Today it’s time for the expert council show. To ask a question for a show like this, just send an email to me at jack at thesurvivalpodcast.com with “TSPC Expert” in the subject line.
Today on The Survival Podcast, the expert council answers questions on septic systems, bow frame greenhouses, Covid, business, bees, real estate, cooking and more.
In the body of your email first tell me the council member your question is for. Second ask your question concisely in one to two sentences maximum. Third any and all details after that. This is the formula to give you the best chance of getting on the air.
I do what I can to get as many of your questions as possible on the air but can’t always get to all of them. Our council is made of a wide variety of experts in everything from the tactical to the practical and everything in between.
To get more information on our Expert Council visit our “Meet the Expert Council Page” to learn more about them and their specific areas of expertise.
Join Me Today As Our Experts Discuss…
Quote of the day – “A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.” ~ Winston Churchill
Second Quote of the Day – “When the supply is dry, they lie” ~ Jack
Proper toilet cleaning and care for septic owners – Nicole Sauce
All about “bow frame” greenhouses – Ben Falk
An update on hydroxycholorquine use for CoVid – Doc Bones
Turning your passion into a business – Gary Collins
Proper hygiene for your bee hives – Michael Jordan
What might CoVid mean for the housing market in 2020-2021 – Jack
Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK (866-658-4465) and you might hear yourself on the air.
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Every day I bring you an item on Amazon that I personally use or has been purchased by many members of the audience and I have researched enough to recommend.
Today’s TSP Amazon Item of the day is the book Perennial Vegetables by Eric Toensmeier. Eric is the author of other books such as Paradise Lot and Edible Forest Gardens (which he co wrote with Dave Jackie). This book though is the most practical for the average homesteader that just wants to grow food without replanting every year.
In this book you will learn about over 100 perennial veggies and what it takes to grow them. Eric covers more than just a list of plants. He goes into some plants that are ideal for aquatic systems and others that you can grow in green houses along many that can be grown in most of the United States out doors.
I feel there is a great deal of work to be done with breeding and developing more perennial vegetables but Eric’s book is the most concise guide to where were are right now I know of, that is why I have it on my book shelf.
On that, on this book I highly recommend going for the hard copy over the kindle version. There are a lot of photos, charts and other visual components that simply work better in hard copy. Along with the fact that the kindle edition flatly has some editing and lay out problems.
Remember you can always find the TSP Amazon Item of the day by just going to TspAz.com and by shopping at TspAz.com anytime you shop on Amazon you help support TSP and the work we do here no matter what you buy.
Yesterday we talked about keeping a dairy cow. Not gonna lie, just for the butter and cheese, I’d love to but it is not in the cards for me. I am thinking about a neighbor that raises beef and wondering if some consortium of neighbors can be set up with a cow share, but that is for another day.
I want to talk to you guys today about various back yard smaller livestock. Like chickens, ducks, rabbits, quail, pigeons, turkeys and fish. Odds are almost anyone can keep one or two of these. I personally see it being way easier to get laws and codes changed on chickens after CoVid 2020 comes to a close, lots of minds have been opened to a new reality at this point.
Though I will put some of this new thinking from the CoVid pandemic into today’s show, 95% of it will be focused on just keeping critters along with the how and why. There is too much gloom and doom going on, but there is good news on the treatment front yet again. So I will share that in today’s opener.
Links Referenced about Hydroxychloroquine Works and On Why Some OTC Supplements May do Some Portion Thereof
How hydroxychloroquine actually works with zinc to fight CoVid, despite what the media says this is a KNOWN. It is old data as it does the same with other viruses and has done so in the past. This short video explains the process https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIymfznD7YA
The question is quecertin a zinc ionophore is answered with yes, proven here. It was used with Green Tea Extract as well though. It is important to understand that both the ionophore effect and zinc are most likely needed to be effective https://bit.ly/2xgFPYO
Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK (866-658-4465) and you might hear yourself on the air.
Join the MSB Today
Want Every Episode of TSP Ever Produced?
Remember in addition to discounts to over 40 vendors who supply stuff you are likely buying anyway, tons of free ebooks and video content, MSB Members also get every edition of The Survival Podcast ever produced in convenient zip files in blocks of 24. More info on the MSB can be found here.
Every day I bring you an item on Amazon that I personally use or has been purchased by many members of the audience and I have researched enough to recommend.
Today’s TSP Amazon Item of the day is Zymox Pet Spray with Hydrocortisone. As you may remember my buddy Charlie the Pitbull-Pointer had some issues with his back paws. We are pretty sure that evil fire ants started the issue and caused him to chew both his paws pretty raw.
