Home gardening offers ways to trim grocery costs [Survival Today, an on going thread]

oroccan Flatbread (R’ghayef)

Moroccan women make this bread on the street, deftly flattening the dough on griddles with hardened fingers that can withstand the heat. It’s an example of a multilayered flatbread, with a buttery filling between the dough layers. Great for sopping up a spicy Moroccan soup or stew.

INGREDIENTS:
The Dough
1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour + more for kneading
1/2 teaspoon salt

The Filling
1/2 onion, very finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil

INSTRUCTIONS:
Stir the yeast into 6 tablespoons tepid water until creamy.

Stir flour and salt together in a bowl. Add yeast water, gradually working it in with your hand until dough is slightly wetter than that for bread. Knead briefly on a lightly floured work surface, dusting with flour as needed, then cover with an inverted bowl and let rest 15 minutes.

Put the onion, parsley, butter and spices in a bowl and mix well.

Smear your work surface and hands with vegetable oil and divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Shape each into a ball. Working with 1 ball at a time, flatten into a very thin circle. If the dough is elastic and wants to spring back, let it rest for a few moments, then try again. The circle should be as thin as you can make it without tearing. Spread a quarter of the filling over the dough. Fold it in thirds like a letter. With a short side nearest you, fold the bottom third toward the center, then fold the top third under the center accordion-style to make a small square. Repeat with remaining dough.

With oiled hands, pat and stretch each small square into a large square. The square should be as thin as you can make it without tearing the dough.

Preheat a griddle to medium. Grease it lightly with vegetable oil, or grease a large nonstick skillet with vegetable oil and place over moderate heat. Cook flattened squares on both sides until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve hot or warm.

Recipe source: San Francisco Chronicle

http://www.kitchengardeners.org/cooking_and_recipes/

Crockpot Taco Filling

This dish comes courtesy of Jennifer Love of Kentucky who makes enough of it to fill her three boys’ tummies and her freezer as well We’ve scaled the proportions back for those of you interested in trying it out first.

Ingredients:
3 lbs of ground or finely cut meat. We use combinations of beef, lamb, turkey, chicken and/or venison.
3-4 medium onions, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
1 small habeñero pepper or other hot peppers, I use seeds and all
2 tablespoons of ground cumin
1-2 cloves garlic
2/3 cup well cooked beans, mashed, when I have them
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
Put meat in crock pot on high 8-10 hours before you want it done. I add a bit of water only if I am using all very lean meats. After 6 hours, ladle off any extra grease if desired. At this time, or by two hours before done, add all other ingredients and stir to break up meat. Seasonings can easily be adjusted to personal taste. I continue to stir a few times over next couple hours till done to break up meat further. I even use a hand mixer to make it quite fine right before serving. If it’s too loose it can be thickened with corn starch or flour or rolled oats and cooked just a bit longer till thickened, though I rarely do this.

We serve this with soft or hard corn shells, or flour tortillas, or corn chips or even on lettuce as a taco salad. We serve with grated cheddar cheese, salsa, sour cream, shredded lettuce, chopped sweet and hot peppers, chopped chives, diced onions and diced fresh tomatoes for toppings.

Fresh tomatoes: an international favorite
“The best way to eat them is in the garden, warm and pungent from the vine, so that one can suck them unashamedly, and bend over if any juice escapes.”-M.F.K. Fisher on Tomatoes

“In a world riven by hate, greed, and envy, everyone loves tomatoes...Real (as I will call vine-ripened, soft-walled, acid-flavor, summer-grown) tomatoes are an article of faith, a rallying point for the morally serious, a grail”-Raymond Sokolov, Food Writer

Reasonable people still manage to disagree on whether to classify the tomato as a fruit or a vegetable. There is however broad consensus about one thing: biting into a warm, summer tomato is one of the most luscious pleasures the kitchen garden has to offer.

At KGI, we share food writer MFK Fisher’s “the simpler the better” approach to enjoying them. Below you’ll find a “tomato table” which will hopefully give you some new ideas. It is not presented as a collection of exact recipes, but as a source of inspiration which you can adapt to your own appetite and tastes. Enjoy and remember to wipe your chin!

Origin

Description

Ingredients

Method

Belgium

Fresh tomatos stuffed with baby shrimp in lemon mayonnaise sauce

* medium-sized, firm fleshed tomatoes
* mayonnaise (home-made, if you can)
* fresh lemon juice
* parsley
* cooked baby shrimp (the Belgians use “gray shrimp” coming from the North Sea, but pink ones will also work)

Cut tops off tomatoes and remove insides, salt and pepper inside, mix shrimp, lemon juice, chopped parsley, and mayonnaise in a separate bowl, fill tomatoes with shrimp mixture.

France

Tomato salad with vinaigrette

* tomatoes (any kind) diced
* basic vinaigrette (oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard)
* shallot, minced
* hard-boiled egg (optional)
* salt and pepper
* French bread

Prepare vinaigrette in salad bowl, add minced shallot, add diced tomatoes, and chopped egg, add salt and pepper, toss gently and serve with baguette to sop up the juices.

Greece

Tomato salad with feta cheese and olives

* tomatoes (any kind) diced
* olive oil
* fresh lemon juice
* oregano (optional)
* feta cheese
* purple onion
* Greek (Kalamata) olives

Place sliced tomatoes on a serving dish. Sprinkle on the feta cheese, lemon juice, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with olives and onion slices.

India

Spicy ginger and tomato salad

* tomatoes (any medium or large size), diced
* fresh lime juice (1/4 cup for every 4 tomatoes)
* fresh ginger, peeled and sliced paper thin (1/3 cup for every 4 tomatoes)
* chopped mint
* 1 medium spicy pepper (banana chile works well) seeded and sliced fine
* salt

Place ginger and chile in a small glass or ceramic bowl, add lime juice, salt and pepper, let stand for 20 minutes. Slice tomatoes and arrange on plate. Add mint, salt and pepper. Add ginger mixture evenly over tomatoes. Serve chilled.

Italy

Tomato-basil bruschetta

* tomatoes (plum are best) diced
* olive oil
* fresh lemon juice
* basil, minced garlic
* French or Italian bread sliced and toasted

Dice tomatoes and mix with all the other ingredients except bread; set aside. Toast slices of French or Italian bread. Spoon tomato mixture at room temperature onto toasted bread slices.

Poland

Traditional tomato-onion salad with a hint of sweetness.

* tomatoes (any type) sliced
* 1/4 cup of finely diced onion per tomato
* 1/4 tsp of sugar per tomato
* bye or sourdough bread
* butter
* salt and pepper

Prepare onion-sugar mixture and let sit for at least 15 minutes, slice tomatoes and place on plate in an overlapping fashion, salt and pepper them, spread onion mixture evenly over tomatoes, serve with buttered bread.

Spain

Tapas-style, tomato-anchovy toasts

* tomatoes (any type) sliced
* olive oil
* garlic
* Spanish or French bread sliced and toasted
* anchovies in olive oil
* ground pepper

While the bread is still warm, rub both sides of the toast with the garlic. Cut the tomatoes into halves and rub each side of the toast with some of them, so that the juice and seeds soak well into the toast . Slice the remaining tomatoes and arrange on the toasts. Drizzle each toast with olive oil and top with anchovy fillets. Add ground black pepper and serve.

Turkey

Tomato and onion salad with mint

* tomatoes (any type) diced
* olive oil, lemon juice
* mint
* parsley,
* salt and pepper

Prepare olive oil and lemon juice mixture in a small bowl. Dice the tomatoes. Slice onions finely and toss them with salt in a small separate bowl. Let them sit for 20 minutes. Rinse the salt off the onions in cold water and squeeze to remove the remaining water. Layer, first the onions on a serving platter, then the tomatoes, then the parsley and mint. Pour lemon mixture over all.

http://www.kitchengardeners.org/cooking_and_recipes/

Homemade ketchup

ketchup070606.jpg

In an age when most people would not consider making their own french fries from scratch, it is even stranger thought that some might entertain cooking up the ketchup to go along with it. Those days may be long gone for most of fast food nation, but they live on for a brave few who want to rediscover the pure flavors of yesteryear.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon chile flakes
1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
4 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks or two 14.5-ounce cans chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup distilled vinegar
1 tablespoon kosher salt

Procedure:
1. Heat oil over medium in a large saucepan. Add onion and saute until golden, about 15 minutes. Add garlic, cloves, allspice, chile flakes, ancho chile powder and mustard seeds and cook for 1-2 minutes, until aromatic.

2. Add tomatoes, brown sugar, vinegar and salt. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a light simmer and cook 35 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep from burning.

3. Remove from heat and blend or process until smooth. Press through a fine strainer into a clean saucepan, pressing on the solids hard to push as much through as possible.

4. Cook over medium heat for another 15 minutes until thick, stirring to keep it from sticking. Cool before serving.

Variation: You can add any of the following spices for a different flavor: 2 teaspoons curry powder, 1 tablespoon minced ginger, a half head of roasted garlic, or 1 tablespoon harissa.

Yields 1 1/4 cups

Recipe source: San Francisco Chronicle
Photo source: Automania

http://www.kitchengardeners.org/cooking_and_recipes/

Warm rhubarb crumble

rhubarbcrumble052006.jpg

Ingredients:
3 cups chopped rhubarb
2 tablespoons orange juice
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoons butter, cut in small pieces

for the crumble Mixture:
1/4 cup melted butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup quick cooking oats

Procedure:
Arrange diced rhubarb in a buttered 8-inch square baking dish. Sprinkle with orange juice, 3/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, then dot with the 1 tablespoon of cut up butter.
Combine melted butter with brown sugar. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda; mix with oats.
Combine the flour oat mixture with the brown sugar and melted butter mixture. Spread over rhubarb. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve warm, with ice cream or whipped cream.

Recipe source: About Southern US Cuisine
Picture source: Flickr Roboppy

Real Belgian Fries (Kitchen Gardener Style)

What you’ll need: a sharp knife, potatoes, frying oil (vegetable or peanut), a deep-fryer

Procedure:
1. Grow your own potatoes
2. Peel potatoes and cut into 1cm X 1cm sticks (.5”x.5”)
3. Rinse potatoes to remove excess starch
4. Dry the potatoes and begin heating the deep fryer
5. When the temperature reaches 160°C (320°F), put in a handful of fries and no more so as not to cool down the oil too much.
6. Fry for a few minutes (4-8 depending on the thickness and the kind of potatoes) stirring regularly to prevent sticking.
7. Put the fries into a large bowl lined with paper towels and let them cool down for 1/2 hour.
8. Heat oil to 190°C (375°F) and fry for 2-3 minutes until crispy and golden brown.
9. Serve with salt, mayonnaise, and a beer (the Belgian way!)

http://www.kitchengardeners.org/2005/10/sun_flower_soup.html#more

Kitchen Gardeners International: Sun Flower Soup

It’s not unusual, when relocating to another part of the world, to discover new or unknown delicacies. Thus it was with us recently, when pale pink, knobbly vegetables started appearing on market stalls in this part of France. “What are they?”, I asked. “They are topinambours”, the man at the market replied.

