Knowledge Weighs Nothing

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)

Awesome Auto-Filling Water Bowl For Dogs & Cats

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We actually purchased an auto-filling bowl for our cat, which was very similar to this. Funny, it never occurred to me just how easy it would be to make one myself.

Anyway if there is anyone else out there who wants to make sure the water bowl stays topped up during the hot weather etc, save yourself $30 a make one of these dog/cat water bowls yourself.  To my mind the one in the photo looks more suitable for a cat, but that’s the beauty of DIY – you can make things to your own specification.

Awesome Auto-Filling Water Bowl For Dogs & Cats

(Photo from: JimTiffinJr via Instructables)

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)

If You Don’t Have An IFAK You’re Ignorant…

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Many of you are reading this post to see just what an IFAK is, and that’s the whole point of the title! IFAK stands for – Individual First Aid Kit. It is a small first aid kit which it carried with you everywhere…

The thing is – many of the people who follow K.W.N. are people who spend a lot of time outdoors doing things which are inherently dangerous, but many of these people don’t carry a adequate first aid kit with them, and that needs to change. No matter what it is you are doing, if you are outdoors and more than 20 minutes from home or help, you should be carrying an IFAK and if you have children with you, it is even more vital to do so… You can read more on individual first aid kits and what they should contain, on the link below.

If You Don’t Have An IFAK You’re Ignorant…

(Photo from: usCrow)

Top 16 Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Ants

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I think it is fairly safe to say that if you have a problem with ants, this post has you covered, especially if you want to get rid of the ants naturally and avoid having to use nasty insecticides, which can be dangerous to use if you have kids or pets…

This post includes tips and advice on preventing and deterring ants in the first place, and there’s advice on getting rid of ants if it is already too late.

Top 16 Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Ants

(Photo from: Wikipedia)

Reuse Dead Car Batteries & Laptop Batteries For Other Purposes

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Here’s the thing – just because a battery can no longer power a high drain device, it doesn’t mean the battery is good for nothing. Car batteries for example have to provide 100s of amps to get that huge engine started. An old/dead car battery might not have the power left to start a high drain engine, but it will likely still be capable of  providing a couple of 100 watts of power, which can be used to power things around the home.

Additionally you can use old/dead car batteries with solar panels to provide back-up emergency power on a budget.

As well as reusing car batteries, you can also reuse old sealed lead batteries such as those found in laptops. These might not be able to power the laptop any more, but they can still provide more than enough power to run smaller devices.  If you still have the old laptop, you can use it to charge the battery!

Reuse Dead Car Batteries & Laptop Batteries

(Photo from: luxstar via Instructables)

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)

Make An Automatic Plant Watering System With A Plastic Bag Some Thread

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I think the title pretty much sums this one up… If you either go away a lot, or you simply forget to water your plants, below is a simple tutorial showing how to make a very effective automatic plant watering system, using just a resealable plastic bag and some cotton thread.

This is such a simple thing to do and for most houseplants it works really well. The string acts as a wick and as the soil dries out, the wick pulls more water from the plastic bag.  Seriously, check out the tutorial, it couldn’t be easier.

Make An Automatic Plant Watering System With A Plastic Bag Some Thread

(Photo from: jjdebenedictis)

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)