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“If people let government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny.” Thomas Jefferson

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Heirloom Seeds for the Garden

It is garden planning time and most gardeners run down to the local feed store or large hardware chain to check out the latest in seed supplies. These misguided souls think that by using these seeds to plant and grow their own food they are doing great things for their health. Well, I hate to tell them this. Despite all of their good intentions they are doing more harm to themselves and the environment than they can imagine. First most of these seeds are hybrids which means that there will be no harvesting seeds for next years crop. The seeds will not breed true if they breed at all. Most seeds of these crops are sterile and have to be recreated each and every year. Second, believe the advertising if you want to but the new hybrid seeds are more labor intensive and chemically intensive than the old heirloom seeds that were good enough for the generations of a hundred years ago. Thirdly, many of these seeds are genetically modified organisms. There is no telling what kind of genes are in those corn cobs that you have grown with the feed store seed. You might be eating parts of some strange fish. Genetically modified seeds contain all sorts of things. And fourthly these seeds while being sterile themselves often create sterility in the honey bee populations which is devastating to the environment. Folks when the bees are gone you can kiss your tushies good bye as well. There is no way that humans can replace the tremendous pollination skill of the honey bee. So what is a homesteader to do? Get online and buy heirloom variety seeds. These seeds are open pollinated by..........you guessed it honeybees. The seeds from these crops will breed true year after year and folks this saves you money, if you take a little time to harvest some seeds from your crop. Heirloom seeds contain 100% of the DNA for that plant, no strange fish genes. They also are more conducive to organic gardening techniques because they were not designed to be chemical reliant. They are more efficient at using the resources available. I can assure you that Native Americans did not have Ortho fertilizers and pesticides available to them yet they managed to live and survive just fine with heirloom seeds that did not need these harmful chemicals. I am sure there are some studies or their should be that will tell us that crops grown from heirloom seeds probably pack more nutrition for their punch. Since the diet of the average American is grossly lacking in proper nutrition , this is a definite plus for the homesteader or home gardener. Whisper Wind Farm will be using heirloom seeds for our garden, I hope you do too. Check the out links below for your garden seeds this year.

Heirloom Veggie Seeds-I no longer recommend this company, they are not reliable in shipping the purchased product.
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Heirloom Acres Seeds

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Gardening with the Three Sisters

The Native Americans were very smart people. They understood plant need much sooner than modern science. Old timers understood companion planting too. Somehow though along the way this knowledge was pushed aside and forgotten. However, with the recent organic movement we have seen those seeking knowledge of the old ways. So that brings us to the three sisters: corn, beans, and squash. The name three sisters comes from the Iroquois legend of the the creation. To make the story brief Sky Woman who lived in the heavens became pregnant and then fell out of the sky. The animals saw her coming and took the earth from beneath the sea and made a soft place for her to land (North America). She gave birth to a daughter who later became pregnant herself with twins. She died during birth and Sky Woman buried her in the new earth. From her grave sprang three sacred plants: corn, beans and squash. These three plants first fed the twins and then the nations. So that is the story of the three sisters and why you will often in old timers garden see these three planted together. Scientifically, this is why they work well together. Corn depletes nitrogen in the soil, beans put nitrogen back in and squash has prickly, itchy vines and leaves to keep thieves away from the corn and beans. The beans also climb the corn and give it support and strength against the winds. This method of planting works much better with heirloom varieties since modern day GMOs are just pitifully weak and the corn cannot support the beans. I recommend heirlooms anyway and ban all GMOs in my garden. I plan on adding honey bees to my property sometime this year and GMOs kill off honey bee populations by rendering them sterile. Which by the way is what they are also doing to you and your children. So heirlooms are the way to go for healthy gardening. Back to the three sisters. There are several ways to properly plant this combination, here is one.

Wampanoag Method- This method was taught to the settlers of Jamestown, Va. and each family could sustain themselves with about an acre planted in this manner. First make small hills with a flat top and a lip around the edge about 4 inches high and spread about 4 feet apart. Then plant 4 corn seeds, 3 inches deep. When the corn is about 4 inches high, plant 4 bean seeds halfway down the hill. At the same time that you plant the beans, construct mounds 1 foot across and 3 in. high staggered among the corn and bean mounds. Then on top of each mound plant 4 squahs seedlings. Traditionally each seedling was placed in one of the cardinal directions on the mound. Along the north side of the garden plant sunflowers the same time as planting corn. The sunflowers are planted on the same mound as the corn and with 4 seeds also.

There are other types of three sisters gardens all using the same principles just different designs. It seems as if sunflowers were usually put along the north edge as well. Good luck and have fun.

Our Founding Fathers

History has been rewritten and changed on so many historical subjects, I suppose it is only natural that those who do the changing distort who our founding fathers were. However, to anyone who has truly studied our founding fathers and their words, thoughts and actions it becomes obvious that they were Christian men who lived their lives by the word of God. Their intention was that this nation be a free nation under God, a Christian nation. They understood their heritage and that they were part of the House of Israel. Just like our ancestors did so very long ago we have allowed the false religions of the world to corrupt what God put together. Make no mistake about it, it was God himself that founded our country. There is no other explanation of how a few thousand men vanquished the most powerful military force in all the world at the time. It was the prayers of those men and those women that were heard by God and God answered. Everything we have enjoyed here for over 200 years is because of God. Yet we are giving it away and forgetting Who it belongs to. We have let this nation become corrupted by every false god on the face of the earth. All under the false interpretation of "Freedom of Religion". When our founding fathers talked about freedom of religion they were speaking of freedom of the Christian religion. To belong to whichever church of God that citizens so desired. Unfortunately, over the years the corruption of other gods has infiltrated our country and weakened our Christianity all in the name of tolerance. However, this notion of tolerance and "your ok, I'm ok" bull does not come from The One God Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth, Of All Things Seen and Unseen. This notion of tolerance has come from those lesser gods that have no place in the House of Israel. By giving obeyance to the voices of these lesser gods look at what we have done to ourselves. Take a good hard look. The blessings once bestowed upon us and the other Christian nations of the world have been taken away as a whole. Our economies are crashing, our people are divided and weakened, we are hated and reviled, and our governments are being destroyed. And Christian ministers in this country dare to encourage us to follow those false gods of false religions and bow our knees to them promising blessings. Take a look around, open our eyes and ears. These don't look like blessings to me. The unemplyment rates goes up daily, the dollar drops daily, other countries want nothing to do with us financially, our government cannot be trusted, our people are cowards. And all the while we have forgotten who this country belongs to, who built this country, and who placed His people here. Judge Roy Moore knew from whence everything came and for that he was persecuted and reviled. What have we as a nation done to ourselves? We have forgotten our founding fathers, we have forgotten their words and we have replaced it all with lies that come from the false gods of the world. We no longer hear the words of God Almighty because we have closed our hearts and our minds and abandoned Him who made us. Christians, it is time to remember the words of our founding fathers. It is time to remember who gave us this land. It is time to make a stand for what is right and good and stop the lies and the deception. It is time to hold our teachers accountable and our leaders accountable. We the People are this nation, not the few and the elite. Let our voices be heard and let our prayers be answered. We the People........

Monday, January 26, 2009

Carnival of Saving Money

For loads of ways to save money check out this months blog Carnival of Saving Money. So check out what ideas some other bloggers are blogging about!

When you can't Get Coffee-Find some Chicory

Chicory is a very useful weed. I think it is best known for the flavor of its root. The leaves are also edible though as long as the plant has not stemmed yet. After that point they are pretty bitter. The root is the best part of the plant. To prepare to make chicory "coffee" you first need to peel the root. After it is peeled then dry it and roast it at a low temperature (about 200 degrees) to a deep coffee brown color. Then grind it up and prepare just as you would regular coffee. It has a bit of a different flavor, but is about as close as you can get without actually having coffee. Some people prefer it to coffee and some like to mix it with coffee. You might want to start out mixing it with coffee to get used to the taste. I personally love the taste of chicory.

Survival Backpack

What would you do if things went really bad and you needed to get out of dodge, really fast? Do you take the time to pack some things and hope for the best? Well you can take the time to pack in a panic (which means you take unneccessary items) meanwhile I will be hitting the road. You know with nature and the government being as finicky as they are there are more and more people that have a just in case plan. Livestock owners have always had just in case plans, it is a necessity. However, today with times so uncertain and the country headed for a fast crash more people want to know how to have that just in case plan. So I thought I would try to answer some questions for those that are looking to build their plan.



The plan is simple have the bare necessities packed in a backpack, know where you are going and all possible routes to get there. I suggest keeping a survival backpack with you in your car. There are some that I read about that carry their survival gear, or at least some, on them at all times. That is just in case they can't get back to their car. I don't, but you can and it might be a good idea. Watch and wait. In a survival backpack you will need the following:

light jacket

change of socks

heavy duty hiking shoes

pocket knife

hunting knife

a length of rope

matches

lighter

paraffin firestarters

garbage bag or tarp

long pants

energy bars

nuts

jerky

fishing line, with hook

a piece of netting

water bottle

water purification tablets

road map

topography map

knit cap

cash



Some extras you might want:

lightweight sleeping bag

extra pair of socks

MREs (meal ready to eat)

extra shirt

extra water bottle



With these things it will be obvious that you will need some survival skills. I would suggest learning what you need to know (edible plants, fishing and snaring skills). You might have to carry that pack, so keeping it light will save you a lot of heartache later. I am sure there are probably more things to come in handy, but this is the bare bones essentials. With this you can survive if you have to in the wilderness and get to where you are going. Study your maps and have a plan. I have always thought it was better to have a plan in place and never have to use it than to be totally unprepared. Here are some links to some other planners and what they are doing.

