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
Forgot to add that 15lbs is recommended for my altitude..
Absolutely positively can all the beef you can get!
Don’t wait for a freezer failure - do some now!
Beef, Chicken, Venison, Pork.... Can them all!
There are basically 2 ways to can meat.
Raw pack - cut as you prefer (not ground)- I prefer chunks as strips tend to get stringy when you take them out of the jar (unless you like shredded beef). If you raw pack, do not add any liquid. There is plenty in the meat already. Just put them in the jar but do not pack real tight and wipe rim, put on top hand tight and process.
Hot pack - cook the meat about half way done. If you like a particular seasoning, add it as you brown it. Fill the hot jars add the juice from cooking it, add hot water to the level called for as headspace on the canning chart, wipe rim put on top hand tight and process.
With the hot pack, you can do ground beef. I prefer a 3/8” plate on my grinder for canning. (but that is because I like it that way - since you won’t be making hamburgers with it) I put it in a roaster pan in the oven, and stir occasionally till about half done, then fill jars and add juice - top with water if necessary to fill to the recommended headspace. Put on lids and process. Raw pack of ground beef is not recommended because you may not get the center hot enough in processing as you can pack it so tightly.
You can do sausage or hamburger as patties by using wide mouth jars and making the patties just a bit bigger than the jar opening (I use the ring to size them)- brown them on both sides (they shrink a bit as you cook them) and layer them in the jars - add juice, seal and process.
Remember on the lids, simmer them in hot water for about 5 minutes or so before putting them on. Don’t forget to wipe the jar rim - grease can cause a seal failure. I lose about one every 25 or 30 jars from seal failure - just put it in the refrigerator and use it within a couple of weeks. Head space is very important to prevent seal failures.
Now CB, you are just asking for trouble storing them in the garage. Cooler is better, room temperature is fine, but not a hot garage - you can do it, but it shortens the life and nutritive value much much faster, and you run the risk on a real hot day of popping the seals (since it is recommended to store without the bands.) Never let them freeze hard as you can either crack the jar or pop the seal - and they will spoil - even if it doesn’t spoil, the texture changes as the cells freeze and thaw.
Can’t you move some of those shoes in your closet and put a few cases there? How about behind a big chair in a corner.. Even under the bed.. There has got to be some place to store it... LOL
>>>Do you guys know if you can make yogurt from rice milk?<<<
Nope - won’t work... Starch doesn’t culture like milk.
WHO Updates International H1N1 Situation Including Global Number of Laboratory Confirmed Cases
4 May 2009 — As of 18:00 GMT, 4 May 2009, 21 countries have officially reported 1085 cases of influenza A (H1N1) infection.
Mexico has reported 590 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 25 deaths. The United States has reported 286 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death.
The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths - Austria (1), Canada (101), China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1), Costa Rica (1), Colombia (1), Denmark (1), El Salvador (2), France (4), Germany (8), Ireland (1), Israel (4), Italy (2), Netherlands (1), New Zealand (6), Portugal (1), Republic of Korea (1), Spain (54), Switzerland (1) and the United Kingdom (18).
Read full article>>
For more information on H1N1 situation, please visit www.PandemicFlu.gov
Quick question: aren’t these oils available at Hobby/craft stores where you can buy candle making supplies? I think I’ve bought spearmint oil and orange oil at Wal-Mart in the sewing/hobbies section.<<<
Yes, they may have them in crafts sections, but as a rule they are not pure, which is best for healing purpose.
Essential oils are used in soap making also.
For breathing and curing I like the NOW brand from the health food stores, not top of the line Which can run into real money, but usable.
Can’t you move some of those shoes in your closet and put a few cases there? How about behind a big chair in a corner.. Even under the bed.. There has got to be some place to store it... LOL<<<<
Thank you for the information on canning meat, an excellent idea.
I have my bed frame raised on cement blocks, so I can store boxes under it.
LOL, took me 2 years to get my brother to do it for me and if it was any higher, I might be in trouble, but it is fine.
I knew you would know, DW! But...I did expect a few calculations to back it all up. (just kidding)
We’re supposed to store the jars w/r the bands? Now I’m confused....why is that?
Ok on the garage thing. They will have a nice comfortable home inside somewhere. There’s got to be some things that can go into the garage and my cans can hangout inside in their place. ;) Like shoes LOL! And purses too.
>>>We’re supposed to store the jars w/r the bands? Now I’m confused....why is that?<<<
Standard procedure is to let them cool 24 hours, remove bands, wash, rinse and dry the jars and store them.
If you leave the bands on, you will find that juice, salt, dust all accumulate and humidity and moisture will cause rust. If you have ever tried to remove a rusted on band, you will not even consider leaving them on again...
The lids are vacuum sealed in place and the band is not really needed any more. Most people test their lid by pressing on the center to see if it is fully depressed from the vacuum, and push with their thumb from the side to see if it is sealed well, then store.
I do leave the bands on when I oven seal rice, oats, beans, etc. where they were not processed in any liquid - but I back the bands off about half a turn before storing. I do this because the seal is not as tight and I like to stack cases of them, and the band provides a bit of protection but doesn’t rust.
Let’s see, Kitty food, Kitty Litter, empty jars, water bath canner, pressure cooker and utensils could all be stored in the garage till needed. :^)
http://www.state.gov/t/isn/rls/fs/122608.htm
You are in:
Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security > Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN) > Releases > Fact Sheets > 2009
2009 Preparatory Committee for the 2010 Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)
Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation
Fact Sheet
May 4, 2009
Background: The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) was opened for signature in 1968, and currently has 190 Parties. The Treaty comprises legally binding non-proliferation commitments and is the basis for international cooperation on stopping the spread of nuclear weapons. The President in Prague on April 5 said that the basic bargain at the core of the Treaty is sound: “countries with nuclear weapons will move towards disarmament; countries without nuclear weapons will not acquire them; and all countries can access peaceful nuclear energy.” The President also called on NPT parties to take immediate steps to strengthen this vital nonproliferation instrument.
The NPT Review Process: The Treaty provides for the Parties to gather every five years to review whether the purposes of the Preamble and the provisions of the Treaty are being realized. At the 1995 Review and Extension Conference, the Parties extended the Treaty indefinitely and formalized the practice of convening a Review Conference (RevCon) every five years and annual Preparatory Committees (PrepCom) in the three years before a RevCon. The third PrepCom completes the procedural preparations for the Review Conference. The next RevCon will take place in 2010.
Objectives: The objectives of the United States for this PrepCom are to finalize procedural issues, including the agenda, and elect a president of the RevCon. In addition, the United States will promote U.S. policy objectives by presenting working papers and statements addressing various aspects of the Treaty. The substantive NPT goals of the United States include:
* Securing full compliance with Treaty provisions by all Parties;
* Dissuading Parties from violating, and then withdrawing from, the Treaty;
* Achieving universal adherence to safeguards required by the NPT and to the Additional Protocol;
* Implementing effective export controls;
* Combating nuclear terrorism;
* Encouraging the peaceful use of nuclear energy;
* Achieving universal membership of all States; and
* Working, both individually and with other Parties, towards global nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament.
The United States looks forward to working with other NPT Parties at the 2009 PrepCom and at the 2010 RevCon. These meetings are important milestones towards the realization of the President’s vision of a peaceful and secure world free of nuclear weapons.
