The KA-BAR TDI Law Enforcement Last Ditch Knife is a great little neck knife. Coming in at 2.4 ounces the knife seems almost weightless around my neck and I often forget it is even there. This knife was made primarily for Law Enforcement, but anyone can carry it. It is what it says though, it is a ‘last ditch knife’. I definitely wouldn’t use it for every day use, but if something happened and it was all I had I wouldn’t be afraid to use it on just about anything. Ka-Bar has long been a company that makes quality products and this knife is no different. Indeed, one could skin a deer if they wished. Also, if there was a situation where one was forcibly disarmed, chances are they won’t even look at your necklace. The handle easily conforms to one’s hand and has a ridged back for a thumb grip. The custom sheath keeps you safe and easily releases the knife when tension is applied. It is a great addition to my every day carry items.
*The following is from Amazon.com and copied here for Fair Use
FROM AMAZON:
Product Features
- Knife with drop point shape for law enforcement use, 15-degree blade
- Size of credit card; easily concealable
- Use as last ditch weapon when no other weapon is available
- Blade measures 1-5/8 inches; knife is 3-5/8 inches long
- This item is not for sale in some specific zip codes
Product Description
Amazon.com Product Description
The KA-BAR TDI Law Enforcement Last Ditch Knife is the one weapon you’ll want to have on you when you have nothing else left to apprehend the suspect. This sleek, compact knife, designed by John Benner, founder and owner of Tactical Defense Institute, is the size of a credit card and can be concealed just about anywhere. Ideal for law enforcement, you can easily pin it under a tactical vest strap, hang it around your neck, tuck it in your belt, or carry it in your wallet. This lightweight knife features a drop-point blade shape and a versatile 15-degree blade angle. The flat blade is 1-5/8 inches long and the overall length is 3-5/8 inches. The knife includes a friction sheath to protect the blade and comes with a black cord.
Product Description
ATTRIBUTES Blade Detail: Plain Edge Blade Length (inches): 1.63 Blade Material: 9Cr18 Black Carry System: Kydex Sheath Overall Length (inches): 3.63
Product Details
I wrote a couple weeks ago about how you can make your own Square Foot Garden based on the designs by Mel Bartholomew. The following post is to serve as a companion piece and showcase some of the modifications I have done to improve my beds. You can see the original post by clicking HERE.
When gardening in a SFG there are a lot of things one just doesn’t have to worry about, like digging and weeding. However, pests are always an issue, even if which pests you are dealing with varies depending on your location and what you’re growing. My major problem was and is bunnies.
I live in the suburbs where there are no predators so, we have bunnies everywhere and nothing to keep them in check. These may even be kits from another suburban home that set them free rather than take care of them. However, they got there they are there. I tried pellet guns and traps (both live catch and otherwise), but with little success. My dog wasn’t even much help. My HOA does not allow doghouses or for animals to be kept outside so, there were just too many opportunities for the bunnies to strike my veggies while they weren’t guarded. Even after introducing a fake owl I noticed minimal results.
I determined fences were the only thing that would work. My yard itself was already fenced in, but there were holes, too many to patch. My beds themselves were spread all through out my backyard. Instead of focusing everything in one spot I had put beds scattered about wherever they were likely to get sun. Using one fence to enclose everything just wasn’t feasible, then I had an idea. I would build individual fences for each bed.
I used hardware cloth (a metal mesh with holes smaller than chicken wire) for my fence. The best method I found was to measure what I needed and use tin snips and gloves to cut it into sections (do NOT forget the gloves or you will look like you wrestled a badger). Hardware cloth is typically 4 feet wide, which worked out perfectly. For most of the beds I cut the cloth down the middle and made walls that were 2 feet tall. For beds that I knew would contain vining/vertical vegetables I made two sides 4 feet high so, the plants could grip it and left two sides as 2 feet high allowing me to reach in without a ladder. I used a staple gun to secure the metal mesh to the actual frames of the beds and then zip ties to hold the pieces together. The end result proved to be quite sturdy.
