Purifying Water

Waterborne diseases are illnesses caused by microscopic organisms, like viruses and bacteria, that are ingested through contaminated water or by coming in contact with feces. If every person on the planet practices safe sanitation and hygiene and drank only clean water, these diseases would not exist.

Ensuring safe drinking water is a three-step process. The first involves removing obvious debris. The second is filtration which removes toxic particles. The third is disinfecting the water. Many ways exist to guarantee that water is safe to drink.

Sometimes we have water available, but that water might not be fit to use. In this case, we either use it as is and face the consequences like toxicity or waterborne diseases or do what it takes to ensure that the water is safe to use.

Removing Debris

One of the ways that we get water is through rainwater and one of the easy ways to ensure that the rainwater has debris removed is by creating or purchasing a first flush system that washes the dirt from the roof so that the water is clean.

If water comes from another source like a stream, filtering the water through some sort of sieve will be necessary before going on to the following steps.

Filtering

Once the water has been cleared of debris, the water probably still requires further filtering. Having a filter that includes charcoal is important for removing toxic chemicals.

An easy way to ensure safe drinking water is to run it through a charcoal-based water filter to get rid of toxic substances and then boil the water for 10-20 minutes to kill waterborne diseases.

Disinfecting

Even though the water has been cleaned of debris and potential toxins, there’s still the matter of disinfecting the water to remove disease-causing pathogens. Two basic ways exist to disinfect water. The first is by boiling and the second is by using a chemical disinfectant that is relatively safe to drink.

Boiling

if you do not have bottled water. Boiling is sufficient to kill pathogenic bacteria, viruses and protozoa If water is cloudy, let it settle and filter it through a clean cloth, paperboiling water towel, or coffee filter.

Bring water to a rolling boil for at least one minute. At altitudes above 5,000 feet (1,000 meters), boil water for three minutes.

Let water cool naturally and store it in clean containers with covers.

To improve the flat taste of boiled water, add one pinch of salt to each quart or liter of water. Alternatively, you can pour the water from one clean container to another several times.

Chlorine Bleach

if you can’t boil water. Only use regular, unscented chlorine bleach products that are suitable for disinfection and sanitation as indicated on the label. The label should say that the active ingredient is 6 or 8.25% of sodium hypochlorite. Do not use scented, color-safe, or bleach with added cleaners. If water is cloudy, let it settle and filter it through a clean cloth, paper towel, or coffee filter.

Locate a clean dropper from your medicine cabinet or emergency supply kit.

Use fresh liquid chlorine bleach or liquid chlorine bleach that has been stored at room temperature for under one year.

Use 8 drops of 6% bleach, or 6 drops of 8.25% bleach, to each gallon of water. Double the amount of bleach if the water is cloudy, colored, or very cold.

Stir and let stand for 30 minutes. The water should have a slight chlorine odor. If it doesn’t, repeat the dosage and let stand for another 15 minutes before use.

If the chlorine taste is too strong, pour the water from one clean container to another. Let it stand for a few hours before using it.

Other Methods of Disinfecting Water

Granular calcium hypochlorite

First, make a chlorine solution to disinfect your water. For your safety, do it in a ventilated area and wear eye protection. Add one heaping teaspoon (approximately ¼ ounce) of high-test granular calcium hypochlorite (HTH) (pool shock) to two gallons of water. Stir until the particles have dissolved. The mixture will produce a chlorine solution of approximately 500 milligrams per liter. To disinfect water, add one part of the chlorine solution to each 100 parts of water you are treating. This is about the same as adding 1 pint (16 ounces) of the chlorine solution to 12.5 gallons of water. If the chlorine taste is too strong, pour the water from one clean container to another, Let it stand for a few hours before use. CAUTION: HTH is a very powerful oxidant. Follow the instructions on the label for safe handling and storage of this chemical.

Common household iodine

Tincture of iodine can also be used. The iodine in your medicine cabinet or first aid kit will work. Add five drops of 2% tincture of iodine to each quart or liter of water that you are disinfecting. If the water is cloudy or colored, add 10 drops of iodine. Stir and let the water stand for at least 30 minutes before use.

Water disinfection Tablets

Water disinfection tablets. You can disinfect water with tablets that contain chlorine, iodine, chlorine dioxide, or other disinfecting agents. These tablets are available online, at pharmacies, and sporting goods stores. Follow the instructions on the product label as products have different strengths.

Non-food-grade Diatomaceous earth is used to help filter in-ground swimming pools.

To learn more about the wonders of Diatomaceous earth, check out my book!

When Turning on the Tap Isn’t an Option

With so many natural disasters happening lately, we have been looking for ways to not only live more comfortably but also survive situations.

In our recent articles, we covered the “rule of threes” and the need for adequate heating and fuel. Then, we talked about special needs and entertainment. Today’s article will be about water.

As it stated in the article The Rules of Three, we learned that we can only live three days without water therefore having an adequate supply of water is important to our survival as well as the survival of any pets, livestock, and even gardens that we support.

