Let's talk about prepping.

[100Acre]

I"m also looking into the possibility of growing grains at some point at least as an experiment. Some good books for that are:

 

[Admin]

 

[100Acre]

For those of you with poor soils, if you can get the local wood chipping businesses to dump their chips on your land and after you layer it over time, you will basically be recreating what nature does in a forest. After many years of leaf or needles decay, branches and trees themselves rotting away into the soil can create a rich humus or loamy type of soil. I would request that certain trees or vines not be in the mix like Black Walnut because very little will grow under those trees except Jerusalem artichokes which themselves are a natural form of insulin...Also try to avoid getting vines like Hedera Helix/English Ivy or Kudzu as they are very invasive. The best wood mulches will have fresh green wood, branches, twigs and leaves which create a Ramial or Green mulch and will enrich your soils. Built up over time this organic material will help to increase overall harvests.
Ramial chipped wood - Wikipedia

 

[Montecresto]

I picked up 5 new books at the Mother Earth News Expo this weekend along with some bottles of Pure Elderberry syrup. There were a lot of cool vendors there but much of it was overpriced stuff. As far as books are concerned, in the event of some type of calamity, there may not be power or internet or extreme limited access. I appreciate having a hard copy of helpful information. My library is constantly growing. I also bought 3 Arkansas Black Apple trees and another variety of Gooseberry I didn't already have.

As far as Elderberries are concerned:
8 Health Benefits of Elderberry

• Major Cold and Flu Relief. Elderberries are an excellent general immune system booster. ...
• Sinus Infection Aid. ...
• Lower Blood Sugar. ...
• Natural Diuretic. ...
• Natural Laxative. ...
• Encourage Healthy Skin. ...
• Ease Allergies. ...
• May Help Prevent Cancer.

View attachment 73808

Makes a good wine too, elderberry!

 

[100Acre]

Maybe some of this information I'm able to share with all of you can be put to good use. Now I can definitely say that I'll never put as much stock in pharmaceutical meds as much as I do in proven natural cures. All too often big Pharma wants to keep us unhealthy and never cure us, as there's no money to be made in cures. It seems more often than not that every pill we're prescribed only treats a symptom and in some cases creates more problems down the road. Many naturally occurring plant chemicals too have been synthesized by big Pharm for use in their concoctions. For centuries people have used the plants provided for us in nature and much research has been done to break down the various chemical formulas showing their benefits. Big Pharma and the usda refuse to back the natural remedies because again, there's no money there if you can grow your own medicines. I'm hoping that if any of you are interested in preparing for you and your families futures than not just having a garden to feed yourselves is important but to create a food forest of not only healthy but medicinal plants too. I'll start posting much of what I personally am growing and some information on each plant like it's health benefits and remedies but also it's particular requirements for growth, cultivation, harvest and processing.
I'm starting with Juneberry or the scientific name Amelanchier.
Benefits of Juneberry

 

[JTW]

Maybe some of this information I'm able to share with all of you can be put to good use. Now I can definitely say that I'll never put as much stock in pharmaceutical meds as much as I do in proven natural cures. All too often big Pharma wants to keep us unhealthy and never cure us, as there's no money to be made in cures. It seems more often than not that every pill we're prescribed only treats a symptom and in some cases creates more problems down the road. Many naturally occurring plant chemicals too have been synthesized by big Pharm for use in their concoctions. For centuries people have used the plants provided for us in nature and much research has been done to break down the various chemical formulas showing their benefits. Big Pharma and the usda refuse to back the natural remedies because again, there's no money there if you can grow your own medicines. I'm hoping that if any of you are interested in preparing for you and your families futures than not just having a garden to feed yourselves is important but to create a food forest of not only healthy but medicinal plants too. I'll start posting much of what I personally am growing and some information on each plant like it's health benefits and remedies but also it's particular requirements for growth, cultivation, harvest and processing.
I'm starting with Juneberry or the scientific name Amelanchier.
Benefits of Juneberry
View attachment 74683

It’s hard to argue with success!
@Kilo427

 

[Montecresto]

Maybe some of this information I'm able to share with all of you can be put to good use.

I’m enjoying it!!

