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Illinois Firm Recalls Mini Pretzel Dog Products Due To Lack Of Inspection

Vienna Beef Ltd., a Chicago, Ill., establishment, is recalling approximately 49,600 pounds of fully cooked mini pretzel dog products, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

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By (author unknown) – May 7, 2010

Illinois Firm Recalls Mini Pretzel Dog Products Due To Lack Of Inspection

Vienna Beef Ltd., a Chicago, Ill., establishment, is recalling approximately 49,600 pounds of fully cooked mini pretzel dog products, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

Posted in Peak Oil.

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By (author unknown) – May 7, 2010

“Needful Things” – Three Views

We, I’m sure like you, have been watching over roughly the past two weeks; a series of news headlines describing everything from the certainty of U.S. financial decline to China’s ability to shut down the U.S. electrical grid in a cascading effect from a single node (or something like that). All of this is both possible and worth taking note of. But in going over our recent “save-until-the-right-time” file, we felt it was time to present something a little more pertinent, timely and valuable: “Needful Things”.

“Needful Things” refers to that group of items you would want to have on hand in hard times: say like those two situations mentioned in the preceding paragraph. The perspectives are from:

#1. Kreeve at “on Point Tactical” (onpointtactical.com/Blog via lifeaftertheoilcrash.net – 3/11/10)

#2. James Rawles at survivalblog.com – 3/11/10

#3. Prudent Home – today

It should be noted that none of the lists of items by any of the authors were presented by them as complete and we’re only giving our readers a few items from each list to give a “take” on their views:

#1. “What Tools Will I Need?” by KReeve:

  • “… I have a multimeter for electrical issues along with both an electrical and butane soldering iron and lots of solder, wire, and misc electrical parts …”
  • “For metal work I have an assortment of files and hacksaws. … .”
  • “For carpentry, I have an array of wood working tools. … saws framing hammer, … square, chisels, hand powered drills, … .”
  • “For gardening, I have shovels, …, post hole digger, rakes, and hoes.”
  • “For firewood I have a chainsaw, … spare bar and chains, files, … oil and gas. I have bow saws and extra blades, and a large two man buck saw. …”

#2. “Some Needful Things” by James Wesley, Rawles (in no particular order)::
“Gamma Seal Bucket Lids

  • K & M water proof match cases
  • Gerber Omnivore LED Flashlights
  • Leatherman Wave Multi-Tool
  • CRKT Tanto Pocket Knives
  • Maxpedition Gear Bags”

#3. “A Six-Pack” by PrudentHome:

  • A couple of rolls (1” & 1 ½”) “X-Treme Tape” (Duluth Trading) for rapid repair of plumbing to radiator leaks (“withstands extreme heat and cold” and “ insulates to 8,000 volts“)
  • A file-card to keep your files clean
  • Extra charcoal for your back-up cooking stove, grill, Dutch Oven, etc.
  • Extra open-pollinated/heirloom garden seed for two full gardening seasons
  • Extra fertilizer for one full years gardening
  • Moisture Proof Seed Saver Vials (Southern Seed Exchange) – 25, #14’s minimum.

We hope you’ll find some of these ideas useful or at the least stimulating enough to get you own analytical juices flowing. As KReeve said, “What Tools Will I Need?”

Until next time; keep your eyes on the horizon as the weather’s changing fast.

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By J.P. Redoubt – April 26, 2010

Book Review, Continued: “Gardening When it Counts” – Chapter 7

On A Continuing Review And Commentary Of Steve Solomon’s Book, Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times. Chapter 7 – Compost

Chapter 7 – Compost, is essentially a chapter that explains how the home gardener can produce their own fertilizer. Here’s some of the author’s context for this home production effort:

  • “… feedlot manures and composted chicken manure are widely available and seem inexpensive to most people right now, and industrial agricultural wastes like seed meals and slaughterhouse wastes are also cheap. But if present trends — peak oil, climate change, irresponsible monetary manipulation by central banks, competition over resources — result in the least desirable outcomes, then ordinary people will find it ever more difficult to afford to eat healthfully. It seems almost inevitable to me that the real (inflation-adjusted) cost of amendments is going to increase substantially. Composting is the alternative to purchasing. It allows small-scale food growers to make their own fertilizer, to manufacture “well-rotted manure” without the need to own livestock.”