Drinking Water Supply

When I was in the military, we were told we needed a gallon of drinking water every day. We drank a gallon of water because we learned that ensuring that we drank enough water meant that we could better deal with whatever stresses came our way. Since

We can go three days without water, but why would we? Why don’t we just plan to store 3 weeks’ worth of water so that we have all the water to cover that length of time. Between drinking water, personal washing, dishwashing, housecleaning, and toilet flushing, we need about 2-3 gallons of water per day. However, not all of it needs to be drinkable.

There are different ways of having enough water on hand to last for 3 weeks. You could store 20-ounce bottles for drinking. This means that you will need almost six and a half bottles of water per day per person. You’ll need 136.5 bottles of water per person for three weeks. Two people live in my house so we would need twice that or 273 bottles of water or twelve cases for two people! That’s for drinking and cooking alone!

We need about 1 gallon of drinking water per day. That means we need 21 gallons of water per day per person and having 21 gallons of drinking water would cover your water. The rest of the water doesn’t need to be fit to drink.

Water for Pets and Livestock

Don’t forget to have an adequate water supply for your pets and livestock. Depending on the size of your dogs or cats, have one gallon available per animal per day. Chickens require a minimum of a pint of water per chicken per day. Pigs need a half gallon per animal per day. Goats and sheep require a gallon of water daily, but a milking doe requires 2 gallons daily. Cows require ten gallons and depending on their size, horses require five to fifteen gallons per day.

Water for Personal Care and Cleaning

For drinking and cooking, you should have, at least, a gallon of water per person. For personal care and cleaning supplies, add another gallon of water per person if enough water is available.

Waterborne diseases cause more deaths throughout the world than any other issue. It is important to maintain good hygiene and a clean environment. When water is limited, make sure to practice good hygiene. Set up a handwashing station and build a safe latrine. Drying dishes on dish-drying racks is cleaner than drying with towels.

Water used for hygiene and cleaning doesn’t have to be as pure as drinking water, but boiling it before using is ideal practice. Pathogens can enter through the skin. making sure your water is safe will prevent life-threatening illnesses. Always make sure your water is safe before using it. Water for hygiene and cleaning can be obtained from melted snow, and stored rainwater. If we know that a potential power outage is imminent, we should fill every available container with water. Filling a water bladder in the bathtub can supply water for up to three weeks.

Knowing if the water is safe will be the topic of our next post.

For more information on how you can be better prepared for the adversities of life, check out these books! All are available on Amazon.

Gourmet Weeds

Simply Vegetable Gardening

The Survival Garden

The Four Seasons Vegetable Garden

Help From Kelp

Using Diatomaceous Earth Around the House and Yard

What are Your Special Preparedness Needs?

Over the past year, we have seen earthquakes, hurricanes, typhoons, floods and wildfires that have devastated large areas of the world. People have found themselves stranded for extended periods without many necessities. Most recently we have seen a hurricane wash out mountain communities here in the United States which also left as many as 4 million people without power.

Individual Special Needs

Many of us have special needs that we need to survive. I have been on a lot of prepper sites. I seldom hear about this as an immediate area to prepare, but it always seems to be an excuse not to prepare for disasters. They complain that they cannot prepare for the future because they don’t have enough money. Other times people complain that they can’t prepare for the future because of these special needs.

Sadly, these are some of the most important reasons to prepare for the future. Preparing for the special needs in your family’s lives is one of the primary preparations that you should make. It’s as simple as thinking beyond your immediate wants and looking at your long-term needs.

Let’s say a family member requires oxygen or an oxygen concentrator. Suppose you want this family member to survive. In that case, it’s necessary to have oxygen on hand or at least have a source of electricity to run a concentrator if the electricity goes out.

If there’s a baby in the house, having an adequate supply of diapers, formula, baby food, seasonal clothing, and other special care items is worth stocking up on.

How about your pets and their special needs? Do you have enough food for your pets to last several weeks or months? Are you properly rotating your pets’ food so that they are eating the freshest possible food? Having a six-month supply of pet food would be good to have on hand. If your pet is on medications, do you have a long-term constantly rotated supply? How about flea, tick, and internal parasite protection? Do they have what they need for a season?

Speaking of medication, do you have adequate prescription medications to last for at least several weeks?

Do you have family members with other special needs? Create a list and learn how you can provide for their needs if an event keeps you from purchasing necessary life-preserving medications.

Entertainment

We don’t always think of entertainment as a need, we all need something to do when we’re cooped up, How will your family remain entertained if the electricity goes out or they are forced to stay at home or even away from home in an environment where they cannot continue their routine?

Having something to do is also important to consider when preparing for potential disasters. These preparations can involve things you may already have around your house or can obtain over time. Of course, these suggestions are not all-inclusive and your family might have other ideas about what they enjoy doing. Keep an idea file. Put a few things away that you know your family enjoys. Keep a few things in a to-go bag in case you have to leave your home at a moment’s notice. Keep a cupboard of activities for the family that can be brought out when usual entertainment options were not available.

In many cases, we spend hours on our phones. What if we can’t access our phones because the Wi-Fi towers are not functioning? How will we spend our time?

