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Knowledge Database

This is a discussion on Knowledge Database within the SHTF/Survival&Disaster Preparedness forums, part of the Use and Training category; ETA: I'm gonna turn this into my collection thread of stuff, so check back every so often. Another Find ... Hope you like it The ...

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Old 03-06-2011, 02:54 PM   #1
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Knowledge Database
ETA:
I'm gonna turn this into my collection thread of stuff, so check back every so often.

Another Find ... Hope you like it
Quote:
The First Book ROCKS and is a GREAT starting point on your quest to obtain Old Knowledge! Well Worth The Large Down Load Size...

Henley's twentieth century formulas, recipes and processes, containing ten thousand selected household and workshop formulas, recipes, processes and moneymaking methods for the practical use of manufacturers, mechanics, housekeepers and home workers (1914)


Heating / Refrigeration Ventilation


Farming (General)


Farm Implements, Tools, Fencing etc.

Poultry, Fowl, Birds


Sheep

Pigs

Rabbits


Apiculture

Irrigation, Sewage, Plumbing and water


Equine
Last edited by AZXD; 03-07-2011 at 07:53 PM.
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Old 03-06-2011, 02:58 PM   #2
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Continued...........
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Veterinarian

Health / Medical

Fishing, Fish, Tackle, fly fishing, Angling

Firearms / Hunting


Trapping, Snares, Furs, Hides etc.

Shelter, Housing, Architectural

Domestic

Cosmetic
Milling, Metallurgy, Forging, Gearing, Machines

Blacksmithing

Machinery Mechanical

Gen Manufacturing, Craft, etc.


Materials, Properties, Strengths


Masonry, Concrete, Brickwork, Terra-cotta, Etc

Roads, Pavements etc.

Bookbinding / Printing



Old Tech.

Old Transportation
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Old 03-06-2011, 03:02 PM   #3
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Almost to the end
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Cooking & Recipes


Food Preservation

Dairy


Butter

Cheese

New Bread Making section

Sweet Tooth

Beverages & Brewing

Viticulture

Woolens, Fabric, Knitting, Needlework, Spinning etc.


Garden, Agro, Threshing, Orchards

Grasses & Forage Plants
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Old 03-06-2011, 03:11 PM   #4
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Getting closer...............
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Wild Plants

Shrooms

Navigation and Maps

Glass

Mercantile

Misc.

Leather, Leatherwork Tans, Hides

Shoe Making, Cobblers & Cordwainers

Eclectic


Workshop Receipts


Archaic Doomers
Deadly adulteration and slow poisoning unmasked; or, Disease and death in the pot and the bottle; in which the blood-empoisoning and life-destroying adulterations of wines, spirits, beer, bread, flour, tea, sugar, spices, cheese-mongery, pastry, confectionary medicines, &c. &c. &c. are laid open to the public, with tests or methods for the ascertaining and detecting the fraudulent and deleterious adulterations and the good and bad qualities of those articles: with an exposé of medical empiricism and imposture, quacks and quackery, regular and irregular, legitimate and illegitimate: and the frauds and mal-practices of the pawn-brokers and madhouse keepers (1839)
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Old 03-07-2011, 02:27 PM   #5
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What a tremendous resource to have in one place. Thanks for posting!
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Old 03-07-2011, 08:09 PM   #6
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Potato Growing Guide
Taters


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Potato Growing Guide

Potatoes are a fantastic, nutritious and simple vegetable to grow successfully and provide vitamins C, B3 (Niacin) as well as copper and phosphorus. The potato has been grown in South America for about 7000 years and was introduced to Europe in the 16th century by the returning Spanish explorers, although it wasn’t until the 18th century that Europeans accepted the potato as a staple food.


There are about 400 varieties of potatoes available to the gardener, so care is needed in choosing the right variety for your eating preferences, as some are better than others for roasting, mashing or boiling. See the section below on choosing the right potato for you, to assist in this choice.
Potatoes can also be stored from the harvest right through to the point at which next season’s crop arrives, and summer as well as winter varieties can be grown – making the potato a great year-round crop (if you have the space). I hope the first in the vegetable-growing guides will help you achieve some great harvests.


