Eating for Victory and Make Do and Mend

Two new additions to my library. Eating for Victory and Make Do and Mend.

These two books are a collection of reproduction pamphlets that were handed out by the British Ministry of Food and the Ministry of War to the common folks during the second world war on how to live on the ration system. These two books also are a very good peek into what our friends in Great Britain had to deal with in their daily lives on the home front. Literally everything was rationed, from cloth and furniture, to food, fuel, and metal. Somethings were heavily restricted, while other items were non-existent due to the Nazi blockade. Over half of their food pre-war was imported from the U.S and other countries. The war in itself changed the way their agriculture worked. Everything was tightly restricted and controlled, and these two books are a couple of examples showing what they had to go through.

Eating for Victory covers the food rationing system and gives a lot of recipes and meal plans with foods that are heavily rationed. It shows you how to plan meals, how to work with new foods like dried eggs and dry milk. With us today... Well if you think about it having things like food storage is really food rationing, you are working with only the stuff that you have if you can't get to the store. Most of the items in this book should be in everyone's food storage. They have recipes using stuff like butter, sugar, flour, oils, salt, and food additions that would add any sort of flavor into dishes that would be bland.

Make Do and Mend is the companion book to Eating for Victory. This book covers home heating, basic home repairs, clothing maintenance and all the ration coupon rules and regulations. There is just one pamphlet alone that covers how to wash your clothes so they don't wear out as fast. The Mrs Sew - and - Sew pamphlets show you how to darn and repair rips, tears and holes in clothes. This book also shows you how to conserve fuel if you use gas or coal cooking ranges (I think there are several here that might be interested in that!) There is so much more in this book that what I am just telling you here.

Both of these books are very good, if not only for the historical value, but also for other prepping ideas. The only few downsides to these books are: 1. Some of the information is old since we are talking about the mid 30's to mid 40's era here, especially the health information so keep that in mind. 2. They do use different measurements than we do, especially in cooking, if you can get around that, you would be doing fine. Personally though, I think these books are good to have in a prepper's library. I got both of these on Amazon, though I don't remember what I paid for them, they were not real expensive though.

Prepping Vacation, Summer Reflections

Prepping Vacation, Summer Reflections

Hey guys.

Wow, it has been a little over 3 months since my last post!? Wow. Sorry it has been so long. I ended up taking a couple of months off to have a bit of prepping vacation. Not that I ever really stopped picking up good information for prepping. I just needed a break for a while. It is easy to burn out from doing this all the time. This summer I decided to hold things off for a while instead of going over board. I know that sounds a little "grasshopper-ish" but I have been working on this for the past few years.

What have I been doing the last few months you ask? Well I had a nice little vacation with my pack... I mean family this summer. Can't pass up a family trip for a week of fun. Hell this summer has been great. And I still got to use some of my prep skills even while I was on break. I finally got to put my wineskin bota bag to use when my family and I went for bike rides during this hot summer. Also I did not pass up the chance to visit a native american museum and store to see what goodies they had. I actually ended up in front of their book rack spending 5 minutes copying down the titles of some really good instructional books. What they had covered leather making, cooking, medicinal plants, and native ritual ceremonies. I even ended up buying a cookbook later when I got home for cheaper than what they had it for. At the end of this article I will have a list of the book names I wrote for you guys to check out. Some of those books, If I get them I will review. This has kind of started me down the path of looking into the old ways of how things where done. I ended up finding old and new documentaries and some "reality shows" of doing things from times past. So far I am loving shows like 1940s House, If Walls Could Talk: A History of the Home, Victorian Farm, Edwardian Farm, and Frontier House. The best thing is most of these shows are on DVD or in book format. I personally believe that the old ways of doing things should not be forgotten, and should be practiced when possible.

I also went to the state fair too. It gave me a chance to speak with master gardeners and I found out that there are gardening classes in my county. I got some great square foot gardening ideas for my balcony. I got to check out new camping gear and I am thinking of getting a Duluth pack for my Vehicle Kit. I also gave out information to folks on prepping too. It was great talking with some of the vendors. Oh and I nommed some tasty fair food. Deep fried apple pie with cinnamon ice cream? TO DIE FOR!

Also, this was the summer of facing my fears. For the first time I drove long distance... alone over 200 miles round trip. That I felt it still was a big deal for me, though it was the second time I have done a trip like that. The first time I drove it was quite a bit longer.

I also do not like being around crowds, but I chose to go to the state fair. I also never really took the transit system by myself before, again, with the state fair I learned to use the park and ride system. I also used my map skills when I was at the fair and learning to locate places that I wanted to go. I don't like traveling to the big city. The big city was where the state fair was. In years past, I went with my family, this time I chose to go alone and it was still fun. I just kept my eyes open, my wits about me, and wrote the more important information down (like the transit bus number and pick up location).

Hows about that for an update?

Prepping is serious business, but it should also be fun and allow you to have fun. I know it did for me.

