Two Letters Re: Food Storage in the Southern United States

Dear JWR:
I’m writing in response to Gary from Georgia’s request for food storage help.

We also live in Georgia and storage is an issue for us too.  I hope other readers have some suggestions for us as well.

Currently we are considering three options:

1.  Dig a root cellar and store the food in there (expensive & time consuming)
2.  Purchase a few 30 or 55 gallon barrels with screw on lids, fill them with a good variety of very long term food sealed well in individual mylar bags (we might even double bag them just in case there is a moisture problem).  Dig some big holes and bury the barrels.  I’m sure this would be back breaking work but they would hold a lot of food.  We’ve considered renting a small backhoe for the day to dig holes.
3. You could also make a bunch of tubes out of large pvc pipe, fill them with long term food in mylar bags, seal the tubes and bury them.  (look on You Tube for videos of how to make them)  They could be as big and long as you want and they would be easier to bury than a large barrel.  Easier to carry also.  You’d just have to make more of them.

Burying your food would serve two purposes.  It would help reduce theft of your food stores and it would also keep it cool.  Make sure you bury it deep enough to keep it cool.  A few inches below the surface won’t cut it.

If you put your food in your garage, any gasoline you store in there could contaminate it.  If there is no risk of that you could put in a good window air conditioning unit and keep your garage air conditioned so that your food is okay.

My last suggestion is to find a self storage unit near your house that is air conditioned.  I know that is not ideal since your food would not be at your home but it’s better than it all going bad due to extreme heat.  Do not store it in your attic – ours gets so hot you can barely breathe up there in the summer so I’m sure yours does too, how about in your crawl space instead? 

Good luck, – Georgia Mom

James,
I too live in the south, Texas to be precise. I also wondered about my food stores, so I installed a window A/C unit in the room with most of my storage.
It will not keep it cool, but it will at least maintain about 80 degrees when it is 100+ outside.

Now the way I figure it, half of the year the temp in the room is below what most storage gurus recommend, and half the year it is above. Therefore I would think (though I may be wrong) that the damage to the foodstuffs should be minimal.
 
Maybe someone can confirm, or correct me on that. Thanks for all you do, – TexasPrepper2

Mr. Rawles,
I also live in Florida, and have the same concerns about temperatures and food storage.  I cleaned out a walk-in closet inside my home to use for food.  Since I can’t afford to turn the central air conditioner much lower than 77 in the summer, I  put a small de-humidifier in the closet, leave the door open with the room ceiling fans on all the time. It seems to help – a small temperature gauge I have in the closet usually says 75. – Vicki B.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, [and] the excellency of our God.

Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
Say to them [that are] of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come [with] vengeance, [even] God [with] a recompence; he will come and save you.
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Then shall the lame [man] leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, [shall be] grass with reeds and rushes.
And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it [shall be] for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err [therein].” – Isaiah 35:1-8 (KJV)

Bang For Your Buck: A Guide To Affordable & Reliable Firearms For Preppers, by I.K.

What We’re Shooting For
This article is intended as a guide for preppers who want to buy their first or first few guns, but have very limited funds to do so.  It will give specific recommendations for affordable and reliable firearms in the .22 Long Rifle caliber category, shotgun category, handgun category, and rifle category.  It will also endeavor to keep Boredom Poisoning to a minimum.

For whatever reason, I’m betting that you’ve been thinking about getting a gun for the first time or expanding your gun collection to make it more comprehensive.  Perhaps it’s because you’ve been watching C-SPAN.  I’m also betting that the recession has put a slight dent in your discretionary income, and that you’re a little confused and overwhelmed by the all the opinions on internet forums out there (as they say, a river that is a mile wide is an inch deep).  We’re often told to buy used guns to save money, but that can be hit or miss both in availability and quality.  To help address all these challenges, we’re going to present a list of firearms that meet the following criteria:

Reliable: The gun has to work well.
Available: It has to be fairly common and in a common caliber.
Affordable: We’ll try to keep each gun under $300 out-of-box.

But first, a little gun philosophy for the first-time buyer or the skeptical significant other whom you forced to read this article.

 

Guiding Philosophy
Guns are tools.  Much like other more familiar tools such as screwdrivers, hammers, and saws, different kinds of guns have different purposes and do well in some circumstances and poorly in others.  Saws make poor hammers, but we don’t criticize the saw for not being able to do the hammer’s job, and vice versa.  That’s why it’s ridiculous to expect one gun to handle all situations.
Here’s where the analogy ends, because while guns are certainly tools, they aren’t really very much like hammers and screwdrivers.  You need to get proper instruction on the safe handling and effective use of firearms.  Without that, a gun is a liability to you and your loved ones rather than a boon.

So what goes in the judicious, budget-conscious person’s gun “toolbox,” and what would it run them as an investment?  Just like every homeowner should have a basic set of tools, there are certain basic categories of firearm tools that the prudent prepper would want to have.  The order of purchase is left for the reader to decide based on his or her own prepping goals and situation.  Here’s my list of cheap-yet-stalwart guns, placed into four categories: .22LR, Shotgun, Rifle, and Handgun.

