How to Build a Get Home Bag

Written by Pat Henry on The Prepper Journal.

A term you will hear frequently on Prepping and Survival websites is a Get Home Bag. You could also hear this called by other names (Get Me Home, Get Back) and they are all pretty much the same thing. Today we are going to discuss why a Get Home Bag is so important and something […]

The post How to Build a Get Home Bag appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

12 White-Hot Ways to Use Cast Iron Every Day

Chances are, you have a cast iron dutch oven and a couple of cast iron skillets among your preparedness gear. You’ve chosen it, most likely, due to its ability to use it over an open fire and it’s durability and Read More

The post 12 White-Hot Ways to Use Cast Iron Every Day by Rob Hanus appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

Onion Frost And Cold Protection: Can Onions Tolerate Cold Temps

By Bonnie L. Grant Can onions tolerate cold temps? That depends on how cold and at what age the onions are. Onions are hardy and can withstand light freezes and snow. Young starts can be susceptible to heavy freezes and

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Growing Carissa Shrubs: How To Grow A Carissa Natal Plum

By Jackie Carroll If you like fragrant shrubs, you’ll love the Natal plum bush. The fragrance, which resembles that of orange blossoms, is especially intense at night. Read this article to find out more. Natal Plum Bush Info Natal plum

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Stomach “Bugs”: An Herbal Back-Up Plan

These tips may come in handy someday soon! Click here to pin! So perhaps it’s that time of year, and stomach “bugs” are starting to make the rounds at school and work. Or, perhaps you’ve had a run in with Read More

The post Stomach “Bugs”: An Herbal Back-Up Plan by Agatha Noveille appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

Painting Gold Stripes on Glass

I’m enjoying bringing back some gold accents in decorating and you’ll probably see more of it on my blog in the future. I have always loved gold in jewelry and using it in decorating too, with picture frames and general accents around a room. With the over done abundance of brass back in the 90’s, I think a lot of us got turned off by so much brassy gold and started paring that down in our decorating too. But, gold is back in a big way. It’s elegant, classic, and exudes a feeling of royalty.

I thought it would be fun to paint some gold stripes on glass to add a little sparkle for holiday decorating. Whether you’re setting a Thanksgiving table or need some ideas for any holiday gathering coming up, simple glass vessels with a little golden touch would be a fun accent on the table. Fill them with flowers or whatever your heart desires.

The post Painting Gold Stripes on Glass appeared first on Southern Hospitality.

Stomach “Bugs”: An Herbal Back-Up Plan

These tips may come in handy someday soon! Click here to pin! So perhaps it’s that time of year, and stomach “bugs” are starting to make the rounds at school and work. Or, perhaps you’ve had a run in with Read More

The post Stomach “Bugs”: An Herbal Back-Up Plan by Agatha Noveille appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

Revisiting Precious Metals

Written by Richard Bryant on The Prepper Journal.

Because the topic has been discussed extensively, I had sworn off writing about investing in precious metals as part of a preparedness strategy.  However, everything I see on the subject seems so flawed and misleading that I simply cannot resist the impulse to share some alternate (or perhaps less-biased) views on the subject. It seems […]

The post Revisiting Precious Metals appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

5 Steps in Packing an Emergency Kit with Flying Circle Bags

Pin this how-to for later. Click here. Coming up with a list of items for packing an emergency kit is the easy part. Books, websites, blogs, and YouTube videos abound with that information. My own lists can be found here Read More

The post 5 Steps in Packing an Emergency Kit with Flying Circle Bags by The Survival Mom appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

5 Steps in Packing an Emergency Kit with Flying Circle Bags

Pin this how-to for later. Click here. Coming up with a list of items for packing an emergency kit is the easy part. Books, websites, blogs, and YouTube videos abound with that information. My own lists can be found here Read More

The post 5 Steps in Packing an Emergency Kit with Flying Circle Bags by The Survival Mom appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

What Is A Jatropha Cucus Tree: Jatropha Uses In The Landscape

Jatropha (Jatropha curcas) was once touted as the new wunderkind plant for biofuel. What is a Jatropha curcas tree? The tree or bush grows in any type of soil at a rapid rate, is toxic and produces fuel fit for

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a new view of trees, with chris earle (win a field guide)

WHAT I VISUALIZE when I hear the word “tree” changed after a conversation with forest ecologist Christopher Earle, a co-author [read more…]

The post a new view of trees, with chris earle (win a field guide) appeared first on A Way To Garden.

