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Livestock

Winter usually means the end of the growing season, shorter daylight hours, and possibly bitter cold temperatures.

That means your livestock will need to be handled very differently. The preparation leading up to winter will determine how well your livestock come through the winter months.

Preparation is Important

Following are some tips to prepare your livestock and homestead for the cold months ahead.

First, make sure your animals are in the best condition possible going into the winter months. Nothing takes more of a toll on livestock than to enter into the winter in poor condition.

Fall is a time to rid your livestock of internal and external parasites. That will help them gain and maintain their weight during a time when temperatures are lower and fresh green growth is not available. In cold climates, an enormous amount of calories are used simply to maintain body heat.

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Livestock Need Sufficient Shelter

The next area to look at is your livestock shelter arrangements for the winter. The three winter rules are:

• Keep them dry.
• Keep them free of drafts and wind.
• Provide housing large enough to accommodate all the stock.

Not providing enough space for your livestock can mean injuries from crowding or more submissive animals being forced out in the cold.

Don’t confuse “free of drafts and wind” with ventilation. Any building structure needs to have adequate ventilation to keep air quality acceptable for the animals and avoid moisture problems.

Check buildings for loose or missing roofing, and repair any leaks. Keeping animals dry will go a long way toward keeping them healthy and comfortable.

The best way to cut down on wind chill is to make certain barn openings are on the downwind side of the structure. Know your prevailing winds, and position openings to be the least affected by the wind.

Livestock

Plenty of Clean Bedding

A common mistake is not providing enough bedding material for animals in the winter. It makes no sense to spare bedding while simultaneously feeding more feeds to keep the stock warm and maintain condition. If they are young and growing, it’s even more important.

An easy way to provide solar heat to your livestock housing is by adding some clear panels to the roof. If you have metal roofing, this is accomplished by removing the screws holding on the metal and replacing it with clear sheets of roofing material. This will add extra light and heat during the day that your stock will enjoy.

Fresh Clean Water

The time to check water systems is before the temperatures drop below freezing. Make sure everything is in proper working order and insulate or add heat tape where needed.

Livestock need access to clean water at all times. If they are rushing to get a drink when you break the ice on your water troughs, it’s a sure sign that they aren’t getting enough to drink. Water is the body’s temperature regulation system. Dehydrated stock have a hard time maintaining body heat.

Cold or wet animals eat more feed, have lower immunity, and lose condition during winter months. This can be avoided by making certain they have dry, draft-free housing with plenty of room and bedding for everyone.

Winter can be a trying time for livestock, but following these guidelines will help with creature comfort, and you’ll sleep better at night as the cold winter wind blows outside knowing your livestock are dry and warm.

What advice would you add on keeping livestock warm during the winter? Share your advice in the section below:

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The post How To Ensure Your Livestock Survive The Winter appeared first on Ron Goes On Safari.

There are lots of ways to stay cool off-grid without air conditioning.

Since I am living in a century-old home off-grid without air conditioning during what is shaping up to be the hottest summer on record in the Pacific Northwest, I am learning some lessons on staying cool.

First, we need to take heat seriously. Heat can be a killer. Heat waves kill more people each year in the United States than all of the other natural disasters combined. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), more than 400 Americans die from heat-related illnesses in a typical year. That number is more than deaths from winter storms, extreme cold, floods, lightning, tornadoes and hurricanes put together.

So what are some low-cost, low-energy ways to keep cool– or at least somewhat comfortable – during a heat wave, off-grid without air conditioning. Here are a dozen “hot” ideas:

1. Change your activity schedule. Whenever possible, perform chores and other outside activities during the coolest part of the day. You may need to start earlier or end later, depending on when you get your cooler temperatures, but it will be well worth it.

2. Stay hydrated. Your body gets dehydrated much more quickly during extreme heat. Sweating, the human body’s main cooling mechanism, uses your body’s water. Our perspiration does not evaporate easily when the air itself is full of moisture, so we feel hotter on humid days.

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To compensate, you need to drink more water in hot weather and even more in hot, humid weather. If you feel thirsty, you are already on your way to becoming dehydrated. This summer, I have gotten into the habit of taking a water bottle with me pretty much everywhere I go.

3. Use a spray bottle. And fill it with water or a damp washcloth, damp bandana or commercially-sold “cooling towels” to help reduce your body temperature. Apply them on your forehead, behind your neck and on your feet for quick relief.

4. Wear loose, natural-fiber clothing in light colors. According to Cotton Council International, loose cotton clothing allows air circulation, which helps absorb perspiration and helps keep your body dry and cool. Light colors help light to pass through the fabric instead of being absorbed by the fabric. This is one of the  off-grid without air conditioning methods.

5. Use window coverings. I love summer sunshine, but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing this time of year. Keep shades and curtains drawn to reduce heat in your home when the sun is out.

6. Create cross ventilation. Keep windows open – especially windows that are on opposite sides of the home – to creates cross breezes. Install screens on windows and doors to keep insects out. As the day heats up, shut some windows to retain some of the cooler air. This is a off-grid without air conditioning method for survival.

7. Use fans. Window fans, ceiling fans and room fans don’t cool the air, but they do help air to circulate and therefore, provide relief. To cool the air a bit, try making an old-fashioned “swamp cooler” by placing a bucket or pan of ice or ice water in front of a fan. Invest in some battery-operated fans.

