7 Reasons to Stockpile Canned Food

Though I STRONGLY recommend GOFoods to my friends, the #1 comment I get is, "I can't afford that." (They fail to realize the cost break-down per meal is about $2 per person. Nevertheless, with this in mind, rather than have you do nothing, I recommend you do what my wife and I did  to get started Prepping: Buy canned goods. Ten extra cans every time we shopped - and bottled water - has added up to a pretty good Prepping Pantry. 

The main disadvantage of cans: Storage and Weight. They take up room and, in a bug-out situation, would be heavy. GOFoods for several months fits in a 5 gallon bucket. Here are some of the advantages of canned goods:

• Price. If bought in bulk, you can save 75 percent by acquiring most canned foods instead of freeze-dried or dehydrated foods.

• Long lasting. A lot of canned foods have a shelf life of between one and several years.

• Variety.  If you’re starving, you’ll eat anything, even if it’s the same thing over and over again. But if you’ve stored plenty of canned foods, you won’t be starving, and you and your family will really appreciate the variety.

• Calories. When you’re surviving, the last thing you should be worried about is watching your weight. You’ll need plenty of calories and that’s what canned food has.

• Water. There’s very little water in freeze-dried and dehydrated foods, but most canned foods contain the water that will make preparation easier.

• Familiarity. Your family probably already eats chicken, beef, ham, fish, vegetables, stews, beans and pastas, right? They’re all available in canned form, as are many other foods.

• Safe storage. Bugs and rodents can sometimes infiltrate boxes and bags, but seldom do they break through a can.

In case you're still interested in GOFoods, I recommend you get started the way we did... kick the tires! Order some FREE SAMPLES and see if you even like the stuff (we LOVE it, especially when we add our own meat and cheeses).

Click the logo below to get started..

9 Mistakes Typically Made by Preppers

1. Failing to inventory stored food supplies.

I have been storing food for so long I can not rely on memory alone to know what I already have and what is still need. This is my number one mistake and one that I plan to remedy in two ways.  First of all, everything new that I purchase will be inventoried right away.  This is what I call my  "going forward" plan.  Then, as time allows, I will methodically inventory everything else. The key, of course, is not to co-mingle the old with the new.  Sure, I may end up with some duplicates but that is better than being so over-whelmed I do nothing at all.  Your plan may be different given the dynamics of your space and your time.  All I can say is that if you are fairly new to prepping, don’t let this one slip by.  Keep track of what you have from the get go and save yourself a lot of grief down the road.

2. Identifying the most likely risks and prepping for those first.

When I first started, I went off willy-nilly preparing for all sorts of calamities.  Earthquakes, terrorist attacks, pandemics, nuclear melt-downs, civil disobedience – you name it, I tried to prepare for it all.  These days, I recommend that one of the very first steps that you take when prepping is to evaluate the most likely risks in your area and within your personal domestic situation. 

Most if not all city, county and state governments will have emergency management websites that will help you sort through the most likely disasters to occur in your area.  Add to this an assessment of your location.  Are you in a city where gangs, mobs or terrorist attacks are likely?  Do you live in a remote area where the failure of transportations systems or the lack of fuel will cut off you off from supplies from the rest of the world?  Is your employment situation tenuous requiring that you build up some cash reserves to get you by just in case the job goes away? 

Clearly, at the beginning, some choices will need to be made regarding the best use of your prepping budget.  Just remember that food, water and first aid supplies should be at the top of everyone’s list.  After that, assess the most likely risks and plan accordingly.  A good place to start is 12 Months of Prepping – The First Year which is a recap monthly supplies, skills and tasks to get you starting on the road to preparedness.

3. Preparing mostly to bug out rather than bugging in.

We all talk about having a bug-out-bag and without question, having your most basic survival items in a pack that you can grab and go if you need to get out of dodge in a hurry is important.  But beyond that, over and over I see people acquire all sorts of gear for surviving on the run -  perhaps in the woods or bush in a remote location. 

I know that in own case and also with the majority of the readers on Backdoor Survival, hunkering down and bugging in will always be preferred to taking off into the unknown with our stuff.  For many, the choice to bug in has to do with family, health concerns or financial considerations.  That, plus the availability of stored supplies makes bugging in – or staying at home – the choice when a disaster strikes. 

