January 2023 - Jeff Cassman

DIY Shed | Budget Homesteading Project

Want to know how to build a DIY shed? Whether you need a shed for your tools or just extra storage for the homestead, I’m sure you’ll find this easy and practical!

If you’re planning on building a shed on a budget, then this DIY project is for you!

An Easy-to-Build DIY Shed Perfect for Your Homestead

Pointers to Keep in Mind Before Building a Shed:

Determine your needs.
Check if you need to ask for a permit.
Look what shed is available in store.
Create a plan which will benefit you in the future.
Plan what shed you want.
Determine what type of shed you will build (wood or metal).

What You’ll Need to Build a Cost-Effective Shed:

Hammer
Clamps
Air compressor
Air hose
Nail gun
Drill
Tape measure
Circular saw
Caulk gun
Chalk line
Level
Drill bit set
Hearing protection
Jigsaw
Stepladder
Pocket hole jig
Router
Sawhorses
Speed square
Tin snips

Step 1: Build the Foundation

Make sure to check that the foundation of your shed is a perfect square. Install wood rails where the storage shed floor can rest on.

Thus keeping your wood floor from touching the dirt and moisture, prolonging the lifespan of your shed. Ensure that your own shed foundation is durable and sturdy.

Step 2: Assemble the Floor Frame

Grab your boards and start measuring. Once you’re done, you can now cut the pieces and start building your floor frame with 5 easy steps.

Step 3: Install the Flooring

Now that you’ve completed the floor frame, time to install your floor sheeting. Be sure that it’s the right fit before you cut, glue, and nail your sheet.

Step 4: Build the Roof Rafters

Be sure that you have all the angles of your roof rafters aligned properly. You wouldn’t want them to end up uneven.

Step 5: Build the Wall Framing

Set your roof rafters aside and start working on your wall frame next.

Step 6: Install the Siding

Once you have the wall framed up, it’s now time to cover it up with the siding of your choice.

Step 7: Roof Framing and Sheet Application

After you have all the sidings attached, next up is roofing your shed. Remember the roof rafters you built earlier? You’ll be installing that along with the roof sheet.

Step 8: Attach the Shed Trim

Can you see it’s starting to look like a shed now? Don’t forget to install the trims. It’s just 5 easy steps, then you’ll be all set.

Step 9: Install the Asphalt Shingles

…

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Video: Make An Affordable DIY Chicken Water Deicer

One of the most dreaded farm chores for everyone is breaking ice in waterers. It’s cold, messy and tough! However, drinking water during freezing temperatures is extremely important for animals, because their bodies burn extra calories trying to stay warm.

Water consumption is directly linked to food consumption. If they are not drinking enough, they will not eat enough to stay healthy.

Water deicers are a great way to ensure the water stays fresh and available for animals. Commercially available deicers for chickens cost upwards of $60, a pretty hefty price tag for items you likely need in multiples.

Luckily, you can make your own chicken water deicer for a fraction of the cost. Follow these very simple steps to make your own deicer for less around $17.

Supplies

Steps

Find a safe base area. Do not build the deicer on straw, hay, bedding or cardboard. Find a spot in your coop that is solid dirt or concrete, or lay a piece of sheet metal down and build on top.
Place the cinder block in the center of your working area.
Chisel a groove in the top of the block to lay the heating lamp cord flat.
Prepare the heating lamp. Remove sheathing and clamps. Place the 40w bulb in the bulb holder.
Place the bulb in the groove of the cinder block, dangling towards the ground.
Place the chicken waterer (at least 1 gallon) on top of the cinder block.

Using a 40-watt bulb ensures the water will not absorb too much heat. The goal is to keep water above 32 degrees, which does not require the same wattage as standard heat lamps. Animals really want their water to stay around 40-50 degrees for drinking.

The cinder block acts as an oven to intensify the heat in your chicken water deicer.

As with any use of electrical components in coops and barns, you will want to check on the deicer multiple times during the day. It’s important to keep an eye on such factors as weather elements and chicken behaviors (you don’t want them to knock it over). Also check to make sure the deicer is working so your birds are still able to drink.

