Baby Chicks 101

Well, its that time of year again!  Tax season!   Ha ha, just kidding.... well it IS, but I leave that stuff to the hubster!  What I'm excited about is the pitter patter of little feet.   Little baby chick feet that is.   Or even ducky feet, or gosling feet. (I'll get into those on another post.)

Have you been thinking about adding fresh eggs to your diet?   There is no more "enriching" way to do it than having your own backyard chickens.   Does the thought seem overwhelming?   Then quit thinking so much... (he he he).  I am not one of those "plan out every last detail" kind of girls.  

(Check out the "Chickens" tab above ↑  and read the story of my first baby chicks here, and then you'll really believe me.) 

Some of our baby chicks hiding behind the waterer.

Most local feed stores start getting in baby chicks about now through April. And my theory is the sooner you get some, the sooner they will grow up and the sooner you'll have eggs.  People worry about raising babies in the Winter, but really thats the best time. You have to have them under a heat lamp for the first few weeks anyway, so it doesn't really matter the outside temps. 

So what kind should you get?   Well... what are your goals?   Are you only interested in keeping birds for the eggs, or do you think you'll enjoy discovering the different breeds and colors, and want some variety to your flock.   Personally, I think keeping chickens is more fun if you have a good variety of birds both for color, and production quality.

Black Star or Black Sex links as they are commonly referred to, are one of my favorites for egg production.
They lay a Jumbo brown egg EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR if conditions are good in the coop. Plus their feed to egg ration is one of the lowest.   Meaning they don't eat as much as other birds, but still produce big beautiful eggs.   Below, one of my Black stars with a few of her babies.   I have at least one or two who go broody (sit on their eggs) every year.

Other good layers with similar qualities include:  Red Star, Rhode Island Red, Black Australorp, White Leghorn, etc.  

I also have a thing for Colored eggs, my favorite being green.   So adding some Easter Eggers, or Americanas as they are often called, is a great idea.  PLUS they lay very dependably as well.     I also like the French Black Copper Marans with the feathered legs for a nice Chocolate colored egg. (Do not buy these from hatcheries or you'll be disappointed in egg color.  Get them from a local breeder.)

About a 3-4 days worth of eggs when we were in full production a few summers ago.   Notice all the color variations?   Green, white, brown, and Chocolate.

The "light sussex" breed is one of my favorites to look at, and they are what is called a good quality, dual purpose bird.   They lay a nice pinkish egg every day, AND have white skin so they make a good table bird as well.  Below are a few examples, left is my favorite rooster ever, a light sussex we affectionately named "foghorn leghorn"... what a specimen!   And on the right a beautiful Lavendar Coronation Sussex, who hatched these adorable babies and raised them for 3 months!  Isn't she beautiful?

 




OK - LETS GET STARTED!
The first question is, where are you planning to keep them until you get a coop built? Or do you already have a coop?  You may think you can keep these critters in a box in the kitchen for now... (and lots of people do) but here are 2 things to think about.

1.) You'll have to clean their box daily if you don't want to be turned off by the smell at dinner time. 
2.) Make sure you have a screen or something on top, they can jump out even at a young age. 

I actually created a little invention for easy care of baby chicks, and I'm sure YOU are totally creative/handy enough to make one yourselves.... here's the basic idea: 

I got a Plastic Container/Box that is pretty big. Like the storage containers at Walmart. You want it at least 12" deep, and get the biggest one you can find, seriously, trust me on this. They outgrow the box so fast. And if you don't want to spend money, just use a Big Cardboard box for now, but if you think you'll EVER do this again, its worth getting the plastic one. Then get a whole 10' or 12' piece of 1/2" PVC and build a frame that fits PERFECTLY into the bottom of the box. You want the four sides, and then you want two supports down the middle, longways, to set the food and water containers on. Then you cover this frame with a piece of 1/2" mesh. Metal or plastic is fine, I prefer the black plastic mesh (in the fencing area of Home Depot) I just used wire ties to attach it.  Also, creating a mesh frame for the top is a good idea, or use an old screen you have lying around.  I know this sounds like a whole lot of work, but let me tell you the benefits of having this. 

 1.) It gives the chicks a sure foundation to grab with their feet.... preventing all the leg problems that can happen with babies. 
 2.) Its a piece of cake to clean. I line the bottom with Newspaper, lay the frame over, and the poop falls through the mesh.  When you need to clean it, you just pull out the frame dump out the box and contents in the trash, (after of course moving the babies to a cardboard box temporarily) and then hose it out if necessary.  Let it dry, or dry it out with a few paper towels and replace the newspaper and frame.
3.) It just makes having chicks more doable in my opinion.