At the end of the day, take care of your bugging in needs first and foremost.  Plan for outdoor cooking facilities (perhaps an existing charcoal grill?), supplemental lighting (like this $21 Dorcy Wireless Motion LED Flood Lite), stored water, and a portable generator now.  Later, down the road, you can expand your supplies to include the essentials for truly bugging out.
That said, pay attention to mistake number 4.

4. Failure to evacuate at just the right time.

When the storm of the century is heading your way, know that it is time to evacuate.  Load up your vehicle and go.  As much as you feel that your are better off in your own home, if the authorities tell you to leave – and even if they do not – get out of harms way as a precautionary measure.  Do so while you still have the ability to load up your vehicle with supplies and fill the tank with gas. 

Sticking around when there is at least a 50% chance of a disaster occurring (hurricane, flood, landslides, tsunami,wildfire) is just plain silly.  Remember mistake number 2 – failure to evaluate the risks?  Part of your planning should be to determine the trigger point for evacuation as well as identification of an evacuation site and a route to get there.  Better yet, plan an alternate route as well.

5. Having the gear but not knowing how to use it.

I am guilty of this one as well.  I have a Kaito emergency radio as well as some Midland FRS radios.  Sure, I know how basically to use them but what if I needed to use some of the more esoteric features?  My bad.  I also have a hand held compass – a nice one at that – and yet in these days of GPS navigation, would I know how to use it? 

Get out the gear two or three times a year and put it through its paces.  Not only do you need to know how to use it, but you need to make sure your gear is in good working order.  Blades need to be sharpened, batteries need to be charged and skills need to be refreshed.

6. Underestimating other humans as a threat.

In a perfect world, we would all get along and go about our business in a mild-mannered way, not bothering anyone or causing others harm.  Alas, as humans this has never been the case.  From biblical times forward, man has opposed man.  There have been and still are warriors, and armies, soldiers and dictators, enemies and foes. 

As recent mass shootings have revealed, mental illness or drugs can make good people go bad.  Add the uncertainly and chaos created by an unstable society and the potential for human threat because a major cause for concern.
Whether you embrace firearms or shun them, you still need a way to defend yourself, your family and your property.  Consider pepper sprays, martial arts, and other defensive mechanisms in addition to traditional firearms.  It is foolhardy to believe that having some means of defense is not needed because “there is no one out to get you”.  Desperate people are dangerous people.  And the lack of food, water and supplies will turn ordinary people into desperate people in a heartbeat.

7. Buying stuff while ignoring the need to develop skills.

Buying stuff is easy.  Save up your money, select your merchandise and go to your local outdoor emporium or Amazon and make a purchase.  On the other hand, learning new skills (or practicing old ones) takes time, patience and bit of study.  Do you know how to start a fire without matches or a butane lighter?  Do you know how to take advantage ofnatures bounty by knowing how to fish or hunt?  And what about growing your own food?  Could you do it? 

Developing skills to become self-sufficient are every bit as important as having a closet full of the best gear money can by.

8. Lacking the knowledge to properly store your food supplies.

There are six enemies of food storage:  Temperature, Moisture, Oxygen, Light, Pests and Time. 

Okay, some might say there is a sixth enemy: namely the two legged type that gets into the tastier items (such a cans of brownie mix) and eats them without telling anyone. 

Seriously though, storing food for the long term – meaning five years or longer – does take some care.  Brush up on the basics of food storage and set up an active rotation program.  You don’t necessarily have to store food for 10 years or longer but what you do store – even for a year or two – should be protected to the best of your ability. 

One thing to keep in mind that except for the problem with pests, most food will still be edible even if it is not stored at optimal temperatures in a moisture and oxygen-free environment.  But why not learn proper storage methods to insure maximum taste and nutrition.  The following articles will help educate and there are plenty of others elsewhere on the internet including YouTube.  A few hours of your time is all that it will take to make you a food storage expert.

