Posted on 02/09/2009 12:36:11 AM PST by nw_arizona_granny
Yahoo ran an interesting article this morning indicating a rise in the number of survivalist communities cropping up around the country. I have been wondering myself how much of the recent energy crisis is causing people to do things like stockpile food and water, grow their own vegetables, etc. Could it be that there are many people out there stockpiling and their increased buying has caused food prices to increase? It’s an interesting theory, but I believe increased food prices have more to do with rising fuel prices as cost-to-market costs have increased and grocers are simply passing those increases along to the consumer. A recent stroll through the camping section of Wal-Mart did give me pause - what kinds of things are prudent to have on hand in the event of a worldwide shortage of food and/or fuel? Survivalist in Training
I’ve been interested in survival stories since I was a kid, which is funny considering I grew up in a city. Maybe that’s why the idea of living off the land appealed to me. My grandfather and I frequently took camping trips along the Blue Ridge Parkway and around the Smoky Mountains. Looking back, some of the best times we had were when we stayed at campgrounds without electricity hookups, because it forced us to use what we had to get by. My grandfather was well-prepared with a camp stove and lanterns (which ran off propane), and when the sun went to bed we usually did along with it. We played cards for entertainment, and in the absence of televisions, games, etc. we shared many great conversations. Survivalist in the Neighborhood
http://www.jrwhipple.com/sr/gardening.html
[Several photos]
Round-Foot Gardening
Round-Foot Gardening
Need a use for all those plastic barrels that are unsuitable for potable water or unsafe for fuel storage? Try square-foot gardening. Or in the case of barrels Round-Foot Gardening.
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I have a near inexhaustible supply of empty 30 gallon plastic barrels. These barrels have had Roundup in them so they are unsuitable for potable water, they also have a serious static electricity problem, so gasoline storage is out of the question. My location, high on a hill, has the world’s worst dirt to grow anything in. Weeds don’t even grow well up here. I am assembling an army of pots and store-bought dirt, with the inclusion of an automatic watering system, I have created a maintenance free, near hydroponic system of food production. The following pictures and text should help anyone who’s interested in Round-Foot Gardening:
1. Tape a felt marker to a yardstick so as you turn the plastic barrel the marker will draw a line at the halfway point. I use a handheld electric jig saw and just run it around the barrel. This makes two 15 gallon pots.
2. Drill two or three half-inch holes in the bottom for drainage. For taller plants that need a trellis, like tomatoes, mount one 4-foot length of redwood 2x2 to each side with wood screws and fender washers. (Mount the wood on the inside of the pot).
3. Drill one ¼ inch hole near the top for the watering system’s tubing to enter.
4. Put about two inches of small rock in the bottom for drainage, and fill to within an inch of the top with good quality dirt, or manufactured soil (see below).
5. Stick your plant(s) in the dirt, if a trellis is needed, shove one of those cheap cone shaped wire tomato racks in the dirt and wire it to the top of the 2x2s.
6. Make a cylinder of rabbit wire and slip it over the top. Insert the watering tubing through the ¼ inch hole.
That’s all there is to it. Stand back and wait for the food to appear.
A few hints: Use an automatic watering timer. These pots will absorb a lot of heat, the heat is generally a big help to the plants, but will dry the dirt very fast. One day of missed watering could be the demise of your garden. Don’t water during the day, the sun will heat the water in the plumbing to the point it may cook your plants. I water starting at 3:00AM, every hour from 3:00AM to 9:00AM each pot gets one liter (about a quart) six times a day. Your watering needs may very.
Manufactured soil: I use one $5 bag of planting mix per planter. The mix consists of Fir bark, Mushroom compost, Wheat straw, Peat moss, Chicken manure, Gypsum and Perlite. It retains moisture, stays well aerated and doesn’t pack down. From time to time I sprinkle a little granulated fertilizer over the top.
http://www.i4at.org/surv/pipemill.htm
Emergency Grain Mill
Whole-kernel grains or soybeans cannot be eaten in sufficient quantities to maintain vigor and health if merely boiled or parched. A little boiled whole-kernel wheat is a pleasantly chewy breakfast cereal, but experimenters at Oak Ridge got sore tongues and very loose bowels when they tried to eat enough boiled whole-kernel wheat to supply even half of their daily energy needs.
Even the most primitive peoples grind or pound grains into a meal or paste before cooking. (Rice is the only important exception.)
Few Americans know how to process whole-kernel grains and soybeans (our largest food reserves) into meal. This ignorance could be fatal to survivors.
Improvised Grain Mill
The grain mill described can efficiently pound whole-grain wheat, corn, etc., into meal and flour-thereby greatly improving digestibility and avoiding the diarrhea and sore mouths that would result from eating large quantities of ungrounded grain.
TO BUILD:
(1) Cut 3 lengths of pipe, each 30 inches long; 3/4-inch-diameter steel pipe (such as ordinary water pipe) is best.
(2) Cut the working ends of the pipe off squarely. Remove all roughness, leaving the full-wall thickness. Each working end should have the full diameter of the pipe.
(3) In preparation for binding the three pieces of pipe together into a firm bundle. encircle each piece of pipe with cushioning, slip-preventing tape.
(4) Tape or otherwise bind the 3 pipes into a secure bundle so that their working ends are as even as possible and are in the same plane-resting evenly on a flat surface.
