Tomato Ketchup
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Canning This, Canning That « Wood Ridge Homestead in the Shenandoah Valley
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http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile..._3079043_q.jpg Homestead Survival
Make Guacamole & Turn The Avocado Pit Into An Avocado Tree
The next time you make guacamole, take the avocado pit (often called the stone) and push the flat end into a six-inch pot of moist, multi-purpose soil. Leave the pointy end exposed.
Make sure to keep the plant at about 65° F until the first leaf shoots appear. Aftet that, it likes normal room temperatures with slightly cooler temperatures (60° F) in winter.
To encourage upward growth, pinch off new buds when they appear below the top leaves on the plant stalk. With proper care, in three years your Avocado will grow to an elegant, large-leaved houseplant about 3 feet tall.
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The Homestead Survival: Make Guacamole & Turn The Avocado Pit Into An Avocado Plant ...Then A Tree
Multivitamins Reduce Cancer Risk
October 18, 2012 by Sam Rolley
http://personallibertycom.files.word...vita_image.jpg A new study shows that daily use of a multivitamin by middle-age and older men could result in a modest decrease in cancer risk.
In a randomized trial that included nearly 15,000 male physicians, daily multivitamin use resulted in a modest but statistically significant reduction in cancer after more than a decade of treatment and follow-up, according to a study appearing in JAMA.
The researchers say that given the inconsistency of previous studies regarding multivitamin intake and cancer reduction, the new results are surprising. In the new study, multivitamins cut the chance of developing cancer by 8 percent.
According to background information from the study: “The combination of essential vitamins and minerals contained in multivitamins may mirror healthier dietary patterns such as fruit and vegetable intake, which have been modestly and inversely associated with cancer risk in some, but not all, epidemiologic studies.”
Cancer experts say the benefit of taking a multivitamin in cancer prevention, however, is far less than sticking to a good diet, exercising and not smoking.
Each of those can lower cancer risk by 20 percent, according to research.
Multivitamins Reduce Cancer Risk : Personal Liberty Digest™
Martial Arts For The Survivalist
October 16, 2012 by Brandon Smith
http://personallibertycom.files.word...1015_image.jpg PHOTOS.COM
Physical strength, endurance, flexibility, adaptability and mental discipline are all attributes of a true survivor. Unfortunately, they are also attributes that are often neglected by the average survivalist.
The popular assumption is that if you have sizable food storage and can shoot straight, you are ready to rock and roll. But the first and most important weapon in any prepper’s arsenal is his own strong, healthy body. If a person is weak and unhealthy, no amount of gear is going to save him in the middle of a crisis situation.
Preppers who have spent all their lives enraptured in the world of firearms sometimes view hand-to-hand combat training with cynicism. The common retort is “Why use my hands when I have my Glock?” Indeed. Why should we?
Perhaps because one day we may not have a weapon in our possession during a dangerous circumstance. Should a survivalist simply give up because he loses his gun or runs out of ammunition? I think not.
Survival in the midst of collapse and calamity does not necessarily depend on having all the right tools at all the right times. Sometimes, you have to improvise; and the only tools you can always count on are your hands and your brain. Martial arts training hones and refines these assets to perfection and teaches the mind to deal with the stresses and fears associated with combat. In fact, 95 percent of success in martial arts revolves around learning to accept the idea of someone trying to kill you so that you can move past the terror of the scenario and deal with it calmly and logically. Adrenaline, tunnel vision and unchecked emotion are the true enemies in any fight. We defeat ourselves long before our assailants ever touch us.
Another concept within martial arts that I find fascinating is the philosophy of Bushido, which is often mistaken as a brand of Eastern religion. Instead, it is a kind of warrior’s code, a way of dealing with adversity in one’s life. Struggling with obstacles — whether self-created or created by others — requires balance and the ability to take control of the problem and apply one’s own terms instead of the terms other people try to set for you. It is about leading the battle, instead of being led, while staying true to your conscience. In the end, we should feel no need to prove anything to anyone but ourselves. Traditional martial arts still contain elements of Bushido within their methodology, and I believe such practitioners are some of the few people left in the world who operate on a legitimate warrior’s code — something we desperately need in our culture today.
I have studied multiple forms of martial arts for more than 26 years, and I have found many methods that would work well for the worst survival situations and plenty that would be utterly useless. When I started my training classes for liberty movement individuals and families in Northwest Montana, my idea was to combine all the strategies that I felt were intuitive, easy to learn and quick to use. My goal was to help students to become physically capable of self-defense within a very short period of time, without running slapdash over important factors like mental strength and intelligent application. The program has done very well so far, and I would like to share some of the styles and strategies I now use in my classes with the rest of the liberty movement.
Shotokan Karate: Shotokan is a Japanese martial art using movements derived from defense methods common in Okinawa and streamlined for easier application. At first glance, Shotokan seems stiff and impractical, but that is not the case. Shotokan training is extremely intense, and the sparring matches can be brutal. Deep stances and sharp strikes train the body to hold ground even against a larger opponent. Shotokan practitioners can take physical damage unlike any other style I have seen beyond perhaps Thai Kickboxing. As the student advances, the stiffness disappears, and their strikes become coldly logical and precise. Shotokan is a perfect foundation art for beginners in self-defense. If they can handle this style, they can handle anything.
Thai Kickboxing: Thai is world-famous for its fast, devastating steamroller-type strikes and the ability of its practitioners to take a hit and keep on going. For a crisis situation, it is imperative that the survivalist be capable of absorbing and moving past the pain of a fight. In a SHTF scenario, it will always be a matter of life and death. There is no such thing as a hand-to-hand fighter who can avoid every attack and come out unscathed. Plan on getting hit. With the heavy arm-to-leg blocks of Thai Kickboxing that act as a kind of self-made brick wall, along with devastating leg sweeps and knee breaks, this art form is perfect for the dangerous possibilities of collapse.
Western Boxing: It’s not an Eastern martial art, but Western boxing teaches incredible punching power. Eastern martial arts focus on speed in order to inflict damage, but Western boxers hit harder because they assert more body weight behind their punches. Of course, it is more important to learn speed and timing before learning to hit hard. The most powerful punches in the world are useless if all they do is sweep the air. Western boxing is an incomplete fighting style, but a fantastic addition to the survival martial artist’s repertoire.
Jiu Jitsu: Jiu Jitsu is a grappling martial art from Japan, though you wouldn’t know it by the way the Brazilians have commercialized and franchised it. Jiu Jitsu is indeed the flavor of the decade for self-defense; and, though I feel it has been way overhyped, it is an incredibly effective style for ground situations.
