Being ready for a crisis or disaster by stockpiling food is smart - but, stashed food does run out.  For long-term survival, knowing how to grow your own vegetables and herbs is prepping in a way that will give you food, for a long as you need it. Gardening takes you from being a consumer to someone who produces what they need. You don't have to have a multi-acre farm - you can easily grow food in raised beds, on your balcony or porch, in containers and even on your windowsills.  If you are new to gardening, start with easy to grow, high-yield plants like; lettuce tomatoes radishes beans potatoes Learn what grows best in your climate and soil type. Study how to compost your food scraps, which plants to grow near each other and natural pest control. Growing your own food helps you learn about the rhythms of nature. It teaches you what it takes to sow, hoe to know when food is ripe, harvest time and and how to preserve the excess bounty.  Gardening builds patience and self...

If you want to save money or if you want to eat more wholesome foods, there are thousands of wild edible plants that can feed you.  But, if you choose the wrong plants, eating them can also make you very ill - or even kill you.  That’s why it's so important - before you need to look for food - for preppers to learn how to identify both edible and  nonedible, poisonous plants, in their region.  Wild edibles are a free and ongoing food source, that includes; berries roots nuts leaves and flowers  But many of these edible finds have unforgiving, toxic lookalikes that can cause you a lot of regret, if you eat the wrong one.  One bite of the wrong plant can lead to nausea, allergic reaction, paralysis, hospitalization or worse. How to Identify Five Wild Edible Plants Start by studying reliable field guides specific to your location and ecosystem.  Learn five to ten safe, easy-to-identify wild edibles like;  Dandelion - Leaves, flowers and roots are all...

Being able to cook a full, delicious meal outdoors, in any weather, without electricity, is an impressive survival preppers skill.  If this is your goal, start by mastering basic fire building -- either with matches, a fire starter ferro rod, friction, flintstones, or a magnifying glass. You need to learn how to regulate the temperature of the fire, to make sure your food is cooked, without it burning on the outside and leaving it raw on the inside. You need to know how to cook on a campfire; Cooking over an open flame is different than cooking on a stovetop. To do it right, it takes patience, control and some experience. To raise your campfire cooking skills, practice using a grill, Dutch oven, campfire tripod. aluminum foil oven, and foil wrapped meals.  Learn how to create a heat pit or use hot stones. If you can, build a rocket stove or rocket mass heater for more efficient fuel use.  How to Build Eight Different Rocket Stoves for Survival + Cooking When you are cook...

 Knowing how to hunt and fish turns the forest and woods, into a reliable, organic food source.  When you hunt, it should not be about just going around killing animals for trophies and bragging rights -- it’s about your survival.  In a scenario where there is no electricity and no way to buy food, meat and vegetables , from nature could become your only source of food.  Learn the habits of local wildlife Practice tracking, baiting and ethical hunting. Understand what’s in season and what is legal now - because the time to build skills, is before things fall apart.  Learn how to; Clean and dress animals  Preserve meat without refrigeration Use every part possible to avoid waste  How to fish - for beginners Fishing is another essential skill Fishing is a simple, quiet, and efficient way to get food. You need to get rods, reels, line, hooks and  you need to practice setting traps - like trotlines or fish baskets.  Portable fishing kits should b...

If you live in the country, in a rural area, if you own your land and if resources allow, raising livestock can be one of the most important steps you can take toward food independence. It's best to start small, with a few, small animals, so that you can improve your knowledge as time passes.  Chickens are the easiest livestock you can raise. They’re easy to care for, require little space and give you fresh eggs almost daily. They can also give you meat, to eat  Goats provide milk, meat and even companionship Rabbits are quiet, breed quickly and yield lean meat The best small animals to start raising on your homestead Large Animals to Raise on Your Homestead Larger animals like;  Sheep Pigs Cows offer more meat and utility but also require more land, feed, and care.  You need to know about; proper feeding Shelter Possible diseases and how to prevent them How to properly butcher the livestock or find someone in your area who can teach you.  Livestock also give yo...