4 Children’s Organizations that Introduce Survival Basics

Along with the back to school season comes the gamut of fall sports, organized youth activities and club sign-ups. Summer vacations, lazy days at the pool and barbecues are replaced with Crockpot meals, homework, and the frantic race to the Read More

The post 4 Children’s Organizations that Introduce Survival Basics by Brandy Schau Dibert appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

4 Children’s Organizations that Introduce Survival Basics

Along with the back to school season comes the gamut of fall sports, organized youth activities and club sign-ups. Summer vacations, lazy days at the pool and barbecues are replaced with Crockpot meals, homework, and the frantic race to the Read More

The post 4 Children’s Organizations that Introduce Survival Basics by Brandy Schau Dibert appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

Dogwood Tree Types: Common Varieties Of Dogwood Trees

By Jackie Carroll Dogwoods are among the most beautiful trees found in American landscapes, but not all types are suitable for the garden. Find out about the different kinds of dogwood trees in this article. Dog Tree Types Of the

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Fast, Free Survival Mom Maintenance

 Pin this —> Taking care of the mom who takes care of everyone else! The most important thing you can do for your children? Take care of their mother! You’ve heard that if the momma isn’t happy, nobody’s happy.  You Read More

The post Fast, Free Survival Mom Maintenance by Kris appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

Fast, Free Survival Mom Maintenance

 Pin this —> Taking care of the mom who takes care of everyone else! The most important thing you can do for your children? Take care of their mother! You’ve heard that if the momma isn’t happy, nobody’s happy.  You Read More

The post Fast, Free Survival Mom Maintenance by Kris appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

September Thrifty Treasures

This will be our last Thrifty Treasures party for the year, since the holidays will be just around the corner and things will start getting busier for all of us. Thanks for joining in all summer and showing off your finds. I actually have something to share this month! I went to my friend, Debbie’s late father’s estate sale last weekend and found a few good things that I couldn’t live without. I’m not sure where they will all go yet, but sometimes you just have to take something home when you find it. And besides, this was someone I knew and adored, so it was nice to be able to bring some of Debbie’s family home with me. He will be missed, Debbie’s sweet daddy.

Click link to read entire post!

The post September Thrifty Treasures appeared first on Southern Hospitality.

Palm Tree Care – Tips For Planting A Palm Tree In The Garden

By Bonnie L. Grant Few things evoke the tropics like a palm tree. Growing palm trees outdoors in northern climates can be challenging due to their frost intolerance but some, like cabbage palm and Chinese fan palms, will survive temperatures

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Can You Propagate Forsythia: How To Propagate Forsythia Shrubs

By Jackie Carroll Forsythia bursts into bloom in late winter, well ahead of most other early-season shrubs. They look fantastic in groupings and shrub borders, and they make an attractive informal hedge. If you can’t get enough of them, this

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Can You Propagate Forsythia: How To Propagate Forsythia Shrubs

By Jackie Carroll Forsythia bursts into bloom in late winter, well ahead of most other early-season shrubs. They look fantastic in groupings and shrub borders, and they make an attractive informal hedge. If you can’t get enough of them, this

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Frugal Fall Planting

Great tips here! Pin for later! Fall is not necessarily considered a time for planting, especially for folks in the colder growing zones. However, fall plant sales at your local nursery or greenhouse should not be passed up when thinking Read More

The post Frugal Fall Planting by Kathie Lapcevic appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

Frugal Fall Planting

Great tips here! Pin for later! Fall is not necessarily considered a time for planting, especially for folks in the colder growing zones. However, fall plant sales at your local nursery or greenhouse should not be passed up when thinking Read More

The post Frugal Fall Planting by Kathie Lapcevic appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

A Life Skills Test For Kids: Does Your Child Pass?

With kids back in school their focus is often on passing their math final, or English test – but what about a test for everyday life skills? In the past, Home Economic classes where the norm, but the quality and existence Read More

The post A Life Skills Test For Kids: Does Your Child Pass? by Jamie S. appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

Should you Purchase a Silencer for your Handgun or Rifle?

Written by Pat Henry on The Prepper Journal.

My wife came to me a few days back and asked me what I thought about Silencers. She had heard either ads or an interview on a radio talk show and was curious so she asked the local gun ‘expert’. I hope you understand that I don’t consider myself an expert on anything really, but […]

The post Should you Purchase a Silencer for your Handgun or Rifle? appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

A Life Skills Test For Kids: Does Your Child Pass?

With kids back in school their focus is often on passing their math final, or English test – but what about a test for everyday life skills? In the past, Home Economic classes where the norm, but the quality and existence Read More

The post A Life Skills Test For Kids: Does Your Child Pass? by Jamie S. appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

Hart’s Tongue Fern Care: Tips On Growing A Hart’s Tongue Fern Plant

By Bonnie L. Grant The hart’s tongue fern plant (Asplenium scolopendrium) is a rarity even in its native ranges. The fern is a perennial that was once prolific in cool North American ranges and high hill lands. Its gradual disappearance

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Yucca Repotting Tips: How To Repot a Yucca Plant

By Mary H. Dyer, Master Naturalist and Master Gardener Yuccas are sturdy succulents with evergreen rosettes of sword-shaped leaves. The plants grow outdoors in most areas of the United States. When planted in containers, yucca provides a striking vertical accent

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New Email Service for Southern Hospitality!

Hi, folks!

I'm hoping that the past problems of emails not being delivered might be over, with my newest decision. I've gone with a paid email service that sends out emails to all my subscribers and switched my email service over from Feedburner where it's been since the beginning of my blogging. I've heard great things about Mad Mimi and so far, so good. I just switched over from Feedburner emails this week and I like how it's working so far. IF you were one of my many readers who had problems getting emails delivered in the past, PLEASE sign up again.

