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!
------------------------------------------
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Showing posts with label how to. Show all posts
Showing posts with label how to. Show all posts
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
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.
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.
------------------------------------------
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Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Solar Oven Cooking
One of the latest acquisitions for our long-term cooking needs is a Solar Oven. Should the need arise to cook without electricity or propane, if you want to cook without smoke or strong smells - solar oven cooking is a fantastic choice.
We chose this particular solar oven - Global Sun Oven Solar Cooker.
It retails at the time of this writing for $201.95 plus shipping. At the time we were shopping, it was the one we thought was the best deal for the money. We wanted one that was big enough to cook a couple loaves of bread, or a casserole or something like that, but still have it portable.
The oven was shipped to us very quickly - we received it within a week of ordering. It was well-packaged and had no shipping damage. We also ordered one Water Pasteurization Indicator.
This oven folds up to about the size of a suitcase. It has a nice leveling tray inside that can be used or removed. It has a leveling leg in the back and is very lightweight for ease of movement - weighing about 21 pounds. The reflector panels fold up neatly and snap onto the oven box when not in use and there is a carrying handle, which makes it easily portable.
My oldest daughter tried it out yesterday - she mixed up a package brownie mix and put it in a dark pan - a 9" round cake pan. The directions say that dark pans work best for absorbing the heat for cooking.
We placed the oven in the backyard and lined it up so that thepanels were directly facing the sun. We put the brownies in on the leveling tray, shut and latched the glass front door and it was quickly about 210 degrees in the oven. We checked after about 20 minutes and the oven temperature was 280 degrees.
The brownie mix called for cooking in a traditional oven for about 26 minutes. We had to move our Sun Oven twice to keep up with the sun - we were cooking around 2:30 in the afternoon. The air temperature was about 94 degrees. Our oven did hit 300 degrees and the brownies cooked in about 50 minutes.
There was no burning on the edges, the brownies were crisp on the outside and very chewy on the inside - no different than what I would expect and look for if cooking them in my traditional oven.
Overall we were very pleased with the outcome. Positives include: No heating up my traditional oven or house for cooking on a hot day; no smoke or smells that would give away my location, ease of use, portability, no using fuel that might be needed for other things - just a great purchase in my opinion.
There are many styles of solar ovens out there - you can do a search and decide for yourself which one might be best for you. There are also plans available for making your own solar oven.
And there are tons of recipes on the web that people have adapted for solar cooking - although pretty much anything you'd cook in your regular oven can be cooked in a solar oven - you just have to adapt your cooking times slightly and the solar oven doesn't seem to cook out the moisture of things as much as a regular oven does, so you might have to slightly adjust your liquid measurements for things like stew, casseroles, rice, etc.
You can even cook in the solar oven in the middle of the winter on a snow bank - all you need is sunshine!
------------------------------------------
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Wednesday, June 30, 2010
An Appleseed Weekend Wrap-up!
Well, I FINALLY got the chance to attend an Appleseed Weekend this past weekend!
For those of you who might not be familiar with what the Appleseed Project is all about just click the link - I'll summarize here but I strongly encourage you to spend some time on their website doing some reading and finding out what it is all about and if there is an Appleseed weekend headed your way!
The Revolutionary War Veterans Association (RWVA) has the Appleseed Project that is intended to teach you the skills you need that will make you a true rifleman (or woman!), not just a rifle owner. Many of us have rifles, but few of us actually practice with them like we should - few of us ever really learn the how, the why, the what about our rifles and shooting skills that will improve our marksmanship abilities.
In a weekend, these volunteer instructors give 115% of their time and talent to teach you everything they know that will make you a better marksman with your rifle. Even if you've been shooting a rifle for years - I guarantee you'll learn something new or a better way of doing things at an Appleseed that will make you a better marksman.
You will be hard-pressed anywhere else to find the level of high-quality instruction that is present during an Appleseed weekend. And you cannot beat the pricing - Appleseed weekends are currently FREE to Women, Children under 21, Active Duty, Guard or Reserve with ID. For everyone else, it is $45 per day or $70 for the weekend if you register in advance. Many of the weekend shoots sell out, but check to see if there is any last minute "pay at the door" availability if you find a way to go to a shoot but didn't pre-register.
Not only do you get some very top-quality marksmanship instruction, much of it one-on-one - but you will also learn more about the history behind the founding of this great country - the importance of rifle marksmanship skills during the times of our founders - and the sacrifices and significant events that built this nation. Things I guarantee you never learned in school and probably haven't heard before. Important things we all need to know and pass along to the generations coming after us.
If you attend an Appleseed weekend - you'll be in the company of other fine citizens there to learn and in the company of fantastic instructors there to teach. The instructors have all been through many phases of training and have shot many, many Appleseed weekends themselves before earning their instructor hats.
This past weekend our group was full of men, women and children all eager to learn everything they could to become better marksmen and to learn and share information about the great history of our nation. Some had been to previous Appleseed weekends; others were attending their very first one - but we all came away with lots of great marksmanship practice, a better understanding of our history and much improved shooting skills.
You can find a List of Things to Bring and Ways to Prepare for an Appleseed weekend at the link - just click on the wording and you'll find what you need to know to get ready.
Now for some details about this past weekend (26-27 Jun 2010). It was hot. I mean super hot. Temps around 95-98 with humidity making the heat index each day way over 100. We had a grass area for shooting and a covered area for magazine re-loading and lunch break - but we were in the sun the majority of the day. Everyone was a trooper in the heat - even the children - which was amazing.
So, when you review the list of items to take with you to an Appleseed weekend - make sure you have plenty of fluids for hydration. Even if you don't go during the heat of the summer - you are going to be working, concentrating, walking, shooting - you will be active the whole weekend and you'll need to stay hydrated. Not staying hydrated will affect your vision, will give you headaches and will take away from your concentration and you won't be able to do your best. So bring plenty of water and electrolytes. For food, bring light snacks that you can munch on all day to keep your energy up. Most people had lots of fruit, granola bars, energy drinks, jerky, chips, light sandwiches - but nothing too heavy.
Appleseed weekends are held all over the country - you can visit this Appleseed Schedule link to find out if there is an Appleseed weekend coming up near you.
I've had a decent amount of experience shooting handguns, but not a lot of practice shooting a rifle. So I was anxious to learn and improve my rifle skills. Trust me when I say it pays to already know a bit about your rifle - how it works, how to safely load and unload it, how to adjust your sights, have a sling for your rifle - it will save you time working out kinks on the range that is time much better spent practicing your skills.
I had taken my Ruger 10-22 that I've had forever - only to find out that it really didn't fit me well (stock too long) and I ended up using another .22 that was graciously loaned to me by instructors KYJam and her husband, Brad. If I already spent some time really practicing with my rifle, I would have known it didn't fit me well enough for an entire weekend of shooting.
We had a first-rate group of instructors - Mudcat was the Shoot Boss with his family of instructors assisting, Brad and his wife KYJam were a great team and Rich was there for his first Appleseed as an Instructor. The first thing they had us do was to shoot at a target they call the "redcoat" target. Without any instruction before shooting, this gives the instructors a good feel for where everyone is on the learning curve.
Then we got down to business learning just what makes a good rifle marksman - six steps to firing the shot, how to use a sling properly, shooting while standing, shooting while sitting, shooting prone, transitions from standing to sitting and prone, how to make sight adjustments - lots and lots of information expertly taught by instructors who truly care that you understand and learn the information so you'll be a better marksman.
