Notes from JWR:

My sincere thanks to everyone for making the Book Bomb Day for my latest book, Founders: A Novel of the Coming Collapse such a success. The book peaked at #4 overall, and #1 in the Action & Adventure category. I hope that you enjoy reading it.

Here are some some booksellers that stock Founders (in alphabetical order–I’m not stating any preference, folks–feel free to order based on the best price, or from your favorite seller.):

Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble

Powell’s

Safecastle. (Their Buyer’s Club price is lower than Amazon’s.)

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September 26th is the birthday of the late Jack LaLanne. (Born 1914, died January 23, 2011.) What a guy. He only stood 5′ 7″ but he was a very big man, in my estimation.

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Today we present another two entries for Round 42 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), 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, and 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.

The queue for Round 42 is full but Round 43 begins on October 1st, so please start writing and e-mail us your entry. 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.

Great Grandmother, The Prepper, by C.J.

I got a call from my mother the other day. She is the mother of six, grandmother to twelve and great-grandmother of three children.  She had just returned from a visit to one of my sibling’s homes.  She said, “You are right!  They are serious about this prepping stuff.  Tell me what to do.”  My mother’s revelation has been a long time in coming.  She is a devout Christian and a Bible teacher.  She believes that Jesus will return and scoop us all up to heaven, hopefully before the tribulation.  She is what she calls a “pre-trib” [rapture] believer.  I have had many conversations with her citing examples from scripture about how God has allowed His children to suffer.  She is now onboard now and wants advice.  This takes some analysis.

The first evaluation needs to be of her and her husband’s circumstances.  Where do they live?  Are there financial or mobility issues?  Are there health issues? What is the best strategy for them – to prepare to evacuate or shelter in place?  They live in a retirement community in a highly populated urban area.  There is little chance they could evacuate during a crisis.  Dad has health issues and mother is getting up in years and finding it difficult to do daily tasks.  The retirement community in which they live has numerous emergency preparedness initiatives underway, and the community center was recently designated as a Red Cross emergency shelter.  This is good and bad.  We, when deciding where to live, rejected locations near potential emergency shelters due to the possibility of an influx of disaster victims.  However, the residents in that community are happy to be preparing the best that they can.  I’ve tried to get them to move out of that area and either close to me or move in with me, to no avail.  I also asked my son-in-law, a devoted prepper who lives near them, to promise me that if evacuation were necessary, he would pick them up and get them out of there along with his little family.  That is the best that I can do for now.

The best strategy for them, in light of the above circumstances, is to shelter in, understanding that this strategy will only work for a short-term emergency.  When mother asked me how she can begin to prepare, the first words out of my mouth were “Water.  You must stock up on water.  You can go without food, but you cannot go without water.”  “But there is no place to store anything”, she said, “our place is small”.  I explained to her that she needed to get creative about storage space.  I am quite familiar with their little condo at about 1400 sq. ft.  She has numerous closets and an enclosed patio that adds additional square footage.  I told her to line her closet floors with gallon water bottles behind the shoes – there is plenty of space there.  I explained that water has a shelf life and she needs to pay attention to using the water she buys and replenishing her stock, saving the plastic gallon containers, which she can place in her storage shed in a tightly tied plastic bag for later use.  Advice:  Every week you go to the grocery store, pick up 4-5 gallons of water, and get some help with shopping.  (Fortunately, I have daughter that lives near mom and helps her on a routine basis).

Now about food.  Many promote buying a year’s worth of freeze-dried food, but most people don’t have a couple thousand dollars to throw at food storage all at once.  This is true for my folks.  Dad has Alzheimer’s and heart problems, so in an emergency situation mother will need to pay attention to keeping his routine as normal as possible.  This could include having Dad’s favorite foods on standby.  As an example, Dad likes his chocolate milk.  Why not stock up on some instant chocolate milk mixes that only require water to reconstitute?  For herself, she can stock up on instant coffee and powdered milk.  We discussed the list of favorite foods because comfort foods can be important when everything around you is going wrong.  Comfort foods satisfy the need for some sense of normalcy.  People who suffer from Alzheimer’s are easily upset when the routine changes.  We also discussed the need for caloric intake.  Instead of buying “lo cal, heart healthy” foods, stock up on high fat, high protein, high fiber foods.  Canned foods that come to mind are beans in all varieties, some that are seasoned already.  I suggested stocking up on canned goods with “pop tops” – those cans that only require pulling on the tab to open, rather than relying on a manual can opener.  Soup cans often come in this configuration.  Mother has issues with her hands due to arthritis and it is difficult for her to use a manual can opener, even though it can be done.  Many of the food items she will need to stock up on, will require the use of a manual can opener.  Does she have one?  Is it easy to use?  If not, put getting a better can opener on the shopping list.  We discussed going to a local “scratch and dent” food outlet for stocking up purposes.  She knew of one nearby and made plans with my daughter to take a trip over.  Advice:  Stock up on canned goods of high calorie, high fiber, high protein content, preferably with “pop top” cans.  Stock up on dried foods, such as instant rice, noodles, oatmeal, and the like, that only require water to reconstitute.

Now about heat and cooking.  She lives in a relatively mild climate – no snow or howling winds to be concerned with.  She won’t have to worry about keeping warm other than dressing warm on chilly mornings.  She will have to worry about cooking or just heating water for reconstituting dry foods and warming up canned foods.  She doesn’t have an outside yard or outside patio, so cooking on a grill or little stove won’t work.  We discussed the use of Sterno fuel cans – the type you would use under a chafing dish.  Sterno fuel cans can be purchased everywhere.  The ones I have burn for about 2.5 hours each.  Sterno brand cooking fuel is non-toxic, biodegradable and water soluble – fairly safe for an older couple to make use of in a small condo.  You can pick up a six-pack of 2 hr. burning cans on Amazon for about twenty bucks.  If you think about using one can per day, you will need to invest about $100 a month for this type of fuel – a little pricey, but we are strategizing about the best and safest approach for an older couple.  A little shopping around for the best pricing may be in order.  Additionally, if she doesn’t have a chafing dish she can use, she can purchase a small Sterno Single Burner Folding Stove on Amazon for under ten bucks.  Advice: Stock up on sterno fuel cans.

Other supplies include paper and plastic products such as toilet paper, paper towels, and paper plates and cups, trash bags, and disposable hygiene wipes (“baby wipes”).  I explained to her that if a disruption in the water supply should occur, she will not be able to flush a toilet or wash dishes, but she could place a plastic bag on the toilet seats to “catch” waste and then move it out of the house.  We didn’t discuss what it would be like if the short term emergency turned into a long term emergency and waste disposal became a much bigger problem.  We are only talking about short-term strategies here.  Advice: Stock up on paper and plastic products.

