8 Survival Foods That Will Save You in A Power Outage

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In the aftermath of a power outage, it’s crucial to have a well-stocked supply of survival food on hand. Check out this list to see which foods don’t require cooking.

8 Survival Foods That Will Save You in a Power Outage

Power outages are unpredictable – they could last an hour, a day, or even a week. Make sure you’re prepared with a fully stocked pantry of foods with a long shelf-life. We recommend sticking to foods that don’t require heat or cooking, and keeping your food in an air-tight container to ensure it lasts as long as possible. Check out the list below to see which survival foods made the cut.

1. Canned Vegetables & Fruit

Pros: Convenient and full of essential vitamins – plus it actually tastes good.
Shelf life: 1-2 years beyond the date stamped on the can.

2. Canned Meats

Pros: Excellent source of protein, plus there are tons of options available.
Shelf life: 2-5 years.

3. Peanut Butter

Pros: Peanut butter is tasty and is great source of protein. (Tip: steer clear of the all-natural varieties, since those have a shorter shelf life.)
Shelf life: 2-5 years.

4. Raw Honey

Pros: Raw honey stored in a sealed container can remain stable for decades and even centuries.
Shelf life: Indefinite (raw honey), 2 years (commercial honey).

5. Mixed Nuts

Pros: A bag of mixed nuts is lightweight and long-lasting, plus the nuts are packed with protein and healthy fats.
Shelf Life: 1 month (pantry), 4-6 months (fridge), 9-12 months (freezer).

6. Instant Oatmeal

Pros: Often called the ultimate survival food, oatmeal is a great breakfast solution. It’s lightweight and easy to carry – plus its packaging is flammable and can be used to start a fire if needed.
Shelf life: 6-9 months (flavored instant), 2-3 years (steel cut)

7. Ramen Noodles

Pros: Packaged ramen noodles have an extremely long shelf life – just add hot water to make an instant meal.
Shelf life: 10+ years.

8. Dehydrated Food

Pros: High in protein; easy to eat. You can even make your own beef jerky if you’d prefer.
Shelf life: 1-2 years.

Want more survival food ideas? Check out the posts below!

9 Survival Foods You Should NOT Store Long Term
How to Repackage Survival Foods
Shelf Life of the Most Common Survival Foods

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How To Make Flour, Bread And Even Coffee With Acorns

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Image source: Pixabay.com

Did you know that there is a nutritious food source literally dropping from your trees each fall? In fact, unless you are a squirrel, you may even see this food as a nuisance.

Alas, the lowly acorn was not always seen this way. Historical sources suggest that some of the world’s earliest civilizations ate acorns. In fact, the word for “oak” in Tunisian translates to “meal-bearing tree.”

Although acorns, which contain healthy fats, protein and minerals, found their way into many Native American foods and are the main ingredient of a traditional Korean jelly recipe, most people today shy away from eating them. Why? Anyone who has ever sampled a raw acorn can tell you. They taste bitter.

The secret to eating – and enjoying acorns – lies in removing the tannins. When you complete this process, you can produce a subtly flavored flour that works well in all kinds of baking recipes and even as a coffee-like beverage.

The first step to removing the tannins is to select only ripe, brown acorns. Avoid green, blackened or mildewed acorns. Then remove the caps and boil the acorns for about 10 minutes. You will need to strain out the brown water and boil the acorns again in fresh water. Repeat this process three to four times until the water looks clear and the acorns can be easily shelled.

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Another way to remove the tannins is to remove the caps and then place the acorns inside a mesh or cheese cloth bag. After securing the opening, place the bag under running water (say, a stream) for several hours. Native American used this flushing method by placing bags of acorns in running streams, rivers and even waterfalls.

Now that the tannins are removed, it is time to dry the acorns. Spread the acorns on a baking sheet and place them in a preheated 200-degree Fahrenheit oven. Leave the door slightly ajar so moisture can escape.

Image source: Pixabay.com

Another option is to place the baking sheet outside in direct sunlight for several hours. Be sure to protect the nuts from wildlife while they are drying.