Food storage and Beans: Using Mylar bags and a Food Saver
Food Storage Part I – A Primer on Oxygen Absorbers
Food Storage Part II: Unraveling the Mystique of Mylar Bags
Food Storage Part III: Food Grade Buckets, Lids and Gamma Seals
Food Storage Mistakes and Goofs

9. Relying only on yourself and ignoring like-minded members of your community.

When I first started prepping, I did not mention my new little “hobby” to anyone.  You know, OPSEC and all that.  But about a year into it, I realized that I could not do it all on my own.  There were things I was having trouble grasping on my own and I needed help.  As I tip toed around the edges of my community, I found some like minded people and much to my surprise, I found that I had skills and knowledge that they lacked. 

The mutual exchange of skills and knowledge ensued along with some informal agreements to team up if circumstances required us to be on our own for any period of time.  This included teaming up for shelter and food as well as defense. 

The importance of having a peer group of like minded comrades in my own community was strengthened as I read R. P. Ruggiero’s Brushfire Plague and continues as I explore other truer than life survival stories,.  How you decide to expand your community contacts is up to you but be advised that when it comes to survival 1 plus 1 will definitely add up to more than 2.

The Final Word

These days I feel fortunate that I have come so far with my prepping activities.  Moving beyond obsession, the prepping way of life is now a part of my core.  It is “what I do” as well as being a hobby and a passion.

Indeed, I have made some mistakes along the way and many of them are listed above.  There will surely be others down the road but I know that will be okay since they will afford me an opportunity to learn and grow.  At the end of the day, life is all about growth, opportunity and the ability to take care of oneself physically, mentally and spiritually.  To me, that is what prepping is all about – mistakes and all.

Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!

Gaye

"Is it too late to start Prepping"?
CLICK HERE
(pardon the use of the word "screwed", but you get the point)

ONE HOUR MELTDOWN

Recently, I've heard a few people mentioning the article I've LINKED to (below) entitled "The One Hour Meltdown." I wasn't even looking for it. I appreciate what the writer is saying as many of these are the kinds of warnings I, myself, have been issuing during live Disaster Readiness group presentations, via eMail, on my BLOG and on my Social Networks. 

I urge you to FORWARD this message to friends and loved ones. Please consider printing and placing within a RED binder where you keep other PREPAREDNESS information you wouldn't be able to refer to if your computer access were eliminated.

The writer refers mostly to a "bank holiday." In my humble opinion, that is only ONE reason for disaster readiness. Anything from a winter storm to an earthquake, a tsunami to a wildfire, a water main break to an EMP, a wreck of a train carrying toxic chemicals near your home to the loss of a job or bread-winner... any of these things can happen at any time to any one of us, not to mention a suitcase nuke. 

Point is, don't be scared, be PREPARED!

God, guns, gold, groceries and GOOD drinking water are key!

Remember FEPS Preparation: Financial, Emotional, Physical and Spiritual readiness.

CLICK HERE for article. You'll see why I'm such a gun, water, food storage, precious metals and Jesus advocate!

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

December 19, 2012

Global food crisis imminent!


The global food crisis you've been warned about is coming. In fact, 

it's now imminent.  



For the past six years the world has consumed more food than it 

has produced. As a result, global food reserves are at the lowest 

level since 1974, when the world had 4 billion people. 


Today we have 7 billion. 


Like a person living paycheck-to-paycheck, the world is now 

living year-to-year when it comes to food supplies. According to 

the U.N., world grain reserves are so dangerously low that severe 

weather in the U.S., or other food exporting countries, could 

trigger a major hunger crisis in 2013.


Happy New Year? 

The U.N. also warns that supplies are so tight and reserves are so 

low that we literally have no room for an unexpected event in the 

coming year. … We are already seeing prices rise significantly this 

year, with corn rising 31%, soy beans rising 28%, and red meat 

rising 20%. 


In the west higher food prices are a manageable burden for now.      

Americans spend about 10% of their after-tax incomes on food… 

But in the developing world some households are spending up to 

50% of their income on food, which is usually the basic essentials 

like bread. An increase in food prices can mean riots, revolutions 

and chaos.



Sure, the government may label you a "Prepper", but remember, 

this is the same government who warned its citizens of a zombie 

apocalypse!



Do what we've been doing. Start by CLICKING HERE and 

ordering your FREE SAMPLES from GOFoods Global (All we 

paid was shipping. Cheap!). After we discovered how delicious 

and nutritious it was, we try and order a 1-month supply every few 

months. Because we mention GOFoods to friends, when others 

followed our lead and began ordering for themselves, we received 

commissions and ordered more food with that money. 


