Urban Garden - Update #2

In the category of trying to learn something new, here is the latest installment of garden update. With drought and having to water the garden by hand since I can not run the sprinklers the harvest is not what it might be. I've still had fun trying to figure out how to grow stuff and it is weirdly satisfying to eat stuff I grew myself!!

We started this round off looking something like this in my little Urban Garden.

Then we ended up with some stuff growing!!! The broccoli never really did anything. The Hippie came by the house and said the broccoli 'went to seed'? Guess that means we ain't getting none right now. Hahahahaha. The soccer ball was not harmed during the growing of the crops!

The harvest has been going on for a few weeks now. Surprisingly all the food does not get done at the same time!! You know like the grocery store!! hehehe Have had a few issues with one of our little friends around here eating the tomatoes before I can pick them. Not a big deal, ok it was a big deal but I got over it!

Ended up with enough potatoes I did not need to buy any for a few weeks now. Also found out the red ones grow more than the white ones. Had planted less red ones but got just as much as the others.

The celery grew! Had no idea what I was doing with it!

And the most exciting thing for me was I grew some decent onions!!! I know it sounds silly but I have not been able to get the onions to grow to any size worth talking about!!

Next step is to get the dirt ready to try and plant some more stuff. It has really been fun trying to figure out how to grow food. Makes me realize how hard it is to fill those shelves at the grocery store. Also makes me realize how delicate the food supply is.

Waiting for the grapes to ripen. Not sure my second vine is going to grow that much this year, Kids decided to pull the leaves off of it. When they are ready I am going to practice making jam this year. Another skill set I am trying to gain knowledge in. Of course that means I will also get some practice in on treating burns!

Remember learn something new this month! There is always something out there to learn!

As Always,

Stay Safe!  

Planning #7.3 - Guns, hand guns, what to consider

Again we go down the hole to see what there is to see. This time we are going to get a little more detailed on what you should consider when looking to add firearms to your planning. 

As with our other planning we have to tailor the plan to our situation. The amount of money you have to put toward this, your particular situation and the amount of training you have are all factors which need to be considered. 

If you want to have something which is not very complicated, can be stored ready to use for long periods of time and will not break the bank, a revolver might fit the bill. Stored in a good pistol box, you can bolt down to somewhere, you do not have to really think about it. 

Maybe you want something small enough you can carry it on your person and have the ability to reload quickly if needed. A semi-automatic pistol might fit. Some of these can be picked up for only a few hundred dollars. These can also be stored inside of a secure box yet still accessed in a hurry if needed. 

Some pistols are not really good choices if you want to keep them loaded. The magazines have springs inside of them and if they are under pressure (loaded) for extended periods of time the springs go soft and the magazine might not work properly when you want it to. This is why a revolver is a better idea for long term storage. 

Revolvers and pistols are considered close range, 15 feet or less, tools. Some folks consider them only as backup tools. Yet in a confined space, such as your home, they might work better than some of the larger options. These tools are easier to manipulate when there is not much room. They are also easier to carry and of course they are easier to conceal if need be. 

As far as brands to buy and caliber to buy. This all depends on your experience and abilities. If you have little training or no experience a .38 revolver might be your best choice. Something to only be used during an emergency. The tool is easily concealed, range is not very good but if you are only using the tool as a last resort........ you just touch the bad guy with the barrel while you pull the trigger. Down side of this tool the round is not very large and unless you place the barrel in the right places the bad guy can keep fighting. 

  

For most people 9mm is the caliber you want to consider looking for. There are revolvers and pistols in this caliber. Of course revolvers and pistols both come in larger calibers. You can purchase what could be considered a 'hand cannon'. 

For most of us this is far more than we need or could handle. Believe it or not some people even hunt with pistols and revolvers! For most of us this is not a consideration when talking about firearms but nice to know you can utilize this tool for more than one use. Hunting bear with a .38 or anything smaller than a .357 is not such a bright idea!!!!

So let's take hunting with a pistol or revolver off the table for now. Let's focus on what most of us are considering these tools for, self defense and the defense of others. 

There are hundreds of companies which make these tools and I will not get into a 'discussion' about which one is the 'bestest'! Your personal price point will dictate what you purchase. Why wont you discuss the different brands? Because to some folks brands are like religion and no matter what they have a favorite. Remember we are looking for a tool which fits your needs. Let's focus on tools for self defense.

