First he plowed:
Then he came in with another contraption:
And now I have a plantable area. 
Thanks, Glenn!
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
I showed the pictures to my husband. He grew up on a farm in Wisconsin. He said its a winch or a hoist. He’s got a chain hoist in our barn. It’s not as big.
>>>>Wow, I guess it was kind a late for me. Rereading this in the morning w/cup of coffee it should be “Are there”. duh.
<<<<
LOL Not a problem... You are among friends... Words are but a tool to convey an idea... We knew what you meant.
I remember one late night where I felt ‘inspired’ on a subject, and wrote voluminously on it almost till dawn. The words just flowed and I was sure that it would be viewed as a ‘revelation’ -
Well, when I got up the next day and read it, my response was ‘What in the world was I thinking - this is stupid!’
DISASTER PREPARATIONS ON A LIMITED BUDGET
Better Times Emergency Notes
The time to build the cellar is before the tornado hits. If your resources are limited, anything you can do to stock more of the basic necessities of life helps you prepare for a disaster or emergency. Disasters happen. People lose their jobs, get sick, evicted. There are potential dangers like economic collapse, war, terrorism, and disease epidemics. Think carefully about the challenges you may face. Make lists of what you need and check them twice. If a disaster doesn't happen, you still benefit because you made these preparations. You increased the safety, health, security, and wellness of your family and community. You fulfill an important citizen duty. Don't procrastinate or wait to the last minute!
Got Free information? Look for free info at libraries, schools, on the internet. Libraries often offer free internet access, Talk with older people about how things were in the past. The other BETTER TIMES Emergency Notes cover issues that can help you prepare within your resources. Consult them for inexpensive ideas regarding water, emergency heating, and cooking. Enroll in free classes. Ask questions. Use maps and dictionaries. (Often.) Read the instructions. Use time constructively. Remember: A stitch in time saves nine. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Waste not, want not. If you don't know, ask! To avoid fools, take steps! Nurture blessings in your own life and in the life of your community. Keep books in your home. Read them to your children. Learn many things. Practice many skills. Teach others. Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.
Got smart shopping? Look at flea markets/garage sales for stuff that would be useful in an emergency: extra pots & pans (such as a Dutch oven), blankets & winter clothing, towels, water & food containers, food processing equipment (grain and meat grinders, mason jars, pressure cookers), candles, matches, blankets, towels, rope, tools, camp stoves, flashlights, lanterns, rolls of plastic, fishing poles and tackle, etc. Stop throwing stuff useful stuff away: this includes plastic & glass containers & their lids, newspapers, plastic & paper bags, kitchen scraps, cardboard, lawn trimmings. Start a compost heap with your kitchen leftovers and lawn trimmings. Use it for fertilizer for a gardens. Think of your trash as a resource to be used rather than a problem to be disposed of.
Got contingency plans? Planning involves no out-of-pocket expense. Decide now what your family will do during emergencies. If people aren't at home, or can't get home, where should the family gather? If you have to evacuate, where would you go? Prepare small "evacuation kits" for each family member. Pack them with a 3 day supply of food, water, a blanket, small battery powered radio, addresses, phone numbers, and other items that would be useful if you have to evacuate. Make sure you have paper copies of all your vital documents, including birth and naturalization certificates, bank statements, etc. If civil disorder threatens the area, it is usually best to stay home, avoid crowds and public gatherings, and become as invisible as possible. If the disaster is large and widespread, it may be days or weeks before help arrives. Don't wait for someone to come "help" you. Help yourself and your neighbors.
Got community organizing? Resilience is a word that describes the ability of a community or family to successfully meet challenges. A resilient neighborhood is a better and safer place to live. If a major disaster hits your neighborhood, work together with your neighbors to increase the safety, security, health, and wellness of your family and community. "Neighbors" can include: friends, family, the people next door & on your block, churches, service clubs or other organizations (like Scouting or 4-H), schools, neighborhood associations, government agencies, co-workers. Pool resources. Work on projects together. Plan what you will do during an emergency situation. Past experience in disasters says that trusting relationships that begin before a disaster endure through the event and help people to face grave challenges successfully. That history also teaches us that a disaster is a hard time to establish such relationships, so NOW is the time to get to know your neighbors. Be ready to help others by organizing a community response to a bad situation. Take special care of those who are particularly vulnerable: people with serious medical conditions, the elderly, the very young, those who have emotional or mental problems. Be aware of the tendency to resort to bad habits when you are under stress. Don't leave anybody behind, there's room for everybody in the boat.