Essentially, FREE food!


Click the GOFoods logo below and get started NOW!

"END OF 
THE WORLD SPECIAL!"

Just kidding. I don't put any stock in an ancient Mayan calendar and December 21st being our last day on earth. However, one well-placed disaster could spell the end of YOUR world as you knew it only moments before.

Are you ready? You CAN be!

It doesn't have to be a tornado, a hurricane, a tsunami or a wildfire either. My wife and I experienced an overflowed creek. My cousin and her spouse were at the World Trade Center on 911 (they were unharmed). My son came home to find his apartment complex had been hit by a tornado (his unit was untouched). 

Water mains break. Sink holes open up. Trains carrying toxic materials wreck. Ice storms wipe out power.

Stuff happens and NO ONE is immune. It rains on the just and the unjust. Sometimes, we get hit with life-altering stuff.

Are YOU prepared? Start 2013 off right! I am offering the FILTRATOR! Emergency Water Filtration system for $90 each (reg $100) or two for $150 (reg $180). These units are hand-made by yours truly, blessed and tested. The heart of each unit is the impressive DOULTON Sterasyl Water Filter. Doulton filters, still located on the River Thames, was an integral factor in ending the London cholera epidemic of 1854 which took the lives of over 33,000 people in three months. Cholera spreads by contaminated water and, according to the World Heath Organization, there are between 3 and 5 million reported cholera cases reported each year with up to 120,000 deaths from the disease.

We can go just 3 days without pure water, that's too important to entrust the government or anybody else.

To learn more about the FILTRATOR!, CLICK HERE.

Did you know...

GOFoods is not only the top o' the line reserve food storage with a 

shelf-life of 20+ years, but these easy-to-prepare meals are 

delicious and can be used every day, disaster or not! And the cost 

per meal is generally less than $2 each when you buy in quantities. 

Cheap! For example, the price per serving is reasonable, generally 

under $2 if you buy in quantities. A pouch of Three-Cheese 

Alfredo Pasta, for example, costs $9.95 and serves 4 – but if you 

buy 13 pouches the price drops to $7.26 per pouch ($1.82 per 

serving).  A pouch of Potato-Cheddar soup costs $7.95 for 4 

servings, lower if you buy in quantity.  There are also 

combinations available that will bring the price down even further. 

As I often say, these days, I would rather put my money into 

precious metals, heirloom seeds and GOFoods than into the local 

bank for an offensive interest rate. You? 

Here are some recipes and instructions from the GOFoods website. 

Bon appetit, y'all!

Merry Christmas, too!

Michael Tummillo

Shepherd’s Pie on the GO

This easy-to-make update of a favorite comfort food is a hearty main dish and is perfect for people who want to save time, money and are on the GO. This recipe is so good your friends and family will want it every week!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef, turkey, or chicken
• 1 pouch GOFoods Seasoned Mashed Potatoes
• 4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups frozen mixed vegetables (corn, peas, green beans and carrots), thawed
• 1 cup beef, turkey or chicken gravy

Heat over to 375° F

Directions:
Brown ground meat (beef, turkey or chicken). Prepare GOFoods Seasoned Mashed Potatoes (follow easy directions on package). Mix cream cheese, ½ cup cheddar cheese and garlic until blended. Combine ground meat, vegetables and gravy; spoon into baking dish. Cover with GOFoods Seasoned Mashed Potatoes mixture, followed by remaining cheddar cheese. Bake 20 minutes or until heated through.

Judy's Thai Noodles with Shrimp or Coconut Shrimp 

Thai noodles with Shrimp
Prepare GoFoods® Thai Noodles per directions.
After cooking 10 minutes, add 1/2 bag of frozen shrimp and 1 cup egg noodles
Dash or two of red pepper flakes (optional)
Cook 10 min and remove from heat.
Optional:  Serve with vegetable side or rice

Thai noodles with Coconut Shrimp
Prepare GOFoods Thai Noodles per directions.
After cooking 10 minutes add 1/2 cup egg noodles.
Cook remaining 10 minutes and remove from heat.

