If you are looking to stock up on food for your family’s survival kit, then you should consider adding these five foods to your family’s survival kit. Although there are many other foods available, the following five foods will help you and your family survive in the event of an emergency.

Canned Fish

One of the most important canned foods that you should have on hand for your family is canned fish. In the event of an emergency, canned tuna or salmon are the perfect choices because these foods are filled with protein and do not have to be prepared or cooked to eat. Although they fish perishes once opened, you can probably get two separate servings per can.

Dried Foods

Although beans and rice take some preparation, they are also a must-have food to have on hand in your family’s survival kit. What makes dried beans and rice good food to add to your family survival’s kit is that these foods last for a very long time and they can be prepared very quickly. In addition, rice and beans contain many essential minerals and vitamins that your family needs to survive should there ever be an emergency

Canned Fruits

In addition to tuna, salmon, dried rice and beans, you definitely should plan on adding canned fruits to your list as well. Many of the canned fruits contain Vitamin C. The juice from canned fruits can also be used to stay hydrated as well. If you don’t add canned fruit, then you should add canned juice instead.

Cereal or Protein Bars

Another food that you should have on hand are cereal or protein bars for your entire family. Both cereal and protein bars are a good source of protein, vitamins, nutrients and minerals. In addition, these foods are very filling as well. Many of the protein bars that are available in the store can also be used as meal replacements. As such, you should consider adding cereal and protein bars to your family’s survival kit.

Canned Juice and Drinks

In an emergency, it is very important to stay well-hydrated. If you are planning on gathering items for your survival kit, then you should plan on adding canned juices and drinks to your family survival kit. Unlike food that is consumed three times a day, juice and drinks need to be consumed more frequently. Since it is unlikely that you will have a fresh supply of water or milk on hand, you definitely want to make certain that you have enough canned juice and drinks in your family’s survival kit.

By taking the time to carefully consider what five foods you should add to your family’s surival kit, you will have the reassurance that your family will have everything they need to eat in the event of an emergency.

Laundromats offer local business opportunities in towns and cities of every size. It’s a relatively easy industry to enter; owners don’t need extensive training or college degrees. While many kinds of businesses have come and gone in recent decades, everyone still has laundry to wash. This industry also continues to evolve in ways that provide greater comfort and convenience to customers. There are three major benefits to owning a laundromat:

1. Automation

Unlike most businesses, coin-operated laundries can be largely automated. This allows owners to spend some of their time performing other jobs or running separate companies. In addition to washers and dryers, various vending equipment serves customers without frequent human intervention. It includes soap, food, soda, juice, arcade and pinball machines. Vending company employees can refill some of these units. Owners of profitable laundromats may also pay appliance repair professionals to maintain their equipment. Some proprietors benefit from automation because they have time to make extra money by providing additional services to laundry customers. Examples include preparing food in a laundromat snack bar or washing, drying and delivering clothes for an extra fee.

2. Stable Income

Many industries depend on specific seasons or types of weather. On the other hand, most coin-operated laundries remain popular throughout the year. They provide a basic service that people continue to use during recessions. Although some customers cut costs by drying their clothes on racks or clotheslines during sunny weather, IBISWorld reports that washing machines normally generate a larger portion of laundromat income. Revenue may vary by season in a few places, such as tourist destinations and college towns. Nonetheless, laundromats provide far more predictable earnings than other small businesses like campgrounds, restaurants or gift shops. Laundry pickup and delivery services make them even more stable by attracting a mix of wealthy and low-wage customers. This helps these establishments remain prosperous in economic downturns as well as more prosperous times.

3. Often Lucrative

A coin-operated laundry business can produce considerable income if the owner maintains it well and doesn’t have too many nearby competitors. Well-run laundromats tend to achieve profit margins of around 35 percent, according to Entrepreneur magazine. Net earnings often range from about $10,000 to $350,000 in profitable establishments. Automation makes it possible for some people to own and operate several locations without hiring numerous employees. Since many customers spend substantial amounts of time at laundromats, owners can often gain significant revenues from snack and beverage sales. This is a more versatile business than many people realize. It’s also feasible for attendants to sell a range of related items, such as laundry baskets, lint rollers and used clothing.

The bottom line is that laundromats steadily yield low to moderate revenues with comparatively minimal labor needs. When the equipment is working properly, many owners only need to clean floors, collect coins and refill soap machines on a regular basis. Although the coin-operated laundry industry may seem old-fashioned, it continues to serve a vital need and deliver greater convenience with the help of modern technology.