Choices of potatoes to grow:
Although there are about 400 choices of potato to grow – I’ll just concentrate on a few popular varieties. It’s first important to know that varieties are split into early, second early and maincrop potatoes. These names essentially indicate when they crop, but also give an idea of space requirements, along with how closely and when they can be planted.

Early:
  • Take about 10-14 weeks to crop
  • Good for summer new potatoes
  • Less prone to pest attacks
  • Great if you’ve not got much space to grow within
Second Early:
  • Take about 14-18 weeks to crop
  • Produce summer potatoes (Mainly in July)
  • More prone to pest attacks than Early varieties
  • Less productive with less space
Maincrop:
  • Take about 18-20 weeks to crop
  • Produce potatoes suitable to store over the winter months (can be lifted from July until October)
  • Require more space than the other varieties
  • As they spend more time in the ground, they are more prone to pest attacks (especially Potato Blight, which has a main “season” starting in last summer)
Some potatoes flourish in certain soils and conditions and as such, it’s a good idea to ask other growers in your area what varieties do well for them and then buy small packs of 10 seed potatoes so you can try different types and find what you like.


As each potato variety has a different internal structure, different water content and other qualities, certain varieties are better than others for particular styles of cooking. You can find some suggestions below to guide you in the best potato varieties to suit your needs:


Boiling:
Earlies: All earlies boil well
Second Earlies: Anya, Cosmos, Edzell Blue, Marfona, Maris Peer, Nadine, Saxon, Wilja
Maincrops: Ambo, Arran Victory, Cara, Celine, Maris Piper, Maxine, Sarpo Mira, Pink Fir Apple, Romano, King Edward

Baking:
Earlies: Arran Pilot, Duke of York, Epicure, Pentland Javelin, Rocket, Swift, Vanessa, Winston
Second Earlies: Cosmos, Estima, Kestral, Marfona, Maris Peer, Nadine, Saxon, Wilja
Maincrop: Arran Victory, Cara, Celine, King Edward, Maris Piper, Pentland Squire, Picasso, Pink Fir Apple, Romano, Stemster

Roasting:
Earlies: Accent, Ulster Chieftain, Swift
Second Earlies: Catriona, Cosmos, Edzell Blue, Kestral, Mona Lisa, Wilja
Maincrop: Arran Victory, Cara, Desiree, Dunbar Standard, Maxine, Picasso, Romano, Valor


Mashing:
Earlies: Accent, Epicure, Winston
Second Earlies: Cosmos, Kestral, Merlin, Nadine, Osprey, Wilja
Maincrop: Arran Victory, Desiree, Harmony, King Edward, Kerrs Pink, Maris Piper, Pentland Crown, Remarka, Sarpo Mira, Stemster


Chitting:
Chitting is the process of encouraging seed potatoes to sprout before planting them - vital for early varieties, but not so for maincrops. Chit from late January to February (in a cool but frost-free place); and about 6 weeks before you want to plant the potatoes. Every seed potato has a more rounded end on which most of the ‘eyes’ are situated. Stand the potatoes in containers (egg boxes are perfect) so the rounded end is at the top - making sure there’s plenty of natural light, but no direct sunlight. When the shoots are about 2.5cm long, they are ready to be planted.


Planting:
You should plant your chitted potatoes once the soil has started to warm up, (early varieties in late-March, maincrop varieties mid to late April). The following process should guide you through what to do:
  • Dig a trench about 11cm deep in a sunny position - may need to be deeper for some varieties (check seed packs first). You can just make a few holes this deep if space is at a premium.
  • Add a small layer of compost to the bottom of the trench.
  • Set your “chitted” potatoes into the trench (burying the bottom half in the bottom of the trench) with the shoots pointing up.
  • Earlies: set 30cm apart and 45cm between rows.
  • 2nd Earlies and Maincrop: set 40cm apart & 75cm between rows.
  • Cover the potatoes gently with soil - so they have a covering of fine soil about 8cm over them.
  • TIP: If shoots begin to sprout during late frosts, draw some soil up over them; this will protect against frost damage.
  • When the plant stems are about 25cm high, remove any weeds from between the plants; then drag the surrounding soil from the sides towards the top of the plant, until the mound is about 15cm high – leaving about 10cm of greenery protruding from the top. This is called “earthing up” and is necessary as potatoes grow near the surface, but go green in sunlight – earthing up limits the chances of the potatoes coming into contact with sunlight. Another way to do this is by adding soil to the top of the plants little by little as they grow –it makes little difference to the produce which way you “earth up”.
  • Make sure the potatoes are well watered throughout their growing life.
Growing again? You shouldn’t plant potatoes in the same ground year after year. Try to leave 2-3 seasons before planting potatoes in the same plot - this should stop pests and diseases building up.


