Bladen 4-H’er touts the benefits of solar ovens
4-H’er Luke Hill (center) — with parents, Randy and Kelli, and sister, Jeralyn — displays a solar-powered oven.
Photo by Katherine Evers
When Kelli Hill had had enough of summertime cooking in a hot, 1940s era house, she called on her husband and son to search for solutions. And they quickly delivered, recommending solar-powered ovens that would work outdoors.
Since then, Kelli’s son, Luke, has used his involvement in 4-H to spread the word about the advantages of solar ovens. In 2007, he won a gold medal at State 4-H Congress for his presentation about solar ovens, and he’s also done projects and speeches for 4-H Electric Congress, winter enrichment classes and summer camps.
Fourteen-year-old Luke has also created a Web page (www.geocities.com/lukemhill94/solar) that touts the advantages of solar ovens and provides tips.
Earlier this year, the Hills — Kelli, Randy, Luke and his little sister, Jeralyn — were one of five families honored in FamilyFun magazine’s April issue for their eco-friendly efforts.
The magazine noted that the Hills were responsible for shipping 11 solar ovens to families in Malawi, a developing country in southern Africa. Two Baptist missionaries had attended one of Luke’s workshops and thought the ovens would help women who would otherwise have to travel through crime-ridden areas to collect firewood.
Even in the United States, with its abundant power sources, solar ovens have their place, Luke says. Made of buckets or boxes and reflective material such as Mylar and aluminum foil, solar ovens can be used outside to cook just about anything.
It doesn’t make sense, he says, to use air conditioning and an indoor oven that just makes the household temperature go higher when you could cook outside using solar ovens, he says.
His mother agrees, noting that a solar oven’s temperature can get up to 300 degrees and can safely cook just about anything.
“It’s something that most of us in the United States see as a novelty, but it is a good alternative to conventional ovens,” says Kelli, a graduate of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ agricultural education program.
She notes that one reason Luke has focused on solar ovens is that he believes they can change lives. After all, in a disaster when the power’s out, a solar oven can be used to boil and sanitize water.
Luke cites many other advantages as well: Solar ovens are safe, smokeless, easy, economical and renewable. They can also save time and don’t pollute. And, he adds, they’re fun.
Luke hopes to attend N.C. State and become a 4-H agent. His enthusiasm for solar ovens has benefitted his local 4-H program, and not just because he continues to deliver workshops on solar ovens. The magazine recognition brought with it a $5,000 prize that his family donated to the Bladen County 4-H program. Agent Angela Shaver says the funds will go a long way toward sending other local 4-H’ers to camps and contests.
— Dee Shore
Since then, Kelli’s son, Luke, has used his involvement in 4-H to spread the word about the advantages of solar ovens. In 2007, he won a gold medal at State 4-H Congress for his presentation about solar ovens, and he’s also done projects and speeches for 4-H Electric Congress, winter enrichment classes and summer camps.
Fourteen-year-old Luke has also created a Web page (www.geocities.com/lukemhill94/solar) that touts the advantages of solar ovens and provides tips.
Earlier this year, the Hills — Kelli, Randy, Luke and his little sister, Jeralyn — were one of five families honored in FamilyFun magazine’s April issue for their eco-friendly efforts.
The magazine noted that the Hills were responsible for shipping 11 solar ovens to families in Malawi, a developing country in southern Africa. Two Baptist missionaries had attended one of Luke’s workshops and thought the ovens would help women who would otherwise have to travel through crime-ridden areas to collect firewood.
Even in the United States, with its abundant power sources, solar ovens have their place, Luke says. Made of buckets or boxes and reflective material such as Mylar and aluminum foil, solar ovens can be used outside to cook just about anything.
It doesn’t make sense, he says, to use air conditioning and an indoor oven that just makes the household temperature go higher when you could cook outside using solar ovens, he says.
His mother agrees, noting that a solar oven’s temperature can get up to 300 degrees and can safely cook just about anything.
“It’s something that most of us in the United States see as a novelty, but it is a good alternative to conventional ovens,” says Kelli, a graduate of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ agricultural education program.
She notes that one reason Luke has focused on solar ovens is that he believes they can change lives. After all, in a disaster when the power’s out, a solar oven can be used to boil and sanitize water.
Luke cites many other advantages as well: Solar ovens are safe, smokeless, easy, economical and renewable. They can also save time and don’t pollute. And, he adds, they’re fun.
Luke hopes to attend N.C. State and become a 4-H agent. His enthusiasm for solar ovens has benefitted his local 4-H program, and not just because he continues to deliver workshops on solar ovens. The magazine recognition brought with it a $5,000 prize that his family donated to the Bladen County 4-H program. Agent Angela Shaver says the funds will go a long way toward sending other local 4-H’ers to camps and contests.
— Dee Shore