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The LOTS Project Morning Show

The LOTS Project

Audio home of The LOTS Project Morning Show. Livestream morning show found on YouTube and Nostr every Monday at 6am central.

http://www.youtube.com/@LOTSProjectMorningShow

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#906
September 28 · 59 min
906 Episodes, 6,000 Marbles and One Necessary Break
How do you know whether a routine is discipline—or just obligation with better branding? After 906 episodes and nearly five years of hitting the button, Brian is taking The LOTS Project Morning Show off the schedule until at least the first of the year. The show started as something he wanted to do. Lately, it has felt like something he is supposed to do. This episode gets into that difference, why a week mostly disconnected from the internet made the decision clearer, and whether this is a temporary reset, a future format change, or the end of the regular Morning Show. Before the serious part, summer finally backs off long enough for a major push at the cabin. With the in-laws in town, the porch railing and all four interior walls go up—including two 12½-foot walls that would have been miserable to build and lift the conventional way. Building them in place solved the problem and cleared the path toward wiring, plumbing, insulation, the utility shed, solar, water, and eventually moving in. And because apparently there wasn’t enough going on, Brian also spent $325 on a 30-year collection of somewhere between 4,000 and 6,000 marbles. Now he has to learn what they are, separate the one-cent marbles from the valuable ones, and figure out whether he bought a profitable resale niche or a giant bag full of work. Stay through the end for the honest explanation of why the show needs to stop—and what will continue while it is gone. STAY CONNECTED: Email signup and project updates: https://thelotsproject.com LOTS Telegram chat: https://t.me/LOTSChat Some links may be affiliate links. Purchases made through them may earn The LOTS Project a commission at no additional cost to you.
#905
September 14 · 1 hr 5 min
9/11 at 25, Designing Around Reality & a Missing Mitch | LOTS 905
Twenty-five years after 9/11, social media apparently decided it was time to drag every theory, unanswered question and old argument back out of storage. I remember the day a little differently than most people: I was listening to a shock-jock radio show at work and genuinely thought the first reports were part of a bit. That leads into a much bigger conversation about 9/11, conspiracy culture, the questions that never went away and why I'm perfectly comfortable saying I don't know exactly what happened. Before we get there, the cabin update explains why progress has felt painfully slow. This summer has been relentless. I finally compared the numbers with recent years, and the sustained heat isn't just in my head. That has meant shorter work sessions, worrying about the dogs in the RV if the AC fails, and even sticking my overheating phone in a portable refrigerator so I could finish recording a solar video. That new solar video led to another realization. Most advice tells you to calculate your electrical loads and then design the solar system you need. But what happens when reality gives you the system constraints first? An RV roof only has so much room. Batteries weigh what they weigh. Budgets aren't unlimited. And at the cabin, I already own the solar panels—so I'm designing outward from what I have. Sometimes the theoretically “right” way isn't the way the real project works. We also get into an overpriced sliding porch-gate idea, Starlink after four years on the road and off grid, a Bitcoin deal from Cash App, the continuing mystery around Mitch McConnell, and a supposed local crime problem that turned out to involve a lost puppy. Basically, a normal Monday. Links mentioned in this episode: DIY Solar Hub: https://thelotsproject.com/solar Four-Year Starlink Review + Referral: https://thelotsproject.com/starlink Cashapp Referral Link: https://cash.app/refer/CZ4QSJS Food Forest Farms: FoodForestFarms.com Code LOTS10 saves 10%. Telegram: https://t.me/LOTSChat Amazon Shop: https://amazon.com/shop/thelotsproject Some links associated with The LOTS Project are affiliate or referral links. If you use them, I may receive a commission, service credit or other benefit at no additional cost to you.