A healthy soil has the ability to work as an important living system, supporting the productivity of life, furthering the quality of the surrounding air and water and providing health to plants, animals and men.

A healthy soil keeps a community of organisms needed to limit plant diseases, pests, and other functions that contribute to improving crop production.

It does not pollute its environment and it contributes to easing climate change.

Components of a healthy soil

Think of the soil not as a lifeless but a vibrant material, full of life and energy, housing a living community of organisms. We cannot see these organisms, but they are very helpful to the gardeners. These organisms help to improve the soil tilth, which is important in making the soil fit to support plant growth. They are also a major help in enabling plants to obtain nutrients in the soil.

A healthy soil has particles that are arranged to allow movement of water in and out of the soil. To promote plant growth, the plants need a constant supply of air and water. This is why we till the soil to improve the movement of air in the soil and we use irrigation to supply extra water to the soil.

Soil organisms are most active during late spring and early summer when the soil is warm and moist. Some activities of soil organisms drop when the soil dries out, and some may resume activity in the fall when the rain dampens the soil while it is still warm. Many soil organisms become inactive as the soil cools down. This is why the time to add fertilizer is when the soil is warm and moist, when soil organisms are more active.

3 Essential Organisms in Soil

Soil organisms are very small and are invisible to the naked eyes, but some of them have a major effect on the growth of plants. There are three categories of soil organisms:

1. Beneficial Organisms

Some organisms benefit the plants directly or indirectly. They have a close, mutually beneficial relationship with plants. Example, the organism supplies the plant with nitrogen and the plant supplies back minerals and sugars. This way, the organism improves plant health. They include bacteria that improve the quality of the soil, help keep nutrients, improve soil structure, and reduce pollutants in the soil.

2. Neutral Organisms

Neutral organisms have no effect on plants whatsoever. Their presence in the soil has neither bad nor good effect on plants. Their presence or absence in the soil really doesn’t matter.

3. Harmful Organisms

These are the organisms that are harmful to the plants, like fungi and plant pests. They are unwanted when they cause damage to an ecosystem. Plants need to be protected from them because they represent a threat to the crop.

Preserving the health of the soil is a very important responsibility not only by gardeners or farmers but by everyone. Maintaining the soil’s health is beneficial, as it will ensure that we receive healthier crops and abundant harvests in many years to come.

Have you ever wondered what type of technology other businesses use? The following eight tech tools and products will help give your business a boost.

1. Freshbooks: Accounting and finance is a huge part of running a business. With Freshbooks and similar accounting tools, you can handle online client invoicing, time tracking, and expenses tracking. The program is streamlined and simple to navigate, making it a great option for entrepreneurs and business owners who are just starting out.

2. ZenDesk: If customer service plays a role in your business, and chances are it does, the ZenDesk interface is the leading customer support product for businesses. You can see all of your customer support information in one place and keep your entire team up-to-date in real time.

3. Facial Recognition Vending Machine: There are few things that customers love more than getting something for free. London-based company SapientNitro has creating a vending machine that uses facial recognition to give people a freebie just for smiling. After a customer smiles at the machine, they can upload the image to Facebook, which increases social media marketing for the brand. Facial recognition is also used on digital signage to detect gender and age range, which helps the signage deliver targeted ads.

4. MailChimp: E-mail marketing is huge and is arguably the most important aspect of your social media marketing campaign. One of the best e-mails services on the market today is MailChimp. You pay for a subscription based on the number of mailing list subscribers you have. You can setup all types of newsletter, auto-responders and text-only e-mails based on your needs.

5. Trello: If you have a lot of projects up in the air, there’s a ton of software out there to help you get organized and stay on track. Recommended by Forbes, Trello is a great collaboration tool for companies with a million projects up in the air and a big team that needs to stay on the same page.

6. Augmented Reality: A great example of using augmented reality to promote your business comes from Tissot, a Swiss watchmaker. Outside of Harrods, reps handed out paper wristbands. When people stood in front of the LCD screen, the welcome sent coordinated of the paper wristband into an augmented reality system, which then displayed a video of the person on the LCD screen. The image showed the person wearing a 3D version of the watch. These types of high-tech displays are used at all types of events to promote a variety of products.

7. Shopify: Any retailer should consider setting up a Shopify store. More than just a place to sell items, Shopify is on the cutting edge of everything required for online marketing.

