By Amy Grant When you think of the family Cucurbitaceae, fruit such as squash, pumpkin and, of course, cucumber comes to mind. All of these are perennial staples of the dinner table for most Americans, but with 975 species that fall under Cucurbitaceae’s umbrella, there are bound to be many most of us have never even heard of. Desert gemsbok cucumber fruit is likely one that is unfamiliar. So what are gemsbok cucumbers and what other gemsbock African melon info can we dig up? What are Gemsbok Cucumbers? Gemsbok cucumber fruit (Acanthosicyos naudinianus) is borne off an herbaceous perennial with long annual stems. It has a large tuberous rootstock. Like squash and cucumbers, the stems of desert gemsbok cucumbers jumble out from the plant, grasping at surrounding vegetation with tendrils for support. The plant produces both male and female flowers and a resulting fruit that looks artificial, like a plastic,
My front yard landscaping is looking SO great after being in just a little over a year. It was last June when my friends from Southern Living Plant collection and Carmen Johnston came in and transformed my front yard. I documented that whole process so you can see what all was done. It's so nice to have an irrigation system so that I don't have to worry about those plants making it. And with all the rain we've gotten this summer, they are doing well. I've only lost a couple of them over the months and the rest of them are growing and spreading out like crazy.
By Teo Spengler Chinese evergreen plants (Aglaonemas spp.) are leafy plants popular in homes and offices. They thrive in low light and a mild, protected environment. They are compact plants and grow big leaves that are a mix of green and cream color. Pruning Chinese evergreen plant foliage is hardly ever required. However, there are times that trimming Chinese evergreens is appropriate. Keep reading for more information on when and how to cut back a Chinese evergreen. Chinese Evergreen Pruning Many houseplants require regular or even constant pruning and pinching to keep them looking good. One of the advantages of Chinese evergreen is that they are very low maintenance. As long as you keep these plants in low light areas with temperatures of 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (18-23 C.), they will likely thrive. Because of the dense leafing of the plant, trimming Chinese evergreens is not a must. In
By Amy Grant Many apple trees thin themselves naturally to some extent so it should be no great surprise to see some aborted fruit. Often, however, the tree still holds onto a surplus of fruit which results in small, sometimes misshapen, apples. To get the largest, healthiest fruit from an apple tree, you occasionally need to give Mother Nature a hand and thin apple trees. Read on to find out how to thin apple fruit. Reasons to Thin Apple Trees Apple crops vary from year to year. In years of plenty, thinning out apples allows the remaining apples to grow larger and healthier. Apple tree thinning removes some of the small apples from the cluster, enabling the tree to expend its energy on the fewer remaining apples. Thinning also gives you an opportunity to inspect the tree to see if there are any diseased or broken limbs or any early
Hurricane season for the Atlantic Ocean runs from June 1st to November 30th with a sharp peak in activity from late August through September. It was precisely this time period that Hurricane Katrina descended upon the gulf causing at least 1,245 deaths and over 108 billion dollars of damage. The resulting chaos and horror shocked […]
Say hello to Kim with Hunt and Host from Texas. She's a brand new, less than a year old blogger and I just love what I see of her and her house. She's a Christian too I love what I read of how she expresses her heart and how it relates to home. She's a hunter and gatherer (just like so many of us) and loves fixing up a pretty home on a budget.
She and her hubby (and 3 kiddos) bought a 1950's fixer upper that had been on the market for over a year. The way she describes it, they should have never even thought about buying it, but they saw a good deal and decided it was worth it to renovate and renovate they did.
By Bonnie L. Grant Fall, spring or summer blooming bulbs add lively color and variant texture to the landscape. Whether you purchase the old standbys, like tulips and crocus, or expensive, rare bulbs, they still need to be healthy. The biggest, brightest flowers come from the biggest, chubbiest tubers and bulbs. If you order online, you may be surprised at the quality of bulbs you receive. Buying flower bulbs online offers large selection and easy acquisition but not always the best quality. Here we have assembled a list of some the most trustworthy bulb suppliers and information to help ensure you get good deals and great bulbs. How to Find a Trustworthy Bulb Supplier Online bulb retailers generally have the largest variety of plant types. Flower bulb suppliers provide wonderful descriptions and care for the plants and offer convenience with their easy to peruse and use cyber catalogs. The only
My sister and niece recently hosted a bridal shower for Lauren's maid of honor, Becky. Becky is getting married soon and so they hosted the shower at my sister's house. My sister is the queen of throwing parties and does a table up just right. When I saw how it was all decorated, I wanted to share it with all of you, since I know setting tables is an art and very inspirational when you see what can be done to make a table extra special.
Editor’s Note: This post was generously contributed by Gary with Survive Worldwide – Survival Gear and Tips. Gary shares how to make a survival bracelet with the Prepper Journal. A survival bracelet is an almost ubiquitous accessory for preppers, hunters and survivalists everywhere with varying patterns and colors that make the different combinations vast. The […]
By Amy Grant Ever heard of kangaroo apple fruit? You may not have unless you were born down under. Kangaroo apple plants are native to Australia and New Zealand. So what is a kangaroo apple? Read on to learn more. What is a Kangaroo Apple? Kangaroo apple plants are unrelated to apples, although they do bear fruit. A member of the Solanaceae family, Solanum aviculare is also sometimes referred to as New Zealand nightshade, giving us a clue as to the characteristics of the fruit. Nightshade, another Solanaceae member, is poisonous like many other Solanacea members. Many of them contain potent alkaloids that may be toxic although we eat some of these “toxic” foods – such as potatoes and tomatoes. The same can be said of kangaroo apple fruit. It is toxic when it is unripe. Kangaroo apple plants are bushy shrubs that grow between 3-10 feet in height covered
It's Wednesday again, so today I'm back to share a couple of outfits that I've worn recently. Summer is coming to an end soon and Fall will be creeping in with cooler weather and less humidity. I'm sitting on my screened porch right now and the weather is simply beautiful, lower humidity and a little chill in the air.