This has been the best setup we've had for small amounts of baby chicks - up to 10 I would say.

If you are going to start out bigger from the get go, I would recommend building a brooder out of wood right from the start.  Its going to function very similarly in that it needs a mesh bottom, and usually I do a mesh front too so the little ones can see the babies well.  Then the other 3 sides out of pressboard (too keep it light weight)  And a hinged top, light weight as well.    The only other thing I do, is run some 2x4's accross the legs under neath, on the inside of the legs, about 2 inches or so under the bottom mesh,  and then I can slide a peice of plywood or pressboard, lined w/ newspaper to catch the poo, and help keep the heat in.

Baby chicks are usually fully feathered by the time they are 4-5 weeks old. If you lift their wings and they have feathers everywhere on their body, they are good, and should be able to regulate their own temperatures at that point as long as they have a place to keep dry.  Of course you wouldn't want to put them out in freezing temperatures, cold turkey... but you can safely introduce them to the cold over the course of a week or two.


WHAT SHOULD I FEED the BABIES?:

It is pretty standard these days to start chicks on chick feed that is laced with Antibiotics.   They claim it keeps them healthy as they are growing, but I personally don't recommend using medicated feed, as I am in favor of natural and where possible, organic feeds.  You'll have to look a little harder to find non-medicated feed, but just ask your local feed store clerks, and get to know them, they can be a great help.   I know the guys in my IFA and Cal Ranch stores by name, and they know me and are happy to help when I come in.   I also go directly to a mill when I have  lot of chickens I'm raising and buy the feed in bulk.

Another option is sprouting wheat, oats and other grains and feeding your birds what is called "fodder."   Do a google search on this for now, and I will do another article on it in the future.   Its a great way to feed your birds healthy nutritious food, and give them a great start.  You can use it as a supplement to regular feed, or in place of it altogether.

WHAT ELSE?:
Other than food, of course your birds will need a clean source of water.   And they are messy critters so you'll likely have to clean and change the water daily.

Also a heat lamp will be helpful in keeping them at an approximate temperature of 85-90 degrees.

Of course you'll need to purchase an inexpensive waterer and feeder from a feed store, or you could order online.   I believe these are all FREE SHIPPING:

A Good Basic Feeder for 8-10 Chicks (Add a Mason Jar)

  A good versatile convertible feeder/waterer order 2 for  a set.

 1 Gallon waterer for larger brooder  12-30 birds.

Larger Feeder for 12+ Birds

My cute niece, gently holding a baby chick.

And this is harsh, but beware of kids....they will love those babies to death if you're not careful. Teach them right away how to hold a baby chick... you wrap one hand gently over the wings and body, then they can't flap the wings. And then pick up the bird and set it on your other hand... keeping the one hand over the top. Show them how hard to squeeze by squeezing their arm with your hand. Tight enough to keep the birds from flapping wings, but not too hard to squish them, right? Its important to keep the wings contained. If they can't move their wings they can't get away. If one of the kids is holding them and they jump out of their hands, they can break their legs, or get hurt. 

Most importantly, HAVE FUN with your adventure!!

Feel free to ask any questions in the comments below, and we can start a discussion.   I have been raising chickens on and off for over 12 years now, so hopefully I can help with any concerns you may have.  

Preparing for an Earthquake w/ the Earthquake Lady!

 According to a KSL news cast on April 17, 2012:


"The infamous Wasatch Fault Line is 240 miles long, extending from Malad City, Idaho south to Fayette, Utah.  The Brigham City, Weber, Salt Lake, Provo and Nephi segments of that fault run through the most populated areas of our state.

At least 23 magnitude seven quakes have hit these segments over the past 6500 years - an average of a big shakeup every 300 years.

"I don't want to say we're overdue, but based on this paleo-seismic evidence and the geologic evidence from trenching the fault, it would not be unexpected for one to happen soon," Koper said.
Tomorrow, five, fifty, a hundred years from now? The experts don't know but say it will happen."

These so called "rumors" of Utah being long overdue for a quake are really more than rumors.  There is much scientific evidence pointing to the likely hood that "the big one" is coming.

This past Thursday, I attended a local presentation about earthquake preparedness.   The presenter was Maralin Hoff, otherwise known as the "Earthquake Lady."  Below are my notes from the meeting as well as photos of her display.   I am also including links to all of the handouts that were given, as they are available on the Utah state website.

