Organic Gardening to Save Money on Food

Jason Willkomm
Organic gardening can be a great way to save some extra money in your budget. Imagine cutting your grocery bill in half or more! With a little planning and preparation, this is easy to achieve. In this article I will give you an idea of how much effort is involved and will explore ways to save money in your garden.
How Much Effort is Involved?
In the beginning, learning everything you need to know can be a challenge; however, when money is involved this becomes less of an issue. Most of the physical effort with organic gardening is in the bed preparation and the harvest. In all fairness this should only account for a couple of weeks out of the gardening season, although it may involve other activities (for example, maintaining a compost pile).
Other chores that require some time and effort, such as weeding and watering, can both be reduced through the proper use of mulch. Walking through your garden for a couple of minutes every day will help you identify your gardens needs quickly, before they become a problem. About one hour twice a week should be enough to maintain a substantial garden.
Finally, if your goal is to produce a large portion of your food requirements for the year, canning may take several days of time and effort. This can be minimized by planning ahead to grow items that can be dried or stored in a root cellar.
Where Does All the Money Go?
One reason to start organic gardening is for the money you can save. By paying close attention to the health of the soil, organic gardens are more productive. Plants fed through proper soil management require less additional fertilizers. They are also more disease and pest resistant, therefore they use less pesticides. More vegetables and larger vegetables mean less food you have to buy!
To save money on gardening in general, let\'s take a look at all the things in a garden that could cost you extra money. You could pay for seeds. You could pay for manure and compost. You could pay for additional fertilizers. You could pay for pesticides. Finally, you could water your garden with city water and run up your water bill.
How Do You Save Money Gardening?
With your first garden you may find it necessary to buy seeds. In order to save yourself this expense, you can save seeds from tomatoes, cucumbers and other garden produce as you use them. However, it is not exactly that simple...
Over the years greedy seed companies have genetically modified food crops to produce seeds that are sterile. Saving seeds from any of these varieties will just be a waste of your time. They key is to purchase heirloom strains, also known as heritage strains.
Heirloom varieties have not had insect DNA spliced into their genes, nor have they been modified to produce sterile seed. So far seed companies have not been able to modify potatoes to make them sterile... simply grow 10more than you intend to eat and save them as seed potatoes for the following year.
Saving Money on Mulch, Manure, and FertilizerThe secret to healthy, organic soil is compost. While some plants might enjoy the addition of manure, the truth is you can grow a very healthy and productive garden without manure or mulch if you have properly made compost. If you want to save money on all three (plus use less fertilizer), it is easy to learn how to make your own quality compost! Add plenty of it to your garden bed, and wherever you need mulch use sifted compost instead.
Organic gardening itself will save you money on fertilizer, but if your plants need a little extra during the growing season you can make your own compost tea. While there are many different recipes, the general idea is to fill a sock with compost and suspend it in a 5 gallon bucket of water for several hours. The resulting liquid can be watered down if needed and will contain humus, beneficial microorganisms, and nutrients that are immediately available to your plants.
Saving Money on Pesticides
Every garden needs some form of pest control. If you look through an organic gardening guide, again and again you will see the same item mentioned: Rotenone with pyrethrins. A plant called purslane is the commercial source for pyrethrins, and rotenone breaks down in 24 hours to Nitrogen and Phosphorus (making it one of the safest of all insecticides).
If this is your first year gardening than buy some rotenone with pyrethrins, but also plant some purslane. Next year you can make your own pyrethrins- simply use 1 tablespoon freshly ground dried purslane flowers, 2 liters of hot water, and a few drops of dish soap.
Also plant a few extra cayenne peppers and garlic plants. A couple peppers and a couple cloves of garlic ground up and soaked in a liter of warm water will make a spray that keeps bugs away.
Saving Money on Water
A lake or pond can be helpful for saving you money on your water bill.  Otherwise, a very low cost modification to your downspout can divert rainwater to a barrel or cistern for use in your garden. Not only will it save you money on your water bill, but this water contains no chlorine and is much healthier for your plants.
One Final Thought
Let me just say that gardening should be thought of as a long term solution. If you buy a hoe and a rototiller and a pressure canner (and other items) and you only use them for one season, than you are probably spending more money than you are saving. It is only when you purchase these items (once) and use them season after season that you are truely saving yourself money on the food you produce. Keeping this in mind will help you save the most money with your garden.
For more information on preparing your organic garden this year, visit me at http://www.jasons-indoor-guide-to-organic-and-hydroponics-gardening.com/organic-gardening-bed-preparation.html
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/organic-gardening-to-save-money-on-food-860400.html
About the Author
Hi, my name is Jason Willkomm. I have more than 12 years experience gardening indoors and out, using both organic and hydroponic gardening methods. It is my goal to help others achieve excellent results with simple, easy to follow advice. For more information, visit me at my website, www.jasons-indoor-guide-to-organic-and-hydroponics-gardening.com

Can You Save Seed From Hybrid Plants?

Whitney Segura
What is a Hybrid Plant?

Those that have appreciated the bounty of a backyard garden realize that it all begins with a seed. Your seeds are your foundation and they determine what plants will appear when you water your garden area. Gardeners are so fascinated by seeds that they often delve into seed saving.

While hybrid plants are often better suited for a growing environment such as a greenhouse structure, they aren\'t necessarily optimized for seed saving. Is it even possible to save seeds from hybrid plants, and what do you need to know?

The first thing to realize is that there are many misconceptions about hybrid plants.

Hybrid plants will make seed, and they are viable. You can replant them and grow a similar plant. However, because the parent plant has a genetic line that is not stable, you can\'t determine what you will get. The offspring will vary based upon the genetic profile.

• If you remember taking basic biology in high school or college, the Punnet square should give you a good indication of what to expect from dominant and recessive gene profiles.


• Keep in mind that you may have to isolate certain traits for several generations to create a stable gene pool from a hybrid plant.


• A good idea is to find a gardening blog or forum to become a member of and ask questions to the expert gardeners.

Because the results are so uncertain, you don\'t want to devote too much space to growing out hybrid seed. Also, don\'t rely on your experiments for a good food crop. However, experimenting with hybrid seeds is exciting, and, in fact, many open pollinated strains have been stabilized with a hybrid plant as a parent.

• Be sure that you understand the pollination process of your target plant, to ensure that your experiments don\'t contain unintentional variables that will further complicate the process.

You can save seed from hybrid plants, and it will likely grow. However, the results will be less predictable than saving already stabilized seed types.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/can-you-save-seed-from-hybrid-plants-1903827.html
About the Author
Whitney Segura is the founder and CEO of Best Garden Gifts, a family owned manufacturer and distributor of greenhouse kits, hydroponics equipment, composting supplies, and garden containers, to customers living in the United States.

How to Dry Food At Home

The Sider Group
Have you ever wanted to learn how to dry food at home? Drying your foods is a great way to preserve them but you should know that the quality of the foods will not be made better. For this reason, you should select high quality foods which are ripe. Sort the produce and separate the low quality foods from the high quality ones. Here are some tips to help you to dry food at home.

Do you like raisins or dried apricots? Many people like to eat dried fruits because they are delicious, and quite different from the fresh versions. Start by selecting the best quality ripe fruits to be dried. Before you try drying your favorite fruits, you should know that some fruits, like oranges and grapefruits, are not ideal for the purpose because they have high water content. If you are drying fruits for the first time, you should work with a lower quantity because it can be time consuming. The first step is to clean the fruits thoroughly, under cold running water. If you spot any soft spots or bruises, use a fruit knife to trim away the affected parts. The pits, cores, and stems of the fruits should be removed. You may have to remove the skins from some types of fruits because the skins will turn brittle or tough after drying. For high quality, more nutritious fruits, it\'s best to slice the fruits about a quarter or half inch thick.

Drying turns some fruits brown so you have to use sulfur treatments on apricots, nectarines, peaches, apples, and so on. Other than locking in vitamins A and C during drying, sulfur treatments also help to prolong the fruit\'s shelf life and retain the fresh fruit flavor. Sulfuring and sulfite dips are the treatments that are used.

The color of the fruit can be retained with syrup blanching or steam blanching. In syrup blanching, the result is almost like candied fruit. Some of the fruits which are great for this process are prunes, plums, pears, peaches, figs, apricots, and apples. In steam blanching, the fruit\'s texture and flavor are altered but the color is retained. Steam blanching is very easy to do but you should see that the fruits are evenly blanched.

Another method of pretreatment is known as checking. This procedure is recommended for fruits like small, dark plums, grapes, and cherries and it\'s done to crack the skins. Firstly, you should bring a pot of water to a boil into which you should immerse the fruit for about 30 to 60 seconds. Next, the fruit is to be quickly put in cold water and you should use paper towels to drain the fruit.

In the past, people dry their foods in the sun or the oven. Nowadays, many people opt to use food dehydrators because they are very easy to use, and faster. It takes different times to dry different foods. For instance, apples can be dried in about 6 to 12 hours but the drying time for peaches is 35 to 48 hours.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/food-and-beverage-articles/how-to-dry-food-at-home-6009779.html
About the Author
CulinarySchoolsU.com provides the opportunity to research and request free information about top culinary arts institute and culinary degree programs for potential students looking to start or expand their career in the culinary arts.

Rainwater Harvesting

Tank Depot

Rainwater harvesting is an ancient and effective water conservation practice. Unfortunately, in modern times "rainwater harvesting" has often become associated with a mosquito-laden barrel in the backyard, lined with last year's leaves and a resident frog or two.

The potential of rainwater harvesting systems is so much more. With proper design, these systems can transform a waste product (stormwater) into a valuable resource. Bringing rainwater harvesting into the commercial and residential mainstream will require increasing awareness of possible uses of rainwater.

Improved regulatory guidance and a greater understanding of all the potential environmental benefits of using harvested rainwater for water closets and urinals will be only part of the story at the Wellmark Blue Cross-Blue Shield headquarters now under construction in Des Moines, Iowa. Cisterns at this site will collect rainwater and conden­sate from the HVAC system to supply toilets and urinals and to be used for irrigation. During warmer months, when the demand for irrigation is highest, the water supply from the HVAC system condensate will also be highest. The cisterns are integrated into the site stormwater management plan, which offsets a portion of the initial cost of rainwater harvest­ing. This project is a prime example of the benefits of collab­orative design.

Imagine the potential waste if the plumbing stormwater management. Rainwater harvesting systems are also a perfect opportunity for coordination of services and design among the civil engineer, the plumbing engineer and the mechanical engineer (the butcher, the baker and the can­dlestick maker).

Harvested rainwater is often thought of only as an irriga­tion supply, but it can also be used indoors to meet non-potable water demands (and is approved in some localities for potable use). According to the Alliance for Water Efficiency, restrooms, landscape and cooling and heating account for 87% of the water used in schools and 89% of the water used in office buildings (domestic use is included with restrooms in the reported figures for office buildings). Even if half of the restroom/domestic use requires potable water (handwashing, etc), the majority of water use at schools and office buildings is non-potable. The EPA's guidance docu­ment, "Managing Wet Weather with Green Infrastructure: Municipal Handbook: Rainwater Harvesting Policies," iden­tifies non-potable indoor water uses as toilets, urinals, laun­dry and cooling towers.



In an article entitled, "President's Viewpoint -the Need for Green Schools" in NET day, National Education Association president Dennis Van Roekel stated, "Green schools are also a great teaching tool. If we want children to learn that human beings have a responsibility to be good stew­ards of natural resources, we have to teach them by example."

At Burton School in Grand Rapids, Mich., rainwater from 11,000 square feet of roof is filtered and directed to a 10,000­ gallon below-ground storage tank, then used to flush 12 water closets. A water meter in the corridor lets students see how much water the system has saved. Based on daily rainfall data from Grand Rapids, if the school was used year round, this system could supply approximately 150,000 gallons of water per year.
Paula Leatherman, CPD from ProgressiveAE, who designed the rainwater harvesting system at Burton School, describes the process, saying, "Grand Rapids Public Schools
has made a commitment to sustainability for its facilities, and their last several projects have earned LEED® certification. During the Burton Elementary School project planning stage, administrators and designers discussed the different elements that would be appropriate for LEED points for this project. One way to acquire additional points for LEED is to use a non-potable water source to satisfy the building water needs. The concept of a rainwater harvesting system was researched. The district's director of facilities expressed a deep interest in an educational approach to the aspect of rainwater harvesting, and so the groundwork was set for the system.

