Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition [Survival Today

Did you hear about the guy that lives on nothing? No seriously, he lives on zero dollars a day. Meet Daniel Suelo, who lives in a cave outside Moab, Utah. Suelo has no mortgage, no car payment, no debt of any kind. He also has no home, no car, no television, and absolutely no “creature comforts.” But he does have a lot of creatures, as in the mice and bugs that scurry about the cave floor he’s called home for the last three years.

To us, Suelo probably sounds a little extreme. Actually, he probably sounds very extreme. After all, I suspect most of you reading this are doing so under the protection of some sort of man-made shelter, and with some amount of money on your person, and probably a few needs for money, too. And who doesn’t need money unless they have completely unplugged from the grid? Still, it’s an amusing story about a guy who rejects all forms of consumerism as we know it.

How to Brew Your Own Beer and Maybe Save Some Money. A fantastic introduction to home brewing, something I’ve never done myself, but always been interested in trying. (@Generation X Finance)

Contentment: A Great Financial Principle. If I had to name one required emotion for living a frugal lifestyle it would be contentment. Once you are content with your belongings and your lot in life you can ignore forces attempting to separate you from your money. (@Personal Finance by the Book)

Use Energy Star Appliances to Save On Utility Costs. I enjoyed this post because it included actual numbers, and actual total savings, from someone who upgraded to new, energy star appliances. (@The Digerati Life)

Over-Saving for Retirement? Is it possible to “over-save” for retirement? Yes, I think so. At some point I like the idea of putting some money aside in taxable investments outside of retirement funds, to be accessed prior to traditional retirement age. (@The Simple Dollar)

40 Things to Teach My Kids Before They Leave Home. A great list of both practical and philosophical lessons to teach your kids before they reach the age where they know everything. I think that now happens around 13 years-old. (@My Supercharged Life)

Index Fund Investing Overview. If you are looking for a place to invest with high diversification and relatively low fees (for broader index funds with low turnover), index funds are a great place to start. (@Money Smart Life)

5 Reasons To Line Dry Your Laundry. My wife and I may soon be installing a clothesline in our backyard. In many neighborhoods they are frowned upon - one of the reasons I don’t like living in a neighborhood. I digress. One of our neighbors recently put up a clothesline, and we might just follow his lead. (@Simple Mom)

* 4 Quick Tips for Getting Out of a Rut * Young and Cash Rich * Embracing Simple Style * First Trading Experience With OptionsHouse * The Exponential Power of Delayed Consumption * How Much Emergency Fund is Enough? * 50 Questions that Will Free Your Mind * Save Money On Car Insurance

Text from Rush Limbaugh’s caller:

Rush, it’s a huge honor for me to speak to you and I hope I can keep my voice level because I am so passionate, I’m as passionate as you are about this country. I’m a conservative, I’ve listened to you for 25 years. I’m married, I have seven kids, and when you were telling me about how... all of the shenanigans that they’re going to do... in the Senate, to pass two different Senate bills then slam ‘em together, attach them to some house bill about TARP and then jam it through and jam it down our throats I got furious, and then I listened to what you said about the Michigan mom who was watching some kids before they went to school and how the Michigan state came down on her accusing her of running an illegal day care and you’re... you’re right, what they’re going to do is they’re going to threaten our health and they’re going to threaten the health of our our children if I don’t comply with their health care I’m not going to be able to get my children the medicine they need...

Rush: No... it’s not... whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa... it’s not if you don’t comply with they’re health care, it’s not if you’re a good citizen in support of the liberals running the country.

Yes sir, and I’m not, I’m a conservative. You know what, I’m 45, I might fall and break my hip in the next ten years, they’re going to have to give me a shot cause they’re not going to want me to be healed. And they’re going to do this to my chidren. It’s like you said... they are the party of abortion... they are the party of euthanasia. They are trying to wipe out senior citizens who are... maybe not as useful to the Democrat National Committee as they should be, who are not contributing enough to them. And I am outraged and furious and my question to you... because I’m a political nobody. I’m just out here on the left coast in la-la land watching all the liberals run our California state bankrupt. What can we do? Legally, morally, to take this country back. I want people to stand up and I want them to vote these these... these criminals, these pedophiles out of office. I want them to take back the state of California and make it a golden state, and I want them to take back Washington, but we’re little people, and we marched, 2,000,000 of us down to Washington and the press, ABC, NBC, CBS, MSNBC, not one of them shows pictures on the news not one of them will report anything, in fact they cover it up. I’ve talked to so many people on... on the phone... just neighbors , who are liberal and some of them are conservatives, both sides, and I tell them these things... go to Fox news, look at this. No one sees the truth because... the travesty of all of this. Part of this is politics... it’s normal, I understand, it’s two party, we’re going to fight and tussle over what’s right and wrong, and then, you know, we’re going to win some, lose some. But the damning thing, today, is that the press, the press, is betraying us. And we have no way, just us, we, the little political moms, nobodies, I’m... I’m a mother, and I have no one to listen to, to go to on the news, except for you and Fox. Tell us what we can do in 2010, other than voting for Sarah Palin, which I will do, but I need to know, because I don’t have much hope, I sure don’t have hope from Obama, I need hope from Rush, and I want you to please, tell us what we can do because this is the life of my children. They’re on the line. They can put me out to pasture, but yes, they’ve got me over a barrel because I will do anything to save the life of my children, and if it means that I’ve got to kiss some big Democrat’s rear end to get the health care for my baby, I’ll have to do it. And that sickens me, because they are MY employess

I need to know because I don’t have much hope

tell us what we can do because this is the life of my children, they’re on the line

And that sickens me because they’re my employees, I’m paying their salaries, I’m paying for their fancy office of doctors down at the... what you were talking about... down at the House of representatives and Senate, they just get to walk in, pay $503 specialists flown in, pharmacy right there, on their hour, probably open 24 hours a day, nobody has to wait... they get because I’m paying for it, I’m paying for it, it’s coming out of my chidren’s allowances

and they’re taking it without listening, without representing us, like you said, the small “r.” I’m not being represented. I’ve called Boxer’s office, I’ve called Adam Schiff, who’s my so-called representative. They are very polite, the little people on the phone but the people who are running this country, don’t listen to us, there are millions of us and we’re all furious. And no one, no one is even reporting what is being said, and I’m watching the country that I love, that my father fought for in WWII, that my father-in-law, was wounded and got the purple heart for and I’m watching it just.. just... being taken, just like candy from a baby, oh we’ll help you, we’ll give you health care... here’s a lolly pop, go away.

And nobody’s doing anything. I’m sorry to be so angry, but I need hope, and I need to know how to counteract these shenanigans. This is not what we put people in government for. To run little bitty side bills, smash ‘em together, and then vote ‘em under the carpet into a different health care bill that’s languishing

that’s dirty politics, and it shouldn’t be happening. It should be up-and-down vote. And you’re right, the 63 new judges coming on, they’re going to... that’s going to cement, that’s going to absolutely cement their ability to write law, instead of legislate, they can just send it to the judges. The judges will rubber-stamp it.

We’ll just write the law... never mind conservatism, never mind reading what the law actually says. And I look at this, I see this happening every day, I listen to you, and I’m to the point where I don’t even know if I should listen any more, cause it... it... it... I’m so passionate and I’m so furious to watch all this, to hear it all happening, and I feel so powerless for the first time in my life.

I’m glad Mrs. Obama is proud of her country for the first time in her life. I as a mother, as a nobody, I am ashamed of my government, for the first time in my life. And I need to know, how to combat this, especially in 2010, what can I do today, NOW, to help, to revitialize these... these namby-pamby liberal-conservative RINOs in our Senate, and in our government, who are just voting to get along and... (imitates) “I want to get re-elected.” That’s nonsense. They’re not standing up for what’s good and clean and right. They’re not standing up for our Constitution. They should be all thrown out, every last one of ‘em. And I don’t know how to mobilize people, but you do Rush, you do, you have the power, and with... with great gifts, God gives great responsibility, and I beg you, please, please, give us hope, and lead us... because this cannot stand, they cannot keep doing this... this is wrong. (end of segment sting).