I'm always excited for September to turn the calendar and this year is no exception, even though I've thoroughly enjoyed my summer, with trips to the pool and lake and lots of outdoor concerts. I've still got a beach trip planned for September and October, so lots of fun things to look forward to with the cooler temperatures.
By Mary H. Dyer, Master Naturalist and Master Gardener What is a mirror bush plant? This unusual plant is a hardy, low-maintenance shrub that thrives in difficult conditions – especially salty coastal environs. The plant is named for its amazingly shiny, jewel-like leaves. It’s easy to understand why mirror bush plant is also known as looking glass plant and creeping mirror plant, among other “shiny” names. Want more mirror plant information? Keep reading! Mirror Plant Information Mirror plant (Coprosma repens) is an evergreen shrub suitable for growing in USDA plant hardiness zones 8 through 11. This fast-growing shrub can reach mature heights of 10 feet fairly quickly. Mirror bush plant is available in several variegated forms and various combinations of creamy white, lime green, bright pink, purple, gold or soft yellow. The colors intensify when cooler weather arrives in autumn. Dwarf varieties, which top out at 2 to 3 feet,
After the stock market opened up this week on “Black Monday” and quickly dropped 1000 points, many people were surprised. The internet was abuzz with stories discussing the various reasons for the market turmoil and more than one educated source said these wild fluctuations are “perfectly normal”. Economists sounded a more positive note and talked […]
By Amy Grant Due to their high concentration of vitamin C and antioxidant properties, cranberries have become an almost daily staple for some, not just relegated to their annual use on Thanksgiving. This popularity may have you wondering about picking your own cranberries. So how are cranberries harvested anyway? How to Harvest Cranberries Commercially grown cranberries are known as the American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) or sometimes referred to as lowbush. They are actually woody, perennial vines that can stretch out runners to 6 feet. When spring arrives, the vines send out upright sprouts from the runners, which then produce flowers followed by cranberries in the fall. These commercially grown lowbush varieties of cranberry are grown in bogs, a wetland ecosystem consisting of sphagnum moss, acidic water, peat deposits, and a mat-like substance on the water’s surface. The bog is layered with alternating strata of sand, peat, grave and clay and
By Mary H. Dyer, Master Naturalist and Master Gardener Also known as green ixia or green flowered corn lily, turquoise ixia (Ixis viridflora) is bound to be one of the most unique plants in the garden. Ixia plants consist of grassy foliage and tall spikes of 12 to 24 flowers that make a grand appearance in spring. Each turquoise ixia bloom displays bright aquamarine petals with a contrasting “eye” of intense purple-black. Growing turquoise ixia isn’t difficult, and turquoise ixia care isn’t complicated. Turquoise ixia plants, which grow from small bulbs, require well-drained soil and full sunlight. Read on for more information, and learn how to grow Ixia viridiflora plants. How to Grow Ixia Viridiflora Plant turquoise ixia bulbs 2 inches deep in early autumn if you live where winters remain above 20 degrees F. (-7 C.). Plant bulbs about inch deeper and cover them with a thick layer of
An important part of survival is defense. This goes without saying, yet many do not realize to what extent protection is available. Body armor is now lighter, more comfortable and more protective than ever before, and is an invaluable asset for any survivalist. Indeed, anyone who may be facing a potential attack will benefit from […]
If you missed my first post last week about the yardsale adventure of a lifetime with GMC's Hidden Treasure Adventure, go back and read up on all that fun!
After that whirlwind of a yardsale adventure, it was time to get back to Atlanta and see the Habitat house in person. What a thrill to be shopping for a deserving family, one that would appreciate our efforts to make their house cozy and comfortable for them.
If you missed my first post, I joined 7 other bloggers and we were sponsored by GMC to do the Longest Yardsale to shop for a deserving family and their Habitat for Humanity house. It was such a joy to all of us to have this family in mind as we shopped our way down Hwy. 127. Each of us had an area/room to take on and so we knew what we had to do to complete it, all on a $285 budget. Some of us went over budget, but it's all for a good cause, so no one minded. GMC paid for our meals and hotel at night and provided us with beautiful GMC Yukon Denalis to drive.
By Amy Grant I grew up in an area near an old apple orchard and the old gnarled trees were something to see, like great arthritic old ladies anchored into the earth. I always wondered about the knobby growths on the apple trees and since then have discovered that there are a couple of things that can cause them. Read on to learn more these apple tree growths. Apple Tree Burr Knots Burr knots on apple trees are particularly common on some apple varieties, especially early “June” cultivars. Apple tree burr knots (also spelled burrknots) are clumps of twisted or knobby growths on apple trees branches, usually when they are three years old or older. This occurrence increases on dwarf rootstocks. The outgrowths can produce both shoots and roots, so if you want to start another tree, you need only prune the affected branch from the mother and plant it.
