Lisa Bedford's Blog, page 98

Canning Basics: How to Can Peaches and Nectarines

I’ve canned a lot of things this year that I had never tried before: cherry preserves and salsa, for starters. But sometimes it’s good to go back to the basics and can a simple batch of no-frills, just-plain, regular fruit. For me, that means peaches. I love canning peaches. I was very pleased and fortunate to have received in the mail a box of peaches and nectarines, in hopes that I would wax erudite about the satisfaction one can get from canning them.

Peaches were the very first fruit I ever canned. My grandmother was the one who taught me, back in 2005 when I had newly graduated from college. I had never bottled anything before.When I was young my family never lived in a place where you could cheaply acquire enough fruit to make the effort of preserving it worthwhile.

I can’t speak for anyone else, but for me, canning is not just about laying up fresh produce for the future. It is a meditation on the science and history��that led to the development of home-canning; my hopes and dreams for how I plan to use my bottles of preserved fruit; and the the love of my grandmother, who not only took the time to teach me how to do it, but also supplied me with much of the necessary equipment.

But enough philosophizing! Here’s how to��can peaches and nectarines.

Step-by-Step instructions for canning peaches and nectarines

Canning peaches is about as simple as you can get.��It’s simply peeled and pitted peaches in sugar syrup. That’s it. You put all that in a bottle, put a lid on it, and then place the bottles in a hot water canner for a while. If even that sounds like it could be a little daunting, don’t despair. Break it down into the very, very basics.

Canning one variety of fruit is very much like another. Click here to read about canning bing cherries. If you know how to can cherries or just about any other fruit, peaches are just as simple.

1) Wash and sterilize your canning jars and set them aside until the peaches and syrup are ready.

2) The first step to doing anything with peaches is to remove the skin.

This is done by blanching them and then transferring them into cold water immediately afterwards. More detailed instructions can be found here.

3) Slice your peaches.

To prevent browning, I put them in a large bowl of water with a small amount of lemon juice. You can also use commercial “color keeper,” or even vinegar (you will have to rinse off the vinegar later, to keep your fruit from tasting like salad dressing). The acidity keeps the peaches from browning while you are waiting to put them in your jars.

4) Prepare your sugar syrup.

There are two ways to make sugar syrup. One is to mix a quantity of sugar and water in a saucepan and stir until it is all dissolved. You’ll ladle this into your jars after you’ve put in your peaches. You can choose how heavy or light you want your syrup by altering the amount of sugar.

Or you could do it the lazy way, like I do: put between 1/4 and 1/3 cup sugar in the bottom of each jar, fill the jars with peaches, and then put just enough water to cover your peaches. Voila, instant syrup.

5) Be very sure that you wipe the rims of your jars thoroughly before placing the lids.

Stray fruit or syrup or sugar on the rims can prevent the jars from sealing, which would make all your hard work for nothing. Then place the lids and screw the rings on until they are fairly tight.

6) Process the jars.

The term “process” just means heating the jars to kill any bacteria. This is also what will cause��the jars to seal, making them shelf stable. Boiling water canners are the most common, but steam canners are also available. How long you process your jars may depend on your altitude. I live in the intermountain west, so I leave my jars in the canner for at least 30 minutes when I am bottling peaches in quart-sized jars.

When your 30 minutes are up, remove your jars (I like to use a handy jar lifter like this one) and leave them to cool on your counter for 24 hours.

I just finished canning a bunch of peaches before I started writing this article, and just now I heard the satisfying, “thock!” of one of my peach jars sealing. That’s how you know it’s been done right.

Nectarines are just as easy

Nectarine Salsa: sweet, slightly spicy

I also had a quantity of nectarines to can this summer. I wasn’t sure what to do with them until I realized that anything you can do with peaches can also be done with nectarines. There is very little difference between the two: the taste is very nearly the same, and they are the same size and shape. If anything nectarines are easier to can because, lacking characteristic fuzz, you do not have to peel them first.

Since I was freed from the burden of peeling my nectarines, I put my energy into devising much more creative ways to can them. I made a batch of nectarine salsa, and a batch of spiced nectarines. For both, I used recipes that had originally been written for peaches.

Peach (Nectarine) Salsa with Lime

The spiced nectarines are prepared almost exactly like regular fruit in syrup; the only real difference is that the syrup has had some flavorings added. The following is adapted from�� from The Better Homes and Gardens Home Canning Cook Book, copyright 1973:

Ingredients:

2 cups water

5 cups sugar

1 cup vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar for a fruitier taste)

2 Tablespoon��whole cloves

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil stirring until sugar is completely dissolved. This makes a very heavy syrup. You have the option of decreasing the amount of sugar if desired. This amount is sufficient for 7 pint jars of spiced nectarines.

Stone fruit is extremely versatile. Whether you choose to can your peaches and nectarines “just plain,” or spiced up as something more exciting, your jars of fruit will make a tasty and attractive addition to your pantry.

Add to your canning knowledge and supplies with these recommended products!

All-American Pressure Canner��(Ultra heavy duty, more expensive)
DVD: At Home Canning for Beginners and Beyond
Back to Basics Jar Lifter
Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving
Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
Ball Canning Utensil Set
Presto Pressure Canner��(budget-friendly)
Simply Canning��by Sharon Peterson
Zaycon��for purchases of large quantities of meat, chicken, bacon, and other foods. (affiliate link)

The post Canning Basics: How to Can Peaches and Nectarines by Beth Buck appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

Stocking Up on Dried Milk: A Tutorial

Many dehydrated and freeze-dried foods are easy to add to our food storage pantries because we know what to expect when we buy them. There’s no big surprise when you open a can of dehydrated onions or freeze-dried strawberries. However, when it comes to dried milk, there are lots of confusing options. Which are best for drinking? Baking? What about the so-called “milk alternatives”?

Having dry milk on hand is extremely handy whenever I run low on regular milk. Back in the day when my kids were drinking cold milk by the gallon, having a back-up ready to go was a life-saver. With a couple of tricks, you can even turn it into buttermilk or evaporated milk.

In fact, I do have a lot of dried milk in my pantry. We don’t drink a lot of milk anymore now that my kids are older, but I do use it for baking and in other recipes. I have stocked up on mostly��instant milk and powdered milk, with a can or two of milk alternatives. Here’s how these are different.

Instant Dry Milk

Instant Dry Milk is non-fat and will dissolve instantly in water, both cold and hot. If you’re looking to stock up on milk that will be used primarily for drinking, this is your go-to product. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the taste if your only memory of drinking dried milk is from 20 ��years ago. The product has improved a lot since then!

Instant milk is made by a process called spray drying, in which milk is quickly dried by hot air. This produces a very, very fine powder, which helps instant milk dissolve quickly when mixed with water.

Some moms add a small amount of vanilla to the rehydrated milk, just to add a little extra flavor, and then serve it nice and cold. If you’re concerned about additives, check the label on the brand you are considering buying. Some add only Vitamins A and D3, while others might contain additional ingredients.

You can use this product in your cooking and baking recipes as well, so it’s quite a workhorse in your kitchen. Store it carefully, however, in the coolest location possible. Its ideal storage temperature is in the 55-70 degree range (F), which is quite cool. Warmer temperatures will lead to a gradual decline in nutrition and flavor, in particular.

Powdered Milk

Not all food storage companies sell powdered milk, but this dry milk is a little different from “instant” dry milk. It’s also non-fat and is intended for cooking and baking. It doesn’t need to be rehydrated before being added to your recipes. If your family doesn’t drink much milk, you may want to stock up more with powdered milk and less with instant.

Powdered milk is created in a process called drum drying. This process produces a dry milk that has a different texture than instant milk, and since more heat is added in the drum drying process, the flavor changes slightly. The powdered milk particles aren’t puffed with any air, which makes it more difficult to combine with water. Some moms mix powdered milk with warm water for easier blending.

Milk Alternatives

When I first began buying from food storage companies, I was mystified by this “milk alternative” until a friend told me to think of it as a milk beverage. It’s not 100% milk but instead is a whey-based alternative. Morning Moo is one very popular brand and comes in a chocolate version.

A milk alternative is going to contain sugar, including corn syrup, and a number of other additives.��It can be mixed with water and served cold as a beverage, used in shakes and smoothies, and used in any number of recipes that call for milk. However, because of the added ingredients, you won’t be able to use a milk alternative to make yogurt or cheese.

