We have moved to Wordpress

Please update your bookmarks and links to www.Tennessee.PreppersNetwork.com

Using Infusions Externally

By Shall

Using Infusions Externally

Herbal infusions can be used externally in a few ways for quick and easy skin remedies and first aid treatments. Herbal infusions are effective wound washes and can also aid sore, achy muscles.

Soaks
Soaks are infusions that have been re-warmed after the plant material has been strained out. The affected part of the body can be soaked in the warm infusion. Infusions can be used for foot baths, sitz baths or even used by soaking in a bath tub, if needed.

A quart of an infusion can be used for a foot bath and 2 or more quarts can be used for a sitz bath or for soaking in the tub.

Enemas, Douches and Eye Washes
Herbal infusions can be used as enemas, douches and eye washes when carefully strained.

An effective remedy for Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye) is made by making an infusion with

1 tablespoon powdered Comfrey root
1 teaspoon powdered Goldenseal
1 cup boil water

I simmered the herbs in water for about 15 minutes, and then strained carefully thru several layers of cheesecloth and a coffee filter to make sure all the particles were removed. I let it cool to room temperature and then used an eye dropper to drop a few drops in my child’s affected eye a couple of times throughout the day. There was no sign of infection by that night and no antibiotics were needed.

Fomentations
Strained infusions can be sued as fomentations by soaking a wash cloth in the infusion, wringing it out and applying it to the affected area. Fomentations work well on treating chest congestion, sprains and sore muscles.

I make an infusion from fresh or dried Ginger root by simmering it slowly for about 45 minutes, then soak a wash cloth in the infusion, wring it out and apply it to sore muscles. This fomentation takes away the achy soreness of stiff muscles and arthritic hands.
Wrapping an ace bandage around the cloth can help keep it in place, especially on elbows.

Poultices
Poultices are made by using damp plant material directly on the body. The plant material can be warmed in water, chewed on, grated or crushed and applied directly on the affected area.

Compresses
Compresses are made by macerating fresh or infused herbs in a cloth. Compresses are less messy than poultices.

Sheila
Grassroots Cottage
http://grassrootscottage.blogspot.com/

Review Wuxun KG-UV3D Dual Band Handheld

By tngun

Now for those that care about these things, I have not received any compensation of any type for this review. I am reviewing this device because I think EVERY prepper should have at least one ham radio, and with the quality/price ratio this radio is worth looking into.

First strike against this radio is that is Chinese made. Some don’t care –some do, personally I’d rather buy American made, but a simple internet search will show you how hard it is to find a American made ham radio.

First positive comment is that it’s around $100 bucks. This is in a world where almost all other handhelds start at 5 times that amount. I first learned about this radio from a group of ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) volunteers in East TN. These guys all had at least one and they were of the opinion that it was good enough, and sturdy enough, and if they broke the thing it was only a $100 radio.

As I said in the video my intent was to buy one, try it out, and if mine was as functional as the ones I was shown in Athens then I would buy a couple more for the wife and for storage. My wife is now expecting, so I had to add another prepper tier to my list, so the extra radios were bumped back, but I still intend to buy a couple more once I stockpile a lot of diapers and bottles…

I am not going to get into too much detail on these radios, as a ham will just go dig up the spec sheet (http://www.tngun.com/2011/08/wouxun-programming-and-unlocking-programs/) and it may cause informational overload to a non-ham. But basically:

Dual band monitor (VHF/UHF, VHF/VHF, UHF/UHF)
You can monitor two different sets of frequencies at the same time
The radio comes in different flavors so you can almost pick which two bands you want.
Selectable high/low power settings (VHF: 5W high/1W low) (UHF: 4W high/1W low)
You can select more time or more power
13 hour battery life
Includes intelligent desktop 3-4 hour rapid charger
Loud speaker audio output (500 mW)
Bright flashlight illumination function
Meets IP55 waterproof rating
English female voice prompts enable non-sighted operation (can be turned off)
The Chinese lady scares me so I turned mine off
128 memory channels (shared)
VOX Function
Digital FM radio (76-108MHz) with automatic tuning and storing, radio frequency display, 18 FM memories in 2 banks
Wide/narrow bandwidth selection (25 or 12.5 kHz)
Power on display: show battery voltage, 6-character customizable welcome message, or display test
Windows PC programmable, free software available for download. Optional low cost cable
This is the selling point for me – I found the manual programming wasn’t as bad as some reviews claimed it to be, but I liked doing it from my computer even though
There is some bugs in the setup and you may have to try more than once to get your radio to connect to your computer

The program is limited to a “legal” frequency band and not actual – meaning I can listen to the weather radio and FRMS and GRMS frequencies (among other things) but I have to put them in manually.
Radio to radio cloning with optional cable
105 groups DCS/50 groups CTCSS
DTMF encoding (includes ABCD tones, continuous with button press duration)
CTCSS encode/Decode (no decode delay)
Stopwatch function
SOS function
Low-voltage voice prompt
Busy channel lockout
Selectable transmit over timer (from 15 to 600 seconds)
Selectable step sizes of 5, 6.25, 10, 12.5, 25, 50 or 100 kHz
Multiple scan modes including priority scan
Keypad lock (auto or manual)
Programmable by computer or keypad
High contrast white backlit keypad. All keys are backlit (except A/B & TDR)

That’s a lot of stuff, add in that you can unlock the radio to get additional channels (oce again check my free downloads section on my site)* and that it feels like a Kenwood (very sturdy feeling) transmits clearly and loudly and you can buy an adaptor to run a longer antenna makes it (IMHO) a very good buy.

*about that unlocking;

1. It’s illegal, and I am not suggesting you break the law (I mention in the video the FCC Emergency Clause, but if you PLAN on using this radio out of band in an emergency, then you are PLANNING on breaking the law, and that is not the same thing as being forced to break the law to save a life...)

