Olden Oasis

Image by Sydney Swann from Pixabay How to Protect Your Property from Flooding with Levees What are Levees? Levees are barriers built to prevent flooding by holding back water. They are usually made of dirt, sand, or concrete and are built along rivers, lakes, or coastlines. Why Build Levees? Levees are important because they help protect homes, buildings, and farmland from being damaged by floods. By diverting water away from these areas, levees can prevent costly repairs and keep people safe. How to Build Levees Building levees requires careful planning and construction. First, you need to determine the height and length of the levee needed to protect your property. Then, you will need to gather materials like dirt or sand to build the barrier. Make sure to compact the materials tightly to prevent water from seeping through. Additional Tips: Consider hiring a professional to help design and build the levee. Regularly inspect and maintain the levee to ensure it remains effective. Be a...

Foraging dandelion greens Now is the perfect time to forage for the perfect greens that commonly grow naturally in your own backyard. Yes, I am referring to dandelion greens. The dandelion plant is known as a common weed, but it is chalk full of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Dandelions are what some people call a lawn nuisance, but I like to think of them as free health food. These jagged, saw-toothed plants are edible from root to flower, and they are actually known as a superfood. If you don't have a lawn full of dandelions, they are also available as a tea, supplements, and in some grocery stores, fresh dandelions can be purchased in the produce aisle. Dandelion greens can be picked, rinsed, and cleaned, then eaten raw or cooked just like any other type of green that you may buy or grow in your home garden. So why would you want to eat dandelions? For one thing, dandelions are free food. They grow organically on the lawns of most residential homes, and for another...

Old-fashioned tin-can bread So, you'd like to make a loaf of homemade bread, but you don't have a bread pan. That's not a problem! Today, allow me to show you how I make basic mini loaves of bread quickly and simply by using clean, empty tin cans. Yes, it can be done easily. No pun intended. Just make sure that you grease the inside of your tin cans well with cooking spray. Ingredients: 3 cups of self-rising flour 2-1/4 cups of milk cooking spray for greasing your tin cans Instructions: For this recipe, you can use 15-ounce cans or 28-ounce cans. Only fill the cans about halfway with the dough. Today I am using two 15-ounce cans and one 28-ounce can. (The larger cans will need a little more baking time.) In a bowl, add the self-rising flour. Slowly pour in the milk. Mix the ingredients with a wooden spoon or spatula until they're combined. This is supposed to be a wet, unkneaded dough, but it should not be overly wet. Add extra flour if needed. Grease your tin cans with...

Tips on purchasing pork If you are a fan of pork steak, pork chops, pork ribs, bacon, and pulled pork, today I will be sharing some guides to help you save money, as well as tips on what cuts you might want to start buying instead of buying pre-cut and pre-cured selections.  Instead of buying pork that is already pre-cut and pre-cured, it generally saves money by purchasing pork roasts, or pork shoulders, and curing and slicing the meat yourself. While shopping for pork can sometimes be confusing, hopefully my article today will help you better understand the difference between the two different hams, pork roast, ribs, and Boston butt. Boston butt (pork shoulder): is the upper portion of a hog's FRONT shoulder. Not only does it make a really good cut for barbecuing, making pulled pork, but it's also a good cut to use for slicing pork chops, and making homemade country-style bacon. Boston butt has always been fairly inexpensive to buy, which is why it's often a go-to choice....

Wild edibles to forage If you're interested in foraging for free healthy food then today's article might be right up your alley. Every year during spring, summer, and fall, I enjoy going foraging for wild edibles. I believe that there's a better way of living through foraging. For one, it's an enjoyable experience just being outside and for another it's a way to learn about different plants that grow in the wild, and the third reason that I enjoy it so much are the natural health benefits of eating what I find. First I'd like to stress to you: when foraging, if you aren't familiar with a wild plant leave it alone. There's several that are indeed very poisonous. If you are new to foraging, take someone who's knowledgeable about wild edibles along with you at least for the first couple of times that you go out to forage.  Never take more from nature than you actually need. Remember that animals in the wild also need these wild edibles to survive. Wild ...

Broadleaf plantain and its uses Broadleaf plantain is most commonly known as a weed that's just another type of lawn nuisance to many homeowners. However, this common weed is edible, it's packed full of calcium and vitamins A, C, and K, and it can be used medicinally for multiple purposes. Identifying broadleaf plantains The broadleaf plantain has broad, oval-shaped leaves. The plant is dark green and grows in a rosette shape. They grow long, small, spiked pods with dark seeds in the center of the plants. In the photo above, you can visually see what the plant looks like. This gem of a plant is not only edible, but it can also be used medicinally to treat chronic diarrhea and fatigue and boost immunity. Plus, it can also be used for treating wounds, burns, bug bites, etc. If you plan to eat broadleaf plantains fresh in salads and on sandwiches, look for young, tender plants to pick. Because they will be less chewy. By all means, you can still pick the larger leaves to cook in v...

Homemade pot pie squares If you have ever wanted to make homemade pasta, but you've been too afraid to try making it, here's a simple pasta to get you started. It's so easy to prepare and deliciously satisfying! The pot pie squares can also be dehydrated for later use. So, today I will be demonstrating how I make homemade pot pie squares. I also will show you how to dehydrate them, and I will be sharing three ways that you can cook them once they are made. For this recipe, you can use all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, or seminola flour. Today, I used bread flour and egg as a binder. The recipe can also be made without the egg. Ingredients: 1 egg ½ up to 1 cup of water 3 cups of bread flour 2 tablespoons of softened butter Instructions: In a large bowl, combine the flour, butter, and the egg; mix together until the ingredients are incorporated well. Begin making a well in the center of the flour mixture; adding the water slowly. Work the flour into the center of the well...