Security Intelligence Report

This is FREE intelligence for distribution. Forward this to your colleagues.

Mexico: Emergence of an Unexpected Threat

By Scott Stewart | September 30, 2009

At approximately 2 a.m. on Sept. 25, a small improvised explosive device (IED) consisting of three or four butane canisters was used to attack a Banamex bank branch in the Milpa Alta delegation of Mexico City. The device damaged an ATM and shattered the bank’s front windows. It was not an isolated event. The bombing was the seventh recorded IED attack in the Federal District — and the fifth such attack against a local bank branch — since the beginning of September.

The attack was claimed in a communique posted to a Spanish-language anarchist Web site by a group calling itself the Subversive Alliance for the Liberation of the Earth, Animals and Humans (ASLTAH). The note said, “Once again we have proven who our enemies are,” indicating that the organization’s “cells for the dissolution of civilization” were behind the other, similar attacks. The communique noted that the organization had attacked Banamex because it was a “business that promotes torture, destruction and slavery” and vowed that ASLTAH would not stop attacking “until we see your ashes.” The group closed its communique by sending greetings to the Earth Liberation Front (ELF), the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) and the “eco-pyromaniacs for the liberation of the earth in this place.” Communiques have also claimed some of the other recent IED attacks in the name of ASLTAH.
DISTRIBUTION
If you did not receive this report directly from STRATFOR and would like more geopolitical intelligence reports, join our free email list

On Sept. 22, authorities also discovered and disabled a small IED left outside of a MetLife insurance office in Guadalajara, Jalisco state. A message spray-painted on a wall near where the device was found read, “Novartis stop torturing animals,” a reference to the multinational pharmaceutical company, which has an office near where the IED was found and which has been heavily targeted by the group Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC). Novartis is a large customer of Huntingdon Life Sciences, the research company SHAC was formed to destroy because Huntingdon uses animals in its testing for harmful side effects of drugs, chemicals and consumer items. A second message spray-painted on a wall near where the device was found on Sept. 22 read, “Novartis break with HLS.” Two other IEDs were detonated at banks in Mexico City on the same day.
More Free Intelligence
Video

Video: China: Hyping a Green Economy
Watch the Video
Special Offers
Twitter
STRATFOR iPhone App

These IED attacks are the most recent incidents in a wave of anarchist, animal rights, and eco-protest attacks that have swept across Mexico this year. Activists have conducted literally hundreds of incidents of vandalism, arson and, in more recent months, IED attacks in various locations across the country. The most active cells are in Mexico City and Guadalajara.

For a country in the midst of a bloody cartel war in which thousands of people are killed every year — and where serious crimes like kidnapping terrorize nearly every segment of society — direct-action attacks by militant activists are hardly the biggest threat faced by the Mexican government. However, the escalation of direct-action attacks in Mexico that has resulted in the more frequent use of IEDs shows no sign of abating, and these attacks are likely to grow more frequent, spectacular and deadly.
The Wave

Precisely quantifying the wave of direct-action attacks in Mexico is difficult for a number of reasons. One is that the reporting of such incidents is spotty and the police, the press and the activists themselves are often not consistent in what they report and how. Moreover, is often hard to separate direct-action vandalism from incidents of plain old non-political vandalism or tell the difference between an anarchist IED attack against a bank and an IED attack against a bank conducted by a Marxist group such as the Popular Revolutionary Army (EPR). Then there is the issue of counting. Should a series of five Molotov cocktail attacks against ATMs or the destruction of 20 Telmex phone booths in one night be counted as one attack or as separate incidents?

If we count conservatively — e.g., consider a series of like incidents as one — we can say there have been around 200 direct-action attacks to date in 2009. But if we count each incident separately, we can easily claim there have been more than 400 such attacks. For example, by our count, there have been more than 350 Telmex phone booths smashed, burned or otherwise vandalized so far this year. (Activists will do things like glue metal shavings into the calling-card and coin slots.) However, for the sake of this analysis we’ll go with the conservative number of about 200 attacks.

Now, Telmex seems to be the most popular target so far for direct-action attacks. In addition to hitting phone booths, activists also have attacked Telmex vehicles and offices and have cut Telmex cables. From their statements, the activists appear to hold a special hatred for Carlos Slim, one of the richest men in the world and the chairman of Telmex and several other companies. In many ways, Slim — a patriarchal billionaire industrialist — is the personification of almost everything that the anarchistic activists hate. In addition to Telmex and banks, the activists also have attacked other targets such as restaurants (including McDonald’s and KFC), meat shops, pet shops, fur and leather stores, luxury vehicles, and construction equipment.

The activists’ most common tactics tend to be on the lower end of the violence scale and include graffiti and paint (frequently red to symbolize the blood of animals) to vandalize a target. They also frequently release captive birds or animals as well as use superglue and pieces of metal to obstruct locks, pay phones and ATM card readers. Moving up the violence continuum, activists less frequently will break windows, burn buildings and vehicles, and make bomb threats — there have been at least 157 incidents involving arson or incendiary devices so far in 2009. To help put this into perspective, these activists have conducted more arson attacks in Mexico to date in 2009 than their American counterparts have conducted in the United States since 2001.

At the high end of the violence spectrum are the IED attacks, and this is where there has really been an increase in activity in recent weeks. In the first six months of 2009, there were several bomb threats and hoaxes and a few acid bombs, but only two real IEDs were used. In June, July and August there was one IED attack per month — and so far in September there have been seven IED attacks in Mexico City alone and one successful attack and one attempted attack in Guadalajara. Again, by way of comparison, these eight IED attacks by Mexican activists in September are more than American activists have conducted in the United States since 2001.
Proliferation of IEDs

There are several factors that can explain this trend toward the activists’ increasing use of IEDs. The first is, quite simply, that IEDs generate more attention than graffiti, glue or even an arson attack — indeed, here we are devoting a weekly security report to activist IED attacks in Mexico. In light of the overall level of violence in Mexico, most observers have ignored the past lower-level activity by these activist groups, and IEDs help cut through the noise and bring attention to the activists’ causes. The scope and frequency of IED attacks this month ensured that they could not be overlooked.

The second factor is the learning curve of the cells’ bombmakers. As a bombmaker becomes more proficient in his tradecraft, the devices he crafts tend to become both more reliable and more powerful. The improvement in tradecraft also means that the bombmaker is able to increase his operational tempo and deploy devices more frequently. It is quite possible that the few IEDs that were reported as hoaxes in March, April and May could have been IEDs that did not function properly — a common occurrence for new bombmakers who do not extensively test their devices.

The third factor is thrill and ego. In many past cases, militant activists have launched progressively larger attacks. One reason for this is that after a series of direct-action attacks, the activists get bored doing lower-level things like gluing locks or paint-stripping cars and they move to more destructive and spectacular attacks, such as those using timed incendiary devices. For many activists, there is a thrill associated with getting increased attention for the cause, in causing more damage to their targets and in getting away with increasingly brazen attacks.

Finally, in recent years, we have noted a shift among activist groups away from a strict concern for human life. Many activists are becoming convinced that less violent tactics have been ineffective, and if they really want to save the Earth and animals, they need to take more aggressive action. There is a small but growing fringe of hard-core activists who believe that, to paraphrase Lenin, you have to break eggs to make an omelet.

The Ruckus Society, a direct-action activist training organization, explains it this way in a training document: “There is a law against breaking into a house. However, if you break into a house as part of a greater good, such as rushing into the house to save a child from a fire, it is permissible to break that law. In fact, you can say that there is even a moral obligation to break that law. In the same way then, it is permissible to break minor laws to save the Earth.” In general, activists do not condone violent action directed at humans, but neither do they always condemn it in very strong terms — they often explain that the anger that prompts such violence is “understandable” in light of what they perceive as ecological injustice and cruelty to animals.

