In this episode I’m showing you how I grow wheat sprouts from my long term storage wheat supply.
This craft is something that a lot of people from the great depression times knew well. There are a lot of things you can do with wheat berries, (more videos to come), but being able to produce some greens on a sustainable basis is very cool indeed!
Check it out:
The nutritional content of the wheat berry quadruples in some of the vitamins and minerals through the sprouting process. For example, once the wheat berry is sprouted, vitamin B-12 quadruples and other B vitamins increase 3 to 12 times, vitamin E content triples, and the fiber content increases three to four times that of whole wheat bread! Here is an example of what happens to the wheat berry once it sprouts. It’s just amazing!
Vitamin B1 (thiamin) increase of 28%
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) increase of 315%
Vitamin B3 (niacin) increase of 66%
Vitamin B5 (pantathenic) increase of 65%
Biotin increase of 111%
Folic acid increase of 278%
Vitamin C increase of 300%
This process can be taken yet another step to make wheat grass! But that is another video .
Get your mesh lid for sprouting here –> Sprouting Lid
This is another demonstration on how to store food long term in 5 gallon buckets. I like to do this with dried beans, grain (wheat, barley mmmmm beer!) and rice. If you do it right, it will last for 10 years at least and likely much longer.
Check it out!
The main enemies we have in food storage are:
1) Oxygen
2) Heat
3) Moisture (water)
4) Critters
If you use this method, and are smart about where you store this stuff, you can create a good stash of reserve food in very little time and for very low cost.
Note: you can buy enough dry ice to evacuate 10 buckets for about $1.00 (check with your local supermarkets) and enough oxygen absorbing packets (specific to food use or use hand warmers, yep basically the same thing) for those 10 buckets for about $5.00. By nature, the beans and grains are very cheap to begin with.
Here is a link where you can pick up the type of oxygen absorbing packets I like –> Oxygen Absorbers
To finish off, learn how to use this food in your everyday life! I already have few videos where I show you a few things you can do:
I got a bunch of good feedback from a previous post on how to make a paracord keychain fob, so here is another project.
In this video I show you the simplest method of wrapping any handle in paracord. It can be anything, from a lighter (like in the video) to a walking stick, a knife, a whatever.
The coolest thing is you get more paracord ‘storage’ with this method than most knots/weaves. It takes six feet to properly wrap a lighter this way. So, a great way to have some cordage on you!
Check it out!
If you are unfamiliar with paracord it is traditionally the ‘rope’ used to hold a parachute to the person below the ‘chute’. It is very tough stuff.
Get some here, they have huge variety! : Para-Cord
I really hope you enjoyed the video. Please feel free to leave me comments.
The Cobra Stitch can also be used for this purpose but take a little more patience.
Cheers!
Willie
PS.
It may seem at times like you have ‘done it all’ but there are many new crafts and lost skills out there for all of us! This is my mission!
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Today I am showing you how to make a very effective and cheap fire starter from regular cotton balls and petroleum jelly (Vaseline).
These are as simple as it gets and work better than just about anything you can buy. They are extremely easy to start (they can even be started with sparks) and can take a short dip in water and still start!
Check it out!
I like to store these in a standard zipper type bag, but any water tight container will work well. I like the baggies because I can knead them so all of the jelly is distributed evenly.
Sorry about the lack of a posting yesterday. I started feeling sick right before making this ‘episode’, and you can even tell from the video, but it gets the technique across so I’m rolling with it!
Hope you enjoy, Cheers!
Willie
PS.
It may seem at times like you have ‘done it all’ but there are many new crafts and lost skills out there for all of us! This is my mission!
Subscribe to get updates! They happen several times a week!
In this post I show you the basics on how to use a oil lamp (including some pointers on trimming the wicks).
Oil lamps were once used widely as the primary source of light in most households. Since the advent of electricity they have fallen into the category of relics, or, at best, ornamental pieces. Using an oil lamp is a great skill to the homesteader/prepper!
Lets resurrect them! Personally, I think you can’t get a better back-up source for both light and heat. They last a very long time on one fill up, and they are very inexpensive to add to your supplies. That is why we have five of them and will add more. We even fire them up occasionally simply for ambiance. There is nothing like a nice family meal, or board game, by lamp light!
Check it out, this is how simple they are to use and maintain:
If you don’t have a few of these for your home, go get them (See links below)!
Here I am doing a semi review of my two favorite flashlights.