The Beretta M9 or 92f is a fine pistol. Thousands have been made and are in use. For the novice I think this is a good platform to start with. Most fellas out there can easily grip this tool, one drawback for the ladies is some might have trouble wrapping their hands around a full size version. They make smaller versions so this can be worked around. The pistol is reliable, easy to clean and I personally like the safety feature for those with limited experience. You literally can throw this pistol loaded, with the safety on and it will not discharge. (do not ever try this! do not ever ask me how I know this!)

You can purchase other brands and again it is a matter of what you can afford or have experience with. Look for something simple to use. Some pistols come with all sorts of extras, fancy triggers, fancy sights and all types of attachments. If you understand all of these good utilize them but keep in mind battery powered items might not work when you need them. A suggestion would be to keep your tools simple to cut down on the learning curve and chances of something not working. 

Again a revolver might be the best choice for some of us out there. You load the cylinder, close the cylinder and it is ready to go.  

TRAINING, TRAINING, TRAINING!  No matter what tool you add to your planning you absolutely need to be trained to use the tool! You can add a rocket to your tool box but if you do not know how to use it is useless. What kind of training?  

Here is another question were people like to get their feathers ruffled..... Whoever you go to for training their first priority needs to be safety! If they do not spend time ensuring you understand and manifest safety you need to walk away. If they tell you they can turn you into a Navy SEAL, skilled gunfighter in three easy lessons, walk away! Marksmanship should be the the focus after safety. 

You have to handle the tools safely and be able to hit what you are aiming at before you can do all the other 'high speed, low drag' stuff people want to learn how to do. What people forget is in order to do all the 'fun' stuff you have to have a solid foundation to work from.

If the person you go to does not offer some type of classes which increase your skill set over time just walk away. There really is not rules people have to follow when they decide to call themselves firearms instructors and as with other things some people might be able to do but have no idea how to teach.  

You have to have a solid foundation before you should even be shown a position like this one.

Most folks should never, never be put in this situation!!!!!!

 Most of us will never reach a level of training where this is appropriate!!! This level of confidence takes years to reach. If you find someone offering to show you how to do these types of things in a "Easy to learn, complete gunfighter system, you can master in just one weekend!" walk away!!! 

Ok, this one is getting long! Let's come back up for some air! Remember you need to tailor your planning to your situation. This carries over to what type of tools you add to your abilities. Take the time to research what fits your needs. Take the time to find a good instructor. Take the time to train! The time you spend now will be the difference if you ever need this skill set. 

As Always,

Stay Safe! 

     

Urban Garden - update #1

Not my garden!

I was reading up on gardening, trying to learn something new, when I came across a term I liked. The writer was describing how sometimes you do not find all of the potatoes growing under ground and if you leave them they become "volunteers" which will grown on their own. Knowing I probably missed a few and having some littles ones left which I randomly buried I wanted to see if this worked.

With almost no watering, I kind of on purpose forgot to water them most weeks and relied on the limited rain we have had I wanted to see what would happen. After a few weeks I was surprised to see leaves poking out of the ground!!!

Only after there was signs of life did I water the ground a little more often. Even then I was purposely seeing how little water, besides what fell from the sky, I could use. (of course the water falling from the sky is a scary thing for those of us in Southern California!) One thing I have learned since trying to be an urban farmer is when to pull the potatoes from the ground. The plant starts to die and you know it is time to dig. Of course digging is always the fun part, kind of like a grown up easter egg hunt!

Trying to grow even the little garden I have really gives you an appreciation for how much work goes into growing our food. Knowing how many plants I have put into the ground which did nothing and realizing there is a lot to learn about I appreciate the full grocery stores I can walk into a lot more. Growing enough food by yourself to feed your family is a full time job!!!

The harvest of my volunteers is not very large. Even the harvest from before was not very much and only lasted about a week or two. What you see in these pictures would last a meal. Which is why I am amazed when you start to think about how much food someone has to grow in order to feed us all. Someone has to work all day at producing enough food for the rest of us to eat. If we had to grow our own food we would not have time to do whatever it is we do for a living. You could not spend all day in an office if you had to worry about the fields you tried to feed your family from.  

I plan on trying to work the soil a little, turn it over stuff like that, and then use these to see what I can grown in a couple of weeks. If I come across any 'Seed Potatoes' at Home Depot I will pick some up. The next time I plant will be to see how much food I can grow. Which means I will water them, cover them with wire to keep the cats and raccoons at bay and really see how much I can get out of my little spot.

We all have something we are good at. Why not learn something new? Take some time to learn something you know nothing about. I promise it will be rewarding, just as I have found my little garden to be fun and rewarding!!!