Well as I reported in another review we used a combination of comfrey ointment and bitter apple spray to deal with it. It healed very well over all, but one spot high up on his back paw seemed fine one day then was bloody red the next.
Time to up the game. So I applied Zymox Pet Spray with Hydrocortisone and in a single day the improvement was marked. It must taste like crap so over spraying with bitter apple has not been necessary. After 3 days on it the sore was basically just a spot with hair missing, hair which rapidly grew back.
Comfrey was able to do the job here but a dog is not a person and sometimes a pup can’t resist the urge to chew, even though bitter apple spray. Then it is time for something with Hydrocortisone in it. This spray also has a three enzyme blend of lactoperoxidose, lysozyme and lactoferrin that effectively destroys bacterial, viral and fungal microorganisms. These enzymes are derived from natural milk protein peroxidases according to the manufacturer.
If you check the reviews on Amazon you will find many dog and cat owners consider this stuff a God send. That is why it sits with 4.5 out of 5 stars with over 900 reviews. So this is another item that belongs in your “Dogie First Aid Kit” (aka DFAK) because it works so well.
The key with hot spots and the like is get them treated before they become chronic and spread. I like to rely on herbals but as soon as he made the sore bloody it was either this or the “cone of shame” and I just didn’t want my buddy in the cone.
Remember you can always find all of our reviews at TspAz.com
P.S. – This is not medical advice just personal experience. Since starting using this we have several times used it for ourselves. Last fall I got a small mark on my hand and assumed it was a scratch from some hardware cloth, it was two small poke marks. I joked “hey it looks like a tiny snake bite, bet it was a spider, ha ha”, yea it ended up being a spider bite, what type I don’t know.
While it wasn’t something dangerous it started getting worse and worse, with some necrosis spreading, comfrey was no help, this stopped it cold. Another time I got tore up moving some wood by fire ants, I sprayed the areas of my hands with this before the bites broke out, and they never did. Dorothy and I have both used it as we have had some “keto rashes” during our weight loss, it has worked better than anything else we have tried. Again this IS NOT advice just a personal experience.
I have a very important update on CoVid and possible treatments today then we get into our main much happier topic, keeping a family cow.
Aust and K Martin have been homesteading with their family of 7 for the past decade. Together they raise all of their families meat, eggs, and milk. Working with Mini Jersey Cattle Aust and K are able to enjoy the wonderful life of Keeping a Family Milk Cow and still enjoy family life, spending time with their young children, traveling, and living off the land. They share their farm fresh adventures on their website thisishomesteady.com, and through their podcast and Youtube Channel called “Homesteady”.
Links Referenced about Hydroxychloroquine Works and On Why Some OTC Supplements May do Some Portion Thereof
How hydroxychloroquine actually works with zinc to fight CoVid, despite what the media says this is a KNOWN. It is old data as it does the same with other viruses and has done so in the past. This short video explains the process https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIymfznD7YA
The question is quecertin a zinc ionophore is answered with yes, proven here. It was used with Green Tea Extract as well though. It is important to understand that both the ionophore effect and zinc are most likely needed to be effective https://bit.ly/2xgFPYO
Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK (866-658-4465) and you might hear yourself on the air.
Join the MSB Today
Want Every Episode of TSP Ever Produced?
Remember in addition to discounts to over 40 vendors who supply stuff you are likely buying anyway, tons of free ebooks and video content, MSB Members also get every edition of The Survival Podcast ever produced in convenient zip files in blocks of 24. More info on the MSB can be found here.
Every day I bring you an item on Amazon that I personally use or has been purchased by many members of the audience and I have researched enough to recommend.
Today’s TSP Item of the day is L’Oro Del Sud Pasta 20 Packs. Today’s write up will be short and simple because well it is pasta, you can get it fast and we are in the middle of a pandemic and staying home is the best option you have right now and likely will be for another 30ish days, longer in some parts of the nation.
No I have not gone off keto, even Pandemic 2020 can’t make me, I have a fully stocked freezer, a generator and lots of gas. But not everyone is me or even has my preferences. As Keith Snow and I discussed yesterday, pasta is a great source of storable calories, it is very flexible. Don’t just think spaghetti and sauce, think about what Keith and I discussed yesterday using garlic, butter and greens for instance for a great meal. Do you have cheese? Kids love Mac and Cheese folks. Got canned or freeze dried meat, add pasta. You get it.
While a lot of the world lives on grain in whole grain form, a ton of the world lives on wheat in the form of bread and pasta. I checked into this stuff and for dried pasta it is some of the best you can get. It is a bit pricey compared to normal times at the market, but let’s be honest 20 pounds of pasta is a LOT of food when cooked. 65 bucks and you have a lot of extra longevity and you don’t have to leave your home.
