Everything You Need To Know About Raising Baby Chicks On A Budget (VIDEO)

Baby chicks…they’re adorable, fluffy, and incredibly delicate!  Despite their fragility, they’re actually pretty simple to raise. If you have some outdoor space and live in an area where it’s allowed, fresh eggs and meat (if you’re interested in that) can easily be yours!

This week’s self-reliance strategies are all about getting started with baby chicks.

I don’t have 20 years of experience with baby chickens, but I’m now on my 4th batch of them.  Each new batch has been more successful than the one before.  Just like any other new skill, it works best if you simply find a reliable guide, plunge in, and learn “on the job.”  Below, we’ll talk about how to get started on the most adorable hobby around. Trust me – anyone can do this! This article is long, but it contains basically everything you need to know to get started raising baby chicks.

Before you start

We’ve all read about the war on self-reliance. It seems like feeding yourself is becoming increasingly illegal. People are forced to rip out thriving front-yard vegetable gardens, raw milk is illegal in many states, and some states require an “egg handler’s license” before you can sell, give away, or otherwise distribute fresh eggs. We’ve come a long way from the days when being self-reliant was seen as your patriotic duty.

Because of this, if you live in an urban or suburban area, be sure to check the bylaws before bringing your birds home. Often, you can find information on this forum about your town’s specific chicken bylaws.

It would be irresponsible to recommend breaking the law, of course. *coughs* I’ve heard that although chickens aren’t exactly stealth animals, sometimes if you pay protection in eggs, neighbors will look the other way as long as there are no roosters crowing at 4 am or hens enjoying their rosebushes as an afternoon snack. Discretion is the better part of valor, to borrow a phrase from Shakespeare.

I really love having a source of organic meat and eggs in my own backyard. Don’t be intimidated! I started as a total newbie just about a year ago, and thanks to the internet, my personal library, some knowledgeable friends, and the motivation to try out a new skill, we’re now successfully producing protein for ourselves. If I can do this, you can do this. Don’t wait until after a disaster to get started. It took the better part of a year before I had a reliable source of food from my chickens.

Where to get your baby chicks

Baby chicks are everywhere at this time of year. You can get yours mailed to you from a reputable hatchery (that’s where my current flock of 25 Freedom Ranger babies came from) or you can pick yours out at your local feed store. (That’s where I got most of last year’s babies.) Sometimes you can even buy older chicks which are closer to laying age and out of the fragile stage. (I got 3 Barred Rock girls that way last year, too.)

Here are some articles that go into more detail about acquiring your fluffy new babies.

How to Order Hatchery Chicks

Where to Buy Baby Chicks

Mail Order Chicks and Delivery Options

However you get them, it’s very likely that the baby chicks are only going to be a couple of days old when you get them home.  Like any newborn, they’re exceptionally fragile.  You may lose a few. It’s very sad when this happens, but most of the time, it isn’t your fault. Sometimes there is a physical issue with the chick that doesn’t allow it to survive, sometimes they get sick, and sometimes an accident occurs. (They’re prone to drowning in their water, for example, but we’ll talk about precautions.)

What supplies do you need before bringing them home?

Before you bring your babies home, you need to have a few things on hand. Here is my own list of must-haves.

A Brooder

Mine is very similar to this one, but I had someone local build it for me.  We keep it in the laundry room for the first week if it’s cold outside, then on the porch, then we move it out to the coop. The good thing about using something like this as a brooder is that it can pull double duty as your infirmary if you ever need to separate a sick or injured chicken from the flock.

I plan to raise chickens for meat a couple of times per year, which makes a permanent brooder a good investment for me.  Here’s my brooder out on our back deck.

However, if you are just raising a few backyard laying hens and not planning to raise new chickens every year, you don’t have to go crazy expensive. Below, you can find some really awesome DIYs.

Here’s one you can make for less than $12!

Before I got my big brooder, I made one similar to this, except I didn’t fasten the hardware cloth to the top. I cut the hardware cloth bigger than the opening of the Rubbermaid container where it would hang down over the edges, and simply snapped the lid with the hole cut out on top of it. I’m all about the shortcuts and not always the handiest soul around.

Here are more articles about a brooder set-up.

Build a DIY Brooder Box

This link has some videos about incubating eggs and brooding the chicks once they hatch.

How We Brood Chicks (there’s another really cool DIY brooder in this article.)

A heat source

Baby chicks must stay warm, or they’ll die. If they were being raised by their mama, they would huddle underneath her to stay cozy. Since you are the mama, and if you sat on them it wouldn’t end well for anybody involved, you have to go with other methods. The least expensive way to keep them warm is by using a standard heat lamp and a red bulb. A red bulb is recommended instead of a white one so that the chicks sleep better.  This is the method that I have used for all my chicks.

But please use extreme caution when heating this way. Many a tragedy has started with a heat lamp. I had a near fire from one out in a wooden chicken coop my first year raising chicks. Luckily, I caught it just as it began smoking, but it could have been a disaster. It can’t be touching anything flammable or meltable, nor can it be too close to the babies. Be sure to hang it in a way that the chicks can get away from the heat if they get too warm.

Another excellent heat source is the EcoGlow.  This piece of awesomeness has far less risk of fire or harm to the chicks but it costs a lot more than the standard heat lamp. A friend of mine owns one and it’s a really great method of brooding chicks. You can raise it up as they grow, allowing more room underneath.

Invest in a cheap digital thermometer so you don’t have to guess about the temperature in the brooder. Here’s the rundown on the minimum temps the babies need:

Week 1:  95-100 degrees

Week 2: 90-95 degrees

Week 3: 85-90

Week 4: 80-85

Once they’re fully fledged (that means they have all their feathers instead of just fluff) they can handle lower temperatures.

Aside from a thermometer, here’s how you can tell if the temperature is right in the brooder.

If they’re all huddled together and making a lot of noise it means they’re cold and distressed.

If they’re spread far apart, lethargic, and panting, they’re too hot.

If they’re active, randomly spread out, and making happy little peeping noises, they’re just right.

My dog paid an unnerving amount of attention to the baby chicks in their brooder under the heat lamp.

Bedding

I use wood shavings for bedding, but you can also use straw. Be sure not to get something artificially scented, as this can cause respiratory problems for the delicate babies.

For the first couple of days, I put paper towels on top of the bedding so I can see their poop. See the section on health issues for the reason why.

Feeders and waterers

You’ll need some containers for feeding and watering your babies.

First, a note. Baby chicks are adorable, but they’re messy and they poop everywhere. That includes in their food and water containers. Initially I don’t like to use an open bowl for feeding for this very reason.  It doesn’t seem to bother them much, but ew.

I have a couple of different feeders for the littles.

These are awesome because they are inexpensive and they simply screw on the bottom of a regular mouth quart jar. The jars can easily be sanitized in the dishwasher afterward. (They’re less than $5 at the time of publication.)

I also have one of these. I had so many chicks in my last batch that I had to set out 3 feeders for them to be certain everyone got something to eat.

For water, it’s really important to note that a lot of baby chicks die from drowning. It’s heartbreaking to see (thankfully it hasn’t happened to us!) There are two ways to avoid this.

#1.  First, you can get a water container that doesn’t have enough room for them to fall in and die. I like the kind that you screw on to the bottom of a mason jar. You can also get them in plastic but it’s only a few cents less.  You’ll have to fill these several times throughout the day, depending on how many chicks you have.

#2. You can use a bigger one-gallon water dispenser, but line the trough area with pebbles. this way, they can still get a drink but there isn’t room for them to fall in and be unable to get out. You will only have to do this for a week or so before they’re too big to fall in.