Short of Space? Grow potatoes in a well-drained container (at least 30cm wide and deep). Fill half the container with compost or good quality soil and set two seed potatoes into the top of the compost. Then top up with more compost or soil to within 2.5cm (1”) of the rim of the container.


Harvesting:
Your potatoes should be ready to harvest from June (earlies) until September (maincrops) or about 8-12 weeks from planting - depending on the growing conditions.


Earlies can be harvested as soon as they are ready (for summer new potatoes); so harvest them when leaves and stems (or Haulm) are still green. Another good rule of thumb for new potatoes is to harvest them as soon as the flowers open. To harvest, use a fork to lift the potatoes from the side. You will probably spear some, but can reduce this chance by using a special potato fork.


Second and maincrop varieties can remain in the ground until September, even though above-ground growth may well be looking past its best. Being in the ground for longer does increase the risk of blight and other diseases however. Two weeks before you lift the crop, cut the growth off at ground level. This should give the skins of the potatoes sufficient time to toughen up, making them far less prone to damage from lifting and easier to store. To harvest, use a fork to lift them from the ground. If possible, harvest on a dry sunny day and leave the potatoes on the surface for a couple of hours to harden (this will improve storage).


TIP: It’s best to remove all potatoes as if left, they’ll grow and attract pests and diseases into the area.


Problems and solutions:
Frost: can ruin a potato crop, so keep an eye on the weather. Earlies are generally planted mid-March with maincrops planted a few weeks later. If frost threatens after the leaves have broken through the surface you need to protect the plants; do this either by pulling earth over the leaves from the side or covering with fleece.


Potato Blight: Potato blight is one of the worst diseases for the potato grower, caused by a fungus Phytophthora infestans. Blight can wipe plants out literally overnight and can infect the potato tubers causing them to rot in storage - it can also travel from potato to potato, so can ruin an entire harvest (it was responsible for the Irish Potato famine). It also effects other members of the potato family, including tomatoes and develops when the weather is warm and humid. The “Smith Period” is a 48 hour period when the minimum temperature is 10°C or above and the relative humidity is more than 80% for the majority of this period. These periods are when blight is most likely to strike.


Symptoms of Potato Blight:
  • brown freckles on the leaves or sections of leaves with brown patches and a yellowish border.
  • the potato tuber will have dark patches on the skin, with brownish rot spreading into the flesh from the skin.
Prevention of Potato Blight:
  • Bordeaux mixture is a traditional fungicide but does contain copper and might not be great for your diet (although it is organically approved).
  • Inorganic Dithane 945 is good as long as it is applied before blight has taken hold.
  • The best protection is to grow a resistant variety of potato that’s less affected by blight - “Sarpo” varieties of potato are extremely blight resistant.
  • Always use certified virus free seed potatoes bought from reputable suppliers.
  • Try to get all the potatoes out from the ground when you harvest, so you won’t leave a reservoir on your plot.
  • Don’t grow potatoes in the same ground two years running.
  • Water from the base rather than spraying potatoes.
Treatment of Potato Blight:
  • If there are only a small number of affected leaves (with patches) you can try removing and disposing of them - burn them if possible to ensure the blight is killed off.
  • Spray with Bordeaux mixture or Dithane 945 - this may prevent spread of the blight if applied early enough.
  • For more serious infections, cut off all the haulm (foliage) down to about 5cm and destroy it. This prevents the disease getting into the tubers, and if they are covered with earth they will continue to grow for at least two weeks.
  • After harvest, check regularly for signs of blight and remove any suspect tubers at once from your store.
Common Scab: Only a skin deep disease and doesn’t affect eating quality. There is no treatment but you can help prevent it by growing a resistant variety such as Wilja.