So what do you end up using the meat for?
Soups and stews?
Survival?
Something to eat when all else fails?
Anything else?
So what do you end up using the meat for?
Just about anything you can imagine...
Soups and stews?
Also, chili, spaghetti, casseroles, Italian dishes, Oriental dishes, Spanish dishes, Omelets, pizza topping, quiche, etc. etc.
Survival?
If needed. (It’s always ready)
Something to eat when all else fails?
Actually, it is so quick and easy to use and so good, that I have to consciously think to use the frozen first or we would use all the canned and have freezer burn on the frozen. (Actually, I clean out the freezer every summer and can all the meat from last year)
Anything else?
Chicken salad, sloppy joes, tortillas, sliced barbecue sandwiches, pulled pork, croquettes - let your imagination run wild...
What type of containers do you all use for long-term storage of items like flour, sugar, salt, wheat, grain, etc. I have gone online and looked at buckets with lids but they are very expensive-especially the lids.
What type of containers do you all use for long-term storage of items like flour, sugar, salt, wheat, grain, etc. I have gone online and looked at buckets with lids but they are very expensive-especially the lids.
I had a good supply of gallon jars, large coffee cans, and some in the freezer in plastic zip bags.
I did order the 5 gallon buckets from Walton Feed.com, which is where I buy all my sacked grains, beans, flour and cornmeal, as well as the large cans of dehydrated foods, yeast and dried buttermilk.
But I decided that I could not handle them if loaded.
Walton’s sells a 2 or 3 gallon plastic round container that comes with the lid, I like those and wish I had bought more of them, then, they were about a dollar each, must be double that by now.
When I am using jars, cans or even the plastic round container from Waltons, I add a layer of plastic on the top and a 3 or 4 Bay leaves seal tight and it works for me.
You asked about seeds, this page will give you more information:
http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech/links/start-392001/msg00240.html#section4?12,22
Several companies here:
http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech/links/start-392001/msg00240.html#section5
and here:
http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech/links/start-392001/msg00240.html#section5
When I still gardened, I bought from Bountiful Gardens, Pinetree, Nichols in Oregon and Sand Hill Preservation.
Pinetree sells mixed seed packets of some types, as in 5 kinds of lettuce in one packet, or many types of Basil, etc.
If I were shopping today, I would start with Pinetree and Sandhill Preservation, next would be Richters in Canada and LOL, I never met a seed catalog that did not have something I needed to order.
Hike Naked; Splash Through Puddles; Put Hot Sauce on All Your Food.
LOL, made me think of your nakkid oats.
There is every kind of hot sauce that you ever heard of on this page. [For Sale]
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_3659.cfm
* Cultivating Our Garden
Biointensive farming uses less water, land, machinery, and fertilizer
By John Jeavons
Context Institute—Reposted by GlobalCircle.net, 12.24.06
Straight to the Source
“They’re making people every day,
but they ain’t makin’ any more dirt.”
- Will Rogers
A sustainable community involves a dynamic inter-dependent relationship
between each of us and the resources that sustain our lives. Rather than
shirking human labor, trying to reduce the amount of it used or to increase
its productivity in unsustainable ways, we need to exalt in its proper use
and the maintenance of the very muscles involved in an effective human life.
Properly performed, labor is not tedious or enervating, but strengthening
and rewarding.
Using resources more efficiently - doing more with less - allows us to use
our personal energy more effectively. The field of electronics was recently
miniaturized on this basis. In fact, the world is on the verge of a major
new discovery - that there are major economies of small scale, such as the
miniaturization of agriculture. The sophisticated low-technology techniques
and the approaches involved in this kind of food-raising will make possible
truly sustainable agricultural practices globally.
Biointensive Mini-Farming
This miniaturization of agriculture is not new. Small-scale sustainable
agriculture has supported such widely dispersed civilizations as the Chinese
4,000 years ago, and the Mayans, South Americans, and Greeks 2,000 years
ago.
Ecology Action has dedicated almost a quarter-century to rediscovering the
scientific principles that underlie these traditional systems. The people in
Biosphere II in Arizona have been using techniques based on those outlined
by Ecology Action: they raised 80 percent of their food for two years within
a “closed system.” Their experience demonstrates that a complete year’s diet
for one person can be raised on the equivalent of 3,403 square feet!
This is an improvement over traditional Chinese practices, which required
5,000 to 7,200 square feet. In contrast, it takes commercial agriculture
22,000 to 42,000 square feet to grow all the food for one person for one
year, while bringing in large inputs from other areas. At the same time,
commercial agricultural practices are causing the loss of approximately six
pounds of soil for each pound of food produced.
Biointensive mini-farming techniques make it possible to grow food using 99
percent less energy in all forms - human and mechanical, 66 percent to 88
percent less water, and 50 percent to 100 percent less fertilizer, compared
to commercial agriculture. They also produce two to six times more food and
build the soil.
The Biointensive Method
The basics of this whole-system approach can be summarized as follows:
Most life in nature occurs at the interface of soil, water, air and sun.
Biointensive soil preparation practices create growing beds with more
surface area to maximize the effect of nature’s life processes. Double-dug
beds, with soil loosened to a depth of 24 inches, aerate the soil,
facilitate root growth, and improve water retention. The health and vigor of
the soil are maintained through the use of compost. Close seeding spacing is
used to protect the soil microorganisms, reduce water loss, and maximize
yields. Companion planting facilitates the optimal use of nutrients, light
and water, encourages beneficial insects and creates a vibrant
mini-ecosystem within the garden. The use of open-pollinated seeds helps to
preserve genetic diversity and enables gardeners to develop their own
acclimatized cultivars.
A focus on the production of calories for the gardener and carbon for the
soil ensures that both the gardener and the soil will be adequately fed and
that the farm will be sustainable.
How can the soil’s nutrient fertility be preserved with agriculture
continuously removing nutrients as one crop is harvested after another? One
answer is surprising. Each person’s urine and manure contain approximately
enough nutrients to produce enough food to feed that person. However, those
nutrients are not enough when they are spread thinly over the one-half to
one acre that it takes mechanized commercial agriculture to produce that
person’s food.
Biointensive mini-farms require much less area to produce the same yield of
crops, so the nutrients contained in one person’s wastes can be applied in a
more concentrated way. This enables the nutrients to be fully effective, and
high yields can result.
Because of this higher productivity, Biointensive practices could allow
one-half to three-quarters of the world to be left in wild for the
preservation of plant and animal diversity.
It has been said that Biointensive practices might make it possible to grow
food for all the people in the US in just the area now used for lawns. This
possibility could mean thriving agriculturally self-reliant cities with
‘green belts’ to produce all their food.
Scarcity vs. Abundance
Scarcity can be changed into abundance when sustainable, resource-conserving
agricultural practices are used.
* The world continues to deplete its soils approximately 7 to 80 times
faster with conventional forms of agriculture - even with organic
practices - than they are built up in nature. Probably only 50 to 100 years’
worth of world soil productivity remains for us to use. We are rapidly
depleting the soil base upon which civilization depends. In contrast,
sustainable Biointensive farming, if used properly, can build the soil up to
60 times faster than in nature while producing more food and conserving
resources.
