Squeaky Frog

Homesteading IT guy running a plant nursery in central Texas. I like dogs and cats better than people, but some people are okay, too.

Public Key

npub1wsxc86a5lhe4zxkddhfjjrff7em900uez4h9lcr6vl3uh3ehtwlqca6gk5

NIP-05 Address

_@squeakyfrogfarm.com

NIP-57 Address

squeakyfrog@getalby.com

Profile Code

nprofile1qqs8grvraw60mu63rtxkm5efp55lvajhh7v32mjlupax0c7tcum4h0spzamhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumn0wd68ytnfdenx7tcpr9mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuumwdae8gtnnda3kjctv9uk3vuq0

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relay.nostr.info

relay.snort.social

offchain.pub

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npub1wsxc86a5lhe4zxkddhfjjrff7em900uez4h9lcr6vl3uh3ehtwlqca6gk5

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Last Notes

2024-10-02 20:27:10

Yet another neat ectothermic creature hanging out in my composting area. This one is a Texas spiny lizard, and he's copping a little bit of an attitude with that look.
https://image.nostr.build/a27970143a220b11c8c4618fbb719b555f5f0f27f669ef440802be0c3392a985.jpg
#lizard #texas #garden #wildlife #reptile

2024-09-17 06:30:20

https://image.nostr.build/8e7cbdce6273c565c7082ad18fe9f031971b5308befd54b25ca46bf82a47e2a7.jpg
#flowers #bloomscrolling #garden

2024-08-17 17:53:21

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I can't even begin to tally how many hours I of my youth that were spent on BBSes. I started out with a 300 baud modem on my Commodore 64, in 1985. Nothing was more frustrating than being 90% through an XMODEM download of some new game and someone in the house picked up a phone and kicked you off the connection!
Computing was so much more fun back in the day than it is today. Primitive, sure, but a much more interesting challenge. I think that's what I like about my recent forays into microcontroller programming and DIY automation stuff - it reminds me a lot of that golden age of home computing.

2024-08-17 16:07:59

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I couldn't agree more. I have had zero trouble with my Starlink in the year I've had it.
It's a little pricey, but worth it for how much better it is than other rural internet options.

2024-07-22 21:21:23

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That's so infuriating! I know the feeling, after watching a tree trimmer guy pour gas into his chainsaw (and spilling plenty all over the ground) right under a 250 year old oak tree. Literally five or six steps away from a concrete driveway.
Finding anyone in America who gives a crap about doing their job well is becoming nearly impossible.

2024-07-19 19:51:51

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Pineapples aren't stocks. Technically, they're braces.

2024-07-06 21:40:14

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The trick with onions is getting them in the ground as early as you can in your season, and choosing the right day-length varieties for your location. Onions start to bulb when the number of hours of daylight reaches a certain point (the actual number is determined by the genetics of the variety), so getting them in the ground and growing as far as possible before the days get that long is key to getting nice big onions.

2024-06-30 16:07:20

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It's definitely a repair that takes some time and skill. If you're going to attempt it, I recommend getting a piece of drywall and practice a little. It doesn't take that long to pick up the technique, but if you practice on something you can throw away, you'll have better results once you move to the real wall. The main difference between a great drywall guy and an amateur is the amateur takes five times longer and does a lot more sanding. 😉
And thanks for the zap!

2024-06-30 03:37:45

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You'll need to remove any loose tape and drywall compound, then re-tape the corners. That involves laying in a thin bed of drywall compound, laying the paper tape into it, and using a taping knife (like a big spatula) to smooth the tape into the compound and squeeze the excess compound out from under the tape. It will look like hammered shit at this point, don't panic. You let that dry, then apply a thin layer of compound over top, smoothing and feathering it out to blend into the wall. Let that dry, then sand it down smooth and apply another coat, feathering it out further this time. The goal is a seamless transition, so you may need several thin coats, sanding in between, to get it to look good.
It's a specialized skill, and it takes practice, but it's not very complicated. Just takes patience and a strong sanding arm. Make sure you get it all as smooth as you can before priming and painting - it's much harder to sand out any imperfections once there's paint on the wall.
The outside corners might not have paper tape, they might have metal or plastic corner bead that's attached with nails or screws. If that's the case, and the corner bead is solid and not loose, you should be able to just knock off any loose drywall compound, give it a rough sanding, and smooth over a couple of new layers of compound.
For the inside corners, after the initial bedding in of the tape, you'll want to work the walls one at a time. Do one side, let it dry, then do the other side. Let that dry, then sand both sides together. Repeat. Unless you have a lot of practice, it's very easy to screw up the side you just finished if you try to do the opposite side while the compound is wet.

