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Special Survival Situations: Pregnancy
By Angela, on February 18th, 2011
http://foodstorageandsurvival.com/wp...-1-163x300.jpgHere’s a situation that’s obviously on my mind lately. What if an emergency hits while I’m pregnant? With the rate that ladies are pregnant in this world, the possibility that someone you know is going to be expecting a little one when an emergency happens is pretty good.
I’ll say now that every woman handles pregnancy a little differently. Some get quite sick for a couple of months, then are fine. Some are seriously vomiting sick the entire nine months. Others never really feel sick, just extra tired. And everywhere in between. Those that are sick are going to need a little extra help staying nourished and hydrated, and any pregnant lady can use a little extra sleep which may be hard to come by in a survival situation, but will be extremely important to her physical and mental well being.
Some crave certain foods–like early this pregnancy I wanted lots of milk and yogurt and usually I don’t eat much dairy. And fresh fruit has always been a pregnancy craving of mine. This goes along with the craving post, but usually a pregnant lady’s cravings are well founded–it is actually her body telling her that she needs more of a certain nutrient to build that baby right. Do you have a variety of nutrients and foods available in your food storage? Most pregnant ladies take a pre-natal vitamin to fill in the nutrition gaps–are you stocking any kind of vitamins? You’ll want to have some on hand even if nobody is pregnant, but they are especially important to building a healthy baby.
Another consideration is that a pregnant lady’s physical ability is usually diminished over what she could do pre-pregnancy. I’m relatively fit, but when I’m expecting a baby I get a high dose of a hormone called “relaxin” which turns my hip and low back joints to jello. It is supposed to make delivery easier, but in the meantime it really affects my ability to lift, walk, run, ride a bike, hike, clean house, okay, practically anything even mildly physically demanding which are normally activities I really enjoy (except that clean the house one . . .). Just this last week it took me 2 days to quit hurting from a half hour bike ride with the kids! So you know if I had to carry my 72 hour survival kit or even pull a wagon full of kids and supplies we just wouldn’t get very far and I’d be in no shape to build us a shelter when we got where we were going! Honestly, it’s kind of frustrating, but it’s just the way my body handles getting a baby here. Something to think about. If you’re the pregnant one, think of people who could help you–your significant other, neighbor, friend, older children? If you’re not, don’t expect mama to keep up with a speedy on-foot evacuation without a little help!
Oh yeah, and the clothes in my emergency kit won’t fit right now either.
And then there’s labor and delivery. Cleanliness is a must. Sterility is better. Make sure if you’re expecting a baby post disaster, you’ve got a way to have some clean linens on hand for the birth. Get to know people in your area who are midwives or have some medical training. You might need them. I love those ladies who do home births or even just go through labor naturally. Bless them. As for me, the epidural is the reason I wasn’t born in pioneer times! I’m quite happy to let the hospital staff do their jobs and help get my baby here as easily as possible. I do have friends I could call on who have done the natural birth process, but I’m really hoping for no emergency on baby delivery day!
So even if you’re a man, or a lady past baby bearing years, give pregnancy a thought when you’re prepping. There may be someone you know who has some special needs for emergencies because of the little angel she’s going to bring into the world.
http://foodstorageandsurvival.com/sp...ons-pregnancy/
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Baby 72 Hour Survival Kit
By Angela, on February 3rd, 2011
Babies and toddlers have a whole different set of needs than we adults do when it comes to a survival situation, so your standard survival kit isn’t going to work for them. We’ve always just stuck baby stuff in our survival kits when we had a baby in the house, but this time I’m doing something a little different. Why? Because my emergency kit is heavy enough, and sweet husband’s doesn’t have room in it for all the baby stuff, and oh yeah, this kit actually wasn’t for my baby–it was a baby shower gift for a friend.
So I made a stand alone baby survival kit for evacuations or to toss in the car when you’re going somewhere like some event in another town or grandma’s and you might get stuck unexpectedly spending the night. If you use it for the latter, just make sure to re-stock when you get back home so it’s always ready for a real emergency!
Here’s what I put in it:
Goods for cleaning–Travel baby soap/lotion/etc., wipes, pack of wash rags.
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More baby care items and first aid: sunblock and hand sanitizer from the travel/sample size section of the store, travel packs of tissues, basic first aid kit, Instant cold compresseshttp://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=a...reative=399369, infant ibuprofenhttp://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=a...reative=399373. Scratch mitts and hand warmershttp://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=a...reative=399369 for warmth.
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Clothes: socks, hat, 2 jammies (one is a sleeper sack so you could layer both if needed), onesie.
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I put all the clothes in a gallon ziplock. You could also vacuum pack them with a foodsaver type vacuum sealer to make them smaller. This was a gift, so I wanted the new mommy to be able to get in and change the clothes around if she wants to. Clothes will need changing out as the baby grows–mark your calendar, this might be more often than every 6 months.
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Diapershttps://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=...l-20&l=ur2&o=1. These will need to be changed out as the baby grows also! Make sure to keep a current size or the next size up in your kit. Too small diapers just don’t do the job well. I put them in a ziplock, but again, they could be vacuum packed to save space. You wouldn’t believe how flat diapers get when they’re vacuum packed! Make sure to label your package with the size and how many are in it if you’re vacuum packing. If you’re planning on a long term emergency, you’ll want to pack cloth diapers and have some way of washing them. I stuck in enough diapers to probably last a week, so you’ve got a pretty good amount of time to find a source of diapers before you run out!
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Feeding: bottles, bowls with lids, spoons. You’ll want to add your favorite infant formulahttps://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=...l-20&l=ur2&o=1 and probably a bib or two as well right at the start. As the baby gets to solids, add a box of baby cereal and/or some dehydrated baby food along with your formula. Put formula in the kit even if you are nursing–What if dad is the one home with baby when they need to evacuate and you can’t meet up until a day or two later? Or if, heaven forbid, something happens to mom, baby still needs to eat.
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Comfort items: a few small toys and a couple of blankets (also ziplocked). If you’ve got a spitty baby, put some burp rags in your kit.
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And finally, some water bottles (you need something to re-constitute the formula and dry baby food), plastic bags (for dirty diapers, wet clothes, etc.), and a name tag for the bag. Put your name and phone number on the tag as well as any allergies baby has and whatever other information you want. I like to include a family picture with the tag so there’s a visual to show in case one of us gets separated.
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Put it all in your bag and it’s ready to go! You might want to also include or have nearby a baby sling or other carrier so you’ve got hands free to carry whatever else needs taken.
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Now here’ s the deal. You can spend a lot of money on this if you want. I spent about $30.00, but some of the things like the hats, socks, water, onesies, bowls, and spoons came in “packs” that I split up so I’ll be using the other half of the pack to stock my own baby’s survival kit. The bag, jammies, blankets and toys were purchased at the thrift store and washed really well before packing. If you are the one having the baby, you may get a lot of this stuff as baby gifts or have it left over from one of your other kids–use that to stock your baby survival kit and you’ll get it put together even more inexpensively. And if it’s built as a stand alone kit instead of baby stuff in your kit, anyone can carry it or it can be used for the weekend getaway and then re-stocked when you get back. And yes, it’s a great baby shower gift. :)
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Probe to Reveal Link Between Vaccine Settlements and Autism Parts 1 of 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTWBFLe5VE8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTWBFLe5VE8
Probe to Reveal Link Between Vaccine Settlements and Autism 2 of 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aja4KZ_Jxz4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aja4KZ_Jxz4
May 9, 2011
Alisyn Cameroda discusses the autism cases in the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program with Dr. Sarah Bridges, the mother of a child with autism paid by the program after a severe vaccine reaction that causes brain damage including autism. Millions have been paid from the VICP to dozens of families of children who regressed into autism after being vaccinated.
Snack On Pistachios To Keep Healthy Weight
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May 17, 2011
by Personal Liberty News Desk
Nuts have gotten a bad reputation in the past because of their high-calorie, high-fat content. But a growing body of research has suggested that the compounds present in nuts are actually quite healthy and can help keep excess body fat at bay.
In a study that was conducted at the University of California, Los Angeles, a team of researchers found that dieting obese participants who snacked on 240 calories worth of pistachios each day were more likely to reach their weight loss goal than their counterparts who were allowed pretzels as snacks, totaling about 220 calories per serving.
"Snackers often think pretzels are a better choice for weight management compared to a nut like pistachios just because they are lower in fat. This study debunks that myth," said co-author David Heber, M.D., Ph.D.
During the 12-week study, the participants who snacked on nuts consumed about 30 percent of their total calories in fat, whereas the pretzel group's fat intake accounted for just 20 percent of their daily calories.
http://www.personalliberty.com/news/sna ... 05_17_PLA_[P11636678]&rrid=238434262
Weather And Foods Can Trigger Headaches
July 20, 2010
by Bob Livingston
Did you know that the weather can trigger your most excruciating headaches or migraines? Other triggers include red wine, perfume and food allergies. But according to a study in Neurology, every five-degree increase in the temperature increases hospital-related headache visits by 7.5 percent.
Keeping a headache diary to track your individual occurrences may prove helpful.
Record your food intake, beverages, medications and activities for the week, plus the time your headache begins and ends.
You may be able to see a pattern in your headaches and be prepared to help prevent them.
http://www.personalliberty.com/health-t ... headaches/
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VACCINES AND BLUE FOOT SYNDROME
Dr. Sherri Tenpenny, DO
May 17, 2011
NewsWithViews.com
many links on this post
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I grow weary of people who continually want “proof” that vaccines cause harm and can cause autism. Every year the insistence for “More research!! More research!” goes by, four million more children born each year are lined up to be injected with dozens of doses of 16 different vaccines. Many of these precious bundles will become chronically ill; some will become statistics.
Webster defines proof as "something that induces certainty or establishes validity." What level of "proof" yet needs to be demonstrated that will be described as definitive confirmation? Video of children the day before, and then the day after, vaccines have documented autistic regression; the recordings are even admissible in Court as evidence. Is that enough "proof"? Heart wrenching stories about side effects after vaccines – high pitched screaming, vomiting, seizures and even death – have been told by the thousands of parents. Is that proof, or all they all liars?By now, identifying vaccine injury should be obvious. But instead, it is much like the story of a child who dropped a large frozen turkey on his foot…Within hours, his foot became bright blue. His parents, concerned because the child cried inconsolably and refused to walk, quickly sought medical help.The doctor examined the young lad’s foot and said, “Hmmmm…. I see he is experiencing Blue Foot Syndrome. We don’t know what causes it but we are seeing more and more children with this condition in the last few years.”The parents retort, “But Doctor – he started screaming and lost his ability to walk within a few hours after a frozen turkey landed on his foot."“Tisk, tisk,” says the doctor. “We have proven that frozen turkeys have no link to Blue Foot Syndrome. In a study of more than 4 million kids, the number who developed a blue foot after being struck by a frozen turkey was statistically insignificant. We have determined something else must be causing Blue Foot Syndrome.”With that, thousands of dollars of medical tests were conducted to find any possible reason for the boy's blue foot. Even though medical science had no explanation for the problem, doctors were certain the thump by a frozen turkey was absolutely not the cause.Sadly, the doctor informed the parents no reason for their child’s Blue Foot Syndrome was found. He affirmed the condition shows up randomly and was slightly more common in those with susceptible blood vessels. In fact, since 1 in 87 now seem to have this random Blue Foot Syndrome, and research is underway to find a defective gene to blame.The devastated parents, terrified they may have a defective gene causing their child's pain and loss of ambulation, asked, "But doctor, there must be something we can do to help him walk and stop being in pain!"Leaning back in his chair, the doctor pontificated, "Today, many therapists specialize in Blue Foot Syndrome. Colleges are even offering courses to become experts in this anomaly. I'm sure you can find a number of treatments that may help eliminate his pain, but there is no cure. A word of caution: Never use Blue Foot Syndrome on your insurance forms. You can use "painful foot" or "discolored appendage" or "abnormal ability to walk" but never use Blue Foot Syndrome or your insurance will deny payment of all your medical bills."As silly as this story may sound to some, it is the tale of vaccine injury and the long list of sensory integration disorders, language abnormalities, and yes, even autism.More than 400 articles, published in peer-reviewed literature, document vaccines can cause harm – including allergies, autoimmune disease and a long list of neurological disturbances. Is that "proof" enough?
The newly released report by EBCALA[1] and PACE Environmental is amazing and 65 pages worth reading.[2] The press conference[3] in Washington DC on May 10, 2011 presented documents that confirmed vaccines can cause autism, and exposed a government cover up that deserves a congressional investigation. It appears this isn't enough "proof" either?
The vaccine industry, the government and the medical mafia need to be put on the defensive. Where is *their proof* that vaccines do NOT cause autism? Every study they tout has "proof" of no connection has been a large epidemiological assessment, research that has little bearing on the individual. And every one of their "cornerstone studies" has been proven to be flawed and some are even fraudulent.That should be "proof" enough for the whole world that the time has come to Just Say No to vaccines.[4]1, Elizabeth Birt Center for Autism Law and Advocacy (EBCALA)
Footnotes:
2, Pace Environmental Law Review, Volume 28. Issue 2. Article 6. 5-10-2011 Unanswered Questions from the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program: A Review of Compensated Cases of Vaccine-Induced Brain Injury.
3, 83 Canaries in the vaccine-autism coal mine.
4, DrTenpenny.com store.
© 2011 - Sherri Tenpenny - All Rights Reserve
Dr. Sherri J. Tenpenny is a board-certified osteopathic medical doctor. She is widely regarded as one of the country’s most knowledgeable and outspoken physicians on the negative impact vaccines can have on health. In addition to concerns about childhood vaccinations, her book, Saying No to Vaccines, addresses vaccination issues facing adults, international travelers, healthcare workers, nursing home residents, adoptions, college students, and those in the military. Dr. Tenpenny is a regular columnist for NewsWithViews.com. Her books, "Saying No to Vaccines" and FOWL! are available through this site. Other tapes and materials are available www.DrTenpenny.com. To learn about her medical clinic at www.TenpennyIMC.com
In addition to vaccines, Dr Tenpenny is an expert on many topics within the field of Integrative Medicine. She speaks frequently on breast health, women's health, natural approaches to thyroid and adrenal conditions. She is a contributing author to the best-selling book, "Vaccine Epidemic: How Corporate Greed, Biased Science, and Coersive Government Threaten Our Human Rights, Our Health and Our Children."