Myth Buster

Snow does not suffice for water. Many people believe animals will consume snow in lieu of water. But the amount of snow consumption needed to equal out water is very high.

In addition, snow is cold enough to lower animal body temperatures, which is something you definitely do not want to do. Simply put, do not rely on snow as the animals’ watering source during inclement weather.

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Antibiotic Herbs And Plants To Grow Before SHTF

We know the sinking feeling of being unprepared at the onset of any infection. “Oh! We say in hindsight, I wish I had x, y or z!”.

Antibiotics are medicinal substances that inhibit the growth of or destroy microorganisms.

Look at the following list, and grow whatever possible to create remedies to remain ahead of the curve.

Prepare antibiotic tinctures for herbs by covering one cup of the dried herb in a one-quart jar with two cups of 80-proof vodka.

Store in a cool dark place for between twenty to thirty days. Strain the herb into a clean one-quart glass jar.

Blessed Thistle (Cnicus Benedictus)

One can easily forage or grow this prickly herb. Please harvest it using gloves and cut off the stickers.

Holy Thistle, its other name, is a multipurpose antibiotic ally.

Used as tincture, it breaks up respiratory mucus, increases immunity, decreases harmful bacteria and fevers, cleanses the liver, aids circulation.

When applied topically, it becomes an analgesic.

Echinacea (Echinacea Spp. Compositae)

It’s a finicky herb to grow, yet absolutely worth the effort.

Veteran herbalists report that taking an acute dosage of this herb every three hours for three days quells yellow respiratory mucus, pus, puffy sores, venomous bites, poison oak or ivy, and other acute inflammatory conditions.

Even used extensively, in most cases, there are no contraindications.

Olive Leaf (Olea Europea)

Growing and maintaining olive trees in warmer climates is common.

But did you know that the olive leaf is making a comeback as an antibiotic?

It fights infection and decreases viral symptoms, inflammation, high blood sugar, and fevers.

Check with a qualified practitioner if you have high blood pressure before using it.

Oregano (Oreganum Vulgare)

Oregano is easy to grow in a sunny area, kills bacteria, fungi, parasites, and microbes, and calms the nerves.

Ingesting oregano tincture is one way to heal infections.

However, the essential oil of oregano is easily found online or in a natural foods store.

It’s an investment you can travel with. Use as the label directs.

Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium)

Grow this gentle herb to help the whole family during cold, cough, and flu season.

Remarkably, a simple poultice with yarrow, packing the fresh or dried herb directly on a wound, will stop bleeding. It’s a superior herb for lowering fevers.

Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon Californicum)

One can grow this herb in dry western habitats. Often it’s found wild near chaparral plants, another antibiotic.

It is also known as ‘Holy Herb’ or ‘Mountain Balm’.

Yerba Santa is an herb that reduces…

EPIC Will Expand Work on Privacy and Tech Oversight in 2023

For nearly thirty years, EPIC has been fighting to secure the fundamental right to privacy for all, and the fight has never been more important. 2022 was a momentous year that brought new threats—in particular, the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs, which undid 50 years of precedent protecting the constitutional right to privacy—but also hope for the future. In 2023, EPIC will work to establish strong, comprehensive privacy and digital civil rights across the United States; we will help to develop new fairness and accountability mechanisms to ensure that AI and automated decision-making systems do not exacerbate inequities and discrimination; and we will work to ensure that intelligence and law enforcement surveillance programs are subject to robust oversight.

EPIC’s important work is made possible by the individuals and charitable foundations that support our research and advocacy. Last month, EPIC was thrilled to be selected as a charity beneficiary for the 2022 Proton Lifetime Account Fundraiser. Since 2018, Proton Mail—a secure and end-to-end encrypted email service—has hosted an annual, community-driven fundraiser to support organizations that align with its vision and values. The record-breaking funds raised by the Proton community this year will help make possible the critical work that is being taken on by EPIC and other civil society groups.

