By James Smith

19 May 2012

Learning how to dehydrate food is very simple and easy. Drying food is also a great way to   to save on your overall food costs and eat healthy.

With the need to prep in mind, knowing how to dehydrate food has a number of advantages:

• Drying is a low-cost way to preserve food.
• Dried foods retain more of their nutrients than bottled or canned.
• Dehydrated fruits & vegetables require less storage space than bottled or canned goods.
• Storing the dehydrated foods does NOT require electricity.
• Drying removes the moisture from the food so bacteria, yeast and mold cannot grow and spoil the food.
• Drying also slows down the action of enzymes (naturally occurring substances which cause foods to ripen), but does not inactivate them.

Because drying removes moisture, the food becomes smaller and lighter in weight. When the food is ready for use, the water is added back, and the food returns to its original shape.

How To Dehydrate your food:

Foods can be:

1. dried in a food dehydrator,
2. in an oven,
3. by the sun itself,
4. or by using a solar dehydrating unit.

All of these methods work by using the right combination of warm temperatures, low humidity and air current. We will discuss these options below:

How to use a food dehydrator-

A food dehydrator is an electrical appliance made for drying food indoors. A dehydrator has an electric element for heat with a fan and vents for air circulation. Dehydrators are designed to dry foods quickly at 140°F.

1. Read the manual.

2. Start with the fresh fruits and vegetables you like to eat – but not overripe!

3. Clean, and slice all fruits and vegetables, taking care to maintain consistency in the thickness of the slices.Use a stainless steel knife to avoid discoloration

4. Treat apples, pears and other fruits prone to oxidation with citrus juice or ascorbic acid (Fruit Fresh). This will help to retain the color of the fruit before, during and after the drying process.

5. Blanche for 3-5 minutes -  broccoli, cauliflower, celery, carrots, corn, peas and potatoes to speed drying time and to help maintain color.

6. Optional: Add salt, sugar or spices to flavor.

7. Now, load your fruit and vegetable slices onto the dehydrator trays.

8. Turn your dehydrator on and wait approximately 8 to 12 hours.

9. As you reach the end of the drying time, check frequently for dryness. . If the slice feels dry to the touch, it should be adequately dried.

10. Package and store your dehydrated food.

Websites:

• http://readynutrition.com/resources/dehydrate-foods-for-long-term-storage_31032010
• /http://www.budget101.com/frugal/dehydrated-dried-food-mixes-186/
• http://www.all-things-emergency-prepared.com/how-to-dehydrate-food.html

Videos – 12 videos at 104 minutes

16 May 2012

A spud gun is a great way to knock down the bad guy who comes pounding down your door. It’s quick to load, quick to fire, and quick to crack a rib or face mask. What are some uses for a spud gun:

1. Broadcast spreading of seeds
2. Sending over a lifeline to shore
3. Sending a beer to a friend – a long ways away
4. Stopping a home invader

This is a quick and dirty description of how to build one:

** All PVC, including fittings, Must be pressure rated Schedule 40.

Websites:

• http://gooadam.hubpages.com/hub/how_to_build_a_potato_gun
• http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-make-spud-gun-potato-launcher-spud-cannon-267296/
• http://www.ehow.com/how_2312301_build-potato-cannon.html
• http://www.angelfire.com/80s/sixmhz/coolstuff.html

Videos: 8 videos at 33 minutes

12 May 2012

We are down to 222 days left until the Mayan Calendar runs out. A recent dig has uncovered an older calendar that says we still have 4,000 years left on the meter. Like new discoveries won’t change things. If the newest calendar is correct – then it is correct like the latest medical information. Just because old information contradicts new information does not make it more correct.

