Below is an excerpt from the September/October 2010 “Backwoods Home Magazine” to jump start your creativity.

Build an attached solar greenhouse

By David Lee
Greenhouse drawing by Don Childers

I do not have a green thumb. The only plants I have any luck with are the ones that can be sawn into boards. My wife has two green thumbs, maybe three. She can grow anything. In our early life together she would, in her shy way, ask me to build helpful garden projects and, in my busy way, I would half pay attention to her requests. After years of doing these half-asked projects we decided a full-fledged greenhouse would be included in our next home.

We planned it to be permanent, well built, and able to withstand the extremes of temperature, humidity, and weather a greenhouse must tolerate inside and out for many years. It would be big enough to grow plenty of food, an easy place to work, and adaptable to our changing needs. We live in a harsh climate and wanted the greenhouse to extend our growing season in both early spring and late fall.

Read the whole article here:
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/lee125.html

Excerpt used with permission of Backwoods Home Magazine.
http://www.backwoodshome.com 1-800-835-2418

One of the best features is that this Dutch oven doesn’t require seasoning like other Dutch ovens. It’s coated with two coats of porcelain enamel. It comes in a pretty red color, too.

This is a versatile Dutch oven. It won’t absorb food odors or flavors. It’s said to be great for cooking, marinating, refrigeration and freezing. It would also be good for baking no-knead bread.

Though this enamel Dutch oven is dishwasher safe, it’s recommended you wash it by hand to preserve the finish. Reviewers say it’s easy to clean.

The lid is oven safe to 400 degrees F. The cast-iron helps evenly distribute heat. And that helps reduce the amount of heat necessary for cooking.

However, this enameled cast-iron Dutch oven is not recommended for use on outdoor grills or over open flames. Don’t put it in the microwave either.

Before you conclude this Dutch oven wouldn’t be suitable for your next camping trip, why not try it out as a solar cooker, surrounded by cardboard covered with foil?

As one reviewer points out, though this Dutch oven is made in China, it has been tested for lead and is safe. You’ll also be glad to know it’s covered by a lifetime warranty against defects.

But one of the nicest features is the price. For about $50 you can get this enameled cast-iron Dutch oven for a fraction of what you would pay otherwise.

Again, this is the Lodge Logic EC6D43 Enameled Cast-Iron 6-Quart Dutch Oven. Click the image here to discover more and to place your order. With all its great features and reasonable price, add one to your survival kitchen today.

The simple steps they want people to take are: Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Be Informed and Get Involved. Their site includes info for individuals and businesses, and you can check it out by clicking here.

Of course, September is the month in which the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon occurred in 2001. Promoting preparedness is a way to keep that in people’s minds.

But it also sends the message that Uncle Sam isn’t going to be there to hold your hand in the event of emergencies or natural disasters, such as hurricanes, which have a nasty habit of making themselves known in a big way during September.

You’ve probably heard public service announcements on radio or TV. It’s part of the Ready Campaign, which goes throughout the year. But they choose September to spotlight what they do and recruit new coalition members to promote preparedness awareness.

FEMA’s campaign is making an impact. Last year almost 2,700 organizations joined the Ready Campaign to promote the message of preparedness.

National Preparedness Month (NPM) coalition members pass along preparedness info to their members, employees, customers and communities. NPM Coalition membership is open to all public and private sector organizations.

Citizen Corps is what FEMA describes as their “grassroots strategy to bring together government and community leaders to involve citizens in all-hazards emergency preparedness and resilience.” Got that? It’s typical bureaucratic language, isn’t it?

What it means is that local Citizen Corps Councils are designed to bring about collaborative planning between government and civic leaders. They also support programs and exercises to educate the public.

Perhaps you’ve heard of places like hospitals and schools having emergency drills in your area. Maybe you’ve participated in such drills.

The Ready.gov kit recommendations have been criticized as being minimal, but it’s still good info. The info on making plans is basic, too. But if you’re new to preparedness or know someone else who is, it’s a place to start.

