Micro Farming For Your Survival Garden

Micro farming is not a new concept. In fact, 15% of the world's food comes from micro farms. Essentially, they make the most of the land they own. There are instances where there are self sustaining micro farms in the city on land as small as 1/5th of an acre, and provide food for a family of four! Micro farmers make the most of the land they have by using natural ways to cultivate the land for higher yields and by finding natural ways to feed the soil the needed nutrients for the plants. The use of composting, crop rotation and companion planting are a large part of the success for these tiny farms.

Currently, with the exorbitant increase of food prices, many people are literally taking this problem into their own hands. People are planting survival gardens in their back yards to supplement their tighter budgets as well as become more self sustaining in the process.

Survival Garden Basics:

- Plan out crops that will be planted and find companion plants to plant along side of them. Companion planting is an organic farming technique. Essentially, certain plants, when planted in close proximity to another will give off nutrients of what each plant needs for fertilizer.

-Only plant heirloom or Non-GMO (non genetically modified) plant varieties. The reasoning for this is because after the plants have produced, the seeds can be collected for the next season's use.

-Research the nutritional content of the seeds to get the most nutrition from what you grow.

-Find seeds for the whole season. Planting a garden is not only for Spring and Summer. Finding plant varieties for the colder months will help keep food on the table and take less money out of the bank accounts.

-After collecting the seeds from the plant, store the seeds in a waterproof container or bag and store in a dark, cool place.

-When the plant is finished producing, collect the seeds and toss the non-yielding adult plants in the compost heap.

-Make the most of the already existing space. Use floating or raised beds for added gardening space. Use fencing as a support for vine growing plants.

-Find information out about rotating crops to further feed the soil. Some plants have a tendency to need higher amounts of nitrogen, thus stripping the soil of the nutrient in the process. When the next season comes around, find plants that do not need as much nitrogen and plant in that area.

Practice Makes Perfect:

Farming is one of the ways that made the United States so great. Generations have passed since the United States citizens were primarily farmers, and now it seems the time is upon us to re-educate ourselves on this topic. It is important to add that gardening mistakes are made, and some gardens do fail, but the more someone sticks with it, the better off they and the garden will be. And though it may be true that some of us will inevitably be the hand of death to the plants, it is better to make mistakes now, than when a survival garden is really needed. In all honesty, the gardening process is rather easy once a little research has been done and action has been taken.

Tess Pennington is the lead content contributor for http://www.readynutrition.com. Ready Nutrition is an educational resource for those wanting to learn more about home safety preparedness, learning how to cope in disaster situations, and for those wanting to learn how to be more self sustaining. Her career at the American Red Cross left her with years of experience in safety and disaster preparedness. Tess is establishing herself as one of the foremost authorities on safety development and disaster preparedness on the internet. She describes herself as a mixture of Martha Stewart and Les Stroud.

Tess Pennington's work today encompasses:

• Teaching disaster preparedness
• Informing readers about the importance of preparing for any given situation.
• Writing
• Speaking
• Media consultation

Tess lives in Texas with her husband and three rambunctious children.
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Survival Books - A Treasure Trove of Unlimited Knowledge

For a survival researcher, it is baffling to see the large number of texts on display in library shelves, book stores, e-catalogs, and blogs, and choosing the right one usually becomes a nightmare. There are books on outdoor survival, emergency preparedness, disaster survival, and terrorist attack survival, as well as those covering the possibilities of nuclear, chemical and biological warfare. The average reader, therefore, is quite justified in questioning "Where do I start?" The answer, fortunately, is simpler than it looks. Since most survival books, and particularly those written in the last decade or two, target the average reader, the beginner can gain the knowledge he needs from a wide variety of books. The best approach usually is to select, as a starting point, one or two general books that cover almost all aspects of survival. Once you are familiar with the fundamentals, you can refine your field of study according to what you feel is your most urgently needed knowledge, or according to interests. I will present here a general selection of survival books, which should be a good place for you to start, and should help you identify the areas which you want top explore further.

The best book to start with is, I feel, "Ultimate Survival Skills - Secrets to Staying Alive, Anytime, Anywhere." The reason that it makes a good starting point is its approachability: it is written in easy-to-understand, everyday language, and the style is engaging so that it is a fun and informative read. The information given is new for beginners, so you learn a lot while avoiding information overload, and consequently, you can retain almost everything the author describes.

If you find it too brief for your liking, however, then Cody Lundin's "When All Hell Breaks Loose - Stuff you need to survive when disaster strikes" is an excellent alternate. It is more pertinent to our daily lives, as it focuses mostly on urban emergency situations and disasters. Therefore, even for those who do not intend to be part of an outdoor activity any time soon, this book contains useful information that might just help save their lives. Further, this book is extremely easy to read, as well as being enormously entertaining, and once again, easy to retain.

What do you do, however, once you are past the basics? Again, you certainly face an overwhelmingly large number of alternatives. John Wiseman's "SAS Survival Handbook: How to Survive in the Wild, in any Climate, On Land, or at Sea" is, I feel, a very strong candidate here. The key feature of the work is that it provides very detailed survival knowledge at the same time as being very approachable. If you are upset with the fact that books for advanced learners almost always use boring, tiring jargon and complex writing styles, then this book is a great option for you. The full color illustrations of poisonous and edible plants, animals and herbs are extremely helpful in an actual outdoor survival situation. This is also a good place to learn fire craft, hunting, shelter building and navigation skills.

Of course, if you simply want a carry along guide for a potentially life threatening situation, the US Army Survival Manual ought to serve you well. It deals with all types of survival skills in exhaustive detail, and you can find in it all the information that you could possibly need in the event of any disaster or emergency.

If you are a complete novice in the field of survival, you can read any one of these books for a start and then decide what particular aspect of survival you wish to research further. For more advanced learners, however, it is best to learn more about aspects that you do not already know about, just to ensure that you can hold your own in absolutely any kind of survival situation.

For even more survival books, tips, and advice, check out the #1 site on the net for survivalists at:

http://www.survivalskillsoutdoors.com


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Get Creative With A Cheap Food!!

One of the best ways that I have found to be frugal at dinner time is to use Ramen Noodles!! I fix them many different ways and they are so cheap. At our local grocery store you can either get a six pack for 79 cents or sometimes they have them 10 for a $1.00!! The savings is great.

Here are some of my favorite ramen noodle cookbooks. You will be amazed when you see all that you can do with Ramen Noodles.
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Tips on Saving Money On Food

Use a combination of methods to save on food prices.


Food prices are going up. Blame it on the weather, gas prices, politics, or whatever, prices will always go up - sometimes faster, sometimes slower, prices will always go up. Instead of constantly trying to adjust your budget upwards, take another road... adjust your food skills to make your food budget work.
The only way to truly save on food is to use several different tactics at once. Don't get hung up on coupons or cooking from scratch or sales prices to the exclusion of other methods. The more ways you cut your food bill, the more money you can save.

Usually the first thing to consider is shopping for food. Saving at the time you shop is a priority. You must be aware of sales psychology to win the battle and you must be aware of the little and not so little tricks that food distributors use to get more of your money.


Watch out when they change package design, because they may be changing size and price, too.
If you find a good sale, stock up as much as you can without overdoing it. Don't buy at 10% off then find out it's 25% off the next week. It's hard to see how this works if you don't create a grocery price book . It's essential to your shopping decisions to keep a record of prices and sizes that will help you know if you're getting bargain prices or not.

Only use coupons on food you would buy anyway. You're not saving anything if you buy something you don't normally eat. If you use a coupon on a brand name, be sure it still doesn't cost more than the store brand. Call a spade a spade. If you want to use a coupon on something you seldom or never buy, call it a splurge or an experiment. It's not a savings.

