Saving money one flush at time with a compostable toilet

Saving money one flush at time with a compostable toilet

Make sure that you have a compostable toilet when, or if, the crap hits the fan! Yes, that was an intentional pun! But in all seriousness, compostable toilets have come a long way since the olden times of stinky outhouses that were placed outside in the back forty from yesterday-years.

While numerous states are in heavy droughts and in desperate need of a fix, water is literally going down the drain as waste in homes. On the average, a human being uses about eighty to one-hundred and seventy-five gallons of water a day and close to half of that percent is from flushing the commode.

What is a compostable toilet?

A compostable toilet is a toilet system that collects human excrements then turns it into a natural rich compost. It can reduce a single household's water waste up to sixty percent or more.

So, in the long haul, compostable toilets save a lot of money on utility bills and save on how much water is used in communities too. 

A compostable toilet also has other benefits that could be a viable asset to homeowners and off-grid homesteaders, etc.. Because compostable toilets benefit in producing natural compost to fertilize the soil.

You could actually build a compostable toilet yourself for about forty-five dollars, that's if your state legally allows it. However, most states where it is legal require that you use NSF approved compostable toilets. The majority of NSF compostable toilets have a steep price close to two thousand dollars, but in the long run, it would more than pay for itself when considering how much money you'd save on water and sewage bills.

In Arkansas, compostable toilets are actually legal to own inside your home. However, they have to be NSF standard 41. Human waste excretions (from the compost) can be buried onsite. If your home also has running water, you'll need to have an approved method for getting rid of the gray water.

In Arkansas, it is actually legal to live off-grid if you want to do so. However, if you live in the state, or are thinking about moving here to live off-grid, there are certain loopholes within the state laws. It is actually illegal to have an DIY outhouse on your property, or build your own compostable toilet for your home, and that happens to be the case even if you're living off-grid miles away from civilization. While doing research, the compost toilets that I could find, which are legal in Arkansas, are the NSF 41 certified Sun-Mar. These toilets are approved for residential and off-grid living.

Off-grid living is legal in Arkansas. However, there are a few state laws which might make it illegal for you to go completely off-grid.

Three of the off-grid requirements (that I am aware of) are: 

• If you live near a municipal sewer system, you're required by Arkansas law to have your water and sewage hooked up (and require you to pay for it). You must have one flushable toilet inside your dwelling if you live near a municipal water and sewage system.

• You're also required to have a NSF certified outdoor toilet, or a NSF 41 certified compostable toilet installed in your dwelling, if you are considering living off-grid, or considering installing a compostable toilet in your home in town or city.

• It's also illegal to harvest rainwater in Arkansas, with the sole intent of using it for any other means other than for non-potable usages.

In addition to the Arkansas sewer and water laws, our state has many required rules and regulations when concerning which types of off-grid septic and water systems that are allowed, as well as how they're to be installed, and permit requirements. If you want to install a large rainwater harvesting system, recycle gray water or use something other than septic for waste, you will experience a lot of obstacles. For more information on this topic, please read my article, "Homesteading skills that you should know."

Note:

While looking up research on this topic for Arkansas, I found a lot of misleading information. Always check with your state and county beforehand. Because what is legal in one area may not be in another.

Resources:

Rodgers, T. (2012, September 8). Waterless toilets perfect selection for remote areas. Arkansas Online. https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2012/sep/08/waterless-toilets-perfect-selection-remot-20120908/#:~:text=In%20Arkansas%20only%20pre-manufactured,the%20Health%20Department%20are%20allowed.

NSF approved toilets (that can be used in homes in the state of Arkansas) can be purchased at Home Depot. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Sun-Mar-Excel-Electric-Waterless-High-Capacity-Self-Contained-Composting-Toilet-in-White-EXCEL-white/203503054

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© 2025 Olden Oasis

oldenoasis.blogspot.com

Distilling water

Distilling water

If you're concerned about the PFAS that's in or may be in your tap water and want to learn a preventive way to truly clarify it, today I will walk you through how I distill water at home in my kitchen. I know it's extra work, but it's worth it. Of course, if you don't want to go through the process of distilling your own water, you can purchase it at grocery stores.

