Solar Oven

I bought a Solar Oven - but I have not tried it yet, does anyone have one?

Here is what I have found out about them.

try looking at www.cookwiththesun.com

www.solarcooking.org

www.knowledgehound.com/topics/solarcoo.htm

www.squidoo.com/solarcook

www.solarovens.org

sunoven.com I got a solar oven

A word about GLUE

since glue was on the list of things that are hard to find after a disaster - I found some good websites that are "glue" related. There are many glues - used for many different applications.

www.thistothat.com tells how to glue things to each other - it is not sponsored by a manufacturer and the "glue o'month" is a good part of the site

sample -

Waterweld

This glue will come in handy any time of the year, but we thought it would be worth recommending during these hot summer months because Waterweld will set up in water or even solvents such as gasoline. This leads one to think of Waterweld for endless summer repair jobs. The only drawback we found with Waterweld is that is was not as reliable with some PVC plastics and polypropylenes that so many pools and water tanks are made from. We did find that lightly sanding the plastic increased the bond. But for metals of all sorts, wood, fibreglass and even concrete, this glue really worked.

It is a two part epoxy putty that is very easy to use. It sets up quickly, about 30 minutes,and is water-proof, resistant to temperature changes and chemicals, and is a great gap filler. It is relatively non-toxic, and once cured can be used in the presence of drinking water.

Shoe Goo

With summer on the way, we find our selves putting away our winter boots and dusting off our old sneakers and sandals. Don't be discouraged when you realize they are not as new as you remember them to be. Help is on the way with Shoe Goo! Shoe Goo is often referred to as rubber in a tube. It can repair cracked and worn soles, toes and even that tricky attachment of the sole to the upper, whether it be leather, canvas or rubber. Shoe Goo is flexible, water proof (of course) and comes in a variety of colours to match your shoes. Shoe Goo is available at shoe repair shops, shoe stores, hardware stores and some department stores. It is under $10 (1200 yen) for a 5.5 oz. tube. Shoe Goo also has other uses such as repairing water toys and camping gear. We are currently waiting for the toxicological information from Japan, and although it claims to be "ecologically friendly" we will inform you of its toxicity once we know more. So don't throw those old shoes out - renew them with Shoe Goo!

Gorilla Glue

This glue has been brought to our attention from our U.S. users. Although it is not yet available any where other than the United States, we were fortunate to obtain a sample from the manufactures, Lutz File & Tool Company, and found it quite worthy of This to That recognition.

Gorilla Glue is a polyurethane glue especially designed for wood. Its outstanding features are:

• It is solvent free
• 100% water proof
• It has a twenty minute open working time, which is much longer than most polyurethane adhesives, and means that you have more time to fuss with clamps etc.
• It works well on end grain
• It works well on oily exotic woods such as teak.

We also found it to work surprisingly well on wood to stone, ceramic, some plastics, and even glass. It did not work well on metal, rubber, leather or vinyl. Gorilla Glue needs pressure to adhere, so it works best on joints and flat surfaces. It is an extremely sticky glue that expands with moisture and if not used carefully can get pretty messy. It cleans up with denatured alcohol and other solvents, but it is toxic to touch and ingest so we do not recommend it for children, in spite of the sassy packaging. We like this glue a lot and could tell you much more about it, but why not check out their excellent website.

By the way, for those of us who live any where other than the U.S.A., Jake Ragland of Lutz File & Tool Company told us he hopes to get Canadian and European distribution very soon.

How do you store Propane Cylinder?

Answer

There are a number of factors to weigh when storing a propane cylinder, but safety should be the overriding concern. Here's a short list:

• Store tank outdoors in shaded area.
• Do not let tank get hot or pressure will rise.
• Store tank away from flame and heat.
• Close valve tightly and insert safety plug when not in use, even if tank is empty.
• Use only on appliances and grills approved for propane.
• Check tank and line connections periodically to be sure that they are tight.
• Check for leaks using detergent or soapy water - never use a match or flame.