Other places than grocery stores sell food. Look around. Convenience stores sometimes have lower prices on milk or bread cheaper than chain stores, so keep alert. Take advantage of every opportunity you find for getting food cheaply or free. There may be more opportunities than you realize - including the ones you create for yourself!

Grow your own food whenever and however it's possible. You might be pleasantly surprised at how much you really can grow, even if you live in a high rise apartment. A windowsill will grow herbs, garlic and chives... why buy them? If you have just a little room, container gardening can get you lots of cheap food.

Don't forget about the wild (free) food that's abundant almost anywhere - even in a city park. (But be careful of chemicals and animal droppings.)

Getting all that food won't do you much good if you don't store it properly. Even if you can't do a lot, do what you can. Find a way to not waste it.

After a good meal from your cheap or free food, use leftovers - all of them - creatively for even more savings. What you don't throw out is what you don't have to buy. You may even be throwing out some things without realizing they're edible. Don't throw away stems, leaves, parings, or even bones unless you're absolutely sure they're of no value.

Finally, make your own bread. There's nothing magic about it, although the taste sure seems like it! You can save a lot on the price of bread by baking your own. Here's a "never fail" recipe/method for doing it for beginners and old hands alike: Bread Making for Beginners and Others

Then save even more by skipping the commercial yeast. It doesn't have to be an old family secret and it's fine if it's NOT from somewhere else. Using sourdough starter is a little different, but not much. A time or two and you'll be comfortable with the method.

More ways to save:

Use cheapest cuts of meat and tenderize by marinating and/or cooking methods like boiling or slow roasting.
Use cheese, etc., for protein instead of meat.
Buy meat by the serving, not by the pound.
Have a vegetarian meal now and then even if you're not a vegetarian. Meat is usually the most expensive part of a meal. Eggs and peanut butter are cheaper protein than meat.
Never go shopping when you're hungry
Make a list, take a list, buy from a list
Check the sales circulars before you shop
Avoid junk food of any kind
Avoid "convenience food" - don't pay for something you can do yourself
Eat seasonally. No watermelon in January, no apples in July.
Eat regionally. Lobsters don't grow in the Rockies and beef doesn't grow in New York City. Limit the food on which you have to pay shipping.
Using every method, trick and tip you can find, you CAN keep your food budget under control.

Homeschooling on The Cheap

Homeschooling can be an expensive alternative to public schooling. But, its worth it. Right? Well, that depends. If you have extra money that you want to spend on schooling then by all means do it. But if you don't have the extra money don't let that scare you away from homeschooling. In fact, most of the homeschooling we did was done free or at least very cheap.

You can find a ton of textbooks , crafts items, games, and more for very cheap at yardsales and thrift stores.

You can find tons of free info on the internet. They have free printables, free ebooks, worksheets, and even get free items sent to you. I went to google and did searches for free homeschool , free homeschooling, free samples, free printables, and more !! The ideas are endless.

Also utilize your library!! They have tons of books, videos, copy machine, etc. Also if there is a book you need and they do not have it they are able to get it for you.

There is alot of experiments you can do on the cheap, teach kids about math while cooking, teach about money when shopping, and more.

We always had fun going to parks, fishing, going to museums, zoos, and more.

There are ways to make homeschooling cheap. If you use your imagination you and your kids will have more fun and you both will be learning new stuff each day!

Advice on How to Survive the Recession

There are many ways a person can learn survival tools in this economy. One way would be to try conversing with one of those who have lived through the great depression. Such a person will undoubtedly be happy to share their struggles and would welcome a chat about how to make it on little. No matter how bad conditions are now, they pale when compared to then.

Here are some words of wisdom a depression era woman shared with the writer of this article. She was born and raised in Western Washington State and lived on a dairy farm where she and her family ate berries, cheese, milk, butter and the occasional meat and they were able to survive without much intervention from the outside. Her family ate from the produce of their land, trading vegetables with those who had neighboring farms. They canned their own fruits, and learned ways to store their vegetables. Meat was a luxury item and they would kill a chicken or other animal only occasionally and learned to make cakes without proper ingredients. Though it was hard, her family endured and lived to be stronger because of the experience. It really was a matter of adapting for them and living with what they were given. No matter what the circumstances she proved that if a person is willing to he or she can learn to make the best of their situation.

City dwellers practicing basic gardening skills can learn to grow some of their own food in backyard greenhouses or hothouses or even by growing small plants indoors. Chickens are allowed in many cities and eggs can be available without much extensive planning needed, and they eat from a diverse and naturally plentiful supply of food and do not need a lot of store bought feed. Plants can be purchased from plant nurseries and if given the right kind of garden soil and fertilizer are much more hardy once started then plants grown from seeds.

Americans have become much too dependent on grocery stores and banks and virtual money instead of old-fashioned trade. With a bartering system and a little tender loving care people can learn to be responsible for providing at least a little of their own food supply and if Americans would look to their forefathers they can learn to survive and weather the storms of a recession.

Is a Survival Seed Bank Enough For Urban Survival?

Survival seed banks have become increasingly popular over the last year or so. These are kits with seeds in them that can be saved for a few years that can in many cases grow up to an acre of food in times of need. It's kind of the ultimate backup plan for a survivalist when it comes to food. But is something like a survival seed bank enough for urban or city survival?

There is nothing wrong with relying on growing food to have food in a time of need or longer term disaster. But you still need something for today if you are in that situation. A survival seed bank will work appropriately assuming that you are plant and start at the right point of the year.

What you need for today is some food stored away that you can actually eat right now. Make sure that you have two weeks or better yet a thirty day supply of food that you can rely on at any point in time.

For fresh greens growing them from your seed bank is an option but also consider using sprouts. Sprouts like alfalfa, broccoli, wheat, and others can be grown in a jar with just water in about four day to a week's time.

This is a great option because these types of seeds can be stored for a few years as well and don't required soil and sunlight to grow. This can subsidize your diet with fresh greens when your acre of seeds may not be able to be planted or haven't yet produced a crop.

Do you have a plan for natural disasters or pandemics?

Click and learn Urban Survival Skills to properly prepare and be ready for these situations.

Discover Food Storage Secrets that let you have a good supply of food without constant worry about expiration dates.


http://www.urban-survival.info/

Tips For Self Sufficient Living in Urban Locations

A lot of people believe they can't make changes to move toward a more self-sufficient life when they live in an urban area, but that's simply not true. There are plenty of ways to become more self-sufficient, no matter where you live.

One of the best things you can do for yourself is to set up an indoor garden. This could be a hydroponic garden, or it could be a container garden. Either type is fine, as long as you can locate them near a very sunny window or use artificial lighting.

If you don't have a lot of space indoors, you can use a shelf system to do this. Simply buy or create a system of shelf units against a wall, placing the plants in containers on the shelves, with grow lights attached to the shelving units underneath each shelf. If you're going to do this, be very careful when watering your plants, because any water that drips down could short out the lights and cause a fire.

Another way to become more self-sufficient is to set up your own business. The job market is very volatile at the moment, and even people who have been working for the same company for decades are finding themselves unemployed. By setting up your own business, you will be able to control your future a bit more than you could if you relied solely on your job.

You can start your business on a part time basis while working at a regular job. Build it up slowly. Then if you ever find yourself unemployed, you have that to fall back on. It's a lot easier to grow an existing business with an existing base of customers or clients than it is to start one from scratch after finding yourself suddenly unemployed!

Finally, you should start building up a reserve of cash, food, and supplies. You should make it a priority to build up reserves of cash and food to last you for at least three months. If you can save up more, you should definitely do so. It never hurts to be prepared, and if you ever find yourself without a job or facing an emergency, you'll be better prepared to deal with it.

These are just a few ways to move toward self-sufficiency. For more information about Self Sufficient Living, visit http://www.SelfSufficientLiving.net. You'll learn about urban farming, sustainable living, renewable energy, and lots more!

