Practice Gardening – Dollar store container gardening

I have a fascination with container gardening. I always preach that you must practice at gardening and learn the behaviors of different plant and vegetables. Today I’m growing container lettuce and radishes. Both of these are easy to grow, this help builds confidence, beacause gardening is challenging at best. Practice now and you’ll have a head start if the SHTF. I’m using dollar store oil catch pans. They are definitely deep enough for lettuce but I wanted to see if a radish could develop in this shallow environment. I’ve grown radish in tall cups, but if they grow in a 4 inch deep container then I can do away with the cup method. Below is the set up. Cost for supplies $5.00 not including tools. Buy your seeds on sale at the end of the season for next year, usually half price. Better yet save your seeds. Another story. Enjoy!

January 8, 2019February 10, 2019

Start Your Survival Book Library

Many of you, I’m almost certain have bought, received or been gifted a survival book or two. Make an effort to gather these up and place on a shelf for reference and pleaseurable reading. Below are a sampling of the collection I’ve started thanks to many like minded friends and family. The art of book reading requires no internet, batteries or monthly subscription. Reading keeps your brain sharp and open to learning. It is great for discussion with others. Collect up those books and enjoy some cerebral excessive.

January 8, 2019January 9, 2019

Seeds are all around us – look for these hidden gems

I tried my hand growing corn this season. Knowing good and well it may be a failure. I wanted to see the characteristics of corn growing in my urban garden. I did get a couple of small ears to the table and rest looked like corn you get with your Chinese meal. But I did learn and will try again. I left a few ears on the dried up stalks and low and behold found what appeared to be the seeds that I originally started with. Pull the ear off and remove the kernels, place them on a plate and store in a cool dry place for a week or more. Then put them in an envelope and label the date and if you know the species. These will be used in my next corn growing trial.

January 7, 2019February 9, 2019

Keeping your well clean – A week long project WELL worth the effort!

At our remote location, we are blessed to have two shallow wells. One close to the house, this is our primary supply and one lower on the property that proves useful in times of drought when the upper well runs dry. The wells only had a wood cover, with plenty of room for critters, dirt, runoff to get in to it. This was not a great selling point with the spouse. Clean water is a must for spouses, and my survival. We added a concrete curb generously around the existing shallow rock well. Then built a wooden cap with an easy to lift lid and vent. The whole project took less than a week to complete including paying a brave chap to pump the well out, climb down into the well and wash the rock walls with a bleach solution and let it regenerate with water. This project adds a layer of confidence when cooking, showering and brushing your teeth. Do everything you can to keep your well water clean.

January 6, 2019February 9, 2019

Practice Gardening – planting volunteer tomatoes

Gardening is not easy. Whenever you have the opportunity to grow something take it! Learning how different plants grow and behave and what type of insects and disease gravitate towards a type of plant. Practicing now in times of peace will be invaluable during a long term event. Growing also gives you a chance of teaching your spouse or children to be more self sufficient and it’s a great way to exercise. This collection is the result of the volunteer tomatoes I harvested from our compost bin. Practice, practice, practice!

January 4, 2019February 9, 2019

Reuse, Repair, Rake – rake repair from two broken tools.

Desperate times will call for creative repairs. I broke an old hoe and also had a broken rake. I fashioned the end of the hoe handle to fit the rake as I use the rake more frequently and I can mix concrete with a shovel when I need too.

Using an axe, I roughed the end down to match the smaller diameter rake handle. Fine tuned it with my carving knife. Located and hand drilled the bolt hole. Scraped the new old handle down and sanded off the old weather. Then gave the handle a heavy coat of boiled linseed oil. Bolted the rake head back on and I’m back in business.

January 4, 2019February 9, 2019

Save Those Old Glasses – Seeing your way through the smoke when the SHTF

My good friend brought to my attention the importance of vision after the big event. I quickly organized the few old pairs of prescriptive glasses I have held onto through the years. If you wear contacts, buy several boxes. Stock up on solution as well. These old glasses may prove to be invaluable when you can’t run out and get a new pair,,,, even if you may look like Sally Jesse Rafael. That was the style back then! LOL

January 3, 2019February 9, 2019

Survivalist Movies

From time to time, I come across a movie, I. This case two movies that captivated my attention. I pray I never have to live either of these story lines. The Survivalist is on Netflix and 100 Mornings is on Amazon Prime.

Warning: both movies contain adult content

January 3, 2019February 9, 2019

You Probably Already Have One – A house full of prepper supplies.

With the new year upon us, I decided to search out my lifetime collection of pocket knives. They have been purchased, gifted or acquired over my lifetime. I was surprised at how many I had scattered all over. Brought back a few memories as well. My first knife was the Boy Scout knife at the bottom, it was also the first time I realized, knives are sharp. To add insult to injury, I didn’t win the pinewood derby.

January 2, 2019February 9, 2019

Feather Sticks – Increase your chances in fire building

With a little extra effort making a feather stick will increase your chances of successful fire building. Simple to perform on any ingnightable tinder. Position your kindling on a hard surface like another log and start peeling away small feathers on the stick. Rotate the stick as you continue downward strokes creating curls of easily ingnitable wood curls or “feathers”.

Kindling laying on a stump — Various small kindling