Homeschool Minute - Homemade Water & Landform Tiles

I had seen these water and landform tiles in a catalog and online, but just couldn't bring myself to pay as much as $$40.00 for the set. Like these Sandpaper Land and Water Form Cards. I thought about it for a week, thinking of ways to make some. First, I thought of going to hardware store and getting actual tiles and painting them etc. But, even that would cost too much for us. Thought some more. Was at Dollar Tree and it came to me...get some foam poster board, sandpaper, and poster paint.  Total cost was $5.00!!!!!

Frugal homeschooling!


I first cut the foam board into 10x10 squares getting 6 squares out of each foam board. I had printed some water and landform cards from pinterest, either Montessori Now or another one, and used that as idea of how to cut the sandpaper. Sandpaper being the land. Glued it on the tile, then painted the water with the blue paint. I left room at the bottom for writing what it is, like gulf, island, etc.


Great learning tool that didn't cost an arm and a leg. Little Man loves them. Has been looking, learning, and playing with them all day. Even got his small boats out to push them around in the "water".

Food Storage Recipe - Hamburger Rice Hot Dish

A simple recipe for a quick meal. Serve with a salad? Or some bread?

Need:

1 pound ground beef

1 can condensed cream of chicken or mushroom soup

1 cup water

1 cup uncooked instant rice

Brown the beef and drain it. Put back in skillet and add remaining ingredients. Stir to mix well in a casserole dish. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for about an hour. Serve.

Cooking with a Lamp

 

This is something that surprisingly works great. 

Make a tripod to hang your small cooking pots from that is measured to where the pot is within about a half inch of the top of the lamp. This will ensure that the heat from the lit lamp will go right to the pot. You can easily make one out of wood - making 3 legs and a wooden center to put the hook on for hanging the pot. 

You can quickly boil water, make coffee, warm up canned food, etc. Great way to have warm food when you have no power. You can find these lamps at thrift stores and yard sales all of the time. Great investment. I think , right now, that I have 12 of them! I buy them when ever I see them. LOL I am a kerosene lamp hoarder and I am not embarrassed by it. You can never have enough.  

Food Storage Recipe - Depression Meat Loaf

Great depression era recipe.  Awesome to make a meat loaf with so few ingredients. We probably should dig out all of those depression era recipes these days.  My grandma used hers daily. She lived thru the depression. She could make gravy out of anything. 

Need:

Half cup evaporated milk

2 slices bread

1/4 cup chopped onion

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 pound lean ground beef

In a large bowl pour the milk over the bread and let it sit until all of the milk is absorbed.  Add the onion, salt, and pepper. Stir it together with a fork until the bread is nice and fluffy.  Mix in the ground beef.  In a baking dish, shape it into a loaf - about 7 inches by 3 inches,  and about 2 inches thick. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour or until the middle is no longer pink.

Food Storage Recipe - Pasta Sauce

Quick pasta sauce to make.

Need:

1 medium onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, & oregano

1 can tomato paste

1 cup water

Dice and cook onion in oil until tender. Add everything else listed and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and let simmer about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Serve over pasta.

Have Personal Cleaning items On Hand.

 

I was sent some items that I really think would be great for anyone to have on hand. I used them all for a few days and now want to share how I feel about them. The first thing I tried was cleansing foam by Medline. I really loved how it cleaned and left my hands feeling soft. That is a plus this time of year. Most soaps that I use leave my hands feeling very dry. This didn't. 

The Medline nourishing moisturizer is also another item that I would recommend to anyone.Now greasy feel and it is made with natural emollients. It left my skin feeling super soft. My Little Man kept asking to feel my hands after I used this. I used it on his back after he took his bath and he didn't complain about itching at all. He gets really super dry skin all fall and winter. I have tried everything. This really helped him a lot. The not having a yucky residue was another plus when using it on him.

I used the Medline hydrating moisturizer on myself and I was really surprised how something that light feeling could really make the dryness go away. I love it. I used it on my face and neck and it had no greasy, heavy residue. All natural ingredients! This is one that I will continue to use.