Entertaining Children without a Phone

Young children can play with toys that they already have. You might consider putting aside a small number of toys that you can bring out during these times. Rotating toys so that young children have access to some is always a good idea to help keep them content with what they already have.

Elementary kids like having projects that they can do. Coloring books, crayons, markers, colored pencils, drawing paper, construction paper, scissors, glue, and other art supplies. A couple of containers of modeling clay offer hours of fun.

At home, a cupboard of games helps wile away the hours. Games like chutes and ladders or Candy Land or Go Fish are good starter games for elementary children.

Also, consider locating and purchasing active games for the children to play. Many times being stuck inside makes them go stir-crazy and constructing ways for them to burn off some pent-up energy will help keep everyone sane. Batting a balloon around over a couple of chairs is something that doesn’t take a lot of preparation.

Occupying Older Children and Adults

Having a radio that runs on alternative energy sources is not only good for gaining information, but it also offers a way to entertain the family. Dancing to the music of the radio is a fun way to occupy your time.

There are games for older children and adults that help pass many hours. Some like checkers, chess, or a simple deck of cards have kept many adults occupied for hours on end and these games don’t require a lot of space in a bug-out bag.

Games like Risk and Monopoly offer long hours of fun for groups of three or more.

Puzzles, crossword puzzles, and adult coloring books are also good ways to pass the time.

There’s also nothing like curling up with a good book. Books can be borrowed from the library for free if you know that an event could cause the electricity to be out for an extended period. A book on Kindle can even be watched when the room is dark. Having a way to charge a Kindle offers a source of reading material for a lot longer.

Finally, if someone in your family or group plays guitar or instruments, playing and singing together can make an otherwise dreary situation pleasurable and memorable.

Don’t wait until you to find something to do to begin determining how you might spend your time. Look around and see what you already have. Make a list of ways that you can entertain your family during a power outage without spending a lot of money and think about purchasing some of these items for holiday gift-giving.

Seasonal Adaptation

Be prepared for your family’s special needs. Consider what your needs are now and revisit those needs every season.

If you liked this post, you’ll love. . .

The Survival Garden

Essential Fuels for Winter Survival

In one of our previous articles, we discussed the “rule of threes” of survival. One of the points we covered was that without adequate shelter, it is possible to die of exposure in as little as three hours in extreme weather situations. We then covered some of the basic tools for surviving the three weeks without electricity. This week we’re going to extend beyond the three-week emergency and look at the possibility of surviving the winter using stored fuels.

We’ve already talked about some of the appliances that would help keep you comfortable, but those appliances won’t do you any good if you don’t have fuel to keep them going. To learn about which appliances you should have, be sure to check out our previous articles: Rule of Threes and Preparing for Three weeks without Electricity.

Wood

Having wood for heating is our go to fuel for winter heating. Every year, our goal is to store an entire season’s worth of wood so that we don’t have to purchase any wood during the height of the season when prices go up.

We also prepare our woodstove for the winter by making sure that our flue is cleared out before the season begins. We also check it periodically throughout the season to ensure the chimney remains clear and free of debris and creosote.

Gasoline Rotation

In the winter we keep our vehicles as full as possible. There are a couple of reasons for this. The first is, we don’t want our gasoline to get moisture in it. Moisture will not accumulate in a full tank. The second is that we don’t want to run out of gas if the there’s a widespread power outage and the local gas pumps are not functioning.

Also, we keep 5 gallons of fuel for our generator in a gas can. Rather than using a fuel additive, whenever we go to refill our vehicles, we dump the fuel in the gas can into the vehicle and then finish filling the vehicle and refill the gas can. This way we know that we always have fresh gasoline.

If we think that we might need to use our generator, we fill it before a weather event that could cause an electrical outage.

Always store your gasoline in a well-ventilated area away from heat sources.

Propane Storage

If you have an appliance that runs on propane, be sure all your propane containers are kept full. There’s nothing worse than being dependent on a heater, having it go empty during a storm and not being able to fill it because of the weather. Plus, by having it full before an event, you won’t have to be among the people waiting to get their propane after the event. You also won’t have to worry about the increased cost of propane that often occurs after cold weather and you won’t have the frustration of having to wait for them to be able to get your fuel to you because “they are more busy than usual and will get to you as soon as possible”.

Also, make sure that any appliance that needs propane is in working order before you discover that you need to use it but it’s not working.

Kerosene and Lamp Oil

Kerosene for heating and lamp oil (made from kerosene) for lighting can be stored for years so these fuels make good long-term fuel options for lighting and heating.

In addition to being useful for years, kerosene is less volatile than previously mentioned fuels.

Homemade Electricity

Of course, bigger systems exist in which you can produce your own electricity. However, you don’t have to break the bank to make your life a little more comfortable in an electrical outage. With a combination of rechargeable batteries and different types of solar devices, many communication and lighting sources can be used to make life seem more normal and at a low price for anyone who is a beginner in preparedness.