In recent years there has been a polarization in the animal rights and environmental movements, with fringe activists becoming increasingly isolated and violent — and more likely to use potentially deadly tools like IEDs in their attacks.
Confluences

The very name of ASLTAH — the Subversive Alliance for the Liberation of the Earth, Animals and Humans — illustrates the interesting confluence of animal rights, ecological activism and anti-imperialism/anarchism that inhabit the radical fringe. It is not uncommon for one cell of independent activists to claim it carried out its attacks under the banner of “organizations” such as ELF, ALF or SHAC. In true anarchistic style, however, these organizations are amorphous and nonhierarchical — there is no single ELF, ALF or SHAC. Rather, the individual activists and cells who act on behalf of the organizations control their own activities while adhering to guidelines circulated in meetings and conferences, via the Internet, and in various magazines, newsletters and other publications. These individual activists and cells are driven only by their consciences, or by group decisions within the cell. This results in a level of operational security that can be hard for law enforcement and security officials to breach.

As noted above, these activists have been far more active in Mexico than they have in the United States. One reason for this is that the operating environment north of the border is markedly different than it is in Mexico. In the United States, the FBI and local and state police agencies have focused hard on these activists, and groups like ELF and ALF have been branded as domestic terrorists. There have been several major investigations into these groups in recent years.

South of the border it is a different matter. Mexican authorities are plagued with problems ranging from drug cartels to Marxist terrorist/insurgent groups like the EPR to rampant police and government corruption. Simply put, there is a vacuum of law and order in Mexico and that vacuum is clearly reflected in statistics such as the number of kidnappings inside the country every year. The overall level of violence in Mexico and this vacuum of authority provide room for the activists to operate, and the host of other crime and violence issues plaguing the country works to ensure that the authorities are simply too busy to place much emphasis on investigating activist attacks and catching those responsible for them. Therefore, the activists operate boldly and with a sense of impunity that often leads to an increase in violence — especially within the context of a very violent place, which Mexico is at the present time.

This atmosphere means that the activist cells behind the increase in IED attacks will be able to continue their campaigns against assorted capitalist, animal and ecological targets with very little chance of being seriously pursued. Consequently, as the IED campaign continues, the attacks will likely become more frequent and more destructive. And given Mexico’s densely populated cities and the activists’ target sets, this escalation will ensure that the attacks will eventually turn deadly.
-
If you repost this article on a website, include a link to http://www.STRATFOR.com

Weekly Harvest Newsletter

Sustainable Agriculture News Briefs - September 30, 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
* ‘Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food’ Initiative Launches Website
* Calculator Tool Compares Organic and Conventional Products
* Long Term Study Addresses Herbicide Impacts on Native Plants
* Dairy Sustainability Website Launched
* New Tools Help Connect Consumers with Farmers
* Vermont Program Makes Fresh Food Accessible to Low-Income Consumers

Funding Opportunities
* Florida Organic Cost Share
* Oklahoma Agricultural Enhancement and Diversification Program
* Southern SARE Producer Grant

Coming Events
* Marketing Through Community Supported Agriculture Workshop
* Community Food Security Coalition Conference
* WSARE Project Tour

News & Resources

‘Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food’ Initiative Launches Website
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/.d/1/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2009/09/0465.xml&PC_7_2_5JM_parentnav=LATEST_RELEASES&PC_7_2_5JM_navid=NE
Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan launched a new USDA website for the ‘Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food’ (http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/knowyourfarmer?navid=KNOWYOURFARMER) initiative to continue the national conversation about developing local and regional food systems and finding ways to support small and mid-sized farms. ‘We want this website to serve as a hub of ideas, success stories, and USDA resources for linking local producers with consumers, because by rebuilding our local and regional food systems, we can spur economic opportunity in rural communities and strengthen American agriculture,’ Merrigan said. ‘Americans are more interested in food and agriculture than they have been at any other time since most families left the farm and we are marshalling resources from across all of USDA to help create and strengthen the link between local production and local consumption.’

Calculator Tool Compares Organic and Conventional Products
http://www.organicvalley.coop/newsroom/press-releases/details/article/organic-counts-organic-valley-launches-first-online-calculator-to-measure-personal-impact-of-food-c/
Organic Valley, America’s largest cooperative of organic farmers and one of the nation’s leading organic brands, today launched the first online calculator (http://www.organicvalley.coop/organiccounts/) that shows consumers the toxic burden prevented by their choices of organic vs. non-organic and ‘natural’ foods. Much like an online shopping experience, the Organic Valley calculator invites visitors to put their favorite Organic Valley dairy products into a simulated shopping basket to weigh the positive impact of their organic food choices. As each food product is placed in the basket, the calculator automatically adds up and displays the amounts of pesticides and synthetic nitrogen fertilizers avoided by that product, as opposed to a comparable conventional product. The numbers are derived from a calculation of USDA conventional agriculture data compared with twenty years of parallel data from Organic Valley member-farms.

Long Term Study Addresses Herbicide Impacts on Native Plants
http://www.extension.org/pages/Study_Finds_One-time_Herbicide_Use_Decreased_Native_Plants,_May_Have_Increased_Invasive_Plants
Matt Rinella, a Montana State University affiliate and an ecologist at the Fort Keogh Agricultural Experiment Station in Miles City, recently published the results of a 16-year study in the journal Ecological Applications. Rinella and his colleagues found that, due to an application of the herbicide Tordon made 16 years prior, native wildflowers—including Missouri goldenrod and yarrow—had been reduced to precipitously low levels and the target invasive weed (leafy spurge) had potentially increased. Although the herbicide dissipated after a few years, the plant community was permanently altered.

Dairy Sustainability Website Launched
http://usdairy.com/sustainability
On September 17, the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy launched http://usdairy.com/sustainability, a web site dedicated to the dairy industry’s sustainability commitment by featuring information, tools, and best practices. The site explains the industry’s roadmap to greenhouse gas reduction and related projects, the science behind the lifecycle assessment currently underway, and detailed best practices and resources for each segment of the dairy industry supply chain.

New Tools Help Connect Consumers with Farmers
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/.d/1/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2009/09/0461.xml&PC_7_2_5JM_parentnav=LATEST_RELEASES&PC_7_2_5JM_navid=NE
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack launched three new online tools (http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/KnowYourFarmer.htm) that will help consumers make healthier food choices and gain a better appreciation of the role of American agriculture in food production from the farm to the table. ‘Because more than 80 percent of our population lives in suburban and metropolitan areas, when we think of food, we more often think of the grocery store than the farm,’ said Vilsack. ‘There is a disconnect between the farmer and the food that consumers buy and we want to re-connect these long standing ties between the people who produce the food and those who purchase and prepare it. These new online tools will help do that.’

Vermont Program Makes Fresh Food Accessible to Low-Income Consumers
http://nofavt.org/annual-events/share-the-harvest
On October 1st, over 80 restaurants and food stores statewide will help ‘Share the Harvest’ with low income Vermonters. Participating locations will donate up to 15% of the day’s sales to the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont’s (NOFA Vermont) Farm Share program. The funds will help low income Vermonters purchase fresh food from their local farmers. The Farm Share program is an innovative model which connects those in need with their local farmers. The program works like this: eligible Vermonters fill out an application and are matched with a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farmer in their area. The participant pays 50% of the cost of a CSA share. The farmer asks other CSA members to donate money to support the program which makes up another 25% of the cost. NOFA Vermont raises the final 25% through the Share the Harvest fundraiser.

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

Funding Opportunities

Florida Organic Cost Share
http://www.foginfo.org/enews/sept09/sept09_2.php
Certified organic growers and handlers in Florida have until Oct. 15 to apply for reimbursement of up to 75 percent of certification costs, or a maximum of $750. Reimbursement for certification costs paid between Oct. 1, 2008, and Sept. 30, 2009, will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are depleted.
Proposals are due October 15, 2009.

