When we speak of honey, the word sweet is usually not far behind.

When we speak of honey, the word sweet is usually not far behind. It’s because honey contains different types of sugars such as fructose, glucose, sucrose, and maltose.

It is produced by bees from the nectar of flowers and stocked up for the long winter season. We, humans, then harvest this honey for our own consumption.

We are all aware of the great uses for honey in the kitchen, but there is more to this sweet nectar than meets the eye. Much like your regular Swiss Army Knife, honey has a multitude of uses that goes beyond its wonderful taste. It is a little known fact that it contains a lot of nutrients essential to our health. It also possesses antimicrobial properties that are good for treating bacterial and fungal infections. Honey is also packed with antioxidants which prevent the formation of free radicals that cause a number of diseases.

And so, in prepping for any type of emergency, you better add honey to your stockpile because when SHTF, this sweet little treat will provide you with the much-needed calories for stressful situations. No need to worry because honey has a long shelf life so it’ll last a while, and if you’re still wondering how it will come in handy in disastrous situations, read on because I’ve made a list!

1. Treats wounds and burns

Topical application of honey on your wounds and burns works just as well as commercial antiseptics. The antimicrobial properties of honey prevent bacterial infection while hydrogen peroxide reduces inflammation and cleans the wound. Instead of applying honey directly in your wound, it is better to soak the dressing, such as gauze and cotton, in honey and wrap the dressing on your wound. The number of times you change the dressing depends on the level of the wound.

2. Relieves diarrhea

Diarrhea is usually caused by bacterial infection and this can be counteracted with honey. Honey mixed in water usually does the trick. Just remember to drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.

3. Treats urinary tract infections

Another example of bacterial infections you might get are those of the urinary tract. Bacterial infections are likely to happen if you run out of clean water and food. If you don’t have access to antibiotics, honey works just as well in reducing the level of bacteria in the body. No more burning sensation when you pee next time.

4. Soothes sore throat and cough

When you run out of cough syrups and you have to improvise, honey may just be what you need. The antimicrobial activity of honey will put an end to that persistent cough of yours. It works even better with lemon. Just squeeze the life out of that lemon and add honey to the juice. Stir until thoroughly mixed and then drink it. You’ll notice immediate relief on your sore throat.

5. Removes parasites

In a gloomy scenario where medical care is out of the question, any good survivalist has to make due with what he’s got. If you become infested with worms and other parasites, don’t hesitate to drink honey; you can mix it in water alongside vinegar. The combined action of the acidity in vinegar and the antimicrobial properties of honey can get rid of those nasty parasites living in your gut.

6. Promotes a good night’s sleep

In case of an evacuation and you have to camp outdoors, brace yourself for a lot of sleepless nights. You can rid yourself of all the tossing and turning by dabbing on a little honey on your tongue. Honey increases insulin production which in turn releases serotonin, responsible for alleviating mood and happiness. Serotonin is then converted to melatonin, which plays an important role in the quality and duration of your sleep.

7. Relieves stress and anxiety.

Consequently, the sweet and calming effect of honey can ease the stress that comes with trying to just get through the day alive. Drink honey with tea or simply with water to relieve those worries.

8. Boost energy levels

Because, honey helps reduce stress, it makes a good addition on your drink for a quick energy fix. The glucose in honey, which goes into the bloodstream, provides energy and relieves fatigue in the body. This works best in bug out situations where you need a lot of stamina.

9. Prevents viral infections

If you have managed to get out of a risky situation, you might not be successful the second time around if you don’t take care of your health. Honey is loaded with zinc and selenium, along with other nutrients, to help the immune system in fighting off bacterial and viral infections.

10. Prevents cancer

Honey can also aid in fighting off cancer, one of life’s greatest enemies. Honey is rich in antioxidants, which can prevent the formation of cancer cells as well vitamins and minerals to reduce susceptibility to cancer.

11. Improves blood circulation

Drinking honey is also good for your blood circulation. The glucose gives you energy and raises blood sugar levels. Glucose promotes better blood circulation which prevents capillary damage as well as reducing the risk of heart disease.

12. Prevents colitis

Colitis, a disease that damages the colon can be alleviated with continuous intake of honey. The antioxidants in honey can strengthen the colon’s resistance to colitis and other colon-related diseases. The enzymes in honey that aid in digestion also help in reducing strain in the colon.

13. Improves eyesight

Vitamin A is well known nutrient in improving eyesight. Pairing foods rich with Vitamin A and honey may enhance the vitamin’s effect on your vision, especially in a post-SHTF scenario where electricity is a thing of the past.

