During WWII in occupied Netherlands, citizens received a scanty ration of firewood. They used their limited fuel to cook a stew and placed the hot stewpot under a lot of blankets at the foot of the bed. The retained heat continued to cook the food for a few hours and when the day got darker, people retired to bed and ate their dinner in a well-warmed bed.
Retained heat cookery takes a little practice, but it can save on fuel when done correctly. You can also use hay boxes to keep water warmish over night instead of letting it freeze while standing out in the open. Unfrozen morning wash water is awfully nice; also watering farm livestock from pails kept in a haybox overnight can make life easier in winter.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2022-09-02 03:35 am (UTC)During WWII in occupied Netherlands, citizens received a scanty ration of firewood. They used their limited fuel to cook a stew and placed the hot stewpot under a lot of blankets at the foot of the bed. The retained heat continued to cook the food for a few hours and when the day got darker, people retired to bed and ate their dinner in a well-warmed bed.
Retained heat cookery takes a little practice, but it can save on fuel when done correctly. You can also use hay boxes to keep water warmish over night instead of letting it freeze while standing out in the open. Unfrozen morning wash water is awfully nice; also watering farm livestock from pails kept in a haybox overnight can make life easier in winter.