Welcome to this week’s Survival Buzz with an update on my own preps plus news and announcements from the Backdoor Survival blog.
You might be asking yourself, “What the heck is Gaye up to?. Let me give you a brief rundown.
As I reported last week, I have been on a road trip that has taken me south through Oregon, Idaho, Utah, and Arizona. There is some mighty beautiful country out there and it is a huge change from what I am used to in northwest Washington State.
While in Utah, I stopped to meet with Linda from Food Storage Moms. She fed me dinner and most notably, sealed our friendship with her awesome homemade cinnamon rolls. Talk about the ultimate comfort food! I am going to have to make some myself and share the recipe as soon as I get home.
I also met with one of the owners of Spark Naturals, my favorite essential oil company. There is a terrific new kit coming down the line from Spark Naturals, and, hint hint, wink wink, I can’t wait to tell you about it since I have been helping to put it together,
I am going to hold off and writing much else right now because I am, after all, supposed to be relaxing, enjoying myself and not working. So, as I did last week, I am going to turn things over to Daisy who has promised to fill you in on her preps on the farm.
Livestock and Food Preservation
This was an insanely busy week at the farm. Home school is in full swing, so my young helper has been tied up with academics. We added some new livestock and got a windfall of fresh produce to preserve.
Anytime you add new animals to the farm, there’s always a little bit of concern. Will they bring an illness or parasite in? Will they get along with your other animals or will you be introducing chaos to your coop?
This week, we added some new roosters of a different breed. The breed, Silkie, has soft, fluffy beautiful feathers and they’re honestly very silly looking birds. I needed roosters for two reasons: they’re flock protectors and to fertilize the eggs so that we don’t have to buy chicks next year. Part of my self-sufficiency plan is breeding to replenish our livestock and for potential barter.
You rarely have to buy a rooster. A flock with too many roosters has a lot of disharmony, as they fight with each other to vie for the ladies. An urban farm often can’t have roosters because the neighbors will be unhappy with nature’s alarm clock. So we got our lovely Silkies at no cost for that very reason.
Orwell and Hemingway are brothers and very bonded, so we took both of them since there wouldn’t be a concern about them fighting. Orwell immediately took to our ducklings and follows them everywhere keeping the hens from pecking at them.
I had intended to keep the new roosters segregated from our flock for a few weeks, but the hens broke down the barrier I had put up. At that point, I couldn’t unring the bell, so I just let them continue to mingle. Although they appear to be in fine health, you just never know, so it’s advisable to always quarantine new animals.
We got loads of fresh produce this week for canning. There’s something so special about knowing where your food came from and being able to combine a harvest to make delicious things. I’ve added 2 dozen quarts and 20 pints of delicious produce to the stockpile. So far, I’ve made salsa, Italian tomato-vegetable soup, Asian plum sauce, mixed fruit, a weird spiced fruit concoction that is actually a failed jam, and plum jam. I have a bit more canning to do today, and tomorrow I’ll be getting more tomatoes for marinara. Our food storage relies heavily on the items I preserve, so autumn is my busiest time of year as far as preparedness is concerned.
No baby goats yet, but Cora’s belly is getting bigger by the day. The other day, I poked it and something poked me back. She either has a large and particularly wicked parasite, or a baby goat in there. I have great plans for goat milk soap and homemade coffee creamer. It’s going to be incredibly satisfying to be able to meet our need for dairy products right here at home!
Those are my preps for the week. I’m feeling pretty productive! Are any of you canners? What did you put back this week?
Thanks for letting me share our adventures here! It’s been great getting to know you all.
Solar Cooking Essentials Webinar – Limited Time Replay
Last Wednesday, over 450 Backdoor Survival readers participated in an online event featuring Paul Munsen from Sun Ovens International. Together we learned how to harness the power of the sun for everyday cooking and to be better prepared for emergencies.
