things sitting in the garage (for a haybox cooker)

by Kay Brooks
(Shalimar, Fl.)

I decided to build a hay box cooker with just the things on hand, purchasing nothing. I had an extra large plastic flower pot in the garage along with a lot of vermiculite.I lined the pot with a space blanket then took an old pillow case, poured in the vermiculite, tied the top in a knot and placed it in the base of the pot. The cooking pot of my choice is a cast iron dutch oven. I placed wadded newspaper around the sides of the pot so that when I lifted the pot out there was a ready made depression just the size of the pot. I filled another pillow case with vermiculite and knotted the top for a top to place over the pot. I lined the "depression" that would receive the cooking pot with a space blanket.
When I prepare something for the cooker I just take the fake plant off the top of all the materials that are stored in the planter, remove the top pillow case of vermiculite, fold back the space blanket, put in the dutch oven, fold space blanket back, place pillow on top and Voila! Best rice/stews/soups you've ever had!


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Greetings Kay,

Thank you very much for sharing this very innovative means of making a simple yet functional hay box cooker.
I have one almost identical to yours, well the materials at least. You made a dual purpose hay box: a flower pot and cooker all-in-one with no extra expense on your part. Now that is a great example and motivator for others to emulate.

Thank you again,

Nathan Admin.