2. With the advent of trunking and other digital radio advances just because you can transmit and receive on the local law enforcement channels does not mean you can communicate with them.

You can always read more at my Shepherd School Blog at http://www.tngun.com

How to build and install clothes lines that will last!

by Paul Stevens 

GO GREEN, Build A Solid Outdoors Clothes Line.

It’s taken us many years of moving and installing clothes lines, before we finally figured out the secrets of building and installing substantial clothes line post. We have helped a few friends do theirs as well. Here is what we have discovered along the way.

First check your deed restrictions if you live in a deed restricted community. Clothes lines were not very popular before the Green Movement, and some HOA, still views them as rather trashy.

Second, it takes substantial material, we prefer 4” steel pipe. Used pipe will be cheaper and if you don’t have a welder in the family, you may want to contract a professional welder. The main upright post will have to be notched to fit around the cross T for a solid weld. Once these are in the ground, they won’t be easy to repair if the weld breaks. Wood post just won’t last over time. We have tried a smaller size pipe and actually bent it at the ground level.

We weld a 5’ cross T out of 4” pipe on an 9’- 2” upright. This allows for 3’ in the ground and 6’-2” above the ground. For us, this is a perfect finished height for a comfortable reach and to keep long items off the ground, measure according to your needs. It is easier to drill the holes in the cross T before the welding process. A 3/8” hole spaced no less than 10” will allow for 6 lines. Drill the holes all the way through and be sure to keep them all in line. During this process decide if it is economical to have caps welded on the ends, or to later cut wood plugs to plug the ends of the cross T. You will want to plug these ends or birds will build nest, and then spend time on the clothes line dropping poop on your clean clothes. Paint the post, we like using a good metal primer, and then aluminum color paint as it seems to hold up longer. Any good outside enamel paint will work. If the pipe is used, it may need a power wire brushing.

Second the finished post will have to be set in substantial concrete at a depth of no less than 3’ deep. Just the tightening of the clothes lines themselves takes substantial stress on the post, not to mention a full load of clothes flapping in the wind. The side to side and back side of the hole is not as important as the front side, where the post will be pulled toward. We like to dig a hole at least 2’ wide 3’ deep. On the inside we like to dig a trench footing 2’ deep 12” wide out 3’ from the inside of each post. We drop the post center into the hole and add 6 rebar to both sides of the post out into the footing trench. The footing trench gives another underground leg to keep the post from pulling in towards each other. In setting the post we plumb it side to side but kick the post back about 1/8 bubble out of plumb. Even with all the concrete and footing the post will still pull in. Once it is all complete the post ends up being closer to actual plumb. Don’t skip on the concrete; it is very difficult to straighten up a post after the fact. Expect to pour 8-12 bags of concrete around each post. Keep the concrete about 3” from the surface so soil and grass can be planted to hide the trench. We like spacing the post right at 49’ or less. Most of the wire cable comes in 50’ or 100’ lengths. At 49’ this allows plenty of wire to connect to each post without having to splice. If you have a large family and need to have longer lines, consider placing a third post in the center. Also consider where the post will be placed, as they will be very permanent. It is not a good idea to place them under trees, or where birds will congregate. Think about where the tree branches might be in 15-30 years down the road. Also consider the wind patterns; you will want to be able to hang out pants so the wind blows them out like a wind sock for quick drying, sheets work best looped to two clothes lines.

Let the concrete set for at least 10 days. We like using galvanized stranded wire for the lines. It is available at almost any hardware store, Lowe’s, or Home Depot. Plastic coated lines just don’t hold up to the UV. Clean the lines with some vinegar water on a cloth before each use. We use ¼” eye bolts on each cross T, yes they work better in the 3/8” holes. Forget the turnbuckles; go to a good farm store, that sells electric fencing supplies, such as TSC, and Purchase the ratchet tightener used for electric wire fencing, you will need only one per line. We have found two types of these over the years, one has a nut on the side for a regular wrench, and the other needs a tool to tighten the ratchet. Obviously the tool will be needed for these and is usually sold next to the ratchets. Over time you will tighten these many times, much more than a few turns on a turnbuckle, so you will want to purchase the tool. The eye bolt on the ratchet side will have to be opened. Placing one side in a vise and using a pair of pliers to bend it to one side is sufficient enough to slide the ratchet housing into, and then bend the eye bolt back. On the other end, you can either wrap the wire around the eye bolt, or we prefer to use a cable sleeve and not leave the exposed ends of the stranded wire to be exposed. They tend to puncher hands during cleaning off the lines, these little strands really hurt. Be sure to use safety glasses as the wire can spring back quickly at eye level. Unroll the cable and not allow it to spool off the side of the roll, the cable will be nice and straight, less likely to kink. Fasten the fixed end and pull enough to make two complete rounds on the ratchet. Alternate from inside to out and back as you tighten the lines, if you tighten one side down first you will actually twist the post. The lines should have about a 1/2” pull down in the center once they are tightened to the correct tension. Over the first few weeks, they will need to be tightened further, again alternate the tightening.

We also like our all aluminum laundry basket cart to transport the laundry out to the clothes lines. It fits through a standard door, and is much easier on the back. We do carry these carts on our back-to-basics site, as well portable clothes lines and Amish folding clothes racks.

Good luck going green on this, it is a lot of work, but I can see the savings on the electric bill when we hang things outside.

Paul Stevens

http://www.cottagecraftworks.com

Tennessee Preppers Roll Call - All Preppers Please Check In

The American Preppers Network is conducting a network-wide roll call.  Whether you are a member or not please check in and let us know what you are doing to prepare.