* Economically, conventional agriculture in the US produces on the
average up to $100 per sixteenth of an acre; the net return on a $500,000
investment on the average 500-acre farm is about $12,000, or a little over 2
percent. We are depleting our agricultural economic base and indirectly our
farming community base. Biointensive economic mini-farming, in contrast, can
produce up to $20,000 on a sixteenth of an acre through increased yields,
decreased resource use, and direct marketing. It also offers a foundation
for community-based agriculture.
* The average age of the US farmer is 55, with few young people entering
farming. In fact, 0.2 percent of the population of the US is producing most
of the nation’s food. We are depleting the nation’s skill base. With
mini-farming approaches, everyone can be part of the rebuilding of farming
skills wherever they are.
* 75 percent of all the seeds ever used in agriculture are estimated to
have become extinct by 1990. Ninety five percent are expected to be extinct
by the year 2000. We are depleting our genetic base by overdependence on too
few highly specialized varieties. It is interesting to note that many, if
not most, normal open-pollinated crop varieties will produce equally high
Green Revolution-type yields with a fraction of the resources and few insect
and disease problems when Biointensive techniques are used because of the
healthy soil they produce.
* Conventional agriculture uses 100 times the energy in mechanical and
human forms per pound of food produced, compared to Biointensive farming.
This is because of current agriculture’s heavy dependence on machines and
energy-intensive chemical fertilizers. We are depleting our energy base.
Sustainable Biointensive practices, in contrast, recycle nutrients and are
productive enough to be done manually without high energy consumption.
* Agriculture accounts for 80 percent of all the water used by people on
this planet, and dozens of countries already have insufficient water for
growing all the food needed for their populations. Further, the agricultural
practices being used do not generally conserve water in our soil. The result
is that we are in the process of depleting our available water base.
Biointensive practices use a third to an eighth the water per pound of food
produced as conventional farming practices. Thus, the amount of water
available for farming, which is currently insufficient, can be more than
enough.
It Is Simple to Begin
The thought of beginning to learn to grow all one’s own food seems
overwhelming, but Ecology Action has designed a small one-bed growing unit
from which to begin growing personalized solutions. This unit is a
100-square-foot bed that includes equal areas of compost, diet, and income
crops. As we improve each 100-square-foot area of soil in our backyards or
on our farms, we begin to understand our climate and the varieties of plants
that thrive in our own micro-climates and mini-ecosystems. Each small
portion that we grow of our own food enables us to better appreciate the
farmers whose food we buy.
Voltaire in Candide suggests that if we each tend our own “garden,” the
entire world will be transformed. In the process, all of our work will be
filled with meaning. In this way, we will “grow people” who possess a whole
new understanding: that we must grow soil rather than crops - create rather
than consume. When we do so, the harvest for our nourishment will be
abundant beyond our greatest expectations!
John Jeavons is known internationally for his work developing small-scale
sustainable food production techniques. His food-raising techniques are
being used in 108 countries, rich and poor.
Ecology Action, founded 24 years ago, has taught the Biointensive method to
organizations and individuals in over 100 countries through tours and
workshops, and more than 30 publications - some in other languages. For more
information, write to Ecology Action, 5798 Ridgewood Road, Willits, CA
95490-9730.
Learn more at the Ecology Action website
For more information on this topic or related issues you can search the thousands of archived articles on the OCA website using keywords:
http://www.geocities.com/aliciainelpaso/stories/bread1.htm
Bread: the staff of life
By Jackie Clay
In today’s hurry-up, prosperous world, bread has come to mean that white, pasty stuff you buy in the store and slap together into boring, equally tasteless sandwiches. Or it’s what contains that fast-food, mystery meat burger. But, there was a time when it used to be much more.
Not so long ago, breads were eaten at nearly every meal, and still are in many third world countries. No, I’m not talking about mushy store bread, but the real thing. Full of nutrients, satisfying and comforting, good bread truly is the staff of life, being the basis for many great meals—if not the meal itself during hard times.
Nearly all breads are easy and quick to make. And they are even better if you make them yourself, especially from your own grains, ground in your kitchen. No chemicals, no additives, no fillers. (Believe it or not, I saw a loaf of bread in a store lately that had cellulose as an ingredient—processed sawdust.)
“And who will help me eat the bread?” Son, David, reaps the reward for his flour grinding.
To make breads even more valuable, they not only can be included in main courses, but also as desserts. Let’s look at a partial list of bread possibilities: muffins, rolls, white bread, whole wheat bread, rye bread, multi-grain bread, cornbread, popovers, corn tortillas, flour tortillas, pitas, biscuits, sweet rolls, cinnamon rolls, doughnuts, banana bread, zucchini bread, pineapple bread, hush puppies, apple fritters, hamburger and hotdog buns, pancakes, waffles, and a whole lot more.
I buy local wheat from a rancher, rye and other whole grains from an organic market. I usually grow enough corn to have cornmeal. All of these and more are ground in my kitchen, as I need them, and made into fresh breads for the table.
Now, I’m a more-than-busy person, but my baking only takes a couple of hours a week, all totaled. My “big” baking day is usually on Monday, when I bake white and whole wheat bread for the week. On other days, I’ll mix up tortillas, biscuits, corn bread, or rolls, in less time than it takes to tell. Like anything else, the more you do it, the quicker and easier it is. I can mix up a batch of biscuits from scratch in about the same time it takes to remove a roll of frozen biscuits from the freezer and place them on a cookie sheet. (Someone once gave our youngest son, David, a roll of those frozen biscuits. He brought them home, unsure of what to do with them. After leaving them on the counter until I got out of the garden, he asked how to make them, fascinated that biscuits could actually be in those little paper rolls. Well, it was hot that day, and that roll was plenty fat. David gave it a little tap and the cardboard roll exploded. KAPOW! Biscuit dough flew through the air. Some even stuck on the cupboard door. With big eyes, David declared he didn’t know storebought biscuits could explode. Maybe he’d mix up a batch of homemade biscuits, instead.)
In addition to being more nutritious and tasty than store breads (and less explosive), homemade breads are very economical. Today, the average “better” breads are around $2.69 a loaf. I can make two loaves of a far superior bread for less than a dollar, total. And that’s if I buy my flour, instead of growing my own grain or buying it from a local rancher.
Someone contemplating a self-reliant lifestyle would do well to give bread baking a serious study. Not only does it make homestead life much more satisfying, but it allows a family to save a lot of money, too.
Grains for bread making
Wheat is a commonly raised grain nationwide. The best wheat for bread making is hard wheat. Even hard wheat comes in “winter wheat”—planted in the fall, over-wintering to grow and mature in the summer of the following year, “spring wheat”—which is planted in the spring and harvested in the fall of the same year, red wheat, and white (or golden) wheat which is a lighter color. You’ll have to experiment to find your family’s favorite, although, all make very good bread.
Bread day at the Clay house: wheat, honey, yeast, shortening, and warm water, ready to go.
You can easily raise wheat at home. I’ve done it a lot. And a small plot, about 10 by 100 feet will give you a bushel or more of excellent grain to grind for your table. It’s easy and fun to grow. Plant your winter wheat about six weeks before cold winter weather sets in and spring wheat when the weather is just warming up in the spring, after worries about freezing are over.