Sometimes you can get tools all in one. We have a NOA weather radio that has several cool features. It costs a little more than some of the other ways of creating your own electricity, but it is well worth the price. Of course, it has a radio that not only gives weather and the news, it also offers a potential form of entertainment. It also has a bright LED light that can light up a room better than a flashlight. In addition, it has a port that we can use as a phone charger. In addition, the radio has more than one way to charge it. It can be plugged into the home electrical system before an electrical outage. You can also plug the radio into the car’s electrical system by starting the car and charging it through a USB plugged into the 12-volt cigarette lighter. In addition, the radio has a charging source within it. There’s a solar panel on the top. Just put the radio in the sunlight and let it charge. Cloudy days? No worries. You charge it by using a wind-up handle.

An inexpensive way to get home lighting using solar power is using cheap solar yard lights. Buy several cheap ones at the dollar store and stick them out in the yard to charge.

By purchasing a small portable solar charger, you can charge rechargeable batteries and use them to keep battery-powered clocks, flashlights, LED lights, and many other small items fully charged during weather emergencies.

Now Stock Up!

Just because you don’t have a lot of money to invest in alternative energy products, doesn’t mean you have to remain in the dark. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to improve your comfort during a power outage in the winter. Be sure to have plenty of fuel on hand so that you can stay warm and happy no matter what the weather outside.

For your own energy needs, learn more about gardening!

Gourmet Weeds

Gourmet Weeds in Paperback

Simply Vegetable Gardening

The Survival Garden

The Four Seasons Vegetable Garden

Help From Kelp

Using Diatomaceous Earth Around the House and Yard

What if the Lights Go Out This Winter?

Winter’s coming are you ready for what you be facing this winter?

It happened in Texas a few years ago with deadly results that could have been prevented if adequate precautions had been taken.

There’s a strong possibility that many of us could spend up to three weeks or longer without power this coming winter. Being without power could happen any time during the year, but since the winter months are coming, I am going to recommend a way that you can prepare for three weeks without power and complete those preparations in the next week.

This basic system offers an infrastructure which will extend its usage beyond three weeks if necessary.

Here’s What I’d Do If I Had the Money

One of the ideal ways to prepare for three weeks without electricity would be to have a propane or solar-powered generator that attaches to the electrical system within the house so that you don’t even have to worry about a power outage because you have a power unit that replaces the electrical grid when the grid is down. These, of course, are very expensive.

Doing What I Can

An alternative to a full-house generator is a smaller gas or propane-powered generator that will run some of your necessary appliances, but not others.

We have one and it has limitations. For instance, it will run my refrigerator but doesn’t have enough power to run my electric range, electric heater, clothes dryer, or electric water heater. Changing my heat source to something natural gas or propane-based can help solve that problem, but again, this comes at a high financial cost.

Many people rent and can’t make these choices and most of us who own our own homes don’t have the budget to make this possible. Therefore, what can we do if we have a deadline of three weeks to prepare for an electric grid outage of three weeks.

Heating

While having a place to be out of the wind and weather is the major meaning of this Keeping warm is part of maintaining adequate shelter. Extra blankets, sleeping bags, and putting a tent indoors for sleeping in can be used to conserve warmth.

Cuddling up under blankets is also conducive to maintaining body temperature. Skin-to-skin contact has been known to save many lives during extreme emergencies.

If heating your entire home is not a possibility, closing off a single room to heat could be doable and necessary. Purchasing a kerosene, butane, or propane heater can increase overall temperatures. However, issues concerning carbon monoxide poisoning can be a problem so be sure that you have carbon monoxide detectors installed in the areas where you are using the heater.

Having a wood heating stove is always a viable option as well. We have been using wood heat as our primary heating source. We also have heat-activated fans on our wood stove to help circulate the warm air around the room. Wood heating has been used for centuries and investing in one and the wood for fuel is a good option if wood is plentiful in your area. Here’s my article from last year regarding our woodstove.

Cooking and Making Hot Beverages

Another issue we face almost immediately when the electricity goes out occurs because the electric range isn’t. What will you do for cooking? Even if you have a refrigerator full of food that’s ready to eat, having hot food and hot drinks in cold winter is a must. Some people I know who live in cities will go to the nearest place that is open to get themselves a bite to eat and something hot to drink.

However, like me, you might live many miles from the nearest open convenience store or restaurant, so, having several ways to heat food will not only be helpful, but necessary if your electricity goes out.

Since we have a wood heating stove, keeping a hot water kettle on the woodstove is handy for making coffee (we have a French press). A couple cans from the pantry and you’ve got a hot meal.

Also, we have a butane stove that we can use to cook and heat food. All we have to do is ensure that we have stored adequate amounts of butane. (more on the subject of fuel storage in nest week’s post)

Be aware that even if you don’t cook with electricity, your gas/propane range might have an electronic ignition. If this is the case, you’ll need to figure out how to light your stove. If you’re lucky the electrical transmission source is a battery that’s part of the stove but this is not usually the case. It may be possible that you can still light your stove with a match but in many cases you’ll need an electrical source to light your stove.

Obtaining Water

If you’re on a well and your electricity goes out, it means that you won’t be able to get water from your well because the pump runs on electricity. If you have a generator big enough, you may be able to run your pump on a generator and pump enough water at a time to take care of your needs for a day or two at a time.