Oklahoma Agricultural Enhancement and Diversification Program
http://www.hpj.com/archives/2009/sep09/sep21/0827ODAaggrantenhancementsr.cfm?title=Agricultural%20grant%20and%20loan%20applications%20due%20Oct.%201
Diversification grants (http://www.oda.state.ok.us/forms/mktdev/fdgrant.pdf) (PDF/46KB) target farmers who want to raise non-traditional crops or livestock, conduct value-added processing or those in agritourism. ‘There are three levels of grants,’ said Rick Maloney, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry marketing director. ‘The first level consists of grants of up to $2,500 and these do not require any form of matching funds or in-kind support. The next level is grants of $2,500-$5,000 and these require a 25 percent match in either cash or in-kind contribution. The third level requires dollar for dollar matching funds and these grants can be made for up to $10,000,’ he said. ‘Applicants at this level will also be required to make a presentation to the OAED board of directors for consideration.’
Proposals are due October 1, 2009.

Southern SARE Producer Grant
http://www.southernsare.uga.edu/callpage.htm
The Southern Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program recognizes the value and importance of on-the-farm producer experience in developing solutions to agricultural production problems. In order to capture this producer experience, the Southern Region SARE Producer Grant program is requesting grant proposals from producers or producer organizations interested in conducting research or marketing projects related to sustainable agriculture. The purpose of this grant program is for farmers/ranchers to conduct projects to solve problems they face and develop information on what works and doesn’t work so that other farmers and ranchers facing those same problems can benefit from the results of the funded project.
Proposals are due November 15, 2009.

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

Coming Events

Marketing Through Community Supported Agriculture Workshop
http://www.google.com/calendar/event?eid=cHE3bTh2ajViZmhudmZ0OWtmY2owMDFpZ2cgZGhyc3JpYXZsN2t1cG1ja2NrNml1OGdqZGtAZw&ctz=America/New_York
October 5, 2009
Pittsboro, North Carolina
This workshop will explore whether marketing through community supported agriculture (CSA) will work for your farm. Presenters will include Debbie Roos (North Carolina Cooperative Extension) plus a farmer panel: Harry LeBlanc (Beausol Gardens), Judy Lessler (Harland’s Creek Farm), and Chris Stonehouse (Mustard Seed Gardens).

Community Food Security Coalition Conference
http://communityfoodconference.org/13/
October 10-13, 2009
Des Moines, Iowa
Join 750 of your colleagues for the nation’s primary food systems networking and educational event in Des Moines for four days of inspiring presentations, scintillating workshops, fantastic networking opportunities, delectable local eats, and fun field trips around the state.

WSARE Project Tour
http://ceplacer.ucdavis.edu/Livestock/Project_Tour_-_Sponsored_by_WSARE_and_UC_Cooperative_Extension.htm
October 11th, 2009
Auburn, California
UC Cooperative Extension & WSARE are hosting a tour for growers of successful sustainable agriculture projects in Placer and Nevada Counties. The tour includes stops at two farms, Riverhill Farm and Edwards Tree Farm, where topics of discussion will include storm water, sediment and nutrient losses, local food coalitions, agritourism, small farm milling, use of meat goats on the property, and the concept of stacking compatible enterprises on a small farm. Throughout the tour, there will also be many opportunities for growers to share in farmer-to-farmer learning!

To Participate: Mail-in (http://ceplacer.ucdavis.edu/files/70803.pdf) [PDF/102KB] or on-line registration (http://ceplacer.ucdavis.edu/Livestock/Project_Tour_-_Sponsored_by_WSARE_and_UC_Cooperative_Extension.htm) available. Cost is $15, including lunch and tour transportation. Registration closes October 2nd and space is limited.

Location: Meet at the Mt Vernon Grange Hall, 3185 Bell Rd, in Auburn, CA.

For more information, go to http://ceplacer.ucdavis.edu/ or contact Roger Ingram (530.889.7385 or rsingram@ucdavis.edu)

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

New & Updated Publications

Biodiesel: Do-it-yourself Production Basics
http://attra.ncat.org/calendar/new_pubs.php/2009/08/27/biodiesel_do_it_yourself_production_basi_1

Procesamiento de Aves a Pequeña Escala
http://attra.ncat.org/calendar/new_pubs.php/2009/08/20/procesamiento_de_aves_a_pequena_escala

Finding Land to Farm: Six Ways to Secure Farmland
http://attra.ncat.org/calendar/new_pubs.php/2009/07/30/finding_land_to_farm_six_ways_to_secure

Question of the Week

What information can you give me on greenhouse production?
http://attra.ncat.org/calendar/question.php/2009/09/28/what_information_can_you_give_me_on_gree

Website of the Week

FRESHFARM Markets Recipe Finder
http://attra.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

ATTRA on the Radio
This week’s discussion features new tools local governments can use to support local agriculture. Listen to the show: (http://www.attra.ncat.org/radioshow2009/).

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.

http://www.grandpappy.info/rfish.htm

A Collection of
Fish and Aquatic Creature Recipes
(Including Various Other Wild Critters)

Fish

Cut a gash in the underside of the fish from the anal opening to the head. Cut the throat where attached and remove and bury all the entails. Rinse fish to get rid of any blood clots. Wipe inside with a clean cloth. Cook approximately 10 minutes per inch measured at the thickest part. Firm flesh fish can be grilled but soft flesh fish should be baked or fried. If fried, skin and bone the fish first.

Trout

Rub the outside with fat or oil. Salt and pepper the inside to taste. Grill 4 to 6 inches over hot coals for 10 to 12 minutes turning carefully 3 or 4 times with a spatula. The fish will darken and blister in spots but it will stay moist on the inside.

Fried Fish

Cut large fish into 1 inch slices or fillets. Dip in water and then coat in flour. Add salt and pepper. Place in hot frying pan containing 1/8 inch melted fat, oil, or shortening. Brown one side, then turn and brown the other side, allowing 4 to 6 minutes cooking time per side depending on thickness of fish.

Frogs

Cut off and keep only the hind legs. Wash in cold water. Turn skin down and strip off skin like a glove. Boil and eat the legs. (Or cover the legs with boiling water and then drain quickly. Shake legs in flour, salt, and pepper in a plastic baggie. Let stand 15 minutes. Fry in hot oil for 3 minutes until brown.) (The leg glands of some frogs cause diarrhea.)

Turtles

Boil until the shell comes off. The meat is then cut up and used to make a soup using any edible plants available. (Note: Older turtles have tougher meat and they should be boiled longer to tenderize the meat for eating.)

Crayfish

Drop live crayfish into boiling water as soon as possible after catching. They spoil very quickly.

Garden Snails

Look for snails after a rain. Rinse and cook them in hot water until they leave their shells. Put them in cold water, extract the meat, and cut into tiny pieces. Heat some oil, add a tsp. of onion powder and a little salt and pepper. Add 2 tsp. of water, a tsp. of vinegar, a tsp. of flour, and a tbsp. ketchup (if available). Simmer for 5 minutes. Add snail meat and simmer 20 minutes over low heat. Can be served with white rice.

Snakes

Very few snakes are poisonous but all snakes should be treated with respect. A head shot with a 22-bullet or snake-shot is usually adequate. Or hit the snake on the head with a rock or a 6-foot pole to stun and kill it. Cautiously cut off and bury the head of all snakes. If the poison of a dead snake gets into a cut or scrape it can make you sick. Cut the belly of the snake from where its head was towards its tail. Use your finger to strip out the entails as a single piece. Strip off the outer skin by pulling from the top towards the tail. Wash the remaining meat in clean water. Snake may be broiled or grilled whole (or diced and boiled). Or cut into 3” pieces, dip in milk or water, roll in flour and/or corn meal, add salt and pepper, and deep fry in hot oil.

Bugs (Emergency Survival Situation ONLY)

The following bugs are edible: ants, grubs, slugs, and earthworms. They may be eaten raw (but not alive) or cooked. Nobody I know likes them raw, so the best solution is to dice them into small pieces and cook them in a soup with some other type of wild food. Grasshoppers can also be eaten if you first remove the legs. The legs contain tiny barbs that can get caught in your throat. Don’t eat grasshoppers raw because they occasionally contain tiny parasites (which will be killed if you boil the grasshoppers in water).