"Not only does the system help recognize a 52% total building water savings (according to LEED templates) but it also provides an educational tool that involves the students in the importance of preserving our natural resources. The design integrated a visual metering system located in a corri­dor display case where the kids are able to track the water sav­ings. This was one of the first rainwater harvesting systems in the city of Grand Rapids, and the first to utilize the system as an educational tool. Reusing rainwater for building needs is a viable direction in the construction industry, and we are exploring opportunities to implement similar systems in a variety of building types."

At Western Virginia Regional Jail in Salem, Va., which opened on March 9, 2009, a look at the whole site led to inno­vative design and increased energy efficiency. Water demands inside the facility outweigh the available rainwater supply, so harvested rainwater is used only for laundry. Because the laun­dry use is localized in one section of the building, the pumping and piping demands are decreased. However, the real energy savings occur with pre-heating of the rainwater for laundry. Water used to cool the pumps from the vacuum-assisted waste system enters a heat exchanger and pre-heats rainwater before it is pumped to the laundry. This 264,000-square-foot facility will be the first LEED-certified jail in the region.

Rainwater harvesting is often used just to earn LEED points through irrigation but can be a part of stormwater management and innovative design, in addition to water efficiency.
The potential impact of rainwater harvesting is staggering. According to the U.S. Census, the United States had almost 12 million more housing units in 2007 than in 2000. Assuming an average footprint of 1,500 square feet for each of these housing units and an average of 30 inches per year of precipitation, if all of these new housing units had rainwater harvesting systems, they could collect about 234 billion gal­lons of water per year, more than enough water to supply the entire city of Los Angeles. These rainwater harvesting sys­tems would also mean that there would be 234 billion gallons less of runoff into lakes, rivers and streams or into stormwater treatment facilities. Based on information from the Stormwater Manager's Resource Center, 234 billion gallons of residential runoff will carry about 390 tons of phosphorus, 2,150 tons of nitrogen and 97,770 tons of sediment. While these nutrients and sediment are crucial for plant growth on land, they can wreak havoc in lakes and estuaries, causing algal blooms and fish kills.

The environmental benefits of rainwater harvesting even extend to energy use. According to the EPA, approximately 3% of energy use in the U.S. goes to drinking water and wastewater treatment. By using non-potable water, which requires less treatment, for non-potable uses and by greatly decreasing the distance that water is transported, rainwater harvesting provides an energy-efficient alternative to tradi­tional water systems. Rainwater harvesting even reduces strain on an aging water supply infrastructure.

These calculations are only for new residential devel­opment. Imagine how much greater the impact could be if commercial development was included. While rainwater harvesting is an old technology, the opportunities for inno­vation are by no means exhausted. Starting with a basic, established, system design to preserve the quality of the rainwater, the possibilities of producing a green solution are vast. Rainwater harvesting should continue advancing far beyond the leaf-filled barrel to becoming an integral part of whole-site water management.


Rain Harvesting Equipment can be purchased at RainTankDepot.com
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/rainwater-harvesting-2514669.html

About the Author

Rain Tank Depot is the number one source for rain barrels, rain harvesting equipment, and water storage tanks, as well as an unlimited amount of water conservation resources.
   

The appeal of mailboxes

One day last week I took a short trip to visit a friend and passed by a neat little house that was set back a good distance from the road. There was a garden in the front yard, but not the sort of garden I'd ever seen before. This was a flourishing Eden of ... mailboxes. I kid you not.

Every size, shape, and color you can imagine, and each one of them proudly sprouting from a sturdy post sunk into the ground. A carefully hand-lettered sign in front of them all read Mailboxes for Sale.

I just had to turn around and go back for a closer look. Just as I pulled my car to the side of the road, an elderly gentleman stepped out of the front door of the house. He saw me sitting there, smiled, and waved. I decided he was harmless and so I got out of the car to take a closer look.

For the next half hour I browsed and, to tell you the truth, I was flabbergasted. I learned that he often retrieved damaged boxes and spruced them up to add to his garden. Some of the boxes he'd made himself. He was truly an artist, too. Not only was the display beautiful, but it was neatly arranged by category:  wrought iron mailboxes for sale, victorian mailboxes for sale, copper, antique, extra large -- you name it. If it's a box that can hold mail, the man had it.

His prices weren't bad at all, but I don't need a new mailbox just now, so I left without buying one. The gardener didn't seem to mind. He enjoys his unusual collection as much as he enjoys making a few extra dollars from the sales.

As I continued on my drive, I realized I'd just met one of the luckiest people alive -- a man who has found something he enjoys and who is content to share it or just to bask in the completion of his wonderful restoration and design. If only we could all find that balanced state of mind.

The Best Methods of Food Preservation

Mark Gold
Food preservation is one of the oldest technologies that humans use, and people will always disagree on which are the best methods of food preservation. In general people want safe, nutritious foods that are considered good quality, taking into account freshness, wholesomeness, nutritional value, aroma, color, texture and flavor. Generally, food is considered safe if there is no danger from naturally occurring toxins, pathogenic microorganisms, or other potentially harmful chemicals. Food that is sterile contains no bacteria; if it is not sterilized and sealed it does contain bacteria. Milk, for instance has bacteria naturally living in it and will spoil in two or three hours if left out at room temperature. However, by putting it in the refrigerator bacteria is slowed down to such an extent that it will stay fresh for a week or two, even though bacteria are still present.

Food preservation involves treating and handling food to either greatly slow down or stop spoilage that caused or accelerated by micro-organisms. Preservation normally involves preventing the growth of fungi, bacteria and other micro-organisms, as well as the oxidation of fats which the cause rancidity. However, some methods of preservation actually use benign fungi, yeasts or bacteria to preserve food and add specific qualities, for example wines or cheeses. It may also include processes which inhibit aging and discoloration that occur during food preparation, like the enzymatic browning (oxidation) in apples when they are cut. Some food has to be sealed after treatment to prevent recontamination with microbes while others, such as drying, mean food can be stored without special containment. There are many methods of preserving food including freezing, freeze drying, spray drying, food irradiation, sugar crystallization, adding preservatives, preserving in syrup, canning and vacuum-packing.

The following are all methods of food preservation:

Salting

Salting, also known as curing, removes moisture from meats through osmosis. Meat is cured with sugar or salt, or perhaps both. Nitrites and nitrates are also used to cure meat and inhibit Clostridium botulinum.

Freezing

Freezing is commonly used domestically and commercially for preserving a wide range of food.

Irradiation

Exposure to ionizing radiation is known as irradiation or cold pasteurization. It has a large range of effects including killing molds, insects and bacteria, and reducing the ripening and spoiling of fruits.

High pressure food preservation

Extremely high pressure is sometimes used to preserve food. Pressure as high as 70,000 psi or more is used, resulting in food that retains its nutrients, appearance, texture and flavor whilst presenting spoilage.

Vacuum-packing

Vacuum-packing stores food in an airless environment, like an air-tight bag or bottle. This environment leaves bacteria without oxygen, slowing spoiling.

Pickling

Pickling is a method of food preservation leaving the food in an edible, anti-microbial liquid. Fermentation pickling uses food itself to produce preservation agents, usually in a process that produces lactic acid. Chemical pickling inhibits or kills bacteria and other micro-organisms in a liquid.

Burial

Burying food preserves it by providing much lower levels of oxygen, light and pH level, as well as providing natural desiccants in the soil and cooler temperatures.

Smoking

Fish, meat and other foods may be flavored as well as preserved with the use of smoke. The combination of heat and the aromatic (phenolic) hydrocarbons from the smoke preserve the food.

Lye

Lye, or sodium hydroxide, inhibits bacterial growth by making food too alkaline.

Canning

The process of canning involves cooking food, then sealing it in sterile jars or cans and boiling the containers to weaken or kill any remaining bacteria. Foods have varying degrees of natural protection against spoilage so some may require a pressure cooker as the final step. Foods low in acid, like meats and vegetables require what is known as pressure canning.

Controlled use of micro-organism

Products like wines, beers and cheeses keep for a long time because the production process uses micro-organisms to combat spoilage.

Jellying

Some food can be preserved by cooking in a material that solidifies and forms a gel, including maize flour, arrowroot flour and gelatin. Certain foods form a natural protein gel when they are cooked. Using jellying to preserve fruit produces marmalade, fruit preserves and jelly.

Modified atmosphere

This is a way to preserve food by altering the atmosphere surrounding it. For example, salad is extremely hard to keep fresh and is now being packaged in sealed bags with a modified atmosphere which reduces oxygen and increases carbon dioxide.

Drying

This is one of the oldest methods, it reduces water activity enough to prevent or delay bacterial growth. Most meats can be dried, along with many fruits. Cereal grains including rice, rye, barley, oats, maize, wheat and millet are also dried, as are grapes like sultanas, raisins and currants.

Sugaring

Sugaring is used to preserve fruits such as apricots, pears, apples, plums and peaches, either in syrup or in crystallized form.

Without doubt, one of the best methods of food preservation is called eggstrafresh® and it can be found at http://www.eggstrafresh.com. It is a revolutionary breakthrough in food preservation, scientifically proven to dramatically reduce oxidation and retain moisture, thus increasing shelf life. Additionally, eggstrafresh® will improve the taste, flavor, texture and natural color of all of your foods.


Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/food-and-beverage-articles/the-best-methods-of-food-preservation-1235343.html
About the Author
Mark Gold has more than 27 years of experience in the Food and Beverage Industry. He has written numerous articles on foods and food preservation.

Making Vertical Gardening Work in Your Space

Forevergreen Landscaping
Maximize the space you have by gardening up! If you have a small property, even with just a balcony or courtyard, that doesn\'t mean you can\'t have a garden too. Vertical gardening has been popular, both in small and large spaces, in European countries for decades (if not centuries), and has finally started to join the gardening repertoire of North Americans.

A vertical garden is easy to start for beginner or novice gardeners, and it\'s fun and satisfying to watch it grow! Supplies are cheap and readily available so you don\'t have to put in a big investment to get started. The simplest way to begin your first vertical garden is to find plants that naturally climb. Plants like honeysuckle and wisteria have beautiful blooms and will easily grow up a pole or trellis, and grow well in many climates.

A more advanced vertical garden can be created with living walls. Fences, walls and other surfaces can be covered with boxes or fabric pockets and soil, as well as plants, flowers, succulents (like cacti) or even edible fruits and vegetables. To create one of these interesting conversation pieces purchase some breathable fabric pockets that can easily be hung from a wall. You should be able to find them at a local garden centre or hardware store. All you have to do is plant your seeds or small plants and you\'re ready to go!

Make sure to use a high quality hummus-rich soil so that your plants will be well-nourished. Try watering with a spray bottle to avoid overwatering, but still keeping your growing garden well-hydrated.

As a general rule, fruits and flowers are more difficult to grow. We recommend starting with some vegetables or herbs. Your first garden will be more likely to be a success and, best of all, you can use what you grow! Friends and neighbours will be shocked and impressed that you grew your own vegetables and herbs in your small space.

Once your first garden is flourishing, consider investing in a more sturdy upright garden trellis that will add as much beauty to your garden as the plants growing on it.

Further Reading:

1. Morrison, Susan, and Rebecca Sweet. Garden Up! Smart Vertical Gardening for Small and Large Spaces. Cool Springs Press, 2011.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/making-vertical-gardening-work-in-your-space-6004789.html
About the Author
For those living in Oakville, Ontario and the surrounding areas of Milton, Burlington and Georgetown, Forevergreen Landscaping has become one of the most trusted names in landscaping. Forevergreen Landscaping and Maintenance is known to satisfy the needs of each customer by using innovative techniques, products, and equipment. We strive for a level of satisfaction which truly exceed the goals, and expectations of our clientele.

Contact Forevergreen Landscaping for all of your landscaping needs.

5 Benefits Of Worm Farming

Goats and rabbits are BOTH too much for you? But you still want a small farm income?

Then we're down to the worms. Highly practical, super-low maintenance, and even an apartment dweller can raise them with ease. Worms produce castings that are the very best of all soil supplements. You may choose to sell the castings or sell the worms themselves. Either way, it's just about the easiest way you can think of to make an income.