One thing I really enjoyed was the fact there was no competition among those in attendance. The only person you were ever "competing" against was yourself. Always working to make yourself better - relaxing into the sling, learning how to breathe, concentrating on the front sight, learning trigger control and follow-through, learning not to "muscle" the shot, finding your natural point of aim (NPOA) - everything it takes to make you a better marksman no matter the target distance.
Although I didn't earn my rifleman patch this weekend, I came really darn close with a 202, 205 and 209. I thought it was going to be a reality - but I kept dancing around the magic 210 number and then had a scope failure on the last qualification target - so it wasn't to be this weekend. I'll definitely go for it on another weekend though! My husband did get his - it was his 2nd Appleseed and he shot a 222 twice in a row to earn his patch.
I can't say enough good things about the Appleseed Project. If you haven't been you absolutely must go. And take all your friends. Those you know love shooting and those on the fence about it. Those friends you know have a rifle they never shoot. Your wife and your wife's friends. Your boyscout or girlscout group. Your 4-H group. Your hunting buddies. Your girlfriends. The guys or girls at work - EVERYONE needs to see what this program is all about. And I can't think of a better way to introduce our youth to rifle marksmanship and our heritage than to take them to an Appleseed Weekend.
I'm hooked for sure - and plan to follow the instructor program just as soon as I get my Rifleman patch.
Here are some photos from the shoot this past weekend - thanks to the instructors who took these shots and graciously allowed me to re-post them here. Now, when you're done looking at these photos- head on over to get signed up for an Appleseed Weekend!
Instructors timing AQT:
KYJam - The Six Steps:
The Firing Line:
D - Sitting:
D - Prone:
N - Standing:
Youth prone:
Me prone:
Me standing:
Lessons In History:
------------------------------------------
Join the APN Forum at http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/
Visit the Tennessee Forum at http://www.tennesseepreppersnetwork.net/
For those of you who might not be familiar with what the Appleseed Project is all about just click the link - I'll summarize here but I strongly encourage you to spend some time on their website doing some reading and finding out what it is all about and if there is an Appleseed weekend headed your way!
The Revolutionary War Veterans Association (RWVA) has the Appleseed Project that is intended to teach you the skills you need that will make you a true rifleman (or woman!), not just a rifle owner. Many of us have rifles, but few of us actually practice with them like we should - few of us ever really learn the how, the why, the what about our rifles and shooting skills that will improve our marksmanship abilities.
In a weekend, these volunteer instructors give 115% of their time and talent to teach you everything they know that will make you a better marksman with your rifle. Even if you've been shooting a rifle for years - I guarantee you'll learn something new or a better way of doing things at an Appleseed that will make you a better marksman.
You will be hard-pressed anywhere else to find the level of high-quality instruction that is present during an Appleseed weekend. And you cannot beat the pricing - Appleseed weekends are currently FREE to Women, Children under 21, Active Duty, Guard or Reserve with ID. For everyone else, it is $45 per day or $70 for the weekend if you register in advance. Many of the weekend shoots sell out, but check to see if there is any last minute "pay at the door" availability if you find a way to go to a shoot but didn't pre-register.
Not only do you get some very top-quality marksmanship instruction, much of it one-on-one - but you will also learn more about the history behind the founding of this great country - the importance of rifle marksmanship skills during the times of our founders - and the sacrifices and significant events that built this nation. Things I guarantee you never learned in school and probably haven't heard before. Important things we all need to know and pass along to the generations coming after us.
If you attend an Appleseed weekend - you'll be in the company of other fine citizens there to learn and in the company of fantastic instructors there to teach. The instructors have all been through many phases of training and have shot many, many Appleseed weekends themselves before earning their instructor hats.
This past weekend our group was full of men, women and children all eager to learn everything they could to become better marksmen and to learn and share information about the great history of our nation. Some had been to previous Appleseed weekends; others were attending their very first one - but we all came away with lots of great marksmanship practice, a better understanding of our history and much improved shooting skills.
You can find a List of Things to Bring and Ways to Prepare for an Appleseed weekend at the link - just click on the wording and you'll find what you need to know to get ready.
Now for some details about this past weekend (26-27 Jun 2010). It was hot. I mean super hot. Temps around 95-98 with humidity making the heat index each day way over 100. We had a grass area for shooting and a covered area for magazine re-loading and lunch break - but we were in the sun the majority of the day. Everyone was a trooper in the heat - even the children - which was amazing.
So, when you review the list of items to take with you to an Appleseed weekend - make sure you have plenty of fluids for hydration. Even if you don't go during the heat of the summer - you are going to be working, concentrating, walking, shooting - you will be active the whole weekend and you'll need to stay hydrated. Not staying hydrated will affect your vision, will give you headaches and will take away from your concentration and you won't be able to do your best. So bring plenty of water and electrolytes. For food, bring light snacks that you can munch on all day to keep your energy up. Most people had lots of fruit, granola bars, energy drinks, jerky, chips, light sandwiches - but nothing too heavy.
Appleseed weekends are held all over the country - you can visit this Appleseed Schedule link to find out if there is an Appleseed weekend coming up near you.
I've had a decent amount of experience shooting handguns, but not a lot of practice shooting a rifle. So I was anxious to learn and improve my rifle skills. Trust me when I say it pays to already know a bit about your rifle - how it works, how to safely load and unload it, how to adjust your sights, have a sling for your rifle - it will save you time working out kinks on the range that is time much better spent practicing your skills.
I had taken my Ruger 10-22 that I've had forever - only to find out that it really didn't fit me well (stock too long) and I ended up using another .22 that was graciously loaned to me by instructors KYJam and her husband, Brad. If I already spent some time really practicing with my rifle, I would have known it didn't fit me well enough for an entire weekend of shooting.
We had a first-rate group of instructors - Mudcat was the Shoot Boss with his family of instructors assisting, Brad and his wife KYJam were a great team and Rich was there for his first Appleseed as an Instructor. The first thing they had us do was to shoot at a target they call the "redcoat" target. Without any instruction before shooting, this gives the instructors a good feel for where everyone is on the learning curve.
Then we got down to business learning just what makes a good rifle marksman - six steps to firing the shot, how to use a sling properly, shooting while standing, shooting while sitting, shooting prone, transitions from standing to sitting and prone, how to make sight adjustments - lots and lots of information expertly taught by instructors who truly care that you understand and learn the information so you'll be a better marksman.
One thing I really enjoyed was the fact there was no competition among those in attendance. The only person you were ever "competing" against was yourself. Always working to make yourself better - relaxing into the sling, learning how to breathe, concentrating on the front sight, learning trigger control and follow-through, learning not to "muscle" the shot, finding your natural point of aim (NPOA) - everything it takes to make you a better marksman no matter the target distance.
Although I didn't earn my rifleman patch this weekend, I came really darn close with a 202, 205 and 209. I thought it was going to be a reality - but I kept dancing around the magic 210 number and then had a scope failure on the last qualification target - so it wasn't to be this weekend. I'll definitely go for it on another weekend though! My husband did get his - it was his 2nd Appleseed and he shot a 222 twice in a row to earn his patch.
I can't say enough good things about the Appleseed Project. If you haven't been you absolutely must go. And take all your friends. Those you know love shooting and those on the fence about it. Those friends you know have a rifle they never shoot. Your wife and your wife's friends. Your boyscout or girlscout group. Your 4-H group. Your hunting buddies. Your girlfriends. The guys or girls at work - EVERYONE needs to see what this program is all about. And I can't think of a better way to introduce our youth to rifle marksmanship and our heritage than to take them to an Appleseed Weekend.