The last item that I tried out was the Medline flushable wipes. These can come in handy for any time. Great for when need to feel that extra clean and they are flushable. The fibers break down quickly when flushed, yet are still strong in use. Wipes are premoistened with rinsefree formula that cleans, moisturizes and soothes the skin. Formula is pH balanced, hypoallergenic and alcohol free.

 I get a lot of my office supplies at Shoplet and they have a lot of  office stationary and promotional products including promotional shirts. They also have a lot of other useful items that you can get for the home. Like the Medline items that I was able to review.

Food Storage Recipe - Soup In A Hurry

Quick soup for a cool day. Serve it up with a sandwich or cornbread.

Need:

2 pounds ground beef , brown it and drain well

2 cans of condensed minestrone soup, undiluted

2 cans chili beans with gravy

1 can stewed tomatoes

Half cup of mild picante sauce

In a large pot mix all of the ingredients. Stir it up to mix it well and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. Serve.

Food Storage Recipe - Potato Noodles

I was given this recipe by a neighbor and it is really easy, frugal, and good.  I used a kind of gravy over ours that had mushrooms in it.

1 pound potatoes, diced

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 beaten egg

1 tablespoon milk

Salt and pepper

Boil the diced potatoes until they are cooked through.  Drain them well. Mash them up until they are smooth and then beat in the flour, egg, and milk.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Mix together to a stiff paste.

Lightly flour a flat surface. Roll out the paste to form a thin sausage roll shape.  Cut it into 1 inch lengths.  Drop the dough pieces into a pot of boiling water and cook a few minutes in it. They will float to the top when cooked. 

Very essy to make.  A great way to make a frugal meal.

Clothes Dryer - Save Money By Not Using Dryer!

I finally moved my shelf/clothes dryer into the kitchen. Much better place for it. In the utility room there wasn't much heat blowing around and stuff didn't dry good. Now it is where the heat from oven, kerosene heater, and vent (if its on) are giving it heat to dry quicker. Great shelf/clothes dryer combo I got at thrift store a while ago for a couple of dollars. Laundry Drying Rack is a great looking one that I found on Amazon. Would be a great gift for someone that is wanting to save some money. I plan on hanging my towels on this to dry so I am not using my dryer so much. Whenever I have a load of towels it takes forever , so I usually hang them outside on my Umbrella-Style Clothes Dryer, but with it getting colder I am wanting something for inside. So not using the dryer constantly. Could even use this for t-shirts and stuff.

Homeschool Minute - Little Man Has Been Sick

Poor little man was sick all week with a very bad cold that we now all have. Awful cold that we have no idea where it came from. But, I was down with it yesterday, but little man was feeling a lot better. Still has cough. So, since we are all under the weather we just cuddled up on couch and watched a couple of the land before time movies. Then he was wanting to do something , so I poured out a bag of colored craft sand in a wooden tray and he played with his dinosaurs in it. He even got creative and got rocks and toy trees. He had fun and didn't wear his self out. Hope we all feel better soon!

Kerosene Heaters - A Cost-Effective Alternative to Electric Heating

 