Author:

hashbury
1. Worm farming is great for the environment. It is something that gives back to nature and does not take anything away. Many people farm worms just for this reason alone. We are in a time where everyone wants to go green, and this is one great way to go green. Hopefully, one day worms will be the answers to all of our excessive garbage problems.

2. You can make a nice residual or a fulltime income from worm farms. Believe it or not, you can make a nice income from farming them. You can sell them, or you can sell the worm castings(worm poo). Some variety\'s of worms can sell for a pretty high price. The castings are always in demand and sell for even higher prices. Worms reproduce at a very high rate allowing huge returns on just a rather small investment.

3. Worms can be your own personal garbage disposal. You can give worms all your left over food scraps for them to eat. They can survive on food scraps alone, but bigger worm farms will also need food supplements like newspapers. They can also eat your old left over newspapers. This actually provides a very good substrate for them to eat.

4. Worm castings are great for vegetable and flower gardens. The castings they produce can be added to gardens as an all natural fertilizer. The worm castings are one of the best organic fertilizer a person could use in their garden. They can also be placed in gardens to make the soil much more rich. They plow the soil by burrowing through it. This also aerates and conditions the soil making it perfect for planting.

5. Worms are great to fish with and can provide stocked ponds with food. A lot of farm raised fish are now being partly fed with worms. This is great for the fish farmers, because they can also farm worms for a fraction of the price as normal fish food. I personally use worms from my farm to take my kids out fishing on the weekends. This is a great activity for me and my kids.

In summary worms are great for a lot of things. If you have never thought about worm farming, you should. They are one of natures helpers, and they can even bring a family closer together, like mine. If I didn\'t start my worm farm, I know I would not be as happy as I am now. So please do yourself a favor and start a worm farm.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/5-benefits-of-worm-farming-3817787.html
About the Author
For more information and to get free worm farming tips, you can go to this site: worms farming http://wormsfarming.com You can find more great articles and guides on how to get started.

Operating your own rabbit farming business

Rabbits are probably the best overall animal for the small farmer. They serve as food, fertilizer producers, and family pets. They're small, don't eat much, and take very little space.

Here's Paul Stanton's take on raising rabbits as a business.
Author:

Paul Stanton
So it\'s in your mind and you\'re going for it - set up your own rabbit farming business that is. But it is a new business for you - you have in no way done it already and you need assistance, little by little to accomplish your objective. No worries we will cover all the help you will need.

So how do you run a business? You\'ve for ever and a day been the one who is told what to do. Straight away the shoe is truly on the other foot - you give out the commands now. But what commands do you give to your employees? What indicators do you transmit? How do you realize if what you are doing or saying is the correct thing for your new rabbit farming business? It was straightforward before...the boss spoke...and you did what he/she said then you got rewarded at the end of the day. This is a little trickier, if you get things wrong now, not only will you not get remunerated (or get remunerated less), your decisions could impact in the negative upon your staff.

The reality about starting your own rabbit farming business is not that you will be chasing the almighty dollar but that you might grasp the life you have continuously wanted. Of course, the cash is crucial; but to assemble the business that creates the life you really want is a significant reward. Individual independent lifestyle runs real money close to being the main driver to becoming their own boss. Most triumphant rabbit farming businesses are operated by those that don\'t lose sleep in relation to how profitable they are as long as they don\'t have to work for others.

However the large bank balance helps!

Having something to prove is also a good motivator. Having a sibling,parent,spouse or other major person that is doing all right in business creates a vast motivation for others to have a go. Not out of a feeling of competition but for the reason that it is easy to be aware of the pleasure people get from running their own business, and their own lives.

In actuality there are for ever and a day a mixture of features at play and no two distinct industrialist fit the same mold; in a large organization people become institutionalized but with your own venture you get to do things your own way and sway the employees you have (assuming you have any).

Majestic rabbit farming businesses are planned that way by people just like you. They make it because they plan to be lucrative, they take the means to work out how they want their business to be; they design it that way and take significant pleasure as their venture and their life begins to fit their dreams.

Start your rabbit farming business immediately!
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/operating-your-own-rabbit-farming-business-3823290.html
About the Author
Paul Stanton Are you going to start-up your own rabbit farming business? You need a rabbit farming business plan

Start a Small Farm or Make Money From Your Garden

Okay, maybe goats just don't appeal to you. But that doesn't mean you can't have a profitable farm. Whatever aspect of natural living makes you happy can probably also bring in at least a small income.

Consider some of these suggestions:

Author:

orlowski teng
Have you wanted to start a small farm? Interested in organic farming? Want to start a country Bed & Breakfast? Would you like to produce a nature-related home business income stream and make money from your garden? Any or all of these are more attainable now than ever.

Their size can range from an urban rooftop to a small town backyard to small acreage in the country. It\'s wonderful to have the sunlight and birdsong be your 'office surroundings,' and to tend the earth\'s life force while high class restaurants, world travelers, or your local community eagerly pay premium prices for your organic, heirloom and sustainable products.

You can grow many crops: Vintage cutting or edible flowers, rare ethnic and culinary herbs, medicinal herbs, heirloom and gourmet vegetables. There\'s a growing trend among those from urbanites to small town dwellers to those with small rural acreage (or in the process of buying it), who are starting sustainable home businesses that are earth and family friendly, or living the country life as real farmers again with rural traditions and the sound of birds and crickets from their porches. The huge demand for local, sustainable, and heirloom and gourmet foods, plus the growing demand for hand-made artisan foods and sustainably produced unique flowers and other unusual ornamentals is fueling this trend.

Farm examples include one who grows the crop used to make brooms, and sells hand-made ornamental or vintage brooms from his own crop. Or the spa mini-farmer who grows fresh ingredients for the facials for her local spas and estheticians, such as lavender, cucumber, and even pumpkin now proven to benefit the skin. Or the couple who raise tiny Shetland sheep that produce wool in many natural colors, and make hand-woven blankets sold for high prices online and to tourists who visit their area.

Whether you\'re planning to start a small farm, begin organic farming, start a country Bed & Breakfast, or earn money from your garden, to begin making this dream come true, start with the concept of the 'Micro Eco-Farm' that brings them all together. It\'s the 21st century version of sustainably producing from the land in larger quantities in smaller space than anytime in history, because with technology and world travel, humans have now discovered and blended the best growing techniques that combine ancient discoveries (such as Chinese or French intensive growing methods) with cutting edge research on creating living soils and sustainable food supplies in smaller spaces than ever before understood.

To start a small farm, use micro eco-farming techniques to begin from as small as a half acre, and even stop there, or grow into a few more acres if you have the land. Start in your spare time until your business has built up enough to let you quit your office job. Micro eco-farming involves organic farming techniques, but adds beyond organics to make your mini-farm more productive than any farm in humankind\'s history.

To start a country Bed & Breakfast, plan your B&B\'s breakfast menus first, then design the small farm to grow the menu\'s products, the organic farm that will wrap around your B&B from the information gleaned from your menu. You may want to raise laying hens, blueberries, strawberries, a few antique apple and pear trees, an herbal tea garden, and a couple dairy goats. Your B&B customers will love this small farming demonstration and setting, and it all 'synergizes.' The goats and hens will provide organic fertilizer along with ingredients for breakfast omelets and yogurt, the chickens and goats can eat prunings from the plant crops, which will provide your customers with freshly baked blueberry muffins, strawberry jam and pear butter (which can also be sold as a product to your customers) and spicy apple bread and apple cider.

To make money from your garden, the possibilities are endless. You can grow a cutting garden with a flower stand out front to earn money from your garden, or sell the flower bouquets to in-town B&Bs that don\'t grow their own, or to restaurants and hotels; sell high priced rare gourmet food crops to nearby five star restaurants, such as rare edible flowers or fresh ethnic food crops.

Whether you plan to start a small farm, earn money in organic farming, make money from your garden, or open a country Bed & Breakfast, your livelihood will be helping restore the planet by maintaining green life and living soil to your outdoor 'office.'
Barba
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Raising Dairy Goats - Important Facts To Help You In Rearing Dairy Goats

Almost everyone I know who doesn't already live on a farm WANTS to live on a farm. The trick is making it an affordable option. Naturally you'd want to draw an income from the land, preferably large enough to at least break even.

Guest poster Ted Allen offers one option -- dairy goats!

Author:

Ted Allen
Are you a farmer who owns an acre of land that produces enough livestock for you over the years and is currently considering goats as a profitable addition? If so, then you just made the right decision. A great population of farmers all over the US finds that raising dairy goats is a potential earner and you do not have to be conscientious about it. Many farmers keep them as producers not only of meat, skin, and fiber but most especially milk and butter.

There are over 200 breeds of goats worldwide and six of these breeds are the best producers of dairy and milk. These breeds include Oberhaslis, LaManchas, Alpines, Sadness, Nubians and Toggenburgs. Each of these breeds thrives depending on the location\'s climate. For example, the Alpines, which are recognizable through their long necks and erect ears, originated from the French Alps thus adapt well in moderate climate. The Alpine are good producers of milk and two can one can already produce a good amount to make cheese, butter, soap, or for your own enjoyment, ice cream.

Raising dairy goats is not even a hard task. First things first, get your breed of choice. As mentioned, Alpine is an ideal dairy goat besides Indian Jamnapari and Nubian. Once you have found your breed, decide which form of dairy you are going to focus on - would it be just fresh milk or canned milk, butter, cheese, soap, or all of these? This is an important factor because then you can determine how much goat you need to obtain as well as how much milk you have to produce. Selling fresh milk would require for instance at two goats to be able to produce at least 10 bottles a day.

Also, raising dairy goats is no different from raising ordinary or common goats. These mammals need the appropriate shelter where they can live comfortably. By this, you have to consider cleanliness and the room temperature. Make sure also to ready protective furnishings (fence, roof, sawdust, etc) against extreme weather conditions. Goats for all you know are sensitive to cold. Leaving them soaked for a long period if time may cause pneumonia. This could lead to death.

Raising dairy goats also involve grooming them. Although they do not demand great attention or everyday bath, they should be attended to at least every four or six weeks. It would be good if they get a hoove trim once in a while as leaving it long could hurt or make them lame.

Dairy goats are definitely an animal to keep in the farm either as pets or as a domesticated animal. They do need proper care as well. Do not forget to give them vaccination occasionally to avoid catching diseases. Raising dairy goats is surely a fun and lucrative thing to do so if you are contemplating on having them, you might as well start your search now.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/raising-dairy-goats-important-facts-to-help-you-in-rearing-dairy-goats-3352868.html
About the Author
Are you looking for more tips on raising dairy goats? Separate yourself from the usual goat owners who are prone to common mistakes. If you would like to learn more tips on caring for goats and how to raise goats correctly, click here: http://www.raising-goats.com

Don\'t forget to claim your FREE '10 Tip About Raising Goats - What You Need To Know Before You Start' eReport!

Home Remedies for Acne, Arthritis, Backache, Cold, Constipation, Obesity

Author:

Dr John Anne
Fed up from the side effects of the drugs, people are now shifting towards alternative therapies for the cure and treatment of common problems. Home remedies are one of the alternative methods that have been proven inexpensive and can be easily made at home without many efforts. Since ages our ancestors were using these home remedies for the treatment of diseases but the latest inventions and discoveries in the field of medicines darkened the benefits of these home made treatments. In the recent times the people have again shifted towards these home remedies.

Home Remedies for Acne, Arthritis, Asthma, Anaemia, Backache, Common Cold, Constipation, Eczema, Hair Loss, High Blood Pressure, Indigestion, Obesity, Sore Throat, Stress

Home remedies for some of the most common diseases and problems are:

Home Remedies for Acne

Application of cucumber leaves or grated pieces of cucumber to the affected areas.

Paste of fenugreek leaves applied overnight on the affected area and washed off next morning is also effective.

Mix one tablespoon of besan flour and one teaspoon of lemon juice till a smooth paste is formed. Apply on neck and face and wash off when it gets dry.

Home Remedies for Acidity

Drink a glass of cold milk to get quick relief from acidity.

Drink a glass of water with a teaspoon of baking soda for immediate relief.

Chewing bubble gum will also provide relief from acidity in few minutes.

