A Few Books for the Frugal and Eco Minded

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Possum Living 

by Dolly Freed

This is book is very popular, and for good reason. It covers everything from slaughtering and dressing a rabbit to making your own moonshine. I also appreciate the added commentary between the useful information:

"When you've raised a bunny or a chicken, it's kind of hard to kill it. Many people say that's why they won't raise their own meat. But someone had to kill the animals you buy in the store. People who will buy meat but won't kill their own are being hypocritical, it seems to me. If you're not a vegetarian, kill your own meat--don't hire someone else to do it. "

This book neatly sorts its information out by subject perfect for someone just looking for ways to save money on a particular subject including food, shelter, heating and clothing, or perhaps you want to read her whole guide and story onto how her and her father lived on only $700 a year in the 1970's. After writing her book, Dolly Freed later went onto be a NASA aerospace engineer.

Who this book is for: Pretty much anyone. It covers a broad range of topics that can save money and resources, and that also might be enjoyable to do yourself.  Her story of how she managed to live so frugally is also very interesting.

Steal This Book

by Abbie Hoffman

Hoffman even included
instructions for making sandals
out of an old tire and inter-tube.

Having been called a milder Anarchists Cookbook, Steal This Book is filled with anti-corporate and political ideals. The book is conveniently laid out so that someone looking for tips to live frugally can enjoy the first half of the book with ease. While there are parts that encourage theft, such as taking furniture from apartment lobbies, the book is filled with tips for finding resources that would benefit and keep someone out of trouble who would otherwise need to steal to survive. And if a book about survival in a corporate government controlled society is more your thing, keep reading the second half.

 

Who this book is for: Anyone looking for little tips and tricks to get free stuff. As well as those who are anti-corporate minded or want to survive through police-brutality protest situations.

Who this book isn't for: While it is not the most major theme throughout the book, people who feel stealing from large corporations is morally wrong may have a hard time reading this book.

Save Money & Resources on food with:

Creating a Forest Garden: Working with Nature to Grow Edible Crops 

by Martin Crawford

Immediately when I started reading this book I was intrigued.  A forest garden at first thought seems like a lot of hard work; to build a whole forest of edible plants and fungi? Then you start reading and learn that a forest garden can be as small as a back yard or as large as several fields. A forest garden can start with a small group of companion plants and grow over time. It is just a largely diverse group of plants growing within close proximity to one another, intended for use, usually consumption, by humans. This book even goes into the effect climate change has on forest gardens, such as pests and insects migrating further north and drought and water problems; the importance of growing native plants; and how to boost the production of mycorrhizal fungi in order to sustain nutrients in the forest soil.

The plants used in a forest garden are indexed and conveniently organized by the order in which most people introduce the species into their garden; although, the author recommends reading the whole book before beginning since not everyone chooses to plant in that order.

Who this book is for: Those who enjoy gardening and companion planting, or just simply want to save money on their grocery bill.

Who this book probably isn't for:  Someone without any resources for gardening or land they can work over several years, or someone without the time to spend gardening.

Books this would go great with: Carrots Love Tomatoes, and Wildlife in the Garden: How to live in Harmony with Deer, Raccoon's, Rabbits, Crows and Other Pesky Creatures.

Foraging: The Essential Guide to Free Wild Food

by John Lewis-Stempel

Intended for edible plants found in the UK, many of the plants covered in this book are found throughout the US due to their history of use and cultivation. Borage, burdock, and dandelion are just a few, and it includes recipes for each one. This book is conveniently sorted by growing conditions including the hedgerow, the field or even the town.  Then there are sections where it sorts the plants out into a calendar, and also sorts plants by type. Strangely enough this book even covers roadkill.

Who this book is for: Almost anybody. If you have researched foraging safety, wild harvesting can be a fun activity. Even city dwellers can find dandelion greens and other edibles. (Just watch out for pesticide spraying.)

edited on 9/29/2015

The uncertaintity of benzoyl peroxide + some herbal alternatives.

