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Swing

Porch Lover
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The "Why Did you join this forum?" thread made me think of asking you all this.

What H&CL type topics can you contribute to? Rabbits, turning the fields, best seeds to plant near each other. Solar cooking? cooking over fire with Dutch ovens? And the biggest question (which we may have done once) What to do when the Toilet Paper is gone?

And another big one - What to do when coffee runs out?
 
What to do when the coffee runs out? While it doesn’t have caffeine, chaga has a good, robust flavor and will be my coffee substitute when the coffee runs out. It grows naturally around me in some abundance. Plus, it is super healthy for its medicinal properties.

To your other points, I am interested and love to participate in just about any topic from growing, cellaring, fixing, building and just about anything else that is relevant to living on an original Alaskan homestead. I am fortunate to have bought one and didn’t have to do it the hard way from scratch.

And today is the day that I am planting my potato beds. A week early than previous years based on the promising 10 day forecast. The goal is to convert 30% of the yield into long term preps with the purchase of our new dehydrator. I still have yukon golds from last year that are still good, and we are still eating them thanks to our new and improved cellar.
 
Angie said:
The "Why Did you join this forum?" thread made me think of asking you all this.

What H&CL type topics can you contribute to? Rabbits, turning the fields, best seeds to plant near each other. Solar cooking? cooking over fire with Dutch ovens? And the biggest question (which we may have done once) What to do when the Toilet Paper is gone?

And another big one - What to do when coffee runs out?
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Thank you for this thread and steering the ship back on course!

Angie, this is a thread that I have often thought of starting, calling it "content creation." I have no specific ideas of what we can have threads about right now, but since the title of the forum is H&CL, I have often thought there could be much more discussion on those kinds of topics. I got a little discouraged over the past year or so for how topics would be received, so I have done a little mental shift, looking for things that are entertaining and make me laugh, because we all needed that in the past year. One good or not so good discussion often begets another. (And there it is, historical drama word, beget: "give rise to; bring about. "success begets further success")

I will give this some thought and do some research by visiting other forums and Facebook homesteading groups to see what has been discussed and is currently being discussed there.
 
Sourdough said:
OK........"but" when I moved to Alaska 1969, it was full of "homesteaders" from the lower 48 states. Federal Homesteading closed about 1974'ish in all of America, including Alaska. But even into the 80's the State of Alaska continued to have a "State" program where you could (if you were a resident) homestead Alaska owned land and get ownership of the property, for completing set requirements.

Many people dream that it will be born again. But sadly it was closed forever, and for very valid and justified reasons. I could write a book about those reasons.
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This would be a great topic for a thread. And, there could be one about the history of homesteading in America. I have learned some of it from my family history and genealogy work. There are two threads I have thought about starting: family history AND genealogy. They are similar, but can be different.
 
What do you do when the coffee runs out? Pray the ammo ran out first 😂

And on topic ~ There is an element of living a wholesome life that most folks who appreciate the H & CL lifestyle seem to gear towards. That covers a range of topics and spans from "prepper" to "self-sufficient" to maybe healthy living, faith, or who knows what else. I am not so much into fighting tactics but am very much into having enough food on the shelf to get us through winter. This doesn't mean I don't appreciate the tactical folks. I do. It takes a community both virtual and realistic to make it all roll. We can each play a part the best we can and the knowledge the others bring to the table only helps us even if it's not "our thing."
I will say, one thing that would be helpful especially in reference to growing things: many folks don't have listed their state or region which is fine, but might say what hardiness zone you are in. When folks in CA are talking about planting in Nov., I'm thinking they've lost their marbles unless I know where they are.
And one last thing sorta mentioned above, I would love to learn more about historic ways of H & CL! This is something I research almost continually. Often it's much the same like laundry on Mondays, but occasionally something is mentioned that spurs a question. Ex. in one of my readings it was hot in summer and they drove the wagon through a creek and she mentioned the wheels getting wet. So? Of course they would get wet, what of it? Had to dig until I learned that the wheels getting wet was a good thing because the wood would swell and keep the joints tight. Those are the bits of knowledge a group like this can share which helps expand the knowledge base of many.
And thank you for this thread :)
 
There is always Roasted Dandelion Root Coffee!
No I haven't tried it yet but I guess it's a thing.
I know several of us on here use sun ovens for baking. It is my preferred way to bake in the summer.
I know we have a few blacksmiths here. Blacksmithing is not a bad thing to learn and I bet articles on that would be popular.
 