A Cheap & Healthy Snack

Peanut Butter Balls

1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup powdered milk

Can add 1/3 cup coconut, if you like.

All you do is mix these ingredients together and shape into balls and EAT!!
These are very good and nutritious and KIDS LOVE THEM!!



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Have A Clothes Swap Party

Invite all of your friends over for a party and have them all bring clothing that they do not wear and have a fun night of clothes swapping. Have drinks and food. You could even play games and have Fashion shows. It would be a fun night and you would get some nice free clothing for free. Heck you could even make it a bring your own food type of thing also. Have a buffet set up. If you all have kids , make sure they include kids clothing. Download our free toolbar

Easy Banana S'Mores

This is a easy and cheap snack to make your children.

2 Bananas; sliced

2 Flat chocolate bars

2 Small jars marshmallow fluff

Nabisco Honey Maid Grahams

Put 2 bananas slices on a graham cracker, add a square of chocolate and a
large spoonful of marshmallow fluff. Put another graham cracker on top and
squish together.

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Get Creative To Save Money!

The first rule of saving money is to spend less than you make. But, with prices on everything going up and up , it is not easy to do. So it's really important to make wise choices about what you do with your money. You need to be creative when money is tight.
Here are some ideas on how to save money in creative ways:

1. This is an obvious idea -- BUY LESS!! Before you buy anything , think about it long and hard! Do you REALLY need it???

2. Trade your stuff with others. Have a clothing swap party! Use that idea and come up with other type of "SWAP" parties that you could have.

3. Sell the stuff you already have and do not use to make the extra money for that "extra" stuff you want. Have a yard sale, sell it on ebay, or set up at flea markets.

4. Buy , salvage, repair, or re-purpose used stuff. Do not go out and buy new things if you have something that might need repaired. Shop at thrift stores and yard sales.

5. Make your own stuff. Learn how to sew. Bake your own bread, cookies, and cakes. Go to the library and get a book on how to make stuff homemade and do it.

6. Start your own garden!! Veggies taste so much better fresh! Get a rain barrel to catch water to use on your yard and garden.

Use some of these ideas and come up with your own to save money. Have fun with coming up with ways to save money. get the whole family involved.

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Use Your Library

Bored and Low on money?? Go to your local library.
You can get books, movies, music, use computers, and more at the library. It is fun for your children to go to the library and it is a great tool for anyone that is home schooling. I love the library because it is all FREE!( unless you get a late charge!) I get to read all of the latest books. I do research. Whenever I have not had internet service at home , I can go to the library and use the computers there.
The library is a great place for anyone!! Go and check out your local one and have some fun that is FREE!








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Solar Shower

I cannot remember where I got this article from , but it was saved on my computer. A couple of years ago. If anyone knows where this is from please let me know.

ENJOY!



I'm not sure when I decided to construct a solar shower for my family, but I do know that I was inspired by an article in either COUNTRYSIDE or one of the other homesteading magazines. I remember thinking, "What a neat idea," and with five active little boys to clean up every day, I knew that it could be a very practical and money-saving tool, as well as just a nice way to cool off at the end of a hot summer day.

As I researched the subject on the Internet, I soon learned that most of the commercially available solar showers are of the small, five-gallon, camping type designed to be hung in the sun for a few hours. These are simple, convenient, quite expensive, but hardly adequate for a large family. Among do-it-yourselfers, water heater cores painted black seem to be popular as water reservoirs. One imaginative fellow used collected rainwater channeled through long lengths of black polyethylene pipe coiled in the sun (this shower was actually too hot!). I found many inventive examples, but none, I felt, were right for me.


Recycled wood and branches complete the rustic look of this solar shower. Gradually, however, I formed an idea of what I wanted and a set of principles for its construction. I wanted my solar shower to be totally unique (to my knowledge). I wanted it to be very rustic, with the appearance that it "had been there forever." I wanted it to have great capacity, because five dirty, sweaty kids use a lot of water at the end of a hot summer day. And finally, I wanted to use only materials that were available to me on the farm (zero expense).

This last rule was the most difficult to stick to, but perhaps the most important. As the prices of everything continue to rise, I find myself almost unconsciously looking for low-cost alternative ways of doing things. We have switched to wood heat, we rarely use our clothes dryer anymore, and I have been accumulating a pile of hardwood trees and branches for potential future use in construction projects. The solar shower idea was my own little personal challenge-could I build something unique and useful just by recycling items that I already had gathering dust in my barns and by using some of the natural resources of my property? Well, I came close to pulling it off.


Locking nuts, washers and two pieces of rubber from an old inner tube prevents water from leaking out of the bottom of the garbage cans. The rustic frame of my shower is made from treated landscape timbers that spent many years as a child's sandbox. Likewise, the treated 4 x 4s that I used as floor and upper deck joists worked in our orchard for 20 years supporting two long rows of Concord grapes. The wood is remarkably sturdy considering how long it has been exposed to the elements, but it is just that exposure that gives the finished shower its instantly aged, weathered look. Enhancing that look are the gnarly branches taken from trees in our yard and orchard, and used as cross braces.

For hardware, I scrounged through the barn until I found eight 3/4 x 10" bolts to fasten the frame. I assembled the rest of the structure with an assortment of galvanized screws and nails. (In other words, whatever I could find.) Obviously, I chose to flare out the legs in two directions for stability because of the high center of gravity (most of the weight on top). I have done a lot of building over the past 16 years, but I assure you, no advanced construction techniques were utilized in this little project. Tools required: hammer, screwdriver, drill, two wrenches, a level, an adjustable bevel, and some scrap wood to prop up the frame while I leveled and braced it. I don't think I even used a tape measure. My main concern was getting the angles of the flared legs reasonably similar and the top fairly level. Aside from that, I built the thing mostly by eye, right where it stands next to the garden.

The water supply required a bit of creative thinking because I wanted a large reservoir that would be easy to fill. And open container was out of the question because of debris and insects, but a sealed container would not work, because, in this type of unpressurized system, air has to flow in to replace the water that flows out. As I searched the barns once again, the only items that satisfied all the criteria were two seldom-used, rustproof metal garbage cans. They hold a lot of water, and the lids keep out foreign material while allowing for plenty of airflow.

The next problem was how to deliver the water (remember my self-imposed rule-only what is available on the farm). Fortunately, years of plumbing projects have netted me quite a collection of spare parts. A simple 3/4" CPVC threaded adaptor, two locking nuts, two large washers, and two pieces of rubber cut from an old inner tube brought the water from the bottom of each can without leaks. The only usable showerhead I would find was an old metal watering can, but since I had no plumbing fittings that it would adapt to, I decided to hang the entire can horizontally from two small branches. I routed the tubing down from the garbage cans, through a simple valve, and right into the water can. It works perfectly, believe it or not, and the rustic "hillbilly" appearance is just priceless.

In the end, for the floor, I was forced to throw up my hands and buy treated deck boards from the lumber yard, but I mollified this violation of my construction principles by purchasing a package of culled decking and other assorted treated wood for pennies on the dollar. That's a good tip for those of you who don't mind working with imperfect lumber. The big box home centers in this area, especially Lowes, don't seem to like messing with damaged, twisted, etc., lumber. They regularly pull it out of their racks and offer it for sale in assorted lots. In my experience, if you make them an offer, they will practically give it to you rather than let it sit around very long. The 12'-16' deck boards that I bought were badly warped, but cut into shorter lengths, they are more than adequate for my purposes.

The shower has a capacity of 50-plus gallons and will provide full flow for about 20 minutes-plenty of time for us to clean up every night. I am still experimenting with temperature regulation, however. I currently have one can painted black, and yes, there is a noticeable difference in temperature between the cans after a sunny day. I will probably paint the other can as well. I have no detailed readings to report, but in general, if the outside temperature is 90°F or higher, the water is very warm-indistinguishable from an indoor shower. At 80°F, it is very comfortable, but cool enough to be refreshing. With temperatures in the 70s, it is like jumping into an unheated swimming pool, but you get used to it. When the outdoor temperature is in the 60s or lower, well, that separates the men from the boys, but not around here, because the boys have to shower outside with me regardless of the temperature. (Insert evil laughter here.)

