Rad Anthony

I think you got it. Try different blends have fun. One time when I was cleaning my garden I saved up bits and pieces of dried herbs and flowers and made this really beautiful blend. It was so good and the scent was heavenly to me. But I don't think I could ever recreate it haha.

I remember it had some chamomile, bit of sage, mint, lavender tiny bit, dried grapefruit peel or any citrus, some wildflowers here and there I was smelling them before I picked, just sort of went off my sense of smell. I was cleaning up the garden so I sort of threw everything in there and mix it all up. it smelled so good. I remember the honey I added was locust that made it smell really good.

Yum I just made some sweet tea with rose petals and dried strawberries,dried orange peel, hubiscus. And some dried sugar cane. Helps with the heat. And tastes good. This lady I know makes them and sells them. I bought some off her. The smell of rose really heal you.

I keep them cool and in the dark. Preferably airtight. I sprouted some that were about 5 years this year. Seeds are like rip van winkle lol. They could lay dormant for ever if needed. All about how you preserve them.

It's tough. I try making healthy versions of whatever it is. Nuts, fruits, especially berries. Love to snack on those. Love making juices and smoothies.

I look at it as fuel. Anything I eat is fuel. If I eat or plan on eating I'll plan to do something like a task. And vice versa, if plan a laborious task I'll plan on eating really good before or after.

I was in the same boat as you. I tried different methods. My favorite was. First soak in water with salt and lemon juice for about an hour.

Then drain and wash the meat. You can technically cook it now, all the blood and toxins are pulled out at this point.

Then I took that meat and soaked it in some milk and mustard for a few days. After, I fried them up with some salt pepper and a little bit of vinegar. , some I battered, similar to country fried steak. When marinate you don't have to use mustard, try different things I guess, that's all I had lol mustard and some raw milk. Experiment. The main thing is soak the meat in water lemon juice and salt. That will pull the nasty stuff out.

Doing it this way makes the meat texture similar to lamb.

Wow this is awesome keep up the good foraging Daphne. Much love. Maybe you could save the seeds and plant them somewhere wild or start plants and give them away or sell them.

I really love reading this thread. I always find myself coming back here to read for fun. So much wisdom and great interesting ideas. Keep on pushing the envelope!

I noticed I pulled the sprouted potato eyes in the ground and I noticed they started growing. Really tiny potatoes. Similar to planting the slips of sweet potatoes.

If I get the opportunity I want to try sprouting a bunch of eyes from one potato then plant the slips of those eyes.

Thanks for inspiring me with all the ideas and wisdom here.

Yes sir the women are the key. Your mother is your first teacher you go to school for 9 months before you graduate lol

Yea my go to are taters man aka potatoes. I grow a bunch give em away and save some to last me the winter. We have pallets at work. I'll make boxes in the pallets and fill em up as they grow. Pile up layers of straw and dirt.

In the summer I barely eat im always outside fishing in the creeks running around hiking or exploring something. I like the outdoors and being in nature playing guitar. Walking. I bought some cheap woodworking tools I want to try going to the park and picking up pieces of wood and making random things. Lime a fork spoon, flute, you know just create stuff like. Wild cordage would be cool. Or some pottery. I wanted to learn how to make rain barrels out of clay make em waterproof or include it as part of a house. Like a giant sealed wall of water etc. That's more if I ever get a piece of ground you know.

During the summer If I get good sunlight I don't get hungry just snacks here and there and lots of fruits berries and good old juices. I'm always out reading a book, playing guitar enjoying nature...

I been growing bunch sweet potatoes this year. I'm thankful. I didn't plan on it they really took over. That will get me enough to last the winter. I found out you can eat the leaves. I leave some for the groundhogs so they don't mess with the other plants. Groundhogs love moringa too lol. But I like them personally because they eat all the weeds I barely have to do any weeding of any.

I don't have much room for canning or preserving nor do I know much how to. So I will probably buy or barter some for bunch of canned preserve food. Ramen in bulk is cheap. Get creative when I was homeless I got creative with ramen make your own seasonings etc etc. Mre are cheap online too.

My buddy makes sauerkraut and he adds juniper berries for flavor. It's really good it's the purple cabbage. Ill eat them with some corn beef and mashed potatoes and day.

I do plumbing on the side. If I fix someone's water they will usually give me a bunch of food and goodies too. That will last me a while.

Canned beans and corn are yummy too. I wanted to try canning all the nachos veggies, tomatoes beans peppers etc. And make nachos here and there with the canned. I bought a cheap vacuum sealer I might try that this year. I tried mylar bags in the last for dry stuff they work great. You need a piece of lumber and an iron to seal the bags.