14. Strengthens memory

The antioxidants in honey also work in improving brain function. One study shows that a spoonful of honey helps increase memory. You never know when recalling a small piece of information can make a difference between life and death.

15. Aids in digestion

Honey also assists in digestion because it contains a lot of enzymes that participate in the breakdown of food. This is a good alternative from your regular sugar, which can actually impede your digestion.

16. Cures hangovers

Even in post-SHTF situations, you can still enjoy drinking alcohol by making some. And so, when that hangover finally hits you, you can always turn to honey for help. Fructose accelerates the metabolism of alcohol, easing that incessant head-pounding in no time at all. The key to getting rid of hangovers is hydration.

17. Another special property of honey is it aids in absorbing calcium the bones, based on a study conducted in Indiana. This reduces the risk of acquiring osteoporosis. On the contrary, the use of commercial sugar contributes to calcium leakage. 

BONUS

Surprisingly, even with all the benefits mentioned above, there are still a lot of practical uses for honey.

18. Prevents hair loss

For those with thinning hair, it’s best to start adding honey to your hair regimen because there are also reports that demonstrate honey’s ability to improve hair loss. Honey can be used to target damaged, unhealthy hair and the fungal infections associated with baldness. For men desperate to hide those bald spots, a dab of honey on your scalp won’t hurt.

19. Treats dandruff

If you think, that’s all honey can do for your hair, then you have another thing coming. This study shows that honey can also treat dandruff as well as seborrheic dermatitis, by reducing redness and scalp itching. The antimicrobial properties of honey wards off fungal growth associated with dandruff.

20. Prevents dry skin

In a situation where survival means constant motion, you may have to bear walking under the scorching heat of the sun. This will leave you dehydrated and your skin dry and rough. The antimicrobial agents as well as antioxidants in honey protect and nourish the skin. Apply honey in those dry areas and leave it on for 15-20 minutes. Then wash off with water.

Final Word

It is amazing just how many uses there are for honey especially in life-threatening conditions. The good news is that honey can easily be found in stores and supermarkets. You can use it to your liking, may it be for consumption, for medical emergencies, or as an antibiotic. So all you preppers out there, better stash some honey away to leave you covered for emergency situations, should they arise.

Just remember to use honey in moderation because too much sugar also puts you at risk for diabetes and other ailments. It should also be noted that honey works better as a supplement in preventing and treating diseases and should not be SOLELY substituted for medicine. Say you what you will, but you can’t deny the practical uses of honey.

How about you? What other uses of honey can you think of?

The world we live in is full of dangers, many of them two-legged.

The world we live in is full of dangers, many of them two-legged. Protecting our homes and families from these dangers is paramount. Fortunately, most states have some version of the “castle doctrine” otherwise known as “stand your ground” on the books, allowing us the right to defend our homes, rather than having to flee if someone invades our homes.

There are three basic types of attacks our homes can come under, if we assume that the United States isn’t going to be invaded by extra-terrestrials or zombies. While related, each is unique:

• Robbery – Someone breaking into the home, with the goal of grabbing what they can of value and getting out of there as quick as possible. Robbers want to get in and out, without alerting anyone that they are there, so robberies generally happen when nobody is home. The perpetrators look for unlocked doors or windows to gain access.
• Home Invasion – Someone forcibly entering the home, either by tricking the occupants into opening the door or by physically breaking in, through a door or window. Perpetrators of home invasions don’t care if anyone is home or are purposely waiting until someone is there, in the case of rape. Violence against the occupants is part and parcel of a home invasion.
• Gang Attack – This is most likely to happen after a disaster, when people are breaking into homes, looking for supplies so that they can survive. These desperate people may band together, especially if they find a home which they believe has a lot of surprise. In such a case, they will attack the home, intending to overwhelm the occupants and steal what they have. Violence is seen as a tool to get in and get what they want.

Obviously, the first two are much more likely to occur than the last one. But a full home defense plan must take all three into account. As there is some overlap in the defenses that we use, preparing for a gang attack that never comes isn’t a waste. It’s insurance that can help you defend against a home invasion as well.

So, how do we protect home and family? There are a variety of different things we should do, but just like there are three different categories of attacks that can come, there are also three different categories of defenses. A good defensive plan has to take all three of them into account.