Potato Cyst Eelworm: The problems are caused by the grubs of the Cyst Eelworms, which burrow into the roots and form small cysts, containing hundreds of eggs. Plants will become stunted, the lower leaves wither and higher leaves wilt during daylight, what’s worse is that only small tubers will be produced - about 1cm in diameter. The eggs can remain in the soil for up to 10 years so if the ground is heavily infested, you may have to stop growing potatoes for several years.


There is no chemical treatment, so just destroy infected plants and tubers. Crop rotation can help prevent the infection, as will growing a resistant variety.

Fertilizer:
Potatoes are a very productive crop and thus need large amounts of nutrients. Requirements will depend on the variety grown and on the amount of nutrients already in the ground for them. A good idea is to add about 15kg of manure per metre the autumn before sowing - this should ensure a good amount of Nitrogen for the foliage. For Earlies, if you have manured, there is not much need for further fertilisation - if you have not manured however, then adding 150-200g/M2 of Growmore or fish, blood and bone will provide enough to get a decent crop. Second early and maincrop varieties will benefit from additional fertilisation - specifically Nitrogen throughout the growing cycle, as Nitrogen is the nutrient that is easiest lost from the soil. Potash is also required, and is a welcome addition at any point (a good source is wood ash).

Storage:
Potatoes are best stored in a bag that can allow some breathing and moisture to escape, but will exclude light - hessian sacks are ideal, but paper sacks or even pillow cases also do the job - plastic bags however will not allow adequate, so don‘t use them. Before storage, remove any damaged potatoes and use these first. If Potato blight has struck remove and destroy any infected tubers, and check through them all carefully, otherwise the blight could spread in storage. Ideally, store the potatoes in a cool (about 5°C), dark room but do not let them freeze. If any of the potatoes have turned green, putting them in a dark room can sometimes reverse this.
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Old 03-07-2011, 08:26 PM   #7
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Canning cheese and butter

I received an email ad today from one of my regulars about buying up the last stock available on their website of canned meats, cheese and butter, once it’s gone, it’s gone. That prompted a flurry of searching for the best prices on these items. In the process I ran across an article about canning your own cheese. I already knew about canning butter, but didn’t think about canning cheese too.

DISCLAIMER: The methods discussed in this article for canning cheese and butter are not approved or recommended by the powers that be (FDA), neither I or anyone associated with this website are responsible for anything that may happen as a result of using anything discussed here. You are responsible for your own actions and consequences of trying anything I write about here.

Amazon.com Widgets Now, back to our regularly scheduled article. There is nothing new about canning, you can find commercially canned butter and cheese. But if you are willing to put in a bit of time and effort, you can easily can your own cheese and butter. Just think, you find a great deal on cheese and butter, you pick up a large quantity of each, you go home and get out your canning supplies and get to work. In a few hours you will have your own supply of cheese and butter that doesn’t have to be refrigerated and should last quite a long time.

First we can discuss canning butter, it’s the easiest of the two to make, it doesn’t even require a water bath! Be sure to use a good quality, full fat butter, salted is better, it lasts longer. Do not try this with margarine or spreads, it will not work.

Canned Butter
1. Use any butter that is on sale. Lesser quality butter requires more shaking (see #5 below), but the results are the same as with the expensive brands.

2. Heat pint jars in a 250 degree oven for 20 minutes, without rings or seals. One pound of butter slightly more than fills one pint jar, so if you melt 11 pounds of butter, heat 12 pint jars. A roasting pan works well for holding the pint jars while in the oven.

3. While the jars are heating, melt butter slowly until it comes to a slow boil. Using a large spatula, stir the bottom of the pot often to keep the butter from scorching. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes at least: a good simmer time will lessen the amount of shaking required (see #5 below). Place the lids in a small pot and bring to a boil, leaving the lids in simmering water until needed.