Another good one is a solar dehydrator. You can rig one up all it is is just a bunch of trays. Dried tomatoes is a good one. Dried greens. Some folks dry okra and make okra powder. Mix em with soups. You can do that with any veggie though you know lol. Get creative.

Morning powder or dried moringa is another in trying this year. I also save up and buy a lot of honey. I eat couple teaspoons of raw honey everyday. That seems to help my health and keep the essential nutrients inside me. I love honey water. Honey water with some morning powder or aloe vera gel.

I drink honey water all the time.

If I get sick I'll make a lemon cinnamon and honey water and drink a bunch.

Black seed oil is good for resetting your body. Start with a drop a day. Then two etc etc. That will clean out for body. I'll do that maybe like once every two or three years.

I have a stash of beef jerky and fried fish too.
I prefer fresh though in the late summer. I eat lots of beef late in the summer around middle of september to bulk up for the winter.

Watermelon and cantaloupe. Got me a cheap juicer from the thrift store. Buddy got a big bag of carrots we made a gallon of freaking carrot juice. Mix w apple cider that stuff is good. It will give you a hard on for hours. When you're healthy man everything is flowing. Lol

I like greens too. Greens with some fried eggs and butter. That's simple and last me a while. Nettle leaves, bit of wild mint. Wild lettuce is good. Dandelions add a bit of honey is the vinegar dressing to offset the bitter. I eat em with eggs and butter. Pick the small dandelion they don't taste so bitter. Kale and spinach probably my favorite. And lettuce.

My buddy eats wild spinach with a little goat cheese. That stuffs good. I noticed when you cultivate wild plants they grow huge. My buddy grew dandelions in pots the leaves were massive. I want to try that with wild spinach. I could nibble on wild spinach.

This Amish lady sells bunch of produce for cheap I try support her. And she makes good strawberry rhubarb pie.

Zucchini is easy to grow. You can make bread with it.
Radish easy too. Squash good for soups. Three sisters garden will keep you eating good and it's easy.

I have a good time with this stuff. Don't see it as a burden or frustration. Enjoying it you know. You can't take this away when you're dead. At least try and make the most out of it and leave some to pass along to the next generation. If anything make it easier for them to keep pushing the envelope.

If you come back to nature you will get in tune. Put your back against a tree and talk to your ancestors. They are guiding you. You will know what to do where to go etc etc. Remember your ancestors dna is all inside of you. Everything they touched tasted smelled looked at, all their thoughts memories are inside of you. Moms side and dad side. Intertwined like a beautiful spiral when they made love lol. You have to figure out how to bring them thoughts skills and memories to the surface from inside of you and activate them.

For example you may have had an ancestor who use to help build castles for the king in the middle ages. Well that's all your construction and building skills right there. Their spirit is inside of you in your DNA. You got to focus on bringing those skills out of you. You can do it. You just were never taught or thought you could. You favor your ancestors whether you realize it or not. Say you had an ancestor that use to help make clothes for the town. Well that's all your textile skills. You get the point. The secret is the sense of community. We all come together all them skills fit like a puzzle...the women and children are the key.

Your ancestors never had a lowes or home depot. All these skills we search for and try to learn again are just simply been forgotten, but are dormant. Permaculture ain't like a new invention. Yea sure it's a new trend now, but we are obviously getting back to our roots. Our roots is survive and thrive. Got to enjoy life while your surviving too . permaculture prepping and survival was a normal everyday thing.

Everybody is out of tune today so it seems like we are the odd balls now.

My 2 cents is just if you focus on bringing out what you're bloodline use to do and is already good at. You won't need to worry because it will come out so naturally and smooth. It's actually a  beautiful experience. Our ancestors they never had YouTube books lowes or home depot back then either. They had to get creative and crafty. You are able to do that too . You just have to put it out there and believe it. Love it and walk it. Use your imagination because this stuff is real. You were never taught that from your parents or school

Write it down. Ask your ancestors to guide you. Watch your whole life will change. I'm living it right now man. It's a powerful grounding feeling. I know what I'm good at and what I bring to the table anywhere I go. I know I could survive where ever I go, what ever is in my bag when I travel. I know I attract the same people around me my ancestors did. When we come together we all got like a puzzle are able to survive and thrive . It sounds like fantasy but I'm telling you it's real and powerful stuff. You have to know it and put it out there

Just sharing my thoughts with the intentions to inspire thats all. I'm willing you find what you're hunting for within and without. Much love man.