(5) Cut the top smoothly out of a large can. A 4-inch-diameter, 7-inch-high fruit-juice can Is ideal. If you do not have a can, improvise something to keep grain together while pounding it.
TO MAKE MEAL AND FLOUR:
(1) Put clean, dry grain ONE INCH DEEP in the can.
(2) To prevent blistering your hands, wear gloves, or wrap cloth around the upper part of the bundle of pipes.
(3) Place the can (or open-ended cylinder) on a hard, smooth, solid surface, such as concrete.
(4) To pound the grain, sit with the can held between your feet. Move the bundle of pipes straight up and down about 3 inches, with a rapid stroke.
(5) If the can is 4 inches in diameter, in 4 minutes you should be able to pound 1/2 lb. (one cup) of whole-kernel wheat into 1/5 lb. of fine meal and flour, and 3/10 lb. of coarse meal and fine-cracked wheat.
(6) To separate the pounded grain into fine meal, flour, coarse meal, and fine-cracked wheat, use a sieve made of window screen.
(7) To separate flour for feeding small children, place some pounded grain in an 18 X 18-inch piece of fine nylon net, gather the edges of the net together so as to hold the grain, and shake this bag-like container.
(8) To make flour fine enough for babies, pound fine meal and coarse flour still finer, and sieve it through a piece of cheesecloth or similar material.
Unlike wheat and corn, the kernels of barley, grain sorghums. and oats have rough, fibrous hulls that must be removed from the digestible parts to produce an acceptable food. Moistening the grain will toughen such hulls and make them easier to remove. If the grain is promptly pounded or ground into meal, the toughened hulls will break into larger pieces than will the hulls of un-dampened grain. A small amount of water. weighing about 2% of the weight of the grain, should be used to dampen the grain. For 3 pounds of grain (about 6 cups), sprinkle with about one ounce (28 grams, or about 2 tablespoons) of water, while stirring constantly to moisten all the kernels. After about 5 minutes of stirring, the grain will appear dry. The small amount of water will have dampened and toughened the hulls, but the edible parts inside will have remained dry. Larger pieces of hull are easier to remove after grinding than smaller pieces.
One way to remove ground-up hulls from meal is by flotation. Put some of the meal-hulls mixture about I inch deep in a pan or pot, cover the mixture with water, and stir. Skim off the floating hulls, then pour off the water and more hulls. Sunken pieces of hulls that settle on top of the heavier meal can be removed with one’s fingers as the last of the water is poured off. To produce a barley meal good for very small children, the small pieces of hulls must again be separated by flotation.
To lessen their laxative effects, all grains should be ground as finely as possible, and most of the hulls should be removed. Grains also will be digested more easily if they are finely ground.
Source: Mercy Seat Christian Church
http://www.i4at.org/surv/green.htm
Backyard Greenhouse
Home gardening and landscaping are enjoyable hobbies for many people. If you are among them, you might benefit from a small backyard greenhouse. A greenhouse can be built easily and inexpensively in several hours using simple hand tools and materials available at most building supply stores. This publication presents plans and instructions for an easily constructed greenhouse that costs about $100 and may be used for many purposes. Measuring 12 feet by 14 feet (168 square feet), it is small enough to be unobtrusive but large enough to meets the needs of the serious grower. The completed structure is shown in Figure 1.
continued.
http://www.i4at.org/surv/pottery.htm
Pottery Oven
Sawdust Firing Pottery Oven. A simple system of firing in which pots are set in sawdust within a brick or metal box with lid. The sawdust is ignited and burns more slowly achieving sufficient heat to turn the clay into pottery. Pockets of oxidation and reduction are caused which produce interesting decoration, especially on burnished red clays. NOTE: Don’t forget to leave gaps in oven construction to allow for oxygen.
http://www.i4at.org/surv/mocinstr.htm
Homemade Moccasins
Thank you NativeTech: Native American Technology & Art for making this info available.
Author: Tara Prindle
Make a paper pattern for moccasins first.
(use the same pattern for left and right moccasins)
1. Place feet (or tracings) on either side of center line of paper with 1” between heels and edge of paper. Each heel should be 1/2” away from the center line, and the balls of the feet below the big toes should be 1/4” away from the center-line of the paper.
2. Even with the heels, mark points E and E1 (1/2” from the center-line and 1” from the edge of the paper) Also mark points D and D1 (1/2” from the center-line at the edge of the paper).
3. Mark point A by following a line from the base of the big toe to the center-line.
continued with instructions and diagrams.
http://www.i4at.org/surv/sstill.htm
[photos]
Solar Water Distiller
Completed Still Minus Reflector
The Solar Still
Solar Stills operate on the same principles that produce rainfall. The sun is allowed into and trapped in the Still. The high temperatures produced destroy all pathogens. The water evaporates, and in this process, only pure water vapor rises in the Still, only to condense on the glass. The glass is sloped to the south, and the condensed water runs down the glass and is collected in a trough. The water is allowed out of the collector through silicone tubing, and is collected in 5 gallon glass jugs. There are no moving parts in the solar still, and only the sun’s energy is required for operation.
The design of the our Solar Still began with many hours spent researching previous designs, successes and failures. Our goal for the Still project was to design and develop plans for a Still which could be replicated using “off the shelf” materials.