Check these sites:

http://www.amerigas.com/consumer_guidelines.html

http://www.propane101.com/propanecylinderstorage.htm

Generator Conversion Kits to

Propane and Natural Gas.

You can count on gasoline . . . to let you down!

Gasoline is not a fuel that professionals ever choose to use on backup generators. Hospitals and other large facilities "never" install a gasoline back-up generator. They always use natural gas or diesel. Gasoline has a very limited shelf life and will actually cause engine failure. Worst of all when power outages occur due to ice storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and all other disasters, the first commodity to be hoarded is gasoline. Sadly, long lines (even fistfights) and rationing at gas pumps are a common occurrence during many disasters. The hurricanes that hit Florida last year were sad proof of that. However, working along with FEMA, we were called upon to be of assistance in helping in areas where gasoline was not even available to run generators. Propane, and especially natural gas, were more plentiful and just the ticket to keep the lights on and the crews working.

Unfortunately, as some have learned the hard way, if not used often enough, gasoline will gum up the carburetor and will render an engine on the emergency generator useless. Do not get caught with a gummed up carburetor that will not allow your engine to run, on your gasoline generator that you cannot even get fuel for, when you need it the most.

Now that you have invested in a backup generator, make sure that it runs when you need it the most. Modify your Generator to run on propane or natural gas or even keep the gasoline option if you like and have the option to run all three fuels on the same engine!

Propane and natural gas can save you time, money and aggravation.

Our do-it-yourself change over kits allow you to run your gasoline generator on propane (LP Gas), natural gas, or all three. Propane and natural gas are truly a backup fuel for a backup generator. Your engine will last longer, start better in cold weather and even start next year when you go to use it in an emergency. The best part is, with one of our do-it-yourself kits you can change your engine from gasoline to propane or natural gas all by yourself.

Why use propane to power your generator?

If you have propane available you know you can store propane for years because it does not gum up, go bad, or pollute the air like gasoline does. You can use the 100# (24 gallon) cylinders, little bar-b-q grill type 20# cylinders, which is equivalent to 5 gallons of gasoline, or big tanks like 250, 500 and 1000 gallon ASME tanks.

Why use natural gas to power your generator?

If you have Natural gas available you would certainly agree that it is probably the most dependable fuel on earth and virtually an unlimited supply. Natural gas is always there. It does not gum up or go stale like gasoline.

Here are many more of the benefits:

	Propane and natural gas powered engines provide the same power as gasoline.
	Longer, uninterrupted run times!
	Connect to big tanks or to your natural gas pipe line.
	Your generator will last longer because of larger fuel supply and less running out under load.
	Clean burning Alternate fuel will help extend the life of your engine life.
	Eliminate the "Dirty Port" that gasoline carburetors have that shortens the life of an engine.

Gas Cans

I was looking at gas cans, it would be nice to have about 100 gallons around the house, but not all together, so I was thinking 20 - 5 gallon cans - and the cans should be about $13 each was the cheapest I could find on the internet . so about $260, and then to fill them - but they should also have some additive to stabilize the gas while storing.

100+ items that are hard to find in/after a disaster

This is by no means the LAST list you will see or need - but it's a good one to check your own items against - it's actually named - THINGS that DISAPPEAR (from the stores first) in an Emergency

GENERAL SUPPLIES

Generators

Backpacks and Duffle bags

Gasoline

Portable Radio's

Gasoline containers (Plastic or Metal)

CB's / Walkie Talkies

Propane Cylinders (Large and Small)

Coleman's Pump Repair Kit: 1(800) 835-3278

Water containers. (HARD CLEAR PLASTIC ONLY)

Glue,

nails,

nuts,

bolts,

screws, etc.

Duct tape

Fire extinguishers

Lumber (all types)

Fishing supplies/tools

Hand Tools,

Saws,

axes and hatchets

Garden tools and supplies

Garbage bags (Impossible to have too many.)

Wagons and carts (transport to and from markets)

Garbage cans

Plastic (storage, water, transporting)

Mousetraps,

Ant traps and

cockroach magnets

Knives and Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel

Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered)

Dust Masks / Respirators

Bleach (NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypo chlorite)

COOKING

Paper plates

/cups/

utensils (stock up, folks...)