Kerosene heaters are viewed by most as an archaic, outdated method of heating. But in reality, kerosene is a very cost effective, easy to use source of heat. While most of us picture the ancient glass lamp when we think of kerosene heaters, there are many modern, high efficiency kerosene based heating systems on the market today.
With impressive BTU production, these units are powerful enough to warm a very large living area at a reasonable cost. While many people enjoy the ease of electrical space heaters, the biggest flaw with these units is the very high cost of operation. With electrical bills skyrocketing in recent years, it's a viable option to explore kerosene as an alternative.
Kerosene can be stored for many years, and, contrary to what some might think, it's no more dangerous to store than any of the chemicals that are already kept in your household. Kerosene heaters, in fact, can be considered much safer than gas heating systems. With a gas heating system, even a small gas leak can be catastrophic. Something as simple as a pilot light going out can lead to an entire home filling with gas. In addition to the risk of combustion and fire, these fumes are very hazardous for family members who may be unknowingly breathing them in.
Another wonderful advantage of kerosene heating is the portability. Do you have a garage or workshop that's constantly ice cold in the winter? Having additional duct work run to this area can cost an arm and a leg, and to make matters worse, you're then stealing away valuable heating BTU's from the main living areas of your home. For households with an freestanding structure that's not directly attached to the home, this isn't even an option.
With a kerosene heater, it's as simple as filling it and turning it on. You can use it as needed. Once a day, once a week, or once a month, with kerosene, you pay only for what you use. Kerosene heaters are great for camping trips or outdoor activities as well. There are no wires, no power outlets, no gas lines, and no pilot lights to deal with. Simply set it down and turn it on, and you're enjoying comfortable, efficient heating immediately. An old fashioned kerosene heater can be a great conversation piece as well.
Nothing is more relaxing than enjoying a good book during the winter months in a comfortable chair beside an old fashioned kerosene flame. With constantly escalating electricity and gas bills, it's no surprise that people across the world are searching for alternative forms of energy. With the flexibility to heat only a portion of your home, it may be worth investing in a kerosene heater. Why turn on an entire central air unit and heat up the entire home when you're only using one room? Try out a kerosene heater and enjoy the savings that many people have known about for years!

Sarah writes about ways to save money on heating and cooling bills. Among Sarah's most recent work is an extensive write-up on the topic of portable kerosene heaters and how to effectively and safely use your heater in a kerosene heater safety guide.

Food Drying vol. 1: How to Dry Fruit - FREE Kindle Book

Food Drying vol. 1: How to Dry Fruit was a free Kindle book when this post was written.

Are you looking to learn how to safely store and dry fruit?

Food Drying vol. 1: How to Dry Fruit covers exactly that, giving detailed information on how to prepare and dry more than 35 different types of fruit. From popular dried fruits like apricots, bananas, prunes and raisins to surprise entries like watermelon and cantaloupe, this handy food dehydration guide has you covered.

The following topics are covered in this fruit drying guide:

• Why you should learn how to dry fruit and how fruit drying can save you money.
• What happens to fruit as it dries.
• The nutrients that are lost during drying and what you can do minimize loss.
• 10 different ways to pretreat fruit to prevent enzymatic browning.
• How to dry fruit using the oven, the power of the sun and a dedicated dehydrator.
• Conditioning and pasteurizing dried fruit after drying is complete.
• How to safely store dried fruit to ensure it lasts as long as possible.

Here's a sampling of the fruits that are covered in-depth in this book:

• Apples.
• Apricots.
• Bananas.
• Bilberries.
• Blackberries.
• Citrus fruits.
• Blueberries.
• Cantaloupe.
• Cherries.
• Coconut.
• Dates.
• Figs.
• Dragon fruit.
• Grapes.
• Kiwi.
• Mangoes.
• Peaches.
• Pineapple.
• Plums.
• Watermelon.
• and more . . .

Detailed drying information is provided for each fruit, and includes the following information:

• A brief description of the fruit and its health benefits.
• How to select the best fruits of that type for drying.
• How to prepare the fruit for drying.
• Whether pretreatment is necessary, and if so, what pretreatment techniques work best.
• The drying temperature range that works best.
• Approximate drying time ranges for the oven, the dehydrator and sun-drying the fruit.
• How to tell when the fruit is dry.
• Conditioning, pasteurizing and storing the dried fruit.
• How to rehydrate the dried fruit before use, if applicable.

Buy this book today and learn to preserve your harvest by drying fruit.

Source of emergency water

Your hot water heater can be a great source of clean water in an emergency.  There could be 75 gallons of water in there.  
The water can be drained out of the bottom of the tank.  There is a built in spigot. 
Practice to drain your water heater now before you have to do it in a crisis. 


Steps for draining your water heater.

