It's here! Poverty Prepping in print!

 

Poverty Prepping in print version!

Here it is, new cover and all!

Available now at:

 

Poverty Prepping: How to Stock up For Tomorrow When You Can't afford to Eat Today

 

List price is $5.99

 

The kindle version is available at the same link, for $2.99



My husband's book

I can't believe I never made a post about my husband's book!  It came out in september, from Paladin press!

This is a very indepth book about our off-grid, self-sufficient life here in NW Montana, plus it has lots of pictures! 

 

It's a little pricey but the price was set by the publisher.  If you're interested in the book but it's out of your budget, watch the publisher's site because they run sales from time to time.  The last sale was 40% off.  I can try to keep track and let you know on here if I find out about a sale.

 

Here's the link to the book, on the publisher's website:

 

http://www.paladin-press.com/product/Creating-the-Low-Budget-Homestead

 

My husband has been writing for magazines for years.  His articles have appeared in Backwoods Home Magazine, Fur Fish & Game, Backwoodsman, Back Home, Traditional Archer, and Primitive Archer, and the now-defunct magazines Primitive Way and Modern Survival magazines.

 

He maintains blogs about our daily life at:
 

http://www.livinglifeoffgrid.blogspot.com

 

and at Grit Magazine's website:
 

http://www.grit.com/blogs/blog.aspx?blogid=4294968228

There's a lot of useful and interesting information to be gleaned there.



Dave's Kitchen - Acorns

Below is a letter from Dave.  A lot of people don't realize that acorns are edible for humans, but they do require some processing first.  Acorns are widely available in most parts of the country and could be considered a supplemental food source.  Here is Dave's letter:

 

 

I had a call from my dad this morning and he said that he had gathered up a 5 gallon bucket of acorns from his "Burr Oak" trees and told me that I could have them If I wanted them. I couldn't say no, it's been a while since I have had acorn cakes so I went and picked them up. He is going to have several more buckets as soon as they fall off the tree and I will be getting them also.

Burr Oak acorns are pretty big so shelling them was fairly easy but time consuming, in about 45 minutes of leisurely work I had enough to make a batch of meal.

The acorns from the Burr Oak Oak trees are very low in astringent, mild in flavour and are really easy to prepare and use. This is the meal after I ran the acorns through the food processor to chop them.

This is the wet meal after leeching and the final is a picture of the finished cakes. Daing Sue, they are good. The total time from acorn to cake was about 1 1/2 hours, most of the time was shelling them.

 

To process the acorns, you shell/peel them, run them through a food processor until they are the consistency of course meal, wash the meal in fresh water and strain, repeat until rinse water is clear(a taste of the meal at this point shouldn't make you pucker), press the water out through a mesh strainer and it is ready for use. If you dont want to use it right away, put it in the fridge or dehydrate it for long term storage

 

The recipe I used was:

2 1/2 Cups Wet Acorn Meal

1 Cup Wheat Flour

3 Eggs

1/4 Cup Cooking Oil

1/2 Tea Spoon Salt

4 Table Spoons Sugar

1 Tea Spoon Baking Soda

Vinegar water to desired consistency

I cooked them on a hot skillet like pancakes or corn cakes. They can be eaten with syrup, buttered or just straight off the griddle, the acorns give the cakes a mild nutty flavor.

(Thank you, Dave, for sharing this information!)

Just out of reach

Sometimes it seems as though the things we want are always just out of reach.  Or it seems like the things we want to do are just too hard.  I sometimes evaluate something and then say "nah, it's too hard.  I'll fail."  I might not give another go at it.  Just give up.

 

A lot of things in life seem insurmountable.  To others it's easy, but we just can't do it.  What kid of attitude do we have about that?  Discouragement, certainly.  But sometimes we feel sheepish or humiliated.  We don't want others to know of our failures.  Of our inability to accomplish was we set out to do.  We accept defeat, and often hide with it.

 

That's the kind of attitude I was addressing when I wrote "Poverty Prepping".  The last line of the book is "It is only when you have done nothing that you have lost the battle."  So many people I knew would not even start learning about preparedness or thinking about ways they could store things.  They bemoaned the fact that they had nothing put by for hard times, so it's not like I was pushing the idea on them.