 

.22LR Firearms
Your needs: Building shooting skill foundations, B.O.B. gun, taking small game

Why: Firearms in this category are cheap to buy, cheap to maintain, and cheap to shoot. This caliber is the perfect training round for new shooters because it has virtually nonexistent kick and retort, allowing the shooter to focus on acquiring skills rather than the ringing in their ears or the sting in their palm and shoulder.  It’s also incredibly versatile. The twenty-two can take small game easily and can serve as a viable defense caliber in extreme circumstances.  Of course, a fork can also serve a defensive role (and may be more appropriate in some circumstances), but don’t let anyone tell you that .22LR is a wimpy round.  Many, many people have been killed with a .22, both intentionally and unintentionally.  This round can potentially kill from farther away than you can accurately shoot it.  However, remember that while a .22 can serve a defensive role, it is far from an excellent choice for that job.  Still, learning the basics of gun use and care with a .22 is top-notch preparation for all subsequent guns.  Also, they’re a lot of fun to shoot.  In the author’s opinion, no prepper’s firearm collection is complete without a .22 rifle. This is the Duct Tape/WD-40/multitool of your gun toolbox.

Recommended Rifle: Ruger 10/22. 
Cost: $180
Ruger knows its stuff.  The 10/22 carbine is rugged, durable, dependable, and accurate.  For accessories, I highly recommend the high-capacity 25-round magazines that come directly from Ruger, the BX-25’s.   Also, you can customize a 10/22 to your heart’s content.  Some of the more useful options are slings and scopes.  Other options include a kit to turn your 10/22 into a .22LR Gatling gun.  Your call.

Recommended Pistol: Ruger SR-22.
Cost: $300
Versatility, reliability, and durability are prized qualities for a firearm in a basic, barebones collection.  Most .22 pistols fire only high-velocity ammunition.  High-velocity ammo is both more expensive and more specialized than regular .22LR.  The SR-22 can shoot the same .22 LR round that your 10/22 does. Interchangeability and a reduced variety of ammunition are desirable traits for a prepper, particularly in a Bug Out role.  .22 pistols have long been the guns that military survival trainers have either recommended to their students or required them to have during their training and to keep in their Bug Out Bags while on missions (particularly to pilots).  A .22 pistol can take any rabbit-sized game from reasonable distances and is relatively quiet.  It is light and so is its ammo, allowing a person to carry far more ammunition per unit of weight compared to larger calibers.  And, once again, it’s better than having a rock to defend oneself with.  All of these traits come together to make this firearm an excellent choice for a B.O.B. gun.

 

Shotguns
Your needs: Home defense, hunting

Why: You’re going to want a pump shotgun, plain and simple.  You will most likely want a 12-gauge due to its ready availability and higher power, but if you find that the 12-gauge kicks a little hard or is a little noisy for you, go with a 20-gauge.  Either way, pump shotguns are cheap, durable, versatile, and seriously heavy hitters at surprising distances.  Pump shotguns are true workhorses. With proper training, pump shotguns do not lose out to automatic shotguns in terms of rate of fire.  For hunting, a longer barrel and either appropriately sized shot or rifled slugs can be used to take everything from widgeons to whitetails.  For home defense, a shotgun can be stored with a shorter barrel installed and defensive rounds loaded, and one could not ask for a more potent boomstick in the confines of a bedroom hallway.

Recommended: Maverick 88, 12 or 20 gauge.
Cost: $200
The 88 is based off of the Mossberg 500 and is owned and produced by Mossberg.  These guns are reliable, durable, and cheap.  Shotguns are quite cheap in general, but Mossberg maintains high quality in its Maverick line while keeping the price in the bargain basement.  And if you bought the Ruger 10/22, you’ll notice that the 88 has a safety mechanism that is quite similar to the 10/22, which should help to reinforce good gun safety by reducing complexity. Get it with either a 20″ or 18.5″ smoothbore barrel.  If you plan on hunting with it, get the 28″ barrel to go with a shorter home defense barrel.  The barrels are easy to swap out.

 

Handguns
Your needs: Home defense, concealed carry, open carry

Why:  A handgun is the only type of gun that can be effectively carried in a holster, concealed on your person, and operated one-handed. This is valuable because in a dangerous situation you may be using at least one of your hands to do something besides use a firearm.  Scenarios like these are where the handgun shines.  Is it a first-tier gun choice?  Not for most people.  But is it a second-tier gun choice?  Absolutely.

So should you get a revolver or a semi-automatic pistol? What’s the difference? Semi-automatic pistols give one the ability to fire rounds as quickly as the trigger finger will work, and to reload in a matter of seconds. However, they are more technically complex to operate and can misfire.  Revolvers, on the other hand, are simple to operate: pull the trigger and it goes bang.  If a revolver does not fire, all the operator has to do is pull the trigger again and the next round will rotate into position and fire.  There is no need to deal with jamming issues as long as the right caliber for the gun is used.  However, a revolver typically holds fewer rounds and takes longer to reload than a semi-auto.  No free lunch, right?

Recommended Full-Size Pistol:  Smith & Wesson SD9 VE or SD40 VE.
Cost: $330
Good quality and high capacity (or modified California capacity) make either of these calibers a good choice.  I included both because caliber choice is a matter of personal opinion and ability, and because there is no difference in price between the two gun variations.  They’re not as slim as a single-stack handgun and at around 23oz unloaded they are perhaps a little chunky for some people’s EDC.  While the cost doesn’t quite get under the limbo bar we originally set, the extra cash gets us pretty far.