Hand-Can openers and hand egg beaters, whisks

Cook stoves (Propane, Coleman and Kerosene)

Insulated ice chests

Coleman Fuel (Impossible to stockpile too much.)

Aluminum foil Hvy Duty (Great Cooking and Barter)

Portable Grills / hibachis

Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient)

Charcoal and Lighter fluid (Will become scarce)

Grain Grinder (Non-electric)

FOOD AND WATER

Bottled Water (all sizes)

Milk - Powdered and Condensed

Bagged Ice

Vegetable oil (for cooking)

Prepackaged Meals Rice, Beans, Wheat

Tuna Fish

Garlic, spices and vinegar,

baking supplies

All canned meat

Pet Food

Chocolate

Flour, yeast and salt

Canned foods,

Fruits,

Veggies,

Soups,

stews, etc.

Vitamins (Critical)

Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancers) Bouillons/gravy/soup base

Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugars

Hand pumps and siphons (for water and for fuels)

Soda / Sports Drinks

Water Filters/Purifiers

Snack Foods

Garden seeds (Non-hybrid) (A MUST)

COMFORT & SHELTER

Tents,

canopies

Clothing,

Socks,

Underwear,

T-shirts, etc. (extras)

Portable Toilets (Increasing in price)

Hats and cotton neckerchiefs

Plastic Sheeting

Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, etc.

Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes

Reading glasses

Cots and Inflatable Mattresses (for extra guests)

Work boots,

belts,

Levis and durable shirts

Guns,

Ammunition,

Pepper Spray,

Knives,

Bats

Board Games

Cards,

Dice

Sleeping bags and blankets/pillows/mats

HEAT & LIGHTING

Batteries (all sizes)

Lamp Oil

Flashlights

Mantles /

Wicks

Candles

Lantern Hangers

Matches ("Strike Anywhere")

Snap Lights

Coleman Lanterns

Mini Heater (Propane)

Oil Lamps

Seasoned Firewood (wood takes 6 - 12 mos. dry)

HEALTH AND HYGIENE

Prescription Medicines

Deodorant

Toilet Paper,

Kleenex,

paper towel

Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula/ointments/aspirin

First aid kits

Baby Wipes, waterless soap (saves a lot of water)

Shaving supplies

Laundry detergent (Liquid)

Feminine Hygiene/

Hair care/

Skin products

Washboards,

Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry)

Shampoo,

Toothbrush/paste,

floss,

nail clippers, etc

Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST)

DUCT TAPE

I bought 6 rolls of duct tape from Costco. You can use Duct tape for SO MUCH. I also got some leather gloves that we will all need if we have to "live off the land". I think the duct tape was $18 for 3 large rolls.

Knives

I feel like I should buy some knives - not kitchen knives - knives like - "go cut down a tree, limb to make a...." knife - or skinning - to make a warm fur hat, or just even for whittling! So I am trying to find some good, sturdy knives, so they won't break, like Nephi's bow! So if you have any ideas, I am reading knife reviews on the internet and I will probably go to cutlery corner in Orem and look at what selection they have there.

Olives

from the california olive website

California Ripe Olives are packed in a light brine solution, not only to bring out the flavor of the fruit, but also to protect them in transportation. The recommended shelf life for unopened cans is 36-48 months. They may be stored at room temperature.

Once opened, store unused California Ripe Olives in their original brine in the open can and cover with plastic wrap to allow oxygen to permeate. Do not store California Ripe Olives in an airtight container as harmful toxins may develop. If the original brine has been discarded, replace with a solution of one cup of water and 1/2 teaspoon salt in order to keep the olives wet and free from external odors. Partially used cans of California Ripe Olives may be held in the refrigerator for up to ten days.

California Ripe Olives have only two grams of fat in a 15 gram serving, with the majority of fat coming from monounsaturated fat and part of the remaining fats being essential fatty acids. One serving contains only three percent of your total fat intake for the day. Contrary to what you may think, olives are not high in calories. In fact, an extra large Black Ripe Olive has only seven calories - and a serving equal to only 25 calories! This makes olives an ideal snack or ingredient for adding flavor and variety to the lower fat meals you prepare.