I love flashlights, it is almost a fetish for me. I was a boy scout growing up and it was a big deal to compare and determine who had the coolest flashlight with my buddies every camping trip. Everyone has their thing I suppose :).
If I were to bring either of these two out back then,, well, it would be like bringing a machine gun to a civil war battle! The technology has come so far it is unbelievable, and I think a lot of people may not be aware of what is available these days.
Check it out:
I did not do to much video on the energizer during the snow storm, it is just a different light. However, it is by far the best, affordable carry light I have come across.
As for the big gun, I hope the demo makes it clear that technology has come a long way. The HID is one of those things where I wonder how I ever got along without it.
If you want one, get it from Greg McGee Engineering –> HID Super Lights
I mentioned this during the video but the another great thing is the rechargability. I can use my solar back-up system to ensure I have light whenever I need it, easily.
I really enjoyed making this post, if you have any questions please ask!
Cheers!
Willie
PS.
It may seem at times like you have ‘done it all’ but there are many new crafts and lost skills out there for all of us! This is my mission!
Subscribe to get updates! They happen several times a week!
Today I am showing you two different methods/sources of backup heat we use in our house. From my prepping side, this one is important to me because it can get brutally cold here, and that is typically when we lose power (heavy winds, heavy snow).
Check it out:
As I mention in the video there are advantages and drawbacks to each. The kerosene heater puts out a lot more heat and is much cheaper to run per BTU. However, they tend to be more bulky, messsy, and stinky. Also, make sure you have CO detection, and always crack a window (with either type really).
The propane heaters are safer from a carbon monoxide standpoint (most have sensors built in which automatically shut them off at near dangerous levels), they are more portable, and the fuel is available almost anywhere. Kerosene is getting pretty hard to find where I live, but not nearly impossible.
They both win in my book, but for different reasons. When looking for emergency heating options, I like the kerosene heaters because the two that I have can (and do) keep my entire house cozy when the power is out (I’ve had the opportunity to test this a few times). I like the propane heater because of its portability and ease of use. This type of heater is a favorite on hunting trips. 2 am, gotta use the outhouse, not quite awake, you get my drift!
That is why I have both. But me, personally, if I could only get one type it would be the kerosene.
Well, I finally put all of my pictures together from my trip to Honolulu where I learned the craft of making a fine handmade ukulele.
This was the trip of my life! The class kept me very busy. Two weeks of fairly intense work, but what a learning experience.
Check it out!
The class is put on by a master luthier named Mike Chock, and the program is supported by his son Asa. These are great guys and I’ll remember them forever.
If you are really handy with wood already and just want a guide, theirs is the best. Visit the link above for their manual. With that said, attend the class if you can. The knowledge they share goes way beyond construction; music theory, fun stories, and years of knowledge on things that worked and things that did not. Priceless.
Plus, what a great place to spend a few weeks!
I really enjoyed this trip. I hope you enjoy the video and it inspires you to do something similar. There is so much to learn in this world.
Cheers!
Willie
PS.
It may seem at times like you have ‘done it all’ but there are many new crafts and lost skills out there for all of us! This is my mission!
Subscribe to get updates! They happen several times a week!
Well it’s a chilly and windy day, but the sun is out so I’m showing you my solar cooker. I made this several months ago and LOVE it. We have made several meals and even baked bread in it!
Check it out,
What a great way to cook. The total materials cost was ~$25 and I still have enough material to make another (Which I plan to do for sure).
This is also a great way to warm up a Rice Sock Heater and to pasteurize water.
BE CAREFUL to use oven mitts or gloves, it is amazing how fast the item/s in the box can get hot. Also sunglasses are a very good idea :).
If you are interested in building your own from scratch or kit click here –>All Season Solar Cooker
This video was really fun to make. It is a very simple way to make a ‘warmer’ for just about any purpose. These things are far better than a hot water bottle in my book. They are cheaper, the heat lasts longer, and if it leaks you don’t have a wet mess.
Also a great project for kids! Watch:
I am equally excited to show you all my solar cooker. This is what makes this project go beyond just neat and comfortable to a level of sustainable. Video to come soon.
If you have never made one of these, do it, and let me know what you think! We get a lot of cold nights where we live and these come in very handy.
Cheers!
Willie
PS.
It may seem at times like you have ‘done it all’ but there are many new crafts and lost skills out there for all of us! This is my mission!
Subscribe to get updates! They happen several times a week!
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