This is a good opportunity to network with other preppers near you.

Tennessee Preppers, to respond to the roll call please follow this link:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=492&t=9284

• Reply to the Roll Call and let us know what you have been doing to prepare.

If you are not yet a member of the forum you can register here for free:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/ucp.php?mode=register

LGDs: Guardians for family and flock

LGDs:  Guardians for family and flock

By Karen McKay House

I woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of screaming demons from Hell making their way across our valley, toward our little homestead.  Coyotes!

I lay in the dark, listening.  It was the first encounter I’d had with coyotes, and I was enthralled by the intermingling tapestry of their voices:  yips, barks, howls, all woven together, into an ancient warning…of danger to livestock.  That’s when I decided we needed to get a livestock guardian dog.

When we first moved out on our little 5-acre homestead in Tennessee, we had a dog – a half-Golden Retriever, half-Kuvasz – but Kahlua was a pet, not a livestock dog.  Kuvasz are a breed of livestock guardian dog (LGD), but our dog guarded only my children, and knew little about livestock.

Fair enough, we knew little about LGDs.

That was 16 years ago, and in the intervening years we’ve had a varied experience at raising livestock in a lot of different places.  We’ve had goats, chickens, pigs, and calves, in four different states.  And we have found that the very best deterrent of predators – both the four-legged kind and the two-legged kind – is dogs.  They beat out fences, guns, poison, and traps.

Foxes can find a way into your hen house.  Wolves will go right over and through a fence.  Thieves will wait until the light goes out in the house.  But a good dog is vigilant, especially at night, when it’s most needed.  Dogs generally have poor eyesight, but their senses of hearing and smell are far superior to ours, so they usually know when something is amiss before we do.

Livestock guardian dogs are ancient breeds that derive from areas of the world where sheep flocks abounded.  Sheep have few natural defenses; they are completely dependent on their shepherd for protection.  And in the old days, when there were no guns or fences, dogs were the first line of defense for the flock.  Because of this, the breeds of LGDs available to a homesteader in the United States follow lines of heritage -- specific breeds originated in specific countries.

Most LGDs are large, fluffy, white dogs – they were bred to resemble big sheep, so the shepherd could always distinguish between the dog and the wolf in the middle of a night attack.  Maremmas are a medium to large size dog from Italy.  Great Pyrenees are very popular in the South; they are big dogs from around the Pyrenees Mountains, along the border of Spain and France.  Kuvasz are also a large white dog, from Hungary.

Akbash, Kangal, and Anatolian Shepherds are from Turkey.  The Akbash is white, while the other two can be almost any color, although the most common color is fawn with a dark mask.

Livestock guardian dogs are not “guard dogs,” in the way most Americans think of them.  They don’t guard “things” like a Doberman Pinscher or a Rottweiller; they guard their family.

If a LGD is raised with people, it guards its people.  If it is raised with goats, it guards its goats.  If it is raised with chickens, it guards its chickens.  The bond that one of these dogs establishes as a pup is like steel.  Under no circumstances will that dog allow an attack on his family to go unchallenged.  A LGD with a flock of sheep considers itself the biggest, meanest sheep in the flock, and it will fight to the death against any threat to the flock.

Guardian dogs have been used in Africa to protect livestock from Cheetahs, and in the United States to protect flocks and herds from an array of enemies as varied as hawks (with poultry), coyotes, bears, wolves, and mountain lions.

Critics sometimes say, “No dog is going to win a fight with a grizzly bear or a cougar!”  But people who say that just show their ignorance, because having a guardian dog in the pasture is like having a gun in a dangerous neighborhood – it doesn’t necessarily mean you would win the fight, but it gives you a better chance of avoiding a fight in the first place.  You point a gun at a thief, and he is more likely to go find an easier target.  You have a fierce, aggressive dog barking at a cougar, it’s more likely to go find easier prey.  And these dogs will face up to tremendous odds with powerful enemies, in defense of their family.

These dogs are gentle with those they love, but fierce with anyone else.  A Great Pyrenees that is letting 1-week-old goat kids play king-of-the-mountain on him while he dozes in the sunshine will be the one that immediately zeroes in on a visitor to the farm and bumps her leg with his nose…just to let her know he’s watching her.  An Anatolian Shepherd who trails around the yard after the grandchildren, keeping a watchful eye on the little ones, will be the “big, scary dog” whose ferocious roar keeps the mailman in his truck tooting his horn for someone to come sign for a package.

These are trustworthy guardians, but they come with a caveat of sorts:  Know what you’re getting into when you look for a LGD to buy.  They are not like other dogs.

They are very large – weighing 80-125 pounds.  They are very fast.  And their coats “blow out” once or twice a year – during an amazing season in which there seems to be hair everywhere.

LGDs are smart, but they are not pets.  They don’t do tricks, and they consider obedience optional.  You can almost see the thought process when your dog glances back at you with her intelligent eyes – “Hmm, my person is calling me, but I smell something over there in the bushes that just might be a fox.  I think I’ll investigate the smell first and get back to my person when I’m done.”  If you’re hung up on having a dog that obeys without question, DO NOT get a LGD.

You do need to teach your LGD some basic commands, like – “COME, Suzie!” or “NO!” or “Suzie, SIT!”  If the dog is a guardian for the family rather than the flock, you will add a few other commands to her repertoire, like “OUT” and “OFF the furniture!”

And the dog needs to be socialized to an extent.  If you have visitors coming to your home now and then, and take your dog to the vet on a leash or in the car, she’ll understand pretty quickly what’s accepted behavior, and normal activities, and won’t act in a dangerous or inappropriate manner with other humans and dogs.