8. Minimize use of appliances. Your oven will heat up your kitchen. Limit its use by having cold suppers or by grilling outdoors. Dry your laundered clothing items on a line to reduce use of your clothes dryer. Hand wash and let dishes air dry as well rather than running your dishwasher.

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9. Reduce use of certain bulbs and lighting fixtures. Halogen bulbs, for instance, can generate a great deal of heat. LED lights and compact fluorescents will keep your home cooler.

10. Cool off in a pool or bathtub. Even a child’s wading pool can be effective in cooling you off considerably. If you feel silly sitting in a plastic pool, you can feel results by soaking your feet in the cool water for a while.

11. Eat lighter. There’s a reason we like to eat more fruit and salad during hot weather. They help hydrate us. Leafy greens, cucumbers, celery, tomatoes and watermelon are about 90 percent water, so they can help keep your body cool.

Also, you may want to turn up the heat – in your mouth, that is. Curries, chillies and other spicy foods can enhance circulation and cause you to sweat, which helps to cool the body down.

12. Let yourself build up a tolerance. Do you ever wonder how people have survived heat waves before air conditioning? By confining ourselves to air-conditioned homes, offices and stores, we have changed the way our bodies respond to heat. When you allow your body to experience heat and sweating, you can actually become accustomed to the heat. (It doesn’t mean you enjoy it; it means you can tolerate it.)

Here are some other quick tips for off-grid without air conditioning:

• Take cool showers.
• Decrease bathroom heat and humidity by running the bathroom fan after you shower.
• Let your hair air dry for a cooling effect.
• Close your fireplace flue to avoid losing cool air or introducing more hot air from the chimney.

Finally, here’s a word to all of the iced tea and iced coffee lovers out there. While the time-honored advice has been to avoid caffeinated beverages when the mercury soars, that thinking has changed.

According to the Institute of Medicine, caffeinated beverages supply us with more water than their caffeine causes us to lose. So if they help you stay hydrated this summer, drink up!

What are your tips for staying cool without air conditioning?

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When you lose power, the first thing you usually think of is how to keep your food cold during the outage.

Whether it’s the wind of a severe thunderstorm in the summer, the weight of an ice storm in the winter or even a traffic accident that takes down a power line, you can experience a power outage any time of year.

If you are like most people, one of the first things you think about when your power goes out is the food in your refrigerator and freezer. How long can your food safely last without power?

If possible, preparation and caution are two paths you should follow to protect your food supply. First, let’s look at preparation.

Preparation

Ensure that you have appliance thermometers in your fridge and your freezer. Your refrigerator should maintain a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. However, your freezer should be 0 degrees or lower.

If the weather forecast calls for severe storms, another way to prepare is by freezing quart-size plastic bags of water to use as makeshift ice packs in the event of a power failure. Fill the bags about three-fourths full of water and fit them around your frozen and refrigerated food to help keep them cold. Another way to prepare for a power outage is by maintaining at least a three-day supply of ready-to-eat-food for your family.

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Caution

When the power goes out, it is important to conserve the cold air that you do have in your appliances. Open the refrigerator and freezer doors as little as possible.

When kept closed, a refrigerator will keep food appropriately chilled for approximately four hours. A full freezer will keep foods frozen for about 48 hours, and a half-full freezer will do the same for 24 hours. If your freezer is not full, you can help things stay frozen by grouping them together.

If you know that your power will be out for more than 24 hours, you can purchase dry or block ice to extend the cooling time. A 50-pound package of dry ice will help keep the food in a full 18-cubic-foot freezer frozen for about two days.

When your power comes back on, check each food item separately for spoilage. Dispose of any product that feels warm to the touch or that has an unusual smell or appearance. Do not taste food to determine its safety. Instead, follow the credo, “When in doubt, throw it out.”

Check for ice crystals or a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below for your frozen foods. Frozen food that has partly thawed or completely thawed may be safely refrozen if it still reveals ice crystals.

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Final Thoughts

All foods are considered safe when kept in an unopened refrigerator that has been without power for up to four hours. After that four-hour window, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service recommends that you depose of cooked leftovers, meats, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, soft cheeses, salads and other perishable foods. Always dispose of any food items that may have come into contact with raw meat or its juices.

Most condiments, however, are still safe after four hours without refrigeration. The good-to-go list includes ketchup, mustard, relish, jams, jellies, olives, soy sauce, barbecue sauce, certain hard cheeses as well as whole, un-cut fruits and vegetables.

The USDA maintains a website with specific rules on food safety after a power outage. Here are a few other helpful resources:

https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/refridg_food.html

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/d3506874-2867-4190-a941-d511d3fcae71/Keep_Your_Food_Safe_During_Emergencies.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2016/09/26/are-you-and-your-food-prepared-power-outage

https://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm076881.html

https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/food-safety

What are your best tips for keeping food cold when the power’s out? Share your tips in the section below:

The post Simple Ways To Keep Food Cold When The Power’s Out appeared first on Ron Goes On Safari.

There are several grass clipping uses that actually improve your soil.

People that have lawns both small and big can understand how much of a chore cutting the grass can be. But even worse – what do you do in all the grass clippings once you’ve finished mowing? The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that yard waste is the reason for 18% of the refuse that individuals dump into landfills – rising to 50% during the growing season!

