Primitive skills: Starting a fire without matches is empowering.

[MEinWV]

Wow, lots of great ideas coming in.

Don Jose, Thanks for the lesson in trapping birds. If it works for those folks over in China, then it must be a tried and true method. Many of those folks live day to day in a basic state of survival anyway. I like that idea because it makes sense. It reminds me of the tribal folks in Africa looking for water. They catch a monkey and feed him nothing but salt for a few days and then let him go and he heads straight for water. Oh, I forget! To catch the monkey they put some nuts in a hole in a tree and waited nearby. When the monkey stuck his hand in to grab the nuts, he would not let go of them when the men approached. It wasn't until they grabbed him that he let go of the nuts. It was hilarious.

rogerdodger, that's a great idea about the grapevine. We have plenty of it around here and very little birch bark. Birch bark was my favorite fire starter back in Maine. You could stick it in a bucket of water, then take it out and light it up. great stuff.
Pinecones are good too, if you have them.

tex, dried poop is like charcoal briquettes, and in some countries they burn a lot of it. We learn to adapt to our surroundings.

Thanks guys n gals! and Good luck to all!

 

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[oldgoat]

My son was prone to migraine headaches when he was younger, we took him to doctors, because his mother didn't understand outdoors stuff...I remembered that my grandfather always chewed willow bark when he had headaches...it worked for my son.
Some say only a certain type of willow works, but I've used whatever was available in my area and they all seem to do the job...works real well on toothaches too.

 

[oldgoat]

Thank you, Earnest, You have given me my first really good laugh in a long time...you are a goof

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

HIO Roger, never thought of that excellent idea. grape vines eh?

Don Jose de La Mancha

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

HIO MEinva: I have heard about the birch bark, besides making canoes hehe, but never tried it.

Cow and bufflo chips were standard fuel in the 1800's, you are quite right . Most today don't know of that. You and Tex gal surprised me wth your knowledge. More my friends. Perhaps what you post in here may just save my life some day.

Of course as you know, in the Orient when you save someone's life, you are responsible for them from then on heheh. Be seeing you.

Don Jose de La Mancha

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Enernst: sigh, snicker, you have earned a ***** for a survival tech for getting lot's of meat . How long do you roast him?

Don Jose de La Mancha

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Old goat: your grand pappy was one smart cookie. Willow is the basis for aspirin. Many Indians burn it and use the ashes the same way. Never down play the early Indians use of herbs.

Here they cure Ulcers and cancer with the juice of the Hecho cactus.

The Yaquis gave me a handful of very tiny thread like roots which is called "Hilo de oro" Gold thread. If you have a toothache, or the nerve is exposed on a broken tooth, you simply break off a piece about 1" long, chew it to a pulp, then pack it into the tooth that is bothering you . Shortly the pain is gone, and it seems that the nerve retreats, so no root canal work is ever needed.

Don Jose de La Mancha

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

OK GALS & guys: come up with early herbs and cures. For example, if you have an extremely unbalanced diet, make Spruce tip tea, stops scurvy and Vit "C" shortage problems.

Don Jose de La Mancha

 

[MEinWV]

I will just tell all of you that there are many books on the subject of herbal cures, their pro's and con's.

Many modern medicinals are based on the old herbs and plant materials.

 

[Roger Mn.]

HIO Roger, never thought of that excellent idea. grape vines eh?

Don Jose de La Mancha

Yes, just the bark of the grape vine. I was taught that by the scout master. I was going for my cooking marit badge and had 2 matches left. It was damp and had rained earlier that day. He told me two go get some bark off a grape vine. Got the fire going one one match,put on small sticks then a little bigger. I had biscuit dough in foil,fresh cut carrots and butter,can of spagheti.This was back when I was 14 yrs. Went to polar camp one winter and was warm and over night it got down to 36 below. We all lived.

 

[MEinWV]

Winter camping was a blast! My magnesium fire starter was real handy in the winter.