 

It's not just getting started that sometimes stalls us out.  It's staying the course; working toward our goals.  I taught piano for several years, and I could divide my students into two categories.  One group would stumble in a piece of music and say "I'll never be any good at this", and the other group would say "I can do this".  I encouraged both, but I wanted to try and be like the second group, in all areas of my life.

 

I'm not, though.  I get discouraged and frustrated sometimes, and I feel like I'll never find an answer for a problem.  I've been feeling that way since we got back from our trip to Kansas, where my husband's mother and sister lives.  A planned two-week trip ended up being almost six week, after one of his sisters died, and then my Father-in-law had a stroke on the day of her funeral.  Now that we're home, I'm overwhelmed with a tremendous amount of things to be done, and some of them I don't know what to do about.  I froze in a state of inaction and just focused on daily or regular chores.

 

Last night I finished reading a book that has put me back on my feet.  It's inspiring in a way I didn't expect.  The book is about a man who has three times attempted to climb Mt. Elbrus in Russia.  It's one of the "Seven Summits" that he is trying to conquer.  Three times he went through months of training, and three times he made the journey to Russia to climb this mountain, with the best of gear and good guides. 

 

Three times he failed to meet his goal.  Not many of us have the endurance and determination he had, and my hat is off to him for his perseverence. I feel more inclinded to push myself and pursue my dreams after reading this book. He helped me realize that even if I don't succeed, the journey is worth the effort.

 

If you would like to read the book, it's called "Elbrus, My Waterloo".

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Elbrus-Waterloo-Seven-Summits-ebook/dp/B009NUHL14/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352059986&sr=8-1&keywords=charles+miske

 

Even if you don't read the book, remember to always have hope.  Always give it your best try.  And try again if you have to.  If the world collapses around you, stand up in the midst of the rubble and find something to do.  Don't give up.  Ever.



Poverty Prepping coming to 'print'!

I'm happy to announce that "Poverty Prepping: How To Stock Up For Tomorrow When You Can't Afford To Eat Today" is coming to print!  So if you prefer a hard copy you can hold in your hands, you're in luck!  It'll be available before the middle of November, and possibly within the week.

I'll keep you updated!

Starting a garden: What to do in the Fall

If you're thinking of starting a garden this is a good time of year to begin.  In the northern part of the country the ground will be freezing soon, but even in our northern location it's still soft enough to work.  Turning the soil over in the Fall will kill off a lot of the grass or weeds that are growing on the site where you want your garden to be. 

 

In this picture my husband is using a rototiller to turn over the soil on his sister's garden site.  This garden was just started last year, so it has been plowed up before, making it easier for him to run the tiller through it.  If you have a tiller or access to one, it'll make your job a lot simpler and less work.  You might be able to offer gas money to a neighbor who owns one, in return for having him/her come over and work up your ground for you.

 

Otherwise you can tackle the job with a shovel.  Don't try to make it look pretty and plowed like a field.  Just jam the shovel in the ground every few inches and turn the dirt over.  In the spring you can chop it up more, but if all you have time for is to turn over the dirt, then at least you've gotten started.

 

If you have a lot of leaves or can get them from other yards, pile them next to your garden site.  If your winter is mild enough, go out a few times over the winter and stir them up or turn them over.  In our part of the country they get wet and freeze into a solid clump.  Grass clipping can be piled this way too, throughout the growing season.  Leaves and grass add nutrients to the soil and they also add "loam", which breaks up hard soil such as clay.  We've added so much grass, leaves, and old hay that we can shove our arms into the dirt almost to our elbows.

 

Don't spread a thick layer of leaves or other plant matter on top of the soil where you want to plant a garden if you live in a cold climate.  In the spring it'll keep the soil from thawing and warming.  It's better to compost the plant matter in a pile and spread it in the spring. 

 

If you have no place to get leaves or grass, consider putting a notice on free bulletin boards asking for old hay or straw to use for composting for your garden.  A lot of times farmers and horse owners will get rid of old hay and straw when they buy a fresh supply for the upcoming winter. 