Recommended Revolver:  EAA Windicator .357 Magnum.
Cost: $250
Regardless of manufacturer, this caliber is an excellent choice for a prepper because a gun that is designed for the .357 Magnum round can also shoot the lower-powered .38 Special round.  And when you’re scrounging for ammo in some former suburb, you’ll want to have some options.  Both types of ammunition are prolific and effective.  The Windicator (German for “Vindicator”) is not what most people would call a pretty piece of equipment.  I, however, have a great fondness for tools that have a utilitarian and understated appearance – I find that I tend to use them more, and so they represent a greater value to me than collector’s editions or show pieces.  This gun has zero frills, a long trigger pull, and the sights are not exceptional.  But it does have three very important things going for it: it’s as reliable as a German train; it hits like a German train; and unlike a German train, it’s amazingly inexpensive.

Recommended Concealed Carry Handgun:  Bersa Thunder CC.
Cost: $300
This gun is .380 caliber, which for many people would mean that it is a “mouse gun.”  This caliber is considered to be the minimum size for a defensive round, but with modern advancements in ammunition technology its effectiveness can’t be denied.  Because the caliber is so small, it has a very manageable recoil and minimal retort, making it easier for a smaller person to shoot, and easier for anyone to put rounds on-target.  The BTCC also enjoys a high degree of reliability.  And because it is a small, thin, light gun, it is both easy to conceal and to carry (truth in advertising at last).  Because it isn’t onerous to lug around, you are more likely to have it on you at all times, which is the whole point of having a concealed carry gun.

 

Rifles
Your needs: Hunting, varmint control, “just in case”

Why: While some people may use or need a rifle for home defense, all the rifle owners I know use their rifles for either target shooting or hunting and varmint control.  They use a different kind of gun for personal or home defense.  However, for the sake of argument let’s say that the proverbial excrement has hit the rotating airfoil and that you, despite the fact that you get your meat from the grocery store and don’t run into coyotes at the bus stop, could be called upon to defend all that is categorically good from all that is categorically bad.  In light of this potential situation, you should gravely proclaim to whoever is in charge of your bank account that it is morally incumbent upon you to own a rifle . . . just in case.

While semi-automatics are incredibly popular and effective, a good bolt-action rifle is the most rugged, durable, economical, and time-tested rifle platform available.  Remember: this article is for the average person who does not need something like a battle rifle.  That being said, my recommendation for a cheap, reliable bolt-action rifle is, in fact, a battle rifle.  Oops.

Recommended: Mosin-Nagant 1891/30.
Cost: $100
No, that number is not missing any digits.  You, Comrade, need a “Mosin.”  Sure, it kicks, but come on – it’s a rifle.  Did I mention that virtually every gun store sells or can order these in like-new, unused condition?  Talk about a gift to the proletariat!  The reason that Mosins are so inexpensive is due to the fact that they were made in staggering quantities to supply the vast Russian and Soviet infantry in the late 19th and early 20th century for what seemed like a never-ending era of conflict.  The Mosin-Nagant, in various configurations, has seen consistent military service from its inception in 1891 through the present day, including both World Wars and 29 other major military conflicts across many countries and several continents.  These firearms have proven themselves many times over.  Because many more were made than could be immediately used or distributed, brand-new Mosins were mothballed and later sold at bargain prices to raise cash for strapped governments and individuals.  It’s not much to look at and it’s not the best or the brightest – kind of like your buddies – but, like your buddies, it won’t ever let you down.  To make a long story short, these are sturdy bolt-action rifles that fire the 7.62x54mmR round, and for the frugal gun purchaser there is no better bang for a hundred bucks.  Did I mention that it comes with a bayonet?  Just in case.

An Accidental Prepper, by C.J.

Last year I read JWR’s novel “Survivors” and discovered, We Are Preppers!   I did not know there was a name for it or a whole culture surrounding it.  The discovery has triggered a lot of discussion with my now adult children, my elderly parents, and my siblings.  I’ve done a lot of reading on the subject and I’ve tried to understand how and why we could get to this point by accident.  

Six years ago my husband and I bought a place, expecting to retire there in 6 to 9 years.  We looked at places in a vacation area that we had visited often and enjoyed.   Prices and land covenants and water availability issues surprised us.   So when we stumbled across a place that met our criteria for location, lack of covenants, parcel size, ambience, and price we had to consider it seriously, even though we had only been looking for one week.

The major drawback of this place was that it was off the grid, and the power source was a huge diesel generator.  Neither of us is particularly mechanically inclined, so this seemed like quite a stretch for a long-term living arrangement.  The second drawback was that, because it was off the grid, there were no conventional loans for purchasing the property.  We did not have the cash to make the purchase. 