That said, let’s be clear: Jiu Jitsu is actually a very limited fighting style, especially when you’re not in a cage and you are confronted with more than one attacker. Survivalists should learn grappling techniques so that they know how to defend against takedowns and return to their feet. In a real combat situation, you never try to go to the ground on purpose. Multiple opponents will decimate you within seconds while you are trying to put a choke hold on the guy in front of you. Add a knife into the picture, and purposely jumping into close quarters with the intent to “grapple” will be a death sentence. Successful fighters will always combine Jiu Jitsu with other art forms in order to round out their abilities.
Hapkido: Hapkido in my view is the perfect antithesis to Jiu Jitsu and any other grappling art. It should be at the top of every survivalist’s list of fighting methods. Hapkido focuses on joint locks, joint breaks, using centrifugal force, pressure points, eye gouges, throat attacks, etc. Generally, it is very difficult for someone to grapple with you if you break his fingers or wrists, hyperextend his kneecaps, or crush his windpipe. One twisted wrist could put a dedicated grappler or wrestler completely out of commission. Knowing how to counter grappling using grappling is fine, but knowing how to utterly disable a grappler is better. As a survivalist, it is important to learn both.
Taekwondo: A Korean style, Taekwondo has received a bad rap over the past few years as an “ineffective” martial art, but usually this comes from people who have never actually practiced it. Like Jiu Jitsu, it is a style limited to a very particular range of attacks and scenarios. Taekwondo focuses on kicks to the extreme. Sport Taekwondo is not a practical measure of the style’s use, and this is where its tainted reputation comes from. In truth, Taekwondo has the fastest and, in many cases, the most devastating kicks in the world. The use of kicks depends on the mastery of the fighter. If he is fast and precise, then his strikes will make his opponents feel like they’ve just been hit by an oversized utility van. If he is slow and unfocused, he will be tackled to the ground like a rag doll and pummeled in an embarrassing manner. That said, one well-placed kick can crush ribs, crack skulls and knock an opponent into dreamland before he ever knew what hit him.
Jeet Kune Do: Created by the venerable Bruce Lee, Jeet Kune Do’s philosophy is to adopt what works and set the rest aside. It is essentially a combination of the short-range tactics of Wing Chun combined with the long-range tactics of Japanese and Korean styles. Jeet Kune Do’s goal is to be a truly complete martial art; so far, it has proven itself in this regard. If you can practice only one style of self-defense, this should be it.
Ninjitsu: The brilliance of ninjitsu really dwells in its “think outside the box” mentality. There is a sort of cleverness and unpredictability to it that makes it so dangerous. Ninjas in feudal Japan were assassins, but they were also the guerilla fighters of their age. The combat methods of ninjitsu revolve around surprise and misdirection, which are factors that always work in the survivalist’s favor.
There is no way around it. The Martial arts make a survivalist better at his job, which is to thrive in the very worst possible conditions. It’s not just about fighting; it is also about developing a fighting spirit. Beyond the utility of self-defense, we survivalists must strengthen our inner world as much as our outer shells. It takes time, patience and a willingness to struggle. Any person who masters a martial art has not only shown a dedication to his own physical prowess, but he has also proven he has a mental toughness that will carry him through any catastrophe. That kind of toughness is a rare commodity in America today and, when found, should be greatly valued and encouraged — especially by the liberty movement.
–Brandon Smith
Martial Arts For The Survivalist : Personal Liberty Digest™
The Good Old Days are Over
Norse Prepper
October 19th, 2012
www.SHTFplan.com
Comments (28
Read by 12,383 people
This article has been generously contributed by Norse Prepper.
Do you remember “the good old days”? It’s a simple question, but a question that induces different images to different people. I have found myself spending a lot of time lately thinking of the way things used to be and hoping that someday our country can somehow get back to those days again. Looking at our current state of affairs in this nation and around the world, there is only one conclusion that can be made…the good old days are over.
I wrote this article because children being born today, in my opinion, will not be able to look back and remember the near future as “the good old days”. As I write this, the US national debt is at $16.2 trillion with unfunded liabilities of $123.3 trillion. With Uncle Ben’s QE3 promising to print fiat money perpetually can there be any doubt that the days of the US dollar being the world currency are numbered. Everyone reading this article has a share of $442,881 of the nation’s debt and liabilities. If your children or grandchildren can’t read yet, please tell them that they also owe $442,881 as well and thank them for supporting our wasteful spending that got us to this point.
Source: Real Time US National Debt Clock | USA Debt Clock.com
But don’t worry, there are elections coming. Surely the American public can see the dire straits our nation is in and elect leaders who can recognize and deal with the nation’s problems and bring us back to becoming a nation of producers instead of consumers, right? Leaders will be elected who will make the extreme sacrifices necessary to bring forth a United States where the outstretched hands of the masses will be filled with charitable donations from a robust society instead of being empty, waiting for them to be stuffed with their entitlement from the government, all the while feeling as though they earned it because they stand unproductively on dirt within our border.
I have to apologize for the last paragraph; I have always wondered what it would feel like to write fiction. The hard cold reality is that there is no possible orderly way out of the financial mess our society is in and the above mentioned dirt was probably the last thing made in the USA.
To break it down simply, here are some simple and easy to understand economical facts:
- You need to produce more than you consume or you are broke.
- You cannot pay off a credit card with a credit card without consequences.
- There is no possible way the nation’s debts and unfunded liabilities will ever be paid.
Currently, the Federal Reserve purchases the vast majority of the US Debt. There simply aren’t many buyers left who believe it to be a sound investment anymore. In 2011, congress waited until the last minute to raise the debt ceiling after much political wrangling back and forth. Was there ever any doubt by anyone that it would happen? Is there any doubt that it will happen again? What happens when it hits $50 trillion?
As long as we have the ability to continue to print more money to fund our yearly deficit and make payments on the interest of existing debt, it will continue. As it continues, the US dollar will continue to be worth less and less. Commodities such as food, gas and all physical goods purchased will get more and more expensive, leaving less and less purchasing power for the American people.
You don’t have to be Nostradamus to predict that we are on the cusp of a major financial collapse. I’m not only talking about the United States, I’m talking about the world. The can has been kicked down the road almost as far as it can be kicked and we just passed a dead end sign. We will soon see massive inflation or hyperinflation, riots in the streets as we have seen around the world and as I have heard stated many times, people with nothing left to lose will lose it.
So what can we do? The answer can be summed up in one word. Prepare. Prepare as though it may happen tomorrow. Prepare as though your life and the lives of your loved ones depend on it, because it does and they do. Start exercising and working out to prepare your body for the tough times coming. Prepare yourself mentally so that when it hits the fan you don’t find yourself in the panicked state that 95% of the public will be in. Prepare to be warm when it is cold outside or cool when it is hot outside. Prepare a plan of what you and your family will do at different levels of collapse. Prepare to eat when grocery store shelves are bare. Prepare to drink when the tap fails to deliver water. Prepare for what to do when your neighbors or family or friends show up at your doorstep because they were too busy watching television. Prepare to defend what needs to be defended. Prepare prepare prepare.