I'm hooked for sure - and plan to follow the instructor program just as soon as I get my Rifleman patch.
Here are some photos from the shoot this past weekend - thanks to the instructors who took these shots and graciously allowed me to re-post them here. Now, when you're done looking at these photos- head on over to get signed up for an Appleseed Weekend!
Instructors timing AQT:
KYJam - The Six Steps:
The Firing Line:
D - Sitting:
D - Prone:
N - Standing:
Youth prone:
Me prone:
Me standing:
Lessons In History:
------------------------------------------
Join the APN Forum at http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/
Visit the Tennessee Forum at http://www.tennesseepreppersnetwork.net/
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Homestead How-To Series
This is a GREAT series that might be of interest to those of you who home school or who want to learn more about any of these particular topics - and through this week only the 10 CD set is only $99.
I just received an email about this through my home school group - this list of CDs was on my wishlist for my anniversary and I just ordered them!
Thought I'd share the sale info for anyone else who might be interested.
Link:
http://franklinsprings.com/allfilms/...st-ladies.html
Series includes:
The Art of Bread Making
The Art of Candle Making
The Art of Soap Making
The Art of Canning
The Art of Gardening
The Art of Herbs
The Art of Cooking
The Art of Dairy
The Art of Sewing
The Art of Quilting
You can also buy the series in individual CDs or in smaller sets.
For more info about the series, you can see a YouTube video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPMl2jyMM5E
------------------------------------------
Join the APN Forum at www.AmericanPreppersNetwork.net
Visit the Tennessee Forum at www.TennesseePreppersNetwork.net
I just received an email about this through my home school group - this list of CDs was on my wishlist for my anniversary and I just ordered them!
Thought I'd share the sale info for anyone else who might be interested.
Link:
http://franklinsprings.com/allfilms/...st-ladies.html
Series includes:
The Art of Bread Making
The Art of Candle Making
The Art of Soap Making
The Art of Canning
The Art of Gardening
The Art of Herbs
The Art of Cooking
The Art of Dairy
The Art of Sewing
The Art of Quilting
You can also buy the series in individual CDs or in smaller sets.
For more info about the series, you can see a YouTube video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPMl2jyMM5E
------------------------------------------
Join the APN Forum at www.AmericanPreppersNetwork.net
Visit the Tennessee Forum at www.TennesseePreppersNetwork.net
Friday, April 2, 2010
Spring Means Appleseed!
Now that Spring is here, it's time to get to work and find an RWVA Appleseed event in your area! My daughter and I are attending one this year; my husband attended one a few years ago and has recommended it to everyone he knows. If you aren't familiar with Appleseed - here's what it is all about, taken from the RWVA Appleseed website:
WHAT IS APPLESEED?
The Appleseed Program is designed to take you from being a simple rifle owner to being a true rifleman. An American tradition, the rifleman has been defined as a marksman capable of hitting a man-sized target from 500 yards away - no ifs, ands or buts about it. This 500-yard range is traditionally known as "the rifleman's quarter-mile." A rifleman can hit just about any target he can see within that radius. Marksmanship skill (albeit with smoothbore muskets) was particularly evident in the birth of our country, and was the difference in winning the Revolutionary War, right from the first day.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
The fee for 2010 Appleseed Events is unchanged from last year: $45 a day or $70 for the weekend. Free for Women, Youth Under 21yrs, Active Military, Guard or Reserve with ID. "Pay at the door" fees: $50 a day or $80 for the weekend. Participants may be required to pay a range fee to be collected by the range.
NOTE : Online registration ends 24 hours prior to the event, in order to process paper work. If you miss it, you can still register at the door!
WHERE ARE THE SHOOTS HELD?
Appleseed shoots are held in most states - just visit the website, click on Schedule and you can filter by state to find one near you.
HOW CAN I LEARN MORE?
Visit the RWVA Appleseed website by clicking on the link. If you decide to attend an Appleseed event, the website has great information that will tell you how to prepare and what you need to bring.
See you at Appleseed!
WHAT IS APPLESEED?
The Appleseed Program is designed to take you from being a simple rifle owner to being a true rifleman. An American tradition, the rifleman has been defined as a marksman capable of hitting a man-sized target from 500 yards away - no ifs, ands or buts about it. This 500-yard range is traditionally known as "the rifleman's quarter-mile." A rifleman can hit just about any target he can see within that radius. Marksmanship skill (albeit with smoothbore muskets) was particularly evident in the birth of our country, and was the difference in winning the Revolutionary War, right from the first day.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
The fee for 2010 Appleseed Events is unchanged from last year: $45 a day or $70 for the weekend. Free for Women, Youth Under 21yrs, Active Military, Guard or Reserve with ID. "Pay at the door" fees: $50 a day or $80 for the weekend. Participants may be required to pay a range fee to be collected by the range.
NOTE : Online registration ends 24 hours prior to the event, in order to process paper work. If you miss it, you can still register at the door!
WHERE ARE THE SHOOTS HELD?
| Upcoming TN shoots: | |
| April 2010 | |
| Kingsport, TN - Apr 17-18 | Information or Register |
| Lobelville, TN - Apr 17-18 | Information or Register |
| Manchester, TN - Apr 17-18 | Information or Register |
| Maynardville, TN - Apr 17-18 | Information or Register |
| Puryear, TN - Apr 17-18 | Information or Register |
| May 2010 | |
| Manchester, TN - May 22-23 | Information or Register |
| June 2010 | |
| Puryear, TN - Jun 19-20 | Information or Register |
| September 2010 | |
| Manchester, TN - Sep 4-5 | Information or Register |
| Puryear, TN - Sep 4-6 | Information or Register |
HOW CAN I LEARN MORE?
Visit the RWVA Appleseed website by clicking on the link. If you decide to attend an Appleseed event, the website has great information that will tell you how to prepare and what you need to bring.
See you at Appleseed!
Monday, February 15, 2010
Ready for Spring Gardening?
I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm ready for the dustings of snow and cold weather to head out and for spring to move on in! I'm thinking about our spring garden plans for the year and what I'd like to accomplish - how about you all?
I'm going to repost and article I did from last spring about getting ready for spring gardening, just because it has so many good links in it that might come in handy. Feel free to share what your gardening plans are for the year - you might give the rest of us a good idea or two!
It could take volumes of text to go into great detail about gardening how-to, especially for those of you out there who might be doing your very first garden this year. So, I'm going to provide some links instead for great gardening resources that are already out there for you to use.
Getting the "perfect" garden spot going can take years of working the soil to get it nutrient-rich for your area of the state or country. But there are things you can do even if this is your first attempt at gardening that will make the job easier and still allow you to see some yield from your efforts.
You don't have to own a tiller, a lot of land or tons of gardening implements to get started. We've done traditional garden plots, square foot gardening, raised bed gardening, container gardening and had good yields and bad in all of them. Some of it is beyond our control - like drought, but usually just a little hard work and TLC will yield a nice little bounty for you and/or your family.
Know your climate zone: Tennessee hardiness zones range from 6a to 7b. Knowing your hardiness zone will help you determine which plants will grow in your area during what times of the year. Here's the USDA Hardiness Zone Map for TN - this one is interactive for your location using Google Maps.