The good news. There are a ton of varieties once you select one you will see many others. Almost all seem to be in stock and say “fast shipping” which in my market is same week, very fast right at the moment.
The bad news. No mix and match, you order this stuff you get 20 packs a pound each of one variety, that is that, no more choices for you. So if you want even two varieties you are looking at 130 bucks and two cases. You know what though, let’s be honest. We are in a pandemic, this stuff stores for damn near ever and it is one of the only simple ways I know right now to add 30 days of calories to your home and so do this easily.
Your other choice may be to sod off to the feed store and buy a 50 pound sack of “wheat seed”. I mean if you have a grinder that may be a valid choice but this option just seems easier. So check out L’Oro Del Sud Pasta 20 Packs today and fill up your pantry. As to sauces, cheeses, veg, meat, etc. I leave those choices to you.
Remember you can always find all of our reviews at TspAz.com
P.S. – L’Oro Del Sud means the gold of the south in Italian.
Also there are some angry reviews saying it is price gauging and some that sound more like package handling issues than product issues. Again it is the middle of a pandemic, the opinions on the brand I found prior to this are all pretty damn good.
Keep in mind some people really do not know how to cook pasta or anything for that matter. Indeed, there are a lot of people cooking for themselves for the first time in their lives. In the end this is dry pasta, you can get it in quantity and times in some places are pretty dang tough. I have never had a dry pasta that was bad, ever, had plenty cooked poorly though.
Lastly some of you don’t need this, you are well prepped, but have family who isn’t, this may be one to turn them on to.
Many preppers are now looking at their stock piles and while they don’t necessarily need to go into long term storage they are using some of it and pondering say another 30-60 days of limited availability and restricted movement. Keith Snow reached out about doing a show on cooking with your preps and I thought it was a great idea. Keith is a long term friend of TSP and served on the expert council for a number of years. For those that don’t know him thought, here is his bio.
Chef Keith Snow is the author of The Harvest Eating Cookbook-Running Press 2009, and host of Harvest Eating Radio, which has surpassed 350 episodes and continues to grow a substantial audience of devoted listeners, true friends and fans.
Keith joins us today to discuss cooking from your storage and his eCourse called Food Storage Feast. In this course he teaches you to make gourmet meals with your preps, and integrate your food storage plan into your daily menu so you can really “store what you eat and eat what you store.”
Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK (866-658-4465) and you might hear yourself on the air.
Join the MSB Today
Want Every Episode of TSP Ever Produced?
Remember in addition to discounts to over 40 vendors who supply stuff you are likely buying anyway, tons of free ebooks and video content, MSB Members also get every edition of The Survival Podcast ever produced in convenient zip files in blocks of 24. More info on the MSB can be found here.
Note – this review has two options. The first is the one I own and I know it works, the second is another option that should be a good one. I am doing this due to lack of available in some markets for the primary one.
Every day I bring you an item on Amazon that I personally use or has been purchased by many members of the audience and I have researched enough to recommend.
Today’s TSP Item of the day is a two item choice. The first option is the Greater Goods Digital Pocket Scale which is the one I own and love. I have verified its repeated accuracy and done so by measuring the weight of bullet in grains from 35 grains up to 405 grains. It has shown itself to be within one grain accuracy for all the tests. Honestly it is more likely that some of the bullets are off by a grain then the scale is. Precision reloaders often cull bullets by doing this to all of them.
Why two then when the first one is only 10 bucks? Well, with the Pandemic in some markets it could take 2-3 weeks to get one. So I found this one, American Weigh Scale AWS-100 Digital Pocket Scale. (In most markets it seems to be shipping the same week you order it). Solid reviews and it seems like a decent scale. I can’t be 100% sure but it is low cost and I bet 99% or better odds that it is accurate enough for what I am recommending it for anyway. I mean it is 9 bucks and Amazon has a great return policy right?
This is a piece of kit many of you need if you want to do well with hydroponics that we discussed recently. When mixing a product like Masterblend by the gallon your weaker solution is going to be two parts at 2 grams to the gallon and one part at 1 gram to the gallon. You need a scale that measures accurately at a very small weight to be on the money.
That said you should be checking your solution with an EC meter anyway so if you are a little light you just add a bit, if a little heavy dilute with a bit of water. And I don’t strive for perfect anyway. Rather than EC I use the PPM reading for most of my work, it is just as good. I am looking for a PPM of about 550 based on my starting PPM with rain water of about 2. If it says 520, I am fine, if it says 600, fine, get it? Unless it is way out of wack I just roll.