Some basic LGD etiquette:

• LGDs bark.  It’s what they do.  Don’t get onto them for this, but if it gets on your nerves you can go to the door when he barks and show him that you have taken note of the alert, but don’t consider it a danger.  Tell him, “Good boy!” and go back inside.  Usually, once they’ve seen you pay attention to what they’re trying to tell you, they’ll settle down.
• LGDs will bark at your friends that come to the house.  Warn your friends, and if the dog is loose (on the porch or in the yard), make sure you are able to take control of the dog before your friend gets out of the car.  Let the friend extend his or her hand to the dog to sniff.  LGDs like to be “formally introduced.”  The dog will make a mental note that this person is an acquaintance, and allow him into the house in the company of resident humans…but not necessarily if no one’s around.
• You must prove yourself the “alpha” in the pack, if you plan to keep a LGD.  I allow a dog to growl at his/her charges ONLY if it’s protecting its food.  Under no other circumstances may they growl at the ones they’re supposed to protect.  Acceptable punishment is to pin the dog to the ground by his throat, get right in his face, and yell, “NO!!”  If it's shown itself agressive with children, be particularly vigilant and do not allow the dog alone with a child until he has proven himself trustworthy.  One way to overcome any reservations a LGD has with a child (usually if the dog was not raised around children) is to maintain an absolute NO TOLERANCE policy regarding growling at the children.  In addition, take the positive approach of allowing the dog to receive treats only from the child’s hand.  He comes to see the child as a giver of good things.
• This last point brings up the issue of maturity.  A LGD is not fully mature until the age of 3 or 4 years old.  Therefore, a LGD must get used to being around adult livestock as a puppy, and only be put in with the youngsters once he’s shown himself to be mature enough to protect-without-playing.  A 100-pound Anatolian can kill a 2-pound lamb accidentally, just by playing with it as he would another dog.  The peak bonding time for a LGD is around 3-6 months old, so that is when he needs to be with the ones you want him to learn to protect.

When choosing a breed of livestock guardian dog, you need to look at more than just which breed you think is “pretty.”  Your main concern should be what your needs are.

What dogs are more common in your area?  That will affect both the price and the availability of animals to breed to.  If you keep your eye on Craigslist, under Farm and Garden, sometimes you can spot the LGD ads before they get flagged.  It’s a sad truth that people who don’t have livestock don’t see a difference between a working farm dog and a Yorkie from a puppy mill.  There are ads for LGDs, but they are usually snatched down quickly.  Another good source is the Livestock Guardian Dog web site and discussion list:  http://www.lgd.org/

A second consideration is, what do you need the dog for?  If you have small predators like coyotes and marauding dogs, a Great Pyrenees would be good, but if the predators are large, you will likely need a more aggressive dog, like a Kuvasz or Anatolian.

I knew a lady once some years ago who raised sheep and dogs.  She had both Kuvasz and Pyrenees, and when I asked her the difference between them, she told me this story:

“I got up one morning, and some poor beagle had got in the electric fence, but apparently he got buzzed going in and didn’t want to go back out, so when I got up, there was that scared little beagle, cornered by my two Pyrenees.  They were just holding him there until I came to do something with him.  If that had been Kuvasz, there would have been pieces of beagle all over the pen.”

Of course, this was a conclusion by one breeder.  Dogs vary considerably in personality from one to another.

And if you have really big predators – cougars or grizzlies, for instance – you will need more than one LGD.  Good LGDs work together:  One or two will go for the predator, while a third stays with the flock.

There are other breed eccentricities to look for:  Pyrenees are known to wander, if you don’t have good fences.  Some Anatolians can climb a fence.

Individual dogs have their individual preferences, as well.  If you get one to protect your family, and she ends up staying out by the sheep fold, put her in with the sheep and get you another family guardian!

Whatever you decide on, I highly recommend having a good guardian dog on your place.  I always remember reading the book, “Little House on the Prairie” with my children.  One time, the father in the story ran across a family stranded in the wilderness next to their wagon.

“Where are your horses?” he asked them.  “Somebody stole them during the night.”  “Didn’t your dog bark?”  “We don’t have a dog.”

Charles Ingalls just shook his head.  Who would come into the wilderness without a dog?  Such a simple thing, to preserve your belongings, your family, your animals.

It may be that a time is coming when to preserve your belongings, your family, and your animals is the most anyone could hope for.  And for that, a dog is an inexpensive and wise investment.

------------------------------------------
Join the APN Forum at www.AmericanPreppersNetwork.net
Visit the Tennessee Forum at www.TennesseePreppersNetwork.net

FluorideGate: US Legislators Calling for Hearings on Water Fluoridation

Fluoride is bad for you it is A TOXIC WASTE - what better way to get rid of it by INVENTING A STORY about it's being good for your teeth AND DUMPING IT IN THE WATER SUPPLY

Read More

------------------------------------------
Join the APN Forum at www.AmericanPreppersNetwork.net
Visit the Tennessee Forum at www.TennesseePreppersNetwork.net

Draw Your Line

It's Time to draw a line and stand your ground!

YouTube -- yumology



------------------------------------------
Join the APN Forum at www.AmericanPreppersNetwork.net
Visit the Tennessee Forum at www.TennesseePreppersNetwork.net

Rual King Sale

Here is a special emailed to me from Getting Started

 

Do You Live in IL, IN, KY, MI, MO, OH, or TN

.. then I have a deal for you.

Rural King has a sell on 5-gallon buckets. These buckets are the thicker .90 mil buckets, they are thicker and stronger then .75 mil buckets. The cost ...

$1.99

Now, I don't know if these are food-grade buckets, so caveat emptor.

Now, the bad news.

The sale ends Sunday; the buckets have a painted Rural King logo; and the $1.49 lids are flimsy.

Let me say this again.

The on sale lids are flimsy. If you plan to stack the buckets, you will need to buy a .75 or .90 mil lid.

