Ads 468x60px

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Ever Tried Growing Vegetables Indoors!

It is possible you know - you can grow vegetables indoors if you follow some simple guidelines. Just because you don't have garden space outside or you are limited doesn't mean that you can't grow vegetables, you can adjust to this and still grow vegetables that can furnish your table especially in summer.

CHOOSE THE APPROPRIATE VEGETABLES: Obviously this is an important point because of the growing requirements for the plant types. Different plants have different requirements and the major restrictions will be the available space and light. If you choose to grow fruit bearing plants, these will require larger amounts of sunlight than the no fruit bearing plants. Salad greens such as lettuce, miniature cabbages, swiss chard and spinach require less sunlight and these type of plants do very well indoors.

Another fact is that your vegetables will be grown in containers or pots. The size of these will also determine your choice of plants remembering that they must be large enough for the plants when they attain full growth. Small root crops such as radish and onions are very good choices and also there are varieties of small root carrots. Another popular choice for the indoor garden is herbs because these are compact and do not require much space. Miniature varieties of tomatoes, peppers and aubergines can also thrive indoors.

THE PERFECT SPOT FOR GROWING: Finding the perfect spot for growing your vegetables indoors is important. As mentioned earlier light is an important consideration. Ideally, a bright south-facing window is best but any spot that gets a minimum of 5 hours continuous light can be used. In addition to the natural light, you can supplement this with artificial lighting if you so wish. This will help you to grow healthy plants.

Growing vegetables indoors does have its problems. If you have small children or pets you may want to locate your indoor garden well out of their reach as in general, vegetables tend to bruise easily so you want to choose a fairly quiet area as to minimise accidental contact with the plants. It is not a very good idea to put your plants where people or pets are moving past frequently, things could get messy if you do.

OPTIMIZE THE MICRO CLIMATE: Plants will grow best in high humidity and moderate temperatures. Low humidity is usually the cause of failed indoor gardens as container grown plants tend to dry out faster and will require being watered more frequently. However, it is important not to let the plants get waterlogged as this will cause the plant roots to rot. Make sure that there is good drainage. One way that I would suggest is place the container or pot on a dish of gravel, this allows any excess water to be caught in the dish and the water evaporation from the dish also improves the humidity.Grouping your plants together will also optimise your micro climate. Mix your vegetable plants with your decorative house plants to create groups that are not only beautiful but also functional within the micro climate. The temperature inside the house is far easier to control, draw the curtains to create more shade for your plants or adjust the house heating systems up or down as required, to benefit your plants. One important point, protect your plants from the draft, failure to do this will result in losing the plants.

GOOD POTTING SOIL: Potting soil for your indoor garden should drain well and contain the nutrients required to support the growth and development throughout the life of the plant. Premixed potting soil that already incorporates the correct amount of fertilizer and nutrients can be purchased from your local garden centre. If your preference is organic, you can also purchase this potting mix again from your local garden centre.

Planting vegetable gardens indoors can be very rewarding. You may be limited in growing the different types of vegetables or the quantities that an outside garden would produce, but with careful thought you can at the very least grow summer salads and therefore saving you money on your supermarket bills. DON'T BE AFRAID, GIVE IT A GO, ENJOY!

JC Cashmore is an enthusiastic gardener whose prime hobby is vegetable gardening. Visit his blog to find more articles on the aspects of keeping a vegetable garden http://jccashmore.blogspot.com.

The Prepper's Pocket Guide: 101 Easy Things You Can Do to Ready Your Home for a Disaster

Ultimate Family Preparedness Pak

120 Serving Breakfast Only @ $198 (120 Servings breakfast assortment. No entrees) - Order Now!

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Free Solar Power Info Book

Free Solar Book


Been wondering what types of backup energy would be the best to have on hand. I seriously think that having a couple of different types is a good way to go. Have wood for heat , kerosene for heat, maybe a small wind mill, etc. Get this Free Solar Book to find out more information about solar power. It is a free book so you don't have to spend any money to find out anything.






