Category Archives: skills
Making Money From Home
This is one of the most popular questions I get. How to make money from home so you can homestead or prep more or just feel safer in general. There are several ways, some of which I use myself, some that make minimal money and some that can make exponentially more. Let’s get started.
-Start a home business. In this day in age, just about anyone can start an online business from selling products like I do, to providing consulting, making websites or writing. Find something you like to do!
-Sell on ebay, etsy or craigslist. Many people have things laying around that they no longer need but don’t necessarily want to get rid of. Why not make a little bit of extra money for your clutter? I have a friend that sells her children’s outgrown clothes by the bag online and she makes a killing.
-Maintenance. Mow lawns, shovel snow, paint houses, whatever you can. This may seem juvenile but you can really make quite a bit of money helping out elderly neighbors or people with young kids that don’t have the time themselves.
-Pet sitting. Like animals? You can offer your services as a pet sitter on websites such as craigslist but it will look much more professional to design a website. Put up signs in pet stores, at your vet and in grocery stores in your area.
-Metal scrapping. In my city, several people drive around on garbage days, taking metal objects out of the trash, this may or may not be legal where you are so be careful, and please don’t steal, but scrap metal can pull in quite a bit of extra funds. Don’t want to drive around? Place a free ad online or in your local paper for free junk metal removal
-Online surveys. This is something I’ve been doing for years. You do have to be careful as some survey companies are pretty shifty but once you find the good ones, stick with them and build up your points. Most survey companies pay out via cheque or PayPal. I generally make a couple hundred dollars a year and cash out around the winter holidays. Not much, I know, but if you’re online anyways, its not a bad way to kill some time.
Have something that works for you? Be sure to share it in the comments!
Using the Tomato Harvest: Salsa!
Every year, I make my own salsa and can it. Every year I make more than the previous year and I still haven’t managed to be able to make it last over the winter. My vegetables this year in the garden did terribly, so when I saw that the grocery store had 50 lbs of tomatoes on for $10, I jumped all over that chance.
Here’s my favorite salsa recipe. I got it originally from my friend Judy (may she rest in peace) and altered it because she doesn’t add nearly enough heat for my family.
Salsa:
8 cups of Roma tomatoes (peeled and chopped)
4 cups onions, chopped
4 cups sweet peppers, chopped
1/4 cup vinegar
5 cloves garlic (or to taste)
Jalepeno pepper or to taste (I usually add a lot of jalepenos and Thai chilies but we like it really spicy)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp oregano (to taste)
1/2 tsp coriander
2-3 tbsp salt
Cook until veggies are done then add a small can of tomato paste. Cook for another
5-10 minutes then put into sterilized jars. Place your filled jars in a water bath canner and process for 20 minutes.
Home canned foods can last a long time but are usually best if consumed within a year to 18 months of canning.
Prepping for Feminine Hygiene
This is a subject that I haven’t really seen a lot of information on out there so I thought I’d let you all know what I do to prepare for those fun once a month times. Men, you may want to stick around too. (Got women in your family? Need something to barter?)
A while ago, I started a non-profit organization that makes and sends reusable menstrual pads to women in need. Before sending my first package (it went to Africa), I decided I can’t very well send a product that I don’t know anything about so I tried them for myself and never looked back.
The premise is simple. Why fill your valuable shelf space with packages and packages of plastic pads and tampons that you will only use once and then throw away. (Throw away where? Now a days to the dump where your biological material can seep out into the water system- gross. Or after an emergency, well I guess you could burn or bury it). I found a simple pattern online (using an envelope style pad with an insert) and make the pads from donated sheets, pyjamas etc. When done with it, throw it in the wash (or to avoid stains, soak in cold water first).
So, we’re saving space and the environment so far (not to mention the almighty dollar!!) Find a pattern online, sew together some pads and hang on to them. Even if you don’t want to use them now (or you’re a guy, or your daughters are too young) it’s not a bad idea to have a sustainable option for when you might need it. Again, you can barter with these if you don’t need them for yourself. My non-profit runs a program where if you buy one pad, one gets donated (we also just donate anyways but its nice to have a little bit of help in the running costs).
Want to make your own? There’s plenty of free patterns out there and most people have an old flannel shirt or something they can part with.
Not crafty? You can buy reusable pads here and menstrual cups here
Starting Seeds
Starting seeds doesn’t have to be rocket science. You don’t need green houses and heat lamps. Kindergarten children plant beans in their classrooms to learn about spring time.