Link:

Rural King - Store Locator

http://www.ruralking.com/store-locator/

Rural King - Weekly Ad

http://www.ruralking.com/weekly-ad/

P.S.

Just so you know, I just paid over six bucks for some buckets and two bucks for some lids from my local supplier.

------------------------------------------
Join the APN Forum at www.AmericanPreppersNetwork.net
Visit the Tennessee Forum at www.TennesseePreppersNetwork.net

Moles? Voles? Who Knows?

Tunnels Are Taking Over

I don't know which we have, although I just learned a neat trick to remember which are which. Moles - start with M - Meat - Moles eat worms and grubs. Voles - start with V - Vegetarian - Voles eat roots and plants. Both tear up the yard and can ruin a garden.

The Virginia Cooperative Extension Service recommends spring loaded traps like THIS. I've heard everything from Juicy Fruit gum stuck down in the holes to car exhaust run through a hose into their tunnels. Here is a video clip from the Nashville Fox News station about a man there who is making a living ridding yards of moles and voles, and he does it with a dose of good old fashioned home made explosives. Looks like a cool job for someone with an entrepreneurial streak or an option to add to a lawn service.

Using a raised bed box, seems to have kept the buggers from getting into my garden last year, but my yard is maze of tunnels and soft ground. We'll see how they do with a more active garden. I'd rather not have to kill them, but I will go Elmer Fudd on them if they get into my veggies.

Post borrowed from If It Hits The Fan

------------------------------------------
Join the APN Forum at www.AmericanPreppersNetwork.net
Visit the Tennessee Forum at www.TennesseePreppersNetwork.net

Knoxville cyclist details Chattanooga area bike routes in new book

Thanks to Elle Colquitt's inadequate map during a short bike tour in England, Chattanooga bike enthusiasts now have a book detailing 45 routes in and around the Scenic City.
The Knoxville resident's newly published, spiral-bound, 216-page text provides routes from 10 to 75 miles covering 13 counties from Dayton, Tenn., to LaFayette, Ga., and from Cleveland, Tenn., to the Sequatchie Valley.
"My goal when I do an area is to get you on as many roads as I can," said Colquitt. "Then you just take the map with the most roads you want to go on [and] play around."
The book, "Bicycling Routes: Bicycling the Scenic Backroads Around Chattanooga, Tennessee and North Georgia," is part of a series of similar books by the lifetime cycler. Previous books have detailed routes around Knoxville and the off-road trails in the eastern part of the state.
When Colquitt got lost in England several years ago, she found a touring book that had a lot of the features she ended up incorporating in her books. In the United States, though, she hasn't seen any book done quite the same way, she said.
Phil Pugliese, bicycle coordinator for Outdoor Chattanooga, said "Bicycling Routes" is a valuable resource for both residents and bikers visiting the region for recreational cycling or for exploring its scenic beauty.
"It's a great addition," he said. "It definitely fulfilled a need."
The color-coded routes, which offer 13 start locations and options for customizing rides, are mapped in order that the majority of riders will feel comfortable, Colquitt said.
"Being a woman, riding by myself, I don't want another gal out there [on an unsafe route]," she said. "That being said, accidents do happen."
To create the routes, Colquitt said she talked to biking experts, people in bike shops and people who ride a lot, mapping out all "rideable" roads. By "rideable," she said, she means all roads that are safe, scenic and not too heavily trafficked.
After compiling her maps, she drove the routes and then biked them. Among other information she included are the general route descriptions, steepness of hills, markings of T and Y intersections and stoplights, locations of stores and restrooms, scenic pictures, historic neighborhood details and other points of interest.
Colquitt's desire, she said, was to include "anything I can to help make it more clear."
"It was a labor of love," she said.
The area in and around the Scenic City offers different challenges and opportunities than Knoxville, Colquitt said. Chattanooga affords a better downtown for riding, she said, and has more interesting, surrounding small towns.
Among the more interesting routes she mapped, she said, are Signal Mountain [the homes "felt like stepping back in time"]; McLemore's Cove in North Georgia ["just exquisitely beautiful, with Pigeon Mountain on one side and Lookout Mountain on the other"]; the area around Red Clay State Historic Park near Cleveland, Tenn.; and the Sequatchie Valley ["a beautiful, beautiful area" where the Chattanooga Bicycle Club holds an annual century ride].
Mike Teff, store manager at Trek Bicycle Store on Manufacturers Road, said "a ton of people" request area bike routes when they come into the shop, so Colquitt's book, covering rides from the Riverwalk to centuries, is a "huge asset."
"Anybody can do it," he said of cycling. "That's the greatest thing about it."
Contact Clint Cooper at ccooper@timesfreepress or 423-757-6497.

Terrorist may poison the food supply (but the food companies already have)

Always on the terror streak, the mainstream media is now warning Americans that terrorists may strike the food supply by dumping poison into restaurant salad bars and buffets, for example. CBS News broke the story, quoting anonymous "intelligence" sources who insist that terrorists might use ricin or cyanide to poison foods in salad bars.

I have news for CBS, the federal government, and the terrorists: If you really want to poison the U.S. food supply, just use aspartame. It causes neurological disorders and yet remains perfectly legal to dump into foods such as diet sodas and children's medicines. You don't even have to dump it into the food supply in secret, either: You can do it right out in full view of the public. Heck, you can even list this chemical right on the ingredients label!

Or get into the MSG business. MSG, which is often hidden on "natural" foods under an ingredient called yeast extract, is a potent neurotoxin that promotes obesity and even cancer, according to some experts. Feed people enough MSG and they'll probably die of cancer sooner or later, and that counts toward the goal of terrorism too, doesn't it?