Got water? It's cheap and so are containers to store it in. Make sure you have plenty. Start collecting empty bottles (soda pop, etc.) Wash with dish soap and rinse with a chlorine bleach disinfecting solution (see BETTER TIMES Emergency Notes #4). Don't rinse the bottle with plain water after rinsing with the disinfecting solution. Fill immediately with clean tap water, put the lid on, and store in a dark and cool place. Store as much as you can. Clean, large plastic trash cans with lids can be used to store water for washing and flushing purposes. Chlorine bleach is cheap, get several gallons in case you have to purify drinking water or need a disinfectant.
Got juice? The essentials of a cheap power system include a source of power (car alternator, portable generator, wind or solar power), batteries, an inverter (to change the battery's 12 volt DC power into AC power), and a way to distribute the power. Small inverters are cheap and will run a couple of lamps or a radio, or even a small TV (look at electronics or auto parts stores, or catalogs). They plug into the cigarette lighter of a car, a good quality extension cord that plugs into the inverter will bring the power into the house. When the battery gets low, the inverter automatically shuts off and the car can be started to recharge the battery. Small solar panels are available that can provide enough sunlight for a couple of hours of lights each sunny day. Emergency lights can be run directly from a battery (such as brake or backup lights removed from a car or bought for this purpose). Flashlights & battery powered lanterns are useful; for less money than you spend on batteries in a few months, you can get an inexpensive solar small battery charger and some rechargeable batteries ($2 - $6 each, depending on the size). (The cheapest source for a good quality but inexpensive solar charge is at www.ccrane.com .) A step down voltage converter (plugs into the cigarette lighter) can be used to run small "C" or "D" powered radios or CD players from a car battery. For all alternative power applications, an inexpensive volt meter will be very useful. This flyer has only a bare minimum of information on this subject, use it as a source of ideas. Do further research in libraries or by talking to electricians. Got more energy ideas? Look for cheap candles at dollar stores & churches, buy lots of the tall ones in glasses (they last 3 to 6 days burning continuously and produce light as well as heat, don't leave them burning unattended or while you sleep). Put candles in front of mirrors and you get more light.
Got Food? The tighter the budget, the more you will have to rely on basic foods such as beans, rice, flour & canned goods that supply a lot of nutrition for the dollar. You can increase the health and quality of life of your family right now if you buy less prepared and packaged food and do more cooking from basic ingredients. Bonus points: you save money and people will ask, "How did you learn to cook like grandma?" Store as much food as you can. If a disaster doesn't happen, with extra food on hand, you'll spend less time in the grocery store.
Emergency Food Storage List for People with Limited Incomes
30 cans of meat or fish
8 pounds oatmeal
40 pounds rice
40 pounds flour
15 pounds corn meal
30 pounds pasta
10, 26 oz cans of spaghetti sauce (or 30, 8 ounce cans of tomato sauce & some spices)
30 boxes macaroni and cheese
60, 15 oz. Cans of Vegetables (15 Oz. Cans)
4, 3 pound cans shortening (or equivalent in oil)
10 pounds sugar
3, 32 ounce jars jelly or jam
salt, bouillon, pepper, some hard candy, spices, yeast, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa
10 jars of peanut butter
12 lbs dried milk (60 quarts liquid)
12 lbs dried beans or peas
This list provides 30 days of nourishing meals with 2500 calories per day per person for a family of 4. Additional items that would enhance this diet include cream of mushroom soup, instant potatoes, syrup, sprouting seeds, tea, more canned meats, vegetables, fruit, & dried beans/peas, tomato/spaghetti sauce. From these ingredients you can prepare: donuts, chocolate cake, chili mac casserole, biscuits, macaroni & cheese, tortillas, chili & rice, bread, rice pudding, Spanish rice, pasta and various sauces, hush puppies, gluten steaks/meatless loaf, bean loaf, cookies (among the many possibilities). Measure portions carefully. If you typically don't include these foods in your diet, and this is what you plan to store, start cooking with them now. Don't wait for an emergency to start a new diet. This helps save on your current food bill too, and thus helps you to put aside more food now for an emergency later. If you can't buy it all at once, buy a little at a time until you have 2 or 3 months emergency supplies on hand. Store carefully so roaches and rodents don't get in -- look for food grade plastic containers such as 5 or 6 gallon buckets with lids. You can often get them cheap or even free at bakeries, donut shops, restaurants, or other places that serve a lot of food. Empty 2 liter pop bottles are another cheap storage container for dry goods like beans, rice, and flour. Rotate your supplies, use some of the flour, rice, beans or whatever, and then buy more. "Store what you eat, and eat what you store." Use this list as a guide, customize it to meet the needs and tastes of your family.