Survival Blog This is one of the best blogs on the net. There is nothing that you cannot find information about here. So looking to prepare for some serious survival, then you need to take a look.

Ten Day Survival Pack for Your Car for $25

Friday, January 23, 2009

Feed Your Chickens From the Farm

The whole idea of homesteading is to be self sufficient. When you depend on a feed dealer for most of your feed, then you have defeated the purpose. Large livestock like horses and cattle require you to have a lot of land to produce your own feed. My grandfather always set aside 100 acres souly devoted to hay production to get the cows through the winter. Most of us small homesteaders don't have that luxury. However, smaller livestock can be fed from a smaller acreage especially if the homesteader is creative. Here is a list of ways to grow your own chicken feed. You may not be able to produce enough to keep from going to the feed store, but you can cut down your cost.
1. Free range in the spring and summer. Chickens are awesome bug hunters and seed gatherers. When chickens are allowed to free range they can provide all of their diet when given enough space to range. This means allowing them acces to several acres, not just a large pen.
2. Poppies. You can purchase poppy seeds at the grocery store. The kind that you can put in muffins is fine. Bring them home and plant them right away as they lose their viability rather quickly. When the poppy flowers ripen, harvest the seeds and feed to your chickens. They love them and it keeps them calm and mellow. I can't imagine why!
3. Grow sprouts. Also in the grocery store you can buy flax seed which you can sprout for your chickens. You can also plant a large bucket with the falx to be able to harvest more seed later. Flax is highly nutritious and most chickens love eating the sprouts. Rye grass seed purchased either at the feed store in large bags or in the hardware store in small bags also grows great sprouts. You can also grow a fenced in yard of rye, just for your chickens to visit once a week or so. You can't let them have permanent access or they will destroy the rye and eat every bit. Rye is a good fall and early winter grass depending on where you live. It likes cooler temperatures to grow properly. It also grows quickly.
4. Garden scraps and kitchen scraps. You know those tomatoes you left on the vine too long, or the broccoli that bolted with the sudden heat wave. Feed it to the chickens. They love your garden mistakes and leftovers. In fact it is a good idea to plant a little extra just for the chickens. Salvaging kitchen veggie scraps is another good way to get some fresh produce into your chickens diet, especially in the winter when fresh and green is a scarcity.
5. Grow a worm bed. Worms are cheap to raise. A couple dollars in intial breeding stock from the local store that sells fish bait will yield a constantly reproducing amount of chicken feed along with very fertile garden soil.
6. Eggs. Yes, chickens will eat eggs. It is a great source of protein and they love them boiled. I recommend boiling them or scrambling them because if they eat them raw then they might get the idea to eat the eggs as they are laying them. Once they start this bad behavior they rarely will stop.
7. Corn. If you have the space to grow your own corn, then by all means do so. Even a small patch of corn can provide winter supplemental feed for your chicken. Hang corn still on cob and in the shuck to dry. In the winter give your hens the whole cob and they will have a blast pecking away.
8. Sunflowers. Sunflowers are a beautiful summer addition to your flower garden and yard. Growing a large patch of them will also supplement your chicken feed in the winter. The best thing is that you don't even need to collect the seeds. The best way to use them for chicken feed is to harvest the whole head, let it dry in the sun, and then store is a dry well ventilated area. Then during the winter you can simply toss the heads with seeds intact to your hens. They love sunflowers.
9.Home grown maggots. I know, this sounds really gross. Your chickens will love you though. To grow your own maggots here is what you do.
1. Fill a 5 gallon bucket about 3/4 full with chicken manure.
2. Mix in approximately 1 quart of water
3. Place in one large shallow tray or several small shallow trays
4. Place the tray/trays in the shade and let them sit
5. When the manure begins to look crumbly like coffee grounds then
it is ready for the chickens.
6. Scratch the surface a bit to bring the maggots to the top and set
the tray in the chicken pen. Simple as that.

Between all of these methods, you can tremendously supplement your chicken feed costs. If you have a small flock you may even be able to supply all of their needs. Just make sure that your hens are getting a large variety in their diet. You will know if they are lacking something if their eggs have thin shells, or start to be different. If their production slacks off then they are lacking in their diet. So keep a good watch on your flock until you are sure that they are getting everything they need. If not get some commercial feeds and boost them back up until you can replace with a more varied and nutritious diet.

Raising Tilapia; Diversity for the Small Homesteader

African Tilapia are a hardy fish. They make a great addition to homesteads because they can be raised in a small area and are extremely hardy. They have a mild flavor as a fish and even those who are not particularly fond of fish tend to at the very least tolerate tilapia. There are just a few requirements for raising tilapia. They don't like very cold water, preferring their home to be in the 80 degree range. They can tolerate a short distance either side of that range, but the closer you can stick to it the better. Tilapia are great foragers and enjoy fresh greens as well as blue green algae in their diets. They are also fond of duckweed. Unlike many fish in a pond they require no large water filtration system. In fact having a good number of water hyacinth in your pond will remove the amount in sufficient amount. They are tolerant of more ammonia in their water than most pond fish. They are fairly cheap to buy as fingerlings and just a few fingerlings will produce a large harvest for a family. The reproduce quickly and grow to harvest weight rapidly. From spawn to harvest takes approximately 4 months. So starting in the spring with fingerlings can yield a harvest in the fall. Many people do not even use a pond to raise their tilapia, instead choosing to raise and harvest all year long in indoor aquariums. In fact, at harvest time in the fall, choose a few of your tilapia that are on the smaller side and put them in a large aquarium in your home. They can be wintered there and then released in the spring into your pond. I would recommend that the aquarium setup take advantage of water filtration because of the smaller area in which your tilapia live. Ammonia levels will rise quickly. Tilapia are also a versatile fish, often called the chicken of the fish world. They can be cooked in almost any manner you desire. Raising tilapia is a great way to add a source of protein to your homestead and add something a little different giving your family variety in their diet. Even if you are small raising just enough for a meal every month or so in an aquarium, they are still worth the time and the very little effort that they require.

Understanding GMO Foods

What exactly are these GMO foods that we hear so much about? GMO foods are foods that have had part of their genetic code removed and replaced with the genetic code of another species. It could be another species of plant or even an animals. GMO stands for genetically modified organism. They are not things that would normally crossbreed in nature. This is frankenstein food science. For example arctic fish genes were inserted into the genetic codes of tomatoes and strawberries to make them more tolerant to frost. GMOs are usually created to be pest resistant and herbicide tolerant.

One of the problems with GMO foods is that in order for the scientist to understand which cells in the body are being affected they have to use marker genes. These marker genes are created from bacteria which are resistant to antibiotics. Is this the cause of our "super bugs" making the human population sick? It is this author's opinion that GMO foods are definitely the source.

Many of these modified plants also create toxins. Sheep in India grazing on btCotton were killed by the toxin in the plant. In the United states GMO foods found are soy, corn, cotton, tobacco as well as others. They are also trying to develop more everyday. Dairy cows in the United States are also injected with rbGH, which is a GMO hormone. GMOs also contaminate other crops and animals who eat them.

There are many health problems associated with eating GMO foods. These include bleeding ulcers, allergies, sterility, weakened immune systems, higher risk of breast and prostate cancer, and liver disease. Not to mention that genetically modifying foods has the risk of altering the nutritional level of the food. Maybe that is why so many people are suffering from vitamin deficiency in this country.

Since the USDA and FDA refuse to make labeling these foods so that people know what they are buying, there really is no way to tell whether the food you are buying is a GMO or not. The best way to ensure the health of your food and the health of your family is to grow your own foods from open pollinated seeds. These are also referred to as heirloom seeds and must be purchased from a special supplier. Most seeds carried in the hardware and feed stores across the country are GMO seeds. So beware of your food and grow your own to be safe.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Morel Mushroom Hunting


The Morel Mushroom is a springtime ritual in many areas of the country. This great mushroom grows freely in the wild, is large, and has the taste and texture of meat. One of my ambitions is to go morel hunting. My only problem is my fear of identifying the wrong mushroom and winding up in the morgue as a consequence. The good thing about morels is that they are very distinctive, there are organized hunts with experienced hunters that you could tag along with. I am sure when I gather my courage that I will tag along with experienced shroomers for my first several times. Morels grow in most areas of the country with the exception of the dry arid southwest and the southern coastal regions. Springtime is usually the best time to find them as it is warm and damp, perfect mushroom weather. Apparently for those chickens like me, morels can also be grown in your backyard. There are several suppliers that will give details about setting up and also provide spores or mushrooms to start your morel growing off. I do think it would be fun to just harvest them from nature, but I do strongly advice that you know what you are looking for. There is a mushroom called a false morel that is one bad dude. It is very similar to a morel, but it will hurt you. The main difference is that the cap of the false morel is usually a dark reddish black and rather lump and ugly. The cap of the true morel is a nice cone shape and very uniform. It is either grey when immature or a slight yellow when mature. The false morel has a solid stem. If you slice into it then you will not see a hollow space. The true morel when sliced in half lengthwise has a hollow stem all the way through to the tip top of the cap. So think about this spring taking a journey through the woods this spring with some experienced shroomers and letting nature provide your supper. I highly recommend visiting The Great Morel website to learn all about where to find the morel, hunts that may go on in your area, how to harvest them, grow them and how to use them once you have them. It is a great website and if you are serious about shrooming it is definitely the place to go to learn.