BUTTER - freezing

How to freeze butter
Butter can be expensive but when you can get a great price on it, it seems a shame to only buy enough for the fridge. But you can freeze butter easily, and it will keep fresh in your freezer.
Sticks or blocks of butter are easiest to freeze. Simply wrap aluminum foil around the foil or wax wrapper already in place. Then freeze.
Unsalted butter will freeze safely for a year while salted butter will keep for six months. Can butter be frozen?

Yes, butter can be frozen. However, butter does have a tendency to pick up flavors from other foods so it should be wrapped well before being frozen.

Grinders - Wheat Grinders

My sister has this one - z011 Grinder-Country Living Grain Hand Mill $395.00 -

for those of us that have nothing - here is the review on Grinders

waltonfeed.com/blog/show/Category/category_id/34


Tell me what you think about your grinder or ones you have seen!

FATS - Storable Fats - why we need fats

Per person - per year is 13 pounds - that would include 4 pounds of peanutbutter - SO - I found a source for Cocunut or Palm shortening which is said NOT to go rancid

13 pounds of longterm storage palm oil is $24 per gallon - so that is $312 per person, so just ONE GAL at a time is a good place to start, it doesn't go rancid, so you can order one at a time.

follow this link -
http://www.alpinefoodstorage.com/coconut-oil-and-palm-shortening

why do we need fat?


Why do we need fat in our diet?
Fat provides needed energy. It is difficult to eat the large amounts of food in a very low fat diet to get all the energy you need.
Fat is needed to prevent essential fatty acid deficiency.
Fat is needed so your body can absorb the fat soluble vitamins A, S, E, K, and prevent deficiencies of these vitamins.
Fat provides flavor and texture to help prevent food from being bland and dry.
Fat helps food to stay in the stomach longer, giving a greater sense of satisfaction and preventing hunger soon after meals.
Fat may help your body produce endorphins (natural substances in the brain that produce pleasurable feelings).
Diets too low in fat (less than 20 - 25%) may trigger cravings

Nuclear Disaster Response - from another site, interesting information

PDF version for best printed copy is here http://www.ki4u.com/guide.pdf

IF you can do so quickly, e-mail the link to this page to all on your e-mail list...
www.ki4u.com/guide.htm
...with the brief message from you urging them to "Print and Read Now!"

Your top priority right now, though, is preparing for your own immediate family survival!

PDF version for best printed copy is here http://www.ki4u.com/guide.pdf

IF you can do so quickly, e-mail the link to this page to all on your e-mail list...
www.ki4u.com/guide.htm
...with the brief message from you urging them to "Print and Read Now!"

Your top priority right now, though, is preparing for your own immediate family survival!


WHAT TO DO IF A NUCLEAR DISASTER IS IMMINENT!

Self Sufficient Living

some sites

http://www.selfsufficientliving.com/


http://www.highlonesomeranch.com check out "living without electricity"

OTHER BLOGS LIKE THIS

http://safelygatheredin.blogspot.com/2008/06/new-to-our-blog-welcome.html


and CHECK THIS OUT

http://everydayfoodstorage.net

it is so FULL of great stuff I can't even start listing it!

some categories she has

Breakfast, giveaways, organizing and planning, lunch, vegetables, dinner, desert, everyday emergency, bulking buying and MORE


http://www.crystalfarms.com/faqs.htm

http://www.momsbudget.com/

COOKING

My sister and a Co-worker have SOLAR ovens! One of my friends says it works great, I don't think my sister has tried it yet.


some solor oven links

prices from $25 to $250

http://store.altenergystore.com/Energy-Efficient-Products/Solar-Ovens/Sun-Bd-Corporation-Tulsi-Hybrid-Solar-Cooking-Oven/p3909/?source=froogle

that altenergstore.com looks great to explore

http://www.lehmans.com/jump.jsp?itemType=PRODUCT&itemID=948

I like lots of stuff at LEHMANS.com they have great products

http://scientificsonline.com/product they have a small oven for $50 (review says it's flimsy)

Water

Water purifiers

we all need water - how much - where can we get it, how to purify it?