We designed a still which is easy to replicate, using standard building materials, of which 95% are available “off the shelf”. The exterior materials were chosen for their ability to withstand our desert climate with minimal maintenance. The still produces an average of 3 gallons per day in the summer months. Winter production is expected to be 1/2 that amount. The Solar Still can utilize a standard size patio glass replacement, 34”X76”. The material costs per still are approximately $150.
Brackish water is carefully placed inside Solar Still via an inlet near the base of the Still. As sunlight warms the black silicone bottom and heat is transferred to the water, the top of the water evaporates on to the inside of the glass cover, which is tilted toward the fresh water drain. approximately 8 square feet (of glass cover) will distill around 1 gallon of water per day, over five hours of full sunlight.
The most important elements of the design are the sealing of the base with black, high temperature silicone rubber; (spread it on with a Bondo squeegee) and creating a good seal between the glass cover and the bottom of the box.
Illustrative Diagram
Side View
Exploded View
The Solar Basin Still
Color Still
The Still is filled each morning or evening, and the day’s production is collected at that time. The Still will continue to produce after sundown as the water is still very hot. The Still is over filled each day to flush out sediment. The over flow water can be used for irrigation. The only maintenance is to clean the glass occasionally.
A Large Solar Distiller Array! A Large Solar Distiller Array!
http://www.i4at.org/surv/hobostv.htm
The Hobo Stove
Take a gallon paint can (exact size not important - experiment).
Cut holes in sides of can as below:
Chuck anything combustible in and light it up.
The air flows in the bottom hole, and the aerodynamics of the can suck the exhaust out of the top holes. This forms a vicious through draught, and the fire burns almost white hot in a strong wind! It also uses very little fuel. Fire temperature can be controlled be turning can away from the wind a bit, or by obstructing the inlet hole.
Put a pan directly on the top of the can without the can lid (unless you are very fussy about carbon deposits on your pan) for maximum heat transfer. Or to bake, put lid on can, and baking receptacle on lid. Alternatively use a large lidded tin, like a biscuit tin, directly on the can, supporting the item to be baked above the bottom of the tin, so it bakes in the distributed temperature of the tin rather than the direct heat on the base.
These things are unbelievably effective, dirt-cheap and fun to make. You can easily make one on the fly with a Swiss Army knife and a tin you pick up. You will probably find yourself making lots of different designs just for the hell of it!! They are also useful in that you can burn up your camp rubbish to cook your next meal!
http://christianhomekeeper.com/
Where I live, its cold and wet right now. My children would love to get outside but for now they will need to play inside after their school lessons. We don’t allow the “B” word in our house….. Bored. But I admit, some days are long and on those days I look or something new and interesting to do.
This is one of the many little things I make for my children to play with, Its inexpensive, easy to make and really fun to play with!
Modeling Clay
Blend 1 cup of cornstarch and 2 cups of baking soda. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cold water and add a few drops of food coloring. Hear the mixture over a medium heat. Stir constantly until it reaches a dough-like consistency. Cool the clay completely before touching it. Cover it with a moist cloth while it is cooling.
This can be used just like modeling clay. To keep creations a longer time, coat them with shellac.
http://christianhomekeeper.com/2008/02/20/reclaiming-rancid-butter/
Reclaiming Rancid Butter
Feb 20th, 2008 by Sylvia
“Why?” you ask, would one even want to reclaim rancid butter?? Good question. You probably never will want to or need to, this is one of those old-time skills that I’m famous for. If we ever have a breakdown of society and you want someone to reclaim butter, I’m your girl. LOL! But of course, now you know how to do it too!
Butter that has gone rancid can be
restored by clarifiying it (heating out the whey) and then adding a
piece of very dark toast. Remove the toast after about a half
hour, or when the butter has lost its rancid taste, & store in a cool
place.
Another way to restore rancid butter;
Soak rancid buttert in a solution of 1 tablespoon of baking soda per quart of water. After 2 hrs., rinse & drain the butter. Spread on a slanted
surface to allow the whey to run out.
Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt for
each pound of butter, work well, pack into a clean container, store in a cool place.
http://christianhomekeeper.com/2008/02/20/how-to-store-cheese/
How To Store Cheese
Feb 20th, 2008 by Sylvia
While hard cheeses can be coated with paraffin, soft cheeses can be stored in jars. These instructions yield a product that is similar to “Cheese Whiz”. Why can cheese? Especially when you can buy products like cheese whiz already in the jar. Time may tell if we need to can our own cheese or not, until then, my motto is “Learn whatever you have opportunity to learn…”
Ingredients:
1 (3 0z.) can evaporated milk
1 T. vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt 1 lb. Velveeta cheese or any processed cheese
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
Melt milk and cheese in double boiler. Add rest of ingredients and mix well.
Fill pint jars about 3/4 full and seal. Place in Boiling Water bath for 10 minutes.
Storing Hard Cheeses
Hard cheeses can be stored by dipping them in melted paraffin.
Remove any wrapping from the cheese.
Melt the paraffin in an old pan. Dip the cheese in the melted stuff or get a paint brush and paint the paraffin on the cheese.
Allow the paraffin to dry completely, and dip again.
After about 4 coats of paraffin, you may add a layer of cheese cloth for extra protection.
Continue dipping and drying until the paraffin has formed a smooth, thick, bubble free surface.
Store cheeses that have been coated in paraffin in the coolest spot you can find, as in a cellar or unheated room.
Cheeses that have been stored this way will last a very long time, almost indefinitely. If the paraffin ever gets a crack or blister, re-coat it with melted paraffin.
