August 31, 2011 by Connie Lacelle.

Did you know there are about 300 types of dandelions? And that there are no poisonous look-alikes? How do you tell them apart? Well, one thing is that if  the back of the main stem of the dandelion leaf is smooth rather than hairy or fuzzy, it’s probably a dandelion rather than one of its look-alikes. When I get around to stalking some of my own that will make me feel a whole lot better!

Sergei Boutenko hosts this 3 minute clip about dandelions and ends it with a demonstration of making dandelion pesto. Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UebH2Pb-18s

If you’re looking to educate yourself about wild edibles, Sergei has a Wild Edibles Web App that you can register for at:

 http://sergeiboutenko.com/wildediblesapp/

Enjoy!

Connie

Posted in Wild Edibles | Print | No Comments »

August 31, 2011 by Connie Lacelle.

You’ve heard that dandelions are good to eat, but have you dared to do it yet? This 2 minute video from Boutenko Films might give you the courage you need:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jejS08m28zw

Connie (who is still preserving stuff from the garden but wanted to give you something, ’cause it’s been 5 months!)

Posted in Wild Edibles | Print | No Comments »

March 28, 2011 by Connie Lacelle.

Just read a very interesting article at Off the Grid News, and thought you would find it compelling as well. The article is called “Prepper Baking 101: Making Your Own Yeast.” Did you know you can make sourdough starter using crushed grapes or other fruit, like tomatoes? And use potato water to start and feed your starter? Or that you can dehydrate your starter so that you have some ready-to-use when you arrive at your bugout place?

One of the people who commented on the article also provided a link to a source of sourdough recipes made in a bread machine.

Do check it out!

Posted in Sourdough | Print | No Comments »

March 17, 2011 by Connie Lacelle.

Another short note about Solutions From Science. This one is about what they call the “Crisis Cooker.” I’ve seen this advertised elsewhere as the Volcano Stove–and I want one! For a modest price we can have an emergency cooking stove that can use propane (with the appropriate attachments), charcoal briquettes (which I would have to start stocking up on), or wood (that I would scrounge from my environment). It can accomodate various cooking styles from a dutch oven to a grill, and it packs into a convenient carrying case for travel. Do check it out!

Posted in Tools & Equipment | Print | No Comments »

March 17, 2011 by Connie Lacelle.

Just a quick note today because I’m still in catch-up mode. I just wanted to let you know that I signed up as an affiliate with Solutions From Science because I really like the various emergency solutions they offer and I thought you might, also. I’ve been watching these folks for awhile, but the thing that prompted me to finally jump through the affiliate hoop was their recent discount offer on Wise Food Storage. Can’t find that info right now, sorry, but if you are paying any attention at all to the news you will know that having an emergency food storage plan in place is important–even without discount codes. Do check out Solutions From Science’s Food Storage Solutions page. Maybe this solution is for you!

Posted in Food Storage | Print | No Comments »

January 25, 2011 by Connie Lacelle.

How into preparedness are you?

If you are really into preparing for the worst case scenario, you will want to check out a new Yahoo group that I just found. It’s new to me, of course, but it’s also new to Yahoo. These people have obviously been around and prepping for awhile. You can tell by all the great info they have amassed and made available to group members.

This is a very busy group with lots of posts, so I highly recommend you subscribe to individual e-mails so that you can quickly scan subject lines and discover those you want to read and save, and simply delete the others. I made the mistake of subscribing to daily digests when I joined. Phew, that’s a lot of stuff to read and make decisions about! Individual e-mails will be easier to sort and forward. (Or, of course, you can just visit the site and collect the information without getting e-mails…)

Either way, please do check out Hard Core Preppers!

Posted in Prepping | Print | No Comments »

January 13, 2011 by Connie Lacelle.

Whooohoooo, I just found a goldmine!

I finally made time to check out Linda Runyon’s new website and it is awesome! You can peruse the website and get a lot out of it, but if you register (free) you can get a whole lot more! So I did.