2024-06-29 15:32:44

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I've tried several times you get started with Strike, but they wouldn't accept my bank account or any debit card I tried, so I was never able to get any fiat in to get sats out. Sounds like all I'm missing out on is the potential for headaches and bad customer service.

2024-06-25 20:22:55

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Yes, it's solid state. Samsung is regarded as one of the best solid-state drive makers.

2024-06-25 19:24:10

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Samsung T7 Shield. They cost about $100 for 1 terabyte. Nice pocketable size, with IP65 dust/water resistance. Very good transfer rates, and a durable rubberized case.

2024-06-23 23:29:28

The easiest message in the universe to communicate is telling a dog you've dropped something edible on the floor. You tap your toe near the item, and the dog eats it. This is universal; no dog, regardless of its intelligence level, fails to understand this. Even people who have never been around a dog will do this instinctively. It's *the* core element of the 60,000 year old cooperative agreement between humans and dogs.
It is, on the other hand, utterly impossible to convey the same information to a cat. It would be easier to construct an entirely new language based on prime numbers to communicate with alien gas orbs from the planet Zargon than it is to get a cat to understand you dropped a small bit of chicken and it's RIGHT FUCKING THERE.
https://image.nostr.build/29c8fb0520f03f8d42490c53d902f11cf525ddffe1a482eebb9ec3ee19bf1b9d.jpg
#dogstr #catstr #grownostr

2024-06-18 15:27:47

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That's pretty slick if you have the right situation for it!

2024-06-18 06:21:48

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When your body is trying to heal from trauma or disease, isn't one of the most important things that you get plenty of protein so your body can build and repair tissues? I would expect this kind of food during recovery would result in poorer outcomes for patients.
And good luck in those hospitals if you have a soy allergy.

2024-06-17 23:13:07

I've been pretty disappointed by the lack of Nostr content focused on moving liquids from one container to another, so let's talk about "jiggle siphons". The name says it all, a jiggle siphon (aka safety siphon) is a magnificently simple invention that lets you get a siphon started by just jiggling it up and down a few times in the container you're trying to extract liquid from.
https://image.nostr.build/0ad32c92e9108fe53acce62f0179f87caf692b10ab051117081a7baea4ece11f.jpg
It's a simple check valve (a glass marble inside the valve does all the work), so as it moves up and down in the container, it forces a little liquid into the tube each time, until there's enough to get a siphon flowing. If you've ever sucked gas or aquarium water into your mouth trying to start a siphon that way, you'll understand the value of this.
I've got a couple of copper ones I use for gas and diesel (it's much easier to get fuel out of a full gas can using this siphon than to try to dump it out with the crappy nozzle on the can), but if you just need one for water, you can 3D print one out of plastic and steal a marble from a little kid.
https://image.nostr.build/e49dfa74bd98272c0a5a6c22e1e87d3f09b5fb3af0d8980f4e6663e694877df0.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/46d6a87de1eaa95052922c5c39da065b66d0dcf2b8169730aa041395b16cec45.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/562afc8fa47610a0254e9aac28e2f6671b267967ba05720ccaff371e5e238716.jpg
Here are the CAD files I used to make mine. You can use OpenSCAD to customize it to fit whatever size tubing and marble you have.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4337772
#diy #tools #3dprint #3dprinting #homesteading #grownostr

2024-06-16 02:59:58

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Me, too! A couple of years ago I left the front door open while I went out to tend the chickens and came back to a much bigger one hanging out on the umbrella stand in the entryway. Few things will get your heart pumping like an unexpected indoor snake... 😆

2024-06-16 02:34:52

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Yeah, the snake was under the bed, and the cat was *very* interested in killing it. The house was built in 1930, so there are probably lots of places a little guy like that could squeeze in.

