The Goal

This weekend is the magical opening weekend for big game archery season. This is my chance to fill the freezer with some free-range steroid and antibiotics free meat. This is also my chance to be in the wild for two to three days at a time each week for a quarter of the year. I don't know which aspect of hunting in the wild appeals to me the most but I do know that I would not want to live without any of it. I hope to have a couple of videos to post when I get back.

-TODD

A little strength at a time

Well I got a little programmable timer a couple of years ago and finally put it to good use. The coffee maker that has two lights on it as well as a backlit LCD clock display now comes on only from 5:00 AM until 9:00 AM. A small victory I know but one less phantom load taking a daily bite out of my wallet. So now I am looking around at what I can apply my 4-plug mechanical timer on...hmmm, I'll find something I'm sure and it will feel at least as good. A little strength in an ordinary day is just what the doctor ordered. By the way the timer cost me less that $5.00.

-TODD

Getting it right and SHARING it!

Well I have been playing around with the idea of adding media to the blog. So far I have come up with some ideas and the best seems to be video. I tried over the past weekend to video a wild deer to add to a blog post about nature and finding food in it, but the quality is so bad that you can only tell it is a deer for about 30 seconds and It is apparently a buck for about 10 seconds. The video is from my phone which takes excellent images but leaves something to be desired as a motion picture camera. My thought here is that I can share more through the use of video but if the video is poor so will the message be, so I will be using a Nikon coolpix that I have available to me until I fund a camera...MADE IN AMERICA of course. The Nikon while owned in Japan and made in China is free for my use so that is where I will start. Look forward to some cool videos covering the topics from the blog to be coming up as well as some garden images, the garden images will be up when the storms pass and I can take them. I am very excited to add this feature and hope that I can document some strong ideas. The strength of one life is compounded by bringing that strength to others.

-TODD

A chance to be stronger

Well Hurricane Isaac has said what it has to say to South Florida. Plenty of rain and a little wind damage, but all in all we made it through without major incident. I was proud to be able to help out a few people while all of this was going on, and even more inspired to see others doing the same. Remember that when situations arrive that offer us the opportunity to be of obvious help to our neighbors, those are our opportunities to grow as a community and to develop connections with our friends and neighbors that will bind us together for a lifetime. Be a good neighbor and a strong part of your community.

-TODD

Finding my Strength in Nature

Tonight I am headed out to the swamp to do some scouting. In much the same way as I grow my own food for the table, I love to bring my own meat in from the wild and serve it for my family. The time I spend out this weekend is an investment in achieving that goal and something that I look forward to every year. Just like anything else I will get out of this season what I put into it, and no, I do not always get a deer, pig, or whatever I may be chasing at the moment but I do always get to experience the wild places that I love. So have a safe weekend everyone and stay strong, I'll be out where my heart is enjoying my favorite time of the year.

-TODD

Trial and error

My little garden is failing to produce to full capacity right now. Three of my largest containers have been dedicated to yellow crook-neck summer squash and the veggies are literally rotting off the plant as they grow. I can't help but smile though, I am marking this all down in my garden log and I know that if I plant them again I will know not to do so at this time of the year. I am learning and my skills are growing stronger because the plants are not producing. When I was a kid in school a teacher told the class that Thomas Edison was quoted as saying that he had not failed to create an electric light bulb, he had successfully determined 10,000 ways that would not produce the desired result. Looking back I recall that Mr. Edison did in fact develop from his trial and error the incandescent light bulb. If it worked for Mr. Edison it will work me so that is my thought for today, learn from planned successes as well as from those you did not intend and you will grow stronger.

-TODD

The source of my strength

I have long believed that planning and setting goals has been the secret to my success. I am not a multi-millionaire living in a mansion on a hill smoking a cigar and drinking brandy every day, I am a young man who works hard and loves my family. Having goals written down where I can refer to them and put them into my planner help me to see the progress I am making, and to count the blessings I may otherwise overlook. True success for me is measured in the happiness I can find everyday after all is said and done the days I live are the building blocks of my entire life. My goals allow me to measure progress and give me something clear and meaningful to do. One of my goals is to be well read, so I make a point to read everyday about the other subjects in my goal list. Since I am reading I am accomplishing a goal and I am reading something that will help me to realize another. I am always working on something and it helps me to see results if I have it all planned out. That is one of the sources of my strength and can be a true source of continuing happiness.