Realize that at this point there is nothing you can do about the debt of this nation. There is nothing you can do to change what is coming in the Middle East. Regardless of the result of the upcoming election, neither candidate has dared utter the words broke or sacrifice. Your only job at this point is to get yourself and your loved ones you choose to help through what is coming, whatever it may be. This isn’t being selfish. This, my friends…is survival.
I truly believe that when the dust settles, we will emerge as a great and free nation. Life will be hard, but there will be more meaning to the tasks of the day. Communities will be stronger. People will be healthier. Families will be closer. To get from this point to that, there will be much misery, but the greater the struggle, the greater the victory. It is up to us in the prepping community to get our families and loved ones through the upcoming collapse. I pray that someday, my children and grandchildren will be able to look back and say “Those were the good old days.” because I chose to prepare.
Proverbs 22:3 A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.
Take refuge my friends.
God Bless,
Norse Prepper
The Good Old Days are Over
On TV: Doomsday Preppers Bugged Out Episodes
(Editor’s update: I spotted the Doomsday Preppers Bugged Out episode “The End of the World as We Know It” on the National Geographic Channel tonight- Saturday, October 20- at 9 PM Central Time/10 PM Eastern Time. I guess Nat Geo is running these expanded shows two days a week instead of just on Tuesdays as I originally blogged below.)
Tuesday night I happened to spot something on the National Geographic Channel called Doomsday Preppers Bugged Out. I knew that season 2 of the highly-popular TV series wasn’t due to start until November 13, so I decided to record the program for later viewing to see what this was all about. Well, Wednesday afternoon I watched “No Time to Learn to Dance” and discovered that Nat Geo had repackaged episode 6 of Doomsday Preppers (featuring Mike Mester, Preston White, and Riley Cook) by cutting out one scene (as far as I could tell), including new ones, adding recent prepper updates, and using numerous pop up bubbles (info nuggets) just like on the VH1 show Pop Up Video.
The “remixed” Doomsday Preppers episode was much more interesting to watch than the original one. The info nuggets contained a good deal of segment-related material. The pop up bubbles weren’t too distracting for me as I’ve already seen the original episode. The same might not be said for someone viewing it for the first time.
Thankfully, the new scenes weren’t just filler. For example, Mike Mester demonstrated mixing cotton balls with petroleum jelly to create a fire starter. And in the segment with Preston White, medicinal herbs were discussed.
It was also nice to see what these “Doomsday Preppers” from season 1 were up to these days as well.
If you get the chance, check out the Doomsday Preppers Bugged Out episodes. I believe they started just this week, with the next episode airing Tuesday, October 23, at 7 PM Central Times/8 PM Central Time on the National Geographic Channel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...;v=dEJsQ1nMtV8
http://survivalandprosperity.com/201...-out-episodes/
Doomsday Preppers Episode 1 Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOZoxKZ0xGo&NR=1&feature=endscreen
Uploaded by Charlie Kelley on Feb 17, 2012
Doomsday Preppers on National Geographic Episode 1 Part 1. This Documentary takes us to meet 4 families and to see the way they have prepared for a Doomsday Scenario.
***********Uploaded under the Fair Use Act for Educational Purposes**********
Doomsday Preppers Episode 1 Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqVafVYAL0Y
Uploaded by Charlie Kelley on Feb 17, 2012
Doomsday Preppers on National Geographic Episode 1 Part 2. This Documentary takes us to meet 4 families and to see the way they have prepared for a Doomsday Scenario.
***********Uploaded under the Fair Use Act for Educational Purposes**********
Doomsday Preppers Episode 1 Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxtDW3wY88Y
Uploaded by Charlie Kelley on Feb 17, 2012
Doomsday Preppers on National Geographic Episode 1 Part 3. This Documentary takes us to meet 4 families and to see the way they have prepared for a Doomsday Scenario.
***********Uploaded under the Fair Use Act for Educational Purposes**********
Doomsday Preppers Episode 1 Part 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBpz1OfzZ7U
Uploaded by Charlie Kelley on Feb 17, 2012
Doomsday Preppers on National Geographic Episode 1 Part 4. This Documentary takes us to meet 4 families and to see the way they have prepared for a Doomsday Scenario.
***********Uploaded under the Fair Use Act for Educational Purposes**********
Honeyville Farms
Honeyville local Stores
PREPPER TIPS For Surviving The Apocalypse!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4SQdYeeF6NM
Uploaded by amy2x on Feb 15, 2012
James Wesley Rawles is the editor of SurvivalBlog.com. The blog has been described as "the guiding light of the prepper movement." (More Prepper Tips for Surviving the Apocalypse! at this Link) More Prepper Tips for Surviving the Apocalypse! - YouTube Rawles also authored the international bestseller How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It: Tactics, Techniques, and Technologies for Uncertain Times, a non-fiction book drawn primarily from posts featured on his blog.
SurvivalBlog.com
[Order your copy today of...Survivors: A Novel of the Coming Collapse
Survivors: A Novel of the Coming Collapse
On sale Now: $19.95
The world of Survivors is a terrifyingly familiar one. Author James Wesley, Rawles has created a novel so close to the modern day truth, readers will forget it's fiction. Survivors: A Novel of the Coming Collapse combines useful "how to" information with a compelling fictional storyline that not only entertains but also informs.
The America we are accustomed to is no more. Practically overnight the stock market has plummeted, hyperinflation has crippled commerce, and the fragile supply chains and high-tech infrastructure have failed. The power grids are down. Brutal rioting and looting grip every major city. The volatile era known as "the Crunch" has begun, and this new period in our history will leave no one untouched.
Andrew Laine, a resourceful young U.S. Army officer stationed overseas in Afghanistan, wants nothing more than to return home to Bloomfield, New Mexico. With the world in turmoil and all air and sea traffic to America suspended, Laine must rely on his own ingenuity and the help of good Samaritans to reach his family. Andrew will do whatever it takes to make it home to his fiancée, no matter how difficult the circumstances.