I like to raise the water dispenser up just a little bit to keep it from getting filled with bedding. The bedding can soak up the water like a sponge, leaving you with thirsty babies. You can use just about anything to raise it up. I have a couple of pieces of scrap wood beneath my waterers.

What to feed baby chicks

There are several different types of food on the market for baby chicks. You can get some inexpensive starter, but you probably aren’t giving your chicks the best beginning with it. It’s like feeding them fortified cereal. Instead of food with actual nutrients, the nutrients are artificially added to a stripped product. They’ll probably survive, but they won’t be as healthy as chicks fed a better quality of food.

The next debate is whether or not to give them medicated feed. Some people swear by giving them medicated feed for the first few weeks of their lives, claiming that all of the medication will be out of their systems by the time you consume the eggs (or the chickens if you’re raising them for meat.)  It provides them with an immunity to coccidiosis.

Many people are raising chickens to provide them with organic eggs or meat at a better price. If that is your goal, you’ll want to go with an organic food. This starter is a high quality organic product at a reasonable price.

Another option is GMO-free feed if you aren’t worried about strictly organic. It’s a good happy medium between the low-quality “Doritoes” chicken feed and the expensive organic feed. You can usually find a good quality GMO-free crumble at your local feed store.

I always start out with crumble, which is coarsely ground, and as they get bigger, I mix the crumble with the pellets. I like pellets because there is far less waste. I also like to supplement them with fresh fruits and vegetables. However, if you are supplementing them, be sure to provide a little dish of grit to help with their digestion.

Baby chick health issues

Obviously, prevention is key. One great way to prevent illness in your chicks is to add 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar to a gallon of water. (Get the good kind with the mother – the cheap stuff does absolutely nothing.) You can also get those little packets of probiotics to add to their water, but mine have been just fine with the ACV.

Coccidiosis: Remember how I said I put paper towels over the bedding for the first few days? That’s so I can check their poop. It’s important to check that on a daily basis. You’re looking for anything bloody. ( Turn off the red heat light if you’re using one because you can’t see bloody stool under a red light.) If you see anything with even a tinge of blood, you need to act immediately. This is a symptom of coccidiosis.

It’s not difficult to treat. Although this medication is labeled for use with calves, it can be used for baby chicks if you water it down sufficiently, as per my local feed store. Add 2 teaspoons of Corid to a gallon of water. They’ll generally consume enough if they aren’t too sick to drink.

Here’s an article with more information about coccidiosis in poultry.

Pasty butt: I lost several chicks in my first flock to pasty butt and it absolutely broke my heart. This is evident when their vent gets sealed shut with poop. If it becomes clogged, the waste backs up in the chick’s system and they can’t pass their waste. It’s essential during the first week or two after bringing them home to check everyone’s bottom on a twice daily basis. If there is a little clump of poo on the bottom, you have to act.

You will have to very gently remove the clump on their bottoms. BE CAREFUL. Just pulling on it can actually disembowel the poor baby. Also, you need to be certain it’s the vent and not the umbilical stump.

This video shows you how to clean the chick’s bottom.

This article gives you more information about pasty butt.

This article discusses a variety of chicken illnesses and symptoms.

How to raise your new babies.

So…you’ve got your babies home. They’re safely ensconced in the brooder. What now?

You need to keep them fed, watered, and warm. That’s about it!

• I free feed my chicks and try to make sure there is always food available for the first month or two.


• There should always be fresh water in the coop or brooder.


• Keep the temperature at the right range for their ages.


• Handle them briefly and gently a couple of times per day so they get used to you. It’s much easier to raise them if they aren’t terrified of the giant human.


• Check their bottoms 2x  a day for signs of pasty butt. (You can do this while you handle them.)

These excellent resources can help you learn more about raising your baby chicks.

My absolute favorite resource is this course which teaches you how to raise them naturally even if you’re on a budget. It’s fantastic!

Here are some articles and books:

Chickens from Scratch

How to raise baby chicks naturally

Chickens: Naturally Raising a Sustainable Flock

Raising Day Old Chicks

How to Get Ready for New Baby Chicks

9 Things You Need for Starting Baby Chickens

Introducing the Chickens

Raising Baby Chicks

Raising chicks for meat? There are a few differences

This time around, I’m raising chickens for meat instead of for eggs. Since this is a first for me, I did a bit of research. While the basics are the same, there are some breed differences of which you should be aware. These articles can help you.

Getting Started with Meat Chickens

8 Pounds in 8 Weeks: Raising Day Old Chicks for the Dinner Table

When they’re big kids…

Once they graduate from the brooder, it is time to introduce them to the rest of the flock. This can entail some bloodshet, so you need to be careful and supervise them well.

My most recent batch of chicks was housed in a dog kennel inside the coop with the Bigs. We had an awful storm the other night and the kennel began to flood. I had no option but to mix the flocks immediately, and fortunately it went well. That was, in part, because they were already accustomed to one another through the safe barrier of the kennel.

Here is an article about introducing baby chicks to your flock

Why should you raise your own chickens?

First, let me get on my animal-lover soapbox for a minute. The poultry and egg industries are enough to make you sick – both physically and emotionally.

More and more information is coming to light about the horrible mistreatment of the birds that provide us with meat and eggs. It’s enough to make a carnivore turn vegan. Even if you don’t care about the well-being of the animals, don’t even get me started on the food safety risks or raising animals the way that they do. If the creatures you consume for sustenance are ill then how can you expect to be healthy when you eat them? If they must be on antibiotics their entire tortured lives to survive, then is this really something you want to feed your family?

If you want more details, here is a horrifying, graphic article about the chicken industry. (No, it’s not by PETA – it’s by a friend who eats meat.)  If you aren’t choosy about the chicken and eggs you purchase, you are, by default, endorsing this horrific abuse. *climbs off soap box*

If you can’t or won’t raise your own chickens, please, please consider finding a local farmer who raises his or her animals the traditional way and buy from them. Your business means a lot to them, and voting with your dollars is the only way to make Big Agri change their horrific practices.

On to more positive reasons.

When you raise your own chickens, you learn first-hand where your food comes from. You know what your birds ate, that they are healthy, that they haven’t been given risky supplements or medications, and that they were treated humanely.  Unfortunately, the labels at the grocery store are basically meaningless, with the exception of “pasture-raised.”  That’s a lot closer to what folks envision when they think about ethically raised poultry.

It’s also very economical to raise your own chickens. Have you checked out the price for organic, pasture-farmed eggs recently? Ouch!  My hens eat about $20 worth of food per month and spend their days controlling the bugs and weeds for me. In return, I end up with 3-4 dozen eggs per week. Now, we can’t eat all of those eggs, but they are lovely gifts for friends without farms, and our Great Pyrenees loves them as a delightful addition to his dinner.

I get a lot of joy seeing my goofy hens frolic around the backyard. Each one has a distinct personality, and because they were hand raised, they’re all pretty friendly. If I walk out into the yard, I’m instantly surrounded by happy, feathered friends.  My laying hens are like pets that provide us with eggs.

Questions or comments?

If you are a veteran chick raiser, please provide your best tips below! If you are new to chickens, let me know what’s holding you back from starting your own flock! Do you have any questions that I might be able to help with? I hope this article encourages you to take the plunge!

 

The post Everything You Need To Know About Raising Baby Chicks On A Budget (VIDEO) appeared first on The Sleuth Journal.

Grow A Week’s Worth Of Livestock Feed For Pennies! (VIDEO)

Over the last few years, prices for livestock feed has steadily risen for various reasons, making it more difficult to feed our chickens the organic diet we prefer they have. In order to cut costs, we looked into creating a fodder system that would sprout seeds such as wheat, barley, oats, clover, dandelion, alfalfa, sunflower seeds and corn.

