by Gaye Levy When someone mentions the word “Lemon”, I immediately think “fresh, clean and pure”. There is simply something about lemons that evokes an overall feeling of wellness and goodness. This might come from my memories of being given a lemon to hold and…
by Gaye Levy Waste is not in my vocabulary. Even before it was considered environmentally responsible to recycle, I would snatch paper out of the trash and re-use the back side before sending it off to the trash bin. The same thing applied to food….
by Gaye Levy Tax day is right around the corner and after agonizing over the tax preparation process, I have filed my return and don’t have to worry about it for another year. The bad news is that I had to make a donation to…
by Gaye Levy For many, the time has come to plan our summer gardens. Given the overwhelming interest in recent articles about essential oils, I decided to revisit the topic of an herbal healing garden. My interest is a bit self-serving in that I am in…
by Gaye Levy When it comes to treating minor ailments, nothing seems to beat the effectiveness of essential oils. I say this not as a healthcare professional, for surely I am not, but as someone who recently dumped two drawers filled with over-the-counter remedies in…
by Gaye Levy When it comes to being prepared, is seems that there are about a thousand things to take into consideration. Well, maybe not a thousand but at least a hundred or two. At times, it feels like we are jugglers, with so many…
by Gaye Levy A couple of years back, 600 million people in India were without power for two days. It was not only lights out – but lights out for half of the population. Can you imagine the chaos? More recently, there have been significant…
by Gaye Levy Peppermint essential oil is so useful that is it comes as no surprise that even folks that are not well versed in the use of essential oils will have a bottle in their first aid kit. In my own case, peppermint oil…
by Gaye Levy If you read between the many lines on Backdoor Survival, you will know that I daydream about becoming a homesteader. I have collected books and eBooks on the topic and I am constantly talking to anyone who will listen about raising chickens…
by Gaye Levy When I first started getting serious about food storage, I found myself facing an entirely new vocabulary of food storage terms. It should come as no surprise that one of those terms was “Oxygen Absorber.” Now I am pretty sure that you…
by Gaye Levy These days, most people define “homesteading” in terms of lifestyle. This is especially true among preppers who seek self-sufficiency by embracing old-style, pioneer-era skills to define their independence from traditional supply chains and government interference. This does not necessarily mean we live…
Mapping a Road to Self-Sufficiency by Gaye Levy The number one question I am asked by new readers is “where do I start?” This is followed by a meek comment indicating “I have a job and a family and can not afford to move to…
by Gaye Levy There is something simply enchanting about the herb rosemary. Perhaps it is the the aromatic woodsy fragrance and the simple beauty of its feathery fronds. Or perhaps it is the delicate taste that rosemary lends to soups, stews and brewed teas. For…
by Gaye Levy There was a time when I was a newbie prepper and to be honest, that time was not that long ago. The memory of getting started is still fresh in my mind and to this day, I am in awe of those…
by Gaye Levy Anyone who lives in hurricane country knows that hunkering down is a way of life when a big storm is predicted. As a matter of fact, in the southern United States, hurricane parties are common. When a hurricane is imminent, friends and…
by Gaye Levy Sometimes it is the simplest things that are overlooked. Case in point? The Family Emergency Plan. Here we are, so diligently putting away food, storing water and purchasing gear when perhaps one of the most important aspects of emergency and crisis planning…
by Gaye Levy A year and a half ago, I asked my friend George Ure at Urban Survival to help with an article on emergency communications. And since he’s the kind of guy who will build you a watch even if all you wanted to…
By Gaye Levy It is my belief that preparedness is a lifestyle and to that end, we need to be proactive and embrace good habits now so when and if a crisis, disaster or collapse occurs, these habits will be second nature and intuitive. One…
By Gaye Levy When it comes to essential oils, you will find that everyone has their favorites. There are so many to choose from that deciding which ones to use on a regular basis can be rather daunting. The ultimate selection is further complicated by…
By Gaye Levy Three years ago, if someone had mentioned that they were purchasing some worms, I would have grabbed my pole and said “let’s go fishing”. Later, as I became interested in organic gardening, I started reading about worm bins and worm compost. A…