As Always,

Stay Safe!

Communications (do not need to)

Being able to communicate with others is an ability most of us take for granted. We talk to others every day. Some of us spend too much time using our phones and computers to communicate with others via social media. Some of us are tethered to our phones due to work. Most of us take this ability to reach out and communicate with others for granted. We really do not think about all the things which have to work right to allow us to communicate as easily with each other as we do.

This ability to call someone around the globe is new. Some of us just might be “experienced” enough to remember when communicating with others around the globe or across town was not as simple as now. Not that long ago, people did not walk around with portable phones in their purse or pocket. Everyone did not stare at their phone while walking, driving and when you sat down to eat you might have even spoken to the people around you. What can we remember from the “old days” to help us should something happen to interfere with our ability to instantly communicate with family or friends?

Picture a situation in which your phone and internet does not work. Ok, some of you might have to take a deep breath and calm down after thinking about this. Heck your phone battery could just run out of juice and you are not able to charge your phone!!!! Welcome to the world 20 years or so ago.

A few simple habits can cover this emergency and others:
1) Let people know where you are going
2) Set a time you are going to return
3) Go home

If you’re leaving the house let folks you live with know. In most cases should something come up this lets them know where you should be or at the very least where you might be at. Knowing where you are at can help calm people down during an emergency. Gives people one less thing to worry about. If your loved ones can think “She’s at the mall.” Instead of “I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE SHE IS! OH MY GOD WHERE IS SHE?” their ability to deal with whatever the situation improves.

Having a time for your return works the same way. If you’re supposed to be home at five o’clock and something comes up at three o’clock your loved ones are less likely to get really worried until after five o’clock. This is especially true if you are home at the same time every night. Even if you are just going to the mall let folks know when you plan on being home. Say maybe an hour or two. Something happens they won’t get really worried until after the time frame passes.

Making these two ideas a habit is really easy and can aid your family in mentally dealing with a situation when one arises. Putting off an overwhelming sense of panic for even an hour or two can make the difference in what your loved ones can do during an emergency. If they are not worried about you they can take proactive steps to improve their own situation.

This last one is a simple one and can be the answer to most situations you and your loved ones might face. Go home, something happens, GO HOME! Phone not working, go home. Car breaks down, go home. With the exception of a few emergencies the answer of what to do is GO HOME! If we tell all of our loved ones this is the standard answer to an emergency than no matter what happens we know our family is doing one thing. Everyone is trying to get home!

If we practice these ideas of letting people know where we are going, when we are planning on being back and agree to come home as our initial rally point we can separate ourselves from having to rely on electronic devices to communicate during an emergency. Having these ideas in place also allows us to "communicate" with our loved ones without actually having to.

As Always,

Stay Safe!!!

Building a tiled roof hut

I had to share this! This fella makes very interesting videos. They way he uses the environment around him is amazing!! Of course for some people these things are common knowledge yet for most of us we have no idea how to build anything like this. Make sure and read the description he gives of the video. The build took 108 days!! He also points out all the tools he uses are from previous videos. So please do not think this is something you could do in a weekend!!!!

Enjoy the video!

As Always,

Stay Safe!!

Suburban garden - mine

Skills and abilities are something you take with you everywhere; no tools are needed to retain knowledge and learning a new skill is fun. This is where my little garden comes into play. My particular skill set, “Skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you.” extra points if you know what movie the quote is from, does not make me a farmer or even a gardener. Which is one of the reasons I have tried my hand at gardening or as the joke goes around here ‘working the farm’!

I have to admit it is not easy to grow things but is exciting when you see things grow and really exciting when you dig in the ground and find food you have grown!!! If you have never tended a garden or even tried to grow something in the windowsill I would strongly suggest you give it a try!!!
For some of us there is very limited room, we live in the city, in an apartment or our cookie cutter houses seem to close together. Almost all of us can find a window or strip of dirt we can transform into our own private farm!!! Start with just some herbs in the windowsill and work your way up from there. Using whatever space you can find.

I started in the windowsill with herbs, moved on to pots along the side of the house and now have my ‘farm’ along a strip of dirt which had an ornamental bush taking up space. For me starting small got me in the habit of watering something. Trust me the death toll was high when I first tried to grow anything!!! I’ve been trying to turn all of the plants in the backyard into food producers while not interfering with the back yard still being a backyard. Meaning I have not dug up the whole yard and put in rows of crops, the yard still functions as a place the kids can play and we can hang out in.