4. Stirring the melted butter from the bottom to the top with a soup ladle or small pot with a handle, pour the melted butter carefully into heated jars through a canning jar funnel. Leave 3/4″ of head space in the jar, which allows room for the shaking process.

5. Carefully wipe off the top of the jars, then get a hot lid from the simmering water, add the lid and ring and tighten securely. Lids will seal as they cool. Once a few lids “ping,” shake while the jars are still warm, but cool enough to handle easily, because the butter will separate and become foamy on top and white on the bottom. In a few minutes, shake again, and repeat until the butter retains the same consistency throughout the jar.

6. At this point, while still slightly warm, put the jars into a refrigerator. While cooling and hardening, shake again, and the melted butter will then look like butter and become firm. This final shaking is very important! Check every 5 minutes and give the jars a little shake until they are hardened in the jar! Leave in the refrigerator for an hour.

7. Canned butter should store for 3 years or longer on a cool, dark shelf. (It does last a long time. We have just used up the last of the butter we canned in 1999, and it was fine after 5 years.) Canned butter does not “melt” again when opened, so it does not need to be refrigerated upon opening, provided it is used within a reasonable length of time.

This recipe came from
CANNING BUTTER
there are many other great ideas on this site, including “hamburger rocks”, that’s canned hamburger pieces.
Here is a recipe for canned cheese.

CANNING SOFT CHEESE
Home canned “soft cheese” has better cooking properties than store bought bottled cheese meant for snack food. It contains no preservatives and is more economical than commercial products for cooking purposes.

These instructions yield a product that is similar to “Cheese Whiz”, yet better tasting for a recipe of macaroni and cheese. This simple to do recipe for home canned cheese will keep for 2 years plus.

Ingredients:
* 1 (5 oz.) can evaporated milk
* 1 T. vinegar
* ½ tsp. salt
* 1 lb. Velveeta cheese or any processed cheese
* ½ tsp. dry mustard
Melt milk and cheese in double boiler. Add rest of ingredients and mix well. Fill pint jars about 3/4 full and seal. Place in Boiling Water bath for 10 minutes.
This recipe came from

CANNING SOFT CHEESE.
Here is another recipe for canned cheese.

When I heard about canning butter, I was also told that you can do cheese the same way. Here’s what I do. I’ve only canned cheddar cheese, but I suppose it would work for any hard cheese. As with the canning butter recipe, I could not find any “approved” method in any of my books, and when I called the extension service, I was told that canning cheese like this was not an approved method by the FDA. Sooooooo, use at your own risk. This is just for information and to let you know what I do.

Remember, this is not an FDA approved method.

Since the original writing of this post I have used this with Cheddar Cheeses, Swiss Cheese, Mozzarella, Monterrey Jack, Colby Jack, and even Cream Cheese (regular, not the soft kind in the tubs). All have worked beautifully, even the Cream Cheese. I have used them as long as 5 years after canning and have not become sick from any of them, even when eating the cheese right out of the jar. But, again, the FDA says that this is not an approved way to preserve cheese, so . . . use at your own risk. I have found that the flavor of all the canned cheese intensifies a bit over time, but it is not at all unpleasant. We prefer it. The Mozzarella Cheese darkened a bit, but it did not seem to affect the flavor, except that like the others, it was more flavorful.

There are really 2 ways. I used to melt the cheese in a double boiler, then spoon it into the sterilized jars. Sometimes the cheese sticks to the bottom of the pan, and the whole thing is a big, gloppy mess.

Here’s better way that’s cleaner, faster and easier.

1. I sterilize wide mouth pint jars (wide mouth half-pint jars may be used) in a 250 degree oven for at least 20 minutes. Since it’s harder to regulate a woodburning cookstove oven to that low a temperature, mine is usually hotter. Since you’ll process the cheese in a boiling water bath for awhile, this probably isn’t necessary, but I think it’s safer, so it’s what I do.

2. Sterilize new canning lids according to package instructions. I let them simmer in water about 5 minutes, then keep them in hot water until I need them.