Raising Rabbits

Raising rabbits can be a good way to supplement your homestead meat production. It is also a good way to produce your own meat if you live in town. Rabbits are not considered livestock so you don't have to worry about zoning laws. Two of the best breeds for meat production are New Zealand Whites and Californians. Rabbits also require a small amount of space to raise and are fairly easy to butcher, even for the first timer. One of the problems with raising rabbits is getting over the fact that they are cute. Even the ugliest rabbit is cute. So even though you think this might not be a problem, there have been many a first time breeder that chickened out of killing the meat and wound up with many many rabbits to feed. The best way to keep rabbits is in seperate cages and the doe (female) must always be taken to the buck (male) for breeding. Most does are territorial and can get very aggressive to another rabbit in their space. So an aggressive doe can kill a buck. Rabbits also need a nesting box, in which the doe will spend quite some time after giving birth. Rabbits usually have 5-7 offspring and provided the doe doesn't kill them herself, just a couple of does could produce a good amount of meat for a family. They have about 4 litters per year so average about 20 rabbits for the freezer from one doe. The average lifespan for rabbits is eight years although their production rates do drop off in the latter part of their years. It is easily solved by raised your own replacement does. Pelts can be sold to help offset the cost of feed and kitchen and garden veggie scraps along with foraging will help supplement feed costs. Rabbits are very susceptible to heat and a good heat wave can knock out quite a bit of your herd. This actually happened to us. We raised pet rabbits and had quite a few problems, but learned a lot from our mistakes. Our doe ate more kits than she raised and she was so aggressive toward the buck that it was hard to get her pregnant. Then a really bad heat wave hit and despite frozen water bottles, we had the hutches in the wrong place and the heat killed the rabbits. So we learned a lot. Now my husband is talking about meat rabbits. Despite all of this rabbits are one of the easiest and least time consuming animals on a farm. The meat can be used in any of the same ways that chicken can so it is very versatile. Rabbit meat is also very lean and that is one of the only problems with cooking it, as it can dry out rapidly. A good resource for tons more detailed information about rabbits, butchering, diseases, and all sorts of stuff is Rudolph's Rabbit Ranch. I highly suggest before you spend a lot of money on your setup and your stock that you take a look at his information and tutorials and decide whether you really want to jump into this. Good planning can save you a lot of headache and problems. Lack of proper planning did us in on pet rabbits. Now, we know better. Still not sure whether we want to try rabbits again, but it is a possibility.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Pastor Lindsey Williams Most Recent Commentary

I have been reading Pastor Williams commentaries for a couple of years now. I was quite skeptical at first of what he said that he had inside knowledge about. Now, that I have been reading and watching everything he has said come to pass, I take this man very seriously. I highly encourage everyone to please pay attention to his words and advice. May God help us all.
Dear Friends and Family:
For some years now, I have been saying that the "money changers" and "banksters" in London and New York are setting us up. They're playing a money game in which all of the marbles are on the table. It seems that this game is now in the bottom of the Ninth inning. Tonight I listened to the Reverend Lindsey Williams on American Voice Radio, hosted by Ms. Gianni Hayes. Some people will recognize his name, some won't. I am not going to go into a lengthy bio. You will have to do that research yourself, assuming you even have an interest. I will only mention that he is the man who, because of his contacts in the oil industry, correctly predicted that the world price for oil would fall from roughly $140.00 per barrel to less than $50.00 per barrel. He claims to be well connected to what he calls "the power elite," and I firmly believe that he is telling the truth. But, what he calls the power elite is just one level of corporate America. He interacted with the high paid servants of the oil industry. That would be the executives of ARCO and other big oil companies when he served as chaplain for the Alaska pipeline. He knows and admits that the "real power" is much further up the food chain. Bottom line? Personally, as far as I am concerned, Reverend Williams character and credibility are unimpeachable. I think it is very important to pay attention to what he has to say. After two hours of interview I had four legal pages of notes. I am going to relate as best I can the highlights of that interview. Some of you will get duplications because some of you are on more than one of my mailing lists. Please understand. I consider this matter to be extremely important!
This will be rough, since it will be stream of consciousness, right off of my note pad. But it is the message that is important and not the delivery.

1. The reason why the "elite" dropped the world price of oil down below $50.00 a barrel was to wage economic warfare against the Arab/ OPEC countries. "They" seek to bankrupt OPEC countries., especially the Iranians by cutting their revenues more than 75%. (Do you think that is why Mr. Chavez is so belligerent towards the USA?) Why would they do that? Because Iran and the other OPEC states are getting too strong and too wealthy. The Iranians are running an oil bourse, that effectively sidesteps the oil markets of New York and London. (My note. Even worse they are trading oil not for dollars but for other currencies such as the Euro. This is a direct threat to the western banking system.) According to Williams, this will not be allowed to continue. This is about control!! "What is happening today has been planned for years and there are other more nefarious motives, which will be outlined below.

2. The world reserve currency is the dollar and dollar denominated assets such as U.S. Treasury Debt. The Arabs have been recycling their petro dollars into U.S. Treasury debt for thirty five years. (My comment. The Arabs/OPEC have been financing our national debt. This is per agreement with the New York Banking establishment, and the U.S. Treasury. This arrangement has been part of the world order since the collapse of the Bretton Wood Agreement in 1971. This is now coming to an end.) Now that they are being bankrupted (intentionally) the OPEC/Arab states are no longer willing or able to buy Treasury Debt. Hence, the interest on the National Debt (which now exceeds 15 Trillion dollars?) is not being financed by foreign creditors. China, India and other Asian states are doing the same thing. "They are running from dollar denominated assets." Therefore, the Federal Reserve is now buying up all the Treasury Debt issued by the U.S. Treasury to cover the debt maintenance on the national debt. (My Comment: this is called monetization and it is highly inflationary.) (My note: to put this in perspective, the so-called bailout, which was really nothing but a heist without the guns, in the amount of 700 billion dollars, was actually in the amount of 8.5 trillion dollars. All of this sum represents more debt "created" by the Federal Reserve which is then added to the National Debt. In addition to being extremely inflationary, we will be paying interest ("tribute?") on this debt to the banksters in perpetuity.)

3. Gold and Oil generally move in tandem i.e., when oil goes up, so does gold. This has not been the case since the oil market collapsed. Gold has shown huge relative strength to the price of oil. Because of intense world wide demand and speculation the relationship between gold and oil will no longer continue. Gold will now move independently of oil.

4. This year, 2009, the USA will face total financial collapse. The dollar will also collapse in value, and it will take years for the U.S.A. to recover.

5. OPEC has been cutting production steadily but they cannot influence the supply of oil enough to affect the world price.

6. Pastor Lindsey said that the Papacy and the Jesuits had nothing to do with what was going on.

7. He said we have more than enough oil in the USA for our own needs, but the so-called "elite" as he calls them have no intention of EVER developing a major oil field in the continental U.S. or Alaska. "They" will not allow this country to become energy independent, and they intend to continue to keep us dependent on foreign oil sources. (My note: Dependency is another world for control.) Later he mentioned the field just disclosed by the USGS which is located in Montana and N. Dakota. (This I believe is the Bakken Field.) He said that it contains 320 billion barrels which is only 10% of the reserves. This oil is worth about 15 trillion dollars. (My note: in others words the 300 BB is the easy oil. It's the oil that will flow out of the ground under its own pressure. That means total reserves of this one field using secondary and tertiary recovery techniques are probably near three trillion barrels. To put that in perspective the Saudis have reserves of about 260 Billion barrels.) One of the senators from Montana has been screaming about this to Congress. He has been totally ignored by both Congress and the media.

8. Regarding Obama. "It did not matter who won the election." The handlers around Obama are, for the most part, members of the Council on Foreign Relations. "The elite." "The globalists." They are essentially the same people who ran the Clinton administration and both Bush Administrations. "There will be absolutely no change in either our domestic or foreign policy. (My note: the people who have looted this country will continue to loot this country.) Regarding economic policies "Obama" will be another Hoover." In other words Obama will follow orders and will take the fall for the economic calamity that is about to unfold. (My note: Obama is another feckless, empty suit, who was selected, trained, groomed, packaged and sold to a gullible, naive and lazy American public.)

9. Because of the tremendous cut in revenue to the Arab states (75%.) Dubai will become a "wasteland." Already they have suspended all construction on major buildings in Dubai. "There will be no change in the future. "

10. All of the Arab states are sliding into a depression. Their budget planning is based upon $80.00 oil, so they are cutting their expenditures dramatically----especially infrastructure and public works.