Till up your wheat plot and simply scatter wheat seed on top of the rough soil. Then rake or shallowly till the seed in so it is covered by about an inch of soil. Water well and keep evenly moist but not wet until germination takes place in about a week. Simply water as needed and wait for maturity. Birds sometimes eat maturing wheat. We’ve had good luck by putting a couple of child’s pinwheels on either end of the garden in the ground and stationing a plastic owl on a stake here and there in the maturing wheat.
The maturing wheat will get golden, with no green showing. Before it is so mature that it begins to fall from the stalk, cut your plot. The easiest and best way is to use a scythe with a grain cradle. This “grim reaper” style tool has a light frame attached to it which catches the grain stalks as they are cut off. Then you can bundle the wheat into a sheaf, tying it around the “waist” with a few straws of wheat. If you don’t have, or can’t borrow a scythe, you can cut your wheat with just about anything. I’ve seen people use hedge trimmers, string trimmers and even kitchen scissors. One tip: if you must use a power trimmer of some type, cut your wheat just a bit green so the shock will not shatter the wheat out onto the ground. Then dry it a little longer than you would otherwise.
The sheaves are then stood up in little tipis, or shocks, with one sheaf spread out on top, to shelter the grain from dew and any rain. You will know when your wheat is ready when you can take a head of wheat and roll it lightly between your fingers, and the grains easily fall out into your hand.
We create a threshing floor by laying a cheap plastic tarp out on the driveway, on a sunny, quiet day. Then we lay an old sheet out on top of that. Gently gather up your shocks of wheat and bring them to your threshing floor. A few at a time, lay them out on the clean sheet, then flail the grain from the straw with a baseball bat. Or you use a homemade flail made with two sections of old shovel handle, one a foot long, the other three feet long, with a piece of cord four inches long tied through holes drilled in the ends of each. The long section is your “handle”, the short section, your flail. Gently beat the straw, loosening all of the grain. Then, with a clean pitch fork, shake and lift off the empty straw and stack it.
Repeat until all your wheat has been threshed. Gather up your grain, which also has bits of chaff, straw, and other debris. Now wait for a windy but dry day and winnow your grain. Spread out a large container. I use one of my wash tubs. Then pour the wheat slowly from a bowl, down to your tub, letting the wind clean your grain. Usually only a couple pours will remove all dust, chaff, and debris. Your wheat is now ready to store. I use a new garbage can to protect it from insects and rodents. It is a good idea to stir your wheat every couple of days, to ensure it is completely dry; any moisture will cause your precious grain to mold. I simply stir the grain with my clean hand and arm. (It’s a wonderful feeling, too.)
“And who will help me grind the wheat?” David takes his turn at the hand grain mill.
If you have had problems with insects (weevils) in your grain, you may want to freeze your wheat, a batch at a time, before long-term storage. Usually freezing at 0° F for three days will prevent any insect problems later during storage.
Dry wheat, properly stored in a dark, airtight container, will keep perfectly for years; a perfect addition to a long-term storage pantry.
Rye is a second sister to wheat. As it is darker and stronger flavored, and with less gluten than wheat, it is used less often. But it is one of the hardiest of all grains and a good addition to your grain pantry. A small plot off the end of your wheat plot, say 10 feet by 25 feet, will provide all the rye you need for an average year. The growing and harvesting of rye is just like spring wheat.
Oats are very hardy and easily grown at home, however, there really isn’t an easy way to dehull them at home. But there is a relatively new variety of oats out which makes this a thing of the past. Naked hulled oats have no tight hull, so simply threshing them as you would other grain leaves them clean and ready to roll or grind.
I roll some of my oats for a coarser bread and for non-bread uses, such as cookies and granola. But I also grind some oats with my wheat, to use in multi-grain breads, making oat flour, instead of rolled oats.
Oats are super easy to grow at home. They are planted in the early spring, just after the cold weather moderates.
They will take a frost, but a hard freeze can damage the stand. Plant and grow as you would wheat or rye. Oats are a very good nurse crop for a new hay field. They protect the fragile, small alfalfa, clover and grass, shading it from extreme sun and heat. Then, when you harvest your oats, the hay field really takes off and grows.
Corn is a staple of my kitchen, in all forms. It is especially versatile as a bread ingredient. One first thinks of corn bread. And he often stops right there. But my corn is used for corn tortillas, in multi-grain bread, many white breads, as a crunchy crust dust for pizza dough, bread sticks, hush puppies, cornmeal mush for breakfast, tamale dough, and Indian pudding for dessert.
Corn used for meal and corn flour is mature, hard, dry corn. Cornmeal is the gritty textured ground flint corn, where corn flour is silky smooth flour, ground from dried, uncooked hominy corn, with the “skin” removed by boiling in lime water until the skin will separate from the kernel.
It doesn’t take much room to grow a patch of corn for your own cornmeal and corn flour. A dozen 20-foot rows will provide all you can use in a year. (Remember, in a survival situation, you will use much more cornmeal than you may today.) I’ve made excellent cornmeal with “leftover” second ears of sweet corn that were not used at market or for my canning needs.
Wait to harvest your corn, until the plants are totally dry and rattle in a wind. The corn itself should not give under pressure from your thumbnail. I prefer to leave it on the stalk until a dry period in late fall to make extra sure the corn is dry and avoid chances of mold.
At first the dough will be crummy and hard to work with.
Pick your ears and shuck them, removing all of the husk and silk. If you have the room, somewhere insect and rodent-proof, store your corn on the ear, as it will keep very well that way. If not, shell the corn. A hand-turned corn sheller is one old-time tool that is very handy. Unfortunately, few of us have one. I usually just twist two ears of corn together over a clean barrel or garbage can. With practice, you can shell a lot of corn this way in a few hours.
As with your other grains, be sure to stir the barrel of corn every day or two, until you are positive it is completely dry. With low-moisture corn, this is accomplished in a week’s time. Be sure. Mold spoils the whole lot.
Miscellaneous grains
There are a whole lot of grains, used by folks world-wide, other than wheat. They are tasty and very nutritious, but, unfortunately, they do not contain gluten, which makes bread rise nicely. I use many of these grains, in addition to my wheat, making a multi-grain bread. And I often make ethnic breads from these traditional grains, for variety and unique tastes. You might want to give them a try.
Millet, amaranth, barley, buckwheat, quiona, wild rice, brown rice and even “weed” seeds, such as pigweed, dock, and crab grass make excellent grains, especially in addition to wheat flour. These grains can be found at local food co-ops and wild-harvested around your homestead, in the case of “weed” seeds. As with any wild foraging, be sure of your plant to avoid problems.
Nongrain bread additions
There are many things that I often use in my daily bread making that are not “grain,” but help make tasty loaves, nonetheless. Among them are: hulled sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, finely ground, dried squash and pumpkin, grated or dry powdered cheeses, powdered dried chilies, onion powder, tomato powder, ground dry beans, nuts of all kinds, acorn meal, and potatoes. I am a very causal cook, and I often experiment while baking breads. No one complains about the results either.
And of course, I use many fruits in sweet and dessert breads. These include candied mixed fruit, dehydrated cherries, cranberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, apples, peaches, apricots, currents, and raisins.
Grinding your own grain
Home grinding your own flours is akin to canning—so satisfying, easy and, yes, even fun. I’ve always had to fight my way to the grinder. The kids always want to turn the handle and watch the flour trickle nicely out into a bowl.
When kneading, push down hard with the heels of both hands and bring the top down to the center, rotate the dough slightly, and repeat.