Never have been a coffee drinker. As to what to do when TP runs out I bought a thousand shop rags off Ebay to use as a washable substitute. Plus they come in handy in many other ways. Like when my dog and my daughters dog got to fighting and I got bitten trying to break them apart and had a squirter coming from my wrist. Worked great as a pressure bandage tied tight. I also cut garlic up a clove at a time and took it twice a day for three days to keep infection at bay. I have become a BIG believer in the healing properties of garlic in the last few years especially when it comes to tooth issues.
 
I have deeply buried memories of being self-sufficient when I was growing up.
We did everything ourselves.
Beef, milk, corn, okra, peaches, plums, pears, pecans, rabbits, squirrels, doves, deer, catfish
vomit007.gif
, figs, sassafras tea, and even dewberry wine! We loaded every round of ammo we fired too.
I am not much help today because when I finally gained my freedom from 'the hard-labor farm', I celebrated everything I could buy instead of us spending hours making. I never looked back.

(still, nothing can touch those homemade pecan pies :p. I think it was the dark Karo syrup):(
 
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hiwall said:
There is always Roasted Dandelion Root Coffee!
No I haven't tried it yet but I guess it's a thing.
I know several of us on here use sun ovens for baking. It is my preferred way to bake in the summer.
I know we have a few blacksmiths here. Blacksmithing is not a bad thing to learn and I bet articles on that would be popular.
Click to expand...
Dandelion "coffee" tastes like dirty tea - not even close to the real thing (and it's expensive!)
 
hiwall said:
There is always Roasted Dandelion Root Coffee!
No I haven't tried it yet but I guess it's a thing.
I know several of us on here use sun ovens for baking. It is my preferred way to bake in the summer.
I know we have a few blacksmiths here. Blacksmithing is not a bad thing to learn and I bet articles on that would be popular.
Click to expand...
Anybody mention chicory coffee? I've heard it sucks, but it's a viable alternative...
 
Angie said:
And the biggest question (which we may have done once) What to do when the Toilet Paper is gone?
Click to expand...

In the forest here the moss on the forest floor is 8" to 12" thick. It is clean, and you just reach out and grab a large hand full. It is a woven nest of tiny soft roots. It is so thick, it takes a fair amount of practice to walk on the really deep stuff. It is also "labor" intensive to walk on the stuff. It also acts as insulation, and in the forest, the ground does not freeze, even at 30 or 40 below zero. It is what has allowed me access to buried caches in the deepest part of Alaska winter.

I also use 3' by 3' carefully extracted sheets of it on roofs. It acts as insulation, but more important to me it camouflage's the top of the building, it continues living and does not need dirt under it.
 
Angie said:
The "Why Did you join this forum?" thread made me think of asking you all this.

What H&CL type topics can you contribute to? Rabbits, turning the fields, best seeds to plant near each other. Solar cooking? cooking over fire with Dutch ovens? And the biggest question (which we may have done once) What to do when the Toilet Paper is gone?

And another big one - What to do when coffee runs out?
Click to expand...

Yaupon. The only plant that is native to America which contains caffeine.

I am starting a grove of this plant this year...

(Edited to add: this is NOT regular holly...read on.)


https://news.ufl.edu/archive/2009/0...antioxidant-rich-beverage-uf-experts-say.html
https://yauponbrothers.com/blogs/news/is-yaupon-better-than-coffee-yes
The following site shows the native range, but it can be grown elsewhere, as described in the second site:

https://www.wildedible.com/wild-food-guide/yaupon-holly
http://hort.ufl.edu/trees/ILEVOMA.pdf
 
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Spikedriver said:
Anybody mention chicory coffee? I've heard it sucks, but it's a viable alternative...
Click to expand...
Yes, it sux.
I mentioned it in this thread and we do take the blame for that :(.
In wartime, or prisons, it gets a pass.
 
Spikedriver said:
Ok what does this stuff taste like?
Click to expand...


These guys describe it best!

https://lostpinesyaupontea.com/
A dark roast:

Depending on brew strength, the flavor is anywhere from light, caramelly and buttery to intensely rich, complex, nutty and smoky with a velvety texture. Dark roast brewed strong makes a great coffee alternative.


A light roast:

A tantalizing range of complex flavors. Brewed lightly it is smooth and bright with a hint of caramel sweetness. Stronger or longer steepings yield a more bold, nutty and grassy flavor with a silky texture.
 
I would love to learn more about the early American homesteaders who got in covered wagons and headed west. I have bought some books about the Mormons who went west but haven't found time to read them as my focus has been on the Alaskan homesteaders. There is so much knowledge out there that is fading away.
 