Medicines and medical supplies:  She has a little first aid kit, but the biggest concern will be running out of medications.  Her insurance and pharmacy supply her with a 90-day supply of medications.  I advised her to get an additional 90-day supply so that her supply would last for 6 months, even if she has to go out of pocket on that additional 90 days.  Some insurance companies will pay for an additional 90-day supply if you explain that you will be traveling out of the country, which they used to do, now not so much.  If she were to be in an emergency situation, forecasted to last longer than 90 days, they could take a pill every other day and take their chances.  If there is a serious medical issue, their retirement community has onsite emergency services and if that were not available, prayer and God’s provision are truly the only things one can count on.  Advice:  Stock up on medications.   

Security and Safety:  This is a sticky one.  I believe that retirement communities, especially in the nicer urban areas will be targets.  I spoke to her about self-defense knowing that she has never used a gun and didn’t own one.  Dad used to shoot and taught his boys how to shoot, but his weapons were long ago given to his sons.  One of my sisters has been urging her to get a small handgun.  In the meantime, both my son-in-laws live nearby, are well versed in weaponry and one is in law enforcement, and if need be, they can provide some protection.  All of my children have been trained to shoot and own weapons, so I think, as a family we need to get great gramma up to speed and take her out to the shooting range.  Fortifying their condo is a bigger discussion and suffice it to say, one well aimed shot will discourage looters and marauders.  I have a deep concern that in a longer term emergency, my parents and many others will be shipped off to FEMA camps, but I am hoping we can evacuate them if it looks like things are going in that direction.  Advice to self:  Get gramma armed and trained.

Those are the basics for a short-term emergency: water, food, heating and cooking, personal hygiene, medications, security, and safety.  I realize that many retired people are on a fixed income and stocking up, especially on medications, is a financial burden.  I suggest that for those of you who have parents or grandparents in that situation, you step forward with the cash to get them better prepared.  After all, think about what they did for you all your growing up years.  If you are willing and committed, you should make that trip, that visit, and do all the shopping for them, get them situated appropriately for their situation.  It will give you and them peace of mind.  If you can’t do it in person, stock them up via automated deliveries.
Using Amazon’s subscribe and save feature, as posted by another reader using J.W.R.’s amazon link is a great way to have things delivered to the house on a regular schedule, which saves an older person the stress and physical exertion of making large shopping trips.  Mom frequently purchases from Amazon, so she could simply shop online and have things delivered.  The following list of items can be found on Amazon and are offered under the subscribe and save feature.  The downside of this type of shopping is it is a great deal more costly than buying in bulk yourself, and canning and storing food.  However, this article is geared towards taking care of the “old folks” who may or may not have the ability to do this themselves.  
The Weekly or Monthly Shopping List for Great Gramma (All pricing is rounded up or down and does not always include a brand name.  This list is to give you an idea of what you can have delivered weekly or monthly for gramma via Amazon.  You can shop around for better deals.):
1.        6 pak of sterno fuel cans = ~$20
2.        16 pack of paper towels = ~$20
3.        24 pack of toilet paper = ~$11
4.        40 count kitchen garbage bags with odor control = $8.75
5.        350 count Baby wipes = ~$11.30
6.        Prepared foods – choices too numerous to list – you will have to experiment.  Search on “subscribe and save” on Amazon.  An example is Betty Crocker Helper Complete Meals, Chicken and Buttermilk Biscuits, 24.8-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 6 ) for $18.41.  These complete meals only require a little milk (use reconstituted dried milk) and/or water and a way to heat them up.  The meat is included.  After searching quite a bit, I concluded that one should expect to pay about $2-$3 per a prepared food item of good quality.  For an older couple, who generally eat less, and need something that is very easy, the Betty Crocker line of complete meals may be a good compromise and will feed 2 people who don’t have big appetites.  No refrigeration or microwaving required.
7.        Hershey’s 2% Chocolate Milk, 21- 8 Ounce Aseptic Boxes = $ 19.39
8.        Needless to say, water is not something I recommend you buy through Amazon unless you are looking for specialty bottled water.  Spring water is available in gallon containers at Wal-Mart for about $.88 a gallon.
9.        And so on…
The list above was to give you an idea of what you can do with automatic deliveries to an older parent or grandparent.  For about $100 – $200 a month, you can set up automatic delivery to their home and get them a lot closer to being prepared.  Don’t buy things that require a microwave (think grid down).  If you are local to your parents or grandparents, it makes much more sense to shop at big box stores, Wal-Mart, or a local “scratch and dent” grocery outlet.  Maybe a combination of paying them a visit for the purposes of helping them stock up and having regular deliveries scheduled to them is the right combination.  In all cases, I’m glad mom is finally onboard and ready to move in the right direction.  
In the meantime, my directive is to enlist the help of the bigger family in getting mom better prepped to defend the casa if need be.  This should be fun, if not hilarious.

Fabric Choices in Survival Clothing, by Emma C.

Textiles surround us every day, yet they probably aren’t the first thing to come to mind when gathering survival gear. A quick web search gives lackluster results, focusing more on what kinds of tactical gear would be appropriate than the fabrics and types of clothing to look for and why. Obviously what to look for is based on several things. Do you live in a hot or cold climate? Will you be staying in your home, in a bunker, or traveling around? What’s your budget? And most of all, what makes you comfortable? If you live in cotton, a tight lycra jumpsuit under your clothing may be too much to get used to, spur of the moment.

I’ve been sewing for ten years now and have learned a lot about what fabrics are appropriate for certain garments. There are some commonly known rules, like wool will keep you warm and cotton will cool you down but there are myriads of textile choices beyond those. Clothing is very personal and what works for one person may not for the next so I’m going to provide several suggestions for what to look for in terms of fabric and functionality, starting from the bottom and working our way up.

Shoes:
Footwear is integral and wearing them in beforehand will prevent pain and blisters at a most unwelcome time. I’m not an expert in the materials used to make footwear so I will share what I know from experience. The most common of all footwear is the sneaker but picking one out can require some research. For a ton of walking or running, running shoes would be the best choice. It is important to learn whether you experience overpronation (high arch), underpronation (flat foot), or neutral pronation to reduce foot pain and provide proper support. I experienced a lot of foot pain in my old running shoes before I learned that I have severely overpronated feet. Now I have such a good pair of sneakers that I don’t have to use insoles for cushioning like I used to. Cross trainers are another choice of sneaker for people who may be doing a lot of jagged movements, jumping, or climbing. Keep in mind that running shoes last for about 300 miles before they should be replaced (up to 500 miles if you have a low body weight).

Boots are another option with multiple choices. Combat boots would be a tried and true boot. My husband, who is in the military, finds his issued ones to be uncomfortable but there are plenty of people who find them to be comfortable. I would definitely suggest trying on all types of footwear that you are interested in before making a purchase. Waterproof shoes, commonly referred to as ‘wellies’ [short for the Wellington brand name], would be a great choice for areas with a ton of rain and water or as a spare shoe. Snow boots or boots with wool insulation are excellent for cold areas. I have a pair of men’s leather boots with wool insulation that I wear while shoveling three feet of snow and they keep me just as warm as my Carhartt overalls. And they were purchased at JC Penney, so you don’t have to spend a ton of money to get a quality shoe, just do your research.