Similar to sprouting seeds for our own nutritional benefit, we wanted to do the same for our livestock. 1 pound of seed can grow up to six or 7 pounds of fodder thus providing you with more nutrient dense food for your livestock. Sprouts provide the highest amount of vitamins, minerals, proteins and enzymes of any food per unit of calorie. Enzymes are essential because they heal the body, cleanse the body, prevent diseases, enhance general functioning of bodily organs, aid in digestion, and remove gas from the stomach. This will help your livestock stay healthier in the long run and give them a natural diet in the process. Of course the increase in these wonderful benefits varies grain to grain.

Fodder Cuts Your Livestock Feed Prices in Half

All livestock animals can benefit from a fodder-rich diet. Creating a fodder system for small livestock such as goats, rabbits and chickens can be maintained on a small scale. They will love this green treat and you will love how economic it is compared to buying large bags of livestock feed on a monthly basis. You can literally cut your feed bill in half by growing fodder!

Before you begin growing fodder, make sure you know how much seed to start in order to properly feed your livestock. Further, transitioning your livestock off its current diet will ensure their stomachs get used to the new diet. According to an article at Mother Earth News, “As any responsible animal or livestock caretaker, you will not only need to transition your animals onto fresh fodder, you will need to monitor their growth and maintenance rates to keep them in a healthy condition while you get used to feeding fodder. Some animals will also require roughage or mineral supplements.” Please only use these amounts as a guide:

• Horse: 2-3 percent of their body weight in fodder; 1.5% body weight in dry hay


• Beef Cow: 2-3 percent of their body weight in fodder; barley straw ration


• Dairy Cow: 3-5 percent of their body weight in fodder; barley straw ration


• Sheep: 2-3 percent of their body weight in fodder; hay ration


• Goat: 2-3 percent of their body weight in fodder; mineral and hay rations


• Dairy Goat: 3-5 percent of their body weight in fodder; mineral and hay rations


• Alpaca: 2-3 percent of their body weight in fodder; hay ration


• Pig: 2-3 percent of their body weight in fodder


• Rabbit: 3-5 percent of their body weight in fodder; hay ration for roughage


• Chicken: 2-3 percent of their body weight in fodder; grit and calcium supplements

5 Easy Steps to Growing Fodder

Here’s what you need to make a simple fodder system for a small farm:

• 20 Black seedling trays with plastic domes, plastic containers or disposable aluminum pans


• Bulk amount of seeds you plan to sprout. Ensure these are untreated, feed grade seeds that are whole grain


• Water


• Sunny window


• Spray bottle or watering can


• PVC pipe for titling trays

Instructions:

1. Gather the seeds you want to sprout and soak them in water overnight.


2. In the morning, drain the seeds and cover with a plastic cover. Place them in the sprouting trays in a sunny location.


3. Water up to 3 times a day – never allowing the seeds to dry out.


4. By day 7, the roots of the seeds will have intertwined and you will be able to peel the fodder out of the pan.


5. Repeat as often as needed.

This video shows a great way of creating a weeks worth of feed for livestock using a shelving unit, plastic bins and cut PVC pipe.

Additional Notes on Growing Fodder:

• Growing fodder requires certain temperatures in order to grow properly. Plan on fodder growing between 65-75 degrees F.


• Water up to three times a day.


• Do not reuse your water as this can pass food borne illnesses to trays.


• You want to avoid feeding your chickens dry beans as they contain toxins. Here are some other foods to avoid feeding your chickens.


• Fodder is usually finished growing in 7-8 days.


• Get seed from local feed store or grain mill or a local co-op


• When sprouted grains are 6-7 inches high, they are ready to be harvested and fed to livestock.


• Mold and fungus growth can be a problem. Sterile equipment, a low humidity environment, good temperature regulation, clean water, and good air circulation can all help avoid mold and fungus problems. A one percent bleach solution can be used to wash the grains prior to the initial soaking. This will pre-sterilize the seed.

Creating your own fodder system is an economic solution to ensuring your livestock receives a well-rounded diet. Best of all, the upkeep is minimal at best and you don’t use as much feed using this feeding process. This nutrient dense diet will keep your animals healthier and happier in the process, thus reducing vet bills. Keep these tips in mind and create an ever growing fodder system for your livestock.

Additional Resources:

DIY Sprouted Fodder For Livestock

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No Yard? No Problem! You Can STILL Grow Food!

Everyone is talking about growing their own food. Lots of people are starting backyard gardens, filling pots on balconies and patios, and even starting little farms in the suburbs.

But not everyone has outdoor space. What if you are living in an apartment and have no place to even put a pot for a tomato plant? Does this mean you are completely at the mercy of other people if you want fresh food?

No!  There are quite a few things you can do to produce your own food, even without a backyard or patio.

Here are two solutions that will work for nearly anyone, anywhere.

Windowsill garden

If you have a sunny windowsill, you can grow herbs and greens. Plants with shallow root systems can thrive in a small pot.

• Garlic Greens: Plant individual cloves of garlic, pointy side up.  Once they grow, you can snip off the greens and use them like chives or green onion tops.


• Microgreens: In a shallow tray filled with about 2 inches of damp potting soil, sprinkle seeds like radish, kale, Swiss chard, beet, basil, and dill. Add a thin layer of soil on top of the seeds. Place them in a sunny window, but a cool place (about 70 degrees Fahrenheit) and mist them with water once or twice per day.  Harvest when they are about 2 inches tall by snipping off the leaves with scissors. (Leaving the roots intact will allow for more harvests in the future)


• Green Onions:  Plant green onions in a shallow pot. Place them in a sunny windowsill and keep them evenly watered. When the plant is about 4-6 inches tall, they can be harvested in full, including the white bulb at the bottom.


• Lettuce: Lettuce seeds require similar conditions to microgreens, but need to be planted a bit deeper and further apart.  Use a planter with good drainage and place holes about 4 inches apart. Sprinkle a few seeds in each hole. In about 3 weeks, thin the plants, leaving the largest seedling.  When it’s time to harvest, take the outer leaves only to allow for repeat harvests.


• Herbs: A warm, sun-filled window sill is the perfect habitat for herbs like chives, basil, rosemary, parsley, mint, and thyme. Look for pots with good drainage that are at least 6 inches deep.  Keep the herbs moist initially but after they’ve sprouted and begun to get leaves, they prefer slightly dryer soil.  Harvest by clipping the leaves on an as-needed basis.

Sprouting

Sprouting can take a dormant seed and turn it into a nutritional powerhouse in a couple of weeks.

In her book, The Pantry Primer, Daisy Luther explains how to sprout seeds:

Probably the very most common sprout container is a Mason jar with a screen over the top. However, this isn’t the simplest method.

There are inexpensive trays that are specially made for sprouting darned near anything successfully. My set up is a stack of trays that measure 5×6.  You can stack as many of them as you want to. 

The tray’s bottom is made of small holes for drainage. The process couldn’t be simpler.

• Rinse your seeds. Remove any little bits and pieces that aren’t seeds, like stems, twigs, pebbles, etc. (Think about rinsing beans before you soak them and pulling out the yucky bits– this is the same thing!)  Use a mesh sieve and rinse the seeds until the water runs clear.


• Soak your seeds. Generally, 1 part seeds to 3 parts water is a good ratio. Each type of seed has different soaking time requirements, so you’ll have to look this up based on what type of seeds you are sprouting. If you are getting this information online, it’s a good idea to write down your times and any special instructions on your seed container. Most seeds soak for 8-12 hours.