Back when I started getting into this lifestyle now known as prepping, I had a million problems I was trying to solve. I imagine some of you feel the same way if you are beginning. If you are paying attention and are at least partially grounded in reality, you can see the fragility of society. […]
By Bonnie L. Grant Willow oaks are no relation to willows but they seem to soak up water in a similar fashion. Where do willow oak trees grow? They thrive in floodplains and near streams or marshes, but the trees are remarkably drought tolerant, too. One of the interesting facts about willow oak trees is their relation to red oaks. They are in the red oak group but do not have the characteristic lobed leaves of the red oaks. Instead, willow oaks have narrow willow-like leaves with a bristle-like hair at the end of the foliage that characterizes them as oaks. Willow Oak Tree Information Willow oaks (Quercus phellos) are popular shade trees in parks and along streets. This tree grows fairly quickly and can become too large for some urban settings. The plant tolerates pollution and drought and has no serious insect or pest problems. The main items for
By Amy Grant If you are a fan of the pre-washed, pre-packaged mixed baby greens, chances are that you have come across tatsoi. Okay, so it’s a green but what other interesting tatsoi plant info can we dig up along with tatsoi growing instructions? Let’s find out. Tatsoi Plant Info Tatsoi (Brassica rapa) is indigenous to Japan where it has been cultivated since 500 A.D. This Asian green belongs to the cabbage family of Brassicas. A low growing annual with small, spoon-shaped leaves, tatsoi is also called spoon mustard, spinach mustard or rosette bok choy, of which it is a close relative of. They have a mild mustard-like flavor. The plant looks similar to spinach; however, the stems and veins are white and sweet. The plant with its distinctive green, spoon-like leaves, only grows to about an inch high, but it can reach a foot across! This little plants thrives
Meet sweet blog friend, Julie, with Lilacs and Longhorns. She's a Texas gal with a beautiful home that I want to share with you today. I got to meet her at Haven and even though we haven't spent a lot of time together, I know we have a love of making our homes cozy and pretty in common. Julie explains on her About Me page how she came up with the name for her blog. It's a dichotomy of terms, describing her and her hubby's background and taste, thus Lilacs for her and Longhorns for his Texas self. Pretty cute!
By Bonnie L. Grant Homemade wasp trap instructions abound on the internet or you can also purchase ready-made versions. These easy-to-assemble traps simply catch the wasps and drown them. Almost any household container can be converted quickly and easily into an effective wasp trap. The best wasp traps on the market can’t hold a candle to your homemade version. Learn how to make a homemade wasp trap in this article. DIY Wasp Trap Info Wasps are terrifying to many people who have been stung. They are, however, beneficial insects whose main job is to eat other insects. Wasps are attracted to proteins and sugars which can make those summertime picnics less than comfortable. Sprays and baits can be helpful but generally contain toxins that may not be appropriate around your family. A safer and non-toxic way to minimize the insects is to use a little DIY wasp trap info to
Editor’s Note: This article has been generously contributed by Egbert who joins the ranks of very experienced professionals who have written guest posts that serve to share their knowledge with the rest of the Prepping community. If you find yourself with something to say and wish to write an article, please get in touch with […]
My friend, Karen, has been on a mission to update her wardrobe, so today I'm featuring some of her new finds. She is 56, slim and looks great for this stage of life. She's a single mom and she has gone too long without updating her wardrobe, so it was time for some updates. And now she's thinking about venturing out to the dating world again, for the first time in 16 years. She's been watching me date and we have had many (funny!) conversations about that in the last year. You just have to have a good sense of humor dating at this age!
Karen went shopping at Steinmart and bought a lot of new clothes and then she and I went out to TJ Maxx to fill in with updated shoes and jewelry for her new clothes. We found plenty to update her wardrobe and she is ready to go out now, dressed in style.
By Amy Grant Kidney beans are a healthy inclusion to the home garden. They have antioxidant properties, folic acid, vitamin B6 and magnesium, not to mention they are a rich source of cholesterol lowering fiber. One cup of kidney beans provides 45.3% of the recommended daily intake for fiber! High in protein, kidney beans and other beans are a vegetarian’s mainstay. They are also a good choice for folks with diabetes, hypoglycemia or insulin resistance because this rich fiber content keeps sugar levels from rising too rapidly. With all that goodness, the only question is how to grow kidney beans. How to Grow Kidney Beans There are a number of kidney bean varieties to choose from. Some of them, like Charlevoix, are more prone to viruses and bacteria, so do your research. They come in both bush and vine varieties. In the same family as black beans, pinto and navy
Many of us have affiliations with larger groups that we expect to depend upon in times of crisis. I am not talking about a support group of Facebook followers consoling you on a bad haircut here; I am talking about your very own survival group. For every person fortunate enough to have groups of friends […]
By Bonnie L. Grant Wildflowers have a special place in my heart. Hiking or biking around the countryside in spring and summer can give you a whole new appreciation for the natural beauties of this world. Milkwort may not have the cutest name and it isn’t native to North America, but it is one of the stars of the show from summer to early fall in Europe. Milkwort wildflowers are perennial herbs that have a long history as a medicinal. Keeping reading to learn more about this interesting plant. Milkwort Plant Info Common milkwort is found in grasslands, heaths and dunes. It is a familiar sight in the landscape in Britain, Norway, Finland and other European countries. Polygala vulgaris is the plant’s scientific designation. The Greek polugalon means “to make much milk.” This describes the plant’s historic use as an aid to increase lactation in new mothers. There were many
That quality which makes a plant a weed is in the eye of the beholder. Where one person might see only an overgrown flowerbed, another might see the makings of a decent salad. Frank down the street is probably tearing his hair out trying to get all the nettles out of his garden, while Susan next door is not only eating them for dinner every night but has also placed an order with a fancy seed company so that she can grow dandelions and wood sorrel – on purpose.
The author’s very own overgrown flowerbed. Pictured: common mallow, peppermint, carrots and parsley all gone to seed.
The dictionary definition of a weed is a plant that grows in an undesirable spot. A potato plant could be considered a weed if it popped up in the middle of your cabbages. The class of plants commonly referred to as weeds in the United States are not without their good qualities. Weeds tend to be high in minerals and some, like purslane, are a source of omega-3 fatty acids. Once you learn to identify these plants and what they can do, you may not try so hard to pull them up.
My neighborhood in the suburbs of the Intermountain West is lousy with edible weeds. These make a tasty and healthy addition to salads and some can be substituted for spinach. Here is a short list of some of the most common edible weeds and their attributes.