“You can sauté them with some garlic and parsley, or they make delicious soup. They have a slight artichoke flavour.”

The last sentence should have been a give-away but we remained in the dark. What were these strange vegetables, I asked our neighbor. “Huh, they’re nothing special”, she replied, “but they’re all the rage now, even in expensive restaurants.” (They had just had a special meal at a upmarket establishment where “topinambours” had been served, ‘à la nouvelle cuisine’, as an accompanying vegetable.) “But we grew them as rabbit food. And now we can’t get rid of them in the garden!” The mystery vegetable does indeed make a delicious soup - creamy and delicate, tasting very slightly of artichokes.

At last, the penny dropped! A dive into garden reference books confirmed that what the French call “topinambour” is known in English as the Jerusalem Artichoke or, to give it its botanical name, “Helianthus tuberosus”. In other words, a tuberous, perennial member of the sunflower family. The plant grows tall in summer, up to 10 feet, and bears pretty yellow flowers that can be used in floral arrangements. And, as my neighbour said, it does tend to become quite invasive.

What’s in a name? Well, Jerusalem Artichoke is completely misleading since the plant is neither related to the artichoke, nor associated with Jerusalem. That apparently came about as a corruption of the French (and Italian) word “girasol” (or girasole”), meaning sunflower. The plant does not originate in the middle east, but rather in America where it was common along the north-east seaboard, in particular Maine and Canada, and grown by the pilgrims as a food source. In Europe too, Jerusalem Artichokes were relied on as precious extra food during the second world war, when potatoes were scarce.

Consequently, some older French people, who can remember having to eat them then, do not like them very much now. Like our neighbour said, “they’re OK as rabbit food!”

Growing Jerusalem Artichokes or “Sunchokes”: These perenial crunchy tubers originate from the Americas where they can still be found growing wild. An ambitious plant, the Jerusalem artichoke will grow 6-8ft (2-2.5 meters) high and take over whatever bed they’re planted in so give them their own space.

You can buy seed chokes from most online seed companies. They can be planted in rows or in beds with the latter being more common. Plant seeds in the spring 4 inches (2 cm) deep, stand back, and watch them grow!

After the war, the Jerusalem Artichoke became unfashionable, although it remained highly regarded as a slimming agent. Reportedly, it facilitates the elimination of toxins from the body and balances blood sugar levels, thus preventing hunger and food cravings. Companies involved in health foods and dietary aids still market a range of products derived from Jerusalem Artichokes.

So what about the origins of French name for this vegetable - “topinambour” (the same in German, “topinambur” in Italian and a close “tupinabo” in Spanish)? Apparently this is due to another mix-up dating as far back as 1617, either because it was believed that the plant originated in Brazil, home of a native Indian tribe known as the “Tupinambas” (later “Toupinamboult” and then “Topinambou”), or because the time of its discovery coincided with the appearance of a group of Brazilian Indians at celebrations in Rouen to mark the accession to the throne of King Henry II.

But back to Sunflower Soup. Two types of Jerusalem Artichoke are available in France, one white and thin, the other round and pale pink. Either one will do but both discolour if exposed to air so cover with cold water or cook quickly after peeling.

Start off by peeling and chopping a large onion and sweating it gently in a covered cast iron pan with a knob of butter and a pinch of salt. Meanwhile peel and chop a good handful of Jersusalem Artichokes and add them to the pan.

If you want a thicker soup, also add a diced medium-large potato.

Continue to gently cook the vegetables, without browning, for about 10 minutes.

Now add 1 liter of chicken stock (or vegetable stock, if you prefer). A shake of white pepper, a small pinch of dried sage, bring the pan to the boil and then let the soup simmer for about half an hour.

Turn off the heat, allow the mixture to cool a little and then put it through the blender. Add a little water if you think the mixture is too thick.

You should have a soup that is creamy in both colour and appearance. Test the seasoning, add salt and white pepper if necessary, and reheat.

Now you can stir in different finishing touches, for example: a soup spoon of double cream (highly recommended) or a tiny pinch of saffron. This recipe makes 4 generous bowls of soup.

“Bon appetit!” About the contributors: The author, Gill Thompson, is a roving reporter for Kitchen Gardeners International. She lives in the Midi-Pyrénées region of France where she and her husband live in a charming sun-baked house with a lovely garden.

Photographer, Folke Günther, is an environmental consultant and an avid kitchen gardener from Lund, Sweden. He maintains a very useful gardening website offering information in both English and Swedish.

Posted by KGI on October 17, 2005 11:51 AM to Kitchen Gardeners International

Kitchen Gardeners International is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that relies on the financial support of individuals to fund its educational and outreach activities. If you found this information useful, please consider becoming a KGI member. Thank you.

growing or raising something to feed themselves<<<

You are correct, most who rely on the gov for every need, would never think of growing their own food, it does not matter which country.

I have found it interesting, that some of the younger group are now making having a garden, into an important desire, as in the guerilla gardening that is now going on. post 1836.

Glad you came to the thread and I hope that you will join in posting too.

http://www.frugalfolks.com/files/emergency/100items.txt

100 Items That Disappear First in a Disaster

1. Generators (Good ones cost dearly. Gas storage, risky.
Noisy..target of thieves; maintenance, etc.)

2. Water Filters/Purifiers (Shipping delays increasing.)

3. Portable Toilets (Increasing in price every two months.)

4. Seasoned Firewood (About $100 per cord; wood takes
6 - 12 mos. to become dried, for home uses.)

5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First choice: Buy CLEAR oil.
If scarce, stockpile ANY!)

6. Coleman Fuel (URGENT $2.69-$3.99/gal. Impossible to
stockpile too much.)

7. Guns, Ammunition, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats &
Slingshots

8. Hand-Can openers & hand egg beaters, whisks (Life savers!)

9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugars

10. Rice - Beans - Wheat (White rice is now $12.95 - 50# bag.
Sam’s Club, stock depleted often.)

11. Vegetable oil (for cooking) (Without it food burns/must be boiled, etc.)

12. Charcoal & Lighter fluid (Will become scarce suddenly.)

13. Water containers (Urgent Item to obtain. Any size. Small:
HARD CLEAR PLASTIC ONLY)

14. Mini Heater head (Propane) (Without this item, propane won’t
heat a room.)

15. Grain Grinder (Non-electric)

16. Propane Cylinders

17. Michael Hyatt’s Y2K Survival Guide (BEST single y2k handbook
for sound advice/tips.)

18. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc. (Without this item,
longer-term lighting is difficult.)

19. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula/ointments/aspirin, etc

20. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry)

21. Cookstoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene)

22. Vitamins (Critical, due 10 Y2K-forced daily canned food diets.)

23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is
dangerous without this item.)

24. Feminine Hygiene/Haircare/Skin products

25. Thermal underwear (Tops and bottoms)

26. Bow saws, axes and hatchets & Wedges (also, honing oil)

27. Aluminum foil Reg. & Hvy. Duty (Great Cooking & Barter item)

28. Gasoline containers (Plastic or Metal)

29. Garbage bags (Impossible to have too many.)

30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, paper towel

31. Milk - Powdered & Condensed (Shake liquid every 3 to 4 months.)

32. Garden seeds (Non-hybrid) (A MUST)

33. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST)

34. Coleman’s Pump Repair Kit: 1(800) 835-3278

35. Tuna Fish (in oil)

36. Fire extinguishers (or.. large box of Baking soda in every room...)

37. First aid kits

38. Batteries (all sizes...buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates)

39. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies

40. BIG DOGS (and plenty of dog food)

41. Flour, yeast & salt

42. Matches (3 box/$1 .44 at WalMart: “Strike Anywhere” preferred.
Boxed, wooden matches will go first.)

43. Writing paper/pads/pencils/solar calculators

44. Insulated ice chests (good for keeping items from freezing in Wintertime)

45. Workboots, belts, Levis & durable shirts

46. Flashlights/LIGHTSTICKS & torches, “No.76 Dietz” Lanterns

47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks (Jot down ideas, feelings,
experiences: Historic times!)

48. Garbage cans Plastic (great for storage, water, transporting -
if with wheels)

49. Men’s Hygiene: Shampoo, Toothbrush/paste,
Mouthwash/floss, nail clippers,etc

50. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient)

51. Fishing supplies/tools

52. Mosquito coils/repellent sprays/creams

53. Duct tape

54. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes

55. Candles

56. Laundry detergent (Liquid)

57. Backpacks & Duffle bags

58. Garden tools & supplies

59. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies

60. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, etc.

61. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite)

62. Canning supplies (Jars/lids/wax)

63. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel

64. Bicycles...Tires/tubes/pumps/chains, etc.

65. Sleeping bags & blankets/pillows/mats

66. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered)

67. Board Games Cards, Dice

68. d-Con Rat poison, MOUSE PRUFE II, Roach Killer

69. Mousetraps, Ant traps & cockroach magnets

70. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks...)

71. Baby Wipes, oils, waterless & Anti-bacterial soap
(saves a lot of water)

72. Rain gear, rubberized boots, etc.

73. Shaving supplies (razors & creams, talc, after shave)

74. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels)

75. Soysauce, vinegar, boullions/gravy/soup base

76. Reading glasses

77. Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancers)

78. “Survival-in-a-Can”

79. Woolen clothing, scarves/ear-muffs/mittens

80. BSA - New 1998 - Boy Scout Handbook
(also, Leader’s Catalog)

81. Roll-on Window Insulation Kit (MANCO)

82. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels, Trail mix/Jerky

83. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts

84. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc. (extras)

85. Lumber (all types)

86. Wagons & carts (for transport to & from open Flea markets)

87. Cots & Inflatable mattresses (for extra guests)

88. Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, etc.

89. Lantern Hangers

90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws, nuts & bolts

91. Teas

92. Coffee

93. Cigarettes

94. Wine/Liquors (for bribes, medicinal, etc.)

95. Paraffin wax

96. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, etc.

97. Chewing gum/candies

98. Atomizers (for cooling/bathing)

99. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs

100. Goats/chickens

[Not all topics moved, sharks and airplanes are at link]

http://www.frugalfolks.com/files/emergency/Survival%20Tips.txt

How to Escape from Quicksand

1. When walking in quicksand country, carry a stout pole-it will help you
get out should you need to.
2. As soon as you start to sink, lay the pole on the surface of the quicksand.
3. Flop onto your back on top of the pole.
After a minute or two, equilibrium in the quicksand will be achieved, and
you will no longer sink.
4. Work the pole to a new position under your hips, and at right angles to
your spine.
The pole will keep your hips from sinking, as you (slowly) pull out first
one leg, and then the other.
5. Take the shortest route to firmer ground, moving slowly.