• Skim off floaters. If you have any seeds floating on top of the water, give them a gentle push to see if they sink down with their buddies. If they float back up to the top, skim them off and discard them.


• Rinse your seeds. Sprouting isn’t extremely high maintenance because the “crop” is small.  However, 2-3 times per day, you have to rinse your seeds.  This only takes a few minutes. Use cool water – not cold – just cool.  org recommends using high water pressure to oxygenate your seeds. I like the sprayer on my kitchen sink for this purpose. In very hot weather, use the coldest water that comes from your taps.


• Drain your seeds. It’s vitally important to drain your seeds well each time you rinse. Excess water will cause mold or mildew. I usually shake the seeds in their tray to remove as much water as I can.


• Let them sprout. For the next 3 days, continue rinsing and draining your seeds 2-3 times per day. Be sure to put them in a place with good circulation. Seeds need to breathe too.  If you can safely put them outside, they’ll get great circulation there. Mine live on the kitchen counter with the ceiling fan on.  Don’t close them up in a cupboard if you want an abundant crop of seeds.


• Photosynthesize your seeds. After 3 days of rinsing and draining, now it’s time for the fun part: watching them become green!  If you haven’t been exposing them to light, now is the time.  Don’t put them in hot, direct sunlight.  They only need a bit of indirect light. It doesn’t take much light at all for them to green right up. I’ve read that even fluorescent lighting will do the trick, but I always use sunshine.


• Continue rinsing and draining. You’ll continue the rinsing and draining process described above for 2-3 more days, at which point most of your sprouts will have sweet little green leaves.


• Remove the hulls. On the last day before harvesting your sprouts, you need to remove the seed hulls. The hull is the hard exterior of the seed that split open when the seed began to germinate. To remove them, put your mass of sprouts into a big bowl of cool water and loosen them up with your fingers.  The hulls will rise to the top and can be discarded or put on the compost pile.  Swoosh your sprouts around in the bowl to get all of the hulls out.


• Do one more rinse and drain cycle. Let your hull-less sprouts go through one more cycle before you harvest them


• Harvest and eat sprouts. Rinse the sprouts one last time and drain them very thoroughly before putting them in the refrigerator.  Put them in a closed container and eat them within 3-5 days.

What can be sprouted? Nearly anything, but especially delicious are beans, peas, radishes, broccoli, and grains, like barley, oats, and wheat.

Sprouted seeds are delicious eaten raw.  Top salads, sandwiches, and wraps with sprouts for a big bump in nutrition.

Bean sprouts are heavier and denser.  They stand up to light steaming and can be added to a stir-fry for the last couple of minutes over the heat.  Don’t overcook them or they will be gummy and unappetizing.

Sprouted grains can be steamed lightly, then topped with milk, fruit, and maple syrup for a hot breakfast. They can also be added to baked goods to increase the nutritional content.

Anyone can increase sustainability

Don’t let anyone tell you that you must have acreage in the country to increase your personal sustainability. As long as you’re creative and refuse to be discouraged, you’ll be surprised to learn how much of your own food you can produce anywhere you happen to hang your hat.

Do you grow food indoors? Share your ideas in the comments below to inspire others!

The post No Yard? No Problem! You Can STILL Grow Food! appeared first on The Sleuth Journal.

So Cold It Hurts: 6 Cold Weather Injuries and How to Deal with Them

It has been a few weeks since Snowmageddon hit the east coast. The northeast was struck especially hard. We had a “bomb cyclone” snow storm followed by blistering cold from a “polar vortex”. Temperatures were hovering in the single digits. The wind chill brought us well below zero for days. The time was ripe for cold weather injuries.

Plus, there were half-frozen waves flooding downtown Boston and surrounding towns. There was tons of property damage, and people trapped in their vehicles. Luckily, there were no major injuries from the flooding.

Winter brings its own special set of common injuries. Here is what you need to know to recognize, prevent, and treat a serious, cold-related injury.

Cold Weather Injuries

Think of exposure to cold in a similar way as to exposure to the sun. You can only take so much until eventually, the skin will burn (think freezer burn) and blister.

There are a number of common injuries that emergency rooms see each year when the temperature drops. These include:

• Chilblains


• Trench foot


• Frostnip


• Frostbite


• Hypothermia


• Heart attacks

These can be broken down into three types: non-frozen injuries, frozen injuries, and cardiovascular injuries.

Non-Frozen Injuries

Two common cold weather injuries are chilblains and trench foot. Both occur in cold, wet conditions and affect the extremities. Because moisture can wick away heat from the body, you can end up with chilblains or trench foot even in 60°F weather.

Chilblains

You come in from the cold and wet, knowing that you need to warm up. You wrap up in blankets, snuggle up to a wood stove or heater, and you start to feel better. Next thing you know, you have blisters forming on your extremities. This is chilblains.

Chilblains are the result of capillary injury in the toes, feet, earlobes, etc. Signs of this injury normally show up after the affected tissue has been rewarmed, even several hours afterward.

Thankfully, chilblains generally resolves itself at home without further interventions in about two weeks or less. Do not “pop” the blisters. Blisters are like a sterile bandage. As long as it is intact, there is no risk of infection.

Keep an eye on any open blisters and sores that may start to show signs of infection. If you notice signs of infection, such as redness, swelling, or pain, it’s time to see your doctor. In a down-grid situation, you could use herbs with antibiotic properties.

My personal preference is for Oregon grape root powder, echinacea powder, yarrow powder, and marshmallow powder in equal portions mixed with honey to make a paste. This would be applied to the wound, wrapped in gauze, and changed 3-4 times a day.

Trench Foot

Trench foot, as its name implies, affects the foot. While the symptoms are largely similar, trench foot is restricted to the foot, whereas chilblains can appear elsewhere. Trench foot can be more serious than chilblains and can develop into gangrene.

Symptoms, including discoloration (redness, blotchy appearance, paleness, and progressing to blue/black), itchiness, numbness, swelling, and blisters. Sometimes, the blisters can lead to open sores, which could lead to an infection.

Normally, trench foot should be seen by a medical doctor. If, however, this is a true SHTF scenario and there is no higher form of health care available, the buck stops with you. If you find yourself in this situation, keep the following in mind:

• Get the affected foot clean, dry, and warm as soon as possible.


• Rewarming can be done with warm water, preferably from 104°F to 106°F.


• Be careful not to use water that is too hot. The skin’s sensation will be decreased, and the injured person may not be able to tell if the water is too hot or not.


• Make sure to dry thoroughly when removing the foot from the water and keep warm.


• Wrap the feet with breathable gauze to let any foot sweat evaporate.


• Elevate the foot to reduce swelling.


• Apply a  salve made with warming herbs, like ginger and cayenne pepper to the feet to draw more circulation to the affected areas.


• Be aware that the renewed increase of circulation may cause some pain.


• Check the feet frequently for any signs of gangrene.

Frozen Injuries

Tissue freezes from the outside and works deeper into the tissue. There are two stages known as frostnip and frostbite.

Frostnip vs Frostbite

In the initial stage known as frostnip, the outer layers of tissue are frozen, and ill move over the soft, unfrozen tissue underneath.

Frostbite is when the tissue is frozen straight through.

Symptoms will be somewhat similar to chilblains and trench foot. Skin may turn red and blotchy with frostnip, then progressing to pale or grey with a waxy appearance, as well as numbness. If the tissue was completely frozen, the skin may begin to blister and/or turn black 2-4 days after thawing. A person with frostbite will become awkward and clumsy moving a body part with frostnip or frost bite.

Frostnip normally does not require special medical attention. The affected area is treated much the same as trench foot. Frostbite, however, is serious and requires medical treatment.

