How to dry and grind corn

 

This is a simple post. Because anyone can farm corn.  And because corn meal can be a much needed tasty carb in times of trouble.

First always remember to save seed for the next years crop.
Choose the earliest and the best developed corncobs you can find.
Cover them with a large enough paper bag (not a plastic bag)
 Allow the cob to develop and dry out on the stalk as long possible
break off husk and keep in cool place till ready to plant. 



Now you are basically dehydrating.  Some suggest to let them grow on the stalk till the first frost. This does not really make them yummy for corn on the cob, but it makes the kernel larger for grinding more meal.

Now husk them or just pull the husks back. If you just pull the husks back this makes an easy way to hang them to dry.  Ya know like the pretty ones we hang on our doors. And remember to let them dry good. An other tip is corn can stay much longer on the cob. So you can shuck and grind as you need it.

Now comes the hard part, get the corn off the cob. Now mother earth news  had this simple idea. Guess it is like wack- a -mole but with corn!  NO, acutually you stick the ear of corn in twisting it so all the corn comes off in a bucket or a bowl. It would work like this Click Here.

  

If you have power this is a much better way!!  Bike power generator is perfect for this.

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So now we have our dried corn and it is off the cob!  POPCORN TIME!!! :) once you are done eating popcorn the next step is grinding it. Now the more I researched the more I see the need for at the least a simple hand mill. But shtf situation do not always allow it. So one of the grinding methods in my previous post Click Here The last note is there are different textures to grind it into...course to fine depending on what you are using it for. A finer flour grind gives you a fluffy er end result - A course on would be for chicken feed. A medium to fine floury one would be for bread tortillas, flat breads, pancakes and fritters. Fry some chicken coated with it or even polenta (yuck).      .     .     .     .             .     .     .     .             .     .     .     .                                                                                                                                                                     Some other uses for cornmeal are: 

• Ant killer- sprinkle were ant trails are, they can not digest it.

•  In the garden sprinkle it on plants and around the bottom of them and it protects against aphids and control some fungus and prevents weeds. DO NOT use on baby plants wait till they are established.  
• Put some in shoes and it help prevent fungus and athletes foot.  
• Facial washes with cornmeal helps with acne.        .     .     .     .                                                        

•  Did I mention Corn whiskey? Click Here for info on that. Now with the last suggestion I will end this post with this song Corn Liquor 

All work, no play in a shtf situation makes prepper a dul1 boy!

 

How to keep morale up! In times of trouble.

Ok so times are hard, you have your stockpile, you are foraging and farming. You are guarding and protecting. But you are still going to need to have a little fun. The people around you are going to need to have a little fun.

I am the person in my area that helps organize community events so this is something I have to do for a large groups of people with next to no cash. Now for this it is more than a day so I would say this is a definite challenge.

TV
First think of what you do everyday. Me the one thing I would miss is vegging in front of the TV .
Look at the goodwill for .50 - $1.00 DVD's you will be able to watch those on a charged lap top or mini DVD player ...I am scouting for a cheap projector for the laptop, the cheapest they are right now are $70 Click Here   The other thought was to figure out a way to make a mirror projector box so everyone can enjoy a show. If you know of a way please comment!!!

Music
Music would be my next missed thing. Burning your music to CD's could be worth it. Just to have that hard copy. MP3 players can be hooked up to speakers and hold alot of music. But I am old school I need the music in my hand.

 

Then we have good old fashion do it yourself music.

Beginner guitar pdf Click Here
Beginner harmonica pdf Click Here
Bangos, drums, buckets
How to make a Corn stalk fiddle and pumpkin vine flute  PDF on page 162 Click Here
How to make a Bamboo flute pdf Click Here

Kids basics to stock pile and some with what you have ideas
Crayons, paper, markers glue, chalk and lots of books! for little kids.

Older kids
Bat and ball, kick ball, volley ball, some rackets and a birdy, board games never grow old. You can teach them to fish and carve toys for the younger kids or knit and crochet. And again more books. Simple crafting with what is around is also a great thing to spark creativity. Scavenger hunts are fun for everyone. Darts and archery contest.

Make wooden hula hoops Click here 

Make walking stilts pdf (wooden ones Click Here) ( more hi-tech ones Click Here) 
These are fun but also useful in fruit harvesting and building in place of a ladder.Also good for fishing and net casting.

Make clay dolls and figures, checker pieces, bowls ect! Click Here for my last post about making clay.



OTHER STUFF TO GIVE A HAPPY FEELING:

• a simple deck of cards and puzzles (you can get these at the dollar store).

• Horse shoes, bocce balls or crochet

• Dessert mixes are a must. These will not things you will be able to get for a while till trade picks up.

• Things like Brownies and Coco and candy.

• A simple journal is just a good thing for all to have.

***COOL PDF***

Last but not least I found this pdf Fun with ropes and spears (OLD BOOK!!) Kind of funny. But in it, it has fun stuff for scouts to do...but many of the stuff in it is really great survival stuff...
Click Here to check it out!

 

And the song for this post is going to be one that totally makes me think of playing....yes I AM A CHEEZE BALL!!!