_______________________________________
http://www.infowars.com
http://www.prisonplanet.tv
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http://www.prisonplanet.com
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheAlexJonesChannel
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Welcome to Prison Planet TV
Survival Tactics: James Wesley Rawles 5-17-2011 (DOC & DEMCAD)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMMFWnUH7iM&feature=related
Uploaded by DEMCAD on May 18, 2011
Topics: Surviving SHTF emergency, Urban Survival Prep and Tactics, Sharing Food and Home Security
Host: DOC
Guest Host: DEMCAD
Special Guest: James Wesley Rawles
Air Date 5-17-2011
James' Blog
SurvivalBlog.com
Doc's channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/SACRAMANIACSmc
SHTF Preparation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s66CLY-jZUI&feature=relmfu
Uploaded by DEMCAD on Aug 13, 2010
Reginald Kaigler's video about my preparation for what I believe to be an inevitable economic disaster. I think the U.S. economy is going to collapse, so I have begun storing food, water and ammo. I talk about the importance of preparing for an emergencies, constructing a survival bag and owning a gun. I chose a Glock 21 and a Mossberg 500.
This is not Armageddon or doomsday. It's just preparing for a rainy day.
I answer all of your bug out questions here.
DEMCAD's Corner: Emergency Preparation Questions
Chinese Plant Compound Wipes out Cancer in 40 Days, Says New Research
Anthony Gucciardi
NaturalSociety
October 18, 2012
http://naturalsociety.com/wp-content...nd-235x147.jpg A little-known plant with a truly bizarre name is now making headlines as a cancer killer, with the compound of the plant vanishing tumors in mice with pancreatic cancer. Known as the ‘thunder god vine’ or lei gong teng, the Chinese plant is actually integrated into Chinese medicine and has been used for ages in remedying a number of conditions including rheumatoid arthritis.
According to the new research out of the University of Minnesota’s Masonic Cancer Center, the thunder god plant compound led to no signs of tumors after a 40 day period — even after discontinuing the treatment. Published in the journal Science Translational Medicine and funded by the National Institutes of Health, even the scientists working on the project were stunned by the anti-cancer properties of the compound. Known to contain something known as triptolide, which has been identified as a cancer fighter in previous research, it is thought to be the key component that may be responsible for the anti-tumor capabilities.
Study leader and vice chairman of research at the Cancer Center explained to Bloomberg how he was blown away by the effects of the simple plant:“This drug is just unbelievably potent in killing tumor cells,” he said.And just like with numerous other powerful substances like turmeric and ginger, mainstream science is still slowly confirming what many traditional practitioners have known for their entire lives. This is, of course, due to the fact that there is simply no money for major corporations in researching the healing powers of natural herbs and compounds such as the compound found in the thunder god vine. Turmeric and ginger, for example, have been found to be amazing anti-cancer substances that are virtually free compared to expensive and dangerous cancer drugs.
Nevertheless, the Big Pharma sponsored corporate scientists have managed to ignore these spices as much as possible. In fact, they have even been caught time and time again faking thousands of studies to fraudulently demonstrate the supposed value of pharmaceutical drugs pushed by major pharma juggernauts — many of which are later forced to pay millions in fines which only slightly stack up against their billions in profits.
Profits that are threatened by the many real studies that were performed by scientists examining the rejeuvenating power of cheap ingredients like turmeric, which has been found by peer-reviewed research available on PubMed to positively influence over 590 conditions.
While it is great news that this study is bringing the beneficial effects of inexpensive and near-free plant compounds to light, the bad news is that the individuals responsible for the research are actually looking to create a pharmaceutical drug from the essential component triptolide. A drug that will seek FDA approval and ultimately be patented, nutritionally ruined, and sold for exorbitant amounts of cash. Instead, just get your hands on some thunder god vine for yourself.
Chinese Plant Compound Wipes Out Cancer in 40 Days Says New Research
Explore More:
- Research: Gold and Tea Outperform Chemo in Fighting Cancer
- Mushroom Compound Suppresses Prostate Tumors
- Turmeric, Curcumin Naturally Block Cancer Growth
- Research Shows How to Prevent Pancreatic Cancer from Developing
- Natural Cancer-Fighting Spice Reduces Tumors by 81%
- Cancer Research Fraud Destroys Mainstream Medical Cancer Industry
Green Tea May Inhibit Breast Cancer
October 22, 2012
by UPI - United Press International, Inc.
http://personallibertycom.files.word...1019_image.jpg LOS ANGELES (UPI) — An oral green tea extract — Polyphenon E — may inhibit tumor cell growth, migration and invasion, U.S. researchers suggested.
Dr. Katherine D. Crew of Columbia University Medical Center in New York and colleagues said they made the discovery during a secondary analysis of an earlier randomized, placebo-controlled study of Polyphenon E in a group of 40 women with hormone receptor-negative breast cancer.
“Many preclinical studies looked at epigallocatechin-3-gallate, or EGCG, which is one of the main components of green tea, and the various possible mechanisms of its action against cancer, but it is very difficult to do those same kinds of studies in humans,” Crew said.
“This study was too small to say for sure if green tea will prevent breast cancer, but it may move us forward in terms of understanding anti-tumor mechanisms.”
In the primary analysis, 40 women were randomly assigned to 400 milligrams, 600 mg or 800 mg of Polyphenon E or to placebo twice daily for six months. During the study, the researchers collected blood and urine samples from participants at baseline and at two, four and six months.
Women assigned to the extract had a significant reduction in hepatocyte growth factor levels — important to breast cancer development — at two months compared with women assigned the placebo.
However, at the four-month and six-month follow-ups, the difference was no longer statistically significant, the study said.
The findings were presented at the annual American Association for Cancer Research International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research in Los Angeles.
Green Tea May Inhibit Breast Cancer : Personal Liberty Digest™
Food Scarcity: A Ticking Time Bomb
October 22, 2012 by Peggy Layton
http://personallibertycom.files.word...1019_image.jpg According to the United Nations, world grain reserves are so dangerously low that severe weather in the United States or other food-exporting countries could trigger a major hunger crisis next year.
Check the labels on the food you buy the next time you’re in the supermarket; you’ll see that it has traveled a long way to get to you. The sad truth is that the majority of food products we buy are not produced locally. They came from countries such as China, Taiwan, Mexico, Brazil, Peru and Italy. This has significant consequences for us because it makes us dependent on these foreign countries.
If we don’t purchase our food locally, then we must rely on the world’s economic stability and the food transport chain sustaining us. As the price of fuel goes up, the price of food goes up along with it. Wages don’t go up at the same rate as inflation, so people must sacrifice in other areas just to buy food.
An alarming 17.2 million households are on food stamps right now. What good are food stamps if there is no food to purchase? These food shortages will be so extreme that the government won’t be able to bail out anyone. The food simply will not be available.
We Have Hunger in America
Fourteen million children in the United States already go to bed hungry every night. Families can’t pay their bills, and they have stopped spending money.
This causes a domino effect in which businesses will be forced to lay off workers. Without enough jobs, food will be the greatest currency we have. If we have bulk food stored away, we can barter with it if necessary. In a time of crisis, food will be more important than money.