-TODD

10%

Throughout my life I have heard people say you have to give 100%, some even say 110%. I say you should give 10%, 10% for wealth and you give it to yourself. If your paycheck is $500.00 per week then take $50.00 every week and put it away where it can earn you some interest. I am not advocating that you try to become the next stock picking mogul, there are plenty of long term options for investing your money that will pay out when you are ready to retire. I recommend starting with a guaranteed investment in U.S. Bonds Click the link and you go directly to the Treasury department's website no brokerage fees and no guessing, you know what you will get right up front. If that isn't your cup of tea, try out a well established mutual fund or one of my personal favorites an IRA with a targeted retirement account or whole market fund. However you start, do it! You will never get anywhere financially if you don't pay yourself and remember your investments need a regular income to grow. I look forward to retirement, not becoming inactive but being able to work on what I want to work on, now that is the kind of strength I am talking about!

-TODD

And the Orchard grows!

I just added a Plum pit to the refrigerator pack. The refrigeration time is about the same as for the cherries so the timing felt right. So far the fruit tree preparations are quite exciting, I will post as things progress and for the first time I will post photos!

-TODD

Patience is a virtue

I am back to starting trees from seeds. I am trying the Peach pit again as well as some cherries. The mistake I made with the peach last time was that I destroyed the seed while opening the pit, I sought out some advice and found that I can let it dry for a week or so then use a bench vise to open the pit without risk of damage to the seed. A little time has passed and now I have a better understanding. Now for the real test of patience...the cherries. I am starting some cherries which involves letting them refrigerate in a baggy with moist paper towel for about 10 weeks, then planting the seeds in good soil 1/2" deep, then you only have to wait 7 years for the cherries! This will definitely test the strength of my patience, but what a reward! I may in fact put some of these trees out in the wild for the critters to eat and for me to share. I could just buy some trees and I may do that but I am looking forward to the satisfying reward of eating a cherry that I grew from seed and cared for over such an extended period. I will let you know how it is going and in a few years I'll tell you how they taste.

-TODD

Pass on the Strength

Tomorrow my wife and I are lucky enough to host my nephew at our home in Florida. This is a case for celebration anytime, but I am even more excited that I get to share with him some of the gardening practices that I use. You see, he has become interested in growing food as has his mother, my sister. So not only do my wife and I get to enjoy his company and use his presence as an excuse to have a great time for four days but I get to pass on a legacy to my family that will feed, entertain them and keep them in good health for years to come. There is an old gardener's riddle that says "anyone can count the seeds in an apple but who can count the apples in a seed." I think that this very much applies to passing on the heritage of growing your own sustainable food sources, for the rest of his life my nephew will be able to produce food from the seeds in an apple. That isn't just strong, that's powerful!

-TODD

Protect your assets

Remember that your assets (the things you own) are worth protecting. I recommend taking pictures of everything you have that is worth more than $100.00 and storing it digitally on a sky drive or a fire safe (both would be even better.) In addition I recommend that you make color photocopies of every ID, Credit card and debit card you have and storing these somewhere safe also. Don't forget to document your paper assets while you are at it, this includes; car titles, deed to the house, investments, etc. Not only can this exercise give you great peace of mind by giving you a reference in the event of a fire, flood, robbery, etc. you will also have an opportunity to go through your possessions and decide what is valuable enough to keep, what is worth selling or donating, and of course what needs maintenance. Maintaining you valuables is another great way to protect them from deterioration and ultimately from needing replacement. When you are photographing your valuables remember that for electronics and firearms getting serial numbers is extremely important. I find that the practice of protecting my assets gives me a strong sense of peace. I hope it does the same for you.

