Hi Guido,

I don't think I've heard a steam juicer mentioned.  I'll google it to see what it looks like.  Thanks for the tip.

Living off the grid videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W51JRTjoI1A

aquaponics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baLp1neHomE

greenhouses

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwI3ZAK_wyA

indoor hyroponics and lighting

Someone sent me a really cool site for the proper storage of a variety of dried foods.

I found a survival moms tips blog and she's got it all together......buckets, buckets and more buckets

I'm knot crazy .....lol

Start your seedlings

Hi Andrea

Here is ZetaTalk about the healthiest way to eat for humans

http://www.zetatalk.com/beinghum/b77.htm

http://www.zetatalk.com/index/zeta581.htm

As we have explained within the body of ZetaTalk, man adapted to more than one type of diet. One was his hunting diet, which consisted of consuming animal protein and fat. When hunting, with success, early man ate nothing but meat and fat, and has a digestion to fit this diet. When hunting became scarce, the diet switched to vegetation with a smattering of protein from fish, bugs, and small fowl. This is another type of digestion. Mixing the two diets is the problem. Modern man tries to eat meat and carbohydrates, which forces the body into the vegetarian state so that fat from meat is deposited or consumed incorrectly. We have stated that man should eat one or the other type of diet, and not mix the two. If you are going to eat meat and fat, stick to that for a few days. Then refuse meat and stick to the alternate diet, etc.

I was searching the Savannah River site on zetatalk, this link popped up and I thought it was very informative.  There's so many things I've been trying to learn how to do and this lists the different places to learn skills, a brief description of how to do things like fire making, bow making etc.

The whole post was dialogue as to what type of people were the 1st in the Americas and how did they survive? I always enjoy reading something new and I wish I could go to camp myself this year but money doesn't allow.  I'll google my area to see if there are any free workshops on learning ancient skills.

OK...... lets talk about bugs.  They will be everywhere and we need to treat our environment kindly or we kind of miss the point in this incarnation.

I have a problem with red ants and yellow jacks, biting horse flies etc......

Here's a little excerpt about getting rid of some (ants, silverfish, fleas, moths and house flies) naturally.

This is the first time I've heard of MMS so I'm really grateful for all you guys talking about it.  I've just watched Jim Humble's interview on youtube and what a revelation.  Helen, I'm really interested to hear about how it has taken away the foggy brain (let alone all the other things)! 

I would like to get some for my husband, as well as myself.  My husband always has to have a lot of work done on his teeth as he has lost a lot of the enamel on them due to a governmental program he undertook as a child, without being aware of what it was about.  This happened over 30 years ago and at the time his mother thought they were helping out science, but poor John has suffered ever since.  It would be fabulous if it helped his teeth to get their strength back again and even help the enamel to come back.

I would like to take it for maintenance and also to get my clarity of thought back again.  I think that on and off I have candida and would like to think that MMS would help eliminate it.  Anyway, I'm wondering how you determine a reputable source for purchasing MMS?

Thanks once again everyone for sharing this valuable and amazing info xxx

Hi Trish

Here is Talk about the pole shift flood tide if you haven’t read it yet

http://www.zetatalk.com/poleshft/p124.htm

http://www.zetatalk.com/index/zeta509.htm

The flood tides associated with the hour of the pole shift will be different from all other types of flood tides because the factors inciting them are different. The normal tide is influenced by the position of the Moon, which has a gravity draw on the oceans. Storm surges are associated with low and high pressure over the oceans, drawing the water up, as well as water being pushed by high winds. During the hour of the pole shift, however, it is land that is moving under the water that is the predominant factor. The land will move a quarter turn of the globe, while the oceans are inclined to remain in place. During this hour, the oceans are tending to seek their level, continuously, so are dropping back from any shore they are being pushed upon.

Thus the tide does not have so much a speed, a rush upon the land, as a level where it has not been able to receded into its lowest in the ocean bowl. The whole time, it is attempting to drop to its level, but being forced up by the movement of land underneath. In the case of Germany, which can expect its flood tide to rise from the North Sea basin and from the Baltic Sea basin, the water will be on the land almost instantly. For the initial pole shift slosh, it is not that the water slowly sloshing upon land, on all coastlines where the land is biting into the water, pushing it up onto a shore, the water will be at its maximum height almost instantly. On the opposite shores, where the land is pulling away from the water at a rapid pace, there is the opposite effect, that being that the water level drops, but this is only temporary as the slosh to this opposite side will be occurring shortly.

Where the initial pole shift slosh happens quickly, it takes hours to drain back, though the water will move with greater urgency than during normal tides. The second slosh, on the opposite side, will occur more slowly, within 12 hours, but will rise to almost the same level as the initial slosh. Where Moon driven tides slosh every 6 hours or so, the pole shift tides are dealing with a greater volume of water, which must first settle into its basis before gaining the height to affect the opposite shore. All subsequent sloshing diminishes in height until the remnants of the pole shift slosh have disappeared.

Hi Deborah

My advice would be to follow the Zetas advice below when choosing a safe location, and I would not even count the elevation gain for New Zealand just to be on the safe side.

http://www.zetatalk.com/info/tinfx381.htm

“The general guide is to be 100 miles inland and 200 feet high. But survival along coastlines is possible if above 600 feet and tidal bore or special circumstances are taken into consideration.”

Have bought garlic in bulk and dried in a dehydrator and ground it up.  the garlic doesn't have to have the skin removed it will come off easily once it is dried, roll inthe hands and the dried skin will come off.  Have a good grinder, a coffee grinder is good, or some kind of blender.  the garlic once it is dried will keep for a long time.  to simulate a dehydrator, putting the garlic on a cookie tray and into an oven overnight with the temperature at it's lowest (about 100F) will also work. 

Big Thumbs up for the MMS - my family and I have been using this prep for 2 years now for:

Parasite control

Anti-bacterial treatment

Anti-viral treatment

Colds, flu, stomach bugs etc.

It would be one of our top 5 medical cure-alls - which I may just blog about shortly....

There are a few tricks and tips to using MMS safely and sanely - we have had a few people we know tox-out from incorrect use, but i am happy to help anyone who is keen to learn more about this most important health and healing tool.

Canning Meat

Canning 203: Introduction to Meats – Poultry and Rabbit

Canning meat is no different than any other food you process. In fact, it may even be the easiest food to can, even though it takes a longer processing time. You may be timid about canning meats, and while care should certainly be taken in the processing of any food item, meat is no more difficult than any item you’d put into the pressure canner.

The flavor and texture of the meat you can is in direct proportion to the breed of animal, the method of slaughtering, and the type of aging process employed. For instance, if you hunt your own game, you should ask your county extension agent or a reliable friend in the meat processing industry about aging and chilling your meat before canning.

Your meat should be free of excessive fat, gristle, and bruising, as these will affect the flavor of the finished product. Game that has a strong flavor should be soaked in a mild salt-water solution before canning. Be careful with poultry and pork—these meats tend to absorb salt, and it can make them unbearable to eat. If your meat has a particularly gamey taste, you can process the meat with tomato juice.