Learn To Forage Local Edibles Nature is full of good food, free of chemicals—if you know where to look.  Learning to forage can turn a walk in the woods into a free grocery trip. Identify local edible plants, berries, nuts, and mushrooms (carefully).  Use a field guide or take a class from an expert to make sure you don't accidentally pick poisonous plants.  Never eat anything unless you’re 100% certain it’s safe. Some edible plants have poisonous lookalikes Learn what grows seasonally, in your region Foraging is a free way to supplement your food supply, especially when canned goods run low It also builds your connection with the land—an underrated survival asset Foraging Basics for Beginners Edible Weeds in Your Yard

Biscuit Twisters         Biscuit mix Milk or water Honey Follow the direction on the biscuit box using a little less liquid than called for Twist the dough around the end of of a green stick or metal skewer* Hold the skewer while rotating slowly over hot coals of fire until cooked  Dip into honey and enjoy Can also use butter and jam, or gravy Campfire S'mores Video  * If you use metal, you need to protect your hands from the hot metal

Rice Krispie Squares 4 T  Butter 4 c  Marshmallows or 10 oz 5 c  Rice Krispie cereal Melt butter in saucepan over campfire/low heat Add marshmallows and stir till melted  Cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly   Remove from heat, add Rice Krispies and stir until all are coated  Using buttered spatula, press evenly into buttered 13x9x2" pan Cool Cut into 2" squares Make it Chocolatey Add chocolate to the mix

Hobo Popcorn Recipe Heavy Duty aluminum foil Butter 4 Teaspoons of Cooking oil Salt 4 Tablespoons of un-popped Popcorn Cut the aluminum foil into four large squares. In the center of each square, place one teaspoon oil and one tablespoon popcorn Bring the four corners of foil to the center, making pouch like hobo knapsack Seal edges well With string, tie corners of each pouch to long handled barbeque tool or a green stick Place pouch directly on hot coals and shake often until corn is popped Carefully open pouch and season popcorn with melted butter and salt. Make it Into a Sweet and Savory Dessert When you open the foil, add shaved chocolate and allow it to melt onto the hot popcorn. Make it Hot Sprinkle it with cyenne pepper

Camping Seasoning Mix 1/3 c  Salt 1 T  Paprika 1 T  Garlic Powder 2 t  Onion Powder 1/2 t  Cayenne or substitute Curry 1/2 t  Pepper Mix well and store in a double zip-lock bag or a good glass, screw-top container.

  When you go on a camping trip, a backpacking journey or if you are put in circumstances that were beyond your control, that doesn't mean you have to eat beans out of the can, every night. You can easily prepare delicious, homestyle meals, even when you are not inside, sitting down at the table. Here are a few really good camping meal, for you to try.  Potato Dinner Take a raw potato. Hollow out the center of a raw potato leaving about 1/2 inch all the way around with skin attached  Fill the center with spiced hamburger with a bit of tomato sauce or use sausage pieces  Wrap tightly in foil and place on coals Serve with cheese or garlic bread and a salad or some steamed or canned veggies  Steamed Veggies  Slice thinly and make a foil pack and add a little water; seal and place on or over hot coals  Check after a 1/2 hour Potato will take about an hour. Onion Skin Hamburger  Cut a large onion in half cross-wise and remove most of the cent...

Campfire Recipes in Aluminum Foil and Over Campfire Grilled Cheese Sandwiches can be made without a pan--use a buddy burner if you have one or wrap the sandwich in foil and place just above the coals for a couple of minutes, on each side. To make it more filling, add tomatoes, onions and sliced ham, or turkey. You can add these or or any combination of your choice before cooking or after cooking. Kebobs  taste so good, they are easy to make - and you don't need a pan.  If you use wooden skewers, soak them in water to slow down the burn rate and make sure you can cook without you needing to hold them by hand, over the fire. If you use metal skewers, make sure there is a cool handle on it, you have to wear gloves.  Kebobs are made with wieners, smokies, sausage or meatballs.  Pre cook chicken, turkey, ham or any other meat cubes.  You can include a variety of veggies such as peppers, canned taters, tomatoes, mushrooms, etc.  While the kebobs are cooking...

  Corrugated Cardboard Box Campfire Oven 1 Brick or flat rock 1 pk heavy duty Aluminum foil 1 Corrugated cardboard box 1 Metal pie pan, old 3 Wire coat hangers 4+ Charcoal briquets Light the charcoal in the aluminum pan Completely cover the inside and outside of the box and flaps with 3 or 4 layers of aluminum foil. Lay the aluminum foil covered box on level ground so that it opens oven-style or front door style. Straighten the coat hangers, then run them from one side of the box, to the other - about 2/3 of the way up from the bottom - to form a rack. Set the brick in bottom.    Use an oven mitt or hot pad to put the pan of hot charcoal on the brick.  Place food to be cooked into a pan and put the pan onto coat-hanger rack, and close oven door. Watch your food carefully by checking it often.   ➡️➡️  Each hot coal makes about 80 degrees Fahrenheit. How to Make An Oven Using a Pizza Box Video

