I live on Salt Spring Island in a small log cabin in the woods. On our acreage we also built a large log home with the logs off our property (32 years ago). When our daughters left the nest we moved into the small cabin. We have lived off grid since 1988.
Brooke your taking basic home or Yurt engineering as in this video to its peak best , anyone with minor woodworking knowledge anywhere around the world 🌎 with some own land could copy or elaborate on this Yurt idea what you have come up with, I can't write anything more to say than you have done a wonderful job Brooke. Brooke.
Brooke. I couldn’t even begin to tell you how amazing I truly think you are. You are such an inspiration to me and I so appreciate the joy, knowledge, skill, wisdom and passion you put out into the world. This is our future - to be innovative and active participants in our lives. To take responsibility for ourselves, even the messy parts! To understand that even what we flush down the toilet… is a renewable resource. :) Love you Brooke! From Massachusetts.
I love that toilet system. What an excellent option for offgridders with little water to spare. You know what I was just thinking? It's been a really long time since you did one of your overnights with a steak on the fire and just a chat. Maybe one this winter?
Brooke, I love your idea of an indoor bathroom when there is no septic system. My question is: where did you decide to put your compost bin? What factors or concerns did you have with the compost bin’s location? How far away from the dwelling is it? What do you do when the bin is full. Is the bin material ever usable as a garden fertilizer? I hear human waste is too toxic to even put in a flower garden. Is that true?
@smhollanshead you asked all of my questions 🤣 Looking forward to the questions. I’m about to go “off grid” in a paddock owned by a friend. I can hook into electricity and water and toilet system but would rather not.
As a Swede I appreciate you decided to go for a Swedish product - Separett. It's indeed a practical solution and easy to install and maintain. Also of course good that it is not an expensive product. I do hope it will serve you well for many years to come.
I will be adding the urine diverter! I love that. I think I will divert it directly to garden. I use humanure now. It freaks my neighbors out lol. They just cannot understand why I won't get septic, and hook up to electric 🤷
BROOKE I have found that if I have cherry wood or apple or hickory wood it is a sweeter smelling to the Whole bathroom then !!! I made 1 here in the city limits and it is working out great !!! I am using the waste for trees now to make them grow faster great apple trees for me !!! Thank you Brooke Happy Thanksgivings to you & the family !!!
When I first moved to Vermont, I lived in a cabin belonging to a friend of a friend that used a composting bucket toilet system with no urine diversion in an outhouse. Their main house had a composting bucket toilet system with urine diversion, and when they were away, I house-sat for them and emptied both the main house toilet and the cabin outhouse toilet. The outhouse toilet buckets did freeze during Winter, so I had to keep them stacked up until Spring thaw, but of course that wasn't a problem with the main house toilet. The funny thing was, I was already a fan of "The Humanure Handbook" for years, so my host wasn't expecting that I was going to be familiar with the idea. My record for using the outhouse was -14°F, and let me tell you, that is pretty cold on your skin! But, I can definitely attest to the efficacy of composting bucket toilets, and when I became homeless later on (twice!), I used a 5 gallon bucket with a Reliance toilet seat in the bed of my capped pickup truck, literally right next to where I slept, cooked, and ate for months at a time, with no gross smells or bothers. Even when I later moved into an apartment, I had a roommate who frequently hogged the one bathroom, and was grateful on more than one occasion that I still had my bucket toilet; she was none the wiser-no smell, no mess. I also house-sat for other people in the area who used identical Separett systems. It's a lot less gross and messy than it probably seems to people who have never done it. In fact, having removed and replaced flush toilets, I can say from experience that dealing with a composting bucket toilet is actually easier than dealing with plumbed flush toilets, and so much better for the environment, even if you don't use the resulting compost for anything other than landscaping, even though it's perfectly safe to use for food gardens.
Love the toilet! I made something similar but smaller to use in my Suburban when I camp. If I ever get off grid or close to it, I plan on utilizing something like this.
Thanks Brooke for this wonderful information and video. I can remember when my grandparents got an indoor bathroom. Took many trips "up on the hill" to the outhouse ! ! ((hugs)) from Utah !
Brooke, you are an incredible person! I would guess you would have rather not used that pattern on the box, and worked it out yourself. As indeed you did. Thanks for the update!
I made a toilet but it was a bit different. The solids go into a plastic bag lined bucket and get cat lit sprinkled on top. The liquids go into a Walmart orange juice bottle. I pour them out and rinse the bottle though it has been suggested to return the bottle to Walmart and say the juice tasted bad lol.