Please note: It is always very important that you positively identify a wild plant without a shadow of a doubt before eating it. Some plants that are extremely poisonous often greatly resemble plants that are good to eat. (Hemlock and angelica are prime examples). This article should not be treated as a definitive work, but as a guide to help you get started. For further reading, read this article on foraging.
Oxalis spp. Not to be confused with sheep sorrel, which is completely different. Wood sorrel has clover-shaped leaves and small five-petaled flowers that come in a variety of colors. High in oxalic acid, it has a sour, lemony taste. It is my personal favorite “weed”.
Here’s a recipe to try: Wood sorrel and sweet onion tart.
This purslane is growing in a traditional weedy place.
Portulaca oleracea. While we here in the United States are ripping up purslane by the handful or trying to drown it with weed killer, folks in living in Mediterranean countries use it as a key ingredient in a number of tasty dishes. A succulent, purslane is water-rich. The slightly salty taste makes it a nice in salad, but it can also be cooked.
Because of its mucilaginous properties, it can be used as a thickener in stews in lieu of flour or other starch. Purslane is a source of omega-3 fatty acids; vitamins A, C, E, and B; and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, and iron.Where I live, purslane is fairly invasive and abundant this time of year, so I don’t imagine there will be any shortage until the frost comes.
Malva Neglecta. A plant of many names. It is also referred to as buttonweed, cheeseweed, and dwarf mallow. Note that this is not related to the marsh mallow plant. Mallow, like purslane, is mucilaginous.
This property is particularly concentrated in the roots; the liquid obtained from boiling mallow root can be whipped like egg whites and used to make a meringue substitute, although this can be tricky as the mucilage does not behave exactly like egg whites. The leaves can also be used fresh in salads as a substitute for lettuce.
Beware: If you ever let this plant in your garden on purpose, be prepared to never get it out again. Common mallow is particularly invasive. Even if you pull it up, a full plant will regrow from any portion of the taproot that is left intact.
John Kallas has a recipe for Mallow Meringue in his book Edible Wild Plants.
Dandelions. Just in case you didn’t already know what they looked like.
Dandelion
Taraxacum spp. Dandelions usually appear very first on any list of edible weeds. They have a sharp taste that is not wholly unpleasant when eaten young, but once the plant reaches maturity the sharpness becomes almost unbearably bitter. The bitterness can be alleviated by blanching or cooking.
Taste aside, dandelion greens are extremely nutritious, being high in vitamins A, C, and K, and a number of minerals including manganese, calcium, and iron. They can also be used as an herbal remedy.
There is more to dandelions (and all the other edible weeds, too!) than just plain in a salad. Try some of these recipes.
Stinging Nettles
Nettles don’t actually grow in my neighborhood, but I thought i would include them in this list because they are so ubiquitous and invasive in other parts of the United States.
Don’t let the name scare you away. Once cooked like spinach, the nettles loose their stings. They are also good for more than just eating! When processed using the same method used for flax, nettles produce a fine textile fiber. Many people in Europe resorted to making clothing out of nettles during the drastic shortages of the Second World War. It’s even flame retardant!
For further reading on nettles, look at this article from NPR.
Cleavers
Galium aparine Also called goosegrass or bedstraw. Unfortunately, late July (the time of writing) is past cleavers season so instead of showing you a picture from my backyard I must content myself with this wikipedia article. Look for younger plants in early spring; older plants are tough and are not edible.
Some report that the seeds can be roasted and used as a caffeine-free substitute for coffee. Here is a YouTube tutorial on making cleaver coffee.
Not everyone enjoys the taste of weed greens, preferring instead the milder flavors offered by cultivated lettuce. Still, being aware of the local flora can be extremely useful and help you find flavor in the weeds. If for any reason you must rely solely on your food storage – say, buckets and buckets of wheat – your body will still require additional nutrients, particularly vitamin C.
Imagine that there is a drought in your area and your lettuce patch succumbs to the intense heat. Mallow and purslane are exceedingly drought tolerant and will keep you in good health, should need require it.
Have you ever run out of gas? Imagine running out of gas when gas stations are no longer pumping fuel or you are on route to your bug out location after some really bad stuff has gone down. You aren’t able to call AAA anymore and your buddy probably can’t come pick you up. You […]
By Amy Grant Citrus are evergreen fruit bearers that do not require as much pruning as their deciduous brethren. If left unpruned, however, growth can get vigorous and out of hand, so pruning orange trees will rein in their appearance. How do you go about trimming an orange tree and when is the best time to prune orange trees? Read on to learn more. Orange Tree Pruning Why should you prune citrus such as orange trees? Pruning orange trees can improve aeration and increase light through the canopy, thus improving fruit quality and yield. Pruning out water sprouts can improve productivity in some cases as well. Ease in harvesting of oranges and a reduction in potential injury due to falls from ladders are also the results of trimming back an orange tree to reduce its overall height. Skirt pruning reduces the risk of soil borne pathogens affecting the fruit as
Food storage is a key component to your family’s preparedness plan. There are many decisions that need to be made. Which foods are best for storage? Which will my family prefer? How do I store it properly?
Dehydrated Foods?
Freeze Dried Foods?
Every Day Pantry Foods?
MREs?
Buckets? Cans? Gamma Lids?
UReal Meat or TVP?
GMO Free? Gluten Free?
I could go on and on. Ultimately, there is no RIGHT answer. Every family’s needs are different as far as what to store. But there is ONE issue that affects us all that MUST have our attention: Calorie Count.
Notice I did NOT say “Number of Servings.”
Food storage calories vs. Number of Servings
The majority of food and kits marketed for preparedness purposes tout their products as “30 day kits” or “100 servings per bucket” or something similar. Red flags pop up in my mind if there is no calorie count listed plainly and without research. If you can’t find the calorie count per serving, you MUST do the math yourself.