Click on Photo to see details

The first thing she discussed was our immediate responses to an earthquake when we feel one starting.  Most of us know to "Take Cover" but it is also important to stay put.   An earthquake can cause an upset stomach, dizziness, nausea, etc.   So you shouldn't try to move about during one, other than to get to a safe area.

Click on Photo to see details

Safe areas include the inside solid walls if you are in a church or commercial type building.  The center wall in home nearest the hall is usually the safest area.  Stay away from window walls or outside walls.

Train your brain to know and get to these safe areas.  Door frames are generally recognized as safe as well as Bathrooms (commercial bldgs.), closets, or hallway.

It is a good idea to go through each room at home with your family and at work with your employees and/or co-workers and talk about which areas are safe.

We have lots of options for protecting ourselves.  But the most important thing is to drop, cover, and hold,  protecting our heads is #1.  If you are under a parking garage go to the nearest pillar.  Pillars are the safe part of the structure.   Maralin jokes that we should hug it and pray-- alot.

Be aware of glass-display cases, etc. in public places.  Picture windows in stores and malls, anywhere that glass can explode from you want to be away.   If you can't get away, at least turn your back to the glass so if it shatters your face and organs are protected.

If you are in a basement go to center of it.  Furthest away from outside windows.  Stairs are weak and could collapse.  As part of preparing your home for an earthquake, you should secure stairs with "L" brackets from the hardware store.   Check basement windows to make sure they will open in an emergency.  They used to tell us to get under the beds but now they say don't get under the beds-that's a no-no now.   Because if you are under the bed and something falls next to it, you could be pinned from getting out.  Stay away from fireplaces and chandeliers.  Securing water heaters with heavy metal straps should be #1 on our homework list in order to prevent gas leaks and fires during earthquakes.    Bookcases should also be secured to walls with brackets.

If you are outside stay outside find an open area out from under power lines, away from trees and buildings.  If you're at the store squat down and put your head under the basket. Or turn the basket sideways and crawl in.  If you have a baby or young child put them in first and then stick your head in.
Stores like Bed Bath Beyond, Costco etc are stocked to Ceiling.  Wouldn't want to be in that store when the earth starts moving.   

If you are driving you may not know you're in an earthquake right away. Things will happen in slow motion.  You should pull off to the side of road and stay in your car.  Check for wires up above and make sure you are not underneath a possible falling power line.

Freeways will become parking lots.  Authorities have asked that you  do not abandon your vehicle on a main Road, especially on the freeway.   Be patient  UDOT will get the cars moving.  You may have to wait for hours but eventually they will want you to be there to move your car.

Click on Photo to see details

It's always important to have an emergency kit in your car.  Some of the most important items include flashlight(s)-crank style or battery operated.  An umbrella, shovel (snow shovel in utah).  Blankets-emergency, wool, flannel, mylar.  And most importantly, water.  You should always keep comfortable walking shoes in the vehicle as well.  Whistles are an imperative item.   If you are always carrying one, you can more easily alert rescue crews to your location.   Ladies- keep a whistle in your purse.  Men in your briefcase or wallet.  Keep whistles everywhere.   They can even be tied to zipper pulls on school backpacks.  You can wrap things in mylar to stabilize temperatures such as the water in your cars.   

Click on Photo to see details

When creating emergency kits, its a good idea to get together with friends and neighbors and try to order things in groups.   Don't order pricey pre-made kits when you can get items affordably--dollar stores have lots of great items.   If you need medications - take them with you everywhere.  

Include the basics in your kit and then add your personal items.  Ie:  Sanitary items for women and girls, etc.  Cell phones don't usually work during an emergency.  However  texting may work.

Do not store emergency kits in the basement.  They should be on the main level or in the garage easy to grab and go.   Kids can have kits in bedrooms under beds w/ handle sticking out .

Keep track of kit expirations on a Calendar  ie: batteries, food, etc,  so that you remember to regularly update consumable items.

Kids Kits should grow with them.  Be sure to update toys and reading items to reflect their current interests.  

I'm sure there are many more tips and ideas included on the website in the following handouts:


Your Guide to Personal and Family Preparedness
Emergency Plan
72 Hour Kit Checklist
Car Survival Kit
Childrens Activity Book
Disaster Preparedness for Seniors
FEMA Guide for Citizens Preparedness

Emergency Porta-Potty Kit
Animal 72 hour kit
Animal First Aid Kit

For more information, links and flyers please visit:
http://beready.utah.gov

What do I do without electricity?