11. In addition to no longer buying our treasury debt, the Arab/OPEC states are now actively selling what treasury debt they hold. This is also occurring throughout Asia, especially China. This of course amounts to Trillions of dollars of Treasury debt etc. (My Note: if the Fed is now monitizing these debt instruments, which they must surely do since they are the buyer of last resort, this will also be highly inflationary.) The Arabs/OPEC/Asia are converting their dollars and dollar denominated assets to gold and other hard assets.

12. The long term goal of "these people" is to control and own everything. "They intend to break us." (My comment: Geeeez. I am confused. Here, all along, I have been told by the media that our enemies are in the Middle East.)

13. Gasoline will remain at approximately $1.50 per gallon for the next year to a year and half. This is killing the State government gas tax revenues. Total, state tax revenues are collapsing. Expect many states to go bankrupt----especially California.

14. "They" intend to control the world price of oil by dumping massive amounts of oil on the market to keep the price down. They intend to use, among other sources, an oil field in Indonesia that "they" just brought "on line." This field has reserves of more than 300 billion barrels. He also mentioned another field in northern Russia.

15. The ultimate objective is to "destroy the USA." At the same time "they" seek to consolidate control over all assets of any significance. "They" already own and control, the banks, and the media. (My note: Williams did not say, but obviously, they also control the oil industry.) "They" intend to gain control of the entire auto industry. According to Williams "why not buy the auto industry? All they need to do is create the credit in a computer entry." The takeover of the auto industry will happen when the time is right. They also seek control of all the real estate that is worth owning. According to pastor Williams, everyone is going to be paying rent by the time this thing is over. Again he emphasized that "After years of collapse they intend to own everything."

16. Russia is a major world power. Tensions will increase between the west and Russia. Look for a return of the cold war. (My note: he did not say it but I got the feeling that the Russians are not anxious to become part of the New World Order. Of course this oil price suppression is really hurting the Russians. They have had to devalue the Ruble seven times.)

17. "There will be no attack on Iran. There will no war with Iran." "The American people will not stand for it." They intend to accomplish their goal of destroying Iran by economic means. "They will accomplish their goal of destroying Iran without the need of another 911 false flag operation."

18. "Within six to nine months we will be into full blown hyper inflation." "Buy everything you need right NOW!!!!" "Prepare your dinner table NOW! It is going to be 1933 all over again."

19. "The nations of the world, especially China, are dumping U.S. currency and buying gold.

20. "The reason why it is getting so hard for people to buy gold is that "they" do not want people to be able to protect themselves." "They don't want people to have something that is REAL." (My note: it's hard to find any significant quantities of gold anywhere. Silver too!)

21. "They fear people buying gold because it is something "they" can NOT control. They feel that only they, the elite, should own gold.""They regard it as real money."

22. Their greatest fear is that the people will "wake up" from their slumber. "In fact they are terrified." They do not intend to impose martial law. They believe this would cause an armed revolution and that they do not want. Hmmmm. (I guess that is why the founders included the Second Amendment in the Constitution.) "A revolution means they could lose control."

23. "The American people are terrified of Obama." "The day after the election the gun shops in the USA were emptied by alarmed and frightened citizens." "Wal Mart reported that the day after the election their sales of ammunition went up by 400%. It was a record for ammunition sales in a twenty four hour period. (My note: this continued for several weeks after the election.) Evidently this behavior caused a great deal of alarm.

24. "They" have given up on implementing the North American Union and are "going all the way." The goal is total global control of everything. Global Government. Global bank. Global Currency. Etc. (My note: this NWO globalism business has always included a global army, and a global religion. I am sure we will be hearing more about global religion from "Americas pastor," Rick Warren)
Pastor Williams was asked what can we do? He made some suggestion which are not surprising. They are:

1. Get your spiritual house in order. (My note: I totally agree with Rev. Williams. At the core, this struggle is spiritual in nature. It is also a war on human consciousness. And, It is about both controlling and breaking the human spirit. That can only happen if we allow it to happen. "They" need us to surrender our God given powers to them for them to accomplish their evil deeds. Think, think, think! People must learn to use the magnificent brain that God gave us. Be skeptical of everything. In the coming months accept nothing at face value. Investigate everything. To do that you will need to turn off the "electronic sewer" "they" call television. Better yet, throw the damn thing in the dump where it belongs.The electronic and print media are a wasteland designed to keep you distracted, misled, confused and misinformed. You will NEVER discover anything of value watching boobokvision. Never!!!! Trust nobody until that person has EARNED your trust. And above all, question everything, especially if it comes from people in a position of authority. And, finally recognize that "the enemy" is within. The enemies of freedom are right here. Inside the gates.)

2. Plant a garden.

3. Get out of debt. He said debt is the main weapon of subversion and control used by "these people." (My note. I totally agree with that remark unless all of your debt is unsecured and you own no real assets. Can't squeeze blood from a stone.)

4. Store lots of food. "The farm economy is collapsing." That was all he had to say, but I am sure everyone on this list can fill in the rest. I would only add, that disclosure is what these parasitic cockroaches fear the most. So, feel free to circulate this memo. But, PLEASE remove my address. I don't want to be spammed. I have already won so many lotteries I just can't collect the money fast enough.
Get ready. Be prepared. Protect yourself and your family. Protect your fellow Americans.
Keep smiling!!! It confuses "the enemy." . Good luck and God bless! Choose life!!!! Tom

You learn something new everyday!

Well, never let it be said that you can't learn new things. In my search for wild foods this is one I had not even considered in the slightest. I love escargot (snails), but I have always considered those slimy critters in my garden to be a nuisance. This article called Backyard Escargot at the Green-Change blog is an awesome read. Not quite sure if I have the courage to try this, but I am definitely filing it away for future reference. Good blog, good article, and the experiment is impressive.

We the People

We the People seem to have forgotten that the power and the responsibility for this country lies in our hands. We have taken for granted that we hold this responsibility and have placed too much trust and too much power in the hands of a few. Look where it has gotten us. We the people of the United States have the right and the duty to demand that our government redress our grievances.

"Congress shall make no law...abridging...the right of the people...to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

We the people are doing just that and have as yet received no answer. Patriots now is the time to stand up and speak up. If we do not stand up and speak up and hold our government accountable for its action then we deserve the fate we will suffer. I urge you to visit the We the People Foundation. Read and sign the Petitions for Redress, print them out and get your neighbors, friends, and colleagues to sign them. Volunteer to help with the Continental Congree 2009, the first since our founding fathers stood together and established the Republic of the United States of America. Our government owes us accountability and instead they hide from us what is rightfully ours to know.

Something a Little Different

You will all notice that today's Bible verse has changed. I can assure this change is temporary. However, I feel that since this is the day that our country is stolen that the words of our founding fathers might bring about our sense of responsibility toward our Country. So we will have quotes from our founding fathers for awhile. I pray that you enjoy them, I pray that you think about them, I pray that you understand them. I pray most of all that we all realize what blessings Almighty God has bestowed upon this country and take up our duty, act upon it, and gather our sense of responsibility and honour back. God bless you all.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Did you know about Acorns?

Acorns are one of the healthiest nuts around. I discovered them about a year or so ago after reading an article in Backwoods Home Magazine. I knew the deer ate them and loved them. Never thought I could eat them. Apparently, they are great for helping to control blood sugar levels. And have a wide variety of uses. Some oaks produce acorns with a lot of tannin which makes them bitter. We have a lot of white oaks and water oaks here at Whisper Wind, which tend to have less tannin. Processing acorns is not that difficult and can be done in any kitchen. So start checking the yard and identifying your oaks. Then check out this article at Backwoods Home Magazine for recipes, uses, and processing procedure. God's bounty is great, if you just know how and where to partake of the feast!

California leads and the rest follow

Taking a hard look at past political traditions, California is usually the leader. They do something, the other states watch, and then they eventually follow suite. Well, what is California leading with now? California is suspending welfare checks, student grants, and state tax refunds. I know, I know. I have never been happy with the welfare system. I have always thought it was a bunch of manure. People too lazy to work living off the rest of us. So what is the big deal? Well, these people don't know how to work. They live off the system and they eat off the system. Hungry people like that tend to get real ugly and turn to stealing from the rest of us who have prepared and worked hard. The riots in the cities are coming. The other states are watching and waiting to see what happens. Many other states are just as broke as California and they can't wait to stop spending money. People who are lazy are not going to suddenly decide to get a job. They are gonna take from the rest of us, or at least try. So folks, I know this is so depressing, but it is time to face reality. Get some backbone. It is gonna be a bumpy ride so buckle up, batten down, and lock and load. May God help us all.

