Conspiracy and Self-sufficiency

    When a world with a million messages presses down on you, what is to be believed? Where is the truth behind the social media lies? When will the news networks stop putting up fronts and one sided stories so we can see what’s really going on beyond our own back door? Maybe never. Times are bad, and it’s hard to ignore. 

    We do have one truth to stand on and that is Jesus Christ, and the written Word of God we have today. Based on what I’ve read, of course there will be liars, mockers, and every other ounce of mischief in this world. Conspiracy theories? I can’t be for sure all is legit. I mean, one moment I hear this nation was started on a Christian foundation, the next tells me its all a lie, and it was built around secret societies and the Masonic group. Unfortunately, I don’t have straight up facts to say it was definitely one or the other. I believe it was a little of both. But choose what you will concerning the discernment of conspiracy theories.

   We also here of those who have been having dreams, and those saying America WILL BE destroyed. Joel 2:28 says “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:”. There will be no doubt that dreams and prophesies will come to pass. Which to believe is the question, since there will be many that share twisted, false stories.

    Peace through these raging storms comes only from God. However, we too must be diligent and prepared. Why? Because at some point and time money will not matter. Homes and cars will not matter. Your survival skills will. I believe it’s very possible for this generation and those to come will see much disaster. Those who know how to support themselves within the means of the land will be better off than grocery store relying people. I’m not saying totally stop buying groceries at the moment. No, I’m just saying that if we run into disastrous conditions (when push comes to shove), there will be the diligent few that decide to become independent and stable. 

    This isn’t just about conspiracy. This is about any disaster that could possibly wipe out ‘normal’ means of living. Natural causes or war – think about it. 

    

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The Beetle that’s Useful

     Yes, I am talking about the darkling beetle. However, we know this creature more commonly in its beginning stage, known as a meal worm. As a homesteader, if you raise chickens or ducks, this would be a great bug to raise. Meal Worms are a delightful treat to these fowl. It’s not a ‘necessary’ treat, but it’s icing on the cake, if you know what I mean.

    Meal worms are not difficult to raise. In fact, their up keep is minimal. I keep mine in a quart sterilite container in about 2″ of layer crumble and some oats…yes, my duck food. That crumble doesn’t have to be changed out, unless the texture becomes sandy. I like to put zucchini slices in as a food source. In no time, they will eat through that veggie. I suggest removing that in one or two days before the smell or rot starts overwhelming the container. My beetles are kept in a separate container until their eggs hatch, then I will be removing and transferring them to another bin.

     They are also used for reptile food, great bait while fishing, and I’m sure there are other sources listing ways to use meal worms. Here’s my setup, originally started and portioned to me by my grandparents. Their production center is MUCH larger than mine.

 

Eco Friendly Shopping

    You’re not simply saving the amount of production of plastic bags when buying stable, permanent hemp bags to shop with. Here’s a look at a few ways this is profitable to you! 

1. The plastic woes – Yes, with those heavier items, we start doing that ‘ah, my can is about to fall out the bottom of this bag’ dance while trying to get as close to the car as we can before it breaks away. Of course, on a sloped driveway, our chase will be almost back to where we started as the can reluctantly rolls away!

2. $0.03 per bag? – It is true! Some stores will actually give you a bag credit when using your own bags. In terms, each bag they pack is a certain amount of money off your bill. I am not sure if this is a national practice or not, but Redner’s and Weiss are absolute supporters of this!

3. Waste  – After using these bags, simply store them until next time instead of having a trash bag full of bags. Not only is it convenient, it’s quite fashionable. You know what your bags look like!

Want A good start to shopping ECO-Friendly??

Check out the link to my eBay store for these two bags!

 

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Oh The Wonders of Life

    Being aware of our own progression is nothing like being aware of another’s. As a mother, a woman will rejoice in hearing first words, witnessing first walks, and guiding as the child progresses grade to grade. As an entrepreneur, when the business takes off and suddenly he’s working with something bigger than himself. And that is the amazing thing about life; when it feels as if we are standing still in time while things are a whirlwind around us.