On the other hand, the property had an 1,800 sq. foot finished house that was earth sheltered, wood heated, and completely finished.  The property was fenced for livestock.  There was a finished barn/workshop building.  The off-grid power system was completely installed and working well, including a heated waterer for the livestock and normal light switches and outlets in the house and barn.  There was a good well.  The generator pumped the well water to a buried cistern that supplied gravity-fed water to the house and the livestock.  There was a 10×20 foot cold storage area attached to the house.  It was located in a small valley, in a National Forest, and the valley was shared with only six other parcels, which were also off-grid.  The east and west boundaries were both National Forest.  All of this and it was only 12 miles from the nearest small community of less than 1000 people and 30 miles from a small city of less than 100,000 that had educational opportunities and an airport for necessary business travel.

Because our single week of looking (!) had convinced me that we would not easily find another place that met our criteria so well, we made an offer.  It was accepted and a closing date was set for 6 months in the future so the sellers could take care of their preparations for moving and I could arrange financing.   Because this was pre-2007, we were able to refinance the place we had lived in for 30 years and find enough other resources to buy our retirement place.  One year later my husband decided to retire and we moved here permanently, five years earlier than we expected.

It turns out our valley is a flood plain, with 2 feet of black dirt that will grow a beautiful garden.  In the last 100 years it has flooded once in the late 70s.  Our house and barn are about 12 feet above the valley floor and well out of the flood plain.  We put in a garden and began planting fruit trees that first year.  We built a chicken run and a chicken house.  We moved the goats, chickens, and horses from our previous place and began some landscaping projects that included plants with edible fruits.  We began exploring the immediate area and became familiar with hunting possibilities and the various accesses to the valley.  We got comfortable with our generator and added solar panels.  In the years since, we have added more apples trees, pear trees, plum trees, raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries, and expanded the garden.  We can the garden produce and are anxiously awaiting our first fruit tree produce.  I think we will try our hand at making apple cider.  We hunt and we butcher our own goats and chickens just as we have done for many years.  We have landscaped with lots of loose rubble that creates lovely rock garden space (while making the house hard to approach except along specific and very visible paths) and are redeveloping a 40×40 foot spring fed pond in our front yard.   My husband does consulting from home and I am self-employed outside the home, but on my own schedule.

Sounds like a pretty ideal retreat, doesn’t it?  So, again, how and why did we get to where we are today?   And more importantly, how can you get to a level of preparedness that you are comfortable with too?

I believe the answer is time, in combination with patience and trust.  Prepping is the result of time spent learning and accumulating skills even more than accumulating materials.  As you develop the skills, the materials will just accumulate as you go.  All through our lives we have either had time or money, rarely both.  Money can allow you to accumulate a large stash of supplies.  But, will you know how to use them?  Why have the materials without the skills to use them anyway?  Patience and trust are the component of your life that lets you take advantage of the opportunities God sends to you.  And, they are the component of your life that keeps you from fretting about what you can’t do at any one given moment.

Way back when my husband and I met, we were both in college.  He was studying engineering and I was studying animal husbandry.  Our first home was outside of another small city.  His family members were avid gardeners, his mother had fed a family of seven on the vegetables from her back yard, and so we began a garden with his direction.  He was a hunter so I learned to hunt and handle guns with his help.  I enjoyed animals so we had horses and dogs.  The dogs learned to hunt upland birds and waterfowl and my husband learned to ride while planning to someday hunt elk on horseback.   We were young and on a limited income so I learned to budget and plan.  The two of us could eat well, including meals out, for $81 a month in 1979!  We did all of our cooking from scratch.  I had learned to sew when I was junior high school and I made quite of few of our clothes in those early  days.  Both of us worked in town, 10 miles away.

We had been married a number of years when we had our two children.  They were actually the motivation to get out of what had become a pretty comfortable rut.  I quit my outside job to stay home and raise kids.  Going from two incomes to one requires quite a bit of adjustment.  When we decided to homeschool the kids, our own learning curves skyrocketed.   Every piece of information we offered to them had to be researched and shared.   In addition, homeschooling allowed us to share with them the skills we had already mastered.

My daughter is the one that brought the chickens, detailed chicken care, and poultry health into our lives.  Did you know that a 12×24 inch box light inside of a 24×48 inch box is just enough space to start 31 chicks and keep them in the kitchen until they are 3 weeks old?  Or that the average dual purpose bird needs 2 square feet of floor space in a chicken house?  Or that if you build the chicken house too big in a northern climate the chickens can freeze their feet and combs because they can’t keep the space warm with their own body heat?   She is the one that caused us to become experts on goat keeping as well.  It is kind of amazing what you will learn about health, medicine, and first aid when you raise livestock.  It brings to mind the night I spent delivering triplet goat kids and then sleeping in the barn with the stressed-out dam, with both of us in a down sleeping bag at -25 degrees F, in order to prevent her from dying of shock.

My son was interested in weapons.  Any weapon.  He converted a broken fiberglass tent pole to a catapult for sheetrock screws to tag the chickens, and he did this at age 4!   At age 6, he often explored the woods behind our house while carrying a compass, which he knew how to use, in order to find his way home.  At 8, after one of his treks in the woods, he told me about the weird yellow snow at the bottom of a tree and how he finally determined that there was a porcupine up in that tree.  When he shot his first deer with a .30-.30 at age 12, we could not find either the entrance or exit wound.  He had aimed at the eye and, hitting it in the corner of the eye, did not damage bone or the eye tissue, while the bullet broke up in the skull and did not exit.  We also had to research and learn how to rope cows.  That was what he wanted to do with our horses.  He is the one that learned from me how to trim horse hooves and has used that skill to pay for nearly all of his college expenses.

