Long Time

It's been a long time now since my last post. Things came up and this blog fell by the way side. There hasn't been a whole lot to write in it as far as the gardening plots go. Out of all that we planted, we got a few measly taters and a couple squash. The drought destroyed our plants and using city water to water twice a week did nothing but keep the plants alive.

The cantaloupe would start growing on the vine but would die before reaching a harvest-able size. I ended up just leaving them where they are to let them fertilize the ground instead of tossing them into the compost bin.

Speaking of compost bin, ours is doing fairly well. That is, with exception of the cracks in the ground which opened up around and in the bin. The drought has dried the clay filled ground so bad that its cracking and causing problems. Anyhow, the bin has become a collection of scraps that should be good for the garden next year. I'll toss most of it in whether its fully composted or not. The garden needs it I'm sure.

Lets go raaaaiiin, lets goooo.

Wow!!

The weeks have been crazy here. The plants are slowly growing and we're getting reports of others in the area about ready to harvest some items from their gardens. We water ours every 2 days to every 4 days depending on soil moisture content and weather but it seems we're missing something in the way of nutrients. When I built the raised bed I mixed manure in with topsoil in roughly a 1:1 ratio. The bag recommended 1 manure for every 2 topsoil but the manure seemed more like compost than manure so I increased the mix a little. I'll add that item to my notebook in case that is the cause of our slow crops.

The other factor is the heat. We have seen numerous 98deg days here. This temp is not good for our spring crops. They've shown signs of stress. My tater tires are showing stress as well. Could be tater blight or just could be the weather affecting them.

I noticed that the tater tire stacked two high looked bad for a bit and I stopped watering it. It looks much better and has begun to flower. Its catching up to the other two I planted round 2 weeks later. The difference is I kept if from growing by adding dirt and another tire to see what kind of harvest I might get. Here's a pick of the overall garden with the four test tater plants. Two in tires of differing height and two in the ground.

 

We're hoping for a harvest but we'll have to see. Really wanting to get a crop this year. If nothing else and the taters aren't affected with tater blight then we may get a good crop of them.

Second Degree Burn

These are the ones that go deeper damaging more layers of skin, the skin becomes red, extremely painful with blisters.

Identify Second-Degree Burns

1 Look closely at the burn to see whether the skin has formed round blisters that are filled with clear or red-tinted fluid. Blisters, even if they are tiny, are indicative of a second-degree burn.
2 Compare the color of the burned area with the color of the surrounding skin. If the burn is very red with white splotches in it, then it's a second-degree one.
3 Compare the burned skin with that of the surrounding skin to see whether the burn is swollen, which is another symptom of a second-degree burn.

How to Treat Second Degree Burns

1 Soak the burn. Immediately after the skin has been burned, it is important to soak the burn in cool water for at least 15 minutes. Keep clean, cool wash cloths on the burn throughout the day.
2 Put on an antibiotic cream. Creams or ointments will help to treat the burn and control the pain. Apply the cream as soon as the burn has finished soaking in cold water.
3 Cover the burn. In order to treat a second degree burn, cover it with a dry, nonstick cloth such as gauze. Secure the gauze with tape, and replace the dressing with a clean one every day.
4 Wash the burn every day. It is important to keep a second degree burn clean as it heals to aid with treatment. Wash the burn and reapply antibiotic cream every day.
5 Look for infection. To treat a second degree burn, you must make sure that the area does not become infected. Look for signs such increased pain, redness, swelling or pus. Also avoid breaking blisters to avoid infection.
6 Take a pain reliever. Second degree burns are painful, and taking a pain reliever will help treat the symptoms of a second degree burn.
7 Get medical help. If the burn covers a large area, treat the burn using the steps above. Seek medical help to treat the burn.

Tips and Warnings

The Mayo Clinic advises that you seek medical attention if your second-degree burn is larger than 3 inches in diameter or if it's located on your hands, face, feet, buttocks, groin or on a major joint.
Never put ice on a burn, warns the Mayo Clinic, since it can cause your body to become too cold and can further damage the burned skin.
The organization says not to apply burn ointments or butter to a second-degree burn since a salve can cause infection. Also do not break open blisters, since that will make them more susceptible to infection.