Is benzoyl peroxide dangerous?

While reading through an older chemistry book, Chemistry for Changing Times , I read that Benzoyl Peroxide is very dangerous. Being a carcinogen, or cancer causing agent, benzoyl peroxide can cause skin cancer by magnigying the suns rays onto your face.  After reading this and realizing it is still used today in the mass-produced acne medications, I decided to do a little research to see if this information was outdated, or still known as fact.

Immediately I found this little warning on the WebMD website:
"This medication may make you more sensitive to the sun. Avoid prolonged sun exposure, tanning booths, and sunlamps. Use a sunscreen and wear protective clothing when outdoors."

In Context.

I could find very little information on the FDA's website. I found a document requiring all products to carry the same label WebMD does.  If they must carry this label, there must be some fear of the statements made in the 1980's text book. A 1991 document questioning it's safety very briefly mentions a few studies that found benzoyl peroxide to have "tumor initiation potential."

So, is it dangerous?

The researching came to a dead end. Most sources claiming its dangers were selling an herbal product with herbs easily attainable at a natural market. There was a lack of results verifying the products safety, and a lack of studies to prove it unsafe as determined by the FDA.  I decided for myself, not to use it; especially since my skin is very sensitive to the sun.

If medication is a must for acne treatment, this article seems like a helpful tool.  Salicylic acid seems to cause less problems and irritation to skin than Benzoyl peroxide and seems like the better choice; however, each one has its perks. If you are looking for an option to break from the prescription medications to something natural, here are a few remedies used in the past:

Please Note: These are folk remedies used by other people to treat acne and skin. Unless otherwise specified there has been no research done on my end to back this data up with science. It is based on things used in the past, over and over again because its worked before. That is not to say there is no science to back it up; just that, I am mostly researching this from the perspective of ethnobotany, not pharmacognosy.
As with all my posts I am in NO way giving information for dosage or use.

Willow Bark

Also known as 'Witches Aspirin,' willow bark was the aspirin, before aspirin. Salicylic Acid, (That's right, the same chemical in acne treatments.) is what is in willow bark to help relieve pain and inflammation, aspirin before the late 1890's was derived from the willow plant (From a tree, a 'miracle' called aspirin, CNN.) 

Also, have you ever noticed how most acne products use the word 'astringent?' Well Willow Bark is considered to be an astringent and brand name natural cosmetics even use willow in their products. In cosmetics astringents work by tightening the pores and having an antimicrobial effect. Although lately there has been some debate as to whether the use of astringents should be in skincare; this is questionable as to whether herbal products are implied or not. You can read more about the history of astringents here.

Elder Flowers

In A Modern Herbal, Madame Grieves writes:

 "Elderflower Water in our great-grandmothers' days was a household word for clearing the complexion of freckles and sunburn, and keeping it in a good condition. Every lady's toilet table possessed a bottle of the liquid, and she relied on this to keep her skin fair and white and free from blemishes, and it has not lost its reputation. Its use after sea-bathing has been recommended, and if any eruption should appear on the face as the effect of salt water, it is a good plan to use a mixture composed of Elder Flower Water with glycerine and borax, and apply it night and morning."
Note this herbal is very outdated; I do not recommend applying borax to one's face.

Tea Tree

Being an antibacterial and  anti-inflammatory, Tea Tree oil effectively fights acne with far fewer side affects than benzoyl peroxide, studies suggest.  It has also been used for a variety of skin ailments including fungal infections, cold sores and boils.  It is commonly sold in shampoo as it helps solve both dry hair and oily hair problems while repelling pests like lice. I've even heard of people using it for fleas on their animals.

Six Healing Herbs, that are also Spokane Weeds

According to the Noxious Weed Control Board of Spokane County, Washington, noxious weeds "are non-native plants that have been introduced to Spokane County through human actions." They continue to write "Due to their aggressive growth and lack of natural enemies, these species can be highly destructive, competitive, or difficult to control." [1]


So what made humans want to move the plants, either intentionally or unintentionally in the first place?