All you need is a cup, some paper towels or napkins, some water and a window sill.
I use clear plastic party cups to start my seeds. I stuff a little bit of brown paper towel in the bottom and then add water. I let the paper towel absorb as much water as it can, then pour any extra out. I put two or three seeds in each cup then set the cup in a warm, sunny window sill. After a couple days to a week, the seeds should start showing some signs of life. If they haven’t, don’t give up, recently my cantaloupes took almost three weeks to start sprouting. Keep your paper towels moist (but don’t drown your little roots) and wait. Once your plant has developed a good size tap root (the biggest root in the middle that the other roots sprout from), carefully pull the plants out of the cups and put into some good quality potting soil until it’s warm enough to plant outside.
This is how we start the majority of our seeds. Currently we’ve got every window sill full of beans, peas, carrots, peppers, chilies, butternut squash, sunflowers, radishes, cucumbers and countless herbs. This is also great for any little helpers you might have hanging around (children, grandkids?), they usually get very excited to see their little projects grow.
I’ve personally used these seeds in the past and was very pleased with quality.
Reusable Crocheted Bandages
Reusable Crocheted Bandages
I’d like to start out by saying this is not my pattern, I lay no claim to it. I got it from @yycbusymom and she got it somewhere else. If it’s your pattern, let me know.
So anyways, the idea is to make a bandage that is durable and reusable in a SHTF scenario. These bandages are easily made and can be boiled or bleached or washed to use again. Obviously there is a concern about blood borne diseases but I wouldn’t be reusing one unless I knew who it was on and what they have/don’t have. So family yes, strangers no, you can keep it, it’s really ok.
To make these bandages you need a 2mm sized crochet hook (get a basic set here) and #10 cotton crochet thread. (here’s what I use: Crochet thread )
To start, chain 26 stitches. Turn and single crochet into your last stitch (thereby making your bandage 25 stitches long.) Single crochet across your row. At the end, chain one, turn and single crochet into the first stitch.
Continue to single crochet the bandage until the desired length is reached. (You can do several, some 3′, some more. Yycbusymom was going to do some 10′ in case of a chest wound etc.)
When you’re done, tie off like you normally would, roll the bandage and put it into a plastic bag to protect it. (If you’re like me, you’ll have to wash it first, too much stuff gets on it while you’re making it).
This is a great little project to keep your hands busy. I keep one to work on in my purse so I can do it in waiting rooms, on the bus or wherever I might be.
Another Storage Recipe: Scones!
Here’s another recipe you can make using your food storage. I have made this with dehydrated versions of the ingredients and it works well. This is a traditional Irish scone, passed down through the family.
2.5 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2.5 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 c butter
1 egg
1 c buttermilk to mix. (you can also use water or 2% milk for this, it just tastes way better with buttermilk)
You can add a great deal of different things to these. My favorite is to add cheddar cheese (about a cup worth). I have also added raisins, currants, lemon zest, garlic powder, poppy seeds, etc, etc.
Mix it into a thick dough. (You may need to add more milk or more flour). Roll out to 1/4″ – 1/2″ thick. Bake at 375* F for 12-15 minutes.
Enjoy!
Basic Bread
I wanted to share with you a simple bread recipe. I use this recipe all the time at home and it is really easy to make with things that most people have in their long term food storage.
The recipe:
1 lb flour (regular, all purpose flour or whole wheat)
2 tsp of yeast (we keep our yeast in the fridge once opened)
1 tbsp salt
1.5 cups of warm water (not hot)
Mix your ingredients to form a dough and knead for about 10 minutes.
Place your dough in a greased bowl (I use olive oil to lightly coat the inside of a mixing bowl). Cover the bowl with a towel and put it in a warm place for about an hour to let the dough rise.
After the dough has risen and roughly doubled in size, preheat the oven to 500* F.
Punch down the dough and shape it. (It doesn’t have to be pretty. I’ve down round loaves, baguettes, regular loaves and buns with this recipe.)
Place in the oven and turn it down to 450*F. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it rest for at least 20-30 minutes before cutting. It is still cooking during this resting period.
Cut and enjoy. Bread may not be glamorous but in a SHTF situation, it can keep you alive and stretch out any sort of stew or soup you may be eating.