8. Virtual Currency: Companies that have branded games or apps, or that want a presence in the mobile app world, can use virtual currency so that users can get virtual goods or upgrades. In exchange for the virtual currency, all the person has to do is watch an ad or sponsored content.

If you plan on taking a sightseeing helicopter tour when on your next trip, it is an imperative that you know how to choose the right sightseeing helicopter tour. There are many things to consider when booking a helicopter tour.

Tip #1 – Safety First

Although injuries are a rare occurence, it pays to do a little research to determine if the helicopter company that you are interested in has been involved in any incidents. This information can be easily researched by visiting the National Transporation Safety Board and FAA’s website online or contacting them directly by phone. Even if a company has had no incidents, it is still important to take the time to learn a little more about the company.

Tip #2 – Get to Know The Pilot

As you know, not every tour guide is created equally. If you are planning on taking a helicopter tour, then you need to take time to find out a little about the pilot who will be the guide on the day of your tour. Some pilots come from specialized backgrounds and are highly qualified. Other pilots may not have any specialized experience and may be new pilots. Although the company may be reluctant to provide confidential details about the pilots, some companies may be willing to provide details about the pilot’s experience.

Tip #3 – Pricing and Refunds

Once you have narrowed down your list of helicopter tours, you should take the time to consider the pricing of your tour. The cost will depend on numerous factors, including but not limited to the length of your tour, what you will be able to see and the size of your group. In addition to those factors, some helicopter tours offer group discounts and bundled sightseeing packages that also include tours by bus and on foot.

When taking the time to explore all of your options, you should take the time to consider all of the various options included with the tour you are interested in taking. In addition to considering all the various sightseeing packages, you need to find out what will happen if you can’t fly because of inclement weather. Every company has different policies, so it is an imperative that you take the time to learn more about these policies.

Tip #4 – Find Out What You Can and Can’t Bring With You

Once you are prepared to book your helicopter tour, you need to take the time to figure out what you can and cannot bring with you on the day of your tour. Many helicopter tours have restrictions, so you want to be sure that you pick a tour that can accommodate all of your requests. In addition, you also want to make certain you are prepared to provide identification and any other documentation that you may need to board the helicopter on the day of your tour.

By taking the time to consider all of your options and carefully evaluate all the different helicopter tour packages, you will be on your way to selecting the perfect sightseeing helicopter tour package that is in your price range range and includes all the right features.

Down home cooking has a number of meanings to different people. First and foremost, we’re talking about comfort food. This is food that reminds you of home, and it makes you feel good and warm inside. For someone from southern America, the definition of down home cooking is going to be different to that of someone from Maine or California.

But for all intents and purposes, let’s focus on general foods from America that are considered down home cooking or comfort foods. Here are the top 5 must-try versions of this food genre.

1. Mac and Cheese

Mac and cheese can turn any bad day around. It’s got the two ingredients that Americans love most. First, you have the delicious macaroni or other pasta for the base. Second, you have cheese. We all love cheese!

Probably the best thing about mac and cheese is that you can play with it in many different ways. Try adding bacon or chives to spice it up, or play around with the cheeses that you put in.

2. Turkey or Chicken Pot Pie

Imagine that golden brown crust and the way it deepens in color around the edges. Imagine cutting into the first bite. The way the flaky crust breaks away only to reveal the oozy gooey, meat and veggie-filled center is to die for. This is turkey or chicken pot pie at its best.

3. Chicken Noodle or Rice Soup

Everyone loves a delicious bowl of chicken noodle soup. And of course, now that people are slightly more carb-focused, the white, starchy noodles can be replaced with brown rice if you choose.

This is a staple for many people who are sick. If you have the flu or a cold, chicken soup is the first thing you turn to. But even if you aren’t sick, this is a dish that can be served up to remind you of your mother or grandmother’s cooking when you were a child. It’s a delicious and nutritious reminder of days past.

4. Traditional Lasagna

Who said there would be no worldliness in this list? Traditional lasagna is of course from Italy. This country is the home of most pasta dishes, and it is definitely the home of lasagna.

This is a dish that can be modified to fit your dietary restrictions or needs as well. Consider using eggplant instead of pasta, or omit the meat and add more peppers and onions to make the dish healthier. Either way, it’s a great meal to have when you’re in need of some comfort food.

5. Classic Meat and Bean Chili

Again, comfort food is at its best when it includes pasta, meat and some spicy, warmed up veggies. A classic chili recipe is perfect for this occasion.