• Passive Defenses – Your home should defend itself, at least to some point. That means having good quality locks on doors and windows, so that it is not easy to break into your home. It also means making access to windows difficult, so that someone with criminal intent can’t easily jimmy open or break a window. Properly done, passive defenses can help you with your active defenses as well.
• Appearance – The appearance of your home is important, as criminals “case” homes, looking for ones that look like good targets. Part of what they are looking for are homes which are likely to have easily disposed of goods, that they can make a profit off of. Another part of what they are looking for are homes they can get into, without being seen. If your home is isolated, with entry ways that are not visible to the neighbors, the chances of criminals getting in unseen increases. You can counter that by adding motion-activated lights, which attract attention and make the criminal more visible.
• Active Defenses – Part of your defensive plan has to include taking up arms in defense of your home. No passive defense system you can put into place will be perfect, unless you turn your home into a concrete bunker. If attackers are determined enough, they will get through your home’s defenses. At that point, your family’s safety is dependent on you, with a gun in your hand.

These three must work together. Controlling the appearance of your home, so that it doesn’t look like a good place to rob, helps prevent your passive defenses from being tested. Those passive defenses buy you time to prepare, so that you can actively defend your home. They also provide you with some protection from the bad guys, while you are defending your home. At the same time, your active defenses back up your passive ones, encouraging those bad guys to give up and leave, before they breech your defenses.

I have spent years in the outdoors. Over that time, I have accumulated many recipes from simple home cooking recipes, camping, and survival meals and some very unusual meals that seem truly desperate.

In no time, at all, I found out quickly by simply searching the Internet that there was no shortage of recipes out there for exactly that purpose. Not wanting to sound like everyone else on the net, I decided to gather, together some of my more unusual, but successful meals. Here are some of those meals that I have tried in my life, and was pleasantly surprised by them all.

The more unusual recipes have been given to me by some of the more unusual backwoods characters that I have met over the years. Those grey-bearded men, the trappers, and woodsmen that I have encountered in my many travels over as many years. Now some of these recipes can be substituted for whatever is readily available, but these recipes are tried and true recipes for the game they are designed for.

First the Fish

Fish Balls (Canned for the Prepper)

This recipe is many years old and no one knows where it comes from. I have updated it by using modern kitchen equipment to speed up the process and ease the labor.

• 1 ½ pound of ANY WHITEFISH, cleaned and boned, cut into small pieces.
• ½ cup light cream
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch.

Place the fish pieces a few at a time into an electric blender. I use a coarse blend and a purée and mix the two. This can be adjusted to suit your particular tastes. The old recipe calls for a purée I prefer a more coarser chop. Suit yourself. The purée helps to bind the fish afterward when forming the fish balls. Repeat this procedure until all of the fish is blended.

Put all of the purée into a large mixing bowl, and beat in the salt and pepper, and the 1 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch. Slowly add the leftover cream to the mixing bowl, and beat until light and fluffy. Next place the entire bowl of mixture in the fridge to cool. After the mixture has cooled (About one hour), remove the bowl from the fridge. Next, using a tablespoon of the mixture at a time roll the fish mixture into golf ball sized balls to be boiled in water. Using a large saucepan full of salted water, bring to a boil then set low to simmer, and add the fish balls to the water for 5 minutes at a low simmer.

Place the finished balls into sterilized jars, and add the STRAINED water from the cooking process to cover the fish balls completely in the jars for later use. Seal and store them in a cool place as you would any canned goods.

Later, these can be served by cooking them in a simple shrimp sauce, dumping the fish balls into the sauce and heating it over low heat and served with rice or potatoes.

Pan Fried Trout in Sour Cream

This is a great recipe for the campers, especially if you have had some cream go sour on you and you do not know what to do with it. Try this on your next fishing trip.

• 4 fresh trout (about ½ pound each) cleaned with head and tail left on.
• Season the fish with Salt
• ½ cup flour
• 6 tablespoons of butter
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ teaspoon Vinegar

Preparations; wash the trout in cold water. Pat dry inside and out with a dry cloth. Rub the salt into the cavity of the fish, roll in flour, and shake off any excess. IN a heavy iron frying pan, melt 4 of the 6 tablespoons of butter over high heat. When the butter turns brown and gives off a nutty aroma, lower the heat and place the trout into the pan two at a time, so as not to cool the pan to quickly. Cooking time should be about 8 minutes per side.

Stir in the remaining butter, and scrape the drippings from the pan, then deglaze with the sour cream adding a little at a time.  Cook the cream about 5 minutes while stirring constantly, DO NOT ALLOW TO BOIL. Stir in the vinegar, and simmer for 5 more minutes, then pour the sauce over the fish and serve, with your favorite side dish.

Game Birds

Roast Stuffed Duck

This is an awesome way to serve duck and it is easy to do too.