When the shortages hit our hometown grocery stores and we are paying double or triple for food, we will wish we had listened and squirreled away some extra food for hard times. This is why it is so extremely important to obtain a stockpile of bulk food. We can rely only on our own stockpiles.
Prepare For The Coming Food Shortage By Stockpiling Food
Grow your own food: You can do this in a very small space. I have heard of people growing enough food to feed their families on their balcony in an apartment. You need to get non-GMO seeds (those that are not genetically modified) so you can grow your own food and save the seeds each year. Learn how to bottle, dehydrate and preserve the food that you grow.
Buy locally grown food: We all need to know where we can get locally grown food. If you support local farmers, then they will not be forced to export their food to other countries in order to survive. Having good relationships with food suppliers is an asset in hard times. You can add to your own garden food by purchasing extra items from the farmers.
Stock up on food: You absolutely must start to stockpile reserves of food for your family. Fall is a great time to stock up on extra food because there are case lot sales going on in the supermarkets. Fresh apples, potatoes, onions, carrots and winter squash are available and can be purchased to stock up for the winter. Store these fresh foods in a cool place so they keep well.
The most important foods you should stockpile are things that have a long shelf life.
Foods That Store Well
- Canned foods such as vegetables, fruits, meats, soups, juices.
- Whole grains and rice (non-GMO).
- Dried beans and legumes.
- Pastas and cereals.
- Dried foods such as powdered milk, dried eggs and dried cheese.
- Dried fruits and vegetables.
- Herbs, spices and seasonings.
- Honey and other sweeteners.
- Baking items like baking powder, soda, yeast and salt.
- Olive oil stores the longest.
- Water (1-gallon per person per day).
Non-Food Items To Store
- Vitamins, minerals and other supplements.
- Wheat grinder.
- Toilet paper, paper goods, soaps and toiletries.
- Water filter.
- ION (stabilized oxygen) water treatment.
- Cookbooks with dried-food recipes.
- Cooking supplies.
Ready-To-Eat Meals (Just Add Water)
http://plimages.blob.core.windows.ne...th-Chicken.jpg http://plimages.blob.core.windows.ne...ad-Muffins.jpg
An emergency could last from three days to three months. I believe we need to have quick, easy meals that don’t require much effort to make. There are several companies selling premade meals. Meals that have all the ingredients in them and you just add water and cook them for 15 minutes. I especially like the ones called Go Foods. The name stands for On The Go Foods for families. The things I like the most about these meals are that they are healthy, quick to fix (15 minutes), and the shelf life is 15 to 25 years. There are no chemicals, additives, preservatives, dyes, trans fats, hydrogenated oils, GMO foods or MSG in their meals or food items.
–Peggy Layton
Food Scarcity: A Ticking Time Bomb : Personal Liberty Digest™
Yogurt for Dogs
Yes, yogurt benefits dogs. I have been putting a tablespoon of plain yogurt in my dogs' food for each of their meals(twice a day). They love it.
There are so many benefits of dogs eating yogurt:
*promotes a healthy digestive tract
*antibacterial
*helps eliminate excess gas
*probiotic
Our sweet girl Tessie gets tummy aches from eating things she shouldn't(bugs!). This has helped when she has an episode and vomits. You wanted to know that, didn't you?
What works for your dogs to help their tummies?
Please see my disclosure policy. https://blogger.googleusercontent.co...y.blogspot.com
Posted 25th June by LivingSoAbundantly
Living So Abundantly: Yogurt for Dogs
Homemade OxyClean
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TI8q9FirIF.../oxyclean1.jpg
What a great inexpensive laundry fix! This came from The Grocery Cart Challenge and I was so excited to give it a try. I feel like I go through gallons of Shout at a time, so I needed to step up my spot removal a notch. When you have a child, you never quite know what you'll be praying comes out in the wash. Let's stop that conversation there!
*Updated 9/28/11*
I've been using this concoction for over two years and I've had ALOT of questions about this Homemade Oxyclean, so I thought I'd show everyone exactly how I use it.
Here is my plastic dishpan that I have stashed in my laundry room and a batch of the Oxyclean mixed up and ready to go. I've found it much more effective to soak the stains, and not put it directly into the washing machine.
As for baking soda vs. washing soda: I use baking soda and have found it to work really well. I don't use washing soda and have never had the clarity of mind to give it a try. Someday I will.
Here is one of my son's jumpers that I want to get some weird funk out of. It is white and bright blue, and I've used this mixture on a whole rainbow of different colors and never had any fading or bleaching. I would hesitate to use this on brand new colored garments that might bleed, but I've never had any issues.
So I pour some directly on the stain (probably a 1/4 of the whole amount in the jar depending on how many items I need to soak), fold the item on top of itself, put another clothing item on top, and repeat.
This is how I left the clothing sit for an afternoon, (hello gray yoga pants with chocolate ice cream on them...tee hee... I was working hard that night!) then threw the dishpan contents into the washing machine.
After I rinsed out the jar, (the baking soda leaves it a little gritty) this is how I store the empty jar in my laundry cabinet. That way I always have the recipe and a container to shake it in close at hand.
I also have a free download for a Laundry Stain Cheat Sheet, and this recipe is included on it!
Homemade OxyClean
recipe from The Grocery Cart Challenge
1 cup water
1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide
1/2 cup baking soda
Mix together and soak laundry in it for 20 minutes to overnight and then wash as usual. Or you can just skip the water and pour the peroxide and baking soda directly into the wash with your laundry soap and wash as usual.
Creatively Domestic: Homemade OxyClean
Sunday, October 21, 2012
OpenCarry Maps and Laws By State
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Alcohol Can Be a Gas!: Fueling an Ethanol Revolution for the 21st Century
Alcohol Can Be a Gas! is the only comprehensive book ever written on alcohol fuel production and use for home and farm. Until now, it has been very difficult for farmers, contractors, alternative energy aficionados, those concerned about Peak Oil, and small-scale entrepreneurs to obtain good, accurate information on producing alcohol, or on converting vehicles to run on alcohol fuel. And with all the conflicting news stories about ethanol, the public finds it difficult to sort fact from fiction. This text, which has been reviewed by scientists around the world, is the definitive reference work on alcohol fuel.
Alcohol Can Be A Gas! contains 640 8-1/2 by 11 pages, with 514 charts, photos, and illustrations to reinforce the information-dense text. The book is geared for the nonscientific reader, but its 473 endnotes provide the technical foundation behind the accessible prose. A 700-word glossary and a 6300-entry index extend the book's usefulness.
This book is the distilled essence of the most pertinent information ever assembled in one place on alcohol fuel, the technology that can help us finally become producers of almost limitless energy, instead of extractors of finite resources.