And a side note, the President claims Osama Bin Laden is dead. Bin Laden may now be treated as a martyr or demigod to Islamics who wish us harm. Retaliation may hurt depending on how organized they are. The main objective that many Americans were after has been achieved, the leader of Al Qaeda is down for the count. I wonder why they buried him at sea so quick after the kill. Smells fishy but maybe its what we need. Stay prepared people. Never know what lies ahead.

Natural Minor Burn Remedies

Minor burns, although scary and painful, can be treated with natural home remedies. As long as the burn is a surface burn only, there are several alternative solutions that can prevent infection, soothe pains, stop scarring and help in healing.

Here are a few remedies…. 

Aloe Vera

One of the most common natural burn remedies is probably Aloe. Many of us still use it today and it does work rather well.

The Aloe Vera plant contains at least six antiseptic agents: lupeol, salicylic acid, urea nitrogen, cinnamic acid, phenol, and sulfur. All of these substances are recognized antiseptics, explaining why Aloe vera has the ability to eliminate many internal and external infections. Lupeol, salicylic acid, along with ingredient magnesium are all highly effective analgesics, which explains why Aloe vera is an effective pain killer.
Aloe vera also contains at least three anti-inflammatory fatty acids (cholesterol, campesterol and B-sitosterol), explaining why Aloe vera is an effective treatment for burns, cuts, scrapes and abrasions, as well as for rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatic fever and ulcers of all kinds, both internal and external. The presence of these fatty acids may explain why some experts feel Aloe is highly effective for many inflammatory conditions of the digestive system and other internal organs, including the stomach, small intestine, colon, liver, kidney and pancreas. The presence of these fatty acids, especially B-sitosterol could explain how Aloe juice is a treatment effective for allergic reactions and acid indigestion, and why it helps, in association with a low fat diet, to lower harmful cholesterol levels. 

Milk 

For a minor (first degree) burn whole milk was used, either by soaking the burned area in a bowl of milk for 15 minutes or so or applying a cloth soaked in milk to the affected area. If you use this method for minor burns you may repeat every few hours to relieve pain. Be sure to wash out the cloth after use, as it will smell bad. Milk does not hold the healing power as aloe vera does it just works to soothe the burns and alleviate pain. 

Honey 

Honey will sanitize minor burns by drawing out fluids. Place a few drops of honey directly on the burn, then place a bandage over the infected area. A gauze bandage works well, and should be changed several times daily. With each bandage change, a few drops of honey should be reapplied. 

Apple Cider Vinegar 

Use undiluted apple cider vinegar. Apply to the surface of the burned area and it will take away soreness. Applying it on the sunburn will take away the sting almost instantly and prevent the skin from peeling as well. 

Egg Whites 

Egg whites were often used to treat burns. Remove the yellow and use only the whites. Apply to the burned area like a salve or you can put egg whites in a bowl and soak the burned area. This treatment will not only ease the pain, but it will also help speed the healing and reduce the severity of scarring. While the egg white is still wet you will feel no pain from the burn. As soon as it dries up the pain comes back so reapplication is necessary. This can be used on sunburns as well. 

Slice of Tomato 

Just cut the tomato into wedges use one slice and rub over the burned area. The acid from the tomato takes the pain away and the burn will not blister.

NOTE: If the burn is not localized to one small area, you may want to soak in the tub instead. First, clean the tub with hydrogen peroxide or a small amount of bleach - and be sure to rinse the tub thoroughly. For this bath you will need tons of tea bags. Brew the tea with boiling water until it is very strong, and you can cool this down with half cold water. You should not get in until the water is no longer warm, and be sure to get out when the tea water gets too cold. You will need to either lie down in the tub or have the tub filled high enough to cover all the burned areas.