And this:

  • “If you can’t afford to have your food gardening efforts fall far short of your hopes, if you can’t afford to shrug off this years catastrophe and hope that it’ll be better next time …I suggest that you read this chapter more than once.”

In PH’s opinion, the author understates both the current situation and the effort you should put forth in mastering this abbreviated treatment of perhaps the key subject in hard-times gardening.

Mr. Solomon immediately moves from composting rationales to composting topics and techniques, such as: “Mulch gardening“. “Carbon to nitrogen ratios (with a great “Carbon nitrogen ratios” for additional clarity)”, “Sheet composting (We‘re working with a slight variation of the author’s stated technique here at PH.)”,”Temperature and decomposition“, to “What is this thing called compost?”. From this last topic, this: ”Composting decomposes organic materials before they are put into the soil so they become instant plant food.” and a very informative chart that provides an “Analysis of various composts”.

The author continues with a discussion of low, medium and high grade compost that is combined with a ten page presentation on “Composting procedure”. This is followed by a short treatment of “Green manure and cover crops” – along with their some of their pluses and minuses- to end the chapter.

Sandwiched in (so to speak) between ‘procedure’ and ‘cover crops’ is a small, one page topic called “Humanure”. After giving the reader an excellent reference on the subject, Mister Solomon reminds us again that this book is a serious treatment of hard-times gardening:

“If times got rough enough that I could not afford to spend a few hundred dollars each year on maintaining the gardens fertility, or if the materials to do so got so scarce that there was little choice, then we would definitely start using humanure.”

This chapter has broken down the complex subject of “compost” into a set of topics, any of which could be a book in itself, that are clear to the layman/lay-gardener and yet extensive enough to offer a short reference. It’s hard to offer praise beyond this.

Until next time; keep your eyes on the horizon as the weather’s changing fast.

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By J.P. Redoubt – March 22, 2010

Build This Solar Cooker Fast and for Under $6

Occasionally, we run across an item in our family preparedness journey that is not only valuable to the preparing/prepared family but is also simple, inexpensive, functional and readily available. The solar cooker we’re going to discuss is all of these things. Here’s where to find the plans for  this DIY gem:
http://solarcooking.wikia.com/wiki/Fun-Panel

We got the heads-up on this cooker from a good friend who was kind enough to introduce us to a close family member that has not only built one, but has modified/improved the plans you’ll read about and has some cooking experience that he can share also. Thank you “Cousin Martin”.

First, lets take a general look at the solar cooker as described by the posting at ‘wikia‘:

“The Fun-Panel solar cooker can be built in about an hour from a single cardboard box and some aluminum foil. This is significant, because traditional solar panel cookers such as the CooKit often require a large sheet of cardboard for construction. The Fun-Panel can also be adjusted more easily for different sun angles. This very powerful cooker is a true breakthrough.”

Here are some of the Fun-Panel’s advantages:

  • “It’s easy to figure out how to cut and fold the cooker using the cardboard from half of a single box — you don’t need a big sheet of perfect cardboard. Every US Post Office sells a large cube-shaped box (20” x 20” x 20”) for about $6 that can be used to make two Fun-Panels.
  • All cuts are 90 (degree) cuts — no curves.
  • It is easily scaled to the size of cardboard box you have on hand.
  • You can cook at all sun angles including low sun angles (morning and evening or high/low latitudes)”

Here are some of “Cousin Martin’s” observations/experiences:

  • ’My experience with this very simple and VERY cheap-to-construct cooker has definitely convinced me of the practicality of solar cooking. It plainly has its limitations, but you really can cook without fire, without fuel, without smoke, and without electricity. Because it so cheap to build, it is very cost-effective. So many preparedness items involve $$ that are in short supply. This is one everybody can have, and the fuel is free.”
  • “I cooked in the solar oven today. I put a sectioned sweet potato in at 11:30, in enough water to float the sections. I pulled it out about 2:00 and it was fully cooked. The ambient outside air temperature was 52 F and the official winds were NW at 12, gusting to 18mph, though I cooked in a wind-sheltered area. I re-oriented the oven twice during the cooking.”
  • Here are three techniques “Cousin Martin” has found to improve the solar oven construction experience:
  • “Scoring” the outer layer of the cardboard along the projects fold lines with a shallow cut using a razor knife
  • Using a stiff straight-edge for the initial bends of the fold lines. Cardboard has a ‘bias“ because of its internal stiffening structures and it doesn‘t want to bend straight along just any line that happens to be drawn on it. The aforementioned scoring helps, but so does a stiff, straight board or piece of metal held along the fold line as one bends the cardboard.
  • I used 3M general purpose aerosol spray adhesive (the Home Depot, <$5) to bond the aluminum foil to the cardboard after all the folds had been “worked into” the cardboard.”

A genuine “thanks” is appropriate here to PH’s friend and “Cousin Martin” for their observation and interest in providing preparing families with a great alternative cooking method for good times or bad.
Until next time; keep your eyes on the horizon as the weather’s changing fast.

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By J.P. Redoubt – March 13, 2010

A Mid-East War?

We’ve been holding this first article for almost two weeks now, waiting to present it in something of a broader context. The context is two additional articles, which we’ll present in succession, and a generally deteriorating middle east situation which we believe could very well lead to war in that area. Here’s our first article: “Official: Russia to deliver missile defense to Iran” by Aaron Klein. It was posted at wnd.com on 2/20/10. Here are a few of its key points:

  • “Despite announcements to the contrary, Russia still plans to deliver its S-300 advanced air-defense missiles to Iran, according to a senior Egyptian security official speaking to WND.
  • The official said Russia also intends to see the system delivered to Syria, from which it can also be transferred to Hezbollah militia operating in Lebanon.”
  • The S-300PMUI is a mobile system designed to shoot down aircraft and cruise missiles. Analysts say the S-300 system would make any Israeli strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities more difficult.”

Article #2: “Who will blink first in Iran’s nuclear poker game?” by Aluf Benn at haaretz.com this past Wednesday,3/3/10. Here are some of the articles more important observations:

  • “Netanyahu (Israeli Prime Minister) managed to convince the world that Israel is on the verge of a preemptive war to try to foil Iran’s nuclear program. His speeches on a second Holocaust and Amalek, the acceleration of military preparations, the exercises on the Home Front, the distribution of gas masks and even the stockpiling of dollars by the bank of Israel all suggest that Israel is planning to strike Iran, as it did when it attacked the nuclear plants in Iraq and Syria.”
  • “Netanyahu is playing poker and hiding his most important card: the Israel Defense Forces’ true capabilities to destroy Iran’s nuclear installations.”
  • “Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who is functioning as a super-adviser to Netanyahu for national security affairs, said in response (to  Iran’s Ahmadinejad commenting on the destruction of Israel) that “the clock for the Iranian regime’s downfall is ticking.”
  • “Israel and Iran are gambling that only one of them will survive the confrontation. Is this threat serious? History suggests it is.”

Article#3: “ Mideast war in the ‘very’ near future? — Dramatic escalation in cooperation between Israel’s foes “ by Aaron Klein at wnd.com on 3/3/10. Here’s some of what the article said:

  • “…Egypt is concerned Israel could be ina a conflict in the very near future with Syria or the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, a senior Egyptian security official told WND.”
  • “The official said his country is concerned about a coming conflict but did not mention a specific timeframe.”
  • “Last week, Syria hosted a summit with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and Kahled Meshal, head of Hamas. All parties expressed solidarity each other and vowed the destruction of Israel.
  • The meeting was followed up with another confab in Iran last weekend entitled “Islamic and National Solidarity with the Palestinian People.” The summit was attended by the leaders of Hamas, Hezbollah and Syria. All three denounced Israel.”

PH Comment: There is one overriding concern in the above information for all of the prudent homes across America: oil. Without a full supply of relatively cheap (below about $85 per barrel) oil, America at this historic and economic juncture would find it hard to maintain her economic balance. We’ve spoken about this before at PH, and will again, but be aware and strengthen your preparations in every aspect. If something like this goes down, there will be little or no warning.