• 2 Ducks, oven ready
• 2 Tablespoons red wine
• Salt and pepper for the birds
• 2 Oranges, peeled and quartered
• 10 Prunes, soaked in water
• 4 Tablespoons of butter
• 2 squares heavy tin foil

Pluck and wash the birds in cold running water. Place them in a stainless steel pot and cover with cold water and the red wine, and let stand for at least 2 hours to marinate. Remove the ducks from the water and pat them dry, seasoning them generously inside and out with the salt and pepper. Stuff the ducks loosely with the orange slices and prunes. Lace the openings with a skewer, and string. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the ducks in the center of the foil, smear with butter and wrap the foil around the ducks, enclosing them completely. Cook for one hour then remove the foil from the ducks and broil until golden brown.

Grouse Soup

• 2 Large Grouse cleaned and cut into serving pieces
• ½ Pound Salt Pork
• 4 Wild Onions, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• ½ Pound Moose meat or stewing meat cut into strips
• 3 Quarts water
• 1 Cup young tender cattail shoots cut into 1-inch lengths. (Obviously a spring recipe)
• 4 small discs of Bannock Buttered and Fried (to serve under the soup)

Wash the birds in cold water and cut into serving pieces. Place the bird into a large soup pot for cooking. Next, melt two Tablespoons of butter, in a frying pan adding the salt pork and onions to cook until the onions are caramelized. Then put the onion and salt pork mixture into the pot with the bird pieces.

Place the strips of Moose meat on top, and cover with 3 quarts of water. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours, until the meat is about to fall off the bone. Remove the birds, and the moose strips, from the pot and set aside for later, you may cover these with foil to keep warm. Then continue cooking the soup broth for another hour. After removing the soup from the heat and strain through a sieve into a large saucepan, and add the cattail shoots, and cook for another 15 minutes or until shoots are tender.

Prepare the bannock and fry in melted butter until golden brown. Cut each disc of bannock into four slices, and add to the bottom of a soup tureen. Pile on the bird pieces and cover with soup stock. The moose strips can be used as a side dish or added to the soup.

Yellow Line Yummies

No sense wasting those critters you ran over, coming home from bingo night. The next recipes may not sound appealing to some, however, I assure you they can be very decent fair for an open mined prepper. They are a collection of odd recipes by some of the best survivalist that ever lived, those people who lived through the last depression and our pioneers, and ancestors from the distant past. The first recipe is one of my favorites, just for its unusual ingredient. It is a real survival recipe and is always good to know you can turn anything into a gourmet meal if you have the patience.

French Fried Skunk

If you want to serve something out of the ordinary to your guests, this will certainly fit the bill. How about French Fried Skunk, the meat is usually darker then a rabbit, so you can call it wild turkey if you like.

The best thing about this animal is its usually around every night during the warm months and is found all over the country roads, from north to south. Here is how you prepare it.

• 2 Skunks, skinned and cleaned (soaked in a salt brine)
• 1 Tablespoon salt in water to cover.
• 2 Cups vegetable oil for frying later
• 2 egg yokes beaten
• 3 Cups milk or cream
• 1 ½ Cups of flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons baking powder

Clean and wash the skunk, making sure to remove the scent glands. Cut the skunk into serving pieces. I usually cut them into 6 pieces of shoulders ribs, and hindquarters. You can also cut them as those chicken houses do it, where every piece has a little chunk of solid meat on it still. Prepare a soup pot with enough water to cover the meat, while not allow the water to boil over during cooking. Next, boil the Skunk for about 35 – 40 minutes until tender. Removes any scum from the surface of the water as you cook it. In a separate bowl, combine the other ingredients together for the batter. Mix the egg yolks, the milk, flour, salt, and baking powder, and beat into a batter. This should resemble cake batter. Heat the vegetable oil in a deep fryer to around 360 degrees. Dip the pieces into the batter and fry them in your hot oil until golden brown. Drain well and serve with seasoned fried potato wedges on the side.

Baked Stuffed Raccoon

This is best with a freshly killed raccoon. As with our previous recipe, these critters are abundant throughout the lower 48 states, and even up into lower half of Canada. Here is a great recipe for them.

• 1 Medium Raccoon (skinned and cleaned of course)
• 4 Large Onions
• 4 Strips Salt pork
• 2 Cups Beef Stock

The Stuffing

• 5 Large Tart Apples
• 2 Tablespoons of Butter
• 1 teaspoon of Cinnamon
• 1 Cup dry Bread Crumbs
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper

Skin and clean the Raccoon. Wash well removing as much of the fat as possible. Place in a large soup pot and cover with salted water, simmer for 30 minutes. Next peel, core, and dice the apples into a mixing bowl. Melt the remaining butter into a small saucepan and add some cinnamon, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Remove the Raccoon, and let it cool.