3. Now I either cut up the cheese, or if it’s frozen I crumble it and pack it into clean, dry pint jars. Then I place the jars (without lids) on a rack in my boiling water bath canner, to which I have already added some water. Do not put the lid on the canner while the cheese is melting. You want the water to come about halfway up the jars. Any higher and it bubbles into the jars if it gets to boiling. Then, as the cheese melts, I add more cheese until the cheese fills the jars to within about ½ inch of the top.

4. When all melted, I remove the jars from the canner, wipe the rims, and seal the jars. Then I proceed with the boiling water bath for 40 minutes. (I use the Extension Service method of doing a boiling water bath.) When ready, remove jars from water with a jar lifter. Leave undisturbed until completely cooled. Check to make sure all the lids have sealed before labeling and storing.

As with butter, 11 pounds will fill about 12 1/2 pint jars — or just over 3/4 pound per pint jar. We keep ours in the cache year round. We’ve eaten cheese that I canned like this several years earlier and it was delicious. It tends to get a little sharper, which I like. It doesn’t melt as good as fresh cheese, but when you’re in the bush and don’t have fresh cheese, it’s more than acceptable any way you’d use fresh cheese! During the winter, we usually keep cheese stored in buckets outside so it stays frozen. But, like meat, come springtime with the warmer temperatures, I start canning.

To remove the cheese from the jar, there are basically two ways. You could place the jar in a pan of water (loosen the lid a bit first), and then place that pan in another pan of boiling (or hot) water. This melts the outside of the cheese and will help it slip out of the jar. But, it also heats the cheese, which may or may not be desirable. I usually just run a knife between the cheese and the jar. Sometimes the cheese will slide right out, but usually I have to sort of cut and pull it out in chunks.

I usually can butter in regular mouth jars because I don’t try to take it out of the jar all in one piece. That would be hard with cheese.

This recipe came from
:: View topic - Canning Cheese
Quote:
:: View topic - Canning Cheese
Canning Cheese

NOTE: I've made a few changes here for clarification or for additional information, which I have noted in RED.

When I heard about canning butter, I was also told that you can do cheese the same way. Here's what I do. I've only canned cheddar cheese, but I suppose it would work for any hard cheese. As with the canning butter recipe, I could not find any "approved" method in any of my books, and when I called the extension service, I was told that canning cheese like this was not an approved method by the FDA. Sooooooo, use at your own risk. This is just for information and to let you know what I do.

Remember, this is not an FDA approved method.

Since the original writing of this post I have used this with Cheddar Cheeses, Swiss Cheese, Mozzarella, Monterrey Jack, Colby Jack, and even Cream Cheese (regular, not the soft kind in the tubs). All have worked beautifully, even the Cream Cheese. I have used them as long as 5 years after canning and have not become sick from any of them, even when eating the cheese right out of the jar. But, again, the FDA says that this is not an approved way to preserve cheese, so . . . use at your own risk. I have found that the flavor of all the canned cheese intensifies a bit over time, but it is not at all unpleasant. We prefer it. The Mozzarella Cheese darkened a bit, but it did not seem to affect the flavor, except that like the others, it was more flavorful.

There are really 2 ways. I used to melt the cheese in a double boiler, then spoon it into the sterilized jars. Sometimes the cheese sticks to the bottom of the pan, and the whole thing is a big, gloppy mess.

Here’s better way that’s cleaner, faster and easier.

1. I sterilize wide mouth pint jars (wide mouth half-pint jars may be used) in a 250 degree oven for at least 20 minutes. Since it's harder to regulate a woodburning cookstove oven to that low a temperature, mine is usually hotter. Since you'll process the cheese in a boiling water bath for awhile, this probably isn't necessary, but I think it's safer, so it's what I do.

2. Sterilize new canning lids according to package instructions. I let them simmer in water about 5 minutes, then keep them in hot water until I need them.

3. Now I either cut up the cheese, or if it’s frozen I crumble it and pack it into clean, dry pint jars. Then I place the jars (without lids) on a rack in my boiling water bath canner, to which I have already added some water. Do not put the lid on the canner while the cheese is melting. You want the water to come about halfway up the jars. Any higher and it bubbles into the jars if it gets to boiling. Then, as the cheese melts, I add more cheese until the cheese fills the jars to within about ½ inch of the top.