Poultry and Rabbit

Poultry that is one-to-two years of age is the best meat for canning. Again, this meat absorbs salt easily, so refrain from soaking any wild poultry (such as turkey) in a salt-water solution. Chill the meat for about six to twelve hours before processing.

You can process your chicken in a variety of ways. When my children were younger, I’d process 4-ounce jars of deboned white chicken meat. They could take these in a lunch box with some whole wheat crackers, a cheese stick, and a fruit or fruit bar of some type, and have a delicious, healthy school lunch. Larger half-pint jars can be used to can chicken for making chicken salad. You can process whole chicken pieces such as legs and thighs in a quart jar for use in dishes like chicken pot pie. It’s quick and easy to open up a jar of chicken, quickly debone it and dump it into pan, and then add the rest of the ingredients for whatever dish you want.

To can quart jars of whole chicken pieces, simply cut the chicken at the joints, leaving the bone and skin intact. Pack these raw pieces tightly into quart jars, leaving an inch of headspace. If you want, you can add a teaspoon of salt to the quart jars, but it’s not necessary to the canning process. Personally, I don’t usually try to can turkey legs, but I have processed the thighs and breast meat with no problem. For boneless chicken, pack your jars tightly with meat leaving one inch of head space, and add salt if desired. There’s no need to add liquid as the meat will produce its own broth as it processes.

Because rabbit meat is so similar to poultry, you can use the same processing methods and times for rabbit as you do for poultry.

The recommended processing times for boneless chicken or rabbit in a dial-gauge canner, either raw or hot packed, is 75 minutes for pint jars and 90 minutes for quarts. Use the following poundages depending on your altitude:

0 – 2,000 FT:           11 lbs

2,001 – 4,000 FT:   12 lbs

4,001 – 6,000 FT:   13 lbs

6,001 – 8,000 FT:   14 lbs

The recommended processing times for bone-in chicken or rabbit in a dial-gauge canner, either raw or hot packed, is 65 minutes for pints and 75 minutes for quarts. Increase your poundage for higher altitudes the same as above.

The same time for processing applies to weighted-gauge canners as stated above with dial-gauge canners. However, set your weighted gauge at 10 lbs of pressure for all altitudes up to 1,000 Ft, and 15 lbs of pressure for altitudes above 1,000 ft.

Once your jars have processed, allow your canner to cool down normally. Don’t force depressurization at all. You’ll want to allow your jars to cool down in a spot out of the way of sudden changes of temperature. Don’t sit them underneath an air conditioner register, for example. Once the jars have sealed, you’ll need to wipe them down well before putting them up.

http://www.offthegridnews.com/2011/07/04/canning-203-introduction-t...

comments:

Can you use older blue canning jars if they are free of cracks and chips?

Yes you can use the blue jars. Just check around the mouth to make sure of no chips broken out, on any jar. Check that blue jar out! If it has a date on the jar anywhere it is worth some bucks. Un forunately none of mine do, but maybe you will be lucky. I had an old fellow in the grocery store tell me he saw a blue jar with a 35,000 dollar price tag on it. Yes I typed that number correctly.

I have been canning turkey for several years now. It has been very cheap to buy at Thanksgivng time. The canning book that I have states that poutry should be cooked before canning. I cook my turkey in my waterbath canner, let it cool a little for easier handling, (I can use the jar rack to pull the turkey up and let it drain over the canner) then pull the meat off and place in warmed jars, add “hot” water and then pressure can. I then can the broth from when I cooked the turkey, so I have stock/broth for soups thru out the year.
To answer Robins question, I will ask one, will the jars withstand pressure from a pressure canner? I would only use them in water bath, but that is what I would do.

We can Chicken……boneless, skinless breasts.

Raw pack only, cut the meat into 1-1 1/2 inch cubes, 1/8 tsp Himalayan Salt per pint.

Pressure can for 75 min at 10 lbs pressure.

The Ball Blue Book is your friend.

Never had a problem…..eats great!

i have used canned hamburger that is 3 years old and as long as the seal isn’t broken or the lid popped, it should be good. incidentally I cook my burger and rinse it in a sieve until it runs clear & all the fat is off it and can it with water and salt.

In the Mid Eighties i had some elderly friends passaway and i along with other family members cleaned out their house and they had canned food of all kinds dating from 1860 to 1930 and we popped several jars and they were still sealed so we divided them up and took them home to eat. Out of the 250+ jars i had only one was bad. If properly done i would not hesitate to eat “old” food. Modern lids and ring are not made as good now as they were then. These jars also had a quarter inch or more of parrafin on the top.

My Amish grandmother always canned meats. Her aunt lived in Wyoming and even canned bear (tastes exactly like pork, according to my mother). I never tasted the bear, but Grandma used the beef in a dish with noodles that was my favorite. I like to precook the meat when I can, simply to season and flavor it the way I prefer. Meat canned with only salt is totally acceptable, it is just bland. Canning raw meat with flavoring is uncertain. It’s hard to tell how much of an herb to put in the jar as you can’t taste it until after it’s canned. Meat can take on the flavor of a bay leaf or other herb that becomes really overpowering. Canning cooked meat means you can get exactly the flavors you want prior to putting the product in the jar. This is less important with beef than with mild meats like chicken. Experiment with various recipes, i.e. if you can 4 pints of chicken, use different spices, etc. in each. You will learn which flavors can best. My mother-in-law aways canned vegetable beef soup. My uncle went fishing in Alaska and canned the salmon. The possibilities are vast.
Don’t try to short the canning time or pressure. Go by the book. People are sometimes afraid they will end up with food poisoning from home canned meat, but ANY home canned food MUST be cooked properly or it is dangerous. You can get sick from applesauce or green beans if they aren’t canned properly. Sort of a backwards way to say “don’t be afraid to can meat. Just follow the rules”.
A comment on antique jars: many have bubbles in the glass. These may cause cracking or outright bursting in the pressure canner. It is very disappointing to do everything right, then open the canner and find a mass of food, water, and broken glass from a bad jar. And you lost the lovely green or blue jar. I use new jars, other than for jams and jellies which require little canning time.. Always, always use new lids. Lots of us remember when our grandmothers didn’t pressure can jam or jelly at all, they just sealed the jar with a layer of wax instead of a lid. And we lived through it. Go figure.

I tried my first canning of meat last Thanksgiving when turkeys were 39 cents a pound. I cut the turkeys up like a chicken and boiled just till the meat was “done”; a little over an hour. I then de-boned it and packed my quart jars with cubed meat. One 12 to 14 lb turkey did a 7 quart jar “run”. As it was cold weather, I did all the canning on a wood cookstove. I had great success and all jars sealed. One important note: fill jars after packing with broth that has the fat skimmed off. Fat can turn rancid over time in canned meat. Leave 1 inch of headspace so proper vacuum will form to seal jars. This meat is great for using in casseroles, soups, pies or other recipes. It’s a little bland tasting by itself.
My next try was when I found chuck roasts on sale. I cubed the meat and boiled till about half-done, again, about an hour. I packed jars and filled with cooking broth after skimming the fat. I canned in quarts, processing an hour and a half at 15lbs pressure as we are above 1000 ft. The result has turned out great! I’ve read ground beef is great for canning to use in chili, soups and the like. I’ll can them in pints… We are now thinking of going in with 3 other families on purchasing a steer. A quarter steer doesn’t sound so over-whelming and now that I can can a lot of the meat, only the steaks and roasts will take up freezer room. And I’m really excited about finding re-usable canning jar lids. They’re made by a company called Tattler.
So my advise, jump right in there and start canning meat! I’m really excited about this “new” side of canning that seems to have been forgotten!