You have to admit. We all do indeed need to be prepared for emergencies and disasters. And we can’t and shouldn’t count on the government to be there. Focusing on preparedness this month is one thing the government gets right.

How are your preparedness efforts coming along?

I think most people would agree that what happened economically in 2008 was the equivalent of an economic earthquake. And we’ve had several smaller aftershocks since then.

The authors of a book called Aftershock saw the trouble signs ahead of time and predicted the events of 2008. Aftershock predicts more to come.

The complete title of the book is Aftershock: Protect Yourself and Profit in the Next Global Financial Meltdown, by David Wiedemer, Robert Wiedemer, and Cindy Spitzer, published late in 2009.

In spite of all that has happened, the media can’t publish or broadcast a news story about the economy without referring to “the recovery,” or how the recovery is slow or even in danger. It’s as if there’s an unwritten law that sets forth some kind of quota about mentioning recovery.

If you’ve lost your job or home, or if you know those who have, you’re no doubt saying, “What recovery?”

The authors of Aftershock are right there with you. Things will never be the same again. We’re in uncharted waters. More bubbles will pop.

The real estate bubble, stock market bubble, private debt bubble, and discretionary spending bubble have supposedly already popped. Yet to pop are the dollar bubble and government debt bubble, which will change the face of the world, so to speak, when they go.

Get ready for inflation and perhaps 40-60/% unemployment. Expect national sales and value added taxes.

Of course, predictions are just that. They may or may not happen. But reviewers say Aftershock is excellent for its analysis of what’s happening in the economy. And I’d hate to bet against the predictions.

So what’s a person to do? If you’re prepping, you may already be on the right track. Do whatever you can to get liquid. Get out of the stock market. Have currency you can use. Have barter items.

Here are some more suggested solutions from an article you can view in full here.

1 – Get Out Of Debt
2 – Find New Sources Of Income
3 – Reduce Your Expenses
4 – Learn To Grow Your Own Food
5 – Make Sure You Have A Reliable Water Supply
6 – Buy Land
7 – Get Off The Grid
8 – Store Non-Perishable Supplies
9 – Develop Stronger Relationships
10 – Get Educated And Stay Flexible

Click here for info on whether or not to buy gold.

Lahey founded the Sullivan Street Bakery in New York and obviously knows something about bread. But this bread making method isn’t complicated. It’s revolutionary in its simplicity.

Lahey explains his method and how the process works. Time, moisture and enzymes are key. He also shares several photos with the recipes. Incidentally, recipes use Metric measurements, but aren’t difficult to convert, according to reviewers.

This no-knead dough technique calls for flour, yeast, salt, and water, which are mixed together and left for 12-18 hours. It can then be baked in a Dutch oven or something similar. No special baking equipment or bread machine is necessary.

But you can make more than just a loaf of bread. Make pizza, ciabatta, foccacia, rye bread and more. Part of the book focuses on sandwiches. Plus, you can experiment with different kinds of flour.

When you’re thinking survival, you want something basic, but good. Jim Lahey’s My Bread fills that need. Get your copy by clicking on the image of the book below, and place your order at Amazon.com today.

Isn’t it a relief knowing bread making doesn’t have to be complicated?

Click here for info on another easy bread making book.

Click here for info on an enameled cast-iron Dutch oven that doesn’t require seasoning.

It could be a life saver when your cupboards are running low.

The video below tells more about parched corn and shows you how to make it yourself. You’ll be pleasantly surprised how easy it is to make.

Click here for info on cooking stored corn.

This knife features a 3-1/2″ black coated stainless steel blade and a black handle with a belt cutter, and glass breaker. It’s 4-5/8″ closed.

I have no idea how long this 2 for 1 special will last, so at this great price, get a couple now. Think ahead and ad them to your survival and camping kits, or pass them along as gifts.

