If you’ve never seen one before, it’s a corn sheller.  You feed the corn through the hole while turning the crank and a naked cob comes out the other side - the shelled corn falls out the bottom into a bucket.  The machinery inside is cast iron and the gears inside strip the corn off with very little work.  Here’s a picture of a more modern, cast iron sheller:

So, I was thinking about this last night and how hand a tool like this would be.  A hand grinder is on most true preppers lists, but what about shelling corn?  I do not want to spend my evenings breaking the kernels off corn cobs.  This could be a good job for the kids, but why do it manually when the technology has been around since the 1700’s?  We used to run walnuts that still had the outside hull on them through and then dry them to eat.  I’m sure there are 100 other uses for this handy crank.  The newer, all iron version is available for just under $100 and to me is probably an essential piece of equipment if you want to raise your own food.  Corn is a North American staple, but you have to be able to get it from field to table as efficiently as possible.  You could probably scout some antique sales and craigslist for antique versions - if they’ve lasted 100 years, they’ll probably last 50 more.  I think my Dad picked his up for less than $40 at a flea market. 

I haven’t written much about the tools we’ll need if there is a long-term disaster.  Stay tuned for more!

Water - this is your #1 priority, you will not live without it, have more than you think you’ll need

Food- have enough for at least 3 weeks, preferably more

First Aid Supplies - at least the basics; bandages, antibiotic ointment and painkillers

Safety Equipment - flashlights, radio, extra batteries

Comfort Items - games and non-electric toys to keep the kids busy, books - a solar charger could keep a DS working and the kids happy

If all the information about preparing overwhelms you, take a weekend and pull together these basic items.  You’ll be glad you did and it could be the difference between a disaster being an inconvenience and a death sentence.

I’ve become interested in researching how some of the original Native Americans survived for decades in the same areas we live now, but without all the modern conveniences.  We can take a page from their history in how to provide ourselves shelter with local wild materials if necessary.

Eastern Woodland Indians mostly built longhouses using young, bendable trees for the support structure and large pieces of bark for a covering.  They left air holes in the ceiling and sides for smoke ventilation.  These holes had flaps that could be closed when it rained or was very cold.  They also erected tall pole fences which kept unwanted guests away and made the house more defensible against attack.

Smaller, wood structured wigwams were sometimes used in wooded areas.  These too were made by bending young trees, or standing up logs and then covering with bark or animal skins. 

Navajos built hogans which are very similar to wigwams, but often included mud and bark which made them more permanent structures.

Tipis (teepees) were used by the plains Indians and are what most of us associate with Native American culture.  They were constructed of stout poles with animal skins or canvas stretched over, leaving a flap in the front for a door.  If you were able to find a tarp or canvas, this would be the easiest and most portable shelter to build.

When putting together your preps, don’t forget items for use as your bug-out shelter.  4-season tents are very versatile and will keep you protected from the elements.  Purchase the most expensive sleeping bags you can afford, and make sure you have extra blankets tucked away with your bug-out gear.  A tarp is an excellent idea to include in your gear and can be used to provide extra shelter area or placed over your tent for added insulation. 

A more long-term solution, especially during winter, is to build a shelter like the Native Americans did.  Be aware of what’s available in your area and educate yourself on basic structural layout.  Shelter is crucial to your survival so prepare now.

Squash, both winter and summer varieties, along with gourds, are one of the main indigenous plants used for agriculture by Native Americans.  Squash can be eaten without any preparation, albeit cutting through some of the harder exterior rinds.  Most parts of the plant are also edible - the seeds can be eaten directly or ground in to a fine flour.  Some can also be pressed for a natural seed oil, these include the pumpkin, watermelon and bottle and buffalo gourds.  The plant shoots, leaves and tendrils can be eaten as fresh greens and the blossoms can be eaten fresh or cooked.  Gourds have long been grown and dried to use for vessels of all sorts.  Don’t have a canteen to carry extra water?  Use a dried gourd.