NEVER eat flies, ticks, mosquitoes, centipedes, or spiders.

http://www.grandpappy.info/rcorn.htm

A Collection of
Simple Cornmeal Recipes

(No Eggs Required)

I love eggs and I use eggs in a variety of the recipes I prepare on a regular basis. However, I am aware that fresh eggs might not be available under hardship conditions. Therefore, I have been on the lookout for good recipes that don’t require eggs for many years. Good NO Egg recipes are not easy to find.

All of the following cornmeal recipes are EGG FREE. The recipes all use regular cornmeal and NOT self-rising cornmeal.

Corn Bread

1 cup cornmeal 1/4 tsp. baking powder 2 tsp. sugar 1 tbsp. shortening
2 tbsp. flour 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 3/4 cup buttermilk

Optional: You may add 1 egg to the above recipe if you wish.
Preparation: Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Mix dry ingredients well. Add the shortening and the buttermilk. Stir until batter is smooth. Pour into a greased baking pan.
Cook: Bake 20 minutes at 450°F.

Corn Tortillas or Corn Chips or Taco Shells (7 six-inch Tortillas)

1 cup cornmeal 1/2 to 3/4 cups water 1/2 tsp. salt
Preparation: Combine cornmeal, salt, and 1/2 cup of water. Make a soft dough. If it is too dry, add a little more water. Cover with a cloth and let stand for 30 minutes. Shape the dough into 7 two-inch balls. Press (or roll) balls into flat 6” circles.

Tortillas Cook: Fry on hot griddle for about 1 minute until the edges start to curl. Flip over and fry another minute.
Tortilla Corn Chips Cook: Deep fry small corn tortilla pieces for about 20 seconds in hot oil and remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towel. Sprinkle with salt.
Taco Shells Cook: Heat 1/3 inch of oil in a skillet to 360°F. Slip an uncooked tortilla into the hot oil. After one second, use a spatula and fold the tortilla in half. Insert the spatula between the folds and press down and fry for 30 to 60 seconds until golden brown, then turn it over and repeat. Remove and drain curved side down so the oil will drip off. Fill with ground meat, refried beans, lettuce, tomato, cheese, etc.

Hush Puppies

1 cup cornmeal 1/2 cup milk or water 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. onion powder, onion flakes, or onion salt 1 tsp. baking powder
Mix above and shape into 1 inch balls. Deep fry in oil until well browned. Or make into cakes and pan fry.

Corn Pone

1 cup cornmeal 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup hot water 1 tbsp. sugar, if available
Preparation: Mix everything and stir hard. Press into cakes about 1/2 inch thick.
Cook: Bake in Dutch oven 30 minutes. Or pan fry about 5 minutes on each side using a little hot fat or oil.

Pioneer Hoe Cakes

1 cup cornmeal 1/2 tsp. salt hot water
2 tbsp. flour 1/4 tsp. baking powder oil
Combine the salt, flour, and cornmeal in a bowl. Add enough hot water to make a batter. Pour a little oil on the griddle. When it sizzles, add half the batter. Allow the cake to brown on one side. then flip to the other side (first add a little more oil to the griddle). An easy way to flip the cake is to put a plate on top of it, then lift the griddle and turn it upside down, holding the plate with the other hand. Slide the hoe cake, uncooked side down, back onto the re-oiled griddle. When done, repeat with the other half of the batter.

Cornmeal Mush and Polenta

1 cup cornmeal 3.25 cups water 1/2 tsp. salt
Boil 2.25 cups water in heavy saucepan. In a separate bowl, mix the cornmeal, salt, and 1 cup cold water. Gradually add the cornmeal mixture to the boiling water, stirring well. Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for 10-minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. (Or prepare in double boiler to prevent scorching.)

Cornmeal Mush Option: Continue simmering for an additional 20-minutes, stirring occasionally (or 30-minutes total simmering time). Serve hot with butter, or honey, or milk, or sugar, if available.

Polenta Bake Option: Pour hot cornmeal mixture into a greased 9-inch pie pan or cake pan and spread evenly. Bake at 450°F for 20-minutes. Allow to cool. Cut into wedges and serve with any type of sauce (pizza, spaghetti, taco, etc.), or cheese, or butter, or honey.

Polenta Fry Option: Pour hot cornmeal mixture into a bread loaf pan. Allow to cool. Chill in the refrigerator until firm. Remove from the bread pan and cut into half-inch thick slices. Fry each slice in melted butter for 5-minutes on first side, flip, and fry 5-minutes of other side, or until brown and crisp. Serve with butter, honey, or milk, if available.

Corn Dogs

1/2 cup cornmeal 1/2 cup flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar 1 tbsp. shortening 1/2 cup milk 2 cans Vienna Sausage
Preparation: Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar and mix well. Add the shortening and the milk. Stir into a smooth batter. Dip Vienna Sausages into the batter and coat each sausage generously.
Cook: Deep fry until golden brown.

http://www.grandpappy.info/rcookies.htm

Grandpappy’s Basic Recipes

A Collection of
Simple Cookie Recipes
(No Eggs Required)

Fresh eggs aren’t always available and it is extremely difficult to find a good cookie recipe that doesn’t include one or more eggs in the recipe. The recipes in this collection don’t require eggs to make delicious cookies. However, if you have fresh eggs you may add one to any of the following recipes.

Basic Cookie Recipe and Sugar Cookies (42 Cookies)

2 cups flour 1/2 cup shortening 1 tsp. salt
1 cup granulated sugar 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
Preparation: Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, cream the shortening and the sugar. Beat in the vanilla extract. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Pinch off walnut sized pieces of dough and roll into balls. Roll balls in some granulated sugar and place 1.5” apart on a lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten each ball with the bottom of a glass dipped in water and then in granulated sugar.
Cook: Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly colored. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Variations: Don’t coat outside with granulated sugar. Substitute almond extract or any flavoring for the vanilla extract. Or use nuts or raisins. The dough can be rolled into balls and baked as is or it can be flattened. Or you can roll pieces of the dough into ropes and make rings, twists, or braids.

Shortbread Cookies (54 Cookies)

2.25 cups flour 1 cup shortening
1.25 cups light brown sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Optional Ingredient: 1/2 cup ground walnuts, pecans, or almonds.
Preparation: In a large bowl, cream the shortening and brown sugar. Beat in the vanilla extract. Gradually blend in the flour. (Mix in the nuts if available.) Pinch off walnut sized pieces of dough and roll into balls. Place 1.5” apart on ungreased baking sheet. Flatten with the back of a spoon dipped in flour.
Cook: Bake at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly colored. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Fruit Preserves Cookies (60 Small Cookies)

2 cups flour 1 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar 1/2 cup fruit preserves
Preparation: In a medium bowl, cream the butter and powdered sugar. Gradually blend in the flour. Pinch off large olive size pieces of dough and roll into balls. Place 1” apart on ungreased baking sheet and make an indentation in the center of each cookie with your finger. Fill the hollow indentation with fruit preserves.
Cook: Bake at 375°F for 15 to 18 minutes, or until lightly colored. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Welsh Scones (36 Cookies)

1.5 cups flour 6 tbsp. shortening 1/4 tsp. salt 1/3 cup milk
3 tbsp. granulated sugar 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. cream of tartar
Preparation: Combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. In a large bowl, cream the shortening and the sugar. Beat in the milk. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. On a floured surface, roll out the dough until 1/2” thick. Cut into 3” or 4” round circles. Cut each circle into 6 wedges and place 1” apart on 2 lightly greased baking sheets.
Cook: Bake at 375°F for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly colored. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Dutch Cookies (48 Cookies)

1.5 cups flour 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup powdered sugar 1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
Preparation: Cream butter and powdered sugar until smooth. Add flour, baking soda, and salt and beat until smooth. Roll the dough into a 12-inch long roll that looks like a long sausage. Wrap in some wax paper and refrigerate for one-hour.
Cook: Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice cookies from the roll about 1/4 inch thick on a diagonal and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until cookies are golden brown. Allow cookies to cool about 3 minutes before removing them from the cookie sheet.