Last but not least are sandals. Some of you may think I’m off my rocker for that suggestion, so bear with me. If you live in a warm climate you may want to avoid boots and sneakers all together. Or maybe you want a second pair of lightweight shoes in your backpack. Or maybe you love the freedom of a naked foot. For whatever reason, a pair of sandals may work for you. Look for one with grooves on the bottom for traction as well as wide straps- no flip flops. Also be sure to bend the shoe before buying. If you can bend it in half it doesn’t offer enough cushion or support.
And don’t forget to stash some extra shoelaces.

Socks:
Chances are you are going to need some socks to go with your shoes, even with sandals. For socks you’ll want either CoolMax or wool or even both. At the very least look for synthetic fibers (which you may want to look for in a lot of the clothes) because they wick away moisture and increase breathability. Avoid cotton, especially if you don’t think you’ll be washing your clothing often, because it collects moisture and increases your chance for fungal infections. CoolMax is a polyester blend that wicks away moisture and dries quickly.

Besides synthetics, wool is going to come up again and again primarily for its ability to both repel and attract moisture as well as heat retention. Wool does take more care than other fabrics in that it should be washed in cold water and lay flat to dry. However, it doesn’t need to be washed as often as cotton or polyester. Which may be a moot point, depending on the state of the world. If you live in a place where cold days outnumber warm you may want to invest in both wool and synthetic blend socks, wearing the lighter CoolMax type socks as the inner layer and wool as the outer for extra warmth and, depending on your footwear, comfort.

Pants:
I’ll break this one down by three different geographical locations: (A) areas that often receive a lot of snow at one time from October until March with much less precipitation the rest of the year, (B) areas that receive fair amounts of precipitation throughout the year and middling temperature, (C) and areas that receive little precipitation with temperatures regularly over 100 degrees. I realize this doesn’t cover all the climate variances- it’s meant to be more of a jumping off point.
(A): Wool pants with polypropylene long johns/tights are going to be your MO. Columbia makes a quality wool pant that comes in camo (which I’ll touch on more later). Avoid a nylon pant as nylon, if it catches on fire, will likely fuse to your skin since it is petroleum based and highly flammable. In comparison, wool is slow to catch fire and is often used in fire blankets.  Polypropylene long underwear is very lightweight allowing for a large range of movement while providing warmth in subzero temperatures. It has little water absorption and acts as a barrier to water. Though it isn’t very flammable it can melt in temperatures over 320 degrees Fahrenheit. Polypro also retains odors without consistent washing but dries the quickest of any fabric. A polypro pant or leggings during the summer months with a wool pant over it in winter would be a strong choice for the area.
Cotton would be a poor choice in this scenario due to its water absorbency, flammability, and slow drying time. If it gets wet in the winter you’ll need to seek shelter and warmth immediately since it will no longer insulate you. The adage “cotton kills” is appropriate in area (A). Other fabrics to avoid include tencel, rayon, neoprene, silk, and bamboo.
(B): Lightweight wool or nylon will serve you well. With all the wet weather the lightweight and waterproof qualities of nylon outweigh risk of flammability. (Water repellant jackets are made from nylon.) LL Bean makes a quality cargo pant that converts into shorts and comes with insect barrier ingrained in the fabric. When it comes to clothes, loose layers will be helpful in keeping mosquitoes at bay, as opposed to skintight that allows the bugs to get closer to your skin and penetrate through the fabric. Lightweight wool is also great- it won’t weigh you down as much as thick wool while still providing the benefits of it.
With all the precipitation you’ll especially want to avoid the same fabrics as area (A): cotton, tencel, rayon, neoprene, silk, and bamboo, among other synthetics including polyester/cotton blends.
(C): Cotton, linen, and silk will all keep you cool in the sweltering heat though they also have their disadvantages. Cotton will absorb sweat easily which can make some people uncomfortable. You can always moisten the fabric to help keep cool and stave off feelings of griminess from sweating. (Not advisable if you’re trying to conserve water.) Linen is porous as well as absorbent which allows heat to escape between the fibers. It is stiffer than fabric so it won’t cling heavily to the body when wet like cotton will and is a common pant textile. Silk is very lightweight, thin, and soft which women like myself can appreciate. However, the sun will break down the fibers quicker than with cotton or linen, so silk pants aren’t the best choice for long term wear. CoolMax type blends are also available.
Lightweight wool can also be a good choice depending on how hot you get. I have a pair of wool shorts that I wore around Hawaii that, depending on how hot it was, would become itchy and uncomfortable despite the lining.

Undergarments:
Cotton, cotton, cotton ladies (and gents)! Moisture collecting in your nether regions from synthetic fabrics is far more likely than cotton to become a sweaty breeding ground for bacteria. And avoid anything too tight. You’ll be better off going commando than sporting too-tight underwear. Don’t forget about extra bras as well, Wacoal makes an amazing underwire sports bra that goes up from an A to an H cup. I wear them quite often and have always felt comfortable (and I wear an H, so I understand how hard it is to find a supportive sports bra).

Shirts:
Once again the fabrics you want are going to reflect the area in which you reside. The rules for pants pretty much transfer over to shirts. Wool/cashmere tops, including turtlenecks, make for a nice layer below a coat or jacket in the cold. Personally I can’t wear turtlenecks or cashmere and find that this is the one area that I have to go against my own advice, living in a cold climate. In a survival situation I plan to find myself in three layers of shirts: a tank top, a tee shirt, and a long sleeve shirt, all made from cotton or lightweight wool. I’ll place a lot of reliance on my coat (which is waterproof and windproof, made by Gersemi) to protect me from precipitation. I keep a spare 100% wool one made by the fashion company Nine West. There is a very limited range in temperature that I find comfortable so the layers will allow me to have more flexibility. I’ve had good experiences with cotton and wool shirts from Banana Republic, the Gap, and JC Penney among others.
The same thing goes for area (B) residents. Cotton layers can work if you are careful about staying dry and preserving layers in cool temperatures. Wool or nylon are still great choices as well. Those in area (C) can still benefit from a long sleeve shirt despite the heat if it has UPF, especially if you burn easily and don’t have access to sunscreen or other protection. Otherwise cotton, linen, and silk once again.

