Indian Runners

One of the biggest projects I have taken on this year for my homestead is purchasing 4 gorgeous Indian Runner ducklings. I named them after the Golden Girls--Sophia is the gray, Dorothy is black, Blanche is chocolate, and Rose is the fawn. After reading up on backyard chicken projects versus ducks, I felt ducks were more appropriate for what I wanted. These ducks can produce 200-300 eggs per season for at least 3-5 years not to mention being strong foragers. The project is still young. My ducklings turned 1 month old on the 4th of July, so there's not much I can report except that there is quite a bit of work involved. I keep them inside in a small dog kennel lined with newspaper under a heat source for now. Originally, the girls were bathing in the sink in just a small amount of warm water (they don't develop their own waterproofing oils until about 4 weeks and aren't strong swimmers until that develops) once each morning. But, now that they've grown so very much in the last month, they're bathing twice a day in the tub in a limited amount of warm water. They have access to water and food during the day and also occasionally get mealworms and crickets as treats. Despite the work, though, I have to say that so far I do not regret the decision to start this project at all. In fact, the girls have really been my saving grace after a tough year at work. So, without further ado, here they are (I'll post updates as we go):

At 1 week above and 4 weeks below

A Few Unexpected Uses for Coconut Oil

I am absolutely in love with coconut oil. I love the way it smells, the way it tastes, and the benefits it has for my skin. Here are some of the uses I have found for it beyond using it as a substitute in cooking:

1. Facial Moisturizer. Coconut oil has antimicrobial benefits and will not clog pores or cause acne; it will likely alleviate preexisting acne in actuality, and it prevents the use of harsh chemicals and oils on the skin from other products.

2. Makes an excellent makeup remover. Just a dab will do, and it will take your eye makeup off just as easily as any other makeup remover.

3. All over skin moisturizer. Not only do I use this as a facial moisturizer, it also makes an excellent all-over body lotion especially on freshly shaved legs.

4. and 5. I have yet to try these two, but they're on my to-do list. Coconut oil can be used in making your own soaps and deodorant. Recipes for these can be found all over the internet and as soon as I try some out for myself, I will be posting a few on this site.

6. Lip balm with an SPF of 4.

7. Leave-in or intensive hair conditioner. For myself, I have very coarse, thick hair. It's also wavy which I hate, so I am always in need of something to help soothe and smooth it after drying and using a straightening iron. A small amount is all that is needed on damp hair to help with these issues. A tiny amount can also be used between washes to smooth fly-aways. As an intensive leave-in treatment, the oil can be applied to hair which is then kept in a shower cap overnight. Rinse out the next morning.

8. As a scrub. Mix with equal parts sugar for an all-over body scrub in the shower or mix with equal parts sea salt to get rid of dead skin and callouses on feet.

As I try and find more uses, I will make additional posts. The great thing about a product like this is that it can take the place of so many other products you're currently using. What else could you buy for less than $10 that works as a facial moisturizer, cooking oil, hair conditioner, body lotion, lip balm, eye makeup remover, and more?? The list could be so much longer, but I hate to taut uses on a post before I've researched them myself, so expect some additional uses along with recipes in the future. Thanks for reading!

Life Straw

This ingenious device is the perfect short-term answer to water issues for a bug-out bag or emergency survival kit. Each straw can filter 1000L of water removing 99.9% of waterborne protozoa and 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria. As any true prepper can tell you, this is not a lasting solution to water issues. Other, more complicated systems will need to be in place for long term water supplies in the face of any real apocalyptic-type situation. However, this straw can easily aid in recon missions that may need to take place in an apocalypse situation making room in bags for more protective gear or other necessary items. In the bug out bag, it is also the perfect addition for getting one from point A to point B. Buy several--one for the whole family. My family has one per bug-out bag, and one for each member in our 3-day emergency kits.