Compost Tea Brewer completed

Been sick for a few days so haven't been able to post.  I was able to complete the Compost Tea Brewer for my garden that I mentioned in a previous post.  I made my first batch of tea and it seemed to come out fine.  If I had a microscope I would know for sure if the microorganisms were in the tea.  If you do not know what compost tea is I recommend the book Teaming with Microbes by Jeff Lowenfels or The Compost Tea Brewing Manual by Elaine Ingham from the Soil Food Web organization.  You can find instructions on how to make you own brewer here.

Below are some photos of my brewer:

I am using one of my 55 gallon water storage barrels for my compost tea brewer.

Used a hacksaw to remove the top from the barrel.  Took me a couple hours but I didn't want to buy an electric saw for one project.

Top is finally removed from barrel.

Testing the air pump.

 

Closer view of air pump bubbling the water.

Completed brewer inside house in laundry room

Bag of compost hanging in water while air pump is on.  The bag is a 5 gallon paint strainer.

I tied the PVC piping and air pump to the PVC bar that lays across the top of the barrel so they wouldn't move.  Worked perfectly since I could not find any clamps that would fit onto the barrel to hold the pipes.

Live the Motto - Be Prepared!

Getting the garden started

Spring is here and planting is about to begin this weekend. I plan to plant some Buttercrunch lettuce, Paris Island Cos Romaine lettuce, Winter Giant Spinach, and I will plant some Amish Snap Peas that I bought from Big John Lipscomb.  Now is the time to learn how to grow your own food.  I said this before but if you do not know how to grow food then you will starve if there is a collapse.  You do not need a big farm to learn how to grow food.  You can grow food in containers/flower pots.  Wherever you live you need to start now.

The first time you plant seeds, especially lettuce seeds, you will be amazed by how such a small seed can produce such a large plant.  Just so you understand, the lettuce you buy in the store isn't fully mature.  If you let the lettuce bolt (i.e., the lettuce starts to flower and seed) it could grow as tall as 2 feet.  Once you start growing your own food you will have a much better appreciation of life and how this earth truly sustains us.  Our modern world takes away this enjoyment. 

I finally received all the components for my Compost Tea Brewer and I plan to make some Compost Tea this weekend to introduce some microorganisms into my soil and mulch.  My wife isn't going to like it but I'm going to have to brew the tea indoors until the temperature is a little warmer.  Hopefully the air pump won't be too loud!

I also bought 3 apple trees which should be delivered in the next couple weeks.  I bought the Disease Resistant Apple Assortment from Stark Bro's which includes the GoldRush Apple Dwarf, Enterprise Apple Dwarf and Jonafree Apple Semi Dwarf.  Hopefully I will have some delicious apples in the next 1 or 2 years. 

Check out the below photos of the beginning of my 2010 garden.  I pulled back the hay and mulch to let the sun heat up the soil and to get it ready for planting.  I also spread some soybean meal which is a natural fertilizer.

Live the Motto - Be Prepared!

Long Term Food Storage

For those of my readers who have not begun storing food, now is the time.  Don't wait any longer because time is short.  Any of us with a job could be laid off or a total collapse could happen at any time.  I have been storing food for a couple years now and still do not have enough to make me feel comfortable.  You should have enough food to make it at least through the winter.  I would recommend at least a year's worth in case of crop failure.  You are growing and canning your own food, right?  My goal is to have at least 2-3 years worth of long term storage food for me and my family. 

I store the basics such as rice, beans, wheat, pasta, corn, oatmeal, salt and sugar.  If properly stored this food can last several years. You should pack your long term storage food into 5 or 6 gallon buckets using mylar bags and oxygen absorbers.  You can buy the buckets or you can possibly get them for free from a bakery.  You should try to obtain white food grade buckets.  Some of my buckets are from Home Depot, yes the orange buckets.  I bought them because they were the cheapest I could find.  There is a big debate about whether or not they are food grade but it does not matter if you use mylar bags.  So whatever buckets you can find is better than nothing.  Be sure to buy lids to the buckets that include a rubber gasket around the inside rim.  You will also need a way to seal your mylar bags.  I use a regular iron to seal them.

Below are some great videos I found about 2 years ago on YouTube which showed me how to store my food into mylar bags and buckets:







The below video shows you how to seal the mylar bags using a regular clothes iron.



Live the Motto - Be Prepared!

Interview with Big John

I was interviewed by Big John Lipscomb and Jeffrey Grubb on the Don't Tread On Me Radio show last night.  If you missed the interview you can listen to it at http://www.donttreadonme.tv/new-show-031010.html 
Thanks to all the comments I received and for the new readers of my blog!

Dave

Live the Motto - Be Prepared!

Don't Tread On Me Radio Show

I will be a guest on Big John Lipscomb's Don't Tread On Me radio show this Wednesday, March 10, 2010.  We will of course be talking about my blog and Being Prepared.  The show begins at 8:00 Eastern time.  You can hear the show live at http://www.renseradio.com/listenlive.htm.

Be sure to also check out Big John's website, Don't Tread On Me. 

Live the Motto - Be Prepared!

Prepared little girl!

Check out the below video.  This little girl is more prepared than most men I know.

Win a Slinky Shortwave Antenna

Check out a great blog, Patriots Against the NWO, and win a Slinky Shortwave Antenna for your shortwave radio. 

Live the Motto - Be Prepared!