 

[JCMINIS]

I agree with alot of this. I have never thought of being away from home though, good point from the OG post. Something to think about. At home I keep a min of 4000 rounds of ammo, for 4 different calibers, 45/70,9mm,12 gauge and .22. I have a couple boxes of mre's in a cabin we have on the farm. My misses cans alot of what we grow in our gardens, we have have beef cattle and small creeks/springs on the farm. I know alot of folks dont or want drink out of a creek but ive been drinking out of them all my life. We do have mini filters that we use when back packing though. I suppose if it were to get bad it will come down to protecting what we have. I better get more ammo. I dont consider myself a prepper per say, its just how we live, how I was raised I suppose.

 

[Gator]

My wife and I have discussed the what if.
The thing I keep trying to play out is:
What if we are separated and something happens?
1. Go home. (or stay home) I will come to you.
2. If home is not an option it depends on why home is not an option.
If the river levy has broken go toward higher ground (my son's house)
If the house is destroyed some other way go to the camp
If camp is destroyed go to my brothers house (I will find you)
If the roads are closed, I will still come to you.
If you have to leave our home (for whatever reason) leave note in our hidden location.
3. Don't come looking for me. I need you to stay put so that I can find you.

 

[BigOL3]

I agree with alot of this. I have never thought of being away from home though, good point from the OG post. Something to think about. At home I keep a min of 4000 rounds of ammo, for 4 different calibers, 45/70,9mm,12 gauge and .22. I have a couple boxes of mre's in a cabin we have on the farm. My misses cans alot of what we grow in our gardens, we have have beef cattle and small creeks/springs on the farm. I know alot of folks dont or want drink out of a creek but ive been drinking out of them all my life. We do have mini filters that we use when back packing though. I suppose if it were to get bad it will come down to protecting what we have. I better get more ammo. I dont consider myself a prepper per say, its just how we live, how I was raised I suppose.

I have drank from creeks/springs more times than I can remember. Esp directly from springs headwaters. Never bothered me yet. Of course I had the added benefit of being raised in the country with a healthy dose of being 'exposed' to much and gaining a LOT of natural immunity!!!

 

[JCMINIS]

I have drank from creeks/springs more times than I can remember. Esp directly from springs headwaters. Never bothered me yet. Of course I had the added benefit of being raised in the country with a healthy dose of being 'exposed' to much and gaining a LOT of natural immunity!!!

My misses had a friend come up from florida, we were walking around the farm and I just scooped up some water with my hands and drank it, this lady freaked ! She was clamoring on about getting sick and what not lol. I asked her if she knew where her bottled water came from, did she know or trust the folks who bottled it, how was that plastic taste. I know where the creek water comes from, I can take ya right to the spring head. She still wouldnt try it.

 

[JTW]

My misses had a friend come up from florida, we were walking around the farm and I just scooped up some water with my hands and drank it, this lady freaked ! She was clamoring on about getting sick and what not lol. I asked her if she knew where her bottled water came from, did she know or trust the folks who bottled it, how was that plastic taste. I know where the creek water comes from, I can take ya right to the spring head. She still wouldnt try it.

STORY WITH A MORAL
by Waddie Mitchell

Now I know there’s things worse
that make cowpunchers curse
And I reckon it’s happened to us all
Though it’s been years, since, you can bet
when I think of it yet,
It still makes my old innards crawl.

I was makin’ a ride
to bring in one hide
That hadn’t showed up in the gather
I was riding upstream,
daydreamin’ a dream,
When I caught there was somethin’ the matter.

Near some quaking asp trees
I had caught in the breeze
A stench that was raunchy and mean
And I reckoned as how
it might be the old cow
So I rode to a bend in the stream.

Sure enough, that cow lied
in the crick there and died
Hard telling how long she’d been been there
She was bloated and tight
was a horrible sight!
She was oozing and slipping her hair.

Her eye sockets were alive
with maggots that thrive
On dead flesh, putrid yellow and green,
An’ the hot sun burning down
turning pink things to brown
Spewing oily gunk in the stream.

I spurred upwind fast
to get away from the blast
Of the heavy stench the cow made
And I felt bad seein’s how
I’d lost the old cow
So I pulled up near a tree in the shade.