How to Avoid Sinking

Quicksand is just ordinary sand mixed with upwelling water, which makes it
behave like a liquid. However, quicksand-unlike water-does not easily let
go. If you try to pull a limb out of quicksand, you have to work against
the vacuum left behind. Here are a few tips

The viscosity of quicksand increases with shearing move slowly so the
viscosity is as low as possible.

Floating on quicksand is relatively easy and is the best way to avoid its
clutches. You are more buoyant in quicksand than you are in water. Humans
have a specific gravity just under 1.00, while fresh water has a specific
gravity of 1.00. Saltwater is slightly more dense at 1.02, and floating is
significantly easier in saltwater than in freshwater. Spread your arms and
legs far apart and try to float on your back.

~*~ How To Deal With A Tunnel Collapse

Structural collapse of a tunnel is possible, but fire danger is more
significant, and will likely precipitate any structural failure.
1. Communicate. If you have a cellular phone, call for help immediately.
2. Look for marked and lighted emergency phones in the tunnel if no
cellular phone is available or if your cell phone is inoperable.
3. Check the air quality. If smoke is visible and breathing becomes
difficult, do not wait for help. Get out of the tunnel as quickly as
possible, and leave your car behind.
4. Stay low. If smoke is close by, breathable air will be lower to the
ground. If available, use a wet blanket over your nose and mouth.
5. Look for emergency exits. All tunnels should have well-marked emergency
exits to the surface. Locate the nearest one and get out of the tunnel. If
you are close enough to see the tunnel entrance, exit that way. Do not look
for an emergency exit.
6. If fire is present, do not prop open emergency exit doors: this may
cause the exitway to fill with smoke. Do not hesitate to leave your car behind.

Tunnel dangers

Road and rail tunnels disasters are uncommon, but when they do occur, death
is generally caused not by collapse but by one of the following:

Smoke. Cars with engines running produce carbon monoxide, which is deadly.

Fires produce even more. A severe fire may cause ventilation systems to fail.

Heat. While extremely rare, tunnels can collapse due to structural
deterioration caused by the heat from a severe fire. Bricks tunnels are
very safe, but concrete can break down badly if it has no fire protection.

For this reason, most concrete is fireproofed. Death in a tunnel fire is
usually due to fire or smoke, not structural failure.

Road tunnels

While tunnels have effective ventilation systems, severe fires can cause
death by asphyxiation. If in a tunnel fire, ask yourself the following
questions immediately.

How can I continue to breathe relatively unpolluted air ?

Does the tunnel have designated “places of safety” along its length for use
in emergency ?

Are emergency exits visible?

Where are the means of communication?

Is fire warning/fighting equipment nearby?

Rail tunnels

The main danger in rail tunnels is fire, followed by derailment, followed
by structural collapse of the tunnel.

Circular tunnels are very resistant to collapse provided they are built
properly and they are inspected regularly. There are hundreds of rail
tunnels around the world built more than 100 years ago that are still
safely in use.

A severe train derailment is unlikely to damage the tunnel structure to the
point of collapse. (This was considered during the design of the Channel
Tunnel, the biggest and most expensive tunnel project in the world).

Flooding of subway tunnels is a possibility, though such a flood would
likely be due to slow rising of the water level rather than a catastrophic
event.

In the event of catastrophic flooding, rescue would be unlikely. In
addition to the water danger, electrocution would also be a distinct
possibility.

How to Take a Punch

Take a Blow to the Body
1. Tighten your stomach muscles.
A body blow to the gut (solar plexus) can damage organs and kill. This sort
of punch is one of the best and easiest ways to knock someone out. (Harry
Houdini was killed by an unexpected blow to the abdomen.)
2. Do not suck in your stomach if you expect that a punch is imminent.
3. If possible, shift slightly so that the blow hits your side, but do not
flinch or move away from the punch.
Try to absorb the blow with your obliques this is the set of muscles on
your side that wraps around your ribs. While a blow to this area may crack
a rib, it is less likely to do damage to internal organs.

Take a Blow to the Head
1. Move toward the blow, not away from it.
Getting punched while moving backward will result in the head taking the
punch at full force. A punch to the face can cause head whipping, where the
brain moves suddenly inside the skull, and can cause severe injury or death.
2. Tighten your neck muscles and clench your jaw to avoid scraping of the
upper and lower palettes.

To Fend off a Straight Punch
1. The straight punch-one that comes straight at your face-should be
countered by moving toward the blow.
2. A punch can be absorbed most effectively and with the least injury by
the forehead.
Avoid getting taking the punch in the nose, which is extremely painful.
3. Attempt to deflect the blow with an arm.
Moving into the punch may result in your attacker missing the mark wide to
either side.
4. (optional) Hit back with an uppercut or roundhouse.

To Fend off a Roundhouse Punch
1. Clench your jaw.
A punch to the ear causes great pain and can break your jaw.
2. Move in close to your attacker.
Try to make the punch land harmlessly behind your head.
3. (optional) Hit back with an uppercut.

To Fend off an Uppercut
1. Clench your neck and jaw.
An uppercut can do much damage, whipping your head back, easily breaking your
jaw or your nose.
2. Use your arm to absorb some of the impact or deflect the blow to the
side-anything to minimize the impact of a straight punch to the jaw.
3. Do not step into this punch.
If possible, move your head to the side.
4. (optional) Hit back with a straight punch to the face or with an
uppercut of your own.

~*~ How to Jump from a Building into a Dumpster

How to Jump
1. Jump straight down.
If you leap off and away from the building at an angle, your trajectory
will make you miss your dumpster. Resist your natural tendency to push off.
2. Tuck your head and bring your legs around.
To do this during the fall, execute a three-quarter revolution-basically, a
not-quite-full somersault. This is the only method that will allow a proper
landing, with your back facing down.
3. Aim for the center of the Dumpster.
4. Land flat on your back so that when your body folds, your feet and hands
meet.
When your body hits any surface from a significant height, the body folds
into a V. This means landing on your stomach can result in a broken back.
Risks

If the building has fire escapes or other protrusions, your leap will have
to be far enough out so you miss them on your way down. The landing target
needs to be far enough from the building for you to hit it.

The Dumpster may be filled with bricks or other unfriendly materials. It is
entirely possible to survive a high fall (five stories or more) into a
Dumpster, provided the Dumpster is filled with the right type of trash
(cardboard boxes are best) and you land correctly.

~*~ How to Jump from a Bridge or Cliff into a River

When attempting a high fall (over twenty feet) into water in an emergency
situation, you will not know much about your surroundings, specifically the
depth of the water. This makes jumping particularly dangerous.

If jumping from a bridge into a river or other body of water with boat
traffic, try to land in the channel-the deep-water area where boats go
under the bridge. This area is generally in the center, away from the
shoreline.

Stay away from any area with pylons that are supporting the bridge. Debris
can collect in these areas and you can hit it when you enter the water.
Swim to shore immediately after surfacing.

How to Jump
1. Jump feet first.
2. Keep your body completely vertical.
3. Squeeze your feet together.
4. Enter the water feet first, and clench your buttocks together.
If you do not, water may rush in and cause severe internal damage.
5. Protect your crotch area by covering it with your hands.
6. Immediately after you hit the water, spread your arms and legs wide and
move them back and forth to generate resistance, which will slow your
plunge to the bottom.

Always assume the water is not deep enough to keep you from hitting bottom.
Risks

Hitting the water in this way could save your life, although it may break
your legs.

If your body is not straight, you can break your back upon entry. Keep
yourself vertical until you hit the water.

Do not even think about going in headfirst unless you are absolutely sure
that the water is at least twenty feet deep. If your legs hit the bottom,
they will break. If your head hits, your skull will break.

~*~ How to Treat a Bullet or Knife Wound

1. Do not immediately pull out any impaled objects.
Bullets, arrows, knives, sticks and the like cause penetrating injuries.
When these objects lodge in the vital areas of the body (the trunk or near
nerves or arteries) removing them may cause more severe bleeding that
cannot be controlled. The object may be pressed against an artery or other
vital internal structure and may actually be helping to reduce the bleeding.
2. Control the bleeding by using a combination of direct pressure, limb
elevation, pressure points, and tourniquets (in that order).
Direct pressure. You can control most bleeding by placing direct pressure
on the wound. Attempt to apply pressure directly to bleeding surfaces. The
scalp, for instance, bleeds profusely. Using your fingertips to press the
edges of a scalp wound against the underlying bone is more effective than
using the palm of your hand to apply pressure over a wider area. Pressing
on bleeding arterioles (small squirting vessels) is also controlled better
using the tips of the fingers. While surgeons sometimes clamp bleeding
vessels with a hemostat, the novice is at high risk of inadvertently
harming nerves and other tissues.

Elevation. When a wound is in an extremity, elevation of the extremity
above the heart, in addition to direct pressure, may reduce the bleeding
further. Never make people who are in shock sit up simply to elevate a
bleeding wound.

Presssure points. To reduce blood flow you usually have to compress an
artery (where you can feel the pulse) near the wound against an underlying
bone. Just pressing into the soft belly of a muscle does not reduce blood
flow by this mechanism.

Tourniquet. A tourniquet is a wide band of cloth or a belt that is placed
around an extremity and tightened (usually using a windlass) until the
blood flow is cut off. The amount of pressure necessary typically causes
additional vascular and nerve trauma that is permanent. Thus a tourniquet
should only be used as a last resort—to save a life at the expense of
sacrificing a limb. The blood supply must be compressed against a long bone
(the upper arm or upper leg) since vessels between the double bones in the
lower arm and lower leg will continue to bleed despite a tourniquet. It
should be noted that tourniquets are rarely helpful—it is uncommon to have
life-threatening bleeding in an extremity that cannot be controlled by the
methods described above. The areas that cause fatal bleeding (like the
femoral arteries or intra-abdominal bleeding) do not lend themselves to the
use of a tourniquet. Even most complete amputations do not bleed all that
much, and are controlled by direct pressure. Arteries that are severed only
part of the way through tend to bleed more profusely than those that are
completely severed.

3. Immobilize the injured area.
Using splints and dressings to immobilize an injured area helps protect
from further injury and maintain clots that have begun to form. Even if an
injury to a bone or joint is not suspected, immobilization will promote
clotting and help healing begin.