   About 9:30 on Sunday morning the lights flickered, dimmed, and went out completely.   The AC came to a screeching halt, and the entire house went silent as all of the noise from running fans stopped abruptly.  "You've got to be kidding me," I thought.   Exactly one week to the day since the boil order was lifted on our water supply.  Seems we have been blessed with all sorts of opportunities recently to test our preparedness skills. We began to think about how this would affect us.  I claimed the first shower, just in case the hot water went cold before the the tanks could heat again, and then I remembered we have gas water heaters.  :-) We wondered if church would be cancelled if there was no power in the building, and hubby started dragging out the solar panels we haven't had a chance to set up yet.  {Notice the shade tree directly over them... ha ha.}  

     Truthfully that kind of made me laugh because we didn't even know yet if this would be a long term outage.   And there's wouldn't be enough power coming from those to run a freezer, which was my biggest immediate concern.  Freezers will continue to keep your food frozen for quite a long time if you don't open the doors.   But in a long term outage, most food would begin to thaw within 12-18 hours.  Requiring cooking up of any meats, and other foods.   Canning of vegetables, and tossing out ice cream and popsicles.     We have tons of Goat milk in our freezer that wouldn't be good for anything but Cheese or soap.   And truthfully, I'm not prepared for the amount of work it would take to salvage/process all of this.

     We have had a heat wave lately as well, and it was already over 80 outside at 9am so I knew the house was going to heat up pretty quickly.   The Solar panels might power a few fans, but ultimately, we'd have to start living in the basement to keep cool.   I had noodles boiling on the {gas} stove in preparation for dinner, which was actually a good thing, because I had contemplated using my electric pressure cooker that morning, and decided against it.   But all of this ads heat to the room quite easily.

   I also rather enjoyed the fact that within minutes, people were posting on Facebook about the outage from their smart phones with internet contracts.   The whole neighborhood was out of power and we still have Facebook.   Kind of oxymoronic in a cool sort of way.   And I don't discount the usefulness of Facebook in times of emergency either.   It was how the city kept in contact with us about the water issues as well, and how I found out the boil order was lifted.  Its sort of our latest source for local news and information.   And tidbits spread like wildfire, so its really an effective means of checking on everyone and spreading the updates.

    I know you are used to very informative updates from me, but this one is just intended to make you think.   What would YOU do if you had a long term power outage?   Are you prepared to carry on?   Would you be able to cook, eat, keep warm/cool?   Are there things in your house that could/should be changed replaced to accomodate such a situation?  Ie:  having a gas rather than electric stove, water heater, etc. etc.

     I'll ad more to this topic as time goes on.   We can discuss alternate power options, energy efficiency ideas and more.  In the meantime, I'm super grateful that my power was only off for 2 hours and 3 minutes.  :-)   Have a great week!

     

Water storage & Preparation for contamination scenarios

Well, today it happened.  The city issued a warning to all residents that the culinary water had tested positive for E-coli.  There have been a lot of questions, and frantic running to the store to buy water.   How do you properly prepare for this scenario?   Water storage, and water purification systems and products.  Be sure to scroll down to see how to care for your pets as well.

I have always kept old juice containers, washed them out and filled them with tap water to keep in the bottom of my pantry for emergencies.   This is the 2nd time this year I have had to use them.   A few months ago a water main broke at a construction site near our home, and there was no water for about 1/2 a day.   But at our house things went on as usual, we simply pulled out the jugs and used them for hand washing and drinking while waiting for the water to come back on.  Just don't forget to refill them for next time.
 If you haven't planned ahead, the best thing to do is set your largest pot or several smaller pots on the stove, fill them with water, and bring them to a boil.   Once they have boiled for 1 minute you can turn them off on let them cool.   The water is now safe to drink.




In Utah, we are always on the verge of, if not IN a drought.   Some cities are already restricting water use.  So really we should all be prepared with some type of water storage.   Ifyou are in an apartment having 55 gallon drums to store water is, of course, impractical.  This is where I recommend re-using juice containers and keeping them in the bottom of closets.   You should plan to have enough water for every person in your home for at least 72 hours.  The general recommendation for this is one gallon of water per person per day, MINIMUM.  This would not be enough for hand washing or bathing.  If you have a place to store larger amounts of water, the big 55 gallon drums are a great resource.   Many grocery stores actually carry them here in Utah, and the emergency preparedness stores.  But if you live somewhere where that is not available, you CAN order them online.   Be sure to put pallets or 2x4's under your drums if they are on cement.  Recommended long term Emergency storage is 2 Barrels per person.