The Prepper's Pocket Guide: 101 Easy Things You Can Do to Ready Your Home for a Disaster Ultimate Family Preparedness Pak

120 Serving Breakfast Only @ $198 (120 Servings breakfast assortment. No entrees) - Order Now!The Prepper's Pocket Guide: 101 Easy Things You Can Do to Ready Your Home for a Disaster Ultimate Family Preparedness Pak

120 Serving Breakfast Only @ $198 (120 Servings breakfast assortment. No entrees) - Order Now!

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

We Survived

We have survived another Christmas. Went to grandma and grandpa's and had a ton of fun. Waiting for the blizzard to blow in. Hubby and dad played some archery game on the wii. Ittle man had a great time and loved all of his presents. Homemade veggie soup and sandwiches were eaten on all day and plenty of cookies and candy.

Now we are all snug in the house watching spaghetti westerns while the blizzard blows outside. We hope that eveyone is safe and warm. Hope the bad weather is not affecting eveyone in a bad wa and you are all enjoying this time cooped up inside.

The Prepper's Pocket Guide: 101 Easy Things You Can Do to Ready Your Home for a Disaster

Ultimate Family Preparedness Pak

120 Serving Breakfast Only @ $198 (120 Servings breakfast assortment. No entrees) - Order Now!

Monday, December 24, 2012

Christmas Eve

It is almost over. The season that always causes me the most stress. Another day and we can all get back to normal and pay all of the bills. Ur kids will forget all about everything the day before and start asking for new things. Some of us will start stressing about NEXT Christmas on December 26th. I do hope that I do not wait until the very last minute ,like I did this year. In fact,I just got home from doing some shopping. Some of the presents won't even be here until after Christmas because of shipping. boohoo. I hope that all of my readers are having a stress free time of year. Do not let the small stuff bother you and hug your children.

The Prepper's Pocket Guide: 101 Easy Things You Can Do to Ready Your Home for a Disaster

Ultimate Family Preparedness Pak

120 Serving Breakfast Only @ $198 (120 Servings breakfast assortment. No entrees) - Order Now!

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Never Prepared For Christmas

How weird that I am so prepared for all kinds of disasters, but never prepared for Christmas. Last minute and I am worried about presents for everyone and what we are going to do for a Christmas meal. Why am I like this every single year. I KNOW Christmas is coming. I know that I still have three kids to buy for. But never fails ...I am unprepared. How can I change this? I am actually starting to not like this time of year very much.

The Prepper's Pocket Guide: 101 Easy Things You Can Do to Ready Your Home for a Disaster

Ultimate Family Preparedness Pak

120 Serving Breakfast Only @ $198 (120 Servings breakfast assortment. No entrees) - Order Now!

Friday, December 21, 2012

The Rally Point: Bugging Home - Review

I started this e-book on my Kindle yesterday morning and I couldn't put it down. The Rally point: Bugging Home was written in a way that really gave me a lot of ideas and tips. I REALLY want to buy some land now. I loved this book and it is one that I am keeping on my Kindle just for the ideas and things that happen. The family in this book has everything planned before hand and when something does happen they all know what to do and goes into action fast.

The Prepper's Pocket Guide: 101 Easy Things You Can Do to Ready Your Home for a Disaster

Ultimate Family Preparedness Pak

120 Serving Breakfast Only @ $198 (120 Servings breakfast assortment. No entrees) - Order Now!

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Food Storage Recipe - Slow Cooker Broccoli Soup



This is so yummy! Great with a sandwich or bread sticks.

Slow Cooker Broccoli Soup

1 10 ounce package of frozen chopped broccoli or use freeze dried broccoli.

3 cups of milk

2 cans of condensed cheddar cheese soup

1 cup of loosely packed frozen shredded hashed brown potatoes or freeze dried

1 small onion or equivalent of dehydrated or freeze dried onions

Break up the broccoli and combine with the milk , soup, potatoes, and onion in your slow cooker. Stir it up too mix it together good. Cover this and cook on low for a few hours. SERVE!!