There are many good flour mills. Obviously, the more expensive mills grind more flour per minute—and usually finer flour on one pass through—than do the economy models. Unfortunately, we’re not able to afford a $200-plus mill. So I bought a nice little hand-powered mill for $59, and have been very satisfied with it. It grinds all the flour for one baking of bread in 20 minutes. This includes two grindings, as one pass through the mill is not quite fine enough for my likes. I often use half-coarse flour and half the second grind, which makes a “wheat-nut” bread that we all like.
You can even use a blender, but because you can only process a cup or so at a time it will take you forever.
You will have to play around with a new mill, adjusting the grind to your likes and needs, as most are widely adjustable. Most mills will grind nearly all grains, from wheat to corn and even nuts. If you want to roll your own—oats, that is—you will need a mill that will perform this task or buy an additional rolling mill.
Why, you may say, should you bother grinding your own grain? Well, it’s like gardening: everything tastes much better fresh. (Which is better, a store-bought tomato or one fresh from the garden?) You also know for certain what’s in your flour. No chemicals, pesticides, additives, bleach, or other dubious ingredients. And fresh, home-ground flour is so much better for you than store-bought flour (even store-bought whole wheat). Processed commercial flour removes over 24 nutrients from the wheat. Home processing removes very little indeed.
Bread baking basics
Most breads include wheat flour (for its gluten content and natural sweetness which make the bread rise and have a nice texture), a small amount of sugar or honey to feed the yeast, yeast to make the bread rise, a smaller amount of salt to keep the yeast in check and develop the flavors, shortening or oil, milk or water as a liquid, and sometimes eggs to provide color and richness.
I buy my yeast in one pound sacks. It keeps perfectly good on the shelf for a year or more. Mine is gone by then. This yeast is granulated dry yeast, and is much cheaper than the little packets. In fact three packets of three, which is how they come, cost the same as my one-pound bag. Check around. You might want to share with a friend if you are new to baking.
Both the milk and eggs can be fresh or dehydrated, so you see bread truly can be the staff of life in a survival situation, where you must cook out of a long term storage pantry. All of the ingredients are very happy in a survival pantry.
After ten minutes or so of kneeding, the dough will be shiny, smooth, and alive.
Make sure that all ingredients are at room temperature. Bread does not like cold. Mix your dry yeast in the amount of lukewarm liquid the recipe calls for, plus a pinch of sugar or honey. This lets it get to growing and makes adding it to your dough batter much easier. Then mix your dry ingredients in a large bowl, less one cup of flour.
This little trick I learned by experience. There is no foolproof recipe for bread. In different climates, with different humidities, with different flours, you may have to add considerably less or more flour to get the right consistency to your dough. It’s always easy to add more flour to your dough as you work it. It’s impossible to take flour out of a too-stiff dough. You can, of course, add more liquid, but that’s a mess and more work than I like. It’s better to hold back that cup of flour.
Usually, your sugar, salt, and shortening are added to the hot water or milk, then the mixture is brought down to lukewarm before mixing in the flour and yeast. Again, a little trick is to add half of your flour, especially whole wheat flour, to very hot liquids and beating it well with a whisk or wooden spoon. This helps it to rise better. Let this batter cool to lukewarm, then add your yeast and, finally, the rest of your flour, a cup or so at a time.
When your dough is so stiff that you can’t use your wooden spoon, turn it out onto a clean, floured surface; a counter top, table, or bread board. Flour your hands well and begin to knead the dough. This is done by first forming a ball, then, with the heels of your hands, shove down in the center of the ball hard. With your left hand, turn the dough ball slightly, and repeat, drawing the top to the center, and shoving down hard. It’s like dancing; invigorating and rhythmic and it’s good exercise.
At first the dough will stick to your fingers. Sprinkle a bit of flour on the board and on your hands and continue kneading. Don’t be timid about adding flour. You’ll add that cup you held back, and usually more. But don’t add so much flour that your dough is stiff and unyielding or your bread will be of low quality—but still better than store bread.
When you start, your dough will be crummy, sticky, and nearly unmanageable. After 10 minutes or so your dough will suddenly change before your eyes. And your hands. All at once, it will be shining, bouncing back from your touch. Firm, yet seeming to have a life of its own. It is now ready for setting to rise.
Grease a large bowl and place your prize dough lightly in the bowl, greasing the ball. Then lift it out and reverse the dough, so that the greased part is now the top.
I rinse a clean kitchen towel in hot water, then wring it out, placing it on top of the bowl. This seals out cool drafts and keeps the dough from drying out.
Place the bowl in a warm, draft-free spot to rise. This usually takes about an hour, but can take two or more, depending on your yeast, the weather, the mood of the loaf, or whatever. Wait for it to double in size. Many beginners can not wait and continue with their baking too early. This results in a loaf that is heavy and too dense.
After rising, punch down well and divide into two or more loaves or free-form breads or rolls.
Test the dough with two fingers, pressing lightly into the top of your dough ball. If the indentations remain for a minute, your dough is ready for the next rising.
Now’s the fun part, especially if you’ve been under a lot of stress lately. Turn the dough out onto your lightly floured kneading surface and pound it. Knead it a minute, then pound it again. This distributes the gluten and releases your stress. Baker’s Zen.
A few bread recipes require a second rising in the bowl, but most now have you divide your dough into two or more pieces and shape it to fit your bread pans (or fancy). Roll each piece of dough into a smooth, round ball, then gently pat it into the shape you desire, from bread pan to free-form shepherd’s bread or braids. It all tastes great.
Lightly grease your bread pans. If you are doing free-form breads, simply place them on a greased cookie sheet to rise and bake.
Again, cover the dough with your damp kitchen towel and set in a warm place to rise. Do not let the bread rise too far. It should rise almost double. It’s better not to let it rise all the way, than to rise too far. Don’t poke it this time, or your beautiful bread will have dimples when baked.
Preheat your oven. This is especially important for those of us who bake on a wood kitchen range. It often takes half an hour for the oven to reach 350° F, so be sure you preheat. Even a gas stove takes several minutes to reach baking temperature, and your bread will rise nicer if it is popped into a hot oven, rather than one that is in the process of heating.
So let’s give a simple bread recipe a go and see just how easy it is.
Fail-proof white bread
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 tsp. honey
4 cups hot water
3 Tbsp. shortening
1 Tbsp. salt
3 Tbsp. honey
8 cups unbleached flour
butter
Stir the yeast into 1/2 cup warm water and add the half-teaspoon of honey. Let sit until you are ready for it.
In a large bowl, add the hot water, shortening, salt, and the rest of the honey. Stir until honey is dissolved and the shortening has melted.
Sift five cups of flour into the liquid in the large bowl and beat well with a whisk or wooden spoon. Let the mixture cool to lukewarm and add the yeast mixture. Again beat well. Add the remaining flour, one cup at a time. You want a dough that you can barely mix with a wooden spoon, held just above the spoon part.
Flour your kneading surface and dump the dough out onto the board. Flour your hands and begin kneading the dough. Add flour, as needed (no more than a half cup at a time). If it is sticky, add more flour, a bit at a time, under the dough, and on your hands. When it seems more “workable,” let it rest on the floured board while you wash out the mixing bowl with hot water. Dry it and return to your kneading.
