Ermahgerd Appersauce (Canning and YOU)

So every fall season for the past three years (yes. three glorious years with Mr. Tactical, where did the tacti-time go...) I've been canning homemade applesauce. Typically I make around 3-4 batches and then can them for later use. (or holiday gifts, my dad loves this stuff....) Last year i was able to make around 18 pint ball jars for storage. It's really not that difficult honestly (just a bit time consuming), and it will help you stock up and prepare for the tough months ahead. Canning is a good way to supplement your food supply that has quite a long shelf life. We have canned spaghetti sauce we received from a family member. Canned jam, fruit, veggies. Get a dehydrator. Educate yourself. You have the ability to grow, and save your own personal stock of noms. We have apple and peach trees where we live. It's a good idea to get something that basically provides for you every year so you can continue to prepare. I mean, look at this:

Delicious apple nom noms. Honestly, i don't like applesauce, but I like mine. Find something that you can make that will keep, and that you like, or can fix up so you like it. You can doctor many things. YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MUCH FOOD STOCKED UP.

Being as the winter months are coming up, you need to consider the possibility that if you live in an area that gets bad weather, you may be stuck in your home without a way to go get provisions. Do you have a way to keep warm? Do you have food put away? We have about 5 loaves of bread in our freezer. I never thought i would be one of those crazy people who freezes bread. Powdered milk. Rice. Possibly something to spice up the rice since rice sucks.....same thing with the beans....hate beans. But beans and rice make a whole protein so there you go (still hate beans). Hunt. It's hunting season. Get deer. Rabbit. Squirrel (actually quite tasty). Get a bear. Have a bear skin rug. Put it in front of the fire and keep warm (you know. all romantic and shit. How awesome would that be. I killed you this bear...). You don't want to be stuck having to break into a Dorito truck like those people in Buffalo that got snowed in (how romantic. I brought you Doritos. not anywhere near as cool as "hey i brought you a bear" but i guess it works). Especially if you don't have access to a Dorito truck as it would make such an endeavor quite difficult. Prepare yourselves....Winter is coming....

Where are the Streamers? What, no Streamers?

So today I did something that many Americans have also done. I VOTED! (loud screams and applause). Now this was my first mid-term election EVER. I voted for the presidential race in 2008, but due to other circumstances, have not had the ability to vote since.

Now agree with voting or not, the reason this post comes up is because of all those that I ran into today that didn't vote. Not that they are objecting to the system, not because they didn't have time after work (I walked in at 7 after work, not an excuse unless you're working all day or have some other full day obligation....or if you aren't a resident...or a bear...anyways). My dilemma is that people my age are not voting. Not out of protest but because they really don't care. They didn't vote because they didn't know who they would be voting for. They didn't research. They didn't take the time to see who, whether they decide to vote or not, will be representing them in their state.

Now, this is a bit depressing to me. I've heard so many people that decide to object to voting because they feel that their voice will not be heard anyways. Fine, you don't wanna, don't do it. That is your right as an American. But to not even care who is running? kinda silly. It will effect you whether you object to it or not. So why not try and understand what is going to be happening to you over the next couple of years.

I'm 26. This is the second time I've voted in MY LIFE. I'm perfectly ok with this. Whether delusional or not, I feel like I'm contributing at least the tiniest little bit.(don't crush my dreams!) The place I went? they used paper ballads because they don't trust the machines. It's run by people who want to be there. It was a very positive feel after going through a typical customer service day where on a good day I've lost at least 5% of my faith in humanity. Consider that 5% restored after tonight. Looking like an idiot, wondering what to do, where to stick the ballot....worth it. Social anxiety problems totally worth it.

I know there are going to be many that disagree. I'm not saying you're an idiot for not voting. I'm saying that if you don't take the time to educate yourself about your future, that's irresponsible....and from a very new adult. Now I'm going to get into my footy pajamas and watch Disney movies....

Vix out.

Natures Little Wonder: Bee Vom

So lately I have been looking into different types of natural remedies mainly in part to some of the great suggestions I've gotten from my ever so clever readers. Clove oil for this, lemon oil for that, etc etc. One of the main things that I've been looking into stockpiling is HONEY.

Give that Bitch some Honey, Bitches LOVE Honey

See this 5lb monster? Yeah. local sweet gold. 18 bucks. You know what it can be used for? LOTS. Bee vomit can be used as an antibiotic, sweetener. OH THE POSSIBILITIES! We picked this guy up at one of those roadside stands on my yearly hunt for apples for my homemade applesauce. Seems like a bit of an expense, but if you think about it, pure, unprocessed (with all that junk in it like they have at the grocery store, sorry little honey bear...) never goes bad and it can be used for so many things. 

Honey can be used for wound care. It has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and has also been shown to hamper E. coli, salmonella, as well as fight staph. (you go little bee) I've also read that a tablespoon mixed with cinnamon can actually help with bladder infections as well. It can also be used to reduce inflammation in pimples. So there ya go. Keeping you pretty during the apocalypse brought to you by MDV ;) 

Do not give to babies though, until they are over a year old. Also, although not actually proven, if you get really bad allergies, you can start taking doses of local honey to build up an immunity to them. Some people don't really believe this, but hey, it actually worked for my brother so it really couldn't hurt. Now could it. (suck it up buttercup) I personally dislike the taste of honey, but it's uses outweigh the momentary "ew ew ew get it out of my mouth" feeling. For example: Buckwheat Honey:

The best way for me to describe Buckwheat Honey, is that it smells like a wet dog (tastes a little less like a wet dog, but really, it isn't so bad). I was at work with a terribly sore throat, and a coworker that actually raises bees handed me this. A spoonful of this every so often through the day, coats the throat (with it's antibacterial properties) and also works as a cough suppressant (or if that doesn't work, you could always just shove the jar in their mouth). I hated the taste, but it really helped. (and as with this jar, it starts to crystallize, but all you need to do is warm it up and it goes liquid again). It's like those nasty lemon honey cough drops, but you don't have to suck on it for like an hour (torture).

For me and Mr. Tactical, we actually got these to put into our bug-out bags:

Also purchased from the man with the bees, it's in an easy to use pouch (if crystallized, just stick in warm water. So it's simple in that aspect as well) with resealable spout. Good source of sugar if needed, and its antibacterial uses in the great outdoors. (Just hopefully it isn't bear season..... or ant season....) I was able to get six of these, two for our packs, and the remaining four for the pantry. (I can actually start stocking and supplying this if anyone is interested....if not....more for me anyways. And look at that sweet tactical packaging label).

Anyways, with the recent start of the preparation of our medical footlocker, This is also getting added into that box. Honey has many great uses and will never go bad, so you don't have to worry about using it within a certain amount of time, and really, can you afford not to have something like this? Prepare yourself. Use the time that you have to insure that you and your family will be comfortable and safe. Find natural options that can be gotten if commercial medication is not available. 

In short, bee bulimia is a benefit to you that you should really look into. Honey and it's many uses would definitely help in a SHTF situation and could also be used as a barter good (just like mini booze, but more useful....) And for serious. Look at this happy dude. You wish you could be as obliviously happy as this bear (silly bear).

Vix Out