Home Remedies for Arthritis

With an empty stomach take 3-4 walnuts (akhrot) or 1 fresh coconut.

Spread warm mustard oil on a madar leaf and apply to the affected area for a few hours .

Drink some radish juice with sugar added to it.

Home Remedies for Asthma

Drink a cup of black coffee, the warmth will break up the flem and the caffeine will help to remove tightness from the chest and throat.

Add 30-40 leaves of tulsi in one liter of water, strain the leaves and drink the water throughout the day.

Home Remedies for Anaemia

Eat 2-3 apples daily without peeling to increase the iron stores in the body.

Intake of beet juice is highly beneficial for the anemic person\'s.

Home Remedies for Backache

Drink some hot milk or water with powdered sonth, meetha soda, and salt.

Massage the back with turpentine oil.

For temporary and quick relief heat can be applied at the back with hot water bottle.

Home Remedies for Common cold

Drink a cup of water with a few drops of garlic oil and a teaspoonful of onion juice.

Rub the chest and throat with camphor water or oil.

Drink honey and lemon juice in hot water to get relief from sore throat.

Home Remedies for Constipation

Drink a tablespoon of corn syrup in a cup of water.

Drink a glass of prune juice to facilitate bowel movement.

Drinking a cup of coffee will also provide relief from constipation.

Home Remedies for Eczema

Mix one teaspoon of camphor and one teaspoon of sandalwood to form a paste and apply on the affected e areas.

Drinking Aloe Vera juice will help cleanse the system.

Home Remedies for Hair loss

Wash hair with peppermint or spearmint tea to prevent hair loss and to promote hair growth .

Wash hair with white vinegar periodically to prevent falling of hair.

Home Remedies for High blood pressure

Mix half onion juice and half honey. Take 2 tablespoons once a day for 1-2 weeks.

Eat two cloves of garlic every early morning.

Eat one Papaya on an empty stomach daily for a month.

Home Remedies for High blood cholesterol

Drinking onion juice daily for a week will lower the blood cholesterol.

Eat a few garlic cloves every day to reduce blood cholesterol.

Home Remedies for Indigestion

Drink aloe vera juice, papaya juice, or chamomile, comfrey, red raspberry, or peppermint tea.

Drinking a glass of water with a tablespoon of baking soda will provide immediate relief.

Home Remedies for Obesity

Eat 10 fresh curry leaves in the early morning for three or four months.

Drink a cup of water with 3 teaspoons limejuice, one-fourth teaspoon powdered black pepper, and a teaspoon of honey every day for three months.

Eat freshly sliced tomatoes with onion and lemon juice.

Drink lemon juice with honey and warm water every morning.

Home Remedies for Sore throat

Gargle every hour with vinegar water or salt water.

Drink hot milk with honey at bedtime for immediate relief from sore throat.

A teaspoon of honey will provide relief from sore throat.

Home Remedies for Stress

Chewing 12 tulsi leaves twice a day, morning and evening is the highly beneficial treatment of stress.

Various seeds such as alfalfa, sunflower and pumpkin are highly beneficial in the treatment of stress.

The use of these home remedies is highly effective and causes no side effects on one\'s physical body.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/alternative-medicine-articles/home-remedies-for-acne-arthritis-backache-cold-constipation-obesity-75042.html
About the Author
Know more about Simple Home Remedies, Home Remedy. Also read informative  Health Discussion Forum to discuss your health problems, share your own experience and get the most relevent Health Care knowledge here.



Dr John Anne

http://www.ayurvediccure.com

Garden Friend or Foe?

Author:

Floral and Hardy
It is oft disputed whether an insect population as a general concept is beneficial or detrimental to a gardener, however this subject cannot be decided with a simple black/white frame of mind.  Like their micro equivalent bacteria, there are types and species of creepy crawlies that can be either devastating or redemptive of any green space.

All the species mentioned here will be recognizable and that is chiefly why they\'ve been selected, their banality, particularly in the case of those detrimental species, is what often disguises them as a neutral force in the garden.

Friend:

1. Ladybirds

Probably the most immediately recognizable on our list is the Ladybird, whose name derives from the moniker given Mary of Nazareth, whose personage was oft depicted draped in a red spotted cloak, whose seven blemishes symbolized her corresponding joys and sorrows. These gorgeous insects act as the perfect countermeasure against one of the villains on our list, Aphids, who form a large part of the beetle\'s diet. In the pupal stage alone it is not uncommon for a ladybird to consume upwards of four hundred of these plant lice and over five thousand in an average life cycle. However, there are certain procedures to attend if you are to successfully attract this species to your garden, first of all your choice of pesticides can have an adverse effect on their propogation, so be careful what you use. Also, an artificial supplement known as ‘wheast\', a combination of whey and yeast can be applied to your space to nourish growing larvae. You can make your own version by mixing 1 part sugar to 1 part yeast in water to make a paste, which can then be painted onto stakes among your planting. Or you can make a looser mixture and simply spray it onto plants. Planting such as Achillea(Yarrow) and Daffodils will also provide enticing pollen.

2. Earthworms

Charles Darwin once of spoke of the Earthworm as being of the most significant organisms in the history of the world, describing it as nature\'s version of the soil plough, while immeasurably older and more efficient. Never will you find a greater aid to the quality of your soil then this fisherman\'s aid. The Earthworm operates on a symbiotic basis with its environment i.e. the greater the quality of the soil and the better tended it is, the greater the population of worms and in turn the greater the quality will remain. Thus it is important to serve these creatures appetites as a means of satisfying your gardens. First of all we must understand how the Earthworm survives. Its respiration is conducted entirely through its skin, rather than through lungs like us humans and to thrive they need, moisture and oxygen. Therefore, a well-drained, moist soil that is turned regularly will guarantee a healthy population. Also, while composting and mulching may seem obvious tricks for benefit of the plants themselves, the tunnels an Earthworm creates will provide greater pockets of oxygen and thus a more efficient means by which bacteria can break down this organic material.

3. Butterflies

Similarly to their striped friends, the bees, butterflies are an excellent vector of pollination. In a previous article we outlined how important it was to aid the continued growth of our native butterfly species due to the adverse conditions they\'d been faced with in the past summer. However it is not only flower propagation that makes this insect important - over one third of the world\'s food supply is pollinated by natural vectors. Also the butterfly provides a source of food for numerous bird species that along with the aesthetic of the insect itself add exciting colour and movement to your green space.

4. Bees

Einstein is quoted as saying that 'If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than four years to live.' And this is due to their critical role as the primary pollinator on our planet. From the largest crops to the smallest bloom, no other insect can lay claim to such widespread or efficient propagation. As such, there is no doubt that a population already resides in your garden, however there are measures that can be taken to ensure, in their state of decline, that this presence continues. Aside from a healthy supply of pollen rich plants, bees require a local water source to multiply, preferable one placed away from sources of intrusive noise like lawnmowers. A small pond or fountain amid the more remote areas of your garden would suit this role perfectly.

5. Spiders

For a long time this creepy crawly has been on the receiving end of much stigma due to its presentation on the silver screens of yesteryear. However, it is the very aspect that sealed this creature as a menace, that also confirms it as one of the greatest assistants a gardener could employ. The same predatory instinct that saw so many grind-house heroes laid low, can be put to work on the winged afflictions of your leaves and petals, consuming, as it does, many of our garden pests. Unfortunately, arachnids are primarily attracted to dry, tranquil places and so an English garden cannot hope to yield a huge amount! However, hopefully their mention here will help dispel the myths of fear and aversion that surround them, and pay the dues that spiders really deserve.

Foe:

6. Slugs

One of the most common pests in any English garden, these slimy critters are known for the destruction they cause to any foliage they can reach. However, there are other methods of their repulsion aside from expensive artificial aids. The most important thing you can do is use nature against itself i.e. in the approaching winter months it\'s important to rake over your top soil, thus exposing larvae and egg clusters to the threat of frost. Keeping the garden clear of fallen leaves and plant matter also reduces places for slugs to hide. Slugs also have many natural predators, foremost of which is the Hedgehog.  As they are shy creatures by nature, the best way to attract them initially is a healthy portion of dog food but to make them stick around you\'ll have to invest in a habitat that suits them. To this end we recommend a waterproof box, insulated with hay and camouflaged by leaves which if successful will provide you not only an effective solution to your arthropods but a cute addition to the family. If hedgehogs are out of the question then another effective predator is the group known as Rove Beetles, which includes the most commonly known ‘Devil\'s Coach Horse Beetle\'. They can be catered for with a series of perspex lined, pebble filled trenches into which the slugs will become trapped for the beetles lunch. A hedgehog house should be constructed to dimensions of eighteen inches length, twelve depth and six width while beetle trenches should be about half those measurements.

7. Aphids

Aphids aka Greenflies or Blackflies are a species of parasitic insect that are notorious for the destruction of foliage and flower alike. They have been mentioned already as one of the Ladybirds primary food sources, however there are a number of other species that will incorporate this pest into their diet if properly encouraged. The most fool proof way to ensure these predators presence is through the liberal planting of nettles, when sited next to those flowers worst afflicted they will attract a local population of nettle Aphids which, as their name suggests, will only attack the nettle itself while attracting plenty of less discriminate insects to regulate theirs and their counterparts\' population. We would highly recommend this method over the use of pesticides or waterborne protection as one annoying habit of an Aphid afflicted leaf is to curl inward, thus protecting the insect from outward dusting of insecticides.

8. Grasshopper

The trick with Grasshopper control is in early intervention - by catching the infestation early you halt the population growth before it become unmanageable. They are a particular nuisance to vegetable crops, mostly targeting baby carrots, onions and lettuce. One method involves something of a phyrric victory by way of providing a strip of lush grass to divert the hopper from the rest of the garden, this will also localize the entire population making them an easy target for predatorial birds and insects. However as stated earlier, it is important to undertake these countermeasures as soon as possible because, once the hopper has a foothold, then no method will be effective except to wait for the cold season that wipes them out annually.

9. Caterpillars

A Caterpillar infestation is a result of butterflies laying eggs on the leaves of the afflicted plant, a non-chemical means of preventing is to use a horticultural fleece to cover the plants and halt butterflies access to them. Unfortunately, they have a long laying season that can last from early spring to autumn and the indiscriminate fleeces will also prevent other beneficiary species from reaching the plant. Another method is to move the afflicted plant to an enclosed site such as a greenhouse and then to flood the space with Trichogramma brassicae, a species of wasp that targets caterpillar eggs. If that is not possible, you can just use the old-fashioned method of picking them off the plants manually!

10. Viburnum Beetle

This little monster has recently topped the RHS most wanted list in terms of garden pests, partly due to its destructive capacity, but mostly due to its lack of treatment protocol. The majority of the defoliation this creature causes is during the larvae stage wherein the hatchlings are far too numerous to effectively clear by hand. Thus chemical methods are the only viable ones, once inspecting infected Viburnum for signs of the larvae, spray the plant with deltamethrin or cyhalothrin. This treatment is best utilized in the mid spring months when the larvae do the majority of their damage. There are organic options, however these have proved nigh ineffective against matured beetles.

And so as our roster of friends and foes draws to a close, remember the tips given here on avoiding the latter and do your best next year to attract the former. The one comfort of the oncoming cold weather is that caterpillar and slug are far more susceptible to it than we are!
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/garden-friend-or-foe-5832794.html
About the Author
Written by Joshua Ellison of Floral & Hardy Gardens, whose expertise is in Garden Design Weybridge

Homemade Canning - Best Foods To Can When Just Getting Started With Home Canning

An excellent introduction to home canning from
Ginny A. Reilly
Home canning is the best way to capture the fresh taste, flavor and nutrients of the local foods. Food preservation is not a complicated affair. It has a simple procedure, which is easy, and you also need not worry about the food being spoiled if stored for a long time. The advantage of enjoying the preserved foods is that you can even have it off-season and it is not expensive if canned at home.

It will help you save a lot of your money and also you will feed your family a healthy food compared to the market canned which has preservatives added to it. Home canning also makes you more self reliant in terms of any short supply in the market or bad weather conditions when you cannot drive to the store. You also retain the nutritional values of the canned products. Being a very economical and healthier option, thousands of people have picked up home preserving procedures.