4. When all melted, I remove the jars from the canner, wipe the rims, and seal the jars. Then I proceed with the boiling water bath for 40 minutes. (I use the Extension Service method of doing a boiling water bath.) When ready, remove jars from water with a jar lifter. Leave undisturbed until completely cooled. Check to make sure all the lids have sealed before labeling and storing.

As with butter, 11 pounds will fill about 12 1/2 pint jars -- or just over 3/4 pound per pint jar. We keep ours in the cache year round. We’ve eaten cheese that I canned like this several years earlier and it was delicious. It tends to get a little sharper, which I like. It doesn’t melt as good as fresh cheese, but when you’re in the bush and don’t have fresh cheese, it’s more than acceptable any way you’d use fresh cheese! During the winter, we usually keep cheese stored in buckets outside so it stays frozen. But, like meat, come springtime with the warmer temperatures, I start canning.

To remove the cheese from the jar, there are basically two ways. You could place the jar in a pan of water (loosen the lid a bit first), and then place that pan in another pan of boiling (or hot) water. This melts the outside of the cheese and will help it slip out of the jar. But, it also heats the cheese, which may or may not be desirable. I usually just run a knife between the cheese and the jar. Sometimes the cheese will slide right out, but usually I have to sort of cut and pull it out in chunks.

I usually can butter in regular mouth jars because I don't try to take it out of the jar all in one piece. That would be hard with cheese.
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Old 03-07-2011, 09:30 PM   #8
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Because someone asked about this in another thread as a potential way to make money, or have something to trade ... FWIW, my uncle grew some tobacco (years ago), and all I remember was it seemed very strong.
Quote:


In the process of becoming more and more independent, we grow much of our own foods. But there is still one thing that is still expensive and is becoming more expensive to purchase. Tobacco. The government is taxing tobacco to death (no pun intended). With the high cost of buying cigarettes, it has occurred to me that we can be growing our own tobacco. I have decided that now is the time to give it a try. I took the plunge and ordered a set of 4 different types of tobacco seeds from eBay. If smoking or the use of tobacco offends you in any way, then you probably should not read this.



I have been researching this heavily, I have found lots of sources for the seeds on line, it’s legal to grow and consume your own tobacco, at least it is in the US, I believe it is in the UK as well, if you aren’t sure, you should check with your local authorities before trying to grow your own tobacco.

It would seem that tobacco plants can grow under most conditions, as long as you have sunshine and a bit of room. The plants themselves can grow from 3 feet to over 7 feet tall, the leaves are large and have a tropical look to them. Some people even grow tobacco plants for purely ascetic purposes. You can also use the tobacco for insecticidal purposes too, just be careful not to apply it to any of the nightshade plants (tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes…), it may infect them with a virus that is particular to nightshades. I live in a high desert/mountain zone, I believe that I should be able to grow the plants with no problems. I have been told that I should start them inside first, then transplant them, I am going to try planting a few directly (direct sow) and see what happens.

I understand that there are a few steps you need to take before you can smoke your tobacco leaves. First you grow the plants, that part is fairly easy. You harvest the leaves and dry them. The leaves go from green to yellow in this step. Next you need to cure them, allow all of the moisture to evaporate from the leaves. Next you need to ferment the leaves, this is the most complicated step, I have read about lots of ways to do it, I have even read that it is not completely necessary to do, but if you want your tobacco to taste more like commercial cigs, then you will need to ferment them, this is when the leaves go from yellow to brown. At this point, it’s best to let your tobacco age, the longer it ages, the better the flavor.



Your tobacco will be 100% additive free and IMHO much safer than what you get from the store. You can buy additives/flavorings to spray on your tobacco, this is strictly optional, but many people like the results and flavor, this is up to you. You can use rolling paper to roll your own cigarettes, you can even get machines that roll your cigarettes complete with a filter for a more commercial style cigarette. You can make your own cigars, or smoke with a pipe. You can chew the tobacco leaves as well.

Growing your own tobacco will ensure that you have a pure product, no fillers and no chemical additives. Learn more about growing, harvesting, curing and rolling your own cigarettes here.