Website: www.DrTenpenny.com
Website: www.TenpennyIMC.com
Website: www.SayingNoToVaccines.com
E-Mail: drtenpenny@gmail.com
http://newswithviews.com/Tenpenny/sherri130.htm
Preparing for Economic Collapse
Author: Contributing Author - May 17th, 2011
6 Comments
The following article is written by Fernando “FerFAL” Aguirre and has been generously contributed by ChrisMartenson.com.
SHTF Plan Editor’s Note: We often put forth forecasts and theories of what the economy may look like months or years from now. In the past, we’ve identified numerous scenarios for how an economic collapse may play out – from a slowly deteriorating depressionary environment to a full-out rapidly descending hyperinflationary disaster. Mr. Aguirre outlines what he, his family and his neighbors experienced during the most recent Argentinian hyperinflation of 2001 and how he managed to get through it. Regardless of the specific circumstances of such an event, the recommendations put forth are similar to the many that we have made over the past several years. Preparedness is key, even if we don’t know exactly what to expect. Focus on the essentials first and remain flexible. The information provided below is a great starting point for creating your own SHTF Plan and will undoubtedly help you to survive and thrive as the world we have come to know changes before our eyes over coming months and years.
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Today’s contributor is Fernando “FerFAL” Aguirre. Many of our readers have expressed interest in hearing accounts from those who have lived through economic collapse. FerFAL experienced the hyperinflationary destruction of Argentina’s economy in 2001 and continues to blog about his experiences and observations of its lingering aftermath. His websiteand his book Surviving the Economic Collapse offer windows into the probable outcomes to expect during a collapsing economy. Note: Our site’s What Should I Do? Guide offers specific guidance relevant to a number of the steps FerFAL recommends below.
“How can I prepare for an economic collapse?” is one of the most common questions I get. It usually takes me a second to start to explain how complex such a question is. It’s like asking an auto mechanic, “Say, how do you build a car?” or asking a computer engineer, “What’s all that stuff inside my laptop?”
I do have some first-hand experience in this matter, though. The economy in my country, Argentina, has gone through various crises, but none as large as when the economy collapsed in 2001 after a decade of apparent prosperity. The currency devaluated, and Argentina defaulted on its USD$132 billion debt, the largest default ever. The middle class took to the streets after bank accounts were frozen, and the president was forced to resign, escaping the presidential building in a helicopter.
What I’ll do is, provide five quick foundational steps, based on what I know, for you to follow so as to be better prepared if something like what happened in my country ever happens in yours.
Step #1: Secure a percentage of your savings in bullion.
Five years ago, even the most paranoid person claimed you would never see “nationalized” banks in USA. The gung-ho survivalists claimed the entire country would go up in flames and open revolts would start before something as insane as a $700+ billion bailout to save the “too big to fail” rich elite was laid on the backs of the American working class. Yet here we are.
When I try to explain this very important issue to my American friends, they tell me that banks would never steal people’s money because there are laws against that in the USA. Their money is insured. We had those same laws in Argentina, but still it happened. We had a constitutional right to private property. Yet the constitution mattered little during the collapse. Go right ahead — sue the government of the United States if something like that ever happens. Maybe you’ll get some of your savings back in a few years. If they feel like returning it.
What people don’t understand is that laws are written by men, not some greater power. As soon as those running the show feel an emergency decree or law is in order, existing laws are simply rewritten. They may even be ignored all together! What do you do if something like that happens? You may complain, you may sue, but you’re not changing the cold hard fact that as of right now that bank door is closed, that ATM has no money in it, and you still have to survive. This is something Argentines have experienced and know very well. Hundreds of thousands of us have banged the doors of our banks, for years, without a penny being returned. You still sued, and waited, and spent the little money you had by hiring a lawyer. You lose, they win…unless you have some of that money at hand before they decide to steal it.
Every single Argentine wishes he could go back in time, close his bank account, and put that money into gold. We would all do that if we had a time machine. Since you can’t guess the future, all you can do is estimate what can happen and play the odds in your favor. In the event of a full economic collapse, if you have 20% of your savings in physical gold and silver, that’s a percentage of your savings that is spared. It’s not an investment; don’t go crazy over gold and silver going up or down a few dollars, just be content that it’s not getting any lighter as it sits in your safe. If the economy collapses or even if there’s simply inflation (as there clearly will be), that percentage of your savings in precious metals is safe and will likely go up in price beyond its standard purchasing power as things get worse.
During the first stages of a severe economic crisis, you will see ATMs running out of money fast, and many stores won’t be accepting credit cards. As the saying goes, “Cash is king” during those times. Your precious metal can be sold to a dealer, but you better keep that stored for now. When everyone is running around looking for an ATM with a few bucks in it, having a month’s worth of expenses in cash means you won’t be one of them. Why not more than a month´s worth of expenses? Because if the economy fully collapses, that paper money will lose its value within hours. It may drop 50%, 60%, or 75%, as happened in Argentina. Who knows? All you know is that as the currency loses value, the value of the precious metals you have stored goes up in proportion. Still, during those first days, a wad of cash gets you what you need.
So, step one is acquiring precious metals (I generally recommend 20% of your savings but each person is a separate case) and a month’s worth of expenses in cash, kept safe at home.
Step #2: Stock up on food.
The more you have, the better. There may be periods of civil unrest like the ones we saw where stores are being looted and closed after that. There may be problems with resupply because of logistical complications. It’s better if you already have 6 to 12 months worth of food in your expanded pantry. Also, keep in mind the food you buy now will be considerably cheaper compared to post-inflation prices.
This large supply of food will bring peace of mind in case of job loss, as well. Who knows how long it will be before you find another source of income? After the 2001 collapse, some people genuinely spent YEARS looking for a job without finding any. I can’t emphasize enough the peace of mind it brings knowing you still have some time, and that you can, in fact, put food on the table the following night.
The food should be long-term storage type, requiring little or no cooking, at least for some of it. Water is also essential, so having a two-week supply is advised. The minimum amount is a gallon per person per day, and you should double that for flushing toilets and taking an elemental bath in case the water service is interrupted.
Step #3: Acquire the essentials by putting together a survival/emergency kit.
This will include your typical camping gear: a tent, sleeping bags, a stove (have enough fuel for it in case services are disrupted), first aid kit, medicines, LED flashlights and several spare batteries. Depending on how bad civil unrest gets, there may be problems with the infrastructure. After the economy collapsed in Argentina, the power company simply couldn’t afford the repairs needed, and it hadn’t planned for something like this, either. Rolling blackouts became common, and having LED lights and rechargeable batteries was a blessing. You could easily spend two or three days without power during summer. At one time, downtown Buenos Aires was left without power for five days. Imagine the complications this brings. If natural gas service is interrupted, you may need other ways of cooking. A camping stove and enough fuel will get you through it.
Step #4: Improve your personal and home security.
If you ask any Argentinean what concerns him the most, 9 out of 10 people will have the same answer: security. In second place is the economic situation. Ten years after the economic collapse, things are nothing like they used to be. Half of the middle class became poor, and its standard of living has decreased considerably. We’re still a high-risk economy, and it shows. Inflation is still rampant and can be anywhere from 5% to 10% per month, usually hitting the middle class the worst. But that’s something we’ve grown used to. That’s something we can live with.
What concerns Argentineans the most is the crime problem, and the out-of-control violent crime we suffer is the major legacy of the 2001 economic collapse. Poverty sure didn’t help, nor did social segregation. But the greatest cause responsible for the crime levels we suffer is our own government. The liberal government that took control after the collapse considers criminals to be poor victims of brutal capitalism. The unofficial stance is that criminals have a right to steal, murder and rape – in their view, it’s how the “poor” get back at the rich and middle class who thrived during the 90’s. Of course, with a government like that, the crime problem just keeps getting worse.
During the first days after the economy collapsed, civil unrest, rioting and looting was out of control. A state of siege and military law was declared, enforcing curfew hours after 10 pm. This lasted a few months, and for months after that, while order was recovered in the capitol district, there were still occasional revolts and looting. The sense of lawlessness extended way beyond the visible accounts depicted by the TV and general media. It’s during times like these that you realize you must have means of defending yourself and your family.
My advice is to make your home as secure as possible against criminals that may take advantage of the lack of control during the worst of the rioting. After that, a better security plan for the entire family must be worked out. As things get worse, you understand that you can no longer afford to be lax about your personal and home security. Those that are quickly become vicitims. With a more secure home, you may want to consider having a weapon to defend yourself. Certainly not an easy decision, and one you must be extremely serious about. If you have the self-control and maturity to handle one, having a firearm and getting the minimum training to know how to use (it if it ever comes to that) is something you should consider doing.
Crime and insecurity will be one of the greatest threats people all across USA will suffer, and very few will be ready for it. It won’t happen one dark gloomy night after watching the latest horror movie. It will happen in the Walmart parking lot at 3 pm, with plenty of people around (people who will hurry out of the way, pretending not to see anything). You’ll be thinking about what you just bought, that you maybe should have bought Lucky Charms instead of Corn Flakes. That’s when the nice-looking person with two other buddies, all well-dressed (with neat hair cuts, too), pulls a gun on you. Developing a sense of awareness will be the most important part, as well as making the rest of your family comprehend that times have changed and you can no longer be careless regarding security.
Step #5: Embrace a different mindset.
When Argentina went through its economic collapse, people handled it differently. Maybe the most common response was denial. The “I can’t believe this is happening “ attitude was pretty popular. Others complained, but you soon understood it changed nothing: It only made you feel more miserable, more stressed, and that was something you could do without. Others just ended their misery. Suicide rates doubled after the collapse, with people sometimes jumping under the train at early rush hour in a desperate attempt to make their misery noticed by others.
What you need to do is become more positive, more active. Be someone who, while accepting those things you can’t change, does something about the things you can. Get involved now, do what I just recommended right now, it will bring you peace of mind. Remember to stay positive and put every problem into perspective. Complain less. You’ll have enough to complain about when inflation gets worse. Soon you’ll understand that material things can be replaced, and you become more grateful for what you have instead of worrying about what you don’t.
It’s essential to keep a positive attitude. Being someone that gets easily depressed will be the end of you as the economy worsens. Problems much worse that what you are used to will be a daily occurrence. You’ll just have to roll with it and learn to cope with the new world you live in. Reinforce your relationships with people. Fight stress by finding a hobby you enjoy, hopefully one that has a practical side as well. After the collapse, lots of people started their own businesses when they realized there were no jobs to be found. It would be better if you get started now, just in case you ever need it in order to earn a living.
These are my recommendations. I know many people could have used such advice back when our economy collapsed.
Some common questions regarding hyperinflation
How quickly does it happen?
These events occur fast, but there are warning signs: lack of investment; higher interest rates; unemployment. When banks start coming up with excuses so as to not give you your money right away when closing an account, that’s usually not a good sign.
As for inflation and hyperinflation, they happen right in front of your eyes. It actually happened to me that the price of an item I picked in a store almost doubled in price by the time I reached the cash register. The employee just placed the sticker with the new price over the old one (no time to remove them) Employees rushed around changing prices several times a day, all day long during the ongoing crisis. It was fun to peel back the stack of stickers with the different prices and see how they had gone up in a matter of hours. Rioting happens fast, too. Once the banks close rioting is just minutes away.
What happens to your savings/investments?
I didn’t have much but managed to close my account just a day before the banks closed their doors. My parents are accountants and saw the signs mentioned earlier. When we went to the bank a nice lady told us they didn’t have USD$1,000 in the bank. Our jaws just dropped. That same day we went to the main branch and closed the account my sister and I had. The next day all banks closed, the accounts where frozen.
As for real estate, that was a pretty safe investment. Eventually rents went up so as to compensate for the devaluation. Of course you were much better of with your money in bricks and mortar than in a bank account.
How does the populace react?
Violently, as you’d expect when your life savings are stolen from you.
What is the government saying/doing?
Laws were changed to make everything nice and legal. The excuses the then-president Fernando De La Rua came up with in his speeches during the crisis just made everything worse.
Just days before the bank holidays they promised none of that would happen. Same thing before the devaluation. They swore on their mothers’s names they wouldn’t do such a thing, then did it the following day. Politicians tend to do such things, and they are all similar worldwide.
What happens to the capital markets?
The stock market dropped like a rock, then shut down. What surprised you the most was how everything was simply frozen in expectation. No one wanted to spend a single cent, not even to buy half a gallon of paint for a work site because you just didn’t know what would happen in a matter of hours, let alone next week. The biggest investors had sold and left the country months before everything went down. Another sign to look for.
Does violence and crime become an immediate concern?
Yes it does. While stores were the more common targets, houses were looted, too. The best thing to do was stay home, have a defendable position and be armed. I had looters not 20 yards away from my home. What do you do if they rush your home? Can you just open fire on them? What will they do when/if you do? All these things flash into your mind.
A significant amount of people behave because they believe there’s a punishment if they do otherwise. Once that fear is removed because the authorities have clearly lost control, you see the worst of people’s nature. It’s not a pleasant thought, but it’s better to be ready.
Take care,
Fernando “FerFAL” Aguirre.