If you are a beginner and doing the canning for the first time, than it is very important that you do it correctly and should know the recipes and procedures for preserving. For home canning of foods, canning tomato sauce and canning beans are great starters. Tomato sauce is used as a taste and flavor adder therefore; it is used throughout the year. Home canned tomato sauce is cheaper and as healthier as that available in the market. Most of the tomato sauce at grocery stores has lot of sugars and additives and which is why many people prefer home food preservation.

Applesauce is also a good choice especially for the beginners as it is easy to can and do not require any specific skills to get started. When canning applesauce, do not make the mistake of peeling the skin off as it contains lots of nutritional value.

Canning is the best way for preserving fruits and vegetables. Boling water method is best when preserving peaches at home. Follow the right home canning recipe and enjoy the peaches even during the off seasons. Beginners can also try canning beets. It is a simple recipe and can be easily done. Depending on your personal choice, for beet preserving you can either use the water bath method or pressure canning methods. A good surprise is that a canned beet tastes even better than the actual fresh beets. The canned beets retain their nutritional value for two years.

Jelly is the fruit spread, which contains sweetened fruits or vegetable juices. The home canned jellies are the best way of enjoying a wholesome, chemical free food throughout the year. The recipe and procedure of canning jelly at home makes it totally healthy and hygienic. Jellies can be canned and stored for many years adding good taste to your meals. During winters, soups are the most liked and popular dish.

Soup is also a very good idea, which saves you time and money in winters. It is always better to can clear soups and ingredients like thickeners, oils, noodles should be avoided. Soups should be kept in pressure containers and do not require any refrigeration for several months.

Today homemade canning has become the most essential part of our kitchen duties. It helps us stay self-reliance and is a good way of eating healthy food. Home canning of fruits and vegetables will allow us to have a chemical free healthy meal at a very low price.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/cooking-tips-articles/homemade-canning-best-foods-to-can-when-just-getting-started-with-home-canning-4449161.html
About the Author
Want to learn how to preserve your own food through the home canning method?

With the costs of canned food rising, and the urge to be self-sufficient by growing, home canning is making a resurgence in today\'s society. Homemade canning is a most enjoyable experience to save money and eat healthier.

Learn how to can your food and get a fully illustrated e-Book of 120 recipes at http://homemadecanning.com.

The Best Way to Survive the Food Crisis - Back to Homemade Canning

Thanks to

Folsom Maryln for this great post!

The best way to prepare for the coming food crisis remains preserving food for a longer period of time. And since old practices often prove to be useful today, homemade canning is back in fashion.



Canning starts with first processing the food and is then sealed in an airtight container in order to prevent any microorganisms from entering and spoiling the food making it unhealthy. Initially the food was canned in glass bottles however this technique proved to be risky as handling was to be carried out in careful manner during transportation and therefore was later replaced by cylindrical tin or wrought iron canisters. However the glass jars remains to be the best and most popular for high value products and home canning.

Modern day canning allows the food to be available and edible for a long time after being processed thereby making your life more comfortable and free. A study found that canned fruits and vegetables have the same amount of dietary fibre, vitamins and proteins as the fresh food.

Canning makes the food readily available in good condition at all times helping you in case of being stuck in a food crisis situation. It also makes the products available during off season, making them cheap and helping you save money. Homemade canning will save you from running around places looking for a particular fruit, vegetable and other products.

Home canning and processing of food is done in different ways depending upon the type of fruit, vegetable, dish being canned. You should know which fruits can be canned at home and which should be avoided. There are two main ways for processing the food first – boiling water bath method and second pressure canner method. The boiling water method is best suitable for canning tomato sauce, canning green beans, canning beans, canning applesauce, canning jam, canning jelly and other fruits and pickles. Here the jar of food is covered with boiling water, heated and cooked for a specified amount of time.

The pressure canning technique is suitable for preserving vegetables, meats, poultry, dairy products and seafood. Here the jars of food are placed in special pressure cookers having 2 to 3 inches of water and then heated to a certain temperature. This pressure canning method is used for killing microorganisms which have the ability to form spores which can withstand high temperatures and are very harmful for heath.

You can prevent the food from being spoilt by heating, boiling, pasteurization, refrigeration, freezing, drying, vacuum treatment and use of certain antimicrobial agents for their secure canning. There are different methods for homemade canning of fruits, vegetables, meat and dishes. Using the right method and technique will help preserve the food for longer period of time.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/diy-articles/the-best-way-to-survive-the-food-crisis-back-to-homemade-canning-5703398.html
About the Author
If you like to learn more survival tricks and tips click here, ckeck out the survival guide review and be prepared always.

Whether disaster hits you this year or in the future ... whether you believe the Mayans predicted the end of the world as we know it or not... whether you live in the city or the country ... something is going to happen. Flood, tornado, earthquake, hurricane, whatever. There's no reason to believe that you will be spared some sort of disaster or that FEMA will appear on your doorstep minutes later with all the help you need.

Here's a great guide to help you prepare now for almost any event:

2012 Survival Guide

Author:

2012online
2012 Survival Guide
by
2012online.org
This Survival Guide is intended as a basic introduction on how to prepare for and react to events that may take place over the course of the years leading up to December 21, 2012. These skills and techniques are provided for information purposes only and are not intended to take the place of a professional survival or first aid training course. Rather, they are intended to increase your awareness of the lifesaving importance of preparation of the coming events, survival skills and to encourage you to research the events that may transpire.
For beginners interested in understanding the basics of December 21, 2012 and the Earth changing events, there is unlimited information available from many sources, and advances of knowledge and collaboration have led to a growing number of 'watchers' and people that are preparing even though they do not believe something is to happen. Even so, at least they will be ready, and you should as well. Even if nothing is to happen then there will be ample number of supplies to last you for the coming years. What if the Earth does change rapidly, and you are not prepared? If you meet the minimal requirements to survive through Pole Shift, Volcanic Eruptions, Extreme Cold, Hurricanes, Tornados, Earthquakes, Land Shifts, Major Floods, Solar and Gamma Radiation then you are one more step in the right direction.
However, there is no substitute for experience in any of these extreme situations, and your reaction in a survival situation depends on your education and training. Always keep in mind that a survival situation mentioned above can happen to you. Be prepared and plan to be a survivor.
For too long, the term 'survivalist' has called to mind paranoia, and the person that lives out in the woods. Nevertheless, as we continue on track towards our unknown future, we will not be called 'survivalist', but 'survivors' as we will need every ounce of energy, every thought of our brain, and every inch of muscle to continue our existence here on planet Earth. The following pages are for the ones that may or may not believe what has been foretold, and what history has taught us throughout the years.
Read at your own discretion
  Table of Contents                                                                               
Chapter                                                                                             pg
1. The Basics………………………………………………………………………3
Food
Water
Shelter
2. Beyond the Basics….…………………………………………………………..14
Developing a Survival Mindset
Survival Awareness
3. Disasters………………………………………………………………………..18
Floods
Earthquakes
Hurricanes
Tornados
Fire Storms
Volcanic Eruption
Asteroid impact
Radiation
Polar Reversal/Shift
Extreme Cold/Heat
Riot/Civil Disaster
Electricity Shortage
Tsunami
Alien Invasion
4. How To…………………………………………………………………………29
Fire
Shelter
First Aid
5. How can you Afford all this.............................................................................37
6. Check List……………………………………………………………………..38
  Chapter 1: The Basics
If you\'ve given any thought to survival, you know that food, water and shelter are the foundation of any long-term survival plan. If you prepare to provide these three items for yourself and family, you will be farther ahead than 90 percent of the public.
Many would say water is the most important of the three, but we\'ll address them in the order of: Food, Water and Shelter. Below are some questions to ask yourself to better understand what specifics you will need to prepare for in your area of the world. (or to be safe, prepare for all)
What natural disasters or extreme conditions you likely to face in the next four years?
What other disasters or emergency situations might you face?
What are the ramifications of each?
What do you have now that you can use in any disaster situation?
How much is the minimum for you and your survival situation is an answer you\'ll have to come up with after reviewing this survival guide, but don\'t worry we will give a generic minimal survival pack.
Food
You may be able to survive a few weeks or even a month without food, but without food, you will become weak, susceptible to illnesses, dizzy and unable to perform survival-related tasks. Water may be more critical to short-term survival, but you will need every ounce of energy to get out of harms way, this is why food is also just as important.
Will a months worth of food be enough? Or do you need a year\'s worth? 2012 Online cannot tell you what\'s best in your situation, but we suggest that two weeks or more is the minimum for anyone in any of these potential survival situations. Why should you stock up on so much food if the worst you\'re planning to prepare for is a just a little out of the ordinary?
Several reasons:
It may take a while for store shelves to be replenished especially as we approach December 21, 2012. Think back to a heavy storm that hit your area, was there enough supplies for everyone? Now imagine a whole country, or even the world needing the same supplies. Now there is a problem.
You may be asked to feed friends or neighbors.
You may or may not be protected from price gouging.
You need to be prepared for a crippling blow to our food supply system.
You will need an existing food supply and a future food supply
Your existing food reserve should not include food in your refrigerator or freezer because you cannot count on those items remaining edible for more than a day (fridge) or three (freezer), at most.
Examination of your existing foods in your cabinets will tell you how much you need to add to ensure you have enough food for a week. A suggestion of food storage is generally canned items (including items in jars) or dried foods. Review our list of commercial food items and their suggested storage times when making up your personal list but keep in mind your family\'s eating habits, likes and dislikes. Also, remember that you may not have access to electricity, so pick food items and packaging that can be prepared on a single burner of a camp stove or even over an open fire.
   