Link to news article HERE

Natural Remedies for Allergies

Many people suffer from allergies. I have a child that has allergy induced asthma. If the allergies build up in her system she will have an asthma attack. Seems like allergies have gotten us all lately around here. I don't like chemicals and certainly don't like feeding them to my children. There are some natural things that you can do to combat allergies and allergy season. The first is exposure, the more you are exposed then the more your body has a chance to build up an immunity. The key to exposure is not exposing yourself to more than one allergen at a time before you have built up this immunity. And exposure takes time. Drinking chamomile tea on a regular basis can help as it is in the same family as ragweed. There are several natural potions at the health food store that will expose you to certain allergens and if taken every day will help with your exposure therapy. Honey is one of the best medicine for allergies, but it must be local and must be unprocessed honey. Honey also takes a good bit of time before you notice the difference. For honey to be effective you must take it everyday for 4 complete seasons, 1 year, to notice the immunity levels building.


*Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and this is not to be considered medical advice. Do your own research and come to your own conclusions. What works for us may not for others.

Theft of a Country

Tomorrow, January 20th is going to be a remarkable day in history. Inauguration day. Wow! Normally a day of celebration, and there will be many celebrating tomorrow. I won't. Tomorrow is a day of sadness for my family and I. Tomorrow is the day that our country will have officially been stolen from us. Barack Hussein Obama has stolen this country. He is not legally allowed to be president of the people of this country. He is not nor ever was a natural born citizen of this United States of America. Those sworn to uphold the Constitution of the United States have officially spit on the Constitution and then shredded yet another portion of it. Our Supreme Court Justices tried to hide their cowardice to force Obama to present documented proof of his birth inside the country. He refused and they looked the other way. A president that is not a natural born citizen of this country and a president that hides things. Wow. That certainly does not bode well for this country and it's continued existence. As shown in our economic situation we are dying, and taking down a big portion of the world with us. How did this happen? How did the people of this country, the people of the House of Israel, let this happen? Well, America made a big mistake a long time ago. We became a melting pot. As a melting pot we have melted our values, our beliefs and our Code until they simply washed down the drain of life. Many presidents and fine men before us tried to send warning, tried to keep this from happening. They knew what would happen, and indeed it has. Those whose origins from other places have no loyalty to the House of Israel because they are not of us and therefore they are happy to see our country stolen. And just to make sure that the House of Israel is kept quiet and subdued this usurper is already deploying troops to police the streets here at home. Don't believe me? Read the Army Times. A president who truly was a rightful and legally elected president would not need military enforcement inside this country. Many people didn't like Bush or Clinton, but neither of them ever deployed troops against the citizens of this nation. They both did a lot of things against the people, but never deployed troops. I don't know maybe their thievery and lying has paved the way for the ultimate theft. Wake up House of Israel, your country has been stolen and the thief is laughing in your face. How much longer are we going to let evil run wild inside our homeland? When are we going to think and act upon, truth, honesty, justice? Or are we going to pretend it doesn't exist. Tomorrow, a thief is going to enter our lives.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

This was one of my grandmother's favorite casserole dishes and it is so easy to make.
Ingredients:
6 chicken quarters or 1 chicken cut up
3 cups frozen broccoli
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/2 curry

Directions:
1. Brown the chicken in skillet
2. In a bowl mix soup, 1/2 can water and curry.
3. In a 13x9 pan place broccoli, chicken, and soup mix in that order
4. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes
Serve with biscuits and you have a good healthy easy meal
You can adjust the amount of curry to suit you taste

Is Homeschooling Right For Your Family?

Homeschooling can often times be a difficult decision. The great thing about homeschooling is that the decision is unique and personal to each family who makes that decision. There are many who feel like it is the only way to school and there are no other options. There are many who are walking billboards for public education and to them there is no other option. When trying to decide whether homeschooling is right for you in your family I highly suggest that you sit down with a sheet of paper. Draw a line down the middle and on one side write pros and on the other side write cons. Now gather the family together and if your children are a little older have them sit in on this also. Have each person list their ideas of what the pros and cons are. Then as a family decide whether the cons can be handled by the family or whether they are too overwhelming. If you don't really enjoy being with your children 24 hours a day, homeschooling might not be right for you. Keep in mind that this does not go for all because there are times as our children grow and go through ages and stages that we don't like them very much. Recognize whether this is a temporary dislike for a particular attitude or if you really just look forward to your children leaving everyday and can't stand weekends and their return in the afternoons. Making the decision together can make the transition much easier for older children that have been in the system. It also gives you a chance to face head on the issues that might cause problems or discontent and have solutions on hand and prepared. Remembering that each family's decision to homeschool is highly personal and should not be made because of other people's experience or lack thereof with homeschooling. Realize too that sometimes parents have to make the best decision for their children whether the children agree or disagree. Children lack the experience and the knowledge to make the best decisions for themselves. Doing this simple little exercise will give you a better picture about whether your family and homeschooling are a good fit.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Stocking the Store

Today, I hope to get some time to stock the shelves of the newly created Country Store. Since all things are handmade here at Whisper Wind it will always be a work in progress. If there is anything that someone would like to see in the store them please feel free to comment and let me know. Today, we will be putting in some hand lotion, card sets and pillow case dresses for those little girls. We will just have to see how things go today. I have to bake a cake for my youngest's birthday tomorrow. So it is back in the kitchen for me.

Lots of Bread

Yesterday was a busy bread baking day. One thing that I like to do to save me some time is take on day every 2 or 3 weeks and bake up a lot of bread. So I did that yesterday. I made 4 loaves of rice bread and 4 loaves of french bread. This is the first time I have used both of those recipes so we will see how they taste. We ate one of the french baguettes last night and it tasted salty. So I think I will be cutting down on the amount of salt that the recipe calls for. I thought it seemed to be quite a bit of salt when I was making it, but the first time round I really like to follow the recipe. Then I can tweak it from there. We are not big salt eaters to it may just be our taste buds. I have noticed that many recipes tend to taste salty to me and I have to adjust the salt. I won't have to make bread for a couple of weeks now, so that is nice. I have a bread machine that I use, but sometimes I just don't like the way the crust comes out and want something different. So yesterday was a different day. I know it kept me busy and I used every mixing bowl in the house. I did get most of them cleaned and put away, but still have a few in the sink for this morning. I pooped out on the couch after supper with little energy to do anything else. The house did smell delightful all day yesterday with the smell of fresh bread wafting through the air. I think that is one of the nice things about baking your own, the smell. It makes home seem more homey.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Goats or a Cow? Help!

Ok, we are in a deciding process and are asking for your help and opinions. We want our own milk animal. However, milk cows are not easily found in my neck of the woods anymore, living in beef country. So that is one drawback to having a dairy cow. The other drawback is that they produce a lot of milk, A LOT. So I am afraid that I will have milk, butter, yogurt and cheese coming out of my ears and the ears of my neighbors also. I don't like to waste things so am afraid that there might be too much waste. Although I could cut down on the amount of waste by letting the calf nurse also and this will cut down on the amount of milk that I obtain from my cow. The only goats I have every known have been cantankerous critters. After my grandaddy's billy goat jumped the fence and chased my cousin and I up onto the car I swore I never wanted to see another goat. However, here I am many years later considering getting just that. Goat milk tastes much different from cow's milk. It is better for you and much more tolerant on the human body. However, I haven't found any that I can actually enjoy drinking. All goat milk that I have tasted, taste like I have just licked a very dirty smelly billy goat. Goat herders I know swear that the milk tastes great. I haven't seen that yet. So any suggestions from you readers would be great! Goats also need special fencing. I have fencing for horses and cows (most of the time). Anyone who knows cows knows that they will get out someway somehow even with the best fencing. However, goats will always get out unless they have exactly the proper fencing. So fencing for a goat will cost some money. The offspring of both can be put in the freezer, but it is much easier for my husband and I to butcher a goat than a cow. Goats eat less, thus a lower feed bills for my milk. I am afraid that the feed cost would outweigh the benefits of having a cow. it is much easier to keep a billy to breed a goat back to, however, I have no interest in keeping a bull. This would mean that i would have to transport my cow somewhere every year and pay to have her bred. More extra expense. However, if I can't stand drinking the milk from the goat there is no reason having her other than to but meat in the freezer. So any suggestions from my readers would be great. I would love to have some other opinions and viewpoints. I am putting a poll here on the site so please vote, cow or goat. Thanks and have a great day.

UUUGGGGHHHH!!! Taxes!!!

Well, yesterday I spent the majority of the day taking care of our taxes. I can't stand doing taxes especially since it is a violation of our Constitution and totally unpatriotic. However, I can't afford to fight the IRS right now. So I do my taxes. I like to start and get them over with early because it is perhaps the most unpleasant part of the year. Why prolong it. I also started early this year because I don't know what will happen when that false president takes over the White House. I say false because legally he is not eligible to be president as he was not born in the United States, but in Kenya. Unfortunately our corrupt Judicial system is hiding from the truth and turning a blind eye to this fact. It is just another match set to our beloved Constitution. Despite the thousands of letters and multiple lawsuits our Supreme Court has ignored this situation. So a false president is taking over our country. Since he is not one of us, there is no telling what he will dish out. So after this very long diatribe. I decided to get the pain over with early and be prepared for whatever the usurper plans to throw our way. May God help us all, we are gonna need it.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Barley Breakfast Hash

Barley Breakfast Hash
1 cup pearl barley
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 to 3/4 lb. sausage
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste

In medium saucepan with lid bring chicken broth to a boil. Add barley; return to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 45 minutes or until barley is tender and liquid is absorbed. Set cooked barley aside. Crumble sausage into large skillet. Add chopped onions; sauté over medium heat until sausage is browned. Drain off fat. Add cooked barley to sausage. Stir and continue to cook until barley begins to brown. Spoon barley-sausage mixture into 4 ramekins or other oven-safe single-serving dishes. Break an egg over each serving. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in 375° F oven for 10 minutes or until eggs are set. Makes 4 servings.