Accessories:
Here I’m going to cover hats, belts, and gloves but keep in mind there are plenty of other accessories to consider including umbrellas, sunglasses, scarves, watches, and jewelry (useful for bartering on the go). When it comes to headgear the balaclava can’t be beat in terms of versatility and size. Balaclavas work for every climate; a knitted wool balaclava will protect from the winter’s cold while one with UPF will help protect delicate skin from sunny rays. They come in a variety of materials and colors, can be worn several ways, and take up little space.
Two types of belts that can be useful depending on your needs are paracord belts and tactical belts. Paracord belts work just like the bracelets, being made from 550 paracord that unravels to function in numerous survival capacities. They can be made or purchased. Tactical belts come in different materials, typically leather and webbing, and are generally useful for attaching weaponry. There are also cartridge belts to hold ammunition.

For gloves, look for leather in the palm and fingers. A really padded glove can be useful in moving and carrying large objects or heavy outdoor work but can make manual dexterity difficult. To achieve a wider range of movements, like in shooting for instance, I recommend a shooting glove made with leather and thinsulate.
First impressions could be vital so I’m going to spend a moment on image before getting to sewing and purchasing fabric. Camo and earth tone clothing are generally safe bets and, if being deserted or lost is a concern, a bright colored flag could be thrown in a pack or sewn into a coat. Keep in mind that being decked out in the best of gear can attract unwanted attention from people who would like what you have or give an impression of skill that you may not possess. Women may want to dress in more manly clothing and consider a short, pixie type haircut. In a chaotic, desperate situation people may do things they wouldn’t in normal society and women and children, being seen as a whole as weaker than men, would be automatic targets. (Unfair or not, it is what it is so I myself plan to chop off my hair to gain as much of an advantage and become as anonymous as possible).

When it comes to sewing, once you know the basics it really is not difficult to master. If you are just trying to make basic clothing you don’t need to have spent months learning techniques you won’t need. The first garment I ever made was a pair of pajama pants with an elastic waist. I taught myself how to sew them by reading the instructions on the pattern. Granted, it took me three times as long as it would now, but the pattern and instructions were so simple that any kind of extra assistance from the internet or books was unnecessary.

There are a few things you should collect if you do plan to sew your own garments. If you are going to get a sewing machine, no matter how tiny, learn to use it before you stow it in a basement or bunker, even if you only use it for a minute. Patterns for every type of clothing can be purchased. Easy Stitch ‘N Save by McCall’s and It’s so Easy by Simplicity are two collections by big pattern makers than can often be found for .99 cents or $1.99 at JoAnn Fabrics. (Just check the flyers for sales.) The garments are simple, taking only a few hours. However- and this is important-cutting out the patterns is sometimes more time consuming than making the actual garment. To save time and help yourself become familiar with clothing construction I’d recommend cutting out the patterns ahead of time. There are also plenty of unisex patterns and patterns for children along with ones for household items, shoes, and gloves.
As far as fabric goes, it can be purchased by the yard or in bulk by the bolt. Prices vary widely. I usually purchase any 100% cotton fabrics from JoAnn Fabrics, fabrics.com, or various local quilting shops. For wool, I try to purchase it from the Dorr Mill Store and Pendleton’s Woolen Mill store but that can be expensive. Some Wal-Marts sell fabric but their selection is rife with polyester and rayon blends so be sure to check before you buy. And don’t forget about notions. You’ll need needles (both hand and machine if you have one), pins, several spools of thread (a half to one spool per project is a fair estimate so you can do repairs later as well), extra bobbins if you have a machine, dressmaker’s chalk, scissors, buttons, zippers, elastic, belt buckles, and no-sew glue. Check each pattern for specific needs; they’ll also tell you how much fabric you’ll need to purchase for each size.

[JWR Adds: Be sure to check your local thrift store regularly. You can often find wool blankets, sweaters, and even Scottish kilts that can be used as-is, or re-purposed. (Traditional kilts have eight yards or tartan wool!) It is not unusual to find genuine Pendleton wool shirts and merino sweaters for less than $5. One trick is to run your hand down the racks, feeling the textures of the sleeves as you walk by. With some practice you can learn to detect wool with just a touch. Once you’ve developed this skill, there is no need to read labels except to confirm what your sense of touch has already told you.]

Overall you need to consider what’s best for you. If you strongly believe you’ll be out on the road don’t go out and purchase a sewing machine and bolts of fabric that won’t see use. Focus that money and time on finding pieces that will last a long time and provide you with protection and comfort. Also don’t settle for a blend of fabrics that you find unsuitable just because it is a great price or you like the color. And don’t be overwhelmed by the choices out there. Ask friends and family about their favorite coat brands or where they purchased their new wool socks. If you just plain out hate shopping ask your shopping-friendly spouse, friend, or second cousin if they’d like to swap expertise. Just be sure to give them a list of what garments you’re looking for, along with sizes, colors, possible brands, and fabrics. Making sure to write down the details, including what percentage of which fabrics you want, will help your assistant narrow down the search quickly. If you are, say, a vegan and do not want leather on your clothing at all, be sure to write that down too. And once everything is hung or folded neatly next to your Bug Out Bag, take yourself out to a nice dinner, knowing that you’re ready to withstand the elements.

Letter Re: Lessons Learned From My Elders

James:
As a five year old I lived with my grandparents in a small isolated village in the foothills of the Austrian Alps.  This was about 1953 until 1958.  Rural life had its own rhythm which now seemed more akin to the 19th century.  Small family fields were plowed with the milk cow which was also used to bring in the hay and the harvest.  Everything planted had a use.  Each tree on these small family farms bore fruits or nuts.  Ornamentals were for the well to do- perhaps the village doctor who had a more secure source of income.  Each farmstead depended on a variety of fruit and other crops.  If one thing did not do well that year, then other harvests such as the chestnuts or the pears and apples for hard cider might be plentiful.
The grain keeping body and soul together was polenta, a new world crop, along with the potato.  Corn grew well and would be eaten as mush with pork cracklings, sour milk, or coffee mornings and evenings. Each farmer’s wife was also capable of making hearty loaves of bread seasoned with herbs along with the obligatory home churned butter. Besides working in the fields alongside her husband, the women also had a kitchen garden with vegetables and savory herbs.

The other mainstay was the pumpkin which is still harvested for its seeds and the superb oil the roasted seed produces.  Oils and fats are always at a premium and never ever thrown away.  I have had many a pork fat sandwich with garlic, salt, and pepper. Anything left over was given to the hogs which were slaughtered in the fall and processed, smoked and hung on rafters in the pantry or preserved in a tub of lard.   The root cellar like the pantry was built of stone, being cool and moist. It held barrels of sauerkraut, pickles, and perhaps of eggs which had been covered with a solution of lime and water.