This What Should I Do? blog series is intended to surface knowledge and perspective useful to preparing for a future defined by Peak Oil. The content is written by ChrisMartenson.com readers and is based in their own experiences in putting into practice many of the ideas exchanged on this site. If there are topics you’d like to see featured here, or if you have interest in contributing a post in a relevant area of your expertise, please indicate so in ourWhat Should I Do? series feedback forum.
http://www.shtfplan.com/emergency-pr...lapse_05172011
Please READ AND DISTRIBUTE!!!! North American Union Confirmed by WikiLeaks Document!!!
http://www.alipac.us/article-6304-thread-1-0.html
http://www.alipac.us/article-6305--0-0.html
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Multiple Stream Line Fishing
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How to Set up a Stream Line
1. Find a stream that you can easily cross back and forth.
2. Drive a post or some wood into each side of the stream
3. Tie a Rope or some 550 Paracord from Post to Post.
4. Tie several Fishing lines each with its own hook onto the Rope.
5. The lines can be set to different depths to give yourself the best chance of catching fish.
6. Check your line every couple hours.
To better your odds, you can set up similar lines at various points in the stream or river.
http://offgridsurvival.com/multiple-str ... e-fishing/
http://beprepared.com/images/art/acornbanner2.jpg
Creating a Personal Hygeine and Sanitation Kit
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
During an emergency, it is important to your survival to keep yourself healthy. The best way to maintain health is to keep yourself and your living area clean and sanitary. Poor hygiene and unsanitary conditions can cause sickness. Finding ways to maintain normalcy during an emergency will help reduce mental and physical strain and having freshly brushed teeth and clean hair can go a long way to boost morale.
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Family Sanitation Kit
Sanitation items are easy to gather. There may already be some necessary items for grooming and sanitation in your emergency kit. You can also purchase a pre-assembled sanitation kit which is an inexpensive and convenient way to prepare what you'll need during an emergency.
Another option is assembling your own emergency sanitation kit so you can choose brands or items your family is accustomed to using. Often, you can purchase your favorite brand of soap, toothpaste, shampoo, toilet paper, deodorant and other items in bulk so you can set some aside for your emergency kit. You may also be able to buy these items in more convenient travel sizes.
Check your emergency kit to see if you already have some necessary items for grooming and sanitation. If you want to create your own sanitation and hygiene kit, here are some areas that you might want to consider:
Toilet Paper: When it comes to emergencies, any kind of toilet paper is a luxury. By preparing ahead of time, and stocking your favorite brand, you can insure that you don't experience unnecessary discomfort. Also, keep in mind that it is possible for those in emergency situations to develop stress and diet related stomach problems that can intensify your sanitation difficulties.
Toothbrush: People with sensitive teeth may want to store their preferred brand of toothbrush in their emergency kit. It is a wise idea to store several toothbrushes to give away to someone who neglected to store any. It may also have another useful purpose such as cleaning or scrubbing.
http://beprepared.com/images/500/CH-T500.jpg
Fresh & Go Toothbrush
Toothpaste, mouthwash, and breath fresheners: Emergencies present stressful situations where human communication is crucial. Sometimes water is scarce or unavailable which causes dryness in your mouth. A breath freshener may be a nice addition to your preparedness supplies.
Feminine Hygiene Products: It is important to be prepared in all areas. These items are important to have available in any emergency situation. They can also be helpful tools for a variety of first aid needs.
Deodorant: With several choices of deodorants, you may want to decide ahead of time what you'll need during an emergency. Air fresheners or deodorants may also increase your level of comfort during an emergency.
Hair Supplies: Shampoo, conditioner, hairspray, combs, brushes, and other items may not be necessary for survival, but they can help make an emergency situation more comfortable and clean.
Be sure to store smaller sanitation items in your emergency kit and be aware that you can over stuff your emergency kit. If it is too heavy, you may not be able to leave with it during an emergency.
Posted by Emergency Essentials® at 2:22 PM
http://preparednesspantry.blogspot.com/ ... e-and.html
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DIY First Aid Kit - Protecting and Organizing Your Kit
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
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Having your own home-made first aid kit allows you to include a lot of additional items for use in an emergency. This is an most important aspect of making your own first aid kit. To make it even more useful, you can take a few additional steps to make it even better in case you have an emergency.
In most emergencies, time is of the essence and anything you can do to save a little time will be extremely important. One of the best ways to save time is to keep your first aid kit organized. While using a coupon organizer is great for the flat items such as bandages and splints, there are numerous other items that need to be protected and organized as well.
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One of the most effective and efficient means of organizing and protecting those other needed items can be achieved quite simply. By using a small water-proof tackle box, you can get your first aid items organized and also give them additional protection. The compartments are ideal for storing cream medications in tubes, eye wash, etc. It will also protect your other first aid items should a tube of cream or a small bottle of liquid develop a leak. In addition, if it gets dropped in the water or exposed to a heavy rain it will not ruin your day. They will even float!
Another plus for using the water-proof tackle boxes is that you can organize everything where it is readily and easily accessible in an emergency. This will save you time in an emergency.
Got organized protection for your DIY first aid kit?
Staying above the water line!
http://stealthsurvival.blogspot.com/201 ... g-and.html
Feel like a radiated sitting duck? Things you can do to mitigate the problem.
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By Barbara H. Peterson
Farm Wars
At this point in time, most of us can say “noâ€
[quote="kathyet"]Feel like a radiated sitting duck? Things you can do to mitigate the problem.
http://farmwars.info/wp-content/uplo...ing-Duck-5.jpg
By Barbara H. Peterson
Farm Wars
At this point in time, most of us can say “noâ€
Our food supply chain in grocery stores is less than seven days.
The average American has less than five days of food stock to survive a national crisis.
Do the math.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/uploa...09-01/pic1.jpg
Building a Root Cellar
Build a root cellar for year-round food storage
http://www.hobbyfarms.com/images/pdf...cellar-web.pdf
Produce Bound Underground
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Root cellars, the ancient technology that enables the long term storage of your farm’s bounty.
By Rick Gush
You stroll out into the garden, picking ripe fruits and vegetables, knowing that come February you’ll still be enjoying their freshness. For those of us attracted to the romantic aspects of small-farm life, this is an appealing scenario.
Root cellars, the ancient technology that makes such scenes possible, are currently experiencing a rediscovery, but not merely because of the pleasures of eating self-grown food, but also because of the actual possibility of reducing expenses and providing for significant food storage in times of potential trouble.
History
Native Australians were the first people to take advantage of the cooling and insulative properties of buried foodstuffs in the earth. Records indicate that over 40,000 years ago they grew large amounts of yams and developed the technique of burying their produce in order to preserve it for future use. In the process they also discovered the phenomenon of fermentation, and ever since, alcoholic beverages have been a large portion of those products stored in underground repositories.
Underground storage facilities from the Iron Age have been discovered, and the Etruscans commonly buried their immature wine, but the actual use of walk-in root cellars as a means to prolong the freshness of fruit and vegetable crops was probably an invention that occurred in 17th century England. It might seem surprising that the great civilizations of China and Egypt did not develop root cellars, but the Chinese were the masters of food preservation via salting, pickling and the additions of spices; the
Egyptians, residents of an arid environment, were the masters at drying food. It took the right combination of cool winters and hungry Englishmen to finally invent the concept of root cellars.
Certainly the most notable practitioners of root-cellar arts were the early colonists that arrived in North America from the United Kingdom. The eastern halves of America and Canada contain thousands of old root cellars, and the small Newfoundland town of Elliston actually claims the title of “Root Cellar Capital of the World,” and boasts of over 135 root cellars, some dating back 200 years.
Temperature
The basis of all root cellars is their ability to keep food cool. They were, essentially, the first refrigerators. A well-insulated root cellar can keep the food inside 40 degrees cooler than the summertime temperatures outside. This coolness also has benefits during the winter, as maintaining food at a temperature just slightly above freezing has the effect of slowing deterioration and rot.
Temperatures inside the home, even in basements, are noticeably warmer, so food stored inside the house has a tendency to spoil much more rapidly than food stored in a cooler root cellar. Temperatures above 45 degrees F cause toughness in most stored vegetables, and encourage undesirable sprouting and considerably more rapid spoilage.
The temperature in a root cellar is never uniform. The temperature near the ceiling is usually 10 degrees warmer than elsewhere in the cellar, so the ceiling area is therefore appropriate for placement of produce that tolerates warmer temperatures well, such as onions, garlic and shallots.
Storing Food
What can you plan on storing in your root cellar once you build it? Certainly, many of us probably have visions of root cellars in the 19th century, packed with bushels of apples and sacks full of potatoes.
Today’s root cellars are really not much different, and potatoes and apples are two eminently storable farm products. But the problem with that pair is that they don’t really go well together. Apples have a tendency to emit ethylene gas, which causes problems for potatoes stored nearby, and will also make any exposed carrots or other root crops bitter. As a matter of fact, many fruits, including plums, pears and peaches, and some vegetables such as tomatoes, cabbage and Chinese cabbage, are also notorious ethylene producers.
So, what is a dedicated food saver to do? Luckily, there are ways around this problem. A good root cellar has a variety of shelves, some higher than others, and some closer to the air vents. Placing the ethylene producers up high and nearer the exit vents has a tendency to move harmful gases away from produce stored on the floor below.
Legalities
There is much ambiguity about root cellars when it comes to building permits. Though not usually listed among typical projects, they are nonetheless usually required to have building permits.
However, in some rural areas they are considered “agricultural sheds,” and therefore not subject to building-permit requirements.
- Any addition of utilities, such as electricity or water, is likely to change any building-department nonchalance and cause the local agency to insist upon permits and inspections.
- Renovating an already existing root cellar can usually be accomplished without a building permit, provided no extreme expansion is planned.
- Hiring a contractor to build a root cellar will certainly necessitate building permits and periodic inspections of the work.
- Digging a root cellar into the exposed soil in a basement may allow for an unobserved and therefore un-permitted construction, but such illegal additions to a house can become problematic when it undergoes inspections prior to being sold.
For you and your family’s safety, always consult knowledgeable professionals for sound building advice.
Many root crops are also regularly stored in boxes of loose soil or sawdust, further insulating them from their neighbors’ emissions. Some produce, like cabbages and onions, often emit odors that can taint the flavors of other vegetables, as well as fruits, so finding high, remote corners for these pungent items is a good idea too.
In addition to raw produce, root cellars are excellent locations for a number of other foodstuffs as well. The previously mentioned beverages, like wine, cider, and beer, all enjoy the cool, dark environment of a root cellar. Cured meats like ham, bacon and other smoked meats store very well in temperatures below 40 degrees F.
Milk, cream, butter and cheese all appreciate the environment of root cellars. Grains and nuts store very well in root cellars, but require extra precautions against insects, and must be sealed tightly to be secure.
Dried and canned foods also keep well, provided they are kept either in less humid cellars, or in separate, drier compartments.
Fresh vegetables and fruits last different lengths of time when stored in a root cellar, but potatoes probably last the longest among vegetables; apples among fruit. Other good keepers include cabbage, beets, kohlrabi, onions, sweet potatoes, winter squashes, pumpkins and turnips. Beans, nuts and dried peppers are very long keepers.
Humidity
After temperature, humidity is the next most important feature of a typical root cellar. It is a good idea to equip your root cellar with a humidity gauge called a hygrometer. Most fresh fruits and vegetables require high humidity to avoid shriveling. A typical underground root cellar will naturally maintain a high humidity if it has an earthen floor, but depending on your particular environment and intended cellar use, you may wish to adjust the humidity level up or down by your management practices. Coolness is generally a desirable characteristic regardless of what you’re storing, but if you are storing a lot of canned goods, nuts or dried fruit, humidity can be your enemy because dried fruit can easily rot and metal canning lids can rust in humid environments. Once you make a list of the products you would like to store, the value of a root cellar with one humid chamber and another dry chamber might become more evident.
Humidity can be increased with an exposed dirt floor, sprinkling water on gravel floors and packing vegetables in wet sawdust. Humidity can be lowered by using concrete floors, barrels of rock salt or by allowing for more ventilation entering from drier air outside.
One problem with high-humidity environments is that sometimes the air will condense as it cools, and that condensation can be a problem if it drips off the ceiling structures onto produce stored below. Avoid placing storage barrels below potential drips. Pre-treating the ceiling with disinfectants like chlorine can also slow the potential spread of dripping diseases.
Hot and Cold Places
Root cellars serve different purposes depending on their locations, and cellars in regions with excessively hot or cold temperatures are modified to suit their purpose. If winters are mild, as in Arizona or Florida, low temperatures can be difficult to obtain, no matter how deeply a root cellar is buried. But even in these warm areas, root cellars can help keep produce as cool as possible, and some builders are particularly inventive in designing methods whereby water dripping across burlap sacks cools the air near the root cellar’s intake vents. Other warm-weather residents content themselves, like the Egyptians, with storing nuts, grains and dried foodstufs in warmer, low-humidity cellars. Arizona is a particularly good environment for producing sun-dried fruits, and those products will keep for many months without preservatives if kept dry and a bit cooler than the normal environment.
In very cold areas, the purpose of a root cellar is generally to prevent the stored food from freezing. Toward this end, such cellars are usually constructed to be extra heavily insulated, and with vents that allow some sun-warmed air to be conducted inside. Large barrels of water inside the cellars can act as thermal buffers; some builders even go so far as to build covered manure pits because the slow decomposition gives off a bit of heat. Other people use the more modern solution of hanging a light bulb from the ceiling, taking care to shield any potatoes, onions or other root crops from the light.
Smoke summer-caught Fish
One novel but excellent idea is to keep dried and smoked fish in a section of your root cellar.
This technique is a great alternative to keeping those old trout from your camping trip in your freezer.
Smoke the fish over your campfire—just put the cleaned fish on a rack where the campfire smoke wafts by for a few hours—and then store them later in your root cellar.
Far tastier than thawed fish, smoked souvenirs of your vacation are a novel mid-winter treat.
Air Circulation
One of the key control features of a root cellar is the set of air vents that allow air to enter and exit the cellar. These vents not only allow a greater amount of temperature adjustment than available to a static space, but the air circulation can also be a valuable tool to deal with the ethylene gases and odors produced by a mixed assortment of fruits and vegetables.
The minimum arrangement is one inlet vent and one outlet vent, although there are a variety of situations in which multiple vents would be appropriate. In general, inlet vents should be placed low, and exit vents placed high. This is conducive to a nice, passive air flow through the root cellar.