2024-06-13 23:23:48

What the heck is the deal with cats and cardboard boxes? You can't leave a box unattended in this house lest you return to find it stuffed full of cat.
https://image.nostr.build/7b9fbfa930145db48e4a132f71d150ff5a1a2694a9e1daae608e15d65a0d2e90.jpg
#catstr

2024-06-12 23:59:44

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I use Kodi. I run it on older PC hardware running Linux, and on Raspberry Pis running LibreELEC. You can find refurbished Dell Optiplex Micro computers on eBay for under $100 that work great for this purpose. Small, decent i5 processor, quiet fans, they're pretty nice as set-top boxes.
I use cheap RF remotes to control the PCs, but one of the cool things about the Raspberry Pi is that the HDMI port has CEC enabled, which means lots of TVs are able to pass remote signals through the HDMI to control it, so you might be able to use the TV remote.
My main use for Kodi is as a frontend for my over-the-air DVR system based on MythTV, but Kodi has a plugin that will stream from your Plex server, too.

2024-06-11 22:09:58

I've never made a meme before, but I saw this in the bathroom at a doctor's office, and decided it couldn't be left un-memed.
#meme #funny #grownostr
https://image.nostr.build/f2ae54f506766fe0bcb4fac98729da86ada2fea98c851aee5115ee6dbc6199f1.jpg

2024-06-09 20:28:23

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Posting cat-related content is like 30% of the nostr game, so you're doing great! 😁

2024-06-09 01:00:01

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That sucks. Duke has had occasional seizures throughout his life (maybe 2-3 per year), but we've never been able to link them to anything. They don't seem to coincide with any medication, food, or activity, he'll just lock up every few months, and then be fine for a long time. But it's scary as hell every time it happens.
I'm sure fleas and ticks have a role in the ecosystem, but, like mosquitoes, if there was a magic button I could press that would make them all disappear forever, I might be willing to roll the dice... 😉

2024-06-08 02:27:02

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Interesting... So what's the idea here, you mix the salt and Vaseline together, or do you sprinkle the salt onto the Vaseline? Do you have to reapply when it gets rained on or watered?

2024-06-04 01:06:14

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Absolutely! If you do it right, two or three chickens can be just a few minutes of your time each day in exchange for lots of eggs and garden fertility. And the eggs are *way* better than anything you can buy in a store.

2024-05-30 16:36:38

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If it were me, I'd try avocado, loquat, peaches, figs, papaya, and mango. Look for more cold-tolerant varieties, because you probably still get the occasional frosty night there.
Pride of Barbados might be a good support species for your environment. They like heat, prefer very we'll-drained soil, and being legumes, should fix nitrogen.

2024-05-29 05:52:19

OK, so it's possible that this dog escaped from a laboratory where he was genetically engineered to be perfect for slo-mo video.
https://www.squeakyfrogfarm.com/nostr/Duke-acrobatic-catch.mp4
#dogstr #video #dog #grownostr

2024-05-19 23:45:26

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No, you use the post pounder as a fulcrum. Lean it against the post, snagged under a tooth, then pull the top of the post toward the pounder. That forces the post upward. Repeat as needed on subsequent teeth to ratchet the post up out of the ground.
Here's another video showing the same thing:
https://youtube.com/shorts/HCqpRfj1KBs
Ingenious.

2024-05-19 20:25:41

Guys, I'm fifty years old and only now just learned this technique for pulling T-posts out of the ground. This is clearly a failure of the educational system at all levels. I honestly feel a little betrayed by the whole of society that this exists and nobody told me about it. You all just let me sweat and grunt and wiggle posts back and forth for hours like a chump. I've pulled almost as many muscles as posts trying to extract them the hard way, when I could have been yoinking them out of the ground with almost no effort this whole time. Anybody who knows this trick should feel obligated to teach it to at least five other people.
#farm #tools #diy #garden #backpain #grownostr #themoreyouknow
https://video.nostr.build/34d60e8e3c0b92b4a58ff391825e3cc27c6809de47017711338fb9004e73acde.mp4