Devein desired amount of shrimp (about a pound) and butterfly open.
Mix 1 egg, 1/2 cup Orange juice or Pineapple Juice (optional 1/2 cup of coconut milk)
Lightly sprinkle ginger on shrimp.
Dip shrimp in egg mix.
Dip in shredded coconut.
Fry until coconut is light browned.

BON APPETIT!
- Judy Beach

Holly's Santa Fe Fiesta Tacos

This soft or hard taco recipe is easy and holds endless possibilities. This family meal is one the entire family will enjoy. So here is GO Foods’ South of the Border take!

Prep time: about 10-15 minutes

Cook time: about 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pouch (4 cups prepared Santa Fe Fiesta Rice)
• 1-cup salsa (your choice)
• ½ cup chopped onions (sweet yellow preferred)
• 1-3 chopped garlic cloves, minced
• 1-3 fresh jalapeno peppers, chopped (use gloves)
• 1-tablespoon chili powder
• 1-tablespoon ground cumin
• 16 medium corn or flour tortillas

Directions:

1. In a cooking pot prepare and follow the Santa Fe Fiesta Rice cooking instructions.
2. In separate large skillet, sauté the veggies in 2-3 tablespoons of cooking oil (your oil choice).
3. After veggies are ready, combine the prepared Santa Fe Fiesta Rice with sautéed ingredients and mix together well with a spoon.
4. Meanwhile fry or grill your tortillas in oil until soft.  Fold and lightly sprinkle with sea salt.
5. Place about 1/4 cup of Santa Fe Fiesta Rice mixture and top with your choice of toppings: shredded cabbage, cheese, avocado, cilantro, sour cream, etc.

Serves 8 and makes about 16 Tacos

Whitney's Stuffed Bell Peppers

A classic American dish that one can’t easily find in restaurants is stuffed bell peppers. It’s essentially a rice and meat style recipe stuffed into bell peppers and then baked in the oven using our delicious Chicken Cheddar Rice. Here is GO Foods’ fun version:

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: About 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 package of prepared Chicken Cheddar Rice
• 4 bell peppers, any color
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned – if using can, drain of excess liquid first. (optional)
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon of dried oregano (optional)
• ½ cup ketchup (optional)
• ½ tsp of Worcestershire Sauce (optional)
• Dash of Tabasco sauce (optional)
• 4-6 tsp of seasoned breadcrumbs (optional)

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, cut top off peppers 1 inch from the stem end, and remove seeds. Add several generous pinches of sea salt to boiling water, then add peppers and boil, using a spoon to keep peppers completely submerged, until brilliant green (or red if red peppers) and their flesh slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. Arrange the cut side of the peppers up and place on to a baking dish, then stuff the peppers with Cheddar Chicken Rice. You may find it easier to put the tomatoes and the prepared Cheddar Chicken Rice at this point into a large bowl and mix together with a spoon.
3. Combine ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, and 1/4 cup of water in a small bowl, then spoon over filled peppers. Last step is to sprinkle about 1 tsp of breadcrumbs over the top of each stuffed pepper.  Add 1/4 cup of water to the baking dish. Place in oven and bake for 40-50 minutes (or longer, depending on how big the peppers are that you are stuffing) until the internal temperature of the stuffed peppers is around 150-160°F. Sea salt & fresh ground pepper to taste.

Makes 4-6 Stuffed Peppers

Sea Food Chowder

There are many who say our Western Potato Chowder is rich, creamy, and absolutely perfect as is. If you want to put a small, inexpensive twist to an already amazing chowder, check out our killer sea food chowder recipe below. Even a New Englander would approve of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 Package Western Potato Chowder
• 2 (10 ounce) cans of minced Clams or Oysters
• 1-2 Tablespoons of butter

Directions:
Prepare one pouch of GOFoods^® Western Potato Chowder according to the directions on the pouch. Once the soup has cooked on a slow boil for 10 minutes, drain juices from minced Clams or Oysters and then stir in sea food. Continue to cook at a slow boil for 2 to 5 minutes. For thicker soup, cook uncovered.

Let stand for 5 minutes and serve.
Ground black pepper to taste.
For added texture and flavor, definitely enjoy with Oyster Crackers or Saltines.