Simple Jar Candles
There are a lot of ways to make candles. This is only one of them and it is fairly simple. You can get fancier if you want, but this is survival and preparedness, not a dinner party. As such, I have not included instructions for colorants or scents.
Needed:
A jar … you can use anything from baby food jars to pickle jars and mason jars are great, I’ve used small jars that I got at a dollar store, but I’ll use a small mason jar to show you. I like jars because they have lids and can be kept dry but feel free to use anything such as a milk carton, a tea cup or an old washed apple juice tin.
Wax: beeswax, paraffin, old used candles anything! I’ll show you how to use recycled wax since it’s easy and cheap. Paraffin is easily found at a grocery store with the canning supplies (it’s not usually used for candle making but will do in a pinch. It has a lower melting point than candle paraffin that’s all) Pictured: old candles about to be chopped.
Wick: I buy these from a wholesaler but you can get them at craft shops or make them with string but the string doesn’t work as well as a proper wick. The easiest thing is to use a wick that has the metal piece at the bottom. ( Get wicks here )
Pot and bowl: I usually use a container specifically for melting wax but most people will be fine with using a bowl over a pot of very warm water. You don’t want the water to be boiling over and you don’t want to heat the wax directly over a heat source because the wax can ignite at a very low temperature.
Safety Notice: Hot wax can burn! If you get it on yourself, run cold water over it and then peel off the hardened wax. If your wax catches fire while on the stove (never happened to me but you never know…) DO NOT USE WATER to put out the flames! Turn off your heat source and smother the flames with a pot lid or fire blanket etc. I shouldn’t have to say this but I am not responsible for what you do! If you hurt yourself during this project, you are on your own and I am not liable.
Put a pot of water on the stove at a medium heat. Put bowl over the pot. Cut wax into smaller pieces to allow quicker melting. Do not allow your wax to get past 170 degrees Fahrenheit. While the wax is melting, heat up your jars a bit. I usually use another pot of water to do this. You want the jars to be warm when the wax goes in to prevent the glass from cracking and to let the wax set nicely; otherwise it pulls away from the jar as it dries.
When wax is melted, use a ladle or something similar to pour the wax slowly and gently into the warmed jars (make sure you dry them off inside first). Let them sit until hardened. (probably a few hours for all of the wax to be completely set.
Pictured: my finished product… smells vaguely cinnamony (due to old candles being scented).
Knitting for Preppers
I knit. Sometimes for fun, sometimes for gifts, always for entertainment. After talking with some other great prepper ladies, I convinced them, and my family that my hoard of yarn is, in actuality, a prep in itself. I can knit hats, scarves, sweaters and the list goes on.
Where I live, it gets pretty damn cold and in a SHTF situation, not everyone can knit, therefore not everyone will have what they need to stay warm once their original stuff wears out. I think I should be able to barter a blanket or a hat for something I might need, be it a can of soup or a few rounds of ammunition etc.
Now depending on feedback, I may give a quick beginner’s how-to for knitting. But for the meantime, find some basic patterns and make up some stuff. Hats, mitts, blankets etc. Don’t worry about the room they take up, if you put them in freezer bags and squeeze all the air out, they get quite small. Or even better, use a vacuum sealer machine for foods and they’ll get super small.
Doesn’t snow where you are? You could make simple things such as pot holders or wash cloths, a lot of people cooking over fires are going to get burned and will want the protection. How about children’s toys?
Here’s a basic hat pattern my DH’s grandmother taught me:
Cast on 76 stitches (more or less depending on weight of yarn, but keep in mind it stretches well).
I use a size 8US needles for an adult hat, smaller needles for smaller heads. (Get needles here! )
Knit row 1
Purl row 2
Continue alternating in this pattern for around 6 inches.
When ready to decrease, do so on the knit side.
To decrease: knit 5, knit together 2, knit 5, knit together 2 (continue this pattern to end of row)
Purl next row
Knit 4, knit together 2, knit 4, knit together 2 (continue this pattern to end of row)
Purl next row
Continue this pattern
When at end, knit 2 together all across. Then purl row.
Cast off final knit row. Sew together. Voila you have a basic rolled brim hat.
If you don’t like the roll, just knit every row instead of alternating purl rows. If you do this, I find its better to do more than 6 or so inches so that you can fold up the brim for better fit.
These hats are simple to throw together, they don’t take more than a few hours to make one and they are very forgiving if you happen to make any mistakes. Good luck!
BurroakBurrow 