Know your frost-free date: The frost-free date for my area of West TN is April 8th-15th. That is the date that it is considered "safe" to plant outdoors without having to fear a frost will come in and kill tender young plants. The past few years, we've had a hard frost / freeze around April 13th - so it pays to know this information. Here's a handy little chart from Victory Seed Company for the First and Last Freeze Dates for TN.
Know what you'll eat: It really doesn't do much good to plant a whole slew of squash or zucchini if no one in your family will eat them. So take some time first to decide what you want to eat and how you want to use it. Are you going to freeze any of your harvest? Are you going to home can any of your harvest? Are you going to dehydrate any of your harvest? Do you want to have enough to eat fresh plus plenty to put away for the winter? Do you want to grow extra to trade for other fruits or veggies you don't have the ability to plant? Do you want to grow extra for extended family members? Spend a little time thinking this through so you can take the next step and determine how much you need to plant based on how much you'd like to yield.
Some links relevant to the above:
If you want to home can, freeze or dehydrate and never have - I recommend this book as a complete guide to get you started. It covers everything you need to know about canning, freezing, dehydrating and includes fabulous recipes. I use this every year and have never had a recipe fail. Ball Blue Book of Canning and Preserving.
Know how much you need to plant: Once you know what you want to plant and what you want to do with your harvest, you can determine how many seeds / starter plants you'll need to reach your yield. Much will depend on your gardening method. You can get more plants in a smaller area if you use the square foot gardening method; you'll need a lot more room if you are using traditional row gardening, so take all of that into consideration. Here are some handy calculators:
Backwoods Home - you can go to the link, type in "gardening" in the search box and read many articles about gardening basics.
How to Plan a Farm and Garden to Feed a Family
About.com: How Much To Plant
Virginia Cooperative Extension - has a handy chart, but you'll need to use the TN planting dates if you are in TN instead of the ones on that website.
What kind of seeds? Most people trying to become more self-sufficient and grow a substantial garden to supplement or completely provide for their family's food needs will work hard to use only heirloom seeds. Heirloom seeds gathered from this year's harvest can be saved and used to plant next year's harvest. With hybrid seeds (like most you buy from any "local" stores or nurseries) the seeds from your harvest cannot be saved and used for future planting, requiring that you constantly buy new seeds. Yes, heirloom seeds might be a bit more expensive on the front-end, but once you learn the easy art of seed-saving, you'll always have the seeds you need right at hand! Here are some links - do your research and make your own decision on the company you think best deserves your business and is most dependable:
Bountiful Gardens - we've purchased lots of seeds from this site and they've always been dependable.
Marianna's Heirloom Seeds - right here in TN
New Hope Seed Company - another right here in TN
GetSeeds.net
Heirloom Seeds
Seeds of Change
SeedSavers.org
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Amishland Heirloom Seeds
Keeping it going: Once you get everything planted, you'll need to take steps to make sure your plants thrive. Watering guidelines, using mulch, natural fertilizer, weeding, bug control, composting and knowing how to start companion and rotational gardening will help you get the most from your vegetable garden for your entire growing season and those to come. More links:
National Plant Board List of Noxious Weeds
Guide to Selecting A Garden Mulch
Environmentally Responsible Gardening Products
Chemical-free pest control and garden fertilizing - Jerry Baker, Master Gardener
Dave's Garden - gardening tips
Neptune Harvest - all natural organic fertilizer
How To Compost
Compost Master
Conserving Water In The Vegetable Garden
Organic Garden Pest Control
Attracting Beneficial Insects to Your Garden
Natural Garden Pest Control
Beneficial Nematodes
Rotational Gardening
Crop Rotation
Companion Planting - Secrets of Organic Gardening
Carrots Love Tomatoes - companion planting book
Companion Planting - So Happy Together
We'll do some tire gardening again this year as well as some conventional and raised be gardening. We've had a cute little pot bellied pig who has been working hard through the fall and winter to till some of our yard for us - my husband calls her our hog-a-tiller! She's created a few 8 ft x 16 ft spaces for us that will be ready for spring - and when the time comes I'll show you what we do with them!
I'd love to hear your comments or share with me other links that gardeners here in TN might find useful!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Make Your Own Dishwasher Powder
One week I decided to see if I could make my own dishwasher powder. I've always used the Shaklee Basic D and have been very pleased with it. But, I also think it is fun to try something you can make at home that costs less and turn it into a homeschool lesson at the same time!
If you want specific measurements, you can start with 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of borax. This should make enough for you to try it and see how you like it!
I looked across the internet and would you believe how simple the recipe is??? Equal portions of Baking Soda and Borax. That's it. Easy as pie - and how inexpensive are these ingredients!!! I use 1-2 Tablespoons per load depending on how dirty the dishes are and if they've been sitting there for a while.
If you want specific measurements, you can start with 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of borax. This should make enough for you to try it and see how you like it!
I also put white distilled vinegar in the rinse compartment - this will keep your glasses shiny and without spots - and doesn't cost as much as those expensive rinse solutions you buy!
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Recipe: Anyone For Scones?
Here's a recipe you might want to try for your family this weekend. One of the all-time favorite things my family likes to have for breakfast would be scones. These are right up there with homemade blueberry pancakes and waffles. They really are very easy to make and can be made in so many varieties. We sometimes have them several times a week!
For breakfast, my husband likes them best with dried cranberries, walnuts and orange zest. We dip these hot out of the oven into local honey. Yum. The girls' favorite is chocolate chip, which I sometimes make for breakfast for them, but most often as an afternoon snack. They also make a great dinner bread with sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan cheese. Makes my mouth water just writing about them!
Here's our basic recipe:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar (can be decreased or omitted, depending on variety you make)
4 Tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)
3/4 cup milk (can use cream for added richness if desired)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. (This picture show the dough after incorporating the butter. I added chocolate chips to these and am about to lightly mix them in with a fork).
Add milk and blend well; the finished dough should be sticky. Flour a flat work space and knead the dough for about 1/2 minute. Press out to about 1/2 inch or less thickness ~ 
and cut into any shape desired. Triangles are traditional. 
Transfer to a baking sheet. (Be wary of little hands trying to snatch them before they are even cooked yet!)
Bake for 15 minutes and immediately remove from baking pan to cooling rack. Yield is about 12 depending on shape and size.
Varieties:
Cranberry Orange: After cutting in butter and before adding milk, stir in with a fork about 1/2 cup dried cranberries and orange zest to taste. You can also stir in some chopped walnuts. Proceed with the rest of the recipe as written. Finish the top with demerara sugar before baking if desired.
Citrus: After cutting in butter and before adding milk, stir in with a fork lemon and orange zest to taste. You can also stir in some chopped walnuts. Another breakfast favorite here with local honey!
Chocolate Chip: After cutting in butter and before adding milk, stir in with a fork about 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips and proceed with the recipe as written. For these, you want to be sure to add the 1/4 cup of sugar. These will hardly last the afternoon at our house!
NOTE: I always use a pastry cloth when working with doughs instead of putting my flour on the countertop or on waxed paper. When you lightly flour your pastry cloth, it will keep the dough from sticking to the surface without incorporating extra flour into the dough you are working.
For breakfast, my husband likes them best with dried cranberries, walnuts and orange zest. We dip these hot out of the oven into local honey. Yum. The girls' favorite is chocolate chip, which I sometimes make for breakfast for them, but most often as an afternoon snack. They also make a great dinner bread with sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan cheese. Makes my mouth water just writing about them!
