Knowledge Weighs Nothing

How And Why You Should Plant Fruit Trees In The Fall

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If you are going to be truly self-sufficient, you are probably going to want to plant some fruit trees.  Apple trees are a great choice as apples are so versatile, many varieties store well and stay fresh for months, they can be eaten fresh, cooked, canned, made into cider and hard-cider, you get the picture…

If you are thinking of planting some fruit trees, it is usually the case that they will want to be planted in the Fall. This will give the tree the best chance of establishing itself and getting its roots out before the growing season the next year. Click the link below to find out more on how and why to plant fruit trees this Fall.

How And Why You Should Plant Fruit Trees In The Fall

(Photo from:  highbury orchard community)

15 Secrets to Dutch Oven Cooking

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There is something special about Dutch ovens, I can’t put my finger one what it is but there is just something very satisfying about cooking in a large, heavy cast iron pot with a lid, especially when that cooking is done outdoors on a campfire or over hot coals. Many people think Dutch ovens cost $100, this doesn’t have to be the case, the Lodge Pro Logic Cast Iron Dutch Oven costs $63 on Amazon and it is a nice Dutch oven that will likely outlast you…

For something so basic, there are some tips and techniques to learn, to get the most out of your Dutch oven and this is especially the case if you are cooking outdoors with your Dutch Oven… Below is a great post by ‘Design Mom’, which lists 15 secrets to Dutch oven cooking.  It’s a great read for newbies and seasoned Dutch oven cooks.

15 Secrets to Dutch Oven Cooking

(Photo from: Design With Mom)

Water Bath Canning Cheat Sheet

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If you are thinking of getting started with water bath canning, but you don’t know your lid-lifter from your air-bubbler, you need to check out the post below from ‘Canning Across America’. The post covers water bath canning tools and equipment, and there is straightforward advice on the actual water bath canning process.

Additionally, I highly, highly recommend the book: Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving (click to view on Amazon), it may well be the best $14 you ever spend, as it will likely become your canning and food preserving bible.

Water Bath Canning Cheat Sheet

(Photo from: Canning Across America)

Everyone Should Know About Medicinal Uses Of These 22 Common Foods & Spices

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If you would prefer to use natural remedies instead of pharmaceutical medicines, this is something you don’t want to miss out on. This information is also particularly important for preppers and those concerned about what the future may bring… If there is ever a total collapse or SHTF event, it will become difficult, if not impossible, to get hold of medicines from the pharmacy/doctors etc.

This list details the medicinal properties of 22 common foods and spices and it also includes advice on dosage and preparation of many of the remedies

Everyone Should Know About Medicinal Uses Of These 22 Common Foods & Spices

(Photo from:  Chugy)

Sage: The Must-Grow Plant (Find Out How & Why To Use It)

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Wow, I knew sage was good for you, but it didn’t realize how many medicinal properties and medicinal uses it has. I did however know that sage plants are very easy to grow, as we grow our own sage as a herb for recipes… I think I might have to grow several more sage plants now so we can make our own homemade remedies.

I am particularly interested in making the sage tea now that I know about its sedative and relaxation properties. It could be just the thing after a stressful day. Anyway, check out the link below and find out more about the many uses for sage.

Sage: The Must Grow Plant (Find Out How & Why To Use It) 

(Photo from: Wikipedia)

Food Security 101

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Food prices have shot up in the last two years, I would say that our weekly grocery shop costs around twice what it did a few years back. The current high price of food is a major problem for millions of people, and this is happening right now.  We are not even considering (I guess we are now!) food security relating to future events such as a total economic collapse, peak oil or any other SHTF scenarios.

Below is a food security 101 post which covers preparing to prep, canning and dehydrating food at home. It’s not a tutorial as such, but more of an eye opener to get you thinking about how secure your food supply is, whilst explaining what you can do to help insulate yourself to some degree.

Food Security 101

(Image from: Wikimedia Commons)

Make Ahead Complete Freezer Meals On The Cheap

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Last year we did a post about complete dry/dehydrated meals stored, ready to use in jars. These complete freezer meals are a similar concept, but with more of a focus on saving money and creating convenience and saving time down the line, by taking an afternoon out and to create the meals in one go, to store in the freezer until they are needed.  When a meal is needed, just defrost and cook!

Natalie says it is possible to make 46 meals, in four hours, for just $95. This is not a substitute for emergency food storage, as if the SHTF, the power will likely go off and then your freezer isn’t going to work… That said, this is a good idea for people who work long hours, or those with kids.  Make ahead when you have the time and then you have your own healthy freezer meal when you need it.

Make Ahead Complete Freezer Meals On The Cheap

(Photo from: A Turtle’s Life For Me)

How to Make Cheese From Powdered Milk

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With have done a few DIY cheese posts recently, and one thing that keeps getting asked is – can you make cheese from powdered milk? Our previous posts used fresh milk and cream…

Well the answer is yes! You can make a basic cheese, often referred to as cottage cheese, from milk powder, water, vinegar and lemon juice. In an economic collapse or SHTF incident, cheese would become a vital protein source, if you had the ability to make your own. Also, it means that together with your stored pasta and tinned tomatoes, you could also make lasagna!

This same cheese can also be made from fresh milk, just substitute the milk powder/water for the same quantity of fresh milk.

How to Make Cheese From Powdered Milk

(Photo from: Tactical Intelligence)

How To Grow Coffee Beans at Home

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Almost everyone loves coffee. In fact most of us NEED that morning cup of coffee to get us up and out the door… From a preparedness and homesteading point of view, I see two problems with coffee.  Firstly it is getting more and more expensive to buy, and secondly, if there every is a total collapse or a SHTF incident, we are all going to miss our coffee badly – whatever coffee which may still be available will likely be poor quality and astronomically expensive.

If you live in the right climate, or you have a large greenhouse, you can actually grow your own coffee plants at home.  Coffee plants are actually pretty easy to grow, their main pet-hate is frost. It’s processing the coffee beans which takes a bit more work, but even then, I think the rewards make it well worthwhile! Get planting now, as it can take between 2-4 years before the coffee plants start to develop any usable quantities of cherries.

Kona coffee bean trees are one of the best suited to home growing, you can purchase Kona seeds and plants from Amazon – you can purchase Kona coffee bean seeds (15 tree seeds) for less than $5, or you can purchase 2 Kona coffee 8 inch plants for just less than $15

How To Grow Coffee Beans at Home

(Photo from: CIAT International Center for Tropical Agriculture)

Easy Strawberry Honey Jam Recipe – Just 4 Natural Ingredients With No Sugar Or Pectin

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We make and eat a lot of jam – there are only so many strawberries you can eat before you start thinking about canning them to enjoy over a longer period. One of our favorite ways to make jam is to make: Quick & Easy Freezer Jam, but we will definitely be trying this sugar and pectin free, strawberry and honey jam, as it is simple to make and sounds delicious!

This easy strawberry and honey jam only has four ingredients – strawberry, honey, apple and lemon juice! Give it a go! Honey in jam seems so obvious now, I don’t know why we didn’t think of it before…

Easy Strawberry Honey Jam Recipe

(Photo from: Old World Garden Farm)