Devin Lavign

pollinator

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since May 01, 2015

Biography

uggg...I hate trying to describe myself. * last updated spring 2019 *
I moved to 40 acres of raw land with an existing pond in the WA Okanogan Highlands 3 yrs ago. I have been busy observing and making trails.
I am planning to start building a house this year. Though I am probably going to hold off on planting anything until I finish building a house and just work on infrastructure.
I am looking forward to finally put into practice the ideas I have without having to compromise due to it being someone else's land.
Some history and background about me.
I have traveled and lived most of the continental US. So have a decent grasp of the different areas of the US. As a kid I preferred going into the woods to play over going to a park or friend's house. Still I will almost always pick nature if given the choice.
I worked trail maintenance in the Cascades and that was likely my most favorite job ever. I lived, worked, and played in the forests of the Pac NWet. I learned a massive respect for pack goats during this. As they hauled the majority of our gear up the trail every day. Amazing smart animals and I can't wait to get my own goats to enjoy.
I lived and worked at Arcosanti for 4 yrs in AZ. Including managing their 15 1/2 acres of edible and medicinal landscaping. A fun place to meet lots of wonderful people and pick up skills. I have spotted at least one other Arco alum here who I know. Who lived there previous to my time, but who I did meet and hang out with several times both at Arco and to go see him in Prescott.

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Pac Northwest, east of the Cascades

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Recent posts by Devin Lavign

Where do different natural fibers shine?

Sad part in clothing it is hard to find 100% natural fibers in clothes. Often cuffs, tags, and stitching are synthetic without them saying. If a cuff is stretchy it is likely synthetic rather than natural no mater what the tag says. This happens in "wool" socks a lot of times.

Wool, in all it's forms, is one of the best and highly looked for in the bushcraft community. Alpaca wool is not only hypoallergenic, but lighter and warmer than sheep wool. Possum wool (Invasive in Austrian and not the same as Opossum) is super warm. Buffalo wool is I think the warmest wool out there.

Other uses.

Hemp can be made into a concrete, even in blocks like legos.

Wool makes a good insulation. As can straw if sealed well against critters.

Straw bales are used for walls and work well.

And of course cob can be made with straw or any natural fiber that isn't too smooth.

1 week ago

clothing

Cool Tools, lesser known tools that can improve your life

William Bronson wrote:Oh, yeah!
Id always heard about these from other electricians that swore by them, so when they showed up at the reuse Hub.
Now they live in my purse, along with the 6 in one screwdriver!

I think those are the Cobra's, the ones I pointed out act more like a crescent wrench replacement. They have a different jaw that has no teeth so it won't mar things, but they way they work is supper strong.

3 weeks ago

gear

Cool Tools, lesser known tools that can improve your life

David Wieland wrote:Here's a lesser-known tool that comes in handy for tightening (or loosening) nuts and bolts when away from the shop, barn, garage, or wherever you keep wrenches. It's the descriptively titled Pocket Wrench (https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/hand-tools/wrenches-and-ratchets/72640-pocket-wrench). I keep mine in the greenhouse, beside the garden, when it's not in my pocket.

I just learned about these Knipex parellel action pliers

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/h0X8yMQLkl0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wyHmK9rHQs&ab_channel=Engineer%E2%80%99sPerspective

They allow you to hold things really well. It's like a combination of Vise-Grips and channel locks

* edit to add picture of pliers since youtube links weren't working

3 weeks ago

gear

Cool Tools, lesser known tools that can improve your life

So I got a chance to sharpen some of my oscillating tool blades.

I tried to upload this a few days ago but my phone WiFi hotspot was not enough to do it. Setting up the Tiger’s Teeth sharpener was actually longer than sharpening. Changing the main sharping spindle the belt was a little fiddly, but they do provide good access port to get to the belt.

Over all sharpening wasn’t too bad, a lot of the blades I sharpened were in pretty bad shape and some damaged and missing teeth. Some of the blades were toothed with opposing teeth. When I sharpened them I just did one side.

So the post sharpening was a little ruff due to some of the things I mentioned plus my inexperience.

All the wood blades did well in testing even the hardwood ones. I didn’t test the metal blades since I don’t have metal to cut and any cutting of metal WILL damage the blade.

I like the Tiger's Teeth sharpener, I think it is way better than the POG sharpener. With the price of blades it is well worth the price.

3 weeks ago

gear

Not quite zero waste but getting there.

So Growtrees Organics has some ways of dealing with waste.

2 months ago

zero waste

Cool Tools, lesser known tools that can improve your life

Just got the Tigers Teeth sharpener, will let you know how it works.

3 months ago

gear

Cool Tools, lesser known tools that can improve your life

So this is an idea that takes an ancient tech and updates it. Olla are Terra cotta basins in the earth that allow water to slowly go into the earth to water plants. The big thing Thirsty Earth did was build an auto refill system for their cups. You can definitely DIY your own Ollas for a lot cheaper, but the water refill is what Thirsty Earth excels at.

They have a 2.0 system that does away with the strap holding the cup to the top, got rid of the screw to purge air from (you just don't fully seal the fill area until all the air is out), and the made the lids without a lip that could collect rain water and screw on so you can easily access the inside if the interior collects gunk for easy clean out.

Ollas are great for dry weather gardening and if you don't get these (they aren't cheap) I would recommend DIYing some out of Terra cotta pots just to have some and use less water.

If your area does freeze, you need to store them out of the ground for winter. You don't want them breaking from freezing.

3 months ago

gear

The Best Log Splitter EVER

These are called the Paul Bunyan Wood Chopper, a guy watched the videos and designed a version that used the best of all designs. You have to build it yourself but he does sell plans for it.

You do need to be able to weld or know someone who can. He does a wheeled version so you can move it around.
The website is https://paulbunyanwoodchopper.square.site/

3 months ago

low tech

What are some quirks of your region?

Christopher Weeks wrote:

reminds me of a joke I heard 25 years ago:

In Los Angeles, when a stranger says "Hey, how's it going?" it means 'fuck you!'
In New York, when a stranger says "fuck you!" it means 'hey, how's it going?'

yep pretty much

4 months ago

meaningless drivel

What are some quirks of your region?

Having lived all over the country something I noticed about the difference between coast was, as a man people on the West coast would trying to talk to you at urinals while on the East coast they would ignore you.

On that point I actually knew a guy for 3 years on the West coast, even living with him. Only to find out that he never liked me. While on the East cost within 3 days of knowing someone you know if you like them and you WILL tell them.

What I have figure is that the West coast tends to be polite, even if it ends up rude in the long run. While the East coast tends to be very forward even if it is rude in the short term.

Neither I find better, just a. different way of behaving.

4 months ago

meaningless drivel