Why should you distill water?

Water distillation is an effective method of removing PFAS. In general, just boiling water will remove most bacteria and make the water safer to drink, but it will not remove PFAS.

Distilling water removes a host of bacteria, chemicals, and other impurities, but be aware that when you distill water, it removes more than 99.9 percent of the minerals from your water.

Instructions for distilling water at home:

To begin, fill a large stockpot halfway with water. Then tie a coffee cup to the pan's lid with some string. The cup will hang right side up inside the pot when the lid is put in place. Make sure the coffee cup is high enough inside the pan that it's not touching the water.

On high heat, bring the water to a boil. Allow the water to boil for twenty minutes. The water that drops from the lid into the coffee cup will be distilled and safe for you to drink. You're basically just collecting steam that’s been cooled and returned to a liquid state. The only things that are left in the cup of water after it's been distilled are hydrogen and oxygen.

Storing your distilled water

Place your distilled water in a food grade water container with a lid and place it in a dark place.

Resources:

Communications and Publishing (2023) TAP Water Study detects pfas ‘forever chemicals’ across the US: U.S. geological survey, Tap water study detects PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ across the US | U.S. Geological Survey. Available at: https://www.usgs.gov/news/national-news-release/tap-water-study-detects-pfas-forever-chemicals-across-us (Accessed: 09 July 2023).

PHILLIPS, A.M. (2019) Here’s what you can (and can’t) do about pfas contamination in your water, Los Angeles Times. Available at: https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2019-10-23/heres-what-you-can-and-cant-do-about-pfas-contamination-in-your-tap-water#:~:text=Common%20water%20pitcher%20brands%20like,concentration%20in%20your%20tap%20water. (Accessed: 09 July 2023).

Byrd, J. (2023) Does distilling water remove pfas, PFOA, PFOS?, WaterFilterGuru.com. Available at: https://waterfilterguru.com/does-distilling-water-remove-pfas/#:~:text=Distillation%20is%20a%20highly%20effective,distillation%20chamber%20when%20water%20evaporates. (Accessed: 09 July 2023).

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© 2025 Olden Oasis

oldenoasis.blogspot.com

Long-term water storage and water purifying

Why should we store water for long-term use? If the energy grid should ever go down, the municipal water will also shut down, unless the location where you live has some type of backup system. 

Unfortunately, at one time or another, we all have power outages, often due to related weather occurrences. Usually the electricity is only off for a few hours, before power lines, transformers, etc. are repaired. However, sometimes freakish ice storms, tornadoes, or hurricanes happen and the power gets interrupted for days, weeks, and sometimes, unfortunately, for months. 

Storing water for the long-term and treating potable water

Water should be stored in thoroughly clean glass jars, or dark plastic containers (#1, #2, and #4). Glass bottles or jars are the absolute best choice, because glass isn't made with chemicals, therefore no chemicals can leach out into your stored water. Water stored in glass containers will last indefinitely as long as the glass containers are sealed and are sterilized before adding the water.

If you don't have the suggested containers (above), then use the large plastic containers that juice and fruit punch come in to store water.

The containers should be kept in a cool and dark environment. Always add labels to the containers of your drinking water and date it. 

The CDC recommends dumping the stored water after six months. They also recommend that everyone should store enough water for three days for each person in the household. The suggested amount is to have at least one gallon per person stored, per day. For example: If you have two people in your household, then you'll need to store three gallons of clean water for yourself, and three gallons for your other family members. So you'd need a total of six gallons. If there're three family members in your household, the number of gallons you'll need stored for three days would be nine. Four people would need twelve, etc.

Water treatments for potable water and your survival

Here are a few items that everyone should have along with the stored water: hand pump water filters, filter straws, gravity filters, and potable water purification tablets. Each of these items could actually be life-saving, should you ever run out of stored water and have to use water from other sources such as a hot water tank, rain barrel, or river, etc. 

Boiling water is one of the best methods to kill pollution in the water. (Contaminants such as bad bacteria, germs, parasites, and viruses.) For the boiling method to be effective, you'll need to bring the water to a rolling boil and boil it for one minute at the minimum. Of course, should the electricity be off-grid, you'll also need matches to start a fire, or a camp stove, so that you will be able to boil the water.

Another smart way for purifying water is chemically treating it with Clorox liquid (unscented) bleach for long-term storage.

Amounts of bleach to add to potable water to make it safe for drinking

• 1 quart. Add 5 drops of bleach.

• 1 liter. Add 5 drops of bleach.

• ½ gallon. Add 10 drops of bleach.

• 2 quarts. Add 10 drops of bleach.

• 2 liters. Add 10 drops of bleach.

• 1 gallon. Add ¼ teaspoon of bleach.

• 5 gallons. Add 1 teaspoon of bleach.

• 10 gallons. Add 2 teaspoons of bleach.

Strain any stored water that's been sitting for a long time with paper towels, or a clean cloth if it has turned cloudy and has particles in it, because disinfecting it may not work as well. Then store the water in clean containers with lids.

Does (store purchased) bottled water go bad?

If that's a question that you've asked yourself, here's your answer. Technically, it isn't the water that goes bad, because water itself doesn't have any type of expiratory. However, the plastic bottles that it's stored in leach chemicals into the water, and over time the plastic begins to break down. The United States Food and Drug Administration only recommends a shelf life of two years for still water and one year for sparkling water.

Note:

It's so crucial to be prepared for the worst type of scenario, and it's very possible that, due to the extreme heat that's occurring this summer, many people may lose their power. In extreme heat, you'll need extra drinking water. So please take care of yourselves and make sure that you have enough water stored to stay hydrated.

Resources:

The Quest for Hydration (2005). WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/quest-for-hydration#:~:text="We%20were%20at%20the%20point,last%20five%20or%20six%20days."

Emergency Disinfection of Drinking Water | US EPA. (2021, December 9). US EPA. https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/emergency-disinfection-drinking-water

Silver, N. (2018, January 16). How Long Can You Live Without Water? Effects of Dehydration. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/how-long-can-you-live-without-water#food-intake

Heart Water - Does Bottled Water Go Bad?: Water Expiration Dates. (n.d.). Heart Water®. https://drinkheartwater.com/blog/does-bottled-water-go-bad#:~:text=The%20recommended%20shelf%20life%20is,one%20year%20for%20sparkling%20water.

Creating & Storing an Emergency Water Supply. (2021, January 26). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/emergency/creating-storing-emergency-water-supply.html

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© 2025 Olden Oasis

oldenoasis.blogspot.com

Purifying water with the sun's rays

Image by Pexels/Pixabay

Purifying water with the sun's rays

Recently, I have gotten on a healthy water kick because, quite frankly, I have been extremely scared to drink our tap water. Plus, I believe that it's important to know survival skills, and knowledge is the key to surviving. So today I'd like to share a free and all-natural way of purifying water. Yup, if you haven't guessed it already, I am referring to sunlight.

Sunlight is an old-fashioned water-purifying practice that's considered to be the most natural way to purify water. It's genius because you can purify your drinking water at zero cost. This water-purifying method requires no special equipment or expensive filters.

How do you purify water using the sun's rays?

You'll want to fill a clean container with clear water and place it in direct sunlight. I suggest using a clear PET one-or two-liter bottle and nothing much larger than that.

A quick note of caution here: Water that's thick and murky with suspended matter will be hard to purify in this manner. So you'll need to use extra precautions and your common sense.

Allow your water to sit in the sun for no less than six to seven hours. This purifying method will work best if the container is put out in the sun at first light and kept there for the majority of the day.

Allowing the water to sit out in the sun all day gives the sediment time to settle at the bottom of the container. You'll want to make sure the water doesn't have any sedimentation in it before drinking any of it.

After about six to seven hours, most of the dissolved particles will settle to the bottom of the container. So then you'll need to drain the clean water into another container.

To do that, you'll need to slowly pour the purified water out of the original container and into another clean container without disturbing the sediment in the bottom.

You'll end up with a small amount of water along with the sediments left in the container that you first began purifying the water in. The other container of water will be purified and free from dangerous bacteria or parasites.

Use the water the day after you purify it. I wouldn't store it for any longer than that and expect it to still be safe to drink. Of course, you can keep repurifying it by this or some other means.

So how does the sun purify the water?

Solar radiation and heat kill the bacteria or parasites present in the water. This is an ancient practice that utilizes solar energy to purify water.

Other ways to kill bacteria in drinking water:

To get rid of bacteria in your water, you can also use unscented chlorine bleach, iodine, or chlorine dioxide tablets.

If your preference is bleach, use 2 drops of bleach solution for every liter of water. Use about 8 drops of unscented chlorine bleach per gallon of water, and if the water is really murky, use at least 16 drops. You can use an eyedropper to treat the water. Just count the drops as you do it, then wait about an hour before drinking it.

Unscented chlorine bleach will kill most viruses and bacteria that can be found in untreated water.

Then, of course, you can also boil your water for three to five minutes or distill it to make it safer to drink.

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© 2025 Olden Oasis

oldenoasis.blogspot.com

Why You Should Prune Flowers on Your Potato Plants

Why You Should Prune Flowers on Your Potato Plants

Potato plant flowers pop up towards the end of the plant's life cycle to attract pollinators that help with reproduction. This is super important for the plant's survival. Sometimes, flowers can show up early if the plant has too much fertilizer or if the weather is really extreme.

Why pruning is important

Reason 1: Safety First

It's a good idea to snip off those flowers for a couple of reasons. First, it can prevent curious kids or pets from eating parts of the plant that could make them sick.

Reason 2: Better Potatoes

Cutting off the flowers can actually help you get more potatoes in the end. When a plant gets energy into making flowers and seeds, it takes away from making those yummy tubers underground. By snipping off the flowers, you're telling the plant to focus on growing those potatoes instead.

How to Prune

To prune the flowers, grab some scissors or gardening shears and snip them off at the base of the stem. This tells the plant to stop making seeds and start making more potatoes. It's a simple way to help your plants grow the way you want them to.

Happy potato growing!

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© 2025 Olden Oasis

oldenoasis.blogspot.com

Homesteading skills that you should know

Homesteading skills that you should know

There's not any specific law that prevents anybody from homesteading and making their own way in "The Natural State." In the grand scheme of things, self-sustaining practices such as growing your own food, harvesting rainwater, having a compostable toilet, using solar power, etc. in Arkansas is in fact considered a self-sustaining right. However, there are a few loopholes out there that you'll have to go through in order to do some of these things legally, which in turn may seem like a hard slap in the face, to some, if you're wanting to be completely self-reliant. This unfortunately is also the case for living completely off-grid in "The Natural State."

Since Arkansas is known as being "The Natural State," most people would assume that you would be able to buy some land, set up a modern-day homestead, and run it in the ways that you see fit. However, this isn't entirely the case in our state.

What's the definition of a modern-day homesteader?

If you're unsure of what a modern-day homesteader is, allow me to explain. A modern-day homesteader simply is anyone who lives a lifestyle being self-sufficient. In modern terms, you don't specifically have to own a lot of acreage, nor raise farm animals to be a homesteader. Most modern-day homesteaders just live a quaint, peaceful, self-sustainable lifestyle, while growing self-produced organic food and preserving it for their families. They try to live in harmony with nature and live environmentally friendly. 

Most Arkansas homesteaders use electricity, but some also harness power from the sun with solar. They also have city, or rural water, and harvest rainwater for their gardening.