Warning 

Never put butter on a burn! You may have heard that butter is a good healer for burns, but nothing could be further from the truth! Butter delays the healing time of a burn and in cases of severe burns, may cause infection.

References:

http://www.aloe-vera-advice.com/chemical-constituents-of-aloe-vera.html

Fire On The Homestead

Happy Easter to all. We're just sitting at the house today getting mentally prepared for the week ahead and enjoying the time off. This post is an important one I thought needed to be put out for people.

I've noticed very few websites, books, or magazines mention the fire hazards associated with living on the homestead including your survival retreat. Fire is an ever present danger, especially in dry desert areas like Texas. Very few people would want to make Texas their go to place when calamity strikes but not everyone can or wants to run to the mountains to live.

No matter where you live fire is a possibility. It can destroy your home, barn, crops, shelters, and kill you and/or animals. There are medical dangers as well but first lets look at the homestead issues. A medical post about fire dangers will be presented at a later time.

To start, dead refuse in the field from this years harvest is a good thing. It keeps the soil from blowing away, keeps the water from washing it away, and helps the soil to hold moisture so microorganisms can work on the organic material and improve it for the coming year. But you have to consider the danger of that field catching fire. A spark from your chimney, spark from your outdoor fire, an enemy, maybe even lightening can send that field up in flames. Those flames may then jump to the forest and torch the area taking your home with it.

What would you do if a fire starts in your home? Do you have an effective, or at least a plan in place, to combat the fire? I hope so. Building a metal structure as your home is good. It should last a long time and it will provide a good defense against small arms if such an event occurs. The problem with a metal home is the heat that will build up during the summer or during a fire. The support and skin may be metal but there will be plenty of burnable material in and around that home to cook you to death. In a severe crisis you may not have the water pressure to run a hose or sprinkler system to control the fire. You'll have to escape and watch, waiting it out until you can return.

Lets do it this way for easier reading and reference;

Structure (Interior Source)

This type of fire can be cause by lightening, an enemy, a wildfire, or your chimney. Even when things hit the fan you need to make sure you clean your chimney. Keep it clean so you don't lose what your trying to protect.

Having a water tower to provide water pressure would help a lot here but you'd have to consider the possibility of an enemy destroying it as well. As preppers we can't prepare for everything but we try. Another aid would be a large body of water close by such as a large pond, lake, stream, or river. This method requires many hands to carry buckets of water and a steady and quick pace to prevent extensive damage.

Unless your using a solar system you won't have to worry about wiring catching fire so your main concern will be chimney fires. Have your place set up in advanced with flashing around the chimney and regular maintenance to reduce your chance of fire. Be careful using heating and lighting sources such as candles and kerosene lamps. These cause many indoor fires. Remember smoke is the enemy because it can suffocate you. Watch dogs are good, alarming you if something is out of the ordinary.

Structure (Exterior Source) and Field

The fire starters are the same as above. The best defense here is a good offense. This means keeping an eye on dead brush. Maintain a perimeter between all structures, fields, and forest areas. Ten to twenty feet makes a good fire line between the forest and your structures and fields. The fire line will reduce the chance that the fire will jump to other fuel sources. Another good reason to have the fire line is it will open your field of view, allowing you to see intruders from a greater distance.

In a TEOTWAWKI situation there will not be metal “a plenty” so you will have to fall back on wood as your primary building material. Thats just fine because thick logs make great homes and won't burn as easy as the thin pieces of wood used in todays construction. You should plan now for how you want your landscape to look and the material you would like to build your buildings with. It makes it easier to have the setup now and be used to it.

Mulch and Compost

Applying the mulch to the top of the raised bed has helped tremendously. Water retention is much better now and we have seen more sprouts because of this. I feel like there should be better growth in the bed but I'm sure that has something to do with amendments and patience. I haven't been able to get the compost to add to it but our little compost pile is growing. I toss weeds in there when i pull them and scraps from the kitchen. I also add vacuum cleaner dirt and lint when I get it. Just trying to build it as quick as I can because I know that we need a lot to prep this soil so it will grow an abundance.