Acorns add a nutty, slightly sweet taste to recipes. You can use them as a substitute for chickpeas, peanuts or macadamia nuts. (Put them in banana nut bread or zucchini bread!) You also can use them to make acorn butter, which you can use instead of peanut butter or almond butter. You also can add them to salads, soups and stews for flavor and nutrition.

To make acorn flour, grind slightly moist leached acorns in a blender or food processor. Dry the resulting meal in a low temperature oven for a few minutes, or let the meal air dry for a few hours. Then grind the dry meal in the blender or food processor again.

You can substitute this acorn flour in any recipe that uses wheat flour, but keep in mind that acorn flour products will have a crumbly texture. If you prefer a spongy texture to your cookies or bread, you will need to mix in some wheat flour with your acorn flour.

Another option is make acorn coffee. Now, this drink will not perk you up in the morning since acorns do not contain caffeine, but it is a pleasant beverage, especially in cold weather.

Place pieces of leached acorns on a baking sheet and roast them in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes. When the pieces are dark brown in color and have a pleasant roasted (not burned) aroma, they are ready.

Add one tablespoon of roasted acorn pieces per eight ounces of boiling water. Let the mixture steep for five to 10 minutes. Reheat if needed. Then you can add your regular coffee condiments or drink the acorn coffee black.

Acorns are a rich source of carbohydrates, proteins, essential amino acids, trace minerals and Vitamins A and C. This nutritional value compares favorably with barley or wheat flour. Although producing acorn flour does take some time, it is satisfying to put to use a food source that is free and readily available.

Just leave a few acorns for those squirrels.

Have you ever eaten acorns? What advice would you add? Share it in the section below:

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Chicken Coop for Urban Living

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Build a safe, attractive, and cost-effective enclosure for your backyard flock. Whether you have a small city loft, a suburban backyard, or a rural farm, this friendly guide gives you easy-to-follow and customizable plans for building a backyard chicken coop. You’ll get basic construction know-how and key information to design and build a coop that’s easy on the eyes and tailored to your flock. More details in the link below…

• Begin with chicken coop basics — determine the necessary features for your coop, add a few amenities, and choose the right location and size
• Get set to build your chicken coop — figure out the gear and materials you need and get a crash course on basic carpentry skills
• Dig into coop construction — prepare your coop’s site, create your coop’s skeleton, and include walls, doors, windows, and a roof
• Add finishing touches — construct creature comforts for your flock, put together a run, and plug in with basic electricity
• Check out all kinds of coops — follow materials lists, cut lists, and schematic drawings for five different chicken coops

more details here…

More ideas:

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The ‘Laid-Back’ Way To Improve Your Soil During Winter

The ‘Laid-Back’ Way To Improve Your Soil During Winter was originally published on http://ift.tt/1nr27gs

Image source: Pixabay.com

Nothing slows the activity on a homestead down as much as wintertime. The bustle of spring planting and calving, and the harvest of summer and fall give way to quieter days of tending livestock, maintaining equipment and feasting on the bounty gleaned from this year’s harvest.

There is something you can do this fall that will quietly work through the winter months – while your laid back and relaxing — to improve the condition of your land. No matter how small the fields, gardens or raised beds on the homestead might be, consider allowing a winter cover crop prepare your soil for the next planting season.

A winter cover crop is valuable in many ways. Winters can be harsh on the land, particularly soil left bare following fall’s harvest. Winter cover crops prevent erosion, which is important not only in maintaining a garden or field, but also valuable for protecting nearby waterways that can be corrupted by too much silt. Cover crops add nutrients back into the soil. Many of these crops also can be used as livestock fodder.

1. Cereal grains

As I drive through the small homesteads that surround us, I see a haze of green rise in the fields each autumn. Many choose cereal or winter rye as the cover crop of choice. There are several benefits to using cereal grains as covers. Their root systems break up compacted soils, reduce erosion and fix nitrogen. If cut before flowering, the cut stalks can be left to decompose and be turned under in the spring, adding nutrients back into the soil.