If you really want to get nasty and up the body count, start a hot dog company and dump sodium nitrite into your processed meat like all the other hot dog companies do. Sodium nitrite promotes aggressive cancers -- even in children -- and yet the USDA and FDA allow its use in the food supply (http://www.naturalnews.com/007133.html).

Better yet, feed the population genetically modified corn and then wait for the mutations to kick in. GMOs might actually be called a biological weapon because they cause so much harm to humans and the environment. (http://www.naturalnews.com/GMO.html)

Why be a terrorist when you can do so much more damage as a processed food company?

If you're a terrorist looking to poison the U.S. food supply, get in line, buddy! The food companies have beat you to it!

In the U.S. food supply right now, you can find toxic mercury, BPA, acrylamides, petrochemicals, dangerous preservatives, synthetic chemicals like aspartame, pesticide residues and artificial colors that alter brain function. The FDA doesn't seem to care about any of this, of course: All these poisons in the food supply are legal!

So here's a message to Al-Qaeda and all the other terrorists trying to kill Americans: Don't bother with bombs and missiles... just get into the processed food business!

Or, heck, if you really want to kill Americans with poison, get into the cancer industry! The "Al-Qaeda Cancer Clinic" could really rack up some body bags by doing what all the other cancer clinics do: Inject patients with chemotherapy and watch them die (http://www.naturalnews.com/029996_c...).

Seriously, if you want to kill Americans, all you really need to do is keep supporting conventional medicine and the FDA with its do-nothing position on dangerous chemicals that threaten the health of Americans right now. FDA-approved drugs kill well over 100,000 Americans each year -- a statistic that dwarfs the body count of any terrorist group.

Come to think of it, how do we know the FDA isn't already being run by terrorists? Their actions, which blatantly endanger American lives, are entirely consistent with the aims of a terrorist organization. (http://www.naturalnews.com/001894.html)

By the way, this is all depicted in a CounterThink cartoon I created in 2006 called The Food Terrorists: http://www.counterthink.com/The_Foo...

This cartoon anticipated today's terror news alerts by four years. That's because when it comes to the U.S. government's rhetoric on terrorism, it's not that difficult to see where they're taking it.

Want to know what the next four years will bring us? I'll soon be publishing a list of predictions for 2011 and beyond. Watch NaturalNews.com for that announcement.

In the mean time, you might want to steer clear of FDA-approved foods and drugs, because you just never know what's really in them.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
Editor of NaturalNews.com

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/030811_terrorists_food_supply.html#ixzz199WbzAzy

Sources for this story include:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010...

------------------------------------------
Join the APN Forum at www.AmericanPreppersNetwork.net
Visit the Tennessee Forum at www.TennesseePreppersNetwork.net

Sing the health praises of parsley and sage

Those of us who go back a few years likely remember the line about parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme in the huge Simon and Garfunkel hit song about two ill-fated lovers, "Are You Going to Scarborough Fair". Many have speculated that the reference to the four popular herbs was due to their use in Medieval Europe to help cleanse the air and ward off the infamous black plague. Others have thought that the reference to the four herbs was because the combination may have been used as a love potion. Whatever the reason for their inclusion in the popular song, the many health benefits of parsley and sage are worth loving and singing praises about in their own rights.

PARSLEY

Parsley is an amazing medicinal herb with a world of health benefits. The root contains calcium, B-complex vitamins, and iron, which nourish the glands that help regulate the uptake of calcium. It is a source of magnesium, calcium, potassium, vitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin K.

Among the many benefits reported for parsley are:

*It is a diuretic which helps the body produce more urine to keep the urinary system operating smoothly and which helps prevent problems such as kidney stones and bladder infections.

*It is wonderful for removing toxins from the body, such as heavy metals.

*It is an effective breath freshener. It is believed that the practice of including parsley on a dinner plate began due to its breath freshening abilities and not merely for its decorative effect.

*The root and leaves are good for the liver and spleen.

*It helps relieve bloating during menstruation.

*It provides relief for edema, often helping when other remedies have failed

*Parsley root and seeds help relax stiff joints, often making stiff and unmanageable fingers work again.

*It helps remove gallstones when used properly by taking a pint of the tea daily.

*It is beneficial for the adrenal glands.

*It is a powerful therapeutic aid for the optic nerves, brain and sympathetic nervous system.

*Parsley juice is an excellent tonic for the blood vessels.

Note: It is best to avoid large amounts of parsley if you are pregnant, especially the use of the volatile essential oil.

SAGE

Like rosemary, its sister herb in the mint (Labiatae) family, sage contains a variety of volatile oils, flavonoids and phenolic acids, including rosmarinic acid. The oils found in sage are both antiseptic and antibiotic, helping it fight infections.

Besides the antioxidant and other properties shared with Rosemary, sage`s other health benefits include:

*It is effective for symptoms of menopause, night sweats and hot flashes because of its estrogenic action and because its tannins help dry up perspiration.

*Sage helps provide better brain function and has been used in the treatment of cerebrovascular disease for over a thousand years. It helps provide better recall and research has suggested that it may be an effective option to help treat Alzheimer`s.

*There`s also compelling evidence that sage may be of value to people with diabetes for whom the hormone insulin does not work as efficiently as it should. Lab studies indicate that sage may boost insulin`s action.

* The ability of sage to protect oils from oxidation has also led some companies to experiment with sage as a natural antioxidant additive for cooking oils that can extend shelf life and help avoid rancidity.

In an upcoming article, we will also sing the praises of the other two herbs mentioned in the popular song - rosemary and thyme.

Sources included:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarbo...
http://www.healthy-holistic-living....
http://www.greenmuze.com/blogs/natu...
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/pars...