I remember my mother canning meat in the oven of course this was some 65 years ago. We would butcher in the fall and hang the meat in the corn crib where it froze, then be fore it would thaw out she would can it for the summer and we would have it till fall. would not recommend canning in the oven now ,too many types of bacteria strains now. we never got sick and was so good,

We raise a steer every three years or so and a pig about every year. I have the butcher cut and wrap the good steaks and some roasts and burger off the steer. Then I have them cut up the rest in cubes about an inch in size, like stew meat. I can that cubed meat in my pressure canner. You don’t have to worry about the meat getting freezer burned and the cans last forever as long as the seal is good. I found some that I canned back in 1998 and it was just as good as the last I canned. The pig, I have the butcher smoke the hams, bacon & jowls and cut some of the good pork chops and cut and wrap them. If you don’t know about pig jowl, you are missing out on some good pig. You can sometimes find it at the store, down south mostly. I have found it sometimes here in Idaho. When we moved here when I was a kid [now lots, lots older] we couldn’t find it. We raised a pig and told the butcher to smoke the jowl and he said “What” we usually put that in the sausage. What a waste, try it, it is great. I have the butcher cube the pig meat and I can it. I also can some of the ham with the juice after I take the fat off the top. It is great to put in beans, so easy to make ham & beans quickly and you can use canned beans in a pinch. I also look for meats like boneless chicken breasts, ham, beef roast on sale and can it. You can’t beat finding ham on sale for 99 cents a pound, you can’t raise the pig for that. I raise a huge garden, raise animals and I love to can. There is nothing more satisfying as after a long day of canning to see all those beautiful jars, full of good things to eat… Mary

If the jars get too hot, the seals will start unsealing. The reason I know this is that I have a friend that cans all sorts of things like jelly, chicken etc, and sells it at the town fun days. Well they set her up on main street, she had no canopy and it was hot, her jars started popping,(unsealing) so she had to pack up and go home. As hot as it gets in Texas I would be afraid to do it. After all the work of canning you sure don’t want to have it all spoil..

We live in Texas, and we can meat all the time. We raw pack it and add our flavorings to the jar as we pack it. We store our jarred canned goods in an old farm house that doesn’t have heating or cooling. We haven’t had any problems. We really enjoy the convience of having the meat already cooked, and it comes out very tender. It is fun to experiment to find which spices and seasonings work best with th different meats!

Curative Properties of the Potato

Potatoes originated in the South American country of Peru. They were cultivated there by the Incas for over two thousand years before they were discovered by the Spanish conquistadors, who were exploring for gold and silver. Incan communities used potatoes for healing broken bones and relieving rheumatism and indigestion, and they were thought to be a major part of the Indians’ diet. When the conquistadors did not find the gold they were seeking, they starting shipping potatoes back to Spain in the 1530’s. However, potatoes were not trusted for food right away, as they are a part of a family of toxic plants called nightshades. In fact, some have commented that if potatoes were a modern find, they would be deemed unsafe for human consumption for this family relationship. It would take about 200 years for the potato to become a popular table item.

Potatoes are relatively inexpensive, grown rather easily, and have useful medicinal purposes, to boot. Since their introduction to Europe and their belated popularity, remedies from the once ignored potato have come from around the world, including Korea, Central America, England, and the United States, where the potato has been used to treat a variety of skin ailments. These treatments range from acne and warts to frostbite and burns. The National Potato Board has even recommended using peeled, shredded, and soaked potatoes as a facial mask for drying oily skin. Russian folklore has suggested that those over 40 should grate and eat a medium sized raw potato daily, before breakfast, to keep the arteries clear and increase blood flow to the heart. In some rural areas of England, those suffering from rheumatism still carry potatoes in their pockets, hoping that they will absorb some of the acid from their bodies. They are replaced every few days and the old ones thrown away.

Nutrition

Potatoes have been found to be a highly nutritious vegetable. Starch is the main component of potatoes, but they also contain small amounts of protein and alkaline salts. They are also rich in vitamin c, b-complex vitamins, and beneficial levels of the minerals iron, calcium, manganese, magnesium and phosphorus. Many of the nutrients in potatoes are found in their skin, so more benefits have been attributed to eating them whole as opposed to peeled.

Medicinal uses

Potatoes have many constituents including a host of tannins, flavonoids, and alkaloids. The tannins have a drying action which has been linked to relieving diarrhea. They have also been used externally for burns and inflammation. In folk medicine, the use of potatoes for bone and muscle pain is partially due to their ability to hold heat for long periods of time, allowing it to penetrate deep into ones tissues. The converse is also true, as they hold cold well and are also used as a compress for treating burns and scalding.

Successful experimental treatments for gout and rheumatism have been made in recent years from the juice of raw potatoes and using the vital mineral salts found in the water of boiled potatoes. Potassium, sulfur, phosphorus, and chloride in an uncooked potato are useful for treating acne blemishes; while their enzymes and vitamin c can nourish the skin, remove unhealthy tissues and make it younger looking. Folklore claims that an uncooked potato, freshly cut and placed on a wart several times daily, will remove it. This treatment has also been recommended for removing splinters and relieving bags under the eyes.

Potatoes should be omitted from the diet of those with venereal diseases and those who are prone to aphrodisiac tendencies as they contains an alkaloid toxin (solanine) which affects the sexual organs. Solanine poison is more prevalent in potatoes too green in color. The combination of cooked meat and the afore mentioned ‘too green’ potatoes cooked intensifies this poisonous actions. Together, with the presence of uric acid crystals resulting from the poor digestion of the meat, they may cause severe irritation of the sexual organs.

Treatments

• Potato Therapy: chronic constipation, intestinal toxemia [Preeclampsia], gout, kidney stones, and dropsy have been treated with a potato diet. Beneficial results have been achieved by eating thus for several months. On the potato diet, you can prepare them in various ways; baked, steamed, and in a soup. Other vegetables which can be eaten on this diet are spinach, beet tops, turnip tops, cucumbers, celery, tomatoes, and other green vegetables.
• Scurvy: Potatoes are an excellent treatment for scurvy. Use of ‘potato cream’ or mashed potatoes are common in cases of infantile scurvy.  Since the acceptance of the potato in Europe, scurvy has decreased in appearance, only showing up when the crop fails.
• Rheumatism (Arthritis): Raw potato juice is an excellent natural remedy for treating rheumatism. One or two teaspoons pressed out of mashed, raw potatoes should be taken before meals to eliminate acid conditions and relieve rheumatism. The skin of a potato is also good for relieving rheumatism, as it is very rich in vital mineral salts. The water the skins have been boiled in is a good medicine for all acid-causing digestive disorders. The peelings should be washed thoroughly and boiled for 3-5 minutes. It  should then be strained and a cup taken three to four times daily, as needed.
• Digestive System: Raw potato juice is valuable in stomach and intestinal disorders. Ulcers of the stomach are treated with the juice of pink potatoes. Potato juice has also been used to relieve gastritis. The recommended dose is half a cup two or three times daily an hour before meals. Potato starch has been given as an anti-inflammatory for gastrointestinal diseases and toxins.
• Skin Cleanser/Revitalizer: The enzymes, vitamin C, and starch found in raw potatoes can make a skin food that nourishes starved skin tissues. The alkaline properties of potato juice have an antiseptic action that leaves the skin a youthful glow. Much of the old skin is sloughed off by the acidic portion of the pulp.