There's a fun surprise at the end of this post too, that I hope you'll enjoy!

The post New Email Service for Southern Hospitality! appeared first on Southern Hospitality.

Living Healthy GIVEAWAY — 2 Prize Packages!

There are 2 times during the year that I feel a sense of renewal and a desire to start afresh: January 1, and the back-to-school season. If your kids are back in school, chances are the family has settled into Read More

The post Living Healthy GIVEAWAY — 2 Prize Packages! by The Survival Mom appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

Living Healthy GIVEAWAY — 2 Prize Packages!

There are 2 times during the year that I feel a sense of renewal and a desire to start afresh: January 1, and the back-to-school season. If your kids are back in school, chances are the family has settled into Read More

The post Living Healthy GIVEAWAY — 2 Prize Packages! by The Survival Mom appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

Could you Find a Bug Out Retreat After the Grid Goes Down?

Written by Pat Henry on The Prepper Journal.

If you are like me you don’t have the resources to afford a bug out retreat. My prepper ideal of a remote fortress located on hundreds of wooded acres, miles away from civilization and fully stocked with 20 years of supplies, flowing water and established orchards for me and the rest of my extended family […]

The post Could you Find a Bug Out Retreat After the Grid Goes Down? appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

Using Cover Crops In The Garden: Best Cover Crops For Vegetable Gardens

By Amy Grant A healthy vegetable garden requires nutrient rich soil. Many gardeners add compost, manure and other organic materials to enrich the soil, but another method is by planting veggie garden cover crops. So what is it and why

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Rehydrating Potted Plants: Watering An Overly Dry Container Plant

By Mary H. Dyer, Master Naturalist and Master Gardener Most healthy container plants can tolerate short periods without water, but if your plant has been badly neglected, you may need to implement emergency measures to return the plant to health.

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Feature Friday: Southern State of Mind

I’m just getting to know Heather, from Southern State of Mind, who also lives right here in Atlanta, GA. She came to Haven last year and is part of our Atlanta bloggers group. I loved seeing her house tour and wanted to show off her Southern home to all of you and thought you’d enjoy it too. She’s a wife and mom to two little ones and loves decorating and DIY, like so many of us. Making a house a home is priority for most all women, it seems.

Click link to read the whole post.

The post Feature Friday: Southern State of Mind appeared first on Southern Hospitality.

10 Ways to Use Dried Beans

Dried beans keep for a long time and are often included in our preps.  They are lightweight, nutrient dense, and easy to prepare.  We all know beans and rice is the perfect protein. High in fiber and full of good Read More

The post 10 Ways to Use Dried Beans by Kathie Lapcevic appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

10 Ways to Use Dried Beans

Dried beans keep for a long time and are often included in our preps.  They are lightweight, nutrient dense, and easy to prepare.  We all know beans and rice is the perfect protein. High in fiber and full of good Read More

The post 10 Ways to Use Dried Beans by Kathie Lapcevic appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

Common-Sense Strategies for Teaching Gun Safety: A Gun is No Big Deal

I don’t know if the anti-gun trend is still fashionable or not, but when I was raising my young children, it certainly was. I decided that my two year-old son would not be playing with a Buzz Lightyear Astro Blaster Read More

The post Common-Sense Strategies for Teaching Gun Safety: A Gun is No Big Deal by Liz Long appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

Common-Sense Strategies for Teaching Gun Safety: A Gun is No Big Deal

I don’t know if the anti-gun trend is still fashionable or not, but when I was raising my young children, it certainly was. I decided that my two year-old son would not be playing with a Buzz Lightyear Astro Blaster Read More

The post Common-Sense Strategies for Teaching Gun Safety: A Gun is No Big Deal by Liz Long appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

How to Prepare without Your Spouse Knowing

Written by Pat Henry on The Prepper Journal.

How many of you woke up to prepping before anyone else around you did? As I have shared on the pages of the Prepper Journal before, I started getting into Prepping back in 2008. There were no specific events that I can think of that made me start prepping, but the financial crash probably played […]

The post How to Prepare without Your Spouse Knowing appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

What Are Sugar Beets: Sugar Beet Uses And Cultivation

By Amy Grant We’ve been hearing a lot about corn syrup of late, but sugars used in commercially processed foods are derived from other sources besides corn. Sugar beet plants are one such source. What are Sugar Beets? A cultivated

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If You Just Moved Here: Surviving Severe Winter Weather

Here in the upper Midwest, winters can be absolutely brutal. We’re talking frigid temperatures, freezing rain, feet of snow, and just a whole lot of no fun when you’re trying to go about your daily life. Sure, if you enjoy Read More

The post If You Just Moved Here: Surviving Severe Winter Weather by Jim Cobb appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

If You Just Moved Here: Surviving Severe Winter Weather

Here in the upper Midwest, winters can be absolutely brutal. We’re talking frigid temperatures, freezing rain, feet of snow, and just a whole lot of no fun when you’re trying to go about your daily life. Sure, if you enjoy Read More

The post If You Just Moved Here: Surviving Severe Winter Weather by Jim Cobb appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

What Is Ericaceous Compost: Information And Plants For Acidic Compost

By Mary H. Dyer, Master Naturalist and Master Gardener The term “Ericaceous” refers to a family of plants in the Ericaceae family – heathers and other plants that grow primarily in infertile or acidic growing conditions. But what is ericaceous

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Teaching Your Kids How to React to an Active Shooter

Written by Pat Henry on The Prepper Journal.