    And that’s how homesteading is. I’ve watched Daffy and Daisy eat their first bowl of layer crumbles, take their first swim in a basin of water, and cry at night for attention. I’ve had many wakeful nights as they began to grow, constantly drinking (or spilling) their water and notifying me promptly with high pitched chirps. It was heart warming to have them in the brooder inside. Occasionally I allowed them to scout my home.

    Now the house is quiet. No more smelly towels to take out in the morning. No more constant change of feed and water. No more peeping when I leave their side. They quickly matured into outside ducks. Isolation from David and Carmen was required for about two weeks. Then, with a little training, the four were introduced. Now, maybe I’m just the food and water supplier. Maybe I’m the one who intrudes on their personal space to clean their nostrils of feathers and clean up debris. Yet, I know I’m still ‘mom’ when I go to walk away and they all run over to the edge of the fence and quack until I completely disappear indoors. 

    And its not just ducks. Its everything, from transforming your outdoor decor to plucking beans and cucumbers. I’m taken back in awe every time I witness something sprout and shoot up a practical inch daily. In some way, its like you’ve scored. You’ve earned a point. You can do it now, and for sure, you are able to do it later. 

 

The Little and Big of It (Pros and Cons with Ages of Ducks)

My Husband and I slightly differ on our view of the homestead. I found this out during our first month of starting our little home stead, beginning with the ducks. While we BOTH fell in love with daffy and daisy at their young, weak, helpless age, Matt wasn’t such a huge fan on David and Carmen who are already full grown. I never knew he loved baby animals. To me, an animal is an animal. Yes, cuter with downy and baby features.

     So, I made a list of pros and cons when deciding on adult or baby animals to add to our future homestead.

 

     PROS OF YOUNG

     – Better connection and understanding

     – Tame

     – Will imprint easier

     – Can be temporary house pets

     – Easy to control and handle

     CONS OF YOUNG

• Aren’t productive until almost a year of age
• Fragile, and can catch disease and sickness quick
• Not able to easily battle harsh weather
• Easy Prey to Predators

 

PROS OF AGED

• Are Productive Immediately
• Able to be outside
• Less maintenance

CONS OF AGED

• Tendency to be wild
• Stubborn to change
• Loss of ‘cuteness’
• Requires more space

 

 

 

Profitable Homemaker

     The man goes off to work, stays for many hours, and comes home to a house that may or may not look much different than when he first left. We stereotype this with the comment to the wife ‘what do you do all day?’.

      Actually, we do A LOT more than what you think! Did you notice the dust on the toilet? No? Well, thats cleaned up. I made three meals, washed the dishes, took care of the homestead, dusted the living room, washed the floors, folded laundry, and YOU ASK…”what do you do all day”?!

     DISCLAIMER: I am not talking about my husband here. He knows all of what I do, and he appreciates not having to do housework.

     Yet, in some ways, as women, we feel valueless. Like what we are doing isn’t enough. It’s an inner desire to help the man ‘bring in the dough’ and earn money. Maybe a little, maybe a large sum. Yet some women are bound to their home duties and children, not able to get a job outside of the house. That’s where our internet technology comes in. Anyone is able to sell anything online, such as through etsy, eBay, Amazon, or other seller feeds. 

    For example, I make a decent income through Ebay with my own account. I sell anything from discounted books on various subjects, to designer scarves and massage chairs. You can jump over to “our roadside shop” page as I will be updating it today with products and links I have on eBay. 

 

The Debt Free Advantage

    In these times, money is a means of survival. We make enough to sustain another month, enjoy a bit of frivolity, and continue the ‘daily grind’. Most of us experience some sort of debt, whether from long term college bills, vehicles, personal loans, medical expenses, or home mortgage. Unfortunately, we treat these debts as if they are ‘normal’ in our life, giving us an underlying feeling of bondage.

     It’s true. 