------------------------------------------
Join the APN Forum at www.AmericanPreppersNetwork.net
Visit the Tennessee Forum at www.TennesseePreppersNetwork.net

What do you make at home?

Original post by: dressagerider95

One of my projects for the upcoming year is to grow sugar beets and make sugar out of them since that is something that will be really needed. I have lots of other self sufficiency projects but I was just wondering what does everybody here produce at home? ie what could you keep making indefinitely.

To reply to yhis post follow the link below:
http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=205&t=6662&sid=b9a7750f8

------------------------------------------
Join the APN Forum at www.AmericanPreppersNetwork.net
Visit the Tennessee Forum at www.TennesseePreppersNetwork.net

Tennessee Preppers Roll Call

The Tennessee Preppers Network is conducting a Roll Call on our forum.  If you are a prepper please check in.

* Here is a link to the Roll Call:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=492&t=6176


You have to be registered to check in.  If you aren't registered please join here:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/ucp.php?mode=register


* If you are a HAM Radio Operator check in here:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=143&t=6219


* If you are an A.N.T.S. member please check in here:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=618&t=6220

TSA Enhanced Screenings - Drawing The Line

I'm a believer that preparedness activities take place in mindset as well as in physical activities like food storage, learning skills, etc. So, I frequently spend time thinking about "what if" and run through what responses I might have for various situations - for myself, my children and my family.

This week I had a huge dilemma put before me regarding flying and the new enhanced security procedures being conducted at our airports across the country.

My husband is currently serving on Active Duty with the U.S. Army Reserves. He completed a year of active duty orders in September, and has been extended for what it appears will be an additional year. We are fortunate he is state-side, and we did get the chance to visit him in Kentucky quite often this past year.

This new set of orders has him serving at Ft. Jackson, SC. Quite a bit further from us than Kentucky - not a huge deal, but with 3 young children and no extra drivers - makes you think about the best way to travel.

In trying to make it easier for us to visit him over the Thanksgiving holiday, he purchased tickets for the four of us to fly to see him instead of me having to spend 2 days driving. A trip we were looking forward to, until all of the news started hitting this weekend about the advanced screening techniques being used in the airports.

I hadn't given the security process a lot of thought - I assumed go through the metal detector, don't set if off and you're good to go. I've traveled extensively in my past - at one point having about 2 million frequent flyer miles. I haven't traveled since 9/11 and boy, did I have an eye opening experience learning about the new security theatre and I am appalled that we stand for this in America under the guise of believing it makes us safer.

I learned that I could ask at the ticket counter to have my children "deselected" from enhanced security screenings if they are under the age of 12 (mine are 11 and under). But that apparently is no guarantee they won't be "randomly" selected for additional screening once we are in the security line. Or if they set off the metal detector twice for some reason. And you don't get to choose which security line you end up in. It is purposely set up as a maze so you can't figure out which line leads to which machines.

So red flags are already going off in my head as I'm watching these videos of the new aggressive "pat-down" procedures in place if you "opt out" of the naked body scan or if randomly selected.

There is no way this is a "pat down" people. Try full body cavity search - or not far from it. As a Christian, stay-at-home, homeschooling mother - I've spend a lot of time reinforcing to my girls what kinds of touches are acceptable, especially from strangers. And there is NO WAY the government of this country has the right to "pat down" me or my girls in this fashion.

I do not lose my constitutional rights just because I choose to take a flight. So I have drawn the line in the sand and will not be flying this weekend. I cancelled our flight and let the airline know exactly why I was doing so. Not that they really care - I mean after all, they've already received my non-refundable money.

But we have to take a stand. And we've let too many things slide by already. Every time we give an inch, they take a mile. Until one day we wake up and there is nothing left for them to take.

Here are some links where you can join the fight against these TSA security measures, where you can learn more about what travelers are experiencing and where you can even report your own security screening incidents. The time to act on this is NOW.

LINKS:

Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) - provides information and a place for you to record any scanner incident you would like to report.

We Won't Fly - These are the people pushing for the National Opt-Out day on November 24th, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

Fed Up Flyers - Website run by Michael Roberts, the Memphis pilot who refused the body scanner and pat down procedure who has now found himself without a job thanks to his "disobedience".

World Net Daily - Ron Paul introduces legislation to stop these intrusive TSA screenings.

Ann Coulter article - Napolitano: The Ball's In My Court Now

Forbes article about MOBILE scanners in vans that can see through walls, vehicles and clothing - coming to a city near you.

Oh, and guess what? Although Americans are not allowed to be exempted from any of the screening process based on religious grounds, Homeland Security is considering an exemption for Muslim women in burkas. Isn't that special? Read more:

Greely Gazette - Napolitano considering allowing Muslim women to pat themselves down at airports. . .

and

Chandler's Watch - Muslim "women" soon to be exempt from TSA invasive screenings . . . look for Muslim men to follow . . .

Comments to this post will be moderated. Let's keep our discussions civil.


------------------------------------------
Join the APN Forum at http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/
Visit the Tennessee Forum at http://www.tennesseepreppersnetwork.net/

Welcome New Members

Welcome our new member:

lovie_5

Hello to eveyone! I am lovie (that is the name my grandchildren call me) I am married, mother of 3 adult children and grandmother to 5 young ones. I have always had an interest in prepping but it is only in the last several months that I have gotten serious about it. Right now, I am scared out of my mind after reading "One Second After" the fictionalized account of life after an EMP. I and my daughter are really prepping in earnest now. Unfortunately, my husband doesn't seem to take it seriously. Any advice on this? I am looking forward to learning everything I can here on this site.

