Mud Oven

I love projects that let me try something new and different  without spending any money! This mud oven was one of those.I did spend a few dollars for some bagged wood shavings because I didn't have enough saw dust. The saw dust is mixed with some of the clay as a insulating layer all around the inner fire chamber. I also used some fire brick that I had for the floor of the oven. We have used the oven a few times but I think I got carried away and made it a little large for it's intended purpose. I got the instructions from a book, Build Your Own Earth  Oven, by Kiko Denzer with  Hannah Field. The book is very well written and very easy to use as you build your oven. The book also has lots of recipes and info about sour dough bread which was what we made in ours.  Because I made it too large it takes a fair amount of wood to get it hot enough to hold heat long enough. Then once I do have it hot enough I don't have anything to use up the residual heat except for drying the next load of wood. Part of this is just poor planning on my part. We will try to use it more this coming year but I think I may have to tear it down and build one a more appropriate size. This one is restaurant/ community  size rather than house hold. Fortunately there is lots more dirt where I got this from.