Is Recession Preparing a New Breed of Survivalist? [Survival Today - an On going Thread #2]

May 05th,2008

[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

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.komando.com/toolbox.aspx?mode=print&id=6730

A program for aspiring authors

5/27/2009

Many people would love to tap their creativity and write a book. But it’s not easy. Not everyone can be Stephen King. That guy seems to pump out a new book every week.

It turns out, writing a novel is really hard. A lot of things have to go into a good book. You need interesting characters, locations and plot twists. Keeping everything straight can be a problem.

Storybook is an organizational tool for creative writers. It lets you break up your story into structural elements. List your characters, locations, story arcs and chapters. Attach reminders and descriptions to each element.

When you begin writing a scene, build it out of elements. Summarize a scene. Decide which characters are going to be present. What location will they inhabit? You can create a solid outline in no time.

Cost: Free

Link: storybook.intertec.ch

System: Windows XP and Vista

[nw_arizona_granny]

Just gotta be prepared and then go about your daily living. <<<

That is the true secret of being prepared.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/banklist.html

Failed Bank List

The FDIC is often appointed as receiver for failed banks. This page contains useful information for the customers and vendors of these banks. This includes information on the acquiring bank (if applicable), how your accounts and loans are affected, and how vendors can file claims against the receivership. Failed Financial Institution Contact Search displays point of contact information related to failed banks.

This list includes banks which have failed since October 1, 2000.

[May has been a busy month...]

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

bookmark

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

[California] Need more water? Birth certificates, please, says water district
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2258993/posts

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Wow! thanks Granny!

Here’s a better link:

http://www.komando.com/downloads/category.aspx?id=6730

Do you remember the other writers we used to ping to author posts? If not, I can look back at the first thread and find their names.

[CottonBall]

Thanks to my mentor, I now have Peppermint growing and will try the method posted..

I just love peppermint and spearmint. I have some growing at the house, but my plants in the mountains didn't seem to survive the winter. Darn. Have to plant some more up there. What's the method you're talking about? (I tried to search for it, but had no luck)

CB enjoy your canner and follow the cool down instructions and you will be rewarded .

;)

a manual vacuum sealer with mason jar adapter works wonders for storage of dryed items, also seeds for next season (??)(optimistic humor there)

Ok, I've heard about this twice now (from DW just a few posts ago as well). So, this will be my next endeavor to look into, now that I have my canner and a batch of jars.

[CottonBall]

Granny, keep them bread recipes coming! This winter I'm going to make the National bread bakeries look like pikers with all the stuff I'm going to bake!

Granny has posted some marvelous bread recipes! This one is my favorite so far. It turns out amazingly light and fluffy for 100% whole wheat. I gave a loaf each to some friends over the weekend and they loved it also.

100% Whole Wheat Bread

The key to really great 100% whole wheat bread is to extract the best flavors from the whole wheat and temper the harsh tones that sometimes accompany whole wheat flour. Good whole wheat bread has an almost nutty taste without a bitter aftertaste. A long fermentation gives the yeast a chance to produce its own flavors and convert the starch to sugar. By refrigerating the dough overnight, you can make excellent 100% whole wheat bread.
This is one of our favorite bread recipes. yeasts perform differently at low temperatures. In this recipe, the dough is mixed the day before and refrigerated. The acids and enzymes produced by the yeast at lower temperatures temper the harshness of the whole wheat and develop wonderfully complex bread flavors. It’s no more work than other recipes; you just mix the dough the day before.
Bakers note: This bread should be very light and fluffy, not dense. The secret of making it so is to make sure that the dough rises fully both in the first rise and in the pans. The dough will fill two 5 x 9-inch loaf pans and should be very soft and puffy before baking. If you let it over-rise, you may see a blister or two in the dough. Poke the blisters with the point of a knife and hurry the bread into the hot oven.

Ingredients
5 to 6 cups fine-ground whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons wheat gluten (optional)
1 teaspoon dough conditioner
1 seven gram packet of instant yeast (or two teaspoons)
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons water
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/3 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons melted and slightly cooled butter


Directions
1. Place about three cups of the flour in the bowl of your stand-type mixer. Add the yeast. Carefully measure 2 cups room temperature (80 degrees) water. The water should feel cool to the touch. Mix the water with the flour with a dough hook for 30 seconds or until the yeast is dissolved and the ingredients begin to combine.