There has been some time that has passed since the latest “mass” shooting, although the news yesterday of a recently fired UPS worker killing two of his co-workers and eventually himself, reminds us that life is sometimes deadly. As a prepper as well as a strong advocate of the rights guaranteed by our second amendment, […]

The post Teaching Your Kids How to React to an Active Shooter appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

Chinese Long Beans: Tips On Growing Yard Long Bean Plants

By Amy Grant If you like green beans, there’s a humdinger of a bean out there. Uncommon in most American’s veggie gardens, but a veritable staple in many Asian gardens, I give you the Chinese long bean, also known as

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Plants That Like To Be In Water: Types Of Plants That Tolerate Wet Areas

By Mary H. Dyer, Master Naturalist and Master Gardener Most plants don’t do well in soggy soil, and excessive moisture results in rot and other deadly diseases. Although very few plants grow in wet areas, you can learn which plants

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“Outage” by Ellisa Barr: Book Review

As you turn the opening pages of Outage, the parents of 15 year old Dee, our self-absorbed and somewhat reluctant teenage heroine from the city, are leaving her with her grandfather. He runs a veterinary service on a small farm Read More

The post “Outage” by Ellisa Barr: Book Review by Robert Camp appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

Blogger Stylin’ Fall Home Tour

Last week, I shared my Fall foyer and this week, I’m joining another fun blog hop with Lindsay at The White Buffalo Styling Company, sharing lots more Fall inspiration on the Blogger Stylin’ Fall Home Tour. I worked on getting something cute up on my mantel this year for Fall, as well as a little something in the dining room, again using things I have around the house. I like to keep it simple, as you know!

The post Blogger Stylin’ Fall Home Tour appeared first on Southern Hospitality.

“Outage” by Ellisa Barr: Book Review

As you turn the opening pages of Outage, the parents of 15 year old Dee, our self-absorbed and somewhat reluctant teenage heroine from the city, are leaving her with her grandfather. He runs a veterinary service on a small farm Read More

The post “Outage” by Ellisa Barr: Book Review by Robert Camp appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

10 Tips for the Beginning Prepper

Written by Pat Henry on The Prepper Journal.

Like many of you I started prepping with a huge sense of urgency and a lot of questions but not much in the way of guidance from anyone I knew and trusted. It is probably my personality for the most part because when I do get interested in something new I will dive right in […]

The post 10 Tips for the Beginning Prepper appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

Tips On Saving Seed Potatoes For Planting Next Year

By Amy Grant Potatoes are a staple crop and commonly cultivated for commercial purposes. Today, commercial potato producers use USDA certified seed potatoes for planting to reduce the incidence of disease. Back in the day, there were no such certified

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proper transplanting, mulch, and more: linda chalker-scott’s horticultural myth-busting

THOUGH GARDENING is part art and part science, we shouldn’t take artistic license with the science part and defy the [read more…]

The post proper transplanting, mulch, and more: linda chalker-scott’s horticultural myth-busting appeared first on A Way To Garden.

Pyrola Plant Info – Learn About Wild Pyrola Flowers

By Mary H. Dyer, Master Naturalist and Master Gardener What is Pyrola? Several varieties of this woodland plant grow in the United States. Although the names are often interchangeable, varieties include green, shin leaf, round-leaved and pear-leaf Pyrola; false wintergreen

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House Hunting for Preppers

Moving from one home to another can be both stressful and exciting. My family just moved from Northern Alabama to Central Florida in August. We made a list of “must haves” to give to our realtor… open floor plan with Read More

The post House Hunting for Preppers by Amy Van Riper appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

House Hunting for Preppers

Moving from one home to another can be both stressful and exciting. My family just moved from Northern Alabama to Central Florida in August. We made a list of “must haves” to give to our realtor… open floor plan with Read More

The post House Hunting for Preppers by Amy Van Riper appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

BHG Stylemaker Event NYC

It’s been such a pleasure to be invited to events by different brands while I’ve been blogging all these years and the latest trip to NYC with Better Homes and Gardens Stylemakers event was certainly a huge highlight for me. Being one of 75 bloggers invited to NY for this event was such an honor and it was really fun to experience it with many of my long-time blog friends and some new ones too. There were home bloggers, as well as food and fashion bloggers and the magazine did a fabulous job of hosting us. There were sessions offered by the editors of the magazine, sharing with us how they do things, from photo styling to social media and more. We are all growing together and I’m happy that Better Homes and Gardens treats bloggers so well and partners with us on so many levels, featuring more and more bloggers on the pages of their magazines.

In other words, Better Homes and Gardens rocks it with bloggers!

