alternatetheory

tool massive install 3

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Originally uploaded by hellbender.

felco pruners and corona sharpener. the holster is pretty important. felco no 2.s are the most common, i have hand-me-down number 7s (?) which are for small hands, but fit me fine, and they're lighter.

tool massive install 4

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Originally uploaded by hellbender.

a most worthy use of $700ish. milwaukee combo set; circular saw, sawzall, driver, plus drill bits and screw bits.

i recommend waiting for the LiOn batteries, more expensive, stronger, and with a charge indicator on the battery. either that or just buying rigid brand tools, who replace their batteries for free.

tool massive install 3

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Originally uploaded by hellbender.

some tools:
sony speakers (last 4-6+ hours on 4 aas)
random ass salvaged led lantern. 4 d cells (or is it c?) - 9 leds, batteries last FOR FUCKING EVER. made of cheap ass plastic and is currently held together by two kinds of tape, but damn. the batteries have seriously lasted many fucking moons

tool massive install 2

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Originally uploaded by hellbender.

salvaged cart. man i love this thing. see the seven cinderblocks that are NOT BEING CARRIED!?

tool massive install 1

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Originally uploaded by hellbender.

watering system. no more wandering and hunching with a watering can. more expensive than i expected, hardwarewise, but hey.

fruit? tree?

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Originally uploaded by hellbender.

the pink tags are (probably) persimmons.

yeah. i'm (probably) lucky.

fuck the rule of law.

all my transcribing pushed aside by this residual adrenalin, being pulled over, ticketed and searched.

the pig joked with me afterward,
"you say you dont consent to a search, we'll search you.
you consent too fast, we'll search you.
you consent too slow, we'll search you.
if you fall for the "compromise," and give up your personal stash, we'll search you."

it isn't coercion if it's legal.

inside this dark mirror of rule of law, pigs are superhuman, like demons, can break the ordinary rules of society, transgress - the implicit compromise, to go along and get along is irrelevant -  all gray area belongs to them, from the black market to moral highground, and of course, it's all gray area. they'll offer you room to live and take it back at their whim. we live and breathe, we are only acknowledged to exist by their suffrance.

habeas schmabeas, etc.

back to the issues at hand: homesteading issues, installment two

issue two: degrees of storage.
1. contained. a cardboard box.
2. will not hold water. a milk crate.
3. protected from the sun. a folding lid-tote, like behind walgreens, rite aid.
4. will not admit rain. rubbermaid container (usually). sealing trash can.
5. proof from rats. most totes. protected wood chests. metal trash cans.
6. proof from mice. not much
7. proof from humidity. on a case by case basis.

EDIT: SUBDEGREES: eg wood, not rotting, stackable objects. should be stacked, and covered, but may be open to air, and the elements on every side. a bit of a special case.

every object must be stored, and every storage need should fall into one of these categories. generally you should choose the simplest and cheapest object to accomplish you storage need. there's lots of surplus totes out there - they can be very versatile.

important corollary: produce canot be stored wantonly - each fruit and vegetable has specific conditions optimal for its storage. there's a great book on root cellaring that has lots of info on this, i'll try to find the title some time (it might be "root cellaring," i think from rodale?).

i'm not googling for you right now - i'm on a friends computer. i lent my computer to another friend for a trip into town for signal, and they told me the computer and cord got back in my car. of course, it didnt'. currently the $100 charger is mia. goddamnit.

issue two: poison ivy

poison ivy will not kill you.

itching is all in your mind.

if you claim, prematurely, to be immune from poison ivy, you will get it really bad.

my balls itch.

dese tings

homesteading issues; issue one:

first issue: on products: anything not broken should never be thrown away. toothbrushes, backpacks, keyrings, glass jars. reasoning: all things decay, break and fade, and will need to be replaced. keep a backup.

corollary issue: storage.

subissue: organization.

anecdote: i have a bag full of bags. actually i have three bags full of bags.
1. a bag full of personal bags, also holds tiny bags and small jars. these are so crucial.

2. a bag full of semi-industrial bags, woven nylon of all sorts. good for projects and sub-storage.

3. a bag full of large bags, tarpage and plastic sheeting.

semi-corrolary axiom: dont go out and buy these things. objects flow through possession, into the waste stream, where they are salvageable. better in your backyard than in the dump IF AND ONLY IF they are properly stored and not decomposing, creating a future clean-up hassle.

be a miser in your waste stream, and you will end up with gobs of usefull stuff.

ouch.

hurt my back, five days ago now.

one of these days i'mna have to take a day off, and recover. cuz it's not happening on it's own.

ouch.

ouch.

ouch.

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Originally uploaded by hellbender.

solar oven design 3.1