Dry Milk to Fresh Milk

Either Instant or Powdered milk will combine with water to produce milk that can be used in recipes.��Check your container of instant/powdered milk for instructions, but in most cases, you can use these measurements:

1 cup water + 1/3 cup dry milk = ��1 cup milk

1 quart water + 1 1/3 cups dry milk = 1 quart milk

2 quarts water + 2 2/3 cups dry milk = 2 quarts milk

1 gallon water + 5 1/3 cups dry milk = 1 gallon milk

A #10 an of instant milk will make around 50-55 cups of rehydrated milk.

How to store dry milk

Dry milk can be a bit fussy when it comes to long-term storage. Food storage companies will claim that their dry milk will last 25 years in storage, but that’s in optimal conditions in temperatures ranging from 55 to 70 degrees (F)! Most homes are warmer than that and household temperatures vary from day to day and from season to season. Inconsistent temperatures negatively affect any food in your pantry. (See my article about the enemies of food storage.)

Because milk is a little more picky than other foods, it may be wise to stock up on smaller amounts and put it in your regular food rotation. That is, use the dry milk with the oldest expiration date and then replace it with newer, fresher dry milk. If you don’t use dry milk all that often but still want it in your storage, either buy it in smaller containers (#2.5 cans rather than the gallon-size #10s) or repackage it in canning jars or smaller mylar bags. This article contains instructions for repackaging foods.

Dry milk versatility

You probably know how to quickly transform regular milk into buttermilk, but did you know you can do the same, and more, with dry milk?

Buttermilk

To one cup of reconstituted��milk, add 1 Tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar. Stir and allow to set for 5 minutes. Add to any recipe that calls for buttermilk.

Sweetened Condensed Milk

In a blender, combine 1/2 cup hot water, 1 cup dry milk, 1 cup sugar, 1 Tablespoon butter. Blend well and use in any recipe in place of sweetened condensed milk.

Evaporated Milk

Whisk or use an electric mixer to combine ��1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 c. + 1 Tablespoon powdered milk powder. When thoroughly combined, use this in place of evaporated milk.

Bonus recipe

From Auguson Farms, try this yummy Hot Cinnamon Milk Mix!

2 cups Fresh Instant Nonfat Dry Milk

1 cup dry powdered creamer

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Vanilla extract

Mix all dry ingredients together and store in airtight container. Add 3 heaping spoonfuls to a mug of hot water. Add a splash of vanilla, stir well, and enjoy!

The post Stocking Up on Dried Milk: A Tutorial by The Survival Mom appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

52 Weeks Savings Plan: August Deals Bring Summer To a Close

August is full of summer activities and back to school preparations, but it lacks any major holidays. That doesn’t mean this month will lack in deals and sales, though. The main focus is back-to-school deals but before doing any shopping this month, check if your state and/or city is offering any tax-free shopping days to help with back-to-school shopping.

August discounts and bargains in the food department

Items used for packing school lunches will go on sale this month, like juice boxes, individual snack bags and sliced cheese. You should also see cereal, yogurt, chips, granola bars, peanut butter, jelly, lunch meat, soda and bottled water on sale. If the discounts are great enough and you have the extra cash, try to stock up on a few months’ worth, especially if the food is shelf stable (no refrigeration required).

It’s also a good time of year for adding these foods to your food storage pantry. Peanut butter, jelly, and many other shelf stable foods store very well, long term. Some of them may need to be repackaged for the longest shelf life. Here are instructions for doing that.

Food container items will also go on sale, such as lunch bags and boxes, small coolers, cold packs and food storage containers. Even if you don’t have kids going off to school, these are good to have on hand for emergency evacuations.

Produce in season is avocado, cherries, sweet corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, peaches, melon, pears, bell peppers, plums, squashes, eggplant, figs, onions and berries. If you see any good deals on any produce items, think about whether you can dehydrate, freeze or can them for future use.

TIP: If you make fruit pies for the holidays, consider canning your own pie filling now with fresh produce ahead of those busy holiday times.

Household bargains to watch for

There are all sorts of August discounts and bargains for summer gear to make room for fall (I’ve already seen long-sleeved shirts and Halloween items on store shelves!). You should find swimsuits, sunscreen, flip-flops, sunglasses and summer clothing on sale. With young kids in the house, buying a size or two ahead of time will likely save you money next summer.

Air conditioners go on sale in August, if you are looking to replace an older or broken system. Dehumidifiers should also be on sale this month (consider grabbing one of these if your food storage is in a humid environment to protect your investment).

School supplies – just about all of them – will go on sale at some time in August. These are good items to shop around for with weekly ads. Read the fine print as some stores will have items on sale for a penny, but there’s a minimum dollar amount purchase in order to get that sale price. (If you own a business, think of the back-to-school sales as office supply sales.)

Along with the typical school supplies, some household supplies like tissues, hand sanitizer and cleaning wipes are on sale because teachers request those items on their supply lists. Take advantage of these sales to stock up on cleaning supplies and items to use for entertaining, emergency kids, or for teaching children (keeping markers or crayons and a notebook in the car or emergency shelter can help give children something calming to do). This is also the time to gather materials to make an emergency binder.

TIP: A big enough emergency might require you to homeschool for a time. Having some basic school supplies would come in handy under those circumstances.

Kids clothing is also on sale as parents look to buy clothes for school. Underwear, undershirts and socks also go on sale. Look for the sizes your children will need next year and make sure bug-out bags and emergency supplies have the correct sizes and outfits for this season and even the next.

Office furniture, dorm room furniture, storage items, pillows and linens will be on sale as students start heading to college. If you’re not heading out to school, see if any there are any items you could add to your shelter area or bug-out bags.

Electronics

Camcorders should be on sale in July, along with computers and tablets, as stores get ready for a surge in back-to-school sales. New computers start coming out in the summer so older models start getting discounted. If you do start looking for back-to-school deals, check with manufacturers about student discounts before buying computers, tablets and laptops. Computer games also tend to go on sale during the summer.

Outside the home

August is the best time to stock up on gardening supplies. Think ahead to next year’s garden or even your fall or winter gardens and stock up on fertilizers, perennials, fountains and décor, gloves, hats, boots, hoses and sprinklers. See if you can find any seeds to stock up on as well.

Outdoor patio furniture goes on sale in August, along with lawn mowers. Outdoor toys and play sets will start to go on sale, too.

Grilling utensils and grills are on sale in August. Propane and charcoal grills are a great alternative cooking method if the power goes out – just make sure to have enough propane and charcoal on hand.

Pool supplies will be on sale in August, including “pool shock.” (See The Survival Mom’s research on it here.) Beach towels can be useful to have both in the car, in emergency kits, and in an emergency shelter. They can be used to line pet carriers, too, to help keep pets comfortable.

Despite the warm weather, August is the time to look at buying a snow blower.

Sports and Fitness

Camping gear will start going on sale as the camping season winds down. You should find insect repellant, tents, sleeping bags and miscellaneous gear on sale. Camping gear can be a key part of any bug-out plan and should be tested out before an emergency happens. Keeping sleeping bags or an air mattress in an emergency shelter can be handy for when tornado watches happen at night.

TIP: In a pinch, a tent is a decent emergency shelter. They don’t have to cost much, are lightweight, and very transportable.

Fun August events that may serve up more savings

County and state fairs run in the summer and while there are usually admission fees, they can be a source of fun, cheap entertainment. Scout around for local vendors to get food from during the year and see when the 4H auctions are for art, baked goods and livestock.

See if your area has a local arts group that hosts summer art series with free or discounted concerts or plays.

August is National Catfish Month, Peach Month, Picnic Month, Golf Month, Eye Exam Month and Family Fun Month – see if you can any deals related to that in your local stores.

Some stores and restaurants like to participate in specific special days, so keep an eye out for deals on the following days:

August 2 – Ice Cream Sandwich Day

August 3 – Watermelon Day

August 9 – Book Lover’s Day

August 10 – S’mores Day

August 14 – Creamsicle Day

August 17 – Thriftshop Day

August 31 – Trail mix Day

Activities for Children

Some sporting goods stores may offer classes or seminars on fishing, camping and shooting during the summer for both adults and children. For example, Bass Pro is offering summer family camps: http://www.basspro.com.

Summer reading programs will wind down in August – make sure to turn in reading cards. Check your local library and local bookstores to see what they offer. For a list of stores, theaters and online programs, visit http://savingdollarsandsense.com/free-summer-reading-programs/.