55 Gallon Barrell and water use kit.

Water Storage Do's and Dont's :
Rinse and sanitize all previously used containers before storing water in them.
Do NOT use containers that were previously used for NON Food items/ Chemicals.
Store water AWAY from excess light or heat.
Do not store containers or drums directly on concrete.   Use pallets or cardboard underneath.
Do not use milk jugs.  They aren't intended for long-term use.
Plain, unscented household bleach can also be used for purifying water at the rate of 8-16 drops per gallon depending on how clear the water is to start with.



Water storage ideas/locations:
Most homes actually have at least a small amount of water storage built in.  You can find water in different areas of your home if you look closely.

Water heater tanks have 35-50 gallons of water
Reverse osmosis storage tanks usually have 2-5 gallons of water.
Even the toilet tanks on the back of the toilet contain at least a gallon of water.  (You can boil or purify it to be safe.)
If you have a swimming pool, and you maintain it well, this is a great source of water storage for emergencies.   It can be boiled and treated as well before consumption.
Also you can purchase water purification tablets to have on hand for these types of situations as well as hiking and travel to areas where pure water may not be available.

Potable Water purification Tablets

NATURAL PURIFICATION METHODS:
Colloidal silver is well known for its purification properties, as well as just putting a solid silver round or silver dollar in your water filtration device or in a jug of water.
Also you can purchase a portable UV light purification system for bottled water to purify water on the go.





Animals & Water Contamination:

I feed my animals small doses of Diatomaceous earth along with their food daily.  DE is a natural product, and has long be known to kill worms, bacterias and even e-coli, preventing them from having problems related to a tainted water supply.

"As these millions of cylinders move through the stomach and digestive tract, they attract and absorb fungi, protozoa, viruses, endotoxins, pesticides, and drug residues, E.coli, and heavy metals. These are trapped inside the cylinder and passed out of the body. In addition, any larger parasites that happen to be in the stomach or digestive tract are "cut up" and killed by the sharp edges of the Diatomaceous Earth. "

Food Grade DE would even be suitable in preventing these issues in humans, should we not be able to get our hands on pure water.  If you don't have DE on hand, I recommend obtaining some for future emergencies to prepare for your pets needs as well as your own.

Animals are just as susceptible to the symptoms as we are, but this is an easier way to keep them healthy long term, and not have to react in emergencies, since they are already being dosed regularly.

Homemade Laundry Soap

Ok for all you Preppers out there, here is a homemade laundry soap recipe.  My friend swears by it, and said she actually really likes it and prefers it to what she used to use from the store.  (Which was basically whatever soap was the cheapest that day.)  I'll admit, I am a little bit pickier.  OK a LOT pickier.  So I will stick with my Melaleuca detergent for now.  But I think its always good to know how to do this kind of thing if you needed to.  I also keep all the ingredients on hand in case I run out and can't order more of my favorite detergent.  

This is the liquid recipe:

1 bar grated Fels Naptha soap

5 gallon bucket

1 cup washing soda (Arm and Hammer)

1 cup 20 Mule Team Borax

4 1/2 gallons hot water

Put grated Fels Naptha in saucepan and cover with water. Heat on low until dissolved. Fill bucket with hot water and add soap. Stir to combine. Add 1 cup washing soda and 1 cup borax and mix well. As it cools, it will thicken. About 24-48 hrs. If mixture becomes too thick, add hot water to thin it to desired consistency. May be used immediately. Mix well before each use. Use 1/2(normal) to 1 cup per load (heavy).

This is the powder recipe:

Powdered Laundry Detergent

1 cup grated Fels Naptha Soap

1/2 cup washing soda

1/2 cup 20 mule team borax

Mix and store in airtight container or bag. For light or small loads, use 1 tablespoon. For normal loads, use 2 tablespoons. For heavy loads, use 3 tablespoons.

To make a large batch - grate 6 bars of Fels Naptha Soap and then add 3 cups of Washing Soda and 3 cups of 20 Mule Team Borax. Mix well and store in covered container.

TIP: The above recipes will NOT make suds in your washer so don't be alarmed. Fels Naptha Soap is a pure soap and typically makes little or no suds in the water. This makes it perfect for use in the new HE washers as well as tradional washers. You will also notice the need to either reduce your laundry softener or in most cases you can even eliminate the use of softener completely.  -site unknown

Preparing a 72 hour kit - Do you have one?

Many preppers begin the journey by focusing on food storage.  While this is a worthwhile pursuit, I would say its almost MORE important to have a well-stocked 72 hour kit FIRST.  When emergencies or even regional disasters strike many people are unable to get to their food storage and other preparations as quickly as they would like to either due to building collapses (earthquakes), or in the case of an evacuation for fire or flood.  For these reasons, it is necessary to have a 72 hour kit within easy access that you can grab on your way out.  This food and other necessities will sustain you during the most stressful time of an incident, which is thought to be during the first 72 hours.

