CoronaVirus aka Covid 19

With the onset of this awful virus I felt I needed to share a few ideas tips and tricks to help some get by. As most have been kidding about toilet paper disappearing at an alarming rate. Some in many homesteading groups are actually asking what plants they can use when they run out & others are simply thinking they can drip dry....... Now let's face it both are not the best ideas but in a true DIRE situation sure those are both options but we're not there yet folks. Most of us have old T-shirts piled up somewhere in our homes. They can in fact be cut to use in place of toilet paper. Want to get fancy sew the edges with a zig zag stitch , they can be washed and reused. Some would say gross and no way but our ancestors did exactly that long before toilet paper was a norm. They also used old , clean fabric for the women during that special time of the month. ( I would throw those away or burn them once used ) .

Water for many is also becoming an issue primarily drinking water. As you know we live off grid and we do not have a well. We usually purchase our water at the local grocery store. Should they close though our life in Florida before moving here to Maine has taught us what to do for drinking water. We can either boil the water to kill any bacteria or we can add bleach. Not the splashless or scented bleach though it has to be plain old fashioned regular bleach. Please check the link here for more info concerning this topic. https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/emergency-disinfection-drinking-water

Also please know you can in fact catch rain water of course I do Highly recommend that you boil or add the proper amount of bleach before using to drink or cook with.

With food becoming an issue due to the hording , lack of funds or just plain old shortages you can regrow much of you veggies. Things such as onions , potatoes and many more can be regrown. Some using water others by simply placing them into some soil. There are many different ways to do this and tons of videos out there on YouTube on the topic.

Also , as with water and many Hurricanes we learned to use our grill to cook on using branches and fallen trees instead of charcoal. Now there are some types of wood you should NOT use to cook with such as PINE , FIR , CEDAR OR SPRUCE!!! Here's a link to get you going in the right direction. There are many other sites and info out there so if your unsure please do your research. https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/are-there-any-woods-you-cant-cook-over.258037/page-2

Evaporated Milk is a blessing. Living off grid I have used it more times that I can count. You can thin it down for regular whole milk , use it as is in place of cream and since it is canned it will not spoil until you open it. Powdered milk is also something to keep in mind but it tends to be no fat or low fat and simply tastes and acts like water in my experience.

If you have chickens or know someone who does then you probably already know that if left unwashed your eggs can in fact last for sometime without having to be refrigerated. But what some may not know is that the eggs you are purchasing at the store are already a month or more old. So If possible and you need eggs try visiting your local farm. Not only do most farms have plenty of eggs but they many times will have milk and fresh meat.

I can only speak for us here at BlackJack Acres but many farmers do in fact Barter so should you be in need but lack funds to purchase your food ask if the farm your dealing with does accept Bartering. It certainly doesn't hurt to ask.

Also please remember the Elderly during this time as well as our Veterans. Both have difficulty getting out or dealing with crowds. Should you know of someone in need please let us know and we will do all we can to insure they get what they need.

One last thing before closing this blog. Please remember the hand sanitizers must be at least 60% or higher in alcohol otherwise they will do no good at killing this or most bacterias. Bleach is your friend , I would never knock homemade cleaning supplies but with some other very dangerous viruses and bacteria out there I have and will always trust bleach. It goes a long way in not only killing bacteria but since you don;t have to use a ton it is easy on the pocket book. Also for more tips , tricks and ideas please follow us on our FaceBook

page. The link is contained here at the bottom of the website.

Please stay safe out there , be kind and above all WASH THOSE HANDS.