EPIC is grateful for this support from the Proton community and plans to leverage this gift to improve consumer privacy, AI accountability, surveillance oversight, and other critical issues. Below is a brief summary of the progress we made last year and an overview of where we hope to take the work in 2023:

Consumer Privacy Advocacy

In 2022, we saw significant progress on privacy legislation. Congress introduced the American Data Privacy and Protection Act (ADPPA), a bipartisan, bicameral bill that EPIC believes is the most promising federal privacy legislation that we have seen in the United States in many years. We testified on the importance of the bill and worked closely with both coalition partners and Congressional staff to strengthen it. Unfortunately, ADPPA did not pass last year, but it is well-positioned to gain further bipartisan support in 2023. We have never been this close to getting comprehensive privacy protections for all Americans.

In addition to advancing federal privacy legislation, EPIC has co-led coalition efforts to support comprehensive privacy rulemakings in California, in Colorado, and at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). We have presented testimony, submitted detailed comments and feedback to regulators, and worked to build consensus among varied civil society organizations. Notably, in November 2022, EPIC published Disrupting Data Abuse: Protecting Consumers from Commercial Surveillance in the Online Ecosystem in response to the FTC’s call for comments in its proposed rulemaking on commercial surveillance and data security. The 230-page report puts forward numerous recommendations for how the Commission can better protect consumers in the digital era and is the most comprehensive proposal EPIC has made on a consumer privacy framework.

Chicken Coop Designs And Ideas [2nd Edition]

Chicken coop designs and ideas are essential when raising poultry. With this updated list, planning and building a chicken coop has never been easier!

In this article:

Raising Poultry? Pick From These Chicken Coop Designs and Ideas

Chicken Coop Designs and Ideas Your Homestead Needs

Raising Poultry? Pick From These Chicken Coop Designs and Ideas

Chicken coop designs and ideas help you decide which DIY chicken coop fits you best. A good homesteader knows you need your own chicken coop to house all those fresh eggs and raise those little chicks to grow up big and strong!

Whether you are raising chickens for food or for fun, you’ll want to keep them somewhere safe, warm, and protected from the elements and predators. Now, this list is updated with 14 more chicken coop designs and ideas for you to choose from!

These DIY chicken coop plans detail step-by-step instructions on how to make a simple chicken coop or something like an A-frame chicken coop. We’ve rounded up the best ideas on the web, from sustainable to functional, to downright awesome. It’s chicken coop building time!

If you need a little help deciding which of these free chicken coop plans would most likely fit your chickens’ needs best, head over here for some advice.

1. Chicken Coop Cottage

For a little country whimsy, give your chickens a cozy cottage home complete with winding vines and a stone pathway to the doorstep.

2. Beer Can Shingles

Protect your chicken coop from the effects of weather and recycle your cans in a creative way. Drink up for the benefit of your flock. Cheers to chickens!

3. Bright and Cheery Chicken Shed

Add a splash of color to your backyard with a shed-style chicken coop. Use white trim and some plants to create a classic look that will make the structure pop!

4. From Clunker…

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Ground Beef Prices Increasing Because of Drought | Homesteading News | Homesteading Simple Self Sufficient Off-The-Grid

The 34 Cutest Baby Pygmy Goats On The Internet!

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Get Your FREE Survival Seeds Playing Cards + Vertical Gardening Report NOW!

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Public Benefits, Private Vendors: How Private Companies Help Run our Welfare Programs

If you’ve been following EPIC’s work on the algorithms used in public benefits programs, you may have caught something unusual: although we talk about public welfare programs, most of the systems we’ve uncovered are developed by private companies. That isn’t a coincidence. While a few state agencies have developed their own technical systems for public benefits programs, a large and growing number of states have chosen to outsource the technological systems undergirding public benefits programs to private vendors who promise accuracy, efficiency, and cost-savings. In reality, EPIC’s research suggests the opposite: many vendor systems are costly, prone to bias and error, and developed without considering agencies’ unique needs.

Understanding the role that these private vendors play in public benefits programs is just the first step to understanding the risks and harms facing public benefits recipients. But it’s an important step. Throughout this blog post, we’ll explore how private vendors—some of the largest companies in the country—have rapidly solidified their place within our public benefits landscape using proprietary data systems and marketing gimmicks. We’ll highlight the outsized power that private systems have over public benefits—power that private vendors have used to enrich themselves while exposing our most vulnerable communities to harm. And we’ll consider existing and potential reforms meant to improve our public benefits systems and protect those who use them. For millions of Americans in need, extensive data collection, faulty vendor systems, and harmful automated decision-making are part and parcel of their daily lives.