Approximately 75% of this waste comprises grass clippings with the remainder being tree leaves and limbs. Given that landfills are starting to be in want of space and many have banned grass clippings anyway. So isn’t it about time that we put our grass clippings to a positive use? Allow me to share some grass clipping uses that you probably never would have imagined:

1. Mulching

Mulch is the term used to describe any form of material that someone spreads on the soil as a covering. Organic mulches serve to retain moisture, suppress weeds, render the ground cool and enhance its fertility. Grass clippings, make an excellent organic mulch which has high amounts of nitrogen, something all plants would need to grow and flourish. Install a quarter-inch thick layer of fresh,  grass clippings around flowers and flower beds. This acts as a obtain free, organic mulch. If it’s thicker than that, the grass won’t be able to digest fast enough and may even proceed to smell as it decomposes. Dried clippings – which serve as a perfect mulch for vegetable crops – can very well be spread on thicker than a fourth of an inch.

2. Raised Beds

Raised bed gardening is among the most proven methods to try in your garden! In case you maintain a container garden or raised beds, you’ll be excited to hear that they are actually an easy way to dispose of your excess grass clippings. To enhance soil quality and boost your yield, consider utilizing the Lasagna Method of soil mixing. It involves creating several layers of fabric to fill the bed and nourish your plants. In the lower regions of the beds, layer one part grass clippings with two parts shredded leaves. This mixture will slowly compost with time into fertile soil. The clippings really should be layered thinly to avoid matting. Once the beds are almost full (within six to 12 inches from the original top), put in a compostable barrier. Use things like cardboard and fill the rest with each of your chosen soil mixes.

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3. Animal Food

Grass clippings can be utilized to make fodder for cattle feed. Some tests have concluded that silage constructed from recent clippings contains a protein content of 18.2%, along with a digestible matter content of 68% – significantly superior in comparison to hay, which generally averages a digestible matter content of about 59%. Alongside feeding cattle, grass clippings might be a viable supplementary source of food for sheep. The end product from several studies indicates that you can use grass clippings as an inexpensive, renewable feed source for all of your animals. Even if you don’t have animals, check if your neighbors have an interest in using your grass clippings. Remember: never use clippings from grass which has been chemically treated to feed live animals.

4. Lawn Clipping Tea

Making a compost tea out of your compost pile and your compostable items is an excellent strategy to suppress disease, amplify the variety of nutrients now available to plants, speed up the breakdown of toxins, and enhance the nutritional content and taste of vegetables. To brew a lawn clipping tea, place your freshly cut grass in a bucket of water and enable it to steep. Beneficial nutrients like potassium, nitrogen, phosphorous, chlorophyll and amino acids will leach from the grass directly into the water. After about two weeks, strain the liquid and use this tea to feed your plants by pouring on their roots or spraying toward their leaves.

5. Composting

Supposing you don’t want to leave them laying on the lawn, one of the most natural tactics is to put grass clippings to good use within your garden by composting them. Once you prepare the clippings in the right manner, you can then recycle the nutrients from grass into other sections of your garden. A suitable compost pile needs a mixture of green and brown materials. Freshly cut grass, which many people have touted as ‘green,’ consequently would need to be balanced out through the addition of brown material, like dry leaves, branches, twigs or paper. When adding fresh grass clippings, remember to turn the grass straight into the pile to increase aeration and prohibit compaction. Alternatively, it’s possible to leave your grass clippings to change color and dry out on their own. In this way, they can eventually serve as brown material in a natural manner!

6. Recycling

If you’re producing more grass clippings than you can use, the best possible option is usually to bring unwanted clippings to your local recycling center. This facility can dispose of them in an environmentally clean and efficient manner.

7. One More Just For Fun: Natural Easter Egg Dye 

Grass clippings can produce a fantastic, natural green dye color for Easter eggs.  You will also find out that it is considered an organic fabric dye! So save some for next Easter.

Avoid Burning Your Grass Clippings

In addition to the fact that the law prohibits burning of grass clippings or leaves in plenty of states and countries. Unfortunately, burning wet grass clippings and green materials creates a thick smoke.

This smoke can easily be harmful to health and, of course, the environment. Thus, researchers with the Agricultural Research Service in Albany, California have discovered an alternative method to turn ordinary grass clippings into environmental fireplace logs that might be on sale in the future, so keep your eyes peeled!

The post Great Summertime “Off-The-Grid” Grass Clipping Uses appeared first on Ron Goes On Safari.

Butterflies are attracted to many different flowers.

Butterflies — those small, beautiful “flying flowers” of nature — are always a welcome sight in our gardens and herald the coming of summer. Their unique and colorful designs inspire artists and enchant children. How do we encourage butterflies to visit our garden?

By having a variety of annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs that bloom, nectar will be available all season long. Plant flowers and herbs that will feed all stages of butterflies. Caterpillars, newly emerged butterflies and mature butterflies all have their favorite type of food. Butterflies enjoy flowers both big and small, and the garden can be a large plot or just a window box. They also like open, sunny places that have water and shelter from the wind.

Find out which butterflies are common in your area and then plant flowers they like. Even try planting flowers for rarer butterflies because you never know what you may get. Combine herbs and flowers with shrubs and trees to create shelter. Of course, avoid insecticides and pesticides.