There are many different kinds of kits you can make, and also several available for purchase in emergency supply stores, warehouse stores, and even online.  The 2 I choose to have are as follows:  1) A large Emergency Kit with enough supplies for the whole family, tucked into a rolling garbage can for portability.    2) Several small individual kits in backpacks kept in garage or cars.

What items should I have in my 72 hour kit? Below is a list I've compiled of many different things.  You may consider some of these things optional, I am just including a comprehensive list of ideas for things you may possibly need.

9 meals for each person.  Ideas include:
Soups, canned or dehydrated
Instant Oatmeal packets
Applesauce/Fruit Cups
Canned pastas in sauce
Hot Cocoa Mixes
Granola Bars
Protein bars
Cereals/Crackers
Trail Mix
Dried Fruits
Candy/Gum
Canned Tuna, Beans
Beef Jerky
Water for 3 days

Dishes/ Untensils, and Napkins
Can Opener if your food requires it
Pocket Knife
Rope
Duct Tape
First Aid Kit
Emergency Radio
Medications, inhalers, etc.
Portable Stove & Fuel
Fire starter (Matches or Flint and Steel, lighter)
Flashlight & Extra Batteries
Change of Clothing
Blankets/Sleeping Bags
Tarp or Tube Tent
Sanitary Supplies for Women
Toiletries, soap, shampoo, razor, brush etc.
Roll of Toilet paper (Can be flattened and put in a zip loc)
Extra diapers for Infants
Formula for Infants
Toothbrushes/Toothpaste
Notebook & Pen
Coloring book & Crayons for young children
Personal Documents - Copies of Drivers license, Marriage & Birth Certificates, Insurance Policies, etc.
Cash and Emergency Credit Card
Recent Family photo
Emergency Rain Poncho

For more ideas, see:
FEMA Disaster Supplies List
2 Person 72 Hour Kit in Backpack
Augason Farms 11 Day Grab and Go Emergency Food Supply

Just so you can see, the outside of my can was pretty dirty from hanging around the yard for several years.   But everything inside was clean and dry because I vacuum sealed most things, and Packed clothing and blankets in "Space Bags."

Coconut Oil

     You may have noticed that in the few recipes that I've put up so far I have Coconut as my oil of choice.  I use it for pretty much everything.  We fry our eggs, potatoes and other veggies in it, and I substitute it for butter, shortening, or oil in most recipes for cakes, cookies and breads.  We also rub it into our dry skin, cuts, abrasions, and more.  I do occasionally choose a 1/2 butter 1/2 coconut oil mix for some recipes just to get some of that butter flavor and consistency.
      Because of its many uses and the fact that it is not affected by heat, it is also my oil of choice for long term storage.  Coconut oil is basically a solid at any temperature from 75º F and below. Above that temperature it melts and becomes liquid.  It is much like shortening in consistency at the mid temperatures, and hardens the cooler it becomes.   I keep mine in a 1 qt crock near the stove so that in the winter, I can warm and melt the oil before using it in recipes.  To fry an egg, I simply spoon the hardened oil into the hot pan and it melts quickly.
     Coconut oil is a highly saturated fat.  But it is a healthy fat, similar to that of an Avocado.  The health benefits of coconut oil range from hair care, skin care, boosting the immune system, assisting proper digestion, increases metabolism and more.  Many of the benefits are attributed to the high Lauric acid content of the oil which properties include antimicrobial, antioxidants, anti-fungal and antibacterial.
     Coconut oil is also helpful when trying to lose weight. It contains short and medium-chain fatty acids that help in reducing excessive weight.  It is also easy to digest and helps increase healthy functioning of the thyroid and enzymes systems. Further, it increases the body metabolism by removing stress on the pancrease, and burning more calories.  --When I was on the HCG diet a few years ago, I read about a special "treat" that diet participants could use to boost weight loss.   You simply mix 1C. powdered cocoa, 1 C. Coconut Oil, melted, 8 packages Stevia or some Agave Nectar (P3 Only) and combine until well blended, then you can have 1-2 T. of it per day.  And it actually increased the weight loss because it was giving the body a tool for increasing metabolism as well as giving needed nutrients.

     Coconut oil has been said to help dissolve kidney stones, support the liver, kidneys and gallbladder, and even treat Pancreatitis.  Coconut Oil is a natural anti-inflammatory and can help heal and soothe a sunburn.  Coconut oil helps in controlling blood sugar, and improves the secretion of insulin. It also helps in effective utilization of blood glucose, thereby preventing and treating diabetes.