Nah, that picture (whoppi) should to go at the bottom of the number 2 bin with the rest of the negatives. Let Betty spread the whimsical joyful spirit that she is.
I like that brooke has nicer tools than Dave ;) Brooke, change the angle of the the blade on that jig saw and it will cut better/not jump back on you. Not mansplaining. Just tool tippin.
It's important to understand that urine diversion means your compost isn't going to be as effective, since you are removing a primary source of water and nitrogen from the composting system, although it certainly does mean less frequent emptying of the toilet and less usage of cover material. Get a copy of Joe Jenkins' book, which is even available free online. You don't need to spend $160 on a Separette if you elect not to use a urine diversion system; you can just use a regular toilet seat, but you will require more frequent emptying of the bucket and greater use of cover material.
Great video - thanks! FIY - buying peat moss supports the ever-depleting source from peat bogs which are very important to the ecology and our planet's ability to mitigate climate change. I hope you'll consider an alternative.
I don't think toilet paper is compostable you would have to look that up. If it's not you would just keep a paper bag and deposit the toilet paper in that. I would recommend sending that out to the burn pile every day LOL
They spread human sludge on crop fields for animal purposes. You can't walk on it for 45 days. I have seen them use human waste as compost but you can't turn the piles until the internal temperature gets over 165•F.
I'm confused as to why you would worry with all that you did with the urine trench. Why not just break up the soil, dump some rocks under & above the tube,then replace the soil & be done with it? The urine will percolate into the soil & shouldn't be an issue. Seems like you could have saved some funds on the sand & weed barrier.
@therealgirlinthewoods Just to clarify, I was in no way being hateful or rude since you can't decipher tone with words & i hope you didn't take my comment the wrong way. I was seriously confused as to why you took those extra steps since urine won't contaminate anything (at least that I'm aware of). Hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving! Stay safe!
Because wet soil can create a blockage, meaning, eventually when you pee it will take longer and longer to drain and could possibly become a problem. Sand, rocks and cloth are the way to prevent pipe block and helps it all drain away effectively.
Absolutely. I have used a black 60litre bin with the bottom cut out, sitting over a hole in the ground of about the same capacity. Lid off….dog poop in… cover it or not each time….lid back on and repeat. Works like a charm.
Moose looked so startled at the end when you did your "she gone..." ha ha!
I live on Salt Spring Island in a small log cabin in the woods. On our acreage we also built a large log home with the logs off our property (32 years ago). When our daughters left the nest we moved into the small cabin. We have lived off grid since 1988.
Salt Spring Island, BC Canada (but you probably already know that!)
I raised my kids there from 1973- '89. On VI now.
Brooke your taking basic home or Yurt engineering as in this video to its peak best , anyone with minor woodworking knowledge anywhere around the world 🌎 with some own land could copy or elaborate on this Yurt idea what you have come up with, I can't write anything more to say than you have done a wonderful job Brooke.
Brooke.
Brooke. I couldn’t even begin to tell you how amazing I truly think you are. You are such an inspiration to me and I so appreciate the joy, knowledge, skill, wisdom and passion you put out into the world. This is our future - to be innovative and active participants in our lives. To take responsibility for ourselves, even the messy parts! To understand that even what we flush down the toilet… is a renewable resource. :) Love you Brooke! From Massachusetts.
I love that toilet system. What an excellent option for offgridders with little water to spare. You know what I was just thinking? It's been a really long time since you did one of your overnights with a steak on the fire and just a chat. Maybe one this winter?
Cute shirt, representing the coffee shop. 💙☕
Brooke, I love your idea of an indoor bathroom when there is no septic system. My question is: where did you decide to put your compost bin? What factors or concerns did you have with the compost bin’s location? How far away from the dwelling is it? What do you do when the bin is full. Is the bin material ever usable as a garden fertilizer? I hear human waste is too toxic to even put in a flower garden. Is that true?
@smhollanshead you asked all of my questions 🤣 Looking forward to the questions. I’m about to go “off grid” in a paddock owned by a friend. I can hook into electricity and water and toilet system but would rather not.
Cool bathroom , toilet is easy enough definitely
As a Swede I appreciate you decided to go for a Swedish product - Separett. It's indeed a practical solution and easy to install and maintain. Also of course good that it is not an expensive product. I do hope it will serve you well for many years to come.
Betty in the John! I just love that! 😂 ❤😊
Love the Betty painting!!!
Betty White alone deserves a thumbs up!
That's for the information, Brooke! It beats spending thousands on a composting toilet. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family! God bless. 😊
I will be adding the urine diverter! I love that.
