Yes, You Can Eat Everything That Grows in a Forest. But Only if You Plant It Yourself. Many of us who like to wild forage know an unfortunate fact about nature: Most wild plants are toxic, if not poisonous. Want to save this post for later? Click Here to Pin It on Pinterest! Here are the facts: Cautious estimates indicate that up to … [Read more...]
How to Make Soap from Fat and Ashes
DIY Soap is Easier Than You Think, but it Takes Some Time and Requires Some Caution There’s very little in the history books on the invention of soap. Some stories on the Internet claim it occurred when someone picked up some wet ashes from a fire that had been mixed with drippings of animal fat and were surprised to see it had cleansing … [Read more...]
How to Make Papercrete: The Ultimate Building Material for Off Grid Living
Papercrete is Concrete Made with Paper. It’s Inexpensive, Sturdy, Lightweight, Insulating, and Better than Bricks. Papercrete was invented in the 1920’s, but it was so easy to make, no one bought it. Papercrete has been used to build homes, walls, fences, and is easily formed into any object from flowerpots to furniture. Want to save this … [Read more...]
10 Vintage Carpentry Tools – How To Restore & Preserve Them
You See Them Hanging on the Walls of Restaurants or in Display Cases in Museums, but They Really Deserve a Place in your Tool Chest. In a time of chainsaws, power tools, gas powered log splitters, table top electric planers, and drill presses, it’s easy to forget that all lumbering and carpentry was once done by hand. No electricity. No … [Read more...]
8 Foods You Can Grind Into Flour + Instructions & Recipes
Grinding Your Own Flour Can Save You Money, Enhance Your Nutrition, and Teach You a Valuable Survival Skill. In many ways, bread is what made civilization happen. The ability to cultivate crops, especially grains, gave humanity the chance to find the time to invent things like language, culture, mathematics, government, and towns. The greatest … [Read more...]
How To Render Lard The Easy Way
Our Pioneer Ancestors Rendered Lard on a Regular Basis. Did They Know Something We Don’t? A lot of people are quick to say “no” to lard as a cooking ingredient. That’s unfortunate. They certainly have their reasons, and some are well-founded, but lard isn’t the bad guy that many people make it out to be. Moderation is the key, and a well-timed … [Read more...]
Fermentation 101: How to Make Yogurt, Sauerkraut, Apple Cider Vinegar, and More
It Boggles the Mind to Think that Allowing Food to Rot Would Make it Taste Better, Last Longer, and Actually Be Good for You… But it Does. We eat this stuff all the time and don’t even know it. Everything from bread and cheese to beer, wine, and simple things like sauerkraut, Kimchi, and yogurt are the result of a little-understood process known … [Read more...]
How to Make Activated Charcoal (With Pictures)
Yes, you can make it at home, but it's a little more complicated than you might think. A little more complicated is an understatement. If you can buy activated charcoal and stock it, go for it. Making it is a complex and tedious chore. Some websites say it’s so easy. Well, it's not. I'm not saying it can't be done, but you have to be patient and … [Read more...]
7 Perennial Herbs to Plant for Culinary and Medicinal Use
Credible clinical studies verify that many herbs have significant medicinal benefits… and oh yeah, they taste good, too. Planting and growing herbs is surprisingly simple, and you don’t need an herb garden to do it. Many people make herbs a part of their regular garden, planting in between the flowers and the groundcover. Herbs also grow well in … [Read more...]
Food Storage Shelf Life: How Long Will It Really Last?
There are plenty of foods designed and processed for long-term storage. But what about everyday foods from the grocery store? Anyone prepping for a catastrophic event is thinking about long-term survival foods. These are foods manufactured, processed, and packaged in a way that makes them shelf-stable for up to 20 or 30 years. They’re good … [Read more...]
