INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If you have either, a fine piece of steel wool or a copper pad work well for removing rust. However, you can also get good results from non-metal abrasive products (e.g. Brillo, SOS, etc.). If the rust is stubborn, add a little water and some mild dish-washing soap as you scrub. Normally, it's a bad idea to try to clean a cast iron pan the same way you'd clean other metal cookware, since this can remove the protective layer of seasoning. However, if your pan has rust, this has already occurred, so it's best to clean the rust from the pan and re-season later. If the rust appears to be thin and light, you can often get away with using mild abrasives you probably already have in your kitchen. For example, to use baking soda as an abrasive, sprinkle a small amount onto the surface of the pan along with some water. Stir the baking soda with the water to make a rough paste, then use a rag to scrub the paste into the rusty spots of the pan. Once you've scrubbed the rusty areas, let the paste sit for a few minutes, then rinse it off with tap water. If any rust remains, repeat as needed or switch to a different abrasive. Another easy DIY abrasive uses salt and water. This method works almost exactly like the baking soda one above: make a rough paste of salt and water in the pan, then scrub it into the rusty spots with a rag. Because the salt crystals are a little larger and rougher than particles of baking soda, the paste will be slightly more abrasive. However, salt is still considered fairly gentle. In some cases, simple abrasives won't remove rust on their own. In these cases, harsher chemical cleaners can help. For example, lower-priced toilet bowl cleaners containing roughly 20% hydrochloric acid (HCl) tend to well. HCl completely dissolves rust into a wet powder. In this state, it can easily be removed consult the product's packaging for disposal instructions. HCl is a strong acid, so working with it requires great care to prevent chemical burns. Protect your skin, hands, and eyes wear gloves, a long-sleeved shirt, and safety goggles or other eye protection (which can usually be purchased for fairly cheap at universities with chemistry departments). Always use good ventilation and avoid breathing the product's fumes. Strong acids can irritate the throat and lungs, especially in people with asthmatic or lung conditions. Beware: HCl will dull coated or plated screws and polished, shiny iron or steel, and such. After cleaning, give the pan a thorough rinsing to remove any loosened rust or cleaning products. If you used HCl, consult the product's packaging for disposal instructions instead. When the pan is clean, dry with a clean rag or paper towel. Be sure to get all the water out missing even a little can cause rust to re-form. After drying with a towel, try heating the pan on the stove over medium heat for about five minutes. This will remove any last traces of water, leaving you with a completely dry pan. Use care when handling the hot pan. After removing rust, it is highly recommended that you season your pan. This is an easy process that essentially gives the cast iron a protective layer of fat which prevents future rusting and also keeps food from sticking as it cooks. See the section below for information on seasoning your pan.

SUMMARY: Scrub the rust with an abrasive pad. For mild rust, try scrubbing with baking soda. Make a salt scrub. For bad rust, use a heavy-duty cleaner. Rinse the pan and dry thoroughly. For pans with severe rust, use professional-quality abrasion.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Downshifting helps regulate the speed of the truck and is useful if the traffic slows down in. To downshift, press down on the clutch while engaging the brake and put your truck in the next lowest gear. Once it's in gear, let off the clutch and press down on the gas to maintain your speed. You never really have to downshift into first gear because second gear doesn't require high RPM. Unless you want to stall out, you need to put the truck into neutral whenever you want to come to a complete stop. To do this, press down on the clutch while letting off of the gas and push the stick into the center. Then, once the truck has been put in neutral, you can stop and start the truck's momentum without stalling out. Pressing on the gas pedal in reverse can feel jerky and fast. Instead of pressing down on the gas in reverse, use the disengaged clutch and brake to control your truck. Slowly lift off the clutch with your left foot and tap on the brake with your right foot to control the truck. This trick will work unless you're on a steep hill, in which case you may need to apply the gas pedal.

SUMMARY: Downshift when you need to slow down. Put the stick shift into neutral when you stop. Use the brake instead of the gas when reversing.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Almond trees, which are native to the hot and arid climate of the Middle East and South Asia, do best with hot summers and mild winters and do not adapt to other conditions especially well. Almonds do not usually grow at all in colder climates. Unless you have a large, carefully-controlled indoor growing setup, you may have a hard time growing almonds outside of areas with a Mediterranean or Middle Eastern climate profile. If you're in the US, a good way of determining whether your local climate is suitable for growing almonds is to use a USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. These maps rate geographical areas by their minimum temperatures, giving an approximate indication of the types of plants that can survive there. For almonds, you'll want your area to have a rating of at least "6" higher is better. According to this system, suitable areas in the US include much of central and southern California as well as parts of Arizona, Texas, and inland Florida. You have two options for starting your almond tree you can either use seeds (fresh, unprocessed nuts) or seedlings (young trees). Nuts allow you to experience the growing process from the very beginning, but can be more time and effort-intensive. On the other hand, seedlings are more convenient, but can be a little more expensive. If you want to harvest edible almonds, you'll want to be sure to pick seeds or seedlings for a fruit-bearing sweet almond tree. Keep in mind that bitter almonds are inedible and that not all sweet almond trees bear fruit. These varieties are only suitable for shade and decoration. Talk to the staff at your local garden supply store if you're unsure of which almond trees are productive. Almond trees do well with lots of sun. Before you get started, find a spot in your yard or garden that gets plenty of full, direct sun, free from shade. You will grow the almond tree in a pot prior to planting it in the ground, but it's still important to choose a location ahead of time the tree will only fit in the pot for so long. You'll also want to make sure your growing spot has well-draining soil. Almond trees don't do well if water is allowed to pool around their roots this can lead to root rot.

SUMMARY:
Make sure your area has proper almond growing conditions. Purchase seeds or seedlings. Choose a sunny location for the tree.