Check local hardware and craft stores for children’s make-and-take events.

Register at www.kidsbowlfree.com to get children up to 2 free games of bowling a day at your local bowling alley.

Some movie theaters offer discount movies during the summer. Check your local theater for prices and movie listings.

Local pools often offer special days where admission is half price or they have cheaper admission during the last 2-3 hours.

Money-saving tips

Consider signing up for deal alerts via email from money-saving blog sites. Book eBub sends daily eBook deals based on the type of books you like.

Think ahead to the holidays and start making gift lists so you can look for deals during the next four months. Some people set up a gift closet to have general gift items on hand for when you go over for dinner at someone’s house or for children’s friend’s birthday parties. You can even make a list of all the presents you expect to give during a year and think a year or two ahead. This will save you money so you don’t run out at the last-minute for whatever you can find.

Here are a few Survival Mom articles to give you some ideas for preparing now for the holidays!

14 Homemade, Budget-Friendly Christmas Gifts
The 12 Days of Christmas: A New Craft For Your Kids
The 12 Days of Christmas: Give the Gift of Preparedness
The 12 Days of Christmas: Our Favorite Things
The 12 Days of Christmas: The Gift of Memories

Keep a list of gifts that you would like to purchase for your household for going to garage sales, too. It will help you avoid impulse purchases and stick with what you need. Here’s a list of 21 key things to look for at garage sales.

Use some of the summer downtime to do a preparedness checkup. What disasters could you possibly face in your area and what do you need to have on hand to be prepared for those? Are your 72-hour bags up-to-date? Is your emergency car kit complete?

In the summer, close blinds and curtains to keep sun out on hot days to reduce cooling costs. If possible, dry clothes outside on a clothesline to avoid running the dryer. Take a different approach to summer meal planning and incorporate meals that are light, such as salads that incorporate fresh ingredients, or that involve cooking outside on the grill or over a fire pit.

By the end of August, you should have $595 saved if you’re following the 52 Weeks Savings Plan (34 weeks). Don’t get discouraged if you’re not there yet. Putting away anything you have extra is an accomplishment in itself. Compare what you have now to what you have when you got started and be proud! Keep focusing every day on the things you can do and enjoy while keeping your long-term goal in sight.

Take advantage of August’s deals and enjoy summer. Come back next month to see what deals September offers to help you save AND prepare!

The post 52 Weeks Savings Plan: August Deals Bring Summer To a Close by Sarah Anne Carter appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

What’s Bugging You? Dealing With Parasites in Humans

There are many different types of parasites that can affect us in the aftermath of a man-made or natural disaster. If we��have a scenario of a large scale disaster or the grid goes down, we will encounter things, yucky things, that we normally wouldn’t, including parasites in humans. Crowded living conditions, shared clothing or personal items, and poor hand hygiene are a recipe for trouble that makes me want to stay home and not be forced (by necessity) to live in a FEMA camp.

I have been researching what types of parasites are most common in��my area (Northwest Indiana).�� Your area may be different, so it is wise to do a little research, but most of these are widespread and highly communicable even without a disaster. Have some medical preps to deal with them is just being smart.

In this article, I will tell you the things that the CDC and medical professionals recommend for treating various parasites, and some alternatives if you don’t have access to (or want to use) those treatments. Please remember that alternative medicine is still medicine and use it with care, especially if you are already taking other medications. There is a shopping list for the essential oils and other alternative therapies mentioned at the end of this article. (Many are multi-purpose.)

The two basic types of the common parasites we may encounter are internal and external.

Common Internal Parasites: Their symptoms and treatment suggestions
Roundworms

Symptoms: Vague abdominal pain, weight loss, distended abdomen, or vomiting. While larvae migrate through the lungs, there may be fever, cough, wheezing, sub-sternal discomfort and breathing difficulty.

Roundworms are found in soil, then get on your hands, and can be ingested. They’re��also found in food contaminated with human waste. Children are more likely to get these. Cover sandboxes when not in use and have your kids tell you if they see anything weird in their poop.

Treatment: Maintain good personal hygiene. Wash hands frequently and with good technique. Trim and clean nails. Use safe drinking water, sanitize it first if you must, and be sure to wash fruits and veggies in potable water. Avoid raw vegetables that you aren’t certain have been well cleaned. Cooked food is safe.

Medications recommended by the CDC: Corticosteroids, Albendazole, & Mebendazole.

Hookworms

Symptoms: Initial rash at site of infection, coughing, diarrhea, abdominal pain, cramps, fatigue, pale skin, shortness of breath (SOB), anemia, and nausea.

Because it is in the soil, walking barefoot in contaminated soil allows it to enter through the skin. It is spread where infected human feces is used as fertilizer. It enters the bloodstream, then the lungs, where it���s coughed up into the mouth, swallowed, and sent to the GI tract.

Treatment: Medications recommended by the CDC are Anthelmintic meds such as Albendazole & Mebendazole.

Pinworms

Symptoms: Can be asymptomatic, or itching around rectum (worse at night), severe scratching can result in a secondary infection. It may be seen with the naked eye a few hours after bedtime, by shining a light or pressing a wide piece of tape against the site.�� Upon examination, they��look like fine threads, less than an inch long.

Pinworm is spread human to human in crowded living conditions. Animals do not carry pinworms.

Treatment: Good handwashing, launder all bedding, clothing, and toys every other day for 3 weeks.��Medications recommended by the CDC are Albendazole (Albenza), Mebendazole (Vermox), and Pyrantel Pamoate. A single tab kills the worms. A second dose is required a few weeks later to kill any newly hatched eggs.

Tapeworms

Symptoms: Sometimes asymptomatic, but may include nausea, weakness, diarrhea, abdominal pain, worm segments in a bowel movement, hunger or loss of appetite, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

WebMD states: “Tapeworms are flat segmented worms that live in animals that have become infected while grazing or drinking contaminated water. Eating under cooked meat is the MAIN cause of infection in humans.”

There are 6 major types of tapeworms, which come from beef, pork, and fish. The larvae live in the muscles of their host and infection occurs when you ingest raw or under cooked meat. You can get pork tapeworms from an infected PERSON who prepares food with dirty hands. Usually tapeworms aren���t life threatening, but on rare occasions may be.

Treatment: A blood test can identify the particular worm by the antibodies you produce. Type and length of treatment depends on the type of worm. The most common med prescribed is praziquantel (Biltricide). A stool sample is checked at one and three months for signs of eggs or worms.

The CDC recommends that you avoid raw or under cooked meat, and not just in an emergency situation.

Cook whole cuts of meat to at least 145 degrees and��poultry to at least 165 degrees. Allow it to ���rest��� for 3 minutes before carving. Ground meat and wild game should be cooked to at least 160 degrees. The University of Minnesota Extension office recommends freezing meat to -4 degrees for 4 days to kill eggs.

TIP: A meat/candy thermometer might be a good addition to your preps, since it’s impossible, otherwise, to know for sure the temperature of cooked food and heated water.

Cook fruits and vegetables or wash raw produce thoroughly. (I personally think an apple cider vinegar wash for several minutes��would work well.)

Trichinellosis (Trichinosis)

Symptoms: According to Medicine.net, symptoms begin with abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, and nausea. A few days later, muscle ache begins, along with itching, fever, and chills. Two to eight weeks after ingestion, joint pain develops. There may be ���splinter-like��� hemorrhages under the fingernails. Eye inflammation occurs, too.

Trichinosis is a worm picked up by eating raw or under cooked pork from an infected animal. This parasite can pass through the intestinal wall and lodge in muscle tissue.

Treatment: Generally not needed, as most people recover without problems. Occasionally, with more severe symptoms, Thiabendazole , Albendazole, Mebendazole, and Prednisone will be prescribed.

Giardia Intestinalis

Symptoms: Bloating, bad breath and gas, dehydration, diarrhea, greasy floating stools, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, stomachache, weakness, and weight loss.

Giardia is a protozoa released by an infected person in a bowel movement. The feces contaminate food, water, or surfaces. You get infected by ingesting the microscopic cysts. They thrive in the small intestine where they feed and multiply. Many animals can be infected too: birds, cows, sheep, deer, dogs, and cats.

Treatment: The CDC recommends taking antimicrobial drugs such as Metronidazole, nitazoxanide (for kids), tinidazole, Nitazoxanide, paromomycin, quinacrine, & furazolidone.