Hence both scales should be more than accurate enough. What I will say though is I am so confident in the Greater Goods Digital Pocket Scale that I would use it for pocket reloading of ammo too. Now I would always check with a know weight for calibration first, two is even better say a light and a heavier one. The American Weigh Scale AWS-100 I don’t know if I would yet as I don’t have one and have not checked the accuracy, but if it checked out I would.
So if you want to take your hydroponics to the next level get either one, depending on how long you want to wait for it. If you know you want to use it for reloading too, I personally have confidence in the Greater Goods Digital Pocket Scale and think it is worth the wait. Again you want to use and EC/PPM meter with hydro anyway. So damn close is good enough.
Remember you can always find all of our reviews at TspAz.com
P.S. – I would not use this scale or anything like it as a primary reloading scale, I see it more as a shirt pocket scale where you stay say 10% under maximum at all times, for like shooting bench reloading with something like a Lee Loader, just to be clear. Also if you really want to test out a scale you can get a gram calibration weight set, but I think for this level of use it may be over kill, especially if you have access to pellets or bullets of known weight in grains to use instead.
Also note, I have found a few things with shipping lately.
1. Ship times seem lower in major markets especially those less effected by CoVid.
2. Ship times seem faster for prime members.
3. Some stuff that says 5 days or even 2 weeks to ship is still showing up in 2-3 days. The stuff that doesn’t is the stuff that does not just have long lead times but also says not in stock. Almost all stuff in stock has been beating longer lead times for me, but some not by much.
Today on The Survival Podcast I answer your questions on corona virus treatments, fun stuff, the stimulus, hydroponics, composting, business, water filters, quail, air rifles and more.
Make sure if you submit content for a feedback show that you put something like “comment for jack”, “question for jack” or “article for jack” in the subject line to assure proper identification for my screening process.
Please understand I receive several hundred emails a day and can’t get them all on the air.
I also do put out a lot of information on Facebook from emails that I can’t fit on the program though so keep em coming.
Join Me Today As I Respond to Your Calls and Discuss…
Quote of the day – “Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.” ~ Buddha
The latest on Hydroxychloroquine and why I refuse to shut up about it
Fun Stuff – A show I am binging on Netflix, The Ranch and Cole Risner’s Concert
Why I don’t even care what pork is in the 2+ Trillion Dollar Stimulus Bill right now
A listener reports on hydroponic progress in just 33 days starting from zero
Using yard debris with “lazy composting”
An on the ground CoVid report for NYC contrasted to what I am hearing from Seattle
Thoughts on a Rent – A – Garden Bed business
RO whole house filters vs. filters like those from Berkey
Dealing with quail that are not laying when they should be
A very expensive but very cool air rifle – The Airforce Texan
Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK (866-658-4465) and you might hear yourself on the air.
Join the MSB Today
Want Every Episode of TSP Ever Produced?
Remember in addition to discounts to over 40 vendors who supply stuff you are likely buying anyway, tons of free ebooks and video content, MSB Members also get every edition of The Survival Podcast ever produced in convenient zip files in blocks of 24. More info on the MSB can be found here.
Note – Bringing this around today because even in this crisis you can still get them relatively fast. There is a lot to love if you are living on staples right now or using a lot of those back yard eggs. Tune in today for some great ideas. (Episode 2628)
Every day I bring you an item on Amazon that I personally use or has been purchased by many members of the audience and I have researched enough to recommend.
Today’s TSP Item of the day is The Dash Mini Waffle Maker. This little gadget is only 10 bucks and it just works and works perfectly every time. You can use it to make waffles of course, a variety of other things from gooey treats, to awesome sandwiches and even omelets. Thing is as you guys know, most of that is off my menu permanently. In August of this year I went on a Keto diet, I have stayed on it and I have lost and kept off about 40 pounds, I am never going back!
So what gives with a waffle maker? Oh my low carb friends have you heard of the chaffle? The Chaffle in some ways is a cheese and egg omelet with a bit of almond flour mixed it. In fact ingredient wise and nutrition wise that is exactly what a chaffle is. Yet in my opinion this is a disservice to the chaffle to describe it this way.
No for those living on a low carb eating plan, the chaffle is the holly grail. It can stand in for that breakfast waffle, it can also make a damn good substitute for a bagel as you will see in the video below. Make two and you can finally make a totally decked out burger again and use them as buns. Craving something sweet, use some Lakonto Sugar, 100% coco powder and some low carb chocolate chips in the mix and you have something sinful tasting but still low carb all the way.