2024-05-18 05:29:43

Not much happened today, so here's some photos of the tiny feathered dinosaurs that patrol my orchard, converting grasshoppers into delicious eggs. This is a much better way to eat ze bugs.
#chickens #farm #eatzebugs #homesteading #grownostr
https://image.nostr.build/aced49325a255a2118fc5cd824a4fa71e8cf1f6566a7449512151509300722e3.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/f2d0a4b073de5355cfda4246e232c4930820be50718ddd528ce4929a71a3ed9d.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/b41d3ab0f6cb79b14401d4f58b255130af8d3676feff06da3a28e8f444d45f52.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/da5b9517e95a2a55802718fc8060aa5e4dc0d0ed81d380d33ebe3e4cef0d90bc.jpg

2024-05-06 17:42:59

I 3D printed a soil block maker over the weekend, and I'm giving it a try now. Seems to work pretty well once you dial in the moisture content of your soil mix. Time will tell how durable it is (I only used 40% infill to save time and materials on this one), but it's basically just an experiment for us to see if we can incorporate soil blocks into our growing. If it works out, I can invest in a larger/more durable one.
https://image.nostr.build/3526a59c8511c25961660fc51485cf17a20d21727c124a52c015a4db63b29769.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/4bb9cda83f4a65a814f895999aa0950731a0acaa2bb371380f9567c0c25bbc85.jpg
This is the file I used (it's not my design) if you're interested in making one of your own:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3444101
#3dprinting #gardening #homesteading #grownostr #plants

2024-05-05 15:51:41

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You sound like exactly the kind of people that we here in Texas need. The climate here might not be pleasant to adjust to from California weather, though. Good luck on your escape plan!

2024-05-05 01:27:45

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Kittens are the biggest bait-and-switch scam ever. They're infinitely adorable, hilariously entertaining, and incredibly lovable. Then, once they get you emotionally hooked, they turn into cats and start sleeping all day, making noise all night, breaking your stuff and being assholes about food. I love my cats, but sometimes it's like having the worst roommate in the world... 🐱

2024-05-03 15:32:49

I've lived here in #Texas for almost three decades, and this year is the first time I've ever seen this particular native wildflower. It's called Blue Curls (Phacelia congesta). Sometimes called Caterpillars or Fiddleneck for the way the flowers grow in neat little curls that unfurl over time as the flowers bloom in sequence. Bees seem to love it, so I'm planning on collecting some seeds from this roadside patch I found and establishing it in my pasture somewhere.
https://image.nostr.build/0ccae94c6d69a158237a987b76bc394d49de52bba137d6bf96de695d45174435.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/ef6a8eefc2362bf8f4da6af72953ec50acd2b92b16fdae5133eaf04daa52d505.jpg
#grownostr #garden #flowers #plants

2024-04-28 19:08:47

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As much as it sucks, Facebook and Nextdoor are your best options. I hate using both of them, but we get a lot of traffic from both when we have our plant sales.
Also, start a mailing list (Mailchimp isn't great, but it's free for basic, small-scale stuff) and ask people who buy from you if they want to be on it. Plant people are often repeat customers, especially when you add new varieties to your catalog. As long as you limit yourself to only sending out announcements occasionally and not annoying people, that's a good way to build up a customer base.

2024-04-27 06:31:24

Step 1: Grow "lettuce leaf" basil in your #garden. This basil makes huge, crinkly, crisp, delicious leaves (see photo below).
Step 2: If anyone in your household tries to make a BLT sandwich, smack them gently but firmly with a spatula or similar item, while shouting "NO!", and replace the lettuce on the sandwich with a leaf of this basil instead. Throwing the lettuce on the floor and stomping on it is optional, but does add dramatic flair.
Step 3: Thank me for making your life better. A BBT sandwich is far superior to a BLT.
#gardening #grownostr #food
https://image.nostr.build/90e581c4c0220ef4624fd4195f360a297e196c235ec4af5aad4854ae8acfdc87.jpg

2024-04-26 23:58:45

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What breed is she?