In the evenings, kept warm by the ceramic wood & coal stove, stories were told about surviving WWII and the Russian occupation.  Some were very funny, some not so much.
During the war everything was rationed. Towards the end of the conflict, people in the city would get on the train for the country with their fur coats and oriental rugs and anything else they thought they could trade for a sack of potatoes. Many a farmer’s wife could be found with finery. If you had extra food you kept a very low profile as not to arouse anger or envy of neighbors.
If you were fortunate enough to live in the country, then hunger was not a problem because you grew what was needed – most had the skills, experience, and land needed. Organic methods along with long established permaculture were the norm.  Small livestock such as chickens and sometimes rabbits and doves were part of the living larder. Everything depended on composting and the farmer with the biggest manure pile was considered rich.  Of course humanure was part of recycling necessary nutrients for a successful harvest season. 
Several stories which contained significant life lessons were told by uncles who had to serve on the front.

One uncle was a medical doctor and he told of a pampered young man who came in with a shoulder wound and he hysterically thought that he was mortally wounded.  The team of doctors assured him that he would do just fine, all to no avail.  This young city boy did die unnecessarily.  Later a farm boy came into the medical facility with a very serious stomach wound.  He walked in carrying his intestines in a newspaper.  He was not expected to live but he had the right mindset and he recovered.

The second story about serving on the front came from a different uncle who was in a Siberian prison camp for seven years.  He was a very tall man and as all those with him lost a tremendous amount of weight because of a terrible diet.  Every meal consisted of a cabbage soup with a few chunks of potatoes thrown in.  After a time the men were no longer able to eat this soup, and even though they tried, they threw it up. Fortunately there was a doctor in their unit who told them to take anything of value that they had, cigarette lighters, cigarettes, belt buckles and trade it for hot peppers when they went out on work details.  Each meal they were to cut a little of the peppers into their soup so that their gastric juices would start up again.  This is how I learned about appetite fatigue.  My uncle would say that the peasants in Siberia were as poor as the prisoners and really did not eat much better.

The last story about the Siberian camp had to do with going home.  The trains were loaded with prisoners and they were to depart but for some reason the last car was uncoupled and left.  This caused such great disappointment and loss of hope that many men in that last compartment killed themselves.  Without a solid spiritual foundation our “men’s hearts will fail them” (Luke 21:26) when faced with desperation.

And then there was the third uncle who was a survivor.  His very hard life had honed his instincts. Somehow he would have an inkling when the next attack at the front would occur and he would work his night patrols either before or after.  Several men in his unit caught on to this talent of being aware and sensitive to his surroundings, they started to stay close to him.  Most Austrians were conscripts that wanted to get home to their families.

Hearing such stories and more made a great impression on my mind and these stories have been told to the next generation.  Better to learn from another’s life lessons, the personal cost is less if one listens well.

Sincerely, – U.E.

Economics and Investing:

R.B.S. recommended this article: A trip back to 1964 proves Silver creates wealth. (BTW, this has a nice correlation with the current opportunity to acquire nickels at face value.)

Linda U. sent: World on track for record food prices ‘within a year’ due to US drought

13 States Now Considering Gold and Silver as Money. (Thanks to R.B.S. for the link.)

Where Does Money Come From? The Giant Federal Reserve Scam Americans Do Not Understand

Items from The Economatrix:

Deutsche Bank Issues A Terrible Warning on the Health of the Global Financial System

Unemployment Rates Rise in Half of US States

Jobless Rate Rises in Five of 10 U.S. Campaign Swing States

QE3 Won’t Help Consumers or Jobless

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader George S. mentioned: “Galt’s Gulch” city planned in Honduras

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Here is one early review of Founders. OBTW, speaking of reviews, two of the most critical reviews of Founders posted at Amazon’s site appear to be from people that have never read the book. There was even one reviewer who falsely implied that I am a racist. To set him straight, I posted this link.

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Reader H.L. suggested this piece: Germany’s Wind Power Chaos Should Be A Warning To Everyone

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Bill J. came across an article on the emergent SARS Corona virus. What makes this news of such concern is in the last paragraph: “Saudi officials said they were concerned the upcoming Hajj pilgrimage next month, which brings millions of people to Saudi Arabia from all over the world, could provide more opportunities for the virus to spread.”

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Over at Mac Slavo’s SHTFPlan blog: Education After The Collapse:  School When There Is No Classroom

 

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“The issue is not the National Debt in terms of trillions of dollars.  The issue is actually the National Debt in terms of thousands of abortions; it’s the National Debt in terms of thousands of unwanted pregnancies; it’s the National Debt in terms of the epidemic of AIDS; it’s the National Debt in terms of moral promiscuity; the National Debt in terms of the destruction of family life – That’s the issue!” – Pastor Alistair Begg

Notes from JWR:






Today is release day and “Book Bomb” Day for my latest book, Founders: A Novel of the Coming Collapse. In anticipation of strong sales, my publisher (the Atria division of Simon & Schuster) has already printed 44,000 copies of Founders. You can now order it as a hardback book or as an unabridged audio book, or as a Kindle e-book. A Nook Book version is also available.

Here is an update on the novel’s Amazon rankings, which I will update during the day. (Overall rank, of 4 million+ listed titles, as well as its rank among Action & Adventure titles.)

#217 overall and #49 in Action & Adventure at 3 p.m. Sunday, September 23rd.

#139 overall and #19 in Action & Adventure at 3 p.m. Monday, September 24th.

#105 overall and #17 in Action & Adventure at 11 p.m. Monday, September 24th.

#83 overall and # 13 in Action & Adventure at 6 a.m. Tuesday, September 25th.

#6 overall and # 7 in Action & Adventure at Noon Tuesday, September 25th.

#4 overall and # 1 in Action & Adventure at 5 p.m. Tuesday, September 25th.

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Today we present another two entries for Round 42 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), 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, and 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.

The queue for Round 42 is full but Round 43 begins on October 1st, so please start writing and e-mail us your entry. 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.

Let’s Talk About Calories Per Dollar, by Mississippi Girl

With the current economic climate and the recent drought, there is a lot of concern about an impending increase in food prices.  As I browse through homesteading blogs and review comments from recent news articles, more and more people that have not been a part of the “prepper  movement” in the past are now starting to open their eyes and see a need to increase their food stores.  When you first begin to build your pantry, it is helpful to think about the purpose of food storage:  The true goal of storing food is to be able to provide enough calories to sustain life. 

Everyone has a basal metabolic rate (BMR) which is the number of calories that you burn a day at rest with no digestion occurring.  Your BMR is based on your gender, age, weight, and height.  A quick online search will yield links to multiple BMR calculators, so that you can figure your individual BMR.  For sake of an example, let us assume that you are a 40 year old 175 pound man that is 5 feet 10  inches tall.  Your BMR is approximately 1,700 calories per day.  Remember, this is how many calories your body burns doing nothing at all, not even eating.  If you lead a sedentary lifestyle with little to no exercise, you multiply your BMR by 1.2 to get your daily calorie requirement.  In the example above, this would give a calorie requirement of  2,055 calories in the setting of little to no physical activity.  If you have a high level of activity with exercise 6-7 days per week, your calorie requirement would jump up to 2950 calories per day (BMR  times 1.75).