Stuff the raccoon, and sew up the cavity. Place the Raccoon breast down, with the legs folded underneath trussed with a string like a roast chicken then place in the roast pan. This is best done with a roasting rack. Drape the salt pork over the back of the raccoon with toothpicks to add flavor. Place the onions beside the raccoon, and season all with salt and pepper.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes to brown the meat, then reduce the temperature in the oven to 325 degrees F and add the 2 cups of beef stock and cook for at least one hour or until tender. Making sure you baste every 10-15 minutes with the beef stock to keep the meat from drying out.

My Wild Game Cooking Tips

Preparing Wild Game

I would like to leave the readers with a few tips on preparing wild game. Over the years, I have been fortunate to have some of these tips passed down to me by experienced outdoorsmen, many of the tricks I, unfortunately, had to learn the hard way though. I want to pass these tips on to you readers, and I hope this makes you appreciate the wild game as much as I do.

Some people unfamiliar with proper game handling or preparation will complain about a gamey flavor of their deer. Often they mistakenly blame it on the deer’s age, thinking it was because he was old, this is hardly ever the case with bucks or bulls. Old bucks never get that old in nature. Granted some late-season bucks can be a bit worn and tired beat down by the rut, but they started out in their prime.

The beginning of the season these deer was in top shape with plenty of fat on their ribs, but by the end of the rut, the ones in the 4 -7-year range are beat and tired. Some of these bucks will not make it through the winter, after losing to much weight; they often die from the extreme weather. Those people that complain about gaminess have usually been fed an improperly butchered animal. Because game animals such as Deer, Elk, and Moose require a completely different way of handling then Beef or domestic animals do.

The game animal should be bled immediately upon killing it. The blood is what is responsible for the liver taste in some wild meat. What one should also do to prepare a feast of game meat for the more squeamish eaters is soak it in brine overnight. The brine can be just simple salt water, with some pickling spice. I use this for the deer family, and for game birds, you may even add some sugar to the salt-water brine. The salt in brine uses capillary action to draw out the blood from the meat and works as a way of killing bacteria too.

Thus, the blood will not leave that liver flavor and no… the salt-water brine does not leave a salty flavor either, that is a myth. Although you should remember to rinse the meat after brining it, and pat it dry with a cloth before cooking it, especially if you are trying to brown the meat in a pan for a stew or even a roast. Even a commercial abattoir, will bleed a domestic animal immediately, often while they are still kicking.

Next, the fat on deer is not regular fat, its tallow, and just like sheep’s tallow it is best removed or cooked over an open flame to melt it away, it can taste very waxy to most people. Now when boning out a deer, I try to remove as much of this tallow as you can, if not all of it, most of it. Also, after back at camp or home, and you are wrapping the game in butcher paper, try to trim off all silver skin with a fillet knife.

This is easy enough to do with a little practice. The silver casing is what is wrapped around the individual muscles of these animals. This is absolute, necessary to remove it before cooking any. This sinew is far too chewy to be eaten, and it shrinks up during the cooking process, like a snare drum. Some hunters leave the outer silver skin on as a protection against freezer burn, and then they removed it just before cooking. In fact, this skin is so tough to chew it was used in the making of bowstrings by the Native Americans for thousands of years… that is how tough it is.

Poor butchering technics also often miss the foul scent glands of these animals. The glands are on all wild deer and pig species. A butcher who is only used to domestic buttering, may not be aware of these glands and where they are located. These scent glands, if not removed from the meat especially before grinding it into hamburger or sausage, will contaminate the final product, making it inedible.

During the high point of a Rut even if you get your skinning knife on one of these glands it can contaminate the rest of the animal simply by running your blade along it after while skinning it out. This is often the case with the tarsal gland near the rear bend in the leg of the deer. There is also a strong gland between the major muscles of the hindquarter.

I hope some of you will try these recipes, and let us know what you think of them, and the very least keep them for the future, for when times get tough.

You never know when a skunk might be the only thing you have to eat.

Preparing Your Own Living Medicine Cabinet

7 Herbs You Should Be Growing Now

If you don’t yet have a medicinal herb garden, perhaps now is the time to consider starting one. Having not only a living, but a renewable source of holistic medicine on hand for your family is only one of the benefits of growing medicinal herbs. There’s no reason to wait either, even if you are in the grips of the winter cold, many of these herbs can grow year round, indoors, simply on our window sills or under an artificial light. And while the sound of a “Medicinal Herb Garden” doesn’t sound too appealing, you’ll find many of the herbs your already know and love in cooking will provide you and your family with alternatives to drug store medicine in an emergency when you need it most.