I have dozens of 5 gallon buckets with the bottoms cut out. Was wondering if these could be used filled with compost and when ready for harvesting, just lift the buckets. My concern is heat buildup as they do not have as large a diameter as tires. Have scads of old tires here but would like to avoid the chore of taking out the inner rings if possible.
Have never processed my pickled beets or eggs. Just boiled about a dozen eggs, added vinegar, water and pickling spice and keep in refrig until eaten-a couple weeks. My beets, I bring sugar, water, vinegar and spices to a rapid boil, add the beets and boil several minutes to assure the beets are boiling hot, then pack in jars that have been kept hot with boiling water. They seal as they cool. Probably not a failproof method but have done them this way fo 60+ years and my mother before me for probably 40+ years . My sour pickles are put up in crocks and seem to last til I throw out any remaining pickles in the spring.
http://christianhomekeeper.com/2008/12/05/some-homemade-shampoo-recipes/
Some Homemade Shampoo Recipes
Dec 5th, 2008 by Sylvia
Basic Shampoo
1 bar basic soap
4 quarts rain water
2 slightly beaten eggs
1 tsp. powdered borax
1 oz. bay rum
Dissolve soap in boiling water. Let cool. Add eggs, borax and bay rum. Stir to mix thoroughly.
Note:Bay Rum is a men’s cologne that can be found in drug stores and department stores. Caswell Massey makes a very nice Bay Rum.
Chamomile shampoo
1 handful fresh or dried chamomile flowers
1 3/4 cup boiling water
3 tablespoons pure soap flake, OR save leftover pieces of soap.
1 tablespoon glycerin
5 drops yellow food coloring (optional)
You also will need:
2 heat proof bowls
a sieve
a wooden spoon
a clean 14 ounce bottle with tight fitting cover
1. Place the flowers in a bowl and cover with the boiling water. Let stand for 15 minutes, then strain into the other bowl.
2. Clean the first bowl. Combine the soap and hot infusion in it. Let stand until the soap softens - a few minutes. Beat in the glycerin and food coloring until well blended.
3. Pour the mixture into the bottle. Keep in a cool dark place.
Dandruff Treatment
teaspoons dried rosemary
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2/3 cup boiling water
2/3 cup cider vinegar
You will also need:
a heatproof ceramic bowl
a fine sieve
a clean 10 ounce plastic bottle with a tight fitting cover
1. Place the herbs in the bowl. Pour in the boiling water.
Cover and allow to steep for 20 minutes.
2. Strain into the bottle, add the vinegar, and shake. Store in a cool dry place.
Shampoo and rinse the hair thoroughly; massage a small amount into the scalp. Between shampoos, massage in a small amount before going to bed. This can help eliminate dandruff.
Pre wash honey treatment
Before a shampoo, use this special treatment to condition the scalp and repair damaged hair. Use regularly if your hair is dry or ends are split.
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
5 drops rosemary, lavender or geranium essential oil
You will also need:
a small cup
a ceramic or glass bowl
a small stainless steel spoon
a plastic shower cap
and a comfortably hot towel
1. In a cup sitting in hot water, warm the olive oil and the honey ( or you can use the microwave for heating - be careful) Stir in your choice of essential oil and mix well.
2. While the mixture is still warm, apply it all over your hair, massaging well into the scalp. Cover your hair with the shower cap (or large plastic bag) wrap the towel around your head and leave on for 10-15 minutes. For severely damaged hair, leave on up to 30 minutes.
3. Remove the towel and shower cap, and wash your hair with a mild shampoo or baby shampoo.
Makes enough for one application.
Posted in Homemade Gifts
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/980910b.cfm
Dehydrator Recipes
I have a question for fellow readers. I was given a food dehydrator for a Christmas gift (I had wanted one for a while). It only came with a few recipes, so I have been on a hunt for different recipes to use with it! Any recipes for snacks and jerkies and anything else would be appreciated!
C. S.
Dehydrator Recipe and Notes
It’s fun. The jerky in the stores is really expensive. You can make it at least as good after a little practice. And you’ll know exactly what is in it.
About 3 lbs. of London Broil sliced 1/4” thick covers the five 14” trays of my dehydrator and makes just slightly over 1 lb of jerky. I use something like this:
1/4 cup Steak Sauce,
1/8 cup Worcestershire Sauce
Soy Sauce to taste
1/4 to 3/8 cup of Red Wine (or whatever kind is in the fridge)
less than that of White Vinegar (1/4 cup)
a liberal dose of Smoked Salt - about 1 tsp.
a liberal dose of Black Pepper - about 1 1/2 tsp .
a liberal dose of Cayenne Pepper - about 1 tsp.
a few dashes of Hot Sauce (or more) - about 1 tsp.
some Garlic Salt - about 1/2 tsp. (or not)
I stir it around and let it sit with the meat for an hour or more (overnight is fine in the refrigerator) before placing it in the drier. Mine usually dries in about a day. Longer if it is really thick or if it is humid in the house.
A friend suggests adding a little bit of liquid smoke and some mesquite marinade. Another friend used Teryaki Sauce once as a substitute for Soy. Any kind of hot sauce will do.
You can use other cuts of meat, especially steak. With steak, I try to cut out all or the real fatty areas. Fat tends to go rancid if you store the meat very long says the directions from my dehydrator. London broil works really well. I bought way too much meat last time. (about 5 lbs of meat- good sale!) but just kept it in the refrigerator in the seasonings/marinade and sauces for a few days until I was done with the first batch.