2. Add the salt, sugar, and butter and continue mixing. Add most of the remaining flour, the wheat gluten, and dough conditioner and continue mixing at a medium speed for at least four minutes adding more flour as needed to reach a soft dough consistency. (It is important that the dough be mixed for at least four minutes to develop the gluten.) The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but will be soft, not firm, to the touch.

3. Once the dough is mixed, place it in a large greased bowl, turning once to coat both sides, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or for up to three days.

4. On the day that you would like to bake your bread, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it warm to room temperature--about three hours. The dough should rise to nearly double in size.

5. Once the dough has risen, form the loaves. Coat your hands with flour and gently form a loaf by pulling the dough around itself to create a slightly stretched skin. You may need to coat your hands several times if the dough is sticky. If necessary, pinch the seams together on the bottom of the loaf. Lay the loaf gently in a well-greased loaf pan and cover with plastic wrap. Repeat with the second loaf. Let double again in size, about 11/2 hours.

6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Once the dough has doubled (the loaf should be very puffy), place the two loaves on a shelf in the top half of the oven, well-spaced so that air can circulate between the loaves. Bake for thirty minutes or until done. The interior of the loaves should register at least 185 degrees when an insta-read thermometer is inserted through the bottom crust. Remove the bread from the pans and cool on wire racks. Let it cool completely before cutting.

[CottonBall]

You’re a good teacher, DW. Now that I got my canner and have jumped over that hurdle, you’re gently prodding me onto the next step. ;)

[DelaWhere]

>>>Now that I got my canner and have jumped over that hurdle, you’re gently prodding me onto the next step.<<<

LOL, I just know that in very few weeks there will be a glut of produce ripening and if we are not ready to handle it, it may go to waste... NOT Acceptable!

Remember, JIT (Just in Time) - hard way to navigate if things continue to head South and there is a bump in the road.

U.S. Coast Guard has got it right - “Semper Paratus”

[Eagle50AE]

>>> What’s the method you’re talking about? (I tried to search for it, but had no luck) <<<

post # 8318

the peppermint I have was just pulled out of the woods and he said “ plant this , it will grow” and sure enough it looks like it was always there ..

[Eagle50AE]

>> Ok, I’ve heard about this twice now (from DW just a few posts ago as well). So, this will be my next endeavor to look into, now that I have my canner and a batch of jars. <<<

I already had an automotive hand vaccum tester, so I ordered the foodsaver sealer(s) (spares) and it works like a champ..

I hope that seed storage in jars is ok cause thats where next years seeds are collecting now !

here’s the link:

http://www.amazon.com/FoodSaver-T03-0006-01-Regular-Mouth-Sealer/dp/B0000CFFS6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1243451620&sr=8-2

hope this helps..

[nw_arizona_granny]

Sustainable Agriculture News Briefs - May 27, 2009

---

Weekly sustainable agriculture news and resources gleaned from the Internet by NCAT staff for the ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service Web site. The Weekly Harvest Newsletter is also available online (http://attra.ncat.org/newsletter/archives.html#wh).

Share The Harvest: Please forward this newsletter to friends and colleagues who might be interested in the latest sustainable agriculture news, funding opportunities, and events.

---

News & Resources
* Cornell Releases Organic Vegetable Publications
* Niche Meat Directory Features Maryland Producers
* USDA Releases Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Publication
* Bee Losses Reported in New Survey
* Watermelons Studied for Ethanol Production
* National Organic Standards Board Seeking Member Nominations

Funding Opportunities
* EQIP Organic Initiative
* New York Farm Viability Grants
* North Central Region SARE Research & Education Grant

Coming Events
* National Value Added Agriculture Conference
* Biodiesel Workshop
* The Organic Summit

---

News & Resources

Cornell Releases Organic Vegetable Publications
http://nysipm.cornell.edu/organic_guide/
Cornell University has published four new guides to producing organic vegetables for processing. The new guides cover carrots, peas, snap beans, and winter squash. They may be downloaded as free PDF documents.

Niche Meat Directory Features Maryland Producers
http://mdsheepgoat.blogspot.com/2009/05/maryland-niche-meat-directory.html
Maryland’s niche meats and poultry producers and the Ag Marketing Program of the University of Maryland Extension have joined together to produce the first Maryland Niche Meats and Poultry Producers Directory. The purpose of the directory is to help restaurants, consumers, food brokers, producers, or anyone looking to purchase the freshest, best quality farm-raised meats available directly from the Maryland farmers who raise it. The directory is available in PDF form at this website (http://www.agmarketing.umd.edu/) or a hard copy is available upon request.

