Home Production

[davedan]

In addition to food storage, the General Authorities have spoken about the need for "Home Production" during the Great Tribulation. Pres. Benson used the phrase "Home Production" several times in his General Conference talk "Prepare for the Days of Tribulation" - Ensign Nov. 1980.

While TV and radio commercials are pushing us into putting our trust in gold and silver to save us from a failign dollar, I think there is great wisdom in a focus in "Home Production." After the "Big Crunch" occurs, I can see how the economy would change dramatically. I can see how gold and silver could be less useful and possibly worthless in a commodities-based economy. Thinking on these lines, I thought it would be a good idea to focus a thread on ideas where our families could specialize in some form of home production which would produce a needed good that could be used to barter for other necessities.

Soap Making- Fat and ashes.
Clothing Making- Drape and upholstery fabric into pants and shirts (Sound of Music).
Honey- bee keeping
Meat and Eggs- chickens and rabbits
Water Purification- well water, filtered, distilled
Fuel- fire wood
Heat and cooking- wood burning stove, solar oven or rocket stove production
Vegetables- dandelions in the basement during winter?
Ham Radio- sending telegrams
Medical- diagnosis, herbal and alternative home remedies

When we are finally in the situation, there may be some odd items that really are worth their weight in gold (so-to-speak). Vegetable Oil was very valuable during the European famine. Honey was worth twice as much as sugar.

[1984Orwellherenow]

What a great thread, dave! Thank you very much. And thanks for the GC talk reference.

[Rincon]

Removed

[Songbird]

I think there are so many variables to our own individual situations, that Heavenly father will take that into account. Rincon, keep working on it, keep praying about it.

For myself, I just found out that I can't raise chickens and have eggs...You should see my place and they say it is residential! Ridiculous! Somebody want to tell the coyotes, deer, fox and turkeys, possums, raccoons, hawks, mice, moles and all the others that I live on residential property and they are not allowed to be there???? =)) ) I love my place and I may get to the point where I don't care what they say...but for now, since I live right next door to the county assessor, I will be good.

I don't know if I can have bees yet either...I forgot to ask. But I like your list...I am working on a few things...One thing my husband is super excited about is having a root cellar. That is not on your list and if you are creative, which we will have to be, you can have one somewhere....(if you are not in an apartment!)

[gooseguy11]

Aside from learning the principles of freedom and sharing them with my neighbor this has been my focus.

I like your whole list. I know there are posts on many of these subjects in different areas. I think it would be cool to co-ordinate them all in a manner that keeps the like subjects all together. For instance have all of the Beekeeping in one thread. I am sure this would be a lot of work for Brian, but it would be cool. I also am aware that there are forums just for that purpose, because each one can encompass many different facets. I have been reading non-stop on beekeeping for the past month thank to some suggestions on here. Sometimes it can be hard to find the good forums for the information while spending hours sorting through ones that are well, not so good. I ramble sometimes sorry.

For myself, I just found out that I can't raise chickens and have eggs...You should see my place and they say it is residential! Ridiculous! Somebody want to tell the coyotes, deer, fox and turkeys, possums, raccoons, hawks, mice, moles and all the others that I live on residential property and they are not allowed to be there???? =)) ) I love my place and I may get to the point where I don't care what they say...but for now, since I live right next door to the county assessor, I will be good.

I don't know if I can have bees yet either...I forgot to ask. But I like your list...I am working on a few things...One thing my husband is super excited about is having a root cellar. That is not on your list and if you are creative, which we will have to be, you can have one somewhere....(if you are not in an apartment!)

I am not suppose to either, but I do. I do so very discreetly. I have had no problems, even when code enforcement knows they are here. So long as no one files a complaint about them they will not respond to the yard birds. The Mayor lives just down the street from me and has seen them on many occasions. I know I am breaking "the law" but I share with my neighbors and have no roosters. I feel justified.

I am still dealing with how to heat the house without electricity. I am looking at a portable propane heater, or a wood burning stove. Both have a lot of drawbacks. I wish I had a passive solar house.

How do you intend on refilling the propane when TFHTF?

[gclayjr]

how about being able to fix things?

Unfortunately we live in a "Throwaway" society where many things cannot be repaired, and others are not worth reparing. When I was a kid you could take your toaster to a small appliance reapirman. Try and find one today.

I think being able to repair things is important. As part of my storage plan I include fastenres such as nuts, bolts, screws etc.