Dandelions, for example, were brought to North America for their medicinal value, and now they are so widespread they've become a pest to lawn-owners everywhere. The lawn itself though, can thrive off of Dandelions, and Dandelions can thrive in the most unlivable situations, aerating and bringing nutrients to the surface of the soil. Some might say the relationship between dandelions and that grassy field you like to play in is symbiotic, but it is at least a companion plant. [2]

And yes dandelions can be very obnoxious weeds...

Believe it or not Blackberries, the tasty fruit we make into jams, jellies, syrups and pies, is a Class C Weed on the Washington State Noxious weed list. Blackberries were first introduced for food production. [3]

This got me wondering, what am I pulling out of my garden, that I might be able to use? The following is a list of plants that might be of some use to us humans, but grow just a little too well in Spokane:

Before reading please understand this is a guide intended to make a correlation between weed and herb. I am in no way giving you the tools for identification, dosage, or use.

St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum)

Found on the weeds of a concern list, St. John's Wort is widely used in herbal medicine.  Being well known for its use to treat depression, it is also used for a wide variety of other mental disorders such as anxiety and insomnia. Being an antibacterial and an anti-fungal, St. John's Wort is used for sprains, swellings, bruises, wounds, sores and ulcers. [4]  The herb gets its name for often times blooming on St. Johns Day, June 24th.

Ox-Eye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)

Found on the noxious weed list, not only is the ox-eye daisy used medicinally for menstrual problems, whooping cough, asthma and nervousness, [4] but it can also be an ingredient in wine.

Ox-eye Daisy wine, from the Sorcerers Cookbook:
"For five quarts. 
17 cups daisy flowers 

grated zest of 2 organic oranges 

3 tablespoons raisins 

3 pieces licorice root ... 

6 1/3 cups honey 

2 tablespoons brewers yeast 

watching the clock
preparation: 25 mins.
maceration 10 days
cooking time: 25 mins.
total time: 10 days


To your cauldron! 
Pour 4 quarts boiling water into a large stewpot over freshly picked, rinsed flowers, Let cool and cover. 
Steep for 3 days, stirring morning and night. Strain, pressing the flowers. 
Rinse the stewpot, discard the flowers and return the juice to the pot. Add the orange zest, raisins, and licorice root. 
Bring to a boil. Let boil for 15 minutes then lower the heat.  
Melt the honey in a small pan for 15 minutes over low heat, then add to the pot; stur and let cool slightly. Combine a bit of this liquid with the yeast; once the daisy wine is lukewarm, add the yeast mixture to the stewpot and cover. 
Leave to macerate for 1 week. Strain and bottle. 
Close tightly. " [5]

Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)

Purple loosestrife is an  "invasive weed in swampy meadows, often forming large stands and blanketing moist meadows in a sea of color."  Research has confirmed that extracts of purple loosestrife has stopped bleeding and had some antibacterial activity. The plant has also been used as an ingredient in external salves for wounds and sores. [4] 

Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata)

Garlic Mustard, which has a strong peppery flavor, is the earliest known culinary use of herbs in Europe. Evidence of garlic mustard used as a culinary herb was found in pottery located in Denmark and Germany dating back to at most 6100 years ago! [6] In 1868 it was brought to Long Island, New York, and now Garlic Mustard is rightfully on the noxious weed list of many counties throughout the Northeast. It displaces the forest understory and is a threat to many native species including wild ginger and toothworts. Toothwarts are the main source of food during the caterpillar stage of the Virginia white butterfly (Pieris virginiensis), an endangered species. The American butterfly (Pieris napi aleracea) typically uses native mustards as hosts for their larvae; however, it has used garlic mustard as a host which kills the larvae. [7]

Absinth Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)

That's right, absinthe. Le fee verte, the green fairy. Among anise and fennel, wormwood is the key ingredient for making that supposedly hallucinatory beverage. The constituent, or component of wormwood, thujone, which causes convulsions in high doses, [8] is said to be what causes that hallucinatory yet clear-headed effect of absinthe. [9] Though modern science is saying when you think absinthe is making you high, you're just really drunk. [10] So is wormwood really what drove men mad and caused Van Gogh to chop off his ear? Was it just the alcohol they mixed it with? Or was it possibly a synergistic reaction of the two?