For example, there is one company (I’m not going to name names) that has what they advertise as a “One Month One Person Ready To Go Bucket” that includes 72 “servings.” Just based on the name, one would assume that a single person would be able to eat for one month, right? Let’s do the math.
I had to search for quite a while to find the calorie count information for this company’s foods. When I finally found it, it was on an unrelated website. The average calorie count per serving for the specific foods included was 185. Multiply that by the total servings (72) and you get 13,320 calories. Divide that by 30 to get your daily allotment and you’ll discover that you get to dine on just 444 calories per day to make this kit last the full month it claims to hold.
That’s not survival. That’s slow starvation!
Based on my height, weight, age and gender, my Basal Metabolic Rate (how many calories I burn per day doing nothing but resting) is about 1,500 calories. (Determine your personal BMR by using this calculator.) In a SHTF situation where I would need to use my food storage, I would likely be very active doing what I needed to survive, not laying in bed all day. How well will 444 calories sustain me? What I would need is a minimum of 2,000 calories per day… which means this “one month” bucket would only last me FEWER THAN SEVEN DAYS.
A friend of mine owns 12 of these buckets. He thought he had a full year of food until I asked him about calorie count. He realized that based on his caloric needs, he actually had just short of three months of food in his stash. That’s less than a quarter of what he thought was on hand. Three months of food on hand is an excellent food stash. It might even be sufficient for the majority of disasters and emergencies he would face. At least now he has an accurate assessment of what is really on his shelf.
TIP: Learn more about common food storage myths by reading Top 10 Food Storage Myths and watching the embedded videos.
Another example of a food storage plan that is shy of providing the necessary calories is a blog post claiming that you can “feed your family of four for one year for less than $300.” It included a specific list of very simple items to buy, how to cook and serve it, and even how to store it. Overall it contained good information, except for one thing: when I did the calorie math, the “one year for four people” provided under 100 calories per person per day! Based on a flat rate of 2,000 calories per day, that one year plan would last that family of four only 16 days! If you want a two-week food stash, it’s an excellent option. But I fear for those who falsely believe they have a full year of food on their shelves.
When it comes to food storage plans, companies, and claims, be skeptical and remember that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
How to figure food storage calories for your family
So what should you do to ensure you have enough food storage?
Decide how how many weeks, months or years of food you want to have as part of your preparedness plan.
Calculate the number of calories needed for each member of your household.
Go through your current food stash and do the calorie math.
If you’ve planned your food storage around specific recipes, how many calories per serving will those recipes provide?
Determine if you have enough food or if you need to add more.
Through use and rotation, continue to keep track of your total calories on hand and make purchases as needed.
It’s is important to note that I am not saying that you shouldn’t buy foods that “hide” their calorie counts. Some of them are good quality, tasty, and/or economical choices despite the lack of full disclosure about calories. You just have to know how many calories are in each of those servings so you can make an informed choice on both the dollar value and how long it will truly last your family.
Two companies that I believe are the best at getting calorie information front and center are Thrive Life and Augason Farms. Check them out for your future food storage purchases.
Have you worked out a calorie count for your food stash?
Refine your food storage pantry with these resources
Last week, I participated in one of the MOST fun adventures I've ever experienced. You've probably all heard about the Longest Yardsale, which has been going on for maybe 20 years or so. It's always the first weekend in August (why they picked August, I'll never know....it's HOT, people!). Anyway, I have been to the yardsale a few times years ago, but only from Gadsden, AL up to Chattanooga, TN. Hwy. 127 actually stretches all the way down from Ohio to Alabama and that's the route of the yardsale. The last time I went on the Longest Yardsale was in 2009, with 2 of my fave girls in bogland!
It's an amazing sight to say the least. Traveling the back roads of the USA is such a fun thing to experience and this trip was definitely an adventure of a lifetime that I'll never forget. We flew up to Michigan to start this trip, where I met up with the GMC folks and 7 other bloggers. We then hopped into our GMC Yukon Denali cars and drove to Ohio for our first stop on the yardsale route. It was a total of 5 days from start to finish and at the end, we were all exhausted, but incredibly happy.
By Mary H. Dyer, Master Naturalist and Master Gardener Sand lily plants (Leucocrinum montanum) grow across much of the open montane forests, dry grasslands and sagebrush deserts of the western United States. This rugged and beautiful little wildflower is easily recognized by the sweet-smelling, star-shaped white sand lily flowers on stalks rising from a basal clump of slender, grass-like leaves. Sand lily plants grow directly from an elongated rhizome buried deep in the soil. Sand lily is also known as star lily or mountain lily. Can You Grow Sand Lilies? Yes, you can grow sand lily plants if you live in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 9. The important question is, SHOULD you grow sand lilies? If you can find plants or seeds at a garden center or nursery that specializes in native desert plants, you’re in luck and you can grow these lovely desert wildflowers at your heart’s
I love the mountains of NC and when I found out that HGTV has just renovated a bungalow in that beautiful city of Asheville, I knew it would be fun to see. I have had the pleasure of visiting in person several of these HGTV homes over the years, so since I haven't visited this one in real life, it was fun to take the tour online at HGTV. I also noticed that my talented and entertaining friend here in Atlanta, Brian Patrick Flynn, is the designer on this project which made it even more special to see. He's super talented with putting rooms together.
HGTV has the whole tour online, but they gave me permission to share it here on my blog, so I thought you would love it too. They took a little old bungalow in need of some major love and renovated it into a sleek and sophisticated urban home. I love how it turned out so see what you think about it.