I am fairly sure I have suggested this book to "Alaskajohn". In my opinion this book will appeal to females to a much greater extent then men. It is educational, about what that was like. Not so much from learning "tricks' and clever smart way to do things, it is most about the reality of what was Homesteading in Alaska in the 1970's. The book was hard for me to read, and painfully in my face, as that (the early 70's) when I was homesteading.

I guess one thing readers would gather is the substantial difference between purchasing land today, that you instantly own vs. going into wilderness when you don't already own the land.

You will for sure learn things. But it is "not" a training manual for homesteading. If anything......is to be learned from that book, it is that she made many-many mistakes, and was lucky to have lived.

If she is still alive I would love to have coffee with her. We shared a common adventure in different locations in Alaska in the early 70's.

Cold Hands, Warm Heart: One Woman's Story of Ten Years in the Alaskan Wilderness: Moore Shaver, Marilyn: 9781520428420: Amazon.com: Books
 
Sourdough said:
I am fairly sure I have suggested this book to "Alaskajohn". In my opinion this book will appeal to females to a much greater extent then men. It is educational, about what that was like. Not so much from learning "tricks' and clever smart way to do things, it is most about the reality of what was Homesteading in Alaska in the 1970's. The book was hard for me to read, and painfully in my face, as that (the early 70's) when I was homesteading.

I guess one thing readers would gather is the substantial difference between purchasing land today, that you instantly own vs. going into wilderness when you don't already own the land.

You will for sure learn things. But it is "not" a training manual for homesteading. If anything......is to be learned from that book, it is that she made many-many mistakes, and was lucky to have lived.

If she is still alive I would love to have coffee with her. We shared a common adventure in different locations in Alaska in the early 70's.

Cold Hands, Warm Heart: One Woman's Story of Ten Years in the Alaskan Wilderness: Moore Shaver, Marilyn: 9781520428420: Amazon.com: Books
Click to expand...

I have that book in my reading queue, but it won’t be until next winter until I get to it. This is the time of the year where I am working 16-18 hour days!
 
hiwall said:
There is always Roasted Dandelion Root Coffee!
No I haven't tried it yet but I guess it's a thing.
I know several of us on here use sun ovens for baking. It is my preferred way to bake in the summer.
I know we have a few blacksmiths here. Blacksmithing is not a bad thing to learn and I bet articles on that would be popular.
Click to expand...
Son dug up a dandelion root one day , washed it, dried it out in the oven, then ground and made “coffee”, tasted just like it, but I would probably go to herbal tea. I love this forum because of gardening, and the prepping and sharing thoughts on a variety of interesting ideas and topics!
 
Angie said:
What to do when the Toilet Paper is gone?
Click to expand...

The way our world wide financial Ponzi scheme appears to be going, dollar bills may be the cheapest toilet paper available. :eek:
 
Spikedriver said:
Anybody mention chicory coffee? I've heard it sucks, but it's a viable alternative...
Click to expand...

When I lived on the bayou, the chicory Community Coffee was what all the locals drank. That was probably the only culinary aspect of the Cajun culture that I did not immediately take to (and never did).

I posted above about chaga tea. I certainly encourage those of us who live in the northern climates with abundant birch trees to give it a shot. It's the only thing that has tamed my wife's once high cholesterol enough so that she no longer needs to take any meds for it, and our family practice doctor was so impressed that he started drinking it himself. As far as flavor, it's not bad. Somewhere between a great cup of coffee and that horrible chicory coffee, but more toward the good tasting side!

Super easy to harvest, process and make as well. We get an annual supply from about two afternoon outings.

Sorry to post links to that now crappy site, but this is from back when it was good. But some good information on chaga:

Chaga Hunt

chaga #1 cancer fighting herb

Health Benefits of Chaga
 
I was referring to coffee. Since I can't stand that, I am not concerned about substitutes. Tea is not on my list of things I give a hoot about either. I do like rhubarb juice on hot days if its available, otherwise I am good with water.

I am getting a distinct feeling that I prep funny.
 
ClemKadiddlehopper said:
I was referring to coffee. Since I can't stand that, I am not concerned about substitutes. Tea is not on my list of things I give a hoot about either. I do like rhubarb juice on hot days if its available, otherwise I am good with water.

I am getting a distinct feeling that I prep funny.
Click to expand...
I made some rhubarb kombucha once. Oh, it was so bitter. Do you add lots of sugar to your rhubarb juice?
 
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