USDA Releases Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Publication
http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/eib53/
USDA defines beginning farmers and ranchers as those who have operated a farm or ranch for 10 years or less either as a sole operator or with others who have operated a farm or ranch for 10 years or less. Beginning farmers tend to be younger than established farmers and to operate smaller farms or ranches, some of which may provide no annual production. Beginning farmers often face obstacles getting started, including high startup costs and limited availability of land. USDA — through the Farm Service Agency and the Natural Resources Conservation Service — provides loans and conservation assistance to beginning farmers and ranchers. This report draws on data from annual surveys and the Census of Agriculture to provide policymakers with a better understanding of beginning farmers and ranchers, including how they contribute to U.S. agricultural production.

Bee Losses Reported in New Survey
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/090519.htm
Honey bee colony losses nationwide were approximately 29 percent from all causes from September 2008 to April 2009, according to a survey conducted by the Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. About 26 percent of apiaries surveyed reported that some of their colonies died of colony collapse disorder (CCD), down from 36 percent of apiaries in 2007-2008. The survey checked on about 20 percent of the country’s 2.3 million colonies.
Related ATTRA Publication: Beekeeping/Apiculture
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/beekeeping.html

Watermelons Studied for Ethanol Production
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/090520.htm
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) studies in Lane, Okla., have shown that simple sugars in watermelon juice can be made into ethanol. In 2007, growers harvested four billion pounds of watermelon for fresh and cut-fruit markets. Around 800 million pounds—or 20 percent of the total—were left in fields because of external blemishes or deformities. Now, instead of being plowed under, such melons could get an economic ‘new lease on life’ as ethanol. On average, a 20-pound watermelon will yield about 1.4 pounds of sugar from the flesh and rind, from which about seven-tenths of a pound of ethanol can be derived.
Related ATTRA Publication: Ethanol Opportunities and Questions
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/ethanol.html

National Organic Standards Board Seeking Member Nominations
USDA is Seeking Nominations to the National Organic Standards Board. There are five vacant positions: Organic Producers (2 positions); Retailer (1 position); Organic Handler (1 position); and Environmentalist (1 position). All applicants are required to commit to 5 years of volunteer membership. Most NOSB work is completed through committees on monthly or periodic conference calls, and may also require additional independent time researching issues and drafting documents. Nominations are due by July 17, 2009. For more information, contact: Katherine.Benham@usda.gov or at (202) 205-7806.

More Breaking News (http://attra.ncat.org/news/)

---

Funding Opportunities

EQIP Organic Initiative
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/eqip/
USDA has announced $50 Million for a new initiative to meet the Obama Administration’s promise to encourage more organic agriculture production. Funding for the initiative is being made available as part of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Organic producers may also apply for assistance under general EQIP. Under the Organic Initiative required minimum core conservation practices will be determined by specific resource concerns. The practices are: Conservation Crop Rotation; Cover Crop; Nutrient Management; Pest Management; Prescribed Grazing; and Forage Harvest Management. States must consider using any appropriate practice that meets the resource concern on a particular operation. Applications received from organic producers or producers in transition to organic farming will be accepted under this initiative between May 11 and May 29. The 2009 Organic Initiative will be administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Interested producers should visit their nearest USDA Service Center to determine eligibility.
Proposals are due May 29, 2009.

New York Farm Viability Grants
http://www.nyfvi.org/default.aspx?PageID=2261
The New York Farm Viability Institute offers several grant programs in an attempt to fund a diversity of projects that address barriers and opportunities to farming in New York State. The unique combinations of collaborators, project delivery and design, program goals, geography, experience, farming practices, and much more, are responsible for much of the innovation in the state’s agriculture, as well as the continued viability of New York farming. Grant programs include: Agriculture Innovation Center program; Energy Management & Bioenergy; and Outreach & Applied Research.
Proposals are due June 7, 2009.

North Central Region SARE Research & Education Grant
http://www.sare.org/ncrsare/resedu.htm
The Research and Education (R&E) Grant Program is currently one of four NCR-SARE grant programs. The R&E Grant Program provides funds to collaborative teams of scientists, farmers, institutions, organizations, and educators who are exploring sustainable agriculture through in-depth research projects or education/demonstration projects. Preproposals from any location are accepted, but the preproposal must convince reviewers that project results will benefit NCR agriculture. Most R&E grants go to organizations that are used to handling federal grants and that can meet federal auditing requirements.
Proposals are due June 10, 2009.