The post BHG Stylemaker Event NYC appeared first on Southern Hospitality.

Are you Prepping to Bug Out Financially?

Written by Pat Henry on The Prepper Journal.

As Preppers we take steps to plan for disasters that could force us out of the comfort and safety of our homes. These threats could range from regional weather incidents like Tornadoes, Earthquakes or Hurricanes to longer term disasters that might not be caused by Mother Nature. Even these relatively common regional weather events can […]

The post Are you Prepping to Bug Out Financially? appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

Overwintering Container Plants: Preparing Potted Plants For Winter

By Bonnie L. Grant Freezing temperatures, gusty winds and dry winter conditions can adversely affect your potted outdoor plants. Container plants in winter need tender loving care to see them through until the balmy spring season. A few steps and

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Tomato Leaf Types: What Is A Potato Leaf Tomato

By Amy Grant Most of us are familiar with the appearance of tomato leaves; they are multi-lobed, serrated or almost tooth like, right? But, what if you have a tomato plant that is lacking these lobes? Is something wrong with

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My Story: Lessons we learned from hurricane evacuations

  These evacuations tips are excellent, even if you don’t live in hurricane country. Pin this for later! On August 28. 2005, My family did something we had never even considered doing before. We evacuated for a hurricane. After seeing Read More

The post My Story: Lessons we learned from hurricane evacuations by The Survival Mom appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

Urban Gardening Survival Secrets: Some Ways To Grow Food In Any City Even When Your Life Depends On It

In order to grow enough food for yourself and your family - enough that may sustain you in difficult times - you'd need several acres of prime farmland, right?

In short, no. You just need to some help with things to grow and the way to grow it, and also a few trips for the local home improvement store. Oh, and some friends who share up your eyes.



The community garden concept: An increasingly popular option in the urban/suburban environment is the concept of a "community garden." As Natural News has reported in the past, this concept has been adopted by organic- and fresh-produce-minded people in cities large and small, and the movement is definitely "growing," if you'll pardon the pun.

One organization, in fact, is dedicated to the spread of a version of community gardening known as "urban farming" (which just happens to also be the name of the organization). The group began in 2005 with just "three gardens and a pamphlet."

The concept is simple: Find an empty lot and get together with your neighbors to plant, cultivate and harvest a range of crops. Everybody shares in the labor and everybody shares in the harvest.

Now, for individual efforts:

Bucket veggies: You'd be surprised what you can grow in a five-gallon bucket you pick up from Lowe's or Home Depot.

"Even if you don't have much sunny ground, you can still experience the pleasure of harvesting your own vine-ripened tomatoes and other crops. All you need is a generous-size container, good potting soil, and a suitable spot - a patio, deck, or corner that gets at least six hours of full sun a day," Sunset magazine notes.

Sprouting: Growing your own sprouts is a great way to augment your other crops. As noted by Jules Clancy, creator of The Stone Soup food website, "sprouting turns legumes and grains into living plants with more vitamins, such as vitamin C, B and carotene. It also helps the absorption of minerals."

Rooftop raised gardens: Don't live in a house with a deck? With a little help from neighbors and permission from the landlord, you could build some raised gardens on the roof of your apartment building (provided you have easy-enough access to the roof). Your crops will get plenty of sun, though you will likely have to irrigate them at some point (which is true of anything you're trying to grow).

Window boxes: Though limited in what you can grow in them, window boxes are another way you can grow fresh. Herbs and sprouts do well in window boxes.

Orchards in the middle of town? Depending on the climate where you live, it may be possible to actually plant a small orchard - and communities all over the country are doing just that.

As reported by Britain's The Guardian newspaper, one such orchard - and urban farm - exists in Detroit, of all places, thanks to the enterprising nature of 38-year-old Mark Covington.

"The result is a transformation of the area around his childhood home. Local kids come to movie nights held amid the crops. Residents love the free, fresh food in an area where no major supermarkets exist. The Georgia Street Community Garden is never vandalized," the paper reported.

With a little ingenuity and help from your neighbors, there is no reason for you (or them) to go hungry. You can plant and grow everything from tomatoes to potatoes to corn to fruits of all kinds on small lots in cities and suburban communities, in buckets and other containers placed on your deck or porch, from raised beds on apartment rooftops, in window boxes outside your door and in any other place where you can put topsoil and seeds.

Credits to Natural News for this Urban Gardening article.

Survival Gardening for Depressed Economic Times

Times being what they are we’re all trying to save a little money. Here’s some tips on how to stretch that dollar even further with a home garden. Start planning now for next years growing season.

Choosing what to plant.

Make a list of the foods you eat regularly at their basic ingredients level. You have probably already done this so this part should be pretty easy. For example our family likes to have spaghetti at least twice a month. So this would be tomatoes, basil, savory, garlic, onions, peppers, etc. You can leave off things you know you can’t or don’t have room to grow such as a cow for beef or semolina wheat for pasta. Then cross out items that won’t grow in your area. The remaining items are your working list. Next, and you may already have this data handy from your thrifty grocery shopping, find out what each of the remaining items cost, and how much of these you buy. I use tomatoes in tons of dishes, and I know it takes about a pound to two pounds of tomatoes depending on the variety to make marinara sauce for two. Tomatoes are x per pound, and I need y pounds per month. X times y is how much I would spend if I bought just the tomatoes.