#904
September 7 · 1 hr 4 min
A Sketchy Tree, Free Bitcoin & the Kroger Floor Incident
The chainsaw getting pinched was the first clue that this tree had a different plan than I did. I had roughly 45 feet of Tennessee hardwood that was supposed to fall into my cleared solar field. Instead, it started loading in the opposite direction—with my chainsaw still buried in the back cut. So now what? Ratchet straps didn't quite do it. Wedges weren't going to work. Leaving the saw trapped in the tree overnight wasn't exactly appealing. Enter an 8-ton bottle jack and a 4x4. Yeah. It got a little sketchy. After surviving my afternoon of questionable forestry engineering, we get into two different opportunities for free stuff that showed up this week. Starlink is running a referral promotion that can get eligible new customers a free second month of service. I've been using Starlink for about four years through full-time RV travel, remote work and off-grid living, so I dig into what the service has actually been like—including speeds, reliability, equipment failures, warranty replacements and off-grid power consumption. Cash App is also running a Bitcoin promotion I received offering $20 in promotional Bitcoin after buying $10 worth. I've taken advantage of one of their previous Bitcoin offers, and we talk about how I use Cash App without leaving my Bitcoin sitting there forever. The DIY solar series is moving along too. The new solar panel testing video is live, the Solar Hub is taking shape, and I've put together a free six-page Off-Grid Solar Quick Reference for anybody trying to make sense of volts, amps, watts, panel labels and series vs. parallel wiring. Then we get to Kroger. Apparently someone decided the checkout area was also a bathroom. She allegedly dropped her pants, took a shit on the floor, walked through it and left employees to clean up the mess. That's apparently where we are now. We also squeeze in the weekly Bitcoin Price Guessing Game and a quick question about where the hell Mitch McConnell has been. DIY SOLAR + FREE QUICK REFERENCE: https://TheLOTSProject.com/solar COMMUNITY: https://t.me/LOTSChat COFFEE: Food Forest Farms — use LOTS10 for 10% off with free shipping. https://foodforestfarms.com STARLINK: My referral link is below. Eligible new customers can receive their second month free, and I may receive a service credit if the referral requirements are completed. https://starlink.com/?referral=RC-2049727-30228-61&app_source=share CASH APP: My referral link is below. Check the current in-app terms for availability and eligibility of the Bitcoin promotion discussed in this episode. https://cash.app/refer/CZ4QSJS ECHO RADIOS: The radios I carry on the property when cell service isn't an option. Use ECHOBRIAN407720 for $40 off. https://echoradios.com?bg_ref=Sv7Jdlw250 AFFILIATE/REFERRAL DISCLOSURE: Some links associated with this episode are affiliate or referral links. I may receive a commission, Bitcoin, service credit or other compensation when you use them, at no additional cost to you.
#903
August 31 · 1 hr 1 min
I Think All These Random Projects Finally Make Sense
For years The LOTS Project has bounced between RV life, building a cabin, solar, land, animals, growing food, Bitcoin, privacy, tech and whatever other rabbit hole happened to show up. I'm starting to think they weren't separate rabbit holes at all. Something clicked this week while I was looking at the response to the new Solar Basics videos and working through what I want the website—and eventually this show—to become. But before we get there, we bought 110 pounds of paraffin wax. For $55. We already use firestarters for the woodstove, so buying cheap wax and making our own made sense. Buying enough wax to supply us for approximately 147 winters probably didn't. So now we're going to experiment with free sawdust, wood shavings and different wax ratios to see whether we can turn a stupid Marketplace deal into a product that actually makes money. The road trip to pick up the wax also involved a yard full of modified 55-gallon drums, some suspicious-looking chickens and an explanation I definitely wasn't expecting. Back at the cabin, the Tennessee heat continues to make progress painfully slow. We did manage more clearing around the solar field, continued attacking the floor bubbles and started fitting lumber for the first interior wall—which reminded me once again that absolutely nothing on this cabin is square, standard or interested in making my life easy. The Solar Basics series is another story. YouTube seems to be finding the right