PM's Self Reliance Tools: Critical Errors in Food Preparedness, Crockpot Cake, Uses for Lemons

Poor Man Survival

Self Reliance tools for independent minded people…

ISSN 2161-5543

It isn't what we own or buy that signifies our wealth; it’s the special things that have no price, our family, friends and health.

Lemon Aid

Use lemons to clear up acne, strengthen nails, soften heels and more…

I sure miss living in Arizona. The cost of living is much less and we had a nice grove of citrus trees including lemons, oranges and grapefruit. I usually consumed a gallon of iced tea with lemon a day!

Sure, lemons make a pretty drink garnish and can brighten the flavors of foods, but they also have many handy non-culinary uses thanks to their natural antibacterial, deodorizing and bleaching properties. When life gives you lemons, don’t just make lemonade — put them to good use.

1. Grease Cutter: Because they contain citric acid, lemons cut through grease with ease. Add a few drops of lemon juice to your dish soap to increase its grease-fighting power, or mix 1/2 cup vinegar with the juice of two lemons in a spray bottle for an easy grease-fighting solution. For grease stains on clothing, rub lemon juice into the stain and let sit overnight before washing as normal.

2. Copper Cleaner: Remove tarnish from copper pots or discolored brass by rubbing the surface with half a lemon. Another method: Mix 1/4 cup salt with the juice of a lemon, rub over surface, then let sit for five to 10 minutes before buffing with a clean cloth. Always test a small spot first.

3. Garbage Disposal Cleaner: Banish odors from your garbage disposal by tossing a lemon in and turning it on. If your garbage disposal has a hard time handling large items, chop the lemon into pieces first.

4. Cutting Board Freshener: Disinfect and deodorize cutting boards by rubbing a cut lemon over the surface. Let the juice dry, then wipe clean with water.

5. Hard Water Stain Remover: Rub half a cut lemon over hard water stains and soap buildup in the sink or tub. Dip the lemon in coarse salt beforehand to give it extra scrubbing power. Lemons are also helpful at descaling teapots and removing hard water stains from other appliances that hold water, such as coffeepots. To descale a teapot, boil lemon wedges inside the pot, then let the water sit for a few hours before rinsing out. You can also fill the teapot with diluted lemon juice and let sit for a few hours.

6. White Brightener: A natural bleaching agent, lemons can help you achieve whiter whites in the laundry room. Just add 1/2 cup lemon juice to the rinse cycle. An added bonus — your clothes will smell citrus-fresh!

7. Hair Lightener: Take your hair from dirty blond to beach blond by mixing 1 cup lemon juice (about four lemons) and 1/4 cup warm water in a spray bottle, then liberally spritzing your hair. Lemon’s natural bleaching properties work best when combined with sunshine. Expose your hair to bright sunlight for 30 to 60 minutes before rinsing out the lemon juice and conditioning your hair.

8. Fingernail Cleaner: Lemons work wonders on dirty, grimy fingernails. Just rub a lemon wedge over yellow fingernails to restore their color.

9. Age Spot Eraser: Lemon’s bleaching powers also extend to skin. To reduce the appearance of age spots without harsh chemicals, apply freshly squeezed lemon juice to the spots twice daily for a few months (be sure not to rub lemon juice over cuts or sensitive skin).

10. Sore Throat Soother: Hot tea with lemon is a sore throat folk remedy for good reason: The acid in lemon juice changes the pH balance in your throat, helping to make an inhospitable environment for germs. A good source of vitamin C and antioxidants, lemons also boost the immune system. Lemon works especially well as a sore throat remedy when combined with soothing, antibacterial honey.

11. Hangover Help: Help your body recover from a few too many drinks by mixing a few teaspoons of lemon juice into a glass of water. Lemon encourages the liver to produce bile and helps with the organ’s natural detox process.

12. Food Preserver: Prevent cut fruits such as apples and pears from browning by spritzing them with lemon juice.

13. Cheap Décor: Lemons make lovely and affordable tabletop decorations. Toss a bunch in a bowl for a simple but eye-catching centerpiece.

Critical Errors most make in food preparedness strategies.

Here are the top 12 mistakes you might be making right now in food preparedness and survival strategies for uncertain times:
http://www.naturalnews.com/044026_preppers_food_preparedness_common_mistakes.html

Even city and apartment dwellers can enjoy fresh veggies when they rent a garden plot!
read more here

Long-Term Bulk Storage Grains and Preparedness

Whole grain in bulk is a wise investment for a prepper. Bulk storage whole grains offer the preparer versatility, more compact size, lower cost, improved flavor, and in most cases, much longer storage.With my bulk storage nitrogen-packed grain buckets stacked, I have a six foot tall, 10” x 10” footprint, which yields 4,200 food servings for only $630, or about $0.15 a…

http://www.alloutdoor.com/2014/02/18/long-term-bulk-storage-grains-preparedness-foods/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=2014-02-25&utm_campaign=Weekly+Newsletter

"Why Food Prices Are Going To Start Soaring". California is in an awful drought, levels of cattle herds are at record lows, and grain reserves very tight. If you've been reading this newsletter for very long, none of this is a surprise. There is a lot more to the article which you can read here:

http://growyourowngroceries.org/food-prices-going-to-start-soaring/

Cheap emergency foods we often overlook - yes, you can get 'prepper' foods at the grocery store!
read more here

Studies have shown that fake sugars such as aspartame and sucralose actually trigger insulin spikes and promote fat storage, increasing the risk of weight gain by 65%...most are better off stevia.

Squirrel Fricassee – 2 Servings

I’ve never tried squirrel before…have killed and eaten rattle snake (tastes like chicken). Sharing this from one of our veterinarian friends.

Gray squirrels are better eating than red ones. Use this recipe for either one. Cooks like rabbit, use it in place of chicken or in Brunswick stew.

1 squirrel, cleaned, dressed and disjointed

1 tsp of salt ¼ tsp pepper 3 tbs butter 1 medium onion peeled and diced

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

¼ cup julienne strips of lean ham, ¾ cup chicken broth

¼ cup milk or light cream 1 tbs. flour blended with 1/3 cup milk

Dredge squirrel in mixture of flour, salt and pepper, then brown the butter in saucepan over moderate high heat. Add all but the last ingredient, cover and simmer for an hour until tender. Blend in flour paste and heat, stirring until thickened. Salt and pepper to taste and serve with biscuits.

Also, this is a first for me-Crockpot Cake

Using a box of spice cake mix (follow the directions on the box) I added a half cup of pecans (you can use walnuts) and substituted apple sauce for the oil. Pour the batter into a crockpot and set on low for 2-1/2 hours…Terrific taste while remaining nice and moist. Even better when I added some whipped cream. Ice cream works well too!

Secrets & Shortcuts of a Country Inn Chef – Yours free. I wrote this a few years ago (my wife and I once owned a popular country inn which had been featured on PBS).

If you’d like a condensed version, download it at: http://sdrv.ms/150KRSz

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Witnessing the destruction…

Bruce ‘the Poor Man’

Survival Seed Bank-Non GMO ½ Acre- 8500 Vegetable Seeds

All seeds included are Non-GMO & non-hybrid

8,500 seed count survival seed bank that includes 30 different varieties of delicious, easy to grow vegetables! Also included are instructions for planting, harvesting, and reusing the seed stock. This kit will plant about 1/2 acre in size if spaced correctly.

http://www.bonanza.com/listings/Survival-Seed-Bank-Non-GMO-Acre-8500-Vegetable-Seeds/145759913