The great thing about a project like this is that it never really has to be finished; there are always additions and modifications that can be made. For example, my wife, Stephanie (the solar rebel) refuses to use it for a "real" shower because it still has no curtain (the boys and I wear bathing suits). So next on the agenda will be finding some nice straight apple suckers to nail up around the inside for curtain rods. I currently fill the cans from the top, but one of these days I intend to run flexible tubing down from the top to a hose adaptor at the bottom to make refilling a snap. A soap and shampoo holder fashioned from branches is also on the list, along with a small tree, mounted vertically, with stubbed off branches for use as a clothes and towel rack. I might even get around to building removable mini-greenhouse boxes for each can to warm the water even more and extend the season earlier into the spring and later into the fall. Imagination is the only limitation.

I'm very proud of my solar shower, simple as it is, probably because there is no better feeling than conceiving of a unique, practical, money-saving idea and then having the freedom and ability to build, use and enjoy it with your family. In a way, that is what country life is really all about.


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$5.00 Dinners!!

5Dollar Dinners is an awesome website that is chock full of recipes for low cost meals. It was even featured on Rachael Ray!! I just love this site and I still have not looked through it all. I love the low cost meals that are on this website. With my husband laid-off , any time we can save money is a great time!!






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Make Your Own Bit-O-Honey Candy

Here is a great way to save some money and have fun with the kids. Make your own candy!!!

Bit-O-Honey Candy

1 cup honey
1 cup chunky peanut butter
2 cups dry powdred milk

Melt honey and peanut butter together in microwave. Add dry
powdered milk and knead well. Roll out on wax paper. Cut in strips
and roll into pillows. Wrap in wax paper to store.



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What is your best Preparedness Tip??

I want to hear from all of you. What is your best tip for being self sufficient, prepared, and self reliant?? Share with everyone what you do to save money and what you do to be prepared. I want to hear it all. You can email me at indywahm @ netzero dot com or post in the comments. I will make posts over the next several weeks sharing all of your tips ( and if you have a blog or website make sure you give me that link so I can share it, also!!)

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The Solar Cooking Archive

I just had to share this website with all of my readers. The Solar Cooking Archive is stuffed full of information about solar cooking. You can find out how to make your own solar cooker, news about them, recipes, and more.


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3 Reasons You Need Bleach in Your Disaster Kit

When you build a home disaster kit, or as some call it, a survival kit, the most important item to have besides a first aid kit is bleach. Not scented bleach but regular common bleach. You will discover that bleach not only cleans, it sanitizes, and purifies water.

Here we discuss three ways to use bleach in an emergency situation.

#1 Use Chlorine Bleach to Purify Water

When you are thirsty and the water supply has been interrupted, will you know what to do? If you have bleach handy, you can purify your own water.

You can use plain common bleach to eliminate most bacterial contaminates. The general rule is 8 drops of chlorine bleach (must be common bleach, not scented, not color safe) per gallon of water.


You can look this up on the Internet via a specific product label. I know one major label of bleach has a chart for purifying water.
Of course, you will want to print up the chart, either laminate it or place it in a sheet protector, and store in your safety kit.

Additionally, make sure you tape an eyedropper to your emergency bottle of bleach for easy use.

#2 Use Bleach as a Sanitizer

During storms, floods and other kinds of disasters, some raw foods and food surfaces may be contaminated. Bleach used in the correct proportions will make a good sanitizer.


Once again, using only regular chlorine bleach is essential. Again, you can look up the brand of bleach you bought for specific ratios to print up and store.
Using common test strips for swimming pools and spas will be helpful in determining proper ratios. Add a test kit to your disaster kit.

#3 Use Bleach as a Cleaner

Everyone knows that bleach is good for removing stains from clothes. Well, bleach is good for cleaning up messes made by floods and some other disasters.


Using bleach as a cleaner for cleaning up flood damage and water damages caused by rain will help you get your house back in order and sanitized. This is essential to cleaning up unknown bacteria that may have been swept into your home by floodwaters.
Once again, you can visit the bleach's website to print up and store proper cleaning solutions.
Over time, bleach will lose its potency. Therefore, every two to three month use your emergency bleach for your home and buy a new bottle of emergency bleach.

A bottle of bleach and a little expertise will help you survive many natural disasters.

Robert enjoys many business ventures and sharing his passion with others. As a businessman, he always has new projects going. Visit his latest adventure at http://officefurnitureforthehome.net/ where he shares his knowledge of Discount Home Office Furniture


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How to Eat During a Natural Disaster

When disaster hits, most people aren't ready. Most people think that food will be plentiful and all the stores will be open. That isn't the case in most natural disasters. People who don't prepare will suffer. People who plan will prosper. Planning ahead is the answer.

Food is Essential

Food is an essential that most people take for granted. If a storm hits, the stores will close. Do you have enough food in your house to feed the family for two to three weeks? Three weeks is generally how long people usually have to cope with in a disaster.

The Bare Minimum

The best way to be prepared is to build a home survival cache of food. You should have enough food to feed your family for at least one month. You will need ways of preparing the food as well. In most disasters, electricity will be curtailed, therefore:


Foods that require refrigeration and fresh foods will spoil before the month is out.
Pre-Packaged Ready-to-Eat Food

You might consider looking on the Internet to buy a food preparation kit for you family. This is the easy out, but it will be costly. If you haven't eaten MRE's (meals ready to eat), you might try them first. You might not like the food and things will be bad enough without putting up with food you don't like. Some taste better than others so:


Consider sampling them before you commit to buying large quantities.
Dried and Canned Food

The best thing is to buy the foods you like that are canned and dried. These foods last a long time and will make your time struggling through the disaster tolerable. If you are use to these foods, eating won't be a chore. Remember to cover the basic food groups to cover all of your needs.


Freeze dried foods and dehydrated pastas, as well as beans will help you vary your diet and make food more desirable.
Storing the Food

When it comes to storage of these foods, it is best to purchase or build a waterproof container or containers for storage. In the case of flooding, food will not do you any good if it is ruined. Dehydrated, condensed and freeze dried food will all ruin when it comes into contact with water.


There are many ways to store your food supply if you do your homework and plan.
Cooking the Food

As far as preparation goes, you will need a way to cook your food. You do not want to eat raw foods for a month. Therefore, a camping stove that accepts multiple types of fuel is best. That is where camping comes in. People who camp regularly will be ahead of the game. If you aren't a camper, it will be best to practice cooking on your camping equipment. If you have to use it in an emergency, you will be ready.


Check with your sporting goods store as to how much fuel and what kinds are best for extended cooking needs.

Robert enjoys many business ventures and sharing his passion with others. As a businessman, he always has new projects going. Visit his latest business venture at http://womensworkoutclothes.org/ where he has compiled reviews on Plus Size Workout Clothes.

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Family Survival Essentials to Help Get Off the Grid

How reliant are you on the products and services of others? We rely so heavily on the system that if the system went away many would be lost and desperate. We all use electricity and buy our food from the supermarket but if there was a major power outage and the supermarkets closed would you be prepared with a cache of survival items? Have you been watching the economy and our government lately? Look at what is going on in other countries; we are not that far away from similar events.

Supply lines for food distribution in this country are about three days, meaning a dependence on "just in time" distribution systems, which will leave store shelves empty in the event of even the smallest crisis. If you don't have the ability to grow your own food long term, your life could be in danger. Start by planting a garden to grow your own food it can be fun and rewarding as well. Learn about home canning to increase your survival food storage bank. For a small investment you will end up saving over time as the jars are reusable and this will get you started in getting off of the food grid. Find seeds that are authentic strains which are NOT genetically modified in any way. When the going gets really tough you will only want this special type of seed which will produce not only outstanding nutritional plants but will allow you to plant the seeds from the plants you grow unlike sterile hybrids that will not reproduce. Start your survival seed bank now!

