Oilskin Tarp Care: A Beginner’s Guide This article assumes that you have a true oilcloth and not waxed cotton. This is important as these two terms are often confused and thought to be the same product. An oilcloth or Oilskin is a cotton or linen fabric that has been treated with oil in order to…
Introduction: Why Restore Your Oilcloth? So you have your favorite oilcloth tarp and have noticed that it doesn’t quite provide the same weather resistance it used to. You find yourself wondering if it would be better to restore your tarp or simply replace it. This is one of those questions that only you can answer,…
Traditional Oilskin Tarps were created when sailors learned that their sails which had been accidentally soaked in oil repelled water. This process was repeated intentionally to recreate this waterproof characteristic. So yes, Oilskin or Oilcloth both in the traditional and more modern composition is waterproof. What Makes Oilskin Waterproof Oilskin is manufactured from very tightly…
When preparing your camping gear it is a good idea to waterproof your tent. Even though many tents are manufactured from a water resistant material they can still leak in heavy rain or when touched if wet. By applying waterproofing techniques to your new tent you can increase its effectiveness in all weather conditions. Now…
Growing Arugula as Microgreens Arugula is an excellent option when selecting plants to grow as microgreens. You can eat them from nearly anytime after they sprout all the way through their adult growing cycles. Even the flowers are edible. As microgreen though they germinate and sprout relatively quickly, often being ready to eat in as…
As winter nears you may be wondering how your garden will fare as the temperatures drop. If you are like me then one of your latest crops is peppers. For most species of peppers temperatures below 50 to 55 degrees will cause them to begin to go dormant, slowing their growth. If temperatures drop below…
When selecting items to store for an emergency, it is important to consider more than one primary use for the item. In some cases an item is necessary but can only be used for one purpose. However, in most cases you can find multiple viable and even necessary uses for the items you choose to…
If you have been canning for a while then it is likely you have been told how important it is to sterilize your canning jars. Newer research seems to indicate that you may not need to always sterilize your jars. For instance the University of Utah indicates sterilization isn’t needed for water bath canning in…
When it comes to digging holes, a shovel is the first thing that comes to most people’s minds. A shovel can be found everywhere from construction sites to homesteads. A shovel is an integral part of a homestead or prepping scenario, from digging holes for fence posts to planting a new orchard of fruit trees…