More Funding Opportunities (http://attra.ncat.org/funding/)

---

Coming Events

National Value Added Agriculture Conference
http://nvaa2009.homestead.com/
June 2-4, 2009
Moline, Illinois
Sponsored by Iowa State University Extension Value Added Agriculture Program, University of Illinois, National Food Industry MarketMaker and the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center (AgMRC), the conference promises dynamic speakers, great networking opportunities. Conference topics to include value-added agriculture, regional food systems, agri-tourism, and business development.

Biodiesel Workshop
http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/our_offices/departments/W.A._Callegari_Environmental_Center/biodiesel_program/Upcoming+Biodiesel+Training+RegistrationNew+Class.htm
June 2-3, 2009
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
LSU AgCenter is hosting a two-day comprehensive workshop on how to make your own biodiesel fuel from used vegetable oil. Each participant will take home a titration kit including laboratory equipment such as beakers, pipettes and syringes along with safety goggles, a mask and an apron.

The Organic Summit
http://theorganicsummit.com/os09/public/enter.aspx
June 3-5, 2009
Stevenson, Washington
The Organic Summit is a forum for complex discussion and learning for leaders in the organic industry. From family farmers to large scale manufacturers, co-ops to big box, NGOs to academics, the Organic Summit provides a singular opportunity for all groups to come together and have equal voice.

More Events (http://attra.ncat.org/calendar/)

---

New & Updated Publications

Comparing Energy Use in Conventional and Organic Cropping Systems
http://attra.ncat.org/calendar/new_pubs.php/2009/05/26/comparing_energy_use_in_conventional_and

Completing Your Application for Organic Certification
http://attra.ncat.org/calendar/new_pubs.php/2009/04/29/completing_your_application_for_organic

Equipo para Producción Aviar Alternativa
http://attra.ncat.org/calendar/new_pubs.php/2009/01/09/equipo_para_produccion_aviar_alternativa

---

Question of the Week

What information can you give me on pest management and fertility for cherry trees?
http://attra.ncat.org/calendar/question.php/2009/05/26/what_information_can_you_give_me_on_pest

---

Website of the Week

The Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems
http://attra.ncat.org/wow/

---

Ask a Sustainable Agriculture Expert

Submit questions to our professional staff online
http://attra.ncat.org/ask.php

---

ATTRA Spanish Newsletter

Subscribe to Cosecha Mensual (http://attra.ncat.org/espanol/boletin.php)
(Monthly Harvest), ATTRA’s Spanish-language e-newsletter

---

Subscribe to the Weekly Harvest
(http://visitor.roving.com/optin.jsp?m=1011223551022&ea=)

Comments? Questions? Go to http://www.attra.ncat.org/management/contact.html.

Weekly Harvest and ATTRAnews Archives Available Online
(http://attra.ncat.org/newsletter/archives.html)
Digital versions of recent Weekly Harvest and ATTRAnews newsletters are available online. ATTRAnews is the newsletter of ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.
(http://attra.ncat.org/)

ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service is managed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and is funded under a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service (http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/index.html). Visit the NCAT Web site (http://www.ncat.org/sarc_current.php) for more information on our sustainable agriculture projects.

Copyright 2009 NCAT

[nw_arizona_granny]

When you make your peppermint oil, what will you use it for?

Cooking? Baths? Insect repellent?

[nw_arizona_granny]

100% Whole Wheat Bread<<<

Good advice, thank you for sharing it and the recipe.

Sounds wonderful to me.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Writers, the only one I can think of at this minute is Garden Girl.

[nanetteclaret]

I read the other day that cottonballs soaked in peppermint oil will keep some kind of varmint away. I don’t remember if it was mice or snakes, but either one works for me. )

[nanetteclaret]

I forgot to add that you put the soaked cottonballs around the perimeter of your house.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Birth certificates for water service.

Will California also be the first to require implanted chips, for
food?

[nw_arizona_granny]

Welcome to the thread, glad that you found us.

They say that peppermint will keep ants away.

I do know that the ants will leave an area sprayed with vinegar and water with a few drops of peppermint essential oil in it.

Some years I have terrible ant problems here and I keep a spray bottle of the mix handy, to stop their advance and it works on insect bites too, also is wonderful for prickly heat rash and preventing prickly heat rashes.