4. Dress the wound, and strive to prevent infection.
Use sterile (or at least clean) dressings as much as possible. Penetrating
injuries may allow anaerobic (air-hating) bacteria to get deep into the
tissues. This is why penetrating wounds are typically irrigated with
sterile or antibiotic solutions in surgery. While this is rarely practical
outside of the hospital, it is important to remember that smaller
penetrating wounds (nail holes in the foot and the like) should be
encouraged to bleed for a short period to help “wash out” foreign material.
Soaking an extremity in Hydrogen peroxide may help kill anaerobic bacteria
as well. Do not apply ointments or goo into penetrating wounds as these may
actually promote infection.

Emergency Tip
Some data indicates that pure granular sugar poured into a penetrating
wound can decrease bleeding, promote clotting, and discourage bacteria. You
are not likely to see it used in your local emergency department, but it
might be worth consideration if your circumstances are dire.

5. Get medical attention as soon as possible.

~*~ How to Perform a Tracheotomy

This procedure, technically called a cricothyroidotomy, should be
undertaken only when a person with a throat obstruction is not able to
breathe at all-no gasping sounds, no coughing-and only after you have
attempted to perform the Heimlich maneuver three times without dislodging
the obstruction. If possible, someone should be calling for paramedics
while you are proceeding.

What You Will Need
A first aid kit, if available
A razor blade or very sharp knife
A straw (two would be better) or a ballpoint pen with the inside
(ink-filled tube) removed. If neither a straw nor a pen is available, use
stiff paper or cardboard rolled into a tube. Good first-aid kits may
contain “trache” tubes.

There will not be time for sterilization of your tools, so do not bother;
infection is the least of your worries at this point.
1. Find the person’s Adam’s apple (thyroid cartilage).
2. Move your finger about one inch down the neck until you feel another bulge.
This is the cricoid cartilage. The indentation between the two is the
cricothyroid membrane, where the incision will be made.
3. Take the razor blade or knife and make a one- to two-centimeter (about
half an inch) horizontal incision.
The cut should be about half an inch deep. There should not be too much blood.
4. Pinch the incision open or place your finger inside the slit to open it.
5. Insert your tube in the incision, roughly one-half to one inch deep.
6. Breathe into the tube with two quick breaths.
Pause five seconds, then give one breath every five seconds.
7. You will see the chest rise and the person should regain consciousness
if you have performed the procedure correctly.

The person should be able to breathe on their own, albeit with some
difficulty, until help arrives.

http://www.frugalfolks.com/files/emergency/car.txt

Here is a list of what the writer has rattling around in the trunk of their car.

Misc. loose stuff
Jumper Cables
Wool Blanket
Poncho
“Space” blanket(aluminized mylar)
“Space” sleeping bag
Plastic reinforced tarp w/grommets, one side camo, other side aluminized mylar
Large Screwdriver
Vice-grips
Leather work gloves
Magnesium bar/flint
KA-BAR knife
Box of heavy trash bags.
Spare fans belts, fuel filter, oil filter, oil, wiper blades
Machete
Folding shovel/pick
ground cloth (4 mil plastic drop cloth)
Spinner wrench
Fire extingusher
Tow rope w/hooks
12 volt DC spot light, flouresent light, and work light (magnetic mount)
Plank of wood( to use under car jack on soft ground)
Tire pump, tire gauge
Parka with 2 pr. gloves, wristlets(sock with toe removed to cover up the wrist
between glove and sleeve), wool scarf, pen, pencil, paper, handkerchief
cheapo $9.95 style 40 pc. socket set english and metric
1 gal. of water
Wood for splints
NEED TO ADD: Flares

Medical kit (13” X 10 1/2” X 2 1/4” box)
Cotton swabs
Fever Themometer
“Kling” rolled gauze 4” X 5 yards
80 assorted strip and spot band-aids
4 pr. disposable gloves
Cylume sticks 1 red, 1 yellow
Wet-proof adhesive tape 1/2” X 10 yards
Paper adhesive tape 1/2” 5 yards
4 oz. drinking water, retort pack
Eye bath cup (1 Tblspn capacity)
Neosporin (antibiotic cream)
6 - 2” X 3” pads
7 - 2” X 3” adhesive pads
4 - Butterfly closures
5 - 1 1/2” X 2” pads
10 - 3” X 4” adhesive pads
7 - 4” X 4” pads
5 - 2” X 3” Biolclusive dressings
1 - triangle bandage
12 - safety pins
2 - 2 gal. zip-loc bags
1 - Cold compress, crush to activate type
Pump style snake venom remover
TRIAGE - EMERGENCY CARE HANDBOOK 191 pages 7” x 9”
Vial of Boric Acid Powder (mix 1/64 tsp. of B(OH)3 to 1 Tbl. for eyewash)
Vial of Alchohol
Vial of Hydrogen Peroxide
Vial of Witch Hazel
Vial of Dr. Orient’s electrolyte replacement formula

Contents of 1 - 15” X 5 1/2” X 11” mortar box or 2 - 7” X 5 1/2” X 11” 50 cal.
boxes (weight of mortar box 7.625 pounds, contents 10.625 lb., total 18.25 lb.)
Wool Balaclava (pullover for head and neck)
G.I. leather/fabric mittens long wrist w/ wool liner gloves
Israeli gas mask w/filter
Wool socks
8 oz. butterscotch
Wire saw
Ontario pilot knife w/ sheath and stone
Dental floss, waxed (50 yd.) and unwaxwd (200 yd.)
3” X 5” signal mirror
Dental floss handle
Funnel w/filter paper holder
Filter paper (fast and slow)
Pocket purifier water straw
Cylume sticks, 12 hr. 2-red, 2-yellow, 1-green
5 feet glow in the dark string
Toothbrush
Vial of Metalic Iodine crystals
pocket knife
multi-sizing wrench
5 pr. disposable gloves
doz. balloons
Potassium Iodide
Magnesium bar w/flint insert
3 boxes waterproof matches
6 ft. tape ruler
Whistle w/lanyard
Folding camper’s stove with 2 packs of hexamine
“space” blanket
“Dynamo” flashlight (hand squeezed generator flashlight)
500 aspirin
5 sticks gum
36 - 100mg caffeine tablets
3 - survival candles 2”D X 3/4” in metal cup
1 lb. baking soda
Butane lighter
7:1 block and tackle w/ 60 feet of rope
4 - 2 gal. zip-loc bags

http://www.frugalfolks.com/files/emergency/Protect%20Yourself%20From%20Mosquitoes.txt

What can we do to protect ourselves from mosquitoes?

- Get rid of standing water: empty buckets, plastic containers,
bird baths, unused horse troughs, usused swimming pools
- If you want/need your bird baths or horse troughs full change
the water at least once a week.
- Unclog rooftop gutters
- Discard spare tires or store indoors.
- Drill holes in the bottom of recycling or garbage containers so
water will drain out or put covers on them.
- Turn wheelbarrows & wading pools upside down when not in
use.
- Store boats unside down, cover or drain water weekly.
- If you have a pool make sure it is properly chlorinated and
don’t let standing water accumulate on the cover.
- Fill in low spots in your yard if water sits there for a long time.
- If you have an ornamental pool, stock it with mosquito-eating
fish (e.g., minnows, “mosquito fish,” or goldfish which eat
mosquito larvae)
- If you can’t drain standing water put fine netting (16” mesh)
over it or apply mosquito larvacides.
- Keep weeds and tall grass cut short; adult mosquitoes like a
shady place during hot daylight hours.
- Wear light colored, long sleeved shirts & pants.
- Mosquito’s are most active at dawn & dusk so stay indoors
at that time.
- Use mosquito repellents when outdoors. Use mosquito
repellents with DEET according to product directions. Use a
repellent with less than 10% DEET on children 2 - 12 & never
on infants.
- Use mosquito netting over baby playpens & carriages.
- Repair any holes in your screens.

Here’s some other suggestions which may or may not work but
some are worth a try :-)

- Use mosquito repellent soaps
- Burn citronella candles when outdoors
- Wipe yourself with Bounce Fabric Softener Sheets
- Take one Vitamin B-1 (Thiamin Hydrochloride 100 mg) tablet
a day. The odor the tablet gives out through your skin (you
cannot smell it) repels mosquitoes, black flies, no seeum’s, and
gnat’s. It does not work on stinging insects.
- Don’t eat bananas - apparently gives you a scent that attracts
mosquitoes.
- Vick’s Vaporub mixed about half and half with alcohol.
- Use Avon Skin-so-Soft although I have read it only lasts for 40
minutes.
- Mix clear real vanilla (not the grocery store vanilla extract which
is mostly alcohol) half and half with water. This is the pure vanilla
that is sold in Mexico. If not, health food stores usually carry it
or
can order it for you.
- Put some water in a white dinner plate and add a couple of drops
of Lemon Fresh Joy dish detergent. Set the dish on your porch,
patio, or other outdoor area. I’m not sure what attracts them, the
lemon smell or the white plate color, but mosquitoes flock to it, and
drop dead shortly after drinking the Lemon Fresh Joy/water
mixture, and usually within about 10 feet of the plate.
- Catnip is being tested as a mosquito repellent. The results are not
in. If you decide to try this do not put pure catnip oil on your
skin.
Scientists working on this are using a mix containing 1 - 5% catnip
oil.
- Mosquitoes are attracted to lights so lights AWAY from where
you’re sitting may help but they may just attract more bugs to your
yard!

Are there plants that you can grow in your yard which will repel
mosquitoes? From what I understand - no. I’ve had rose geraniums
and marigolds suggested to me. Some plants like lemon balm,
lemon thyme, rose geranium & citronella have oils in them that are
effective as mosquito repellents. I understand that if you crush the
leaves of lemon balm & rub them on yourself you’ll smell lemony
fresh & the mosquitoes will stay away.

Wishing you a mosquito free summer :-)

+++++++

Wendy Kennedy owns and operates www.CanadianCountryGifts.com
which carries a wonderful selection of country products including
citronella candles & handmade mosquito repellent soaps.