Here are a few videos that might give you inspiration and ideas about growing your own tobacco.

http://www.youtube.com/v/fM3lMyU8k8g

http://www.youtube.com/v/V4XQTwTCY-g

http://www.youtube.com/v/Km3YAMwHnT0

I do not condone smoking or using any tobacco product, if you do not smoke or use tobacco, DO NOT START! I do not smoke but my hubby does, I would prefer that he not smoke, but as long as he does, I want it to be as safe (read-no additives) as possible, and I would love to be able to spend less on it and know I will always have a way to get it, so growing my own takes care of everything.
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Old 03-07-2011, 09:41 PM   #9
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A blast from the past, that some of you might have missed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AZXD View Post
Something I haven't tried, but thought worthy of placing in this section.
Method 1
Quote:
Due to my own dwindling primer supply I read up on reloading primers with match heads, various primer chemical compounds, and caught ammosmith's video. Along the way I found a post on using kids ring caps (for cap guns) in large pistol primers. I recently tested some home reloaded small pistol primers using paper roll caps and thought I would share the results. The paper roll caps I used were from Wal Mart, they say Imperial Toy Co. made in Germany on the back and "less than .042 grains of powder".

Pieces parts:
bunch o spent small pistol primers (silver, look like CCI)
old CCI primer tray
precision screwdriver
1/8" lyman steel punch
hammer
1 1/2" steel washer (lying around for securing things to the loading bench)
Lee hand primer
X-Acto knife with curved blade
paper roll caps

Procedure:
Used a precision screwdriver to pop anvils out of primer cups (store in used primer tray).
Scrape out inside of primer cups with precision screwdriver.
Place cups on steel washer (or other flat metal surface) and use punch and hammer to flatten out divot (store in primer tray).
Use X-acto knife to cut centers out of the paper roll caps, I did not peel any paper off.
Place primer cup on washer or other flat metal surface.
Press cut caps into primer cups with steel punch (bang side down).
Use butt end of steel punch to press anvil back into primer cup (don't tap it in or it will go bang).
Load brass as usual with Lee hand prime, (takes less pressure than new primers).

Test:
I first tested empty brass with 1, 2, and 3 paper cap centers in the primers. All went bang and shot some sparks from the barrel (Colt officers model match .38 special ). The single cap primers seemed a bit weak, the 2 cap appeared good and the 3 cap were pretty hot. The 3 cap primers were very tight and sometimes the anvil would not seat back into the primer cup enough to stick making priming the brass a pain.

I loaded 6 light .38's (~3.3 gr Bullseye, 158 gr lead swc) with 1 and 2 cap primers (3 of each) and went to the range. The 2 cap cartridges shot well, chrony showing 760 fps 10 feet out. The 1 cap primers sucked, 1 shot fine, the second didn't feel quite right with maybe a split second hesitation after the initial bang, and the third misfired.

So in all 2 paper roll cap centers per small pistol primer appears to work fine. My guess is they are corrosive so clean well after using. I'm thinking of devising a metal tube to cut the cap centers out with, making the cutting and loading procedure a bit faster. Some type of press to flatten the primer divot would be cool too, rather than banging with a hammer.
THR - View Single Post - homemade primers
Method 2
Matcheads

Making matchhead powder
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Old 03-07-2011, 09:43 PM   #10
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One more blast.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AZXD View Post

Total Resistance: Swiss Army Guide to Guerrilla Warfare and Underground Operations
By Major H. Von Dach Bern
The Swiss long planned to be overrun in the next major European conflict. This was the manual they came up with, a guide for citizens to continue the fight against a totalitarian occupying force. It has a lot of stuff you will have a hard time finding elsewhere. Including a lot of stuff on tactics and logistics specific to resistance movements, supplies and setting up a secure resistance organization. 25 MB expands to 100 MB


The Ranger Handbook
2006 Edition
Free Download ! 7MB

I bought the following and can recommend it as a solid reference and thought builder toward future real World scenario's and the occasional zombie attack.
When Technology Fails (Revised & Expanded):
A Manual for Self-Reliance, Sustainability, and Surviving the Long Emergency by Matthew I. Stein (Paperback - Aug. 18, 200
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