The outsides of the vents should all be sealed where they enter the structure with packed cloth, expanding foam or tight rubber gaskets. The vents themselves should be equipped with closing and opening valves, and it is convenient to make these valves operable from outside the root cellar. Closing vents in freezing weather and during summer heat spells will help keep the temperature inside the cellar more uniform. Vent pipes that can be twisted depending on the season to catch cooler or warmer winds are also a good idea. In the spring and the fall, cooling can be encouraged by opening the vents and possibly even the door at night when the temperature outside is dropping below the current temperature in the cellar.
Inside the cellar, the arrangement of shelves should allow for generous distances between them. The shelves should also be kept a few inches away from the walls to encourage greater air circulation. Materials placed on the floor should be raised a few inches by small blocks or racks.
Pests and Diseases
Rodents are the single most common pest problem for food stored in root cellars. Installing metal wire mesh in common entry points, such as open vents, is a good idea, as is a frequent trapping program. Poison baits placed away from stored food are fairly effective, and even some of the battery-powered sonic repellers can do a good job.
The next most vexing problem for stored food is plain old rot. The saying that “one rotten apple will spoil the lot” is quite true in this situation, so care should be taken to remove any spoiling produce or other foodstuff. In general though the lower temperatures will combat the mold and bacteria problems that are common in warm, wet conditions.
If there are nuts or grains stored in the cellar, insects may become a problem, but still, it is not a good idea to use insecticides, as they may contaminate the stored foodstuffs. It is better to seal susceptible foods in tight containers.
Building a Root Cellar
There are a number of different basic root cellar designs.
Certainly the most classic is that which is dug into the side of a hill. But many modern root cellars are dug down into flat ground, and feature a set of stairs that lead down to the door.
In very cold areas, there may also be a second door at ground level to further insulate the cellar. Modern survivalists have been particularly inventive about constructing root cellars, and have made enormous root cellars from sections of metal culvert (these serving also in some cases as potential underground shelters in which people could live for long periods of time). In other cases, simple root cellars constructed from barrels, pallets or packing crates serve the purpose of creating an underground storage area for a quantity of emergency food.
Regardless of the specific style, the basis of any root cellar is the insulative value of the soil into which the cellar is dug. With only as little as one foot of earth above it, a root cellar dug into flat ground can create a temperature of 20 degrees less than the summertime temperatures above. Several feet of soil, optimally at least three or four, will suffice in most cases, but one must have a full 10 feet of soil above and alongside to ensure the maximum possible insulation and temperature stability.
An obvious rule of construction is to keep the doorway and any exposed parts of the structure in the shade during the day. Building on the north side of a hill or digging in the shade of your home or other building is one mandatory design principle.
The next consideration should be to design a structure that does not suffer from leaks or drainage problems during times of rain. This may require sloped doors, creating drainage ditches outside or positioning the floor level above the base level of the surrounding terrain.
As mentioned previously, the most flexible root cellar design will include two chambers, one colder and more humid than the other. This complexity certainly makes construction doubly difficult, but will also double the variety of foodstuffs that can reasonably be preserved in the cellar. Making the drier section essentially the foyer that leads to the entrance of the innermost area is the usual method of dividing the two sections of a root cellar.
When planning the size of your cellar, general wisdom holds that an eight-foot by eight-foot area should provide plenty of storage space for the average family. Larger structures are certainly more luxurious, but also may be more difficult to insulate and maintain at an even temperature.
It is a good idea to use waterproofed wood in any construction, but be cautious of the chemicals in pressure-treated lumber. Treating wood with waterproofing materials can result in an environment in which stored food picks up the undesirable odors of the treated wood. If you can use bricks or concrete blocks for some parts of the construction, you may avoid some of those problems.
Remember to design and install a good ventilation system, and run a few smoke tests to make sure the intake and outflow vents create a siphon between them that moves air automatically through the cellar.
Finish your new root cellar with a thermometer and a humidity gauge, and from there observe and adjust until conditions produce the desired results.
This article first appeared in the June/July 2003 issue of Hobby Farms magazineAbout the Author: Rick Gush is a freelance writer and small farmer based in Italy.
http://pakagri.blogspot.com/2011/06/...derground.html
Root Cellar storage requirements
Apples
* Cold and moist
* Do not store with vegetables
* 32 to 40 degrees Farenheit
* 80 to 90 percent relative humidity
Beans, dry
* Cool and dry
* Home and commercially prepared foods also need a cool, dry storage place
* 32 to 50 degrees Farenheit
* 60 to 70 percent relative humidity
Beets
* Cold and very moist
* 32 to 40 degrees Farenheit
* 90 to 95 percent relative humidity
Brussels sprouts
* Cold and very moist
* 32 to 40 degrees Farenheit
* 90 to 95 percent relative humidity
Cabbage
* Cold and very moist
* 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
* 90 to 95 percent relative humidity
Cabbage, Chinese
* Cold and very moist
* 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
* 90 to 95 percent relative humidity
Carrots
* Cold and very moist
* 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
* 90 to 95 percent relative humidity
Cauliflower
* Cold and very moist
* 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
* 90 to 95 percent relative humidity
Celeriac
* Cold and very moist
* 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
* 90 to 95 percent relative humidity
Celery
* Cold and very moist
* 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
* 90 to 95 percent relative humidity
Endive (Escarole)
* Cold and very moist
* 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
* 90 to 95 percent relative humidity
Garlic
* Cool and dry
* Home and commercially prepared foods also need a cool, dry storage place
* 32 to 35 degrees Fahrenheit ideal
* 60 to 70 percent relative humidity
Grapefruit
* Cold and moist
* Do not store with vegetables
* 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
* 80 to 90 percent relative humidity
Grapes
* Cold and moist
* Do not store with vegetables
* 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
* 80 to 90 percent relative humidity
Do not allow fruits and vegetables to freeze.
Horseradish
* Cold and very moist
* 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
* 90 to 95 percent relative humidity
* May be left in the ground undisturbed until needed. Digging can be done unless the soil is frozen hard. A thick layer of mulch may extend your harvest season.
Jerusalem artichoke
* Cold and very moist
* 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
* 90 to 95 percent relative humidity
* May be left in the ground undisturbed until needed. Digging can be done unless the soil is frozen hard. A thick layer of mulch may extend your harvest season.
Kale
* Cold and very moist
* 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
* 90 to 95 percent relative humidity
Kohlrabi
* Cold and very moist
* 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
* 90 to 95 percent relative humidity
Leeks
* Cold and very moist
* 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
* 90 to 95 percent relative humidity
Onions
* Cool and dry
* Home and commercially prepared foods also need a cool, dry storage place
* 32 to 35 degrees Fahrenheit ideal
* 60 to 70 percent relative humidity
Oranges
* Cold and moist
* Do not store with vegetables
* 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
* 80 to 90 percent relative humidity
Parsnips
* Cold and very moist
* 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
* 90 to 95 percent relative humidity
Pears
* Cold and moist
* Do not store with vegetables
* 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
* 80 to 90 percent relative humidity
Peas
* Cool and dry
* Home and commercially prepared foods also need a cool, dry storage place
* Airtight container
* 32 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit
* 60 to 70 percent relative humidity
Peppers, hot dried
* Cool and dry
* Home and commercially prepared foods also need a cool, dry storage place
* 32 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit
* 60 to 70 percent relative humidity
Popcorn
* Cool and dry
* Home and commercially prepared foods also need a cool, dry storage place
* Airtight container
* 32 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit
* 60 to 70 percent relative humidity
Potatoes
* Cold and moist
* Do not store with fruits
* 38 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit ideal
* 80 to 90 percent relative humidity
Potatoes, sweet
* Warm and moist
* To keep sweet potatoes from spoiling in warm and moist storage, do not let temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit
* 80 to 90 percent relative humidity
Pumpkins
* Warm and dry
* 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit
* 60 to 75 percent relative humidity
Radish, winter
* Cold and very moist
* 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
* 90 to 95 percent relative humidity
Rutabaga
* Cold and very moist
* 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
* 90 to 95 percent relative humidity
Salsify, oyster plant
* Cold and very moist
* 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
* 90 to 95 percent relative humidity
* May be left in the ground undisturbed until needed. Digging can be done unless the soil is frozen hard. A thick layer of mulch may extend your harvest season.
Squash, winter
* Warm and dry
* 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit
* 60 to 75 percent relative humidity
Tomatoes
* Warm and moist
* To keep green tomatoes from spoiling in warm and moist storage, do not let temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit
* 80 to 90 percent relative humidity
Turnip
* Cold and very moist
* 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit
* 90 to 95 percent relative humidity
Courtesy BC Ministry of Agriculture
Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables
"fresh endive in December, tender, savory Chinese cabbage in January; juicy apples in February, crisp, fresh carrots in March; and sturdy unsprayed potatoes in April--all without boiling a jar, blanching a vegetable, or filling a freezer bag" (page xvii).http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...rL._SL160_.jpg
Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables
by: Mike Bubel, Nancy Bubel
Amazon Price: $7.24 (as of 01/30/2012)
This is a great book for (food) gardeners and for people who have some land available to them. Although there are suggestions for "nooks and crannies" in your house, most of those ideas sound like ideas for older (draftier) homes.
Vegetables and fruits should not be stored together
Vegetables and fruits should not be stored together even though temperatures and moisture requirements are similar. As fruits such as apples and pears ripen, they give off ethylene gas which decreases the storage life of vegetables. This is especially evident with potatoes which sprout early if stored near certain fruits. Also, the odor of strong smelling vegetables, like turnips and cabbage, can be absorbed by fruits and other vegetables.
Building Plans - Fruit - Vegetable Storage and Greenhouse
Fruit and Vegetable Storage
Refrigerated Bulk Vegetable Storage Wall
Refrigerated Pallet Fruit and Vegetable Storage Wall
Controlled Atmosphere (CA) Storage
Potato Bin Bulkhead
Bulk Potato Storage with Side Air Plenum
Bulk Potato Storage, 2500 t (2800 tons), 2 Bins
Walk-In Cooler
Fruit and Vegetable Storage Insulation
Tunnel Forced-Air Coolers
Greenhouse Heating Requirements
Greenhouse Ventilation
Two Layer Polyethylene Greenhouse
Recipes from the Root Cellar: 270 Fresh Ways to Enjoy Winter Vegetables
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51KAiG1oDyL.jpg
Recipes from the Root Cellar: 270 Fresh Ways to Enjoy Winter Vegetables [Paperback]
When selecting vegetables for storage, discard any unsound produce. This includes immature, damaged or diseased specimens. Also, when using vegetables from storage, check over the produce and discard any showing signs of rot. If allowed to remain, they will affect adjacent sound produce.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...xrL._SL75_.jpg
Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables by Mike Bubel, Nancy Bubel
Anyone can learn to store fruits and vegetables safely more...0 points
Anyone can learn to store fruits and vegetables safely and naturally with a cool, dark space (even a closet!) and the step-by-step advice in this book. 0 points
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...7XL._SL75_.jpg
Colonial Root Cellar
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Recipes from the Root Cellar: 270 Fresh Ways to Enjoy Winter Vegetables by Andrea Chesman
Nothing tastes better than the seasonal bounty of local more...0 points
Nothing tastes better than the seasonal bounty of local farms. Everyone loves the spring-is-here excitement of peas and asparagus and the summer sweetness of tomatoes and corn. Now it's time to give the hearty, long-lasting bounty of the autumn garden its due. Whether these vegetables are eaten straight from the garden, out of a well-tended root cellar, or straight from the market, their flavors reward the home cook, and their nutritional benefits pack a powerful punch. Sweet winter squashes,......0 points
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The Joy of Keeping a Root Cellar: Canning, Freezing, Drying, Smoking and Preserving the Harvest by Jennifer Megyesi
A comprehensive, full-color guide to root cellaring-storing more...0 points
A comprehensive, full-color guide to root cellaring-storing vegetables, meat, and more.The winning team behind The Joy of Keeping Chickens returns, this time with a complete guide to building and maintaining a root cellar-even if it's just a dark and cool closet. This cheap, easy, energy-saving way will keep the harvest fresh all year long. Here, readers will learn: Which fruits and vegetables store best How to build a root cellar in the country, suburbs, or city How to deal with...0 points
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Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables by Mike Bubel, Nancy Bubel
Clean Before Eating NOT Storing!
Vegetarian Recipes
What to do with all those veggies :)
Vegetarian Recipes - 101 Cookbooks
A Classic
Cellar with Vegetables, Wine Racks and Beer Barrel
Grow An Interesting Herb Garden
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Preserving Summer's Bounty: A Quick and Easy Guide to Freezing, Canning, and Preserving, and Drying What You Grow [Paperback]
Table of Contents
- Build Your Own underground Root Cellar
- Root cellars must have ventilation!
- I like this one - Simple and elegant
- Do not allow fruits and vegetables to freeze.
- Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables
- Vegetables and fruits should not be stored together
- Aphids eating your tomato leaves?
- Building Plans - Fruit - Vegetable Storage and Greenhouse
- Made Me Smile
- Recipes from the Root Cellar: 270 Fresh Ways to Enjoy Winter Vegetables
- Clean Before Eating NOT Storing!
- Vegetarian Recipes
- A Classic
- Cellar with Vegetables, Wine Racks and Beer Barrel
- The Complete Root Cellar Book: Building Plans, Uses and 100 Recipes
- The Self-Sufficient Life and How to Live It
- The New Self-Sufficient Gardener
- Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners
- Grow An Interesting Herb Garden
- Preserving Summer's Bounty
http://www.squidoo.com/build-your-ow...nd-root-cellar-
How to Make a Fridge Root Cellar
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THE RETURN OF THE ROOT CELLARS
A root cellar for fall and winter storage is a must for any latitude, even in the far south where cold-season temperatures may not reach a cellar’s ideal levels between 32 and 40 degrees F. But, the simple fact is, the cooler one keeps any food (with few exceptions), the longer it will last. And let us suppose that one has a working windmill, which, as is most often the case, barely provides the very basic electrical needs of a home. Wouldn't it be highly advantageous to place a refrigerator and freezer in the root cellar’s 55-degree winter environment rather than in the 68-degree environment of the house? A 13-degree difference (or more) would translate into a substantial reduction in required electrical output!