2024-04-26 23:00:47

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Chickens are immune to uroshiol, the oil in poison ivy that causes allergic reactions. So they can eat that stuff with no ill effects. They're generally smart and tough enough to avoid getting hurt on thorny plants, so the raspberries are not much of a danger to them.
I'd dig up the raspberries and move them, since they're more far valuable to you than as chicken feed. Brambles transplant very easily, so you can probably expect a good success rate with transplanting them. Find a new location that gets similar sun exposure to where they're at now.
Are the chickens going to stay in this area all the time? The main concern I'd have would be if they are ranging the rest of the property, they'll eat the poison ivy berries and litter the seeds in their droppings all over the place and spread the ivy to new locations. Also, if you're handling the birds, the uroshiol oil can transfer from them to you and give you a rash. You can reduce that by always washing (scrubbing with a washcloth) your hands and arms after handing the chickens to remove the uroshiol before it absorbs into your skin. Over time, the chickens will probably kill out the ivy by eating it all, reducing the need for these precautions in the future.

2024-04-25 20:22:43

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If you have a backpack sprayer, you can use a diluted soap mixture (3-4 Tbs liquid soap per gallon of water) and hose down the entire tree, concentrating on the underside of the leaves. That will help knock down the aphid population and let the ladybugs catch up to them quicker. You can also try just hosing the tree down with a sharp stream from a hose, to try to knock as many of the aphids off the leaves as you can. Be careful with that method, though, because you could knock the fruit off the tree if the stream is too strong.

2024-04-21 04:29:42

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Sounds like somebody that has more money than he can afford to lose tied up in BSV that he bought at a high point... Staring down the prospect of being broke can really bring out the crazy in people.

2024-04-19 17:16:02

#Texas tip for today:
Always look first before reaching into any underground valve boxes.
https://image.nostr.build/28547fb46c6608bbbdc9b8fdaa6543f305f0990569db5d3a23d95909d3db1588.jpg
#garden #homesteading #scorpion #safety #themoreyouknow

2024-04-18 06:07:55

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Very nice! I like the incorporation of a couple little benches (assuming that's what they are) so you can sit and hang out with your garden. Very efficient layout for the space, too.

2024-04-17 06:10:30

I usually let the chickens out of the mobile coop for a couple of hours each day to let them stretch their wings and get some exploration time, if I'm going to be working near enough to keep an eye on them (hawks are plentiful here). Today, with 15 acres of freedom to choose from, they did this. You'd think they'd be sick of each other being stuck together all day, but this is how they choose to use their liberty...
https://image.nostr.build/1cfbd6a5a4a24fc868668778c42da3766855b4c69d072dab00885ff71f7dc49c.jpg
#chickens #farm #homestead #grownostr

2024-02-29 14:39:04

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What I really don't understand is, who's buying that? Even the newest of newbie gardeners is going to look at that sad display and keep walking, aren't they? And yet, you see it every year, so they must be selling at least a few of them. I suppose that's why the prices are so high - for every plant they do manage to sell, two or three end up in the dumpster behind the store.

2024-02-28 18:05:18

This is just disgraceful. A few barely sprouted okra seedlings in a cup of sterile potting soil for five bucks. Remember, folks, friends don't let friends buy Bonnie plants. Find a local grower to buy plants from, or start your own from seed.
Okay, I confess, I have a small nursery business, so I've got a financial interest in promoting support for local growers 😉, but come on, this is ridiculous.
#gardening #grownostr #plantstr #ripoff
https://image.nostr.build/dd8a07e63c8628550f56617e0e8f666218b968511d665ef5c537956868b3fc19.jpg

2024-02-26 23:26:52

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It definitely works to help the plants resist blight. It's not bulletproof, but it's a great cheap method to give your plants some protection.
I use three tablets around the plant when it's transplanted, then another dose every 3 weeks through the season. As the plants grow, I'll increase those additional doses - one tablet the first time, then two tablets for a couple of applications, then three each time for the rest of the season. We have a short season for tomatoes most years, the Texas heat burns them to death by July or August.

2023-08-20 20:36:00

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If I were a gambler, I'd bet they escaped. They look to be in very good condition. In my experience, usually people don't dump livestock until they've neglected or abused them long enough for it to be evident. They look clean and well-fed, hooves in good shape. And as you say, dumping one with a brand that can be traced back to you is pretty dumb...
That fawn-colored one is really beautiful!

2023-08-18 22:47:24

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This is not true. Cats are complex creatures. Often, they will think about torture, property damage, and general mayhem, not just murder.