Here's our basic recipe:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar (can be decreased or omitted, depending on variety you make)
4 Tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)
3/4 cup milk (can use cream for added richness if desired)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. (This picture show the dough after incorporating the butter. I added chocolate chips to these and am about to lightly mix them in with a fork).
Add milk and blend well; the finished dough should be sticky. Flour a flat work space and knead the dough for about 1/2 minute. Press out to about 1/2 inch or less thickness ~ and cut into any shape desired. Triangles are traditional. Transfer to a baking sheet. (Be wary of little hands trying to snatch them before they are even cooked yet!) Bake for 15 minutes and immediately remove from baking pan to cooling rack. Yield is about 12 depending on shape and size.Varieties:
Cranberry Orange: After cutting in butter and before adding milk, stir in with a fork about 1/2 cup dried cranberries and orange zest to taste. You can also stir in some chopped walnuts. Proceed with the rest of the recipe as written. Finish the top with demerara sugar before baking if desired.
Citrus: After cutting in butter and before adding milk, stir in with a fork lemon and orange zest to taste. You can also stir in some chopped walnuts. Another breakfast favorite here with local honey!
Chocolate Chip: After cutting in butter and before adding milk, stir in with a fork about 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips and proceed with the recipe as written. For these, you want to be sure to add the 1/4 cup of sugar. These will hardly last the afternoon at our house!
NOTE: I always use a pastry cloth when working with doughs instead of putting my flour on the countertop or on waxed paper. When you lightly flour your pastry cloth, it will keep the dough from sticking to the surface without incorporating extra flour into the dough you are working.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Cast Iron Cookware Care
I really love to cook with my cast iron cookware. My favorite skillet is one that belonged to my grandmother - it is so seasoned that it cooks like you wouldn't believe and nothing sticks to it! Here is some information that I've learned along the way about caring for cast iron.
- Cast iron is very cost effective. It is so durable that it will last a lifetime or longer with proper care. It is an excellent heat conductor - can go from stove top to oven - it is very versatile. It isn't used by as many people today mainly because it is heavy and a lot of people don't know how to properly season it.
- Seasoning cast iron is done so the pan will become non-stick and to seal the pores so there will be no odor retention. Here's how you do it:
- Lightly oil the pan with vegetable oil. If it has a lid, oil it as well.
- Place the pan (and lid) in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour.
- Make sure the pan is placed in upside down - this is essential or the oil will bake in the pan and leave a sticky residue.
- It might take 2-3 times of doing this before it is seasoned well for the first use.
- If you store your cast iron with paper towels between the pans, the towels will absorb any moisture and prevent rusting.
- If the pan has been seasoned improperly and is already sticky, you can remove this residue with LOTS of elbow grease using steel wool with no detergent and hot water. After it is clean, re-season it.
- If there is rust, you must scrub it and then re-season it. For severe rust, you can put the pan in your oven on the self-cleaning setting, then wash the pan and re-season it.
- I rarely wash my cast iron skillets with detergent, just a rinse and wipe dry seems to keep them clean and rust free.
- If you cook anything with a tomato or very acid sauce in your cast iron, you might need to re-season it.
If you've never cooked with cast iron, I really encourage you to give it a try! We haven't used non-stick cookware in our house for years - I rely solely on my cast iron and my stainless steel cookware that has copper bottoms.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
7 Best First Aid Kits For Any Situation
Here's another great article from Popular Mechanics that I thought I'd share with you all:
The 7 Best First Aid Kits For Any Situation
The 7 Best First Aid Kits For Any Situation
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Hardship Drill - Could You?
Guest post from Ohio Preppers Network.
Hardship drill
Hardship drill
Fire drills. Hurricane/tornado evacuation drills. Home intruder drills. Bug-out drills. All essential activities to engage in as part of your and your families preps. However, these address preparing for more or less single isolated events-- although you should also prepare for the aftermath. But what about preparing for hardships like job loss? Sure, you have a cache of food stores, hopefully of cash on hand, etc. What more can you do?
I'd like to suggest the "Hardship Drill." A Hardship Drill is a longer-term prepping activity designed to help you and your family learn how to deal with deprivation. Here's what I have in mind, but each family could tailor this to their own situation and habits.
I'm suggesting that each family member give up something for a week. That something should now be a regular item in the family's budget, and preferably one that ain't cheap. It could be a service like home internet, cable TV (hey Dad, can you live for a week without NFL ticket?), or cell phone service (or maybe just the texting feature). Whatever it is, it should be something you are now spending money on that might find itself on the chopping block if you are forced to cut expenses. Alternatively, the entire family could give up the same thing and go through withdrawl together!
I know some of you are living a real Hardship Drill that's lasting longer than a week. What do you think? Is it worth preparing for the psychological effects of "downsizing" a household?
Monday, November 23, 2009
Ideas for Saving on Your Electric Bill
Saving on your electric bill
If you're a frugal prepper then you want to save money everywhere you can. You're electric bill is probably the easiest place to find waste that you can start to cut out. I'll tell you a little bit about what we've done to kill the watts in our Bug-In-Location. (I call it that, because we've always lived in areas that we would want to be if things ever get real bad...if the SHTF, we're bugging in, not out)
Our first choice was location. If you have a choice on where to live and want to focus on reduced energy costs, then choose a place in the northern states, preferably where firewood is accessible. I'll get into firewood more in a bit, because the focus right now is how my wife got our electric bill down to $51 in the month of July and about $60 in the month of August.
By living up north the need for air conditioning is minimal...Even if it's what we'd consider hot, it's not like you're going to die if you don't have air conditioning. Yes we do have one small window mounted unit, but it's rarely ever used and only as an amenity.
Here are some more tips:
*Insulation: If you are looking for a home, then get one with thick walls and adequate insulation. Our home is built with 2x6 exterior walls. Now I'm not a building expert but I do know the better the R value the better insulated your home is. This is even good to pay attention to in hot climates as you want to keep the heat out and the cool in. Make sure you have proper vapor barriers, and have sealed all drafts and that the attic and floor are also well insulated. Solid Core wood doors and double pane insulated windows are also a must. Wood transfers less heat than metal.
*Color: For siding, go with light colors rather than dark. Light colors reflect heat better and will actually reduce heat build up by several degrees. Do this with the roof also as that is where the direct exposure to the sun is. Now if you live in an area that is normally cool in the summer and very cold in the winter you may just want to do the opposite to absorb as much heat as possible.
*Shade Trees: we have tall trees and mountains where we live so our home receives a substantial amount of shade keeping it cool even in the summer months
*Windows: In the summer, when it's cool outside at night open your windows to cool the inside, then close them during the day. Keep the curtains closed to keep the sunlight out. In the winter, keep the windows closed and curtains open to draw in the sunlight for natural warmth
*Appliances and electronics: Keep them unplugged when not using them. Yes, most appliances and electronics still continue to consume energy even when they are turned off
*Hot Water Heater: We use this as a convenience...Really, do you need hot water to survive? If we did away with this amenity I'm sure we would have had a $25 electric bill rather than a $51 bill. But if you must use it, then turn the temperature down so that it's bearable to run your hand in the hot water even with the cold water turned off.
*Dryer: This is probably the next biggest loser of electricity next to hot water heaters....Come on now, use a clothes line! This one isn't rocket science.