I think we should all have 3 or 4 ways to get/keep/store and purify water.

Post your comments here and give me ideas.

I have a small water purifier, for backpacking, I have some water purifying pills, My sister has a British Berkefeld Water Filtration Systems, we have some blue 25 gallon drums of water.

So - more ideas?

Boiling - clorine, (storing clorox)



NOW - a brocure from the CDC on water

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/crypto/crypto.pdf



some highlights since it is a 151 page document

Extra precautions for people with weakened immune systems:
In persons with weakened immune systems, cryptosporidiosis can be chronic and life-threatening.
Persons with weakened immune systems may wish to take these extra precautions to
protect themselves against cryptosporidiosis.
• Drink only water that has been purified by boiling for 1 minute or by distilling.
• Trust only water filters with any of the following information on the label to remove
Cryptosporidium: reverse osmosis; absolute pore size of 1 micron or smaller; tested and
certified by NSF Standard 53 for cyst removal; tested and certified by NSF Standard 53
for cyst reduction. Bottled water treated by reverse osmosis or with any of these filters,
and distilled water, will also be free of Cryptosporidium. Canned or bottled carbonated
(bubbly) drinks will also be free of Cryptosporidium.
• Wash, with purified water, and/or cook all food.
• Do not swim in lakes, rivers, streams, public pools, or water parks and do not use
jacuzzis.• Avoid touching young farm animals.

Hospitals and Clinics
During a boil water advisory
• Patients and employees should not consume water that has not been disinfected, ice or
drinks made with water that has not been disinfected, or raw foods rinsed with water that
has not been disinfected.
• Disinfect water of Cryptosporidium by
• boiling at a rolling boil for 1 minute
• distilling
• filtering through a reverse osmosis filter, an “absolute 1 micron” filter or a filter
certified to remove Cryptosporidium under NSF International Standard #53 for either
“cyst removal” or “cyst reduction.” Ultraviolet light treatment of water is not
effective against Cryptosporidium, at normally used levels.
• All employees with diarrheal illness should be regulated by standard rules of exclusion
from work.
• Disinfect dishes via dishwashing machines that have a dry cycle or a final rinse that
exceeds 113°F for 20 minutes or 122°F for 5 minutes or 162°F for 1 minute.
• Use only disinfected water to treat skin wounds.


SO - that's a start on the water - theme

Non-Hybrid Seeds

If you want to plant seeds and use them to REPLANT - you must buy non-hybrid

here are some places to get them

http://www.abceeds.com/

heirloomseeds.com

http://www.arkinstitute.com/


The ark institute site also has water purifying information

Captain Daves Survival Center Website

http://www.survival-center.com/index.htm

MANY tabs to look through - Bug out Bag, Survival Shop, Food storage FAQ's, Survival trapping!

WOW! check it out, I am!

Quick Start Guide

from the emergencyprep.net

http://www.emergencyprep.net/starting.shtml

The Quick-Start Prep Guide
(for the COMPLETELY Unprepared)

How prepared are you? Here’s a little quiz to find out:

1. If you had no way to get to the grocery store, how long would you last before starvation kicked in?
2. If a hurricane or forest fire were forecast to hit your area, how quickly could you be ready to evacuate?
3. What’s under your bed?

Desired answers:

1. Any amount of time that’s longer than a week.
2. Any amount of time under fifteen minutes.
3. A small cache of stuff for a middle-of-the-night emergency. (If you have junk under the bed in addition to your emergency cache, that's fine, too.)

If you can honestly answer "more than a week" to the first question and "under 15 minutes" to the second, skip ahead to the next section; this guide won't help you at all.

On the other hand, if you're blushing and trying to hide under the table right now, you need to do the activities in this section.

If you do nothing else on this site, please do the following three activities in this section, which will leave you better prepared than the majority of Americans.