Until next time; keep your eyes on the horizon as the weather’s changing fast.

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By J.P. Redoubt – March 12, 2010

Book Review With Commentary On “Gardening When it Counts – Growing Food in Hard Times”

A continuing book review With Commentary On Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times
by Steve Solomon — Chapter 6 – “Watering … and not”

Chapter 6 – “Watering … and not”: Mr. Solomon begins this chapter with a discussion of drought, based on some definitions provided by John Widstoe in his 1911 book, “Dry Farming”: “… a book about large-scale farming in semi-arid places.”
Author ’Widstoe’ in his listing of “four chief causes of drouth”, gives as number (4): “sowing too much seed for the available soil-moisture.” It is here that Mr. Solomon states that “…choosing plant spacing is the single most important decision the gardener will make.” Mr. Solomon then goes on to  criticize the “intensive” gardening practices (raised bed) so popular among many in the country today due their suburban living situations and limited land.

PH Comment: We note that while Mr. Solomon readily criticizes the “intensive” gardening  methods so popular today among home gardeners with small and very-small garden areas, he fails to offer a way for them to expand their available land for food growing. It appears to us that home gardeners in the U.S. have few other good-gardening methods: given the limits of their growing areas.

“Four spacing systems” is Mr. Solomon’s next section and in it he provides an excellent  two-page chart demonstrating four “Plant spacing possibilities (in inches)” of a large number of garden crops. The spacing possibilities run from the smallest in Column I – Intensive raised beds per Jeavons, to the largest in Column 4 – Extensive; little rain of fertigation; everything on the flat. The author recommends Column 2 – Semi-intensive raised beds per Solomon. Each column is discussed with commentary.

In the following section the author discusses “Not suffering drought”. Here he opens with:  “The reason  people fail to match density with the available soil moisture is greed …”.  and ends with this bit of good advice: “… when you are starting a new garden in humid regions, you may want to spread a full dose of fertility-building materials at the end of summer the year before the land will become a veggie garden. This will allow the autumn rains and the spring snowmelt to carry this nutrition into the subsoil.”

Next, Mr. Solomon discusses “Fertigation”: this is the technique of using a “… fertigation bucket” that  “…economically and effectively places moisture and nutrition below a growing plant.” This technique is thoroughly discussed along with variations and their benefits. To aid the reader further in his discussion, he presents two valuable charts: “Water retention by soil type” and “Amount of water lost per day in midsummer (by Temperature in summer – Region – Inches lost per day)”.

“Foliar feeding” is the authors next topic. This short section refers to the liquid, topical feeding (by spraying) of plants -  directly on their leaves -  with dilute fertilizers, homemade “teas”, and coca-cola. It is recommended as a substitute for fertigation when water is in short supply.

The last half of the chapter is introduced with the section entitled “A gardeners textbook of sprinkler irrigation”. It states close to the beginning (thankfully): “Many gardeners wet down their gardens almost daily with hose and fan nozzle because they want to make sure the beds provide abundant moisture all the time. This method, done properly, works quite well, so long as you enjoy the task..”

This section is indeed a textbook exposition of the how’s, why’s, and wherefores of sprinkler irrigation systems. Sources for professional grade sprinkler equipment, its use, and modification are also thoroughly presented along with a few simple, non-professional grade choices.  Always included with each presentation are direct or indirect references to equipment costs. The “good stuff ” will cost you and by implication, so will its maintenance.

The very last section discusses “Drip systems and micro irrigation”. Immediately, the author states, “I do not recommend drip systems for the home garden.” and notes a little further along, “ … You must carefully inspect the entire system each and every time you turn it on.”  ’Nuff’ said.

Chapter 6 is a great chapter for helping to understand water’s vital part in plant growth, function and development. It’s an important reference source too, for a clear understanding of how various types of irrigation methods can help to bring this vital component to the plant.

Until next time: keep your eyes on the horizon as the weathers changing fast.

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By J.P. Redoubt – March 2, 2010