The Yogurtinator -- available at a commune near you

Yesterday, Chris and I came one step closer to achieving off-grid sustainability, when we successfully* made yogurt on our own, right after baking a couple of loaves of bread.  The idea came from our good friends the Kilzers, who showed us their version of a box that cooks milk and a small starter amount of yogurt into... well, a bigger amount of yogurt in just a few hours.

Here you see us assembling the Yogurtinator (Stu calls his the "Yogurnator," which is a more clever name, but I like the irritating quality caused by the extra syllables in "Yogurtinator"), which consists of nothing more than a cheap styrofoam cooler from the grocery store, a lamp kit, a dimmer switch, and a thermometer thrust unceremoniously through the top of the lid.

I'll spare you the steps (hint:  they're here) but suffice it to say, we got some mighty yogurt-looking stuff out at the end of the process.  I'm waiting for Chris to come home from school so we can try it at the same time.  After all, the family who experiences paralyzing stomach cramps together stays together.

*This remains to be seen.