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Let’s take a look at some common flowers that attract butterflies. Keep in mind: These are the most common ones, and there is an endless list of flowers and herbs for butterflies.

1. Horsemint

Horsemint is considered an herb. It does its best in late summer and early fall, around September and October. It has square stems and lance-shaped leaves. Horsemint grows in clumps and varies in size from six inches to three feet. It often has purple or pink flowers. Horsemint does best in moist soil and full sun.

2. Dill

Here is another herb. It provides food for caterpillars as well as camouflage for all stages. Dill even provides food for the newly emerged butterflies. Dill blooms in late spring and early summer. It is known for getting quite tall, so plant it near the back of your garden to ensure it doesn’t overshadow smaller flowers. Dill has tiny, bright yellow flowers. It grows well in most soils and amounts of sunlight.

3. Fennel

Large, “lacy,” yellow flowers grace this herb. Fennel has been described as a feathery-style herb. It likes a lot of sun and well-draining, yet moist soil. It can grow up to three or five feet. Fennel blooms best in the months of July and August. It also can be used for other household things so is a very helpful plant for all.

4. Milkweed

Milkweed is a popular attractant for Monarch butterflies.

Although it has “weed” in the name, milkweed has beautiful flowers and is incredibly necessary for the survival of the Monarch butterfly. It loves sun and can grow from two to six feet. There are many varieties, and butterflies enjoy them all. Milkweed has thick stalks and large, green, waxy leaves. The stems become hollow as the plant matures. Milkweed flowers can be pink, purple or orange and bloom between the months of June and August.

5. Aster

A flower with many varieties, the Aster blooms closer to the fall months, but some asters can bloom anytime from spring to the first frost. It is usually a tall plant, ranging from 24 inches to five feet high. It is a multi-petaled flower with a button-like center. Asters range in colors of white, blue, purple, red and pink, with centers of yellow. Asters do best in full sun with well-drained soil.

6. Phlox

Phlox is a popular and pretty flower. It has tall stems, sometimes reaching up to four feet in height. It blooms from summer to fall, loving the full sun and well-drained soil. Phlox comes in all types of colors, the most common being pink, red, shades of purple, salmon and even white blooms.

7. Pansy

Arguably one of the most popular, annual garden flowers, pansies come in limitless varieties of colors. Some even have two or three colors. Pansies have heart-shaped, overlapping petals with face-like markings in the center. This flower handles cold well, but likes having full sun or partial shade. It is a stocky or bushy style of flower and only gets to be about four to eight inches tall.

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8. Coneflower

This is a low-maintenance prairie flower. It has large flowers in a variety of colors, with drooping petals and dark centers. It is hardy and long-blooming. Coneflowers can grow between two and four feet in height, doing most of their blooming in mid-summer. This type of flower loves full sun, but can handle partial shade. Be aware: Coneflowers will reach for the sun.

9. Snapdragon

Children and adults alike love snapdragons, making this flower popular all over the country. Very easy to grow and maintain, snapdragons come in limitless varieties of bright colors. Full sun to partial shade helps this flower do its best, and well-drained soil is needed, too. Snapdragons are a bushy-type perennial plant, and seem to do well in cooler weather.

10. Stargazer Lily

This is a tall, slender and elegant flower. It can grow up to three feet in height and has light pink to deep crimson blooms with dark spots and dark green leaves. The lily is a bulb plant. It flowers in the summer, usually between June and July. Stargazer lilies do best in full sun with well-drained soil.

Having a butterfly garden will bring a limitless amount of color and activity to your life. Enjoy watching the caterpillars grow into butterflies and then fly around your flowers and yard. It’s nature, pure and simple.

Have you grown a butterfly garden? Which flowers worked best for you? Share your tips in the section below:

The post 10 Flowers That Will Attract Colorful Butterflies To Your Garden appeared first on Ron Goes On Safari.

Gasoline Stockpiling?

Stockpiling supplies for an emergency is at the very core of survival. Unfortunately, though, not everything stores well, especially when we’re talking about months and years. Most food items don’t store well, but we are able to make up for that by the way we preserve and package them. Other items aren’t quite as easy.

Gasoline is one of these items. I think we all would agree that a good stockpile of gasoline will be extremely valuable in just about any survival scenario. The problem is in finding a way that we can store gasoline without it going bad.

What Makes Gasoline Go Bad?

Gasoline is not a simple chemical substance, such as ethanol or citrus acid. It’s a mixture of a number of different hydrocarbons, with the actual carbon ranging from four to 12 in a single atom. The fractional distillery which refines gasoline from petroleum also mixes in various additives, intended to help a vehicle’s performance.

Most of the chemicals in gasoline are highly volatile. Contrary to popular opinion, this doesn’t mean that they burn easily, but rather that they evaporate easily. It is the gasoline vapor, not the liquid gasoline, that we burn.

Typically, the most volatile parts of the gasoline mixture are also the most reactive or most flammable. As gasoline sits, these volatile parts evaporate, leaving the less flammable parts in place. While an internal combustion engine will still burn those parts and work, some efficiency will be lost.