Alcohol Can Be a Gas!: Fueling an Ethanol Revolution for the 21st Centuryhttp://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=h...1&a=0979043786
The Homestead Survival: Alcohol Can Be a Gas!: Fueling an Ethanol Revolution for the 21st Century
Shooting Bench Plans
Here is a nice sturdy permanent shooting bench for those of you fortunate enough to have a private place to shoot, or perhaps for clubs looking for an economical bench for the range.
We have been searching for plans on the web for quite some time to no avail, so we decided to come up with something for you shooting enthusiasts out there.
This project took approximately 3 hours to complete and cost $120 (summer of 2005) in treated lumber and screws.
go to the link for the plans http://www.horstguns.com/services/shooting-bench
Harvesting And Preserving Your Own Seeds Recycle What You Grow
3 Comments Posted on October 14, 2012
http://inspirewilddotcom.files.wordp...pg?w=300&h=300 There are a variety of reasons for harvesting your own seeds; some personal, some environmental. Perhaps you have a variety that you like and you are concerned that seed companies may discontinue stocking it. You saw some wildflowers while on an outdoor hike that you’d like to grow in your own garden. You have a heritage variety and you want to continue growing it in future years. Or put some away in a seed bank for an emergency and preserve it for several years.
Whatever the reason, you don’t need to be a botanist or a farmer to do it. If you can grow plants, you can produce your own seeds. There are however, a few things you may want to know before you get started.
Self-pollinators are commonly referred to as “perfect flowers” as they contain all the parts to successfully pollinate themselves. Other plants are ‘self-incompatible’, identifying their own pollen as foreign material. Pollen must find its way from one plant to the next. This method is preferable for the survival of the species because it ensures that the plants produce genetically diverse seeds. Seeds that contain different genetic information or traits then the original plant. This enables the plant to better adapt itself to the environment it is in, or acquire traits that will help it become more disease resistant. Self-pollinators on the other hand, essentially produce clones, which makes them more susceptible to any problems that may arise.
Be aware that if you want cross-pollination to occur in your garden, you need to make your garden favorable to pollinating insects or be prepared to do all the pollinating yourself. Grow plants nearby that attract pollinators–butterfly bush, Queen Anne’s lace, bee balm, salvia, and cleome are a few, and avoid using chemical sprays that will kill all insects both harmful and beneficial.
http://inspirewilddotcom.files.wordp...pg?w=150&h=150 In some cases you might want to keep cross-pollination from taking place. Plants that are closely related, for example different varieties of melons, will cross-pollinate producing seeds that are a mix of the two varieties. If you want to keep your varieties true, plant similar species of plants on opposite ends of your garden.
Open Pollenated, Heirloom, and Hybrid
Before you decide to save the seeds from a particular plant you will need to know whether they are Open-pollinated, Heirloom or Hybrid. Open-pollinated plants are those pollinated–naturally or through human intervention–by the same species of plant. Heirlooms are older plant varieties that have maintained relatively unchanged in a particular region for several generations, and all are open-pollinated. Hybrids are plants that have been cross-pollinated using two different species of the same genus of plant. They are bred professionally under controlled conditions, to produce certain desirable traits. Grocery store produce is usually hybridized and often bred for mass production or large-scale farming. Many of the characteristics that are bred into these plants, such as thick skins for transport, or high water content for size, these are not desirable for small-scale gardening.
You don’t really want to save seeds from produce from the market unless your positive it’s not a hybrid. Hybrids are tricky and sometimes the plants are so genetically modified you may grow non-producing plants altogether. Checking the seed packet or catalogue of the grower is one way to find out whether seed are hybrids. Packets will often say F1 to indicate hybrids or OP to indicate open-pollinated. Stick with heirloom quality if possible.
Harvesting Seeds
If this will be your first time saving seeds, start out with some easy plants that flawlessly produce seeds without any intervention. Annuals such as cosmos, marigolds, pansies, corn flowers and many others are some of the easiest. Collect seeds from the highest quality and healthiest plants. A good specimen is disease and pest free, has bright foliage and flowers, and grows vigorously.
Shake flowers into paper bags after you have let them turned to seeds by dying on the stem. Let them age a bit in the sun, on the stem so their nice and ripe then harvest them.
Seeds from fruits and vegetables should be collected when plants are at their peak, before they are over-ripe and decay has set in. Some vegetables such as beans are the exception and should be harvested when the pods are dry. Seeds from most fruits and vegetables are incased inside a wet environment (the part usually eaten). In the case of very wet pulp such as tomatoes, the seeds can be washed from the pulp and then laid out to dry on newspaper or a screen. The same can be done with pumpkins, squash and other soft pulp vegetables. In the case of harder pulp fruits and vegetables they are simply opened up and the seeds removed manually.
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Storing Seeds
The best way to store seeds is to package them in paper envelopes or bags since they allow for good air circulation and don’t sweat. However, any container will do, keeping in mind that humidity and lack of air circulation will cause mold, disease and prompt seeds to germinate prematurely. Film canisters for one aren’t recommended as the plastic promotes humidity and stagnant air. The temperature should be cool to make longer storage possible-refrigerator storage will work if you can’t find a naturally cool place. Be sure to write the date, name of plant and any growing instructions you are aware of on the envelope or package. It’s fun to create packaging to give the seeds away as gifts. Use specialty papers for the envelopes or create fancy labels to mark them.
Store seeds carefully by placing envelopes inside large glass jars with a bag of silica or powdered milk. These products absorb excess moisture. Reuse the tiny bags of silica gel that come inside new shoes–dry them for a few minutes at a very low temperature in your oven. Alternatively, make a tiny package of powdered milk by pouring a pile into the centre of a piece of breathable fabric or tissue paper. Pull the corners together and close it up with a piece of string or elastic to create a sachet. The best jars for storage are wide mouth mason jars used for canning. You can make your own survival seeds and keep them for 10 years they have the proper airtight seal that is essential for long-term storage using a Seal a Meal and my Repurposed Capri Sun trick. <- Click here
Testing Your Seeds
If you are saving your seeds for extended periods of time, test the seeds before you use them to see if they will still germinate. This is easily done by placing 20 or so seeds onto a half-piece of damp paper towel. Fold it over so that the seeds are covered. Then place it in a plastic baggy with a few pinholes punched into it and set it aside in a dark, warm place. Bear in mind that some seeds need light to germinate and some have other specific requirements-some may need to be soaked first, or may require a certain temperature for germination. Knowing your seeds will help you in this process: however most seeds will do fine with the standard procedure. After a week check to see how many seeds have germinated. Again some seeds will have a longer germination period than others, so if they haven’t germinated by week’s end, wait another week to be certain. If a fair number of seeds have germinated then the seeds are good and can be used with little trouble. If few seeds germinate, increase the number of seeds sown per inch or don’t bother using them at all.
http://inspirewilddotcom.files.wordp...pg?w=150&h=112
Plants for Beginners
- bachelor’s button
- nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
- forget-me-not
- pansy/viola (Viola x wittrockiana)
- marigold (Tangetes)
- foxglove (digitalus)
- snapdragon (Antirrhinum)
- poppy (Papaver)
- love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena)
- blanket flower (Gaillardia)
- columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris)
- black-eyed susan (Rudbeckiahirta)
- cosmos
- zinnia
- tomatoes
- beans
- squash
- pumpkin
Amy Wexler ~
Please click here and like me on Facebook, Thank You!!!