To perfect basically any chili recipe, just add beans, pasta and beef or chicken to a medley of different veggies, such as peppers, onions, tomatoes and celery. And of course, remember that chili is the perfect recipe to try when it’s a little “chilly” outside!

Moving is one of the most thankless jobs out there. Luckily, you don’t need to feel chaos on your moving day. Instead, keep your belongings organized and your sanity intact with a few hacks that are sure to make your move a little smoother.

1. Clothes
Hanging clothes should be kept on hangers. Simply organize clothes together, so you can find them easily at your new place. Slide a garbage bag over your clothes in bundles. Try to keep bundles to 15 to 20 items. Roll up folded clothes to save space. Use seasonal items (especially if you don’t plan on using them right away) to wrap around breakables.

2. Dishes
Keep dishes safe by placing foam or paper plates, bowls and cups between your good dishes. Wrap unused towels around larger bowls and serving items. Use gallon-size Ziploc bags to keep knives, forks and spoons together yet organized.

3. Organization
Color-code boxes with stickers to ensure all items are delivered to their proper places. Use blue for kitchen, red for bedroom, yellow for bathroom and black for the living room. Make sure to place the stickers on the same spot on each box. Remember to place stickers on the sides of boxes to ensure the colors are not hidden. Use egg cartons to organize jewelry, hardware and other small items. Use a Sharpie to write the name of the piece of furniture that corresponds with hardware in the bottom of the carton.

4. Heavy Items
Use suitcases for your heaviest items since suitcases are already equipped with handles and wheels. Cut holes in the shapes of upside-down triangles in the sides of boxes to create handles for boxes holding heavy items.

5. Furniture
Keep soft items in dresser drawers. Wrap sheets of moving plastic around the drawers to ensure nothing slides out. Use dollies to move furniture to moving vehicles and into your new home. Pack your truck with ease by keeping heavy furniture toward the front, drawers facing the wall and large items loaded into the cab first.

6. Electronics
Take photos of your electronics before you unplug anything. Retrieve the photo when it’s time to set up your electronics in your new home; you’ll have a reference sheet to see where all of your cords belong.

7. Before You Pack
Get rid of as much stuff as possible before you even begin packing. Most people end up packing items they don’t want or need—like magazines, unused electronics cords, dead batteries and clothes. It seems counterproductive to pull out all your stuff, throw half of it away and then put it all away—especially when you’re going to pull everything back out on packing day. Yet throwing away what you don’t need will save you time and sanity once you begin packing.

Moving day doesn’t need to be feared. Take pleasure in your new home by keeping your belongings in order and easy to find. You’ll spend less time moving and more time enjoying your new home.

Having your kids brush their teeth daily could either be an easy process or extremely tough to deal with. Convincing kids to brush and floss seems like a huge impossibility especially if they generally do not like brushing their teeth. Just a few small ideas can help you convince your kids to start doing this morning and nightly chore without problems.

4 Ideas for Encouraging your Kids to Brush/Floss

– Toy Toothbrushes

Consider giving your child a nice toothbrush that has a unique Superhero or Princess on the toothbrush. You want brushing and flossing to look like it’s tons of fun to do. Make it something entertaining for them. In other words, anything to get them to have fun while brushing is a success in itself. Consider investing in those toothbrushes that can play music or spin the toothbrush around to make them more entertained.

– Soft Dental Floss

Most dental floss products for adults are usually very harsh on the gums unless they are naturally very strong. You need to remember that dental floss on a child’s gums and teeth can cause bleeding or pain. Look for floss that’s gentle on the gums and won’t cause any pain for the child.

– Making It A Family Bonding Opportunity

Use this time to help teach your kids the importance of brushing. Take your other older kids, siblings, spouse, and anybody else in the home to toothbrush all together. Doing this will allow for you to make this a family bonding opportunity, and it will teach young kids that it’s important for everybody, including the adults to do this. Make the kids feel like they need to do this to feel included in the family. All you need is a few nights of doing this together to convince a young child to start brushing and flossing.

– Rewards Chart

Create a tiny chart of every time they brush their teeth. Every single time they do it when you ask them to, they will receive a sticker on the wall. Give them a prize when they receive 10 or 20 stickers on the wall. This rewards chart is a great way to really encourage them to continue and also have your very involved with all of it. Kids who learn how to brush early on will eventually forget about the chart and learn to continue on without their charts in the future once they remember to brush.