You may manage to equip your trib’ home with refrigerators and freezers, but what if the electrical source(s) you plan to use will not hold out? Therefore, for bulk storage under such unreliable tribulation circumstances, a large root cellar or two is a very wise choice, especially when they are not much more than glorified holes in the ground (i.e. not very expensive). If cellars can keep fresh foods edible for even a month longer than the case would be without them, while also providing better summer temperatures for canned and dried foods, cellars will be indispensable additions to all our efforts. But in mid-to-northern latitudes, you’ll get a lot more than a month in fall and winter, for many foods.
A root cellar and cold cellar are the same thing. It calls for high humidity of 80-90% in order to keep fresh vegetables from losing their moisture and shriveling up. A damp soil floor provides this condition best. A concrete floor will provide lower humidity, but this is a better condition for some fresh foods, not to mention dry goods. Some root cellars wisely include two rooms, one with, and one without, a concrete floor.
In cold climates, why not include four rooms: 1) for fresh foods that must not freeze: consider using insulated walls and soil floor; 2) for fresh foods that may safely freeze, and requiring high humidity in the warmer fall and spring seasons: consider soil floors and no wall insulation; 3) for fresh foods in well-sealed containers, and for dry foods: consider painted/sealed concrete floors and walls, with no insulation; 4) for fresh foods requiring some, but not high, humidity: consider an unpainted concrete floor. Having these different options will allow you to shift foods from one environment to another at any one time of the year, to achieve better conditions.
Although fresh foods won't go as far in arid lands, extending the life of dried foods will more than make up for the trouble and expense of building a root cellar there. And since arid regions are ideal for drying foods in the sun, there will be plenty of dried foods to store. Moreover, if you don’s mind wetting the cellar’s floor (and/or walls) from time to time, the cellar can attain some decent humidity levels for fresh foods. Gravel floors provide the best "humidifiers" in such circumstances, especially if the gravel is several inches deep so as to hold a pool of water at the bottom (you walk on a "dry" or unsoaked surface). You won't have to water as often with the deep-gravel method.
While the ideal root-cellar combination for fresh foods is low temperature and high humidity, the worst situation is not, as we might at first expect, high temperatures and low humidity. The worst would be high temperatures and high humidity because this combination is best for nurturing bacteria, mold and yeast. Therefore, ideal cellar conditions calls for high humidity only for its ability to maintain freshness. Low temperatures (above freezing) are then needed to counter the bacteria/mould problems created by high humidity.
If we arrange to lower the humidity level somewhat and sacrifice some freshness in the process, rot would be reduced also, perhaps creating a better survival situation. Indeed, the best combination for dealing with rot becomes low temperatures and low humidity, exactly what’s desired for dry goods not needing any humidity. But so what if an apple shrinks some? If rot doesn't set in while it shrinks, thanks be to the cold temperatures, the only thing it will lose is water. The nutrients will still be in that apple! When we are hungry, safe-to-eat shriveled foods will taste mighty awesome! And any dry food can be made wet again by wetting and/or boiling.
Having no lining in the cellar at all (i.e. just soil walls) would net higher humidity than, say, stone walls. But beware. A mere hole in the ground to act as a root cellar will allow rodents to get in and seize your treasures. If you could properly drape chicken wire on the soil walls, that would likely keep varmints out, but not the insects. And you definitely don't want to use insecticide in your cellar!! Stone, mortared walls are best, I think. Just make sure the walls lean a little outward so that they won't cave into the cellar during the wet season.
Understand that there is a difference between infected and shriveled. Moreover, there is a third condition wherein the fresh food will deteriorate under its own metabolism, rot or no rot, if not blanched/boiled. This is why foods going into cans or jars must first be boiled, even when going into vinegar, salt or sugar solutions where bacteria are killed without boiling.
For a dry cellar housing dried foods, a cheaper and easier alternative to stone or concrete walls is tongue-and-groove plywood and wood studding. To keep rodents with sharp teeth out, metal screening tacked to the plywood, and overlapped a good distance at the joints, would work fine. To keep the plywood from rotting, it should be sealed with an exterior-grade sealer, preferably the black-tar product used on the basements of homes (driveway sealer might work too). This tar should also keep out the ants and termites, but I'm no authority on that one. Take precautions with the toxic chemicals in pressure-treated plywood/studs; you should keep all dried foods in air-tight containers, anyway, and this will also add protection against mice and ants.
By using the studding method, you can easily insulate between some, or all, studs. If it becomes necessary to altar humidity/temperature. You might buy the insulation and install it anyway, whether you think you'll need it or not, as you can always take it out at will. But you won't likely be able to buy it in the tribulation.
The only drawback to the wood-wall method is that water may get in through the joints of the plywood, especially at ground level (near the cellar’s ceiling). But if you build a structure/pantry above the cellar, this threat is much reduced, and even eliminated if that structure is large enough to extend a few feet past the cellar walls. Otherwise, caulk the studs at the plywood joints before applying the plywood to them. Then caulk directly over the joints after screwing the plywood on. Finally, adhere a 4-inch wood strap to each joint using the caulk as a glue, and you should be as water-tight as Noah for the few years that you'll need the cellar. Frost and humidity in the outer soil can do a lot of damage, so screw everything, rather than nail.
Building a pantry over a root cellar intended for fresh foods will protect from freezing; the more northerly the location, the further out from all cellar walls this pantry (or garage) should span. But if you go too far, soil humidity won't be able to reach the walls. I would say that pantry walls three feet maximum from the cellar walls ought to be sufficient for the northern US. That is, if your cellar is 8 x 8 feet, make the pantry 14 x 14 (or 14 x 11 if it’s attached to a house). Keep in mind that this building, acting as the cellar’s roof, is an exceptional sun screen as well as a convenient storage area, in cool seasons, for dried, canned, and even some fresh foods.
Create a perfectly smooth ceiling in the cellar. The more protrusions there are in building materials (i.e. joists and beams), the more area there will be for condensation to form. This means more drips and puddles on your shelves and in your food baskets. You want humidity for fresh vegetables, yes, but in the air, not pools in the containers. If your ceiling structure consists of wood beams or rafters, nail unfinished plywood (definitely not pressure-treated) to form the smooth ceiling. Indeed, leave the plywood natural, and clean it now and then, by spraying a bleach and water solution, so that whatever drips do form won't transport unwanted molds to your foods.
The root cellar needs temperature-control pipes, which are a simple matter to install during the cellar’s construction (not so easy later). Because warm(er) air rises, put an exhaust pipe (6 inches in diameter) at the top of the room, going straight out the ceiling and into the pantry. Or, if that upper room will be heated, run the pipe outside and then upward to avoid the breeze. Screen the top opening of the pipe to keep pests out, and add a solid cover two inches above the opening/screen to keep out bird droppings and rain.
A second air pipe for intake, through a wall near the floor, will allow cold air to enter the cellar as warmer air rises out the exhaust pipe. But as the location of this pipe's exit through the cellar wall will be underground, the pipe will need to rise through the soil and into the atmosphere.
Of course, this intake pipe must reach the atmosphere outside the pantry, where it can catch cold breezes. Put an elbow on the upper end of this pipe, therefore, so that horizontal breezes come straight into the elbow’s opening. But don't glue, screw or tape the elbow on; leave it loose so that it can be turned. Point it north to receive the coldest air currents when you need them. Turn the elbow away from the north if you need to warm things up in the cellar, or if you need winds from other directions for cooling. If you position the intake pipe against the south pantry wall so that access to north winds is unavailable, it'll be your loss.
While in extremely cold or warm spells you can cap this pipe opening (e.g. with plastic film), don't forget to uncap it in due time because you need the constant air circulation in the cellar to remove air-borne molds. When you build shelving, do not let the rears of shelves contact the cellar walls, as this restricts air circulation around shelves and promotes molds on foods. Leave a 3-inch gap between shelf and wall.
When cold wind is blowing directly into the intake pipe, it will also force cellar air into the pantry if the exhaust pipe terminates there. The pantry will also cool, therefore, which may or may not be what you want so that it would be a good idea to provide a removable cap for the exhaust pipe as well. Or, even better, provide a permanent cap that is an adjustable vent so that you can dictate at any time how much it will be opened or closed. If this exhaust pipe can double as a water drain, for the times that you need higher humidity in the cellar, that’s using your noggin. No need to carry a large bucket of water down the stairs, just pour into the pipe from the pantry--but make sure the water pours onto the cellar floor directly, not first on the foods. Or just run a garden hose permanently into the cellar [duh].
Some root cellars are built into hills and buried on three sides with a normal, walk-in door on the unburied side. Others are completely buried and must be entered by stairs (often) accessed through a door in the ceiling. If maximum coolness is a priority, as it will be in the south, then bury the cellar completely. As an alternative to a ceiling entrance, a stairwell can be dug just outside a cellar wall with a landing at the bottom, where an insulated door can be installed leading into the cellar. Keep that door out of the sun, of course, and away from the hot summer breeze.
Much of the information I am using here is from the book, "ROOT CELLARING" (Mike and Nancy Bubel, Rodale Press). Their latest books can be obtained from http://www.amazon.com. Though not intended for tribulation survival, I have been able to get a good bit of pertinent information. The authors claim that with proper management and air conditions, the following foods (in the upper latitudes of the US) can be enjoyed in the following months:
"fresh endive in December, tender, savory Chinese cabbage in January; juicy apples in February, crisp, fresh carrots in March; and sturdy unsprayed potatoes in April--all without boiling a jar, blanching a vegetable, or filling a freezer bag" (page xvii).For tribulation survival, it is not necessary that we have "tender," "savory," and "crisp" vegetables. Therefore, under the same climatic circumstances, we could have the above-named vegetables one or two months later and still be bouncy-pleased. And if this is the sort of success story that Mike and Nancy got with exposed plants, imagine what we could do with plastic containers, plastic bags, and dried foods in the same cool conditions. We should easily be able to sustain ourselves with crops alone until the next harvest. Yet, we could plan to store foods that last much longer than vegetables in the first place. In all, the authors say that they could keep 33 different vegetables in open storage, and that spells variety on top of survival.
FRESH-FOOD LONGEVITY
It is important to harvest vegetables at their peak, "neither underdeveloped nor past their prime," for best longevity results in cold storage. It is also important to treat them all with special care because the slightest bruising invites molds and bacteria, and these then spread to others vegetables. As soon as you see a rotting or molding section of any vegetable, get rid of it. Slice off the bad part and eat the rest, or throw it into the compost heap. Inspect cellar foods often.
For trib' survivalists, the longer into the winter or spring we can eat our produce, the better. Therefore, it is important to time the final harvest for the latest possible date. As well as planting vegetables as early as possible in the spring to be able to eat them as soon as possible in late spring or early summer, plant a sizable crop later than usual so that their peak arrives only in the nick of time before the killing frost. This late crop will represent your fresh supply of food in winter, so don't skimp.
Plant lots of cool-weather crops in this later phase, not just because they can survive some frost and thereby last longer in the soil than other vegetables, but because, as any good gardener knows, many cool-weather crops taste better after frost has nipped them. Among these are parsnips, salsify (also called "oyster plant"), kale, Brussels sprouts, collards, and Chinese cabbage.
Moreover, rooted vegetables (e.g. potatoes, carrots) can safely stay in the ground past the first frosts too. Every vegetable has its unique period of growth, and you'll need a good book on gardening to know the lengths of each one in order to time their harvests as late as you can. Take into consideration that vegetables planted later than normal will grow slower in the cooler months of fall than the books indicate. Have a garden expert with you in the tribulation!!! Take him on board for free. (All you Christian gardeners without money of your own to buy and build a tribulation refuge, others who are without your skills might give you a room in exchange.)
Some factors in the gardening department add to storage life. For example, potatoes grown in sandy soils last longer in storage than those grown in heavy soils. According to studies, both fruits and vegetables grown in soil with high potash levels store better and longer than others. Wood ashes, which should be in abundant supply for most trib' survivors, are a good source of potash. Manure is also a good source of potassium. So store the ashes all winter long where the wind won't blow them away, and any manure your animals provide can be collected at the first thaw, but don't over-dose your garden soil. You might think that adding fertilizer generously is good, but while you get larger yields, high levels of nitrogen will increase the rate at which some vegetables age, even after they've been picked, thus reducing their cellar shelf life.
Understand that by adding plenty of nitrogen to the soil apart from adding plenty of leaves, grass, food scraps, vines, etc., you're doing more harm than good. The soil's nitrogen content is required by the bacteria feeding on organic matter, and, if you're going to give these bacteria a nitrogen feast, it would be very desirable if there's an organic target in the soil other than the roots of your vegetables!
As organic scraps (compost) in the soil are broken down by bacteria, heat is released, which happens to be the magic pill that makes plants grow (or the overdose causing root burn). For, as the heat expands in the soil, it forces its way into roots. As it does so, it pushes along all the soil’s chemicals dissolved in ground water, and, if the root system can accept the molecules, they will be forced further up by the same heat energy, into the stems and leaves.
The more heat in the soil, the more that water and chemical nutrients enter the root system and pass through the stems, and the larger and more-succulent the plants will tend to grow. Of course, heat may be added to the soil in other ways aside from nitrogen-consuming bacteria. Remember this key for your greenhouse, and keep the soil warm. Elevated tables, off the cold floor, are ideal. If there is not enough nitrogen in the soil, nor enough organic matter, heat production will be stunted, and plant growth will suffer accordingly.
If plants take in too much water in relation to nutrients, they will not last as long in the cellar, stressing the importance of a garden soil that drains well. Don't over-water. Clearly, aside from root-cellaring information, you must get a book which discusses soil preparation. Many books on vegetable gardening will include a section on preparing soil, but this section is sometimes too elementary.
