Practical self sufficiency through food skills.
Self-reliant living in the 21st Century - productivity, creativity, sustainability at Judy of the Woods
The Myth of Self Reliance
A mass emailing went out a while back from a prominent permaculturist looking for “projects where people are fully self sufficient in providing for their own food, clothing, shelter, energy and community needs. . .” There it was, the myth of “fully self sufficient,” coming from one of the best-known permaculturists in the world. In most US permaculture circles, the idea that anyone could be self sufficient at anything past a very primitive level was abandoned a while ago, and the softer term “self reliant” replaced it. But even self-reliance is barely possible, and, other than as way of expressing a desire to throw off the shackles of corporate consumerism, I don’t think it’s desirable. I took a Googling cruise around the internet and found that “self sufficient” shows up as a desirable goal on several top permaculture websites. I’d like to hammer a few coffin nails into that phrase. I hear people say they are growing 30%, 50%, even 70% of their own food.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Maslow wanted to understand what motivates people. He believed that individuals possess a set of motivation systems unrelated to rewards or unconscious desires. Maslow (1943) stated that people are motivated to achieve certain needs. The earliest and most widespread version of Maslow's (1943, 1954) hierarchy of needs includes five motivational needs, often depicted as hierarchical levels within a pyramid. This five stage model can be divided into basic (or deficiency) needs (e.g. physiological, safety, love, and esteem) and growth needs (self-actualization). The deficiency, or basic needs are said to motivate people when they are unmet. One must satisfy lower level basic needs before progressing on to meet higher level growth needs. Every person is capable and has the desire to move up the hierarchy toward a level of self-actualization. The original hierarchy of needs five-stage model includes: 1. Maslow posited that human needs are arranged in a hierarchy: The expanded hierarchy of needs:
10 Reasons to Become Self-Sufficient & 10 Ways to Get There
By Michael Edwards and Jeffrey Green Activist Post We are now three to five generations removed from the rural backbone that strengthened America. The economic crisis we are living through has been the final straw for many people, as promises of a better, easier, and more creative life seem to have been sold to us by carnival-style tricksters who are laughing all the way to (their) bank. Here are the top reasons for becoming self-sufficient; these are based on fundamental, systemic concerns for why undertaking this life change will not be a fly-by-night fad, but rather a long-lasting means for personal independence. Click the below picture for a Wake Up World Only Exclusive Special Offer 10 Reasons to Become Self-Sufficient Freedom from market manipulation – The traditional market-driven investment vehicles are more and more obviously controlled by traders and banking institutions. As the cliche goes: Freedom is never free. 10 Ways to Get to Self-Sufficiency
Are You Ready Series: Pandemic Preparedness
Let’s cut to the chase, it is very difficult to prepare for epidemics and pandemics especially for those living in close proximity to others. These natural reoccurring disasters tend to occur suddenly and without warning. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), serious, deadly contagious disease outbreaks can and do happen. CDC investigates new contagious diseases—averaging one new contagion per year. Looking back at the Black Plague, those living in high populated areas were hit hardest by this pandemic. Many believe the misuse of antibiotics in the past has led to the dangers of super bugs such as the spread of MRSA — or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Before we get into the meat and potatoes of pandemic preparedness, let’s look at the changes that will likely occur in your community if this disaster were to occur: When an outbreak occurs, many will remain in a state of denial about any approaching epidemics. Community Preparedness Will Play a Large Role Source
United States Accused of Planting Avian Flu in Recent H7N9 Outbreak
Janet C. PhelanActivist Post Amidst allegations by a highly placed Colonel in the Chinese army that the U.S. has released a bioweapon in Mainland China, concerns are ramping up that this year's version of the avian flu, H7N9, may turn into a major pandemic. The last few years have seen several false alarms on the pandemic front. Neither the bird flu of 2004 nor the swine flu of 2009-2010 ended up being of much concern, although agencies from the WHO on down certainly created quite a flurry around both of these flu bugs. H7N9 has already shown itself to have a high mortality rate, higher in fact than the Spanish flu of 1918, which caused 50 million deaths worldwide. According to Keiji Fukuda, WHO's assistant director-general for health, security and the environment, "This is definitely one of the most lethal influenza viruses that we have seen so far." Already, there are questions as to whether H7N9 has mutated and is now transmissible from human to human.
Pandemic Watch: Another insider announces that a global pandemic is imminent
Janet C. Phelan Dr. J. Joseph Kim, founder and director of Inovio Pharmaceuticals, has recently declared that a global pandemic is “inevitable” in the next couple of years. Quoted in an article in US News onDecember 24, Dr. Through his declaration of the imminent nature of a pandemic, Kim adds his name to a growing list of insiders who are stating that we are shortly facing a disease event of a global magnitude. At the very time that our attention is focused on the possibility of losing our rights to defend ourselves via our potential loss of our second amendment rights, the insidious possibility of a global pandemic is lurking....well, right under our pavement. The possibility for utilization of the water system as a delivery system for a pandemic-type agent remains salient. Truthfully, I prefer the word “genocide” to “population reduction.” Dr. Merck has been under scrutiny for a number of years for problems with its products, including drugs such as Temodar, PegIntron, and Intron A.
Cleaning, Disinfection, and Sterilization of medical instruments and supplies in survival situations
In survival situations, medical emergencies will arise. One of the main concerns with any medical procedures is clean, sterilized equipment so as to not pass on infection and compound or completely compromise any medical procedures that must be done.. Here is a basic primer on disinfection and sterilization in survival situations Q. What is the difference between disinfection and sterilization? A. Sterility is only a temporary state – once sterile packaging is open or the product has been removed from an autoclave colonization begins almost immediately just from exposure to air and bacteria present in the environment. Q. A. Infection rates are no greater if a superficial wound has been irrigated and cleaned with tap water vs. being cleaned and irrigated with sterile saline. Expendable vs. Expendable supplies are used once and discarded. Sterilisation of specific items: Syringes: There are two types of syringes: disposable and reusable. Sharpening permanent needles: Surgical instruments: