Thanks Mike and Michael,

Heat retention cooking in a hole using wood fuel is traditional in many
locations. A large wood fire is built in a hole, and allowed to burn down to
coals. The food is put in and covered up. Later it is dug up and the feast
begins. This method stores heat in the ground around the hole, in addition to
using the thermal mass of the hot coals and in some cases, rocks put in as well.

I was thinking of a way of storing solar heat in the ground and using it to cook
later when the sun is not available. Perhaps by focusing solar energy into a
hole in the ground over a long period of time. Does anyone know of anyone who
has done this?

Bob

------Original Message------
From: Mikebridg@...
To: solarcooking-l@...
Sent: January 18, 2001 4:27:11 PM GMT
Subject: Re: Simple Hole in the Ground Cooker



In a message dated 18/1/01 10:35:21 am, HandyM2@... writes:

<< Start with a shovel, find all day sunny spot to dig, dig a hole about
twice
the volume of your planned cook pot. If the soil is damp you need a 5 gallon
Plastic Bucket or even heavy plastic trash bag to line the hole, stuff in the
grass insulation (pack it fairly densely so it will not shift, grass/straw
insulation around and below the pot) THIS Reduces Conduction Heat Losses.
>>

You've nearly made our holeinthe ground Heat retention cooker. All you want
is a grass filled pillow to place over the hole and once the food is up to
cooking temperature you can go away and do something else whilst the food is
cooking. Actually we make these inside houses and the food is bioled on
traditional or improved firewood or charcoal stoves. But you have given me an
amazing idea for how to combine solar and Heat retention in one unit!
Thankyou very much indeed I will try it out as soon as we are back in sunny
Africa. UK is cold and miserable and cloudy now.

MIke Bridgwater

Sunseed Tanzania Trust.

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