“After the first glass of absinthe you see things as you wish they were. After the second you see them as they are not. Finally you see things as they really are, and that is the most horrible thing in the world. I mean disassociated. Take a top hat. You think you see it as it really is. But you don’t because you associate it with other things and ideas.If you had never heard of one before, and suddenly saw it alone, you’d be frightened, or you’d laugh. That is the effect absinthe has, and that is why it drives men mad. Three nights I sat up all night drinking absinthe, and thinking that I was singularly clear-headed and sane. The waiter came in and began watering the sawdust.The most wonderful flowers, tulips, lilies and roses, sprang up, and made a garden in the cafe. “Don’t you see them?” I said to him. “Mais non, monsieur, il n’y a rien.” - Oscar Wilde 

Common Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris)

"This herb is Venus's mistress piece and is as gallant and universal a medicine for all diseases coming of heat, in what part of the body soever they be, as the sun shines upon: it is very safe and friendly to the body of man, yet causes vomiting if the stomach be afflicted, if not, purging." - Nicholas Culpeper

Introduced as a medicinal herb, Common Groundsel can cause problems for both livestock and humans. Being permanently hepatotoxic (meaning it causes problems in the liver usually by means of drugs), Common Groundsel is definitely something I personally wouldn't mess with. [11] Even though it is highly toxic to livestock, causing irreversible liver damage, it has been known to "entice a rabbit to eat when all other food has been refused." In folk medicine Groundsel is also known to be a "Diaphoretic, antiscorbutic, purgative, diuretic, and anthelmintic."  Meaning it induces perspiration (good for fevers), it may prevent scurvy, it helps you poo stronger than a laxative, it helps you pee, and it dispels worms. Also Culpeper believed it helped with "falling sickness" otherwise known as epilepsy. [12]

How I crocheted a Hero's Cap (like Link's hat from The Legend of Zelda)

Things you will need:

Basic Crochet knowledge. The stitches used are chain, slip stitch, triple crochet, and single crochet. We will also be decreasing as we work our way up the hat.

Yarn
A crochet hook

A measurement of the size of the head you are making the hat for.
I was making the hat for my little one, but wanted to try out a sizing chart to make sure it would fit right if I made the hat for other babies. I found this sizing chart for little ones. My Elo is 2 months old, so I am going to make it a little big and go with the 3-6 months size. Pattern written for this size.

So the first thing I did was chain stitch until it reached just above 14 inches. I am using a K size hook and this was 41 stitches.

Ch 41. Sl St into ring.

Being careful not to twist the chain I used a slip stitch to pull the ends together into a ring.

Then I did three chain (in hindsight the three chain stitches looked slightly awkward after, so for the next hat I may try just two) stitches followed by a triple crochet. Then a triple crochet in each stitch around the whole ring. Until you reach the three chain stitches again.

Ch 3. Tr 40. Sl St. 

Then...

Slip stitch again.

Now single crochet all the way around the hat.... until you reach the slip stitch from last time.

Sc 40. Sl st. Rep 15.

And slip stitch again on top of it. Do this for every row until you reach the "hat height" or the measurement from the bottom of the ear to the top of the crown. Remember the slip stitch in each row.

I need 6 inches of hat, so twelve more rows, making fifteen rows of single crochet altogether. 

Once I reached the desired height from the ears to top of crown, I started decreasing on each side of the slip stitch. Removing two stitches for every row. 

Sc 38. Dec. Sl St. Dec Sc 36...etc.

Eventually the hat came to a point, the last stitch was a slip stitch.

Sl St

My little hero.