Taking a look at chickens

We will have the new chicken house ready by spring. I can't wait to have chickens again. We have had 2 flocks now and unfortunately predators got both flocks. So we decide to forgo getting anymore until we could build a new chicken house completely predator proof. Our old chicken house was not and we thought that the fence around the chicken yeard would protect them. It didn't. So now we are building a chicken house that is predator proof and can be completely closed up at night. This will keep our chickens safe and secure from all predtors in the area. It is even snake proof and if you had seen the size of the snake that was living under the floor of the old chicken house you would understand why that is a good thing. It took the death of 3 chickens by that snake for us to discover it under the floor and kill it. I don't like killing snakes, they are beneficial critters on a farm, but sometimes they are not in beneficial places. And killing my chicken was not a beneficial thing to do. I had beautiful little bantams and they layed like crazy. The eggs were small but oh so good. That snake certainly thought so and killed 3 chickens within a couple of weeks to get those eggs. I had one hen setting on a dozen eggs and overnight all eggs were gone and my little hen was dead. I was mad. Those were my only three hens and I was left with my rooster. A month or so later we got some more hens to start our little flock. We had gotten rid of the snake, so once again we thought that our little flock was safe. Another three hens to get us started and hopefully some biddies to come in the future. We had those hens a few months and thought we were in the clear and doing good. Then the neighbors pit bull, ripped the fencing apart (it was just chicken wire although a double layer) and ripped up my chicken. All but one little hen. She never would go back in the chicken pen or chicken house. During the day she followed the dogs and went everywhere they went. At night she roosted close to the house, but got braver as time went on. Then she decided it was nice to spend time with the horses. Then one day she didn't come up from the pasture and we never saw her again. So we have had a time with chickens and our fair share of woes. Now we are getting ready to start again and hopefully have a better more successful time of it. We have decided on Rhode Island Reds. My grandparents had these when I was growing up and they are a great dual purpose bird. They produce beautiful large brown eggs and a lot of them. They are also great to put in the freezer. So in a couple of months we should have the chicken house finished and be in the business of chickens again. Chickens are one of the easiest and cheapest farm animals to keep. If let to free range during the day, they can greatly supplement their feed with foraging for bugs. The will also eat garden scraps. Shoot there isn't much a chicken won't eat for that matter. They are clean if kept properly and their pen or house is kept clean. And despite popular belief, clean healthy chickens really don't smell. The smell comes from a dirty chicken house and pen. I highly recommend a small flock of chickens for anyone starting out in homesteading. You don't have to have much room for them either. Some folks have them in the city, check your zoning laws if you are thinking about this. That is how we got our first flock of chickens. The city near us won't let folks have chickens and these chickens lived in town and had to go. We got them for free. So it is definitely worth it before you build a nice little chicken house, get feed and buy your chickens. It would be a shame to have the city give you a notice to get rid of them. However, if you find that you can have them and only want a few for eggs then about 3 hens will supply a good amount of eggs for a family of 4 or 5. Another thing about chickens that many people don't realize is that a rooster is not needed to have eggs. You only need a rooster if you want babies. If you just want eggs then you can do without the noise of the rooster and just enjoy your few hens. So that is our chicken story. We will soon be ready for our Rhode Island Reds.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Saving Time Cooking From Scratch

The one big complaint about cooking from scratch is that it takes a good amount of time. There are several ways to reduce your time each night in the kitchen. One way is to plan your meals ahead. By planning ahead you can reduce time by having meat already thawed out and some prep work done. You also know what you are having. Another way to save some time is to make things ahead in large batches. We often have homemade biscuits and homemade rolls for supper. So one day a month I spend some extra time in the kitchen making large batches of biscuits. I will lay each biscuit on a cookie sheet and put it in the freezer as it. When the biscuits are frozen solid I will then transfer them into a ziploc bag. Now, when I have biscuits i have the convenience of just taking what I need from the freezer. Quick and easy and saves me a little bit of time. I will do the same thing for dinner rolls. These two things take up the most of my time when cooking a meal so it really does help. The next thing that you can do is to have a large cooking day in which you cook several meals or put together several casseroles that can be frozen and then thawed out later and cooked. I have done this on occasion and it really helps get through the week without feeling like you have spent the whole week in the kitchen. Another way to save time is to use your crockpot for one dish meals. Crockpots are a lifesaver. Casseroles are another lifesaver. One dish meals cut down on quite a bit of cooking and organization. Also while they are in the oven you can already have all the dirty prep ware cleaned up and over with. So now that you have a few time savers and I have already given you some money savers there really is no reason not to cook good wholesome meals from scratch for your family. Enjoy.

Taxes

Yep it is that time of year. Time to think about taxes. I get angry everytime I think about the Federal Income Tax. It is illegal. It is the rape of the people of this country. The problem is that not enough people know that it is illegal and so there are not enough of us to fight it, so they get away with it. There are people fighting against it and more trying to teach others. So consider this your teaching for the day. Federal Income Tax is illegal, it is against the Constitution and they have duped us for years. I will post some links so you can do the research for yourself that have tons of information. For right now, I am stuck. As much as I would like to tell the federal government to hit the road. I have two small children to think about. People who fight this spend everything and lose a lot. I just cannot risk that with my children. So it will have to wait until they are grown and standing on their two feet, then look out I am joining the fight. At the rate that the government is going there may be a mutiny long before then, but that is another blog post. So what do you do now that you have your paperwork in order. I use Taxact.com it is one of the best tax prep places and federal filing is free. State you can print and mail free or pay a small fee and efile it also. I have used it for several years and have not had a problem. I also like the alerts at the end that will flag things that may be incorrect. A good way to double check. It is like having an extra set of eyes to look over it before you send it off. I highly recommend that if you are getting a refund, file early and file quick. With Obama spouting on about Americans sacrificing, I can see the refund check now for those who wait too long: "I am sorry but this is an IOU, we are broke and see no future remedy in the near future. If this position changes then we will gladly issue your refund. Thank you for your patience, the IRS" There would be mutiny aboard ship then. So good luck with those illegal taxes.
Check these out for more information about the IRS and Income Tax
article about Alex Russo
Ed Brown's Story
Check out Aaron Russo's documentary America:Freedom to Fascism
there are 11 parts to this video

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

The Health of Your Toothbrush

Most of the time we brush our teeth, rinse our toothbrush, and set it on the counter or place in a holder on the counter until next time. Many times our counter is very near our toilet. Hmmmmm. Is that good? Well no it isn't. First you remove bacteria from your mouth and place it on your toothbrush. A simply rinse in cold water does nothing but make this bacteria laugh, as they continue to multiply by the bucket loads. Next, we use the bathroom and flush the toilet-with the lid open. Thus sending into the air of our bathroom all of the bacteria and germs we just placed into our toilet. The bacteria now airborn does what? That's right it lands on every surface of your bathroom including your toothbrush that you will be sticking back into your mouth tonight. Now that I have thoroughly grossed you out, let me give you some of the biology behind all of this in the hopes that you have a future mouth free from yuck! There is a reason that toilet seats have lids on them. During the flushing process many bacteria become airborne and in the process have the ability to travel 6 feet in any direction from your toilet. This means that they land on every surface in your bathroom. Including your toothbrush, which happens to be a great place for bacteria to grow. The bristles of the brush are closely set and therefore hold moisture for quite some time. You bathroom is also an ideal breeding ground for bacteria in that it is a warm environment and tends to be moist. We also tend not to consider that all of the bacteria we remove from our mouths in the brushing process is then placed on the toothbrush. A cold water rinse will not remove nor kill any of this bacteria. So it spends the next several hours breeding and then you place all of that bacteria back into your mouth, while adding more to the toothbrush for next time round. When I was in college one of our assignments in my Microbiology lab was to take swabs from anywhere around campus we wished and then to grow cultures of those swabs. Basically we were to collect bacteria and grow it in a controlled environment. I took swabs of many places around campus including the inside of a horse stall at the barn and my toothbrush which was supposedly clean and ready for use. Guess which one grew the best bacterial culture? My toothbrush. Needless to say I was pretty grossed out. It would have been cleaner had I licked the inside of the barn than to put that toothbrush into my mouth. There are several things that you can do outside of using a brand new toothbrush each and every time you brush, which could get quite costly. First, you can keep your toothbrush in a drawer instead of on the counter. Second you can keep the lid closed on the toilet when you flush. Third always wash your hands after using the bathroom, even your own. And fourth, the last time that you brush your teeth for the day, place your toothbrush bristle side down in a small glass with a small amount of hydrogen peroxide in it. This will kill any and all bacteria from the days brushing and leave you with a fresh clean and bacteria free toothbrush to start the day in the morning. When you take your toothbrush out of the glass, rinse it well before brushing your teeth. Also empty the glass and get a fresh one each day. Taking these simple steps will keep your teeth, mouth and toothbrush clean and bacteria free. Happy brushing!