1.  Turn the power off to the hot water heater .

2.  Turn the incoming water supply off.

3.  Attach a hose to the spigot and place the end into a bucket.

4.  Open the pressure relief valve at the top of the tank, or turn on a hot water tap in your home.

5.  Open the spigot and collect the water in your bucket. 
Water will be hot so be careful.


You will want to filter this water just because there might be sediment in it.

FSD Food Fire Filter Bucket Has All Of Your Emergency Needs

The number one thing that everyone should want to have on hand in case of an emergency is food, a way to cook the food, and a way to get clean water. The FSD Food, Fire, Filter Bucket has everything that you need in one portable bucket. A Complete 72 hour kit that will help your family stay supplied in any type of an emergency. You have the food and drinks. Complete meals. Breakfast and dinner. The meals are very filling. They taste very good. Easy to cook by adding them to boiling water and then you have a hot meal that will keep you going.

This kit even comes with the grill and fire starters so that you can cook the meals in the pot that also comes with the kit. And you can use the spoon/fork knife that comes with the kit to eat your meal with. Everything has been thought of in this survival kit bucket. There are even waterproof matches to start the fire starter with. Having a Seychelles 24 oz. Water Filter Bottle is a real plus for me. That is the number one thing that I worry about - having clean water to drink if something happens.

This is the way to go if your are wanting to be prepared for any type of an emergency. This FSD Food, Fire, Filter Bucket has everything that you need. Everything in this bucket is easy to use also.  Being in a bucket makes it a good bug-out item also. Grab it and go. It is a perfect size bucket that can be thrown in the car if you have to leave in a hurry and you know that everything is in there that will be needed. you will be set for 72 hours and safe. Everyone should invest in at lease one of these. Perfect set up that doesn't take up a lot of room. Keep it set back to have on hand.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received FSD Food Fire Filter Bucket for free from Survival Based as coordinated by Deep Creek PR an Outdoor Retailer Public Relations Company in consideration for review publication.

What is in a FSD Food Fire Filter Bucket?

Cool Thrift Store Find

I love sewing and I love going to thrift stores. I haven't been going to our local thrift store a lot lately. It was pretty cool that the first time I go in a while I find something neat. A cute battery operated Singer sewing machine and for only $1.00! It was worth it to buy, even if it didn't work. But, I got home put 2 C batteries in it and it actually works. I even sewed a couple of hankies for my Little Man's stuffed up nose.

Survivors of the Apocalypse

Survivors of the Apocalypse was a free kindle w=book when I wrote this post.



Survivors of the Apocalypse is a series of short stories from various periods of the zombie apocalypse. The stories begin with the creation of the zombie virus and carry you through the entire historical period of the apocalypse.

Cooking with Beans (Frugal Living Academy)

Cooking with Beans (Frugal Living Academy) was a free kindle book when this post was written.

Pinto beans, garbanzo, lentils and black, beans of all types are a frugal and nutritious ingredient for any dish.

Beans are low in fat, high in protein and vitamin C. They give you a great big nutritional bang for a little tiny monetary buck. They're also packed with fiber which helps you keep a healthy digestive track.

Unfortunately, they can also sometimes be a little boring. Check out Cooking with Beans for some easy, frugal and very tasty recipes to take the boring out of beans. These family friendly meals will also turn your kids onto the goodness of beans.

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5 books in 1:1-organic gardening.2-seed saving.3-kill pest problem.4-the best herb to grow in home.5-101 tips to to make your garden grow bigger and faster

DO YOU WANT TO EAT HEALTHY FOOD?

If you want to eat healthy vegetables. If you are concerned with you and your family's health and don't want vegetables filled with poisons and chemicals to enter your body, then this is the book for you.

Growing vegetables, spices and fruits allows you to avoid using chemical composts, insecticides, hormones, and antibiotics. All of which have been found in non-organic crops.

5 books in 1

Book 1- organic garden- beginners guide tips&techniques.

Book 2- seed saving- the first step to gardening.

Book 3- the complete guide to growing herb at Home.