 

A lot of people don't have pick-up trucks these days, so you'll have to use other options to get your hay or straw home.  If your car has a roof rack you might be able to put a bale or two up there and tie it down with rope, straps, or bungee cords.  You can also buy some of those huge "lawn and leaf" garbage bags and slip one over a bale, tie it shut, and put it in the truck or back seat of your car.

 

Even if you can't get any of those things, or don't have time, it's still good to at least start with breaking the ground of your garden site.  If you have the funds you can buy compost and other soil enhancers at garden centers of even Wal-mart in the spring.  I'd wait until then.  Why have the nutrients leaching into the soil over the winter while nothing is planted?

 

Here at home we grow organically, mostly because we have access to what we need to make compost and build up our soil.  But I would buy products like plant food, miracle grow, or whatever I could find, to help my plants along if I had no other choice.  Some people probably oppose that thought, but it's one step better than buying regular commercial produce.  At least it's grown locally and probably not as heavily sprayed or treated as agribusiness produce.  Plus it gives a person the chance to learn how to garden.

 

If you don't have room for a regular garden you could build raised beds out of any kind of landscape trim, even those cheap rolls of black plastic edging for flower beds.  Or plan for container gardening.  There are often books on the kindle free downloads on the subject of container gardening.  A good place to watch for them is on this site:  http://www.pamspriderecommendations.blogspot.com  She does a daily post with free e-books related to gardening, food storage, cooking, preparedness, and healthy living.  She makes no money off these free downloads, so I'm not promoting something that benefits anyone except you, the reader!

 

As we get toward spring I'll post more steps on starting your garden.  I welcome any additional information you have on this subject, especially input from a variety of climates and gardning conditions.  There is no 'one size fits all'!

 

Susan

povertyprepping@yahoo.com

Fire and Light -- guest post by D.K. Richardson

Chapter Three

Fire and Light

"Come on, Baby, light my fire" The Doors

One need only look at the poor souls wandering the streets of their ruined cities after a natural calamity for motivation to have a small kit ready at hand to provide some basics - after all, a shelter may not be available for some time. Cooking food and boiling water is a primary consideration after a disaster.

I want to discuss stoves first. While it is possible to build a campfire, which I discuss last, a stove provides many advantages. A small stove is easy to light, provides controlled heat, works in nearly any weather and can be shut off when you are done cooking or boiling your water. A stove suitable for you kit should be small, lightweight, produce enough heat to boil water in a reasonable amount of time and use commonly available fuel - fuel which is safe to store in the kit.

For this DIY kit, I would recommend a Sterno brand folding stove. It folds flat, will easily support a large pot is easy to light and snuff - and because it burns gelled alcohol, may be used safely indoors with minimal care taken for ventilation. One large (7 oz) can of fuel is rated by the vendor to burn for two hours. At ten minutes to boil two cups of water, you should be able to produce (about) 24 cups of hot water before the first can is used up.

Sterno brand stove with Trangia burner

Another good choice for cooking is a Trangia brand alcohol stove (burner). Heat output is the same or slightly hotter than the Sterno brand product. The Trangia burner may be used with the Sterno stove. Trangia sells cook kits incorporating the burner, but can be costly.

Alcohol burners are safe to use indoors with proper ventilation, the only caution I have is that alcohol burns with an almost invisible blue flame - so a fuel spill is a concern. If any fuel is spilled - absent an ignition source, it will evaporate quickly and leave no residue or offensive order. Fuel may be obtained at the local gas station in the form of the yellow bottle of HEET brand fuel antifreeze. Bottles of 91% alcohol may be found at most Big Box stores for under 2 dollars for 16 ounces - a less expensive source.

There are numerous camping stoves that are compact and provide excellent heat. I would suggest that other than so-called canister (propane/Butane) stoves, none are really suitable for safe indoor use. The cost of the fuel canisters is also a consideration.

Another strike against these compact camping stoves is their stability - you must be quite careful to avoid tipping over your cooking pot. Storage of volatile petroleum fuels like gasoline or kerosene is another major drawback - for this kit.

Having said that, larger or full sized 'camping' stoves, propane fired, may be a good item for use at home in the event of a loss of utilities. The venerable Coleman brand stove may be had as a propane appliance or an adapter is savable to convert a Coleman brand gasoline stove for propane use - for less than twenty dollars! Proper ventilation must always be a consideration when using these larger stoves indoors.