The second thing that can go wrong with gasoline is that certain parts of it will oxidize, mixing with oxygen in the air to form new compounds. These new compounds are not as reactive as the original ones and, in fact, can cause problems in an engine. These new compounds congeal together, forming particles of a gum-like substance that can plug injectors and fuel filters. Fortunately, these are visible and filterable from the gasoline. They also cause the smell of the gasoline to change to a distinctly sour one.

Finally, the third culprit in the process of making gas go bad is water. The heating and cooling of the gasoline causes water to condense on the inside and outside of the container. The water condensation then mixes with the gas, reducing its reactivity.

What About Ethanol? 

Gasoline Storage Containers

In recent years, ethanol has been added to gasoline, in order to extend gasoline supplies. Typically, the gasoline we buy is 10 percent ethanol, or grain alcohol.

Chevron states on their website that adding ethanol to gasoline has no discernible effect on its life expectancy. However, ethanol is known to draw water out of the air, so it would seem that gasoline augmented with ethanol would absorb more water than pure gasoline would.

With all this, it would seem that it is virtually impossible to store gasoline for a prolonged period of time. Nevertheless, there are things that can be done in order to make it possible to store gasoline for months or even years.

Proper Gasoline Storage Containers

To start with, gasoline needs to be stored in truly airtight containers, whether metal or plastic. I prefer metal myself, as plastic containers can allow some small amount of oxygen to pass through. Generally speaking, the seals on plastic containers are made of plastic and there is a mold line running right through the sealing surface. Metal containers, on the other hand, do not have a mold line to contend with and use rubber seals.

During World War II, one of the ways that gasoline was shipped to the South Pacific was in five-gallon Jerry cans. Even with months of storage and shipping, the gas wouldn’t lose any of its potency. I use a 55-gallon drum, which seals tightly and has a non-sparking brass valve. The bung has been reinserted in the hole with Teflon tape to ensure that there are no air leaks.

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The fuller the container is, the less air there is in it to react with the gas. This will reduce the possibility of evaporation, oxidation and water contamination. However, a gas can should not be filled completely because some space needs to be left for expansion of the gas when it is hot.

It is safer to store gas outside the home, perhaps in a shed. But it is better for the gas if you can store it in a cool, dry place. The more consistent temperature will eliminate the expansion and contraction of the gasoline, allowing the container to be filled more. This also will reduce the likelihood of condensation by not allowing the gas to get cold enough to cause it.

Extending The Life Of Your Gasoline

Gas additives, such as Sta-bil, work well to extend the life of gas as well. They claim that they can add an additional six months to the life of the gas, without any other additives or change. Sta-bil works by replenishing chemicals that may have evaporated from the gas, and also reduces oxidation.

Another aid in storing gas for prolonged periods of time is to rotate your stock. Every month use five or 10 gallons of your existing stock and replace it with fresh gas. That ensures that you always have fresh gas on hand.

Finally, always be sure to filter any old gas, when using it in an internal combustion engine. That will allow you to remove any of the oxidized solids which have formed in the gas. This one step can make it possible to use gas that otherwise wouldn’t be usable.

What advice would you add on storing gasoline? Share your tips in the section below:

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The post The Best (And Safest) Way To Stockpile Gasoline appeared first on Ron Goes On Safari.

Dandelions aren’t just weeds

In today’s world, people want everything to be neat, tidy and uniform – including their yards. The grass, we’re told, should be one smooth, green carpet.

But that’s easier said than done! Everyone knows that if you don’t pull them or spray them, “weeds” such as dandelions will be the first thing to pop up and ruin that lawn.

Perhaps the real problem here isn’t dandelions, but our unnatural expectations of what things “should” look like, as well as what constitutes a “weed.”

My grandmother loved picking dandelions out in the fields behind her home. She would collect them in her apron or a bucket and proceed to make the most amazing things.

Of course, there is no denying that dandelions can have a bitter aftertaste, especially if you aren’t accustomed to them, but given time and a few tweaks, they can be delicious.

When you consider that these “weeds” are chock full of vitamins, such as A, B, C and D, as well as minerals, including potassium, iron and zinc, it’s no wonder that our ancestors didn’t need multivitamins!

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Here’s how our grandmothers used them:

1. Dandelions as food

Think of dandelions as you would other leafy greens, like lettuce or spinach. This means you can use them in:

• Salads (fresh from the yard, but washed).
• Soups or casseroles (fresh or dried).
• Green juices
• Stir fry (chopped up).

2. Dandelion tea

Yes, you can buy dandelion tea in almost every health food store, but why not learn how to make your own? My grandmother used both the greens and the root. Simply boil a little more than a cup of water, add about a tablespoon of dried leaves and/or root, and cover and allow to simmer for three or so minutes. Strain and add some honey. Speaking of honey……….

3. Dandelion honey

This isn’t actually a honey; this is more of a syrup. On occasion, when honey ran low, my grandmother would make this.

Start off by gathering a bunch (perhaps four cups) of dandelions, roots and all. Wash and place in a pot of boiling water. Allow to boil for about 3 minutes; cover, and turn off the fire. Allow to soak overnight. Strain out the dandelions, and put back on the stove under a very low flame. Add about a cup of sugar and the juice of one lemon. Leave the pot uncovered and simmer slowly for about 30 minutes or until it reaches a syrup-like consistency. Store in a glass jar and use like you would honey. This tastes so good, you won’t believe it! Try it on pancakes for a really different taste!