There are a few things to know about growing squash of all sorts.  Winter Squash can be stored for months if handled correctly.  You also want to remember that winter squash can be stored in moderate temperatures right around 50 degrees farenheit, any colder and they’ll become cold-injured and rot prematurely.  All squash store better when cut from the vine with a knife or pruning shears - never twist them off.  You can “cure” your squashes after harvesting by keeping them indoors in a warm, dry place for a few days and then transferring to your root cellar, or slightly colder room.  This will allow any cuts or scratches on the rind to seal.  If the stem is woody, leave it on - if it’s fleshy like a hubbard, cut all but 2-3 inches off.

Acorn squash can be stored for up to 8 weeks, butternut from 2-3 months and hubbard and banana for up to 6 months.  Pumpkins will only last a few weeks. 

Stocking up on heirloom varieties of squash seeds is a great idea to provide future food insurance.  Be sure you buy from a reliable source and don’t plant different varieties of squash within 1/2 mile of each other or they’ll cross pollinate.  Plant a few gourds and let your kids harvest after they’re dried - with the seeds left in they make great musical instruments!

For centuries, Native Americans flourished in the Americas.  Not only were they expert hunter-gatherers, but many of them established the first cultivation practices known to man.  Along with wild game such as deer, buffalo, elk, turkey and fish, Native Americans grew the “Three Sisters” - Corn, Beans and Squash.  These were indigenous plants that were easy to grow and were staple foods.  Berries and potatoes also rounded out their diet. 

I think it’s beneficial for all of us to understand the native practices of our areas and be ready to implement them if needed.  We also must be aware and knowledgeable of what native foods will do well in our areas.  For instance most squash varieties today are hybrids.  Native foods are more adapted to the climate and pests, so they’re a better choice when raising food is challenging. 

Another interesting point to keep in mind, there’s more to providing a well-balanced diet than planting some corn rows.  Dried corn is very hard to grind and if not prepared correctly doesn’t provide very adequate nutrition for humans.  However, corn soaked in an alkaline solution is easier to grind and makes proteins and nutrients from the kernel more available to our bodies.  Natives used to use plant ash which contains sodium carbonate to soak their corn.  The corn was then washed thoroughly and ground into masa flour which was either used wet immediately, or dried for future use.  Masa was far more nutritious than plain corn flour. 

There’s so much to learn from the history and practices of Native Americans - I’ll explore further in the coming days.

Native North Americans didn’t suffer from scurvy although their diet consisted largely of wild game and corn.  The reason is they regularly consumed pine tree bark and pine needle tea.  Pine nuts are not the only useful part of the pine.  Fresh green needles, steeped in boiling water for a few minutes make a tea that contains 8 times as much ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) as orange juice.  Pine is an astringent, antiseptic and expectorant.

Native Americans also consumed the soft, white inner bark found under the woody outer layer of bark on the tree.  It can be eaten raw, in slices or dried and ground up into a flour.

The more I learn about the benefits of pine trees, the more I realize how lucky we are here in North America where pine is plentiful in almost every climate zone.  Next time I feel a cold coming on I plan on trying a cup of pine tea.

Kids have great memories and will retain the things you teach them.  So many times I’ve seen a little child lost, only to stand there crying until someone notices them.  Tell your small ones what to do, so they won’t panic.  Kids are very intuitive - if you tell them to be wary of adults, but in certain situations they may need to ask for help, they can make good decisions.  Review your plan in the car on the way, it only takes a few minutes.  Of course the goal is to never let your children out of your sight.  Things happen and the worst thing you could do is say it won’t happen to me.

Think about the areas around your community that a child could wander off to.  Is there water nearby?  Would spending the night exposed cause hypothermia?  There’s no need to frighten your small kids, but just little bits of trivia can help them if they become lost.  Water and shelter are priorities so stick with that and also a plan of how to get help.  Is it better for them to stay put and let adults find them, or try to walk to find help?  Only you can determine this depending on your surroundings.  If you vacation a lot, review these things for the area you’re traveling to.  Knowledge is power and kids don’t need to be helpless.