Sample working list:

• Tomatoes
• Potatoes
• Onions
• Carrots
• Bell peppers
• Leeks
• Parsnips
• Lettuce
• Strawberries
• Summer squash
• Zucchini
• Basil
• Savory
• Sage
• Celery
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Cabbage
• Raspberries

Once you have that list you can see how much money is going to each food item you might be surprised, but now you know where your garden can impact the reduction of your food budget best. I also found that there were several foods, lettuce being one of them that we ate frequently, was expensive from the store, but frequently went bad in our fridge before we finished it. By growing the lettuce in the garden and not picking it until I’m ready to use it I no longer waste it, or my money. The next consideration is the amount of space you have to garden, and the yields of the things on your list. Maybe you’ve only got a balcony on an apartment that doesn’t get much sun, or maybe you’ve got an empty acre just waiting to be planted. Most of us will be somewhere in between. But no matter how much space you have, gardening space should always be considered at a premium. To a point its better to have your garden as compact as your desired yields allow, if for no other reason than it will take less time to take care of. There are a ton of books out there on companion gardening and square foot gardening. I highly recommend reading up on the subject. You can find these books at your local library, or on Amazon. And a lot of the information is on the internet just waiting for a simple google search. Most seed selling websites will give you numbers in both how many seeds are in a packet, and what the expected yield per plant will be although the yield will be a broad generalization. Lots of fruit, a little fruit, etc. They will also give you a rough idea of the plant size. Tomatoes, have a generally high yield per plant, while with carrots and leeks are only going to give one to one per seed. At the same time tomatoes take up a lot more space. Than carrots or leeks, but there’s a lot of room under that tomato plant for other things like carrots, and basil. Here’s a list of Deep root plants vs shallow root plants. (plants that are extremely easy to grow have a star after them) If you have a container garden shallow or medium rooted plants will do better for you. Keep an eye out for varieties meant for containers if you do, for example dwarf carrots which don’t grow as deep as regular ones do.

Deep: 12 inches or more

• Carrots *
• Parsnips*
• Tomatoes
• Peppers*
• Potatoes
• Bush type beans and snap peas

Medium: 8-12 inches

• Herbs*
• Strawberries
• Compact varieties of cucumber*
• Ginger*

Shallow: 4-6 inches

• Lettuces*
• Radishes*
• Onions *
• Garlic*

Now you may be thinking you’ve got to go out and spend money on buying these seeds or plants and that’s money I could be spending on groceries I can eat now. Not so you can get almost everything you need to garden for free. If you live in an apartment or if you choose to container garden you might need to be a bit more creative in finding pots, old Rubbermaid tubs work well. I bet you have some laying around. Most counties have collection areas where residents can pick up compost for free, you just have to go get it. Call your county extension office and ask. If you have an outdoor garden space you can also improve any “dirt” you have by composting in some junk mail and your kitchen scraps I won’t go into this, as there has already been an article on composting. Now for plants: Many things can be grown either from a piece of something you got at the store or from the seeds of things you got from the store. For example you can grow potatoes from a potato you got at the store. When ever mine start to get eyes I just cut a chunk of the potato off with the eye on it and stick that part in the ground. You can do the same thing with Ginger. Onions will re-grow from the root section on the bottom, as to celery you know that part you normally throw away. Leave a little more onion attached and stick it in the ground. In a few months you will have not one but two more onions. Bell peppers grow well from seeds inside the store bought one, and so do tomatoes as long as they haven’t been bred not to. Garlic cloves starting to get that green inside? Stick ‘em in the ground. As for other things you may find neighbors willing to give you some of their extra seed to start out. But theirs always the Dinner Garden a non for profit organization who’s mission statement is to get families self sufficient and healthy. They have many distribution sites around the country and if you aren’t near one, they will mail you the seeds. These seeds are free and available to anyone who wants to start a garden, regardless of economic standing.

Thanks to The Survivalist Blog for this informative article

Endless Food Systems: Fish-Powered Aquaponic Gardens

Why do we choose Aquaponics instead of regular gardening?

Initially when i first started prepping, I soon remarked that storing up freeze dried foods isn't just expensive, but not a great policy for long-term survival. If something devastating happened that changed our society forever, stockpiles could eventually come to an end regardless how much you've got stored. It's no little amount to put much money into something you we do hope you will never have to use.

When I stumbled upon a limitless strategy to grow food called aquaponics, it revolutionized my way of thinking when it comes to long-term survival. The benefits of an aquaponic Endless Food System are immediate, and definitely will generate clean, non-GMO food on your family immediately. A lot of people in addition have found eating natural and eliminating toxic pesticides and chemicals employed in a lot of today's processed foods has strengthened their defense mechanisms.