However, if no help is on the way, you need to know what you can do to minimize damage and risk of gangrene.

• Follow instructions for treating trench foot.


• Do NOT rub the frozen area to warm it up. You could break the body part right off.


• Do not defrost the tissue if there is a chance it could freeze again. The damage will be much worse.


• Be on the lookout for signs of hypothermia and gangrene.


• Consider adding more than only cayenne to help promote circulation. Other options would be a tincture combining cayenne, hawthorn, mistletoe, and ginger.

Hypothermia

While chilblains, trench foot, and frostbite are focused on the extremities, hypothermia is all about the core. Hypothermia is defined as body temperature dropping to 95°F. That’s just 3.6 degrees lower than normal body temperature.

Hypothermia is a medical emergency. It can result in shock, cardiac arrest, and coma, and it doesn’t take long to happen. What complicates matters is that hypothermia victims often do not recognize they are in distress because symptoms come on gradually. Often, children and outdoor enthusiasts may be enjoying themselves too much to notice their distress.

Signs of Hypothermia

Because hypothermia sets in gradually, you must be vigilant whenever you are out in the elements. Signals of hypothermia include:

• Shivering (the body’s attempt to stay warm)


• Lack of coordination


• Slurred speech


• Decreased respiration, heart rate, and blood pressure


• Impaired cognitive abilities


• Paradoxical undressing


• Drowsiness


• Terminal burrowing

Those most at risk are the elderly, children, those with medical conditions that inhibit the body’s ability to regulate temperature (hypothyroidism, diabetes, spinal injuries, burns, Parkinson’s, etc), people with mental illnesses (dementia, Alzheimer’s), as well as those who smoke and consume alcohol frequently.

If you have access to medical care, do not take risks with hypothermia. Get to a hospital.

If the medical system has collapsed, or if hospitals are at surge capacity due to some disaster, and all other forms of higher care are cut off, here are some things to keep in mind:

• Remove yourself or other person inside and away from the cold.


• Do not rub victim vigorously, and doing so could trigger cardiac arrest.


• Remove any wet clothing, and wrap the body with blankets.


• Use dry, radiant heat, such as sitting near a wood stove.


• Do not apply direct heat, as that could also trigger cardiac arrest.


• Use a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel across the back, chest, and groin area only! You must warm the core first, and worry about extremities later. This is important if CPR is needed at any point in your efforts.


• Use skin-to-skin body heat to warm up the core of the body.


• If you are outside with no indoor shelter, do not lay victim on the cold ground. Put a blanket (or two) down first.


• If victim has lost consciousness and has stopped breathing, and if you are trained, begin CPR.


• If the victim is conscious, encourage him or her to drink warming liquid. Warm water is fine, but plain. Herbal tea or chicken stock may help encourage more drinking.

Heart Attacks

Cold weather injuries are not just skin deep, but cardiovascular as well. Every winter, people die of heart attacks while out shoveling snow.

As we saw with hypothermia, cold temperatures will impact blood flow. Cold weather tends to thicken blood while also causing vasoconstriction. These two conditions increases the risk of heart attacks, especially with exertion. This is particularly true for those already at risk of a heart attack.

A heart attack is always a medical emergency. Here are some tips to prevent this from happening:

• Invest in some proper winter gear. You want to make sure you stay warm, but won’t be sweating. However, if you’re going to be shoveling, there’s no way to avoid sweating. For $200, I bought my husband a set of insulated Carhartt bib overalls and jacket. Under that, he wears a wool sweater, wool hat, and wool glove liners under his gloves, and wool socks. Why? Because wool will keep you warm even if it gets wet. He also has a moisture-wicking base layer.


• Either use a smaller shovel to lift smaller loads, or get a snow blower.


• Make sure you stay hydrated. You may not feel thirsty when it’s cold out. But, dehydration will thicken the blood. Avoid bringing a hot thermos of coffee outside with you. Coffee is dehydrating.


• Take frequent breaks. I know, you want to get the job done and get back inside. But, the key is to not overexert yourself.


• Stay fit all year long. This will help make lifting that shovel easier.


• If you have hypertension, get it under control now.

There is a lot of winter left to go. Prevention is worth a pound of cure. So, please stay warm, and dry. I want to see you get through this and every winter safely.

The post So Cold It Hurts: 6 Cold Weather Injuries and How to Deal with Them appeared first on The Sleuth Journal.

What Will You Eat When Your Garden Is A Flop?

I love growing my own vegetables. I spend many fulfilling hours outside every summer, tending to my plants, nurturing my soil, and babying things along, with the birds for music and a basket full of delicious organic food to show for it each day.

Except this year. This year, my garden is a flop.

Daisy’s 2015 garden catastrophe

It’s pretty embarrassing to admit on my own website that my garden is not doing diddly squat this year. I am normally pretty good at growing food (or just extraordinarily lucky) but this year, circumstances beyond my control have thrown up one challenge after another.  First of all, we moved July 1. I started my garden in containers, earlier in the summer, and then transplanted them into my lovely new fenced garden full of raised beds.

Only, the fences weren’t high enough, and unbeknownst to me, I had set up a deer buffet with a low hurdle. Garden #1, GONE. Decimated. Wiped out. And I didn’t even get venison in retribution.

So, I went and got some new plants and put them in. Better late than never. I deer-proofed and nurtured my soil and paid top dollar for plants that were a bit more advanced, since by now it was the first week of July.

And then a heatwave hit the day after I transplanted them. 107 degrees. Most of the plants withered immediately and no amount of TLC would bring them back.

I was determined that I would have at least SOME vegetables and bought even more plants. I added some shadecloth to protect them from the sun. I fed them some white sugar to help them recover from the transplant shock. They’re growing but not providing me with a whole lot of produce, for numerous reasons, including heat, a late timeline, and slightly low phosphorus in my soil.

Aggravating. I’m a wannabe farmer shopping at the farmer’s market to get my summer veggies. Not cool.

But, like everything in life, there’s a lesson here. It got me thinking about all of the folks whose master plan for survival is a big stockpile of seeds. While this is a very important part of a long-term self-reliance plan, there are some years, no matter how many silver bells and cockleshells you put out, your contrary garden just won’t grow.

It’s going to happen. One year, your gardening season is not going to live up to your expectations. Have you thought about what you’ll eat when your garden flops?

Troubleshooting a garden that is not thriving

I’ve written a lot about adaptability as a survival mechanism and this holds true with your vegetable garden as well.  When a major part of your survival plan is growing your own food, being able to identify and overcome issues with your plan is vital.

Experience. The number one key to troubleshooting your iffy garden is experience. Many people make a survival plan without any practical skills to back it up. Have you gardened before? Have you gardened in the area in which you intend to survive? If you haven’t, you aren’t going to be able to predict the pitfalls, like deer fencing that isn’t high enough, too much direct afternoon sun, not enough direct afternoon sun, etc.  This is the major reason for my gardening failure this year. All of this stuff is learned by (often painful) experience. Keep a gardening journal to help avoid repeating those mistakes and to keep track of trends, like late frosts, etc. So get out there and get dirty. No excuses. If you don’t do it now, you can’t expect to survive doing it.

Soil testing.  A huge part of successful gardening happens before you ever plant a seed. You need to know all about your soil so that you can amend it and provide the right foundation for growing. It’s best if you amend before planting but you can still have some success after the fact.  Every bit as important as your seeds is a soil-testing kit. Get a kit that tests for soil pH, nitrogen, phosphorus and potash content.  I like this kit because it has 10 tests for each substance. The price is very reasonable (it’s geared towards classroom instruction) so get a few for your stockpile. This way, if the S hits the F, you can still have access to the science that you need to troubleshoot  successfully.