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These also can be left to harvest as usual if time permits. Oats, barley and wheat can also be used; however, rye produces the largest amount of green material to add back into the soil. Grains and grasses are best used in fields and gardens. Avoid using them in raised beds, as they are more difficult to eliminate.

2. Clover

Though more time-consuming to manage, clover provides a generous supply of green material for your compost pile while improving your soil. Choose crimson clover for a yearly cover, as it is easily eliminated by simply tilling under. Red clover can be used as a biannual crop, while other clovers are perennial and much harder to control as cover crops.

3. Field peas

Field peas can be grown either as a companion crop, under sown during the growing season, or as a winter cover crop. As a winter cover crop, field peas will be killed off from the cold temperatures and left to mulch-in-place, adding nutrients to the soil.

4. Vetch

Image source: Pixabay.com

Similarly, fava beans, or bell beans, are actually a member of the vetch family. It is a popular choice as a cover crop, because it is easier to till under than hairy vetch and less likely to overtake other plantings. Purple vetch is another close relative that is less cold-hardy, which allows it to be left to mulch in-place.

5. Radish

A relatively new addition to the winter cover crop rotation is the radish. Radishes, particularly the daikon radish, provide all of the benefits of a good winter cover crop with very few drawbacks. Radishes break up compacted soil, reaching even into the subsoil. As they decompose after winter killing, they leave empty holes that improve soil drainage and even help the soil temperature to warm more quickly during spring. They are nitrogen fixers, and also draw additional potassium and phosphorus to the surrounding soil.

Planning Your Cover Crop

Starting around September, planting of the chosen cover crop should begin. Time the planting to allow the crop to mature before the first hard frost date for your region. For other crops, such as oats and cereal rye, multiple cuttings may be needed to prevent the crop from reseeding your land. Some cuttings can be used as fodder for your livestock, while other cuttings must be added to the compost pile or left to mulch in the fields.

Growing a winter cover crop will add a bit of work to your fall schedule. However, you will greatly benefit from improved soil conditions come spring.

What is your favorite cover crop? Share your tips in the section below:

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The 2nd Commandment: No, We Don’t Get To Define God

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Image source: Pixabay.com

Imagine someone coming up to you and saying, “I want to write a memoir about your life. In my biography of you, you are an Olympic athlete, you’re terrible at personal relationships, and you live with 25 birds and 10 fish.”

You respond, “Well, that’s interesting. But I’m not an athlete, I love being around people, and I’m more of a dog person.”

The man, though, won’t budge: “But this is how I desire to see you! You’re much more fascinating like this.”

How would you feel? You’d be offended.

It’s the same way with the God of the Bible. We can’t just remake Him into what we want Him to be. God is who He is, and is this why the Second Commandment is so important:

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me” (Exodus 20:4-5).

Image source: Pixabay.com

The truth is this: It doesn’t matter how we “want or like to see God,” God is who He is, and He gets to define Himself to us as shown in the Bible. Our job is to conform our preconceptions of God to His reality, and not vice versa. How we “want or like to see God” and how “we believe God should be” is utterly irrelevant. All that matters is what He’s really like.

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People say that “their” God wouldn’t:

• Punish sinners in hell (Rev 20:11-15).
• Claim Jesus is the only way to heaven (John 14:6).

We make God into what we want Him to be, rather than just believing Him for who He is. When we do this, not only do we get angry and disappointed, but we also rob ourselves of the joy of really knowing God.

From the Second Commandment, we learn at least three things about idols and false views of God:

1. Carved images spring from idolization.

The Israelites created carved images because they were scared. Frankly, they didn’t trust God, weren’t satisfied with Him, and felt like they needed something besides Him (or something more) to protect them.

Certainly, they made an image that mirrored God on some level. However, the whole attempt was to guarantee God’s protection. Their real idol was a need for guaranteed protection, and they thought they needed that more than they needed God.

