Intro to Raising Chickens
Chickens are great for food and self-sufficiency. They are the oldest domesticated animal in the world, which means people have been using them for eggs, meat, manure compost, and insect control for thousands of years. If you’re thinking about starting your own flock, consider the following.
Why do you want chickens? There is an investment of time and money involved, so consider your return. These are the things you’ll have to do if you keep chickens:- Build a PREDATOR PROOF coop and run
- Decide what kind of birds and how many
- Raise the chicks or buy adult birds
- Clean the coop regularly and compost or dispose of manure
- Feed and water them
- Deal with disease and/or destructive habits
- Collect eggs regularly
- Winterize your flock
- Butcher and process them
Everything you ever wanted to know about Garlic & it’s uses
- Acne
- Athlete’s foot
- Blood thinning
- Cold sore treatment
- Cold prevention
- Cough syrup
- Diabetes
- Weight Loss Aid
- Mosquito repellent
- Pesticide
- Psoriasis relief
- Gas prevention
- Ear infections
- Splinter removal
- Facial Skin cleanser
- Yeast infections
- Parasite killer
- Fish bait
- Mole removal
- Hair loss help
- Aphrodisiac
- Reduces blood pressure
- Toothaches
Basics of Hammock Camping
Top Lightweight Methods for Treating Water When Backpacking
Solo Travel
The following are the top two lightweight options for water treatments while traveling solo in the back country.All treatment systems discussed have the opportunity to weigh less than 4oz dependent upon the amount of water needed to be treated during a given trip.Ultra Violet Light
Ultra Violet Light is a micro-organism killer. It has a wave length so short that it is able to destroy the nucleic acids in organisms scrambling their DNA so that they can no longer perform vital cellular functions, like reproducing. This James Bond method of water treatment is now available for outdoor enthusiast. One of the most popular UV Light products for water treatment is the SteriPen. SteriPen has several different product models weighing under 4ozs with differences between weight, battery, longevity, display, and size. Other popular and great options are offered by Camelback and Meridian Designs.Advantages:
-It‘s very quick. One liter of water can be treated in only 45-60 seconds. -It’s very light weight. At under 4ozs its is considerably lighter than many other options -It’s doesn’t clog up. Pumps and other filtration systems run the risk of building up sediment.Disadvantages:
-It’s an electronic. It needs to use batteries or be charged and it can malfunction. Carrying a back-up treatment is generally recommended. -It’s expensive. Most units cost within the hundred dollar range. -Limited effectiveness in stagnant water. When water is cloudy and full of debris dangerous micro-organisms may be able to find shelter from the UV light leaving their cellular functions intact. -May not filter debris or pollution from the water source.Survival Fact:
Did you know that water can be treated by the sun? UV Light naturally passing through our atmosphere can kill the micro-organisms in your water. The drawback, it takes very long! It is said that a clear plastic water bottle with one liter of water can take over 6 hours to be treated in direct sunlight.Chemical Treatments (Iodine and Chlorine Dioxide):
Many chemical treatments come in liquid and tablet form. They are general dropped in dirty water containers and take 20-30 minutes to treat one liter of water. There are two popular chemical treatments available, iodine and chlorine dioxide. The once popular iodine water treatments may have started to go out of favor with outdoor enthusiasts. Iodine, even with taste enhancing treatments, carries an unpleasant flavor that may detract from the connection of the natural source that water is pulled from. There are some differences between the two chemicals. Iodine may not treat water for viruses but chlorine will. Both will treat water of from giardia, a dangerous protozoan parasite, but iodine may not treat water from cryptosporidiosis which causes diarrhea.Advantages:
-It’s light weight. You can carry what you need.Disadvantages:
-May change the taste of the water, detracting from the connection from the natural source. -Longer treatment times than UV light. -Doesn’t filter debris or pollution from the water source.Other considerations
The following are the top lightweight water treatments for solo travel, but what about the other options? Why wasn’t boiling water discussed? What about pump filters? Great questions, let us discuss these other options. Boiling water: Boiling water is a great light weight option for treating water in the back country. Creating a fire off natural fuel can be one of the lightest options for treating water. However, when the decision is made to carry fuel only to boil water in order to treat it, boiling becomes out of favor. The amount of fuel required to boil a sizable amount of water out-weighs the other suggested options. Pump Filters: Are you trying to get water from a very small source? Is the water you need to treat stagnant? Pump filters may be the best option in these cases. Pump Filters weight ranges from 7oz and up and can help mitigate these problems in your solo travels. Point-Of-Use Filters: Many point-of-use filters have started to get buzz in the market. Popular filters like the LifeStraw have been given a lot of praise in the news for being a solution to the water crisis in developing parts of the world. Point-of-use filters were once criticized for not being able to treat gaurdia because of its iodine treatment method. Now, many point-of-use filters do not use iodine but rather micro-filtration systems, usually a set of micro-pores that the water must flow through, that can treat water against 99.9% of protozoan parasites. Point-of-Use Filters may not at once have been a widely adopted filtration system for lightweight backpackers for a few reasons. One being that the flow rate or “suck-ability”, how hard and long it takes to suck water through the system, was strongly lacking making it uncomfortable and slow to pull water through. Additionally Pump-filters and point-of-use filters both run the risk of becoming clogged by sediment over time. They many not treat water against viruses. However, now point-of-use filters have claims of improved flow rates and streamlined system designs. They are an interesting system to consider with weights from 2oz and up.Group Travel
In a group there may be the additional need to fill up multiple bottles for more than one person. Although each individual could carry their own separate treatment, it may be more weight and time efficient to consider alternative systems.Gravity Filtration:
When traveling with one or more people a gravity filtration device may be your best option. There are several popular gravity filtration systems, such as Platypus Gravity Works and several options that have been developed by Sawyer, all are less then 11oz. Gravity filtration devices work similar to pumps but instead of pushing a lever to pump the water, gravity does the work. Gravity filtration devices have one “Dirty bag” where dirty water is stored and one “clean bag” for the filtered water to flow into.Advantages:
-Allows quick filtration at a large scale, perfect for those traveling with groups -No pumping, easy use systemDisadvantages:
-May be difficult to gather water from small water sources. -May not be the best option for stagnant water sourcesPump Filtration:
Pump filtration usually requires having to pump a lever to pull dirty water through an input hose to pass through a filter before releasing through a clean output hose providing drinkable water. Popular light weight pump filters may include the MSR Hyperflow (8oz) and the Katadyn Hiker Pro (11oz).Advantages:
-Great for treating water from stagnant sources. -Great for gathering water from small sources of water.Disadvantages:
-One of the heaviest systems for water treatment. -Not as fast as gravity filters.Conclusion
Choosing the right water treatment may come down to personal preference and depend upon the specific requirements for a particular trip. Each system has its advantages and drawbacks that should be considered. The following is an overview of the systems discussed, each system is rated on a 3 point scale (3 being highest) for its effectiveness for treating low quality water, its ability to treat stagnate water, its group ease, its general ease of use, and on basis of the system’s weight. Here are some general rules of thumb: If the water source you will be pulling from is stagnant a pump system may be the best method to treat water in both a solo and group setting. If the water is expected to be flowing while traveling solo the lightest weight options will generally be UV light or chemical treatment. If there are two or more traveling in a party and the water is expected to be flowing a gravity filter may be the best method to accommodate the group’s water needs.10 Weeds that Heal
- Shepherd’s Purse
- Cleavers
- Chickweed
- Dandelion
- Groundsel
- Mallows
- St. John’s Wort
- Self Heal
- USNEA
- Yarrow
Man washed up on boat on Marshall Islands says he’s been adrift 16 months
How to Take Perfect Photos When Hiking Solo Using a Mobile Phone
- iPhone or Andriod Smartphone Device
- One of the following applications that can grab video frames
How It’s Done
Step One: Set up your Camera One of the most common methods I use to set up my camera in the back country is to attach my phone to one of my trekking poles using a hair-tie or rubber band. However, you can set your phone up on any improvised set up. Get innovative to achieve the angle you want, sometimes I’ll lean my phone against a rock, stick, or up in the branches of a tree. Get creative but be careful with your device!Step Two: Take the Video
Click record and show the world what you do! Remember that you can choose any frame from the video that you are filming, so if you are looking for the perfect picture don’t forget to give your video some variety. You may thank yourself later! Tips: -Set the screen brightness on low to help conserve battery -Check the cameras resolution settings, the higher the resolution the more space the video will take up. Make sure you have enough space available for the video before you go live your moment.Step Three: Use the Application
Follow your applications directions for grabbing a photo from the video. The following example is for Android devices using AndroVid. 1. Go to the device’s gallery and find the video taken. 2. Click the video and the phone will prompt about the different applications that you can choose to open it. Choose AndroVid. 3.In AndroVid, on the top tool bar, click the camera image that says “Grab”.4. Search the video for the desired frame for the picture. Click the camera icon on the top right to grab the image.
5. Save the image, directly upload it, or open up the new image in a different program for further processing.
Tips:
-If battery conservation is important while traveling you can choose to select your photos later when the time is more appropriate.
-Low on storage space? After you retrieve the picture from the video you can delete the video to create more available space.
How to make Old Fashioned Ketchup – Recipe
Comparison of Lightweight Shelter Protection
Brief Introduction to the Shelter Systems
The following are brief introductions to the shelter systems discussed: Water Resistant Breathable and Waterproof Breathable Bivy Sacks A bivy sack is an extremely small and lightweight shelter that can be used as an alternative to a tarp or tent for a shelter. What makes it water resistant or waterproof is the fabric that it is constructed with. Waterproof bivy sacks, even with the advance of waterproof/breathable fabrics like Gore-Tex and E-Vent, are less breathable than water resistant bivy sacks due the different fabrics they are made of. In result, waterproof bivy sacks can commonly become uncomfortable and moist inside. Open Tarps Open Tarps are simple shelters commonly rigged with hiking poles, tent pegs, and guy lines. They come in many designs, from simple rectangle pieces of nylon or plastic to more elaborate shaped cuts made with extremely lightweight and durable fabrics such as cuben fiber. They typically are floorless, though ground sheets are commonly used to keep occupants off bare ground. Mid Tarps Mid tarps are similar to open tarps in the way they are rigged, however their design creates a full enclosure with a small gap at the bottom for ventilation.Dew
Unless you break camp early enough to escape, morning dew is going to fall upon your shelter system. The following chart provides a breakdown of protection that each shelter system provides against dew in a five point rating system. No Shelter- Without any protection, dew may be strong enough to soak a sleeping bag which can cause it to lose its loft and warmth. If there is no time to dry it out the accumulative effects over a couple days may wreck havoc to a sleeping system. If dew is a concern a synthetic bag during good weather may be a better suited option when traveling without a shelter.Water Resistant Breathable Bivy- Because the fabric is not fully waterproof heavy dew is still likely to soak through the permeable fabric, yet it provides more protection than having nothing.
WPB Bivy, Open Tarps, Mid Tarp- The remaining shelter systems offer full protection from dew.