   I have very dry skin, and I have found that if I  rub Coconut oil into my dry scalp at night before bed, and then wear a cloth cap or wrap my head in a towel, it relieves the dryness and itching.  In the morning I wash it out and enjoy the soothing effects for hours.   I have even used fractionated coconut oil as a base for several essential oils in creating a natural Lice Killer for a child who came home from school with head lice.  We used it once, and it worked amazingly.   It didn't spread to anyone else in the house, and we didn't have ongoing battles with it as many people do.   And I avoided using the harsh, dangerous chemicals available in the drugstore for battling head lice.

     Coconut Oil is also preferred by athletes and body builders and by those who are dieting. The reason behind this being that coconut oil contains lesser calories than other oils, its fat content is easily converted into energy and it does not lead to accumulation of fat in the heart and arteries. Coconut oil helps in boosting energy and endurance, and enhances the performance of athletes.

   I'm sure the list goes on and on, but those are some of the most common uses.   I order it by the 5 Gallon pail from a very natural, organic, non GMO source --Tropical Traditions.  I order the flavorless coconut oil that has been steam distilled (Expeller pressed) because I believe it has all of the same benefits without affecting the flavor of my foods.  Also it is much less expensive even though it is produced in the same place and essentially the same way as their other products so I am confident I am getting a healthy clean oil.

Tropical Traditions Weekly Sales

And while I'm on the coconut bandwagon, I love to use Coconut flour in all my recipes as well.   I usually ad about 1/2 c. to most average size recipes as it increases the protein content by leaps and bounds.  It also ads a sweet subtle addition to the flavor of cookies and sweet breads.

If you order by clicking on any of my links, and have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you.

Now just to cover my @$&  I need to say that these statements have not be evaulated by the FDA and that this information is not intended to be used as medical advice as the author is not a physician.  Elderberry has not been proven to treat, diagnose, prevent, or cure any diseases or the above mentioned ailments.  Blah blah blah, yadda yadda... :-)

Time to start planting your SEEDS!

     Its almost that time!   One of my Favorite times of the year!  (OK, so I have a lot of favorite times, spring chicks, fall harvest, etc. etc.)  I just ordered a few seeds to supplement my already overgrown stockpile of Organic Garden Seeds!  I started growing Organic, non-GMO or non-hybrid seeds several years ago as I began to learn the importance not only of eating non genetically modified foods, but also protecting the earth, environment, and even our future seed stock.
     As a prepper, its important to grow plants that seed can be harvested from, dried, stored properly and used again.   Most of the seeds available in stores are what is called "HYBRID."  Hybrid means that when you plant a seed harvested from the fruit of your hybrid crop, you will not get a plant that produces true to type.   Many of these seeds produce either weak plants with growing issues, and subject to diseases, or the plant is beautiful but won't produce a healthy fruit, if any fruit at all.
     You do have to know a few things to become a successful seed saver, but with a little trial and error most people can use their own garden seeds season after season.  We will get into seed saving later on, but today I want to talk to you about planning your garden, and getting your seeds ready.

Shelley's 6 rules of Gardening:
          1 - Plant what you will eat.
          2 - Choose non-hybrid, non-GMO seeds.
          3 - Start your seeds as naturally as possible
          4-  Compost your beds, learn to use a compost pile
          5 - Mulch, Mulch, Mulch!
          6 - Experiment with different Methods, and HAVE FUN!

We are going to go over the first several points today, and then I will address the other ones individually with detailed posts and information.

Plant what you will eat.

     This is more important than some of you may realize if you are a new gardener.  It is so easy to get excited and want to plant your whole yard, and do 50 of everything just so you can feel like you've accomplished something.   But at harvest time when you are bringing in buckets of food, 1/2 of which you don't even like, it can get stressful trying to use/ give away so much food.   If eggplants gross you out, or you don't' like hot peppers, DON'T GROW THEM!
     Think about what your family eats and uses on a regular basis and start with that.   For us it is Tomatoes, Peppers, Cucumbers, Lettuce, Melons, and a few other odds and ends.  And yes, we do like Eggplant.   I'll post my Ratatouille recipe later on in the year closer to harvest time.   I also have a space for what I call my Green Smoothie Garden.   I grow Red Russian Kale, Lacinto Kale, blue Kale, and 2 varieties of Swiss Chard.   Then I go out with my Scissors every morning and chop a bunch of leaves for my smoothie!   I am soooo missing that right now!   My GS Garden was producing right up until about  a month ago when all these heavy snows hit!

