Preparedness
With the onset of the financial crisis, many of us undertook the task of becoming more resilient by packing up buckets of various and sundry foodstuffs like grains, beans, rice, etc. The thought occurred to me that, being a Shameless Carnivore, I would rather starve than live off of rice and beans forever. Well, okay, maybe that’s just a little dramatic, but hopefully you get the point. While packing up my grain buckets, it became clear to me that my food security was inadequate for long-term food viability. Not only was it limited in variety, but also in quantity — it was not sustainable long-term because it wasn’t feasibly reproducible.
Clearly fresh meat was what was lacking, but more importantly was the ability to reproduce that meat. Therefore, critters on the hoof were the obvious solution, or ‘meals-on-wheels.’ While just about everyone who’s preppin’ (and many who aren’t) has chickens, one of the most overlooked critters is the rabbit. Whether you just want some homegrown, organic meat or are a serious prepper, the rabbit has much to recommend it as a staple in your plans.
Resiliency with Rabbits
by earthwiseWith the onset of the financial crisis, many of us undertook the task of becoming more resilient by packing up buckets of various and sundry foodstuffs like grains, beans, rice, etc. The thought occurred to me that, being a Shameless Carnivore, I would rather starve than live off of rice and beans forever. Well, okay, maybe that’s just a little dramatic, but hopefully you get the point. While packing up my grain buckets, it became clear to me that my food security was inadequate for long-term food viability. Not only was it limited in variety, but also in quantity — it was not sustainable long-term because it wasn’t feasibly reproducible.
Clearly fresh meat was what was lacking, but more importantly was the ability to reproduce that meat. Therefore, critters on the hoof were the obvious solution, or ‘meals-on-wheels.’ While just about everyone who’s preppin’ (and many who aren’t) has chickens, one of the most overlooked critters is the rabbit. Whether you just want some homegrown, organic meat or are a serious prepper, the rabbit has much to recommend it as a staple in your plans.
With spring upon us and the warming of the earth, many readers are getting the urge and itch to get outside and start planting a garden. Whether your garden is large enough to feed a community or just big enough to supplement your everyday fresh greens addiction, at some point you will need a supply of potting soil. From container herb gardens to the square-foot garden method, potting soil will need to be on hand. High-quality potting soil is an essential component to a successful garden season because it provides the foundational medium in which your plants will start and continue to grow in. In this article I discuss the process and recipe that I have used for many years for making great potting soil. I hope to provide you with ideas on how to make the best mix for your garden and ways to save money in the future.
The Recipe
The following is an excellent general seed starting mix and transplant mix. For plants that might require a lighter mix, use a 2-1-1 ratio of the following ingredients.
Mix the following ingredients together in a sealable bag or container to maintain moisture if potting mix is to be stored for any length of time.
- 3 parts Peat Moss
- 1 part Compost (can be a combo of compost and worm castings if you have a worm bin available)
- 1 part Perlite
Making Potting Mix
by JWWith spring upon us and the warming of the earth, many readers are getting the urge and itch to get outside and start planting a garden. Whether your garden is large enough to feed a community or just big enough to supplement your everyday fresh greens addiction, at some point you will need a supply of potting soil. From container herb gardens to the square-foot garden method, potting soil will need to be on hand. High-quality potting soil is an essential component to a successful garden season because it provides the foundational medium in which your plants will start and continue to grow in. In this article I discuss the process and recipe that I have used for many years for making great potting soil. I hope to provide you with ideas on how to make the best mix for your garden and ways to save money in the future.
The Recipe
The following is an excellent general seed starting mix and transplant mix. For plants that might require a lighter mix, use a 2-1-1 ratio of the following ingredients.
Mix the following ingredients together in a sealable bag or container to maintain moisture if potting mix is to be stored for any length of time.
- 3 parts Peat Moss
- 1 part Compost (can be a combo of compost and worm castings if you have a worm bin available)
- 1 part Perlite
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