Medicinal Uses of Chamomile

There are two plants that are known as chamomile—German Chamomile (which is the most popular) and Roman (or English) Chamomile. Though belonging to different species, they are used to treat the same conditions. Both have been used to treat frayed nerves, various digestive disorders, muscle spasms, mild infections, and a range of skin conditions.

Other names these plants go by are: chamomile, chamomile, wild chamomile, sweet chamomile, German chamomile, Hungarian chamomile, mayweed, scented mayweed, and pineapple weed.

The ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks used chamomile for many medicinal purposes thousands of years ago, and it is still used for those and other conditions today, including:

• Chest colds
• Sore throats
• Abscesses
• Gingivitis – inflammation of the gums
• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Psoriasis
• Acne
• Eczema
• Minor burns
• Ulcerative Colitis – Inflammatory bowel disease
• Stomach ulcers
• Chicken pox
• Diaper rash
• Colic

Internal Use:

Chamomile flowers have widely been used for herbal tea. It is so popular that it can be found in the tea aisle of most grocery stores. Chamomile tea has been used as a mild sedative and a tonic to calm the nerves. When a child is teething, chamomile tea can be safely used for both of these purposes. It will calm him and help to keep him from being emotional while cutting his teeth. Other uses for chamomile tea are:

• Anti-inflammatory – used for arthritis, and other swellings.
• Antispasmodic – used for intestinal and menstrual cramps, relieving gas pains, and a mild, effective laxative.
• Vasodilator – used for fever, sore throats, the aches and pain of colds and flu, headaches and allergies.
• Anti anxiety tonic.

External Uses:

Chamomile flowers can be made into an infusion, which is especially good for the hair. They can be added to cosmetics as an anti-allergenic or made into an ointment for treating wounds or hemorrhoids. Dried chamomile can be used as potpourri and for herb pillows, and burned for aromatherapy. Other external uses are:

• Compresses – for swellings, sunburns, burns.
• Added to baths to relieve muscle aches, sooth tired feet, and soften skin.
• Rubbed on the skin to repel insects.
• Water plants with the tea to feed them and prevent some diseases.
• Essential oils can be used as a flavoring, in making perfume, and to combat neuralgia and eczema.
• Made into a paste, use it to treat skin irritations, infections, and burns.
• Steam therapy for treating asthma, hay fever, and sinusitis.

Treatments

Paste:

Grind dried flowers in mortar and pestle, add some water or unsweetened chamomile tea, and slowly add oatmeal as needed.

Bathing:

Place a handful of flowers in a mesh bag, hang from the faucet by its string, and run the bath water over it.

Natural Hair Highlights:

Thoroughly wet hair with unsweetened, warm chamomile tea. Wrap head with plastic wrap and cover with a bath towel. Keep head warm for 30 to 60 minutes to bring out natural highlights. Dry and style as usual. This will add golden highlights to brown hair.

Steam Therapy:

Place dried chamomile flowers into a mesh strainer over a pan of boiling water. Breathe the steam deeply to ease respiratory symptoms.

Dosages

Children:

Children under 18 should use half of the recommended adult dose.

To relieve colic use 1 – 2 ounces of unsweetened chamomile tea daily.

Adults:

• Tea: pour 1 cup boiling water over 2-3 heaping tablespoons of dried flowers, steep 10-15 minutes. Drink 3-4 times daily between meals.
• Tincture: (1:5, 45% alcohol) use 1-3 ml (100-150 drops) three times daily in a cup of hot water.
• Capsules: 300-400 mg three times daily.
• Gargle/mouthwash: make the tea above and let it cool. Gargle as often as desired. You can also make an oral rinse of 10-15 drops of chamomile extract in 100ml warm water. This may be used three times daily.

Cautions

While chamomile is considered to be a safe herb, some people may experience allergic reactions such as hay fever, sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes. It may worsen asthma symptoms, so those with asthma should not use it. Those with allergies to asters, daisies, chrysanthemums, and ragweed may also have reactions to chamomile, as they are related.

Pregnant women should take care in using chamomile. It is a uterine stimulator and can cause contractions. Drinking large amounts of chamomile tea with high concentrations of the herb may cause vomiting.

Other possible interactions include:

• Blood thinning medications – chamomile may increase risk of bleeding when taken with warfarin.
• Sedative – chamomile can increase the effects of drugs that have a sedative effect, including anticonvulsants – Dilantin and Depakote; barbituates; tranquilizers – Xanax and Valium; insomnia treatments – Ambien, Sonata, Rozerem;  antidepressants – Elavil; and alcohol.
• Herbs like kava, catnip, and valerian root.
• Other medications – because chamomile is broken down by certain enzymes in the liver, it can interact with other medications that are also broken down by the same enzymes, such as:  Saldane, statins (medications which reduce cholesterol, such as Lipitor and Xetia); birth control pills; and some antifungal drugs.

Onions And Their Healing Properties

Onions, a member of the allium family, are related to leeks shallots, garlic and scallions. Smelly though they are, they have been used for centuries for their remarkable healing properties. Asian cultures, Egyptians, Romans, and ancient Greeks revered onions. They believed these globes helped to fight infection, relieved indigestion, eased joint discomfort and many other ailments. From modern studies we know that onions have antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties. It has also been found useful as a diuretic and as an effective expectorant (this would make it helpful for fighting coughs, colds and flu bugs).

Onions, like other members of the allium family, are high in flavonoids and powerful antioxidants known to prevent many diseases in the body. They are particularly high in the flavonoid quercetin, which in recent studies has been shown to prevent heart disease by keeping cholesterol from attaching to the walls of our arteries and also preventing the sticking together of blood platelets and the formation of clots. A 2006 British study shows that people who eat the most quercetin-rich foods (particularly onion soup in this study) have reduced their risk of thrombosis and cardiovascular disease. Quercetin has also been used to stop tumors from growing and is often used for cancer prevention. In central Georgia, where Vidalia onions are grown, statistics show that deaths from stomach cancer is almost 50% lower than in the rest of the United States. Onions are also very rich in fructo-oligosaccharides, compounds that have been shown to stimulate growth of healthy bifidobacteria and suppress the growth of potentially harmful bacteria in the colon. This may account in part for onion’s role in preventing colon cancer.