*Turn out the lights: We see no need to have the lights on during the day, and go to bed when it's dark. Do you have kids and find this to be a tough rule to enforce? Then swap out your switches with switches that have motion detectors, light sensors, and timers. They can be set to only come on when it's dark and when someone moves in the room, this also makes for a great safety feature. When no one is moving in the room they will shut off automatically. We're staying with the incandescents because while they may use more watts they are dirt cheap to buy compared to the CFL's and are non-toxic. We plan to stock up on them before 2010 when they will no longer be sold in stores...If you rarely use them to begin with, then why not? I'd almost bet that I have incandescents that are used so rarely that they'll last longer than a CFL bulb that gets used constantly.
*Buy Energy Star Appliances: All of our appliances are new...Our newest addition is a Kenmore Energy Star freezer and is said to only use about $35 worth of electricity per year. Got more time on your hands, then can your food...Who says you have to have a freezer to store food anyway? If the grid goes down your freezer will only work as a box to store dry goods in anyway. This is another amenity.
And lastly, my favorite, Wood Stoves:
It's easier and cheaper to keep a home warm than it is to keep it cool if you have access to firewood. We live in Northern Idaho on acreage so wood is basically free. Despite what environmentalists say, it's good to burn firewood if you have an efficient wood stove. A dead tree is breeding grounds for beetles that kill more trees and adds to the danger of forest fires if not removed. Do the forest and your neighbors a favor and remove the dead trees, check local laws first. If it's gonna burn, might as well be inside your fireplace keeping your house warm and reducing the strain on the grid rather becoming a danger to the forest. If the dead tree rots, termites and other insects that devour it will release methane into the atmosphere adding to the infamous "Global Warming"...LOL...If Environmentalists had any sense they would be proponents of efficient wood stoves for heating homes....A wood stove can also be used to cook your food, heat water, and dry your clothes (No, don't put your clothes on the stove, hang them a safe distance well away from the stove so they don't catch on fire.) Always consult with a professional and follow proper instructions on the usage of wood stoves. Our Wood stove is installed in the basement which is common practice where we live. Heat rises, therefore the whole house is heated more uniformly, again, check local laws and codes and seek professional advice before installing a wood stove.
I have several more tips about saving on power, just cant seem to think of any more off the top of my head at the moment. The most important thing to remember is every little bit helps. If it wasn't for "wanting" the amenities like the hot water, computer, and freezer, we could go off grid tomorrow, and use a generator when we really need power.
Our first choice was location. If you have a choice on where to live and want to focus on reduced energy costs, then choose a place in the northern states, preferably where firewood is accessible. I'll get into firewood more in a bit, because the focus right now is how my wife got our electric bill down to $51 in the month of July and about $60 in the month of August.
By living up north the need for air conditioning is minimal...Even if it's what we'd consider hot, it's not like you're going to die if you don't have air conditioning. Yes we do have one small window mounted unit, but it's rarely ever used and only as an amenity.
Here are some more tips:
*Insulation: If you are looking for a home, then get one with thick walls and adequate insulation. Our home is built with 2x6 exterior walls. Now I'm not a building expert but I do know the better the R value the better insulated your home is. This is even good to pay attention to in hot climates as you want to keep the heat out and the cool in. Make sure you have proper vapor barriers, and have sealed all drafts and that the attic and floor are also well insulated. Solid Core wood doors and double pane insulated windows are also a must. Wood transfers less heat than metal.
*Color: For siding, go with light colors rather than dark. Light colors reflect heat better and will actually reduce heat build up by several degrees. Do this with the roof also as that is where the direct exposure to the sun is. Now if you live in an area that is normally cool in the summer and very cold in the winter you may just want to do the opposite to absorb as much heat as possible.
*Shade Trees: we have tall trees and mountains where we live so our home receives a substantial amount of shade keeping it cool even in the summer months
*Windows: In the summer, when it's cool outside at night open your windows to cool the inside, then close them during the day. Keep the curtains closed to keep the sunlight out. In the winter, keep the windows closed and curtains open to draw in the sunlight for natural warmth
*Appliances and electronics: Keep them unplugged when not using them. Yes, most appliances and electronics still continue to consume energy even when they are turned off
*Hot Water Heater: We use this as a convenience...Really, do you need hot water to survive? If we did away with this amenity I'm sure we would have had a $25 electric bill rather than a $51 bill. But if you must use it, then turn the temperature down so that it's bearable to run your hand in the hot water even with the cold water turned off.
*Dryer: This is probably the next biggest loser of electricity next to hot water heaters....Come on now, use a clothes line! This one isn't rocket science.
*Turn out the lights: We see no need to have the lights on during the day, and go to bed when it's dark. Do you have kids and find this to be a tough rule to enforce? Then swap out your switches with switches that have motion detectors, light sensors, and timers. They can be set to only come on when it's dark and when someone moves in the room, this also makes for a great safety feature. When no one is moving in the room they will shut off automatically. We're staying with the incandescents because while they may use more watts they are dirt cheap to buy compared to the CFL's and are non-toxic. We plan to stock up on them before 2010 when they will no longer be sold in stores...If you rarely use them to begin with, then why not? I'd almost bet that I have incandescents that are used so rarely that they'll last longer than a CFL bulb that gets used constantly.
*Buy Energy Star Appliances: All of our appliances are new...Our newest addition is a Kenmore Energy Star freezer and is said to only use about $35 worth of electricity per year. Got more time on your hands, then can your food...Who says you have to have a freezer to store food anyway? If the grid goes down your freezer will only work as a box to store dry goods in anyway. This is another amenity.
And lastly, my favorite, Wood Stoves:
It's easier and cheaper to keep a home warm than it is to keep it cool if you have access to firewood. We live in Northern Idaho on acreage so wood is basically free. Despite what environmentalists say, it's good to burn firewood if you have an efficient wood stove. A dead tree is breeding grounds for beetles that kill more trees and adds to the danger of forest fires if not removed. Do the forest and your neighbors a favor and remove the dead trees, check local laws first. If it's gonna burn, might as well be inside your fireplace keeping your house warm and reducing the strain on the grid rather becoming a danger to the forest. If the dead tree rots, termites and other insects that devour it will release methane into the atmosphere adding to the infamous "Global Warming"...LOL...If Environmentalists had any sense they would be proponents of efficient wood stoves for heating homes....A wood stove can also be used to cook your food, heat water, and dry your clothes (No, don't put your clothes on the stove, hang them a safe distance well away from the stove so they don't catch on fire.) Always consult with a professional and follow proper instructions on the usage of wood stoves. Our Wood stove is installed in the basement which is common practice where we live. Heat rises, therefore the whole house is heated more uniformly, again, check local laws and codes and seek professional advice before installing a wood stove.
I have several more tips about saving on power, just cant seem to think of any more off the top of my head at the moment. The most important thing to remember is every little bit helps. If it wasn't for "wanting" the amenities like the hot water, computer, and freezer, we could go off grid tomorrow, and use a generator when we really need power.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
8 Tools and Gadgets for Any Disaster
Here's great list over at Popular Mechanics that you should check out:
8 Tools and Gadgets to Prepare Your Home For Any Disaster
8 Tools and Gadgets to Prepare Your Home For Any Disaster
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Micro Greenhouse Idea
Ultra Micro Greenhouse
This was just an experiment and it worked great for me. I took a plastic juice jug which I have plenty of and made a Ultra Mirco Greenhouse. I just cut the jug in two, placed some compost inside and planted my seeds. Add a little water and put the top half back on, be sure to replace the lid this also it helps to keep the heat and the water inside. I only watered them when I first planted them and that's it. Seeds sprouted in just a few days. Set them in the window sill so they can get some sun and watch them grow. After your sprouts get a few inches high move them into a larger container.