An alternative to this is if you see that a severe ice storm is possible, you might want to draw water before the event occurs. This way, you can have enough water for drinking, cleaning, and even toilet flushing for several days if you need it.

Alternatively, having barrels of water with a ready store of water could be lifesaving.

We’ve used melted snow for bathing, cleaning, and toilets.

Using the Toilet

If temperatures plummet and adequate precautions aren’t taken before a winter event, water coming into the toilet will no longer be available. The drains may also be frozen making it impossible to safely use the toilet.

Having a bucket designated for a toilet with pine shavings to cover up the excrement and/or wood ashes would be life-saving.

Refrigeration

Since the weather event that we’re preparing for is a winter event, refrigeration is less of an issue than it would be in the summertime, but we will address it anyway.

Having a couple of coolers set up to store your refrigerator items in a cold area of your home that is cool, but above freezing is probably one of your best moves at least while temperatures remain low.

If temperatures are above freezing outdoors, continually storing containers filled with water and using them to keep items in the cooler cold is a good move. Another good move might be to actually set the coolers outside if the temperature is slightly above freezing.

Freezer foods can usually stay frozen for a couple of days if you don’t open the freezer. For extended periods, if you have a generator, running it with the freezer plugged into it until the freezer kicks off will keep your frozen foods frozen.

If you don’t have a generator and the temperatures outdoors remain below freezing, store your frozen food outdoors in a container where animals can’t get to them.

Lighting

The first option concerning lighting is to simply go to bed when it gets dark and have flashlights to get you where you need to be when nature calls. On moonlit nights, you might not even need the flashlight. Most of us don’t want to lay in bed for over 12 hours every night. Therefore, we want alternatives.

Numerous lighting solutions exist. Just having a flashlight available and going to bed at dark could get you through. You could also use candles, solar-powered or battery-powered LED lights, we’ve used propane camp lights too.

NOA Weather Radio

Having a weather radio to keep track of the weather forecast and the news is also important because knowing this will help you in your preparations for the future. Plus, many of these weather radios can be bought that will charge themselves and also can include flashlights. We have one that can do all these things and can charge our phones as well.

Be considering your options regarding these aspects of life should a winter storm (ice or snow) knock out your power. If you have other options for covering these aspects of winter storm survival, please include them in the comments. You might save someone’s life.

What other ways can you take control of your life? Here are a few books by Cygnet Brown to help you!

If you’re interested in putting in a vegetable garden this year, I have written several books that can help you get started. All available on Amazon.

Gourmet Weeds4

Purchase Gourmet Weeds in Paperback

Simply Vegetable Gardening

The Survival Garden

The Four Seasons Vegetable Garden

Help From Kelp

Using Diatomaceous Earth Around the House and Yard

What You Need to Know about the “Rules of Threes”

Homesteading is more than just having a garden and livestock. Homesteading is about being prepared for whatever problems may come your way. Some of these problems include natural disasters that could happen to any of us.

There are two rules of threes that I learned several years ago that should be the basis for any disasters that we may face in the future. It’s one of our first considerations when disaster strikes, is that we must understand the priorities. The first rule of threes is the Rule of Threes for Survival and the other is The Rule of Backups.

Rule of Threes for Survival

The first rule of threes relate to what we should consider our priorities for survival. We can go without oxygen for no more than 3 minutes, We can go without adequate shelter for up to three hours. We can go up to three days without water. We can go three weeks without food.

Oxygen

A lot of people don’t always consider this aspect, but it’s really important and worth putting up first. Oxygen deficiency in one form or another contributes to deaths every year. In a house fire for example, affixation will kill someone before the flames do. Keeping fire extinguishers and smoke detectors is part of this level of care. Also, carbon detectors will help ensure you have adequate oxygen. Also, adequate ventilation for heating and cooking sources or in generator use must be of primary importance whenever these are in use. When sheltering in your car, always be sure that the exhaust is unrestricted if affixation is not on your agenda.

Shelter

The idea of shelter relates to anything that protects us from the elements. Naturally, this does relate to our housing, but there’s much more to shelter than that.

Shelter in this regard also relates to any way that we can get out of the weather. This might include finding shelter in a cave, a debris shelter, a cave, or even your vehicle.

Shelter can also relate to the clothing you’d wear to adjust to the weather. This might include loose light clothing to keep cool in the summer or it could include gloves, waterproof boots, and down jackets for the summer.

Shelter can also be used to protect your home from the weather. This might include tarps, duct tape, and plywood in preparation for a storm.

Shelter includes aspects of shelter like heating and cooling. What will you do if your usual heating or cooling source is no longer available?

Water

We all need water. Experts recommend one gallon of water per person per day for drinking and cooking and more water than that for personal care and housecleaning. Having water stored and on hand for several days or weeks.

In addition to stored water, it is important to have a means to purify more water beyond what you can store. There are several ways this can be done. One of the easiest ways is to filter the water using a carbon filter and then boiling for one minute to ensure that any pathogens are destroyed. Waterborne diseases are often lethal, especially to young children.