According to the American Heart Association, onions are a natural and effective way to raise one’s HDL (good) cholesterol. Researchers have shown that by eating white or yellow onions, HDL can be raised significantly, up to 30 percent over time. University of Utah researchers have found evidence that quercetin may even reduce high blood pressure.

Onion’s many sulfur compounds are responsible, not only for their wonderful smell and irritation to eyes, but also for their powerful antimicrobial properties that effectively battle numerous bacteria, including subtilis, salmonella, and E. coli.

The Downside

The unfortunate thing is that when onions are cooked, most of the beneficial effects we get from onions are greatly reduced or even lost during the cooking process, so you should eat them raw whenever possible. Some have even suggested juicing onions and adding two to three teaspoons of honey to the juice as a way to maximize their beneficial potential. This juice, taken for a period of about three weeks, will reduce the length and severity of a cold, the flu or other virus. A good buying tip is that the smellier and stronger the onion, the more potent its healing properties are.

Other Medicinal Uses

• A compress can be applied to the skin to relieve acne, arthritis and congestion
• A natural wormer (however studies have shown onions are toxic to cats and dogs)
• Natural diuretic
• Relieves intestinal disorders (by stimulating the contraction and expansion of the intestines, onions help to remove intestinal putrefaction and excess gas)
• Indigestion
• Headaches
• Earaches
• Toothache
• Prevents tooth decay
• Laryngitis
• Colic
• Angina
• Jaundice
• Sunstroke
• Stimulating hair growth

A Simple and Effective Cough Syrup

Choose one or more of the potent onion varieties. Slice 2-3 medium onions. Place one layer of onions in a glass bowl and cover with organic sucanat or brown sugar. Continue layering onions and sucanat or brown sugar until all onions are layered. For a more powerful remedy, add ¼ cup of Manuka honey. (This is the recommendation of the source I researched. However, it’s really better to use honey from your local area beekeepers. The bees in your area are gathering pollen from YOUR environment, and this helps fight whatever allergy or irritant you’re being exposed to.)

Cover with plastic wrap and leave on kitchen counter for 24 hours, stirring occasionally to insure onions have been fully covered. Drain liquid into a glass jar after 24 hours. Take 2 tablespoons, as needed, for coughs and respiratory congestion. Refrigerate after use. Keeps up to one week in the refrigerator.

Onion Plaster for Chest Congestion

Gather three or four large onions—yellow or brown preferably. Quarter and place into the top of a steamer. While the onions are steaming, prepare a piece of cheesecloth. Open cheesecloth into a large square, or double if it is very large. You should end up with a square 10” x 10” or smaller – depending on the size of your patient.

Steam the onions until soft and allow to cool slightly. Using a slotted spoon, spoon the onions onto the cheesecloth. Fold cheesecloth over the onions. Press out remaining liquid as you fold. Fasten the bundle closed with knots or safety pins to keep the onions from falling out. Place the onion plaster on the chest of your patient. The plaster must be warm, but not warm enough to burn the skin.

Poultices

Migraines/Headaches

Sliced raw onions wrapped in cheesecloth and placed the forehead. Let sit 15-30 minutes. Repeat 2-3 times daily, as needed.

Rheumatism

Small raw onions chopped and missed with dry mustard placed in cheesecloth bundles and placed on affected joints. Let sit 15-30 minutes. Repeat 2-3 times daily, as needed.

Abscess

Baked onions wrapped in a cheesecloth bundle and placed on the affected areas. Place on the face in the area where the affected tooth/teeth are. Let sit 15-30 minutes. Repeat 2-3 times daily, as needed.

7 Comments to “Medicinal Uses of Marigolds”

1. I thought the common marigold (tagetes) and the calendula (pot marigold) were two different plants.
   I know the common marigold – pictured in the article – can be used to deter aphids and other bugs when used as a companion plant. The pot marigold or calendula, which looks much more like a yellow/gold daisy is used medicinally for salves.

   Are they the same? ThanksThank you for pointing that out. The wrong picture was featured and I apologize for any confusion for our readers. I have updated the article to reflect the calendula marigold.

   
   

   Thanks for the interesting and helpful article!

   I was going to point out the same thing Bellen did, but ten noticed that she beat me to it!

   The photo shows a calendula, not a marigold, although some people do mistakenly refer to calendula as marigold. Marigold is a different plant/flower, which has a very distinct and somewhat unpleasant smell calendula doesn’t have.

   Here is an article about marigold:

   http://healthandbeautywoman.com/marigold-flower-beauty-and-health/

   Your article now shows a calendula, but apart from mentioning that some people mistakenly refer to calendula as marigolds, all other references to marigold should in my opinion be deleted from your article.

   
   

3. The above article still states that Marigold and Calendula are the same thing but the comments above contradict that. Which one is true???

   Calendula is a variety of marigold. Because this flower is referred to as marigold in herbal references, it’s easily confused with the garden variety of marigold we use for insect control. I have added a sentence in the first paragraph to underscore the fact that, for the purposes of this article, we’re speaking in reference to the calendula marigold, or pot marigold as it’s also referred to. How does one get the ointment from these flowers and how to made them for healing.
   Thank you for your help.

4. emmiej1939 – to extract the healing properties into a sauve you need a medium such as extra virgin olive oil. Heat about 2-4 cups of olive oil to 200 degrees (check with a candy themometer) in a stainless cooking pot and place the DRIED pot marigold HEADS in a cheese cloth ‘sache’. Sink the cheese cloth sache into the hot oil and check the temperature frequently to maintain the 200 degrees for 1 hour. At the end of an hour, turn the heat off and allow the oil to cool for about 20 minutes. Pull the sache out of the oil using tongs and press out the oil from the cheese cloth against the inside of the pot. place on a plate to discard later. To make the mixture into a sauve you will need to add beeswax. The recipe is approx 4 Tb beeswax to 1 cup oil. Stir melted wax into oil and pour mix into a low cut bin with a good cover and allow to cool. You will want to make sure the sauve cools completely before covering to keep condensation from forming. We use baby food jars but we also made a 3-C cream using Comfry, Calendula, and Chickweed mix (about 2 cups each). So you could use less oil/beeswax. The cream we used on a baby with diaper rash and the rash DISAPPEARED after the first application. Have fun!

Dealing with Burns:

BURNS

A young man sprinkling his lawn and bushes with pesticides wanted to check the contents of the barrel to see how much pesticide remained in it.  He raised the cover and lit his lighter; the vapors inflamed and engulfed him.  He jumped from his truck, screaming.  His neighbor came out of her house with a dozen eggs, yelling: "bring me some eggs!"  She broke them, separating the whites from the yolks.  The neighbor woman helped her to apply the whites on the young man's face.  When the ambulance arrived and when the EMTs saw the young man, they asked who had done this.  Everyone pointed to the lady in charge.  They congratulated her and said: "You have saved his face."  By the end of the summer, the young man brought the lady a bouquet of roses to thank her.  His face was like a baby's skin.

Healing Miracle for burns:

Keep in mind this treatment of burns which is included in teaching beginner fireman this method.  First aid consists to spraying cold water on the affected area until the heat is reduced and stops burning the layers of skin.  Then, spread egg whites on the affected area.