We are not done yet my friends, want a BLT, use a chaffle. What about pizza, yes you can make pizza, just make the chaffles first, top as you wish and pop in the oven to heat toppings and melt cheese. In fact know what I did one time. I thinly sliced pepperoni into ribbons and some Italian sausage into small crumbles, I then mixed both into the chaffle mix and essentially cooked them into the crust, less to fall off that way. I then topped with cheese, sauce, mushrooms and basil.
There is really no end and one of my favorite things to use is cream cheese and Everything Bagel Seasoning on the top. In the video below I do that with some arugula, chard and water cress from my back yard. I have done smoked salmon and cream cheese too. Rest assured this is a bagel stand in, not a babel substitute. It does not taste like a bagel, but it tastes very good and functions like one.
There were two keys to making chaffles a happy part of my life, one was finding the perfect recipe and the second was getting the technique right. You can use any cheese but here is the recipe that has worked best for us.
Few things here, one do NOT omit the xyanathan gum, it was the magic key to making them chewy and still keeping them soft. I tried coconut flour, it made them firm but too firm and not chewy. Almond flour on its own is too soft. While lots of people say use mozzarella cheese because it is neutral cheddar does not over power, the oils in it get you a better little bit of crisp the longer you cook. You get better color, better chew, better flavor.
Last almost every recipe sight you find will say to use the Dash Waffle Maker it is how I found it. They will also say the above or their version of the recipe is for two chaffles. DO NOT BELIEVE THEM, they sit on a throne of lies! It is more like 2.5 and this is important, if you watch the video you will see why. In the early days of the chaffle wars, the recipe was simply egg and cheese, no baking powder, no almond flour and to this day, very few recommend the magic xyanathan gum. The early days were dark days, chaffles were literally egg and cheese and while they looked like a waffle they didn’t taste very good.
The keto community though was desperate, these days wee dark in many ways. This was before keto really caught on and there were few if any dedicated things for those on keto, at times it felt like meat, salad, bacon, eggs and black coffee were all that existed in our universe. So people tried other cheeses, various nut flours, etc and eventually the chaffle matured into what we have now.
Sadly most recipe sites though are just money makers, the site you read today about keto this is likely run by people with many sites, perhaps one on cooking exclusively with cookie dough. Trust me if you make my recipe and shove all of it into two batches the batter is going to ooze out the front, cook into the rim and make turning the damn thing or getting it out a fricken mess.
The keys to making a perfect chaffle are, first follow my recipe. Two if the shredded cheese is course chop it to a finer consistency. Let the batter sit for a bit so the xyanathan can do its thing. Biggest thing though is, DO NOT over fill the maker, thin coat using the back of the spoon to spread it out. Let it cook about 20 seconds till the edges start to dry, then close cook 2-2.5 minutes. About one minute into the cook set a coffee cup or something on the lid for weight. Then flip and cook for another 45 seconds to 1.5 minutes. The longer you cook the more of a bit of a crisp you get.
I just gave you the formula, it will take you a few missions to get it just right but I gave you what you need to leap ahead of the game and get to chaffle perfection in just a few tries. Once you master a basic chaffle the sky is the limit. From sweet to savory and anything you can conceive of, the chaffle is amazing.
Also in spite of all the detail above once you get it right it is FAST and easy. So much more so than most “keto breads” and such. Again what I really like is from a nutritonal profile unlike many treats it really is healthy keto, mostly a cheese omelet.
Right after Dorothy and I did this video I ordered a second waffle maker. Life is better now. If I am making two for myself I may or may not fire up both but if making them for both of us, you bet I fire up both. They are super quick to heat up, they are easy as pie to clean, nothing sticks to them if you follow my instructions. I am going to bet many of you will pick up one Dash Mini Waffle Maker, give this a shot and down the road pick up a second. It is the perfect tool for this job.
Two more things. There are lots of colors and most of them at 10 bucks, a few are more expensive. Just be aware of that. Also a couple are not waffle makers, there is one that makes a heart, one a pumpkin, you get the idea. To me these will not make a great chaffle, the holes are the magic of the chaffle.
Last while I put a lot into chaffles in this review this little thing rocks as what it is designed to be, a waffle and sandwich maker. So even if you are not keto or low carb it is dang good little tool. So consider giving The Dash Mini Waffle Maker a shot. Here is one example of a totally no keto hack, put 2 TBS of cookie dough in it and cook until done. Someday I am gonna do that, but not anytime soon.
Remember you can always find all of our reviews at TspAz.com
P.S. – this video shows you exactly how to make your chaffles perfectly.
I have a very important update on CoVid and possible treatments today then we get into our main much happier topic, keeping a family cow.