Also as a hobby I have a home machine shop and build small steam engines.

Regards,

George Clay

[reese]

Shovel's, hoe's, rake's, axes, saw's, wheelbarrow's, bike's, wagon's, etc,etc.

[gclayjr]

reese,

yup!

However, I think is even more important to KNOW how to use this stuff. It has been mentioned in this thread that we need to get the stuff for soapmaking, Ham Radio, and of course as you said

"Shovel's, hoes, rakes, axes..etc."

I think maybe even more important is to know how to use this stuff. I have a Ham license, but I don't know how to make soap. I have spent some time making cheeses, both because it is fun, and I think it would be a valuable skill. I love gardening, a skill often promoted by the GAs.

I'm sure I'm "Preaching to the Choir", but I believe learning skills that will be useful and practicing them is as important or more important than acquiring the stuff we may need! It may be too late to learn when hard times arrive.

Regards,

George Clay

[EmmaLee]

I think maybe even more important is to know how to use this stuff. ....learning skills that will be useful and practicing them is as important or more important than acquiring the stuff we may need! It may be too late to learn when hard times arrive.

Agreed. Our food and supplies might get destroyed or stolen, and then what? We need to learn how to produce as many things as possible, as you say, before the time comes when the luxury of time to learn is gone. I often hear people say, if such-and-such happened, it would send us back to living like people did in the 1800's. Only problem is, the people living in the 1800's KNEW HOW to live like that, they had the skills, tools, etc.. - we don't, for the most part. So in truth, it would be much harder to go from how we live now to a pre-industrial type society. Anyway, GREAT thread and wonderful ideas everyone!

[infowarrior]

cheese making link: http://schmidling.com/making.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

soap making link: http://www.orthogonalthought.com/blog/i ... ic-recipe/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

sun ovens link: http://www.sunoven.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; http://www.solarcooking.org/plans/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Rincon]

Removed

[Songbird]

cheese making link: http://schmidling.com/making.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

soap making link: http://www.orthogonalthought.com/blog/i ... ic-recipe/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

sun ovens link: http://www.sunoven.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; http://www.solarcooking.org/plans/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

info
Thanks for posting this...wonderfu information. I will be trying the cheese next week...(I already make my own yogurt by the gallon!)

[infowarrior]

Songbird, care to share how to make yogurt by the gallon?

[Songbird]

Songbird, care to share how to make yogurt by the gallon?

Sure...I got my recipe off of this Website especially for those people who have severe gut problems...I have made adjustments which I will list. This will give you the beneficial reasons for making yogurt this way. I used to eat a lot of this and make it two gallons at a time, but I am not eating as much and make 1 gallon at a time. One gallon of milk yields 5 quart jars of yogurt. These are my changes: I use organic cows milk. I heat the milk to 185 degrees stirring frequently with a wire whisk. (I use a digital thermometer which is much more accurate.) I flash cool it it 110 (really 115) in a sink full of ice and a little water. Watch the thermometer. During the winter, I just brought the pot and thermometer out and placed it in the snow. Milk cools very quickly there. =)) After it is cooled to 110, I place my (1 cup per gallon) "starter" which is Stonyfield's Organic plain yogurt in a glass mixing bowl and pour some of the milk in there and mix it with a wisk. Then I pour that back into the pot of warm milk. I mix that in thoroughly and then I use my canning funnel and pour the milk mixture into cleam wide mouth canning jars. (Trust me on this, small mouth jars are TOO hard to clean.) I fill them to the bottom of the rim. I clean the rims then I put new seals on them, then the rings and place the jars in my dehydrator, which I set at 115 degrees. I leave it in there for 24 to 30 hours because that is how long they say it takes for the friendly bacteria to eat up all the lactose. (Longer processing time is not necessarily better.) After that, I put the jars into the fridge, (I have a spare fridge) and make sure they are separated enough to get cool air around them easily. This will "seal" your jars. (This is a quasi seal and you should NOT think your yogurt can be stored on a shelf outside the fridge!) I have had yogurt last as long as 2 months this way, but of course I don't recommend it. PM me if you have specific questions.