Rotation of Foods
The main difference between the commercially prepared foods you buy in the grocery store and the specially prepared 'survival' foods is the shelf storage. You can\'t store grocery store items for five to ten years, as you can with specially freeze-dried or sealed foods packed in nitrogen or vacuum sealed. You need to rotate your items, either on an ongoing basis or every two to three months. This will ensure you have fresh food (if you can consider canned and dry food 'fresh') and do not waste your food and money.
As a general rule, traditional canned foods should be consumed within a year. For cans with expiration dates, such as Campbell\'s soups, you may find you have 18 months or two years before they expire. Cans without a date, or with a code, mark them with the date purchased and make sure you eat them before a year passes.
Survival Foods
Simple raw materials for baking, such as flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, oil and shortening can be assets in a survival situation. For long-term survival storage, honey stores for years and can replace sugar in recipes. Rather than storing flour or meal, purchase the raw grain and a hand mill. Then you can mill your own flour whenever necessary. Red winter wheat, golden wheat, corn and other grains can be purchased in 45-pound lots packed in nitrogen-packed bags and shipped in large plastic pails.
Long-term storage falls into several categories:
Vacuum-packed dried and freeze-dried foods
Nitrogen packed grains and legumes
Specially prepared and sealed foods such as MRE\'s (Meals, Ready-to-Eat) with a five-to-ten year shelf life
All offer one main advantage: long storage life. Some, such as MRE\'s and packages sold to backpackers, are complete meals. This is handy and convenient, but they tend to be expensive on a per-meal basis. As the name implies, MRE\'s are ideal for a quick, nutritious, easy-to-prepare meal. They are convenient to carry in the car, on a trip or on a hike. They have very long shelf lives (which can be extended by placing a case or two in your spare refrigerator). On the downside, they are very expensive on a per-meal basis and they do not provide as much roughage as you need. (This can lead to digestive problems if you plan to live on them for more than a week or two). Large canned goods, on the other hand, are difficult to transport. But if you\'re stocking up your survival retreat or planning to batten down the hatches and stay at home, the large canned goods are easy to store and can keep you well-fed for months.
Remember, however, if you have four people in your family or survival group, purchasing a one-year supply of food will only equate to three months worth for the family. 2012 Online recommends purchasing the largest set of these canned, dried foods your budget can handle. Then supplement the set with items tailored to you and your family or survival group. You may also want to add a few special items, such as hard candy or deserts, to reward yourself or for quick energy.
While on the topic of supplements, don\'t forget to add vitamins and mineral supplements. Fruits, green vegetables and other items rich in vitamin C and other nutrients may be scarce, so a good multi-vitamin is well worth the space it takes up in your stash.
Home Made Survival Foods
You can try to dry, vacuum-pack and otherwise prepare food for storage. Vacuum pumps are available commercially or can be constructed in your own home. You can use them to seal dried food in mason jars and other containers.
When packing foods for storage, you want to eliminate oxygen. Bugs, such as weevils, and other organisms that can destroy your food need the oxygen to live. That\'s why commercial companies who prepare survival food pack grains, cereals, pasta, beans and other foods in nitrogen-filled containers. You can accomplish a similar packaging yourself by using dried ice.
Simply take the 10 pounds of noodles (or 25 pounds of rice or other dried food) you picked up from the warehouse and put them in an appropriately sized plastic bucket with a lid that can create a good seal. Then add several chunks of dried ice. As it sublimates, your bucket will fill with carbon dioxide, which will displace all or most of the oxygen (since carbon dioxide is heavier, the oxygen should rise to the top and out of the bucket). Place the lid on the bucket, but don\'t seal it all the way until you think the dry ice has completely turned to gas. Remember, as soon as you open the bucket the air will come back in.
Hunting and Gathering in the Wild
It\'s time to look to nature to help feed you. That\'s great if you have acres of tillable land that was not destroyed. But if not, or if it\'s too late, you will need to turn to hunting, trapping and gathering.
If you can identify wild plants that can supplement your existing diet, good for you. If not, better go out and buy a few guide books right away. Get ones with pictures, you\'ll need them. If you\'re a hunter, could you imagine what the local patch of forest would be like if everyone\'s dinner depended on hunting? How quickly would we strip this continent of all edible game? Planning on fishing? So is everyone else.
Tip - Always drink while eating, your body looses lots of water while digesting. If you do not have water to drink – DO NOT EAT!
  Water
  As mentioned previously, water is probably the most necessary element for human life, with the exception of oxygen.
When planning your water resources for survival you need to deal with three areas:
Storing water
Finding or obtaining water
Purifying water
Storing Water
For your in-home cache or survival stash, you should count on two gallons of water per-person per-day. While this is more water than necessary to survive it ensures water is available for hygiene and cooking as well as drinking.
Commercial gallon bottles of filtered/purified spring water often carry expiration dates two years after the bottling date. A good rotation program is necessary to ensure your supply of water remains fresh and drinkable (see the previous chapter on food for information on rotation).
If you prefer to store your own water, don\'t use milk cartons; it\'s practically impossible to remove the milk residue. If you have a spare refrigerator in the basement or the garage, use water bottles (the kind soda or liters of water come in) to fill any available freezer space. In addition to providing you with fresh, easily transportable drinking water, the ice can be used to cool food in the refrigerator in the event of a power failure. For self-storage of large amounts of water, you\'re probably better off with containers of at least 5 gallons. Food-grade plastic storage containers are available commercially in sizes from five gallons to 250 or more. Containers with handles and spouts are usually five to seven gallons, which will weigh between 40 and 56 pounds.
A 15 gallon and 30 gallon container used for food service such as delivery of syrups to soda bottlers and other manufacturers are often available on the surplus market. After proper cleaning, these are ideal for water storage as long as a tight seal can be maintained. 55 gallon drums and larger tanks are also useful for long-term storage, but make sure you have a good pump. Solutions designed to be added to water to prepare it for long-term storage are commercially available. Bleach can also be used as a last resort to treat water from municipal sources. Added at a rate of about 1 teaspoon per 10 gallons, bleach can ensure the water will remain drinkable.

Once you\'re in a survival situation where there is a limited amount of water, conservation is an important consideration. While drinking water is critical, water is also necessary for re-hydrating and cooking dried foods. Water from boiling pasta, cooking vegetables and similar sources can and should be retained and drunk, after it has cooled. Canned vegetables also contain liquid that can be consumed. To preserve water, save water from washing your hands, clothes and dishes to flush toilets.
Short Term Storage
People who have electric pumps drawing water from their well have learned the lesson of filling up all available pots and pans when a thunderstorm is brewing. What would you do if you knew your water supply would be disrupted in an hour?
Here are a few options in addition to filling the pots and pans:
The simplest option is to put two or three heavy-duty plastic trash bags (avoid those with post-consumer recycled content) inside each other. Then fill the inner bag with water. You can even use the trash can to give structure to the bag. Fill your bath tub almost to the top. While you probably won\'t want to drink this water, it can be used to flush toilets, wash your hands, etc. If you are at home, a fair amount of water will be stored in your water pipes and related system. To gain access to this water, you must first close the valve to the outside as soon as possible. This will prevent the water from running out as pressure to the entire system drops and prevent contaminated water from entering your house. Then open a faucet on the top floor. This will let air into the system so a vacuum doesn\'t hold the water in. Next, you can open a faucet in the basement. Gravity should allow the water in your pipes to run out the open faucet. You can repeat this procedure for both hot and cold systems. Your hot water heater will also have plenty of water inside it. You can access this water from the valve on the bottom. Again, you may need to open a faucet somewhere else in the house to ensure a smooth flow of water.
Finding or Obtaining Water
There are certain climates and geographic locations where finding water will either be extremely easy or nearly impossible. You\'ll have to take your location into account when you read the following.
Wherever you live, your best bet for finding a source of water is to scout out suitable locations and stock up necessary equipment before an emergency befalls you. With proper preparedness, you should know not only the location of the nearest streams, springs or other water source but specific locations where it would be easy to fill a container and the safest way to get it home. Preparedness also means having at hand an easily installable system for collecting rain water. This can range from large tarps or sheets of plastic to a system for collecting water run off from your roof or gutters. Once
you have identified a source of water, you need to have bottles or other containers ready to transport it or store it.
Purification
Water that is not purified may make you sick, possibly even killing you. In a survival situation, with little or no medical attention available, you need to remain as healthy as possible. Boiling water is the best method for purifying running water you gather from natural sources. It doesn\'t require any chemicals, or expensive equipment, all you need is a large pot and a good fire or similar heat source. Boiling for 20 or 30 minutes should kill common bacteria such as Guardia and Cryptosporidium. One should consider that boiling water will not remove foreign contaminants such as radiation or heavy metals.
Commercial purification/filter devices made by companies such as PUR are the best choices. They range in size from small pump filters designed for backpackers to large filters designed for entire camps. Probably the best filtering devices for survival retreats are the model where you pour water into the top and allow it to slowly seep through the media into a reservoir on the bottom. No pumping is required. On the down side, most such filtering devices are expensive and have a limited capacity. Filters are good for anywhere from 200 liters to thousands of gallons, depending on the filter size and mechanism. Some filters used fiberglass and activated charcoal. Others use impregnated resin or even ceramic elements.
Chemical additives are another, often less suitable option. The water purification pills sold to hikers and campers have a limited shelf life, especially once the bottle has been opened.
Pour-though filtering systems can be made in an emergency. Here\'s one example that will remove many contaminants:
Take a five or seven gallon pail (a 55-gallon drum can also be used for a larger scale system) and drill or punch a series of small holes on the bottom.
Place several layers of cloth on the bottom of the bucket, this can be anything from denim to an old table cloth.
Add a thick layer of sand (preferred) or loose dirt. This will be the main filtering element, so you should add at least half of the pail\'s depth.
Add another few layers of cloth, weighted down with a few larger rocks.
Your home-made filter should be several inches below the top of the bucket.

Place another bucket or other collection device under the holes you punched on the bottom.
Pour collected or gathered water into the top of your new filter system. As gravity works, the water will filter through the media and drip out the bottom, into your collection device. If the water is cloudy or full of sediment, simply let it drop to the bottom and draw the cleaner water off the top of your collection device with a straw or tube.
(If you have a stash of activated charcoal, possibly acquired from an aquarium dealer, you can put a layer inside this filter. Place a layer of cloth above and especially below the charcoal. This will remove other contaminants and reduce any unpleasant smell or taste).
While this system may not be the best purification method, it has been successfully used in the past. For rain water or water gathered from what appear to be relatively clean sources of running water, the system should work fine. If you have no water source but a contaminated puddle, oily highway runoff or similar polluted source, the filter may be better than nothing.
  Shelter
Frequently, when we think of shelter, we think of either our home or emergency protection, such as a lean-to constructed out of cut branches.
In many survival situations, shelter may be as near as your home. If you don\'t need to evacuate, you may be better off at home, even if the power is off or the storm is threatening. Remember, your bug-out bag has the bare essentials; your survival stash at home should have enough food and water for weeks or even months.
If you are at home or in the vicinity during a natural disaster, your first course of action must be to determine where you will be safest. If you decide not to evacuate, you must then set about making your current residence as safe as possible. In many cases, this will mean moving into the basement or another protected part of the house. In an apartment or condominium, your best bet will probably be an interior room without windows, or even the basement of the apartment complex.
While many will find that there home, friend\'s apartment or relative\'s house is the easiest and most cost-effective safe house, the ultimate safe house or survival retreat would be a second residence located in a very rural location. During normal times, this survival retreat can double as your vacation home, hunting lodge or weekend getaway destination. But when the flag goes up, you can evacuate to a safe house fully stocked with everything you need for self sufficiency.
Safe Home should be:
Well off the beaten track, ideally reachable by a single dirt road. This seclusion will offer you a good bit of protection. For example, you can cut a large tree down across the road to help eliminate unwanted guests.
Near a spring, well, stream or other natural source of water.
Equipped with at least a fireplace or wood stove for cooking and heat.
Within 10 to 20 miles of a village or small town where you can go (by foot, if necessary) for additional supplies, news and other contact with the outside world, should the emergency stretch into months or longer.
Arable enough land to grow your own vegetables and other crops.
Near a natural, easily harvestable food source (usually wildlife for hunting or fishing).
Provisioned with enough food to keep your family safe for at least three months, preferably a year.
Provisioned with tools necessary for long-term self sufficiency, should it become necessary.
Stocked with enough weapons and ammunition to defend it from small groups of marauding invaders, should it come to that.
If you are worried about caching goods in a unattended house, where they could be stolen, you can cache a supply nearby. While most caches are buried in hidden locations, a simple solution to this dilemma is to rent a commercial storage unit in a town close to your retreat. This has several advantages:
As long as you have access to the facility 24 hours a day (one of those outside storage areas where you use your own lock is best) you can get to your supplies when necessary.
It will be much easier to make a few trips to and from the nearby storage facility and your safe house than carry everything with you from home.
It\'s easier to check on the status and add materials to this type of cache than one buried in a secluded location.
In a worst case scenario, you can hoof it to the storage area, spend the night inside and hike back the next day with a full backpack.
Of course, for the ultimate protection, a buried or other hidden cache is hard to beat. The is especially true for the long-term storage of ammunition and weapons that are or may one day be considered illegal.
  Chapter 2: Beyond the Basic
Based on the previous section, you should have a good idea of the potential survival situations you might be facing. Now the question is whether to stay and face them or move to another, safer location.
At the first hint of trouble and rising prices, visit the local food warehouse and grocery stores and buy as much as you can afford. Get the 50 pound bags of rice and the 25 pound bags of flour. Use your credit cards and part of your emergency cash stash, if necessary.
Hunker down at home and protect what is yours.
Keep a low profile and avoid contact with others, except fellow members of your survival group. Avoid trouble and confrontations.
Hope that within six months the country will have recovered or at least stabilized. If not, the population will probably be a lot smaller when this is over.
We all have a strong desire to protect what\'s ours. Thankfully, there are times when staying at home makes the most sense. If you can wait out the events of December 21, 2012 at your home, batten down the hatches and stay at home, it may be your best bet. There are many advantages to staying home in a survival situation, if you can safely do so:
The food in your refrigerator and pantry can supplement your survival stash (see the previous chapter).
If you loose power, you can quickly cook much of your food and monitor the temperature of your freezer (frozen food will usually keep at least 24 hours).
You\'ll have more time to improve your home\'s chances of survival (move items to high ground, put plywood over windows, etc.)
It offers shelter against most elements*.
You\'ll have access to all your clothing, bedding and other comforts.
You won\'t suffer from boredom as much as you might in a shelter.
You can protect your stuff from looters.
Of course, there is a downside as well:
You could be putting yourself in unnecessary, life-threatening danger. (The polar shift, flood, hurricane, riot, asteroid, volcano etc. might be worse than anticipated).
You will be without heat, electricity, hot water and other services.
You may feel cut off and alone.