Through this period, 4-H and our county extension service was a primary vehicle for learning and opportunity.   If you are not using this resource for your family’s growth, you are missing out.  4-H was first developed after the Great Depression to teach the adult population by teaching the children.  It still does that.  They have an abundance of material on raising livestock, planting gardens and fruit, canning and preserving, arts and crafts, shooting sports (including both guns and archery), sewing, budgeting, and just about any other subject you can think of.  For adults they have a master gardener program and all kinds of material, again, on just about any subject you can think of.  Every extension office schedules regular educational events and will also come to your place to help with developing projects like ponds or hoop house garden plots, or soil testing, or water testing, or tell you where to find people who can.  Now, as a caveat, you do need to be aware that their information and expertise come from the conventional agricultural and university systems so some of it has to be evaluated for its appropriate use in your own situation.

As they got older, 4-H offered the kids opportunities to compete with their knowledge and skills at the regional, state, and national levels.  4-H has national competitions in knowledge bowls, speech and demonstration, judging, and shooting sports.  It also offers opportunities at the local and state levels for leadership and volunteering.  These kinds of events gave my children and I professional contacts around the country, confidence in our leadership abilities, and good fodder for college and scholarship applications.

And then, learning becomes a habit.    When my daughter started college I began a vocational program that has supplied me with skills that allow me to earn extra money that lets us continue to grow in our “prepping” endeavors.    My daughter and her husband earned their degrees and have gone on to work in agriculture in a venue where my granddaughter is able to be parented full time, by both of them.  My son-in-law is doing the majority of the ranch work and continuing to learn new skills, while my daughter assists, does most of the management activities and is studying natural forms of medical care.  My son is studying chiropractic medicine while earning money trimming horses’ hooves, using skills that he learned at home.  He looks forward to moving out of the city when he finishes his schooling, and has plans to leave in a hurry if that becomes necessary.  

All three of these young people worry that they don’t have enough money or time to become well prepared for the life ahead of them, whether or not a hugely disruptive event ever happens.  I think that may be the situation for many people that are involved in the prepping mindset but are short on money and skills.  What I am confident of is that all three of my children have the time and ability to accumulate the life skills that they need.   I believe that God will give them the patience and trust to stay focused and work towards their goals.  They have the support of their parents in all ways and in time they, as you, can be “accidental preppers” just like us.

Letter Re: New York Gun Ban: TEOTWAWKI is Here

Sir;
The end of the world as we knew it is upon us in New York State. 
 
New York’s recent SAFE Act legislation (see the full text) immediately prohibited the sale of what misguided politicians call “assault weapons” and any magazine that holds more than seven cartridges effective January 14, 2013.  Sales within New York were immediately halted and are now forever forbidden unless there is an unlikely repeal or successful legal challenge.  This means that if you live in New York state and wanted to get a PTR91, AR15, WASR, Saiga, or a standard capacity magazine for any of the same – it is too late.  You can not EVER legally buy one in New York – EVER – even from a private citizen within state lines. If you already have one you must dispose of or register it within one year.  The same is true of magazines with the capacity to hold 10 or more cartridges.  If you do not already have them, you can not legally obtain them in New York.  And if you do have them, you will be required to dispose of them unless they belong to a C&R eligible weapon that your register as an assault weapon.
 
Through SurvivalBlog you have warned your readers for years that when the SHTF, we will have to make due with those supplies that we have prepared ahead of time.  That now is the case in New York.  If you have not armed yourself, you can not now legally do so with the most effective tools for defense.  To merely posses what has been legal will become a crime unless you are willing to give up your standard capacity magazines and give these same ignorant and arrogant politicians a list of what you have then rely on their good will to allow you to continue to possess it.
 
It gets worse.  Effective March 15th 2013 private sales of any firearm (“assault weapon” or otherwise) will be forbidden in New York without a NICS check; and effective January 2014 sales of ammunition will require a background check and be logged so that the state will know how many of what type of cartridge are purchase and how often we do so.  Ammunition sellers will be required to record our name and address along with the quantity, brand, and caliber of ammunition purchased. As you can imagine under these circumstances, ammunition prices have skyrocketed in the rush for people to accumulate a lifetime supply of it before January 13, 2014.
 
For those of us who value privacy the S has already hit the fan. If we ever need to defend ourselves from anything from criminals, corrupt governments, or post apocalyptic dangers, we will need to defend ourselves with whatever tools are already on hand and the ammunition we can accumulate in the next year. 
 
For those of you outside of New York I can only say heed the warnings.  Learn by our failures, and fight against any similar tyranny on a Federal level or in your home states.  I am relying on you since I am actively looking for real estate in a place where there is still a measure of freedom.
 
Mike (aka Mr. Yankee)

Economics and Investing:

Charitable Giving: These Are Most and Least Generous States. But Why?