Cold storage decreases the natural metabolism of fresh food so that it doesn't age itself into mush. But, of course! For, if adding heat causes plants to grow, removing heat causes growth (all chemical reactions) to be suspended. Aside from infections, fruits and vegetables can be destroyed by their natural respiration process, as the addition of oxygen changes their chemical states into something we don't care to eat. Darn oxygen! It’s great for life, but also has this thorny tendency to oxidize everything into ruin.
In some cases, vitamins are also lost with the said respiration process. Blanching (dipping in hot water), or other treatments, will retard/stop aging. Peas only require one minute in boiling water to stop the aging process, but corn on the cob needs 10 minutes. Most other vegetables fall between these two extremes. Blanching is a good way to save foods that are about to go bad, when no other preservation method is available to save them. However, if you like fresh carrots and apples as opposed to cooked, or partially cooked, ones, build yourself an excellent root cellar.
Cold weather at the garden site at harvest time is a positive factor because vegetables are prone to store more sugars and starch and less water in these periods. Having a lower water content, they are also have more stuff, and this keeps their water content from evaporating as easily on the shelf. Mike and Nancy suggest leaving the vegetables in the soil as long as possible by covering them with 12 to 18 inches of mulch (dried leaves, grass, straw, etc.) to keep them from freezing. As they can be kept in the ground for two to four weeks longer by this method, not only are they skirting deterioration all the while, as would be the case on a cellar shelf, but they are storing up more sugars and starch so that they last longer on that shelf when ultimately placed there.
Freezing is fine for some fresh vegetables and destructive to others (e.g. potatoes). However, you'll want to avoid completely, with all vegetables, the repeated freezing and thawing that can take place in root cellars from warm spell to cold spell and back to warm. You’ll solve that problem if you build a section of your root cellar that never freezes during these wavering spells on either side of the winter deep-freeze (i.e. on either side of January/February).
With so much time on our hands in the tribulation, there's no reason why we couldn't reap additional benefits by replanting some vegetables in the cellar, after the winter temperatures become too hazardous for their outdoor existence. Of course, don't replant them in the hardened soil floor, but in cases filled with sand or loose soil. This will keep some rooted vegetables for up to one month longer. Or, you can simply heap the vegetables on the cellar floor and cover them with damp, loose soil. Mike and Nancy bury some vegetables in moist saw dust. When needed, they also drape moist cloths over-top of the bushels or crates of food.
Bring most vegetables and fruits into the root cellar immediately after harvesting. Some vegetables, however, such as onions and garlic, need to be dried in the sun for a week before dry-cellar storage. Squash and pumpkins need two weeks in the sun to develop a hard rind, and they need a warm cellar. Sweet potatoes also need to be cured. If you didn't know these basic things, then you need an appropriate book before you spoil your first harvest learning the hard way. Go to http://www.amazon.com, and search for Mike and Nancy Bubel.
Do not clean the vegetables before storage as this will risk bruising. Leave them covered in a layer of dirt if that is how they arrive. Shake off large clumps of dirt, of course, but be gentle. To reduce the clumps, harvest in dry weather. Do not cut the tips of roots off or slice any parts of perfect vegetables as this will invite bacteria to form colonies. Cut off most of the leafy stems of root vegetables to inhibit the escape of water, but leave an inch to keep bacteria from getting into the tops of roots. The tops of beets and parsnips are themselves edible, so take advantage.
If 33% or more of the cellar food is spoiling, something is very wrong. The culprit is likely humidity, temperature, or ventilation. A small percentage of waste is expected so that we should plan on it by growing more to offset. As there will likely be a lack of food in the tribulation, eat the foods that are spoiling first. Cut out the bad parts and discard, or cook them if they are merely bruised. You can even make a nice syrup, sauce, or juice by squeezing any fruit/vegetable that is just beginning to go bad. There are fewer cases of food poisoning from vegetable-based bacteria, though dangerous toxins can be produced from some molds. Beware the deadly botulism. 65% who get it don't live through it. This micro-organism grows where oxygen is absent, and that means there's a chance that every vacuum-packed jar or plastic wrap might contain it. If the can or lid is bloated, don't eat it. If it smells bad, don't eat it. If you're going to die with glorifying God, try to die peacefully.
Make your cellar 12 x 12 feet if you have the gumption. You might make two of them that large, side by side, one drier than the other. Plan on storing enough preserved foods for two years, and view the fresh produce as a bonus. Initially, consider all "strange" Christians who comes knocking for food and shelter as your friends and fellow-laborers. If they won't work and be helpful, however, and all they do is eye lustfully at all that you have, why should you feed them? But if they work, then remember that God did not command Israel to care for widows and the fatherless only, but also aliens. Therefore, a "stranger" that is a sheep is your brother or sister that you must care for; it is the foolish virgins that can be sent away.
The following are root-cellar products that are best stored in cold and very moist conditions (32-40 degrees F and 90-95% relative humidity):
Beets, collards, broccoli, Chinese cabbage, carrots, turnips, radishes, rutabagas, parsnips, Jerusalem artichokes, celery, salsify, celeriac, parsley, Brussels sprouts, leeks, and kohlrabi.The following products do best in the same temperatures but at a slightly reduced humidity (80-90%):
Potatoes, endive, escarole, cabbage, cauliflower, quince, apples, pears, oranges, grapefruit, and grapes.The following do best in 40-45-degree cellars with a relative humidity of 85-90%:
Cucumbers, cantaloupe, eggplant, tomatoes, watermelon, and sweet peppers.Reduce the temperature and humidity of the following vegetables (35-40 degrees and 60-70%):
Garlic, onions and green soybeans in the pod.The following need high temperatures and lower humidity (50-60 degrees and 60-70%):
Hot peppers, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, winter squash, and green tomatoes.You're not going to have a separate root cellar for every different category, but you can work around the less-than-ideal conditions in a number of ways. If the temperature is too cold for some foods, take them out and put them in the attic or an enclosed porch. You can also section off the pantry to have two different temperature conditions. Use your wit to create different places around your house which provide the best possible endurance conditions for various crops, and don't forget you'll have prayer-power at God's disposal when all else fails, so long as you make reasonable efforts of your own.
The following list provides the near upper limits of preservation times for vegetables kept in their ideal conditions, so long as they are kept in air-tight wraps or covered with a damp material (saw dust, towel, dirt, etc.). If you know temperature and/or humidity conditions will not be ideal, reduce their shelf life accordingly. Remember that they will often remain edible longer than the times given. Although every case will not be exactly the same, use this list as a guide for determining how many vegetables of certain kinds you will plant.
For example, the guide makes it plain that you should plant lots of potatoes and carrots as they might last 4-6 months, while you wouldn't plant too much broccoli since it keeps in a good condition only for weeks. Where specific times were not available, I have entered "long keeper" or "good keeper," and you can plan on growing lots of these with confidence. Leafy vegetables are not included as they are generally not good keepers in their fresh states, not at all meaning that you shouldn't plant any (you can always preserve them in other ways). Remember also that you can extend the upper limits by keeping them in the garden longer while protecting them from freezes, or by replanting them on the cellar shelf/floor.
Don't be fooled by writers who give carrots, for example, a mere 7-14 days in the refrigerator, even when wrapped in plastic bags. If your not the queen, you can handle eating carrots after months in a cool spot, and if they are rubbery after a certain time, you can boil or fry them up to gather in their vitamins. You can preserve them as relishes in vinegar at any time if you don't like how they have come to taste in the fresh state, or cook them in broths/stews.
- Beets 4-5 months
- Broccoli 1-2 weeks
- Brussels Sprouts 3-5 weeks
- Cabbage (long keeper)
- Chinese Cabbage 1-2 months
- Carrots 4-6 months
- Cauliflower 2-4 weeks
- Celery (long keeper)
- Chives (not a root-cellar crop)
- Collards 1-2 weeks
- Cucumbers 2-3 weeks
- Eggplant 1-2 weeks
- Horse Radish (long keeper)
- Jerusalem Artichokes 1-2 months
- Kohlrabi (long keeper)
- Leeks N/A
- Onions (good keeper)
- Parsnips 1-2 months
- Pepper (good keeper)
- Sweet Potatoes (long keeper)
- Potatoes 4-6 months
- Pumpkin (good keeper)
- Radishes 2-3 months
- Rutabagas 2-4 months
- Salsify (good keeper)
- Soybeans (long keepers)
- Squash 4-6 months
- Tomatoes 1-2 months
- Turnips (long keepers)
The following lists give you an inkling as to how long certain vegetables can keep in the garden soil before the cold weather demands their removal indoors. You'll need a good book on gardening to tell you what their maximum outdoor stays should be. Generally, the less susceptible they are to frost, the longer you can keep the veggies in the ground past their maximums using a 12-18-inch covering of mulch. You might consider building a two-to-three foot wall all around the garden to keep the cold winds off the plants during this period that you are stretching their garden life. This will also keep all your mulch from blowing away, and the wall can even act as a solid foundation for a temporary greenhouse frame that you could quickly erect and drape with inexpensive plastic film, to keep the plants in their garden soils even longer.
Very Susceptible to Frost:
Cucumbers, Eggplant, Lettuce, Squash, Sweet Peppers, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Pumpkins.Moderately Susceptible to Frost:
Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage (young), Carrots, Cauliflower, Escarole, Garlic, Onions, Celery, Spinach, Parsley, Peas, Radishes.Least Susceptible to Frost:
Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage (mature), Collards, Kale, Kohlrabi, Parsnips, Salsify, Turnipshttp://www.tribwatch.com/rootcell.htm
Root Cellars
When living through a protected time with no electricity, a root cellar can provide excellent conditions for fresh food storage without using preservatives.
Root cellars are for keeping food supplies at a low temperature and steady humidity to keep from freezing during the winter and cool during the summer months to prevent spoilage. Typically, a variety of vegetables are placed in the root cellar in the autumn, after harvesting.
Controlled Environment
Temperature: Your root cellar needs to be kept as cool as possible.
* Use the cooler temperature of the earth. Earth, even two feet down has a very stable temperature range all year Get the floor level as deep as you can. Ten feet below ground level yields a complete temperature stability. Be sure to keep the floor level a few feet above the normal ground water layer.
* Locate in a place of full shade throughout the day
* Place on north side of hills
* Use insulation
Humidity: Most vegetables require high humidity. Other stored foods such as dried and canned foods need low humidity. One Root Cellar cannot serve both purposes. A dirt floor root cellar will generally maintain a high humidity automatically.
Air circulation: Because of the natural out gassing of ethylene from fruits and vegetables, you need to adequately vent the interior to prevent fruit and vegetable spoilage.
* Air inlet vent that goes to floor level
* Air outlet from cellar high point
* For air circulation, design shelves to stand two to three inches away from the walls.
* Design your vent to allow closing when outside air temperature is bellow freezing
Cellar floors
* Dirt floors for high humidity cellars.
* Gravel floors should be used for very wet or dry areas. Drainage can be promoted by digging a sump in the middle of the floor and filled with gravel followed by a three-inch layer over the entire floor area. In dry areas, you can increase humidity by spraying water on the gravel floor.
* Wood: leave gaps between floorboards for a higher humidity cellar.
* Cement floors are for low humidity cellars.
Using your root cellar
* Install a thermometer and humidity gauge.
* Keep the door closed
* Open vents fully on cool spring and fall nights
* Sprinkle water on a graveled floor or lay out damp towels or burlap bags.
* Pack root vegetables in damp saw dust, sand or moss.
* High humidity and low temperatures can cause the ceiling to sweat and drip water on your stored goods.
* Use a 100 watt incandescent light bulb if needed to keep temperatures above freezing.
* Inspect produce frequently and remove any that has begun to spoil.
http://www.surviveabide.com/Advanced/Fo ... ellars.htm
VIDEO: Fracking Hell: The True Cost of America's Gas Rush
New investigative report now on GRTV
- 2011-05-20
Video: Fracking Hell: The Untold Story http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEB_Wwe- ... r_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEB_Wwe-uBM&feature=player_embedded
List of 78 Chemicals Used in Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid in Pennsylvania
UPDATE (July 6): It seems the list below is not completely accurate, as admitted by the PA DEP. The list below includes chemicals and substances stored on site (like diesel fuel and oil) that are not injected into the ground. MDN will furnish an updated list when it becomes available from the DEP.
List at the link
http://marcellusdrilling.com/2010/06/li ... nsylvania/
Sunshine linked to fatherhood: Vitamin D boosts sperm quality
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/artic ... ality.html
USDA Allows Monsanto To Police Itself
This Should be Banned: Found in 80% of Supermarket Foods
Posted By Dr. Mercola | May 20 2011
197 Comments
Monsanto may soon be allowed to conduct its own environmental studies. Currently, the USDA is responsible for assessing environmental impacts of new GMO crops, but the agency plans to at least temporarily hand over environmental impact reporting responsibilities to the biotech companies behind GMO crops.
If this isn't the classic example of the fox guarding the henhouse I don't know what is.
The two-year pilot program will allow the companies to conduct their own environmental assessments, or alternately outsource the work to contractors. The USDA will retain the final say in determining the safety of crops.
According to Fast Company:
"The USDA won't actually admit that it's bad at performing its duties -- instead, the agency claims that the move will make the environmental reporting process more timely, efficient, and cost-effective ... [But if Monsanto] has a vested interest in getting one of its crops deregulated, why wouldn't it try to fudge the numbers on an environmental review? And why wouldn't its hired contractors do the same?"
You might think that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) don't affect you. But in fact, up to 90 percent of all major U.S. grown crops are grown with genetically engineered seed, and can be used in human and animal foods without any safety testing or labeling.
This includes GM corn, soybeans, canola, and sugar beets, which have made their way into approximately 80 percent of current U.S. grocery store items.
Video: What is Genetically Modified Food? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAP6ZtfP ... r_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAP6ZtfP9ZQ&feature=player_embedded
If you're not buying organically produced foods (or growing your own food), then you're probably eating genetically modified ingredients in most of the processed foods you're consuming.