This is a great idea to get a jump start on your Victory Garden. Raising food is a must for any long term survival situation or self sufficent life.
I used what I had on hand at the time which must be practiced in these situations.
for more great articles visit: prepperbook.blogspot.com
Friday, November 20, 2009
Dogs as Part of Personal Security
Before you get a dog
Before you get a dog, planning and research are in order. After all, this dog will become a member of your family and survival group. As in all things, the 5 P’s prevail: Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance.
First, list what you want from the dog. Is the dog expected to protect people, protect property, give alarm, reduce vermin (rats and such), hunt, raise morale, more? Put those characteristics in order of priority. Most breeds of dog are specialized. They will do some things superbly, and others not at all. Hunting dogs are further specialized into hunting by sight (grayhounds, etc) and by scent (most hounds, among others). Only one breed of dog has been successful at both guarding and hunting as far as I know, that would be the Rhodesian Ridgeback. Hunting dogs generally will protect the person and family, but will not protect property – my neighbor’s Golden Retriever ignored the people that ransacked his house while he was working. Guard dogs are normally hopeless at hunting – my herding dog simply doesn’t understand fetch, let alone hunting.
Next, list your care constraints. How much room do you have? How much can you apply to purchase, training and continuing care? How much time will you give to the dog? Larger dogs need more room, some breeds need room to run. Walking and grooming the dog are continuing needs that take up different amounts of time depending on the dog and breed. Long-hair breeds need lots of combing, but handle cold weather well. Short-hair breeds don’t need as much grooming and are better in warm weather (but they still shed lots of fur, it just comes off easier). If there are allergies to consider, a poodle may be the only choice. Because of their hair, poodles can be kept by people that are allergic to dogs.
Once you have your two lists, research to find the best fit. http://www.justdogbreeds.com/ is a good place to start. Settle on the breed(s) that will work for you.
First, list what you want from the dog. Is the dog expected to protect people, protect property, give alarm, reduce vermin (rats and such), hunt, raise morale, more? Put those characteristics in order of priority. Most breeds of dog are specialized. They will do some things superbly, and others not at all. Hunting dogs are further specialized into hunting by sight (grayhounds, etc) and by scent (most hounds, among others). Only one breed of dog has been successful at both guarding and hunting as far as I know, that would be the Rhodesian Ridgeback. Hunting dogs generally will protect the person and family, but will not protect property – my neighbor’s Golden Retriever ignored the people that ransacked his house while he was working. Guard dogs are normally hopeless at hunting – my herding dog simply doesn’t understand fetch, let alone hunting.
Next, list your care constraints. How much room do you have? How much can you apply to purchase, training and continuing care? How much time will you give to the dog? Larger dogs need more room, some breeds need room to run. Walking and grooming the dog are continuing needs that take up different amounts of time depending on the dog and breed. Long-hair breeds need lots of combing, but handle cold weather well. Short-hair breeds don’t need as much grooming and are better in warm weather (but they still shed lots of fur, it just comes off easier). If there are allergies to consider, a poodle may be the only choice. Because of their hair, poodles can be kept by people that are allergic to dogs.
Once you have your two lists, research to find the best fit. http://www.justdogbreeds.com/ is a good place to start. Settle on the breed(s) that will work for you.
for more great articles visit: prepperbook.blogspot.com
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Why We Should Store Food
The Basics of Being Prepared with Food & Why We Should Do It
In this country, we have become used to a certain way of living. We don’t have to hunt for food any more, our time is taken up with making or spending money and we have time for leisure activities and hobbies. Time for household chores has been cut dramatically, and cooking can be as quick as you want it. You can “drive thru”, go to a restaurant, cook on the bbq, create a home made masterpiece or “nuke” a hot pocket. Your local grocer has everything you could ever want to feed your family.There are several problems with this.
The first is especially obvious in these current times, and that is the economy. Food prices are rising, nothing goes down…well, unless you believe in Wal Mart’s “roll back” pricing signs! Our very paycheck is at risk these days with such high unemployment. The prices go up even more when gas prices increase, which brings us to reason #2.
Our lovely, fully stocked grocer is only 3-7 days away from being almost empty! Your grocer (drug store, gas station, home depot) depends on a delivery to remain stocked. Raise the price of transport, raise the price of groceries. Stop the transport (due to a flu pandemic, an electrical outage, a natural disaster etc) and stop the groceries.
Nasty stuff is out there…we’ve heard of the poisonings and illnesses created by eating contaminated food. The government has the controls in place to prevent much of that, but they’d rather create more restrictive bills that will have us relying on big agribusiness. (another rant and a debate for another time lol). However, from time to time, things will slip by FDA and inspectors. Much of the problem is because we are spoiled and continue to demand food from other countries, out of season. We can add to that, our needs are so great that farms use chemicals to ensure the demand is met. This all can be solved by following what is called “The Hundred Mile Diet”. Eat food that is locally grown! Not only are you supporting local economy, you are eating food that is better adapted to your body. It’s also more likely to be less contaminated with harsh chemicals. Better yet, grow your own! A by-product of our eating habits is that we don’t always make meals that were once considered wholesome, hearty and healthy. We view them as too plain or fattening. This need not be true! All we need to do is make appropriate substitutions. But by fixing your own food from scratch, you definitely help with a variety of issues. Not to mention that your family will be very happy.
So, what does this have to do with Being Prepared? Well, the first thing that you need if something goes wrong, is food. FEMA, Homeland Security, Ready.gov, every state in the country, and even the White House suggest that every family be prepared for an emergency/interruption of services with food and water for 72 hours. However, that wouldn’t have done the people stranded in Katrina much good! The NEW suggestion is that you have at least 2 weeks worth of food, if not 30 days. That is the beginning of your basic food “preps” (preparations/emergency supplies).
So, how do you go about getting 2 weeks to 30 days worth of food? Do you have to resort to buying MRE’s (meals ready to eat like Army rations)? Are you going to turn into one of those wierdo’s that lives in a bunker with a thousand cans of Spam? Of course not, and it’s easy to do!
I follow the principle of “storing what I eat and eating what I store”. It’s kind of like having my own grocery store. It’s what used to be known as a full pantry in the old days.
Every time I go grocery shopping, when something I use is on sale, I get as many of that item as I can afford. For instance, we eat spaghetti often. When pasta is on sale, I pick up 10 boxes instead of two. When spaghetti sauce is on sale, I pick up 10 cans/jars. The shelf life of pasta (properly stored) is about 10 years. The shelf life of your canned/jarred sauce is about 5 years. I know that I have enough food for 10 meals without my family noticing that I haven’t been to the store! Of course, I do the same with tuna and mayo, flour and sugar and many other things. Make a menu for three meals a day for a week. All the stuff you would normally make, include comfort foods like brownie stuff) and then multiply the ingredients by 4 and then as the items go on sale, you can purchase enough. Soon, you will have enough to feed the family for a month with no hassles.
Consider why this might come in handy:
Economic/unemployment
Flu/quarantine (yes, the government CAN quarantine you for 2 weeks! NO trips to the store)
Natural disaster (hurricane, earthquake, fire)
Civil unrest (probably due to unemployment and high taxes lol)
Martial Law
Terror Attack
Your first responsibility to yourself and your family is to feed them, then defend them…can’t defend, can’t start a new life, can’t wait till the problem is solved if you starve to death!) You can’t be a Patriot and fight the government when they have food and you don’t.
