February 2021 - Taylor Scott Nelson

Personal Project: Worm Sifter

February 24, 2021 No Comments

I took on another personal project which was to build a worm casting sifter, or a panning trommel, to better separate my worms and my castings. I found this worm casting sifter DIY video from Planted by Chris, which I followed to build my very own sifter. After I completed my sifter, I would recommend probably a different style with an electric motor. This works better than by hand, but still requires lots of work and sifting for small juveniles/eggs.

I started off by buying the video’s purchase list requirements to make the sifter. This included mesh wiring, PVC pipes and joints, bots and washers, and extra buckets. I cut the pipes using PVC snips and dry-fit the rotation frame together. This was partially done during the snowmagedon. I had to wait post-storm to get certain parts because hardware stores were sold out of PVC for plumbing issues.

Texas

My Polar Vortex Snowed-in Experience

February 15, 2021 No Comments

Much like many, many, many other Texans, I went through polar storm Uri hunkering down at home and making do with what we could. I was fortunate enough to have roommates, supplies, and power – even though we lost water.

The snow was a novelty at first, but became old really quickly. I took some photographs to document this freakishly extreme natural weather event. Our neighborhood was snowed in like many others, and nearby major streets became post-apocalyptic stuck car graveyards.

General, Texas

The [RE]verse Pitch Competition

February 9, 2021 No Comments

I decided to participate in the [RE]verse Pitch Competition which I originally heard about in 2019. It’s an entrepreneurial competition like Shark Tank, only the difference is that materials are pitched in reverse to the entrepreneurs. This competition is sponsored by the City of Austin, nonprofits, and other corporate sponsors.

I was planning on pursuing vermicomposting bags made from Austin Eastcider’s excess sugar Supersacks. All in all, I would reattempt this experience with the same or similar idea, a potential mid-size municipal vermicomposting center for the city of Austin.

Entrepreneurs are used to pitching their business idea to investors, partners, and anyone they might share an elevator ride with. In this competition, the tables turn. The [RE]verse Pitch Competition helps turn valuable raw materials that are currently leaving local businesses, non-profits, and institutions as waste into the raw materials for new or expanding social enterprises.
– [RE]verse Pitch Competition Website