Pooping in the Woods...

Okay... first off.  I have changed the Blog Name to "Crooked Pines."  As we are getting to know the property, we keep using big crooked pines to mark off areas for our house, entry, etc.  So, we will be calling our little homestead "Crooked Pines."  Hence the new blog title.

Poop!!!  This is the thing that has  been plaguing me.  I want to be green, alternative, off the grid, etc., etc.  But, I really, really like modern, private bathroom time.  I am not loosey goosey about sharing bathrooms, people knowing I use the bathroom, stinky bathroom... allllll that.  So, a great amount of time and money will go toward figuring out how to get a modern feeling toilet in a very un-modern setting.  I had to use out-houses a  LOTTTT when I was wee-sized and I don't really want that to be my grown-up thing.

TREE TOILET:   free
Currently there is a toilet on site.  You can see the picture attached to see.  Yup... it's a toilet seat attached to two old boards hung between two pines (straight pines).  But, no worries, there are some rocks below to help run off the waste.  NO!!!! NONONONONONO!!!!!  I WON'T DO IT!!!!!!


So, I don't know for sure yet, what we will do long-term, but here are some things I am looking at.

FOR NOW:  
Low Tech Composting Toilet - $20-$100 
This is basically a bucket with a toilet seat.  What makes it tolerable???  You have a generous supply of compost friendly material to cover it with and provide a big hole to dump it.  It eventually (about a year) becomes usable compost.  YUP - A HUMAN LITTER BOX.  We will each have our own bucket and private space along with heaping amounts of pine litter (found at many WalMarts) and Peat Moss (found at garden stores).  The compost material goes under and over each bathroom use.  This is then dumped into the big hole and piled with regular dirt.  Add some red worms and this will be the healthiest wild flower garden on the property.  No... I will not use my "own" compost for my garden.. although many people do and it's actually an okay thing to do.

FOR LATER:
As we build our tiny house and later bigger-tiny house.  We will be creating a bathroom that does not require city-style sewage.  We have to, there is no choice.  There seem to be several options out there and I will discuss a few of them here.  I would really LOVE for any input from those that read this blog and have experience with any of these options.  Guidance from our elders and already-doers is a must with this big change.

High-Tech Composting Toilets: $1,000-$10,000
This is basically a toilet that composts for you.  Some use little water and some are no-water.  They can be pretty costly as they can pretty much feel like a modern toilet.  The waste is sent to a magic machine that turns it into unstinky magic soil.  Again.. .this can be used for gardens, but I won't be doing that.  

Incinerating Toilets: - ??  I think about $1,000-$2,000

This one sounds like the one for me.  It burns your poop.  You just throw away the ashes.. or like a good gardener... add it to your compost pile.  If you are a tiny-home enthusiast.  This can work for you if you live in a place where burning poop is not a bother to neighbors.  The possible problem with this is the energy you need to run one.  You need propane, electric, diesel or gas to run.  I think that the trade off might be worth it.  Very simple.  



Septic or Lagoon: Millions and millions of dollars... not really... but, a lot.  
Other options that I am looking into but would require expertise, $$ and time that we may not have would be our own septic or a lagoon.  I have much more research to do on these and I believe they would be for a property lower on the mountain.  This rock heavy property probably can't handle that.  

I hope this answers some questions for you as I have been studying on this subject a lot.  I got a lot of guidance from this blog:  
http://clotheslinetinyhomes.com/2012/10/03/everyone-poops-tiny-house-toilet-options/

Feedback is welcome and as always... Live Free!

Sasha

ps... soon... bathing... showering... dishes, etc.