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Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / Privy. To dig again or sawdust
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camp crooked
Member
# Posted: 28 Aug 2012 05:16pm
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I have an outhouse with 12+ yrs of use. For obvious reasons I need to dig another hole. I've done some searching on this site and found info about sawdust in a bucket and decomposing piles. The very small cabin gets moderate use during the summer and maby 2 weekends in the winter. I am off grid, 10ac in the NEK of Vermont. I am starting to bring my small children up (3 and infant) and hope to enjoy many more weekends with the family and friends. Has anyone with my situation made the switch? How does it work out? How many times in a weekend do you need to empty the bucket?

VTweekender
Member
# Posted: 28 Aug 2012 05:40pm
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WOW! Yet another Vermonter!! We are gaining numbers...lol...!!Welcome!!

Maybe a Loveable Loo would be just what you need...check it out...you get all info needed with it..

http://www.humanurehandbook.com/store/LOVEABLE-LOO-Eco-Toilet.html .

Anonymous
# Posted: 28 Aug 2012 05:43pm
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I don't have experience with sawdust, but have had good luck with moldering privy.

SE Ohio
Member
# Posted: 28 Aug 2012 08:38pm
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We have the 5 gallon composter with kids aged 3, 6 and 9. No problem with using this, they prefer over porta-potty! It will fill up quickly if toilet paper is dropped in and covered with peat. We encourage them to put paper in bags. Probably will fill up in a week or less if paper is dropped in, but we have a backup bucket just in case we are too lazy to empty.

No smell with the composting toilet

Spudmasher1
Member
# Posted: 29 Aug 2012 04:25am
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The cabin site I am building on has an old outhouse. I will be digging another hole. You posted this one lasted 12+ years. That is pretty good for an outhouse pit.

Give your kids the same "great" experiences of an outhouse.

Seto
Member
# Posted: 29 Aug 2012 08:15am
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I have an outhouse like building with a sawdust bucket. i live at my 10x14 cabin year round alone. i empty the bucket about once a week. the benefit of a sawdust v pit system is that the pit privy is subject to a lot of regulations in a lot of places (can contaminate ground water) sawdust systems are easier to meet regulations.

I use 3 black plastic trash cans a year, set up as composters, last years fertilizer has been broken down and fills just one can, next year it will be a rich soil to add to the garden (those who are not extreme recyclers can just toss it in the woods).

TomChum
Member
# Posted: 29 Aug 2012 10:54am - Edited by: TomChum
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In my area it costs $25 to have an outhouse pumped, and the truck is in my area once a week. I just have to arrange it for that weekday. If that's all you have to do every 12 years, there is no better deal anywhere. I will probably put some kind of waterproof liner for the next round (after pumpung out) but that is years away.

Check your area for "pumping service". Or call a company that rents "porta-potties", they can't operate without a pumping service. You may not be aware of it but there ARE portapotties all around that need to be serviced on a schedule. At construction sites, large events, for example. Consequently there are trucks, driving around, pumping them out. If you see any portapotties in your area they ususlly have a tel#.

campcrooked
# Posted: 4 Sep 2012 08:46pm
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Thanks everyone for the input. Sounds like Ill be digging another hole next spring.

creeky
Member
# Posted: 12 Sep 2012 11:44am
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Hey campcrooked,
A buddy of mine used one of the biological toilet solutions. got it at canadian tire. dang. he sent me a pic and I can't find it. It had enzymes or bacteria or something. anyway, he said it reduced the size of the pile of his 30 year old outhouse considerably. He figures he's good for a couple more years...

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