The truth is people have been growing medicinal herbs for thousands of years and many of the medications you find on store shelves today are derived from the very same botanicals you can grow in your own home.

Approximately, 40 percent of prescription drugs on the market today came from plant extracts. These medicinal herbs that you can grow yourself have the ability to help heal and relieve symptoms caused by a variety of ailments, and, major bonus, many can be enjoyed in your culinary adventures too. As most preppers know, you never know what is going to happen, and having these plants in your arsenal could offer an important solution for your family in a time of need.

These basic herbs are just a few of the many that could be part of your medicinal herb garden, but these are perhaps the ones that no living medicine cabinet should be without.

Echinacea

Echinacea (E. purpurea) is already one of the top selling herbs in health food stores and a major ingredient in several wellness products, proving its effectiveness as an immune booster. In fact you can almost hear your mother telling you to drink that Echinacea tea once you feel that cold come on, can’t you? Echinacea has almost been called the purple coneflower by many gardeners and is still admired for its beauty, as well as its properties. Echinacea root is the most popular part of the plant to extract the medicinal properties from, but many will make tea out of the leaves and flowers as well. You can make a tincture, or a basic tea to use this medicine helping you to get over colds faster or preventing them in the first place.

Chamomile

Looking to relax? How about a nice cup of Chamomile tea? Chamomile is a must have for any medicinal herb garden as it is an effective sleep aid that can also aid in digestion and urination. For a mother, this herb is especially beneficial as it is gentle enough for young tummies and can even ease colic. Chamomile tea, made from the flowers of the Hungarian chamomile plant, (Matricaria recutita or Chamomilla recutita), can also be used to wash sores and wounds. Official health authorities of 26 separate countries approve it to treat inflammation, infection, colic, muscle spasms and tension.

The flowers usually appear within six weeks of planting. It does best in cooler climates and making it a great indoor plant, even though it can get quite large. The plant likes sun exposure, but needs to be protected from intense summer heat.

Lemon Balm

Traditionally, lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) has been used to reduce fevers and treat colds by inducing sweating. It has been known to calm the digestive tract, relieve spasms related to cramps and headaches, and aid in the battle against insomnia. There are even studies to suggest that lemon balm not only calms anxiety but also inhibits the growth of fungi and bacteria. Lemon balm, like chamomile is a larger plant, but it can also be grown indoors. It is best, however, grown outdoors with partial sun. When outside it is also a great attractor of bees, which any gardener knows, is a benefit to the overall health of your garden. The plant can tend to spread, so trim the tops off before they go to seed to prevent overgrowth.

One of the best reasons to grow lemon balm yourself is because it is most effective fresh, or freshly dried, though it does lose some of its aromas when dried. The leaves and the blooms can be harvested to make tea to unlock the medicinal potential.

Peppermint

Mint was mentioned as a stomach aid in the world’s oldest surviving medical text, believed to date from the 16th century B.C. Peppermint (Mentha ×piperita) is actually a hybrid between spearmint and water mint.

Peppermint leaf tea was traditionally used to cure insomnia, upset stomach, indigestion, nervous tension, cramps, diarrhea and nausea. Studies have shown that the essential oil extracted from peppermint contains substances that relieve muscle spasms and inhibit the growth of bacteria and viruses. It also contains menthol, which is well known for its health benefits as well as its distinct scent.

Peppermint can also grow quite large, and can be suitable outside. Peppermint crops can be increased by dividing the roots as the flowers do not provide seed. Peppermint tends to take care of itself, it almost thrives on neglect and it may be necessary to dig up plants regularly if grown outside to limit spread. The peppermint leaves are easy to dry and store for use in tea or other applications.

Parsley

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is rich in vitamins C, B12, K and vitamin A and provides a host of preventative benefits. It can be grown in a simple box on your window sill, or in an open garden. Parsley helps promote a strong immune system and it has been known to treat the nervous system as well. Parsley can also help reduce blood pressure as well as aid with digestion problems.
Parsley can be dried, chewed raw, or used in a tea. Many people also chew on the leaves to control bad breath. Parsley is also a popular seasoning when cooked though the raw leaves contain the highest concentration of health benefits as cooking can reduce potency.