Common External Parasites in Humans
Scabies

Symptoms: Intense itching, especially at night, and a pimple-like rash. It can cover the whole body but common sites include the wrist, elbows, armpits webbing between fingers, belt line, and ���below the belt��� – in short, areas where there are natural folds in your skin. Sometimes tiny ���burrows��� are visible under the skin.

Scabies is usually spread by direct, prolonged contact with an infected person. It spreads easily in crowded conditions and by sharing towels, bedding, or clothing. Scabies can be spread even before you have symptoms.

*PEOPLE WITH CRUSTED SCABIES ARE HIGHLY INFECTIOUS.

Treatment: Normally it is diagnosed with viewing a skin scraping under a microscope, but is usually based on appearance. A scabicide is prescribed by a doctor. There are no OTC meds at this time.

The NIH website recommends a ���Permethrin��� cream be applied from the neck down and left on for 8-14 hours, then washed off. A lotion is applied to freshly washed hair. Don���t use conditioner. (Do this over a sink, so none of the lotion gets on your body). Leave it on for ten minutes.

Wash all clothing, bedding, and personal items in the hottest water possible. Repeat as recommended. All members of any household with even one person with scabies should be treated to prevent further infestations.

The CDC website states never to use a scabicide for veterinary use to be used on humans because there haven’t been clinical tests on humans for veterinary meds. At least as importantly, animals don���t spread scabies and the type of scabies mite that causes ���mange��� is different from the one that spreads among humans. The “mange” mite can���t survive or reproduce on humans. But, in a true emergency,…Tractor Supply isn’t far.

Scabies can���t live longer than 2-3 days away from human skin. Wash contaminated clothing and bedding under hottest wash and drying cycles. Bag any item that can���t be washed securely and remove it from body contact for at least 72 hours.

Vacuum carefully, and get rid of the bag outside. You don���t need to fumigate the whole house.

Lice
Head Lice

Symptoms: Sometimes you can just see them and they can be itchy. Spread by direct contact or sharing scarves, hats, etc. Lice can only crawl, and can���t hop, jump, or fly.

Treatment: OTC medication include: Pyrethrins that kill lice but not nits; Permethrins that may kill eggs for several days, but often need repeat treatment; Dimethicone silicone oil that smothers the bug; and Lindane shampoo (Kwell) that works well, but can be toxic to the brain and nervous system. I wouldn���t want to use this on a young child.

There is a prescription drug called Ovide that is made from tea tree oil and alcohol. Why not make it yourself? Tea tree oil can be put into coconut oil and spread through the hair. Other oils that help are thyme, lavender, anise, ylang-ylang and geranium. I have heard of good results with NEEM oil (undiluted), and I would also ���powder��� my head with diatomaceous earth.

After all the lice are killed, you still have to go through all the hair under a good light and pick the nits out, otherwise they will hatch. Check every few days to see if any new nits have hatched. As with scabies, wash all bedding in hot water and use the hot dryer cycle.

Body Lice

Symptoms: Larger than head lice. Spread the same way as head lice. There are intensely itchy, red bumps on the skin that can become red or darkened, especially near the waist or groin. This lice has the ability to spread disease. The bug is the size of a sesame seed and can be seen with the naked eye.

Treatment: Body lice medications called ���Pediculicides��� can be used, but are generally not necessary. Just use good hygiene, laundering, and drying of clothes and bedding.

Pubic Lice

Symptoms: Pubic lice live in other areas that have coarse hair, too. They can be in beards, armpit hair, even eyebrows! It can be transmitted sexually, but can also be spread by infected towels or bedding. Itching is the main symptom.

Treatment: The OTC treatment is the same as for head lice. If items can���t be laundered, place them a plastic bag for 2 weeks.

Or shave everything off.

Bed Bugs

Symptoms: Small oval bugs that feed off human blood, especially at night. Bed bugs cause a rash that is small, flat (or raised) bump on the skin. There is redness, swelling, and itching.

Bed bugs have made a resurgence due to immigration and travel. They can be found anywhere in the world, and may hitch a ride home in your suitcase. Crowded living quarters, including simply living in an apartment building, can spread the infestation.

Treatment: First, find the bugs. They love to hide in the seams of your mattress, box springs, bed frames, edges of carpet, corners of dresser drawers, curtains, cracks in wallpaper, and in wicker furniture. You may see blood from their droppings where they congregate.

Pest control companies are usually called in to eliminate them. Many times you have to throw out the mattress because nobody can guarantee they have been totally eliminated.

There are over the counter insecticides to use, but once again, I���d recommend diatomaceous earth.����You can sprinkle it in every crack, corner, and drawer, and on carpets and curtains. YouTube has a video on how to make a bed bug trap. It was awesome. I made some with my friends.

You can buy a special mattress ���bag��� that prevents bed bugs from getting in. Also wash and dry all the bedding and clothing. Vacuum and get rid of the bag! If you are carpet free, it���s much easier to clean up an infestation.

There isn���t a treatment for bedbug bites. Just shower and try not to scratch, which will prevent a secondary infection. An anti-histamine or Benadryl may help.

Ticks

They are actually arthropods (spider-like). Ticks are most common from April to September in low, brushy areas, but can be found year-round. Their population greatly increases after a mild winter. The bites can look as minor as a pink spot, or they can be red, inflamed, have a dark center, or have a bull’s-eye appearance.

There are 2 types of ticks: hard and soft. You usually don’t notice if a hard tick bites you, but the soft tick bite is extremely painful. Both can spread disease, but it typically takes at least 36-48 hours for ticks to transmit diseases to their human hosts, although it can happen during removal if their body is squeezed, causing them to vomit into the host.

Use the highest amount of DEET in a repellent spray or try some essential oil blends. Most essential oil brands sell a bug repellent blend including oils such as citronella.

Occasionally, people get reactions from the tick���s saliva. It can cause the redness or swelling that is associated with the bite. Sometimes, a toxin is excreted along with the saliva. The one that catches everyone���s attention is the toxin that causes Lyme disease (a bacterial infection). Lyme is contracted from deer ticks, which can be as tiny as the head of a pin, making it extremely easy to not see when they are attached.

Common symptoms of Lyme include a bull’s-eye shaped rash, followed by flu-like symptoms, numbness, confusion, weakness, joint pain and swelling, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, headaches…. Unfortunately, the simple, short fact is that the symptoms can mimic many other diseases and the one (bulls-eye rash) that is distinctive isn’t always present and may be missed, particularly if it is somewhere hidden like on your scalp, under your hair.

If you are in an area with high incidence of Lyme, be diligent about wearing tick-repelling products and protective clothing. Do regular tick checks if you go anywhere they might be, and keep tick-removal tools on hand. Make sure you know how to remove ticks safely. Then, if you start showing symptoms, go to the doctor promptly and tell them your concerns. The current test for Lyme’s disease is highly unreliable (many false positives and many false negatives), so they will probably give you the antibiotics even without a positive test.

Treatment: Oral antibiotics. The type prescribed depends on the stage of disease. Early stage meds are Doxycycline (vibramycin), Amoxycillin, or Cefuroxime axetil (Ceftin). Doxycycline shouldn���t be used in pregnant women or kids under 8 years old. Later stage meds include Ceftriaxone (Rocephin) and Penecillin G. Even when the bacteria are gone, there are long term effects that can last a lifetime.

Fleas

Symptoms: Hives, itching, and rash. The rash has small bumps (often in sets of 3) that are intensely itchy, turn white when pressed, and may be located in skin folds.

Fleas live outdoors and come in with our pets (or maybe ourselves).

Treatment: For Bites: 1% Hydrocortisone cream, an antihistamine (Benadryl), anything cool, like an ice pack, calamine lotion, eating garlic!!!, and vinegar in a compress. Tea tree oil, lemon oil, lavender, cedarwood, and eucalyptus oils all seem to be hated by fleas. (Reminder: Links to essential oils are at the end of this article.)

There���s also food grade diatomaceous earth. Sprinkle that everywhere your pet sleeps or plays. You can rub it into their coats too! You can put it in their water bowl for internal bugs, read directions for amounts to use. There are all kinds of flea sprays, flea collars, and topical medications available as well as pest control companies, too.

Ringworm

Not really a worm, but a fungus (Tinea). Highly contagious.

Symptoms: The classic sign is a patchy, crusty, circular ring, sometimes more clear in the middle. It can be on any part of the body. Depending on the body part, you can have discolored nails, and lesions on the head with bald spots.

It is spread by touching or coming into contact with an infected person or animal. Cats are common carriers. To prevent athletes foot (a form of Tinea), don���t walk barefoot through shared floors at gyms or pools. Wash recently purchased clothes before wearing, and don���t share brushes or combs.

Treatments: Over the counter antifungal meds like clotrimazole (Lotrimin), Miconazole, or Tolnaftate (Tinactin). There are creams, lotions, and powders. Apply twice daily for 4 weeks. Essential oils to treat ringworm include oregano, rosemary, and thyme in sweet almond carrier oil. Cedarwood oil and lemon oil have been reported to have good results. Tea tree oil can also be used to fight athletes foot.

Alternative Therapies for Internal Parasites

Essential oils that some people believe are effective in reducing or eliminating parasites include:

Oregano, Thyme, Fennel, Roman Chamomile, Clove, Melaleuca (Tea Tree), Lavender, Bergamot, and Peppermint. Take in a capsule or with a beverage. (When I occasionally ingest an EO, I just put a drop or two in a large glass of water.)

Try a warm compress of a washcloth, dampened with hot water, and a few drops of your choice of essential oil. Another option is to apply oil directly to abdomen or bottoms of the feet. This information is from pages 285-286, ���Modern Essentials���. (A DoTerra Oils Guide)

Dr. Josh Axe recommends a blend of black walnut, olive leaf, wormwood, and garlic to fight parasites. This combination comes in a bottle with all the above ingredients. Take daily for two weeks, stop for a week, start again for two weeks. This allows for the eggs that hatch to be killed.

Pumpkin Seeds: Blend 200 grams of raw pumpkin seeds in a blender with a cup of yogurt (with live cultures) into a smooth paste. Eat it in the morning on an empty stomach. The chemical compound in the seeds is called ���cucurbitins��� and it will paralyze the worms. An hour later, take a laxative. The worms can���t hold onto the intestinal walls and are eliminated outside the body. Drink water to help flush out the worms.

Essential oils for eliminating ringworm include: Melaleuca (Tea Tree), Oregano, Thyme, Cinnamon, Clove, Arborvitae, ���Protective Blend���, Lavender, Peppermint, Rosemary, Lemon, ���Cleansing Blend���, Patchouli, Lemongrass, Juniper berry, and Geranium. Cypress was mentioned specifically for athletes foot, as is Tea Tree.

For yeast infections of the mouth (thrush): Eat Yogurt and take acidophilus pills.

Colloidal silver has been claimed to kill parasites.

Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth: Take a teaspoon mixed in water and drink it. It is made from the skeletons of tiny Diatoms. It���s perfectly safe for us, but it���s like ground glass to parasites. It slices and dices its exoskeleton. This is an effective therapy for external parasites, as well.

Alternative Therapies: Resources

Many of these are essential oils (EO), most of which are not regulated as medicine by the FDA. Before using any EO, read the instructions carefully. Some can be ingested with no problems, a small number may be poisonous if taken internally and are strictly for external use. Most are only used in tiny amounts, often not more than a literal drop or two.

When you buy any EO, please check to ensure the quality and don’t just buy the cheapest (or necessarily, the most expensive) one available.

ylang-ylang oil

thyme oil

tea tree oil

rosemary oil

pest defy blend

peppermint oil

oregano oil

lemon oil

lavender oil

geranium oil

fennel oil

eucalyptus oil

diatomaceous earth (food grade)

colloidal silver

clove oil

chamomile (Roman) oil

cedarwood oil

bergamot oil

anise oil

almond carrier oil

The post What’s Bugging You? Dealing With Parasites in Humans by Mary Blandford appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

When Things Go South or What to Expect When SHTF

First off, let me explain my reasons for writing this and tell you a bit about my experiences. That way you will know what I say is truth. I served for 15 years in the British Army, serving during the 1990’s in Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Kosovo and saw firsthand what happens to human nature and society when everything goes to hell. As for my reasons, I’m somewhat tired of people painting a rosy picture of what they expect might happen in the event of a major terrorist attack, civil emergenies or severe natural disasters.

Don’t get me wrong.  They have been planning for SHTF with impeccable plans for food, shelter, and similar but seem to think everyone will still remain fairly well behaved and keep observing rules of “polite society”.  So in a way, this is a thesis of human nature. Will it offend?  I hope not. Will it shock?  I hope so, if what I write makes one person revise a plan and as a result, saves a life or the lives of a family.  Then it will have been well worth the time taken to type this.

Now, in the event of ANY situation where the Emergency Broadcasting System goes into action for real, the accepted policy of both law enforcement and military is a policy of containment not suppression. In other words, if a specific area has something bad happen, the National Guard and police will cordon off the area with road blocks and road closures, thereby putting a crimp in any plans some may have of “bugging out” unless they have alternative routes laid out that avoid major bridges and roads leading out of the affected area. Also on this topic, don’t be too surprised to see police and military helicopters used to patrol areas of ground too rough to drive over to watch for people heading out of the affected area on foot. These helicopters carry FLIR (Forward Looking Infra-Red) imaging systems and can pick out body heat or see, even in total darkness.

Most major road arteries will be closed and patrolled by law enforcement and National Guard elements will hvae orders to stop, search and detain or turn back anyone they find. So, plan your routes well, have at least 3 routes out, and make sure you go for a drive and check them out on a regular basis.

TIP: Plan for both urgent and planned evacuations. The first allows you minutes, possibly just seconds, to get out, while the other affords more time for packing and taking care of more details. Read more about these 2 types of evacuations here.

Planning for SHTF by hunkering down

Now for those of us who plan to stay where we live, nearly all local emergency services will be busy keeping the local government safe and sound or working the site of the disaster.  Inevitably, the somewhat distasteful topic comes up of keeping what you own and keeping your loved ones safe from looters and pillagers.  If you don’t think this will happen, guess what?  Go see what happened during the Los Angeles riots or after Katrina in New Orleans. If you don’t know what I’m on about, allow me to explain.  In Los Angeles, gangs and others looted everything of value they could lay hands on from stores and houses, and in New Orleans, a regular Army airborne unit was brought in to patrol the streets and deter looting.

The issue this raises is this:  If a person or family who are preppers tells a neighbor, “Oh, we are ready for whatever comes up,” you can bet that person will go and tell maybe a dozen others, and when SHTF, that person will immediately have a moment of perfect memory recall, and with those others, come and pay you a visit. They or may not be armed and will most likely not be interested in the statement, “It’s for me and my family to use.”

So how does your average prepper family survive not only what disaster comes up but surviving the locals too?  Well, first off, not talking about it to anyone who is not 100% trusted comes to mind.  This might seem insulting, BUT it has a precedent.  During World War II, posters were put up saying, “Careless talk costs lives” and “Loose lips sink ships.”  You might not have a ship, but the life it might cost could be yours, your spouse or your child.  Just something to think on.

What threats might you suppose could be out there other than the lonesome guy four doors down who suddenly craves foodstuffs he assumes you might have or that mug of coffee he hasn’t had in a week?  Well, how about your not-so-friendly garden variety drug dependent thug, for one.  It might be a prescription or illegal drug dependency, but either way it doesn’t matter once his or her supply is gone and withdrawal sets in. He or she will become desperate and will go to any lengths and will dare anything to try and obtain whatever it was they normally take.  Also, note that due to the wonderful practice of allowing people who suffer from psychological issues to live at home with mostly the only point of contact when they wish it, any major SHTF scenario will suddenly have  a number of very scared, paranoid and desperate people out there, so please factor that into your thinking, too.

NOTE: These drug-dependent folks might be your friendly neighbor or grocery cashier, who just happens to also be on medication for a significant emotional or mental disorder. In many, many cases, you can’t tell the difference by their appearance or your casual interactions with them.

On the other extreme, you have the threat posed by gangs who already have access to firearms and other weapons and have the attitude and propensity for using violence at a second’s notice. They have a well organized social structure based on violence. You can fully expect them to wheel out their whole arsenal of weapons and crappy attitudes without local law enforcement to keep them in check, and in some cases, gangs have more firepower than local police. They will have no hesitation looting any abandoned building they find or robbing anyone they see. Equally, they will have no problem entering a home even if occupied and taking by force anything they want from the occupants.  As distasteful as it sounds, I’m afraid that will include crimes against female members in your household who run the risk of been taken away by said gang members for their “entertainment”, being molested or raped.  Extreme sounding I know, but it has happened in the past in other places. As a result of this, the dug-in prepper has absolutely nothing to lose when facing this threat.  The gloves are off and all nicety should be packed away along with any thought of reasoning with animals like this.  Work as a team and shoot to kill.

Protect your ‘castle’ with force

When planning for SHTF, you’ll need some way to defend yourself, your loved ones, and your home. What is suggested as the “ideal” caliber or system for defending yourself or your family? That’s the $10,000 question.  You could write several books on the subject and still argue the issue. Personally, I say a firearm style and caliber — anything you are either familiar or comfortable with — should be your go-to defensive weapons.  Given my time in the Army, I prefer the calibers and weapons I used during my time in uniform. These choices, however, should reflect how you want to use them. An AR15 is an excellent rifle, for example, but inside a house, a shotgun is a better choice.

Another point to consider for house preppers is once you are in your “fort”, how would someone get in from the outside?  You can bet the first place they might look is if you have a garage or shed out in the back yard.  It might sound old fashioned, but an old container full of gasoline thrown through a window will drive you out of that house as sure as if a bomb had been dropped on it. Chances are, if you have a storage area, you also have a can of gasoline you have on hand for the lawnmower.

On the topic of personal choice, it’s an excellent idea to consider former service rifles as far back as World War I. Yes, they might be nearly 100 years old and not be black or have polymer or have all the whistles, bells, and gadgets of a brand new tricked out AR15, BUT not that many of us have $1,000 or more to spend on a new rifle or handgun. You need to remember that these weapons were picked for war.  Yes, they might be old, but even back when they were used by an Army, they were lethal.  They haven’t changed over the years.

A good example of this is the WW II Russian rifles made by Mosin Nagant. They sell for around $100, have a 5-shot magazine, and fire a 7.62mm bullet that hits just as hard as a 30.06 and will travel out to 1,000 metres or even drop a bear without too many problems. One supplier I have used is Century Arms International.  They offer a variety of former military rifles and are fairly reasonably priced.  I found this out first hand as I simply could not afford $975 for a basic AR15, and for half that amount I was able to get a rifle that fired a 7.62 NATO round and just never quits on me.

While on the subject of former military rifles, it is a good idea, if your rifle has a bayonet lug, to invest the time and trouble finding the bayonet for the rifle. This would give you a useful tool for everyday chopping, cutting, etc. but also a very effective weapon both psychologically and physically if a bad guy got too close.  Trust me.  If he sees that his target has a fixed bayonet on the end of their rifle, he is going to think twice about showing himself as the thought of getting impaled on a bayonet sends a shiver down even a seasoned combat veteran’s spine.

How to be invisible to looters and thugs

This brings me to the part I saved for last as it brings back some very unpleasant memories of seeing it firsthand and the after effects. If everything goes south and SHTF how would a pillager or looter choose or find targets?

They will listen for sounds of hand tools or engines been used.
They’ll smell things like wood smoke or cooking.
At night, they’ll look for lights because this usually means life.
They’ll have a scanner to listen for insecure radio traffic from things like walkie-talkies.
They will use optical devices day and night to look for movement, especially near water sources or woods.

Once a group like this finds you, expect to be scouted.  This might take the form of an observation post or a probe if the group is big enough. They would look for things like:

How many people are in the home or community?
How many weapons do they have and what type?
How many defenders are there?
Who seems to be in charge
Does the target have any patrols or regular movements that can be expected?
Do they have any defensive emplacements or dogs?

When it is deemed time, an attack will first target any leader or owners of any heavier weapons. If they can get close enough, any defensive structures will get a petrol bomb, grenade or CS gas canister thrown into it. (Yeah you can buy CS gas grenades online for general sale.) Any lone defenders will be isolated and eliminated. However, if things are not going well, any first group will draw off and wait and watch how the defenders respond.  A large number of injured take up much more resources and will lower morale.  If numbers are in their favor, the attacker will encircle the position and try and eliminate a few defenders any chance they get.

A good counter plan, if you have a defensive position set up, is to make sure you have a trench or something similar with a grenade sump and make sure every person in your group has a gas mask on them at all times. Also, make sure any building has fire fighting equipment for flammable liquids. If worst comes to the worst and a fighting retreat is needed to avoid losing everything you own except what you have on you, pre-pack a backpack of equipment with something like this:

Personal first aid kit
Spare magazines, ammo, and cleaning kit
Personal survival equipment
Full change of clothes
Food and water

This gives you the basics to survive if you were to be driven out of your shelter or structure. The list is by no means comprehensive but gives you a general idea.

TIP: For a full list of suggested survival supplies click here for a free printable.

I can’t stress this enough, but in the event of any major SHTF event, an awful lot of people won’t make it simply because they are unable to think outside the comfort zone of the “rules of civilized society”.  A large percentage of people will suddenly find themselves without the protection of society and will no longer be at the top of the food chain.  There will be people out there who will prey upon them without remorse for what they feel they need to survive. I hope to hell I’m wrong, but I’ve seen and heard this happening before and it isn’t pretty.

Guest post by D.T. Originally posted on November 1, 2011 and updated on July 28, 2015.

The post When Things Go South or What to Expect When SHTF by The Survival Mom appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

Canning Cherries: Jam and Preserves

Disclaimer: Even though this article is about canning cherries, I am not even going to pretend to be an expert! I’m telling you all about my canning adventures because it wasn’t that long ago that I had never canned anything in my entire life. If I am able to make jam and put it in a genuine sealed jar, so can anyone.

The secret to learning any skill, whether it is knitting, sewing, making furniture, or canning, is to start small. I was canning plain fruit and making simple freezer jam long before I felt brave enough to attempt jam in canning jars. This is only my second year canning jam, but I’ve found it isn’t nearly as complicated as I had feared.

After I canned a large batch of cherry pie filling, I found that I still had a large quantity of cherries left. Not enough for another batch of pie filling, but more than enough for a couple batches of jam. I made some cherry freezer jam last year and I have to admit I wasn’t a huge fan – nothing wrong with it, just not my favorite flavor. So I thought I would branch out and try something new – cherry preserves and cherry-peach jam.

Preserves, Jams, Jellies, and Conserves

First, a quick definition. Preserves, jams and jellies are all found in the same aisle in the grocery store and look virtually indistinguishable from one another, being stuff in a jar suitable for use with peanut butter on bread. While these things all belong to the same class of foods, they are not exactly the same.

Preserves refers to jammy substance made from the whole fruit – no mincing or chopping. Jam is made from chopped up fruit, and jelly is congealed fruit juice. I have a spiffy cookbook from the 1970s that has recipes for conserves, which include nuts. I think I will need a little more canning experience under my belt before I attempt one of those.

If you have basic canning equipment (jars, lids, hot water canner, etc.) you already have almost everything you need to make jam as well. A Dutch oven is best for jam-making because of its superior heat-conducting properties, but any large pot will do. You may be tempted, but it is important to refrain from doubling batches of jam and preserves. This just increases your odds of burnt or rubbery jam.

Cherry Preserves

I found some recipes online for cherry-glazed ham that called for cherry preserves. I can’t speak for anyone else, but the possibility of ham caused me to feel that this was an excellent reason to try my hand at making cherry preserves. Ham plus cherries? Yes, please.

When I came to actually making the recipe, I was skeptical – how could whole fruit dissolve that much sugar? I should not have doubted. It turned out fine. Note that this recipe calls for TWO boxes of pectin. Most recipes will only ask for one, but you really do need two boxes for this recipe to set up.

The following recipe was adapted from Food.com.

Ingredients:

Six cups whole, pitted cherries (about two lbs)
Two boxes pectin – most boxes have 1.75 oz each, so 3.5 oz total
3 1/4 cups sugar, divided
1⁄2 teaspoon butter

Method:

Place cherries in your pot, along with the pectin, 1/4 c of sugar, and butter. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. The cherries will release liquid as they cook. Add remaining sugar and bring to a full boil for one minute. Remove from heat, and skim off any foam that forms. (Note: some people prefer the texture of the foam and keep it in their jam as an added feature.)

Spoon your preserves into jars, either three one pint or six 1/2 pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rims of your jars before placing lids. Process in a boiling water bath for at least ten minutes. Optional: I read an interesting suggestion to add a splash of balsamic vinegar and a bit of black pepper for a more savory concoction.

Peach-Cherry Jam

Mixed fruit jams are a good way to make jam when you haven’t got enough of one kind. The recipes for these are easily found in every flavor you can possibly think of. I once made mango-strawberry-ginger jam, though I thought it tasted kind of strange. For my peach-cherry jam, I combined fresh cherries that had been pitted and pulsed a couple times in my food processor with some frozen peaches saved from last year.

Recipe adapted from The Better Homes and Gardens Home Canning Cook Book, copyright 1973.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c coarsely chopped, pitted cherries, about 1 lb
2 c peeled, pitted chopped peaches, about 1 3/4 lb
2 tbsp lemon juice
4 c sugar
1 box pectin (1.75 oz)

Method:

In your Dutch oven or pot, combine cherries, peaches, lemon juice, and pectin. Stir to combine. Bring to a full boil, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar and bring back up to a boil. Let it boil uncovered for one minute. Remove from heat, skim off foam, and fill your jars. Process about 10 minutes in your boiling-water canner. Makes five 1/2 pints.

Above is a picture of my finished products. If you look closely, you can see the whole cherries near the top of the jar on the left – those are the preserves. Note the lovely garnet color. Making jam in little jars is enjoyable, because they make such lovely gifts for friends and neighbors. The best part about jam, of course, is eating it!

More resources for beginners and advanced canners:


All-American Pressure Canner (Ultra heavy duty, more expensive)
DVD: At Home Canning for Beginners and Beyond
Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving
Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
Ball Canning Utensil Set
Presto Pressure Canner (budget-friendly)
Simply Canning by Sharon Peterson
Zaycon for purchases of large quantities of meat, chicken, bacon, and other foods. (affiliate link)

The post Canning Cherries: Jam and Preserves by Beth Buck appeared first on The Survival Mom. Be sure to check it out!

An Important Update On the Current Silver Market

Current Silver Market Conditions

This article has been contributed by Chris Slife who has been in the precious metals industry for five years and has long been a student of the precious metals markets. He has given advice on the purchase of precious metals several time on this website.

With the recent drop in silver prices, the US Mint has temporarily suspended their Silver Eagle program.  The ripple effect is causing other silver products (silver rounds, 90%, bars, et cetera) to be in very short supply.  Assuming no more major price drops, wholesalers are telling us that most silver products should come available again by mid-August. Buying silver in the current market has raised a lot of questions and concerns.

Premiums for ALL silver products have jumped significantly over the past two weeks.  If the price of silver continues to fall and demand stays high, I suspect that premiums will climb further before stabilizing.

Where to Buy

If you live in a metropolitan area, I would look at your local coin shops first.  Compare prices.  Ask a lot of questions.

There are only a handful of online places that I would buy gold/silver from.  Do your research.  Some big names have gone out of business over the last year or so – biggest one being Tulving.  (The guy was a crook to begin with but no one wanted to hear that when we would warn people.  So research the founders to see if they have a ‘past’.)

Unless you enjoy playing Russian Roulette, stay away from ebay!  We always ask people who want to sell us something where they got an item(s) from:  if they say ebay, WE WON’T BUY IT.  Way too many counterfeits.  Not all bad of course but we won’t take the chance.

What to Buy
Silver

Silver Eagles, Silver Rounds, Silver Bars (1-oz, 5-oz, or 10-oz), and 90%

Based on my experience, here are some further buying tips:

1.  Only buy uncirculated Silver Eagles, Silver Rounds, bars, et cetera.  (Buying circulated 90% is fine.)

2.  Only buy name brand silver rounds and bars.

3.  I suggest staying away from silver bars that are over 10-oz.

Gold

Gold Eagles, Maples, Krugerrands are the big three.  Bars by Pamp, Credit Suisse, RCM, Perth, and a few others are a good way to go as well in terms of trustworthiness.

My advice:

1.  Only buy uncirculated gold coins and bars.

2.  Personally, I will only buy gold coins denominated in 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/10 – oz.

3.  I suggest staying away from gold bars that are more than 1-oz

What to own if there is an economic collapse

In our store, I am often asked about what type of precious metal to own after a collapse.  Having never personally lived through an economic collapse, and knowing that no two situations are the same, I can only render an opinion based on imperfect information.

For me personally, the best ‘survival currency’ will be things that are needed to sustain daily life:  food, water, medicine, bullets, booze, toiletries, et cetera.  From Cody Lundin’s excellent book When All Hell Breaks Loose,

“The supposed value of an item is dependent upon that which society decrees upon it at the time.”

If your neighbors are hungry, they will likely be more interested in food than silver.  I will have some silver and gold on hand if we experience a collapse, but I plan on having a lot of other survival currencies on hand as well.

In conclusion, I want to reiterate that the opinions shared here today are based on what I see given the CURRENT market conditions.  Things do change and will likely to change again in the coming weeks and months. If you have any SPECIFIC questions pertaining to what I shared today, I would be glad to try and answer them for you. Leave your comments here and be sure to include your email address, which will be seen only by the blog’s editor.

UPDATE: As of Friday, July 24, our wholesalers are not able to take any silver orders until the middle to end of August.  My guess is that if the price drops much further, silver will become even more difficult to obtain and the premiums will continue to rise.

Want more information about preparedness, including buying precious metals?

52 Prepper Projects by Dave Nash
Bushcraft 101 by Dave Canterbury
Buy Gold and Silver Safely by Doug Eberhardt
Countdown to Preparedness by Jim Cobb
Food Storage for Self-Sufficiency and Survival by Angela Paskett
The Pantry Primer: How to build a one year food supply in three months by Daisy Luther
Prepper’s Natural Medicine by Cat Ellis
The Preppers Blueprint by Tess Pennington
The Prepper’s Pocket Guide by Bernie Carr
The Prepper’s Water Survival Guide by Daisy Luther
SAS Survival Handbook by John ‘Lofty’ Wiseman
Survival Mom: How to Prepare Your Family for Everyday Disasters and Worst Case Scenarios by Lisa Bedford
When All Hell Breaks Loose by Cody Lundin

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Canning Weird – Moving Beyond Jams and Salsas

I think just about everyone who learns to can foods starts with water bathed strawberry jam and tomato salsas. Some then progress to vegetables and fruits, and if they are really brave, step up their game and start pressure canning meats. When I first tried canning a savory fig jam, I thought I was being pretty ���wild.��� But then, I really went outside my canning comfort zone and started ���Canning Weird��� according to my family.

There���s nothing at all unusual about canning jelly��� unless you use flowers! I���m not typically a fan of ���flowery��� flavors, or even scents. But this jelly, made from dried lavender, is both delicious and beautiful! There are so many medical and therapeutic benefits to lavender, why not add a culinary use as well? (Don���t have lavender in your yard? You can buy food grade lavender online.)

Recipe: Lavender Jelly from ���Howling Duck Ranch���

My next out of the ordinary canning project was ���Cherry Stomp��� (AKA: Cherry Bounce or Drunken Cherries).�� The first batch I tried used bourbon and was WAY too boozy for me��� and for the friends that received jars as gifts!��� but I discovered a better recipe that uses vodka instead. It might have been a personal preference, so if you like bourbon, whiskey, or brandy then look up recipes using those as the main ingredient. Someday I���d like to try it with rum. But whichever alcohol you use��� be warned! These are potent!

Recipe: Cherry Stomp Recipe from ���City Boy Hens���

This last one��� you���re going to have to trust me on this��� Canned Pickled Watermelon Rinds.

Let me be more specific��� you only can the white part of the rind��� the fleshy part between the red fruit and the green rind. After cutting up the delicious red watermelon flesh save those rinds! Slice the white portion out, set it aside and get to canning! I admit, this one worried me a bit. But the final result was quite yummy! If you���re the kind of person who wants to use every edible scrap, canning this part of the melon that is usually trash is a great idea.

Recipe: Canned Pickled Watermelon Rinds Recipe from ���Pick Your Own���

I have an old Ball Canning Guide from 1943 with a few more unusual canning recipes��� including canned Frog Legs, Mushroom Ketchup, and Lye Hominy. I���m not sure if I will go quite that ���crazy��� just yet! But I am sure to step out-of-the-box and try something new every now and then.

What���s the most unusual thing you have ever canned?

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6 Essential Attributes of Successful Survivalists

Having lived off the grid for the last 7 years, you see ’em come, and you see ’em go.�� The dozens of people we’ve seen succeed in this lifestyle and the dozens of people we’ve seen fail has given us a keen eye to the attributes necessary to be a survivalist.�� Like we’ve told many people before, no matter how prepared you think you are, you’re gonna go through some changes!�� So after many years of observation, below are listed the 6 essential traits every survivalist should possess to be successful. They go beyond the typical survival skills list, since what matters most is what lies in your head and in your heart.