audience. TikTok is pushing the shorts to thousands of people. Viewers are saving them and following for more. Facebook is doing approximately fuck-all. That contrast has me seriously considering moving the weekly Facebook livestream feed over to Nostr. Eventually all of these threads come together: solar, water, land, Bitcoin, technology, the cabin and what Living Outside The System actually means to me. You don't need to move off-grid. You don't need to do everything. Learn the systems. Build what makes sense. Become less dependent where you can. Also included: this week's Bitcoin Price Guessing Game, questionable coffee opinions and the normal assortment of tangents. Some links associated with the show are affiliate links. If you buy something through them, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. That includes some of the solar tools and equipment I'm using in the current series, along with Blockstream Jade/JadePlus. Bocking #4 comfrey roots are also available through ComfreyRoots.com. ☕ Coffee of the Week Medium Light Guatemalan Food Forest Farms Use code LOTS10 for 10% off. Support The LOTS Project Fold Card https://use.foldapp.com/r/FANEWETX • Blockstream Hardware Wallets https://rewards.blockstream.com/thelotsproject • LogOX Forestry Tools https://tidd.ly/4y07Qhb • Food Forest Farms Coffee https://foodforrestfarms.com • ComfreyRoots.com https://comfreyroots.com • Echo Radios https://echoradios.com?bg_ref=Sv7Jdlw250 Save $40 with code: ECHOBRIAN407720 Join the Telegram community:https://t.me/LOTSChat
#902
August 24 · 1 hr 1 min
I Spent 30 Days on Nostr. Facebook Makes Less Sense Now. | LOTS 902
Facebook knows exactly which people, pages and groups I've chosen to follow. So why the hell doesn't it show them to me? After deliberately spending more than 30 days using Nostr again, I've noticed myself opening it before the other social apps. The network is tiny compared with Facebook, yet I'm getting more consistent—and arguably better—interaction because I've actually been able to build the feed I want. That has me wondering why I'm still spending so much effort feeding platforms that don't reliably show my stuff to the people who specifically asked to see it. But plenty happened away from the internet this week too. We're still clearing the future solar field, moving logs and figuring out which giant trunks are simply getting split where they landed. I'm also starting to plan what happens around the array: swales, perennial plantings, propagation stock and eventually a productive food-forest-style system around the panels. Then there's the cabin floor. I screwed up part of the sheet-vinyl installation, and after weeks of injecting glue, weighting bubbles and experimenting with repairs, Kori and I finally decided we're done trying to make it perfect. Get it as good as possible, throw down an area rug and move forward. Sometimes fixing the mistake becomes a bigger problem than the original mistake. We also get into expectations—specifically whether expecting less from other people might make life a whole lot less frustrating—and how that idea eventually led me back to Stoicism and the question of what you actually control. Plus Bitcoin jumped roughly 23% in a week, my ridiculous Bitcoin Price Guess finally won, the solar video series is moving into series-versus-parallel wiring, and I've picked up some new meter gear that'll make testing the pile of used solar panels considerably easier. Links to the equipment and products I actually use are in the show notes. Some are affiliate links, so if you buy through them I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. ☕ Coffee of the Week Medium Light Ethiopian Food Forest Farms Use code LOTS10 for 10% off. Support The LOTS Project Fold Card https://use.foldapp.com/r/FANEWETX • Blockstream Hardware Wallets https://rewards.blockstream.com/thelotsproject • LogOX Forestry Tools https://tidd.ly/4y07Qhb • Food Forest Farms Coffee https://foodforrestfarms.com • ComfreyRoots.com https://comfreyroots.com • Echo Radios https://echoradios.com?bg_ref=Sv7Jdlw250 Save $40 with code: ECHOBRIAN407720 Join the Telegram community: https://t.me/LOTSChat If you enjoy these conversations, consider subscribing so you don't miss next week's episode or the ongoing off-grid cabin and solar build series. Affiliate Disclosure Some of the links in this description are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Those commissions help support the channel and allow me to keep producing free content. I only recommend products I actually use or would recommend to friends.
