricks for some thermal mass trials when I can. When not cooking in the winter the goal of the stove will be to keep the moisture out.

If it come to needing insulation I'm planning on going with the reflective bubble insulation. Run it up one side over the centre pole and down the other side, tac in place. I really think it will not be needed.

The tarp is a necessity and I did buy one with the tent. Hand made and looks to be very heavy duty.

A two candle set up works really well. One candle high in the centre for lighting and then one candle over what you are reading/working on. This set up works well for me but then again I have good lowlight vision.

I've got good tools and a good axe. I have a good number of sharpening stones and files and the experience using them. The axe is a Fiskars so I'll be very angry if the handle breaks (have another second hand axe as well).

Anyone have any experience with sawdust/composting toilets? Outhouses are not technically allowed even if there are a lot of them on the island. Also my friend wouldn't want on dug on his property.

Already started on some scrap wood furniture.

 

[franglais]

The simplest toilet would be a bucket lined with a biodegradable bag made from vegetable matter, dig a hole about 2ft deep and 2ft wide for the waste and cover with a board, once it's half full infill with the soil you have taken out and start a fresh hole, we used this method for a year when restoring our house without any problems.

 

[The Survivor]

Keep us posted, this sounds like it could be interesting, in a good way of course.

Good luck.