Choose non-hybrid, non GMO seeds
     We talked about this a little bit already, but your probably wondering how to tell the difference between hybrid and non hybrid seeds if its not obvious.   Some of the tell tale signs of a hybrid seed, are that usually they will have a # in the title next to the item.   ie: F1 tomato, or FL0504 Hot Pepper seeds, etc.   Not always, but if it does, its definitely a hybrid.   Also if they say they are resistant to some disease or high heat, they are usually hybrid.   The verbage is critical.  Because the word "tolerant" for example is not generally used for hybrids.   So if something is drought tolerant, or tolerates drought, that is likely an indication of the plants natural properties.

Ok, so where do I find non-Gmo seeds?
     There are several online seed companies that offer quality seeds.   I will list a few of my favorites here:
               BAKER CREEK HEIRLOOM SEEDS

               VICTORY SEEDS

And there is also several options on Etsy.com, but this one is my favorite:

                CUBITS

And for PREPPERS, you'll like these storeable "Garden in a Can" options:

              GARDEN IN A CAN

              HEIRLOOM ORGANICS - SEED VAULT

 I planted Sunflowers in front of the Chicken coop to help block out the mess.

Start your seeds as naturally as possible
     So what exactly do I mean by that?   Learn about each type of seed, and figure out how it grows best and in what conditions.   If those conditions exist naturally where you live, there is no need to go to extra trouble getting your seed to grow.   Many nurseries sell some of the most ridiculous seedlings I've ever seen, and i have to admit early in my gardening career, I fell prey.   For example, why would somebody buy started corn plants?   In most parts of the country, you can practically drop corn seed on the ground, and it will grow.   Just know when its safe to drop it, and your all good.   With corn, you have to  make sure the ground is warm enough (about 70) and it will germinate no problem.
     Cucumbers and Melons are often started indoors, but if you live in an area that has nice hot summers, you can drop seed in the ground in July and have a bigger cucumber than the nursery plant you bought and planted in May.   So when I say start as naturally as possible, I mean KNOW your seeds, and your weather, and plant accordingly so you don't waste seeds.
     I start most of my plants indoors (except corn, ha ha), OR I use those green "Wall of Water" cones to start some directly in the garden much sooner than I normally could.  We have long winters, and a good chance of at least one late freeze every spring, so its generally not safe to set plants out into the garden until mid-may, and this year I'm thinking more like first of june.   But alot of expert gardeners around here do start seeds directly in the garden and try to protect them.  
     Depending on the type of seed, I have few methods.  For any of my "greens" that i want to start ahead, I usually get a foil tin from the dollar store with a lid, fill with organic seed starter (That I have pre-moistened) from the nursery or hardware store,  and try to systematically sprinkle the seeds over the top.  Not too many, but quite a few.  Then I get some more seed starter, and lightly sprinkle just a bit over the seeds.   If your doing it in your house in a sunny window, Use the lid.  However in a greenhouse, I learned the hard way, it gets way too hot in that little container when the sun comes out in the afternoon, and I fried my seeds.  So if starting in a greenhouse that is somewhat climate controlled, I wouldn't recommend using the lid.

I like to do a more of a mixed use garden so that its pretty as well as edible.  Too bad I hadn't removed the old supports for the winter garden extender we put up in the fall.  It obviously did not hold up well.

     For Tomatoes and other Vegetables, I like to use Coconut Fiber Pellets.  Really, just because I am somewhat lazy.   Its a heck of a lot of work to fill seed trays with dirt, and tap down each little section.  I prefer to just add water, and let the "pot" or in this case pellet, prep itself.  Then I just use the handle of a plastic spoon to make my little holes to deposit seeds in.   I will do another post with pictures and details as soon as I get MY seeds planted here in the next week or two.   I don't have a specific date I do it, it just goes on the to-do list for February, and when I feel ready to do it, I go for it!   I need to tidy up my greenhouse first and make a place for all these seed flats.  

Also as a resource, I want to point you to a site about winter sowing seeds.  Its not too late to start your seeds this way, and when I tried it, it worked out great.   Especially for flowers.
The idea is to sow your seeds inside mini greenhouses made of milk jugs or other plastic containers.  You water them, and seal them, with the exception of a few small holes for ventilation, and then set them outside.   The seeds are more protected than they would be in the garden, but they also are in the natural temperature so you don't have to harden them off when they sprout.   Go check out this site for a great description with photos:

WINTER SOWING

Stay tuned for posts on each one of my other 3 rules individually!  Composting, Mulching, & Garden Methods.  Please be sure to subscribe via email, rss, or facebook, up on the right hand corner.  

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