#901
August 17 · 1 hr 2 min
Everything Keeps Breaking... Good Thing I Keep All This Crap | LOTS 901
This was apparently the week everything decided to break. First the RV door handle snapped—and naturally it's an obsolete part that's basically impossible to replace. Then Starlink went down and looked suspiciously like another dead dish. Then my truck's tire-pressure warning came on and I discovered something I'd never seen before: a rock had actually punctured the tire. The good news? I had the old RV parts. I had a spare Starlink cable. And I had the tire plug kit and compressor in the truck. Check out my Amazon Storefront: https://amazon.com/shop/thelotsproject Or my Roadside Emergency Tools List: https://www.amazon.com/shop/thelotsproject/list/9D0I27UYYS33?ref_=aipsflist Maybe keeping useful crap around isn't such a bad idea after all. We're also hunting hornworms after dark with a UV flashlight. If you've ever tried finding those giant green bastards on a tomato plant during the day, you know how ridiculously well they disappear. Under UV? Completely different story. There's also progress on clearing the future solar field, plans for the wooden racking that'll hold 36–42 used panels, the continuing battle with bubbles in the cabin floor, and some thoughts about where the solar-build video series is going next. Then Kori found a box of deer antlers on Facebook Marketplace. So naturally we drove an hour to buy them. The dogs approved. Thanks for spending part of your morning with me. ☕ Coffee of the WeekBOB Blend (Bottom of the bags) Food Forest Farms Use code LOTS10 for 10% off. Support The LOTS Project Fold Card https://use.foldapp.com/r/FANEWETX • Blockstream Hardware Wallets https://rewards.blockstream.com/thelotsproject • LogOX Forestry Tools https://tidd.ly/4y07Qhb • Food Forest Farms Coffee https://foodforrestfarms.com • ComfreyRoots.com https://comfreyroots.com • Echo Radios https://echoradios.com?bg_ref=Sv7Jdlw250 Save $40 with code: ECHOBRIAN407720Join the Telegram community: https://t.me/LOTSChat If you're enjoying following the cabin build, off-grid systems, Bitcoin discussions, and the occasional rant, consider subscribing. Affiliate DisclosureSome of the links in this description are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Those commissions help support the channel and allow me to keep producing free content. I only recommend products I actually use or would recommend to friends.
#900
August 10 · 1 hr 3 min
Dangerous Trees, DIY Floor Fixes & Digital Independence Episode 900
Episode 900 feels like a fitting reminder that almost every worthwhile project comes with a few unexpected lessons. This week I spent another long day clearing the future solar field, including dropping several large trees and one rotten dead tree that decided to make things a little more interesting than I'd planned. Fortunately, everything—and everyone—ended up on the ground where it belonged. Back inside the cabin, we're still chasing the vinyl floor bubbles. After sorting through plenty of internet advice, we tested several repair methods, found a couple that were a complete waste of time, and one that actually looks promising. If you're installing sheet vinyl yourself, this may save you some frustration. I also talk about the latest video in the solar build series covering the tools I'm using to clear the property, why I've been intentionally rebuilding my Nostr habit after getting burned out on traditional social media, and finish with a discussion about how Flock license plate cameras are being used in ways that go well beyond simply finding stolen cars. Topics include: • Clearing trees for the off-grid solar project • Safely dealing with standing dead timber • Repairing bubbles in sheet vinyl flooring • The tools making land clearing easier • Rebuilding healthier social media habits with Nostr • Flock cameras and expanding surveillance • Cabin build progress • Bitcoin and the LOTS community Thanks for listening and for helping this show reach 900 episodes. Whether you've been here since the beginning or just found the podcast, I appreciate you spending part of your week with me. If you'd like to support the show, check out the affiliate links below. They're products I actually use around the cabin or in my Bitcoin journey, and using those links helps fund future episodes at no extra cost to you. You can also join the conversation throughout the week in the LOTS Project Telegram community, and follow the ongoing off-grid cabin and solar build over on YouTube. Support The LOTS Project Fold Card https://use.foldapp.com/r/FANEWETX • Blockstream Hardware Wallets https://rewards.blockstream.com/thelotsproject • LogOX Forestry Tools https://tidd.ly/4y07Qhb • Food Forest Farms Coffee https://foodforrestfarms.com • ComfreyRoots.com https://comfreyroots.com • Echo Radios https://echoradios.com?bg_ref=Sv7Jdlw250 Save $40 with code: ECHOBRIAN407720 • Amazon Storefront https://www.amazon.com/shop/thelotsproject Join the Telegram community: https://t.me/LOTSChat
#899
August 3 · 1 hr 2 min
Coldcard, Cabin Mistakes & America's Geriatric Leadership
Every off-grid project eventually humbles you. This week was our turn. The cabin floor is finally glued down... mostly. One overlooked detail turned into our first real construction mistake, and I walk through exactly what happened, what we learned, and how we're planning to fix it. Then we shift into one of the biggest Bitcoin stories of the week: the Coldcard security issue. If you self-custody Bitcoin—or plan to someday—there are some important lessons here that go well beyond one hardware wallet. We also spend some time asking why so many of the people making major political decisions appear increasingly unable to do the job, and whether our political system has any incentive to replace them before nature does. Along the way: Solar field progress Biochar update Flooring lessons Bitcoin Guessing Game Hardware wallet security Off-grid planning Weekly cabin progress Support The LOTS Project Fold Card https://use.foldapp.com/r/FANEWETX • Blockstream Hardware Wallets https://rewards.blockstream.com/thelotsproject • LogOX Forestry Tools https://tidd.ly/4y07Qhb • Food Forest Farms Coffee https://foodforrestfarms.com • ComfreyRoots.com https://comfreyroots.com • Echo Radios https://echoradios.com?bg_ref=Sv7Jdlw250 Save $40 with code: ECHOBRIAN407720 • Amazon Storefront https://www.amazon.com/shop/thelotsproject Join the Telegram community: https://t.me/LOTSChat Some products discussed during this episode use affiliate links. If you decide to purchase through those links, it helps support The LOTS Project at no additional cost to you.