Knead the dough ball until it feels alive and springy. Grease the bowl and rub the top of the ball in this grease, then turn it over so the top is nicely greased. Cover with a warm, damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled.
When the dough is ready (two finger indentations on top remain for a minute), punch it down well. Grease two bread pans and form the dough into two loaves, leaving the tops smooth and the ends neatly tucked under. Again, cover them with your kitchen towel and let rise until nearly double. Preheat your oven to 400° F. Bake at 400° F for 45 minutes until the top is nicely browned and sounds hollow when you tap it with your finger.
Remove the bread from the oven and butter the tops to soften them and give them a beautiful sheen. Remove them from the pans and let them cool (if you don’t have drooling family members hovering around begging and whining pitifully). We usually eat up a good chunk of hot bread as soon as it exits the oven.
Honey whole wheat bread
Ingredients:
1/2 cup warm water
2 Tbsp. dry yeast
1/2 tsp. honey
2 cups warm water
1 Tbsp. salt
2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. shortening
1/4 cup chopped sunflower seeds
6 cups whole wheat flour
butter
Stir 1/2 cup warm water, the yeast, and 1/2 teaspoon honey into a cup to proof. In large bowl, add two cups of warm water, salt, 2 tablespoons of honey, and the shortening. Beat until the shortening has melted. Add the chopped sunflower seeds, then add one cup of flour at a time until you have a medium batter. Add the yeast mixture. Add flour, while beating well. Stir the thickened dough with a wooden spoon until it is ready to knead, adding more or less flour, as needed. Turn out onto a floured board and knead for ten minutes. Grease the top and place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a warm, damp towel until it rises to double in size. You may now punch down the dough and divide it into two loaves, or punch down the dough, and let it rise a second time for a finer loaf.
Place the loaves in greased bread pans and let rise until nearly doubled. Preheat your oven to 350° F.
Bake the bread about 45 minutes until tops are golden and sound hollow when tapped with a finger. When done, butter the tops and sprinkle with chopped sunflower seeds or sesame seeds, if desired.
Okay, we’ve made some traditional easy or everyday breads. Pretty darned good, huh? These are some of my everyday recipes. Remember, you can easily perk them up by making one “loaf” into a pan of rolls by making golf ball sized balls and placing them side by side in a greased 8-inch by 8-inch pan. Or you can divide one loaf of dough into thirds and make three dough snakes and braid them beautifully, pinching and tucking the ends under. The braids are baked on a greased cookie sheet. I often make a glaze, using one teaspoon of egg white and one tablespoon of water mixed well and brushed on the risen loaves, then sprinkle poppy or sesame seeds on top. Bake as usual. They come out shining and crisp-crusted.
Besides these basic breads, I usually make several other everyday breads. The most common three in the Clay kitchen are spoon rolls, tortillas (flour and corn), and biscuits. All are super easy and fast to make. And they taste great too. Here are my recipes for you to try.
Half-time spoon rolls
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
pinch of sugar
3/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold water
1 egg
3-1/2 cups unbleached flour
butter
Dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Add a pinch of the sugar and stir well. In mixing bowl, add 3/4 cup of very warm water, shortening, sugar and salt. Mix well until the shortening melts. Cool with 1/2 cup cold water and one egg. Mix well. When lukewarm, add the yeast mixture, then stir in the flour, a little at a time. The dough will be very sticky. You do not knead this dough.
Cover and let rise in a bowl till doubled. Grease muffin tins and using a greased ice cream scoop, knock down the risen dough and spoon one scoopful into each cup of the muffin tin. Let it rise, again, until they double in size and bake about 10 minutes in a 375° F oven. Butter the tops and serve hot. Truly great. I also use this recipe for my hamburger and hot dog buns, shaping them on a greased cookie tin. Hint: make ‘em a little smaller than you think you should, as they get big during the rising and baking.
Basic baking powder biscuits
Ingredients:
2 cups unbleached or whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup shortening
milk
Sift the dry ingredients together in mixing bowl. Add the shortening and mix it in with a fork, until pieces of the mixture are the size of small peas. Add milk until you have a moist, but not sticky dough. Turn out onto floured surface and knead lightly. Pat down to about half-an-inch thick. Cut the biscuits out of this. (I use a greased canning jar ring for this.) Place the biscuits on a greased cookie sheet touching each other in a rectangular pattern. Bake at 400° F for about 10 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned.
You may add 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese for cheese biscuits, topping the biscuits with more grated cheese after they have risen in the oven for a crispy cheezie treat.
Served hot with butter and homemade jam, you can’t beat these easy biscuits.
Flour tortillas
Ingredients:
2 cups unbleached or whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. shortening
3/4 cup warm water
In mixing bowl, stir together dry ingredients. Mix in the shortening until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Add 1/2-cup water and mix. Add the rest of the water as needed. You want a dough that is moist, yet not sticky. Let the dough rest for fifteen minutes, covered with a moist kitchen towel. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions. Shape into balls and on a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a thin round. You may trim them, using a saucer for a pattern. I don’t bother. My uneven tortillas look nice and homey, and taste just fine. Bake them on an ungreased cast iron griddle on the stovetop over medium heat until lightly browned for about 11/2 minutes. Turn and bake on the other side. Serve warm. Like everything else, homemade tortillas sure beat “store” tortillas. They are actually tender and tasty. If you want to use tortillas for burritos, wrap the filling with warm tortillas or they will break, reheating them if necessary before filling.
Corn tortillas
Ingredients:
2 cups masa harina de maize (corn flour)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. chili powder (made from chilies only, not mixed spices)
1 cup water
Combine masa, salt, spices, and water in a mixing bowl and mix with fork until dough is moist, but not sticky. Let stand for ten minutes. Divide the dough into 12 balls. Using a tortilla press or a pie pan, press each ball flat, between sheets of waxed paper or plastic. I further roll each tortilla out with a rolling pin, keeping it in the waxed paper, as we like thin tortillas. Carefully pull off the top sheet, then turn the tortilla out into your hand and pull off the other sheet of waxed paper. Bake on a hot griddle (I like cast iron best) on the stovetop until slightly brown, then gently turn and bake the other side.
Corn tortillas are great, served warm with stews, soups, or even with jam for breakfast. Or you can make your own enchiladas, tacos, or nacho chips. One of our favorites is deep fried “raw” corn tortillas, served with homemade salsa, mixed with grated, melted cheese as a dip. There are seldom any leftovers. When you want to make nacho chips, simply stack your tortillas and cut them with a sharp knife, as you would a pizza—right through the entire stack at once. Then deep fry several at a time in hot oil. Salt, if desired, as soon as you remove from the grease to drain on paper towels.
Enchiladas are easy to make with homemade corn tortillas. Bake them. Then, while warm, dip them in enchilada sauce, fill, and roll up while warm. If they are cold, they’ll break up. No problem. Just reheat and dip or even make a layered enchilada casserole instead.
Breakfast and dessert breads
Besides the normal breakfast breads, pancakes, biscuits, waffles or corn bread, other breakfast breads are easy and fun to make and serve. One of my favorites is to use either biscuit dough or half-time spoon roll dough (with a little extra flour added so you can knead it) and make cinnamon sweet rolls or sticky buns. Instead of making biscuits or rolls, roll the dough out in a rectangle, about half an inch thick. Then, with your fingers, rub butter over the entire surface. For cinnamon rolls, mix 1/2 cup of sugar with a teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle liberally on the surface. For sticky buns, mix a cup of brown sugar with a teaspoon of cinnamon. Spread this out on your dough. Then add a handful of chopped nuts.