Food

Missing meals is something that none of us want to have happen to us so having eatable food available is a priority. Having cool food in the summer and hot food in the winter is also important to our well-being. Thinking about what you’ll do for meal preps if the electricity goes out in hot or cold weather is as important as having a food stockpile.

Having a refrigerator, deep freezer or upright freezer is a good way to store a lot of food, except when the electricity goes out. You need to always consider this possibility when purchasing food to last a long time.

Other ways of having adequate food could involve foraging for your needs, hunting, fishing, canning, dehydrating, and root cellaring.

Having a Backup to Your Backup

There’s a saying: “Two is one and one is none and three is better.”

Another rule of threes is about having a backup to your backup.

This rule of threes here has to do with having your primary way of doing something, a backup to that primary aspect, and then having a backup to that backup. This redundancy could save your life.

Take a look at your situation. What’s your primary source of sheltering issues? Water? Food? Beyond that, what would you want to have backups for? Don’t just get one extra, get a second extra. You may need it. Think about what you use regularly then get two extras. For instance, get two manual can openers to back up your electric can opener.

If you want to gain more control of your life by growing your own food, I have written several books that can help you get started. All available on Amazon.

Gourmet Weeds

Purchase Gourmet Weeds

Simply Vegetable Gardening

The Survival Garden

The Four Seasons Vegetable Garden

Help From Kelp

Using Diatomaceous Earth Around the House and Yard

Calming Herbal Tea Workshop: 9 Herbs for Ultimate Relaxation

There’s so much stress in the world today that a good hot, calming tea at the end of a hectic day is just what the body needs to reset for a relaxing evening at home.

There’s Nothing Like a Cup of Tea

Last week I wrote about an event I attended by my herbalist friend Magic Keller and shared some of what I learned about the herbs that grow in my backyard.

This week I had the privilege of attending another workshop by Magic Keller. This event was slightly different in that it was a hands-on workshop about 9 medicinal herbs that are used to make a custom blend that we were able to take home.

Magic explained to us about catalyst or flavor flag herbs. Catalysts add to the effectiveness of the herbs and flavor flags improve flavors of other herbs that may not taste as good.

Nine Herbs To Chill By

We were introduced to nine common herbs that are known to have calming effects on the body.

Chamomile

This herb is often used as a relaxing base herb. It is safe for children. It is said to be safe for nursing mothers to drink when nursing colicky babies and has positive affects for the child. It’s cooling, relaxing and drying.

Do not take if you’re allergic to sunflower butter. Drinking too much chamomile tea can cause heartburn.

Tulsi (Holy Basil)

This tasty member of the mint family is a flavor flag. It helps improve the stress response and is cumulative. It balances energy levels. For best results to get fresh material, purchase directly from a farm or grow yourself.

Lavender

Lavender is well known for its cooling, relaxing, and aroma. A cup of this tea will help in gas and bloating relief. It relaxes muscles. Its leaves and flowers are a flavor flag.

Oatstraw (oatmeal plant)

Creates an accumulative effect of the neural system It is a tonic and mineral milk.

Licorice

Licorice herb has a flavor flag that people either love or don’t like at all. Good for dry cough and is also a catalyst.

Do not use if you have adema or high blood pressure.

Skullcap

Another member of the mint family, skullcap is a bitter herb that is good for circular thought. It is also good to relieve tightness in the neck and shoulders and offers relief from headaches. It is safe for children.

Passionflower

It is aromatic and provides an uplifting feeling when served as a tea. Its calming effects aids against “merry-go-round thoughts”. It offers an analgesic effect and is an antispasmodic.

Do not use this herb if you are on MOAs as it is an MOA inhibitor. Do not use if you are on beta-blockers. This herb is not recommended for children under 10 years old.

Lemon Balm

This is an aromatic herb that offers an uplifting feeling when used. It relieves a “nervous tummy”. It is a mellow herb so blend it with something stronger. Do not use lemon balm if you have hypothyroid or are on thyroid medications.

Stevia

The primary use of stevia in a blend like this would be to sweeten the tea blend. The commercial application of this herb is questionable because often the products contain cheap unhealthy fillers. These commercial products are found to cause hormonal disruptions. If, however, you grow and dry your own stevia, those effects are limited.

My Custom Calming Blend

The best part of the workshop was the fact that we were able to create our own custom calming blend. We were instructed to create an herb blend based on what effects we wanted. I wanted an herb blend to counter anxiety.

We were to choose two key herbs, one catalyst or flavor flag, and two supporting herbs. In other words, the blends would have five total herbs in the blend.

My Custom Anti-Anxiety Herbal Blend

¾ cup of dried oatstraw

¾ cup of dried skullcap

2 tablespoons of dried chamomile

¼ cup dried tulsi

!/4 cup dried Lemon Balm

Mix the dried herbs together and put in a bag and label with the contents and steeping instructions.

Steeping Instructions: Steep 1 teaspoon of tea blend with one cup of hot water, strain. Add raw local honey to taste. Enjoy.