Sign up for her free biweekly newsletter by sending an email to
ccg-request@newsletter.cndcountrygifts.com with `sub’ as the subject.

http://www.frugalfolks.com/files/emergency/LongTerm%20General%20Supplies.txt

LONG TERM STORAGE
GENERAL SUPPLIES FOR FOUR

CAMPING GEAR

36 each Candles
200 each Fire Starters (jelly, ribbon, tablets, impregnated peat
bricks, wax-coated pine cones, magnesium block, flint)
1 each First Aid Kit (see list)
2 each Fishing Kit
4 each Foam Mattress Pads (for under sleeping bags, swags, etc.)
4 cans Insect Repellent
1 each Kettle, huge, with lid (at least lobster pot size) for
boiling water
18 each Light sticks (12 hour)
4 each Lighter (butane)
4 bottles Liquid Detergent for clothes and dish washing
1 each Mosquito Netting
4 each Plastic Sheeting or Tarps (waterproofing between sleeping bag
and ground)
2 each Propane Lanterns and Extension Poles
2 each Propane Tank (20 lb or 9 Kg,)
4 each Propane Wicks or Socks
1 each Portable Clothes Line and Pegs or Clothes Pins
2 each Prescriptions for current medications
4 each Sleeping Bag, Bedroll, Swag or Wool Blankets
1 each Snake Bite Kit
4 each Space Blankets (reflects up to 90% of your body heat and only
weighs 20 oz)
2 each Tents (2 person)
5 each Trash Bags*
1 each Wash Board
1 each Wash Tub for laundry
10 boxes Waterproof Matches

* Purchase the heaviest and largest trash bags available-countless
uses like extra tent, emergency wind/rain protection/keeping pack
and contents dry)

CARRYING ITEMS

4 each Backpack for supplies
4 each Fanny pack for short excursions
1 each Five Gallon Pail with Lid
4 each Water Canteen

CLOTHING

24 each Bandanas (inexpensive shield face, head cover, wash cloth,
bandage, sanitary pad)
12 each Complete Change of Clothing* (3 for each person)
2 each Current Prescription Glasses
12 each Dust Masks
12 each Extra 3 sets of underwear (3 for each person)
8 pair Heavy Socks for boots
4 each Rain Poncho OR Rubberized Parka and Rain Pants (oversized to
layer clothing underneath - these items are preferable over the Rain
Poncho-offers more protection)
4 each Sturdy Boots
4 each Sunglasses
4 pair Tennis Shoes
4 pair Work Gloves, heavy duty
*The majority of people will need to consider seasonal changes.
Every season, update your stored change of clothes for appropriate
weather conditions. In winter, include coats, hats, gloves, thermal
underwear, snow boots and clothes for layering.

COMMUNICATION ITEMS

1 set $1000. in cash and change (during times of disaster charge
cards and checks will not be honored*
2 each Compass of good quality
6 each Notepad
2 each Map of your local area
4 each Pen
4 each Pencil
1 set Phone numbers and addresses of friends/family
1 set Pre-addressed, stamped postcards of friends and family out of
state (if a disaster is widespread, you’ll want to contact someone
out of the area)
1 each Radio (solar or battery powered)
8 each Road Flares (these are not legal is Australia)
1 each Short-wave Radio (plus extra batteries)
12 each Signal Flares (these are not legal in Australia)
4 each Signal Mirror
4 each Signal Whistle
*Money is always hard to tuck away and pretend it isn’t there, but
in this instance, it is a necessity. One can’t assume to put
expenditures on credit cards during a crisis. Think about it.
Whenever you make a purchase, it is always verified by a telephoned
authorization number. If phone lines are down and these numbers are
not obtainable, chances are your purchase won’t be allowed.

COOKING ITEMS

2 rolls Aluminum Foil, heavy weight
2 each Boning Knife
2 each Bread Loaf Pan
1 each Butcher Knife
1 each Camp Stove
1 each Can Opener, manual, heavy duty
1 each Corkscrew
6 each Dish Cloths
1 each Dutch Oven, large with lid, stainless steel best*
Food/Water Supplies (see Long-Term Storage suggestions)
Fuel for Camp Stove (see Propane Tank listed in Camping Gear)
1 each Grater
1 each Grain Grinder, manual
1 each Hot Pad
6 each Melamine Plates and Cups (aluminum gets too hot)
1 each Metal Coffee Maker or Billy Can
1 each Mixing Bowl, Large
1 each Mixing Bowl, Small
2 each Pancake Turners, metal not plastic
1 each Paring Knife
1 roll Plastic Wrap
2 each Quart Containers with Lids (for purifying water, you need 2
so water can be poured back and forth to re-oxygenate)
1 each Sauce Pan, large with lid, stainless steel or cast iron best*
1 each Sauce Pan, small with lid, stainless steel or cast iron best*
1 each Spoons, Metal
2 each Spoons, Wooden
1 each Skillet, large with lid, stainless steel or cast iron best*
5 pkgs Water Purifying Tablets (50 count)
2 each Water Purification System (see article water purifiers)
2 boxes Ziploc Freezer Bags, gallon
2 boxes Ziploc Freezer Bags, quart
*If for some reason you are cooking outside, you’ll need to be
able to cover food to guard against insects. In Australia we
have Blowflies (Blowies in OZ talk) which do rather rude things
(lay maggot eggs) in any meat, given the chance. Using lids will
also expedite all cooking times and boiling water which will
reduce fuel consumption.

INFANT SUPPLIES

3 sets Baby Clothes
2 bottles Baby Powder
2 bottles Baby Wash
2 each Blankets
3 each Bottles
26 boxes Diapers, disposable (24 count)
1 bottle Diaper Rash Ointment
? cans Formula
2 bottles Lotion
1 each Teething Ring
2 boxes Towelettes, Pre-moistened
Toys

LATRINE AND GENERAL HYGIENE

12 pair Surgical Gloves (these are inexpensive and can be obtained
in discount stores)
1 each Camping Potty
2 bottle s Disinfectant
3 gallons Liquid Bleach and Eye Dropper
4 bottles Liquid Detergent for clothes and dish washing
4 each Sponges
2 boxes Steel Wool Pads like Brillo
40 rolls Toilet Paper, rolls flattened
2 boxes Towelettes, Pre-moistened (in addition to ones for infants)
120 each Trash Bags, large (for human waste and misc. rubbish)
4 bottles Vinegar

MISCELLANEOUS

1 each Bible
1 each Board Games: Scrabble, Monopoly, Chess, Backgammon, Checkers,
8 each Books for pleasure
1 set Certified Copies of:
wills,birth, death, marriage certificates and divorce decrees
house and life insurance policies
inventory of valuable household items
deeds and contracts
stocks and bonds
charge card account numbers and their “lost or stolen” notification
numbers
bank account numbers
medical records including immunizations
social security numbers
passports, where pertinent for each family member
*Keep these items in waterproof containers. Many survival
and camping stores sell flat, water tight pouches. If you
have a food vacuum sealer, this is another great use for it!

Ammunition, when appropriate to and if firearm is selected
2 each Firearm, (pistol and rifle recommended, personal choice item
1 each Clock, wind-up manually like Big Ben and Baby Ben
1 each Hunting Knife
2 decks Playing Cards
1 each Magnifying Glass
1 box Paper Clips, assorted sizes
1 box Rubber Bands, assorted sizes
1 box Safety Pins, assorted sizes
1 each Survival Manual

PERSONAL HYGIENE

1 bottle After Shave
2 months Birth Control
2 bottles Body/Hand Lotion
4 each Comb and Brush
1 set Cosmetics
2 each Dental Floss
4 each Deodorant
3 bottles Liquid Soap for personal washing
1 box Panty Liners
1 bottle Perfume
3 pkgs Razor Blades (10 count)
3 bottles Shampoo
1 box Tampons/Sanitary napkins
4 each Toothbrush
3 tubes Toothpaste
1 each Tweezers, pointed
8 each Wash Cloths & Towels

PET CARE

18 each Chew Bones
10 bags Dog Food, dry (4 Kg or 10 Lb each)
2 each Food Bowl
2 each Leash and Collar
2 each Muzzles
5 bags Litter
1 each Litter Box
1 pkg Litter Box Liners
2 each Toys
1 each Water Bowl
? gallon Water*, one gallon per dog per day. For a cat, it is
about 1 pint.
*(Even if it is a small animal, plan on the unexpected.
SOMEBODY will undoubtedly spill their day’s ration and the
pet’s water can be used in emergency.)

SENIOR CARE

2 each Batteries for Wheelchairs and Hearing Aids
1 each Crutches or Walkers, Tips and Pads
2 boxes Denture Care Items
1 spare Eye Glasses
2 months Heart or Blood Pressure Medications
2 months Prescriptions
Special Dietary Items
3 sets Warmer Clothing (generally the elderly have trouble with
poor blood circulation and get cold easier)

TOOLS & HANDYMAN ITEMS

2 each ABC Fire Extinguisher (check for expiration date)
1 each Axe
6 each Bungee Straps (variety of lengths)
1 each Bush or Tree Saw
1 set Buttons, assorted sizes
1 each Crowbar
1 each Drill, Hand-operated
3 rolls Duct Tape
4 each Flashlight (extra batteries, spare bulbs)
1 each Generator, diesel preferably 5 KW
1 each Hammer
1 each Hatchet
1 roll Masking Tape (for labelling, etc)
1 pkg Needles and Thread, assorted “eye” sizes
1 box Pins
1 each Pliers
100’ (30 meters) Nylon Rope
1 each Scissors
1 each Screwdriver, Phillips
1 each Screwdriver, Flat Head
1 each Shovel, Rounded V-shaped for digging
1 each Sledgehammer with short handle
1 each Swiss Army Knife
100’ (30 meters) Twine or Heavy String
1 each Vice Grips
1 each Wire Cutters
1 each Wench and Cable, manual
1 each Wrench

http://www.frugalfolks.com/files/emergency/disaster.txt

From: sheresa

Your Family Disaster Supplies Kit

Disasters happen anytime and anywhere. And when disaster strikes, you may
not have much to respond.

A highway spill of hazardous material could mean instant evacuation.

A winter storm could confine your family at home.

An earthquake, flood, tornado or any other disaster could cut off basic
services - gas, water, electricity and telephones - for days.

After a disaster, local officials and relief workers will be on the scene,
but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours, or
it may take days. Would your family be prepared to cope with the emergency
until help arrives?

Your family will cope best by preparing for disaster before it strikes. One
way to prepare is by assembling a Disaster Supplies Kit. Once disaster hits,
you won’t have time to shop or search for supplies. But if you’ve gathered
supplies in advance, your family can endure an evacuation or home
confinement.

To prepare your kit

Review the checklists in this document.
Gather the supplies that are listed. You may need them if your family is
confined at home.
Place the supplies you’d most likely need for an evacuation in an
easy-to-carry container. These supplies are listed with an asterisk (*).

SUPPLIES
There are six basics you should stock in your home: water, food, first aid
supplies, clothing and bedding, tools and emergency supplies and special
items. Keep the items that you would most likely need during an evacuation
in an easy-to-carry container—suggested items are marked with an
asterisk(*). Possible containers include

a large, covered trash container;

a camping backpack; or a duffle bag.

Water
Store water in plastic containers such as soft drink bottles. Avoid using
containers that will decompose or break, such as milk cartons or glass
bottles. A normally active person needs to drink at least two quarts of
water each day. Hot environments and intense physical activity can double
that amount. Children, nursing mothers and ill people will need more.