For those of you who have looked into long-term food storage, you see advertisements all of the time for a “year supply of food.”  One popular web site offers a premium year supply which contains enough food to supply one person with approximately 1,600 calories per day for a year.  As you can see from the above example, this would not be enough food to support the basic metabolic functions of a large percentage of  people, much less provide the needed energy for daily activities.  In a post-SHTF scenario [without the benefit of power tools, most water pumps, and gas engine vehicles], the general activity level of the populace will most certainly increase, so most people can expect their current calorie requirement to go well above their BMR.

There are other prepackaged supplies of food that supply around 2,000 calories per person per year.  One such example at Emergency Essentials provides 2,000 calories per day for 371 days for $2,700, as of today.  If you do the math on a package like this, you will figure out that you are getting 275 calories per dollar spent.  That sounds pretty good, but how does that compare to other items that you can purchase?  And, what if you don’t have three grand to drop on food and just want to get started putting food by?  How can you see if you are getting your money’s worth with regards to total calories purchased?

I have been a prepper since 2006, but honestly, the money spent per calorie of food never crossed my mind until recently when we starting making regular purchases for a local food bank.  The first few donations included cans of vegetables, namely corn and green beans.  I had purchased a few flats of each of these around Thanksgiving when they were put on sale for $0.50 each.  Each can had 3.5 servings of food according to the label, but as you will see, “servings” are not all created equal.  Although the serving size of each was the same (one-half cup), a serving of the corn contained 60 calories, whereas a serving of the green beans only had 20 calories.  That equates to 210 calories in a can of corn and 70 calories in a can of green beans.  So, with the corn, I was able to buy 420 calories/dollar but only got 140 calories/dollar with the green beans.   That is a big difference!!

Being cognizant of the number of calories I was getting for the money spent made me reevaluate my food bank purchases. I wanted to be sure I was getting the most for the money that I was donating.   Not only did this change the way that I looked at the purchases for the local food bank, but it also changed the way I looked at the purchases for my own pantry with regards to both long-term and short-term storage.  I began to think about the #10 cans of food that I have purchased over the years without true regard for the calorie density of their contents.  On my shelves, I have cans of freeze dried green beans, spinach, broccoli, and mushrooms.  I am happy to have them to provide variety, but in a post-STHF scenario, these cans will be useless in terms of providing energy for me to work around our compound.  Before now, seeing these cans on the shelf provided a sense of “food security” because they are indeed food, but what I am really looking for is “calorie security.”

That can of freeze dried green beans has 21 one-half cup servings with 30 calories per serving.  So, if I ate the whole can, I would only get 630 calories!!  That same can of green beans costs $14.95 right now which means I am only getting 42 calories/dollar spent.  Consider a #10 can of dehydrated carrots that contains a total of 3,710 calories and costs $11.50.  You are getting 323 calories per dollar in that can.  It is easy to see which is a better purchase if your goal is to provide calories.

Now, don’t get me wrong.  There is nothing wrong with spending the money on products that have fewer calories.  I personally love dehydrated mushrooms and use them all of the time when I cook.  I will continue to buy them as long as I can although they have basically no calories.  Nonetheless, the concept of the total calories you are getting for each dollar you spend is important to consider, especially when the money available for building your food storage is limited.

For those that are just beginning to build their short term (3 month-2 year) food storage, what are some of the more cost effective items to buy in terms of the number of calories you get per dollar spent?  Well, if you have ever been on a diet or have read about a diet, this should be pretty easy to think about.  Those items that are high in carbohydrates are usually going to have the most calories per unit cost.  These would include rice, beans, potatoes, wheat, pasta, corn, etc.  These groups of foods are the ones that everyone tries to stay away from when trying to lose weight.  Right?  Why is that? Well, it is because they are calorie dense, meaning you don’t have to eat much volume to get a lot of calories. But since in a post-SHTF scenario most people will not get to continue to be couch potatoes (or desk potatoes) and the level of physical activity will dramatically increase,  we will be less worried about eating low-cal.  You will need those calorie-dense items (that we all try to avoid currently)  in order to sustain a higher level of physical activity.

Conversely, the items that cost more per calorie are usually those things that you are allowed to eat without consequence on a diet.  These would include spinach, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.  Like we saw above, you can eat a whole 14 ounce can of green beans from the grocery store and only get 70 calories.  You would have to spend all day eating green beans to get enough calories to live and would have no time left over to work.  🙂

Okay , so let’s get down to the nitty gritty.  Let us take a look at specific foods that you may consider for short or long term storage and see how many calories they provide per dollar spent–you can also see how that compares to the 275 calories per dollar that we would get purchasing that prepackaged premium year supply of food.  The prices that I am quoting were looked up online at my local warehouse club this morning.

1.  Long grain white rice:  50# bag for $16.86.   There are 1650 calories per pound which gives 82,500 calories in the bag.  So, you get 4893 calories/dollar spent.

2.  Potato flakes:  3.2# box for $5.76.  There are 65 one-half cup servings with 80 calories each giving 5200 calories in the box.  So, you get 903 calories/dollar spent.

3.  Dehydrated hash brown potatoes:  2.06# box for $5.98.  There are 60 one-third cup servings with 70 calories each giving 4200 calories in the box.  So, you get 694 calories/dollar spent.

4.  Pinto beans:  25# bag for $20.49.   There are 1440 calories per pound of beans, giving 36,000 calories in the bag.  So, you get 1757 calories/dollar spent.

5.  All purpose flour:  25# bag for $8.00.  There are 1600 calories per pound of flour, giving 40,000 calories in the bag.  So, you get 5,000 calories/dollar spent.

6.  Angel Hair pasta:  6# box (wrapped in 1 pound bundles) for $5.76.  48 two-ounce servings with 210 calories per serving, giving 10,080 calories per box.  So, you get 1750 calories/dollar spent.

7.  Tang powder:  4.5# container with 88 servings (to make 88 cups) with 90 calories per serving, giving 7920 calories per container.  So, you get 1135 calories/dollar spent.

Now, I know that these items don’t qualify as long term storage products,  in the manufacturer’s packaging, but they are ideal staples for a short-term pantry.  Also, with a little extra work, all of them except the flour could be placed in long term storage by sealing them in mylar bags inside of buckets. This does add to the cost but it may still be more reasonable than buying the pre-made super pails from an emergency supply store.  Example:  If you had to pay $11 for storage supplies (bucket, lid, mylar bag, and oxygen absorber) to put away the bag of rice, you would still be getting 2,961 calories per dollar spent on that bucket of rice. A 44-lb pail of white rice from Emergency Essentials is currently selling for $57.95, giving 1,239 calories per dollar spent.  This is much more cost effective than the 275 calories per dollar in the year-supply package we discussed earlier, but you can definitely improve your calorie per dollar ratio by packaging the rice yourself.