I think I will divert it directly to garden. I use humanure now. It freaks my neighbors out lol.
They just cannot understand why I won't get septic, and hook up to electric 🤷
awesome
Great job love your bathroom 👏👍
BROOKE I have found that if I have cherry wood or apple or hickory wood it is a sweeter smelling to the Whole bathroom then !!! I made 1 here in the city limits and it is working out great !!! I am using the waste for trees now to make them grow faster great apple trees for me !!! Thank you Brooke Happy Thanksgivings to you & the family !!!
very helpful and informative. Hugs from Texas.
Love how you live!!!
Enjoy!
Love the bathroom 👏you are the best❤️💜
When I first moved to Vermont, I lived in a cabin belonging to a friend of a friend that used a composting bucket toilet system with no urine diversion in an outhouse. Their main house had a composting bucket toilet system with urine diversion, and when they were away, I house-sat for them and emptied both the main house toilet and the cabin outhouse toilet. The outhouse toilet buckets did freeze during Winter, so I had to keep them stacked up until Spring thaw, but of course that wasn't a problem with the main house toilet. The funny thing was, I was already a fan of "The Humanure Handbook" for years, so my host wasn't expecting that I was going to be familiar with the idea. My record for using the outhouse was -14°F, and let me tell you, that is pretty cold on your skin! But, I can definitely attest to the efficacy of composting bucket toilets, and when I became homeless later on (twice!), I used a 5 gallon bucket with a Reliance toilet seat in the bed of my capped pickup truck, literally right next to where I slept, cooked, and ate for months at a time, with no gross smells or bothers. Even when I later moved into an apartment, I had a roommate who frequently hogged the one bathroom, and was grateful on more than one occasion that I still had my bucket toilet; she was none the wiser-no smell, no mess. I also house-sat for other people in the area who used identical Separett systems. It's a lot less gross and messy than it probably seems to people who have never done it. In fact, having removed and replaced flush toilets, I can say from experience that dealing with a composting bucket toilet is actually easier than dealing with plumbed flush toilets, and so much better for the environment, even if you don't use the resulting compost for anything other than landscaping, even though it's perfectly safe to use for food gardens.
Thank you so much for this video!
Love the toilet! I made something similar but smaller to use in my Suburban when I camp. If I ever get off grid or close to it, I plan on utilizing something like this.
Thanks Brooke for this wonderful information and video. I can remember when my grandparents got an indoor bathroom. Took many trips "up on the hill" to the outhouse ! ! ((hugs)) from Utah !
Love the yurt and that composting system. I wonder if the guys are a bit taken aback to have Betty smiling at them while they stand there, peeing.😂
Awesome! Why not attach the sink drain to the same pit?
you could
Great idea!
Oh yeah,need one of those in my deer blind 🤔🦌🙌
Conguats Brooke 🎉 you dunnit again. An accessible methodology for all to adapt to their situation.
Love your work ❤
Great video !
Hey, thank you for sharing that. It gives me idea for my cabin. Anyway have a great week 😊 stay safe and sound 😊
This is so awesome! I pile this so much that if I were to get an off-grid property I would use one!
Thanks Brooke for all your info…..talk about going to the outside….no more. 😊
Yes, super cool 😎
I just love that!
Good evening from Syracuse NY my friend and Happy Thanksgiving everyone
A clever and affordable compost toilet. Isn't that similar to how a kitty litter box works? Maybe you mentioned that in the video and I missed it?
If I could find a way for my five cats to not stink my house out when they pee and poop in their litter boxes I would be soooooooooo happy!
@@aussiegrace Assuming that a human compost toilet really doesn't stink 🤔
@ they actually don’t stink.
That was very interesting!
Betty White! YAS!!
Brooke, you are an incredible person! I would guess you would have rather not used that pattern on the box, and worked it out yourself. As indeed you did. Thanks for the update!
When the composting is done baking, what are your plans for it? I heard that it's a really good fertilizer for fruit trees.
yes plants, trees, even garden
@@therealgirlinthewoodsmy idea would be to build the compost bin in a place where I plan eventually to plant a tree.
I made a toilet but it was a bit different. The solids go into a plastic bag lined bucket and get cat lit sprinkled on top. The liquids go into a Walmart orange juice bottle. I pour them out and rinse the bottle though it has been suggested to return the bottle to Walmart and say the juice tasted bad lol.
lol
🤘🏻😎🤘🏻
Awesome some stuff, Brooke
Very cool!