Book 4 -101 tips to make your garden grow faster and bigger 

Book 5 – kill pest problem in netural ways.

        

In this manual I gathered tips and techniques from over 20 years of experience , to help you in your organic garden with simple explanations and illustrations.
want to read more?
what are you waiting for?just scroll to the top of the page click the buy now button and get all 5 books in a few seconds!
5 books in 1:1-organic gardening.2-seed saving.3-kill pest problem.4-the best herb to grow in home.5-101 tips to to make your garden grow bigger and faster ... guide (doctor garden books collection) was a free book when this post was written.

Homeschool Minute - Pumpkins!

Want to learn about pumpkins? Give your little one a couple of pumpkin seeds to watch grow. We are using this time to learn about classifying plants - non-flowering and flowering. Tons of free printables online.

Lifecycle of a Pumpkin Free Printables

I Have To Have Coffee!

Coffee is the thing that I have too have stockpiled. Got a great deal on those packets of single serve coffees. Ten packs with 6 single servings in them for .39 cents each. Usually are $1.29! So great item to put back. Going to put 5 of these boxes in the car!

Traps For Survival - Setting, Baiting and Running a Trap Line

Traps For Survival - Setting, Baiting and Running a Trap Line was a free Kindle book when this post was written!! It is a huge one!!!

From the book description:

This book details constructing, setting, baiting traps and all the finer details of what to do with your catch as well as a solid primer on basics of backwoods day to day skills. Easy to grasp and illustrated on the finer points of woodsman ship this is a great reference manual to throw in the go bag or stash in the cabin. Here is the information that never goes out of date and can keep you warm dry and fed if you put it into practice…. Inside you’ll find…
• Instruction on crafting cabins and make shift shelters
• How to build boats and canoes
• Food preparation and making utensils
• How to construct dead falls
• Building gun traps of various types
• Archery traps and selecting the best materials for their construction
• Downfall traps
• Bear traps
• Pitfalls/tiger traps
• Net traps for catching flying prey
• Snares and how to find martials in the field to construct them
• How to cover your own scent so that your trap will not be detected by wildlife
• Setting live capture traps
• Selecting fishing spears
• Skinning and tanning techniques plus hide stretching
• Infield natural bug repellants
• Fire starting
• And much, much more….

After all of the rain...

We've had buckets of rain here and flooding. But, this iis what appears after the rain stops. Beautiful sky! Just had to share! Have a great week!

Food Preservation & Storage at Home - A Step by Step Guide to Canning, Pickling, Dehydrating, Freezing & Safely Storing Food for Later Use

Food Preservation & Storage at Home - A Step by Step Guide to Canning, Pickling, Dehydrating, Freezing & Safely Storing Food for Later Use was a free Kindle book when I wrote this post.

 

 

Book Description

 

LEARN:: Step by Step Strategies for 4 Food Preservation and Storage Techniques (Canning, Pickling, Dehydrating & Freezing)

Do you wonder ANY of the following: How can I take advantage of in-season produce prices and eat them all year long? How can I safely prepare meals for my family for the week or month ahead of time? How can I be prepared to feed my family in case of a natural disaster or other state of emergency?

If you find yourself asking any of these questions, then it's important for you to know these food preservation and storage techniques.

YOUR GOAL:: Establish a 3 Month Food Storage Supply for You & Your Family

I want to challenge you to gather enough food for you and your family to survive on for 3 full months, preserve it using canning, pickling, dehydrating and/or freezing strategies, and safely store it.

Any number of things could happen today that could potentially leave you without an ample food supply. You or the primary income earner of your household could be laid off and unable to find work. There could be a natural disaster that contaminates our water supply and leaves us without food. These are just to name a few.

If you are smart and start preserving and storing food at home to get you through these potentially devastating times, you and your family will have a greater chance of surviving any situation.

DOWNLOAD:: Food Preservation & Storage at Home - A Step by Step Guide to Canning, Pickling, Dehydrating, Freezing & Safely Storing Food for Later Use

Inside "Food Preservation & Storage at Home" you'll get step by step strategies for these top 4 methods of preserving foods at home.