A dehydrator is the best machine for controlling the temperature of the yogurt. Other yogurt makers may overheat but this can be corrected with a light dimmer.
Click here for information on how to use the light dimmer and for additional information on dehydrators.
1.) Put one or two liters (quarts) of milk into a clean pot and heat slowly on a medium heat until the temperature reaches 180 degrees F.* Stir the milk from time to time to keep the bottom from scorching, and again before you take a final temp reading to make sure that the entire contents have reached 180 degrees. The purpose in heating the milk to this temperature is to kill any bacteria that might be present and interfere with the yogurt making culture.

*Goat milk is delicate and should not be heated above 185 degrees F.

2.) Turn the heat off and allow the milk to cool. The heated milk needs to be cooled to ROOM TEMPERATURE or below (as per Elaine's yogurt making instructions in BTVC). The range for room temperature is 20–25 °C (64-77 °F). Stir well before determining the final temperature. You may cover the pot with a clean tea towel while it cools.

( Pour the milk through a little sieve into the yogurt maker insert, to remove the film that forms on the top of the milk as it cools. You do not have to, but it will make for smoother yogurt.)

3.) Add 1/8 tsp (1 quart) or 1/4 tsp (2 quarts) of ProGurt yogurt starter from GI ProHealth to several tablespoons of the milk and mix it well until it seems well dissolved. Then add about half a cup more of the milk, mix well, and pour all of that back into the milk in the yogurt container. Again, mix it well. Put the lid onto the yogurt maker insert, making sure it is secure.

4.) Fill the outer container of the yogurt machine with warm water to the appropriate mark (i.e. for 1 liter or 2 liters or as instructed for individual cup yogurt makers.)

Then, put the yogurt maker liner, containing your milk and yogurt culture into the machine - in some models, it may feel as if it is floating in the water slightly. This is fine. Put the top of the yogurt maker on, plug it in to ferment for at least 24 hours. Some commercial yogurt makers may overheat, especially after 6-8 hours. If this occurs you can try venting the lid, turning off the yogurt maker until the temperature lowers and then turning it back on or placing the yogurt maker on a rack to prevent overheating.

5.) After at least 24 hours, unplug the machine and remove the inner container. Carefully, (remember - it's ALIVE), put the container into the fridge and let it rest for about 8 hours until it has cooled.

6.) Gently but thoroughly, stir the yogurt with a spoon or metal whisk to make it smooth. If you stir it too much it can separate, so remember to treat it gently.


Making SCD Yogurt in the Oven

Follow steps 1 and 2 for making yogurt in a yogurt maker.

3.) In a separate bowl, place 1/8 tsp (1 quart) or 1/4 tsp (2 quarts) of ProGurt yogurt starter and slowly add some of the cooled milk, mixing it well with a whisk or electric hand mixer. When this solution is blended well, add it slowly back into the pot, again mixing it well.

4.) Place the covered pot in oven with a 60 watt light bulb on. Keep a thermometer in the oven and maintain the temperature at 100 to 110 degrees F. If the oven becomes too warm, use a pen to prop open the door just a bit. Once you have done this a few times, you will get a feel for how your oven best maintains this temperature. Ferment the yogurt this way for 24 hours.

5.) After 24 hours, remove the pot from the oven and put it in the fridge for about 8 hours. Do not disturb the yogurt until it is set up properly, or you will change the consistency.

6.) Gently but thoroughly, stir the yogurt with a spoon or metal whisk to make it smooth.

The cultures will remain active for about 2 weeks if properly refrigerated.

Details about cooling the milk to room temperature before adding yogurt starter:

1.Yogurt starter should be kept refrigerated or in freezer (as per your starter's instructions). If the bacteria in the yogurt starter are added at too high a temperature they can go into thermal shock and be damaged or die. Since we need to ferment the milk fully you want to start with a full batch of healthy, lively bacteria. When the milk is cooled to room temperature it allows them to gradually acclimatize to the temperature change. (It is similar to when you are adding a new pet fish to your fish tank. You place the bag with the fish in the tank to allow the water temperatures to even out and when they are the same you let the fish out of the bag.).

2. Some of the bacteria in the yogurt starters have fairly low, optimum growth ranges. Lactobacillus casei, one of the strains in Progurt, has a low temperature range. Cooling the milk to room temperature before adding this starter will allow the L. casei to do it's part in fermenting the milk into yogurt.