2023-08-08 23:10:30

Duke has become obsessed with the wool dryer balls we use instead of fabric softener. He stole this one out of the laundry, and loves it so much he's falling asleep with it in his mouth...
#grownostr #dogstr
https://cdn.nostr.build/i/e3a714596d37e07d59c4305915be143f64cc78fde12db53f57119de413fe9759.jpg

2023-07-06 21:10:18

Six weeks ago, Duke got mauled by another dog. He ended up with 40 staples and who knows how many internal stitches. We thought the little turd was gonna die.
https://nostr.build/i/e9f80f262f8dc68b282c46bdd8c0dcbb839d0e7bed7bd786d5eb7b1b73cdd88b.jpg
Today, he's back to normal and even the scar is fading. Animals are tougher than people, y'all. This little guy is indestructible. The only lasting effect appears to be that his nipples are now crooked. That doesn't seem to be hurting his self-esteem.
https://nostr.build/i/624e5fa8deef5b03cae6bb2948a22d49b187d7947bab62347c03a62d56f0b278.jpg
https://nostr.build/i/9461177d3098c122e363d3c6a75f96cd165cef1e7a1fad7c9f585328e2a32f65.jpg

2023-06-22 23:45:38

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Love the leg vise! Yeah, I've had to have benches on casters before for the same reason. Even locking casters want to slide around on smooth concrete. I ended up making some big blocks for each corner that I could slide under the lower crossmembers to elevate the bench just enough to get the wheels off the floor. That only works if your bench is light enough that you can lift each corner, though.
That bench looks like it's seen a few projects. I like the way well-used workbenches tell a story about all the projects they've been involved with.

2023-06-22 17:14:15

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Thanks! I've built myself several workbenches over the years, each one gets a little nicer than the last one. The first was just an old door with legs... It doesn't matter much what it looks like, as long as it's sturdy and flat. If you can manage that, you're doing pretty well.

2023-06-09 07:09:55

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I need to get one of those electric canners. I have a big Presto pressure canner, so I tend to end up doing huge batches to justify the energy and time investment of using the thing. It would be nice to be able to pick up a smaller package of meat when it's on sale and just knock out a half dozen jars, instead of chopping up a whole brisket or doing up 20 pounds of chicken at a time. I kind of enjoy the job of processing and canning food, but sometimes the scale is overwhelming if you're trying to do a lot at once.

2023-06-09 01:11:45

My neighbors have a kid who just turned 5 yesterday. He likes to come over to my house and "help" with projects. He really likes to work with woodworking tools, though at 5, there's still a lot of supervision necessary. He has a two-year-old little brother, so I think he really likes having something he can do that the little guy can't.
I built him his own workbench for his birthday yesterday. It was a big hit.
Toughest part was deciding how tall to build it. It's about an inch or two higher than ideal right now, but he'll grow faster than the bench will... 😉
https://nostr.build/i/c7ebaa92e1be7c25ace6371eafe82e3f0d0376415145314824a17fabc0436598.jpg
https://nostr.build/i/035896a4ad3f6b89e741b621814a8287d68081c3c57a00308e422316b3fbebc7.jpg
#grownostr #woodworking

2023-05-29 04:34:38

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Most people would advise you to use dried leaves. I've made it with fresh leaves before, and the salve works just as well, but fresh leaves can introduce moisture into the mix. If there's enough moisture, it can allow mold to grow or cause the oil to go rancid easier.
If you're only making a small amount you expect to use up quickly, fresh is probably OK. If you want it to be more stable for longer shelf life, go with dried. If you use a dehydrator to dry the leaves, use a fairly low temperature setting.

2023-05-03 16:57:02

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If they didn't tear up the root crown too much, it will probably recover if you give it a little TLC.