 

[Unicorn]

Herbs have been used in both health and beauty products for hundreds of years. You can lighten hair without bleaching with a chamomile infusion, darker hair use rosemary and sage, and for dandruff parsley and nettles. You will get different types of plants in different climates. Even in the UK the opium poppy is grown, under strict license, and controlled conditions. All locations are kept secret, this is used for the medical profession. You can make a herb sachet from hops and lavender to put in your pillow case to give you a restful night. Feverfew plant infused in hot water for a migraine. Ladies can help reduce wrinkles with fennel, lime flowers,lemon balm, and chamomile. I guess the men folk could even use that The list goes on and on.
Of course at one time you could be burned at the stake as a witch for knowing all about herbal cures Any one want a cure for something just ask lol cant promise anything but!!!!!!
Cheers Shirley

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

HIO Shoily luv: More. Down here the Indians use the gum from a mesquite tree. They boil it with some water until it is a thick syrupy mass. They then throughly mix it with their hair. After a period, to be detemined, they remove it and have shinning black hair.

As a side benifit, for someting not often menioned in the Idylic life of the Indians, it removes the nits and head lice. It is also used for removing parasitic critters from other parts of the body.

A much needed product for Britland hehehheheh

Don Jose de La Mancha

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Roger & Me yer both hired.

Don Jose de La Mancha

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Tex gal: aloe is our medicine cabinet. Love wheat sprouts in salads, the grass can also make an effective cancer treatement for the raw juice.

What are your hrly rates luv? Have a slight chest cough today . Britiand weather is kicking it up.

What did you give hubby for his BPressure? I have some friends with that problem.

Don Jose de La Mancha

 

[pippinwhitepaws]

cayenne pepper is a great all round medicine.

http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/cayenne.htm

put in shoes if feet are cold...

 

[Cynangyl]

I found when I had bleeding ulcers that putting cayenne pepper on food helped heal it. An herbalist told me that and it made no sense at all but I tried it and walah! No more bleeding ulcers! Apparently it is very healing for the stomach!

 

[Roger Mn.]

This is getting to be good MEinWV.
Let's say your miles away from land on a cruise and fall over board or in a boat and it sinks and no life vest.You are wearing you blue jeans.
This is something that everyone should know it may save your life some day.
Kick off your shoes and slide off your jeans. Zip them up and hook the button.
Next tie each pantleg in a knot at the bottom. Take the jeans by the waist and scoop in some air until both pantlegs are sticking up out of the water.
Put both arms in the middle and you are keep afloat for hours.
You have to keep them wet and scoop in more air as you go.
I think everyone should try this next time you go for a swim.
Roger

 

[MEinWV]

Thanks rogerdodger! The ideas are flowing , our minds are growing , and we are becoming more self sufficient.

Become a student FOR yourself! It will benefit not only you, but those you love and those around you that will look to you for guidance and assurance. The worst attribute to posses in times of trouble is panic.

I have known about the bluejeans thing for awhile, and It was great to see you mention it here. It is one of those things that you need to do quickly to save your life, but people in certain situations like that will perish for just not knowing.

In one of Tom Brown's books, he commented on how sad it was when he would be asked to track and find a lost hunter, only to get to him too late. The hunter had died of exposure, all the while having the tools on him necessary to survive such as gun, ammo, knife, rope, etc.. So sad! With his tracking skills, Brown could see where the hunter began to panic.

tex, you are so right about people taking charge and getting control of their lives. We can all think about changing things, but "If you want to make a change in your life, you have to make a change in your life"! It's really pretty simple, isn't it? So why is it so hard for many folks to get started?

Anyway, Thanks again to all for ideas and inspiration, and lets keep this motor running. Grab your share of the freedom!

And Good Luck!

 

[Tubecity]

Let's say your miles away from land on a cruise and fall over board or in a boat and it sinks and no life vest.You are wearing you blue jeans. This is something that everyone should know it may save your life some day. Kick off your shoes and slide off your jeans. Zip them up and hook the button.
Next tie each pantleg in a knot at the bottom. Take the jeans by the waist and scoop in some air until both pantlegs are sticking up out of the water. Put both arms in the middle and you are keep afloat for hours.
You have to keep them wet and scoop in more air as you go. I think everyone should try this next time you go for a swim.
=================================================================
This works for sure, we had to do this for advanced water survival. Except we had to remove our shoes,
tie the laces together & hang them around our necks, might need them later. The pants will float you for hours. Just one addition, if you don't mind, make sure you're wearing a belt & after you collect the air in
the pants, pull the belt snug & hold in front to keep tight with the legs under each arm.