That being said, let’s talk about killing bugs. Bugs, on the whole, are bad for the house and garden. A body louse is no fun on either man or animal. So let’s make a treatment for bugs – one that you can make after a collapse:

Pyrethrin is a common pesticide found in many organic applications and even for head lice. It’s a no brainer to make, but let’s do this safely:

“Pyrethrins are considered relatively nontoxic to mammals, including humans. However, pyrethrin I is deemed a “Restricted Use Pesticide” by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and its availability and use is limited to certified applicators. This may be due to the fact that pyrethrins are highly toxic to fish, and moderately toxic to birds and bees. Pyrethrin compounds do not persist in the environment since they readily biodegrade when exposed to oxygen, moisture and sunlight. ” SOURCE

When you make it, only make enough for that one application! Let’s only use fresh stuff to be the most effective!!!

The Recipe

Pyrethrum powder:

Grind flowers to a dust. Use pure or mix with a carrier like talc, lime or diatomaceous earth (DE). Sprinkle over infested plants. Py-mack can be used in a similar manner.

Pyrethrum spray:

1. Mix 20 g ( less than 1 ounce) pyrethrum powder with 10 litres (2.5 gallons) water. Soap can be added to make the substance more effective but it is not vital. Strain and apply immediately as a spray. For best effects this should be applied in the evening.

2. The active ingredients can also be extracted by alcohol. Mix one cup powdered pyrethrum flowers with1/8 cup of isopropyl alcohol (the blue alcohol used in house cleaning) or kerosene. Cover the container and let it sit overnight. Strain through a clean cotton cloth, then store the extract in a tightly sealed and a labelled container. When you need to use it, add 3 litres of water to the extract and spray.

3. Dofour preparation (for large scale spraying): 1 to 1.5 kg (1-3 pounds) dried pyrethrum is mixed into 100 litres of water and 3 litres of liquid dish soap. Strain and spray. The addition of soap is supposed to increase the efficacy four-fold.

Some tips:

• Since pyrethrum is a contact poison the target pest must be present and hit by the spray. Flying insects such as cucumber beetle should be sprayed early in the morning when they are sluggish and bee pollinators are not present.
• Older studies: Pyrethrum is a broad-spectrum insecticide used to control true bugs, caterpillars, beetles, aphids, flies, mites, whiteflies, thrips and leafhoppers (Casida, 1973).
• Specific pest species controlled by pyrethrum as noted in the older literature include potato leafhopper, beet leafhopper, cabbage looper, celery leaf tier, Say’s stink bug, twelve-spotted cucumber beetle, six-spotted leafhopper, lygus bugs on peaches, grape thrips, flower thrips, grape leafhopper, and cranberry fruitworm.
• It was not considered particularly effective against flea beetles, imported cabbageworm, diamondback moth, aphids on spinach or lygus bugs on alfalfa (Casida 1973).
• Pyrethrin and pyrethrum insecticides are mildly to toxic to mammals. Prolonged contact with the skin can produce a rash, and inhaling dust or spray can cause headaches and sickness.If you suffer from hay fever, avoid contact with pyrethrum flowers or py-mack. Some people have allergic reactions to them.
• Pyrethrins and related products tend to work best at lower temperatures and cloudy conditions. The efficacy is reduced when sprayed at midday on a hot day.
• Pyrethrin and pyrethrum insecticides will kill natural enemies including lady beetles, but do not appear to be harmful to bees.
• Though the effect of pyrethrum is as a nerve poison, the insects can sometimes recover from the amounts required to produce a knock down effect within 24 hours (especially if the extract is made from slightly older flowers). Close observation is required to ensure complete death of the targeted pests. If they recover, it means a higher concentration is needed.

Websites:

• http://pyrethrum.com/FAQs.aspx
• http://www.infonet-biovision.org/default/ct/231/recipesForOrganicPesticides
• http://www.gardenguides.com/88255-make-organic-pesticide.html
• http://www.ehow.com/how_4746376_make-natural-pesticide.html
• http://www.countryfarm-lifestyles.com/natural-pesticides.html

Videos: 9 videos at 44 minutes