One woman burned a large part of her hand with boiling water.  In spite of the pain, she ran cold faucet water on her hand, separated 2 egg white from the yolks, beat them slightly and dipped her hand in the solution.  The whites then dried and formed a protective layer.

She later learned that the egg white is a natural collagen and continued during at least one hour to apply layer upon layer of beaten egg white.  By afternoon she no longer felt any pain and the next day there was hardly a trace of the burn.  10 days later, no trace was left at all and her skin had regained its normal color.  The burned area was totally regenerated thanks to the collagen in the egg whites, a placenta full of vitamins.

Alot of people will be considering eating the rodents that will be rampant in city streets but for the survival farms that have been set up, rodents can become a real problem.  Something else we need to stuff our brains with...ugh

Rodent control on the farm:

Enlarge Image Image Gallery Grain bins are a favorite feasting place for pesky mice and rats. iStockphoto.com/Robert Hunt

With the onset of fall, summer's bounty gives way to an urgent need among animals to seek food and shelter for the coming winter. Rats and mice are on the move. And to the wandering rodent, your farm looks like a deluxe hotel. Proximity of a food source and nesting grounds are prime considerations for rodents about to take up residence. Buildings, feed bins, woodpiles, junk heaps and stacked trash are all highly attractive to rodents. When it comes to providing habitat for these varmints, the farmer is often her own worst enemy.

Rats and mice have been a nuisance to humankind since the beginning of time. The infamous bubonic plague, the Black Death, was caused by fleas that bit infected rats and then passed the disease on to humans. From time to time, nations experience a virtual swarm of rodents that destroy foodstuffs and crops. On U.S. farms, losses from these vermin are measured in hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Fortunately, with some basic precautions, rodents can be controlled. 

Have a strategy

A good rodent-control strategy is a simple three-step process. First, deny them food and shelter; second, employ an ongoing control program; and third, encourage all area farms and rural households to institute similar rodent control measures. Since rodents can reproduce exponentially, everyone's help is needed.

Let’s start with habitat denial. Rodents survive and multiple largely through human negligence. Sloppiness comes with a price ... and it can be high. It is estimated that on poultry farms alone, rodents can consume $250 worth of feed for every 100 hens housed per year. They damage structures and wiring, cause fires, spread disease and can prey on baby animals.

Some important steps to eliminate a harborage for rats and mice are:

● Don’t have open and unsanitary dumps on the farm. Bury or burn trash, offal and garbage.

● Stack lumber and building supplies 1 foot off the ground. Never stack wood next to buildings.

● Store feed in metal or plastic containers when possible. Clean up spilled feed as soon as possible.

● Avoid on-farm junk piles and storing old machinery or equipment. These make good rodent homes.

● Rat-proof buildings by using concrete floors and foundations. Use hardware cloth to screen windows, vents, pipes and drains. Check buildings for holes and make necessary repairs. This denies access to rodents and discourages their residency. 

Reduce populations

The second part of a good rodent control program involves reducing existing populations by trapping, predation and poisoning.

Rodents can be easily trapped. Rats and mice follow natural runways. Finding these areas is critical for trap placement. Selection of attractive bait is also important. Rodents go for fish, oatmeal, bacon and sweets. Select a trap location inaccessible to children, livestock, pets and non-target species. Various types of traps can be used, from conventional types to sticky paper. Trap selection should be based on individual and safety considerations.

One of the best ways to control rodent populations is by good old-fashioned predation. The barn cat is an excellent choice. Cats are natural mousers. They should feed almost exclusively on varmints, which sharpens their hunting skills and makes them more effective rodent killers. Snakes, hawks and owls are also natural rodent predators. If you own large livestock, you should have nothing to fear from these animals. Smaller livestock, however, may have to be protected from natural predators. Then, let the predators go to work and hunt and kill the varmints. That's what nature intended.

If, as a last resort, a poisoning program is used to control rodents, it should be used carefully and with great caution. Careful consideration must be given to children, pets, livestock and non-target animals. Poisons are indiscriminate, so use them with extreme caution. Poisons should be placed in those inaccessible spots that only rats and mice will find; good locations are along runways and in their nesting areas. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions before setting out any poisons, and monitor poisoned locations daily. 

Collaboration

Lastly, to be effective, a rodent control program must be a continuous and ongoing collaboration with neighbors. No area should become a breeding ground for these pests. They spread and multiply too fast. The key is cooperation, constant effort and vigilance. Once they gain a foothold, rats and mice can be hard to eliminate. It's better to institute and practice the prevention and control techniques discussed than to wait to be overrun with vermin. Start a good rodent control program now. It's well worth the effort.

Read more: http://www.grit.com/Farm/Rodent-Pest-Control-on-the-Farm.aspx#ixzz1...

Snakes can be a good thing besides being food they can control the rodent population....

Image Gallery This black rat snake will help keep the rodent numbers down around the farm. University of Georgia

As you quickly learn growing up on a farm, particularly next to a rock quarry as I did, not all snakes are poisonous. And, even the poisonous species are not completely bad; they often, like their nonvenomous counterparts, serve the welcomed purpose of controlling rodent populations.

The first nonvenomous species that comes to mind, which my brothers and I saw the most, is the black snake; we probably saw the black rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta). Black snakes chiefly prey on rats and mice, but they are also known to feed on chipmunks, other snakes, squirrels, birds and bird eggs. They are a constrictor, so they suffocate their prey before eating it. These snakes can be long, sometimes as lengthy as 8 feet. Black snakes are excellent climbers and largely arboreal.

Bullsnakes are another variety that we found around our farm. They will prey on other snakes, especially the young, but they primarily go after mice, rats, rabbits, squirrels and birds. They can be up to 8 feet long, and when threatened, a bullsnake will try to flatten its head into a more triangular, rattlesnake-like shape and beat its tail against surrounding foliage to make an imitative rattle. It is often this threatening tactic that is often a bullsnake’s undoing, since many people mistake it for a rattler and kill it. Bullsnakes have at least some immunity to poisonous species.

Another of the nonpoisonous snakes is the ribbon snake. This member of the garter snake genus is docile and commonly found as a pet. Their diet consists of worms, slugs, minnows, insects and small mice. They are relatively small, with size ranging from 1½ feet to 3 feet in length.

The milk snake is a member of the king snake family, and another of the nonpoisonous snakes that removes rodents around the barnyard. One myth is that the milk snake sucks milk out of cow udders, but this is just that, a myth. Milk snakes are not anatomically equipped for such a venture. The myth comes from their propensity to hang around barns, and therefore milk cows, because barns are usually cooler in temperature and harbor numerous rodents. Milk snakes feed mainly on rats, mice, squirrels, beavers, eggs, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. Milk snakes, like some other snakes that aren’t poisonous, eat other snakes and have at least some immunity to poisonous snakes like the rattler.

Lastly, racer snakes are a breed of snake that captured my imagination at a young age. My mother often told the story about how, when she was young, a blue racer chased her across the yard from a field where my grandpa was bush-hogging, if my memory serves. Racers have a top speed of about 4 miles per hour, or an adult human’s brisk walk. When approached by a predator, the racer will flee to a burrow, rock crevice or thick vegetation.