An experienced friend also noted not to use any ingredients with oil, it doesn’t evaporate and tends to make the meat slimy (like Italian dressing as a marinade). I also watch for MSG in my ingredients, it bothers a lot of people (like me).
To make slicing easier, place the meat in the freezer for about an hour to an hour and a half or so. Don’t freeze it hard. Just firm it up. To make slicing even easier, ask the butcher to do it for you. Ask for it to be 3/16-1/4 “ thick. Now, I just use a plastic cutting board and a sharp knife.
A fellow I work with grinds venison and mixes everything all together. He shapes it into a brick 1-1/4” thick by about 6”x10” (or thereabouts) between sheets of waxed paper lets it set and then freezes it before slicing. He dries it in the oven. Be careful leaving an oven on for long periods! I don’t recommend it. It is too hot and actually cooks the meat.
The manual says jerky should break crisply when cooled. There should be no pink inside. Mine usually takes at least a whole day to dry.
After it cools, I store the jerky in resealable plastic bags if I expect to use it in a month or so. Store it in mason jars or vacuum pack for longer storage. Cool dry place, etc.
Watch for a dehydrator at garage sales. Mine was only $5 and looked like new! Really nice ones can run into the $100s.
Rob W
Cheap and Great
I take a rump round roast and slice it across the grain in thin strips. I marinate it in a mixture of Dale’s steak seasoning, hot red pepper powder (Korean type), salt and sugar and all natural liquid smoke flavoring (use sparingly) I don’t measure these ingredients so adjust them according to taste. You can mix the marinade up and taste it before pouring it over the meat. I have also experimented with adding ginger powder and terriyaki sauce. It will be a liquid marinade if Dale’s or terriyaki sauce are used. Turn the strips of beef every 2 hours for a total of 8 hours in the marinade. Turn on the dehydrator, and draw the strips of beef across the edge of the bowl they were marinated in and place them on the racks of the dryer. Dry the meat until it is free of moisture, usually 4 hours on my machine. Let it cool and store in resealable bags. This is a very lean jerky and it is not tough if the meat is sliced across the grain. It is very tasty and friends and relatives eat it up quickly when I make it.
Sherrie B.
Check Extension Service
I suggest calling the local Extension Service. In all states there are Cooperative Extension or University Extension offices in most counties. Here in Minnesota the Exension Educators (agents) teach a variety of things including food preservation and most information or lesson are free or at minimal cost. Also there are para professional who teach nutrition education for limited income families... worth checking out. Also the women looking for ideas for a frugal group should do the same thing, Extension educators do classes on financial management, asset building . AARP has a series of lessons for womens’ financial management. The Extension Service is an outreach educational arm of the University it repersents. Often it is the best kept secret around. Go visit their office and you will be amazed at what they offer. All the information is reasearch based and practical.
Alyce
Tomatoes
My favorite dehydrator recipe is for tomatoes. I squeeze out the juice of the tomatoes. Cook the juice down to paste then dry it in the dehydrator. I put it on fruit roll up sheets in the dehydrator and dry until not sticky anymore. Next I like to roll it up and freeze it. When needed for soups or spaghetti sauce, I either heat on the stove with water or microwave. My favorite jerky recipe is
1/3 cup liquid smoke
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 cups soy sauce
4 to 5 pounds Round Steak
Mix together smoke, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Slice Round Steak and place in a shallow bowl. Pour sauce over top. Marinate over night. Turn frequently.
DH
Excellent Books
There are some excellent books out there. Check your local library and do a subject search. I recommend anything published by Rodale. I used my dehyderator a great deal this summer and plan on a lot more now that my freezer’s full and there are still so many fruits and veggies to put up!
Celeste
Pears, Peaches and Prune Plums
(try saying that fast!)
Our favorites on the dehydrator are pears, peaches, prune plums. Rinse them in water, cut them in half, remove pits or use a melon baller to scoop out core of the pears. Do not peel, just slice 1/4 inch or so thick and place on trays. I have an open style dehydrator and do not use any kind of pretreatments (lemon juice, ascorbic acid, sulfur, etc.) You may have to experiment to find what works best in your model. I also have an apple peeler, corer, slicer (hand crank kind that makes spirals.) Cut across one side of the spiral making rings and dip in a cinnamon and sugar mixture and place on trays. These drip quite a bit so I usually skip the first tray and place a napkin or paper towel on it for the first hour or two - then I remove the paper and fill this tray and place it on the very top of the dehydrator. These make wonderful gifts in recyled jars with decorated or fabric covered lids tied with raffia. Best with the sour varieties. Bananas are good too. Just peel and slice and arrange on trays. Depending on the bananas these vary in stickiness, but don’t expect the crunchy, dry kind sold in stores. I usually spray the tray with PAM or wipe it lightly with vegetable oil so the fruit is easier to remove. Apricots turned out hard and squash-y tasting using this method. Can anyone give me some tips in this area? A certain variety of fruit? A pretreatment? I love the store bought kind!
Tammi, ND
Straw-Apples
Blend one cup apple juice with one package of frozen strawberries. Cover one of the racks with saran-wrap. Pour mixture into rack and dehydrate. Soon you’ll have home made fruit roll ups. If you have any remaining mixture, drink it. It’s yummy!