Store one gallon of water per person per day (two quarts for drinking, two
quarts for food preparation/sanitation)*
Keep at least a three-day supply of water for each person in your household.
Food

Store at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food. Select foods that
require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking and little or no water. If
you must heat food, pack a can of sterno. Select food items that are compact
and lightweight.

*Include a selection of the following foods in your Disaster Supplies Kit:

Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables
Canned juices, milk, soup (if powdered, store extra water)
Staples—sugar, salt, pepper
High energy foods—peanut butter, jelly, crackers, granola bars, trail mix
Vitamins
Foods for infants, elderly persons or persons on special diets
Comfort/stress foods—cookies, hard candy, sweetened cereals, lollipops,
instant coffee, tea bags
First Aid Kit

Assemble a first aid kit for your home and one for each car. A first aid
kit* should include:

Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes
2-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6)
4-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6)
Hypoallergenic adhesive tape
Triangular bandages (3)
2-inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls)
3-inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls)
Scissors
Tweezers
Needle
Moistened towelettes
Antiseptic
Thermometer
Tongue blades (2)
Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant
Assorted sizes of safety pins
Cleansing agent/soap
Latex gloves (2 pair)
Sunscreen
Non-prescription drugs

Aspirin or nonaspirin pain reliever
Anti-diarrhea medication
Antacid (for stomach upset)
Syrup of Ipecac (use to induce vomiting if advised by the Poison Control
Center)
Laxative
Activated charcoal (use if advised by the Poison Control Center)
Contact your local American Red Cross chapter to obtain a basic first aid
manual.

SUGGESTIONS AND REMINDERS
Store your kit in a convenient place known to all family members. Keep a
smaller version of the Disaster Supplies Kit in the trunk of your car.

Keep items in air-tight plastic bags.
Change your stored water supply every six months so it stays fresh.
Rotate your stored food every six months.
Re-think your kit and family needs at least once a year. Replace batteries,
update clothes, etc.
Ask your physician or pharmacist about storing prescription medications.

Tools and Supplies
Mess kits, or paper cups, plates and plastic utensils*
Emergency preparedness manual*
Battery-operated radio and extra batteries*
Flashlight and extra batteries*
Cash or traveler’s checks, change*
Nonelectric can opener, utility knife*
Fire extinguisher: small canister, ABC type
Tube tent
Pliers
Tape
Compass
Matches in a waterproof container
Aluminum foil
Plastic storage containers
Signal flare
Paper, pencil
Needles, thread
Medicine dropper
Shut-off wrench, to turn off household gas and water
Whistle
Plastic sheeting
Map of the area (for locating shelters)
Sanitation

Toilet paper, towelettes*
Soap, liquid detergent*
Feminine supplies*
Personal hygiene items*
Plastic garbage bags, ties (for personal sanitation uses)
Plastic bucket with tight lid
Disinfectant
Household chlorine bleach
Clothing and Bedding
*Include at least one complete change of clothing and footwear per person.

Sturdy shoes or work boots*
Hat and gloves
Rain gear*
Thermal underwear
Blankets or sleeping bags*
Sunglasses
Special Items

Remember family members with special needs, such as infants and elderly or
disabled persons.

For Baby*

Formula
Diapers
Bottles
Powdered milk
Medications
For Adults*

Heart and high blood pressure medication
Insulin
Prescription drugs
Denture needs
Contact lenses and supplies
Extra eye glasses
Entertainment—games and books.

Important Family Documents
Keep these records in a waterproof, portable container.

Will, insurance policies, contracts, deeds, stocks and bonds
Passports, social security cards, immunization records
Bank account numbers
Credit card account numbers and companies
Inventory of valuable household goods, important telephone numbers
Family records (birth, marriage, death certificates)

CREATE A FAMILY DISASTER PLAN

To get started...
Contact your local emergency management or civil defense office and your
local American Red Cross chapter.

Find out which disasters are most likely to happen in your community.
Ask how you would be warned.
Find out how to prepare for each.
Meet with your family.

Discuss the types of disasters that could occur.
Explain how to prepare and respond.
Discuss what to do if advised to evacuate.
Practice what you have discussed.

Plan how your family will stay in contact if separated by disaster.

Pick two meeting places:
1) a location a safe distance from your home in case of fire.
2) a place outside your neighborhood in case you can’t return home.
Choose an out-of-state friend as a “check-in contact” for everyone to call.
Complete these steps.

Post emergency telephone numbers by every phone.
Show responsible family members how and when to shut off water, gas and
electricity at main switches.
Install a smoke detector on each level of your home, especially near
bedrooms; test monthly and change the batteries two times each year.
Contact your local fire department to learn about home fire hazards.
Learn first aid and CPR. Contact your local American Red Cross chapter for
information and training.
Meet with your neighbors.

Plan how the neighborhood could work together after a disaster. Know your
neighbors’ skills (medical, technical). Consider how you could help
neighbors who have special needs, such as elderly or disabled persons. Make
plans for child care in case parents can’t get home.

Remember to practice and maintain your plan.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Community and Family Preparedness
Program and the American Red Cross Disaster Education Program are nationwide
efforts to help people prepare for disasters of all types. For more
information, please contact your local or State Office of Emergency
Management, and your local American Red Cross chapter. Ask for “Your Family
Disaster Plan” and the “Emergency Preparedness Checklist.”
Or write to:
FEMA
P.O. Box 70274
Washington, D.C. 20024

FEMA L-189
ARC 4463

http://www.frugalfolks.com/files/emergency/safelady.txt

Subject: FOR WOMEN THAT DRIVE AT NIGHT- NOT A JOKE
BUT A MUST READ.

Pass this on to all your friends, girlfriends, wives, boyfriends,
husbands, sisters, brothers, moms, dads and anyone else you
can think of so that they also can warn the women they love,
cherish and are friends with.

This is a good thing to know. Sometimes emails that get
forwarded are important. I consider this one to think about.

Women Who Drive At Night

In case you haven’t seen the following...please read...very
important for your safety.

I headed for home by myself at approximately 10pm. I was...between
exits...when a car pulled into the right-most lane beside me (I was in
the center lane) and started matching speeds with me. After a minute,
I tried to slow down so he would pass. He slowed, too. I regained my
previous speed, and he sped up with me. Finally after a few minutes
of this, he pulled slightly ahead of me, rolled down his window and
motioned towards my tire as though something was wrong.

The man had already begun to make me nervous by driving alongside
me for some distance on the mostly empty highway, and now my
training took over. “This man is trying to get me off the road by myself
here in the dark,” I thought. This, in case you are unfamiliar with the
area, is basically the middle of nowhere. I know my car. I am very
careful with maintenance,and I am an experienced driver. I know what
a flat tire feels like. I knew my car was fine. I put on my turn signal and
moved to the right-most lane behind the man anyway and slowed down
slightly (there is always the chance that something could have been
wrong, better to be prepared). The other car pulled onto the shoulder
and started slowing down. Now I knew he was definitely trying to get
me to pull over. I passed him, he swerved back on the road and drove
right behind me.

At the next exit, there were two gas stations. They were well lit and
there were a few people there. I exited, he followed. Not only this, but
a car I had not previously noticed, that was in front of us suddenly
swerved off the exit when I put my turn signal on. I know this scenario.
I grew up in some pretty bad areas. I have had training in this. At this
point, everything I had learned was in control. I decided not to stop
anywhere.

By now there was absolutely no doubt that my car was fine. When we
approached the stop sign at the dark, empty intersection after the
gas stations, the car ahead of me put on his left turn signal and
stopped. I checked for traffic as I approached the intersection, then
pulled around him to the right, and headed straight back for the
highway. Both the car that had been ahead and the one that had been
following me turned left across the highway and did not pursue further.

I have now carefully checked my car in a safe place when I knew I was
no longer being followed. It is in perfect condition. This is a classic
scenario for car jackers to use at night. I feel lucky that I was well
prepared and didn’t have to think too much about what to do.

1. Don’t ever let yourself be caught between two cars. Car jackers often
work in pairs, attempting to corner your vehicle.

2. Don’t ever pull off the road at night by yourself in a dark,
unpopulated place.

3. Carry a cell phone - I’m going to get one!!

4. Stay calm. Don’t try any tricks. If you are in an accident,you are
vulnerable.

5. Remember that most criminals want easy victims...DON’T LET YOURSELF
BECOME ONE!!!

6. Make sure you find out how to react BEFORE you are in the situation!
These situations are unfortunately real and dangerous. Thinking about it
when it happens is too late!

7. ALWAYS make sure you do not stop until you are CERTAIN that help is
present (i.e., even if you are in a slight accident, head straight for the police
station, and don’t stop until you are there. Car jackers often slightly damage
vehicles by bumping them from the rear to try to get the driver to get out.)

GOOD ENOUGH TO READ? PASS IT ON!

KAREN L CAMPBELL
Attorney at Law

http://www.frugalfolks.com/files/food/MAKE%20YOUR%20OWN%20LIQUEURS.txt

MAKE YOUR OWN LIQUEURS

BASIC EQUIPMENT

1. 1 quart saucepan

2. Measuring cup

3. Measuring spoons

4. 1 quart bottle (32 oz.) or a fifth (25.4 oz.), empty and clean

BASIC INGREDIENTS

1. Spirits: vodka, gin, brandy, Scotch or grain alcohol

2. White granulated sugar

3. Water

4. Fruit extracts. Various brands of extracts are available at
home winemaking stores. The French brand “Noirot” is highly
recommended.

5. Glycerine. Adds body and smoothness.

BASIC METHOD

1. Make your sweet or medium syrup in the following way:
Sweet syrup - 2 cups sugar to 1 cup water
Medium Syrup - 1 cup sugar to 1/2 cup water

Combine the sugar and water in the saucepan and bring it just to
a boil. Cool for few minutes.

2. Pour the required amount of syrup into your clean bottle.

3. Add the extract.

4. Add glycerine and coloring if required.

5. Fill the bottle to the top with the spirits. A liqueur made
in a quart bottle will have a stronger alcoholic taste than one
made in a fifth bottle.

6. Close the bottle and shake. Cool before drinking.

CHERRY BRANDY

1 bottle Noirot (or similar) Cherry Brandy Extract
1 cup medium sugar syrup
Brandy

APRICOT BRANDY

1 bottle Noirot (or similar) Apricot Brandy Extract
Brandy
(no sugar syrup)

CREME DE COCOA

1 bottle Noirot (or similar) Cocoa Extract
2 cups sweet sugar syrup
Vodka or grain alcohol

CREME DE MENTHE

1 bottle Noirot (or similar) Green Mint Extract
2 cups sweet sugar syrup
Vodka or grain alcohol

HOMEMADE COFFEE LIQUEUR

Ingredients:

3 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup Yuban Instant Coffee

1 Vanilla bean (available at most health food stores if not at
your local supermarket’s spice section) (4) 1 1 Quart 100 proof
vodka.