In addition to creating high walls for vertical vegetables, I wanted to add support and more things for the plants to grip. A trip to the garden center solved this. I bought several 6 foot stakes and some garden trellis netting. The netting is basically a nylon grid and you stretch it out to form a trellis. It usually has strands hanging off to secure it to poles, but zip ties add even more stability and are less likely to slip. As an added bonus the stakes are great places to hang fake owls.
Below, you can see some of the modifications I made on my snow pea bed…
Sometime down the road, I’ll show how to winterize a SFG. Until next time, keep Making a Homestead, one day at a time.
I thought I’d continue along the same line as last week’s list of Winter Homestead Projects and share some more ideas I had to keep busy. Some of these are for bettering the homestead and some are for bettering oneself. So, again in no particular order…
- Learn to Quilt or Crochet
- Build a Smoker
- Go hunting (Check your states Department of Natural Resources and/or Fish and Game to make sure you are in compliance with their rules and regulations)
- Go the range and/or skeet shooting
- Take a class on firearms and their use
- Go through your garage and/or closet for things to sell (Amazon, Craigslist or Ebay) or give away (charity and Freecycle)
- Check the batteries in your smoke and CO2 detectors (you should try to do this every 6 months)
- Make a scarecrow for the coming season
- Learn to whittle/carving/woodworking
- Learn to type
- Learn a new language
- Practice building and using animal traps (Again, check with your state’s Department of Natural Resources and/or Fish and Game to make sure you are in compliance with their rules and regulations)
- Practice different ways to start a fire
- Practice building shelters from natural materials like limbs, leaves and other outdoor debris
- Put together a documentation packet for emergencies
- Build a Bug-Out-Bag
- Build mason bee homes and/or a top bar beehive
- Build raised beds
- Build a trellis
- Exercise/Get in shape
- Build a rabbit hutch
- Start your seeds for Spring indoors
- Build a greenhouse
- Practice tracking (If you live near snow, this is a great time to spot and identify tracks)
- Practice building and using primitive tools and weapons (stone axe, slings, spears, atlatl, boomerang, etc.)
Until next time, keep Making a Homestead, one day at a time.
Pectin is a naturally occurring extract made by boiling apples. It is also the thing you add to jelly or jam to make it gel, otherwise you are just left with a fruity liquid. If you make your own jelly and jam then you probably go through a lot of pectin. If you are buying this then it can get pretty expensive, that’s why I decided to make my own. So, when I made applesauce this year I kept all the peels and stored in the freezer until I could use them all to make pectin.
Ingredients:
- 3 Pounds of Apples (green apples are the highest in pectin. Pectin is also largely concentrated in the cores and peels so, this is a good recipe to make with the leftovers from making apple pie or sauce)
- 4 Cups of Water
- 2 Tablespoons of Lemon Juice
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients into a large pot and put on simmer. Cook until apple pieces are tender, but not completely dissolved. This will probably take about 30 minutes.
2. Strain the results to get the liquid. You can use a Jelly bag, cheesecloth or even a strainer lined with coffee filters.
3. Next, concentrate the pectin. To do so, boil the liquid you just strained until it is reduced in half. You will need to stir occasionally to keep from developing a film.
4. Lastly, just pour it into containers for storage. I prefer jarring it and pressure canning it. To do so just put the jar in boiling water so that water is about 2 inches above the jar. Let boil for 15 minutes (depending on altitude) and it should store for about 6 months in the pantry. Or you can freeze it.
Until next time, keep Making a Homestead, one day at a time.
Website of the Week: Average Guy Reviews
The website of the week, this week, is a fairly new site called, “Average Guy Reviews.” And it is just as the title implies, gear and tool reviews from an average guy, for the average guy. I’ve been really impressed with how in depth the author goes in order to properly review the products. I will be honest about my connection and say that the author, Docwatmo, is a friend of mine and fellow moderator from The Survival Podcast Forum. So, I am probably a bit biased, but that doesn’t distract from his bad-assery. 
In case you are wondering what gives Docwatmo the expertise to do what he does, the short answer is he doesn’t need any, this is for the average guy (and/or girl). However, he does actually have a background in the Army and the National Guard. So, he knows how to test for durability. Currently, he is an IT manager and thus is very proficient with technical specifications and has a knack for paying attention to small details.