B.
Meat Recipes
I have a great recipe that came with my dehydrator several years ago. You can use it to make any kind of jerkie. Take three parts soy sauce, 1 part brown sugar, 1 part liquid smoke and mix together. Let this stand for five minutes and then add meat. Let marinade min. 3 hours or overnite. Place on trays and make sure not to overlap. Drying time varies depending upon amount of meat used.
I generally go to the grocery on Mondays, after the picnic weekends are over. You can get excellent cuts of steak in the mark down section. Bring them home and cut them up. I’ve found that cutting them into bite-sized pieces makes it easier to enjoy later. Another great meat to use is the very thin-sliced “family” steaks. Usually you can get a decent sized package for less than $2. This generally doesn’t have a lot of fat and tastes great.
My son takes a plastic container to school and puts it in his locker filled with this stuff. Then he grabs a handful in between classes.
You can alter the above recipe as you wish. You can even roll in black pepper for peppered jerkey. You’re the chef, so create!
K.
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Herbs and Ideas for Headaches
I don’t get headaches, ever. Yet, I’ve had a rare headache that has now lasted for one full week. Usually being one to avoid over the counter medications, I’ve not thought too clearly (because of having the headache) to remember what herbs I actually have on hand to help manage this! A good friend reminded me of some ideas, so I thought I’d pass them on in case while in the grips of one of these, you too forget what can be done.
Peppermint – Either in tea form or as a cool compress on the head.
Lavender – Either in essential oil form (now in the humidifier as I type) or herb as a compress. It relaxes the muscles in the neck and shoulders.
Valerian Root extract - a few drops 10-15 in 4oz of water at bed time. Also a natural muscle
Ice/Rice pack - we make these out of old ‘loner’ socks. Fill with rice and put in the freezer. They wrap around a neck nicely and work wonders. It can also be heated in the microwave for soothing warm therapy.
A Foot Soak - As hot as I can stand it, soaking my feet and then plunging them into much cooler water. This focuses the inflammation to another area. Not detrimentally, but reroutes the inflammation receptors to my feet (also, it is cold outside, this feels really nice before going to bed).
Deep tissue back rubs - Okay, time to ‘man up’ - this can’t be the soft touch tickle rub, but has to get deep into the muscles in the back where tension lies. My youngest daughter is like a ‘knot finder’ and has strong hands that work wonders on the headaches.
Hydrotherapy – Alternating hot and cold in the shower reduces whole body inflammation.
I just wanted to share these ideas as I sip my peppermint herb tea, with the lavender oil in the humidifier by my desk and the rice/ice pack on my neck and shoulders. I now, for the first time in a week (too many Advil later) have NOT got the headache!
Tonight, to be sure it’s gone, I’ll be soaking my feet, getting a back rub (hopefully) and taking a dose of the valerian root herb. I plan on doing away with this week long headache the natural way!
Published Feb 23 2009, 10:39 AM by Millers Grain House
Filed under: homestead mindset anywhere, herbs, ideas, headaches
About Millers Grain House
Hi! I am Donna Miller – A Happy Wife, Home-school Parent of three Graduates, Author, Homesteader, Entrepreneur-
http://www.millersgrainhouse.com/store, Visual Kitchen Mentor-http://www.youtube.com/user/thewheatguy and Frugal Fanatic.
http://community.stretcher.com/forums/t/4983.aspx
A second life for stuff
I have concluded that I have become very narrow-minded. One of the things that I’ve discovered when reading about people who are frugal or approaching self-sufficient is that they are very creative and think outside the box. For me a trashcan has always been a trashcan. Since I’ve been reading on this site and others, a trashcan can be feed storage, excess water storage, add some sand and motor oil from your last oil change and it’s a place to store yard tools to prevent rust, drill some holes and it’s a place to grow potatoes, drill some more holes and it’s a place for compost (roll it around the yard for easy mixing), and others that I haven’t come across yet. These uses all seem so obvious when you consider that a trashcan is nothing more than a large container.
I had this epiphany about a week ago when the weather finally cleared up enough to make hanging clothes outside a reasonable option. I had this tiny little basket and it took me about three trips to transfer all of the clothes from the washing machine to the lines for hanging. I had to stretch my thinking a little, but finally came up with a solution: a wagon. We had this red wagon that was too little for the DD’s, but would be absolutely perfect for bringing my clothes out and then taking them back in. A wagon is just a container on wheels afterall. How perfect - wheel it in and out of the house as needed. Pull it along under the line to catch any potential drops. It’s higher than a regular basket thanks to the wheels so less stooping. What I might have done prior to learning to think outside the box was just go buy a larger clothes basket.
Discovering second lives for things is very satisfying. Odd that you can often end up with something better by using something unconventional.
Share some of your unusual second life experiences!
I have a little red wagon too, and use it for gardening. It hauls my gardening tools, gloves, buckets and stuff. There’s a story behind it which goes along the second life subject... a few years ago my husband and I used to visit the scrap yard pretty regularly in search of metal and interesting old items for the garden. I had wanted a trellis entrance to the backyard, so looked at the local garden centers and thru mail order catalogs. Very expensive, and a lot of them looked like they’d blow away in the wind. Anyway, at the scrap yard we found a bunch of old black wrought iron-type fence pieces. Eureka!! My husband borrowed my dad’s welder and made this really cool trellis by cutting and welding up this fencing.