I consider all purpose flour a great item for a short-term storage pantry since its shelf life is listed as 8 months to 1 year, but whole wheat is certainly preferred for long term storage.  The wheat can then be ground into flour when it is needed, but it can also be used without grinding to add some variety to food storage meals.  Where I live, wheat is not available for bulk purchase, so I end up buying pre-made super pails of wheat for my long term storage.  Currently the 45 pound hard red wheat super pail costs about $47.  This contains 385 one-fourth cup servings with 180 calories per serving, giving 69,300 calories per pail.  So, you would get 1,474 calories per dollar spent buying that super pail.  For those of you who are fortunate to live in areas where you can buy wheat in bulk, I am sure that you could package it yourself and increase the number of calories you are getting for your money, just as we saw with the rice. 

Overall, the number of calories you get per dollar spent is much higher with the bulk foods from the warehouse store than in the long term storage year-supply packages.  Because of this, I recommend that you first make sure that you purchase some of the more cost-effective items initially to build up a short-term pantry before you start spending lots of money on the items packaged in #10 cans and super pails.  You will be able to build up your calorie reserve much faster on a smaller budget starting with your short-term storage.   

Short term storage isn’t limited to bulk items from the warehouse stores.  Don’t forget about the goods in your local grocery store.  Most canned goods can be kept in the pantry for at least 2 years.  Creamy condensed soups usually contain more calories than their ready-to-eat counterparts because you are storing less water in the can.  One brand of cream of chicken soup on my pantry shelf has 300 calories per can, which is fantastic.  If you can find it on sale over the holidays for $1 per can, you are getting 300 calories per dollar.    Starchy vegetables such as beans, corn, and sweet peas are going to have a higher calorie density than green beans, asparagus, and tomatoes–so for cans of similar price, the starchy vegetables will add more calories for your buck.  And, remember the ever-favorite ramen noodles.  At our local grocer, you can get a 12-pack of ramen for $2.44.  Each individual pack contains 380 calories, giving 4560 calories in the box.  So, ramen yields 1,869 cal per dollar spent.  Pretty impressive!  No wonder college students live off of it.

Although I advocate shopping wisely to make sure you are getting plenty of calories for the dollar spent, I do not recommend buying empty calories.  Yes, you could purchase 10 buckets of white sugar and have lots of calories, but these calories provide little nutrition, meaning there are no vitamins and minerals, no protein, and no fat.  Although you need calories to live, empty calories alone won’t keep you healthy.  Make sure you are familiar with the USDA recommendations for protein and fat intake.  On average, individuals should consume around 50 grams of protein a day, but the amount needed will increase if you are doing heavy physical labor.  It is also recommended that you get about 30% of you daily calories from fat.  Knowing this, you will need to have variety in your food storage–don’t stock up on one item alone just because it provides adequate calories.

When protein is mentioned, people often get discouraged thinking that they need to purchase expensive meats to provide adequate protein.  Remember, proteins are found in lots of foods other than meat, including grains, nuts (and nut butters), powdered milk, and beans.  Examples:  One-fourth of a cup of wheat provides 7 grams of protein, one-third of a cup of rolled oats provides 6 grams of protein,  and 3 tablespoons of dry pinto beans provides 8 grams of protein.  The high protein content of these high carb items make them even more attractive as core staples in the pantry. They are a relatively inexpensive way to add calories and protein.

I honestly could go on forever discussing different foods to store or not to store, but entire books have been written on that.   The concept that I want you to take with you from this discussion is that you need to THINK about the PURPOSE of the food you are buying.  Don’t base your purchases on the number of servings per container or on someone else’s concept of a years-supply of food.  Understand how many calories you and your family need to survive and buy food accordingly.  Build your short-term and long-term storage up around items that cost less per calorie until you have an adequate supply of calories, and then use your extra money if you would like to add in items that provide different flavors but may not give you much in the way of energy.  If you buy wisely, you will be able to meet your requirements by spending less money than you would expect based on browsing emergency storage web sites.  Remember, it’s not about the food itself, it’s about the calories!

Tatume Squash For Your Survival Garden, by John D.

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When most people think of post collapse survival, one of the major topics that first comes to mind is food.  The internet is full of articles and forums dedicated to canning, hunting, gathering, and of course, gardening.  What I don’t often find, are articles specifically dedicated to a particular item of food to be grown in a garden, explaining perhaps why it would be a beneficial plant to start growing now.  For me and my own gardening, I have gone from complete and utter newbie, to successful builder of soil and harvester of many delicious edibles.  Through out this period of trial and error, I just selected at random packets of seasonal and organic seeds from the local nursery, and while hoping for the best, I would continually return to the net for tips on how to deal with this pest or that fungus.

Having suffered more failures than successes, and now with several growing seasons under my belt, I have narrowed the field of which species I plant in my various garden beds.  One species stands out as a new favorite of mine, and this species will be the focus of this article.  It is a summer squash called Tatume. 

I live in Austin, Texas and basically have a year round growing season.  This past winter was mild, so by mid-March I had summer and winter squash already planted and sprouting in the garden.  Like most people, I planted the usual suspects; zucchini, yellow crookneck, acorn, and sugar sweet pumpkins.  After a nice early harvest began at the outset of summer, the dreaded squash moth arrived.  Leaves began to wilt and turn yellow, and I started spending more and more time on my hands and knees wiping the moth’s small red eggs from plant stems.  Worse still, I started finding my self more and more often having to use a razor blade to cut small windows into the squash vines so I could exorcise the chubby, white grubs from within.  Of course, my chickens loved the vine borers, but I was growing frustrated with fighting a losing battle.  Even carrying a fly swatter and striking down the moths themselves when I could was not enough to prevent my entire planting from finally succumbing to the borers.  What had been a great spring where I was pulling large quantities of squash every week, became a depressing summer of empty beds where so much green had once thrived.

In conversation with a fellow gardener, I mentioned my loss, and she clued me in to the Tatume squash.  She had recently planted some herself after a similar loss of her own plants.  According to what she had read, the vines of the Tatume are thinner and denser than those of most other squash, and make traveling within them more difficult for vine borers.  She also had read that Tatume re-rooted themselves from their vines frequently, providing auxiliary points along the plant where nutrients could be drawn from the soil should the central vine be lost to pests.  I had to try growing this wonder plant for myself after she ended the discussion by stating, “I hear the problem with Tatume isn’t keeping them alive, it’s controlling them!”

About a week later, my seed order from Baker Creek Heirlooms came through, and I had several packs of Tatume seed.  As it was not (at the time) available at the local nursery, I figured I would make a large order for my personal seed bank, should the species prove to be as resilient as my friend claimed it to be.  I went outside and pulled together several mounds of soil in three different garden beds, and in each mound I planted three seeds.  The results have been nothing short of extraordinary. 