#898
July 27 · 1 hr 3 min
More Cabin Progress, New Videos & Another Government Head-Scratcher
One minute I'm talking about clearing trees. The next minute I'm listening to a government official argue that sheep need a permit to drink from a pond. That pretty much sums up this week. We also get into more real-world use of the LogOx, why election commercials suddenly seem to be everywhere, why I'm changing how I approach social media, and where this channel is headed as we get closer to Episode 900. If you're interested in off-grid living, independent thinking, Bitcoin, building things yourself, or simply laughing at how ridiculous the world has become, you'll probably enjoy this one. My buddy Erik's new book: Bounty Hunters' Craft https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HBLLZTYY Support The LOTS Project: Fold Card https://use.foldapp.com/r/FANEWETX • Blockstream Hardware Wallets https://rewards.blockstream.com/thelotsproject • LogOX Forestry Tools https://tidd.ly/4y07Qhb • Food Forest Farms Coffee https://foodforrestfarms.com • ComfreyRoots.com https://comfreyroots.com • Echo Radios https://echoradios.com?bg_ref=Sv7Jdlw250 Save $40 with code: ECHOBRIAN407720 • Amazon Storefront https://www.amazon.com/shop/thelotsproject
#897
July 20 · 1 hr 1 min
The Vinyl Saga, the Death of Color & Another Endless War | Episode 897
Some projects fight you every step of the way. This week it was sheet vinyl. What should have been a simple pickup turned into delays, confusion at Lowe's, wrestling giant flooring rolls into the cabin, and making some pretty nerve-racking cuts that couldn't be undone. From there we wander into a question that's been bugging me for months: Why has everything become gray? Cars. Houses. Restaurants. Businesses. Somewhere along the way it feels like personality disappeared. We also talk about another week of "war...ceasefire...war again" and ask the question nobody seems interested in answering: What's the actual plan? As always, it's another unscripted Monday morning conversation about building a life outside the system. Support The LOTS Project Fold Card https://use.foldapp.com/r/FANEWETX • Blockstream Hardware Wallets https://rewards.blockstream.com/thelotsproject • LogOX Forestry Tools https://tidd.ly/4y07Qhb • Food Forest Farms Coffee https://foodforrestfarms.com • ComfreyRoots.com https://comfreyroots.com • Echo Radios https://echoradios.com?bg_ref=Sv7Jdlw250 Save $40 with code: ECHOBRIAN407720 • Amazon Storefront https://www.amazon.com/shop/thelotsproject Join the LOTS Telegram Chat: https://t.me/LOTSChat
#896
July 13 · 1 hr 2 min
Nothing to Hide? That's What Everyone Says Until the Camera Gets It Wrong
How much privacy are you willing to trade for convenience—or the promise of safety? This week we look at the growing use of Flock license plate readers and why the argument of "I've got nothing to hide" completely falls apart once innocent people start getting caught in the system. One bad database entry, one misread plate, one false alert... and suddenly you're the problem. We also dive into the latest speculation surrounding Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham before asking a bigger question: why does nearly every major event now come with multiple believable conspiracy theories? Is public trust collapsing, or has technology simply made it harder than ever to separate fact from fiction? There's also plenty of homestead talk with updates on the cabin build, solar field clearing, flooring, wood chipping, and surviving another brutally hot Tennessee week. This episode includes affiliate mentions for products and companies I personally use. If you choose to purchase through those links, it helps support The LOTS Project at no additional cost to you. Support The LOTS Project Fold Card https://use.foldapp.com/r/FANEWETX • Blockstream Hardware Wallets https://rewards.blockstream.com/thelotsproject • LogOX Forestry Tools https://tidd.ly/4y07Qhb • Food Forest Farms Coffee https://foodforrestfarms.com • ComfreyRoots.com https://comfreyroots.com • Echo Radios https://echoradios.com?bg_ref=Sv7Jdlw250 Save $40 with code: ECHOBRIAN407720 • Amazon Storefront https://www.amazon.com/shop/thelotsproject
