Destiny Survival

Archive for May, 2009

An article by F. William Engdahl recently appeared on Rense.com discussing the wishes of the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM).  They’d like to see a moratorium placed immediately on genetically modified foods.

The AAEM cites multiple animal studies showing the health risks in several areas, such as toxicology, allergy and immune function, reproductive health, and metabolic, physiologic and genetic health.  They believe more research is called for, genetically modified foods should be labeled, and doctors should be aware of the impact of these foods on their patients.  Regrettably, I think this is a salvo in a war of words which will go unheeded. Read the rest of this entry »

            One of the easiest vegetables to grow in your survival garden is onions, but not just any onions.  There are perennial onions that will multiply, and I’m most familiar with two of them.

            Yellow potato multiplier onions have a mild flavor and used to be an old time favorite.  The sets are best planted in the fall, but may need some covering in harsh winters.  Even if the tops freeze somewhat, they usually do well in the spring.  They produce several bulbs in a cluster that can be harvested when the plants die back in mid summer.  Mine have produced medium sized bulbs.  Save the largest ones for replanting around September.

            Egyptian walking onions get their name from top setting bulbs that plant themselves late in the season as the stalks die and bend over.  The brown edible bulb can be a little strong in flavor.  It grows below ground and is often small to medium.  To avoid the spreading of these onions, harvest the bulblets from the top and plant them where you want them in the fall.  If you miss any, you’ll see these onions come up in places you’d never expect.  I’ll bet they’d even do well if a few were accidentally dropped near some out of the way woods.

            Egyptian onions are incredibly hardy.  Mine have survived harsh conditions, and I’ve never failed to have any since growing my first ones several years ago.  I understand they’re hardy to USDA Zone 3.

            Unless you know a neighbor or friend who will give or sell you these onions, both are somewhat difficult to find through seed companies.  Both the yellow potato multiplier and Egyptian onions are available from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange.  Though I get nothing by referring you to them, they could truly be a significant crop to have in your survival garden, and I want to give you the opportunity to get some.  If you order, be advised that they won’t be shipped until September.

            If you have a comment about these or any other perennial onions, please share your experiences.

            Though many would describe it as a troublesome weed, its vigor and invasiveness make Jerusalem artichoke tubers a survival food source you should know about.

The Jerusalem artichoke is a native to North America and is very similar to the sunflower.  It can grow as tall as 10 feet.  It’s found in pastures, hayfields, roadsides, and landscapes throughout the eastern half of the United States and along the Pacific coast.

            Jerusalem artichokes produce bright yellow, showy flower heads at the ends of the hairy stems.  The flower heads are each about 2 inches in diameter and contain 8 to 20 outer yellow ray flowers that encircle dark yellow to brown disk flowers.  When mature, they give off a sweet scent some describe as like chocolate.

Roots are rhizomes that end in oval reddish brown tubers.  The tubers distinguish Jerusalem artichoke from sunflowers, which have none.

            After the plants die over the winter, their stems are woody.  I’d think it’s possible they could be broken down into small pieces and used for kindling.

The tubers can be eaten raw or cooked and the flavor improves if they are left in the ground until after frost.  They can be peeled and cooked like potatoes, though my experience is that they can have a strong flavor that makes them undesirable.  If you’ve got ideas on cooking the tubers, please leave a comment.  I prefer them raw and cut into small pieces in a fresh salad.  They really add crunchiness.

Over half of the carbohydrate Jerusalem artichoke contains is in the form of inulin, and this can’t be absorbed by the body.  As a result, you may have gas after eating it.  However, the inulin makes Jerusalem artichoke good for diabetics and hypoglycemics, since they’re not starchy.  It also means that you can eat quite a lot of it without putting on weight.

A few seed companies sell Jerusalem artichoke tubers for planting, such as Johnny’s Selected Seeds, though they may not ship until fall for fall planting.  You may also find it in a local grocery store, sometimes referred to as Sunchokes.

Give some thought to where you plant Jerusalem artichokes.  If you put some in your survival garden, you’ll have them many years because it’s almost impossible to get rid of the root pieces, which will grow the next year.  The plants may appear where you don’t want them.  As strange as it sounds, you could plant some in containers as I have.  Or perhaps you’ll want to practice guerilla gardening and plant some in an out of the way place for harvesting at your leisure.