Lucky for us, the session was recorded and, for a limited time, you can watch the video online for free. I know that some of you had other commitments and could not participate in the live event so here is a second chance to learn about the basics of solar cooking.
To watch the recorded webinar, click here: Backdoor Survival Sun Cooking Essentials Webinar. This recording will only be available until midnight on September 30th, so please do set aside some time to watch it soon.
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Current Backdoor Survival Giveaway
There is another fantastic author interview and book giveaway this week. Kelli Otting is giving a copy of all three of her books to two lucky Backdoor Survival readers.
Prepper Book Festival 9: Apocalypse By Government + Giveaway
With all giveaways, winners are notified by email and have 48 hours to claim their prize or an alternate will be selected. Once selected, the names of winners are also displayed in the Rafflecopter on the original giveaway article. This usually happens on the Friday following the end of the giveaway.
Essential Oils: Deal of the Week
Did you know that each week I update a special page with the Spark Naturals item of the week? You can find it here: Essential Oils from Spark Naturals – Weekly Deals. Every once in awhile there will be free shipping or a free gift offered as well as a product discount.
As a matter of fact, to celebrate Fall, from September 25 -27 there is free shipping on all orders. This would be a great time to pick up a new oil to try or to stock up on small accessory items such as roller balls, droppers, or jars for you salves.
And remember, you can always use the code BACKDOORSURVIVAL for an additional 10% off your entire SN order. When it comes to saving money, every little bit helps.
Free Food From Our Sponsor
Did you know that long time sponsor Survival Based offers readers a 3 meal sample kit for free? Interested in learning more? Click here: Survival Based FREE Survival Food Sampler!
The Final Word
Something I did not mention at the onset is that in preparation for my trip, I completely dismantled my Bug Out Bag and reassembled it with items more conducive to the risks we would face on our journey. I hesitate to even call it a “bug out bag” because it was has been serving as an all-around emergency kit. That being said, the B.O.B. coupled with my ammo can first aid kit and portable survival kit have everything I would need in a bug-out situation. And yes, I actually had to use a few of the items in my kit.
I did remember to write down everything that went into the kit so as soon as I land at home, I will organize my thoughts and share.
In closing, I would once again like to thank Daisy for filling in for me. I hope you have enjoyed learning of her newbie-ish farm adventures. Next week, it is back to normal programming as I settle back into my normal routine.
Now it is your turn. What did you do to prep this week?
Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!
Gaye
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Canning Jars 101 - Everything You Need To Know and More!
12 Ways to Homestead in Place
Mapping a Road to Self-Sufficiency
Bargain Bin: Below you will find links to some personal and BDS reader favorite items and books as well as selections from the current Amazon Top 10.
Cyberstorm: I just finished the audiobook version of Cyberstorm. Oh. My. Gosh. If you think you are prepared for urban chaos, read (or listen) to this book then double check your preps. I don’t want to be a spoiler but let me say that all is not what it seems. The Kindle version is $2.99. Highly recommended.
One Second After: For many, the novel “One Second After” was a game changer that convinced them of the need to be prepared. This is mu number one pick for anyone and everyone that might be on the fence when it comes to preparedness.
Clara’s Kitchen: Wisdom, Memories, and Recipes from the Great Depression: If you don’t know about Clara, be sure to read Depression Cooking: A Visit to Clara’s Kitchen.
The Beginning Of The End: This is Michael Snyder’s first novel. If you want to know what things in America are going to look like in a few years, this is the book to read. It is a mystery/thriller set in the United States in the near future. Need I say more?
Tac Force TF-705BK Tactical Assisted Opening Folding Knife 4.5-Inch Closed: FAVORITE! This is a great knife that is currently priced at under $9.00 with free shipping. Not only that, it is ranked as the #1 best seller at Amazon in both the camping and hunting knives categories. The reviews raved about this knife so I bought one, used it, and and can recommend it. See The Inexpensive Tac-Force Speedster Outdoor Knife.