Note: This information has been for entertainment purposes only. Always be aware of the contraindications of herbal use when taking prescription medications.

Have you picked up your copies of my garden-related books yet?

My Gardening-Related Books

If you’re interested in putting in a vegetable garden this year, I have written several books that can help you get started. All available on Amazon.

Gourmet Weeds

Purchase Gourmet Weeds

Simply Vegetable Gardening

The Survival Garden

The Four Seasons Vegetable Garden

Help From Kelp

Using Diatomaceous Earth Around the House and Yard

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There’s a Medicine Cabinet in My Backyard

And I didn’t even know it!

This past week I went to a workshop put on by a friend of mine about medicinal remedies found in our area. The first thing she did was remind us that she was not a doctor and that what worked for her would not necessarily work for everyone and that what she shared was not meant to be a replacement for professional medical care.

Of the medicinal herbs that she mentioned, many of them are here in my backyard.

Broadlead and Narrowleaf Plantain (Plantago major and Plantago lanceolata)

Broadleaf and Narrowleaf Plantain- These two herbs are both common and very similar and can be used interchangeably. It can be used to treat itching from insect bites by using a spit poultice (just as it sounds, chew up a leaf and apply the poultice you’ve created to the bite.) I have found instant relief. If using your saliva grosses you out too much, you can also make a tea preparation to spray onto the bite or an oil or ointment to apply onto the bite for immediate treatment.

This herb can also be eaten raw in a salad or steamed for greens for super nutrition.

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)

Another common plant in our area is the Rose of Sharon. I have one of these small trees in my yard right now. The entire flower can be shredded and placed in a gallon of water and stored in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. The resulting water can be put in a bottle and sprayed onto dry or sunburned skin. You can also drink the water when you have dry mouth or need to be rehydrated very quickly.

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra)

This time of year elderberry is picked locally for its medicinal properties. The juice from the berries have been shown to build up the body’s immune system and is one of the few known antivirals. I can personally attest to this. My husband and I used elderberry during the Covid pandemic and neither one of us had the disease even though I taught sixth graders who had difficulty keeping masks on their faces during the time. Another woman in our workshop said that last fall and winter she and her children avoided getting colds and the flu. By contrast, her husband refused to take the elderberry syrup and he got sick several times last season.

Other people talked about how elderberry syrup helped them recover from the flu and C19.

Different ways exist to make elderberry syrup. Here’s how I do it. I use only the ripest berries and remove all stems and unripe berries as the cooked ripe berries and blossoms are not toxic. I then cover the ripe berries with 3 times as much water as you have berries. Cook this down by half and strain out the juice from the berries and seeds. Sweeten to taste with local raw honey. I then added an equal amount of brandy to the resulting juice and stored it in the refrigerator. We swallowed 1 tablespoon of this delicious syrup every day.

Make a tincture of elderflowers when someone needs to sweat to help break a fever.

Juniper (Juniperus virginiana)

Juniper or eastern red cedar needles can be dried and used in tea or can be used fresh as in a steam treatment to treat respiratory issues.

Juniper berries are super strong diarrhetic and should only be used for extreme circumstances while under the supervision of an experienced herbalist.

Perilla Mint (Perilla frutescens)

Perilla mint contains chemicals that might decrease swelling and help reduce the growth of cancer cells. People use perilla for hay fever, asthma, canker sores, dementia, and many other conditions.

Perilla mint is a common mint in my backyard and since it is readily available, I will be using it in place of other mints in my summer iced tea to keep me cool in the summer months.

Ragweed (Ambrosia asteraceae)

Ragweed is one of those cases where the cure and the cause are the same. Make a ragweed honey. To make the honey, warm some honey to between 90-100 degrees F. (Local honey is best because it also has anti-allergy properties). Add crushed ragweed leaves and leave the ragweed in the honey until honey changes color. Take a tiny amount of the honey every couple of hours until you get relief. If you find yourself getting a reaction to the ragweed in the honey. Stop taking it immediately.

Goldenrod (Solidago asteraceae)

Goldenrod can also be used to help build immunity to the histamine reaction of ragweed. Make it into a tincture to use whenever allergies flare up.

Violets (Viola papilionacea)

This is not one of the herbs that are currently growing in my yard, because it is primarily available in the cooler spring months. My friend showed us how to use a violet blossom oil to help soften our skin. Plus, as stated in our book Gourmet Weeds, violet leaves and flowers are delicious in salads and steamed greens.

She suggested that for the best aromatic experience, we should all go out in the spring to pick a basket of violets, put our noses into the basket, and take a deep whiff for its aromatic well-being benefits.

These are just a few of the plants and herbal remedies she covered during the workshop. Next week she will be having another workshop where we will get a hands-on demonstration where we make our own teas. I look forward to telling you about that experience as well.

For more about nutritious weeds that may be found in your backyard, check out our book: Gourmet Weeds by Cygnet Brown and Kerry Kelley.

Gourmet Weeds

Three Affordable Essential Herbs that I Highly Recommend

As I have written in previous posts, my homestead experience is not just about growing our vegetables, fruits, and livestock. It’s also about providing at least some of our own energy so that we are not dependent on the system that the government has in place. In addition, it’s about protecting the environment so that I can pass on what I know to future generations.