Kids will learn early on the importance of getting their teeth brushed and flossed, but you need to be the example first. Make it a goal to really try and spend some time with them as they begin. You have to be the one to remind them, and with time, they should be able to do it all on their own. Tooth brushing is something they must follow and do every single day to maintain oral health and keep the gums clean. These four simple ideas will surely help you encourage them as best as possible.

Volunteering for a note-worthy cause can be a rich, rewarding experience. Being such, our article below covers several considerations to make when you are thinking in terms of becoming a helper at charitable organizations known as non-profits.

1- Choose Something You Are Passionate About

If you like music and wish to see it propagated in our culture, one non-profit specializes in having volunteers teach music appreciation or even teach how to play musical instruments to those who are less privileged in not having cultural events in their community.

One such organization goes as far as having volunteers play on the city sidewalks of New York on old, refurbished, brightly-colored painted upright pianos. Another organization recruits people to monitor neighborhoods for sexual predators that appear on local online predator listings.

The opportunities for volunteer work grow more each day as government funding becomes less for charitable, non-profit organizations.

Some categories of volunteer jobs are:

• Abandoned animals
• Children
• Community
• Environment
• Health
• Homeless shelters
• Feeding the hungry
• Disaster relief

Whether it is to invest time, money or simply tell others about the work of the chosen non-profit organization, do something. You’ll soon see and feel a difference in your investment in others.

2- Make Sure They Are Above Reproach

Many of the traditional volunteer organizations are churches, hospitals, nursing homes, Boy and Girl Scouts, the American Red Cross, Big Brother and Big Sister. Their reputation is beyond reproach in many cases, and they have been firmly established for a number of years.

There’s nothing worse than volunteering for an organization, pouring one’s heart and soul into it and then finding out it was a scam operation of some kind that is under current investigation.

3- Volunteer Resources

Building a house from scratch for poverty level families, such as done through the ministry of Habitat for Humanity, has plenty of opportunities for those wishing to make a difference.

Two web sites that can be searched to get in touch with non-profits for volunteer opportunities are Volunteer.org and Hands On Network.org. They are just two of the myriad of online volunteer sites already in place to help find your niche.

With a mere click of a mouse or swipe of a touch-screen, you’ll quickly locate the nearest opening for volunteers of any age group.

Launching Pad To Possible Later Paid Promotions

As a volunteer, your job experience may lead to future paid positions within the organization or elsewhere. While non-profits are not really established to make a profit, nonetheless, a profit is many times generated that allows for pay increases. In addition, workers often accrue other benefits such as health benefits or a dental plan.

As time progresses, opportunities for volunteer work increase daily; simply set your heart in the direction of those opportunities, and give your community all that you have to give.

According to Harvard Medical School, people over the age of 40 have a one in three chance of losing a loved one every year. One million Americans lose a spouse every year. While death is a part of life, processing your grief is integral to your mental health. Another important aspect is connecting with deceased loved ones and keeping their memories alive. If you miss a loved one who has passed away, here are some ideas for honoring their presence in your life.

Celebrate Their Life

When a loved one passes away, grief can be so overwhelming that you stop talking about them, take down photos of them and feel sad whenever you’re reminded of them. While this can be a normal part of your grieving process, it’s not healthy to continue this avoidance long term. When you’re ready, put the photos back up. Reminisce about the great times you had with your loved one and share your memories with others. This will allow you to celebrate the person you’ve lost and remember them fondly.

Create a Ritual

While it may seem silly, plenty of people develop rituals to connect with loved ones who have passed on. For some, it’s attending a religious ceremony such as mass or a prayer group, lighting candles or reciting prayers. For others, it’s an activity that they used to do with their loved one, such as hiking a beloved trail, eating their favorite flavor of ice cream or listening to specific songs. Create you own ritual to remember your loved one. This will keep their memory fresh in your mind and ease the feeling of missing them.

Keep a Journal

If you find it difficult to speak about your feelings or you’ve always had a flair for writing, you may find it helpful to keep a journal about your loss. Penn State University suggests writing as often as you like, especially on specific anniversaries such as you loved one’s birthday or date of death. If the idea of writing a journal seems silly, you could also write a series of letters to your loved one. No matter how you decide to do it, writing can be very therapeutic and help you connect with your loved one.

Losing someone you love can be difficult, and everyone handles grief and bereavement in different ways. If you’re struggling to connect with the person you lost, one of these strategies may be soothing and comforting to you. If you are overcome with depression or other pervasive, negative feelings, seeking counseling is another option for coping with the death of a loved one.