Smoked Gouda Corn Chowder Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 pouch GOFoods® Sweet Corn Chowder
• ½ cup butter
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 yellow onion, small diced
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ lb shredded Gouda cheese

Directions:
In medium saucepan, bring 5 cups water to a boil. Whisk in contents Sweet Corn Chowder.(NOTE: the Smoked Gouda Corn Chowder recipe requires FIVE cups of water when preparing Sweet Corn Chowder rather than the recommended amount on package.) Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15–20 minutes or until corn is tender, stirring occasionally.

While chowder is simmering, in a larger soup pot, sauté celery and onions, over medium heat, until onions become translucent. Add garlic. Sauté another 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat then add prepared chowder. Add bay leaves and simmer. Salt and pepper to taste. Add shredded Gouda to provide a fabulous finish to this sophisticated-tasting dish.

Serve and ENJOY!

Spicy Tortilla Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 Package GOFoods^® Tortilla Soup
• ½ lb. spicy beef Chorizo, cooked and drained
• ½ lb. Chicken, chopped & cooked

Directions:

In a skillet cook the chopped chicken until done. Set aside.

In a skillet cook Chorizo for 10 minutes, remove grease and cook another 5 minutes. Remove any excess grease and set aside.

In a saucepan prepare GOFoods^® Tortilla Soup as directed.

Once soup is boiling add Chorizo and chicken, continue cooking soup until done.

Garnish with avocado, tomatoes, sour cream, tortilla strips, lime wedges and cheese as desired.

GOFoods Original “Konaccino” Recipe

Get ready to make a new favorite afternoon snack! GOFoods IBO Cara Neece came up with this delicious drink and calls it “Konaccino”. It makes a great treat with a boost of energy so you can keep up with your fast paced life!

Mix the following ingredients together in a blender:

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk (tastes great with Whey Good Milk!)
• 1/2 scoop of your favorite chocolate protein powder
• 1 packet of our fabulous Kona joe instant coffee
• 1 packet of Stevia or use any sweetener of your choice
• 3 ice cubes

Thanks to Cara Neece for this delicious recipe.

Steve’s Yummy French Toast Recipe

Ready for delicious and wholesome French Toast? Try this easy and delectable recipe and enjoy some of the best French Toast you’ve had in a long time!

Ingredients:

• 6 – 8 thick slices of Steve’s Whole Wheat Bread
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup prepared Whey Good Milk
• 1 Apple Cinnamon spice packet from Natural Oatmeal (optional)

Directions:
Prepare Steve’s Whole Wheat Bread and Whey Good Milk (see packages for easy-to-follow directions). While bread is cooling, beat together egg, Whey Good Milk, salt, and spice packet (optional). Heat a lightly oiled griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Dip bread in egg mixture and cook on heated griddle or skillet. Cook until golden-brown on both sides and bread is firm (not squishy or runny). 

Serve hot. Enjoy!

Amazing GOFoods Chocolate Chip Cookies made with
Babs' Pancake Mix

Mix these Ingredients together:

• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cup Babs’ Pancake Mix
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Bake at 375 for 8 minutes.

Click the GOFoods logo below and order your FREE SAMPLE PACK! (Small S&H charge).

"...AGRICULTURE is the no-brainer investment of the decade."  -Simon Black, Senior Editor, SovereignMan.com I believe Simon is correct. When you consider the fundamentals of supply and demand, rising food prices and the worst-case scenario involving food shortages, growing your own groceries is not unlike mining your own gold or drilling your own oil. Folks, I'm now, officially, a gardener. Not a very good one but I'm learning and trying... and to my delightful surprise, I'm LOVING it! Things are actually growing and, for the first time, my wife and I have actually eaten some of our own produce and it was HEAVENLY! Not only did it smell and taste wonderful, but the sheer joy of knowing there were no chemicals involved in the process was an added perk. I write a great deal about the importance of exchanging your devalued paper money for small units of gold (Karatbars) and giving yourself an instant pay raise by exchanging all you can for Junk Silver (just ask). But there's great wisdom, I believe, in picking up a new habit called "Gardening." My wife and I have done the research, invested in Heirloom seeds, joined the local Organic Gardening Club, and we're having a blast! If we can do it - two people notorious for killing anything that grows (but weeds) - everybody can... and SHOULD! If you have questions, want to talk shop, drop me a line! I would LOVE to hear your comments, questions and suggestions. It's fun to grow your own groceries! Every blessing, Michael Tummillo