First, the vines do indeed grow long and fast.  Assuming an infestation of vine borers was inevitable, and knowing that they can decimate the primary vine of a plant quite quickly, I wanted to make sure these plants laid roots in several places.  I buried the nodes of each vine in several locations with rich soil, and watered these areas just as I watered the central vine.  While I believe this practice helped, it may not have been specifically necessary, as the plants seemed fairly interested in re-rooting themselves of their own volition. 

I noticed that the squash moth did still lay eggs on Tatume plants, but interestingly enough, they didn’t seem to lay nearly as many eggs as they were laying on my hubbards, my acorn squash, or my remaining (and struggling!) zucchini.  Out of the fifteen Tatume seeds I planted, I still have fifteen living and healthy plants, and I only had to cut two vine borers out of the entire group.  This was early in their development when I noticed a bit of frass on the central vines.  The borers I removed were small, and had barely damaged the plants, which I believe was in fact due to the tighter, denser nature of the vine structure.  Most of the suggestions one finds on the Internet concerning how to deal with squash vine borers revolve around covering plants with netting or using some form of pesticide, including BT injections.  For anyone planning a survival garden, relying on anything that needs to be purchased from a store is unacceptable.  It makes far more sense to be finding workable solutions now, and that includes the selection of the most reliable and defensible plant species.

Of course, so many fecund and spawning squash plants in one area will draw in another pest; the squash bug.  My own garden began to attract squash bugs once my Tatume were sprawling over many square feet of space and producing fruit.  Early detection is not only key, but it’s quite easy for the observant gardener.  These little insects come in droves, colored an orangish red as young nymphs, then growing into large gray stink bugs if left unattended.  Walking around with a jar of soapy water to knock them off of the plant and into, hand squishing, and a light coat of flour sifted onto the plants (and washed off three days later) was enough to rid me of their nuisance in under a week.  I also suggest keeping various insect repellant herbs planted throughout the garden as well as members of the daisy family which will attract assassin bugs to your aid.  I know of one gardener who makes a Tansy tea (Tansy is a flower in the Aster/Daisy family) which he then sprays directly onto his food plants, bringing the assassin bugs to live upon them in full force.  The only drawback is that assassin bugs can kill pollinators such as bees, so use with discretion.

The fruit of the Tatume plant has the color and flavor of a zucchini but is shaped like a small pumpkin.  Native to Mexico, the Tatume is used in a dish called “calabacitas” and is itself often referred to as “calabacita” (meaning “little squash.”)  We are suffering a hard drought here in central Texas, yet my Tatume thrive.  I credit this primarily to my regular watering, but also to the possibility that being a native of Mexico has granted Tatume at least a moderate drought and heat tolerance.  As temperature zones are shifting, with warmer weather sustaining for larger portions of the year further and further north, as well as the extension of drought conditions, and even the possibility of water supply disruption due to collapse related events, having seeds in your survival arsenal that can handle such conditions is a must. 

Falling under the Curcubita Pepo grouping, this would mean that Tatume can cross pollinate with all others in this category, including zucchini and crook neck squash.  As seed saving is crucial to those planning a survival garden, this means either not growing other C. Pepo, separating them by large distances, or hand pollinating.  Personally, not wanting to deal with the pest issues associated with these other squash, I would elect to only grow Tatume as a summer squash.  It should be noted as well, that C. Pepo can in fact cross pollinate with C. Maxima (Buttercup, Hubbard) as well as C. Moschata (Butternut) requiring the above mentioned precautions.  Like all squash, the seeds are large and plentiful, so collecting, drying, and storing them for the next season’s crop is extremely easy.  I would imagine preparing the seeds as one would pumpkin seeds, would also yield a tasty snack.

The summer is now waning, and I’m seeing squash moths less and less.  In the past week, I haven’t had to make my regular rounds of plant inspections, obsessively removing moth eggs from the undersides of leaves.  As I walk through the garden with my watering can every morning taking in the beauty of those bright orange flowers open to the rising sun, inviting in bees and ants, I am thoroughly rewarded for such diligence.  I bend over to gently pull apart the still ever expanding network of dark green vines which are engulfing my garden beds to find softball sized, evergreen globes waiting for me.  While I still struggle at times with other food plants, these struggles are a reward as well.  While the grocery stores are still open, failure isn’t critical, and these failures inform us of what plants we can reasonably expect to rely on when a crisis does arrive, and which will ultimately sap us of more energy than they will give us.  After a wonderful and productive season, I cannot recommend strongly enough that you too begin experimenting with Tatume squash in your home garden and kitchen.

News From The American Redoubt:

Keeping track of trends in The American Redoubt, it appears that both Idaho and Montana will follow Wyoming’s lead and will enact Constitutional Carry (unrestricted concealed carry) in the next sessions of their legislatures.

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Guns galore draw enthusiasts to tactical expo. (And here is a link to their web site. I predict that it will be a much larger event, next time.)

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Teton County hunters quick to grab wolf tags. And in other hunting news, the top prize for a Stating The Obvious headline goes to: Wounded grizzly bear in Eastern Idaho could pose danger.

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Emergency-preparedness company moving to Boise

Economics and Investing:

p>Deustche Bank: Western Economies Are Screwed, And Investors Face A ‘Disturbing Paradox. The article begins: “In a new report entitled Gold: Adjusting For Zero, Deutsche Bank analysts Daniel Brebner and Xiao Fu paint an incredibly dark picture of the bind the global economy is in right now. Brebner and Xiao are pretty frank about how levered up the financial system is at the moment, and they warn that the next shock will be totally involuntary and unexpected.”

John Mauldin: QE Infinity: Unintended Consequences

Those pesky derivatives again: Deriving the True Size of U.S. Megabanks Is Far From Simple

Items from The Economatrix:

Draghi And Bernanke’s Worst Nightmares Are About To Unfold

Fed’s Fisher Says U.S. Inflation Expectations Rising

The Trouble With Printing Money:  QE3 Reflects A Colossal Failure To Address Our Predicament

Odds ‘n Sods:

Lyme Disease Hits Big in Australia. (Thanks to F.G. for the link.)

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SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large Michael Z. Williamson spotted this: Pre-Peeled, Re-Wrapped Bananas Are the Most Wasteful Sign of the Apocalypse Yet

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File under Emerging Threats: Police: Serial burglars used Facebook to find victims. (Thanks to J.B.G. for the link.)

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Some great commentary by Enola Gay in the Paratus Familia blog about living in wildfire country: Identifying Hazards

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The folks at Directive 21 are now offering Mountain House freeze dried foods packaged in food grade buckets.

Note from JWR:

Please wait until tomorrow (Tuesday, September 25th)–which is also our planned Book Bomb day– to order your copies of Founders: A Novel of the Coming Collapse. Thanks!

Note to book dealers: For ordering case lots of the new hardback (20 copies per case, 23 lb. shipping weight per case), contact Simon & Schuster’s wholesale order desk.