Then, I got sick to the core
rememberin’ just moments before
I’d done something that made me feel worse
Not thirty yards down
I’d stepped off to the ground
And drank till my belly near burst!

For months after it
just the thought made me spit
And I’d live it over like a bad dream.
And the moral, I think
is: if you must take a drink,
Never, ever, remount and ride upstream.

 

[BigOL3]

STORY WITH A MORAL
by Waddie Mitchell

Now I know there’s things worse
that make cowpunchers curse
And I reckon it’s happened to us all
Though it’s been years, since, you can bet
when I think of it yet,
It still makes my old innards crawl.

I was makin’ a ride
to bring in one hide
That hadn’t showed up in the gather
I was riding upstream,
daydreamin’ a dream,
When I caught there was somethin’ the matter.

Near some quaking asp trees
I had caught in the breeze
A stench that was raunchy and mean
And I reckoned as how
it might be the old cow
So I rode to a bend in the stream.

Sure enough, that cow lied
in the crick there and died
Hard telling how long she’d been been there
She was bloated and tight
was a horrible sight!
She was oozing and slipping her hair.

Her eye sockets were alive
with maggots that thrive
On dead flesh, putrid yellow and green,
An’ the hot sun burning down
turning pink things to brown
Spewing oily gunk in the stream.

I spurred upwind fast
to get away from the blast
Of the heavy stench the cow made
And I felt bad seein’s how
I’d lost the old cow
So I pulled up near a tree in the shade.

Then, I got sick to the core
rememberin’ just moments before
I’d done something that made me feel worse
Not thirty yards down
I’d stepped off to the ground
And drank till my belly near burst!

For months after it
just the thought made me spit
And I’d live it over like a bad dream.
And the moral, I think
is: if you must take a drink,
Never, ever, remount and ride upstream.

In my case, I never found a dead cow upstream, but have seen were cows CROSSED the stream ...... leaving crap along the way!

 

[Montecresto]

My misses had a friend come up from florida, we were walking around the farm and I just scooped up some water with my hands and drank it, this lady freaked ! She was clamoring on about getting sick and what not lol. I asked her if she knew where her bottled water came from, did she know or trust the folks who bottled it, how was that plastic taste. I know where the creek water comes from, I can take ya right to the spring head. She still wouldnt try it.

I agree with you, and do the same myself regularly, but I’ve been doing it for decades. In fairness, there is indeed contaminates in any surface water and if that lady from Florida drank it, she probably would get sick (a little diarrhea or something maybe, lol) even though you don’t. It’s like visiting a third world country where they drink sketchy water and all we drink is bottled water. But I’m with you, I like being able to drink from the 1/2 mike of creek on my property. A spring fed stream....even better.

 

[Montecresto]

In my case, I never found a dead cow upstream, but have seen were cows CROSSED the stream ...... leaving crap along the way!

Exactly, even similar from wild animals.

 

[JTW]

In my case, I never found a dead cow upstream, but have seen were cows CROSSED the stream ...... leaving crap along the way!

I grew up with a gutter fed cistern.. pretty sure it would have given a Mexican the s***s!

 

[Kilo427]

It’s hard to argue with success!
@Kilo427

You damn right

 

[100Acre]

I'm picking up my bees tomorrow. Today I set up the shelter, bottom stands and hive bodies. I have a bunch more deep, medium and shallow boxes with frames that I'll add later as the colony begins to grow. When completely grown, each of these hives will stand about 4-5' tall. The front of the hives is pointed south towards the slats. I'll access the hive from behind. Is anybody else raising Bees?

 

[JTW]

I'm picking up my bees tomorrow. Today I set up the shelter, bottom stands and hive bodies. I have a bunch more deep, medium and shallow boxes with frames that I'll add later as the colony begins to grow. When completely grown, each of these hives will stand about 4-5' tall. The front of the hives is pointed south towards the slats. I'll access the hive from behind. Is anybody else raising Bees?
View attachment 75916

Have you seen these?

Flow Hive - Honey On Tap From Your Own Beehive

 

[Cuoutdoors]

Have you seen these?

Flow Hive - Honey On Tap From Your Own Beehive

That is pure genius!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[100Acre]

My buddy Cody is helping me with my bees. Loading the Queen and drones with loaded frames into the hive bodies.