The Prepper's Pocket Guide: 101 Easy Things You Can Do to Ready Your Home for a Disaster


Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Tips on Surviving the Mayan 2012 End of the World (And Natural Disasters)

Will the world really come to an end on December 21, 2012? The Mayan were noted for their astronomical and mathematical systems and used several different calendars. Their "Long Count" Calendar stops on December 21, 2012 and that has caused many to speculate that the Mayans had determined that the world as we know it will come to an end on that date and consequently felt that there was no need to continue their "Long Count" Calendar after that date. However, no one really knows for sure! The discussion and speculation on what will or will not happen in December 2012 will almost certainly increase as we draw closer to that date. However, I think it is safe to say that natural disasters (hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, etc) will always be with us, and a prudent person would at least be prepared for them.

Fortunately, whether you are preparing for the December 2012 Mayan End of the World or the natural disasters that might/will occur where you live, the four basic steps for being ready are the same. Additionally, preparing for either crisis will help you be prepared for the other. The four main steps to getting ready are: Psyche, Plan, Prepare, and Practice.

1. Psyche - This is an extremely important step that is often overlooked in "how to be ready" disaster guides. Everything that you will do in a disaster/end of the world situation starts there. You need to prepare yourself mentally for the surprise, confusion, danger, and sometimes difficult decisions that come with a severe crisis. Take some time to think through the possible scenarios of what might or might not happen and what decisions you would make. I personally think of this as practicing "What If?". This will help prepare you and your "psyche" for the real thing. Being in the right frame of mind during a crisis will help you make the right decisions and perhaps even ensure you and your family's survival!

2. Plan - Planning is the step that we are all most comfortable with. We each perform this step multiple times each day. What makes this step difficult in planning for a disaster situation is that most of us have never been in each of the crises that we will need to plan for. So what we have to rely on in our planning is what we have read about or heard from others. Take the time to do this research as you prepare your "crisis plan". With the internet, you are now able to quickly access a great deal of information on most types of crises that might confront you.

3. Prepare - This step is too often postponed after we have thought through and completed our planning. Often because it requires a financial commitment as most of us have some but not all of the survival items that will be needed. Once you have completed the planning step, you should have a pretty good idea of what "survival gear" you will need. Don't be surprised if you have overlooked several items that you will need - - we all do! Next, knowing what items you already have, start purchasing/obtaining and storing the items you do not already have. I keep all of my survival supplies in one area of my garage so I'll know exactly where they are when/if I need them.

4. Practice - This is the last step and is another step that is too often overlooked. Practice using those items of survival gear that you think you will need to use in a crisis situation. For example: If you believe you will need to use a firestarter to start your fires, practice making a fire with it until you feel comfortable using the firestarter. Or if your plan includes driving to a secluded piece of property that you own and staying there until the crisis is over, take the time to figure out the best route to take (assuming clogged roads and stalled vehicles) and then drive your planned route to see if you have overlooked something. Don't wait until you are in the midst of the crisis/disaster!

I hope these four important survival steps will assist you in preparing for future crises and disasters. To see what survival gear is recommended that you have in these situations, you will want to check out this survival supplies checklist.

The Prepper's Pocket Guide: 101 Easy Things You Can Do to Ready Your Home for a Disaster

Ultimate Family Preparedness Pak

120 Serving Breakfast Only @ $198 (120 Servings breakfast assortment. No entrees) - Order Now!

Friday, December 14, 2012

Food Storage Recipe - Vegetable Pizza

I was really surprised at how good this turned out to be. Turned out to be a very yummy pizza. Very easy to make and used items that are in my freezer and fridge all of the time.

Vegetable Pizza

Pizza Crust Dough Recipe

1 package of dry yeast

3/4 cup of warm water

2 cups of all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cornmeal

In a measuring cup mix the yeast and warm water. Make sure the yeast is dissolved well. In a large bowl mix the flour, salt, and yeast mixture until well blended.

Cover the bowl and place in a warm place and let set to rise for about 10 minutes.

Oil your pizza pan and sprinkle the bottom with the cornmeal. Put the dough into the middle of the pan and with oily fingers spread the dough out to the edges. Make a ridge around the outside of the dough. Now put your items from the rest of the recipe below.