The state of Arkansas does somewhat seem to encourage its residents to be semi-self-reliant. I use the words semi-self-reliant, because while it is completely legal to live off-grid, use solar power, harvest rainwater, and use a state approved compost toilet inside your dwelling, etc.. It's illegal in our state to have a DIY built outhouse (an outhouse must meet NSF approval standards), drink purified rainwater, and use a DIY compostable toilet in your dwelling. (I plan to cover these topics in more detail in upcoming articles.) Portable bathrooms like the ones sold at All Safety Products are legal to sit up on site.

When it comes down to the basics of homesteading, I deem three categories as being the utmost important homesteading skills and they are harvesting water, growing and preserving food, and having self-sustainable heat. 

Important homesteading skills everyone should know:

1. Purifying harvested water, stocking up on water (purchased or tap gathered, and rain barrel harvesting)

Purified drinking water is always at the top of my list, because without water, nothing can survive. Harvesting rain water is also vital for watering self-produced food. 

Another important thing that everyone should do is store up enough water for you and your family. Enough to last at least two weeks. Store up more than that if you have room to do so.

If possible, process (can) jars of water to store for emergencies. 

In fact, it is my opinion that every state should start allowing people to have the option to harvest rainwater, because rainwater can be filtered, purified, and treated safely to drink, bathe in, etc.. It's environmentally friendly. Plus, it would save everyone a ton of money in the long run. However, in Arkansas, this option is only allowed for non-potable uses. Arkansans can only harvest rainwater for watering their lawns and for watering self-produced food. Each household is allowed to harvest only 110 gallons of rain in rain barrels in our state.

Arkansas is, in fact, heavily regulated when it concerns rainwater harvesting; it is only permitted for non-drinking purposes. The rainwater system has to comply with the Arkansas Plumbing Code. Which has to be designed by a state-licensed professional, and must also include cross-connection safeguards. Which in turn avoids contaminating other natural water sources. (Ryan, 2022)

However, if the poo-poo should hit the fan, I believe that it's wise to purchase water purifying tablets to keep on hand just in case there is an emergency. These tablets make rainwater safe to drink, as well as water from water tanks, ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, etc.. Water purifying straws are also available for this purpose.

And if you can afford to go bigger, you can also purchase a Berkey water filter system that will remove 99.9% of almost all contaminants from your drinking water.

2. Self-producing your own food

Growing, canning, dehydrating, freeze drying, salt curing, freezing, smoking, and fermenting self-produced food should be the second most important thing that you learn to do.

If you don't have a green-thumb, learn the basics of growing sprouts. Growing sprouts is ridiculously simple and sprouts are packed with viable nutrients.

3. Sustainable heating source: such as a wood-burning stove

With the high costs of oil and gas, it's even more important to make sure you have a viable way to heat your home in the winter. I feel that learning how to cut, gather and split firewood is another important thing to learn.

Should you lose power because of a storm, or other unforeseeable reason, you're going to need a back-up source to keep your home warm.

Wood-burning fireplaces and stoves are a perfect alternative. They're also environmentally friendly too.

Plus, should the power grid go down in the winter, you can also cook your food for free on top of a wood stove. I do this regardless if the power is on or off in the winter. For the holidays, there's nothing better than a turkey and ham that's been slowly roasted by a wood stove.

Also, when investing in a wood stove, don't forget about also getting a wood stove fan. The fan sits on top of your stove fireplace and harnesses the heat from your stove to power it. (In other words, wood stove fans help circulate the heat totally for free.)

Other essential preparedness items:

Stock up on essential items such as toiletries, medicines, bandages, medical super glue, duct tape, rolls of thick plastic, respiratory masks, backpacks, thermal blankets, heated vests and coats, manual can opener, matches, survival knives, garden seeds, solar battery bank, solar generator with solar panels, solar battery charger, solar radio, solar lights, battery operated led string lights, flashlights, kerosene lanterns, outdoor smoker, grill, paper plates, tarps, pet food and other pet supplies, etc.. 