An aquaponic garden is a thing that may benefit your household without delay, and you'll be crucial in the case of an extended-term food crisis. Growing your own organic fruits and vegetables (and fish!) can help to conserve big money in your grocery bill. Know what's even better, besides the fresh taste, is that you simply don't ought to own acres of land. Scalping strategies can generate around maybe five or ten times more food per sq . ft . compared to a traditional garden.



Aquaponic beds use 90% less water than a soil garden because the water is contained, and never has to be changed out. On top of that, growing vegetables in the elevated beds eliminates bending over and many traditional insect problems. Endless Food Systems are easy to operate and maintain, requiring only 5-10 minutes per day. I often get asked if the food tastes good. The truth is, once you've tasted vegetables grown the natural way in these systems, you'll never want to buy from the big box stores again. It is truly amazing how much better food tastes when it's allowed to ripen completely on the vine and grow without any chemicals.

So How Does Aquaponics Work?

An Endless Food System combines fish and plants together in a natural, symbiotic way. The fish provide food for the plants, and the plants clean the water for the fish. A water pump constantly moves the water from a fish tank into gravel-filled grow beds full of vegetable plants. The only inputs needed are fish food and a very small amount of electricity (can be from a car battery & solar panel) to run the water pump and air pump.

You can grow your own fish food, or even hang a hand-crank flashlight over the fish tank at night to attract bugs. The water and tanks never need to be cleaned. In fact, if you did, it could kill your beneficial microbes and bacteria that are doing all the work of converting the fish waste into plant food. The only thing that is really needed is a simple once-a-week brushing of the fish tank to stir up the sediment and send the fish waste up into the grow beds (where you want it). The idea of aquaponics is quite ancient, but has only recently been re-discovered. And while the overall concept is simple, designing and building a system can be quite complex. 



It is difficult to pinpoint exactly how much food an Endless Food System will produce, but in our experience, it is very possible for most families to drastically improve their food independence and health. As with anything, you generally get out what you put in, and an Endless Food System is no different. The better a system is managed, the more it will produce. We have found that a 12 foot wide by 20 foot long set up will generate around 1,200 pounds of vegetables and 50 to 80 pounds of fish per year. There are a lot of factors involved that could affect that number, such as your climate, type of plants and fish, and whether you are growing in a greenhouse that is climate controlled or in a basement.

For those in an urban environment without much space, we offer a compact indoor system, Eden. The peaceful sound of the constant water fountain cascading over the pebbles acts as both an accent piece, and functional aquaponics system for indoor growing.



Due to National Geographic for this very informative article regarding Aquaponics.

Happy Gardening!

9 Things to Consider Before You Ever Grow a Survival Garden

Do you desired to expand your own garden? And provide your household the most nutritious and fresh produce? Well! This short article would allow you to know what are what you require to think about before you increase your garden.



In a permanent emergency, people do not possess the time to leisurely be employed in the backyard.  Instead, they will be gardening for survival, together with a lot of other daily survival chores.  Survival gardening will be labor intensive, and enormous quantities of energy (sweat) is going to be needed to achieve the garden produce enough food for that present and enough to  put away money for hard times.  In substitution for your time and energy, you will want a survival garden that may provide your family abundantly with food.  Keeping specific things under consideration before starting a sizable scale garden will help give you the most out your energy, provide your self together with the healthiest vegetable varieties, and help you find the easiest kinds of vegetables growing.

Variables to Consider When Growing a Survival Garden

• A survival garden should incorporate dependable and easy to grow vegetables that produce more than one harvest or bears more than one fruit per plant.
• The vegetable varieties should be types that the family will eat.  It’s not worth the trouble of growing this food if your family will not eat it.
•  Grow vegetables that have high amounts of nutrition and vitamins, as well as finding varieties that possess medicinal properties.  According to medical experts, green vegetables such as broccoli, Brussel sprouts, Lima beans, peas, asparagus, artichokes, cauliflower, sweet potatoes and carrots are some of the most nutritious vegetables in the world.
• Find varieties that grow naturally in your area.  Environments where plants grow naturally mean that less time and effort will be needed in raising them.
• Need for excessive fertilizing to produce decent sized produce is a waste of precious resources.  There are exceptions to this rule of course.  Such as, if the fertilizer used will help the plant produce many fruits or vegetables.
• If space is limited, plants that take up as little space as possible, but produce abundantly will make for a good investment.  Furthermore, finding gardening techniques such as the Three Sisters also makes good use of space.
• If fuel is needed to harvest vegetables, the noise could be an indicator of a thriving homestead, and an OPSEC nightmare.  As a result, the home could be frequented by unwelcome guests.  Additionally, this type of farming method would consume large amounts of fuel.
• Find vegetables that can do well for storage.  Vegetables such as potatoes, onions, and root crops like beets and carrots that store well can be used when the weather is too cold to grow.
• Varieties that serve more than one purpose is also an efficient use of space and resources.  Varieties such as root crops or broccoli leaves are varieties where the greens can be fed to livestock.  In addition, some survivalists agree that yellow dent corn has a multi purpose use of making grain and feeding livestock.  But this crop requires a large amount of land, resources such as fertilizer, and energy to grow this plant to fruition.