#895
July 6 · 1 hr 3 min
Wood Chippers, Self Checkout & Freedom You Don't Agree With | Episode 895
This week on Episode 895 of The LOTS Project Morning Show, I finally get the wood chipper running after replacing the carburetor and changing the oil. We also talk about a new forestry tool that's headed to the property, why real freedom means defending the rights of people you disagree with, and whether self-checkout has quietly trained us to do work that stores used to pay employees to do. As always, expect plenty of opinions, a little sarcasm, and discussion from the live audience. ☕ Coffee of the Day: Light Brazilian from Food Forest Farms Affiliate Links & Sponsors • Blockstream Hardware Wallets https://rewards.blockstream.com/thelotsproject • LogOX Forestry Tools https://tidd.ly/4y07Qhb • Food Forest Farms Coffee https://foodforrestfarms.com • ComfreyRoots.com https://comfreyroots.com • Echo Radios https://echoradios.com?bg_ref=Sv7Jdlw250 Save $40 with code: ECHOBRIAN407720 • Amazon Storefront https://www.amazon.com/shop/thelotsproject
#894
June 29 · 1 hr 3 min
Would the Founders Recognize America? Plus Cabin Progress, RV Lessons & Waymo
A simple flooring project turned into another lesson in why building your own cabin is never as straightforward as it looks. This week I talk through the latest cabin progress, why weather is becoming the next obstacle, and how one overlooked specification completely changed the timeline. Then we shift gears into a conversation about autonomous vehicles, why I still won't climb into a driverless taxi, what years of full-time RV living taught us (both good and bad), and finish with a discussion that's especially fitting before Independence Day: Would the people who founded this country recognize what we've become? Along the way we cover: • Cabin construction updates • DIY lessons learned • Full-time RV realities • Waymo and autonomous vehicles • Bitcoin • Government, freedom and personal responsibility You'll also hear about some of the gear and products I actually use around the property. Some links mentioned are affiliate links that help support the show without costing you anything extra. Thanks for listening. ☕ Coffee provided by Food Forest Farms Use coupon code LOTS10 for 10% off and free shipping. Support the show: • Blockstream Hardware Wallets https://rewards.blockstream.com/thelotsproject • Fold Bitcoin Rewards https://use.foldapp.com/r/FANEWETX • Echo Radios https://echoradios.com?bg_ref=Sv7Jdlw250 • Amazon Storefront https://amzn.to/4xPF2YZ • ComfreyRoots.com Join our Telegram Community: https://t.me/LOTSChat
#893
June 22 · 1 hr 2 min
Cabin Progress, Echo Radios & The Surveillance Creep
A camera on a pole doesn't sound like a big deal. Until it becomes a network. Until it follows vehicles across jurisdictions. Until it starts identifying people instead of license plates. And until cities start realizing they may have signed up for something bigger than they expected. In this episode I dig into recent developments surrounding Flock, why some communities are pushing back, and why others continue expanding surveillance infrastructure. I also share progress on the cabin build, including floor prep, patching seams, upcoming vinyl installation, and clearing trees for the future solar array. Plus my first impressions after finally getting the Echo Radios in hand and testing them in an area with almost no cell coverage. If you're interested in self-reliance, preparedness, Bitcoin, homesteading, privacy, and questioning systems most people never think about, this episode has plenty to chew on. Coffee of the Day: Light Ethiopian from Food Forest Farms Use code LOTS10 Sponsors: • Blockstream Jade, Jade Plus & Jade Core https://rewards.blockstream.com/thelotsproject • ComfreyRoots.com https://Comfreyroots.com Telegram: https://t.me/LOTSChat Echo Radios $40 off: https://echoradios.com?bg_ref=Sv7Jdlw250 Code: ECHOBRIAN407720 Affiliate Disclosure: This episode may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of those links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Those commissions help keep the show running and support future content.