Got more food ideas? Start a garden! Growing food in your yard is like growing money. Buy produce directly from farmers or on sale at the stores and preserve it yourself by dehydrating or canning. (You can learn how to do this if you don't know how.) Dehydrators are cheap & the dehydrated foods can be stored double bagged in ziplocks or in mason jars. You could also dry food in the oven. Set it to 140 degrees, spread food in trays, prop the door open a little, check frequently. Consult your local home extension office or library for more information. You can grow tomato plants, peppers, and other such plants in containers inside your house, or on a porch or balcony. If you have pets, don't forget pet food.
AMDG! Text (c) 1999, 2001, 2008 by Robert Waldrop, Oscar Romero Catholic Worker House, Oklahoma City. Permission is given to reproduce this flyer for free distribution. The information is compiled from sources deemed credible, but readers use it at their own risk. http://www.bettertimesinfo.org, bwaldrop@cox.net . These notes are not meant to provide all the details, but rather to suggest ideas for coping with prolonged disruptions due to natural disasters or the collapse of unjust and unsustainable systems of economics and government.
Would love to get crabs. The crabs around here have very little meat in them but hubby is persistent and can get a fair quantity of meat from a dozen crabs. Like you say, I would starve to death trying to get a meal from them. Fresh crab rolls are my favorite. I prefer them to either lobster or shrimp. He also picks the meat from lobster bodies. It is so sweet and tender, but requires more patience then I have. Some fish markets give the bodies away or charge very little for them. Love your crab story. As we live in a tourist area, I could go on and on about the gullible tourists here in the summer. The tourists seem to head for the working piers and the questions they ask just call for stupid answers.
Al Qaida Planners Focus On Soft Targets, Namely The U.S. Economy
February 28th, 2009 • Richard Cochrane
War College Report Claims Al Qaeda Will Attack U. S. Economically.
A report published on the internet this month by the U.S. Army War College asserts that Al Qaida is planning attacks on economic interests both in the United States and abroad. The report, titled “The Serpent in Our Garden: Al Qaida and the Long War,” haid the targets reflect the lessons drawn by Al Qaida chief Osama Bin Laden from the suicide air strikes in New York and Washington in 2001.
“Bin Laden and Al Qaida fully intend to wage war against what they perceive as our primary vulnerabilities,” the report, authored by Col. Brian Drinkwine, said.
continued, has link to war college article in pdf.
A Brief History of Duck (Duct) Tape - I Get half Of The Bar Bets You Win
Posted By Richard Cochrane On February 28, 2009 @ 2:29 pm In featured | No Comments
Hint: It Was Originally Named “Duck Tape.”
“Duct tape” of course sounds like “duck tape,” which of course makes people think it’s called “duck tape,” when in fact it’s called “duct tape.” But, its original name was “duck tape” because it shed water like a duck’s feathers.
duct-tape”Duck tape” was invented. in 1942 by Permacel [1], then a division of Johnson & Johnson [2], as a way to seal water out of ammunition cases. They used a rubber [3]-based adhesive [4] to help the tape resist water [5] and a fabric backing to add strength. World War II brought us many words and inventions used today including ubiquitous words like: SNAFU, FUBAR, THINGAMAJIG, WATCHAMACALLIT and the prolifically used Duck Tape that GI’s quickly adapted to virtually everything.