References: You Grow Girl October 2008
Here is a template for a seed packet to decorate and give as a gift or keep for yourself to admire click on the template and print
http://inspirewilddotcom.files.wordp...g?w=791&h=1024 Here is a template for a seed packet click and print
http://inspirewild.com/2012/10/14/ha...what-you-grow/
Inspire Wild
Great Ideas And Homestead Survival Brought To Life
Inspire Wild | Great Ideas And Homestead Survival Brought To Life
Monday, October 22, 2012
Fruit To Juice Amounts Equivalents Juicing Chart
Tomatoes
4 medium firm tomatoes = 2 cups of juice
4 medium firm tomatoes = 1 cup of pulp
Carrots
5 large carrots = 1 cup juice
5 large carrots = 1 cup pulp
Cucumber
1 large cucumber = 1 cup juice
Zucchini and Squash
5 small zucchini = approx. 1 cup juice
5 small zucchini = approx. 1/2 cup pulp
Celery
4 celery stalks = 3/4 cup juice
Pineapple
2 medium pineapples = approx. 2 cups juice
2 medium pineapples = 2 1/2 cups pulp
Potatoes
8 potatoes = approx. 2 cups pulp
Apples
6 medium apples = 2 cups juice
6 medium apples = 1 1/2 cups pulp
Oranges
5 medium oranges = 2 cups juice
5 medium oranges = 1 1/2 cups pulp
Mangoes
6 mangoes = 2 1/2 cups juice
6 mangoes = 2 cups pulp
Strawberries
1 qt. approx. 30 strawberries = 2 cups juice
1 qt. approx. 30 strawberries = 1/3 cup pulp
Papaya
1 medium papaya = approx. 1/2 cup juice
1 medium papaya = 1/3 cup pulp
Raspberry
1/2 pint raspberries = approx. 1/2 cup juice
1/2 pint raspberries = approx. 1/4 cup pulp
Pears
6 medium pears = 2 cups juice
6 medium pears = 1 1/2 cups pulp
Passion Fruit
4 passion fruits = 1/4 cup juice
I know this is just a small list of things that can be juiced.... if you would like to share a fruit and it's equivalent amount please do.
The Homestead Survival: Fruit To Juice Amounts Equivalents Juicing Chart
almost free garage heat – just drink a lot of soda
885 comments
http://images.hemmings.com/wp-conten...53_resized.jpg I’ve had a few days during the HMX build while I’m either waiting for parts or waiting for something to dry and had some free time. I’m not exactly one to sit and watch TV when I have nothing planned, so I set out on another project.
While I have electricity out to the garage now, heat has been an issue all winter long. Mattar graciously lent me his kerosene heater, which did an okay job of taking the bite off the chill. Insulating the garage would go a long way to help keep the bitter Vermont cold out, but that’s a project for another day.
I decided instead to take advantage of the south-facing side of the garage and build a solar furnace to collect some of that sunshine just bouncing straight off my garage. My dad built one years ago and said he recorded a 110-degree temperature differential between inlet and outlet. And I had enough scrap materials around the basement to do something similar to what my dad built.
http://images.hemmings.com/wp-conten...55_resized.jpg I started with some 2x4s and plywood to build a simple box. I’m no carpenter, but I learned that if it’s wobbly, just add more nails.
http://images.hemmings.com/wp-conten...59_resized.jpg I actually built the box to certain dimensions, based on what scrap materials I had and on the dimensions of my heat collection method – aluminum cans. That sure was a lot of Sprite. Fifty cans in five columns of 10 will funnel the air upward.
http://images.hemmings.com/wp-conten...74_resized.jpg Sealed the box using adhesive caulk, just to keep any heated air from escaping the box.
http://images.hemmings.com/wp-conten...83_resized.jpg So you may have already thought, “How can air climb the columns of cans when there’s no hole at the bottom of the can?” Answer: drill press and 3/4-inch bit. Times 45.
http://images.hemmings.com/wp-conten...84_resized.jpg The last five cans, the bases of each column, will sit on the bottom of the box and thus will be unable to draw air from underneath, so I poked holes in the sides of each of the five.
http://images.hemmings.com/wp-conten...85_resized.jpg Stack the cans with liberal doses of adhesive caulk. Give them enough time to dry.
http://images.hemmings.com/wp-conten...82_resized.jpg Once they’re dry, I painted each column with black BBQ paint. Black to best absorb the sun’s heat, BBQ paint to keep from flaking off the cans. At the top, I drilled an outlet hole. I left an inch or two of space between the tops of the columns and the top of the box to permit air to flow out of the columns.
http://images.hemmings.com/wp-conten...85_resized.jpg I drilled the outlet hole based on the diameter of some wet-dry vacuum hose I picked up, about 1-1/2 inches in diameter.
http://images.hemmings.com/wp-conten...93_resized.jpg At the bottom, I used another wet-dry vacuum attachement that would more evenly disperse the incoming air. Screwed it in at each end, then caulked the seal.
http://images.hemmings.com/wp-conten...94_resized.jpg Then started to caulk the columns in place. At the bottom, you can see the inlet hole I drilled. At about this point, I realized that a better place for the inlet would have been through the plywood at the bases of each column. In this location, the air can simply pass over the cans (there’s about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch between the cans and the upper edge of the 2×4 frame) and not really pick up that much heat. If I were to relocate the inlet, it would force all the air to pass through the cans and pick up the absorbed heat. Next time.
http://images.hemmings.com/wp-conten...99_resized.jpg Had some red paint left over from one of Heather’s previous projects, so slapped on a couple coats to at least keep the weather off the bare wood.
http://images.hemmings.com/wp-conten...01_resized.jpg The caulk is pretty strong. Kept the cans from falling out while I had the box inverted.
http://images.hemmings.com/wp-conten...30_resized.jpg Also had some 3/4-inch PVC pipe from another previous project. Bought a couple elbows and T-fittings and whipped up a simple frame to keep the box off the ground and to angle it upward toward the sun. Didn’t give the exact angle too much thought.
http://images.hemmings.com/wp-conten...3_resized1.jpg Caulked a clear plexiglas cover on the front and sat the furnace out in the sun for a full day over the weekend to see how it would work.
http://images.hemmings.com/wp-conten...54_resized.jpg Using some advanced technological equipment, such as this precisely calibrated pyrometer, I determined the intake air temperature, which should have been the same as the ambient air temperature, to be about 80 degrees.
http://images.hemmings.com/wp-conten...57_resized.jpg Using the same equipment and methods, I determined the outlet temperature to be about 95 degrees – thus a 15 degree temperature differential. Not 110 degrees, but not bad , considering I didn’t even break $50 in materials – most of that being the plexiglas window.
Obviously don’t have the inlet and outlet attached to the garage – figures that the day I finish the furnace, it’s 80 degrees and sunny and it looks like we’re finally done with winter. Dad recommends wiring a pusher fan at the end of the inlet tube to keep the air circulating through the furnace.
Were I to do this again, I’d first make the furnace larger. As I recall, Dad’s measured something like four feet on each side. Obviously, the more surface area, the more heat you’ll pick up. Second, as mentioned above, I’d relocate the inlet to the back of the box to direct all the air through the cans. Or at least I’d cut a piece of aluminum to act as a baffle and prevent the air from rising straight up. Third, I might use those small soda cans I’ve seen in the grocery stores lately, just to get more surface area.
Fourth, I’d finish the build at the beginning of winter, not the end.
UPDATE: Welcome, MAKErs. I appreciate your comments and suggestions on improving the design of the box. I also appreciated the comments over at a similar project page on Instructables. Version 2.0 will be a lot better, so thank you all.
UPDATE UPDATE: The response on this has been fantastic. Thank you all for your comments and feedback. If I didn’t have the HMX to finish, I’d already be working on the next version of this box. By the way, I’m no engineer and only have the vaguest understanding of thermodynamics. I know how old cars work, that’s about it. But common sense tells me to build this thing bigger, to insulate it, to add a fan and to snake the air sideways as a few of you have suggested. Keep sharing your ideas and your successes in building your own boxes.
UPDATE (22.June 2010): I’ve taken many of the below ideas into consideration and finally finished a second version of the soda can solar heater. From 180 cans, I’ve so far achieved a 120-degree temperature differential.
UPDATE (7.April 2011): One of our readers, Bohdan Zograf, worked up a translation of this post into Belorussian, for those of you who would prefer to read it in that language.
almost free garage heat – just drink a lot of soda | Hemmings Blog: Classic and collectible cars and parts
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http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile..._3079043_q.jpg Homestead Survival
Happy Thanksgiving Homemade Pumpkin Butter Recipe
http://homesteadsurvival.blogspot.com/2012/10/happy-thanksgiving-homemade-pumpkin.html
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http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile...64167550_q.jpg Tiny House Design
Love to see folks that do fairs and markets building tiny house trailer stands. This is a four-season mobile farm stand.
http://www.fourseasonfarm.com/farmstand/index.html
http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...05305922_n.jpg
http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile...64167550_q.jpg Tiny House Design
Dan is making great progress on his latest tiny house and making how-to videos along the way.
http://tinyhomebuilders.com/Blog/2012/10/17/on-to-the-interior/
Monday, February 22, 2010
Root Cellar
We decided that our little farm needed a root cellar to store our produce in. For those unfamiliar with the term, a root cellar is an underground room that acts like a natural refrigerator, maintaining temperatures in the mid 30's F in the winter and mid 50's in the summer.
Step one: Dig a hole in the ground. We are fortunate to have a local gravedigger who is a real artist with a backhoe. He can carve a hole with straight sides almost within an inch of what you ask for.
Step two, pour a concrete footer. Then start laying blocks. About 320 went into this 8 x 8 foot cellar.
Almost finished here. Now, for the fun part, pouring a concrete roof. A simple flat slab wouldn't do, for you want condensation to run off to the sides. So, I created a plywood from with an arched top. The arch would also create a stronger roof. It also created a very strong form.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WOa7b8wFiT...0/DSCN2982.JPG
I built the form in the shop, then dismantled it.
The arches are 1/2 inch plywood pressed into dadoed grooves in the 2x4's. This created an extremely strong structure.
Satisfied with the form I reassembled it on the root cellar walls.
A nice snug fit, supported by 3 vertical 2x4's on each side. (Not shown in the picture are 8 pieces of 1/2" plywood approximately 6" x 23". These were installed after the plywood sheets were added. They are used as extra reinforcing ribs by wedging them between the plywood sheets and the top of the 2x4's.) Next, the plywood, a sheet of plastic and lots of 1/2 rebar. Lots of rebar. Rebar is cheap, so why not? If this were a flat 4 inch slab, the calculated load rating is around 250 pounds/square foot. More then enough. But it is arched, and up to 5 inches thick. Also the rebar extends into the walls a foot, and are cemented in place. Not sure what the load rating is now, but it is certainly more than adequate.
18 half inch rebars on 8 inch centers. Strong enough!
Next, add a perimeter to the form and pour concrete. About 4,000 pounds worth. I expected at least a little deformation of my form, for all that weight was being borne by my 5 arches, but there was none! Impressive.
Not taking any chances, I did not enter the cellar until I was confident the concrete was fully cured.
Removing the form from inside was not difficult, for it was designed for easy disassembly and re-use.
A view of the top before the entrance was completed and the cellar covered with 2 feet of earth. The wood at the rear is covering the ends of the rebar to prevent injury. They will be part of the reinforcement for the entrance-way.
I poured the roof in 3 sections, for that is the most concrete I can handle working alone. The seams are nearly invisible from below, and are waterproof. It was not difficult creating the arch in the top using standard concrete. The radius of the top arch is about 6 inches larger than below.
The arched ceiling is as glossy as a counter top, thanks to the plastic sheet I laid over the plywood.
See light reflecting off ceiling in picture below left.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WOa7b8wFiT...0/DSCN3031.JPG Below Right: Add stairs and doors at top and bottom, and you have a fine root cellar, ready for lots of fruits and vegetables. Currently we are storing apples, carrots and potatoes, and we are pleased with the results.
This project took a few months of evenings after work over the summer. It was cooler then, and the mortar did not dry too fast. All concrete and mortar, about 8,000 pounds in all, was either mixed with a small mixer, or by hand.
Robert's Projects: Root Cellar
Robert's Projects
My various projects that may be of interest to others. Dedicated to my brother Stan, Apr 16, 1955- Dec 4, 2010
Robert's Projects