The UK Progressive reports:
"Scientific testing has not been done on what effects GMOs may have on humans. What has been shown is that GMO foods contain excessive amounts of certain toxins, the effects of which have not been determined. Genetically modified foods also negatively impact the environment by creating more toxins and potentially leading to the creation of mutated soil bacteria, which may lead to more harm regarding the future of food production."
Sources:
Fast Company April 25, 2011 http://www.fastcompany.com/1749695/mons ... ice-itself
UK Progressive March 29, 2011 http://www.ukprogressive.co.uk/dont-kno ... 11252.html
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/artic ... tself.aspx
This Should be Banned: Found in 80% of Supermarket Foods
Dr. Mercola | May 20 2011 | 262,060 views
Monsanto may soon be allowed to conduct its own environmental studies. Currently, the USDA is responsible for assessing environmental impacts of new GMO crops, but the agency plans to at least temporarily hand over environmental impact reporting responsibilities to the biotech companies behind GMO crops.
If this isn't the classic example of the fox guarding the henhouse I don't know what is.
The two-year pilot program will allow the companies to conduct their own environmental assessments, or alternately outsource the work to contractors. The USDA will retain the final say in determining the safety of crops.
According to Fast Company:"The USDA won't actually admit that it's bad at performing its duties -- instead, the agency claims that the move will make the environmental reporting process more timely, efficient, and cost-effective ... [But if Monsanto] has a vested interest in getting one of its crops deregulated, why wouldn't it try to fudge the numbers on an environmental review? And why wouldn't its hired contractors do the same?"You might think that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) don't affect you. But in fact, up to 90 percent of all major U.S. grown crops are grown with genetically engineered seed, and can be used in human and animal foods without any safety testing or labeling.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAP6ZtfP9ZQ&feature=player_embedded
If you're not buying organically produced foods (or growing your own food), then you're probably eating genetically modified ingredients in most of the processed foods you're consuming.
The UK Progressive reports:"Scientific testing has not been done on what effects GMOs may have on humans. What has been shown is that GMO foods contain excessive amounts of certain toxins, the effects of which have not been determined. Genetically modified foods also negatively impact the environment by creating more toxins and potentially leading to the creation of mutated soil bacteria, which may lead to more harm regarding the future of food production."This includes GM corn, soybeans, canola, and sugar beets, which have made their way into approximately 80 percent of current U.S. grocery store items.
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
This latest development is truly the epitome of a Bad Idea.The Fox is Yet Again Allowed to Guard the Hen House…
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the agency responsible for assessing the environmental impacts of genetically modified (GM) crops, but they've not been very efficient in this regard. So, in an "effort" to make the environmental reporting process "more timely, efficient, and cost-effective," they've decided to create a two-year long pilot program that allows biotech companies like Monsanto to conduct their own environmental assessments.
This decision is an absolute abomination of massive conflicts of interest.
What possible incentive does Monsanto have to find environmental harm resulting from the crops they seek to get approved? And if they hire contractors to perform the review, what incentive would they have to come up with a negative assessment?Do You Know how Much GM Food You're Eating?
This is particularly pernicious because of all the chemical companies Monsanto is far and away the most egregious in their blatant disregard for values. They have extorted millions of dollars from small famers no differently than New York City Mafia crime bosses. Well, that might be acceptable behavior in organized crime, but it is reprehensible in a multi-billion dollar corporation.
If history has shown us anything, it's that industries CANNOT police themselves. The end result is always the same—corporate vested interests win every time. This is exactly why we need INDEPENDENT agencies to do safety reviews.
The USDA will get "the final say." But honestly, how likely is the USDA to decline approval once an environmental assessment claims the crop poses no threat to the environment? If they can't find the time to do the original assessment, they surely will not find the time to double-check the assessments handed in by Monsanto and other biotech companies.
Another MAJOR consideration is that Tom Vilsack is the Secretary of Agriculture. Vilsack has been a major supporter of Monsanto and is a strong believer in genetically engineered pharmaceutical crops, especially pharmaceutical corn.
This is a set-up that will endanger consumers everywhere, in more ways than one. As Ariel Schwartz writes for Fast Company, "if it wasn't so dangerous, it would be funny." For example, we already KNOW that GM crops are causing a variety of environmental problems,
Such as:
Allowing Monsanto to police itself is an absolute disaster of epic proportions, make no mistake about it. And this makes it all the more important to educate yourself about GM foods, and make every possible effort to avoid them if you want to protect your health, not to mention the health of your children!
- Roundup-resistant superweeds, which forces farmers to use ever increasing amounts of pesticides and herbicides
- Cross-pollination between GM and non-GM crops that threaten to destroy the organic industry as a whole
- Contamination of waterways with Cry1Ab, a specific type of Bt toxin from GM crops
- Creation of new pest problems
- Roundup herbicide, which is used in increasing amounts of more than 80 percent of all GM crops planted worldwide, has been found to be lethal to frogs and toxic to human placental and embryonic cells
It's important to realize that as much as 90-95 percent of the major US-grown crops are genetically engineered, and subsequently used in human- and animal food production without labeling and with no safety testing whatsoever.
These GM crops include:
Corn Canola Alfalfa (New GM crop as of 2011) Soy Cottonseed Sugar derived from sugar beets Additionally, the following produce are also commonly GM:Demand for Non-GM Canola on the Rise
These GM goods are now used as ingredients in approximately 80 percent of all processed foods!
- Zucchini
- Crookneck squash
- Hawaiian papaya
So, unless you're buying all organic food, or grow your own veggies and raise your own livestock, or at the very least buy all whole foods (even if conventionally grown) and cook everything from scratch, chances are you're consuming GM foods every single day of the week.
Even more insidious is the fact that anytime you're buying conventional meat, you're essentially eating GMO. This is because the vast majority of animal products produced in the US today, which are raised in confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), are fed with GM feed (typically GM corn and soy), in addition to being given genetically engineered hormones. Soon CAFO cattle everywhere will also be fed GM alfalfa, which will further drive up the percentage of GM feed these animals consume in total.
This is just one of the reasons why I strongly advise everyone to avoid consuming conventional meats. If you cannot afford to buy all your food organic, then focus on buying organic meats.
According to an Australian ABC News report, demand for 'sustainable' canola, meaning non-GM canola, is now so high that the price for this commodity is outpacing the GM variety.Follow Your Instincts: GM Foods are NOT Safe
Tom Puddy with CBH, Western Australia's largest grain handler, is quoted as saying:"It really comes down to customer preference to have a non-GM product in the food chain. There's consumers that will demand that, so they'll pay a premium at a supermarket shelf for particular items that are certified non-GM. 'The other driver is from the by-product. That's fed to animals and they don't want to have a GM by-product in their food chain that's fed to their animals."The extra price is worth it in my opinion. Although safety research is still sorely lacking, the studies that have been made indicate that things do not bode well for us, long-term, if we do not stop genetically altering our food supply.
Although the evil GM giants like Monsanto insist that GM foods are no different from conventionally grown varieties, the research in existence begs to differ. Here is just a sampling of the unsavory findings associated with GM foods:Just Say No to GMO!
GM peas caused lung damage in mice Offspring of rats fed GM soy showed a five-fold increase in mortality, lower birth weights, and the inability to reproduce GM potatoes may cause cancer in rats Male mice fed GM soy had damaged young sperm cells Bacteria in your gut can take up DNA from GM food The embryo offspring of GM soy-fed mice had altered DNA functioning GM foods lead to significant organ disruptions in rats and mice, specifically the kidney, liver, heart and spleen Several US farmers reported sterility or fertility problems among pigs and cows fed on GM corn varieties Bt corn caused a wide variety of immune responses in mice, commonly associated with diseases such as arthritis, Lou Gehrig's disease, osteoporosis, and inflammatory bowel disease Investigators in India have documented fertility problems, abortions, premature births, and other serious health issues, including deaths, among buffaloes fed GM cottonseed products
GMOs may be the greatest health disaster in the American diet. (By the way, remember that while fructose is toxic to your body in and of itself, the vast majority of fructose you consume is in the form of high fructose corn syrup, much of which comes from GM corn!)By Banding Together We CAN DEFEAT GM Foods!
Within the first nine years of the introduction of GM crops in 1996, multiple chronic illnesses jumped from 7 percent to 13 percent of the population,food allergies doubled in less time, and many other ailments have been on the rise ever since. Millions may already be suffering health problems caused by genetically modified foods and they just don't know it.
The American Academy of Environmental Medicine has urged doctors to prescribe non-GMO diets for all patients, citing animal studies that show how GMOs cause disorders such as vital organ damage, gastrointestinal and immune system problems, accelerated aging, infertility, and dysfunctional regulation of insulin and cholesterol. Unfortunately, few doctors are paying attention and following this advice...
Again, you simply must take control of your own health, and take it upon yourself to ensure you're not unwittingly destroying your and your family's health with every bite.
Yes, even though the US government seems hellbent on giving biotech giants like Monsanto free reign to destroy the world, we CAN get GMOs banned from the US.
Europe was able to do it over a decade ago without any government assistance. All they did was educate the consumers, and that was enough pressure on the food industry to stop using GM ingredients.
Most people don't understand that we have already won the war. These companies KNOW they have a limited time to sell their chemicals and make a huge profit at the expense of your health. They know that eventually labeling will be mandated and when it is, the game is up and they will be defeated as over 90 percent of Americans do not want GMOs.
That does not mean you should be complacent. The sooner you get involved, the sooner we will eliminate these toxic threats. We will require loads of education to be effective, however.We must first educate sufficient amounts of people about what GM foods are! As illustrated in the featured video, many are still completely clueless about genetically modified foods and have no idea that they're eating them every day.
In a nutshell, if you're eating CAFO meats and processed foods that are not 100% USDA Organic, you're eating GMO's. It's that simple. The answer is to buy organic, and/or look for foods that are "non-GMO certified" by the Non-GMO Project.
For your convenience, download this Non-GMO Shopping Guide, and share it with everyone you know.
Although GM foods still do not require labeling by law, the campaign for GMO labeling is making progress, thanks to the persistence of Jeffrey Smith and the Institute for Responsible Technology, an organization whose goal is to end the genetic engineering of our food supply and the outdoor release of GM crops. If you like, you can join the fight by signing the petition to President Obama in support of mandatory labeling of GM foods.
By educating the public about the risks of GM foods through a massive education campaign, and by circulating the Non-GMO Shopping Guide so consumers can make healthier non-GMO choices, the Institute's plan is to generate a tipping point of consumer rejection to make GMOs a thing of the past.
Remember food is a critical part of the equation of "Taking Control of Your Health", you simply must get it right if you want any real chance of avoiding chronic degenerative disease
For ongoing updates on this cause, please follow our Non-GMO's page on Facebook.
Source: Fast Company April 25, 2011
Source: UK Progressive March 29, 2011
Related Links:
http://media.mercola.com/themes/merc...ges/bullet.gif 10 Reasons to Avoid Genetically Modified Foods
http://media.mercola.com/themes/merc...ges/bullet.gif 19 Studies Link GMO Foods to Organ Disruption
http://media.mercola.com/themes/merc...ges/bullet.gif Why Did Officials Approve this Toxic Corn Chip that Creates a ‘Pesticide Factory’ in Your Gut?
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/ar...ce-itself.aspx
Toxic pesticides from GM food crops found in unborn babies
Toxic pesticides which are implanted into genetically modified food crops have lodged in the blood of pregnant women and their unborn babies, research shows.
Andy Bloxham
London Telegraph
May 21, 2011
Scientists at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, at the University of Sherbrooke Hospital Centre in Quebec, took dozens of samples from women.
Traces of the toxin were found 93 per cent of the pregnant mothers and in 80 per cent of the umbilical cords.
The research suggested the chemicals were entering the body through eating meat, milk and eggs from farm livestock which have been fed GM corn.
The findings appear to contradict the GM industry’s long-standing claim that any potentially harmful chemicals added to crops would pass safely through the body.
To date, most of the global research which has been used to demonstrate the safety of GM crops has been funded by the industry itself.
It is not known what, if any, harm the chemicals might cause but there has been speculation it could lead to allergies, miscarriage, abnormalities or even cancer.
One of the researchers told the scientific journal Reproductive Toxicology: “This is the first study to highlight the presence of pesticides associated with genetically modified foods in maternal, foetal and nonpregnant women's blood.”
Pete Riley, the director of GM Freeze, a group opposed to GM farming, described the research as “very significant”.
The Agriculture Biotechnology Council, which speaks for the GM industry, has questioned the reliability and value of the research.
Dr Julian Little, its chairman, said: “Biotech crops are rigorously tested for safety prior to their use and over two trillion meals made with GM ingredients have been safely consumed around the world over the past 15 years without a single substantiated health issue.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/he...rn-babies.html
Study Links Tai Chi To Improved Balance, Better Mental Health Among The Elderly
http://pictures.directnews.co.uk/liv...004497_300.jpg
May 23, 2011
by Personal Liberty News Desk
A new study reveals that a popular martial arts practice can help elderly citizens avoid falls as well as improve their emotional well-being.
According to the report, which appears in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, tai chi can help people acquire better balance and avert potentially devastating falls. The Chinese martial art is a blend of deep breathing and relaxation with slow, gentle movements.
Researchers examined tai chi’s effects on elderly people who suffered from a variety of diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure and cancer. The team concluded that the technique was linked to improved psychological conditions and other general health benefits, such as fall prevention.
“We recommend tai chi for older people for its various physical and psychological benefits,” the study’s authors wrote.
According to a 2007 survey by the National Institutes of Health, approximately 2.3 million adults in the U.S. practiced tai chi within 12 months of taking the poll. The exercise is commonly used by people who wish to improve their sleeping patterns and easy physical pain such as that stemming from osteoarthritis.