2 - 3 cups of bird's eye frozen boccoli, red peppers, onions, and mushrooms

1 - 1 1/2 cup of shredded mozzerella cheese

Preheat the oven. Rinse the vegetables in a colander nder warm water and drain very well. pat them dry. Spread the vegetables and cheese over the crust that you made and put some italian seasoning on top of that. Bake until hot and bubbly.



The Prepper's Pocket Guide: 101 Easy Things You Can Do to Ready Your Home for a Disaster

Ultimate Family Preparedness Pak

120 Serving Breakfast Only @ $198 (120 Servings breakfast assortment. No entrees) - Order Now!

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

You Have Got to Have Great Scissors!



Please do not hold it against me that I had to use my son's video camera for the photo for this post! LOL I had no idea how to use it and couldn't find my camera. Not sure what happened to it. But, anyway , I had to do this review of these scissors and this was the only way to take a shot of them. I have had a hard time figuring out which ones are my favorite though.

I do a lot of sewing and the Westcott Titanium Bonded8" Non-Stick Straight Scissors are perfect for that. The perfect size and cut without catching onto anything. I love them so much. I won't use anything else. These will last a long time since they are Titanium. Great way to get your money's worth. Strong and sharp. A great pair of scissors in the house is a must-have and these are the pair to get.

Being a homeschooling family, we do a lot of crafts and projects at home where my Little Man has to have scissors of his own for. I really like these Westcott Kids Scissors With Microban Protection. He really likes them. They are easy for him to hold and cut so great that he has no trouble at all. The only trouble he is having now is that we don't have a lot for him to cut out. LOL All that he wants to do now is cut! The plus for me is that the Handles are infused with Microban antimicrobial product protection to inhibit the growth of bacterial odors. Really cool. They have stainless steel safety blades on them also. These will last a long time and are safe for him to use.

This last item is a great thing to have if you're an extreme couponer! It is the Westcott Scissor Mouse Paper Trimmer. It looks and feels just like a computer mouse, but has a blade in the bottom that cuts. It is very sharp and cuts just through the paper. I did have a hard time with it when I first opened it, but I realized that I was taking too much time trying to line the paper into the paper guard thing on the bottom of it. When I realized that you just have to place this mouse on the paper and very lightly push down I had no problem at all. I was cutting coupons out easily and very fast. I have also wrapped a couple of Christmas presents. Cool little gadget and it would be a great gift for a scrapbooking friend! Easy to use on any flat surface and cuts long straight lines in a flash.

The Prepper's Pocket Guide: 101 Easy Things You Can Do to Ready Your Home for a Disaster

Ultimate Family Preparedness Pak

120 Serving Breakfast Only @ $198 (120 Servings breakfast assortment. No entrees) - Order Now!

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Food Storage Recipe - Pinto Bean Fudge

I just now heard of doing this and think that it sounds very interesting and good for you. I have 25 pounds of Pinto beans in my food storage. This would be a great new way to use them.

Pinto Bean Fudge

1 cup of cooked pinto beans, mashed

1/4 to 1/2 cup of milk

3/4 cup of melted butter

1 Tbsp vanilla

3/4 cup of baking cocoa

2 pounds of powdered sugar

Put your soft pinto beans in a food processor and mash them until they are real smooth. Add the mashed beans with the melted butter, vanilla, and cocoa. After that’s all combined, add the powdered sugar. You can also add about a 1/2 cup of chopped nuts or so. Combine everything together really good until it is all blended. Spread the fudge mixture into a well buttered 9x13 pan. Then put it in your refrigerator. That’s where you’ll have to store this fudge or it will get too soft. Cut it into pieces and eat.

The Prepper's Pocket Guide: 101 Easy Things You Can Do to Ready Your Home for a Disaster

Ultimate Family Preparedness Pak

120 Serving Breakfast Only @ $198 (120 Servings breakfast assortment. No entrees) - Order Now!

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

High Heels & Grills: 8 Can Taco Soup

High Heels & Grills: 8 Can Taco Soup

AWESOME!! Just had to share!!