Lavender

Lavender (lavandula) is a popular herb, best grown outside, as these gorgeous and fragrant flowers can grow quite large. Like lemon balm, lavender is attractive to bees and hummingbirds. In addition to the unmistakable scent, lavender has long been associated with providing a sense of calm and relaxation. Lavender tea has also been shown to reduce pain as well as provide many aroma-therapeutic benefits. When applied as a part of a salve to cuts and bruises, lavender can also be an effective an antiseptic.

Sage

Sage (salvia officinalis) is another plant known for its unmistakable scent, but its benefits reach far beyond simply aromatics. It is a little-known fact that sage can also help to soothe coughs and general throat irritation. Sage has been known to reduce the longevity and severity of common colds and sinus congestion. Sage has also been shown to aid with hot flashes, an added benefit for many women.

Whether you have an indoor or an outdoor herb garden, or perhaps both, your living medicine cabinet can benefit from the inclusion of these marvelously miraculous plants. All of these can be used as teas, but many can be made into tinctures and salves that are wonderful to have on hand when a medical situation arises. Having your own living medicine cabinet prepares you for so many ailments and situations, and allows you to provide the best, freshest and safest health remedies for you and your family.

A Hole in the Ground to Call Home

Okay, so I know it is a bit of a survival cliché.  Everybody can think of a war movie where people are hiding out in bunkers, or one where a conspiracy theorist is heading underground.  However, do not be so quick to make assumptions.  The fact of the matter is that an underground shelter is a very good idea for many reasons.

A bunker is the safest place to be during any storms with high winds. When it is not in use, it can be great for storage or can even serve as a root cellar.  If ever there is a scenario where you need to separate yourself from other people, a bunker is the place to be.  This could be riots, military invasion, or pandemics.  If you need clean air during a chemical attack, nuclear winter, or volcanic eruption your bunker is the only option.  Studies have shown that even being a few feet underground with the proper air system could easily save people from a nuclear blast.  If you are willing to put in the time and effort, it is a pretty darn good idea.

The first potential step of building a bunker is a bit controversial… getting permission.  Legally you are required to get a permit before doing any major digging on your property.  I know many preppers are concerned that any evidence of prepping is being tracked by the government.  In a way, telling anybody that you are building a bunker is putting yourself on the grid.  However, you may draw more attention if the authorities decide to give you a hard time.  They could easily fine you and force you to fill in all your work.  If nothing else, you need to have your property marked by the utility companies so you are not digging up water, power, or gas lines.

The next point I have to emphasize is safety.  This is not a little project.  If you have only one foot of soil on top of your shelter and it is not structurally sound, it will collapse.  Dirt is heavy.  You will also likely be using some heavy equipment and power tools.  Do not use equipment you are not comfortable operating.  If you do not design your ventilation system properly, you will suffocate.  If you dig too close to your house, the foundation could give way.  There are a dozen ways to get hurt building your survival bunker.  These scenarios would really defeat the purpose, so be careful and take your time.

Now it is time to plan.  A solid structural plan is absolutely vital for an underground bunker.  One of the first questions of planning is where to put the bunker.  You can build under your home, but that can drastically affect your home’s foundation and utility lines.  Also, if your home collapses in a disaster then your exit is blocked.

One benefit is that you could easily move to your bunker without going outside.  Another is easy access to water and electrical lines.  Your other option would be building next to the home and having a separate entrance.  This is a more simple construction, but you would either have to run utilities to the shelter or provide a separate source.  You would also have to leave your home to get to your shelter.  Be prepared for whichever choice you make.  To see what a bunker under your home looks like, please check out this video:

Next you need to be prepared to dig.  Test the soil in your desired area and know the challenges.  Sandy soil will act differently than clay soil.  You may even hit a slab of rock a few feet down. Be sure there are no large tree roots in the area. Please know these things before you start any serious digging.  You will need to plan a spot for the mound of removed dirt well away from the hole.

Many people make the mistake of putting the pile too close.  Just a little shift and it could cave in.  Remember that you do not have to be buried for this to kill you.  If you are buried above your naval, the pressure from the dirt on your torso can keep your lungs from expanding.  Plan to have the proper equipment.  Sure you can use a pick and shovel, but it will be a very long project.  Normally renting or borrowing some heavy equipment is a good idea.

The Structure

As for the underground structure itself, you have a few options.  Probably the WORST would be to buy a shipping crate or to have a premade steel structure .  These options are pricey but the shipping container is also dangerous. The shipping crate absolutely must be reinforced to hold the weight, and you’d have to live in fear that it could still collapse.  Wood is also a poor choice for an underground structure.  Even when properly treated, lumber can rot over time.  It is also not structurally sound to handle the weight with which you may be dealing.