2023-05-02 03:09:24

This little idiot is the least helpful helper I've ever had.
#grownostr #cats
https://nostr.build/i/nostr.build_e3189e57c18fe1ed1d460bde670103610109023110b4491e0f7a83b4d963abdb.jpg
https://nostr.build/i/nostr.build_626aa81ef15fee7a49d188a9e94bf24d9b8a7b96919c033cb26af7d22277acb2.jpg

2023-05-01 04:35:33

Here are some photos of the guts of my remote outdoor temperature sensor for my #HomeAssistant setup. I will eventually probably expand into a full weather station to measure wind, rain, humidity, etc, but what I really needed this winter was a thermometer to warn me when temps were getting close to freezing so I could check the greenhouses, cover sensitive outdoor plants, etc. The location of our farm is in a natural depression, so on cold, clear nights it can be almost 10 degrees colder than what the local forecasts predict in nearby Austin (and they're wrong about that about half the time, anyway) so I needed to start collecting my own data.
This is an off the shelf cheapo solar light from Amazon. The light function still works, but I usually leave it off and not in "motion detect" mode to preserve battery life. Inside I added a clone of the Wemos D1 mini microcontroller board, wired to the battery through an MCP1700 LDO voltage regulator and a couple of capacitors, with a DS18B20 temperature sensor dangling outside the case through a hole I drilled on the bottom side of the light housing. I sized the hole to be a tight fit for the cable, which sort of causes it to self-seal. No issues with water infiltration yet.
I used the ESPHome plugin for HomeAssistant to program it, set up on a cycle to sleep for 10 minutes and wake for 40 seconds. That gives it just enough time to wake up, connect to wifi (tip: using a static IP address instead of DHCP lets you reduce the wake cycle by a few seconds), and transmit the temperature reading. I tried five minutes between readings, and would run out of battery power overnight, so on this battery, ten minutes is about the minimum.
Not shown in the photo is a strip of thin plastic I cut to fit over the original circuit board that runs the light to keep the D1 board from possibly touching it and causing electrons to go somewhere they're not supposed to go.
Total cost of this setup when I built it six months ago was around $12. Half of that was the solar light, so if you already have some lights, you can add this kind of functionality for about six bucks.
#grownostr #homestead #automation
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2023-04-29 03:37:04

If you find yourself needing to remove saplings and small trees, you need a Pullerbear. This thing is a beast. Look at the ridiculous taproot on that hackberry stump. Yoinked it right out of the ground like pulling a weed in the garden.
My only complaint is the feet are too small for soft ground, and it tends to sink in when you lever it over. But a medium sized steel plate placed under it solves that problem. I've had it for a couple years and it's sturdy enough that I expect to have it for the rest of my life.
They'll even weld your name on the handle to make it tough for your neighbor to steal after they see you yanking trees out with it...
#grownostr #tools
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(I have no connection to this product other than as a satisfied customer who wishes he had discovered it a decade earlier.)

2023-04-27 05:46:09

I thought I'd post a few notes about the automation experiments and data collection I've been working on around the farm for the past year or so.
This was my first attempt at a greenhouse temperature monitoring system. I used some cheap Arduino-compatible devices with built in LoRa radios. LoRa is a low-power, low-bandwidth radio system for sending small data packets over longer distances.
Rather than piece together a power solution and enclosure, I installed the boards into solar night lights and used the light's battery and solar panel to run the circuit. By using low-power sleep mode between updates, they'll run about four days on a full battery if there's no sun to charge them. With even just a couple sunny days a week, they run indefinitely.
I attached a DS18B20 temperature sensor to the board, and they send the temperature every 15 seconds to the base station, which is another LoRa-equipped device (inside a 3D-printed case), that also has a tiny LED screen and wifi. The screen displays the temperature and it connects to wifi and makes the temperature readings available to my server, which can alert me if the temperature in the greenhouses gets too high or low.
It all works great, but I've recently been moving to integrating everything into HomeAssistant to avoid having to program everything from scratch, and giving me more options for alerts and controlling things like fans and valves (and even cool features like voice control). I'll post more on that system later.
I'm still using this original system as a backup while I work on my HomeAssistant setup, and it works much better than I ever thought it would. I built it two years ago, and it's been problem-free once I got the initial bugs worked out of my code.
#grownostr #automation #homesteading
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2023-04-21 23:13:55

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Spinach is a light-dependent plant, which means that once the days get longer than a certain number of hours (12-13 for most varieties), they'll start to flower. Temperature doesn't matter much, unlike with lettuce that bolts above a certain soil temperature. So summertime spinach is nearly impossible unless you use some kind of blackout material to limit the light hours or receives.