Adults are uniformly black, blue, brown or greenish on top, and white, yellow or dark gray below. They range in length from 3 to 7 feet and eat large insects, frogs, lizards, other snakes, small rodents and birds.

These reptiles can eliminate rodent population problems from our farmland, so before you fetch the shovel or hoe the next time you see a snake, discern – from a short distance – the type and whether or not it’s a poisonous snake. As long as it won’t harm you or your pets, think about letting it go. The rodents around your property might not be as numerous in the future.

Read more: http://www.grit.com/Wildlife/Snake-Identification-Key-to-Rodent-Con...

An inspiring story.

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/a-year-in-the-...

Some good information on outdoor root cellars and what will work well from Mother Earth News

http://www.motherearthnews.com/do-it-yourself/root-cellars-zm0z11zk...

Some good advice on storing and handling pet foods

http://www.disinfect-for-health.org/pet-products-salmonella-contami...

Pet Products and Salmonella Contamination
Written by Linda Golodner

November 10th, 2011

It is part of the daily routine in millions of American homes: Feeding the family pet; tossing the puppy a treat during training; administering a prescribed pet supplement. Not quite as routine are recommended precautions to avoid serious foodborne illnesses that may result from contact with these pet products.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced a new nationwide, year-long effort to collect and analyze samples of pet products for Salmonella bacteria. FDA wants to know how prevalent Salmonella is in dry pet food, treats and supplements; the agency aims to remove contaminated products from interstate commerce.

There are several documented cases of human disease outbreaks resulting from contact with Salmonella-contaminated pet products. Between January 2006 and December 2007, for example, seventy human cases of salmonellosis were linked to Salmonella- contaminated dry dog food manufactured in the United States. Children (who love to interact with pets and may inadvertently contact feeding bowls), the elderly and individuals with compromised immune systems are among the most vulnerable.

Here are some tips to prevent contamination from pet products

The benefits of pineapple.

The discovery of pineapple can be traced back to the year 1493 in Guadalupe, a Caribbean island, by the Europeans. Columbus brought back the fruit to Europe and cultivated it. However, because the fruit can only grow in tropical climate, the pineapples were introduced and grown for commercial purposes in Asia, South America and Africa by the explorers from Spain and Portugal. Pineapple in Europe, particularly the fresh pineapple, became a symbol of social class and prestige. Fact is, placing it as a table centrepiece evokes a feeling of awe among visitors of celebrations.

However, pineapple is not just known for its prestige, it is also highly known for the health benefits it can provide. A cup of fresh pineapple, weighing 155 grams, contains 128 percent of the daily value of manganese. 40 percent of the daily requirement of vitamin C can also be provided by a cup of pineapple. Below are some of the diseases that can benefit greatly from the nutritional content of pineapples.

1. Sinusitis

   Sinusitis is the inflammation of the para-nasal sinuses due to infections of bacteria, fungi or virus. There are several self-care treatments available to reduce the symptoms of sinusitis – from  inhaling steam two to four times every day, to the application of a washcloth that is warm and moist on the face for several times daily, to drinking generous amounts of fluids for the purpose of thinning the mucus. Doctors also prescribe decongestants, either oral or nasal, to ease the clogged nose especially to those who are suffering severe forms of sinusitis. But the pineapple is a natural anti-inflammatory agent that can reduce the inflammation process that causes sinusitis. Pineapple contains bromelain, an extract that is found in high amounts at the stems and the core of the pineapple fruit. Bromelain, according to a double blind study made in 1967, resulted to complete resolution of sinusitis and other related upper respiratory tract infection in 85 percent of the patient receiving this substance. In Germany, treatment for sinusitis has been approved for bromelain. Compared to other treatments for inflammation, bromelain has reduced the length of illness of children who are suffering from acute sinusitis.

2. Heart Health

   Pineapple is also beneficial to those who are suffering from some types of cardiovascular diseases because of the substance, bromelain. Aside from its anti-inflammatory characteristics, bromelain that is abundantly found in pineapples, seem to have the ability to destroy the plaques of cholesterol found in the arteries and it has shown to have some fibrinolytic activity that allows the thinning of the blood. In a 1978 research, patients who are suffering from symptoms of angina pectoris (chest pain) have reported a reduction of the symptoms within 4 to 90 days after a bromelain therapy. Those who discontinued the therapy have reported return of symptoms, especially after stress episodes. Another study has also shown that those who are suffering from thrombophlebitis showed that bromelain potentiated the effects of analgesics by reducing further the symptoms of inflammation.

3. Arthritis

   Arthritis has many types; osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the common ones. The general symptoms of the disease are also that of the inflammation process: pain, swelling and redness. Studies were made on the effects of bromelain found in pineapple towards the reduction of symptoms of arthritis. One important study showed that patients suffering from mid knee pain who are dose dependent of bromelain has shown reduction of symptoms. Another study of patients with arthritis has proven that bromelain can help subside the swelling of the soft tissues of the joints. Additionally, for those arthritis sufferers who are taking glucosamine, pineapple’s bromelain can enhance its effectiveness by increasing its absorption by up to 90 percent.

4. Heartburn

   Heartburn is the indigestion of acid that causes the burning sensation in the chest, which results when the gastric acid regurgitates. Bromelain has several components in the extract which are being studied by many scientists. Among the well-studied components are cysteine proteinases, a protein-digesting enzyme – an enzyme that is capable of digesting protein components of the food. It helps in the digestion process by assisting trypsin and pepsin, two protein-digesting enzymes, thus, digestion is enhanced. If digestion is enhanced, there is improvement of the acid reflux. With improvement of acid reflux, there is a decrease in tendencies of getting heartburn.

5. Anti-thrombosis

   Thrombosis is a condition where there is formation of blood clot inside the blood vessels which results to the obstruction of the flow of the blood. Several studies were made on bromelain found in pineapple and it has shown that bromelain is demonstrating fibrinolytic and anti-thrombotic effects on the body. Fibrinolysis is when the body prevents the growth of blood clots in the body. Anti-thrombotic, on the other hand, is the reduction of size of thrombus – a blood clot that is already formed in the blood vessel and has a way of clogging the blood vessels. Bromelain and pineapple itself has the capability to eliminate these conditions that are harmful not just to the blood vessels but also to the heart through the circulatory process.

6. Bronchitis

   There are two categories of bronchitis, acute and chronic. Bronchitis happens when there is inflammation of the air passages in the lungs, the bronchus. When this happens, the person affected by it will have difficulty of breathing, cough with yellow-green mucus, fever, wheezing and chest discomfort. There are several remedies for this condition, which is caused usually by viral or bacterial respiratory infection. But researches for years have shown that the symptoms can be effectively managed by bromelain. Bromelain has an anti-inflammatory effect, it can therefore help reduce the symptoms of inflammation, such as pain and swelling of the mucous membrane of the airway.

   There are still several health benefits of the pineapple and its major component, the bromelain. Being highly rich in vitamins C and B1, it is a good source of antioxidant that can protect the immune system of the body. Manganese is also beneficial in the production of energy. And lastly, pineapple has been implicated in the prevention of the development of macular degeneration, the main reason for the loss of vision in the older population.