 Ingredients (Quantities required may vary.):

Rock dust

Eko compost

Molasses

Mix into soil.

Serves billions of friendly microbes which helps plants grow.

Rock dust, such as Azomite, adds important minerals and functions as a slow release organic fertilizer.  Explore this further in Bread from Stones.  Eko compost adds friendly bacteria.  Molasses feeds friendly microbes.  Together they provide optimal growing conditions for the food plants you’re growing.  More and better food improves your chances for survival.

Click on individual ingredients above for more info.  Each one is also included in our Amazon Picks for Survival Goods.

Now and then stories pop up online or in the mainstream news about bartering.  Bartering web sites are growing in popularity here in the U.S. and overseas in places like England.  It’s been going on for months now and it’s a certain indicator of the shape of our economy.

            Thanks to arrangements made online at sites such as Meetup.com, swap meets are taking place in bars, schools, churches and garages throughout the country.  Goods are exchanged, so money doesn’t change hands.  Often what’s being exchanged isn’t your run of the mill garage sale junk.  People are trading everything from high priced clothing at formal affairs, to things you’d expect, like books, DVD’s, baby clothes, plants and garden seeds.

            People from all walks of life and income levels are participating in swaps.  It’s a substitute for shopping.  Swap meets become more like social occasions.  Isn’t that the way neighborhood garage sales are anyway?

There’s plenty being exchanged between individuals over the Internet as well at sites like Swaptree.com and usedlikenew.blogspot.com .  Some are bartering because they’re becoming more frugal out of necessity, while others are getting rid of things they no longer need.

I know things are tough for a lot of people, and I admire their resourcefulness.  No doubt some of the current bartering is driven by a kind of fad or craze, but the motivation probably doesn’t matter.

The fact is things are changing.  Not only are many people making new friends, but they’re developing useful scavenging and negotiating skills.  More and more people are showing their contempt for the way things have been done the past few decades.  Perhaps the era of wanton consumerism has passed.

I’m glad people are getting into the bartering mindset.  Just think.  When everything truly goes down, people can say, "Hey, let’s barter survival supplies just like we used to barter other things on the Internet."

There’s a new book called The Scavengers’ Manifesto, by Anneli Rufus and Kristan Lawson.  It contains philosophy about environmentally friendly living and offers practical tips on scavenging, including some do’s and don’ts.  It’s all about not paying full price for anything.

            To get your copy of The Scavengers’ Manifesto, click on the picture of the book below, and you’ll be taken to the Amazon.com page featuring the book.  Whether yu’re interested in scavenging and bartering because it’s trendy or because you seriously need to do it, this book can help show you the way.

            If you’ve been camping this weekend, or if you’re planning to go a few times this summer, you can attest to the importance of knowing what it takes to stay safe.  Here are a few tips I came across.

*   Be familiar with stories of how others have survived in the wilderness.  Attitude is important.  Many who survived seemingly shouldn’t have.  The book Deep Survival offers good material on this.

*   Tell others where you are going.  If you change your plans, leave a note or some means of informing those who should know.

*   Know your priorities.  Do the important things first.  You must especially have shelter and water.

*   Know some first aid.  At least have a booklet or deck of cards and a few first aid items.

*   Be mindful of possible shelters.  Are there any caves nearby or trees to protect you from rain or snow?  Do you have provisions for making a shelter?

*   Always plan ahead.  For example, look for water and shelter before you need it.  Don’t let problems become survival emergencies.

*   If you’ll be in the wilderness for a night or more, have two ways to start a fire.

*   Know what is edible.  Your body needs water more than food, but if you know what plants or small animals you can eat, it could be a psychological as well as physical boost.

*   Know how to navigate.  Could you function without maps or GPS?  Do you know directions or how to determine them?  What would you do to find a road or previous point of reference?

*   Know how to stay warm and dry.  Hypothermia is a killer.

            Stay safe wherever you go camping, boating, climbing, or hiking this season.

Click here for camping tips and info from the Camping Guy.