Soil Amendments.  Once you’ve done your testing, you will need the supplies to amend your soil to optimum nutrient levels.  Find some books on DIY soil amendments and stock up on supplies that you might need to adjust where your soil is lacking. If your goal is gardening for survival, it’s very important to learn to amend your soil without a trip to the garden store. For example, blossom end rot is caused by a lack of calcium in the soil. This can be improved by adding milk to the roots of your plants, then deeply watering them, or making a tea from crushed eggshells. Learn about the safe management of manure, composting, and the use of cover crops.

Access to information.  Right now, we have the luxury of the internet. With the help of Google and YouTube, we can find the answers to nearly any gardening question we might have. But in a long-term survival situation, it won’t be that easy. It’s almost a guarantee that if you are in a scenario during which your vegetable garden is all that stands between you and malnutrition, you aren’t going to have access to the internet.

My bookcase is loaded with reference books on topics like gardening, herbalism, and other old-fashioned skills. Join me by going old school. Get yourself some well-reviewed gardening books. These are some of my very favorites:

Also, check out the highlighted links in the soil amendment section above for more excellent books. (Some of them are available for free on Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited program, but I strongly recommed hard copies of books that you find useful.)

Make sure you have back-ups for a bad season.

While my plan is to eventually be able to grow much of what we need for survival, I’m also prepared for a bad year. While the items above will help you through many gardening issues, there are some things that are completely beyond human control. Things like:

• Bad weather, either too hot, too cold, to rainy, or too dry


• Pests – who remembers that book in the Little House series where Pa’s fields were descended upon by a horde of hungry locusts?


• Natural disasters – wildfires, terrible storms, tornadoes – all of those can wipe out a garden

There’s absolutely nothing you can do about certain events. And that’s why you must have a Plan B. A stockpile of long-term food is essential for surviving when the deck is stacked against you.

There are numerous different ways to go about building your food supply (which I go over in my book, The Pantry Primer), but the basics are:

For more information, check out this article: 12 Strategies for Creating the Perfect Pantry.

Have you ever had a bad garden year?

This year, I’m very thankful that I have lots of homesteader friends and an excellent farmer’s market, as I navigate my new gardening environment. (You can find a local farmer’s market HERE.) I still have some stuff left over from last year’s harvest, and of course, my stockpile, but this year’s harvest is looking like it’s going to be disappointing.

As with any preparedness scenario, thinking through it ahead of time can help us maneuver through the situation more easily if it happens in the midst of a crisis. Have you ever had a similar bad gardening year? What are some of the causes I may not have covered? Pests? Weather? An act of nature? Were you able to overcome it, and if so, how did you do it?

Please share your answers in the comments below. You just might be resolving someone else’s garden issues!

Solar Eclipse MEANING

On Monday, August 21st, 2017, America will experience a Solar Eclipse unlike any since 1776, in that the path of “totality” (100% darkness, about seventy miles wide) will stay completely inside of the United States only.  As the America only eclipse of 1776 signified the birth of the “United States”, the America only eclipse of 2017 may conversely signify the country’s death.

According to fellow Sleuth Journal writer Michael Snyder, in 2008, a respected departed preacher by the name of John Paul Jackson, prophesied that a series of great calamities would come to America a decade after his vision of such, or in 2018.  If true, then the celestial “signs” are certainly pointing to such an occurrence.  Furthermore, seven years from now (seven being a significant Biblical number), in 2024, the United States will again experience a starkly similar solar eclipse.  In both cases, the path of the shadow of totality (total darkness) literally cuts the country in two.  On August 21, 2017, the first eclipse cuts America in two from Oregon to South Carolina, and on April 8, 2024, the second eclipse cuts America in two from Texas to Maine.

“A kingdom Divided cannot stand.”

(Mark 3:24 – Quoted by President Lincoln)

Is it merely a coincidence that this “X” falls at the very center of the New Madrid Fault Line, America’s largest, most deadly, and yet least known earthquake zone, just after the federal government’s completion of a $268 Million Dollar earthquake proofing of the I-40 bridge, the most important transportation link in the troubled area?  Additionally, two days after the first of these two eclipses, on August 23, 2017, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be conducting a critical drill called “Black Sky”, in which the scenario of a permanent blackout (due to nationwide electrical grid failure) will be implemented.  Not only has the government’s own infrastructure experts warned that such an event is inescapable due to unpredictable, yet inevitable, solar storms, the CIA’s own “predictive” (ESP/Prophecy) department has had its experts repeatedly warning them for the past several years that such a catastrophe is definitely in America’s near future.  (Why else would the government spend $268 Million Dollars on earthquake proofing a bridge, if they did not anticipate an earthquake in that precise location?)

Recent congressional studies of the consequences of a long term electrical outage in the Untied States are not pleasant.  As our society is so critically dependent upon electricity, from pumping fuel out of the storage tanks underneath the ground at gas stations into our trucks to transport essential food to grocery stores, from powering hospitals, police/fire stations, and sewage/water treatment plants, 50% of Americans are estimated to die within the first year of such a catastrophic power outage, largely from thirst, starvation, and disease, with an estimated 90% dead by the end of the following year.  If earthquakes and civil unrest are added to the equation, you can see why the projected mortality figures are so high.

Most believers in the Bible are completely unaware, as I was until recently, of the devastating nature of the Untied States, as outlined in the book of Revelation, chapter 13, wherein a world conquering “second beast” (the United States) arises after the “first beast” (the church of Rome/papacy).  If true, then America’s government has so severely lost its moral compass since its honorable founding 241 years ago, that its corrupt leaders have subjected their own misled people to the inevitable coming wrath of God.  (Be sure to read the article below under “References” entitled “The USA in Prophecy” to better understand this mystery.)

Surprisingly to some, all of this was foretold thousands of years ago in the prophetic visions of our patriarchs . . .

“The sun will be turned to darkness,

before the great and terrible day of the Lord.”

(Joel 2:31)

“Great” for the Believers who will thereafter inherit Eternal Life for their Faith in the forthcoming unseen, yet real events, and “Terrible” for the unbelieving, who will nevertheless end up believing, though belatedly, with their own eye’s witness, yet simply too late to be saved, by not pre-believing through Faith in the foregoing prophetic warning, to turn from their personal inequity before the Final Judgment Hour.

 I will discuss all this, and much more, in this episode of Conspiracy Corner News.

Just click on this Youtube Link to watch.

–Brother Bart-

Thank you for your kind support.

Donate

References

America in the Bible

Eclipse Animation

American Prophet Predicts USA Tribulation for 2018

Unusual Facts About the Eclipse

Government Prepares for Permanent “Eclipse”

Government Earthquake Proofs New Madrid Fault Bridge

Planet X Article

Mainstream Media Admits Planet X is Real

The Best Planet X Documentary

The Best Planet X Website

Planet X Charts

Unplug From The Matrix And Escape The Grip Of Social Engineers

By: Daniel Taylor | Old-Thinker News –

We have been slowly chained down in a kind of technological cave. The age in which we are living has enabled the potential for human isolation like no other time in history. And not just physical isolation. Our reality is increasingly controlled by people we have never seen or even know exist.

You can change the world by starting with the world inside you. Set a humble example for others to follow and carry the fire.

The following is an excerpt from Daniel Taylor’s book The Age of Disconnection.

Technology already has a significant influence on our lives, but the age that we are entering will have an even greater – and probably unforeseen – impact. Unless we learn how to stay connected with our fellow human beings, the influx of new technology in our day to day lives in this era will have a profoundly disconnecting effect.