Should you have an unfortunate accident and have cuts that would need stitches, but couldn't see a doctor, you can use medical super glue on the wounds. As it dries extremely quickly, it also will close the wounds, which will stop the bleeding. 

Resources:

Wehner, T. (2022, June 22). Arkansas off grid laws: An in-depth guide (2022). Unbate. https://unbate.ngontinh24.com/article/arkansas-off-grid-laws-an-in-depth-guide

Arkansas administrative code | agency 007 - ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH | division 04 - environmental health services | rule 007.04.93-005 - alternative systems manual. (n.d.). Justia Law. https://regulations.justia.com/states/arkansas/agency-007/division-04/rule-007-04-93-005/

Is it legal to collect rainwater in Arkansas? (n.d.). Is it legal to collect rainwater in Arkansas? https://www.uaex.uada.edu/environment-nature/water/conservation/collecting-rainwater.aspx

Ryan, J. (2022, January 20). Solved! Is it illegal to collect rainwater? Bob Vila. https://www.bobvila.com/articles/is-it-illegal-to-collect-rainwater/

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© 2025 Olden Oasis

oldenoasis.blogspot.com

All natural facial mask and facial scrub

All natural facial mask and facial scrub

Are you looking for a better, cheaper way to cleanse and exfoliate your skin? If so, today, I will tell you how I make an all-natural cleansing mask and all-natural facial scrub. These are two DIY'S that I personally make and use. They are inexpensive to create. Plus, there are no harmful ingredients added to either.

Coffee and almond milk face mask

Ingredients: 

• 3 tablespoons of ground coffee

• 1 tablespoon of almond milk

Instructions:

To create the facial mask, add three tablespoons of ground coffee with one tablespoon of almond milk in a bowl; combine well to form a gritty paste. Add additional almond milk if it's needed.

Using your fingertips, apply the facial mask to your face. Allowing it to stay on your face for at least fifteen minutes. Wash the facial mask off with warm water, then splash your face with refreshing cold water; blot your skin dry with a clean towel.

All natural facial scrub

Ingredients:

• 1-½ cups of sugar

• ¼ cup of canola oil

Instructions:

Add the sugar to a bowl, then add the oil a little at a time (the mixture should feel like moistened sand in your hand, it shouldn't be soupy or runny). Add additional oil only if needed. Mix the ingredients together well.

To use, place the amount of the sugar scrub that you need on your fingertips and apply it to your skin in circular motion. Wash it off with warm water, then splash your face with cold water.

Place the remaining facial scrub in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to six months.

For added benefits and to make the sugar scrub smell lovely, you can add essential oils to your facial scrub. Examples: lavender, cinnamon, lemon, grapefruit, etc.. You can also add a few tablespoons of ground coffee to this scrub for added benefits.

Plus, you can also use other oils than canola oil to make your sugar facial scrub. I use canola because it's what I always have on hand in my kitchen. All cooking oils work for this scrub. So, don't fall for believing that you'll need any of the more expensive oils.

Any type of sugar can be used as well. For sensitive skin, brown sugar is the least abrasive. You can also add one to two tablespoons of aloe vera gel if you have sensitive skin or combination skin.

If you're prone to getting acne and have oily skin, substitute the sugar (with the same amount) of salt in the recipe and add two tablespoons of baking soda. Also, substitute the oil for lemon juice. Apply the scrub on your face in a circular motion and leave it on your skin for fifteen minutes before rinsing it off with warm water. Then splash your face with cold water and blot your skin dry with a clean cloth.

For dry skin, you'll want to substitute oats for sugar. Place the oats in a food processor or blender and grind well. Then add the oil and mix.

Once all the ingredients are combined well, apply the mixture to your skin and rub it into your pores in a circular motion. For added benefits, allow the scrub to stay on your face for at least fifteen minutes. Then rinse with water. Use the facial scrub every three days, or as needed.

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© 2025 Olden Oasis

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