One of the things I found is a page of links to radio shows where Runyon is interviewed on a number of wild edible topics–things like: being prepared for emergencies, wild food recipes, lambsquarters and meadowsweet, essential wild foods, survival lessons for children, poisonous look-alikes, nettles, wild food to flour, how to organize becoming a wild food expert, how to eat your pine tree, rules & tools for collecting. I’m going to busy for awhile….

Here’s how you can find your way to this goldmine. Go to: 

1. Of The Field and register for the forum
2. Forager’s Forum
3. Other Resources
4. Radio shows
5. Links to Linda’s Radio Shows
6. Whatever show you want to listen to. The very first one was September 5, 2007 and as I write this the most current is January 3, 2011.

If you decide to register we can be buddies in the Of The Field Forager’s Forum. I am known there as “Connies Nic”.

Happy foraging…

Posted in Wild Edibles | Print | No Comments »

December 16, 2010 by Connie Lacelle.

Folks, you’ve really got to sign up for David Morris’s “Survive in Place” course! This is the ultimate in preparedness information!

We signed up in September for the 12 week course which provides online access to downloadable and printable materials, audio lessons, e-mail newsletters, several bonuses, access to a members forum, and a copy of the book “Urban Survival Guide.” I gave my husband the book and I collected the internet material. Mike has been reading the book and really likes it. Once he’s finished reading it, he plans to read it again and start doing all the exercises and apply the advice one step at a time. It’s that good.

Today I saved all the files and printed off all the documents (double-sided) and filled a 2″ binder. Can’t wait to really get into and read everything. I’m sure we’ll listen to all the audio lessons together. There is so much meat in this course!

Check it out at Survive in Place. Now. Before any more time passes. And any more disasters come your way.

Posted in Survival, Prepping | Print | No Comments »

December 9, 2010 by Connie Lacelle.

 Did you know that what the Bible refers to as “hyssop” is oregano? And that oregano is exceptionally good for your health?

This week I watched a short YouTube series put online by Kevin Gianni who attended a retreat where Dr. Cass Ingram was the speaker. The retreat was held at God’s Lake in northern Manitoba. Go Canada!!  Yesterday’s video was about How to Find and Harvest Chaga Mushrooms and today’s was on Wild Foods and Herbs for Healing. Kevin filmed their jaunts through the woods as they hunted down these things. I thought you might find them interesting and useful, especially if you live in Canada.

Disclaimer: I do not agree 100% with anyone or any website even if I do recommend something on it. Preparedness requires gleaning useful information wherever it is available.

Oregano can be purchased through Paul Nison’s Raw Life online store. Check it out!

Posted in Herbs, Wild Edibles | Print | No Comments »

November 18, 2010 by Connie Lacelle.

I just watched a short video at Blackbird Naturals that I thought you might find helpful, because it contains photos of some of the superfood plants we hear a lot about these days. Having some of these growing on your property really ought to be a good way to be prepared for hard times, I’m thinking. Last year I wanted to designate a portion of our yard for useful wildflowers but Mike thought I would be taking on too much. He was right; I was kept very busy with all the raised beds we added this year and all the extra vegetables we grew–and dehydrating most of the produce. Perhaps we can try the wildflower idea next year –well, at least a few new superfood plants…

I was especially interested in this video because I just received three packages of seeds that had been grown at Blackbird which I purchased through Paul Nison’s Raw Life online store. How many seed vendors sell superfood seeds? Not many, I’d wager, so finding these on Paul’s site was awesome! There are many more types of seeds available, but for now I thought I’d try out this 3-seed package: astragalus, maca, and calendula.  

According to the seed packages (nifty little metal cans that remind me of sardines), the astragalus is an adaptogen that helps your immune system, the maca is an adaptogen what contains B1 and B12 fatty acids, and the calendula contains flavonoids that assists with wound healing.

Disclaimer: I do not agree 100% with anyone or any website even if I do recommend something on it. Preparedness requires gleaning useful information wherever it is available. So visit the website, use the seeds, and spit out the rhetoric.

If you have tried growing astragalus, maca and/or calendula, please share! I can use all the help I can get.

Posted in Superfood, Herbs | Print | 1 Comment »