3. Commercial yogurt making and the usual recipes for making yogurt differ from the SCD 24-hour yogurt recipe. We need all of the bacteria to survive for the 24-hour period. Commercial and home yogurt recipes generally ferment the milk for only 4-8 hours. If they kill off some of the bacteria because of higher cool temperatures it won't matter, as they don't want a fully fermented yogurt (a fully fermented yogurt is more acidic and tart). They ferment the milk long enough for the milk to "set up" and if a few bacteria were killed initially they'd still have enough to cause coagulation (the gelling of the milk). For commercial makers of yogurt it saves them time and money to only cool to ~108°F; it means they can produce many more batches of yogurt and make more money. The SCD yogurt takes longer but the 24-hour fermentation period provides SCD yogurt with extremely high numbers of good bacteria.

http://pecanbread.com/p/yogurt1.html

I keep forgetting stuff. As mentioned this yogurt is very sour. I serve it with fresh fruit like berries or grapes. I put fresh honey in it to sweeten it a little or jam which is tasty too. This yogurt will settle an upset tummy. I have upset stomachs a lot and take a spoonful of this and it seems to settle things down. It also works for gassiness and heartburn. (Yogurt is cooling in its properties.)

[Songbird]

One more thing: If you like the Greek thick yogurt, you can take one of the Quarts you made, pour the yogurt into a strainer and let it "drain" into a bowl for several hours on the counter (cover it if you have pets). The leftover liquid in the bowl is "whey" and you can save that for protien smoothies or chuck it, but the yogurt is nice and thick now. I did this for Valentine's day and added honey and Lemon curd to it to make a delicious dessert. I used parfait glasses and made a seedless raspberry sauce and alternated them in the glasses. Oh it was good!!! :ymapplause: =p~

[linj2fly]

What a great thread!

We've got a few acres and typically finish our own beef. This year the prices are HIGH! Instead of going to the auction, we found a longhorn on craigslist for a good price and brought her home yesterday. We've done milk cows before also, but we presently don't have one. We've been talking about cows alot lately because of prices and self-sufficiency and now we're thinking about a dual purpose breed, like dexters (good for dairy and beef). We're leaning towards dexters b/c of their smaller size and milk production is more in line with our consumption. Jerseys and holsteins are great, but they've always given us way more than we needed (obviously if you are set up--you can sell your extra milk; we're not).

Anyway, I'm curious to know if anyone has any suggestions on dual purpose cattle breeds. (that said, we've raised and butchered a jersey steer also, and it tasted as good as any other breed we've raised).

Also, making toiletry products would also be a good skill to have. Check out the comments on this post over at simplemom.net

http://simplemom.net/natural-beauty-cle ... -and-lips/

[GutterBeast]

Wow! This thread is opening up my eyes! The more I learn, the more I truly understand that self reliance can be in every aspect of our lives. I am just fascinated at the fact you can make your own cheese, toothpaste, soap etc. It is like one of those crystal clear moments for me. Modern times have really taken the artisan out of us all. Think about all the detergents, petroleum bi-products (anything plastic folks), metals, electronics, fabrics etc. that we use everyday. If supply, production, and the ability to refine these things is halted what would we be without?

I would like to add to the list botanicals and other healing herbs, wool, flax, spinning, carpentry, ammo reloading, glass blowing, making your own rope and outdoor products.

Something else to note is that we are all blessed with talents - what if any one of these is a hidden talent waiting to be discovered? I am a graphic designer by trade- makes it hard to know what I would do for $ or barter when things get rough. Perhaps it is time for me to discover a new talent and to improve upon it. That is what Heavenly Father would want me to do.

[infowarrior]

For a few months now I have had a strong impression to become as self sufficient as possible. To safeguard the family household with food, water, shelter, energy, basic essentials, defense ect. Regardless of what happens, it is an essential skill to have to be able to make our own basic goods many take for granted these days. This will be a wild ride learning all of these skills until it’s no more difficult than any other household task. Not only do I plan on handing down these skills but also once learned I will share with other LDS in my ward who are willing to learn. The more people who endeavor in these things the better off society is.

Its great and all talking and reading about these neat things, but its even sweeter if we actually DO THEM!

Now hop to it!!

[Teancum]

For a few months now I have had a strong impression to become as self sufficient as possible. To safeguard the family household with food, water, shelter, energy, basic essentials, defense ect. Regardless of what happens, it is an essential skill to have to be able to make our own basic goods many take for granted these days. This will be a wild ride learning all of these skills until it’s no more difficult than any other household task. Not only do I plan on handing down these skills but also once learned I will share with other LDS in my ward who are willing to learn. The more people who endeavor in these things the better off society is.