#892
June 15 · 1 hr 1 min
Bread, Circuses and Biochar: Fixing What's Actually in Front of You
A chainsaw refusing to cooperate. Trees that still need clearing. A biochar experiment that didn't go exactly as planned. And somehow, all of it led back to a bigger question: are we spending too much time watching the circus while ignoring the things that actually keep our lives running? In this episode, Brian talks through solar field progress, diagnosing and fixing a decade-old Husqvarna, the reality of learning through failed experiments, and why biochar might deserve a place on your homestead. The conversation wanders into Idiocracy, Roman parallels, floating solar projects, Bitcoin, Echo Radios stuck in transit, and the value of focusing on what you can actually control. This isn't a polished lecture. It's coffee-fueled thinking out loud from someone trying to build a life that's a little more independent and a little less dependent on systems that don't always deserve our trust. Affiliate links mentioned in this episode help support the show at no extra cost to you, including Blockstream, Fold, ComfreyRoots.com, Echo Radios, Amazon, and other partners that Brian personally uses or recommends. Settle in and listen to the whole ride. The best parts usually happen after the original topic is long gone. SUPPORT THE SHOW • Food Forest Farms Coffee – Use code LOTS10 for 10% off at https://foodforestfarms.com • Comfrey Roots: https://ComfreyRoots.com • Blockstream Jade Hardware Wallets: https://rewards.blockstream.com/thelotsproject • Fold Card: https://use.foldapp.com/r/FANEWETX • Amazon Storefront: https://amazon.com/shop/thelotsproject • Telegram Chat: https://t.me/LOTSChat
#891
June 8 · 1 hr 1 min
Hotel Pool Passes, Flooring Frustrations & Bitcoin's Latest "Death" | LOTS 891
This week starts with cabin cleanup and a reality every builder eventually faces: everybody has advice and half of it contradicts the other half. I'm getting ready for flooring installation and trying to sort through the endless opinions on subfloor prep, skim coating, underlayment, and what actually matters versus what just costs more money. Then we dive into a surprisingly heated local debate about a new hotel selling day passes to its infinity pool. Great business idea? Maybe. Great experience for paying hotel guests? That's another question. We also spend time talking Bitcoin, Blockstream's new Jade Core wallet, Fold's growing ecosystem, and why price drops tend to create more opportunity than panic. If you enjoy practical projects, independent thinking, Bitcoin, and occasional rants about things that don't make sense, you'll probably enjoy this one. 🔗 SUPPORT THE LOTS PROJECT 🟠 Fold App (Earn Bitcoin on Everyday Spending) Join my Spin Squad and get $10 in Bitcoin after your first debit card purchase: https://use.foldapp.com/r/FANEWETX 🔐 Blockstream Jade Hardware Wallets Jade • Jade Plus • Jade Core Use code THELOTSPROJECT for 10% off: https://rewards.blockstream.com/thelotsproject 📡 Echo Radios Minimal cell coverage. Works across all major networks. Use Coupon Code: ECHOBRIAN407720 for $40 off https://echoradios.com?bg_ref=Sv7Jdlw250 🛒 Shop My Amazon Storefront Tools, gear, homestead equipment, RV gear and more: https://www.amazon.com/shop/thelotsproject 🌱 Comfrey Root Cuttings Premium Bocking 4 Comfrey Root Cuttings: https://comfreyroots.com ☕ Food Forest Farms Coffee Use Code LOTS10 for 10% off your order: https://foodforestfarms.com Affiliate Disclosure: Some links may be affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting The LOTS Project.
#890
June 1 · 1 hr
The Cabin Is Finally Dried In, Enterprise Gets Self-Aware, and America Gets Weird
The cabin hit a major milestone this week. After months of learning, climbing ladders, making mistakes, fixing mistakes, and figuring things out one project at a time, the trim is finally finished and the cabin is officially dried in. That leads into a bigger conversation about learning new skills, solving problems without experts, and why YouTube may be the most valuable trade school ever created. We also dive into Tennessee's blooming mimosa trees, the arrival of summer heat, an Enterprise commercial that accidentally highlights everything frustrating about renting vehicles, the Great American State Fair controversy, Bitcoin price predictions, the new Blockstream Jade Core, and a communications solution that might actually make sense for off-grid and low-signal living. If you're building your own path, questioning systems, or just trying to get things done while the world gets stranger, this one's for you. Affiliate links mentioned during the show may generate a commission at no additional cost to you. Telegram Community: https://t.me/LOTSChat Comfreyroots.com Blockstream Store (10% off by clicking or use code TheLOTSProject at checkout) Echo Radios Coupon Code for $40.00 off ECHOBRIAN407720
#889
May 25 · 58 min
Massie Fallout, Cabin Progress & The Steroid Olympics | LOTS 889
This episode starts with anniversary week and porch furniture… and somehow ends with steroid-enhanced athletes, collapsing Middle East peace talks, and the political machine steamrolling Thomas Massie. Pretty standard 2026 conversation. We talk about: 10 years married and the journey from Minneapolis suburbs to off-grid Tennessee a huge week of cabin progress porch trim struggles and finally seeing the place come together why we changed our solar and utility plans the Massie Kentucky primary and what it says about modern politics growing disillusionment with establishment narratives market manipulation around war headlines and the launch of the Enhanced Games — aka the open-steroid Olympics This one feels less like a “news episode” and more like watching modern civilization slowly turn into a sci-fi movie while trying to build a normal life outside of it. Resources & Links: Telegram Chat: https://t.me/LOTSChat Blockstream Hardware Wallets: https://rewards.blockstream.com/thelotsproject Comfrey Roots: https://ComfreyRoots.com Food Forest Farms Coffee (LOTS10) https://foodforestfarms.com Some links may be affiliate links that support the show.
#888
May 18 · 1 hr
The Cabin’s Wrapped, the Media’s Panicking & I Apparently Say “Ope” Now
The cabin officially has sheet metal on all four sides, and now comes the phase where confidence slowly turns into second-guessing your own decisions. This episode gets into: wrapping up the exterior metal work learning construction skills in real time why I already think I may redo part of the porch trim local Tennessee radio a morning host voice that nearly breaks me hantavirus headlines everywhere Ebola quietly returning to the conversation Cuba allegedly building drone capabilities oil shortage rumors tied to Middle East instability and how modern media seems completely addicted to fear. There’s also a solid discussion about how public trust collapsed after COVID and why people increasingly question institutional narratives instead of blindly accepting headlines. Plus: Apparently living in Minnesota permanently added “ope” to my operating system. Resources & Links: • ComfreyRoots.com • Blockstream Jade & Jade Plus • LOTS Telegram Community Affiliate disclosure: Some links may be affiliate links which help support the show at no additional cost to you.
#887
May 11 · 1 hr 1 min
The Laundromat Was Worse Than the Ladder | LOTS Project Morning Show 887
Some weeks you make solid progress. Other weeks you realize the real problem isn’t building a cabin… it’s dealing with people. This episode starts with a win—figuring out a scaffolding + ladder setup that actually worked without killing me—and then takes a hard left into one of the most frustrating laundromat trips I’ve had in a long time. From there it spirals into a bigger question: Are things actually getting crazier, or are we just paying more attention? We get into hantavirus, the way the media handles this stuff, and why it feels eerily familiar. Then zoom out into what’s going on globally—war, oil, and the incentives behind it all. No polished narrative. Just real-time observations from someone trying to build something while everything else feels like it’s slipping sideways. Resources mentioned: Comfrey roots: https://comfreyroots.com Blockstream hardware wallets: https://rewards.blockstream.com/thelotsproject Food Forest Farms coffee: https://foodforestfarms.com Some links may be affiliate links. If you use them, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.

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