The same day we found the fencing, I spotted an old Radio Flyer wagon. The handle was bent, it was really dirty, but we scraped out the dirt (from the inside), rebent the handle and it rolled along fine. One of the owners saw me with it, however, and said I couldn’t take it. They “used it” (yeah, right).
Later for Christmas or my birthday (can’t remember which), I got my little red wagon as a present. New, but there wouldn’t have been anything wrong with putting that old one to use either. I’ve given a lot of things a second life, and call me strange, but it can be more satisfying than buying new.
That all reminds me - what may be the ultimate second life story I’ve personally witnessed - my dad built a small gazebo for the kids to play in and he used a huge old worthless fiberglass satellite dish as the roof!!! He painted it with copper paint and it looks like metal up there. No one even realized what it was until he told us. He even built a little cupola on top to cover the hole in the middle.
mmm I do reuse things in other ways, always have but can’t think of many things at the moment.
blues clues backpack as a diaper bag.
large wicker basket as a our laundry hamper.
decorative plant tin holds my clothespins.
piece of iron fence is a trellis
old 5.25 computer floppy drive holder (holds 100) for recipes
have been getting rid of baby/kid stuff but keeping the flannel receiving blankets etc for reusing for bird cloths (put on shoulder under bird) and for in the future making rice bags as the inner bag.
can’t think of anything else at the moment. the kids are great for reusing things for toys and play
Trashpicked an old treadle sewing machine, the top was beyond repair, but the base was still in good condition. Trashpicked a nice piece of wood that had laminate on one side, but the other side was okay and a chair. These three combined are now the desk in the hallway. I did have to purchase a can of paint for the base, but DH already had the screws to secure the top to the base and we had paint for the chair. I had been eyeing this fabulous Queen Anne style secretary at an antique mall that cost $400! My desk may not be the secretary of my dreams, but I am happy because I have something that cost $1 and I like the way that it looks. The drawers from the sewing machine have new lives also. 1 drawer holds mail on the desk, 1 holds make up in the bathroom, the third drawer holds CD’s and the last one is an organizer on the kitchen counter. The drawers have a pretty design on the side and are attractive. The remainder of the machine is in the shed waiting for a use. Any suggestions?
Looking through magazines, I found 2 things that I wanted in the kitchen, an island and a shelf for cookbooks. Found some old boards in the attic, that DH turned into a cookbook shelf and painted with paint that we already had.
Dad helped with the island. He used some scrap metal to make the base. The “island” top is the piece that was cut from the counter for the sink when they remodeled 30 years ago (Dad NEVER throws anything away) and a shelf underneath is a scrap piece of wood that he had. I painted the base white with paint we already had, so this project did not cost any money. The top of the “island” holds the bowl that my Grandmother used to make biscuits, and fresh fruit. The cost was simply our time, and added benefit was the time that I spent with Dad too!
Dad helped again with a shelf that hangs over the couch in the den. The picture was found in an old magazine. The front is a yard sale frame with a shelf built behind it. The shelf was built with scarp lumber, and nails on hand. The frame was attatched to the shelf, finished with stain that we had on hand, and holds yard sale collectables. This project cost a quarter for the frame.
Have enjoyed reading everyone’s ideas on second lives for things and plan to use your ideas where I can.
Continues, 12 pages of good ideas.
http://bekkel.tripod.com/welcome.html
..if ye are prepared, ye shall not fear.”
Doctrine and Covenants 38:30
A years supply of food and equipment can be very overwhelming! As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we have been taught over and over to have on hand a years supply of food. Most of the questions that I get are where do I start and then where in the world am I going to put it!! It is my intention to answers those questions here and if I don’t please feel free to email me and I will do my best to get you the answers! Over the last four years it had been my privilege to help the La Habra Ward prepare! I am moving to a new ward but I am committed to continue to help in any way that I can. Recently, I was invited to talk to the North Hills Ward. I came up with a Food Storage 101 handout and decided to use that as the template for the redesign.
Hope you like it!
Where to Begin?
The best place to begin is to find out what you need to store. There are several ways to do this. You can make out a menu for one month, figure out EVERYTHING you need to make it happen and multiply by 12. This is a complicated method, but it can be done. The church has a computer program that will print out a list of the BASICS that you need to store. The basics means - wheat, sugar, honey, flour, vegetable, oils etc. Not very appetizing but you would survive it anything happens. Then there is my personal favorite. The Food Storage Planner by Revelar. This is a computer program that will not only tell you what to store but will help you keep track of it. It is also fully customizable so that you can store what you like to eat and not a lot of things you don’t. It is very important to store what you eat. Introducing foods that you do not normally eat, especially wheat, can cause digestive pain.
Inventory
Now that you know what to store you need to find out what you already have. This is an overwhelming spot. Now that you see ALL the supplies that you need, it seems that you will never be able to achieve it. Well, simply going through your cupboards and seeing what you already have I am sure you will be surprised how far you are without even trying. With the F.S.P. (Food Storage Planner) you can input everything in your cupboards and it will keep a running total to let you see what you are lacking. Once you know what you have to can start to purchase what you need.
Where to buy?