Author: HerbalPagan
Visit: GreenSurviving.blogspot.com
Massachusettspreppersnetwork.blogspot.com
for more great articles visit: prepperbook.blogspot.com
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Fire Starters
Gear Review: Fire Starters
Author: MathiasjMaking a fire is the most important thing in a survival situation. It can provide you with warmth, food, and a huge moral booster. Fire is also useful when camping and for fellowship of friends and family. There are many different ways to start a fire and knowing different ways to start a fire is important whether you're in a survival situation or not. A fire needs 3 elements to burn (fire triangle) heat, fuel, and oxygen. Sufficient heat is needed to start any fire, and the proper fuel to oxygen ratio is needed to keep a fire going.
First off is the trusty lighter or matches. Every prepper should have a few packs of quality Bic lighters put back, and a few thousand matches. This is the easiest way to start a fire. When starting any fire you will need something to burn to get the wood going. Newspaper is good to use to start a fire, and those free want ad papers at gas stations are great to have on hand. You want to stay away from using fuels to light a fire, especially if you plan on cooking over the fire. You run the risk of getting those chemicals on your food.
The next best thing to a lighter or matches is a firesteel. A firesteel should be part of every preppers survival kit. Whether it's your get home bag, everyday carry, bug out bag, or camping supplies; a firesteel is invaluable. If you're lighter runs out, or your matches get wet, your fire steel is your last line of defense so to speak. A firesteel works by moving a metal blade across a magnesium alloy to create sparks that can get up to 5,500°F. Those hot sparks can be thrown on a number of different types of tinder to start a flame that will light your fire. Firesteels can even be used in the rain or snow and will last for around 12,000 strikes.Here are some ideas for tinder:
-Vaseline Soaked Cotton Balls
-Hand Sanitizer Soaked Cotton Balls
-Dryer Lint
-Pine Needles
-Dried Grass
-Unraveled twine
There are a lot of ways to start fires in the wilderness if you don't have a lighter or firesteel. I will do a part 2 to this post detailing some ways to start a fire without them. This post is to show that you need to have these things on hand so you don't have to rub sticks together to try to keep yourself warm at night. A firesteel can fit in your pocket and is a crucial part of your everyday carry.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Budget Prepping
4 Super-Cheap Prepping Resources
Author: The Survival MomTheSurvivalMom.com
Our family is simultaneously trying to become debt-free, save as much money as we can, have at least six months of food on hand, and take care of some badly needed DIY home projects. Believe me, I need every cheap resource I can possibly find to help me toward my prepping goals! The four cheapest resources I have found are all available to you, too!
1. Garage and Estate Sales
Been there, done that? Aren’t thrilled about buying other people’s junk? When you’re prepping, your shopping will have a focus, and I think you’ll find these sales a useful resource. Keep a list of items still needed for your 72 Hour Kit or general preparedness. This list will help you visit more garage and estate sales in less time because usually, with a quick glance, you can tell if a sale has what you need.
Even better, use online garage sale locators. Google “local garage sales” or something similar. You’ll be surprised at what pops up! Often, these sites will list items at the sale, and this can help you choose which sales to visit. You can also find estate sales in your area here. I prefer estate sales since everything in the house will be sold, down to half used bottles of Windex. Here are a few things I’ve been looking for:
* tools — I don’t want to count on, “Made in China” if we’re ever truly in a bind. Tools made decades ago will be high quality with lots of years still left in them.
* backpacks, gym bags — I need two more backpacks for our personal 72 Hour Kits and miscellaneous gym-size bags are great for holding all kinds of gear to take camping.
* camping equipment — we have a tent but nothing else. My husband is hardly Grizzly Adams! I would especially like an outdoor cook stove.
Remember, once you know what you want, the search goes much more quickly!
Oh! BONUS TIP! Retirement communities often run their garage sales Thursday through Saturday.. You can get a jump on all the other bargain hunters by heading to these neighborhoods early on Thursday mornings!
2. Freecycle.org
Freecycle is exactly what it sounds like. Recyling things you own by giving them away for free. Once you’ve signed up with a Freecycle email group in your area, you’ll begin receiving regular notices from other members with offers of free “stuff”.
I’ve seen some great items offered on Freecycle that would help out any prepper. Watch for glass canning jars, camping equipment, water barrels, dog crates, and so much more. Usually what is offered is mentioned in the email’s subject line so you can scan through them quickly. Remember to offer things hanging around your house or garage that you no longer want or need!
3. Dollar Stores
Don’t forget to visit your local dollar store! Apparently, dollar stores are becoming quite trendy. Who would have guessed?
I took a stroll through one near my home last weekend, and here are some of the best bargains I found.
* binders starting at just $2
* a package of 8 small memo books for $2. These are great for keeping in your car, your 72 Hour Kits and your purse.
* vinyl shower curtain, $2 Multiple uses for this including a ground cover and a quickie tent.
* can opener, $1.25
* chess game, $4. Would be useful in providing entertainment during a crisis.
* triple antibiotic cream, $2.30, along with a good variety of other pharmaceuticals
* large bottles of spices for $1
* a can of Quick Flat Fix, $3
* a 6-pack of Top Ramen, $1.10
Not everything is a great bargain, but you won’t know that unless you’re paying attention to prices at regular retail stores. Would you believe, I didn’t think my town even had dollar stores until I checked out these websites. What a find!
* Dollar Tree
* Family Dollar
* Big Lots!
4. Friends, Relatives, Neighbors, Casual Acquaintances…
You get the idea! Every one of us has stuff around the house, in the attic, out in the garage, in a storage unit, etc., etc. that we’ll never use again, and so do your friends, relatives, neighbors, and so on. When you get to the end of your prepping list, and you still have items you need, why not ask around?
Consider a casual barter agreement to get what you want, such as a few hours babysitting in exchange for a tent or a set of sleeping bags. Here’s a great article on the age-old practice of bartering.
We don’t know when an emergency will happen, and it just makes sense to get your preparations in order as quickly as you can. If you’re like me, your don’t have an infinite amount of money to prepare for everything, perfectly, all at once. I decided to jump in and do what I can, when I can, and I’ve been pretty impressed with how quickly my prepping has come together with these four money-savers!
Check out these four cheap resources and see if your dollar doesn’t go a whole lot farther! Soon, you’ll be ready for just about anything!
for more great articles visit: prepperbook.blogspot.com
Monday, November 16, 2009
Survival Literature for Children
INSTANT SURVIVAL TIP: Survival-Savvy Kids Literature
Author: The Survival MomTheSurvivalMom.com
Are your kids wondering why, all of a sudden, they’re seeing buckets of wheat around the house, and Mom is reading up on how to can meat? Our kids are already hearing about job losses, families losing their homes, and it’s no wonder that many of them are pretty anxious about current events.
A great way to talk with them about your own plans for being prepared for hard times is to read together, books like Little House on the Prairie, Farmer Boy, Hatchet and My Side of the Mountain.
The Sign of the Beaver is one of my family’s favorites about a boy left on his own in Indian country. Your kids will be impressed with his ingenuity.
These books, along with many others, illustrate people working to be self-sufficient and prepared for the future. Summertime is a great time to spend reading together. Why not choose a book that illustrates your own values and goals and learn together?
for more great articles visit: prepperbook.blogspot.com
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