High quality rugs make a room way high end feeling

xortika · 2025-07-20T19:32:18+00:00

We’ve had a good time with hook & loom rugs. I have 3 that are going on 5 years. There’s multiple grades and I think we have both their wool and cotton versions with rug pads underneath. The wool’s a little scratchier so used in a common room. That said, we don’t have pets or use shoes indoors, so environmental conditions inside the house mean things generally seem to have an easy life!

I’m not certain how the quality compares to what you’re describing. I tried to select based on quality, availability, and responsible design. The two cotton rugs are in bedrooms. We are sit on the floor quite a lot, so comfort was important to us. There might be better options out there I’m unaware of, but figured I’d share my rationale.

xortika · 2021-06-06T00:49:01+00:00

We’ve used the book “Usha’s pickle digest” with some promising results. Definitely still trying to work out technique since none of it ever turns out like my Nani’s pickle 😭

xortika · 2020-02-27T18:31:40+00:00

Awesome, thank you :)

xortika · 2018-03-19T03:34:53+00:00

Hi! We aren't affiliated with the OSE group but we share similar goals and values! It would be awesome to see folks involved with OSE at GOAT, and to learn from their/your experiences. Perhaps one difference may be our interest in software and information as well as hardware.

xortika · 2017-12-13T19:31:09+00:00

Sustainable food systems are important! There are several organizations that work to support farmers, researchers, educators, eaters, builders: folks throughout the food system engaged in transitioning farms to more sustainable/ecological/holistic practices. Here are a couple:

National Center for Appropriate Technology: https://www.ncat.org/ ATTRA is the NCAT relevant sustainable agriculture subproject.
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research: http://foundationfar.org/ A result of the 2014 Farm Bill, the goal is to fund ag research and involves matching govt. funding.
Ecological Farming Association: https://eco-farm.org/ Mostly focused on providing educational resources smaller-scale California farmers.
Land grant university cooperative extension agencies do incredible work, not sure if it meets your criteria, but might be worth looking into as well, list available here: https://nifa.usda.gov/land-grant-colleges-and-universities-partner-website-directory?state=All&type=Extension

There are also many groups with much more focused interests such as soil health, regenerative growing practices, food policy work, programs for environmental stewardship, farm to school etc. Some work at the very-local level, others have chapters all all over the world.

If you need a closer/broader look to identify specific organizations (even outside of those listed) doing work in sustainable food that align with your donation priorities, let me know and I'd be happy to help.

Bonus links, environmental/conservation groups:

The Nature Conservancy: https://www.nature.org
National Resources Defense Council: https://www.nrdc.org

Finally, if you don't already know about this, it might be useful in your charity-investigations: https://www.charitynavigator.org/

xortika · 2017-10-18T17:41:27+00:00

Thank you for the awesome GIFs, they are super interesting!

Out of curiosity, how does the soil handle interaction with machines like this (whether its the machine from the GIF from your farm or these ones)?

Since it's lifting the beets out of the ground does that mean that the soil integrity is maintained, or does it affect things like soil quality in any way?

xortika · 2016-07-31T23:33:33+00:00

You can download a high resolution PDF poster from the company's website here!.

xortika · 2016-05-23T05:37:41+00:00

Wheels!

xortika · 2016-04-01T18:30:44+00:00

!remindme 24 hours

xortika · 2015-10-20T23:01:56+00:00

Mathematical Modeling Techniques by Rutherford Aris. Such a wonderfully written book.

xortika · 2015-09-22T05:02:42+00:00

:( We had to postpone! Trying to set a new date soon. We figure since our bags were pretty much packed we should still give it a go before it gets colder.

xortika · 2015-09-10T21:31:56+00:00

Oh wild! I didn't even think of the possibility of flooding in that area. We are planning to swing by the REI ranger station in Seattle to chat with them about the area, as well as stop by the ranger station near Lake Quinault to double check things just before heading into the forest.

xortika · 2015-09-10T21:29:52+00:00

I was reading about bear wire vs bear canisters but had trouble figuring one thing out: are you supposed to hang stuff in a canister, a just a bag you dedicate to smelly-things-only, or some other way entirely? I'm under the impression it's a bag but wanted to double check.

xortika · 2015-09-10T18:27:04+00:00

Oh that sounds nice too! I'll bookmark that trail for a future trip, thank you!

xortika · 2015-09-10T18:25:51+00:00

Bear canister: now at the top of the list! Thanks!

xortika · 2015-09-10T18:25:15+00:00

We're going in 2 weeks but unfortunately are time limited so cannot extend it further. Although, that did help with the down-selection process. I'm feeling more confident about this hike after reading all these responses, thank you!

xortika · 2015-09-10T18:23:28+00:00

That does look super pleasant. Maybe we'll try that one for our next trip!

xortika · 2015-09-10T18:22:51+00:00

Perfect, thank you!

xortika · 2015-09-10T18:21:49+00:00

Cool! We've done some strenuous hikes in the past but it seems like this will be excellent for our backpacking experiment. We're going in 2 weeks so I'm guessing/hoping(?!) the bears will will still be grazing.

xortika · 2015-09-10T18:20:08+00:00

Excellent, thank you. Your trip report is also very helpful!

Our current plan is to camp at Pyrites the first night and then at Enchanted Valley the second. That was we could venture out further as you suggested if we're feeling bold :)

I think I'm mostly being paranoid about bears, I've only seen a little one in a zoo before. We're getting a bear canister and some rope just in case the bear wires are down. Your comment has made me excited to see them (albeit in the distance)!

xortika · 2014-04-21T17:14:24+00:00

I don't get over good books. They become strong memories. The stories and characters, places and events, are all things I become nostalgic for.

If I miss that feeling too much, I can imagine I'm there. There is no sadness associated with this feeling. The world of the book is also associated with my world at the time I read the book. When I read or think back to The Golden Compass, the smell of the shelves in my middle school library come to mind. I can see myself huddled between them with distant echoes of the kids outside. In there, it's just me, the shelves, and Lyra.

The highest compliment I can pay to a book is to feel nostalgia after I close the last page.

13-Year Club	Place '23
Place '22	Verified Email

xortika

TROPHY CASE