Inside this guide you’ll learn:

Why preserving your food at home is now more important than ever

How to avoid food-borne illnesses when canning

What tools you will need for each food preservation technique

A step by step canning strategy

A step by step pickling strategy

A step by step dehydrating strategy

A step by step freezing strategy

A 3 month food storage supply challenge

How to buy the freshest food possible for preserving food at home

Preserving food at home using one of these 4 methods and storing it for later use doesn’t have to be difficult. What you need is a simple, proven strategy for each food preservation technique that you can easily understand and begin to follow today. That’s exactly what is provided in this book.

Food Storage Recipe - Super Quick Chicken & Rice Dinner

Super easy and frugal dinner. Great for when you are in a hurry.


Brown four skinless, boneless chicken breast in a bit of oil.

 Cook until they are done.

 Remove from the pan and then add a can of condensed cream of chicken soup. 

Add 1 1/3 cup of water to that in the pan and bring it to a boil. 

Stir in 2 cups of uncooked instant rice. 

Top it with the chicken and cover. 

Cook it on low heat for a few minutes.

 Stir and serve.

Homeschool Minute - Them Bones!

Now that it is October , we are having a lot of fun. I have saved a lot of things for this month. Perfect timing to learn about bones and the body. We did the skeleton today. I got this free printable from Confessions of a Homeschooler that has the skeletal system and internal organs. We will do the organs Friday. Little Man had fun with this. I left it all apart and he had to put it together like a puzzle and then put the labels in place where they go. He used the Skeleton Key for that today. Soon, he should be able to do it without the help.

We will be working on some great fun things this month. Learning about bats, mummies, etc.

Cloth Hankies - DIY Sewing

Eveyone in our house has allergies. They are starting up now. I spent the evening sewing some cloth hankies that are super soft for the nose. These are super simple to make. In a few minutes you can sew one.

Sew your two layers of soft fabric right sides facing. Sew them all of the way around, leaving a small opening where you can turn them right side out. Fold in the opening and top-stitch the whole way around. Easy and you will soon have a whole stack of soft hankies for the allergy season and the winter cold &flu season.

They are practically free also. I use old t-shirts.

The Yellowstone Conundrum

The Yellowstone Conundrum (Is this the end?) was a free book when this post was written. A fiction book for you to read. This is about something that scares the crap out of me. I really think that it could happen. :(


 The Yellowstone Caldera, the most dangerous hot-spot on the surface of the earth, erupts with a series of 11.2 earthquakes and spews volcanic ash high into the atmosphere. Six hundred miles away a 9.45 quake under Puget Sound causes massive destruction to Seattle as a tsunami strikes and destroys most of the waterfront.

The Fort Peck Dam in Montana on the Missouri River fails as does the Jackson Dam on the Snake River. The power grid in the Western United States quickly disintegrates, with utility companies fending for themselves. Power outages reach the East Coast.

The Beginning of the End is a page-turning novel with readers following eight characters as they scramble out of harm's way on Day One of the Yellowstone Conundrum; everyday people put into extraordinary situations, with the President of the United States and his cabinet scrambling in the background to find how to escape from lose-lose scenarios.

The Columbia Generating Plant on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation suffers great damage and begins a meltdown. Bridges in Portland collapse. Infrastructure in the NW is severely damaged and thousands are killed; Salt Lake City, Boise, Denver and every city, town and village in the Pacific Northwest are affected.

The massive Death Cloud from the Yellowstone explosion sends volcanic ash into the jet stream, which then begins to carry the heavy ash south across Wyoming, over Denver until it catches up with a low pressure system advancing across Texas.

Follow army vet Ray Spaulding as he survives the crash of a WSDOT ferry in the tsunami, then manages to save, then lead a handful of everyday people who rally together to save the Seattle Public Library from destruction by gangs.

University of Washington professor Denny Cain and student Karen Bagley vow to get out of Seattle, only to find themselves in a firefight as the local Seattle gangs attempt to claim the night.