Roll up the dough carefully, jelly roll-style. Pinch off the ends and seam. With a sharp knife, slice into one-inch (biscuit dough) or two inch (half-time spoon roll dough) slices and place in a greased 8-inch by 8-inch cake pan. Bake at 350° F until the tops are nicely browned. All the preparation takes about 20 minutes. I told you it was easy.
One of our family favorites is Mom’s version of the old-time breakfast bread, Sally Lunn. Now there are about a dozen or more recipes titled Sally Lunn, all quite different. But I like Mom’s best. And it is very quick to put together.
Sally Lunn
Ingredients for bread:
2 cups unbleached flour
3 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup milk
Ingredients for topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. butter
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Cream the shortening and sugar together. Add the beaten egg. Next add the milk and mix into dry ingredients. Stir just to moisten. Turn into greased 8-inch by 8-inch cake pan. Make the topping by mixing those ingredients together then sprinkle it over the batter. Bake at 400° F for 20 minutes or until done. Serve with homemade butter and a glass of icy cold milk from that cow or goat in your pasture, and you are there!
We also like this as a dessert, with a bowl of sliced fresh strawberries, with sugar or a sugar substitute on them (Bob’s diabetic, so we do a lot of sugar substituting), and we pour this over the Sally Lunn, top it all with fresh whipped cream. Not bad at all.
Another old-time bread dessert is bread pudding. I know this sounds pretty disgusting to the uninitiated. But it is really good, especially served hot on a cold day. And it’s a good way to get rid of those chunks of old bread.
Bread pudding
Heat 3 cups of milk, add 1/4 cup melted butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and 4 cups of bread cubes (torn bits of bread, bite-sized). Beat 3 eggs, and add 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and a 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Stir all together. Add a handful of raisins or other dehydrated fruit. Pour into buttered dish and bake at 350° for about 55 minutes until set. Serve with sweetened milk or whipped cream. Mom makes a sauce of two cups of powdered sugar, a stick of butter, one teaspoon of vanilla, and a 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, which she creams together. She puts a spoonful of this on each serving of pudding while it’s hot. The sauce melts enticingly down the sides to blend with the whipped cream. Did I say we’re all in need of a diet? I’ll just go out and pull weeds for another hour.
I could go on about breads for another 500 pages, but you get the picture. They are so easy to bake, super tasty, and very versatile. I hope you’ll all join me today and mix up a batch of one of these favorites or maybe one of your own.
http://www.geocities.com/aliciainelpaso/stories/liveonnothing1.htm
http://www.geocities.com/aliciainelpaso/stories/liveonnothing2.htm
There are several good ideas in these 2 articles about living on nothing, also a couple of illegal ones and a dangerous one, I do not use gas to start a wood stove.
http://www.sharingsustainablesolutions.org/?cat=93
Herbs
Page 1 of 2
Parsley, Queen of the Meadows
Written on 15 Mar, 2009 at 13:37 in Herbs | viewed 37 times and users have made 0 comments so far
About the descriptions: The following herbal descriptions will be derived from many different sources. At first we will include mainly Mrs. M. Grieve, from her book “A Modern Herbal”, but will be adding more shortly. The publishing of the following opinions,... (Continue reading)
Herbal Medicinal Properties: Black Haw to Cascara
Written on 15 Mar, 2009 at 13:36 in Herbs | viewed 42 times and users have made 0 comments so far
About the descriptions: The following herbal descriptions will be derived from many different sources. At first we will include mainly Mrs. M. Grieve, from her book “A Modern Herbal”, but will be adding more shortly. The publishing of the following... (Continue reading)
Herbs Ca - Co
Written on 15 Mar, 2009 at 13:36 in Herbs | viewed 36 times and users have made 0 comments so far
Herbal Medicinal Properties Table of Contents Catnip: Nepeta Cataria Catnip: Unicaria Tomentosa Cayenne: Capsicum Minimum / Capsicum Anuum Chamomile: Matricaria Chamomille Chaparral: Larrea Tridentata Chaste Tree: Chickweed: Stellaria Media Chickweed: Cinnamon: Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Cinnamon: Cleavers: Galium Aparine Cleavers: Clove: Eugenia Caryophyllata Clove: Coltsfoot: Tussilago Farfara Catnip: Nepeta Cataria (Mrs. M. Grieve) Carminative, tonic, diaphoretic,... (Continue reading)
Herbal Medicinal Properties: Elder to Gingko
Written on 15 Mar, 2009 at 13:35 in Herbs | viewed 39 times and users have made 0 comments so far
Medicinal Action and Uses On account of its aromatic and carminative properties, Fennel fruit is chiefly used medicinally with purgatives to allay their tendency to griping and for this purpose forms one of the ingredients of the well-known compound Liquorice Powder.... (Continue reading)
Herbal Medicinal Properties: Marshmallow to Oregon Grape
Written on 15 Mar, 2009 at 13:35 in Herbs | viewed 39 times and users have made 0 comments so far
The following herbal descriptions will be derived from many different sources. At first we will include mainly Mrs. M. Grieve, from her book “A Modern Herbal”, but will be adding more shortly. The publishing of the following opinions, though all... (Continue reading)
Herbs: As Used By Native Americans
Written on 15 Mar, 2009 at 13:34 in Herbs | viewed 69 times and users have made 0 comments so far
AMERICAN MISTLETOE - Phoradendron Glavescens AMERICAN ELDER - S. Canadensis (Honeysuckle Family) AMERICAN HOLLY - Yaupon (I. vomitoria) AMERICAN CHESTNUT - Castanea Dentate BALSAM FIR - Abies Balsamea BEECH TREE - Fagus grandifolia BIG SAGEBRUSH - Artemisia Tridentata BIRTHROOT - Trillium Erectum BLACK BIRCH - Betula Lenta BLACK COHOSH... (Continue reading)
Herbal Medicines
Written on 15 Mar, 2009 at 13:33 in Herbs | viewed 41 times and users have made 0 comments so far
Subject: YEAR 2000 HEALTHCARE eLETTER, NO 4 Date: Wednesday, August 25, 1999 6:45:49 AM From: kenton@compwellness.com To: 2kHealth@onelist.com YEAR 2000 HEALTHCARE eLETTERTM Volume 1, Issue 4 – Monday, August 23, 1999 This is a free, bi-weekly email newsletter on healthcare, focusing on year 2000 needs and full-spectrum – complementary — healthcare methods.... (Continue reading)
Capsaicin - Spice, Medicine and Pepper Spray
Written on 15 Mar, 2009 at 13:33 in Herbs | viewed 194 times and users have made 0 comments so far
Some people tend to use the terms - capsaicin and oleoresin capsicum interchangeably. They’re not the same. Capsaicin The most commonly mentioned of the capsaicinoids. All hot peppers contain capsaicinoids. Natural substances that produce a burning sensation in the mouth or on... (Continue reading)
Ginseng to Horsetail
Written on 15 Mar, 2009 at 13:32 in Herbs | viewed 36 times and users have made 0 comments so far
Siberian Ginseng: Eleutherococcus senticosus David Hoffman, N.D.: Actions: Adaptogen, a circulatory stimulant, vasodilator. Indications: This herb may safely be used to increase stamina in the face of undue demands and stress. These may be physical or mental?they are one to... (Continue reading)
Herbal First Aid
Written on 15 Mar, 2009 at 13:32 in Herbs | viewed 42 times and users have made 0 comments so far
—NUTRITION: Spirulina - A good protein source. Take Four capsules 30 minutes before lunch and 30 minutes before dinner. No food available, Spirulina can get you through until food becomes available. Super Supplemental - Take on tablet with each meal... (Continue reading)
http://www.sharingsustainablesolutions.org/?p=826
Jelly, Honey For Pests
In the April issue of Garden Gate mag. someone wrote in and recommended making your own sticky traps. They used index cards, and honey or petroleum jelly.