Kids are strong and resilient - give them the knowledge they can use to help themselves if the situation arises.

Petroleum jelly is safe to use, people seldom have an allergy and it has a very long shelf life.  As I was thinking about this, I was wondering what we would do in a major collapse where our way of life changed.  Could we find a substitute around us for the convenience of buying lotions and lip balm?  Spreading animal fat on my lips holds little appeal, although I’m sure people did that for centuries when they didn’t have any choice. 

Fortunately in North America we have a ready supply of alternatives from nature.  All we need is the basic knowledge to know where to look.  Bees wax is a good choice, it can be melted and used as a lubricant and also for lighting.  I’m not sure I want to tangle with bees especially in an environment that lacked professional medical services.  Pine nuts are the most logical choice for most of us as pine trees exist in almost every region of the United States.  Pine nuts are the edible seeds of pine trees and can be pressed to produce pine nut oil.  The pressing may pose some difficulty and you may want to consider a screw-type oil press for your retreat.  There are three main pines used in the US, Colorado Pinyon, Single-leaf Pinyon and Mexican Pinyon along with 8 other varieties that produce nuts large enough to press - it would be wise to check out which are native to your area.

Pine nuts taste great and are highly nutritious - they also have medicinal value in that they’ve shown some ability to lower bad cholesterol and also reduce damage from peptic ulcers or gastritis.  Pine nuts can also be roasted with chicory for those of you needing a daily dose of coffee-like beverages.

I find the idea of using a vegetable oil as a moisturizer far more appealing than smearing deer fat all over.  It can also be used as a healthy alternative in cooking and can be used to make mayo, and other food items requiring a fat component.  I suppose you could use pine oil for soap making too, if you could press enough.

Being prepared means more than just having the necessities of life.  It means having knowledge of how to continue our lives in a meaningful and enjoyable way.  I will be adding moisturizers to my prep lists and making sure I have planned for future sources.  No chapped lips around me!

I dream of the day when I’ll have a remote retreat, an escape from the various trials this world can throw our way.  In my perfect world, my retreat is complete with solar roof panels that will provide comforts even if the power grids are down.  I’ve noticed that as sustainable living becomes a more mainstream idea, smaller more compact solar chargers are available.  Take this one for instance solar charger .

Available from Amazon, this small charger will fully charge a cell phone in 2 hours.  It takes approximately 24 hours to solar charge its internal battery and can be used for ipods and mp3 players.  There are larger, more expensive solar chargers that can accommodate digital cameras and even laptops.  This small charger is under $40 and would be a great way to keep your kids occupied and comforted with their music.  During an emergency, familiar is good as it’s hard to predict what troubles we may have and anything we can do to make the adjustment easier for the kids will make it easier on everyone else.

I plan on picking up at least one of these less expensive chargers.  Don’t forget to use it periodically to keep it working and keep in a dry place.  This would be perfect for my bug out bag, maybe Santa will bring me one.

Have you all been following the latest on the swine flu?  I’m happy to say we had it in my house, it was very mild and I was able to take Tamiflu and avoid it myself altogether.  I do have to say Tamiflu is great stuff and if you can somehow stockpile a quantity, do it.  I had two kids sick and started to get a sore throat, the first day I took it I definitely felt a surge of energy and then the sore throat went away completely and nothing ever developed.  Of course I was maintaining my daily ration of vitamin C also.  Fortunately my kids had very mild cases and were well within a week. 

One of the main symptoms for us was a hoarse cough that lasted about 2 weeks.  I sent them back to school after 7 days as they were fever free, but the cough lingered.  Cool mist humidifiers were the best relief and regular Dimetapp for the cough was sufficient.  Frankly, I’m glad they’ve had it so I don’t have to think about the vaccine. 

Thankfully at this point the pandemic seems mild, at least here in North America if you don’t have underlying medical issues.  We should all learn a valuable lesson and be stocked up on masks, alcohol gel and other necessities as there were shortages in the beginning.  It could have been much, much worse, or it could get worse.  As always it pays to be prepared.