     However, I recently have been studying Dave Ramsey’s key to success. He has multiple books on financial handling as well as entrepreneurship, and notedly, he has keyed the term ‘Entreleader’. He has been through the ups and downs in his earlier years, and is currently teaching and advising others how to handle their money wisely. You can visit his site http://www.daveramsey.com for more information. My husband and I are going through his 7 Baby Steps to financial peace. Currently we are on step one, faithfully paying off our loans. Both of us had gone two years to college, which accounts for most of our debt. Even though I went to a more expensive school, I only went part time, trying to pay my second year with my own earnings. So I only have one year of loans to pay off. His is double. We have our debts listed smallest to largest and are working on paying them off in that order. We have paid off and destroyed credit cards (and celebrated after that!). It is a really good feeling. 

     This is important to everyone. We all desire to be free from financial burdens. Especially the homesteader, which many times will try to make something before going and buying it! So, next time you sit down with your finances, I’d recommend searching Dave Ramsey’s site and reading his material!  

Hydroponics and Zesty Snacks

     The fire hits, your throat constricts with the feeling of horseradish-like scents try to run to your esophagus, then they escape through your nose, producing instant tears as it feels like no nose hairs remain, then as fast as it came on, it disappears. 

    This is the effect of Wasabi Peas. I buy them locally. It is an addicting treat, at least for me. The first time I discovered them was when we were with my husband’s cousins. We were doing a Wasabi Challenge, because the more you eat at once, the higher the concentration of spice. I believe record high was 40 peas (and a crying man). 

    I’m very interested on getting my hand on wasabi stems as a start in hydroponics. It’s in the family of cabbage, mustard, and horseradish, grown in Japan. Because it’s a submerged plant, its not necessarily a root, but more of a stem! It is very difficult to start and maintain and can be quite expensive to purchase. 

    Maybe in the future you will see a post of my own wasabi stems, but for now, I am pretty focused on productions from my tea garden and my cucumbers and lettuce. 

Retrieved from Pinterest, Found on moichizen.exblog.jp Discover Japan

Why Homestead?

          Homesteading is living self-sufficient pertaining to agricultural products, such as garden-grown produce and raising animals. Most of us have that in our head. But sometimes we have to sit back; like on one of those rainy days that does the watering for us, and ask ourselves WHY. 

      Whether you do it for enjoyment, education, self-sufficiency, or as a way of income, you also have to keep in mind the word of preparedness. I have yet to touch on this subject, but it seems like this world is gripped with fear. As if it’s waiting for something catastrophic to happen. While many just refresh the news and hang on to youtube videos, there are those of us who are working hard to establish a homestead. Maybe its not the land we’re attached to, but the skill. We’ll know how to grow our own food instead of running to a grocery store. And who knows, maybe there will be NO access to a grocery store. 

    I’m not saying you need to have those ’emergency buckets’ containing high-protein food for a month sitting down in your basement, though, you can easily purchase them. I am saying we should value keeping our cupboards just a bit fuller with canned goods. Several decades ago, it wasn’t unusual for folks to keep back portions of summer gatherings, can them, and keep them for winter when conditions were bad, or when men weren’t able to work due to seasonal jobs. This slowed the increase of expenses and padded the conscience of the family.

     So next time you have a summer harvest or raise an animal for meat, make those pickles, can those peaches, and package meat to freeze. Rationing now will help with rations later.

A New Day, A Fresh Garden

     When it comes to the know-how, I pretty much observe the garden of my grandparents. About every other friday, I like to go down and assist them with whatever chores need to be done. Most of the time, I come home with fresh treats from the garden. Beans, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, blueberries. You name it, they probably grow it. If I need a project done, I run to them for assistance. It always has been that way.

           

    Upon arrival home, I found that every single one of my cucumber seeds have sprouted. Seems like they grew an inch overnight. I soon will have to be transplanting some of them. The lettuce is sprouting nicely, and a few trees that I have uprooted and transplanted seem to be doing well! Maples are especially difficult once you disturb their root system. It seems like they totally die off before regeneration. The two baby pines are pretty stable. What a nice surprise to come home to! A self-sufficient home in progress!