Swedish Butter Cookies (42 Cookies)

2 cups flour 3/4 cup butter, room temperature 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup powdered sugar 1/2 cup ground nuts (optional)
Preparation: Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, cream butter with the two sugars. Beat in the vanilla extract. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. (Fold in the nuts.) Drop dough by spoonfuls 1.5” apart on a lightly greased baking sheet.
Cook: Bake at 350°F for 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly colored. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Scottish Butter Cookies (30 Cookies)

1.5 cups flour 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar (granulated, powdered, or brown) 1/4 tsp. salt (optional)
1/4 cup corn starch (optional) 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
Preparation: Stir the sugar into the flour. Gradually add the soft butter. (If available, add any or all of the optional ingredients: salt, corn starch, and vanilla extract.) Chill the dough in the refrigerator. Roll the dough down flat to a thickness of 1/2 inch, or a little less. Cut into shapes using cookie cutters (or form into shapes using your fingers, such as ovals, squares, triangles, or any other shape that pleases you). If desired, you may flute the edges like a pie crust. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Cook: Bake at 325°F for about 20 minutes. (Optional: Sprinkle tops of cookies with a little sugar while they still hot.) Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Crescent Cookies (36 Cookies)

2 cups flour 1 cup butter, room temperature 1 cup ground nuts (optional)
1/2 cup powdered sugar 2 tsp. vanilla extract
Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. (Fold in the nuts.) Shape into crescents (or balls) and place 1.5” apart on a lightly greased baking sheet.
Cook: Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until lightly colored. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Honey Cookies (42 Cookies)

2.5 cups flour 1/2 cup shortening 1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup honey 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tbsp. ginger
Preparation: Combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, and salt. In a large saucepan, melt the shortening with honey, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and gradually blend in the dry ingredients, stirring until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky. On a well floured surface, roll out the dough until 1/4” thick. Using cooking cutter(s), cut out cookies and place 1” apart on a lightly greased baking sheet.
Cook: Bake at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly colored. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Honey Wheat Cookies (36 Cookies)

1.25 cups wheat flour 1/2 cup oil 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup honey 2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk 1/2 tsp. baking soda
Preparation: Mix all ingredients. Drop onto a greased cookie sheet by teaspoonfuls.
Cook: Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, or until lightly colored. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Pecan Sandies

1 cup butter 4 heaping teaspoons powdered sugar 2 cups sifted flour
1 cup chopped pecans 2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 tsp. water
Preparation: Cream butter and sugar together. Add the flour and stir well. Add the chopped pecan, vanilla extract, and water and stir well. Roll mixture into balls. Flatten or shape as desired. Place on a greased cookie sheet.
Cook: Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Sprinkle each cookie with a little powdered sugar. Allow to cool.

Snowball Cookies I

2.25 cups flour 1 cup butter 1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup powdered sugar 3/4 cup nuts, finely chopped 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Preparation: Cream butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Stir in remaining ingredients. Chill dough. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and put on ungreased cookie sheet.
Cook: Bake at 400°F for 10-12 minutes. (Don’t brown them.) While still warm, roll in powdered sugar. Cool on rack, and roll in powdered sugar again.

Snowball Cookies II

1 cup flour 1/2 cup butter 1 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. granulated sugar 1 cup ground nuts 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Preparation: Cream the butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla. Add the flour, and nuts. Mix well. Chill dough. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and put on ungreased cookie sheet.
Cook: Bake at 300°F for 30 minutes. While still warm, roll in powdered sugar. Cool on rack, and roll in powdered sugar again.

Oatmeal Cookies (54 Cookies)

2 cups flour 1 cup shortening 1 tsp. salt
1 cup light brown sugar 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup rolled oats 3/4 cup milk
Preparation: Combine the flour, oats, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. In a large bowl, cream the shortening and brown sugar. Beat in the milk. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Cover and chill for 2 hours. On a floured surface, roll out the dough until 1/4” thick. Use cookie cutter(s) and cut out cookies and place 1” apart on a lightly greased baking sheet.
Cook: Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Boiled Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup granulated sugar 4 tbsp. butter 1/4 cup milk
1.5 cup quick oats 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract 1/8 tsp. salt
Variation: Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies: Add 1/4 cup peanut butter when you add the quick oats.
Variation: Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies: Add 2 tbsp. cocoa when you add the quick oats.
Variation: Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies: Add 2 tbsp. cocoa AND 1/4 cup peanut butter when you add the quick oats.
Variation: Raisins or Nuts: Add either 1/4 cup raisins or 1/4 cup nuts after removing the mixture from the heat. Stir well.
Preparation: Combine the sugar, butter, milk, and salt in a medium size saucepan.
Cook: Bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat and boil for an additional 3-minutes, stirring constantly. Add the quick oats and the vanilla extract (and the optional peanut butter and/or cocoa). Continue to boil and stir until thick (about 1.5 minutes). Remove from heat. (Add the optional raisins or nuts and stir well.) Drop with a tablespoon onto wax paper and make a round cookie about 1.5 inches in diameter. Allow to cool.

http://www.grandpappy.info/rpies.htm

A Collection of
Easy Pie and Cobbler Recipes

Decorative Pie Crust Patterns

To make decorative pie crust edges, you may use the following:
Use a spoon to produce a scalloped edge.
Use a fork to produce a crosshatch or herringbone pattern.
Use an old-fashioned can opener to produce a series of sharp points around the outside edge.
Instead of a solid top crust, you can places strips of dough 3/4 inch wide and about 1 inch apart across the top of the pie in a criss-cross pattern.

9-Inch Pie Crust

2 cups flour 3/4 tsp. salt
2/3 cup shortening or oil or lard 4 to 6 tbsp. ice cold water (or cold milk)
Sift flour and salt together and cut in shortening. Add water gradually until mixture will hold together. Divide dough in half. Roll both pieces on a floured board to the desired size. Line a 9” (or 10”) pie pan with one piece of dough being careful NOT to stretch the dough.
After filling the lower pie crust with the desired filling according to the pie recipe you are using, dampen the edges of the lower crust with a little cold water. Cut slits in the remaining piece of dough with a sharp knife to allow steam to escape during baking. Place the remaining piece of dough over the filled pie. Press the edges of the two pieces of dough together using a fork or your fingers. Flute the edges if desired. Bake the pie according to the directions in your pie recipe.
Optional: Instead of rolling the dough into two circles, gather one-half the dough for the bottom crust and put it into a pie pan. Then press the dough evenly to the sides of pie pan first and then to the bottom of the pan.
Optional: You may add two tablespoons of granulated sugar at the same time you add the salt in the above recipe.
Note: Some pie recipes require the lower pie crust to be lightly browned for about 10 minutes in a 450°F oven before adding the pie filling.
Note: Using lard instead of shortening or oil will yield a superior quality pie crust.

Rich Southern Pastry

Increase shortening in above recipe to 1 cup. If you chill the dough before rolling it will make the pastry easier to handle.

Easy Pie Crust

1.5 cups flour 1 tbsp. sugar 3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup oil 2 tbsp. cold milk (or cold water)
Put the flour, sugar, and salt into a pie pan and mix well.
In a separate cup, mix the oil and milk together until creamy. The pour the liquid into the flour mixture inside the pie pan. Mix together until crumbly. Press mixture evenly to the sides of pie pan first and then to the bottom of the pan. Fill and bake according to pie recipe instructions.

Graham Cracker Pie Crust

1 cup wheat flour 1 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 cup butter 1/2 tsp. salt
Preparation: Mix all the above ingredients to form a soft dough. Press dough mixture into the bottom of a pie pan.
Cook: Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Then follow the appropriate pie recipe instructions.

Fruit Preserves Pie (Using One 10-inch Pizza Pan)

1 Rich Southern Pastry (See Recipe Above) 1 cup of fruit preserves
Fruit Preserves Options: Apple, Pear, Peach, Cherry, Strawberry, Blueberry, Raspberry, or Blackberry Preserves (or Jelly).
Preparation: Follow the above “Rich Southern Pastry” recipe. Roll all of the pastry dough into one 10-inch round flat circle and place it on a 10-inch pizza pan. The outer edges of the circle should be a little thicker than the rest of the dough.
Cook: Bake in 375°F oven for 6 minutes. Remove from oven. Spread the contents of one cup of fruit preserves evenly over the flat pie crust. Bake an additional 4 to 6 minutes until underside of crust is golden brown.