Note: the price can vary by color so if you are not particular, scroll through the colors and safe a couple of bucks.
Dorcy LED Wireless Motion Sensor Flood Lite: Don’t let the $20 price lead you to think this wireless flood light is wimpy. I have two of these and feel that these lights are worth double the price. Using D-cell batteries, the Dorcy floodlight will light up a dark room or a dark stairway in an instant. I can not recommend these enough.
LifeStraw Personal Water Filter: The LifeStraw is considered the most advanced, compact, ultra light personal water filter available. It contains no chemicals or iodinated resin, no batteries and no moving parts to break or wear out. It weighs only 2 oz. making it perfect for the prepper. There is also a larger sized LifeStraw Family currently available with free shipping.
Ultra Bright LED Lantern – Collapsible: This is a new addition to the list. Oh my gosh. I want one. It uses 30 different LEDS and is powered by 3 AA batteries, including rechargeables. Instead of a switch, you turn it on by extending the lantern from its collapsed condition. With a lifetime warranty and over 1,350 close to perfect ratings, I can see why this is popular. I love mine!
FordEx Group 300lm Mini Cree Led Flashlight: You already know this, along with the Blocklite, is my favorite portable flashlight. At the time of this writing, this one is less than $3.50 with free shipping. It is super mini sized, bright and waterproof. Plus, it uses a single, standard AA sized battery. Pictured is one that I own in green but they come in basic black as well as some other colors.
Blocklite Ultra Bright 9V LED Flashlight: I now own six of these little gems. There is a similar flashlight called the Pak-Lite (which is more expensive) but it does not have a high-low switch like this one. These little flashlights just go and go, plus, they make good use of those re-purposed 9V alkaline batteries that you have recharged with your Maximal Power FC999 Universal Battery Charger.
Bicycle Canasta Games Playing Cards: This timeless classic will keep the entire family occupied when the power it out. Playing cards or board games should be in everyone’s preparedness pantry.
Ticket To Ride: This my favorite board game, bar none. Family friendly, you will spend hours in front of the fireplace playing Ticket to Ride with your favorite people. This is worth the splurge.
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Shop the Emergency Essentials Monthly Specials
The monthly specials at Emergency Essentials feature discounts of up to 35% off sometimes a bit more.
Every family should have at least one Tote-able Toilet. I have priced purchasing the bucket and toilet seat lid separately and found that it was more economical to pick up this kit. I have filled my portable potty with sanitation supplies plus, of course, plenty of TP.
I also recommend the Mobile Washer. This is a hand operated washing machine. Like a plunger, it uses a technique of pushing and pulling the water through clothes to clean them well without wearing them out. It uses a minimum of water and less soap due to the agitation motion. Use in a bucket (5-gallon suggested), sink or tub. The best part is the price – only $14.95.
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Need something from Amazon (and who doesn’t)? I earn a small commission from purchases made when you begin your Amazon shopping experience here. You still get great Amazon service and the price is the same, no matter what.
Amazon has a feature called Shop Amazon – Most Wished For Items. This is an easy tool for finding products that people are ‘wishing” for and in this way you know what the top products are. All you need to do is select the category from the left hand side of the screen.
The Amazon Top Most Wished For and Best Selling Outdoor Items
Emergency Preparedness Items from Amazon.com
Shop Amazon Tactical – Great Selection of Optics, Knives, Cases, Equipment
Amazon Gift Cards
Help support Backdoor Survival. Purchases earn a small commission and for that I thank you!
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Are You Interested in Essential Oils?
The Spark Naturals Oil of the Month Club is the best value out there – all oils are 15ml bottles – shipped out to you once a month (on the same date you ordered the product). The price is $15.99 a month and includes shipping and tax. This is a great way to collect oils at a discounted price.
The Survival Buzz #188: The Ultimate Comfort Food! by Gaye Levy first appeared on Backdoor Survival.