*will not protect against any radiation
When disaster strikes, home isn\'t the only option.
In a large building, you can count on a security force that will probably be smart enough to lock the doors and take some action to prevent access to the building by a crowd. If you think the building is being overrun by rioters, pull the fire alarm. This will result in all the elevators being recalled to the lobby and they won\'t run again until they are reset.
On your floor or in your suite, bar the door, check your personal weapon and, if there are enough people present, assign some people to stand guard. If you are alone on the floor, or there are invaders in the building, look for a good hiding place.
Shopping centers, fast food restaurants and other public buildings also may offer some protection when disasters strikes, but they could be targets for looting, so you will want to avoid them. In a severe survival situation, you need to look out for your immediate family. So if you\'re trying to get out of the city in an emergency and your car breaks down, who\'s going to blame you for breaking into that empty house and seeking shelter? In a life-or-death situation, property crimes will be the least of your worries.
No matter how much you wish to stay at home, there are times when evacuation is the only choice. These include an asteroid, tsunami, nuclear or biological event as well as any impending disaster that is likely to destroy your home. So, if the survival situations you outlined in the previous section show several emergency situations requiring evacuation, you\'ll need to put together a plan:
The Evacuation Plan
There are several important elements to your evacuation plan:
Where to go
How to get there
What to bring with you
Sure, you can head to the nearest shelter, but if sitting on cots at the local high school gymnasium or National Guard Armory was your first choice, you probably wouldn\'t be reading this.
You need a safe house or survival retreat in a location where the current crisis will not threaten you. The easiest way to set up a safe house is to coordinate with a friend or family member located between 100 and 150 miles away, preferably in a different setting. For example:
If you\'re in the inner city, they should be in a rural area or at least a smaller town, preferably not the suburbs of your city
If you\'re near the coast, they should be inland
If you\'re near a flood plain, the safe house should be on higher ground.
Following these guidelines, you can be relatively sure of several things:
Whatever disaster you are facing should not affect them, and vice versa. This allows you to trade off, so when they are facing a survival situation, your home can be their safe house.
If you plan in advance, you can leave a few changes of old clothes, a toiletries kit, necessary prescription drugs, ammunition, some MRE\'s or anything else you might need at the safe house. This will make your evacuation easier.
  Chapter 3: Disasters
Floods
The best way to prevent damage from flooding is to move before one occurs. Seriously, don\'t live on a flood plain unless you have no choice. If you learned anything in the last decade, it should be floods can and do occur in low-lying areas previously thought safe. Rivers and streams rise to record levels, levy\'s break, and there\'s just too much concrete for the ground to absorb all that rain.
If you\'re stuck in a flood, follow your instincts and move to the highest ground possible. Exercise caution when traveling because it doesn\'t take much water to float a car or pick up truck.
Earthquakes
The old advice of standing in a doorway or hiding in the closet or under a table is better than running around panic-stricken, and it may just save your life. If you live in an earth-quake prone area, prepare for it by ensuring your home meets current building standards and you have plenty of food and water stashed away.
If you live through the few minutes of the earthquake, and your house hasn\'t collapsed, the greater damage may be yet to come. Broken gas lines can cause fires and your house may be condemned, leaving you homeless. Plan for such contingencies by having a plastic (non-sparking) wrench available to turn off your gas main and including a good three-day pack including a tent.
Hurricanes
Hurricanes are one of the few disasters for which you can anticipate some warning. If your home is near the shore and the rising surf is threatening, or you appear to be in the direct course of the hurricane, you may be better off evacuating to higher ground. Whether or not you choose to evacuate, tremendous structural damage can be caused by objects hurled through windows. Once a window is open, the power of the hurricane can actually blow the roof off the top of the structure!
To protect yourself and your property, windows should be covered with plywood or commercial hurricane shutters. 2012 Online recommends hurricane shutters, made from tough clear polycarbonate and allow light to enter the window, unlike their steel and aluminum counterparts. Garage doors should also be reinforced and the door between the garage and the house itself should be locked and secured.
Hurricanes cause damage in multiple ways: high winds, flooding, downed trees and utility poles and storm surges. The farther in-land your location, the less power the hurricane will have by the time it reaches you, so pick your location carefully.
If you decided to stay in your home, you should pick an interior room with no windows. If you plan far enough in advance, you can reinforce the room with 2x6 boards or otherwise construct a cage to protect you from fallen trees, caved-in walls or other storm damage. Move whatever survival supplies you will need into the room, especially a battery powered light and radio.
Tornadoes
While tornadoes cannot be predicted as early as hurricanes, current weather forecasting technology will often tell us when atmospheric conditions are right for their formation. By sticking around the homestead during a tornado watch, you can help protect yourself from the tremendous damage twisters can cause.
A direct hit from a funnel cloud can turn a wooden home into a pile of chopsticks, toss a minivan around like a tumbleweed and knock trees down faster than Paul Bunyon. So if you live in a tornado-prone area, you might be wise to invest in an underground shelter, ala the Wizard of Oz. (You can use it as a root cellar or nuclear survival shelter as well.)
If you live in an area not known for tornadoes, but suddenly one is baring down on you, your next-best bet is the basement, preferably in the corner closest to the direction of the tornado.
If you are driving around and a tornado is looming, park under an underpass and run up as high as you can under it. If caught out in the open, head for the lowest ground possible, even a drainage ditch is better than nothing.
Fire(s)
If a fire occurs in your home you may have to get out in dark and difficult conditions. Escaping from a fire will be a lot easier if you have already planned your escape route and know where to go. Make sure that your planned escape route remains free of any obstructions and that there are no loose floor coverings that could trip you. Everyone in the house should be made aware of the escape route
It only takes an unguarded or careless moment for a fire to start. A couple of minutes later and your home or land around could be filled with smoke. Smoke and fumes can kill, particularly the highly poisonous smoke from some furnishings. You will only have a short time to get out. Use it wisely and try not to panic.
If you can safely do so, close the door of the room where the fire has started and close all other doors behind you. This will help delay the spread of smoke.
Before opening a closed door, use the back of your hand to touch it. Don\'t open it if it feels warm, the fire may be on the other side.
Get everyone out as quickly as possible. Don\'t try to pick up valuables or possessions except your what you need for survival.
Make your way out as safely as possible and try not to panic.
It will help if you have planned your escape route rather than waiting until there is a fire.

What to do if you\'re cut off by fire
It is not easy, but try and remain calm. Save your energy to help you survive
If you are prevented from getting away because of flames or smoke, close the door nearest to the fire and use towels or sheets to block any gaps. This will help stop smoke spreading into the room.
Go to the window. If the room becomes smoky, go down to floor level - it\'s easier to breathe because the smoke will rise upwards.
If you are in immediate danger and your room is not too high from the ground, drop cushions or bedding to the ground below to break your fall from the window.
Get out feet first and lower yourself to the full length of your arms before dropping.

Wilderness Fires
If you are caught in the middle of a dangerous fire storm, your best option is to seek a water source and stay near it. Go under ground if possible, but you need to leave an escape route if the fire changes course. With any fire situation, you always need to know escape routes and have back up plans.
Volcanic Eruption
Keep in mind the center of Earth is molten rock, and a volcanic eruption can occur almost anywhere, but there is not much an individual can do to prepare for a volcanic eruption. Be aware of the hazards that can come with an eruption: the flying debris, hot gases, lava flows, and potential for explosion, mudslides, avalanches, and geothermal areas. Prepare provisions, water, food, blankets, and medical supplies if you live around a volcano before anything happens.
Also be ready to get up and outrun flowing lava.
Use caution when around or near active volcanoes.
Do not venture toward any activity, and consult local experts on the area.
Follow all recommendations, regulations, or requests of officials.
Here are some things to watch out for:
Lava flows - Stay away from lava flows. Not all of them will be red-hot and obvious; some move very slowly and appear as dark and solid, but are liquid beneath the surface. Also, do not try to cross an active flow; you might get trapped by multiple lava streams.
Pyroclastic flow - Do not visit volcanoes that are having or are about to have Pyroclastic explosions. The high temperature around such a volcano can itself be life-threatening.
Volcanic domes - Volcanic domes and plugs in craters may seem harmless, but they can explode without warning. Footing and glassy rocks can also be very dangerous. Some cooled lava of this sort can resemble jagged pieces of glass. Wear good, solid hiking boots on the mountain - never go barefoot. Be sure of your step.
Lahars and floods - Be careful when crossing lahars (debris flows), for they can gush in large and small floods.
Gases - Avoid areas where volcanic gas is released. Carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide can kill quickly and silently. You may not be able to hold your breath long enough. If you see a location around an active volcano with dead vegetation, carcasses, or bones, do not enter it.
Geothermal areas - hot springs, mud pots, and geysers are also very interesting, but don\'t go across unexplored areas that contain many of them. Stay on marked trails, because the thin silica crusts over boiling pools can break if stepped upon. If you Fall in, it can potentially cause third-degree burns or even death.
Before an Eruption Occurs:
Discover whether there are volcanic hazards in the area likely to affect you.
If you live in an active volcanic zone, always assume that you may have to deal with the effects of an eruption.
If you live in an area that could experience a lava flow during a volcanic eruption, know a quick route to safe ground.
If Vulcanologists agree that a life-threatening eruption is likely to take place, a Civil Defense Emergency will be declared and the danger area evacuated. Listen to your radio or TV if all is working, for information.
During an Eruption:
Save water in your bath, basin, containers or cylinders at an early stage - supplies may become polluted.
Stay indoors as much as possible.
Wear mask and goggles if you go outside, to keep volcanic ash out of your eyes and lungs.
Take your outdoor clothing off before entering a building, volcanic ash is difficult to get rid of.
Take your Getaway Kit with you if you have to leave. Turn electricity and gas off at the mains. If you turn gas off, have a professional check for leaks in case of damage before turning gas on again.
Keep below ridge lines in hilly terrain, the hills will offer some protection from flying volcanic debris.
A good pre-planned emergency plan should account for this possibility and provide alternative routes.
Near Earth Objects (NEO\'s)
A reasonably large asteroid of 200 meters (600 feet) in diameter crashing into the Atlantic Ocean could create a tsunami (a giant tidal wave) that would sink both Britain and the entire East Coast of the United States within minutes. If an asteroid at least 1 kilometer in size hit Earth, it would cause a dust cloud which would block out sunlight for at least a year and lead to a deep worldwide winter, exhausting food supplies.
So this threat is real, but the chances of an NEO over one kilometer (3,000 feet) long hitting the Earth soon are practically 1-100. Even so you do need to have an contingency plan in place if this was to happen. The evidence of impact is all around us. But we will focus on the smaller car size asteroids in this section, because if there was a massive asteroid heading our way we would be given advanced warning (hopefully).