If you are having a prefab structure, insist on extra steel reinforcement.  If you are reinforcing a crate, you should use steel beams. Possibly the best option is concrete.  It is inexpensive, simple to use, strong, permanent, and can be molded to any shape.  A good concrete floor with poured concrete walls and ceiling are plenty strong as long as they are reinforced with steel rebar.

One person could pour the whole structure in a couple weeks if they do it right.  Brick or cinder blocks can be used and are inexpensive, but the work is time-consuming and can really only be used for the walls.  If you are uncertain of your design, ask for help.  Find a structural expert and get a second opinion.  You only have one shot to get the plan right.  Here is a video on how to build a shipping container bunker:

Maybe you are thinking about doing some tunneling. Think again. This is time-consuming, frustrating, and very dangerous.  I realize it may be cheaper that getting out the heavy equipment.  However, you have to think of your time as money.  All building materials will have to be dragged into a tunnel to build your walls. In the meantime, you have to constantly move scaffolding around to support the ceiling.  After all this work and risking your life, you will wish you had taken the time to do it the right way.

Weather needs to be considered on a few different levels. While building, rain can absolutely ruin your project.  Try to find a dry season to get the bulk of the work done.  Even once the shelter is built, rain can be an issue.  It can cause concrete to crack and bricks to crumble.  You should really put a waterproof lining all the way around your structure to protect it from moisture.

In addition, a sheet much larger than the roof of your shelter should be spread out before topping off the dirt.  The less water that gets to the structure, the better. Cold is another factor. Extreme cold conditions can make soil expand and contract. Factor this in when you choose your design.

There are a few interior features that are a good idea. 

Sound proofing is not expensive. You can use anything from foam padding to egg cartons to save money, or you can get professional sound dampening materials.

Ventilation is absolutely essential.  You will have to do your research on which system you need, but all will need access to air, fans, and likely a filter of some kind.  Some systems will only filter dust, while others can even protect from radioactive fallout.  Electricity will need to be supplied, preferably from a generator or solar source.  Certain items such as the ventilation and an emergency light should be hooked to backup power as well.

If you can run water from a well to the bunker, this would be ideal. A filtration system is a good idea in case the water is contaminated.

Sewage is a separate issue. You can go for a composting toilet, or set up a septic system with a leach field.

Concealment should be a priority when designing your bunker.  If you build it under your home, this is already accomplished.  However, bunkers away from your home can stick out like a sore thumb.  Entrances can be disguised as manholes or can be covered with a movable object like a fake planter or a kiddie pool.  A shed can be built over your entrance to give you another layer of protection.

How prepared should we be?  The experts say that the average situation will last between two and three weeks.  However, we can all imagine situations where this could stretch into months.  Anything you can build that will give you an ongoing supply of resources is best.  Build a clean water supply, stash a hydroponic garden, grow catfish, or do anything else that can keep you going long term.  As far as hoarding supplies, that depends on the amount of space you have, the money you want to spend, and how far you want to take it. Anything that would stick out of the ground should be concealed. 

Ventilation tubes can be surrounded by planting rocks.  Radio antennas can be buried along the surface of the soil or can be run inside a flagpole.  Locks are very important as well.  You may want to consider a dual door system, and each door should lock from both the inside and outside. Remember that your goal is to be 100% certain that you can separate yourself from other people.

A little interior design can go a long way.  You do not need to spend a great deal of money, but having nothing but a hole in the ground is not smart either.  You need a comfortable place to sleep, so some cheap beds or cots are in order.

Your goal is to keep your time in your bunker as civilized as possible.  Have a living area with places to sit, books, games, and maybe a TV.  Have an eating area if you have the space.  Make sure there is plenty of lighting.  Remember that there will be no natural light, so go overboard with the lighting.  For privacy use curtains to separate the space.  Even a cheap throw rug or a few pictures on the walls could be a good idea. If you have never been through it before, living in a confined space for weeks or months is very difficult.  Any little detail that normalizes the experience is vital.

If you are considering this project, think carefully.  There are dozens of scenarios in which a bunker could save the lives of you and your family.  However, it is an expensive, time consuming, and difficult venture.

If you have unlimited resources you could have it done in weeks, but for most people a bunker is a project that will take several years.  If you build away from your house you can plan on staring at a giant hole in the ground and a mountain of soil next to it.  If you build under your home it could become drafty and moldy.  You could be lugging equipment in and out tracking mud on every trip.  If you are not careful, the building process can be very dangerous as well.

All that being said, it can be a very beneficial project for the right preppers.  If you truly want to be prepared for any situation, a bunker is your best option.  If you are one of those preppers, then all you have to do is start digging!