Procurement: When and Why do State Agencies Rely on Private Contractors?

Privatizing public benefits programs isn’t the only way for public benefits programs to meet the growing needs of benefits recipients—it’s just the result of active efforts by politicians and lobbyists to defund agencies and privatize public services. State agencies can and have successfully managed their public benefits programs without relying on private vendors. For example, Oregon’s Department of Human Services, Aging & People with Disability (APD) has, since 1995, relied on its own network of digital systems to facilitate long-term care needs under Medicare and Medicaid. And while these systems have evolved over time, they have never replaced or undermined case worker decision-making; their systems do not make automate any eligibility determinations or authorizations and do not rely on third-party datasets.

So how did private vendors become such powerful players in the public benefits space? The answer is three-fold. First, many agencies are forced to rely on private vendors because state legislatures refuse to allocate enough funding for agencies to manage and update their public benefits programs internally. Powerful companies like LexisNexis and Maximus exploit this fact, spending millions of dollars to lobby state and federal legislatures for lucrative benefits privatization opportunities. When state agencies submit Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for private vendor contracts, these same companies leverage their size and data capabilities to submit highly competitive bids—bids that can include ongoing system maintenance provisions that lock agencies into long-term, exclusive vendor contracts. And once these major…

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Privacy, Surveillance, and AI in the FY’23 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)

Each year, Congress passes the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which designates specific budgets and policies for the U.S. military and a host of other government entities. The NDAA, while at its core a national defense bill, is sweeping in scale, with this year’s version providing $816,700,000,000.00 in funding to the Department of Defense. Given the sheer size of this allocation, the NDAA has impacts well beyond the military. This year, as in the recent past, there are many provisions that relate to privacy, surveillance, and AI. EPIC highlights those provisions here to help you understand where this money will be spent in the upcoming years. The full text of the NDAA (4408 pages) can be found here.

Surveillance-Related Provisions

First, §6318 of the NDAA includes “measures to mitigate counterintelligence threats from proliferation and use of foreign commercial spyware.” These measures include reporting requirements on the counterintelligence threats and other risks to U.S. national security posed by the proliferation and use of foreign commercial spyware. The NDAA also gives the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) discretionary authority to bar intelligence community procurement and use of foreign commercial spyware, whether directly from a covered foreign company or through a vendor with access to spyware.

The NDAA’s language—coupled with a rumored forthcoming Executive Order prohibiting the U.S. government from using spyware that poses counterintelligence or other security risks—appear to signal the United States’ intent to rein in the unchecked expansion of spyware. However, stronger measures were left out of the final NDAA; prior iterations had authorized the President to impose sanctions on foreign firms and individuals that sell, purchase, or use spyware. Further, the NDAA’s emphasis on counterintelligence risks does not address the fundamental risks to privacy and safety posed by the pervasive use of spyware, domestic or foreign in nature. Given reports that U.S. government agencies are already deploying spyware, action is still required.

Second, §6310 the NDAA directs the DNI to “conduct a review to ascertain the feasibility and advisability of compiling and making public information relating to activities of the intelligence community under Executive Order 12333” and brief Congress on that review. In particular, the NDAA calls for review of the feasibility of publicly disclosing the following information:

The amount of United States person information collected pursuant to such activities;
Queries of United States persons pursuant to such activities;
Dissemination of United States person information pursuant to such activities, including masking and unmasking;
The use of United States person information in criminal proceedings; and
Quantitative data and qualitative descriptions of incidents in which the intelligence community violated Executive Order 12333 and associated guidelines and procedures.

Executive Order 12333 sets forth a large and complex framework for the United States’ foreign intelligence activities. Although Congress and the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB) have both played important roles in overseeing activities conducted under Executive Order 12333, the precise scope of these activities remains murky. The NDAA’s language will improve public transparency around these activities and align Executive Order 12333…