Hugh D. sent: Bank of America issues `bond crash’ alert on Fed tightening fears

Items from The Economatrix:

Prepare For 90% Correction?  Currency War Escalating But Inflationary Targets Will Fail–World Stuck In Deflationary Super-Cycle And There’s A “Financial Catastrophe On The Horizon”

World War 3 Imminent?  China Quadrupling Rice Imports In 2012–FED Printing Money Every Month In 2013–Countries Recalling Their Gold

Existing Home Sales Decline As US Supply Dwindles

Odds ‘n Sods:

What’s in Feinstein’s gun bill? Better question: What ISN’T in Feinstein’s gun bill? (Not much.) Needless to say, please contact all of your congresscritters again and tell them that ALL gun and magazine bans and assorted registration schemes are completely unacceptable and repugnant to the Constitution. OBTW, where do I find one of her mythical “rocket launcher” attachments? Those sound like they’d be a lot of fun.

   o o o

Australian Gun-grabbers Target Bolt-action Firearms

   o o o

NYS targets gun law confusion. JWR’s Comment: Many of the newly-enacted laws don’t take full effect until January 15, 2014. That gives New York residents nearly a year to Get Out of Dodge. Do you hear that giant sucking sound yet, Mr. Cuomo?

   o o o

Reader P.D. suggested: Have you been living under a rock? Mexican family converts 131-foot stone in desert into a home

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Give with a free hand, but give only your own." – The fictional character Sador, from Narn i Hîn Húrin: The Childhood of Túrin by J.R.R. Tolkien

Notes from JWR:

For just the next five days, beginning on January 23 and ending the morning of January 29, JRH Enterprises will donate $100 for every PVS-14 night vision monocular sold to help C.R.O.S.S. Ministries make their first trip to Sudan, at the end of January. These are PVS-14 Third Generation+ Pinnacle Autogated units with ITT tubes, Brand new with five year warranties. The “Standard” Model is on sale for $2,795 and the Upgraded Model with the higher grade tube, (the same model we use at the Rawles Ranch) , on sale for $3,095.00

PVS-14s can be weapons mounted, used on a helmet mount, head mounted or used as a handheld. Get a great night vision unit at a great price, shipped quickly, and help C.R.O.S.S. at the same time! Again, this is just a five day sale.

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Happy birthday to Tamara K. the editor of the View From The Porch blog.

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Today we present another entry for Round 44 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A $200 gift certificate, donated by Shelf Reliance.

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. B.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, E.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 44 ends on January 31st, 2013, and the queue is full, but you can e-mail us your entry for Round 45. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

The Po’ Mans TEOTWAWKI Guide, by R.B.

Useful tips and advice for the rest of us. Don’t have lots of money? Just started prepping when it hits the fan? This guide is for you. Free of charge!

Tip #1: Bug-in
Chances are that you won’t be in such immediate danger (dirty bomb, lava about to engulf your house, spiders like in that Arachnaphobia movie) that you actually have to leave your home. Most likely the government will stop functioning or the power grid will be down for a long time. Of course, there is always risk of civil unrest, but that is not likely to effect your home. There is no switch that will turn your peace loving neighbors into homicidal maniacs. Most likely life will simply become more difficult. Ask yourself, how will I best be able to survive for a few years in this situation? Was the answer, out in the wilderness with no supplies? I’m not a big hunter myself, but I’ve heard how crowded it can get during hunting season. Now imagine that times ten. I’m just not seeing it. It would be a bad situation if it does happen. I put my money on a few running to the hills and coming home about two days later hoping their house with all the supplies they left hasn’t been ransacked. Even a beginning prepper will have some food, water, shelter and supplies at home. If you have to leave and can only take what can fit in your car, or worse yet, in your backpack, how long will you be able to survive. Check the G.O.O.D. section. There are many detailed articles on this point, and if you are a po’ boy like myself (hence you reading this article), you couldn’t afford a nice retreat in the hills anyhow, so stay where you’re at and lay low. It’s your best bet, and it won’t cost you a dime.

Tip #2: Water
Okay, so you’ve made the decision to stay home. Lucky you, you already have shelter. Now you need water. Even if you didn’t have the foresight to store a few hundred gallons, you still have a few options. Option 1: If time permits fill everything you can that will hold water. Those with two or thee bathtubs have an advantage here, but even if you live in a small apartment with only a shower, you still have this option. Fill every bowl and pitcher with water. That water tight bag you have to keep your stuff dry, guess what, it works in reverse. You can even use the water in the toilet tank (not the bowl, and be sure to purify) if you run out of every other supply. The idea here is not to have enough for two years, the idea is that everyone else around you won’t have water either and that means the population will either get water restored and you won’t have to worry about water anymore, or the population will decrease rapidly and you can come out of seclusion a month later and not worry about the hordes of people between you and the nearest lake or stream for a refill. Presumably by then you could also find a few good containers to bring back a good amount of water so you aren’t making trips to the water hole every day. Option 2: You don’t have time to fill containers. I assume here that water may stop flowing quickly or may be contaminated out of the tap. In that case you only have one good option, the hot water tank. Hoping of course that this hasn’t gotten contaminated as well. Remember here that water really means liquid. A few two liters of Coke will keep you alive just as well as anything else. If you still have the option to get to a grocery store, do it. If the bottled water is already cleared out, go for the juice, or the milk, or soda. In a pinch a few bags of oranges or the pre-squeezed lemon juice bottles would give you enough water content that you would survive (just make sure the food you eat is high in water content, eating food without drinking can cause you to dehydrate faster). As prepper Allen C. said in his article “Why I Hate Preppers”, we may actually have 25 days of food at the grocery store. Utilize this. Just remember a rush on the store is different from a normal shopping period and some things may well run out very fast. Don’t wait a week if it hits the fan and you don’t have supplies. You may have a timeframe to get to the store before everything runs out, but it may be a small one. This may necessitate tip 3.