After World War II housing boomed and returning GI ‘s, many in the building trades, built hundreds of thousands of babyboom era houses armed with liberated spools of Duck Tape.
History has given us many reasons for the original name, but basically it refers to the tape’s ability to repel water, much like a duck’s feathers. Now fast-forward to today, and its “modern” name of duct tape. The tape was renamed as such because it was often used to seal (you guessed it!) ducts. However, upon extensive research (yes, seriously) it was found that duct tape, though frequently used to seal ductwork, should never be used to seal … ductwork. Duct tape is actually an extremely unsafe substance to rely on for such a project-so much so, in fact, that California has completely banned the stuff for building.
Perhaps Duct Tape’s most famous moment occurred in 1970, when the square carbon dioxide [6] filters from Apollo 13 [7]’s failed command module had to be modified to fit round receptacles in the lunar module [8], which was being used as a lifeboat after an explosion en route to the moon. A workaround was made using duct tape and other items on board Apollo 13, with the ground crew relaying directions to the spacecraft and its crew. The lunar module CO2 scrubbers started working again, saving the lives of the three astronauts [9] on board. It was depicted in the movie “Apollo 13.”
Duct tape was also used aboard Apollo 17 [10] to improvise a repair to a damaged fender [11] on the lunar rover [12], preventing possible damage from the rooster tails [13] of lunar dust [14] as they drove..
In a 2001 NASA manual for spaceflight operations aboard the International Space Station [15], duct tape is even called for in case of “acute psychosis [16]” during a space mission; NASA procedures call for the use of duct tape to restrain the affected astronaut - taping him up.
Last 5 posts by
* Just In Time To Make Matters Much Worse California Runs Out of Water [17] - February 28th, 2009
* Hizbullah now threat to U. S. / Iran Orders Attacks On Israel. [18] - February 28th, 2009
* Lawyers Latest Recession Casualties as Layoffs Proliferate. [19] - February 28th, 2009
* Al Qaida Planners Focus On Soft Targets, Namely The U.S. Economy [20] - February 28th, 2009
* No Bounce for Obama - Most Like Deficit Cut But Doubt It [21] - February 27th, 2009
Article printed from The Right Guy on The Left Coast at Hypocrisy.com: http://richardcochrane.hypocrisy.com
URL to article: http://richardcochrane.hypocrisy.com/2009/02/28/a-brief-history-of-duck-duct-tape-i-get-half-of-the-bar-bets-you-win/
Maybe sometimes the Man Upstairs taps us on the shoulder and says - ‘Better not do that - here let me save that for you...’<<<
I have often felt that tap on the shoulder, and at time God gives me a good thump on the head and says “Listen to me”.
Yes, bless you do plant a few more rows, there are many who would love to share it, at churches, and the food kitchens.
There will many more hungry in the next 3 months and years.
A swimming pool would be wonderful.
I had the idea, for years that one could run the water line in the swimming pool and if they watered the animals and yard out of it every day, they would have fresh water and could still swim in it.
And then at last, I worked with a nice man from California and he told me that there was an orange grove in California that did exactly that.
Yes, I like the mixes also, and still have the first set that I tore out of a ladies magazine, at least 50 years ago.
I even make several mixes for my bread machine, it is simple, line up a half dozen containers or bags and put the stuff in it, as you have it out.
Then all I need to add is the yeast and liquids.
If i use the bags, about 4 will fit in a large coffee can, so they are not exposed to air and splitting open.
I had an ice box recipe that I tripled and made with many different added items, nuts, anise seeds, etc.
That Better Times site is an amazing site, and I haven’t dug into all of it, as yet, LOL, don’t know how I got there, but once I did, it was a night’s work.
I like their recipes, easy, cheap and quick.
First he plowed:
Then he came in with another contraption:
And now I have a plantable area.