By Mary H. Dyer, Master Naturalist and Master Gardener Wisely placed lawn ornaments in the landscape can create a sense of elegance and warmth, and a few gnomes or cute animals may delight and amuse visitors and passersby. However, as tempting as it may be to grab lawn ornaments and garden art so plentiful and inexpensive at garden centers these days, the effect may be the exact opposite of the one you are hoping for. If you don’t want your neighbors to cringe in embarrassment, take time to learn some basic design elements for using lawn ornaments and garden art with style and grace. Read on for helpful lawn décor tips. How to Use Lawn Ornaments Everybody has a different idea about how to use lawn ornaments in the landscape, but the most important factor is that lawn ornaments and garden art should enhance your life and bring you joy.
I think it is fair to say that one aspect of some prepper’s motivational drive to do what we do stems from a desire to resist tyranny. Perhaps I am only seeing what I want to see based on my own personal outlook on life, but I have a lot of anecdotal evidence that backs […]
Have you ever wished you had someone to help you put together a room? Sometimes decorating can be completely overwhelming if you don't feel you have an eye for putting things together or even knowing where to start.
There is so much inspiration out here in blogland and I know that many of you love reading my blog and other blogs for decorating ideas and inspiration. But, sometimes you might need extra special help in designing and decorating a space in your house. That is where Dezignable comes in. They are an online source for decorating ideas and they will give you those ideas for your own home.
The internet is full of websites that give information on survival topics, including food storage. There are dozens and dozens of books that will teach you “the right way” to store food and YouTube videos galore. Most contain valid, trustworthy information, but mixed in with that are a number of food storage myths that many people accept without question.
Here are 10 that I take issue with, and I explain why.
By the way, following Myth #10 are 2 short videos that review these myths.
Myth #1: You should stock up on lots of wheat.
When I was researching foods typically eaten during the Great Depression, I noticed that many of them included sandwiches of every variety. So it makes sense to stock up on wheat, which, when ground, becomes flour, the main ingredient to every bread recipe.
There are a couple of problems with the focus on wheat in virtually all food storage plans, however. First, since the Great Depression years, most of the wheat produced in the United States, is now genetically altered (GMO), which may be one reason why millions of people now have various health issues when they consume wheat.
The second issue is that wheat isn’t the simplest food to prepare, unless you simply cook the wheat berries in water and eat them as a hot cereal or add them to other dishes. In order to make a loaf of bread, you have to grind the wheat, which requires the purchase of at least one grain mill. Electric mills are much easier to use and, within just seconds, you have freshly ground flour. However, you’ll probably want to add a hand-crank mill to have on hand for power outages. All together, 2 mills will end up costing a pretty penny, depending on the brands you purchase.
Then there’s the process of making the bread itself, which is time consuming.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t store wheat, and, in fact, I have several hundred pounds of it myself. The emphasis on wheat as a major component in food storage is what I have a problem with. In retrospect, I wish I had purchased far more rice and less wheat. Rice is incredibly simple to prepare and is very versatile. It, too, has a very long shelf life.
Myth #2: Beans last forever.
While it’s true that beans have a long shelf life, they have been known to become virtually inedible over time. Old-timers have reported using every cooking method imaginable in order to soften the beans. A pressure cooker is one option but, again, some have told me that doesn’t even work!
Another option is to grind the beans and add the powdered beans to various recipes. They will still contain some nutrients and fiber.
Over the years, I’ve stocked up on cans of beans — beans of all kinds. They retain their nutrients in the canning process and are already cooked, so there’s no need to soak, boil, pressure cook, etc. You can always home can dried beans, and if you have beans that have been around for more than 10 years or so, canning them is a super simple process and insures they won’t become inedible.
Myth #3: If they’re hungry enough, they’ll eat it!
Have you ever fallen in love with a recipe that was easy to make, inexpensive, and your family loved it? You probably thought you’d finally found The Dream Recipe. And then you made it a second time, then a third, then a fourth. About the 8th or 9th time, however, you may have discovered that you had developed a mild form of food fatigue. Suddenly, it didn’t taste all that great and your family wasn’t giving it rave reviews anymore.
When it comes to food storage, don’t assume that someone will eat a certain item they currently hate, just because they’re hungry. If you stock up on dozens of #10 cans of Turkey Tetrazzini, sooner or later the family will revolt, no matter how hungry they are.
Myth #4. All I need is lots and lots of canned food.
There’s nothing wrong with canned food. In fact, that’s how I got started with food storage. However, canned food has its limitations. A can of ravioli is a can of ravioli. You can’t exactly transform it into a completely different dish. As well, canned food may have additives that you don’t care to eat and, in the case of my own kids, tastes change over time. I had to eventually give away the last few cans of ravioli and Spaghetti-O’s because my kids suddenly didn’t like them anymore.
Be sure to rotate whatever canned food you have, since age takes a toll on all foods, but, as I’ve discovered, on certain canned items in particular. My experience with old canned tuna hasn’t been all that positive, and certain high-acid foods, such as canned tomato products, are known to have issues with can corrosion. Double check the seams of canned food and look for any sign of bulging, leaks, or rust.
Lightly rusted cans, meaning you can rub the rust off with a cloth or your fingertip, are safe to continue storing. However, when a can is badly rusted, there’s a very good chance that the rust has corroded the can, allowing bacteria to enter. Those cans should be thrown away.
Worried about the “expiration” date on canned food? Well, those dates are set by the food production company and don’t have any bearing on how the food will taste, its nutrients, or safety after that date. If the food was canned correctly and you’ve been storing it in a dry and cool location, theoretically, the food will be safe to consume for years after that stamped date.
Myth #5: I can store my food anywhere that I have extra space.
Yikes! Not if you want to extend its shelf life beyond just a few months! Know the enemies of food storage and do your best to store food in the best conditions possible.
TIP: Learn more about the enemies of food storage: heat, humidity, light, oxygen, pests, and time.