Tip #3: Cash
Have some cash on hand. Bartering may become the norm in a while, but at first, if the stores are still open, cash might save your life. That lady at the checkout counter may be sweet as molasses, but she won’t make trades. If the power is down your credit cards may not work and the banks may not be open to withdraw cash. As we’re all po’ boys here I’m not talking much. Even $50 would be enough to buy food for a few weeks. More would be better of course, but don’t go crazy. Hyperinflation is always a concern, so after you pass a certain cash point start looking into silver or other tradable goods. Just because we couldn’t afford that ranch retreat doesn’t mean we po’ boys can’t have a few bills laying around for emergencies. Just remember, unless it is a true emergency don’t use that cash reserve. It would be a shame for it to hit the fan and you need some cash, but you used it to pay the pizza boy last week and haven’t replenished it yet.

Tip # 4: Food
Edible vegetation in your neighborhood, pets, stray or wild animals, your garden, bugs (earth worms…yum) or charity from neighbors more prepared are just a few places you may find food if you run out. If things get really desperate and stores have closed check break rooms at local employers, warehouses that ship food to stores and dumpsters (you may be surprised what people throw out). I don’t however recommend two things, hunting unless you are quite alone. 100 city boys with rifles all gunning for the same deer is a recipe for disaster, and cannibalism. I’m sure I don’t have to get into why I don’t recommend cannibalism. Just remember here that a little knowledge of possible food sources around you could save your life. This doesn’t, however, mean you should forego food storage. I still highly recommend a deep larder–at least a few months worth. It doesn’t have to cost much.

Tip #5: Hygiene
If basic services stop, lack of good hygiene could become the number one killer. That cut that becomes infected or your medication that you can’t get refilled may be more deadly than your desperate neighbor. We may all be using the latrine we dug in the back yard. If you can’t flush it keep it out of the house. Be extra careful to wash every little cut, then keep those cuts properly covered. This means bandages, antibiotic ointment and alcohol or something similar. First aid kits don’t have to be expensive and it’s a good idea to have one at home and in the car. You won’t need a bug out bag if your bugging in, but keep one in your get home bag. This parleys nicely into tip 6.

Tip #6: Get-Home-Bag
Here’s the situation. You’re at work or otherwise away from home. Public transit isn’t running and the roads are gridlocked even if you have a car. Your commute home just turned into a six hour ordeal. Who’s prepared to run a marathon tomorrow? Me neither. Having a get home bag can give you the vital supplies to make it back to home sweet home. Water, some high energy food, a knife or anything else your situation requires. If you work in a high-rise some paracord would be good. Even if you don’t it’s not bad to have on hand. Add a flashlight, fire starter or anything else you may need depending on your situation. Don’t, whatever you decide to pack, overload your get home bag. It’s better to have one bottle of water and 40 miles to go, than 50 lbs of gear and collapse after 5 miles. Speed and stealth may be more important in the moment than how hungry you are. You can go without food for a long time. A straw filter will same you lots of water weight and now is not the time to have all your survival books on you. You have a limited supply of energy and the more you carry the more you need. Don’t blow it all in the first half of the race and not get to the finish line. Simple is often better, and cheaper.

Tip #7: Peace of Mind
Don’t sweet all the fancy equipment that you can’t buy. You won’t need most of it anyway and what you can’t buy other people can’t buy either so at least you’re on level playing ground. If you are constantly worrying about doomsday or your neighbor who you think will shoot you, you may have a mental breakdown.  Take a minute to de-stress and cope with the situation at hand. A clear mind is worth all the preps you can buy. Are you a high stress person? Find a good relaxation exercise. Not a high stress person, good, just remember in a bad situation you may be looking at a dead body for the first time, or forced to kill. Many things can cause mental stress and the more stressed out you are, the less likely that you are thinking clearly and will survive. Be mentally prepared for the worst, then when the not too good happens, you can handle it without issue.

Tip #8: Practice
To really get yourself mentally and physically prepared you need to test your limits and learn where your weaknesses are. Never fasted? Try it for a few days. Hunger is a powerful thing. You may just have a spiritual experience along the way. Try living without electricity for a week. Ride your bike to work. Live off only your food storage for a while. These things will do much more than educate you, they will prepare you for when you have no other choice. Many preconceived notions will fail and truth will become quickly apparent. The knowledge that it takes more time to do something than you thought or that you aren’t in as good shape as you used to be, may just be the crucial piece of information you need to get truly prepared. We also get better with practice. Those with military experience know practice will save your life if it hits the fan and you’re not left with time to think and plan.