It isn’t just technology that is responsible for creating this environment of disconnection. The mass schooling system that has dominated western society for decades has played a major role. Our system of schooling is good for social sorting and command and control, but the dynamic human spirit and the kaleidoscope of diverse intelligence that inhabits it is absolutely crushed under its dead weight.

The modern schooling system isn’t connected to the real world. It is the great dis-connector. Everyone knows this intuitively. That’s why there are always individuals within the structure of the system who kick sand into the gears of the machine. Easily managed, predictable “cookie cutter” people are the ideal human resource, which happens to be the way the architects of modern schooling view the majority of humanity; as human resources. Imagination and creativity have no place in this system. Technology exacerbates these traits of a well schooled society.

Mankind, at this stage in our history, has reached a point in which the many roles that our ancestors took upon themselves are now delegated to others. Our ancestors hunted for their food; We buy it prepackaged at Wal-Mart. Our ancestors built their homes; Now someone else builds them for us. In short, the raw reality of survival and the fragility of life has been lost on the majority of modern mankind. It is not something that we need to focus on every day.

These luxuries are by no means a bad thing, but to take them for granted and fall into a state of complacency is not healthy. Collectively we seem to be running away from making this recognition. The secret is that mankind thrives under adversity. We aren’t facing the challenge of survival, thrill of adventure and warfare that our ancestors did. Is this partly why 70% of Americans are on prescription drugs, mostly anti-depressants?

The truth is, we have fallen into a state of complacency, and we all tend to ignore or at the very least downplay serious threats to our way of life. In this environment, predatory humans – divorced from natural law – have placed themselves in positions of power and treat the vast majority of humanity as lab rats in a cage. It is inside this cage that our lives become disconnected. Artificial means of satisfying human instincts have been given to us. But are we truly free, truly happy?

Do you text more often than you talk? There was a time before cell phones when we had to pick up the phone and actually talk to the person we wanted to reach. Unlike texting, attention is given to inflection in the other person’s voice. It communicates emotion and intent. Listening is required for both parties. Here’s a challenge for you: Make a conscious decision to call the person you want to talk to rather than text. If it feels awkward – well, that says something, doesn’t it?

Cell phones have seriously hurt our collective conversation etiquette. We simply aren’t fully present with the person in front of us when we are distracted by our phones. Recent college graduates, who have grown up attached to their hand held devices, are paying a price for this bad habit. An article from USA Today announced “Many college grads lack interview skills.” They are taking calls and texting during important job interviews. HR executives are finding this troubling trend to be accelerating. Otherwise qualified job candidates are being rejected because of their addiction to mobile devices.

Learn more in The Age of Disconnection

Our net connected gadgets are wiring our brains for distraction. How often can you say that you are truly living in the present moment? Are you constantly checking your phone? Is your mind preoccupied merely with the anticipation of a new message? Being mindful takes practice, especially in our technological era. Make a habit of focusing your full attention on now. Notice your breath, the shape and color of the leaves on the tree, how your body is standing or sitting. Simply relax. Electronic gadgets which seem to fill up every second of our free time distract us from doing any kind of introspection. In the event that we did we may end up focusing on our own state, and eventually our wider society.

As a society we are increasingly finding ourselves in a passive observer mode. We watch what our friends are doing on our facebook feed, which, to our dismay, often makes us feel inadequate in comparison. We watch eagerly for the next viral video. We model ourselves after scripted characters on television instead of creating ourselves. What are you adding to the world? Turn the TV off for a while and re-discover the world around you. Let your thoughts (about yourself, others, and the world) be your own, not suggested by someone else. Own your consciousness.

What will you do when widespread human augmentation begins to take place? It could be here in 10-20 years. For a select few it will be here much sooner. There will undoubtedly be movements started to counter this trend when it becomes an apparent reality. What about the acceptance of life like robotic sex partners? Radical life extension? The meaning of human life and our connection to each other will be challenged in a major way. Our society will undergo a reorientation much like what happened after the industrial revolution only on a much larger scale.

You have a choice!

All of these things have one thing in common; You have a choice in how you are using technology. The societal ills stemming from technology are a natural outgrowth of individual choices being made each day. Technology (and how we use it) reveals the deeper things of the human soul. Focus on how you are living. It is easy to fall into the victim mindset that says “I am this way because of our society and things outside of my control,” but the reality is that we all have a choice. We are self-aware beings. We can choose another way. Here’s the key: When we take back our consciousness and focus on changing ourselves on a deep level, the way we use technology will naturally change as well. You can be an example to the rest of humanity of what we are capable of. You don’t have to follow the script of social engineers.

Start unplugging as much as you can today. I predict that individuals who do this will become the envy of the world some day. Their ability to connect with other people will shine brightly in a disconnected world. Relationships for these people will simply be better. Employers will seek them out for their ability to think creatively. Friends and family will ask them for direction. Our solution lies in re-claiming our very souls and reconnecting with humanity. In almost every case throughout history, civilizations fall when humanity is debased and loses touch with themselves, their neighbors and the wider world.

Plato’s Allegory of the Cave (written in 390 B.C.) describes a group of human beings who have lived their whole lives chained down in a dark cave. Their entire existence consists of analyzing shadows on the wall in front of them. Puppeteers move the figures back and forth while the captives take pride in naming them as they pass by. This is their reality. One day a prisoner is released. His sensitive eyes are blinded by the bright sun. His former reality is shattered as he sees the strange puppeteers moving the shapes that he so proudly named. He eventually becomes familiar with the color, shape and sound of the upper world. He is enlightened. In Plato’s words,

“And when he remembered his old habitation, and the wisdom of the cave and his fellow-prisoners, do you not suppose that he would felicitate himself on the change, and pity them?”

“Imagine once more, I said, such an one coming suddenly out of the sun to be replaced in his old situation; would he not be certain to have his eyes full of darkness?”

What is the moral of this story in the age of disconnection?

We have been slowly chained down in a kind of technological cave. The age in which we are living has enabled the potential for human isolation like no other time in history. And not just physical isolation. Our reality is increasingly controlled by people we have never seen or even know exist. Edward Bernays, the father of modern propaganda, summed it up like this:

“[We are governed by] an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country… We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of.”

The cave of our time consists of all technology that limits our consciousness; Our awareness of the present moment. The creators of the modern cave have made it quite enjoyable for us. In some ways it is much more exciting than the real world. It entices us with its dark allure. If humanity were to be completely absorbed by this matrix, each generation that is born will be acclimated to the “reality” of the cave. The memory of human existence and true connection would fade into darkness.

Is this scenario inevitable? Absolutely not! There is a distinct difference between Plato’s prisoners and us. We have a hopeful advantage over them. If we were to enter Plato’s cave we would have to consciously decide to like it. We would exist in a state of cognitive dissonance. For the most part we have an awareness of what we could be missing in the world outside the cave. We know that there is a beautiful universe to behold, freedom to be defended, ideas to explore, and creativity to express.

…

Our world is set to undergo dramatic changes. We face difficult choices. You don’t need to set out on a grand mission to change the globe. Focus on how you are treating others. How are you living your life?

One of the greatest challenges over the coming years will be the prospect of retaining our humanity. It is easy to harden your heart toward others, the world, and yourself. You can change the world by starting with the world inside you. Set a humble example for others to follow and carry the fire.

Learn more in The Age of Disconnection

Originally published at Old Thinker News.

Unplug From The Matrix And Escape The Grip Of Social Engineers

By: Daniel Taylor | Old-Thinker News –

We have been slowly chained down in a kind of technological cave. The age in which we are living has enabled the potential for human isolation like no other time in history. And not just physical isolation. Our reality is increasingly controlled by people we have never seen or even know exist.

You can change the world by starting with the world inside you. Set a humble example for others to follow and carry the fire.