Its great and all talking and reading about these neat things, but its even sweeter if we actually DO THEM!

Now hop to it!!

IW,

Thank you for your post, I take you up on it! I have been doing home production for a while in most of what I need, but not all. Some areas I know where and what I lack, but in other areas I don't know enough to know what I dont know....... you know?

EVERYONE, I have 20 + years experience in mostly alternative energy, off grid living, and what I call creative junk reutilization (home manufacture of essential items from beyond its life everyday things). - there is some quote from a prophet who said use it up, wear it out, or do without. (or something similar).

I am willing to teach you what I know and help you to build key elements for your own system. I really hate to list these things but here are some of my efforts:
Solar photovoltaic electricity
Small to medium windpower
Microhydro electric systems
Solar thermal augmentation for domestic hot water, and for radiant heating
Energy efficiency audits and improvements
Vehicle fuel mileage improvements
Hydrogen / oxygen manufacture and use
Vortexing heat exchanger for catalytic cracking of normally unusable fuels
Highly efficient lighting
There are other ongoing areas of study /and building, but not far enough along to consider them sucessful enough to help others with.

[SwissMrs&Pitchfire]

Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without!

Wilford Woodruff stated that we would see the day when we would make it or go without. He specifically mentioned shoes. Brigham Young often spoke of keeping our homes in good repair for the same reason. I think everyone that will listen is being prompted to learn all they can about this.

For what it's worth, give up on toilet paper and return to your roots if you have water enough for a bidet. You'll never feel clean again smearing yourself with paper.

Lately I have given much thought to the WOW admonition to use alcohol to cleanse the body.

Distilling is another good thing to learn (then you can make that alcohol or purify water from almost any source).

Get a good foot treadle sewing machine and fabric and wax now too if you haven't. Leather working tools. Block/tackle/ropes. Carving and wood working tools. Burn biomass or peat for steam power (the last steam book I read rated peat above wood). Tools and books are the best!

Also good salt with trace minerals is absolutely essential to have.

Too much to list in this thread.

The best thing to do is create a life for yourself, cobble it together until you can provide everything yourself and then get better at it until you have exalted yourself and your family.

[Original_Intent]

Putting in 5 more fruit trees this year, and expanding our garden by tilling up half of our back yard (Currently have three fruit trees and 64 sq. ft. of "square foot gardening"). I was out digging the holes for the trees, and trimming a hedge back today. #:-s

[Zowieink]

I'm envious of those of you in rural areas. We finally got our way on animal keeping in the City where I live. Previously, you had to have a minimum of 1 acre and the R1-43 zoning in order to have any animals of any kind. I've been working on the new zoning code for the city and we finally got city council to accept a smaller lot 35,000 sf and zoning designation doesn't matter, for the basic acceptable animals and number. What finally passed was the opportunity to have more than the specified number of animals by going through a use permit. I know this may seem strange to those of you up in Utah or in the east, but we are HIGHLY regulated, even down to the architecture of the residence.

So, if any of you have ideas for those of us on small lots in the middle of the big city, please share.

[singyourwayhome]

Do you mean ideas for raising animals, or about food production, or fiber production, or machinery production....?

[Scarecrow]

Deleted

[bobhenstra]

I think there are so many variables to our own individual situations, that Heavenly father will take that into account. Rincon, keep working on it, keep praying about it.

For myself, I just found out that I can't raise chickens and have eggs...You should see my place and they say it is residential! Ridiculous! Somebody want to tell the coyotes, deer, fox and turkeys, possums, raccoons, hawks, mice, moles and all the others that I live on residential property and they are not allowed to be there???? =)) ) I love my place and I may get to the point where I don't care what they say...but for now, since I live right next door to the county assessor, I will be good.

I don't know if I can have bees yet either...I forgot to ask. But I like your list...I am working on a few things...One thing my husband is super excited about is having a root cellar. That is not on your list and if you are creative, which we will have to be, you can have one somewhere....(if you are not in an apartment!)

Have you a basement with a garage or carport with a cement covered floor? Knock a entrance way through your basement wall under the garage, remove enough dirt to make the size root cellar you require. Put your freezer in there also, The small room will stay at about 55 degrees year around if its under a garage, warmer if under a carport unless the carport is on the North side of your house. Be sure to take into account possible flood conditions. The entrance to you root celler can easily be hidden behind a false wall, also works as a hiding place when danger lurks----

Bob