Don't want to spend money on a stove that will sit in a kit unused? Okay, a Sterno folding stove does sell for 5 to 9 dollars, the fuel, is about four dollars for a large can. Any can of a diameter to hold the fuel container may be pressed into service as a pot holder for your fuel. (See photo)

The holes in the sides were made with a common can opener, the fuel can is held by two short sections of coat hanger wire. The holes for the wires were made with a small drill bit.

The only critical measurement is to ensure the top of the fuel can is 32mm to 38mm (1.25 to 1.5 inches) from the top edge of your pot support. DO NOT use gasoline or kerosene in this or any alcohol stove.

What about these so-called soda pop can stoves? Are they any good?

There are a large number of plans to make an alcohol burner out of soda or beer cans. They work, but are fragile. The Trangia brand burner, made from brass, is very rugged time proven design. You get to chose, it's your money.

Can I use isopropyl alcohol in one of these stoves?

It's also called 'rubbing' alcohol. If the alcohol is 91% - yes. If the alcohol is marked at less than that - usually 70%, then no, it is not suitable for use in the burner.

How do I put out the flame on my Sterno fuel?

Simply place the lid back on the can, loosely, and the flame will extinguish. Once the can of fuel cools, press the lid firmly in place.

On a Trangia burner, the so-called simmer ring is used to snuff the stove.

What other kinds of fuel can I use with my alcohol setup?

There are other brands of 'chafing dish' fuel - read the labels carefully. All are alcohol based, other alcohol sources, like yellow bottle HEET fuel-line antifreeze burn cleanly as well. Remember, extra ventilation is needed for any indoor use.

Campfires -

I'll be honest, I'm not a fan of open fires for use in a disaster situation. They are a potential source of out of control fires, burns and can produce noxious smoke. Cooking over an open fire is a skill, so some prior practice is strongly suggested.

An open fire will produce both heat and light. And smoke. A campfire requires an open space, with nothing flammable overhead, for safety and a source of fuel. People living in an urban area will be hard pressed to find a viable source of dry fuel to maintain an open fire for any length of time. Bad weather, such as rain and/or high winds also impact on your ability to keep that fire going.

IF you live in an area where fuel is plentiful, by all means, plan on using an open fire for your cooking needs. You'll need more than a few strike-anywhere matches for this, especially if your wood is wet. For those in urban areas, remember that some treated wood products will outgas poisonous gases when burned, so do all of your cooking outdoors, unless your indoor stove is properly vented.

Light in a grid-down situation can be provided by flashlights, lanterns, and candle lanterns.

For short term situations and small size, it is hard to beat the common flashlight and with the newer LED 'bulbs' battery life can be excellent. For your DIY kit, any number of low cost LED flashs are available, so many that I won't make a specific recommendation. If you already own a MagLight brand flash, retro fitting for LED 'bulbs' is simple, with a drop in replacement - check the flashlight section of your local Big Box store. I converted my smaller "AA" battery MagLight for just a few dollars.

A headlamp, ("AA" and LED) as part of your kit will allow you to keep your hands free as you perform a variety of tasks. Again, there are so many low cost lights on the market, I'll just say, consider adding a headlamp to your kit.

The only lanterns that I am aware of on the market for possible inclusion in this kit are candle lanterns and a single kerosene insert made for a specific brand of candle lantern. I purchased and have used an older miniature kerosene lantern (also called a canoil) and found it lacking. The kerosene insert has more than a few bad reviews, so I've mentioned these in passing with a recommendation to take a pass on these.

Candle lanterns, such as the UCO candle lantern have been around a long time. Well built, they enjoy a following with replacement candles readily available on line. I have used these for years and with the limitations of a candle lantern, they provide a usable light - burning for about eight or nine hours for a single, full size candle. UCO also makes a lantern which uses the popular tea candles. Either would make a good secondary light source for your DIY kit. Just remember that storage conditions, heat is not kind to candles.

How you might use a so-called Dakota fire pit, a rocket stove and other efficient ways of cooking with wood is covered, with images, in the book.