Berry or Fruit Pie

4 cups berries 1.5 tbsp. lemon juice 1 pie crust
1 cup sugar 2 tbsp. flour 1/8 tsp. salt
Preparation: Mix sugar, flour, and salt. Add lemon juice. Add berries. Pour mixture into pie crust. Cover with top crust.
Cook: Bake at 450°F for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake 20 to 30 minutes longer.
Blueberry, Huckleberry: Follow above recipe.
Blackberry: 3 cups berries. Follow above recipe.
Peach: 8 sliced peaches. No lemon juice. Follow above but bake 35 minutes at end.
Apple: 6 peeled, sliced apples. No lemon juice. Follow above but bake 45 minutes at end.

Shoo Fly Pie

2 cups flour 1/2 cup sugar 1/3 cup shortening or butter 1 pie crust bottom
1 cup corn syrup 1 tsp. baking soda 1 cup warm water
Preparation: Sift flour and sugar together. Add shortening to make fine crumbs. In a separate bowl, combine corn syrup and baking soda with 1 cup warm water. Fill pie crust with alternating layers of corn syrup and crumb mixture, ending with crumbs on top.
Cook: Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes. Then reduce heat to 350°F and back until filling is firm.

Fruit Cobbler (Fresh Fruit)

1.75 cups flour 1 tbsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 6 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup sugar 3/4 cup cream or milk 6 cups fresh fruit
Preparation: Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter. Add the sugar and mix well. Stir in the cream with a fork. Gather the dough and knead inside the bowl. Set aside. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9” x 13” baking pan. Sweeten the fruit to taste and put in the greased pan. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to fit the top of the baking pan. Place on top of fruit.
Cook: Bake at 375°F for 40-50 minutes until lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the crust.

Fruit Cobbler (Canned Fruit)

1 cup flour 6 tbsp. butter 1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
1 cup sugar 1 cup milk 1 large 25 oz. can fruit
OPTION ONE: Crust on Bottom:
Preparation: Melt butter in medium baking dish. Then mix in flour, sugar, milk, and optional vanilla extract. Pour the can of fruit over this mixture and do NOT stir.
Cook: Bake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes.

OPTION TWO: Crust on Top:

Preparation: Pour fruit into bottom of 9 x 12 baking pan. Mix the flour, sugar, milk, and optional vanilla extract in a separate bowl and then pour over the fruit. Do NOT stir. Cut butter into slices and place on top of the mixture.
Cook: Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. When done, you may sprinkle the top with sugar (optional).

Blueberry (or Huckleberry) Crisp

4 cups blueberries 1/3 cup water 2 tsp. lemon juice
4 tbsp. butter 1/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup wheat flour 3/4 cup uncooked oatmeal
Preparation: Wash the berries. Remove stems and any unripe berries. Place the berries in an 8” square baking pan. Pour in the water and the lemon juice and stir well. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Combine the flour and the uncooked oatmeal. Mix until crumbly. Sprinkle the mixture over the blueberries.
Cook: Bake at 375°F for 40 to 45 minutes or until well browned.

Fried Pies (Using Canned Pie Filling)

1 Rich Southern Pastry (See Recipe Above) 1 can of pie filling (20 to 26 ounces)
1 cup sugar (granulated or powdered) 2 tsp. cinnamon
Pie Filling Options: Apple, Cherry, Peach, Pear, or Berry Pie Filling, or use some Chocolate Pudding as a filling.
Preparation: Follow the above “Rich Southern Pastry” recipe. Roll the pastry dough to a thickness of about one-quarter inch. Use an empty Crisco can (or any other empty 1-gallon food can) to cut circles from the dough. Place about 3 tablespoons of pie filling evenly onto one-half of one of the dough circles and fold the other half of the dough over the top of the pie filling. Use a fork to pinch the outer edges of the pie closed so the pie filling will not leak out. Continue filling each of the dough circles with pie filling until all the small pies are ready to be fried.
Cook: Heat some shortening, lard, or oil in a deep frying pan. You will need about 3/4 inch of melted shortening in the pan so the shortening will completely cover the pies when they are added. Depending on the size of your frying pan, use a spatula to place one, two, or three small pies carefully into the hot oil one at a time until the frying pan is almost full (only one layer of pies on the bottom of the pan). Fry until the pie crust turns a golden brown and then carefully transfer the fried pies to a cooling rack. While they are still hot, sprinkle the top of each pie with a light coating of sugar and then sprinkle with just a little cinnamon. Allow the pies to cool before eating.

http://www.grandpappy.info/rmeat.htm

A Collection of
Simple Meat Recipes

Chicken Fried Steak

Cut the meat (steak) into pieces about 6 inches long and less than 1 inch thick. Pound flour into the steaks using a meat tenderizer mallet. Pound in a much flour as you can until the steaks are saturated and quite thin. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Heat a little shortening, fat, or oil in a large skillet over high heat. Cook the steaks very quickly, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Make gravy by mixing a little flour in the pan grease. Serve immediately.

Southern Fried Chicken

3/8 cup flour 1/8 tsp. pepper
3 tbsp. shortening, fat, or oil 1/2 tsp. salt
Wash and dry chicken. Mix ingredients in plastic zipper bag. Shake each piece of chicken inside the bag until well coated. Brown chicken quickly in fat, shortening, or oil. Reduce heat and cover skillet. Cook slowly. Only turn once.
Variation: Use 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup corn meal. Apply a light coating to the chicken. Too much will make a dry, hard crust.

Northern Fried Chicken

Prepare as above. Add 1/2 cup water before covering skillet. Simmer slowly for 30 minutes until tender. Remove lid and let chicken fry slowly until done.

Chicken Miscellaneous

Simmer gizzard and heart in water until almost tender before frying. Liver requires only a few minutes of cooking. Thick pieces of chicken take longer to cook than the smaller, thin pieces.

Chicken and Dumplings

2 cans of chicken 1/2 tsp. salt 1 cup butter
2 cans chicken broth 1/2 tsp. pepper enough biscuit dough for 12 biscuits
Put everything EXCEPT the biscuit dough in a pot and bring to a boil. Add the biscuit dough to the pot by spoonfuls and then immediately turn down the heat to a simmer. Continue to simmer gently until the biscuit dough is done (taste test).

Chicken Broth

2 pounds chicken (back, neck, wings, etc.) 10 chicken feet 1 tsp. salt 2 quarts cold water
1 tbsp. onion powder 2 peppercorns 1 tbsp. celery or sweet herbs
Scald chicken feet, skin and remove nails. Clean chicken and remove fat. Cut chicken into small pieces and crack the bones. Cover chicken with cold water and add a pinch of salt. Let stand 20 minutes. Drain well and removed any blood clots and any remaining fat. Add all the above ingredients and simmer 3 hours. Strain through a clean cloth. Cool quickly and skim fat from surface. Cool again. Ladle broth into plastic containers (do NOT pour). Discard the cloudy broth in the bottom of the bowl. Reheat when ready to serve.

Beef Broth

Use beef soup bones and some lean, thin, diced pieces of beef. Let bones and beef stand in cold water one hour and then follow above recipe except simmer 6 hours.

White Rice
Shish Kabobs (Kebabs)

Long Metal Skewers Green Pepper, Mushrooms
Meat (Beef, Vienna Sausage, Spam) Potatoes, Tomatoes, Onion
Preparation: Boil raw potatoes. Cook raw beef. (If using canned beef or canned potatoes, they are already pre-cooked.) Alternate available items on skewer, so each item touches the ones beside it.
Cook: Heat over fire until tasty.

