Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Edible Flowers {Guest Article}


Edible Flowers are everywhere…
When we lived in Hawaii we got to eat lots of different types flowers.. They would put flowers in drinks, salads, and even deep fried (you would have thought being from the south I would have already had this one.).. You might be saying “Yuck” but they actual taste good, many different flavors as well… I have to say that my favorite is deep fried squash blossoms “Yummy”…  FYI, there is a drawback to eating the blossoms you get no squash from the plant, after removing the blossom..
Okay, let me get to the many flowers you might run across while out in the woods..
Clover is sweet, anise-like, licorice. Raw flower heads can be difficult to digest.
Dandelions, Flowers are sweetest when picked young. They have a sweet, honey-like flavor. Mature flowers are bitter. Dandelion buds are tastier than the flowers: best to pick these when they are very close to the ground, tightly bunched in the center, and about the size of a small gumball. You can use them in salads or cooked.. (this is the easiest one to try.. everyone has them in their yard. If you put chemicals on your yard, go to a different location to pick these.)
Citrus blossoms,  Use highly scented waxy petals sparingly. Distilled orange flower water is characteristic of Middle Eastern pastries and beverages.
Sunflower,  The flower is best eaten in the bud stage when it tastes similar to artichokes. Once the flower opens, the petals may be used like chrysanthemums, the flavor is distinctly bittersweet. The unopened flower buds can also be steamed like artichokes.
Honeysuckle, Sweet honey flavor. Only the flowers are edible. NOTE: Berries are highly poisonous - Do not eat them!
Yucca Petals The white Yucca flower is crunchy with a mildly sweet taste (a hint of artichoke). in the spring, they can be used in salads and as a garnish.
 http://whatscookingamerica.net/EdibleFlowers/EdibleFlowersMain.htm
Cactus Flowers are Edible The fruits of many cactus species are edible. The juicy, purplish-red fruit of the prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica), for example, is commonly found in grocery stores in Mexico and the southwestern United States. Few realize, however, that cactus flowers also make delicious meals and snacks. The flower buds of the barrel cactus (Ferocactus genus) were boiled and eaten in a similar manner to vegetables such as cabbage by the native inhabitants of Arizona, where these thorny plants proliferate. Barrel cactus flowers manifest in a multitude of festive colors including red, orange and yellow.
Cactus Flowers Used as Medicine
Prickly pear flowers
In addition to making wine, prickly pear cactus flowers have been employed for their purported therapeutic benefits. Author Margaret Joan Roberts, in her book "Edible & Medicinal Flowers," reveals that these warm-colored blooms are used in Mexico as a home remedy for relief from itchy insect bites and other stings and scratches. Prickly pear flowers are astringent. Like their associated fruits, they are also high in vitamin C.
Here in the south you can find Prickly Pear jelly, slices, etc…
As for cattails you can eat every bit of this plant.. The cattail is packed full of protein and other nutrients.. It is considered one of the most important wild foods you can eat… go get some and try them out…

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Survival Kit

In this video I go over the basic load out of a grab and go survival kit. This kit at the bare minimum minus the knife and magnesium fire starter cost around 15 dollars to build and will make any emergency night in the woods more comfortable. This is something that should be in a drawer or cupboard that is easy to get to and grab for any emergency or natural disaster. Just throw this bag into your backpack any time you go on a hike go hunting or fishing and if you need to make a emergency night stay you will be set. Any questions just post in the comment section and I will answer them.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

550 cord storage.

Parachute cord storage. Probably the best way to have easy tangle free storage and deployment. I am working on a how to for tying this. It will work on other rope as well.


Monday, February 20, 2012

Some projects

Here are a couple of pictures from some projects I am working on. Comments are welcome as I am going to try and sell these on etsy to help fund this site. One is a Turks Head bracelet and the other is a key fob. On the key fob I made the top half double and the bottom half single which one would you prefer? Single or Double?

Friday, February 17, 2012

Fillet a Fish

This is a Guest Article written by my brother Corbin.

For someone in the forest near a river/lake/stream a major priority is
food. To catch a fish you need bait. In fresh water worms,bread, and
various bugs can be used. If you lack a fishing rod or net the best
substitute could be any form of string material and a stick/limb at
about 7-12 feet that wont break easily. If you lack hooks for a fish
to bite find some wood or bone, anything that can be
carved/ground/whittled down to the shape of a hook and sharp enough to
pierce the scales. If by any luck or use of manliness you find a fish
on the end of a line without a reel pull the string down to your waist
and pull as hard and fast as humanly possible. When your fish is on
the shore and dead, it's time to figure out how to skin/scale it.
first you'll need a knife that can be used to fillet the fish. Once
you obtain a knife/razor, put the blade next to the gills and push
down, Without cutting the fish in half, and slide it toward the tail.
Cut along the side of the spine without cutting off at the tail, leave
a little skin attaching the fillet and the fish together. Flip the
skin over so the meat is facing up and slide the knife along the
bottom of the meat between it and the skin. After a little
blood,sweat,and tears you have a cook-able fillet! 


If you prefer skinning the fish here is how
"Cut the skin behind the head and pectoral fins. Use pliers to remove
the cut skin from the catfish, starting at the head and pulling toward
the tail. Then, grasp the head of the fish with one hand and the body
with the other. Using both hands, break the backbone of the catfish at
the head, and then pull the head and guts away from the skinned body."
[Source: Take Me Fishing]


this is a catfish be careful for the spines in their fins




Monday, February 13, 2012

This weekend I'm going to go out to the woods and do a couple of videos and I am also writing some articles right now. If anyone wants to write an article let me know. The next videos will be a product review a how to and a bracelet use video. Stay tuned should be posting videos by Sunday evening.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Next video ideas

Taking votes for my next video. Do y'all want another bracelet video or do y'all want a how to on something else?

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Survival Bracelets Vid1



Here is the first video of the series for uses of the survival bracelets. Any questions feel free to post and I will answer to the best I can. 

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Tomorrow I will do a video on some of the uses for the Survival Bracelets I make and post it.

Etsy Store

I have an Etsy store now as well to sell different things that I make that will make life easier in a time of need. Such as mini first aid kits, mini survival kits and 550/Para chord survival bracelets and key fobs.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/sparky25c