Electricity is a little harder problem to overcome the avenue that I have chosen to overcome this problem is solar panels. They are expensive so I add one at a time to the roof when I can afford a new one and hope to eventually get enough to stop my meter or run it backwards. If you Google solar panels you will find a wealth of information about how they work. I chose this method over generators as I will eventually run out of fuel, they are noisy and you have to run them outside alerting your neighbors or other prying ears you do not want. Wind energy is not an option for me in my suburban setting however you may want to look into that as well. The first unit I recommend is a portable unit that does not hook into your home. It has its own battery pack in a self contained unit with one or two panels outside that you can position. This way I can power the basement refrigerator getting it of the grid and keep the unit charged while it pays for itself.

By using these tips you gain some independence from these systems, and start saving money on electric and grocery bills. In this economy it will only benefit you and if there is a disaster or heaven forbid the economy collapses you will be better prepared with these family survival essentials. You can find more information about these survival products by going to my web page (link in author resource box).

With all of the severe weather events seemingly on the increase I have been stocking some canned goods for an emergency. Last year when the wind storm from the hurricane came through my house was without power for two weeks. After this I began looking for ways to better prepare for my family and found a lot of good advice and products. Unfortunately I cannot share them all in this short article however you may find more information in my web page Family Survival Essentials.

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Preparedness BookStore

i finally got done with my new Prepared For Survival Store!! It took me a while to add the items and I still have some more to add. It has books , tools, solar powered items, and more. Anything that someone preparing for survival would need.

If there is something that you think that my store should have please comment on it.

Thank you for checking it out.


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Survival Foods - 3 Options You Have to Prepare For Emergency

In times of distress, natural disaster or even terrorist attacks, survival foods are one of the most important things to have on hand.

Having enough food to eat will help you and your family survive most emergency situations. Survival foods can also help you in case of a job loss or in the case of an illness or pandemic where you don't want to leave your home.

Most people today are taking steps to make sure they have a supply of survival foods on hand. What are your options? Here are 3 different types of survival food to consider with advantages and disadvantages of each:

#1 Can or Preserve your Own Food

If you are the Martha Stewart type, have hours of free time, or have nothing better to do on the weekend, then canning or preserving your own food might be for you.

The advantage to this option is that you can choose what kinds of foods to have on hand and preferably choose something you'd actually enjoy eating. You might also save a bit of money doing it this way as well.

The disadvantage is of course time. If you're like most people, you don't have much free time after work and the thought of preserving food all weekend doesn't excite you.

Plus you have to be aware of the shelf life of this food - probably around 1 - 2 years at best. So you'll have to make sure you eat your preserved food and add in some more newer foods as time goes by.

#2 Dehydrated Foods

You can dehydrate your own foods with a food dehydrator. This option gives you a little more variety and again, you get to choose foods that you like to eat.

Many of the higher end food dehydrators have timers so you can "set and forget", which make things a little easier. I consider dehydrated foods more of a short term food storage item, as you should (according to some sources) consume them within 1 year of making them.

Experts also recommend that any dehydrated meats be placed in a freezer to help them from spoiling.

You may also need to place your newly dehydrated foods in the freezer right after dehydration for a few days to help reduce the possibility of insect contamination.

Again the two issues you may have with dehydrating food is preparation time - which can be long, and shelf life - which can be quite short.

#3 Freeze Dried Foods

You can also buy prepackaged freeze dried food that is easy to stack and store.

Freeze dried meals that are easy to prepare are one of your best options for survival foods. Most meals only require you to add water - which in an emergency situation might be all you have.

Plus in a true emergency if you have young children, the simpler the meal is to make, the better. You can ask them to help (this will also keep them distracted from the problems outside).

And contrary to how the name sounds freeze dried foods can taste remarkably good. Some companies have made their freeze dried foods almost to gourmet levels.

For example you can get Chicken a la King, Italian wedding soup with meatballs, vegetable stew with beef, and even blueberry pancakes.

Plus unlike the two options above, some freeze dried survival foods have a shelf life of 25+ years (depending on storage temperature). So as a long term food storage option they fit the bill.

Basically all you do is store them in a cool dry spot, and inspect them on a regular basis.

So those are 3 options for having survival foods on hand in case of emergency. No matter how you choose to prepare yourself, it's important that you do take some steps to have food on hand should you be stranded in your home and/or unable to find food.

Being properly prepared can mean the difference between barely surviving and thriving should the worst happen.

Want more options? See Survival Foods for more suggestions and tips on emergency preparedness.

Or visit Food Insurance for freeze dried foods with a 25 year shelf life.


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Survival Preparedness - Practice May Save Your Life

A Survival Story

This story is just a product of my own imagination, but my hope is it may be food for thought for at least a few people. The setting is a rural farm in Kansas. Miles from any neighbor or town. John and Mary Smith and three children. Sally, age 7, Billy, age 5, and Kathy, age 3.

They have always relied on their own strength and determination to see them through. Emergency preparedness supplies had never seemed necessary. Like the pioneers they were descended from, they took care of their own. No need for fancy survival kits, or survival tools. They had seen many tornadoes, and their farm had always been spared.

But then one day in early spring, a monster tornado came crashing through, headed straight for their farm. They ran for the cellar, where they had always been safe before. This was their only survival preparedness plan, except for a few home canned foods, and a gallon or two of water.

As they huddled there, listening to the screaming, roaring, destruction above them, terrible fear on their faces, they lost their generator. Their only source of power was now gone. There in the dark they waited. Something heavy crashed on the door above them. The children screamed in terror.

At last the horrific noise outside was gone. John attempted to open the door. It was jammed tight!
Reality struck him like a ton of bricks. Their meager disaster preparedness supplies may not be enough. They had not one survival tool, very few survival supplies. They were trapped in their own cellar. They had no other family near by, or even close friends.

My point here is, we must all practice survival preparedness. This scenario is fictional. But could easily be true. Our world is in turmoil. A simple inexpensive survival kit could save your life. The proper survival tool might get you out of an otherwise hopeless situation. Emergency preparedness supplies, such as food, radios, water purifiers, etc, may keep you and you family safe until help arrives.

We are all busy. Making a living, taking care of our families. But take a minute and think. Its happening all around us, every day. Terrible things that could have a positive outcome. Spend a little time and thought to insure your families safety. Expect the unexpected, always, and be prepared for it.

My name is Sharon Rowe. I am hoping I can convince a lot of people to practice disaster survival preparedness. The terrible earthquakes, monster storms, terrorism, and even just getting lost on back roads can be devastating, and life threatening. These are some of the reasons we built our web site. We truly want to help. http://www.lifelinesurvivalkits.com


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4 Ways to Start a Fire Without Matches Or a Lighter

Starting a fire is essential to your survival, without a fire you can't keep yourself warm, you can't cook or boil water, and you cant dry out clothes and shoes that are soaked. Having a fire is also a way to boost morale especially after a catastrophic event such as the collapse of civilization. Remember before starting a fire with any of these methods it's important to have all the available materials available. You want your logs, kindling and smaller twigs and paper beside the fire so it's easy to grab once your fire starts, you might only have one shot at doing this. You may also need to create something called a "bird's nest", simply put this is a gather of dry grass, leaves, or whatever material you can find that burns very easily and can be bundled together to look like a nest, hence the name.

