Jack Edmondson

I am working so can't dig it up, but you might try youtube for a search on aircrete from (i believe) the Honeydo carpenter.  He has done an aircrete tilt up shed with forms made from metal stud material and mesh.

I don't want to dissuade you, but a DIY option in King County will be a real trick.  The project is possible, but doing it legally and without heavy fines is not.  Any septic grey or otherwise will require a licensed engineer's plan submitted and approved.  If your are anywhere near what is regulated as a wet land, much of the foot hills on the eastern Cascades, it is a hard "no".  There are entire government agencies chartered to protect watershed in Snohomish and King counties.  If it is not a  "cookie cutter" solution that fits their paradigm, I doubt they will even listen much less consider.  Contaminate a wet land area and they will bankrupt you.  Please proceed with caution.  

There is a forum here on Permies call "land shares" that might be helpful.  Do you have a farmer's market, co-op or natural foods store near you?  I would write out a short requirement list and put a posting there.  Talk to local master gardener programs to get the work out for what you are looking for.  

Post more details here?  ... Region, state, community... ecolgocial zone rainfall, soil type.  The more you can share to better chance you find what you need.

Good day,

I know there are some permaculture communities and practitioners in Costa Rica.  I am hoping someone with experience in practicing in this country can give me some layman's level explaination of the restrictions the government has put on forest land that is protected.  I find there are many properties down there very reasonably priced until one finds they are protected forest areas on the land.  While that can be a wonderful thing to protect the unique envirtonment, I am wondering what the prohibitions are and if permaculture and regenerative agriculture could fit within the framework of conservation.

The Oso and Nicoya peninsulas are beautiful places to live and grow but before I commit to a property I need to understand generally what I can and cannot do with permaculture.  Would a silvopature system work within the law?  Is agroforestry possible?  Specifically, if I don't cut trees or clear land can I make it productive within the zones using permacultrure practices?  Utimatly, I will have to find an attorney in country to spell out the law.  Before I do that can someone here give me a general discussion of the do's and donot's around forested lands?  Thank you.

make sure the idle (pilot) jet screw is clear and any oriface.  When working with carb cleaner wear GOOD eye protection.  I can tell you from expreience it is really easy to get back spray in your face.  You don't want that stuff in your eyes.  Period.  If you don't have a fancy cleaner like his, spray a small platic container with enough fluid to roll the carb around in so it penetractes all the small passages.  Compressed air helps to blow debris loose.  

If it were me, $30 would get me a new carb just to plug and play  includes an air filter which you may need anyway.  Good luck.

Amazon link

John F Dean wrote:  What do I do next?

John that is symptomatic of a carb that has an idle jet clogged.  Happens to me every spring.  Any gas, especially the crap we have now with all the corn in it, left anywhere in the carb turns to a solid and plugs small oraficaces.  Best to have the carb pulled off and cleaned.  One can do it themselves but it involves some nasty chemicals.  The pros are set up to do carb cleaning and it brings in a lot of business in the spring especially.  (I have a mower in the garage doing the same thing.)  The idle jet circit is very small and easy to plug.  

If you have the make and model of the engine, I can find some info on that it would take to clean or replace yourself.  Otherwise pay a small engine guy to soak and clean the carb.

I think your gut is right on this one, John.  If you don't need the land or have a use in mind, pass.  Or at least have the seller indemnify the land for potential environmental contamination.  I worked for a heavy indestrial oil equipment manufacturer.  The company destroy a prime piece of real estate on the outskirts of Houston with the varsol used to coat the threads of the pipes to keep them from rusting.  If you do pursue the sale, send a soil sample (several from random spots) to a lab for analysis.  Don't buy someone else's headache.  

I don't know how this forum is mixed between homesteaders and livestock producers or if there is a distinction.  But as I look into sheep more and more, I have this lingering question:  "where are people selling their sheep"?  I have encountered small producers marketing as CSA, and small farmers selling at local auction, with a few focused on selling registered stock to other would be breeders.

If a person raised 100 lambs a year or 1,000 is their a commodity market in the US?  I know as a consumer lamb is hard to find outside specialty meat shops and gourmet grocers.  AI searches tell me that the U.S. is one of the largest producers and consumers of lamb.  It also tells me that ranchers are marketing to specialized finishers/packers on contract.  Is that the way it goes?  Are there local markets aside from small local livestock auctions?

As with most things agriculture the rub seems to be in the marketing and less in the production.  In your experience where do you sell your stock?