Homemade Toothpaste

You will need:
5 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
10 drops peppermint essential oil
5 tsp. vegetable glycerin

Directions: Mix all ingredients together. you may need to adjust the amount of glycerin to get just the right consistency. Store in a small jar. I usually use an old yeast jar that I washed out. Great way to resuse what you have. I just dip my toothbrush into the paste and brush away. Minty fresh and chemical free. Also a lot cheaper than commercial toothpaste.

Note if you have sensitive teeth and gums then add about 25 drops tincture of myrhh and 10 drops of essential clove oil to this recipe. The myrhh helps with inflamation and the clove oil is a natural anesthetic.

Dangers of Fluoride

This is only a portion of the article on the dangers of fluoride. This chemical should be avoided at all costs. Even the American Dental Association came out several years ago stating that there were no benefits to fluoride. It is a deadly chemical and yet companies like Dannon make fluoridated water for parents to give to their children. Fluoride is deadly. I will be posting a homemade toothpaste recipe today. The rest of this article can be found at The Dangers of Fluoride and Fluoridation
The Dangers of Fluoride and Fluoridation
by Michael Schachter M.D., F.A.C.A.M.

Approximately half of the United States' drinking water supply is fluoridated in an attempt to reduce dental cavities in children. Is this state of affairs justified? Is it safe?
Most Americans are unaware of the dangers of ingesting fluoride. Most dentists, physicians and scientists are unaware of the dangers of fluoride and water fluoridation. According to a 1988 article in the prestigious Chemical and Engineering News, scientific voices of opposition to fluoridation have been suppressed, since 1950 when the U.S. Public Health Service first endorsed fluoridation. Power tactics including threats, ridicule and frank censorship aimed at scientists and clinicians knowledgeable about fluoridation have prevented the truth about fluoride to be disseminated to the science world as well as to the public. Whenever a public agency is charged with objectively evaluating the safety of a procedure while at the same time endorsing and recommending it, a serious conflict of interest is set up. This is exactly the position of the U.S. Public Health Service for the past 44 years.
Facts About Fluoride
So, what are some of the facts about fluoride? According to the handbook, Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products, fluoride is more poisonous than lead and just slightly less poisonous than arsenic. It is a cumulative poison that accumulates in bone over the years. According to the Physicians Desk Reference, "in hypersensitive individuals, fluorides occasionally cause skin eruptions such as atopic dermatitis, eczema, or urticaria. Gastric distress, headache, and weakness have also been reported. These hypersensitive reactions usually disappear promptly after discontinuation of the fluoride."
From 1990 to 1992, the Journal of the American Medical Association published three separate articles linking increased hip fracture rates to fluoride in the water. In the March 22, 1990 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, Mayo Clinic researchers reported that fluoride treatment of osteoporosis increased hip fracture rate and bone fragility.
A study by Procter and Gamble showed that as little as half the amount of fluoride used to fluoridate public water supplies resulted in a sizable and significant increase in genetic damage. Epidemiology research in the mid-1970's by the late Dr. Dean Burk, head of the cytochemistry division of the National Cancer Institute, indicated that 10,000 or more fluoridation-linked cancer deaths occur yearly in the United States. In 1989, the ability of fluoride to transform normal cells into cancer cells was confirmed by Argonne National Laboratories. Results released in 1989 of studies carried out at the prestigious Batelle Research Institute showed that fluoride was linked to a rare form of liver cancer in mice, oral tumors and cancers in rats, and bone cancer in male rats. Since 1991, the New Jersey Department of Health found that the incidence of osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, was far higher in young men exposed to fluoridated water as compared to those who were not.
In addition to the well documented toxic effects of fluoride, fluoride even at dosages of 1 part per million, found in artificially fluoridated water, can inhibit enzyme systems, damage the immune system, contribute to calcification of soft tissues, worsen arthritis and, of course, cause dental fluorosis in children. These are unsightly white, yellow or brown spots that are found in teeth exposed to fluoride during childhood. In 1993, the Subcommittee on Health Effects of Ingested Fluoride of the National Research Council admitted that 8% to 51% and sometimes up to 80% of the children living in fluoridated areas have dental fluorosis. Malnourished people, particularly children, usually targeted for fluoridation, are at greater risks to experience fluoride's harmful effects.
Surprisingly, the most recent studies do not even show that water fluoridation is effective in reducing tooth decay. In the largest U.S. study of fluoridation and tooth decay, United States Public Health Service dental records of over 39,000 school children, ages 5-17, from 84 areas around the United States showed that the number of decayed, missing, and filled teeth per child was virtually the same in fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas. Dr. John Colquhoun, former Chief Dental Officer of the Department of Health for Auckland, New Zealand, investigated tooth decay statistics from about 60,000 12 to 13 year old children and showed that fluoridation had no significant effect on tooth decay rate.
Given all of this scientific information, what is behind this push for universal fluoridation? Prior to 1945, fluoride was properly regarded as an environmental pollutant. It was responsible for many lawsuits against industries, such as the aluminum industry and the phosphate fertilizer industry, whose waste products contain large quantities of fluoride. This fluoride destroyed crops and animals, leading to the lawsuits. The limited public view was that fluoride was an environmental pollutant that needed to be reduced or eliminated from the environment.
As a result of clever public relations campaigns, fluoride was transformed from an environmental pollutant to an essential nutrient necessary for producing healthy teeth. The science was poor, but the P.R. campaign was great. Being against fluoride was like being against motherhood or apple pie. Industries not only made millions from selling this environmental pollutant to water companies and toothpaste companies, but more importantly, it saved billions of dollars that would be required to clean up this environmental pollutant.

Homemade Deodorant Experiment

I don't like commercial deodorant. Face it, it's dangerous. Most contain aluminum and all sorts of chemicals. We like a chemical free environment. In my hunt for a chemical free deodorant I started with the health food stores. I haven't found one that works yet. I still stink and it grosses me out. So I am working on coming up with a chemical free deodorant that I can make that actually works. Wish me luck and pray that I don't lose all of my friends in the process. I may have to go into seclusion for this project. I will let you all know when I come up with one and may even have some for sale in the upcoming Homestead Store here at Whisper Wind, so keep an eye out. I will keep you all update as to how well this works and whether my family has moved out of the house or not.

Whisper Wind Shop Opening Soon

I just wanted to announce that I will be adding a Store to the Blog soon. My goal is to have it open by the end of the month. We will be selling our homemade goodies, artwork, jewelry and ebooks. So keep an eye out for the shop link that will be coming up soon. Prior to February 10th I will also have some of my handmade little girls' pillowcase dresses for those great summer pictures that will be coming up.

Thinking about Homeschooling

So you are thinking about homeschooling but don't know where to start?Here is a starting point it is by no means the end all guide, but will get you started.

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."~ (Prov. 22:6)

1. Find out the laws in your state- The first place every parent should go is http://www.hslda.org/ . This is a Christian organization that stays up to date on all legislation and all state laws. You can find out exactly what the laws are regarding homeschooling for your state. Although you do not have to join the group, I recommend it. In today's times of ever decreasing freedoms, homeschool families are constantly under attack, sometimes jailed. Membership with HSLDA is what I consider a good insurance policy to protect your family. any problem you have with a homeschooling issue, their law staff is available 24 hours a day.

2. Decide how you want to teach and how your child wants to learn- There are several styles of teaching. Unschoolers kind of go with the flow and let their child lead in the learning. They tend to use a lot of unit studies which will incorporate all areas of education around one subject. Say the child is really into dinosaurs. You can read books about dinosaurs, compose spelling list of dino related words, study dino archaeology, study the book of Job, write stories about dinos, do dino math problems, study history of the areas where dinos have been found, etc. They tend to use everyday life as a teaching experience versus books and worksheets. Eclectic homeschoolers pull their material from everywhere. They do some bookwork, some life experience, some internet etc. They gather a little here and a little there to create a well rounded mix for their child. Then there are those parents that buy a boxed already made curriculum and follow it to the letter. You have to make the decision what might work best for you and yours.

3. Gather your materials- Once you have decided to homeschool, how you want to homeschool and found the laws of your state, then gather your materials. Some parents just embarking on this journey like boxed curriculum for security and confidence reason. It is also a lot easier. Homeschool workbooks and such can be bought at the bookstore although I don't like them. They are way too easy, no challenge, and secular. Two places to look would be http://www.abeka.com/ and http://www.bobjonespress.com/ . Both are Christian curriculum and you can get everything you need. Abeka runs about a grade level ahead of public school. In other words if your child is in 3rd grade in public school that would be the 2nd grade equivalent in the Abeka. I have not used Bob Jones, but many parents I know do and really like it. You can just google homeschool curriculum and find tons. Then there is also Switched on Schoolhouse which is an internet or DVD program that does everything for you, teaches, gives quizzes and tests, and grades and keeps records.