Dissolve sugar into three and three quarter cups warm water.
Bring syrup mixture to a boil and boil hard for 15 minutes.
While syrup is boiling, dissolve coffee into three quarter cups
of warm water. Add vanilla bean, split lengthwise. When syrup
boiling time is up; remove from stove and allow to cool for five
minutes. Then add coffee-vanilla bean mixture, and allow to cool
to room temperature. When cool, add all the vodka, stir lightly
and pour into clean gallon jug. Allow to stand for two weeks at
room temperature before drinking. Enjoy! But be careful. This
is a potent drink.

http://www.frugalfolks.com/files/food/7mistake.txt

The Seven Major Mistakes in Food Storage

By Vickie Tate

A month or two ago I met a cute little gal who was talking to me about her
newly begun food storage. “You know,” she began, “I’ve dreaded doing my food
storage for years, its seems so blah, but the way national events are going
my husband and I decided we couldn’t put it off anymore. And, do you know,
it really hasn’t been hard. We just bought 20 bags of wheat, my husband
found a place to get 60 pound cans of honey, and now all we have to do is
get a couple of cases of powdered milk. Could you tell me where to get the
milk?” After I suggested several distributors, I asked, “Do you know how to
cook with your wheat?” “Oh,” she laughed, “if we ever need it I’ll learn
how. My kids only like white bread and I don’t have a wheat grinder.” She
had just made every major mistake in storing food (other than not storing
anything at all.) But she’s not alone. Through 14 years of helping people
prepare, I found most people’s storage starts out looking just like hers. So
what’s wrong with this storage plan? There are seven serious problems that
may occur trying to live on these basics:

1.) VARIETY - Most people don’t have enough variety in their storage. 95% of
the people I’ve worked with only stored the 4 basic items we mentioned
earlier: wheat, milk, honey, and salt. Statistics show most of us won’t
survive on such a diet for several reasons. a.) Many people are allergic to
wheat and may not be aware of it until they are eating it meal after meal.
b.) Wheat is too harsh for young children. They can tolerate it in small
amounts but not as their main staple. c.) We get tired of eating the same
foods over and over and many times prefer not to eat than to sample that
particular food again. This is called appetite fatigue. Young children and
older people are particularly susceptible to it. Store less wheat than is
generally suggest and put the difference into a variety of other grains,
particularly ones your family likes to eat. Also store a variety of beans.

This will add variety of color, texture and flavor. Variety is the key to a
successful storage program. It is essential that you store flavorings such
as tomato, bouilion, cheese, and onion.

Also, include a good supply of the spices you like to cook with. These
flavorings and spices allow you to do many creative things with your grains
and beans. Without them you are severely limited. One of the best
suggestions I can give you is buy a good food storage cookbook. Go through
it and see what your family would really eat. Notice the ingredients as you
do it. This will help you more than anything else to know what items to
store.

2.) EXTENDED STAPLES - Few people get beyond storing the four basic items,
but it is extemely important that you do so. Never put all your eggs in one
basket. Store dehydrated and/or freeze-dried foods as well as home canned
and store bought canned goods. Make sure you add cooking oil, shortening,
baking powder, soda, yeast and powdered eggs. You can’t cook even the most
basic receipes without these items. Because of limited space I won’t list
all the items that should be included in a well-balanced storage program.
They are all included in the The New Cookin With Home Storage cookbook, as
well as information on how much to store, and where to purchase it.

3.) VITAMINS - Vitamins are important, especially if you have children,
since children do not store body reserves of nutrients as adults do. A good
quality multi-vitamin and vitamin C are the most vital. Others may be added
as your budget permits.

4.) QUICK AND EASY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FOODS - Quick and easy foods help you
through times when you are psychologically or physically unable to prepare
your basic storage items. No cook foods such as freeze-dried are wonderful
since they require little preparation. MRE’s (Meals Ready to Eat), such as
many prepardness outlets carry, canned goods, etc. are also very good.
Psycological Foods are the goodies - Jello, pudding, candy, etc. - you
should add to your storage.

These may sound frivolous, but through the years I’ve talked with many
people who have lived entirely on their storage for extended periods of
time. Nearly all of them say these were the most helpful items in their
storage to normalize their situations and make it more bearable. These are
especially important if you have children.

5.) BALANCE - Time and time again I’ve seen families buy all of their wheat,
then buy all of another item, and so on. Don’t do that. It’s important to
keep well-balanced as you build your storage. Buy several items, rather than
a large quantity of one item. If something happens and you have to live on
your present storage, you’’ll fare much better having a one-month supply of
a variety of items than a year’s supply of two to three items.

6.) CONTAINERS - Always store your bulk foods in food storage containers. I
have seen literally tons and tons of food thrown away because they were left
in sacks, where they became highly susceptible to moisture, insects and
rodents. If you are using plastic buckets make sure they are lined with a
food grade plastic liner available from companies that carry packaging
supplies. Never use trash can liners as these are treated with pesticides.

Don’t stack them too high. In an earthquake they may topple, the lids pop
open, or they may crack. A better container is the #10 tin can which most
prepardness companies use when they package their foods.

7.) USE YOUR STORAGE - In all the years I’ve worked with prepardness one of
the biggest problems I’ve seen is people storing food and not knowing what
to do with it. It’s vital that you and your family become familiar with the
things you are storing. You need to know how to prepare these foods. This is
not something you want to learn under stress. Your family needs to be used
to eating these foods. A stressful period is not a good time to totally
change your diet. Get a food storage cookbook and learn to use these foods!
It’s easy to solve these food storage problems once you know what they are.

The lady I talked about at the first of the article left realizing what she
had stored was a good beginning, but not enough. As she said, “It’s better
to find out the mistakes I’ve made now while there’s still time to make
corrections.” This makes a lot more sense.

If you’re one who needs to make some adjustments, that’s okay. Look at these
suggestions and add the things you’re missing. It’s easy to take a basic
storage and add the essentials to make it liveable, but it needs to be done.

As I did the research for my cookbook I wanted to include receipes that gave
help to families no matter what they had stored. As I put the material
together it was fascinating to discover what the pioneers ate is the type of
things we store. But if you have stored only the 4 basics, there’s very,
very little you can do with it. By adding even just a few things it greatly
increases your options, and the prospect ofyour family surviving on it. As I
studied how the pioneers lived and ate, my whole feeling for food changed. I
realized our storage is what most of the world has always lived on. If it’s
put together the right way we’ll be returning to good basic living with a
few goodies thrown in.

Vickie Tate is the author of the popular cookbook, COOKING WITH HOME
STORAGE. She has also lectured for many years on prepardness subjects. For
further information or to order your copy call (801) 835-8283; or write to
her at 302 E 200 N, Manti, UT 84642.

To get rid of fruit flies take a jar or bottle. Put a small piece of fruit in the
bottom and a litte water the make a paper cone with a small opening at
the tip . Place the cone in the jar so that it is a couple inches above the fruit.
Tape the cone inside the jar so it won’t come out. They go in to get the fruit
and can’t figure out how to get out. When you are ready to get rid of them
put a small amount of vinegar or ammonia in the botttle. If you set the flies
free they will come back . It works for us everytime. You do need to move all
other fruit to a fly proof container first.

[The bucket idea could work as an earth box also, with a couple changes...granny]

http://www.frugalfolks.com/files/garden/contain.txt

Container Gardening

My Dear Friends,

Ok, here goes, I will keep these posts general, but my methods can be adapted to many many
flowers and plants.. and forgive me if they are not nicely arranged as I am doing this from my
mental files, as I haven’t really written all of this out before..some things are hard to describe
without pics so if it is unclear let me know and I will try to explain things better.

May I recommend the book Square Foot Gardening, from which I developed most of my
methods.. I am sorry, cannot call the author to mind, but I know www.amazon.com carries it
and you can search for just the title there.

For my ‘buckets’ I love the food containers used by restaurants.. contact a few in your area
and you can probably find some who will give them to you..a local sandwich making company
here also sells them for 50-75 cents each..check facilities that house and feed people regularly,
they often have them, such as elder care homes, county jails, private schools.. the
mom-and-pop type places are best bets as most national chain restaurants and state facilities
recycle the pails nowadays..the buckets hold say 5 gallons or so.. you will want to get a few
together.

My planters are made of two of these stacked one inside the other.

Prepare your planters:

Take two buckets which will fit one inside the other.. you want drainage holes but if you try to
puncture these babies with a nail and hammer, they tend to split..so here is my way..

Fit one bucket into the other, place so that you can see the light through the bucket sides
(most of these are white and you will see the shadow of the inner bucket.. make a mark on
each side of outer bucket some inches from the bottom of the bucket.. but not so high that
the inner and outer bucket are tight against each other.. you want water to be able to run up
the inner bucket to this point and run out at these points, but you want them so that the
planter will hold some water..separate your buckets to make your holes...take a largish nail, a
pair of pliers and a lit candle.. holding the nail in the pliers, heat the nail nice and hot in the
candle flame.. hold the pliers tightly and melt holes into the buckets..for the inner bucket,
melt two holes near opposite corners right in the bottom of the bucket..for the outer one, you
put holes at your marks on the sides, one hole per side.. the importance of these holes will be
explained in later a lesson..now when you fit the inner bucket into the outer one, you have a
planter with drainage and the outer bucket can hold water that drains from the inner one.. fit
your buckets together and you are ready to plant..fill buckets with your preferred soil.. do this
where you want the planter to stay, these babies are heavy once filled..

If you are wishing to plant your goodies to grow inside the house (for winter goodies, for
instance) do not put holes in your outer bucket, put holes ONLY in the inner bucket..

Now you are ready to plant..

Also a note.. I am gonna do the methods for outside containers first, then explain adjustments
for growing your goodies indoors.. and yep, I have roses indoors too these outside directions
are great for planters to be left in your yard (a great fix for icky soil places), on a deck, porch,
patio or balcony..(I had a full garden on balconies of apartments when I stayed in them) once
we get rolling if you want specifics for particular plants, ask and I will try to address them if I
can..