Hi Rango.. I would think not Auckland, Wellington or any of the coastal places would be a good place to start. We are in Northland and reasonably high up but its hard to get 100miles from the coast anywhere up here due to the island being so narrow. I have family down the line but as yet they just think I have a screw coming a bit loose :-) Time will tell I guess.

Also, check out the safe places blog from the main page.

@Rango, Volcanoes won't be too much of a problem to us because the indo-australian will tilt and rise and we won't see explosions in our volcanoes as per zetas.

I live in Auckland.  We probably need to go central towards lake Taupo but not too close because of the lake.  I thought about Tokoroa/tirau/cambridge and I am still undecided.  

There will be more earthquakes coming our way as the indo-australian plate continue to tilt and rise.  there are unknown fault lines and i am still playing a waiting game.

Rango, I thought that too about the size of the North island.. but it appears to be in 2 parts separated by what is now Auckland.. I am wondering the same although I did hear someone say the other day that it would be best not to be north ofWhangarei. I have family in Cambridge so I am hoping they will be OK.

By Prossy Nandudu

Charles Mulamata, a resident of Rubaga, a Kampala suburb has demonstrated that it is possible to rear this delicacy right in the backyard of your house.
Mulamata, an electrical engineer, has also turned the backyard of his home into a training place for bicycle repairers.

How he started
Mulamata and his family started fish farming back in 2010 although their efforts started paying off in May last year. Initially, the family harvested nothing from their first stock of 50 catfish due to poor supervision and care.

“The people who were looking after the fish either consumed them and ran away or simply left them to predators,” Mulamata says. “I decided to do some research on the Internet about fish farming and discovered that I could actually rear fish in my backyard,” he adds.

Mulamata studied the technology for about four months. He then started experimenting with the old gadgets he had at home. His old fridge at home came in handy. He modified it and filled it with water. 

He then looked around for an aerator to pump oxygen into the water tank and paid an aquarium seller sh20,000 for it. “He left behind his aquarium with some fish in it, promising to pick them when he delivered the aerator. That was the last time I saw him,” Mulamata says.

The following day, all the fish in the aquarium had died due to lack of oxygen.

This did not deter Mulamata who decided to keep the glass and started experimenting by keeping fish in it. He kept changing the water although he was still in a dilemma on where to get the aerator.

Mulamata later improvised by acquiring a small pump from a vehicle fuel tank. The other challenge was getting a timer to regulate the flow of water.

“I remembered that in a car, there is a flusher unit which acts as a timer to flush at intervals. I decided to modify one to increase its speed so that it could flush for 30 minutes and rest for 15 minutes,” Mulamata explains. The trick worked well and is still in use to date.

Set back
Having overcome the technological challenges, Mulamata and his wife were excited and decided to add more fish, which they hastily bought from a man at Kabaka’s lake. But because the fish were tiny, they found their way in the water pump through the outflow valve. The following day, the fish had clogged the pump and were dead because they lacked oxygen while inside the pump.

That is when the old fridge became handy. That was not the only disappointment.
After buying feed from Ugachick and the surviving fish growing rapidly, Mulamata realised something strange, the ‘fish’ were developing legs. They all turned out to be tadpoles. The person who sold them the ‘fish’ had conned them.

Success
After the disappointment, Mulamata’s wife advised him to visit Kajjansi to get quality and real fish fries.

“We found real fish, bigger and cheap. Each was going for sh200 so we bought about 600,” Mulamata says.
Six months down the road, Mulamata was a happy man.

“We have learnt a lot about fish farming. I harvest my fish for the table and love looking at them in water. The bonus is that the fish droppings give very good manure,” he says.

Fish waste for vegetable growing
The waste which is pumped out of the fish pond provides minerals and fertilisers that facilitate the quick growth of vegetables such as Dodo, Sukumawiki, lettuce and tomatoes.

Mulamata says the vegetables can grow faster than in ordinary gardens. His lettuce and tomatoes usually take 29 days to grow compared to the 60 days the lettuce and tomatoes in other gardens take.

Natural Insect Repellant Suggestions Continued

Here is some information on natural insect repellant that I have saved on my computer. Here is the recipe that was shared at the Young Living Farm in Utah by the head "farmer."
1 gallon of water
5 cloves of garlic blended and then strained
3 drops of oregano

1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon dish soap..

Awesome Samantha.  I wonder how well it would work on thick heavy items like leather...

@Antoinette,

Such a lovely coast line you live on. I have to agree with Rango in that Oudtshoorn should not be chosen. It is easy to be deceived by the Langeberg mountain range that separates Oudtshoorn from the coast, but two things - the Langeberg mountains are not that high. A decent tsunami with some bore backing it up is going to rush over that mountain easily.

Then, on the other side, Oudtshoorn lies in a glacial valley. Water rushing over the mountain will likely dam up there with little chance to escape. 

If you think along the lines of the great karoo - Laingsburg, even Beauford West, you'll find the area sparsely populated, plenty of fuel and rather fertile soil. Sure the area is dry now, but we are - per the Zetas - looking at near incessant rain following the shift, so water should not be a problem.

Hope it helps.

Hi all, followed a link from the main page the other day and was directed to another site which made a recommendation for a book. Its "SAS Survival Handbook - The ultimate guide to surviving anywhere" Its by John "Lofty" Wiseman and its isbn number is 978-0-00-727493-2. Its fantastic. I picked one up off Trade me in NZ but I am sure that it must be available elsewhere too. Its got a ton of info, is nearly 600 pages long and will make a great reference tool. Would never have found it if it hadn't been for the link from this site. Again, highly recommended!!

WOW Malou.. you are a star.. thank you for taking this to the next level :-)

@ Susan Sanchez

ZetaTalk about storing fuel

http://www.zetatalk.com/xtime/x14.htm

“What do you gain by a few cans of gas? A few hours of heat or light? And what do you stand to risk in exchange? Your life? A painful death to others? Since you are going to have to adjust to life without these explosive fuels in any case, and soon, learn to get along without them!”

I have been urged recently to revisit our First Aid needs going into and surviving the shift.  I feel I was guide to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dboVSTCkuw for a Level one first Aid kit, which takes up little room, but has the essentials that many commercial kits do not, that is a way to stop and deal with heavy bleeding.  You can easily make this kit yourself, without the expense of the commercial brand name kits.

If you do check this out and are interested, he offers 5 videos on what he calls a Level Two kit which IMO is the minimum everyone should be considering heading into the shift.  just remember these things will become much harder to get once the announcement is made.  Again my opinion only, but he is very practical in his approach, hope you all benefit.

I should add, my motivation is to save the rescuers first and then have the kits ready to help any survivors we find on our search for them.  These level two kits will be in the form of a back pack, with a water reservoir for flushing wounds.  I am aiming to make these back packs into full Trauma kits, and don't forget to label them and he suggests, as you may not be the one administering the First Aid, if you have passed the kit onto someone else.  (I am not a Nurse, just have completed a First Aid course)