Roast Beef Hash

16 oz. can roast beef 1 tbsp. onion powder
32 oz. can potatoes 1 tbsp. olive oil
Preparation: Drain the potatoes well. Grind the meat, potatoes, and onion together with a hand meat grinder.
Cook: Heat oil in large frying pan. Slide hash into pan without splattering. Spread hash over bottom of pan. Stir or turn with spatula until well heated. Hash makes a satisfying one-dish meal. May be served with salsa or catsup or with scrambled eggs.
Variation: Use 8 oz. of roast beef and 8 oz. of ham.
Variation: Add can of mushrooms, diced.

Pigs in a Blanket

1 can Vienna Sausage 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 cup lard
2 cups wheat flour 1 tsp. salt warm water
Preparation: Mix all (except sausage) to make a smooth dough. Roll dough into large flat rectangle and cut into 3” squares. Wrap each square around a Vienna Sausage. (Optional: pinch ends together.)
Cook: Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the wrapped sausages on a greased baking pan so they don’t touch each other. Cover pan and back for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Beans and Wieners

1 can Pork & Beans 1 can Vienna Sausage
Slice each Vienna Sausage into 6 or 7 pieces. Mix with beans and heat in a cook pot until ready to eat.
Optional: Add 1/8 cup diced onions and/or 1 tbsp. catsup.

Tuna Casserole

6.5 oz. can tuna 14 oz. box macaroni and cheese mix
3 tbsp. instant dry milk 1/2 cup water
Preparation: Mix macaroni and cheese according to the box directions, but also add the tuna, and use the instant milk and water in place of the fresh milk. (Or use fresh milk, if available.)
Cook: Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.

Salmon (or Mackerel) Patties

15 oz. can salmon (or mackerel) 1/2 cup cornmeal
salt and pepper 1 egg (optional)
Preparation: Mix everything in a large bowl. Form meat patties about 1/4 inch thick and 4 inches in diameter.
Cook: Fry in some oil or butter in a hot skillet until golden brown on both sides.

http://www.grandpappy.info/rkudzu.htm

A Collection of
Kudzu Recipes

For Educational Purposes Only.

New Food Precaution

Since some people are allergic to common ordinary foods, such as milk products and eggs and nuts, it is only reasonable to suspect that some people will be allergic to some wild foods, such as kudzu. Whenever you are experimenting with a new food you have never eaten before, you should only consume a very SMALL quantity of it the first time you eat it to determine if you are allergic to it. If you are allergic to it, then you should avoid it in the future. However, if you do NOT develop any allergic reactions to a very small quantity of the food, then the next day you may eat a little more of it. It is NOT wise to eat too much of an unknown food that your body has never digested before. Always begin with a very meager portion and then gradually add just a little more each day to help prevent a serious allergic reaction to a new food.

Introduction to Kudzu

Kudzu Leaves The three parts of the kudzu plant that are edible are the:

1. Young leaves and vine tips,
2. Flower blossoms, and
3. Roots.

Look for a kudzu plant that is NOT near a highway where it will be contaminated by dust and automobile exhaust fumes. Also avoid kudzu that has been sprayed with deadly chemicals to control the growth of the evasive plant.

Beware of insects, birds, spiders, and wild animals that frequently live in kudzu patches. Talk loudly when approaching a kudzu patch to give the critters a chance to depart before you arrive. Bees also love the flower blossoms so do not provoke them.

Wear long pants, a long sleeve shirt, shoes, gloves, and a hat when harvesting kudzu.

AVOID poison ivy and poison oak, which resembles kudzu.

Kudzu Leaves and Vine Tips

In the early spring and throughout the growing season, harvest the very end of an established kudzu vine where the new growth is forming small shoots and young leaves (called runners). Only the young leaves and vine tips are tender enough for human consumption. The older leaves and vines are too tough for the human digestive system.

Wash the kudzu thoroughly in cool water. Then soak the kudzu for 20 minutes in some clean cool water with a little salt added. Rinse and drain. Process immediately or store in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container.

Kudzu leaves have a soft fuzz on them. The fuzz is offensive to most people when eaten raw. The fuzz wilts quickly when cooked. Therefore, briefly dip the fresh leaves in some boiling water and then immediately dip in cold water. The fuzz will wilt, the appearance of the leaves will change, but the taste will not have changed.

Kudzu Leaf Recipes

Kudzu leaves and tender vine tips may be boiled the same way you boil spinach.

Boiled kudzu leaves mix well with other cooked greens including spinach and young poke sallet leaves. (Note: Young poke sallet leaves must be boiled three times in clean water prior to eating.)

Boiled kudzu leaves blend well with cooked rice and many cooked wild meats.

Fresh kudzu leaves may be processed in a pressure cooker following a spinach canning recipe, and stored in canning jars for future consumption.

Kudzu Flower Blossoms

Kudzu blooms from late July through September, depending on the climate and location. The most common species in the United States has magenta and reddish purple flowers that resemble a wisteria. A less common variety has white blossoms.

Kudzu flowers smell like ripe grapes. However, the blossoms do NOT taste like grapes. They have a unique flavor that is just a little bit sweet.

The flowers are sometimes hidden behind the green leaves. Pick the flowers when they are dry (not covered with the morning dew or rain). You may just pick the flowers, but it is usually easier to cut the entire flower raceme of blossoms and then remove the individual flowers later. Wash the flowers gently but thoroughly in cool water and then drain. They will remain fresh for one day. Or freeze them for future consumption.

Kudzu Flower Salad

Kudzu flowers may be eaten plain or as part of a salad or other dish.

Kudzu Flower Tea

Pour a cup of boiling water over 1/4 cup fresh flowers and let it steep for 4 or 5 minutes. Strain and drink.

Kudzu Flower Wine

4 quarts well water 6 quarts fresh kudzu blossoms yeast
4 cups sugar 1 gallon jug 1 balloon
Pick kudzu blossoms when they are dry (mid-day). Rinse in running water to remove any foreign particles, dirt, or dust. Pour three quarts of boiling water over the blossoms and stir. Put a lid on the container and stir twice a day for four days.
Strain the liquid through a clean cloth. Press the blossoms to get all the liquid from them. Add four cups sugar. Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water. Pour the dissolved yeast into the liquid. Stir well. Cover and let it stand for five days. Then transfer to a one-gallon jug. Add enough well water to bring the liquid within two inches below the neck of the jug. Attach the balloon to the top of the jug. Place jug in a cool dark place that is between 65° F to 75° F.
Periodically gently loosen the balloon and allow the gas to escape and then replace the balloon firmly on the neck of the jug. In approximately six weeks the balloon will stop expanding and the wine is done. Strain the wine through a clean cloth and transfer it to airtight bottles. (Optional: Drop five raisins into each one-gallon bottle.) Cork each bottle tightly. Allow it to sit for an additional six to twelve months before drinking.

Kudzu Roots

Kudzu roots are normally harvested in the winter months. Only a kudzu root that was started from a seedling will produce a root that contains a good quantity and quality of starch. Good kudzu starch roots may weigh up to 200 pounds and be as long as 8 feet. The vast majority of kudzu roots are formed when an established vine touches the ground. Most of the roots growing near the surface are NOT high quality. Most kudzu roots look like tree roots and are NOT edible.

Kudzu Root Sucker

In a survival situation, any kudzu root between 1/2 to 3/4 inches in diameter can be washed, cut at both ends to a length of about 6 inches, and then all the exterior bark should be scrapped off. The raw root can then be sucked on to gradually remove all its internal nutrients. Only suck the nutrients out of the root. The root is wood. Wood is NOT digestible. Do NOT eat the wood.

Kudzu Root Tea

The thin, tender young roots can be dug up, washed, diced, boiled, and strained to make a tea.

Nutritional Information
Fresh Kudzu Leaves
8 Ounces (net weight)

Category Amount
% RDV
Calories 258 12 %
Total Fat 0.1 g 0.2 %
Dietary Fiber 10.3 g 45.7 %
Protein 2.1 g 4.8 %
Calcium 34.3 mg 3.4 %
Phosphorous 41.1 mg 4.3 %
Iron 1.4 mg 7 %

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.