"The Farm"

As in learning any skill I spent a lot of time researching how to grow things and really just learning what I did wrong the last time. I also had to learn to can what I was growing but that is a post for another day! This week I decided to harvest my bounty off the farm!! Some of the plants were wilting and the bugs had found them. I also couldn’t wait any more to see how I had done!!! Drum roll……..

We managed to grow about five pounds of potatoes, some onions (still not sure how to grow them), a bunch of sage for cooking and even some blackberries!!!

We still have to see how the peppers are going to do and the strawberry plant I thought was dead was just hiding under the potato leaves!!! Tomato plant is growing, the grape vine has several bundles of grapes, we have to wait to see what the apricot tree and apple tree are going to do this year. I'm reading up on how to start another grape vine from scratch, trying to figure out what else to plant and today I will be drying some of the booty from the farm for storage!!! I also have to rework the rain collection system. I put it together in a hurry awhile back and have been using the water to water the plants, we are still in a drought here in California.

As you can probably figure out I have fun learning how to grow food, store food and it is exciting to get out my 'element' to learn new skills!!! If you have skill in the garden step out your comfort zone and learn something new, if you have no skill in the garden step out of your comfort zone and try your hand at something new! As an added bonus get the kids involved as much as they are able to. Nothing beats the look in a child's eye when they dig in the dirt and find a potato!!!

As Always,

Stay Safe!!!

Do it yourself food storage

The best food you can eat is the freshest food, the best food you can store is the food you will eat and the cheapest way to do both is to grow and store the food yourself.

We’ve been looking at food storage as a step by step process or in a tier format. This would be the last tier but does not have to be done last. You can start this portion of your planning at any stage. Heck you can start today!

In addition to adding to your pantry or emergency supplies you should add to your skills and knowledge base. Some of us might already know how to plant a garden, know how to ‘can’ our own foods or other such skills. I for one had no idea how to do any of these things!!!! In our modern times few of us know how to grow our own food or utilize the resources around us. We go to the market and food is just there…….. With this in mind; having the ability to grow (learned when your family does not ‘need’ the food) your own food is a skill few of us know how to do anymore!!!

“I do not know how to grow anything; I have nowhere to grow anything!”

This is the idea, learn how to grow something and find somewhere to grow something. The internet is full of information on how to grow food stuff!!! You can find literal hundreds of ideas on how, what and where to grow things. Does not matter if you live on the twentieth floor of an apartment building or in the suburbs, there is something you can grow!! Start small, find a window which has sunlight for most the day. Maybe you can put a pot or two in the window or maybe on the roof of the apartment building? Maybe there is that unused strip of dirt along the side of your house? If you start looking there will be a spot you can find.

Start small maybe just some parsley or other herbs in the window sill. Just to get in the habit of watering something every day. Then once you have grown these, a pot with tomatoes or onions or peppers? Find out what grows in your local area and try to grow what you know will grow. You want to give yourself the best chance at success! Do not try to grow too much too soon or you will become discouraged when all your plants die!!! I know this from firsthand knowledge!!!!

Bring the kids in on the growing of food, make it a fun time digging in the dirt, let them help water the plants and watch how excited they get when you harvest!!! Of course how much they can ‘help’ depends on their age. What you want to do is try to give them a skill set you might be learning from scratch but might just be what they need later in their lives!!! Plus it is fun to get dirty with the kids!!!

Look around your home. What plants are growing you can use? Our home came with an apple and apricot trees. I had no idea how to grow either, the internet helped me out! Now we have apples we do not have to buy at the store and I figured out how to make jam with the apricots!!! We had a neighbor who would bring oranges over and we would give them apricots. They would make apricot brandy??? We give away the apricot jam to friends and family.

Lemon trees, orange trees and others can be grown in pots and everything you grow on your own does not have to be bought at the store. Money you can use elsewhere. Of course most of us do not want to turn our yards into farms but there are things you can grow which do not take away from the beauty of your space and give you something you can use. We have apples, apricots, blackberries, onions, sage, potatoes and grapes growing in our yard!!! Grapes for making jelly not wine; although I’m sure someone in the house rather we grow wine grapes!!!!

This may sound generic but there really is something to be said for growing your own food and using the food to cook with. A certain joy in knowing you grew what you are using. It is hard to explain but once you do it you will understand!!

Remember we are trying to have enough food available for just ‘one more meal’ and the food you can grow in your own space might make the difference for your family and you!!! Go out and try it, learn a new skill set and have some fun!!!!!

As Always,

Stay Safe