I know that I can’t grow and produce everything here on the homestead. For instance, I am not going to be creating my own essential oils or all of the dried herbs I use. I might learn how to do it, but right now, I don’t need to make my own. I can purchase them online so I do.

I’m not one for using many different herbs for all sorts of ailments. Right now I am using three for some very specific purposes.

The Herbs I Use Regularly

Lavender

Lavender smells great and is used in perfumes. It can be used as an oil or dried for teas.

Lavender oil is produced via steam distillation from the flowers of the lavender plant. The plant has a distinctive, fragrant scent. Its has a sweet, flowery aroma that many like.

Lavender essential oil can be used in many ways. It has positive effects on the nervous system, and calms both your body and mind.

This is why I like to use it for washing clothes and bedsheets. I add a couple drops to each load of laundry. Not only do I wash the sheets and clothes with it, but I also put a few drops on the bed pillows and throw them in the clothes dryer for a few minutes to give them the essence of the lavender as well.

I also use Lavender as an antiseptic to support healthier skin. I have bath salts with dried lavender. A great addition to a bubble bath.

I also add lavender oil to my favorite carrier oil coconut oil to help decrease wrinkles and age spots. Dermatologists also recommend lavender in acne treatment and it helps regulate hormones and reduce scarring.

Lavender oil in coconut oil is also great for easing the ache of muscles and joints at the end of a physically taxing day.

I also use Lavender oil to treat mild skin irritations such as burns and wounds. Its anti-inflammatory properties repel bacteria and other irritants. Lavender is believed to also help the wound heal faster.

It soothes insect bites and can act as a repellent. We have a spray bottle of water in which we put several drops of lavender oil and spray ourselves whenever we go outside.

The oil can be added to shampoo to ward off fleas, ticks, and lice. It can also be used to treat and prevent dandruff.

Do not use lavender on cats, however, as it is toxic to them.

Although I have never made it myself, lavender soap works great as a cleanser.

A tea made of lavender leaves is good for relieving respiratory problems associated with colds and flu.

Tea Tree Oil

Although I have had tea tree tea and it is extremely useful, I don’t use it. However, I do use tea tree essential oil. Tea tree essential oil also has several uses, including keeping skin, hair, and nails healthy.

A couple of drops of tea tree oil to my liquid hand soap to help ward off bacteria and fungus every time I wash my hands.

Tea tree oil’s antibacterial effects may help manage underarm odor related to perspiration.

I want to make my own safe and effective natural deodorant from tea tree oil and other ingredients and it’s on my list of things to do.

Mix one teaspoon of coconut oil and one drop of tea tree oil to make a great antiseptic.

A drop of tea tree oil on the bandage every time you change it to help promote healing.

Every year I seem to get a fungal infection on one nail. I have successfully used tea tree oil to get rid of nail fungus alone or in combination with other natural remedies. Usually, I place a drop directly on the affected nail and allow it to dry before covering it or putting on socks and shoes. I reapply the oil every time I bathe.

Tea tree oil can be added to a glass of water and used as a mouthwash to help reduce the inflammation of gingivitis. Do not swallow! Spit it out.

Tea tree oil added to your shampoo can also be used to treat dandruff. It also helps deter lice.

Tea tree oil makes a great all-purpose cleaner that also sanitizes surfaces. In addition to being effective against certain bacteria and fungi, it is also believed to be a disinfectant and prevents transmission of coronaviruses, including COVID-19.

A few drops of tea tree oil in water, when you’re washing fruits and vegetables, are said to prevent mold from growing on them. With the price of food today anything we can do to keep our foods fresh longer is a plus in my book!

Peppermint

Peppermint is an aromatic herb in the mint family. It’s a hybrid mint that’s a cross between spearmint and watermint.

Peppermint tastes good. I have always loved the soul-opening flavor of steeped tea made with peppermint leaves. A few peppermint leaves added to a glass of tea will cool me on even the hottest summer day.

A remedy for a variety of conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), nausea, and other digestive issues, as well as the common cold and headaches.

Drinking peppermint tea can help relieve an upset stomach.

I have used a couple of drops of peppermint oil dropped into coconut oil as a carrier oil as a topical application for relief from itching, muscle pain, and headache. I have even put a drop of peppermint oil directly on my forehead and on the back of my neck to relieve stress headaches.

I like mixing tea tree oil and peppermint oil in the mornings to help relieve achy joints.

Peppermint oil also has mild antimicrobial properties. Various studies have determined its effectiveness against different types of bacteria and fungi.

It has a fresh, pleasing scent added to soaps and cosmetic products either homemade or purchased from the store.

If you’re interested in putting in a vegetable garden this year, I have written several books that can help you get started. All available on Amazon.

Gourmet Weeds

Purchase Gourmet Weeds

Simply Vegetable Gardening

The Survival Garden

The Four Seasons Vegetable Garden

Help From Kelp

Using Diatomaceous Earth Around the House and Yard