The Church cannery is an excellent starting point. At the cannery you can purchase a good variety of the basics and some extras like chocolate and vanilla pudding! Everything at the cannery gets canned into #10 cans by you. You need to schedule time in the cannery this can be done as a ward group or just you. Smart and Final, Costco and your grocery store are also great places to get food storage. A great practice to get into is to start buying 2 of things instead of just one when you are doing your shopping. You will be surprised at how quickly it adds up. Honeyville Grain is an excellent source of bulk wheat, sugar flour etc. they are located in Rancho Cucamonga and are very friendly to deal with. And of course the Internet is an excellent source for locating goods. More on this later.
Rotation, Rotation, Rotation!!
This is an extremely important aspect of food storage. When purchasing new supplies be sure to place them in back of what you already have. Eventually food will go bad and it is not a pretty sight.
Where to find Help?
Help is all around you. The Internet, the library, the church and anyone who has food storage - which should be all of you! The best source of info is asking. Don’t be afraid to ask a “dumb” question because it is probably something everyone else wants to know to. If you have access to email, there is a wonderful email list o join called the PREP List. You can join at www.ldscn.com ~ it is a large community of LDS and Non-LDS preppers who share information about how to and where to get everything on your list.
Click here for more links!
Click here for our Years Supply In a Year Program!
Click here for handouts we have given out in the past!
Click here for Newsletters!
Click on the picture to email me!
>>>I have dozens of 5 gallon buckets with the bottoms cut out. Was wondering if these could be used filled with compost and when ready for harvesting, just lift the buckets.<<<
I don’t see any problems with that at all... The potatoes do better with warmer root zone. I would probably only fill them ½ full with the compost and straw - then as they grow, add more compost and straw as the potatoes grow - this way they will put out roots and potatoes further up the plant. Like they used to do with hilling by pulling dirt up around the plants.
>>>>Have never processed my pickled beets or eggs. Just boiled about a dozen eggs, added vinegar, water and pickling spice and keep in refrig until eaten-a couple weeks.<<<
The key here is that you were refrigerating them till consumed... for long term storage they need to be processed for safety.
>>>I bring sugar, water, vinegar and spices to a rapid boil, add the beets and boil several minutes to assure the beets are boiling hot, then pack in jars that have been kept hot with boiling water. They seal as they cool. Probably not a failproof method but have done them this way fo 60+ years and my mother before me for probably 40+ years .<<<
This method does work fine... there are a couple of cautions though... SMALL BATCHES - that way they can be assured of very hot product and pickling liquid consistently to assure good success. Keep it hot till sealed - If they are delayed in sealing, they tend to cool fast.
I steam my beets 5 gallons at a time and then slip the skins, then cut and pack those using boiling vinegar/water/sugar/spice solution. This way the processing is necessary - as the larger batches are harder to keep all hot enough all the time. Besides, I just feel better doing it that way, particularly with the eggs that I mix in with the beets and the onions I usually add.
>>>My sour pickles are put up in crocks and seem to last til I throw out any remaining pickles in the spring.<<<
I am going to have to do some crock pickles - My mother always kept trying it and only about half the time did they turn out. So, I don’t like failures, so I tend to do what I know works. But, the sauerkraut seems to work, will have to try it this year. Any suggestions for those - successfully...
I was thinking of doing some crock broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and onions - I do them in jars, but have not tried pickling them in the crock.
Forgot to ask about your root cellar. DH has always wanted a root cellar and a smoke house. Years ago, he read about having both dug into a steep hill. (Ithink it was in Mother Earth) Sometimes they make things seem simpler than they actually are. Sounds like more work than we would get out of it. We have an old L.L. Bean small smoker that works well enough for us. We smoke turkeys, partridge, pheasant and mackeral.
My grandparents had a portion of their cellar sectioned off, put sand in it and buried carrots, beets, turnips and etc. I used to love going down and fishing around in the sand to find veggies. They also had an ice house, with hugh chunks of ice packed tightly in sawdust. That was a popular place on a hot summer day armed with an ice pick. That ice came from the river and we chilled our drinks all summer unmindful of any germs. Guess we built up a resistance to germs back then. Grandfather harvested that ice with a team of horses and a sleigh. Cold, wet job.
‘Great Depression Cooking With Clara’ videos are a YouTube sensation
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One of the hottest video hits on YouTube features a saucy, dark-haired Italian who knows her way around a kitchen.
Is it a sign of the times that it’s neither Rachael Ray nor Giada De Laurentiis, but rather a 93-year-old great-grandmother named Clara Cannucciari who cooks in a kitchen that looks like it was last redecorated when Richard Nixon was president?
“Great Depression Cooking with Clara,” a series of 10 videos shot by her filmmaker grandson Christopher, shows her skillfully preparing the humble Italian-American fare she remembers from that other cash-crunched era—pasta with peas and potatoes, egg drop soup, pepper and egg sandwiches.
“It was cheap and it was nourishing,” Clara Cannucciari said Friday from her upstate New York home. “My mother used to make [the dishes] during the Depression. These are all simple things to make.”
The videos have become an Internet phenomenon, and Clara is suddenly fielding media requests from all over. She’s set to appear next week on the “ CBS Evening News with Katie Couric.”
Her grandson describes the project, begun in 2007, as “oral history with a twist.” Clara had a following from the start, he said, but added—with a laugh—that the worsening recession inspired him to step up production in November.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-talk-clarafeb28,0,6228523.story
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Here’s the list of her videos:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=Great+Depression+Cooking+with+Clara&aq=f
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God love her. I’m sure she’ll teach me a thing or two. Pass it on ............ ;)
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