Homemade Water Filtration

The homemade system I'm talking about is one that is spoken about on many survivalist sites. The caveat is pollution and nuclear fallout. Homemade filtration systems use various containers to stack charcoal, sand, and gravel to clean the water as much as possible. A thin cloth is used on the bottom with a small exit hole. The cloth holds in the charcoal which then has a sand layer poured on. Gravel is added on top of the sand. After putting the filter system together, you will need to run water through it until the water is clear. This is to clean the system and clean off the charcoal you used. After it runs clear, place a container under it and start collecting water.

This system filters out larger then smaller items as it percolates downward using gravity. The system is great and renewable in most areas. I like to use an equal amount of charcoal to sand to filter out as many chemicals as I can. Not all chemicals will be removed but the majority will be. After filtration the remaining water must be boiled. Boiling is used to kill organisms that are dangerous to the human body. A one minute or more sustained boil is required to kill these organisms. This includes protozao, bacteria, and viruses.

The advantage I find using this system is it is much cheaper than buying the commercial filtration systems. If staying put then this will work well for most people. If you believe your area may not contain safe sand after an event then you can purchase washed asbestos free and silica free sand from a store. These are checked for hazardous particles that may cause cancer and are used for sand boxes for children. Don't use all purpose sand from the store due to its contents.

The bad thing about this type of filtration is it needs to be changed out weekly or biweekly depending on the water source. The gravel and sand can be rinsed and cleaned then spread out on a surface in a thin layer to allow UV light to thoroughly dry and kill pathogens. Allow it to sit in a safe area for several days in direct sunlight. Another option is to heat the sand and gravel over a fire. Place small portions at a time on a designated pan or piece of metal and let it sit over the fire while you do other things. Make sure to dry if for a day first to prevent the gravel from overheating and exploding. Not always a problem just depends on which type you use. With this setup you can have enough materials to switch out each week without needing fresh sand or gravel. They serve mostly to simply remove large particles and trap a small amount of pathogens. The charcoal will need to be replaced each time with fresh charcoal. This means you will need to burn safe wood, i.e. not contaminated, to replenish your charcoal. If its a grid down situation this shouldn't be a problem unless your in the city with no way to gather firewood.

This system is good for bug out situations as long as you have the ability and time to stop and filter fresh water every day or two. This depends on how much you will carry. I like this system also because of the reduced weight load and lack of gear needed to carry. I can either carry a container to put the filter material in or carry extra cloth to make a drip layer system where each cloth is attached to poles, holds the filtration material, then drips to the next level.
[IMG]http://www.whentechfails.com/files/graphics/water/5-2.png[/IMG] Picture from "When Technology Fails." http://www.whentechfails.com/node/27
You should carry your cloth with you at all times and can wash it using lye soap made at the fire. With this setup you can travel and gather fresh water without too much concern. Just remember to boil the filter water for one minute or more.

Commercial filtration systems are fine but require you to carry the equipment to use them. Make sure you follow care instructions and understand their limitations. The can be used to filter water without too much setup but most of them require a pre-filter to extend the life of the system. They can be quite expensive for ones that remove viruses without boiling. Commercial water filters are more of a convenience than anything allowing you to keep moving stopping for short periods for "quick" refills. They are good short term but bad long term pieces of equipment.

If your thinking about an end of days scenario then I prefer low tech but if your thinking a few months of hard time then the cheap commercial filter combined with boiling will work. Remember some type of pre-filter like a bandana will extend your filters life in murky water with large grains. For me I would rather spend 10-20 dollars on a proven system than spend 300 on a commercial filtration system that will sit in the closet until I think its time to use it or be left behind if I must leave my bug in location.

Almost forgot, another thing you could do is buy the filters and then build your own unit using food grade buckets, bottles, or cans. You'll need safe gaskets to install the filters. These can be disassembled if need be and using smaller containers they can be made portable. There are many sites that give information on how to do this but since I've not made one using a high quality filter I'll let someone else teach you.

Study hard but don't let it consume you.