Apparently some bugs are attracted to certain colors, like yellow or white. They recommended spreading honey on yellow index cards to trap aphids, thrips, and whitefies. And spread petroleum jelly on white index cards to trap plant bugs and rose chafers (so what’s a plant bug, anyway)?
Attach the cards to stakes and place them in your garden. You will have to reapply the honey every couple of days.
http://www.sharingsustainablesolutions.org/?p=834
Living Mulches
Living mulches Cover crops are usually killed or incorporated before establishing the vegetable crop. Recently, however, there has been interest in living mulch systems where the cover crop and vegetable grow together in the field for all or part of the growing season in order to extend weed control and other cover crop benefits such as decreased traffic compaction into the growing period of the crop.
Living mulches can compete for moisture and nutrients, so they are not recommended for low-growing, shallow-rooted, or drought-susceptible vegetable crops. Because they provide habitat for beneficial insects, living mulches sometimes decrease insect-pest populations. Population of other pests may increase however. In a New York study,use of a living mulch reduced population levels of cabbage looper, imported cabbage worm, aphid, and flea beetles, but slug populations increased.
Living mulches are not appropriate for all situations. It is very importatnt for characteristics of a living mulch to complement those of the vegetable crop. A cover crop should germinate and grow in the shade and be low growing relative to the main crop. For example, a vining cover crop should be used only with tall vegetable crops (such as sweet corn). Bush type cover crops such as red clover should be used on shorter vegetables such as cabbage, peppers and determinate tomatoes.
Cover crops should not be susceptible to the same diseases as the main crop , and should not interfere with harvest. To establish a living mulch: Make sure the field is free of weeds before planting the main crop. Let the main crop grow alone for 4 to 5 weeks so it can compete successfully with the living mulch crop. Typically this point will be reached after the last cultivation.
Establish the mulch by drilling rather than broadcasting since drilling the seed gives a better stand.
Rotate living mulch types.
http://www.sharingsustainablesolutions.org/?p=836
Pest Control
Plant a garlic clove beside the plant you want to protect. Pests of all kinds will stay away. Do not plant garlic near peas.
Basil near tomatoes will repel worms and flies.
Plant onions near carrots and beets. Onions and garlic will protect your lettuce and beans from Japanese beetles, carrot flies and aphids.
Pour boiling water on ant hills to kill ants quickly.
To protect cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts from the cabbage moth, use mint, sage, dill, and thyme. Do not plant cabbage near strawberries.
To deter ants, use equal parts of vinegar and water to wash your countertops, floors, cabinets, etc.
Try leaving an open bottle of pennyroyal or citronella oil in your room if mosquitoes are a problem indoors. You can also rub a little apple-cider vinegar on your skin to serve as a repellant.
Aphids and spiders will stay away from plants that have been sprayed with dishwashing liquid mixed with water. Aphids will also stay away from anise and coriander.
Use a bit of cinnamon in your cupboards and drawers to get rid of silverfish.
To kill cockroaches, mix half a cup of flour, a quarter cup of sugar, and one cup of borax together. Sprinkle along the cracks and crevices where they hide.
To catch flys make your own flypaper with honey and yellow paper.
In general leave spiders alone - they are good bugs.
To make a flea powder for dogs and cats that is organic, use Pennyroyal herb or oil and mix with cornstarch and douse the critters with some… or plant it where they can roll in it.
To get rid of lice try using petroleum jelly (Vaseline). Try it, it works great. You saturate head with it, put a plastic cap on overnight and the next day they all wash right out, no need for fine tooth comb. May require several washings though…
http://www.sharingsustainablesolutions.org/?p=830
Hydroponics
The Aztecs and Incas amazed the Spanish conquistadors with
their floating gardens, and now 500 years later you can impress your
friends and neighbors with yours.
A University of Florida extension agent has developed a floating garden
with material available at local building supply stores that costs about
$40.
The hydroponic garden’s biggest advantage is that it cuts down on pests.
“Without soil, you eliminate about half the problems that plague Florida
gardens,” said Richard Tyson, Seminole County extension agent with UF’s
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
“There are no nematodes, weeds or major root diseases. You also have a
constant supply of water, which eliminates the need to irrigate,” he
said.
Tyson and area gardeners are growing lettuce, basil, mint, watercress,
chives, onions, beans, peas and a few flowers with the new system. “Any
plant that likes moist conditions seems to do well,” Tyson said. “Basil
goes crazy. Impatiens and marigolds love hydroponic conditions, but
periwinkles, which prefer dry land, usually decline.”
Yields are high. For example, Tyson can grow 32 heads of lettuce every
40 to 60 days. And quality is high. Five of seven varieties of lettuce
that Tyson grew were marketable size, according to a panel of experts he
had examine them.
The hydroponic contraption is simple to make. Just follow these 10 easy
steps.
1. Build a frame of 2-by-6-inch treated lumber. Tyson recommends making
the frame 4 feet, 1-inch wide by 8 feet, 1-inch long, but you may vary
the size to fit the space you have available.
2. Line the frame with 6 mil polyethylene to form a trough.
3. Fill the trough with water to a four-inch height.
4. Secure the edges of the liner to the top of the frame with
1-by-2-inch furring strips.
5. Create a floating platform from a 4-by-8-foot panel of 2-inch foam
insulation.
6. Cut holes in the insulation to hold plants in 3-ounce plastic
bathroom cups or 8-ounce foam coffee cups. The holes should be sized so
that the bottom of the cups extend no more than a quarter inch below the
insulation and into the water. Create 2-inch holes for bathroom cups and
2 1/2-inch holes for coffee cups. The holes should be 6 inches from the
sides and a foot apart, forming 32 holes for planting.
7. Add fertilizer. Tyson recommends a general purpose water soluble
fertilizer with micronutrients. He mixes 2 teaspoons of the fertilizer
and one teaspoon of Epsom salts for each gallon of water in the trough.
8. Cut slits in the cups so that air can get to the roots of the plants.
9. Place perlite in the cups. This product, a lightweight filler, soaks
up water like a sponge.
10. Transplant starter plants into the perlite.
“Having the cups only a quarter inch in the water is very important,”
Tyson said. “It’s also crucial that you have the slits along the sides
of the cups for air to enter because roots will die if they get too much
water,” Tyson said.
As your hydroponic garden grows, add more water to compensate for
evaporation. Also add fertilizer at half the original rate as growth
slows or the foliage becomes lighter green.
Tyson believes that truck farmers could implement his system as a
low-cost alternative to the more complex hydroponic systems that are
used for Florida’s expanding hydroponics gardening industry.
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