4. Dandelion wine

Dandelions are actually delicious

Everyone’s favorite, right?  If you really want to taste some homemade goodness, you simply must try dandelion wine. For this recipe, you will only need fresh flowers, no roots or leaves. Be sure to pull the green little stem at the bottom of the flower. All you want are the yellow petals (nothing green or the wine is very bitter)! There are dozens of recipes online, including this one.

5. Medicinal uses

These little yellow flowering plants have a wide variety of medicinal uses:

• Lower blood pressure.
• Calm an upset stomach.
• As a mild laxative.
• Remove warts.

Our ancestors used dandelions for many years before they had access to doctors or pharmaceuticals. If the unthinkable should happen, a little bit of knowledge about this important little plant will go a long way.

Keep in mind that dandelions are a natural diuretic, so if you are already taking diuretics or any other prescription medicines, you should check with your doctor or pharmacist.

Dandelions greens are at their most tender and delicious when you pick them before they start to flower. If they flower before you pull them, don’t worry! They will just need to be boiled or steamed a bit longer to make them softer. Or, you can still dry the leaves, flowers, and roots for later use.

And one last reminder: If you collect dandelions in the wild, or from a neighbor’s yard, be sure you aren’t collecting plants that have been sprayed with pesticides or where systemic pesticides have been applied.

How do you use dandelions? Share your tips in the section below:

The post 5 Forgotten Things Grandma Did With Dandelions appeared first on Ron Goes On Safari.

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Always ask landowners before wildcrafting and foraging.

Wildcrafting is the term that people refer to for collecting wild plants. Wild plants often have strong healing properties and exceptional flavor. I have never tasted a store bought strawberry that compared in flavor to the tiny alpine ones that grow freely in wild places. All in all, wildcrafting can be lots of fun. It is an excellent way to teach children about nature.

There are several guidelines that you will need to follow to protect you and the plants when in the wild.

Legally, be sure that you are allowed to gather if you are on public or private property. Moreover, always ask permission from landowners. You may be required to obtain a permit on public lands.

Educate yourself about plants prior to gathering. Carry a minimum of two field guides with you to aid with plant identification unless you are absolutely sure that you can correctly identify the plants that you are gathering. In particular, mushrooms and plants in the parsley and carrot family are often misidentified. Consuming the wrong plant may cause illness or death in some cases.

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Wildcrafting Rules Of Thumb

Learn what plants are endangered or at risk in your locale. State and federal agencies provide resource lists. Specifically, United Plant Savers is an organization that provides current information about medicinal herbs and their status in the wild. Sometimes plants may be abundant locally, yet be at risk or endangered as a whole. Never gather endangered or at-risk plants. Learn what common plants you can use as substitutes. If you purchase endangered or at-risk herbs, only purchase them from cultivated organic sources. If you desire to use at-risk herbs, plant your own. When planting, place them in habitats similar to their natural environments.

Gather a maximum of 10 percent of common herbs. Many herbalists replant as they gather. This is an excellent sustainable practice.

Wild stands of herbs and edibles are nature’s perennial gardens. Be respectful. Treat the wild garden with the same respect that you would treat a cultivated garden.

Wildcrafting Strategy

Select your foraging locale carefully. Do not harvest next to roads or in places that may have been sprayed with pesticides. Furthermore, only pick if there are large stands of plants present. Examine the stand of plants. Does it appear healthy? Is there evidence that other people have been harvesting there? Is it a fragile environment or one that will be negatively impacted by human presence? Know the area well. Ideally, you should observe the locale over several years to ensure the health of the plant stand. If it is growing and vigorous, then gather. If it is shrinking or unhealthy, do not collect at that site.

Remember that animals rely on native plants for survival. Consider the needs of local bears, birds, and other creatures, especially when harvesting fall nuts, fruits, and berries.

Additionally, if you are harvesting near hiking trails, only pick foods and herbs away from the trails. Allow others to see the beauty of the wild environment.

Do not pick all of the best specimens. Leave the outstanding flowers, seeds, and berries to strengthen the stand for the future.

Gather at the correct time of the day and year. Ideally, you should gather above ground plant parts in the late morning or early afternoon. Medicinal properties are stronger at those times. Also, dew has had time to dry so plants are less likely to decompose or mold.

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Wildcrafting Plans And Purpose 

Your best opportunity to gather roots and bark will be either in fall or spring. You should gather leaves and flowers when they are young. In addition, be sure to gather berries and nuts when ripe. Whenever possible, use plant parts from above the ground. If gathering roots, only remove a piece of a root. Replace the plant and water it. On the whole, only gather what you will use.

It makes no sense to gather plants if you are not going to prepare them promptly for storage. Will you be air drying on an extended camping trip? Are you returning home immediately to preserve the nutrients at their peak of freshness? Do you need to bring alcohol, vinegar, or glycerin for tincture making? Will you make an herbal oil on site? If you are planning to consume your bounty in the wild, is there fresh clean water available to wash the herbs, vegetables, and fruits? If you are making tea in the field, do you have the proper cooking supplies? Always use common sense and abide by regulations when fire building in nature.

Protecting wild plants means not revealing locations of plant stands to everyone that you know. Particularly, over 20 percent of plant species are threatened or endangered. In fact, some plants which were recently abundant are rapidly disappearing due to foragers.