Here are three tips to help you make your backpacking trip less stressful when it is time to eat. Save the powered, packaged mixes from mac and cheese, ramen noodles and salad kits and pack them in food baggies. These flavor packets can be used later to add pizzaz to different dishes.  When you buy the boxed food with the separate flavor packets, do not use the entire packet at one time. A little bit  of that seasoning goes a long way.  You can save and store some of the unopened packets and use an opened packet two or three times.   Take powdered milk in baggies. Use it in your coffee, cereal, instant potatoes and in your cooked dishes. Margarine, even though it is not good for you, will travel well. Just make sure it is tightly paced in a leak-proof container. As an alternative, you can make your own butter, on the trip.  How to Make Butter Using Powdered Milk Freeze-Dried Backpacking Meals

Basic Survival Skills Here are some very simple ideas for dehydrated and light-weight foods you can take with you on your trek. Dehydrated vegetables and full meals are available at camping stores. Try Ramen noodle soups or any of those soup in a cups, packaged in baggies, so they take up a lot less room. Dehydrated bean flakes, cooks in 10-15 minutes, and are available in many varieties can be mixed with some spice and cooked rice. Put it beans and rice in a tortilla and you will see, it is delicious and filling. Yum! Flavor them with onion powder, garlic powder and/or cumin powder. Cheese holds up very well in backpacks. When it is properly wrapped, you don't have to deal with cheese oil dripping on your other items. The fat will do you good if you are hiking for hours. If it's cold, the fat can help you stay warm.  You need a lot more calories when it's cold. Add a cheese to your soup, pasta, rice, or dehydrated veggies you're cooking. Pasta, the King of the backpack...

  Campfire Biscuits These are easy to make biscuits and they can be cooked in a Dutch oven or in aluminum foil. 2 c  Jiffy Baking mix 2/3 c  Water Directions:  Mix well and knead. If too soft, add a little more mix for a dry handling dough. Put flour on aluminum foil and pat dough to about 1/2 inch thickness.  Divide dough into biscuits.  Bake at moderate heat for 15-20 minutes, or until biscuits are done.  Remove from heat and serve hot.

Disaster Readiness When you are on your backpacking trip, one of your most important concerns should be - how to save money, whenever you can. You never know when a cash only emergency will come and stick its hand, deep into your wallet. Here are four ways you can save money on your meals. Instant mashed potatoes can be mixed with powdered milk or water only. Make up an instant gravy to go on top.  For dessert, dried fruit can be cooked in hot water and put on top of a piece of angel food cake. Add some cinnamon and Tang and you have an elegant dessert. Dry veggie burger mix will make a great meal. Most of them are mixed with water only and a lot of them are quite tasty. Bulgar and couscous cook up in only a few minutes with boiling water. Happy eating! and saving! Food Hacks Every Camper Should Know

Wouldn't it be great to walk into your backyard, or onto your balcony and harvest part of your meal, without going to the grocery store and coming out, at least, $50 poorer.  Start a Survival Garden on Your Balcony or in Your Backyard A survival garden can be more than just a hobby, it can also be a guaranteed, inexpensive food supply.  If you want to begin growing your own food, start with high yield, easy-to-grow crops like: potatoes beans carrots  and leafy greens.  You can also grow herbs - on your window sill - for both flavor and for use as a natural remedy and as natural medicine*.  If you have the space: learn how to compost your food scraps  collect rainwater, to keep your garden watered when the weather is hot and dry.  Grow a Garden Even It You Live in An Apartment It is entirely possible to grow a small garden, even if you live in an apartment. Plants can be grown in containers and to get a larger variety, yo can use the vertical system. Do...

Prepping isn’t just buying a lot of food and shoving it in your pantry and storage boxes and waiting for the day you will need to use it. You have to develop a system so that you will not have a mess on your hands and a lot of wasted food.  The most critical part of your system is food rotation.  Use the FIFO method (first in, first out) Always eat the oldest items first and when you purchase more items, put them behind the items already there. This method keeps your food fresh and prevents wasting your time and money.  Keep a logbook of what you have and what you need to replace and purchase. Set calendar reminders to review your storage every few months.  Store foods in an organized way—canned goods in one section, separated, grains in another—so nothing gets lost.  If you don’t rotate, you risk letting the food expire and becoming an issue during an emergency, when fresh, nutritious food matters most.  Proper prepping is a habit, not a one-time even...

Do you know what to do if you are suddenly in the middle of a disaster? It could be from unemployment, illness, Nature or something else. But, no matter what, it's best to know what to do - if the time comes. Now is the time to learn how to be prepared for an emergency and how to survive a disaster. We never know when, or for what reason we may find ourselves without the basic necessities of life.