Thanks, Glenn!
After the Financial Crisis, Civil War? Get Ready to “Leave Your Region ...”
Thursday 26 February 2009
http://www.truthout.org/022709F
I do not know this site and still feel that you will want to read the article, it covers what you are seeing here and now and compares/shows what Russians went through, interesting and a lot of it you will agree with..............
granny
Glenn is indeed a wonderful man, you are so very lucky.
Welcome to the thread.
You live in a beautiful area, those trees are wonderful.
LOL, you would never guess that I don’t have trees like that to look at.
Praying that your garden will grow and you can repay Glenn with vegetables.
Wild ideas, usable ideas, good ideas or ask a question, science, food,garden,inventions, it is all here.
Should be interesting to you and to young folks.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy_Recipes/
introHow to Bake Easy Bread
Making your own bread can be easy, and it’s tastier and definitely cheaper than store-bought. Here’s a simple recipe for bread with an overnight rise and minimal kneading.
Mix up a batch of dough one evening, mess with it for ten minutes the next afternoon, then bake. You’ll have fresh bread in time for dinner.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-Bread/
Stovetop Apple Pie
Have not an oven? No need to fret! Here’s a no bake pie that doesn’t require pudding and has all the baked in flavor and smell of a traditionally baked pie!
http://www.instructables.com/id/Collegiate_Meals_Stovetop_Pie/
Free Shipping Coupons
Free Shipping Coupons to 1213 Stores
Sears and others are on the list.....granny
The plows and cultivators are so much better for your soil than rototillng. Not too many people use these tools nowadays. Tilling just takes one step and saves time but overprocesses the soil. We have the plows and cultivaters but sometimes just in too much of a hurry so till instead. Bad idea.
REFRIGERATION FOR THE ELECTRICALLY CHALLENGED
(AT LAST, A DO-IT-YOURSELF ABSORPTION REFRIGERATOR)
Believe it or not......
wpe1.jpg (7459 bytes)
This is an electricity-free refrigerator!
Find out how to build one here!!!!!
The idea of using an open flame or concentrated solar heat to make ice or to cool an insulated box is not new, but little information is available on how to actually accomplish this feat. Prior to the availability of cheap electricity, many of these small ammonia based “Icy Ball” refrigeration units could be found in homes in the United States. Over the last 30 years several experimental units have been constructed for the purpose of laboratory testing. These units were custom made by the experimenters and could not be easily replicated.
Now for the first time simple plans are available which will allow a moderately skilled handyman to construct a practical, low cost, portable absorption refrigeration unit.
How does it work?
http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=229503
Homemade Pan Release - Better than Pam, etc.
Absolutely nothing will stick to your pans with this. It’s much cheaper than using cooking spray, works even better than Pam cooking spray, no chemical fumes, and most of all, will not leave burnt on black residue on the edges of your pans like cooking spray will. It will keep almost forever in your cupboard.
Homemade Pan Release
1/2 cup corn oil or canola oil or vegetable oil
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, room temperature (Crisco shortening is good)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer beat until mixture has increased in volume slightly and resembles marshmallow cream.
Place in a storage container, and store at room temp.
In hot weather, it may be refrigerated, but remember to take it out of the fridge, as it should be room temperature for easiest spreadability.
The mixture tends to separate slightly upon sitting in your cupboard or refrigerator so mix before using, then brush pans using a pastry brush or a clean paper towel.
For baking recipes using chocolate you may use 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder in place of white flour.
This recipe can also be increased or decreased sucessfully as long as you make certain that all three ingredients are the same proportions (equal amounts of each ingrediant).
__________________
“Challenges are what make life interesting — overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.”
Oh, Glenn won't be needing any of my veggies . . . he has an established garden twice as big as mine, and a cow for beef.
But I just picked up these biddies and have more due to arrive via mail-order on 3/18. I should have an abundance of eggs and I'll be more than happy to share them with him.
I sent Glenn a link to this thread . . . maybe he'll post here . . . he is a wealth of information on just about any topic. More times than I'd like to admit I've turned to him when I've had a problem I couldn't resolve.
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