Study Links Tai Chi To Improved Balance, Better Mental Health Among The Elderly : Personal Liberty Digest™
Tai Chi for Beginners
Videos: Many Videos at the link
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=tai ... FORM=VDRE#
http://www.everyday-taichi.com/image...aichi_logo.jpg
tai chi form - beijing - 24 teaching clips
http://www.everyday-taichi.com/tai-chi- ... ng-24.html
Poi Tangles: Instructional sample http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN2pFDhv ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN2pFDhvYAM&feature=related
Tail poi - May 20 2006 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-2VAb4w ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-2VAb4wQqo&feature=related
Poi Spinning: When Circles Dream http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehDAI_mW ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehDAI_mWHYc&feature=related
Poi Spinning Lesson: Hyperloops http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyUPclD5 ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyUPclD5DEk&feature=related
Poi Lesson: 4-Beat TTN and Butterfly Weaves http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGeFj65p ... ure=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGeFj65pnlI&feature=relmfu
Dancing with Flowtoys LED Poi! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzjJc4vY ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzjJc4vY4Tg&feature=related
Costa Rica Flow: Poi in Paradise http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQJdmOhS ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQJdmOhSsXU&feature=related
How to Make Sock Poi http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwMOtchp ... ure=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwMOtchpP8A&feature=relmfu
Poi Spinning Lesson: The Atomic Weave http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsNQBZsY ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsNQBZsYiOQ&feature=related
Poi Spinning Lesson: Under the Legs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPo2lVZi ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPo2lVZiqJc&feature=related
Double Veil Poi Dance / Schleier-Poi http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lMAh0dn ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lMAh0dnQ-s&feature=related
No Cure?
Have you ever wondered why the medical establishment promotes certain social themes like "there is no cure for heart disease?" There is a very good reason. It is protecting the heart industry. It has to keep it going by firmly planting the idea that "there is no cure."
Note the medical establishment never, ever states or prints its profits for the heart disease industry or the cancer industry. It knows people will catch on to the fact American medicine is MONEY and healthcare does not exist in organized medicine in America.
Anyone can see that the medical system like America itself is collapsing. It is such a lie and a fraud.
Conventional medicine the world over prescribes high blood pressure drugs, Coumadin® for blood thinner (very toxic), Lasix for fluid accumulation and digitalis to strengthen the heart. There they go. You can predict them.
Alternative physicians who treat with bio-identical hormones treat heart disease with testosterone, which restores and protects the cardiovascular system. They use garlic, ginkgo and nattokinase for blood thinners, and they pay attention to thyroid function by using natural thyroid.
http://www.personalliberty.com/
Milling Whole Grains Into Freshly Ground Flour
May 16, 2011 by Peggy Layton
http://plimages.blob.core.windows.ne...read_image.jpg
The most economical way to purchase wheat for food storage is to buy it in bulk, store it in 5-gallon buckets and grind it into fresh flour as you need it.
Make sure the wheat you store contains less than 10 percent moisture content. This is very important because weevils and insects like moisture to reproduce. The dryer the grain, the longer it will store. Dry grain will also grind better in a mill. I like to buy wheat that has been triple-cleaned and is free of rocks, sticks, grass and insects.
It is best to find organic grains that are not genetically modified (GM). Whole grains can be purchased in any health-food or grain store. If you don’t have a grain or feed store near you, look it up on the Internet and find the closest food-storage and preparedness store near you. It is best to purchase the grain locally, because you will pay as much for shipping as you do for the grain. It would be good to get a variety of different grains and experiment with them. Whole grains are great to store because they last forever and provide carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals, fiber and some naturally occurring fats. Because they are what we call complex carbohydrates, they are slow burning and provide extra energy in the body.
I grind up about a gallon of flour at a time and store the leftovers in a container in my freezer. It is ready for making breads, cakes, pancakes and other baked goods. By grinding it fresh each time I need it, the grain retains the nutritional value. Once the grain has been milled, it starts to lose nutrition the longer it sets. White flour in the grocery store has lost most of its nutritional value from being highly processed. The hull and bran are stripped away, and the flour is bleached to make it white. Then preservatives, whiteners, softeners and spoilage preventers are added.
Processed food is dead food as far as nutrition goes.
I set up a baking center in my pantry where I can grind my wheat and grain.
I keep together all the supplies needed for making bread — items such as honey, powdered milk, dried eggs, vegetable or olive oil, salt, vital wheat gluten and dough enhancer. I have gallon-sized containers with different grains in each one. I keep all the ingredients together, so they are handy to use. The only exception to the rule is the yeast. I keep it in the freezer, which extends the shelf life of the yeast. My wheat-grinder and bread-maker are on the shelf of my baking center. I have an electric wheat-grinder and a nonelectric hand wheat-grinder.
If you are storing the grain for long periods of time, it is good to use several oxygen-absorbers in the bucket. I use one 300-CC oxygen-absorber for every gallon of grain. I layer the grain and five oxygen-absorbers in a 5-gallon bucket so they are mixed in with the grain. If I am going to use the grain for grinding or cereal, I do not put an oxygen-absorber in the bucket, because as soon as you open it, the absorber will absorb oxygen from the air and will be useless. If I plan to sprout the grain, I do not put an oxygen-absorber in it, because it will kill the endosperm by depriving it of oxygen.
If a person is gluten intolerant (allergic to wheat), there are other grains that can be substituted in baked goods. The grains that contain gluten are wheat, spelt, kamut, faro, durum, bulgur, semolina, barley, rye, triticale and oats. The grains that do not contain gluten are amaranth, buckwheat, corn, millet, Indian ricegrass, quinoa, brown and white rice, sorghum, teff and wild rice. Grind all grains the same or mix them for a variety of texture, flavor and nutritional value.
If you are not used to whole grains, start slowly by incorporating the flour into baked goods. Use half whole wheat and half white flour at first. Because whole wheat and grains have fiber in them, they need to be introduced into the system slowly or they could can cause stomach upset until you get used to using them.
Electric And Nonelectric Wheat Grinders
There are many wheat-grinders available on the market today. I prefer to use an electric grain-mill (wheat-grinder) for everyday use. I make bread several times a week, and it takes more time to grind the flour by hand. However, I have a backup hand-grinder in case the power goes off and I need to grind flour or make cracked cereal. I also recommend a nonelectric grain-grinder called the WonderMill Junior for hand grinding. The electric mill is called the WonderMill. I also recommend the Country Living Grain Mill as the Cadillac of all hand grain-mills. It is heavy duty and very good quality. It is also the most expensive grain-mill. These mills can be purchased on my website.
The WonderMill Junior For Hand Grinding (nonelectric)
http://plimages.blob.core.windows.ne...ill_junior.jpgThe WonderMill Junior hand-grinder has an adjustable dial which allows the mill to grind a variety of grains into fine flours and coarse cereals. The WonderMill Junior is a valuable emergency-preparedness tool. The sleekly designed mill allows you to have fresh, nutritious ingredients for your recipes, even when the power is out. The easy-to-turn handle grinds grain into fine flour or coarse, cracked grains for cereals. The mill is designed in one piece, which prevents the hopper from coming off during the milling process. Simply exchange the stone heads with the stainless-steel burr heads to make peanut butter or to grind flax, any other oily or wet grains, herbs, spices and all kinds of beans and legumes.
The base of the mill is set back, which allows you to place a bowl under the grinding head to collect the freshly ground flour. This mill sells for $219.95. You will receive free shipping from my website.
The Electric WonderMill Grain Grinder
http://plimages.blob.core.windows.ne...wondermill.jpgThe WonderMill Company has teamed up with LG to make a Quiet Wheat Grinder. It is easy to use and clean, and it grinds the grain fast. This grain-mill adjusts from coarse to pastry-fine flour by adjusting the dial. It has a separator lid which is easy to clean and dishwasher safe, and the large, 12-cup capacity flour canister is perfect for flour storage. The wheat grinder can process most hard and soft grains and legumes, giving you more nutrition and a way to use your stored wheat, rice, corn and beans. The stainless steel mill heads are self-cleaning. The WonderMill Wheat Grinder comes with a manufacturer’s lifetime warranty on the stainless-steel, heavy-duty and long-lasting mill heads and a six-year warranty on the rest of the parts. The mill includes an instruction manual, warranty card and great recipes. This mill sells for $259.95. You will receive free shipping from my website.
The Country Living Grain Mill Hand Grinder (nonelectric)
http://plimages.blob.core.windows.ne...grain_mill.jpgThe Country Living Grain Mill is a high-capacity, hand-operated mill that can easily be adapted to a motor drive. It has an attachment to the flywheel which doubles as a v-belt pulley. Construction of the Country Living Grain Mill is a strong, cast-metal alloy with a super-tough, powder-coat finish that won’t chip or peel. It’s a very easy mill to use. The grinding burrs for the Country Living Mill are precision-engineered, made of high-carbon steel (not lower-grade iron) and 5 inches in diameter. (The flour remains cool in the Country Living Mill, so nutrient quality is preserved.)
I recommend purchasing the optional power-bar handle for easy turning. The Country Living Mill produces 1 cup of wheat flour in about 1.25 minutes. The Mill is adjustable, so you can crack grain at a loose setting or adjust it down and get very fine whole-grain flour, coarser meal or cracked cereal, depending on your needs. This nonelectric grain mill sells for $395. You will receive free shipping from my website.
Making Bread From Freshly Milled Grains
Bread is considered the staff of life. Many people believe grain will make them gain weight. The processed and refined flours are what make people gain weight. As a nation, we eat way too much processed and refined foods.
Our brains need the rich supply of B vitamins found in whole grains. There is nothing better than coming home to the smell of freshly baked bread, warm and just out of the oven. If you learn the skill of making simple homemade breads, it could very well save your life.
I have a philosophy that you can live on simple soups and bread. The pioneers had a pot of soup on the stove at all times and a loaf of bread in the oven. They even made do with what they had. I have read accounts of the pioneers walking across the plains with a coffee grinder and a bag of wheat in their wagon. They used the coffee grinder to grind the wheat and make it into cracked wheat cereal and flour.
My book Cookin’ With Home Storage has an entire chapter dedicated to using whole wheat and other grains. There are recipes for simple breads: tortillas, flat bread, scones, yeast breads, rolls, crackers, cornbread, dumplings, homemade noodles, muffins, biscuits, pancakes, cereals, quick breads and pretzels. There are certain ingredients for making bread that must be kept in the food-storage pantry. The bread baking supplies include wheat and other grain for grinding, salt, yeast, powdered milk, dried eggs, oil, sweeteners such as honey, white or brown sugar, maple syrup, agave or stevia. I keep my yeast in the freezer because it extends the shelf life of the yeast.
Sprout The Grain Or Let It Grow Into Wheatgrass
In the pyramids of Egypt, grain was found that still sprouted despite having been entombed for centuries. Sprouted wheat can be added to bread to give it a nice texture and added nutrition. When the grain is sprouted, it is 300 times more nutritious. If you use sprouted wheat in bread, do not let it sprout past the second day or it will turn to wheatgrass.
Wheatgrass is highly nutritious and, when put through a wheatgrass juicer, produces a great tonic for the body. People drink it to purify their blood and cleanse the body of toxins and poisons. It is very good for the health.
Recipe for Honey Whole-Wheat bread
5 cups lukewarm water
2/3 cup honey or sweetener
2/3 cup vegetable or olive oil
2 tablespoons active dry yeast or 2 packages
2-3 eggs or (3 tablespoons dried egg powder) (optional)
1 tablespoons salt
¼ cup vital wheat gluten (optional)
2 tablespoons dough enhancer (optional) or 1 vitamin C tablet crushed
12 cups whole-wheat flour
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2) In a large bowl, mix the lukewarm water, honey, oil and eggs together.
Let it set for about 5 minutes to make sure the yeast will form bubbles and grow. If it doesn’t grow, the yeast may be dead, and you will need to get fresh yeast from the grocery store. Store all yeast in the freezer to extend the shelf life.
3) Add salt, vital wheat gluten, dough enhancer and six cups of freshly ground whole wheat or grain flour to the yeast and water mixture. Stir it well until the water is absorbed and it resembles a spongy, sticky paste.
4) Slowly add the remaining flour, one cup at a time and mix it in with a wooden spoon. When the dough pulls away from the bowl and holds its shape, it is done. If you do not need all the flour to make it pull away, do not use it all.
5) Grease your hands and the counter top with vegetable oil. Put the dough on the greased counter top and begin kneading the dough by pulling it and stretching it. Knead it for 10 minutes until it is smooth.
6) Divide the dough into six small loaves or three large loaves. Roll the dough to form the dough into the size that will fit in small bread pans to about half the height of the pans. Let the dough set on the top of the warm oven as it preheats. When the dough has risen above the bread pans by about 1 inch, the loaves are ready to go into the oven. Bake for 30 minutes for small loaves and 45 minutes for large loaves.
7) I like to make rolls out of the dough by pinching off a small amount of dough and flattening it out into a rectangular piece. Put melted butter on the top and fold the roll over. Place the rolls on a greased cookie sheet close together.
http://plimages.blob.core.windows.ne...ntCover-13.jpgPeggy Layton is the author of seven books on the subjects of food storage and preparedness. The previous recipe and many others can be found in the cookbook Cookin’ With Home Storage. It contains more than 550 simple recipes using very basic pantry ingredients that can be stored long-term. This book contains authentic pioneer recipes and fascinating historical tips on how the pioneers really lived. There are chapters on all the basic foods that can be stored: wheat and grains, beans and rice, dried fruits and vegetables, dried pasta, powdered milk and dried eggs.
There are charts on how to reconstitute dehydrated and freeze-dried foods.
There are tips on how to incorporate food storage into your everyday diet.
The book includes chapters on grandma’s home remedies, natural household cleaners, emergency baby food and pet food, as well as emergency food-storage and survival tips.
To purchase the cookbooks, electric and nonelectric wheat grinders and grain mills, bulk food storage, oxygen-absorbers or any of the other preparedness items talked about in this article, click here.
If you are interested in a great source for premade meals that can be stored for 15 years and taste great, I have been testing out emergency food storage meals, packaged in Mylar pouches. These meals serve four people and are ready eat: Just add water and cook. I find them delicious, convenient and easy. To learn more about eFoods click here.
http://www.personalliberty.com/survi...-ground-flour/
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