Please welcome our new member by following the link below:
http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=563&t=5639&sid=fd2e4fbbebfb92878b572833f3a280f7


Join the APN Forum at www.AmericanPreppersNetwork.net
Visit the Tennessee Forum at www.TennesseePreppersNetwork.net

About Grain Grinders

There are many different grain grinders to choose from out there and I think it can get really confusing when trying to decide which one to purchase. After all, the good ones are usually $250 and up, so you don't want to enter into the purchase lightly.

First you have to decide if you want an electric grinder or a hand grinder. Each serve their own purpose.

Electric grinders are quick and easy to use - you can leave it on your countertop and therefore be more likely to use it daily. There are even attachments you can purchase to grind grain using your KitchenAid Mixer.

Hand grinders take a bit more to set up and are a bit more work to use, but if you had no electricity or were trying to limit the use of your electricity or generator, then this would be the way to go.

Our opinion is it is good to have both.

I don't make a habit of grinding grain daily for my baking, but I have a friend who freshly grinds her flour for her baking every day. And I can tell you from first-hand experience her baked goods are absolutely fabulous.

Since I wasn't grinding grain daily, I always just used the grain grinding attachment for my Vitamix whenever I needed small amounts ground for baking bread, etc.

But this year as part of my preparedness budget, an electric grain mill made it on the list. I want one that is dedicated to grain grinding that I can leave on the counter so I'll use it more frequently.

Electric Mill

I did my research and decided to go with a WonderMill. WonderMills are similar to the WhisperMills that are no longer made. It is supposed to be very quiet and very efficient. The makers of the mill say it will grind 100 pounds of flour in an hour. It has a 1.75 horsepower motor. It will grind wheat, rice, small grains, legumes and beans as large as garbanzos. It also has a lifetime warranty. Sounded good to me and came highly recommended from several of my friends.

And, as luck would have it, our friends at FunderFarm sell these and have been running them on sale recently from $239.95 (retail $269.95). I placed my order last week and my mill arrived late yesterday afternoon. I will definitely be posting again to let you know how well it works!

Hand Mill

There are just as many different kinds of hand mills out there too. You really have to look at what you want to grind and in what quantities, how much room you have, where you want to set your hand mill up, how fine will it grind the flour, etc.


Many people agree that the king of hand mills is the Country Living Hand Mill. I also have several friends who have this mill and say it is the best one they have ever had. I can't personally say, since I don't own one, but I can say that it is on my list for future preparedness purchases. You'll have to do your research to find a price on these that fits your budget, as you can sometimes find them on sale various places online. The website above for the mill has some good videos on their product as well.

These are the two mills that I've done the most research on and that come most highly recommended by friends of mine who use them on a daily basis. I'd love to hear from other readers who have used different mills that they really love!
------------------------------------------
Join the APN Forum at http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/
Visit the Tennessee Forum at http://www.tennesseepreppersnetwork.net/

Hand Operated Washing Machine

My husband found this interesting information about a very nifty hand washing machine device - and it looks like it would be really easy to use. It's a great price it seems at $14.95 at Emergency Essentials website (beprepared.com - mobile washer).

Here's the blog link: Preparedness Pantry - Mobile Washer (Hand Operated Washing Machine)

And the video showing it in action:


Let me know if you've ever used one of these!

------------------------------------------
Join the APN Forum at http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/
Visit the Tennessee Forum at http://www.tennesseepreppersnetwork.net/

Storing Grains

As we've mentioned before, grains will store for a much longer period of time than ground flours, if you store them properly.

There are many ways to store grains, depending on your needs and how you use them.

Many bakers I know keep some of the grain they are using often in their freezer to keep it fresh and to keep the grain at a cooler temperature when they grind it fresh from the freezer.

This works if you aren't storing a lot of grain or if you have a dedicated space in your freezer for keeping your grain.

We keep our grain in a couple of categories: immediate-use, short-term storage and long-term storage. The key is to keep your storage grains so they won't get bugs or rodents in them, and in a relatively temperature-stable condition in order to get a long storage life from your grains.

Our immediate-use grain is in a 5 gallon bucket with a gamma seal lid. I keep this grain handy so I can scoop out of it for use whenever I need it.

Our short-term storage grains are in sealed 5 gallon buckets. We put the grain into mylar bags with oxygen absorbers, sealed the bags (we use a hair straightening-iron for sealing our bags, you can pick one up at any discount retailer in the hair products section), then sealed the buckets. They are stored in an accessible area and are used to replenish my immediate use grain bucket when it gets low or runs out.

Our long-term storage grains are also in sealed 5 gallon buckets. Some we did ourselves using the mylar bag and oxygen absorber method mentioned above and some we purchased already sealed. These are stored in an out-of-the-way area that we only access about twice a year for rotation purposes and these grains are intended as part of our long-term food storage program.

You can purchase grains from many, many different places and it is best to research food co-ops in your local area as a starting point for purchasing your grains.

We have purchased many of our long-term storage buckets of grain from Emergency Preparedness - they will ship the 5 gallon buckets of grain to you with a minimum order of 6 buckets. They come via FedEx on a pallet delivered right to your door. This is one of the best ways we've found to get our long-term storage grains; shipping is only a flat $12.00 for any order over $120.01!!! This is an very cost-effective way to get heavy items like buckets of grain delivered to you.

Another option we have in West TN is a local farmer who places a bulk grain order twice each year for customers who pre-order. He does a spring and fall order and then you pick up your order from him in North Mississippi when it arrives. You can order in sealed food grade pails (not in mylar, but in sealed buckets) or in bags. We've known the Funderburk family for awhile now and they are fantastic to work with: FunderFarm is the link to their website. They also sell grains and mixes already ground and ready to use, as well as different grinders.

In another post we'll talk about the different grain grinders and what we've found that we like best.
------------------------------------------
Join the APN Forum at http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/
Visit the Tennessee Forum at http://www.tennesseepreppersnetwork.net/