The following is an excerpt from Daniel Taylor’s book The Age of Disconnection.

Technology already has a significant influence on our lives, but the age that we are entering will have an even greater – and probably unforeseen – impact. Unless we learn how to stay connected with our fellow human beings, the influx of new technology in our day to day lives in this era will have a profoundly disconnecting effect.

It isn’t just technology that is responsible for creating this environment of disconnection. The mass schooling system that has dominated western society for decades has played a major role. Our system of schooling is good for social sorting and command and control, but the dynamic human spirit and the kaleidoscope of diverse intelligence that inhabits it is absolutely crushed under its dead weight.

The modern schooling system isn’t connected to the real world. It is the great dis-connector. Everyone knows this intuitively. That’s why there are always individuals within the structure of the system who kick sand into the gears of the machine. Easily managed, predictable “cookie cutter” people are the ideal human resource, which happens to be the way the architects of modern schooling view the majority of humanity; as human resources. Imagination and creativity have no place in this system. Technology exacerbates these traits of a well schooled society.

Mankind, at this stage in our history, has reached a point in which the many roles that our ancestors took upon themselves are now delegated to others. Our ancestors hunted for their food; We buy it prepackaged at Wal-Mart. Our ancestors built their homes; Now someone else builds them for us. In short, the raw reality of survival and the fragility of life has been lost on the majority of modern mankind. It is not something that we need to focus on every day.

These luxuries are by no means a bad thing, but to take them for granted and fall into a state of complacency is not healthy. Collectively we seem to be running away from making this recognition. The secret is that mankind thrives under adversity. We aren’t facing the challenge of survival, thrill of adventure and warfare that our ancestors did. Is this partly why 70% of Americans are on prescription drugs, mostly anti-depressants?

The truth is, we have fallen into a state of complacency, and we all tend to ignore or at the very least downplay serious threats to our way of life. In this environment, predatory humans – divorced from natural law – have placed themselves in positions of power and treat the vast majority of humanity as lab rats in a cage. It is inside this cage that our lives become disconnected. Artificial means of satisfying human instincts have been given to us. But are we truly free, truly happy?

Do you text more often than you talk? There was a time before cell phones when we had to pick up the phone and actually talk to the person we wanted to reach. Unlike texting, attention is given to inflection in the other person’s voice. It communicates emotion and intent. Listening is required for both parties. Here’s a challenge for you: Make a conscious decision to call the person you want to talk to rather than text. If it feels awkward – well, that says something, doesn’t it?

Cell phones have seriously hurt our collective conversation etiquette. We simply aren’t fully present with the person in front of us when we are distracted by our phones. Recent college graduates, who have grown up attached to their hand held devices, are paying a price for this bad habit. An article from USA Today announced “Many college grads lack interview skills.” They are taking calls and texting during important job interviews. HR executives are finding this troubling trend to be accelerating. Otherwise qualified job candidates are being rejected because of their addiction to mobile devices.

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Our net connected gadgets are wiring our brains for distraction. How often can you say that you are truly living in the present moment? Are you constantly checking your phone? Is your mind preoccupied merely with the anticipation of a new message? Being mindful takes practice, especially in our technological era. Make a habit of focusing your full attention on now. Notice your breath, the shape and color of the leaves on the tree, how your body is standing or sitting. Simply relax. Electronic gadgets which seem to fill up every second of our free time distract us from doing any kind of introspection. In the event that we did we may end up focusing on our own state, and eventually our wider society.

As a society we are increasingly finding ourselves in a passive observer mode. We watch what our friends are doing on our facebook feed, which, to our dismay, often makes us feel inadequate in comparison. We watch eagerly for the next viral video. We model ourselves after scripted characters on television instead of creating ourselves. What are you adding to the world? Turn the TV off for a while and re-discover the world around you. Let your thoughts (about yourself, others, and the world) be your own, not suggested by someone else. Own your consciousness.

What will you do when widespread human augmentation begins to take place? It could be here in 10-20 years. For a select few it will be here much sooner. There will undoubtedly be movements started to counter this trend when it becomes an apparent reality. What about the acceptance of life like robotic sex partners? Radical life extension? The meaning of human life and our connection to each other will be challenged in a major way. Our society will undergo a reorientation much like what happened after the industrial revolution only on a much larger scale.

You have a choice!

All of these things have one thing in common; You have a choice in how you are using technology. The societal ills stemming from technology are a natural outgrowth of individual choices being made each day. Technology (and how we use it) reveals the deeper things of the human soul. Focus on how you are living. It is easy to fall into the victim mindset that says “I am this way because of our society and things outside of my control,” but the reality is that we all have a choice. We are self-aware beings. We can choose another way. Here’s the key: When we take back our consciousness and focus on changing ourselves on a deep level, the way we use technology will naturally change as well. You can be an example to the rest of humanity of what we are capable of. You don’t have to follow the script of social engineers.

Start unplugging as much as you can today. I predict that individuals who do this will become the envy of the world some day. Their ability to connect with other people will shine brightly in a disconnected world. Relationships for these people will simply be better. Employers will seek them out for their ability to think creatively. Friends and family will ask them for direction. Our solution lies in re-claiming our very souls and reconnecting with humanity. In almost every case throughout history, civilizations fall when humanity is debased and loses touch with themselves, their neighbors and the wider world.

Plato’s Allegory of the Cave (written in 390 B.C.) describes a group of human beings who have lived their whole lives chained down in a dark cave. Their entire existence consists of analyzing shadows on the wall in front of them. Puppeteers move the figures back and forth while the captives take pride in naming them as they pass by. This is their reality. One day a prisoner is released. His sensitive eyes are blinded by the bright sun. His former reality is shattered as he sees the strange puppeteers moving the shapes that he so proudly named. He eventually becomes familiar with the color, shape and sound of the upper world. He is enlightened. In Plato’s words,

“And when he remembered his old habitation, and the wisdom of the cave and his fellow-prisoners, do you not suppose that he would felicitate himself on the change, and pity them?”

“Imagine once more, I said, such an one coming suddenly out of the sun to be replaced in his old situation; would he not be certain to have his eyes full of darkness?”

What is the moral of this story in the age of disconnection?

We have been slowly chained down in a kind of technological cave. The age in which we are living has enabled the potential for human isolation like no other time in history. And not just physical isolation. Our reality is increasingly controlled by people we have never seen or even know exist. Edward Bernays, the father of modern propaganda, summed it up like this:

“[We are governed by] an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country… We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of.”

The cave of our time consists of all technology that limits our consciousness; Our awareness of the present moment. The creators of the modern cave have made it quite enjoyable for us. In some ways it is much more exciting than the real world. It entices us with its dark allure. If humanity were to be completely absorbed by this matrix, each generation that is born will be acclimated to the “reality” of the cave. The memory of human existence and true connection would fade into darkness.

Is this scenario inevitable? Absolutely not! There is a distinct difference between Plato’s prisoners and us. We have a hopeful advantage over them. If we were to enter Plato’s cave we would have to consciously decide to like it. We would exist in a state of cognitive dissonance. For the most part we have an awareness of what we could be missing in the world outside the cave. We know that there is a beautiful universe to behold, freedom to be defended, ideas to explore, and creativity to express.

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Our world is set to undergo dramatic changes. We face difficult choices. You don’t need to set out on a grand mission to change the globe. Focus on how you are treating others. How are you living your life?

One of the greatest challenges over the coming years will be the prospect of retaining our humanity. It is easy to harden your heart toward others, the world, and yourself. You can change the world by starting with the world inside you. Set a humble example for others to follow and carry the fire.

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Originally published at Old Thinker News.