Skier Penny Armstrong fights her inner demons by skiing north toward Billings in an attempt to avoid the Death Cloud.

Long-distance trucker Cameron Hedges is forced to step out of character as he first rescues Betsy Jamison, then convinces an entire town to move out of harm's way.

Robert and Nancy O'Brien, both up-and-coming managers within the Department of the Interior are separated by their jobs, then by the earthquake and explosion.

The President of the United States must deal with his own Kobayoshi Maru, with a series of impossible lose-lose scenarios as the power grid in the United States collapses.

Radiation Network

Radiation Network

Radiation levels in USA just keep going up and up. 

Pinterest Homeschool Board

Pinterest

I started this board awhile ago and it is full of tons of great things to do , freebies, advice , and more. 

Tips for Survival Food Gardens

Food storage is a good way to go to be prepared for the future, but so is a garden for having fresh produce. Here are some tips on how to start a survival garden that will make you more self sufficient.

1. See what grows well in your area- If you don’t know where to start or what to grow, a good first step might be to see what is possible for you to grow. For example, it might be a good thing to know that if you live in Alaska, you probably won’t be successful at growing pineapple. Looking into what grows well in your climate helps you narrow your search and make decisions about what seeds to buy.
2. Analyze the space you have- Another thing that will be helpful with starting a survival garden is knowing how much you can plant. If you live on the 4^th floor of an apartment building, your options for planting are a lot more limited than someone living on a farm property. Because some plants take up more space than others, you can use this as another deciding factor for what you will plant.
3. Strive for a well-rounded grow- If you decide to use your entire space to plant nothing but peas, and an emergency occurs, you won’t be able to live off of your garden alone because peas don’t have every nutrient you need. Try to include a variety of different plant foods. Think of what produce would go well with your food storage items so that you can have complete meals. Doing this will make it so you have lots of different vitamins and minerals that your body needs to live.
4. Keep in mind the seasons- Because different plants have optimum growth in different seasons, it might be helpful to plant by categories of season. If you have all the plants that need to be harvested in September in one area, you are less likely to forget about one and waste all the food. This can also help with when you re-plant next year. You will remember that one section of the yard needs to be planted in the spring, one in the summer, and one section needs more shade or water than another.
5. Get creative- If you live in a small space, don’t despair! There are lots of ways to grow a survival garden without having an actual yard. Use your deck to store pots with tomatoes or wood pallets to grow smaller plants in.

Just remember, every step toward being completely prepared is important. Don’t get overwhelmed, and just keep improving. Click here to visit a social media page with more emergency preparedness ideas.

Author Bio- Dirk Puckett works in the emergency preparedness industry and also enjoys mountain biking and spending time with his family. Click the link for another gardening and food storage resource.

Heating Homes with Solar Air Collectors (DIY) - Exposing The Truth

Heating Homes with Solar Air Collectors (DIY) - Exposing The Truth

I am going to show this to hubby when he gets home!! Great way to save some money. 

Modern Homeschooling: From amazing travel and adventure to early entrance to university, has homeschooling finally evolved enough for you to take it seriously?

Modern Homeschooling: From amazing travel and adventure to early entrance to university, has homeschooling finally evolved enough for you to take it seriously? was a free kindle book when I wrote this post.

 It’s time to take another look at homeschooling. Homeschooling today allows for children to not only reach levels that their traditionally schooled counterparts are reaching, but to exceed them, all while enjoying more family time and a lifestyle enriched with opportunities that previous generations could only dream about. The new face of homeschooling offers travel, sports, and the ability to take your passions to the next level. If you think homeschooling means pouring over books at the kitchen table you are in for a surprise! From traditional curriculum to online schooling to early university to unschooling, homeschooling has something for everyone. Would you like to travel the world? Interested in allowing your children the opportunity to truly explore their potential in a non-school related activity? Do your children have exceptional needs that you can better accommodate at home? Do you think they would thrive if they could be accelerated and maybe even move onto higher learning at a younger age? Are you interested in more quality family time? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you will benefit from reading this book.