Another thing I really like about the website is that despite the title, Docwatmo often takes things a step forward. He doesn’t just review a product. Often he will compare several similar products offering the reader a contrast and comparison. He has even reviewed a product before, seen a flaw or two and made mods himself. Then he’ll do another review showing the mods so the reader can duplicate his efforts. (Check out the mods he did for his Bear Grylls Survival Knife). Or read his postulations on the nature of tools and knowledge as a tool, HERE.
So, please stop by Average Guy Reviews and give them a shout. His reviews may just keep you from buying a lemon next time you shop for gear. Until next time, keep Making a Homestead, one day at a time.
I have talked about Aqua Cones before and I’m a big fan. Basically, it is a simple drip irrigation system that works on a single plant. I find it to be particularly helpful with watering the big garden waterhogs like tomatoes as well as in helping out first year fruit trees and bushes.
The design is really quite simple. It is just a cone of plastic with a bunch of tiny holes at the bottom and a screw top allowing the attachment of most 1 or 2 Liter bottles (I have confirmed it works with both, but like the 2 Liter because I don’t have to change it as often). So, one hammers the cone into the ground near whatever plant they want watered and then screw on bottles of water as needed. Gravity will bring the water down and empty the bottles, but the tiny holes drag the process out over a period of time.
These things were life savers when I went on vacation for a week. I also like that since the bottles are detachable I can fill them up by hand from my rain barrel and not worry about hoses. Another plus is that since the bottles are sitting in the sun they are heated up to the ambient temperature outside. This is a lot less shocking to the plant then cold hosewater. The bottles themselves will deteriorate over time, but you should get at least two seasons and then just get new ones. Even if you don’t drink soda, I bet you have a neighbor with a recycling bin full of them. So, Recycle.
Below, you can see a picture of one of my Aqua Cones being used to help along a young dwarf columnar apple tree.
 Aqua Cone being used to help water a young apple tree
ATTENTION: The following is from Amazon and is copied here for fair use.
FROM AMAZON:
Product Features
- Fit 1-liter bottles for light watering or 2-liter bottles to deeply water thirsty plants
- Work with any soil type, because we designed them with punch-out holes to control the flow for sand, loam, or clay
- Available in green for foliage and flower gardens
Product Details
- Product Dimensions: 2 x 2 x 8 inches ; 1 pounds
- Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
- Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
Product Description
Fit 1-liter bottles for light watering or 2-liter bottles to deeply water thirsty plants. designed with punch-out holes to control the flow for sand, loam or clay. available in green for foliage and flower gardens. patent pending.
Until next time, keep Making a Homestead, one day at a time.
Here is my recipe for Easy Egg Salad. It is one of my favorites; good on lettuce, on a sandwich, with crackers or just by itself. Sometimes I like to double up this recipe at the beginning of the week and then make sandwiches from it for lunch as needed.
You will need:
- Medium sized Pot
- Large bowl
- 6 Eggs
- 3 Tablespoons of Mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons of Relish
- 6-8 Cups of Water
- 1 Tablespoon of Vinegar
Directions:
- First we will have to hard boil the eggs. Pour the water into a medium sized pot and put on Medium-High heat until water boils.
- Add the vinegar to the water; this will make the shells come off much easier when you go to peel them and also cooks them faster.
- Gently place eggs into the pot and allow them to cook in the boiling water for about 12 minutes. Be prepared to lower the temperature if the water tries to boil over.
- When done cooking, drain the water from the pot. Peel the shells off the eggs and put them in a bowl. Be careful, they will be hot!
- Mash the eggs up with a potato masher or the bottom of a clean cup or jar.
- In the bowl with the eggs mix in the mayonnaise and relish.
- Enjoy!
*Feel free to liven it up with your own herbs and spices. Try sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Or Dill. Or Paprika. Or… ? You get the idea. Get creative!
 Egg Salad
Until next time, keep Making a Homestead, one day at a time.
If you are like me, you find yourself climbing the walls in the winter for lack of things to do. It can be frustrating. The ground is too cold to dig, but you want to do something constructive on the homestead. So, I decided to just sit down real quick and make a list of 25 Winter Projects for the Homestead. I know I’m just scratching the surface on this list so, I may do another soon. In the mean time please add your own in the comment section for others to read. Thanks!
