Last weekend I participated in a 20-hour CERT training course taught by Scott Paul, CERT Bexar County, and organized by The Human Path. CERT stands for Community Emergency Response Teams, and is a national program for individuals who want to help out in case of a disaster in their community. In basic CERT training you… Continue reading CERT Training
To my loyal readers: it’s been a whirlwind of a month. I don’t have time right now for a full blog post but I figured a short update would be in order. First of all, my small duplex garden is going crazy! I’ve already harvested tomatoes and zucchini, and I have a baby eggplant and… Continue reading Catching up
It’s amazing what a little rain and warm spring weather will do! Last year I planted a small raised bed garden in the backyard of my duplex apartment. I had a couple tomato plants, herbs and peppers, but not much else. As the summer progressed, I got a little bit of food out of the… Continue reading My backyard garden
With all the rain that drought-stricken Austin has experienced lately, my lawn has gone kind of crazy with green growth. In addition to the weedy grass that inevitably grows there, I have a great herbal pharmacy and salad bar. So far the following plants have graciously popped up in my front yard: Dandelion Milk Thistle… Continue reading Eight reasons not to mow my lawn
One important aspect of “survival” and self-sufficiency is being able to cook tasty food that is both inexpensive and simple to prepare. Recently I was going through a bit of ‘food fatigue’ where my usual dinner fare just wasn’t exciting me, and I found myself wanting to pick up BBQ or something on the way… Continue reading Mmmm… the world’s best meatballs!
Usually, yogurt making is fool-proof. This week I made nine pints of yogurt using my food dehydrator, since the outdoor daytime temperatures aren’t anywhere near 100°, which is necessary for porchgurt. I have an Excalibur 4 tray dehydrator like the one in the image here. I take out the trays and there’s just enough space… Continue reading Grainy indoor yogurt
In the board game Monopoly you can erase all penalties for criminal behavior with a simple card that lets you get out of jail free. Wouldn’t it be great if real life worked the same way? Every so often as you went about your daily business, you’d get a free pass that you could use… Continue reading There are no “get out of jail free cards” in life
Here in Central Texas, it seemed to everyone as if summer would never end. A record number of days over 100° and no rain was tough going for people, gardens, and wildlife. Many lakes are dry, and their previously-submerged treasures – buildings, artifacts and even cemeteries – are now exposed. The Pedernales River is nothing… Continue reading Winter approacheth…
I did it. As of this week, I have no detergents in my regular cleaning lineup. Instead, I am using a combination of natural soaps and other products. Laundry detergent: Dr. Bronner’s Citrus Castile Liquid Soap, borax and washing soda. Shampoo: Kiss My Face Olive Oil Bar Soap (I was using “shampoo bars” but discovered… Continue reading Detergent-free household
Thanks to the Urban Farming Guys there’s a great video on how to do this… In my quest to save money and use safer products around my home, I decided to try making my own laundry detergent. The HOW: My ingredients: Washing Soda: $3.69 at Breed & Co. Borax: about $7 at Wheatsville Co-Op, but… Continue reading Make your own laundry soap
Surviving the Modern World 