When we found ourselves in a situation where homeschooling seemed to be the best option for our kids, we discovered that there was so much information out there and so many opinions and experiences that it was very overwhelming and nearly impossible to process it all. That is why I have decided to write this series of ebooks – my hope is to provide a comprehensive but succinct account of what is out there, and how to get started. I have begun by looking at the pros and cons of homeschooling, then a dedicated chapter on socialization – the single largest concern for parents considering homeschooling and definitely what non-homeschoolers will tell you is wrong with homeschooling! This book finishes off with a broad description of each of the types of homeschooling. My hope is that by the end of this book you will have a better understanding of what homeschooling really looks like, and what it can (and can’t) do for your family.

I don't think that homeschooling is for everyone, but if you would like more family time, if you have a desire to travel or to take on some kind of non-school activity that requires an intense commitment, or if there is something preventing your child from being in a traditional school setting, the benefits of homeschooling can truly be immeasurable. Homeschooling has grown exponentially in the past decade and as it continues to grow in popularity and scope, many new and exciting opportunities are opening up for homeschoolers. From the already abundant curricula available to the amazing ways that technology is changing homeschooling to the changing face of socialization, the modern homeschooler is a truly new breed of educator.

Today's homeschooled child is not limited by his or her homeschool education - on the contrary, many homeschooled children are propelled by it. Propelled into an accelerated academic career, into a competitive level of sport or advanced relationship with the arts. Technology is giving today's homeschooler an advantage that has been unparalleled in the past. Homeschooling today allows for children to not only reach levels that their traditionally schooled counterparts are reaching, but to exceed them, all while enjoying more family time and a lifestyle enriched with opportunities that previous generations could only dream about.

My personal experience with homeschooling was a complete surprise to me. I thought homeschooling was a dreary existence fraught with an incomplete social experience and a groundhog day type of never changing lifestyle. My eyes have been opened to homeschooling as an exciting adventure filled with opportunity and a way to truly give my children the best that life has to offer.

The Importance of Purifying Water

A lot of us spend lots of time and money making sure our food storage is ready and available in case of an emergency, but how about our accessability to clean, drinkable water? If a disaster occurred tomorrow and you were without power to your house, how would you supply yourself with clean water? Never assume that in an emergency situation, clean water will be easy to find because it usually is not. Without electricity you will not have any water pressure because the municipal pumps will not be functioning so it is crucial that you learn to be self reliant. The fact of the matter is that water is more important than even food when it comes to survival. The human body can only survive for 3 days without water. So what are the easiest and most popular ways to treat unsanitary water, so that you don’t have to store hundreds of gallons of clean water In your home?

The first and most common way is to simply boil the water. Unsterilized water contains many forms of bacteria and parasites which, if ingested, can potentially lead to serious illnesses or death. For this reason it is necessary to first make sure that you kill all of the harmful pathogens in the water before drinking. Simply bring the water to a boil (212°F / 100°C) and let it boil for a full minute. The time it takes to bring the water to boiling and then cooling down afterwards is more than enough time to insure that all the harmful bacteria is destroyed.

The second most popular way to clean unsanitary water is to add a small amount of bleach to the water. The chlorine in the bleach will disinfect the water and make it safe to drink. To start, take the water and make sure it is clear of dirt and sediment by straining it through a filter or cloth. Then take regular liquid bleach, containing NO soaps or dyes, and add 8 drops (1/8^th US teaspoon) per one gallon of water. Mix it thoroughly and then let it sit for 30 minutes. After that, smell the water. If the water has a faint smell of chlorine, it is OK to drink. If it does not have a chlorine smell, start the process over.

As we all know, emergency preparedness is a constant journey. Take it one step at a time when you get overwhelmed, and never give up. Click on this link for a social media site with more ideas for being prepared.

Author Bio- Dirk Puckett is an author and emergency preparedness educator who resides in Springville, Utah. For more water purification tips, click the link.