Magnifying glass

One way to get a fire going is with a magnifying glass. I recommend using a smaller one as this will take up less space when travelling, and many of the smaller versions come with their own protective cases built in to protect the lens from scratches. To use a magnifying glass to start a fire, first build your bird's nest using dry grass, paper, whatever you can find. Then placing the bird's nest on the ground align your magnifying glass to the sun. The glass will concentrate the sun's rays into a much smaller focal point causing that area to heat up very quickly. Once you see smoke starting gently blow on the bird's nest until you see fire, then start adding you're kindling on top

Steel wool and a battery

One of the easiest ways to start a fire is with a 9 volt battery and steel wooI.'ve used different brands of steel wool such as S.O.S pads, but the generic brand I found works the best because it doesn't have the added cleaning agent in it. To do this simply take a piece of steel wool and start opening it up, the goal is to turn it into a bowl like shape. Once this is done fill that bowl with easily burnable material such as dry grass, leaves, paper etc. Now taking the 9 volt battery touch the top end of the battery (The end with the positive and negative ends) to the steel wool. Very quickly the wool will catch on fire, allow a couple seconds for the fire to spread and start to burn the dry kindling before you add more.

Magnesium fire starter

If you're using a magnesium fire starter you don't need to necessarily make a bird's nest, but there are a couple extra things to consider when using one. First find a flat piece of cardboard, bark, or other easily burnable material, this is what you will use to place your filings on, don't just have the filings fall into the dirt because they will get buried in there and become ineffective. Using a saw blade or file not a knife blade (This will quickly dull your knife unless you have no other choice) starts shaving the flat side of the fire starter. Make sure to avoid injury that the saw blade is moving away from your fingers not towards it. Continue this motion until you have a pile of filings a little larger then a quarter (Loonie if you're Canadian), of course you can also go a little bigger if you feel that isn't large enough. Remember to keep those filings together, what your essentially doing with them is creating kindling, magnesium burns very hot and fast (About 5000 degrees), and keeping them together will allow them to burn longer.'t strike the flint. The filings will go up very quickly so remember to have your kindling very close by. Once its lit start adding your kindling, don't heap it on top all at once but add a piece at a time allowing the fire to start burning each piece. Throwing everything on all at once is a good way to kill your fire before it has a chance to catch.

Pop Can Or Beer Can

In the post apocalypse world discarded pop or beer cans should be very easy to find. To use this you're going to need a can, something to polish the bottom of the can with, a small piece of flammable material such as paper or cloth, and a roach clip or small object to hold the paper or cloth such as a small twig. First you need to polish the bottom of the can, it's important that it's not scratched as this will act as a mirror to collect the sun's heat. One way to polish it is to use tooth paste and some toilet paper since neither one is abrasive enough to really scratch up the can. After polishing the can for about 45 minutes to an hour you then want to align the can so that the sun's rays are running parallel and will allow it to collect heat. To ensure its parallel you want the shadow of the can to be as small as possible, the smaller the more in line to the suns rays it will be.

Once your can is aligned you want to find the focal point, or where the sun's rays will be most concentrated on the can, you can check this by moving your finger a couple of inches above the can until you find the hottest point. Then take your flammable material (paper, cloth, etc) place it on your twig or small stick and position it at the focal point, remember that you want the twig, roach clip or whatever you decide to use as small as possible to reduce the amount of shadow cast onto the can, obviously the more shadow means the less heat will be collected. If this is done right your flammable object should start to smoke fairly quickly, once it does place it into your bird's nest (Which you should have made already) and gently blow until it catches fire.

An important note to remember when using the sun as you're source to start a fire is to always use protective eyewear. The last thing you want to have happen in the post apocalypse is to permanently damage your eyes.

To learn more about post apocalypse survival check out my website The Razors Edge a post apocalypse survival guide for additional information and tips to you prepare.

A little about me

I am a former Canadian Forces soldier who has served the military honourably for 7 years. My website http://www.therazors-edge.com is a collection of that military experience mixed with my fascination for the apocalypse and end of the world related topics. I wanted to create a practical real life guide that can help you survive if our civilization collapses.

11 Must Have Items For Your Bug Out Bag

First you're probably wondering just what exactly a "Bug Out Bag" is. This is a military term used to describe to gear a soldier keeps packed and ready at all times. In the event that soldier needs to be rapidly deployed the soldiers kit is pre packed and ready to go. While this usually refers to all of a soldiers kit, you only need one bag. This bag will contain only essential items to keep you alive.

Depending on your location and the time of year will determine what exactly you will have in your bug out bag. Despite this there is some kit that is essential and should be in everyone's kit. Here are 11 items every bug out bag should include.

1. First Aid Kit

Of all items this is your most important, remember in the event of a collapse or natural disaster you have to rely on yourself, there won't be any 9-11 service, no paramedics, and no clean hospital beds if you are injured. Make sure your first aid kit whatever type has a few pocket CPR masks. These masks will keep you from getting an infectious disease or from having to eat a casualties vomit.

2. Flashlight

I recommend using a flashlight that doesn't require batteries such as a wind up with LED lights. I keep two in my bug out bag in case one is lost or breaks. Some models also have the ability to be used as a charger for items like cell phones, radio's or even iPod's. Another option is getting a head lamp which will allow you to go hands free. While these use batteries they tend to have longer battery life then their hand held counterparts.

3. Radio

Having a radio provides two things, information to the outside world, to safe zones or evacuation centers, and a distraction. While I don't recommend blasting music where ever you go (If there are any radio stations left that are playing music) as this can give away your position to others. Like flashlights try to find one that doesn't require batteries.

4. Knife and Multi-tool

Both are excellent choices and I recommend having both. For a knife you don't require a massive blade, a six inch blade is more then enough to be used as a tool and weapon. For multitools you can go the cheap route and purchase one for as little as 20 bucks, however I recommend spending a little more, say in the 80 to 100 range as these offer better quality which in turn means longer life and more resilient to abuse.

5. Fire Starter

Fire is vital to ones survival, so carry a few different types of fire starters with you. The obvious first choice would be either a lighter or matches which I recommend having several with you. Also carry a couple magnesium fire starters which are excellent at starting fires. Another option is to use steel wool and a battery, simply spread apart the steel wool and rub the top of a battery on it. Make sure that these two items are stored separately, the last thing you want is to have your backpack burst into flames, especially if it's still on your back.

6. Water Purification

In the post apocalypse chances are good that much of the fresh water will be contaminated. Also carrying several days worth of water is heavy, noisy, and unpractical. To keep from becoming sick keep a few bottles of water purification tablets with you and a few clean bottles (Any type will work). Simply add a couple tablets to your water and in about half an hour your water should be safe to drink. It's important to remember that these tablets won't remove all forms of bacteria, virus' or other contaminants.

7. Rope

Rope is necessary for a number of tasks such as building a shelter, climbing, repairing clothing and equipment, and building traps and snares to catch animals. I have three types that I carry in my bug our bag, the first is para-cord an extremely strong and lightweight cord that can be used for everything. The second is nylon cord to be used as general purpose rope such as tying up objects and building shelters with. The third is a heavy duty climbing rope for climbing and to be used as an improvised harness or "Swiss Seat"

8. Foot-powder

In the wasteland your feet will probably be your only form of transportation, you must take care of them. If your feet are injured your mobility is compromised and you become a target.

9. Shelter

I keep two large tarps with my bug out bag, rather then a tent which can only be set up one way and requires multiple parts, a tarp can be rigged up any way you need with the resources you have at hand. Tarps can also be used to collect rain water.

10. Compass

While a GPS (Global Positioning System) is easy to use and can provide your location within a few feet depending on model, they also rely on batteries and satellite's. Batteries will only last so long before needing to be recharged, and even though there are thousands of satellite's in orbit, they will start to breakdown quickly. A compass on the other hand if kept in working condition can provide your location for as long as you need it.