That is the textbook answer for idolatry. You “carve out” an idol out of anything whenever you believe it so central to your life that you couldn’t be content and safe without it. So, you prioritize it or hold on to it over God and His Word.

Here are some common “carved idolatries” in America today:

• We must have more money and wealth to be happy, so we invent a “god” that will guarantee that to us.
• We want to understand ourselves as “decent people,” so we invent a “god” who is madder at other’s evils than He is at ours.
• We need to see punishment on our enemies, so we invent a “god” who dislikes our enemies and prefers us and our philosophy best.
• We really need domestic steadiness to be happy, so we invent a “god” who guarantees it!

2. Carved images misrepresent the actual biblical God.

In not seeing God for who He is, we end up seeing Him as our idolatrous, dysfunctional messed-up heart wants Him to be. God just becomes a reflection of ourselves and a reflection of our idolatry. Truthfully, your God may have elements of reality in it, but you’re not seeing the true picture.

Image source: Pixabay.com

Yet, the biblical God can’t ever be reduced to a stone figure or a single attribute. No, He is a being complete in all of His holiness, perfections, almighty in strength, fully just and infinitely loving, transcendent above the heavens, and also close and intimate in our hearts.

Friend, that’s the problem with a carved image of God. It shows you only one dimension of God—never all of Him—and that ends up distorting who God actually is.

For example, imagine you sketched an image of God. Would you draw Him laughing or scowling? If you drew Him laughing, you might capture His goodness but not His wrath and judgment against sin. But if you drew Him scowling, you might capture His wrath against sin, but you wouldn’t show His grace, love and forgiveness.

Christianity was unique among religions in the ancient world in that it was a religion of Word—the Bible. The secular world of the time was filled with big, impressive statues of gods.

After Jesus rose from the dead, His apostles didn’t run around the world building big glorious statues of Jesus or cathedrals that boasted His size. No, what the first Christians did is they went around preaching, because Christianity is a religion of Word—the preached word.

God discloses Himself in words because images and pictures can never contain Him.

At our church, now and then, someone will say, “Well, the pictures honestly help me worship God. In fact, they bring to mind God for me.” That’s because human nature loves to break the Second Commandment and twist God down into something you can manage, handle and control.

But, friend, if you want to know God, then you should think on Scripture, memorize Scripture, and meditate on Scripture. Even our worship is built around the Word.

3. Carved images create tainted behavior in our lives.

Authentic, strong spiritual growth comes from seeing and knowing God as He is. All of Him, not part of Him. If you only focus on one dimension of God, then you’ll grow in a deformed way.

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For example, if your god is divine and just but not compassionate and gracious, then you are probably judgmental.

If your god is kind but not just and holy, then you tend to treat casually things that He abhors.

Image source: Pixabay.com

If your god is sovereign but not affectionate and concerned, then you become an angry Christian who argues continually about theology but rarely tells anyone about Jesus.

If your god is not fully sovereign (which means that He’s in control of even the miniscule details of your life), then you tend to get worried and stressed out when something goes wrong.

If your god is a god of uprightness but not the God who gave Himself for you on the cross, then when things go wrong in your life, you think that He’s angry at you.

If your god is not stunning and all-satisfying, you’ll find you serve Him lukewarmly (so you won’t go to hell). But you won’t desire Him with all your heart, and you’ll fight a lure to the sin of this world and its pleasures.

If your god is a god that promises wealth, then when things go wrong in your life, you’ll lose your faith.

What does this mean for you?

First, quit trying to playing the umpire on God and just let God be Himself. Indeed, you’ll find it is hugely satisfying,

Second, remember that we want clarification but God gives us revelation. If you would ever quit trying to control God like He’s a lucky talisman in your pocket, you’d find it would fill your life with so much more comfort!

Do you follow God for who He is in the Bible — or follow one of your own making?

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Upcycled Homesteading | A Guide For The Creative Homeowner

Upcycled Homesteading | A Guide For The Creative Homeowner is available on http://ift.tt/1nr27gs

Home Self Sufficiency Emergency Prep How To Upcycled Homesteading | A Guide For The Creative Homeowner

Need a guide to upcycling? If you do, this list will help you learn how to get started with upcycled homesteading, so you can always keep your home green and self sufficient!