4. Decide how to keep records-I don't care which way a parent decides to teach or what materials they want to use. The second best insurance policy is to keep records of what you do teach and when you taught it. There are programs and such for the computer. I use http://www.homeschooltracker.com/ and the basic edition is a free download. I spend about two weeks in the summer organizing everything with this download and our days run much smoother while there is also a record. Some people simply use a spiral notebook and write down everyday what they did. Keep some of your child's work in a folder as proof, even if it is just a picture of what they have done. My daughter recently did a salt dough map, can't exactly put it in a folder. We took about six pictures at various stages that went into her school photo album that we keep. If you ever decide to enroll your child back into school these records could keep your child from having to repeat all the "missed" grades. Yes, that has happened.

5. Jump in with both feet and don't look back-It is not easy at first and can be very awkward and frustrating. Like any new adventure you can't figure out the ropes until you grab onto them. Homeschooling while a steadily growing movement across the country and world, is still an individualized process. Each family does things differently from every other family. You have to find what works for you and yours and this takes some time. You and your child/ren also will have to establish the new teacher student relationship. If your child is coming out of public or private school, consider given them some time to deprogram. Some parents recommend one month for every year the child was in school. I think this is a little extreme. When I pulled my daughter we did one month only. We did a lot of field trips during this time so although some education was going on they were more fun and designed to deprogram her brain. Even coming from a Christian private school they still need this time to let go of the schools routines and rituals.

6. Join a homeschool group- If at all possible join a homeschool group or two in your area. That way your child can spend time with other homeschool children and you can bounce ideas around with other homeschool parents or ask lots of questions. We have about 30 to 40 children in our group from babies to highschoolers. All the kids get along no matter the age and have a good time together. think about your child joining some YMCA sports and of course there is church. Between these three I can assure you there is no social problem.

7. Be prepared for negative reactions- Negative reactions are still a part of being a homeschooler, although positive reactions do occur. The most negative reaction is the question, "What about socialization?" I have enclosed the link to my article on this very question that exposes the truth behind socialization and what it really means. Negative reactions will happen, don't get angry or upset. There will be positive reactions also and I have noticed these are the ones I get most frequently. Public education is so bad here that parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles would almost prefer that aliens educate their children versus what we have now. So do your homework and memorize how you would respond when the lady in the checkout line at office depot accosts you for not supporting public education and declaring that homeschooling is the reason for the problems in the school systems.

Hard Times Hurt Charities Big Time

Today's economic times have hit us all hard. Most families are worried about something. Whether that something is losing their home or losing their job, or how they are going to pay their bills. It is a tough economy and charities are seeing just how tough it really is. While they have more people who need them, they have fewer who can help them. For those of us who are struggling, but still are making it taking some time to decide how we could help someone else is a blessing to all involved. Food Banks can buy so much with such a small amount of money. We wouldn't really miss 5.00 or 10.00, but a food bank can provide a family with a week's worth of food for that amount of money. That old coat hanging in your closet that you haven't worn in years can keep someone else warm instead of hanging in your closet. Those extra blankets tucked away in a box under your bed that never get used, could keep a child warm at night. I am sure that there are many churches that know of families that could use those clothes that you no longer wear or no longer want. Sometimes our situation is so dire that we ourselves cannot give monetarily, but giving of our time and giving of ourselves brings hope and joy into a world filled with darkness and sadness. Cooking an extra casserole for a family in the community is another way to give of yourself. Next month our church is hosting family promise. There are several churches in the community that rotate which church hosts which month. Family promise is where our church houses and feeds several families while trying to help them get back on their feet and provide their very basic needs. My daughter and I have spent the night at the church with these families as well as cooked for them. Our family doesn't have much to give in the way of money but we are abundantly wealthy with time to give. So we give of ourselves so that others may share in the hope that Jesus Christ has to offer. Many only think of doing these things during the holidays, but people need help all through the year. I prefer to help out during the off times of year when there are fewer people to help. So this week my challenge to my readers is to put aside their own problems. Think about the problems of the world and find a spot where you can give of yourself. You never know, you may be entertaining angels. May God bless you in your journey today.

Monday, January 12, 2009

A busy day

Since this week is the week to deep clean the bathroom and today was the bathroom wipe down day. I decided to kill two birds with one stone. I did the deep cleaning for the bathroom today. Well, most of it anyway. All I have left is to purge the drawers and clean them out. So today made for a very busy day. I am taking a look and trying to see what I would like to plant in my new garden. No it is not completely ready. Moving a garden is a big chore. The area was littered with down trees and trees limbs as well as covered with honeysuckle. So it took quite a bit of time to clear it. Then it was time to start working on the fence. We have permission to cut bamboo from a nearby company that has lots of bamboo growing on their property. For those of you who have never cut bamboo it isn't easy and is hard labor. However, the fence will be strong and last for quite some time. It also has a price we cannot beat- free. So we have the garden cleared and one side fenced. It has been a lot of labor and we will continue to work on it. We probably will have it done just in time to plant. We will be pulling some of the bedding from the old garden to make beds in the new garden and I am going to be ordering my seeds soon. When I decide what I will be planting then I will post a list. I will also post a link to the place that I will be ordering from. I am going to be using heirloom seeds so no GMO foods here at Whisper Wind. I will also be able to harvest seeds from my crops for next year. Last year I was in a hurry and so just bought seeds from the local feed store. This year I will be better prepared and preparation always saves money in the long run. So that is today's update. I am tired, it has been a long day. I find though that I feel so good at the end of the day when I am tired from hard work. It gives me a sense that I have accomplished something. So I think tonight I will sit down and plan some articles to write. I haven't really been that productive with my writing, so I will take this evening to regather and regroup. Ya'll have a great evening and I will see you tomorrow.

Enchilada Casserole

This casserole is great because you can use any kind of meat including ground beef. I often plan this casserole after I cook a chicken or a roast. It is a great way to make something new out of the leftovers. So while the ingredients say ground beef you can substitute, chicken, beef, pork, or turkey in for the meat.

Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground beef
2 packets taco seasoning
15-20 corn tortillas
2 16 oz. cans enchilada sauce
4 cups shredded cheese
2 small cans black olive slices (optional)

Directions:
Brown meat and add taco seasoning, following directions on the packet. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 13x9 pan drizzle a small amount of enchilada sauce on the bottom of the pan. Tear the tortillas into fourths and cover the bottom of the pan. then layer ground beef, cheese and enchilada sauce and more tortillas. Keep layering until you get to the top. Top the dish with tortillas, enchillada sauce, olives, and cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes. This casserole serves about 10 people so feel free to cut it in half.


Homemade corn tortillas:
2 cups instant corn flour
1 1/3 c. water

heat griddle over medium heat and have ready. mix corn flour and warm water to form a soft dough. Pinch off pieces and form into smooth balls with the palms of your hands. Keep remaining dough covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying. If you have a tortilla press then lay a plastic sandwich bag on the bottom then place the dough on top slightly off center of the hinges. Close the press firmly and then open. dampen hands a little bit and peel the top bag off the tortilla, then lift the tortilla and bottom bag and gently peel the bottom bag off the tortilla. always keep hands damp when handling dough. If the dough is thick and grainy you may need a little more water. Place the tortilla on the hot griddle and cook turning only once like a pancake about 2 minutes. If you do not have a tortilla press then use a skillet larger than your tortilla and use the bag method just like the press. Press down with even pressure on the skillet to flatten your dough.

Turkey Noodle Casserole

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. egg noodles cooked
1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
2 tbls. olive oil (or vegetable oil)
1/2 onion chopped fine
1 tbls. minced garlic
1/2 c. milk
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. thyme
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups cooked turkey, cut into cubes
1 1/2 cups broccoli
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1 1/2 c. grated cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the cooked egg noodles in a 10x7casserole dish. Wisk the flour and 1/2 c of chicken broth together and set aside. Place oil in skillet and heat to medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add the broth and flour mix and stir. Add the rest of the broth, milk, nutmeg, thyme, salt and pepper, turkey and broccoli. Pour the sauce over the noodles, mix and smooth out the top. Sprinkle on the cheese and bread crumbs. Bake until the top is browned about 8 to 10 minutes.
Serve with rolls and you have a complete meal in just minutes.

Saving Money with Leftovers

Leftovers are a great way to save money on your food budget. We have a weekly leftover night in which all the little bits and pieces left from the week are pulled out and eaten. When I have quite a bit of something left over then i will remake it into something else because I have to face it, my family does not really like leftover night. However, if I make the leftovers into something else, they don't know they are eating leftovers. We had Back Porch Soup this weekend. It is a really thick soup, more like a stew. I had a good bit leftover, so tonight we are having tacos made with the back porch soup mixed with refried beans. We will have a salad on the side and now one meal has become two. Great way to extend that budget. So don't throw out those leftovers. First see if you can remake them and if not, then have leftover night where all the little bits and pieces get eaten up. The key in saving money on our food budget is that nothing goes to waste. Many times if I have a small amount of roast leftover I will cut it up into cubes, brown it in some oil, add some cooked egg noodles and gravy. Add some veggies on the side and bread and you have a whole new meal with a very small bit of leftover roast. Mama used to call this hash. You can also substitute potatoes instead of noodles. So start checking out ways to use up those leftovers and stretch your food dollars.