We built one just like ut only no hose to the urine holder. We use an old pouring cat litter container. Separating the pio from the pee is great.
Love it!!!
Bucket toilette thunder might,
In the outhouse of the night
What immortal hand or eye could frame thy fearful symetry?
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Lost sound while you were explaining the heap. Good night 🤠 MUCH LOVE FROM FORT SIMPSON, HAPPY THANKSGIVING 🦃
I think I'd still rinse the urine tube every time
You could keep a dish soap size bottle filled with water right next to the toilet and then just squirt it as necessary it wouldn't take a lot.
Really enjoyed the video, but I miss seeing you by the fire cooking something after a day of work 😅❤
love betty dear!!!
I was considering going with a compost toilet. How to you clean the funnel part where you pee? Rinse with water?
yes you can add a little vinegar to the water
@@therealgirlinthewoods Good idea - thanks!
All my love to you .. I am Ne’mah from Iraq …
I would’ve put a picture of Whoopi and not Betty White over the toilet 🚽 giggles
Nah, that picture (whoppi) should to go at the bottom of the number 2 bin with the rest of the negatives.
Let Betty spread the whimsical joyful spirit that she is.
Interesting. 👍😍
I like that brooke has nicer tools than Dave ;)
Brooke, change the angle of the the blade on that jig saw and it will cut better/not jump back on you. Not mansplaining. Just tool tippin.
❤❤❤
Ever have any animal issues related to pee pit or waste compost?There’s a cheaper seat w diverter out there..
It's important to understand that urine diversion means your compost isn't going to be as effective, since you are removing a primary source of water and nitrogen from the composting system, although it certainly does mean less frequent emptying of the toilet and less usage of cover material. Get a copy of Joe Jenkins' book, which is even available free online. You don't need to spend $160 on a Separette if you elect not to use a urine diversion system; you can just use a regular toilet seat, but you will require more frequent emptying of the bucket and greater use of cover material.
true, everything can go in the bucket if you'd like, but you can still add any gray water, as from sinks etc.
Great video - thanks! FIY - buying peat moss supports the ever-depleting source from peat bogs which are very important to the ecology and our planet's ability to mitigate climate change. I hope you'll consider an alternative.
👍❤️🙏🏼❤️🙏🏼👍
And toilet paper- does it go in the bucket?
I don't think toilet paper is compostable you would have to look that up.
If it's not you would just keep a paper bag and deposit the toilet paper in that.
I would recommend sending that out to the burn pile every day LOL
yes it composts fine in the pile
Dimensions of the box?
Thank you.
This is interesting! Did you know that November 19th is World Toilet Day?❤
HELLO:
It's interesting...
How do you keep the urine smell from rising up the tube with no trap?
In my experience, urine diverters are a pain...
It's going into the earth so I don't anticipate any smell
Craptastic!
I don't hear any sound during the explanation of the compost process. Is it just me?
One of my earbuds was silent at that time only. Hope that helps you locate your problem.
As a man, I must ask, is there a 10 gallon version? I like pinto beans.
Ill just stick to an outhouse
They spread human sludge on crop fields for animal purposes. You can't walk on it for 45 days. I have seen them use human waste as compost but you can't turn the piles until the internal temperature gets over 165•F.
windrow piles are much less efficient and need turning.... this system is better and doesn't need turned at all
Wouldn't that be called Milorganite?
Valuable at minus 30. Lol
What about toilet paper? No-no?
In with the poop or use washable cloths.
I'm confused as to why you would worry with all that you did with the urine trench. Why not just break up the soil, dump some rocks under & above the tube,then replace the soil & be done with it? The urine will percolate into the soil & shouldn't be an issue. Seems like you could have saved some funds on the sand & weed barrier.
ok
@therealgirlinthewoods Just to clarify, I was in no way being hateful or rude since you can't decipher tone with words & i hope you didn't take my comment the wrong way. I was seriously confused as to why you took those extra steps since urine won't contaminate anything (at least that I'm aware of). Hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving! Stay safe!
Because wet soil can create a blockage, meaning, eventually when you pee it will take longer and longer to drain and could possibly become a problem. Sand, rocks and cloth are the way to prevent pipe block and helps it all drain away effectively.
I swear I'm not being condescending or trolling
If it works with our poop....could it work with dog poop?
We compost our dog poop in this exact way
try it!
Absolutely. I have used a black 60litre bin with the bottom cut out, sitting over a hole in the ground of about the same capacity. Lid off….dog poop in… cover it or not each time….lid back on and repeat. Works like a charm.
I don’t know about you but I got to have Water 💦 🚰