SO, in no particular order…
- Winterize your house
- Build a birdhouse
- Build a bird feeder
- Set up a seed starting station
- Set up a re-potting bench/area
- Design your garden
- Buy and sort seeds for the coming season
- Organize your pantry
- Build a compost bin
- Build a vermacompost bin
- Organize your first aid and emergency supplies
- Build a cold frame
- Build a dehydrator or solar oven
- Build a coop
- Collect any supplies you think will need for the coming season
- Sharpen your knives and gardening tools
- Gather leaves for compost and mulch (check your gutters for some or even ask your neighbors)
- Learn to cook something new
- Learn to knit and/or sew
- Change your air filters (if you haven’t recently)
- Develop an emergency evacuation plan
- Install alternative energy system such as solar, geothermal and/or wind power
- Grow sprouts inside
- Set up a HAM radio
- Research – Read and watch movies on subjects to help the homestead (get a library card if you don’t have one)
Until next time, keep Making a Homestead, one day at a time.
I use the Square Foot Garden method for gardening for one reason. I am lazy. Pure and simple. If you haven’t heard of this method before, it is awesome! It is the no digging, no weeding method of maximizing garden space popularized in the book, All New Square Foot Gardening by: Mel Bartholomew. In fact, I did a review of it, which you can find HERE.
So, how do you garden without weeding or digging, all while maximizing garden space? In the book, Mel really goes into depth so, I’ll be brief. Basically, instead of digging into the ground you build a raised bed on top of the ground and fill it with your own weedless dirt.
So, after choosing the site for your garden if there is already grass on it then lay down some cardboard. This will keep the grass from growing up underneath your beds. over time the cardboard will rot allowing worms to swim up into your bed, but not until long after the grass is dead.
Next, measure and cut the sides of the beds. Beds can be made out of anything as long as they are at least 6 inches high (go at least a foot for root crops). The length can be as long as you wish as long as the width is no wider than 4ft. This is to prevent you from stepping on the good soil you worked so hard to maintain. I like to use reclaimed wood whenever possible. Pallets, old fences, decks and construction sites are great sources for scrap lumber. Also, I prefer to use screws to put the beds together. They should look something like this…
Then simply fill it with your soil mixture…
So, now you have a raised bed. To turn it into a square foot garden you just need to divide it into square foot sections. This will keep the plants separate, maximizing the space allotted. You can use window blinds, twine, wooden lathes or anything else you have at hand. It should look something like this…
Now you have a square foot garden. From here you can do all sorts of things like nailing wire around it for a fence or erecting a trellis to further increase space. You can even put a row cover over it to make a mini-greenhouse.
Until next time, keep Making a Homestead, one day at a time.
If I haven’t mentioned it before, I am a huge fan of the site, Behind Cohutt’s Fence. This is a great website run by a friend of mine and fellow Survival Podcast Forum moderator, Cohutt. He is a Georgia gardening guru with the penchant for doing things big. I feel very fortunate to have been able to watch his garden grow, both on his website as well as the threads he maintains on the TSP Forum. If you haven’t checked it out, I highly suggest it. It is very inspiring to see just how much he has done in such a short time.
My favorite aspect to Cohutt’s website is his documentation and beautiful photographs. It isn’t all pretty pictures, although there are a multitude of those, but it is also very informative. He shares tips on topics such as building a rain catch system for watering the garden, seed starting, building polytunnels and some very delicious recipes. Another thing I like about Cohutt is that he isn’t afraid to try growing something different, such as, loofah sponges, gords for birdhouses and ground cherries.
In fact, I have become aware of several plants just because I saw him plant them (and lucky for me we live really close by, so I know if he can do it, I probobly can too ). I pretty much always learn something I didn’t expect to when reading Behind Cohutt’s Fence. Not only that, but the information is presented in such a playful and easy going way that you learn without trying to, usually while laughing.
So, whether it is recipes, gardening tips, ideas for around the homestead or just some light-hearted writing you seek, please go check out my friend Cohutt’s site, Behind Cohutt’s Fence and tell him I said hey. I promise you that you want be disappointed. Until next time, keep Making a Homestead, one day at a time.
|
|