Click the banner below to take advantage of the BUDK.com Assisted Tactical Firefighter Knife 2 for 1 special. Get one knife now for $9.99 and they’ll ship another one for free!

Check it out. If this knife isn’t the one you want, believe me, BUDK.com has plenty of others you’ll use.

For some time I’ve offered the top quality services of TrustedID, and now they’ve bumped things up a notch with IDEssentials.

IDEssentials is their latest offering in the fight against identity theft. It delivers both TrustedID’s award winning identity theft protection, plus three credit bureau reports, credit scores, and daily monitoring.

TrustedID offers IDEssentials at the same price you’d pay elsewhere for just one of those services. And they’ll continue their tradition of making this service available to your entire family with the only family protection plan on the market.

You can try IDEssentials free for yourself. If you’re a new TrustedID customer, you get a free fourteen day trial. It doesn’t make any difference whether you get an individual plan or a family plan. And with IDEssentials you get both credit monitoring and identity protection at the best value available on the market.

While some might like to lose their identity and take on a new one, you don’t want to have your identity stolen. Be sure you take advantage of the most comprehensive credit and identity theft protection possible at an affordable price.

IDEssentials sets TrustedID apart from the rest.

Remember, you can try IDEssentials free for fourteen days. Just click on the banner below and sign up today. Don’t wait for your prepping efforts to be hampered by the entanglements of identity theft.

The Aquatank II is made from a heavy duty polyurethane coated nylon that’s suitable for potable water. It’s highly puncture resistant, durable and flexible. Plus, it won’t wrinkle, crease or crack. The Aquatank II is also designed to be filled and drained easily.

Here’s a real advantage to the Aquatank II. When you’re not using it, it can be folded or rolled up so it takes up almost no storage space.

Here’s another plus. The Aquatank II can be transported in an SUV, truck, camper or trailer. In fact, even when it has water in it, you can haul it without the risk of damaging it., as long as you take certain precautions.

To order your Aquatank II, click on the logo below and scroll down the page that comes up until you come to the image of the Aquatank II. Click the link for more details and buying options. When you’re ready to order, select the size you want and add it to your cart.

By the way, you’ll be glad to know shipping is free on Aquatank II orders.

When you need an emergency water storage container that’s durable, transportable, and connects with standard connections, get the Aquatank II.

One example is the Backpacker’s Pantry Outback Oven Ultralight. Camping Gear Outlet says it’s the best oven for the weight conscious traveler. In other words, it’s light and won’t weigh you down. That’s important when you’re packing gear outdoors.

The Backpacker’s Pantry Outback Oven Ultralight includes an 8″ pot parka, riser bar, scorch buster, reflector collar, ultralight thermometer, backcountry baking booklet, and a mesh carrying sack. It’s designed to work with your own light weight cook set.

Camping Gear Outlet carries products like this because they’re a family owned and operated business that specializes in gear for camping, backpacking, hiking, trekking, and general “adventuring.” Their outdoor experts have selected from the best brands and put together a collection of the best equipment and values for you.

Their focus is camping gear, hiking gear, and tents for outdoor recreation. Find sleeping bags, backpacks, altimeters, compasses, stoves and cooking supplies, coolers, hammocks and climbing gear.

And that’s just to name a few of the things they carry. They’re always adding new products, so if you don’t see what you’re looking for, let them know. They aim to make your outdoor experience fun and comfortable. That’s a winning formula when you’re preparing for survival.

To buy the Backpacker’s Pantry Outback Oven Ultralight mentioned above, click on the Camping Gear Outlet banner below. Type the number 190418 in the search box on the left side of the page. You’ll see an image of this product. Click on it for a page with more details. Then place your order.

But there’s one more reason to order from Camping Gear Outlet right now. Through August 31, take $5 off any order over $100. Use promotional code CRAZYAUGUST during checkout.

If you find just one thing you can use for survival from Camping Gear Outlet—like the Backpacker’s Pantry Outback Oven Ultralight–you’ll be doing yourself a life saving favor.