Exercise: Grocery Store Roundup

This step requires nothing more than a little extra money and a few extra minutes of your time. Next time you go to a grocery or warehouse store to do your shopping, pick up the following items along with your regular groceries:
Item Amount Estimated Cost
Bottled Water One case for every 2 people in your family
(One case per person is even better.) $7/case
Canned Food Enough to feed your family for one week $15/person
First Aid Kit One small pre-packaged kit $10

The canned food should consist of items that you know your family will eat. Ideally, it will also consist of foods you eat on a regular basis, so you can rotate your supplies to keep them fresh.
Suggested Canned Foods
Fruit (pineapple, peaches, etc.) Chili
Vegetables (green beans, corn, etc.) Chunky Soup
Meat (chicken, turkey, SPAM, etc.) Vienna Sausages
Seafood (tuna, salmon, crab, etc.) Pork'n'beans
Canned Pasta (Spaghetti-O's, canned ravioli) Stew

When you rotate these supplies, buy the replacements before you open the old cans. You should never have less than a week’s supply of food on hand.

There. You’re done. Now wasn’t that easy?

Exercise: BOB-in-the-Box

Now you are going to put together a basic 72-hour kit, or Bug-Out Bag (BOB). You are going to do this using materials you should already have in your house. Don’t go out and buy anything as part of this exercise: just use what you have around your house.

First you’ll need a container to hold everything. Many people prefer to keep everything separated out, one kit per person in the household, but you can put everything in one big container if you like.

What could you use as a container? Anything that you have. Anything from an extra large shopping bag to a cardboard box to a tote bag to a 5-gallon bucket. In short, you can use anything that you currently have at home that will hold all of these things.

In the last exercise, you bought enough canned food for one week. Take enough of this food to last three days and stack this on the bottom of your container.

As part of the last exercise, you also bought a case (or more) of bottled water. From this, take six bottles of water per person and put them on top of the canned goods.

Now head to your closet. Take out one pair of pants, one shirt, one pair of socks, and one set of underwear per person. It’s nice to put your clothes in gallon-sized plastic bags before putting them in with the canned goods, but if you don’t have any available just fold the clothes and put them on top of the water.

Finally, take the first-aid kit that you bought at the store and put it on the very top.

Close the container.

Congratulations! You now have a very basic 72-hour kit. If, for any reason, you have to evacuate your home, you can just pick up this container and put it in your car. You will have basic emergency supplies at your fingertips: food, water, clothing, and medical items.


Exercise: Under-Bed Treasure Trove

Place the following items under your bed:

* A pair of sturdy shoes. No sandals, flip-flops, or high heels, please; these should be sensible, closed-toe shoes. If you can’t afford an extra pair, use the sneakers you were about to discard as “too worn;” they won’t be ideal, but they’ll be better than bare feet.
* A flashlight. You will be tempted to use it sometimes. That’s fine, but make sure it always gets put back right away.
* A set of clothing. One pair of long pants (jeans preferable), a long-sleeved shirt, and socks.

Why do you do this?

Quite simply, there’s no guarantee that an emergency will happen during daylight hours, or even when you’re awake. During the early 1990’s, for example, two major earthquakes struck Southern California in the darkness before sunrise. In the Northridge quake, whose epicenter was in a metropolitan area, the majority of injuries were caused by people leaping out of bed in the dark and walking or running across broken glass.

Even if you don’t live in an area prone to earthquakes, this under-bed treasure trove will prove useful if an emergency strikes in the middle of the night. Many disasters knock out electricity, which would leave you without light. If you have to leave the house, you’ll appreciate the ability to grab a set of clothing and shoes in a hurry (especially if your sleeping attire is skimpy).

In short, if disaster strikes in the middle of the night, you’ll greatly appreciate your under-bed treasure trove.

Survival Site

www.wildwoodsurvival.com - I am going to print off some of this information for my binder! Let me know what you like on this site! ?

my favorites were - Steam pit cooking, basket making, fire from ice, snowshoes

look at the green list on top, that starts with SURVIVAL, each one of those areas has a list of new information -