So what do you do
For a land impact, it can be said that an object of roughly 75 meters (225 feet) diameter can probably destroy a city and a 160-meter (480-foot) object can destroy a large urban area. If there is an expecting meteor shower, stay tuned to local government officials and monitor the sky.
Impacts from smaller object are almost impossible to predict the impact zone
If you live near a cave system, you may want to go and set up a temporary shelter there, or if you live in the city, go to the lowest point of the building (in an emergency, but not recommended due to possible building collapse). Other possibilities are:
Nuclear fallout shelters
Steel structures
Subway systems
Do not:
Stay outside during a meteor storm
Stay on the top of buildings
Go to the debris of the Meteor 
Always have your survival stash available
Extreme Cold
While people do die in their homes due to bitter winter weather, these deaths are often caused by kerosene heaters or other sources of heat. Fire is a danger with any secondary heat source, including wood stoves, fireplaces, kerosene, propane and electric heaters, but they can be managed to reduce fire hazards. Carbon monoxide poisoning is also a concern which must be considered when using untraditional heat sources, such as gathering around the gas oven and opening the door.
 Another danger is freezing to death if the power fails. People often think they will be OK because they have a gas or oil furnace. This is a fallacy, because the gas furnace needs an electric fan to move warm air throughout your house while even the oil furnace probably has an electric starter and/or fuel pump.
 A secondary source of heat is important, and wood stoves are probably the most efficient. While fire places send much of the heat up the chimney they share with wood stoves the conveniences of being able to find fuel all around you, from books to furniture. (Let\'s face it, most of have too much junk in our houses anyway.) You can also cook over them in a pinch, and when the blizzard is howling around your house, a cup of hot chocolate tastes twice as good and restores the spirits.
Kerosene and propane heaters can also crank out the BTUs in an emergency but probably require ventilation (check the manufacturer\'s literature for specifics).
A key to keeping warm with these back-up heat sources is not to try to heat the entire shelter. Gather everything you think you might need into a single space and close it off. Use any blankets you can spare over openings, if necessary to reduce drafts. Gather together under your comforters and share your body heat.
If you find yourself in open terrain, a snow cave will provide good shelter. Find a drift and burrow a tunnel into the side for about 60 cm (24 in) then build your chamber. The entrance of the tunnel should lead to the lowest level of you chamber where the cooking and storage of equipment will be. A minimum of two ventilating holes are necessary, preferably one in the roof and one in the door.
Extreme Heat
Prepare ahead of time for the hottest days that may come. Freeze gallons of water in big blocks of ice if you have a large freezer (like we discussed in the previous chapters). Refilling plastic gallon water bottles with tap water and freezing works well. The larger the blocks of ice you have the longer they will take to melt when you need them so go for gallon size containers if you have the freezer space. These blocks of ice can be used to cool a fragile person by placing on a thick towel in a shallow pan and fanning the air with a hand held fan over the ice and over the persons head and neck area. They can also be used by wrapping them in a pillow case and placing them around the head, in the armpit area, and in the groin area. Be extremely cautious not to allow the ice to contact the skin. Place several layers of material between the skin and ice to prevent frostbite and check every few minutes to make sure you are not freezing the tissue.
Symptoms of dehydration
It is very important to recognize the first dehydration symptoms and act before your state becomes serious. Described below are the most common first symptoms of dehydration:
Fatigue
Dark urine with a very strong odor
Low urine output
Emotional instability
Delayed capillary refill in fingernail beds
Loss of skin elasticity
Trench line down center of tongue
Thirst
Avoid overheating
When you overheat, your body starts to sweat. This may be good because naturally the body is trying to cool itself, but overtime too much sweat wastes your precious water supply. Always adjust your clothing so that you don\'t sweat too much. Open your jacket a little bit or remove an inner layer of your clothing.
Wear loose clothes
Do not expose your body directly to the sun
Protect your head
Find time to rest under a shaded area
If you\'re wearing your clothes too tight you may restrict blood circulation. It can also decrease the volume of air between the layers, which reduces the cooling value.
Solar Radiation
On Earth, solar radiation is obvious as daylight when the sun is above the horizon. This is during daytime, and also in summer near the poles at night, but not at all in winter near the poles. When the direct radiation is not blocked by clouds, it is experienced as sunshine, combining the perception of bright white light (sunlight in the strict sense) and warming. The warming on the body and surfaces of other objects is distinguished from the increase in air temperature.
Increased solar rays could possibly happen here on Earth, and you need to do what ever necessary to stay out of the Sun during the day. If there is a possible Red/Brown Dwarf the solar ray can be amplified ten fold as the object gets closer to Earth.
So what do you do
Previously mentioned, make sure to stay out of direct sunlight, or if you feel immediate warming to your skin you need to seek cover. This will not protect you fully but lessen the amount of radiation you receive.
Seek your shelter; preferably a cave or underground structure will help with the defense
Put on your PPE if you need to venture out during the day (see the next chapter)
Polar Reversal/Shift
In the next few years, polar reversal will take place on earth. This could possibly mean that the North Pole will be changed into the South Pole and South to North. The science can only be explained by the fact that the earth will start rotating in the opposite direction, together with a huge disaster of unknown proportions. Or the poles could actually shift positions by a few miles which would still cause unwanted disasters.
See previous disasters which would be caused by this shift (minus the asteroids)
Riot/Civil Disaster
After a disaster, you may have to protect your home and belongings from looters. Sure, they\'ll probably march out the National Guard, but like the police, they can\'t be everywhere all the time. Just as you are assuming responsibility for your survival by reading this guide, you\'ll need to assume responsibility for protecting yourself from human predators.
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of destructive and very dangerous waves that result from earthquake activity or some other type of underwater disturbance (meteorite, landslide, underwater volcanic activity etc.). In order to survive a tsunami, you must be prepared, vigilant, and calm.
Your at risk if:
Your home, school, or workplace is in a coastal region, near the sea
The elevation of your home, school or workplace is at sea level or fairly low and on flat
or only slightly elevated land. If you don\'t know the elevation level of your home, school or workplace, find out
There are warning signs indicating that your area is prone to tsunamis
Your home, school, workplace etc. buildings are not tsunami resistant
Prepare in advance. If your research demonstrates that you are at risk, prepare both an evacuation plan and your survival stash.
Natural warnings can help to indicate the imminent arrival of a tsunami. Be aware that in many cases, these may be the only warnings you will get in the coming years. Be self-responsible and keep you and your family, friends and colleagues safe. Natural signs that herald the possibility of a coming tsunami include:
An earthquake: If you live in a coastal zone (by the sea), the occurrence of an earthquake should be immediate cause for alarm and evasive action.
Rumbling under the ground: Even if there is no actual 'earthquake' but you can perceive sizable rumbling under the ground, heed this warning.
A rapid rise and fall in coastal waters. If the sea suddenly recedes, leaving bare sand, this is a major warning sign that there is about to be a sudden surge of water inland.
Watch for animals leaving the area or behaving abnormally, such as trying to seek human shelter or grouping together in ways they would not normally do.
Take action
If a tsunami is likely to make landfall on your coastal region, react immediately. Put into place the Evacuation Plan.
Move immediate movement away from the coast, lagoons or other bodies of water next to the coast is essential.
Head inland: This means going up to higher ground and even into hills or mountains.
Climb high: If you cannot head inland because you are trapped, head up. Although not ideal, if this is your only option, choose a high, sturdy and solid building and climb up it. Go as high as you possibly can, even onto the roof or sturdy trees.
React quickly if you are stranded in the water. If you did not manage to evacuate but find yourself caught up in the tsunami, there are things that you can do to try and survive:
Grab onto something that floats
Abandon belongings
Keep away for at least half a day, if not longer. A tsunami comes in waves
Try to get reliable information
A good pre-planned emergency plan should account for this possibility and provide alternative routes. Go into survival mode and be prepared for anything else that could happen, do not let your guard down.
Electricity Shortage
We have lived without it in the past, and we can live without it now.
That is simple to say when we rely so heavily on the use of electricity. It just make our lives that much easier, so in the event of a disaster and after you have made it to a safe haven, it is time now to review the basics.
Generators are a good way to provide energy, but awfully hard to lug around and are dependant upon a natural resource that may or may not be readily available. So you should plan for the worst, break out the matches.
Alien Invasion
At the time this survival guide was written, there is no information on how to maintain your existence if alien invaders showed up to visit. With that said, 2012 Online recommends hiding. 
  Chapter 4: How To
Fires
The ability to construct and know how to make a fire can make the difference between life and death in a survival situation. Fire making is one of the most vital survival skills. You should practice and learn different methods so you know how to start a fire anywhere, and under any condition.
Several needs:
A fire can fulfill several needs. It can keep you warm and dry. You can use it to cook food, purify water and to sterilize bandages. It can scare away dangerous animals and its smoke can keeps flying insects at bay.
To make a fire you have to understand that there are three components needed: air, heat and fuel. The correct ratio of these components is very important for a fire to burn at its greatest capability
Preparation
You will have to decide what site and arrangement to use. Before building a fire consider:
The area (terrain and climate) in which you are operating
The materials and tools available
Time: how much time you have
Need: why you need a fire
Security: do you want unwanted attention
Look for a dry spot that:
Is protected from the wind
Is suitably placed in relation to your shelter (if any)
Will concentrate the heat in the direction you desire
Has a supply of wood or other fuel available
If you are in a wooded or brush-covered area, clear the brush and scrape the surface soil from the spot you have selected. Clear a circle at least 1 meter in diameter so there is little chance of the fire spreading. If time allows, construct a fire wall using logs or rocks. This wall will help to reflector direct the heat where you want it. It will also reduce flying sparks and cut down on the amount of wind blowing into the fire. However, you will need enough wind to keep the fire burning. In some situations, you may find that an underground fireplace will best meet your needs. It conceals the fire and serves well for cooking food. To make an underground fireplace:
Dig a hole in the ground.
On the upwind side of this hole, poke or dig a large connecting hole for ventilation.
Build your fire in the hole
Battery
Use a battery to generate a spark. Use of this method depends on the type of battery available. Attach a wire to each terminal. Touch the ends of the bare wires together next to the tinder so the sparks will ignite it.
Flint and Steel

The direct spark method is the easiest of the primitive methods to use. The flint and steel method is the most reliable of the direct spark methods. Strike a flint or other hard, sharp-edged rock edge with a piece of carbon steel (stainless steel will not produce a good spark). This method requires a loose-jointed wrist and practice. When a spark has caught in the tinder, blow on it. The spark will spread and burst into flames.
Fire-Plow
The fire-plow is a friction method of ignition. You rub a hardwood shaft against a softer wood base. To use this method, cut a straight groove in the base and plow the blunt tip of the shaft up and down the groove. The plowing action of the shaft pushes out small particles of wood fibers. Then, as you apply more pressure on each stroke, the friction ignites the wood particles.
Shelters
If you find yourself not around any structures or your survival shelter, or if it\'s not safe, a temporary shelter may be raised up in the wilderness. A small shelter which is insulated from the bottom, protected from the elements and contains a fire is extremely important in your survival situation. Before building your shelter be sure that the surrounding area provides the materials needed to build a good fire, and a good water source.
Wilderness shelters may include:
1. Natural shelters such as caves and overhanging cliffs. When exploring a possible shelter tie a piece of string to the outer mouth of the cave to ensure you will be able to find your way out. Keep in mind that these caves may already be occupied. If you do use a cave for shelter, build your fire near its mouth to prevent animals from entering.
2. Enlarge the natural pit under a fallen tree and line it with bark or tree boughs
3. Near a rocky coastal area, build a rock shelter in the shape of a U, covering the roof with driftwood and a tarp or even seaweed for protection
First Aid
If an accident occurs in the wilderness it will be your responsibility to deal with the situation. The specific sequence of actions when dealing with this situation is:
Remain calm, providing your patient with quiet, efficient first aid treatment
Keep the person warm and lying down. Do not move this injured person until you have discovered the extent of the injuries
Start mouth-to-mouth resuscitation immediately if the injured person is not breathing
Stop any bleeding
Watch carefully for signs of shock
Check for cuts, fractures, breaks and injuries to the head, neck or spine
Do not allow people to crowd the injured person
Do not remove clothing unless it is imperative
Decide if the person can be moved to a proper medical facility. If this is not possible, prepare a suitable living area in which shelter, heat and food are provided
Shock
Shock is a depression of all of the body processes and may follow any injury regardless of how minor. Factors such as hemorrhage, cold and pain will intensify shock. When experiencing shock the patient will feel weak and may faint. The skin becomes cold and clammy and the pulse, weak and rapid. Shock can be more serious than the injury itself.
Use the following method to prevent and control shock:
1. If there are no head or chest injuries, place the patient on his/her back with the head and chest lower than the legs. This will help the blood circulate to the brain, heart, lungs and other major organs.
2. If severe head and chest injuries are present elevate the upper body. If chest injuries are present, elevate the injured side to assist in the functioning of the uninjured lung.
3. If the injured person becomes unconscious, place him/her in a face down position to prevent choking on blood, vomit or the tongue.
4. Keep your patient warm and under shelter.
Stopped Breathing
If breathing has stopped, begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Place the patient on his/her back and follow these steps:
1. To open the airway lift the person\'s neck and tilt the head back
2. Keep the neck elevated; pinch the nostrils to prevent air leakage
3. Place your mouth completely around the person
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/2012-survival-guide-512668.html
About the Author
I have been a firm believer on and off for the past 10 years, and until recently I have not had much thought as to what if... So my turning point was the realization that the Earth goes through cycles (that is what humans can relate to) and this is prevalent throughout our history. Is it possible that the ancient civilizations are all wrong about a cyclic turn of events for our world in the coming years? Yes. With that comes the other side, why would so many people devote their lives to understanding the complex universe that is still indubitably undiscovered today.