1. Tenacity (���stick-to-it-ness���)

This, more than anything else, has beaten many a would-be survivalist.�� We knew a young couple from Texas who bought a 5-acre parcel in a very rural, mountain subdivision.�� They purchased a camper and a 40′ shipping container and filled them with supplies.�� Before they ever made the move, the husband freaked out when he discovered that there were ants on the property!�� (Aren’t ants everywhere?)�� These weren’t fire ants, just plain old picnic ants, and it was a real problem for him, resulting in their abandoning the property for the comfort of their old apartment.���� The ants were just his way out of a situation he never was committed to in the first place.

��As Sun Tzu said, ���No one can ever be defeated who has made a strong resolve to win.���

2.�� Resourcefulness

In today’s modern world, being resourceful usually means knowing what aisle at Home Depot has that pair of pliers.�� What we’re talking about here is true resourcefulness.�� Resourcefulness like building a house out of local rocks and local adobe, taking apart another house to use the lumber for your roof.�� Resourcefulness like butchering a chicken, foraging for Navajo figs, yucca fruit and pinion nuts, and then creating a glorious dinner with them.�� Resourcefulness like seeing the potential in a junker truck or a broken washing machine to be used in a new way.�� There is a house outside of Taos that was built entirely out of adobe and the windows from an abandoned truck, total cost for the house, $200 for 20 bags of lime.

��Resourcefulness is thinking outside the box.

3.�� Thick Skin

There will be countless people all around you who are more than willing to tell you you’re crazy.�� You need to understand that you’re the one who is seeing the world unveiled. Most people are very reluctant to admit that they are a product of television programming. Edward Bernaise coined the term, ���programming,��� because that’s exactly what he intended.�� TV was developed to program society to take certain actions, feel certain emotions, want certain items and live a certain way ��� and to fear those who do not.

Many people will try to validate their life choices by convincing you that you made the wrong choice, not them.�� Also, those who will try to take advantage of you are all too common.�� Many people who are conscious enough to be looking for a better way to live tend to be overly charitable.�� Be on the look out for those who are on the look out for you.�� Being kind is one thing, being a fool is another.

If you’ve been given the gift of a vision of a better life, don’t let someone take that away.

4.�� Improvise, Adapt and Overcome

This is the mantra of the U.S. Marines and should be the mantra of every survivalist.�� To improvise means to take what you have and use it in unconventional way to accomplish your goals, such as removing the alternator from a car and giving it new life as a generator to power your home.

To adapt means to make course adjustments along the way to accomplish your goal, such as changing your house plans from stick-built to rock construction because rocks are plentiful.�� To overcome means to let nothing stand in the way of accomplishing�� your goals ��� to know that you can solve any puzzle put before you, face any foe and triumph.

Be flexible and ready to make adjustments. Be prepared to go beyond a survival skills list, and dig deep into your own creativity and ability to adapt.

5.�� Solidarity

Work towards having solidarity with everyone in your party.�� Whether you are a family or non-related group, everyone�� should be striving towards a common goal.�� This is much overlooked but it’s crucial.�� I can’t tell you how many times a wife or husband has asked us to convince their spouse of the importance of preparing.�� You must all be of the same resolve deep within to be successful.�� A disgruntled spouse or family member can scuttle the entire enterprise, whether overtly or covertly, often even below the consciousness of the scuttler.

Have a sincere talk with anyone you plan on joining forces with and make sure everyone is on the same page.

6.�� Trust

By this, I don’t mean to trust in foolishness, meant only to create self-sabotage,�� but real trust in yourself, in your own abilities.

And trust in a universal energy, a natural law that knows the difference between right and wrong and will lead you towards right, if you listen.

Lisa’s note: As I read over Sheila’s list, it struck me how every one of these qualities are must-haves for every Survival Mom, no matter where she lives. The urban mom who spots an old microwave on the side of the road or spots wild quinoa growing in a field is being resourceful, adaptive, and strong. Many of us face skeptics within the family circle and among our friends, and we’ve learned to stay focused on what we believe is the best course for our family, self-reliance and preparing for uncertain times. Thanks, Sheila, for an insightful article and for giving us this list to guide us.

Guest post by Sheila, a survivalist living in New Mexico with her husband and son.

Did you enjoy this article? Receive an update from me each Sunday morning with more!
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Backward Ideas About Backyard Farming

Starting your own backyard farm can be fun and rewarding. You can have fresh eggs, fruits and vegetables that come strait from your own backyard. If you want a backyard farm you may have put it on the back burner for a number of reasons. You may feel it’s not possible where you live. You may think there is a whole bunch of stuff you would have to buy to succeed. You may just feel that you don’t have enough room. These backyard farming ideas will ease your mind!

Really, Your Backyard Is Fine

One of the larger concerns most people have about backyard farming is the size of their yard. They wonder if it’s actually possible to grow enough food to make back yard farming worth the effort. The answer is yes. More and more people are becoming creative about how to grow a huge amount of food in a small space.

Going Vertical

Finding space to farm a larger crop could be as simple as putting your fences to work for you. Rather than growing a decorative ivy, choose a fruit bearing vine. There are many types of vine plants that produce food and could use your fence to grow on. Grapes vines are a good example of this. They also look decorative.

Grow strawberries in raised planters that look similar to gutters. Then grow a plant that thrives in shade beneath them. This increases the amount of food you can grow as well as your variety in produce. Also consider using hanging planters for plants such as tomatoes or peppers.

Indoor Plants/ Outdoor Plants

Backyard homesteading isn’t just confined to the great outdoors. You can also grow indoor plants for homesteading purposes. Choose miniature fruit trees, herbs or edible flowers for indoors.

Save outdoor garden space for larger plants, such as pumpkin or watermelon.

Compost And Neighbors

The sweet smell of compost does not need to drive your neighbors insane. Make sure that during the summer you water your compost down. This will help in the break down process of your compost and helps keep the smell where it belongs.

You can even ask your neighbors to contribute to the compost heap. Grass clippings and raked up leaves are a welcome addition to your decomposing plant pile. Offer to take your neighbors leave and clipping off their hands. As an added bonus you could even offer to rake up the ��leaves yourself.

Backyard Farming Ideas with Animals

When you think of a farm you don’t just think of plants. You think of chickens,cows, pigs and other livestock. While some of these animals won’t be ideal for being raised in a back yard, other will fit in just fine.

What Animal And Where

You may be thinking that while a garden is possible, animals just isn’t. You live too close to or in a city and they don’t allow animal husbandry. If you feel this way but haven’t check with your local government, you may want to make sure.

Some cities allow raising chickens. Others allow you to raise other types of animals as well. Check to see what you local government allows as well as what type of permits and living conditions ( for the animals ) are required.

Mini May Not Stay Mini

There are many animals that, if normal size you would never try to cram into your back yard. A breeder putting mini in front of the name of an animal doesn’t always change that. You still need to check to see what an adult mini animal will grow into.

Miniature goats and pigs may start out small, but could grow to still be too big to fit in your backyard.

Considering Sound

You don’t need a rooster to have chickens. The only reason to have a rooster would be to fertilize your eggs to produce more chickens. If you are just trying to produce your own eggs, all you need are the chickens.

Roosters are noisy, and while some people like the idea of ��waking up to the crow of a rooster, other people loathe the idea. Chickens are about ��as noisy as a barking dog.

Things You Don’t Need To Buy

Like many projects, there are new and improved tools, shelters and planting boxes that advertisers will insist are a must. Most of them are not. Some of them may save a little time and effort, but you could save plent of money making your own.

Animal Shelters

While you can buy a chicken coop online, you can also make one. It would be less expensive. You could also build pens for your goats and other live stock. There are plenty of free plans online to guide you through the process. Here are a few places to look.

http://www.freechickencoopplans.com/

http://www.motherearthnews.com/homest...

http://sanktoor.com/goat-house-plans/

Extra Special Gardening Tools

People were growing crops thousands of years ago. They did it without the new and improved plow. They walked around with a stick poking holes in the ground and putting seeds into them, and covering them up. While it’s nice to have some of the newer items to farm ( weed eater and edgers are our friends) you don’t need much more than what they used thousand of years ago.

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