Be sure to allow ample time to enjoy being out in the fresh air. Enjoy the spectacular sights, smells, and sounds that surround you while gathering. In short, foraging is not a trip to a local grocery store. It offers health and spiritual benefits simply by being immersed in native environments. Enjoy!

You may also enjoy reading an additional Off The Grid News article: Wildcrafting: 10 Foods Offered To You By Mother Nature

Do you have any other thoughts on wildcrafting and foraging? Let us know in the comments below.

The post Wildcrafting And Foraging Means Fabulous Food And Family Fun appeared first on Ron Goes On Safari.

Spring Storms are upon us.

The spring storm season is here, and for thousands of people in the United States, that means time to start preparing the homestead. It is important to becoming mentally aware of how to react should you find yourself in the midst of a natural disaster.

Summer and fall seasons bring a number of different types of storms, ranging from hurricanes and tornadoes to floods and wildfires. Being aware of the types of disasters your area is most prone to is important when preparing your home, and understanding your surroundings is key to being prepared. Ask yourself if you live in a mudslide or easily flooded area, and know what you and your family will do in case of an emergency. While forest fires can spread to nearly every region as quickly as the winds change, certain places know that they are more vulnerable to tornadoes, floods or hurricanes. Early preparation for your family and homestead is important when you only have a moment’s notice, so here are some tips to keep you as safe and secure as possible when natural disasters strike.

Equipment

While most people living the homestead lifestyle are probably already aware of the need for backup power, making sure that you have everything you need is another story. If you have solar generators as a backup, do you know how to use them in a power outage? If you use gas generators, do you have enough gas stockpiled? Combustibles should always be stored in appropriate containers and locked away from your home and children. Also, ensure you know where your fire extinguishers are and check yearly to see if they are filled and working properly. Extra batteries, flashlights, rope, duct tape, a crowbar, and a charged phone should always be part of your evacuation kits as well.

Spring Storm Home Readiness

Since there are so many different types of natural disasters, being prepared for anything can be a difficult task. It is wise to consider that when one disaster strikes, other consequences can follow. For this reason, start from the bottom and work up to ensure that every part of your home is covered. Pick things off of the floor in your basement or flood-prone areas, and elevate machinery such as washers and dryers onto a platform that is high enough to escape rising water levels. In the main part of your house, evaluate heavy and loosely secured items on the walls and ceilings, in case there is flying debris. Also, be sure to separate any chemicals that may mix together and cause toxic fumes in the event of earthquakes or storms.

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Secure your roof by checking yearly for loose shingles, and consider purchasing metal connectors to attach trusses and beams that will prevent roof lift during high winds. Hurricane clips, straps and ties can be purchased at your local hardware store to connect studs from your home to your roof, securing the structural integrity as best as is possible. Check outside your home for any low-hanging branches or trees that appear ready to die or fall over. In the case of flooding, the ground becomes soft, and large trees will easily uproot and fall, causing major damage to your property. If a tree is leaning toward your home, it is a good idea to consider having it removed. Also, bring in or secure any patio furniture, toys or loose items that are outside to keep them from blowing around and flying into your home.

Pocket sized device provides emergency backup power.

Make sure everyone in your family is aware of where the shut-off is for your utilities, such as power, gas and water, and also that each individual understands how to manually work the valves and switches. Keeping fresh, potable water stored in a safe and accessible location on your property is also something to consider in case of pump and electrical failure. If you haven’t built a shelter, take some time to look around your home and decide where the most structurally secure walls and roof beams exist, and make sure that this area is clear of any obstacles or potentially hazardous items that may shift during a natural disaster. If you have fair warning of impending disaster, always cover your windows with boards or storm shutters to keep flying objects from coming into your home.

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Kits/Personal Item Bags

During spring storm season, whether it be wildfires or tornadoes, keeping a bag of personal items and family treasures, such as priceless pictures and heirlooms, in a secure location that is easily accessible to move quickly will save the devastation of losing those belongings should anything happen to your home. (A modern alternative: Scan them and store them in the “cloud.”) A bag with emergency clothing and a first-aid kit should be prepared to grab and dash out of the house as well. Make sure to keep important information like your insurance policies and important phone numbers written down and not just saved in your phone, and keep time and date stamped pictures of your valuables for insurance purposes. Know your evacuation routes and keep an update on where local emergency shelters are in your area.

It is also a good idea to keep emergency items in your car for a quick exit, such as a first-aid kit, jumper cables, a spare tire, blankets, canned items, and clothes. In a camping kit, make sure to have pots and pans, utensils, matches or lighters, aluminum foil, and a can opener for food. Emergency camping blankets that shield from high heat and freezing temperatures can also be a lifesaver if you are caught outdoors, in your car, or in a situation where help may be delayed for an extended period of time. Store these items in a bag in your shelter, and make sure that you have easy access to them should you need to evacuate to your car quickly.

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Natural disasters can strike in a moment’s notice, so constantly being prepared and keeping your family informed of proper evacuation and safety procedures is the number one step to staying alive. Get underground or to a secure location in the event of tornadoes, evacuate flood-prone areas during hurricanes, never drive your car through flood water, and when water levels rise, always seek high, secure ground that isn’t prone to landslides.