11. Food

Like water food is important to keep yourself going. With food you can go two directions either buy military style or inspired rations or canned food. Both have long shelf life, but canned food has one advantage it has water used to package the food which can be consumed adding extra nourishment. Remember with canned goods to check for air leakage. This can be done by simply pressing on the top of the can. If the can's top is rigid and doesn't move or moves very little it should be fine. If the top can be pushed down a lot then there is a air leak in the can and the food has most likely gone bad.

Like I mentioned earlier these are what I consider must haves for any bug out bag. Your location, budget, and other factors like time of the year will determine what other items you have in your bug out bag. For more ideas of what you can use to make your own bug out bag or to look for supplies for own visit my website The Razors Edge a post apocalypse survival guide. My website also have other tips and information, and videos on the post apocalypse to help you prepare.

A little about me

I am a former Canadian Forces soldier who has served the military honourably for 7 years. My website http://www.therazors-edge.com is a collection of that military experience mixed with my fascination for the apocalypse and end of the world related topics. I wanted to create a practical real life guide that can help you survive if our civilization collapses.

Selecting Foods For Disaster Survival

Choosing and storing foods for disaster survival is critical because of the possibility of being stranded with no way to purchase needed supplies for days on end. There are prepackaged survival food kits available, but with a little thought you can have everyday favorites on hand to add variety to meals. This will help raise everyone's spirits as well. As you stock up on foods take into consideration anyone in the family who has special dietary needs.

Water is your first priority. It is recommended that there be a one week supply of food and water. Allow about one gallon of water per person per day for tooth brushing, washing up and cooking. You will need about 28 gallons for a family of four. Store your water in sturdy containers, preferably glass, rotating and using it regularly so that it remains fresh.

Milk is an important item to include. Even though the electricity may be out, you will find milk in new types of cartons that need no refrigeration and has a long shelf life. As you gather your disaster survival foods note the expiration dates and use and replace the items regularly to keep them fresh. The milk can be used for cooking and for cereals, which are vitamin fortified to provide extra nourishment. Powdered milk is OK, but it uses some of your precious store of water.

Make a list so you can include your favorite canned fruits and vegetables. Pick a variety of colorful and sweet fruits like peaches, pears and mandarin oranges to satisfy the need for something sweet. Staple vegetables like green beans (even spicy pinto beans), peas, potatoes contain vitamins necessary to keep up everyone's strength. Canned items can be eaten cold if there is no stove available and no way to start a fire. Soups are important and canned meats, tuna, beef stew will all round out the menus you can create. Some foods that are too high in calories or fat for everyday use are good for short term survival situations because they supply extra energy and feel wonderfully decadent in trying times.

Snacks are important disaster survival foods that help to keep up spirits between meals. Select some junk snacks, potato chips, pretzels, nuts and dried foods and trail mix that all store well. The vitamin fortified cereals work as a snack and are also good for you. Be sure and include salt and pepper and small amounts of your favorite spices to dress up meals. Dried articles such as pasta, beans or rice should be used sparingly because they all take large amounts of water to prepare and you need to watch your water supply to make sure you have enough to drink. These items are also available in the canned food section of the grocery store.

Keep a list of your foods for disaster survival, post it on the wall of the storage area and check it often for content and expiration dates. This will keep you content knowing you are prepared for whatever comes.

Edie has many interests and her curiosity leads her to researching them resulting in free lance articles which help others meet their online goals. If you would like to spice up your bedroom look for a vintage duvet cover or a queen size duvet cover to add color and ambiance to the room.
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Family Preparedness is the Key to Urban Survival

Your family needs to be prepared if they are going to survive an urban disaster. The world is not a friendly place anymore. With more than 50% of the population living in urban areas it is more important now than ever before that your family is prepared to cope with disasters.

Water & Foodstuffs

Authorities tell us that a 72 hour bag is all that we need to survive a disaster. They say this with the assumption that within 72 hours emergency relief would be set up to handle a flood of victims. But if we should have learned anything from recent disasters, it is the fact that they may actually need more time.

To be prepared for a natural or man-made disaster, your family needs to have water and foodstuffs safely stored for at least a week, even better would be a month. Remember the panicked people at the Super Bowl after hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans? That picture alone should be enough to make us realize that a 72 hour bag is just not enough.

Potential Disasters

The reason that we are so vulnerable to potential disasters is because so many of us live closely together in packed urban areas. This makes any disaster affect many more people. It is also an inviting target for terrorists who want to be able to kill as many people as possible.

Key To Family Survival

If you want your family and yourself to be able to survive a disaster, you need to be prepared. You need to have a plan for evacuating your area if the need arises and you need to have a plan if the disaster is such that you are safer hunkering down.

You need to be prepared with water, food, and anything else that your family will need. It is too late to go to the grocery store when a disaster hits. Think about the last storm that came your way. Wasn't the grocery store a madhouse as people tried to stock up on food at the last minute?

And what if a disaster hits with no warning? You need to be prepared.

How To Get Prepared

Many people put off getting prepared because they think that it will be a complicated expensive process. This doesn't have to be true. It's like the old kids joke - How do you eat an elephant? - A: One bite at a time.

You can start a step by step plan that will allow you to be prepared in case of an emergency. By taking it one step at a time, you can be better prepared each day.

I have written a easy to follow guide that will show you how you can be better prepared for any emergency. Go to http://www.urbansurvivalhandbook.info to get more information.


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Family Survival Essentials to Help Get Off the Grid

How reliant are you on the products and services of others? We rely so heavily on the system that if the system went away many would be lost and desperate. We all use electricity and buy our food from the supermarket but if there was a major power outage and the supermarkets closed would you be prepared with a cache of survival items? Have you been watching the economy and our government lately? Look at what is going on in other countries; we are not that far away from similar events.

Supply lines for food distribution in this country are about three days, meaning a dependence on "just in time" distribution systems, which will leave store shelves empty in the event of even the smallest crisis. If you don't have the ability to grow your own food long term, your life could be in danger. Start by planting a garden to grow your own food it can be fun and rewarding as well. Learn about home canning to increase your survival food storage bank. For a small investment you will end up saving over time as the jars are reusable and this will get you started in getting off of the food grid. Find seeds that are authentic strains which are NOT genetically modified in any way. When the going gets really tough you will only want this special type of seed which will produce not only outstanding nutritional plants but will allow you to plant the seeds from the plants you grow unlike sterile hybrids that will not reproduce. Start your survival seed bank now!

Electricity is a little harder problem to overcome the avenue that I have chosen to overcome this problem is solar panels. They are expensive so I add one at a time to the roof when I can afford a new one and hope to eventually get enough to stop my meter or run it backwards. If you Google solar panels you will find a wealth of information about how they work. I chose this method over generators as I will eventually run out of fuel, they are noisy and you have to run them outside alerting your neighbors or other prying ears you do not want. Wind energy is not an option for me in my suburban setting however you may want to look into that as well. The first unit I recommend is a portable unit that does not hook into your home. It has its own battery pack in a self contained unit with one or two panels outside that you can position. This way I can power the basement refrigerator getting it of the grid and keep the unit charged while it pays for itself.

By using these tips you gain some independence from these systems, and start saving money on electric and grocery bills. In this economy it will only benefit you and if there is a disaster or heaven forbid the economy collapses you will be better prepared with these family survival essentials. You can find more information about these survival products by going to my web page (link in author resource box).

With all of the severe weather events seemingly on the increase I have been stocking some canned goods for an emergency. Last year when the wind storm from the hurricane came through my house was without power for two weeks. After this I began looking for ways to better prepare for my family and found a lot of good advice and products. Unfortunately I cannot share them all in this short article however you may find more information in my web page Family Survival Essentials.

http://www.squidoo.com/Family_Survival_Essentials/

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The Practical Windowsill Herb Garden

When space is limited you can grow a few herbs in a windowsill herb garden. In pots or boxes that are placed in a window preferably facing south.