-TODD

Strength in Positivity

When I started making posts on this blog I knew that the one thing I wanted to do was to focus only on the positive with the intent of improving my life and that of all of the Americans that I can. Some of that improvement will come from things that I do directly, some from encouraging others to do for themselves. Sometimes I will post things that you have heard about but not understood, some posts are new ground and others are old territory that just needs to be gone over again. The one thing you will not find here is negativity, I just find that I do better for myself when I focus on positivity and on progress. I do read comments, so if there is anything that you would like covered or just clarified please let me know and I will be glad to share, just keep it positive and keep it strong.

-TODD

A gift that keeps on giving

On of my colleagues has been helping me to have time to eat my lunch for months. You see in my line of work a break is only as long as you can go without being called to respond. My associate, we'll call her T.C. Gilcreif, has repeatedly made herself available to respond while I eat. That kind of gesture cannot go unanswered. Since T.C. is very much into growing her own food, I decided that I should start a tree for her. My first thought was a white flesh peach tree which should grow well in our area, unfortunately I shattered the seed when I tried to crack the pit. So now we are on to an avocado tree. This tree is exceptionally east to start and will produce years of healthy food for her family. Since I have never started an avocado tree I went to to Hand Grown in California's website and got the ridiculously easy instructions. Not only do I get to show my appreciation to a friend, I am learning a skill that will last me the rest of my life and that I can share with my friends and family. A strong gift that we all can benefit from.

-TODD

Putting in the effort

I have noticed lately that giving up seems to be cool now. I was fixing a fan the other day and someone told me that the fan was old and not worth it, the repair did not work. The same person told me that, "Well at least you tried." I took it down and worked on it some more, still didn't work. I was told, "I can get another one from work, we have a few sitting around, you don't need to do all of that." Finally I took it down and overhauled it and redid all of the wiring. Works like a charm! For some reason not putting in any effort and giving away money seem to be the way to go now, I offer that we are headed down the wrong path, the path to incapability and poverty. I will be posting recipes and projects on the blog that are things I have worked out on my own through trial and error so that you can take those things and do them for yourself. If someone tells you it is easier to buy it already done or have someone else do it for you then you know you are on your way to being a Stronger American.

-TODD

Turn waste into food

Everyday we throw away; coffee grounds, grass clippings, egg shells, banana peels, etc. If you take these things, basically anything organic, and put them aside rather than in the trash you can pile them into a compost that will produce the best soil available. All you need to do is try and mix green colored waste and brown colored waste evenly and spray a little water in the mix. If you go back about once a week to mix it up with a garden rake or pitchfork and re-wet the pile you are well on your way. The time it takes to turn into humus rich soil will depend on your climate and the waste you use. Like all things that go into or come out of your garden the first time it will seem to take a while, then before you know it you will have top quality garden soil every time you turn around. One little trick-when you have a pile that is as big as you can turn by yourself with a rake or fork start another so the work does not get to be too much. If you want you can create a bin of sorts with old pallets to keep it neat, but that is not required just heap it high. Not only will this help you to produce better veggies without chemical fertilizer it will also save you money if you pay by the load for trash haul-away or even if you just pay for your bags. A strong healthy garden starts with strong fundamentals.

-TODD

P.S. if you are interested in using a pre-made bin or making your own check out Blue Grass Garden's composting page

Brighten my day

Let's talk again about strengthening your personal economy by making a small change around the house. I want to talk about lighting. A standard incandescent bulb is only 10% efficient, that means that 90% of your lighting bill goes to heating rather than illumination. If you live somewhere warm like I do that is double trouble since I then have to turn around and spend more in A/C to cool off the heat my lights are producing. Most people have heard over the last ten or so years that high efficiency compact florescent bulbs conserve energy, that is true, but nothing and I mean nothing is as efficient as an LED. LED bulbs are now much more affordable and available than ever with many brands MADE IN THE U.S.A., and you know nothing makes me happier that saving money, being responsible and supporting American Businesses. Check out 1-800bulbs.com, LEDWaves.com, or just go to Home Depot or your locally owned hardware store and buy them off the shelf, I have found them for as little as $10.00. Please remember to look for the Made in U.S.A. logo and enjoy the strong savings and cooler atmosphere in your home.