RavenWolf


List of Books I Found:

A handbook of Native American Healing

The Book of Buckskinning Series

Secrets of Native American  Herbal Remedies

Encyclopedia of Native American Healing

Cherokee Plants Their Uses a 400 Year History

Frontier Chuckwagon Cooking

Ma's Cookin Mountain Recipes
 
Hillbilly Cookin'

American Indian Cooking and Herblore

The Native American Sweatlodge

Stories and Recipes of the Great Depression by Janet van Amber Paske

Canning Supply SALE!

Just a notice to you guys, if you have a Roundy's or Rainbow near you, they have a sale on Ball canning jars and lids, buy 2 get 1 free. I might get in on that deal.


Sorry for no articles as of late, I have been busy these few days. I will get something up this week!

Ravenwolf.

Sickness and 6th Sense

(Originally posted here on Todays Survival Show Forums... but I thought I would put this here!)

I got a bit of a story to tell you guys.

Last week* for some odd reason, I was making my usual run to the grocery store, and I was going to add in a few stock up items. When I was there, I suddenly got this huge urge to add a lot of extra chicken soup and cheese ravioli. Was odd was, yes I do stock up on chicken soup, but not the ravioli so much, and I bought a rather large amount, which is not usual, and ravioli I almost never stock. That is mostly because 1. I dont like pre-made canned meals all that often, and 2. the kind I like is expensive so it is a luxury item. Just for some reason, which I will explain in a bit, I HAD TO stock up on it.

And I am glad I did.

A few days later, I was sick as a dog. The grocery store trip was on monday last week. By wednesday afternoon, I got a "little scratchy throat" and by that night I had "painful mucousy throat". The next day it was still pretty bad, going to my sinuses, home remedies did not work, and I went to the doctor. Doc says "I am treating you for throat and sinus infection. Your on antibiotics for a while, and on bed rest." I was out of commission for nearly five days as this infection went from throat to sinuses to lungs. But the infection was not that bad, what made things a bit more miserable was the drugs. Some of the side effects really beat me up. What was funny was I found out that some of the things to eat to make the side effects more bearable were what I listed above. I had to be eating something that would be good for a sick tummy and something with cheese for meals. Who'd have thought that chicken soup and cheese ravioli were a few of the things that would be good for my stomach as well as easy to make for dinners? The next 4 days I was eating peanut butter, crackers, chicken soup, cheese, cheese ravioli, Ensure, and gatorade. LOTS of all that and every bit I had stocked up extra on, all from my food storage. Since then I have changed my list around and am looking for other ways to stock up on stuff like cheese and yogurt so it lasts longer.

But yeah, I would have been in a bit of a bind if I did not follow that "sense". Have you guys ever gotten that weird feeling like "I have to do this (some action here) right now for some unexplainable reason", you know the sort of 6th sense gut feeling about something? Personally when I get something like that I am learning to listen to it. Do you guys do that?

(*This was a few weeks ago.)

Prepping: Seasonal Rotation and Spring Cleaning!

Hey guys!

I am just letting you know that I am still around. Right now I have been doing a little cave spring cleaning, and donating some old bones that I don't need anymore. Books are being donated, old clothes that are too worn out are going to the trash, or rag bin. Food being rotated. Rotating and donating should be a part of prepping too! That is the difference between being a prepper and a hoarder. Move and rotate. The Rule for Rotating non prep stuff: If you have not touched it, used it, or worn it in over a year, then you are not going to miss it. Looking for cash? Sell what you do not use! It is a good way to make a bit of extra bank for your pack... I mean family. Any little bit helps to keep order in your life.

Survival Media: Real Day Preppers

Hey guys,

 I just wanted to let you guys know about this webisode show called Real Day Preppers. It is a unlike Doomsday Preppers, this show is no spin, and shows that us Preppers are NORMAL PEOPLE! I so far am loving the hell out of this project. This show is fully produced by lowbuckprepper. Also as an aside, check out his youtube channel too, he has some good tutorials too! So far his show has 2 webisodes up and both are pretty good. Check them out!

Some of my favorite prepping items that I use.

Hey guys, I just wanted to write a quick article on some of the prepping items that I absolutely love an I use them quite often, even almost daily!

The List:

Hiking Backpack: I picked it up cheap at a garage sale for $3, and I use it every time I go out. It is good for shopping, and carrying most items. If I am gone longer than 4 hours I will put a meal in there for when I am out and about and it can carry a ton.

4 Wheeled Cart: It is the one that I mentioned in my article Survival Gear: Carts! I use it for hauling groceries, garbage and laundry. Dead useful at the grocery store when you want your own cart and it folds down flat for storage.

Bread maker: ... for making... bread. Yeah I know I am a lazy ass, but I like my fresh bread. You can find them all the time at Goodwill for almost nothing.

Pocket Knife: I have a Leatherman Wave. The blades are demon sharp, and it works well for when I have needed it. I used it last week to cut a bread roll for my sandwich at lunch time.

Canteen with cup: Have used it numerous times when I wanted a drink when I am out doing stuff. Nice to carry on the side of my backpack.

Keychain Hand Sanitizer: I have a nice refillable one on my keychain.

Is there stuff that you carry everyday that you would not leave the house without it? Let me know!