Bow Drill and Hand Drill

I first got introduced to outdoor skills when I was about 10. The school took us for two days to a camp that taught some basic skills.

We learned the bow and arrow, learned how to make 3 strand rope with a primitive twisting machine that takes two people to make. I got to help fetch water out of a well, that had all kinds of spiders in webs living on the sides, LOL.

Everyone was issued a "land of the lost" style canteen. The old long green ones with the belt clip going all around the canteen center. That was also the first time I had ever eaten peanut butter and honey sandwiches. You had the choice of bringing your own food or paying them a small fee for meals, I did both, took a lunch just in case I didn't like what they made, LOL, kids. They also taught us how to use a basic compus.

It was a great experience that I treasured for the rest of my life.
That and being with my grandfather learning how to care for rabbits and chickens since I was 5 years old and helping in the garden. I guess if I was Conan, I would say "that is best in life". :)
 
I grew up in the woods so the survival bug is just a way of life for me. Hunting was required as was fishing. What we didn't catch we grew. We had a huge garden every year and our basement was lined with shelves of canned foods. We heated our house with a homemade stove my dad fashioned out of a few 55gal. drums and a kit he ordered out of a magazine. Every day was spent chopping and stacking wood to keep the house warm. One trip into town on Sat. was it.

We were dirt poor but I didn't know any better and I was happy as could be.

When I got to be a teenager I started working at the local christian rich kid camp near my house. I started in the kitchen, cooking eggs for 700 every morning. Made them in a huge vat and stirred them with a canoe oar.

I quickly moved on to doing canoe tours on the local creeks and then running the ropes course and shooting range.

I did it for 3 summers and learned so much about outdoor skills in that time. Best time of my life.

The year I graduated I spent three months in the woods solid, that was a very different kind of learning session. I learned how miserable and unforgiving the woods can be at times. But taking three months gives you alot of time to practice skills that you normally would try for about 10 minutes and give up.

I guess if I was Conan, I would say "that is best in life".:D
 
Yup, that is best in life.

I started planting again 2 years ago. It is hard, lost 1/3 of our tomato crop this year, but had 3 harvests out of it so in the end it was all okay, 2 harvests off of the tobasco peppers. The squash was a tough crop this year but everyone had a hard time with squash, even the old timers here did too.

Next year when we move to Kentucky I am going into full production farming, LOL.
Well at least enough to can and help others that need food and do chickens and goats.
Want to do the self-reliance thing, the God and us thing :).

Using a lot of hand tools now, hand tillers, etc. Going back to old-timey gardening. Keeps you in shape, like it better than working out, that hours a day in the garden is WAY better than two hours wasted in the gym in my opinion now.
 
Start your squash as late as you can and it will produce much better. Starting it too early allows that pesky little bug to give it problems. If you wait then those bugs are gone. Can't remember the names of those rascals. I lost the first squash crop this year, replanted, and then got a great crop.

Actually "working out" doing hard work (such as gardening) is much better for you than working out in a gym.
 
I can't grow SHEET here in Texas.

In Jersey, I had a killer "victory garden". We didn't have much space in our yard that got sun but I took advantage if every inch. It produced nicely for two 5x5' beds, a 20x2' bed and a bunch of hanging baskets. Peppers Green, red, yellow and HOT!, zuchinni(sp?), tomatos, squash, corn. We did pretty good.

Here in Tx., the soil sucks, the summers are crazy hot and I work way too many hours to get anything impressive going. A few hot pepper plants are about it.

I really do feel like my life is missing something without growing my own food, at least some of it.

I've got alot of learning to do.
 
R.A.T. said:
Do you have any whte cedar you might mail to a brother? ;)
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I can try to locate some, and worse case scenario you will get my board and spindle. There should still be a dozen or so fires left in her:thumbup:

Shoot me a pm or email with your shipping info.
 
tonym said:
I can try to locate some, and worse case scenario you will get my board and spindle. There should still be a dozen or so fires left in her:thumbup:

Shoot me a pm or email with your shipping info.
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Jeff and Tony, I came across a downed white cedar the other day while walking with my kids. I need to go back this weekend to check it out. Assuming I am able to collect a bit of the wood, I'd be happy to send some your way. Let me know.
 
tonym said:
There is alot of types of poplar. Tulip Poplar is super grainy and does suck. But some other poplars are great friction fire woods. ie Cottonwood is a type of Poplar, great wood for friction fire.
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I just want to make a quick clarification here. So you know and understand that Tulip Poplar is not an actual poplar as most of us thing of it. Tuip Poplar is also know as Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) and the other kinds of poplar are more specifically called Aspen (Populus tremuloides), Bigtooth Aspen (Poplous grandidentata) , and Cottonwood (Populous deltoides) can fall under this category. These trees have very different properties, which is why I bring it up. For instance the Tulip Tree has harder and denser wood then the Aspen. If you are out collecting wood for a bow drill and you have Tulip Tree but not Aspen, and you collect the Tulip then it will not work the same as the Aspen, but if you have some Cottonwood it will work similar to the Aspen as it has similar wood properties.

I just wanted to clarify this so that maybe when you are out in the woods trying to make these types of things there won't be any mix ups, and hopefully your project will go smoother.

I hope this helps.
 
JK14 said:
Jeff and Tony, I came across a downed white cedar the other day while walking with my kids. I need to go back this weekend to check it out. Assuming I am able to collect a bit of the wood, I'd be happy to send some your way. Let me know.
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Same here we have a bunch of cedar on my grandfathers property up in northern Michigan. If you need or want any just let me know and next time I head up there I'll be sure and collect some for you.
 
Please ship to:

Jeff Randall
60 Randall Road
Gallant, AL 35972

Much thanks!!!
 
Hey Jeff how much do you want? If you give me a lenght and diameter I'll see what I can do. I think I will be heading up there this weekend in fact.
 
Enough to build a log cabin maybe?

Small piece 2 inchex max diameter 18' long
 
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