In cities all over the world where no garden is available you can see herbs grown in pots and other types of containers placed on the terraces, porches, balconies and windowsills to accommodate the household need for fresh herbs. There are a lot of herbs that can be grown in a windowsill herb garden that cannot be grown outside, and growing then indoors is a very good solution if you have that problem.

If you only grow in a few small pots on the windowsill you cannot expect to have enough to harvest and dry to use in winter, but if you choose to grow the evergreens you will be able to have them fresh almost all year. If you make the effort to find herbs of different varieties with more contrasting colors and choose containers with care, you can have a windowsill herb garden that is just as beautiful but obviously more useful than growing ordinary flowers.

Basil and Marjoram which can be frost sensitive are perfect examples of herbs to grow indoors in a windowsill herb garden.

Pick and prune every day to ensure fresh supply for cooking and also that they won't get too big. It is also recommended to shower them often if you face very dry climate, but don't be afraid to leave them for a few days as these culinary herbs typically are very tough plants.

When it comes to culinary herbs, a container that can hold 1/2 gallon of soil is a minimum, and if you consume more herbs and want to maximize yield, at least 1 gallon containers are to be used.

With bigger containers you can grow a lot more and if space is of concern this is often the best choice as you can actually grow multiple herbs in the same pot, it will carry more nutrients, can hold water longer, and it typically gives much bigger yield per square foot used compared to smaller containers.

By placing a suitable table by the window you can make your garden considerably bigger and it's also a good move if you don't have a windowsill in the desired window. If you can't find one that fits the purpose, you always have the option of having one made. And if you don't have a window that get a lot of sunshine, you can get growing lights to help those plants get the lighting they need. These are some ways you can get a lot more from your garden and will definitely be worth the effort to set it up, because it is no myth that fresh herbs is by far the best tasting and you will have just about an unlimited supply for your cooking, minor ailments or recreational use.

Mitchell L Williams is an herb garden enthusiast. For more great information on herb gardens, visit http://www.homegrown-herbs.com.



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Fire Pit Cooking Tips

The crackling warmth of a campfire evokes a nostalgia which is longed-for in today's hectic world. But many people are discovering that it doesn't take a trek into the woods or a night of roughing it in order to enjoy the experience of a campfire. In fact, the experience of a campfire awaits just outside the backdoor. All it takes is the simple purchase of a fire pit.

These pits have surged in popularity over the last few years and now include all manner of color and design. They are well-suited for every yard, from the most rustic to the extravagantly luxurious. And fire pit devotees use their pits for far more than just aesthetic value. In fact, many owners have turned these pits into an extension of their kitchens. And these kitchen pit enthusiasts are cooking a delicious array of foods.

However, when cooking on a fire pit, keep in mind a few considerations. First, decide what type of fuel you prefer. You should be able to use either wood or charcoal with your firepit. And with the purchase of a grill accessory, you can turn your fire pit into a large grill. With such an accessory, you can grill a wide variety of meats and veggies over the surface of your fire pit.

Of course, the ever popular camp method of foil-cooking can be used with a home pit. Just throw some meat and veggies into a double layer of foil. Fold into a neat packet and crimp the edges securely. Then just lay your foil packet on top of the smoldering coals, and toss a few coals on top. In a quarter of an hour or so, your tasty, pit-cooked meal should be ready.

And sometimes, sticking to the basics is best. Adults and children alike crave the simple joy of roasting weenies and marshmallows over an open flame. So, scour your yard for some long sticks or simply uncoil some metal coat hangers, and have a go at pit-roasting. Don't forget the chocolate to make s'mores!

These cooking ideas are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the versatility that a fire pit offers a home cook. Besides tasty cuisine, your pit will provide you and your family with memories that will last long after the fire burns out.

Geoffrey F. Moore
Fire Pit
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Spring Fever

I really have spring fever and wish this cool weather would end and it would warm up!!I want to start my garden and get out of this house.



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Natural Insect Repellents

It is getting to be that time of year again. Here is a list of some natural repellents. If you have any other tips for insect repellents post in the comments form.

The best oil for repelling insects is Lavender. Variations can be Citronella and Virginian Cedarwood.

Or you could always resort to the very first herbal repellent, chewed TOBACCO!!

Dissolve 1/2 c. or more of baking soda in bath water to soothe skin irritations from sunburn, insect bites, poison ivy, and itchy rashes such as chicken pox or hives.

Make a paste with water and baking soda and rub insect bites to relieve itchiness.

As soon as possible after being bitten, moisten your skin and rub an aspirin tablet right over the bite. This helps control inflammation.

To prevent insect bites and actually repel them, take oral tablets of Thiamine Chloride. This B vitamin repels insects by being excreted through the skin.

To prevent bites, bathe in a very diluted solution of chlorine bleach before going out. Mix two capfuls of bleach in a tub of warm water. Soak in it for 15 minutes. This repellent should last several hours.

Certain bath oils, such as Alpha-Keri and Avon's Skin So Soft have a repellent effect as well.

Soothe insect bites by covering the area immediately with salt.

* * * * * * * * * *
Atlas Cedar repells insects.

Camphor White can be used as an insect repellent.

Cedarwood Virginia can be used in the wardrobe to repel moths.

Citronella is useful as an insect and cat repellent.

Clove could be an effective mosquito repellent.

Geranium repels insects.

Lavender repels insects.

Thyme can ward off rodents and get rid of fleas.

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Become Self Sufficient ~~ Start A Home Based Business!

There are tons of ways to make money at home. I used to make money by making and selling cloth diapers, I have done ebay, I make money writing, Blogging, and with other things online. It is not hard. Some of the stuff online is even free to start! Which is a real winner.

I have a blog where I post work at home ideas. There are a ton of them over on Work at Home Mom Blog. I have had that blog for about 4 years so if you look back through the archives you will find a ton of info. I have been looking back over it myself and am surprised at some of the great money making ideas.

I think that even if you have a "real" job, it is a good idea to have a back up plan for something else so that you will always have money coming in. With this bad economy , I would not start something that is too risky or has a huge start up cost.

Just check out some things and use skills that you already have. If you can sew - try something using that, can you knit, bake, make candles, chop wood, etc etc!!
Use your skills and you should do great!








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Keep FREE Antenna TV

I just seen a tv commercial on my free antenna tv about a Special Interest group that want to stop free antenna tv all together. I cannot believe this. We cut our cable off a few months ago and have been using the new free digital antenna tv and it is working great for us. We get to keep up on our local news, weather, sports, etc. Why in the world would someone want to cut that off??

I found an online petition ,Keep Antenna TV, that we all need to sign. I signed it already and hope that you pass it a long.

USEFUL LINK:

35 Ways to Watch TV without cable

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Back Online

I have been out of the loop for the last few months. I am now back online. It has been a hard few months and hopefully it will get better. All of the holidays and then bad winter weather has kept my hubby's truck driving down to the bare minimum. I cut out all of our bills that were things that we did not really need , like internet, and now things are starting to pick up a bit. I will be writing on this blog again. Download our free toolbar

Fuel for Emergencies....

Different types of fuels are very important when an emergency pops up. You need fuel for cooking, lighting, vehicles. Just make sure to store them all away from children and food.

A gallon of Coleman fuel should last about 40 hours. This is great for lighting.

Kerosene gas for lighting is easy to store and use.

Flashlights are a great light source too, but then you have to worry about batteries. That is why I have a solar powered battery charger and a few hand crank flashlights .

Candles are another great light source and should be stored up for emergency. I have also even learned to make my own candles.

A 2 burner gas camp stove is a great addition for cooking.

Learn how to make an emergecny tin (coffee) can stove. Use parriffin wax soaked tightly wound newspaper for the fuel.

I also have some charcoal stored up and a grill to use for cooking if I need to use it. You can make a lot of stuff on a grill - even bake bread.

Learn how to make newspaper logs for heat. They can replace wood if you need them to in your wood burning stove in an emergecny.