The Prepper's Pocket Guide: 101 Easy Things You Can Do to Ready Your Home for a Disaster

Ultimate Family Preparedness Pak

120 Serving Breakfast Only @ $198 (120 Servings breakfast assortment. No entrees) - Order Now!

Homemade Gift-in-a-Jar Recipes Are a Thoughtful, Tasty and Economical Twist to Holiday Gift-Giving

You can also find a ton of other Gift In A Jar recipes online. For Thousands of different ideas for everyone in the family and all of your friends. Print the recipes out on cute paper and attach to the jars. Tip Junkie has a ton of great recipes. Great way to give gifts this year without spending a lot of money.

Homemade jar recipes with beautifully layered ingredients topped with a flourish are a thoughtful and economical way to treat friends, coworkers, neighbors or teachers to the flavors of the season. And making them is easy and fun - especially if you get the kids involved.

Jar recipes for everything from cookies to soups to hot drink mixes can be found on the internet and even in some cookbooks. In most jar recipes, you'll simply measure dry ingredients into a standard one-quart canning jar, and then tie a card with the cooking instructions to the lid. You can also adapt some of your own recipe favorites, but try a few jar recipes first to get the hang of the proportions.

Here are three classic Recipe Gifts-in-a-Jar to get you started. Build your layers in a 1-qt canning jar in the order written. For the prettiest finish, pack each layer flat before adding the next - a small ladle or meat hammer works well - then secure the lid, add a decorative ribbon and attach the cooking instructions. A link to printable instructions/gift tag for these recipes is included below.

Oatmeal Chippers Cookies Jar Mix Recipe

1-1/3 C old-fashioned oats or quick-oats

1/2 C granulated sugar

3/4 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 C brown sugar

1/3 C chopped pecans

1-1/3 C all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

variations: substitute chocolate chips for mini M&M's, or cut pecans and add more chips

Confetti Soup Jar Mix Recipe

1/3 C beef bullion granules

1/4 C dried minced onion

1/2 C dried split peas

1/4 C barley

1/2 C dried lentils

1 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. dried basil

1 dried bay leaf

1/3 C long-grain white rice

1-1/2 C Tri-color spiral pasta (rotini)

Cocoa Steamer Instant Hot Cocoa Jar Mix Recipe

Note: this recipe yields about 5 quarts of mix. It's a way to make bulk gifts for teachers, neighbors and co-workers, and you can package it in just about anything, from canning jars, to clean recycled food jars, to food gift bags.

1 Box Nonfat Instant Milk (8-qt yield size)

1 1-lb. jug of dry nonfat dairy creamer

1 large jar Nestle Quick, Ovaltine or another chocolate milk mix

1 1-lb. box powdered sugar

1 container Hershey's Powdered Cocoa (Dutch Processed is best)

variations: add 1 jar instant coffee for Mocha Steamer mix

Blend first 3 ingredients together in 1-2 large mixing bowls. Add powdered sugar and cocoa powder, sifting if lumpy. Blend mix thoroughly and spoon into jars, bags or store in airtight container. Tie on instructions together with a candy cane or a small bag of mini-marshmallows for a holiday treat.

Print cooking instructions and gift tags to include with your Recipe-in-a-Jar Gifts.

Krista Fabregas founded Kid Smart Living in 1999 to help parents combine safety, livability and style in a home that's welcoming to family members of all ages. Find more KidSmart child safety, home decorating and living ideas at KidSmartLiving.com and on the KidSmartLiving @ Home Blog

The Prepper's Pocket Guide: 101 Easy Things You Can Do to Ready Your Home for a Disaster

Ultimate Family Preparedness Pak

120 Serving Breakfast Only @ $198 (120 Servings breakfast assortment. No entrees) - Order Now!





Affiliate Disclosure: I am grateful to be of service and bring you content free of charge. In order to do this, please note that when you click links and purchase items, in most (not all) cases I will receive a referral commission. Your support in purchasing through these links enables me to share more information and get closer to getting my family totally off-grid and on our own piece of land. This will let me share more and more information to allow , hopefully, for you to become more self-sufficient and able to become more prepared by reading my blog and purchasing items that I share with you that will help you. Thank you! :)