Preppers that are stocking up on non-GMO or heirloom variety seeds to grow, should also have adequate knowledge in gardening skills to get these varieties to produce vegetables and fruits.  However, before a survival garden is started, sitting down and planning the garden and considering different factors will save headaches later on.  Likewise, researching how much food a family will need and how much of the time/energy yield will be needed to produce these vegetables is a valuable use of time.  Also, keep in mind that you know your family best.  You know what they eat, you know what they will not eat.  Come to your own conclusions as to what type of survival seed varieties are best suited for your family and the environment you live in.

Credits to Ready Nutrition for this very useful information.

10 Healing Herbs To Grow in Your Survival Garden

Hi! I found this great article about healing herbs that we can grow in our survival garden. It includes ten healing herbs and what it can do to us. It is very informative that's why I wanted to share it!




10 healing herbs that have been used for centuries and you can grow in your survival garden Time has come to plan our summer gardens, in this article we will show 10 superhealers you’ll want to add to your garden. These herbs possess amazing powers that have been used for centuries to soothe and heal, and with usage dating as far back as the first century CE and before, so it´s undeniable including them in your diet can yield big benefits.
Basil: Traditionally called the “king of herbs”. Thought to have mild antiseptic functions and used medicinally as a natural anti-inflammatory. Some healing uses are for flatulence, lack of appetite, nausea and cuts and scrapes.
It´s a great herb to add to spaghetti and in pesto too. Basil will have to be renewed on a yearly basis as it´s an annual plant that completes its life cycle, from germination to the production of seed, within one year.
German Chamomile: Chamomile´s flower heads are commonly used for infusions, teas and salves. It´s also used in herbal medicine for a sore stomach, irritable bowel syndrome, and as a gentle sleep aid. It´s normally taken as an herbal tea, two teaspoons of dried flower per cup of tea, and mouthwash against oral mucositis.
Feverfew: This perennial, member of the sunflower family has been used for centuries in European folk medicine as a treatment to treat headaches, arthritis and to reduce fever. Its many uses include easing headache pains, especially migraines. Feverfew should not be taken by pregnant women.
Lemon Balm: Lemon balm is a member of the mint family. Considered a calming herb, it has been used for centuries to reduce stress and anxiety, promote sleep, improve appetite, and ease pain and discomfort from indigestion. You can also crush the leaves and rub them onto the skin as a mosquito repellent.
Lemon balm has an exceptionally high antioxidant activity, and promotes the sense of calm.
Parsley: This biennial plant when brewed as a tea, helps supplement iron in a person’s diet, particularly for those who are anemic. Drinking parsley tea also helps boost energy and circulation of the body, and helps fight fatigue in anemic people. Other uses? Parsley tea fights gas and flatulence in the belly, kidney infections, and bladder infections, this herb should be avoided by pregnant women, as it is known to have uterotonic effects in high doses.
Sage: Named “Salvia” which means “to heal”. Native to the Mediterranean region, this plant is used in traditional medicine internally (as tea or directly chewed) for treatment of disorders of the respiratory tract, mouth, gastrointestinal tract, and skin, due to its excellent antibacterial and astringent properties.
Thyme: Thyme is used to relieve coughs, congestion, indigestion and gas. This perennial is rich in thymol, a strong antiseptic, making it highly desirable in the treatment of wounds and even fungus infections. This plant can do well in cooler climates.
Rosemary: Rosemary is known to help sharpen mental clarity and stimulate brain function. The needles of the fragrant rosemary plant can be used in a tea to treat digestive problems. The same tea can also be used as an expectorant and as a relaxing beverage that is helpful for headaches. Other healing uses include improving memory, relieving muscle pain and spasms, stimulating hair growth, and supporting the circulatory and nervous systems.
Peppermint: Peppermint has a long tradition of medicinal use. It is commonly used to soothe or treat symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, indigestion, irritable bowel, and bloating.
The leaves and stems contain menthol which in addition to use medicinally, is used as a flavoring in food, and a fragrance in cosmetics. The plant is prolific and grows well in almost all locations. The roots of this plant emit runners that quickly overtake gardens so they are best planted in a pot.
Lavender: This plant is a strong antiseptic, lavender tea, when applied topically, can help heal cuts, wounds and sores. It can also be used to mitigate bad breath.
A tea made from lavender has many uses with one of the foremost being its ability to have a calming effect on a person’s mind and body. Lavender can promote a sense of well-being and alleviate stress. Another excellent use is to dry them and seal them in pouches and place them among stored items of clothing to give a fresh fragrance and to deter moths. To get started with your garden will depend on the amount of space you have, the climate, and the availability of seeds, starts, or cuttings. A good recommendation is that to start with three or four herbs that appeal to you from a healing perspective. Most of these plants can be grown in pots on a porch or deck so if space is your problem, you can start modestly. If you would like to learn more about the healing properties of herbs, the University of Maryland Medical Center has a web site with a lot of useful information about herbs and other alternative medicine topics. Please share with your family and friends, so they can start their own healing garden!

Thanks to Natural Cures not Medicine for this very informative article.