I emphasize home organization and decluttering on this blog, mainly because it frees up space that is currently occupied by things you don’t need or use. Start decluttering and then storing your food in places that are cool, dark, and dry.
Myth #6: My food will last X-number of years because that’s what the food storage company said.
I have purchased a lot of food from very reputable companies over the years: Augason Farms, Thrive Life, Honeyville, and Emergency Essentials. They all do a great job of processing food for storage and then packaging it in containers that will help prolong its shelf life.
However, once the food gets to your house, only you are in control of how that food is stored. Yes, under proper conditions, food can easily have a shelf life of 20 years or more, but when it’s stored in heat, fluctuating temperatures, and isn’t protected from light, oxygen, and pests, and never rotated, it will deteriorate quickly.
NOTE: When food is old, it doesn’t become poisonous or evaporate in its container. Rather, it loses nutrients, flavor, texture, and color. In a word, it becomes unappetizing.
Myth #7: Just-add-hot-water meals are all I need.
There are many companies who make and sell only add-hot-water meals. In general, I’m not a big fan of these. They contain numerous additives that I don’t care for, in some cases the flavors and textures and truly awful, but the main reason why I don’t personally store a lot of these meals is because they get boring.
Try eating pre-made chicken teriyaki every day for 2 weeks, and you’ll see what I mean. Some people don’t require a lot of variety in their food, but most of us tire quickly when we eat the same things over and over.
These meals have a couple of advantages, though. They are lightweight and come in handy during evacuation time and power outages. If you can boil a couple of cups of water over a rocket stove, propane grill, or some other cooking device, then you’ll have a meal in a few minutes.
TIP: Store a few days worth of just-add-water meals with your emergency kits and be ready to grab them for a quick emergency evacuation. Be sure to also pack a spoon or fork for each person and a metal pot for meals that require cooking over a heat source.
However, for a well-balanced food storage pantry, stock up on individual ingredients and fewer just-add-hot-water meals.
Myth #8: I can stock up on a year’s worth and won’t need to worry about food anymore.
That is probably the fantasy of many a prepper. Buy the food, stash it away, and don’t give it a thought until the S hits the fan. There’s a big problem with that plan, however. When everything does hit the fan and it’s just you and all that food:
Will you know how to prepare it?
Will you have the proper supplies and tools to prepare the food?
Did you store enough extra water to rehydrate all those cans of freeze-dried and dehydrated foods?
Do you have recipes you’re familiar with, that your family enjoys, and that use whatever you’ve purchased?
What if there’s an ingredient a family member is allergic to?
Does everyone even like what you’ve purchased?
Have any of the containers been damaged? How do you know if you haven’t inspected them and checked them occasionally for bulges and/or pest damage?
If you’ve purchased a pre-packaged food storage supply, the contents of that package were determined by just a small handful of people who do not know your family, your health issues, or other pertinent details. These packages aren’t a bad thing to have on hand. Just don’t be lulled into a false sense of security.
Myth #9: Freeze dried foods are too expensive.
Yes, there is a bit of sticker shock initially when you begin to shop online at sites like Thrive Life, Augason Farms, and Emergency Essentials. If you’ve been used to paying a few dollars for a block of cheddar cheese and then see a price of $35 for a can of freeze-dried cheddar, it can be alarming.
However, take a look at how many servings are in each container and consider how much it would cost to either grow or purchase that same food item and preserve it in one way or another, on your own.
The 3 companies I mentioned all have monthly specials on their food and other survival supplies — that’s how I ended up with 2 cases of granola from Emergency Essentials!
Myth #10: This expert’s food storage plan will fit my family.
The very best food storage plan is the one that you have customized yourself. By all means, use advice given by a number of experts. Take a look at online food calculators, but when it’s time to make purchases, buy what suits your family best. What one person thinks is ideal for food storage may leave your kids retching.
Lots of resources to help you with your food storage pantry
By Karen Boness, Owner of Wild Willow Landscape Design, ISA Certified Arborist, Certified Permaculture Designer Pomegranate trees are native to Persia and Greece. They are actually multi-trunk shrubs that are often cultivated as small, single-trunk trees. These beautiful plants are typically grown for their fleshy, sweet-tart edible fruits. That being said, pomegranate leaf loss can be a frustrating problem for many gardeners. Keep reading to learn why pomegranate leaf drop occurs. Reasons a Pomegranate Tree is Losing Leaves Do pomegranate trees lose leaves? Yes. If your pomegranate tree is losing leaves, it could be due to natural, non-damaging causes such as deciduous annual leaf drop. Pomegranate leaves turn a pretty yellow before they drop to the ground in fall and winter. But pomegranate leaves falling off at other times of the year can signal something else. Another reason for pomegranate leaf drop may be improper care and installation. Before you
Often we think of prepping from our own immediate sphere that we travel inside, the perspective of the relative safety of our homes and local area. We have all of our prepper gear around us or close at hand, nicely organized and stored away, waiting to be called into action to help us survive some […]
Prepping works best when an entire community is doing it together, but this is extremely rare and not easy to achieve This is especially true when our neighbors, family, or friends aren’t at all interested. Yet. Still, we care about them and want to see them able to care for themselves in the event of an emergency, power outage, or natural disaster. Here are a few ways to get your preparedness missionary mojo in motion and get those non-preppers on board.
Don’t Make Prepping Fear Based
Preparedness is more than huddling in a bunker with a bunch of canned food for fear of social collapse or natural disaster. Rather, it is a variety of skills and lifestyle changes. Most non-preppers can see their way to making a few of these changes (baby steps) or gaining a few of these skills, but not when offered to them with a steaming helping of dread.
There are many reasons to live a preparedness lifestyle, and most of them don’t sound like fun. Many people try to avoid thinking about unpleasant things happen to them. They feel like they aren’t in control of those situations and so there isn’t anything they can do about it anyway. In most cases you have lost them before you get the word “prepared” out of your mouth.