To determine how many plants per planter, here is my method.. use this as general guides and
you should be able to figure it out for virtually any plant..for bushes and vines- 1 per planter-
you can cheat and put two or three of the smaller vines such as cukes and squash, for melons,
gourds and such, stick to one per bucket or you may not get maximum yield

For other plants, try intensive plantings..your planter is equal to about 1 square foot of garden
space..read the planting instructions and divide the spacing distance by 2 (i.e., if it says space 1
foot apart, you will plant 2 in you planter, in each direction, thus you will have four plants total
in the planter)

Note: the Square Foot Gardening book recommends 3 or 4 as a division but I have had much
better luck dividing by 2 because you have to adjust for the fact that the soil and plant are
contained and won’t have access to ground water and minerals

If you are planting a vine or tall plant, get yourself four sticks of some sort.. real sticks, pieces
of 1” x 1’ wood, pieces of 1” plastic plumbing pipe, tomato stakes, something rigid but not much
more than 1” across.. you want 4 of these which will be able to be stuck all the way down into
the bucket and stick up 2 or 3 feet above the bucket..put these in the corners of your planter
(on the inside) BEFORE you fill it with soil, it is MUCH easier than trying to shove them into
the filled bucket (ask me how I know) you may also line your bucket with chicken wire, take
your length of chicken wire (measure around the outside of your planter to find the right length
of chicken wire) and roll it to make a cylinder.. fit into your planter and stretch it to line the
sides extending up out of the planter..chicken wire is great for cut flowers, or any plant which is
kinda tall but won’t want to lean heavily on the wire..you want the frames for plants that you
would stake up in the garden, such as tomatoes..for melons and squash and such, you don’t
want any frames, just plain planters..

Now fill your planter with your choice of soil.. leave 2” or so at the top unfilled..this allows you
to water more easily and neatly..mark your soil’s surface with your finger or guess your
spacing..plant your seed or plant at normal depth by its planting instructions, but dividing the
spacing apart by 2..

Example:
you are planting tomatoes.. you have your planter with your stake frames..you are going to put
4 tomato plants in one planter.. fill you planter with soil... mark the soil into four squares with
your finger.. you will plant a tomato in the center of each of these squares..your babies are in
the ground.. bless them and water them.. water a little at a time until you can see the water
begin to drain into the bottom bucket, then stop..watch your planter to see if it overflows the
outer holes at this point.. if it does you will wish to adjust your watering just a bit, especially if
the water is a problem..this will not be needed in the yard or if it will not drain onto your
downstairs neighbor or some such .. this is why your indoors planters do not have the holes
in the outer bucket.. but it is healthier to have these if you can for reasons discussed later..

For your planters with stick frames..as your plants grow, take some old runned panyhose (yep,
a frugal tip here), and cut the legs off.. tie these to the frames, looping them around each
corner to make a soft ‘cage’ kinda like a hose fence with your frames sticks as the fenceposts..
(egads, hard to describe this one, does it make sense? much easier to understand if you are
actually looking at the darned thing).. keep your plants inside this ‘cage’..

After this it is time to start experimenting.. I am planning to do some posts on some of the
individual plants I have grown in my planters with hints from my experiences with them.. the
next lesson will be on how to adjust this stuff for an indoor garden..

you have your planters and you have your babies all nice and cozy in the soil.. all you gotta do
now is stand by and watch the magic, plus a little maintenance and care..

Planters and pots of any kind have a tendency to hold minerals and sediments in the soil from
waterings and fertilizing/feeding.. these build up and can affect your plants.. here is where
those weird holes on the outside of your planters come in.. once or twice a season, it is a good
idea to flush your planter.. this is not as critical if your planters are outside exposed to rain
(assuming you’ve had any ).. but if they are under a porch or a covered balcony, they need
it..

So to flush your planter, you will water heavily.. simply fill your planter with fresh _warm_
water.. fill the 2” or so you left at the top of the planter from the soilline.. let it sink in and
repeat, watch for the planter to drain as the water fills the outer bucket to the level of the
holes.. keep repeating this until you have flushed quite a bit of water out of these holes.. I use
some five gallons per planter for a good rinse..if you can tilt your planter (if it isn’t too heavy),
this will accelerate the draining process..allow extra time after this before the next watering

All other times, water normally..if you need to feed your plants, I suggest you wait at least two
weeks after planting, feed with a good commercial water-soluble product such as Miracle-Gro
or Peter’s Plant Food (my personal favorite).. I mix this at 1/4 directed strength..plants in
containers can easily be overfed..

Another hint: if you plants get kinds sickly looking, and you are SURE that you are not
overwatering them, try my coffee trick.. take cold coffee and mix with water, don’t mix it too
strong, takes just a bit of coffee.. use this to water you plants.. don’t do this too often, because it
can ‘burn them out’.. the coffee will stimulate the plants and you will see more vitality in many
cases.. I give all my plants coffee once a month at regular watering times..

Would you like a hothouse to enhance growth? easy as pie.. take a clear (preferably) or white
garbage bag, put over your planter stakes..tie around the planter to hold it.. poke some nice
holes or cut some slits with a knife to let in air.. and voila!! a disposable greenhouse!!

Your Indoor Garden

To grow your garden indoors is not as hard as you might think..your planters will do well
inside with some considerations..be sure to use only planters without holes in the outer
buckets, unless you don’t mind water draining on the floor (and don’t laugh, my mom’s indoor
garden is in a basement near a drain, so she uses the ‘outdoor’ ones)

Plant as you would for outside, use the same spacing, etc... watering and feeding will be the
same.. your big problem indoors is most probably light.. but don’t dispair, with the growlight
bulbs which you can now find at most department stores (in the garden section, not the lights
), you can have sunlight-spectrum light almost anywhere, even in a closet..the bulbs come in
many sizes, but the most convenient, imho, are the ones shaped like regular light bulbs.. these
will work in any standard fixture.. I have one in every room, one of my multi-light fixture in my
kitchen, one in a chosen lamp in every other room..’grow’ light is not harmful to the eyes, but I
find it better to have some regular lights, not just grow lights to ‘live’ by..you do not have to turn
out all the other lights, just run the grow lights right along with regular lighting..

If you are growing in a place where only one light needs to be, say a closet, use just
growlights..no fixtures? get yourself a yardsale floor light, great ones are those poles that hold 3
or 4 lights, put your growlights into it, and move your lights to the plants.. My mom has two of
these which she has on opposite sides of a small area of her basement, with her planters
between them.. she turns them on for 6 hours a day, and has a great garden down there... you
can kinda adjust for ‘sunlight’ time with these..plants that need full sun (in their directions)
should get 6-8 hours of light a day.. and don’t dispair, these bulbs are not expensive to run,
even for these kind of hours..growlights give your plants wavelengths of light that they don’t get
in regular electric bulbs... they are well worth the cost to buy and run..they last a long time
(most of mine are longer- lived than my regular bulbs)

This will be the last one friends.. we’ll wrap up some loose ends.. I will be posting some stuff
specific to certain plants but with these 5 lessons, you should be able to go it alone.. and don’t
forget to experiment.. I always make at least one planter for trial runs of new ideas.. something
I’ve not grown before in planters, or a new trick.. you’ll be amazed at what you might stumble
upon..

It is not necessary to pay the extra money for the bush type plants specially bred for container
gardening.. you can use regular varieties, the cheap seeds..just prune your plants as they get too
rangy or big.. watch the fruiting of your plant, most of our garden veggies bear fruit on the plant
other than at the very tops.. tomatoes, beans, vines and such bear fruit all along the plant
stems.. when they get too big or cumbersome, just trim them up.. in most instances, you want
to trim just above a set of leaves.. many plants will then grow from there, adding thick
bushiness to your plant..

Watch those vines.. you don’t wish them to hang sharply over the edge of your planter to the
ground/ floor..they can get damaged and kill the whole runner..this is a factor with your vine
plants especially, such as watermelon, beans, melons, squash..so try to place your planter near
something which is around the height of your planter or higher.... you can use your imagination
here, what you wish to achieve is a ‘table’ for your runners to sit on..I place my planters for my
watermelon, squash and things by my front and back porches.. then I lead the vines right along
the porch, allowing the melons to ripen right on the porch..

Hint: place cheap trash bags or old window plastic under the vines, topped with some old
newspaper.. as the vine fills out, this will be hidden, and it will keep the plant from discoloring
some porch materials..In my bedroom garden for winter, I have a cheap yard sale kid’s room
bookcase I run my watermelon vine onto, then the melons ripen “on the shelves”..at my front
porch, six planters of beans run up the porch columns.. the planters are placed on the ground
right in front of the posts.. people always compliment me on my front entrance.. I have
intermixed flowers with my veggies to add color.. veggies have the greatest leaves.. pick your
planter spots with an eye to using them to enhance sparse places in your landscaping..things
like clothesline poles are great for vining plants..I grow my loofas on my clotheslines, and one
section I fill the lines with the vines also so I can get more fruit..

And in case you’re new to vertical planting.. some fruits are too heavy to allow them to just
hang from the plant and stem.. so make little hammocks for them.. you can use lots of things
for these.. my favorites are old panyhose (a great garden tie up material, strong, springy and
soft).. tie the legs near the panty and cut the legs off (use them to tie up plant stems).. you now
have a nice hammock for your fruit..simply watch your fruit developing, when you see the
strain start on the stem, put that baby melon into the panty, and tie up to your stake at a place
where the stress will be relieved..I also use the net bags from grocery veggies..you want a
material which won’t hold water, is strong, and will let in air..

And a last note, don’t be afraid to crowd your planters.. plant little flowers around a bush or
vine..plant garlic everywhere!! it helps keep bugs away, and a garlic clove can be stuck just
about anywhere there’s a little room..plant a low vegetable around a vine.. if you have say, 4
beans in a planter, and you are going to be running the vines onto your porch..plant some
radishes around the beans, or plant one lettuce plant smack in the center of the planter
between the beans.. the short plant won’t get in the way of the tall one, and the tall one won’t
need that ground space.. experiment.. you’ll also learn that planting certain plants together will
help control pests on both.. this is called companion planting..

And don’t forget-— mix your flowers and veggies, there is no reason why you should separate
them, and they often help one another.. lots of pests that love to eat your veggies won’t go near
certain flowers..most bad bugs really hate marigolds..the best ones are the cheap seed you see
everywhere in the spring, the marigolds that actually do stink..the little orange ones.. great bug
repellents..

And so dear friends, thanks for hanging in there through this..you are now graduates of
Stardust’s Container Gardening 101..go forth and cultivate!!!!...

I will open the podium to questions.. and post some specific-plants info as I think of it or it is
asked about..

Bright Blessings,
Stardust
—
stardust@ipass.net
Bubbles & Bars
Handcrafted Bath Creations
North Carolina

Taken from Mary Ellen’s Best of Helpful Hints.

Aphids & Spiders: Wash total plant off with mild detergent and water.
Black Flies: Combine 1/2 tablespoon of plain ammonia and 1 quart of water.
Water soil.

White Flies: Mix 2 tablespoons of dishwashing liquid in 1 gallon of water
and spray on leaves.

Scales: For instant removal of slugs, place plant in pot of water.
Pest of all kinds: Plant a garlic clove along with your plant. As it grows,
simply cut it down so it will not disturb the appearance of the plant.
Garlic will not harm the plant, but the bugs hate it.