I wrote this book if you're interested (See link in description). Hut in the wet season Hut after burning down I left a fire untended for 15 minutes and it burnt down Salvaging possessions from fire (mostly only pottery survived) Earlier back in the wet season (before fire, different area) Clearing land Digging drainage trench around new hut site Now in the dry season, making post holes in the ground.

Inserting posts (1.5 m above ground, 0.5 m below) 4 posts in a 3 x 3 m square Cutting roof beam Cutting lawyer cane Lashing on roof beam Making a tripod ladder 4 x 3 m long ridge poles Forming a pyramidal roof It's a bit less than 3 m tall Roof edge.

Rafters Frame complete Palm fronds (cut with stone) Splitting fronds Vine for lashing fronds on Lashing fronds to frame starting at the bottom first Overlap rows at the corners to form ridge capping Utilising ladder when it gets too high to reach Getting too close to thatch from inside soon.

So make a roof cap to go on top Wrap the fronds right around the top to prevent rain getting in Lift cap using a stick put through a loop on top of the cap It's heavy and needs to be lifted by sticking one end into the ground Then put it onto the apex of the roof Take down ladder when happy with roof Roof should shed rain well (until it rots/gets eaten by insects) Here's a walk through of my current area starting with the yam mounds The burnt hut ruin.

(left to right) A kiln, a natural draft furnace made of bricks and a charcoal mound Path to clearing The new hut Transferring inventory to new location Harvesting yams The yield is poor because the soil is compacted with little organic material Some grew on the vine but not much Storing in hut Digging fire pit.

Making fire with hand drill (yes I'll be careful this time) This part takes a while, it consists of catching the tinder on fire while adding kindling on top Ok it's done Dingo (Australian native dog) howls Installing forge blower (a larger one with upgraded impeller design, old blower visible in background) Yam from before Wrapping it in mud Put in fire 30 minutes in the coals.

Mud breaks off when taking it out Yam is well cooked (slightly over cooked, will try only 20 minutes next time) Wash hands before eating Tastes like a potato, but more starchy. Lots of energy. Hut in the rain Sheds rain well Now back to normal projects once again