Remember that winds shift quickly during fires, and water levels can rise in a moment’s notice during floods, so don’t wait until the last minute to decide what is best for your family. Homes can be repaired, but your family cannot be replaced. Always be aware of your surroundings and check for downed power lines, sinkholes, open sewage lines, or other potentially hazardous situations before approaching disaster areas. Being prepared for the impending storm season is the best way to keep yourself and your family safe and protected the whole year.

For more information and complete kit checklists, visit www.ready.gov/natural-disasters

What would you add to this list? Share your suggestions in the comments section below:

The post Critical Preps For Spring Storms – When Mother Nature Strikes appeared first on Ron Goes On Safari.

Food Shortages

As the new case count for COVID-19 patients decreases and then increases according to media needs, we need to realize that the pandemic is far from over. In fact, some medical “experts” now predict that we will be dealing with COVID-19 well into 2022. With that being the case, chances are pretty high that we’re going to see shortages in the grocery store once again.

Here’s why:

Our grocers are better prepared for the next run on the stores, with food already palletized and pre-positioned in distribution centers and the back rooms of grocery stores. But that’s merely a stopgap measure, as the amount of food that fits in the back room of a grocery store is, by necessity, minimal.

While they are in better shape than they were last spring, we can expect some shortages. As with the last go-around, the most likely food shortage will be meat and dairy, as the meat packing industry seems to have been pounded by the disease. We can expect that to be followed by canned goods, snacks, baking supplies and soup. How long, or how bad it is going to be, is something we’ll have to wait to see.

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A lot of this hinges on whether there will be another wave of lockdowns. Many Democrat governors seem to be okay with that idea, while Republicans are fighting against it. There are many, especially in Republican camps, which argue that the first batch of lockdowns didn’t do us much good, so it’s doubtful that another round will do much better. As with everything else associated with the pandemic, it’s being politicized.

Of course, there’s also the theory that many conservatives have floated, saying that the pandemic, or at least the hysteria associated with it, was 100% manufactured as a weapon to use against Trump. As that theory tells it, the lockdowns should have ceased when Biden was sworn in as president.

Interestingly enough, troubled Governor Cuomo of New York had reportedly come out saying that it’s time for New York businesses to open. After that, he changed his mind. Now, he’s created a sort of “lock-down” for himself. If I were a suspicious man, and I am, I would see that as an indicator that those who came up with that theory are right. But I’ll reserve my judgment until I see a more general movement in that direction.

What About The Campaign Promise?

This is in total contrast to what the President-elect said. During his campaign, Joe Biden promised that if he was elected, he was going to order a nationwide lockdown. That sounds like he either believes the pandemic is real or he believes there is some other political reason to continue hurting the lives of people who are still out of work and whose businesses are closed down.

Of course, there’s just one problem with that campaign promise. He didn’t then and doesn’t now have the authority to do it.

Job loss and food shortages just add to the stress.

The only authorities who can order such a thing are the governors of the various states. That became clear when the first round of lockdowns were discussed. People were calling for then President Trump to lock down the country. He couldn’t do so legally, so he encouraged the governors of many states to do so instead.

The full cost of that first round of lockdowns has not yet been discovered. Close to 100,000 small businesses closed their doors for good. Over 40 million people lost their jobs. Billions of dollars of profits were lost. But those aren’t the real costs; what about mental disorder, suicides and children who will never fully realize their true potential, because of how the lockdowns affected their education?

Another series of lockdowns will obviously make the situation worse. Without a control group to use for comparison, it’s hard to prove that any such measure works; and the only possible comparison is with Sweden or South Korea. Neither of those really work, because of other factors they instituted to deal with the pandemic.

Will Biden Pull The Trigger?

But as we’ve already seen, it doesn’t take a lockdown to cause a run on the grocery stores. All it takes is fear. The first run on the stores came about because of fear of the potential lockdown. Remembering the effect that had, it wouldn’t be surprising in the least to see another run on the stores. Most of the people who had stocked up on food back then will have already eaten that food in the ensuing months, so they’ll need a fresh infusion to get through the next lockdown. Once they start the run on the grocery stores, others will follow.

As before, once the run on the stores begins, it won’t take long to empty them out. Oh, it might take a little longer this time, because of the actions which our big grocery chains have undertaken to mitigate against more shortages; but that won’t be able to stop real supply chain shortages; it will merely slow them down. We’re probably in for just as rough a ride as before; maybe even more so.

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With the experts saying that COVID will last well into 2022, there’s no saying how many more shortages we might have. Since these shortages are caused by panic rather than anything tangible or systemic, it all centers on public opinion and what they are being fed by the news media. We are only beginning to see how the media will report things now that Democrats have control over everything.

Should a new pandemic or new COVID variant come along before this one is even over (a very real possibility, especially if this was even somewhat intentional on the Chinese government’s part), then we might go into and out of “spotty food shortages” for years to come. Worse than that, it might affect the farms growing the food and the manufacturing plants turning raw food items into the myriad of foods that we find stocking the supermarket shelves.

Bottom line: I’m not depending on what the system can do to take care of me. While I may still shop in the stores, I’m working on increasing my food production as much as I can. That’s the only sure way I know to make sure my family will be able to eat. Make sure you have supplies in times of calm. That way, you’ll always have what you need and you’ll never be labeled a hoarder.

The post Are The “Biden Food Shortages” On The Way? appeared first on Ron Goes On Safari.