Upcycling goes beyond plastic bottles and paper waste. You can upcycle found objects from all around your homestead. Upcycle them to save money, and to conserve resources. Keep reading for an upcycling guide that you can apply to your homestead.

A Guide to Upcycled Homesteading

As far as I’m concerned, the homestead is one of the best places to try your hand at upcycled living. No city ordinances to contend with, no HOAs telling you what to do, just pure, clean, green living. There are thousands of ways you can upcycle on the homestead, but for the sake of time, we’re just going to focus on three.

Upcycling in the Garden

Taking old objects that no longer have a purpose and turning them into something cool for the garden is one of my favorite ways to upcycle. Items found around the house, garage, shed, or thrift stores can be made into raised beds, trellises, garden markers, and more.

It’s the perfect way to personalize and add character to your garden! I’ve gathered a few tutorials below that will hopefully inspire you to get creative and throw together a new project for the garden.

1. Drawer Porch Planter

via My Repurposed Life

2. Dresser Garden

via Shelterness

3. Strawberry Pallet Planter

via Lovely Greens

4. Log Planter

via A Proverbs 31 Wife

5. Upcycled Bench Planter

via My Creative Days

6. Pallet Vertical Garden

via Design Sponge

7. 17 Upcycled Trellis Ideas

via Balcony Garden Web

8. Recycled Spoon Garden Markers

via Domestic Simplicity

9. Mason Jar Lid Garden Markers

via the Prudent Garden

10. DIY River Rock Garden Markers

via West Valley Moms Blog

11. Clay Garden Markers

via Wit & Whistle

12. Painted Plates Garden Art

via Infarrantly Creative

13. DIY Butterfly Garden Ornament

via Bugaboo City

14. Bottlecap Flowers

via Crafts by Amanda

15. Teapot Garden Feature

via Confessions of a Serial Do-It-Yourselfer

Upcycled Animal Containment

Raising animals has become more popular in the last decade, particularly as the horrors of factory farming have come to light. Creating upcycle homes for your animals takes a bit of elbow grease, but it’s worth it in the end. Just be warned — there are definitely pallets in your future.

16. Building Chicken Coops From Upcycled Materials

via Neighborhood Notes

17. 9 Tips to Upcycle an Old Vehicle into a Chicken Tractor

via Hobby Farms

18. How to Build a Pallet Pig Fence

via Realeyes Homestead

19. How to Make a Pallet Goat Barn

via the Owner-Builder Network

20. Pallet Barn

via Jetson Green

An Upcycled House

From upcycling your clothes to upcycling your furniture, there are so, so, SO many ways to upcycle in your home. However, have you ever considered living in an upcycled house? Folks have been coming up with some pretty genius ways to use upcycled materials to build their homes, and the results are truly amazing.

21. 30 Stunning Shipping Container Homes

via Digital Trends

22. 7 Things You Need to Know Before Building a Shipping Container Home

via Corkd

23. Upcycled Silo Homes

via Decoist

24. Tiny Home Made From Recycled Pallets

via Wimp

25. The Bus House: the Ultimate Act of Upcycling?

via Sustain a Blog

26. DIY Bus Conversion: Before You Get Started

via Shalom Mama

27. Salvaged Building Materials Can Be Real Deals. Here’s How to Know

via Houselogic

28. How to Use Salvaged Building Materials in New Construction

via This Old House

Upcycling on the homestead helps to reduce needless waste, kicks your creativity up a notch, and saves money to boot. By putting your mind to completing even a few of these projects, not only will you give your home character unlike any other, you’ll also be helping the planet. What’s better than that?

Still up for one more upcycling idea for your homestead? Then check out this video from Homesteading Ways.

Thanks for checking our Upcycled Homesteading post! Did you find it helpful and interesting? Let us know in the comments below.

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