Tip #9: Be Realistic
Everyone likes to think that the whole world will be trying to steal your stuff and kill you. Remember that everyone is in the same situation. If someone goes to a neighbor with a gun to steal their food; chances are the neighbor has a gun too and will use it. Will there be an increase in violence and clime, probably, will it be like Titanic, sudden chaos and almost everyone dies, not likely. Some disasters bring a whole lot of death with them, but they are not things that could effect the whole world at once. Things that would effect all of us are not likely to cause everyone to start running around shooting each other. We’ll all be too busy running for our lives. Stay grounded in your life and in your preps. A home made rocket may get you into orbit and save your life if the earth explodes, but when you’re dying a slow death alone in space you will wish you had never left. We as human beings have an immense ability to adapt to whatever situations come our way. Stay grounded, be realistic and you will be ready for whatever comes your way.

Tip #10: Don’t forget the rest of your life
Prepping can become an obsession and life isn’t stopping for you to get ready for tomorrow. If you don’t have it together now, that won’t change when it hits the fan. You are the person you are and if you can’t seem to keep things together now, how do you expect to later? Do you have health issues, marriage or job problems? The same set of skills that will allow you to survive and thrive when it hits the fan are the same as those that you used to solve problems now.  Critical thinking, awareness of environment, planning and follow through to name a few. The best indicator of survival tomorrow is how you are doing today. Take a self assessment and see how you are doing. If you find something lacking, consider that your first task in prepping for tomorrow.

Always remember that your survival isn’t dependent on how much money you have. Nor is your piece of mind. Our greatest asset is our mind. Use it to it’s fullest and find ways to be prepared without taking out a loan, and if you do have some spare cash, use it to it’s fullest. Don’t forget your family and friends in your preps. Do more than just survive, save someone else.

Letter Re: Food Storage in the Southern United States

Hello,
I am searching for the answer to a question I am sure has been answered, but I have not been able to locate.  I live in Georgia and have been stocking up on foods.  I have very limited storage space in the house and have started to consider the need to move food stores out to the garage or up into the attic (I have no basement).  Our summers are extremely hot.  Many foods cannot be left in the extreme heat, and I am sure people in colder climates face the inverse problem.
 
It is not yet a issue for me, but it is likely to be a bigger issue for almost everyone if the power goes out long term.  In a scenario without climate control, how does this change the types of food we stock up on?  Is a can of beans and a bag of rice good until expiration when kept in 100% humidity and 95 degree heat for months?
 
Thanks, – Gary S.

JWR Replies: Food storage lives do drop off dramatically, with higher temperatures. The following chart was developed by Natick Labs, summarizing the shelf life of the U.S. Military “Meal Ready to Eat” (MRE) rations. SurvivalBlog reader “Mr. Tango” (BTW, don’t miss reading his fascinating profile) had a round of correspondence with the U.S. Army’s Natick Laboratories in Massachusetts, on the potential storage life of MREs. The data that they sent him was surprising! Here is the gist of it:

Degrees, Fahrenheit Months of Storage (Years)
120 1 month
110 5 months
100 22 months (1.8 years)
90 55 months  (4.6 years)
80 76 months  (6.3 years)
70 100 months  (8.3 years)
60 130 months  (10.8 years) — See Note 3, below

Note 1: Figures above are based on date of pack, rather than inspection date.

Note 2: MREs near the end of their shelf life are considered safe to eat if:
   A.) They are palatable to the taste.
   B.) They do not show any signs of spoilage (such as swelled pouches.)
   C.) They have been stored at moderate temperatures. (70 degrees F or below.)

Note 3: Not enough data has yet been collected on storage below 60 degrees F. However projections are that the 130 month figure will be extended.

Note 4: Time and temperature have a cumulative effect. For example: storage at 100 degrees F for 11 months and then moved to 70 degrees F, you would lose one half of the 70 F storage life.

Note 5: Avoid fluctuating temperatures in and out of freezing level.

Perhaps some SurvivalBlog readers have some suggestions. Other than digging a cold cellar, constructing a spring house, or building a large scale evaporative cooler, not much immediately comes to mind.

Economics and Investing:

H.H. suggested this over at Zero Hedge: Oldest Bank In The World Plunges, Halted As Chairman Resigns In Aftermath Of Latest Derivatives Fiasco

The Government Debt Bubble Will Eventually Burst

Chinese Politicians Are Buying Billions In U.S. Real Estate

Items from The Economatrix:

The Sovereign Debt Bubble Will Continue To Expand Until — BANG — The System Implodes

2013:  Cheapest Gasoline In Four Years?

Market Update:  “Logic Has Been Replaced By Fear, By Panic

Odds ‘n Sods:

J.R. in Illinois was one of several readers to mention The Census Dotmap. It can be zoomed in to see individual families. If nothing else, it certainly confirms the light population density of The American Redoubt. There is lots of elbow room here!

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Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein To Introduce “Assault Weapons” Ban On Thursday. Needless to say, this is a good time to contact your senators and say NO WAY to civilian disarmament. Be sure to mention that magazines and ammunition have the same Constitutional protection. There is no room for “accommodation” or “compromise” on a fundamental right!

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B.B. spotted this: Cheap, polymer-coated cotton automagically captures water from desert air

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Two-thirds of U.S. weapons owners would ‘defy’ a federal gun ban