Discuss how preparedness gives you better control of potential situations that come your way. Talk about the benefits of being prepared. People who are prepared save money. People who are prepared often live a healthier lifestyle. They exercise more. They spend more time outside. Preparedness gives children creative activities to do during the summer. It also gives families skills to build on and draw from.
Appeal To Their Passion
The fun thing about preparation is that it breaks down into smaller topics. Each of these topics sound like a piece of common sense on it’s own. It’s easier to get people to commit to a single aspect of preparedness that they might enjoy, rather than to all aspects of it at once.
If a friend has no interest in food storage, they may still have an interest in first aid. Others may have an interest in learning how to can and store their own food, but no interest in owning a fire arm. In each of these cases, while not taking on a full preparation lifestyle, each friend will be taking on a preparation skill. Eventually, further down the road, they may want to learn more about self defense and building a basement full of home grown canned goods, but until then, encourage them in the aspect of preparedness they have chosen.
You can also share how your preparedness has helped you in your life. Did you ever lose a job or hit a rough patch and have storage to fall back on? Did you ever have to live for a week without running water because of street construction or well problems, or live with drought-induced water restrictions? Talking about these experiences in a conversation they fit into can be powerful and may reach your friend sooner than worrying about a future that may or may not come.
Offer Classes
Before I became a person that prepped, I had a friend teach me all about buying in bulk. I had a roommate that taught me the virtue of making my own jam and canning. My parents weren’t really into prepping when I was younger, but they did provide me with self defense lessons, lessons in money management and a backyard garden to learn on.
Most of the time, a lifestyle of preparation doesn’t start with someone waking up in the morning and thinking it’s high time they started a backyard farm. Often, it’s a lifestyle that grows with our situation in life and little lessons along the way. Be one of the people that makes the little lessons available. Classes for non-preppers could include:
Eco Friendly
You can teach natural fertilizers for a garden. You can promote electricity free cooking or solar power energy. While many people aren’t sure about the idea of preparation, they do want to help the environment and currently these are methods used to accomplish both.
Healthy Living
This could include learning to make your own cleaners. They don’t cost as much and if your child chooses to drink the vinegar or lemon juice, it’s not the danger that drinking commercial cleaners is. You could also teach people how to cook a hearty, healthy meal from dry foods such as split peas and pinto beans. You might even toss in a few more “exotic” items such as sprouting your own seeds.
Saving Money
Many young couples and new parents are looking for ways to eat healthy without breaking the bank on fresh produce. Teach the benefits of an apartment garden. Help them learn how to combine canned goods to make a nutrient rich meal. You can also help them learn the value of the cloth diaper, the meal plan, and shopping for ingredients rather than pre-made convenience meals.
Teach the benefit that comes from knowing how to repair something. This could include computer repair, car maintenance, or patching up old jeans. Also help them discover the best ways to reuse an item (formula canisters make great planters) or find items for free (think samples). Did you ever think of using free formula samples for your baby’s 72 hour kit?
Physical Exercise
Nothing gets you in shape like outdoor preparedness. Hiking, camping trips, and canoeing are only a few activities that would be both helpful in an emergency situation and help you drop those pounds. If you have a health conscious friend, show them what nature has to offer them rather than that gym membership. This could bring up other topics, like having enough water during a hike or how to use a compass because you took a wrong turn at that rock back there.
This is a natural place to teach about other long-term storage foods and methods. Nothing spoils a canoe trip like finding those fresh, tasty brownies in your bag are a soggy mess because the ziploc wasn’t quite sealed – unlike a mylar bag. Likewise, a breakfast recipe for crepes using dehydrated eggs and milk along with water and some freeze-dried berries is much more inviting than trying to get newbies to eat just scramble the dehydrated eggs and eat them that way.
Self Defense
Self defense isn’t just owning a gun or taking a martial arts class. Situational awareness and using body language to reduce the chances of becoming a target are important too. You can discuss what hair styles or types of clothing help an opponent rather than the person being attacked.
All these things are also a part of self defense.
Address Potential Concerns
Budget
Many people have difficulty seeing their way to a preparedness lifestyle if they are living paycheck to paycheck. They feel the need to address the problems now rather than a distant future. Talk about how prepping reduces costs and (eventually) eliminates debt.
Space
In order to store food or emergency items, there needs to be space to put it. Many people live in apartments or condos. They have bought storage space for things they no longer use. They may have so much in their living area they feel that they can’t store. Share tips on how to hide storage, make space and minimize what is already in their home.
Meal Preparation
It’s great to have storage, but will your family eat it? Can you cobble it together into a decent meal? Will it be nutritious? You could respond to this concern with recipes, shopping lists and cooking classes.
Encourage them to use their food storage regularly. Days they have to go back out for a meeting or an after-school activity with the kids, use food storage to make a fast, and healthy meal. Or when those veggies they “just bought” are all moldy, pull something from food storage to finish the meal.
Getting Started
It’s not easy to start a storage system. There are wrong containers to store water in. There is learning about the proper temperature and lighting for your storage area. There are all the costly mistakes that can go along with just beginning to learn and act at the same time. Give your friends the benefit of your experience.
Have Handouts
Send your workshop participants away with an outline of what you just went over. Have them available for those that may be interested in starting out. When people have a plan to follow they are more likely to follow through with it.
That quality which makes a plant a weed is in the eye of the beholder. Where one person might see only an overgrown flowerbed, another might see the makings of a decent salad. Frank down the street is probably tearing his hair out trying to get all the nettles out of his garden, while Susan next door is not only eating them for dinner every night but has also placed an order with a fancy seed company so that she can grow dandelions and wood sorrel – on purpose.