-TODD

Strength in numbers

I have a good friend whom I have worked with for years, he constantly tells me that he can't find anything made in America. In order to spur the American economy into further growth we all need to do what we can to help it along, this includes recruiting new shoppers for american made goods. My friend constantly gives me the opportunity to share american made products and resources, so I do. Check out Findamericanproducts.com on Facebook this is where I send people, including my friend ,who are looking to shift their spending to this side of the pond. Please feel free to recommend this site to anyone you know who wants to create more American jobs, also if you have any good resources on this topic please share them by making a comment to this post. Remember that there is strength in numbers and the more of us spending here rather than in China or elsewhere the stronger our economy grows.

-TODD

Did it myself

I am up for trying anything to keep my money out of the hands of major corporations (especially foreign ones.) Recently I came upon a recipe for homemade laundry detergent and saved it to try. Well, today is D-day for the detergent and it works so well I figured I had better share it. 1 bar shaved Fels-Naptha soap, 1 bar Zote soap, 3 cups Arm and Hammer washing soda, 3 cups Borax. Just a note; next time I think I will use three bars of Fels-Naptha rather than one of each (Zote bars are twice as big,) i just like the texture of Fels-Naptha better. Mix or shake it up and use 2 Tablespoons per load it even works in HE front loaders because it is a low sudsing formula. Average estimated cost per load is only $0.07 compared to over $0.50 for most commercially made detergents, and like I said I am only posting because it worked so well. Strength of personal economy, and another skill!

-TODD

Strength in Marriage

My beautiful wife and I are celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary today. I know that this is still just the beginning of the road for us, and yet we have already come so far together. Good times and bad, sickness and health. When I made my vows to my wife I meant it, I still mean it. The strength I find in my marriage helps too carry me through tough times and is my most valued possession in the best of times. I truly am a stronger American because of my wife.

-TODD

A stronger Economy starts at home...with the home

I know that a lot of Americans are still struggling financially and even if you are not here are a few tips to keep cash in your bank account rather than going to the utility companies. Insulation, everyone knows it will keep you warm in the winter, it will also keep you cool in the summer. A properly insulated home will reduce utility expenses by keeping in the air temperature you are paying to create either through heating or A/C. Make sure that you follow safety precautions when installing insulation by wearing respirators and applying vapor barriers as recommended to avoid mold problems.

Now that you have a well insulated home it is time to look at environmental losses through drafts, your insulation won't do you a bit of good however if your home is victim to drafts from being poorly sealed. Take some time to examine windows which can account for up to 60% of drafts in the home as well as tops and bases of standing walls. Seal up those areas that have any gaps at all, then go up to your attic or crawl space and seal off the tops of those walls since almost every wall has penetrations for plumbing electric etc. filling and sealing the tops will help to hold in the climate your hard earned money goes to create. When you are ready to invest some money into your home for long term savings these are great places to start, but remember there is always more you can do i.e.; door sweeps insulated doors, etc. use your imagination and some good old-fashioned elbow grease and watch the savings pile up. there will definitely be more on this topic soon!

-TODD

What have I been up to

Well this is one heck of a list; My wife and I have been working on acquiring some land (home ownership strengthens communities,) I have entered into talks to purchase a small business (Small businesses are the strength of our economy,) I have been growing as much of my own food as possible (veggies make me strong.) More than anything I have been educating myself reading just about everything I can on self-sufficiency and homesteading as possible. If these topics interest you check out "Self sufficiency for the 21st century" (that link will take you to the Author's homepage) 21st (that link goes to Amazon to buy the book,) and "Country Wisdom and Know How" (that link also goes to Amazon.) Have fun reading!

-TODD

Sorry I have been away so long, I am back at it again trying to be strong and share what I can. Please check out the new links!