No Cost Preparedness, by B. George

Sure, it’d be nice to prepare for the rest of our lives on Bill Gates’ budget. (I would keep a fully-staffed Pizza Hut underground in my retreat group.)  But you can do a lot with what you’ve got. Plus, even the rich need to do important things that cost nothing. Rich or poor, this is for everyone. (If you’re reading this, be reminded you’re relatively rich simply because you have internet access) You know the list is going to start with cleaning, but don’t scroll too fast.

SCOUR

Clean your house. If your spouse is not on board with prepping, this will immediately win your set of values some favor. It won’t be fun, but think of at as a learning experience as you try to clean in a sustainable way (unless you plan to stockpile Swiffers). Unfortunately cleaning isn’t a one-time preparation, but a thorough cleaning is heavy load that is worth lifting. Deeply clean one room at a time and you can clean 6 rooms from Mon-Sat. Plus you’ll probably find your lost pocketknife behind the couch – trust me you’ll find things! (maybe even money!) If the SHTF, think how much nicer it will be to fill your bathtub with water if your bathtub isn’t covered with 1/4 inch of scum. Sure, cleaning the house won’t do you as much good if your emergency is a tornado, (bye bye house) but if your emergency is an unexpected visit from your mother-in-law, you can grab your B.O.B. and leave her in your clean house.  Try at first to clean rooms, not little stuff – move the piles first. Sure, your gun might need cleaned (add it to a list), but cleaning the whole basement is also important. Put stuff where it goes.

Sharpen what you have. This is where you can focus on the smaller stuff.  Many of us have tools that are dull, dirty, needing some TLC, or possibly still in the box. Take some time to scrape the chunks of mud off your garden tools, sharpen your chisels, charge your batteries, un-box your tool and make sure everything you think is there really is. Deburr, oil, soak, dry, dust, launder, disassemble, & reassemble. Grease the zercs, wax, brush, boil, Plasti-Dip, and leave the grinder on with the buffer and wire brush spinning. Putter around your garage or basement. Some of the things you may have been trusting to get you out of a jam are broken. Reliable, well-maintained, and shiny things will make you happy.

Fashion show.  You’re probably fatter than you used to be. Go through your closet and try everything on. Get your boots out of the closet and see if the laces still work. Has the sole rotted? Does your sock drawer have more singles than Match.com? Are all of your buttons present on your hunting jacket? Little tears could be big problems later. Think if you are prepared to look nice at a funeral if your relative dies. A small event for sure, but you’ll be happy if you have two black socks. Label a box for rags, a box for your local charity organization, and a box of stuff that doesn’t fit.  Grab something expensive that is too small and make a goal to fit into it by a date on the calendar.

SYSTEMITIZE

Grab your trash bag. Surely one of the most virtuous ideals in prepping is “stockpiling”. Well, your stockpile of broken kids toys, beef jerky wrappers, and cassette tapes are of little value for barter or otherwise.  There are other things that you might think you could use as raw material if the SHTF, but really the cracked old plastic hubcaps that you have are taking up space that could be used for actual useful things. Also, you’ll be able to find things that are actually useful, with ease. Think about the frustration you endure now when you waste 3 hours looking for something – that frustration will be amplified in an emergency. Getting rid of things is good for your sanity in many ways. Place things in the “circular file.” If you didn’t notice, “Hoarders” is a different show than “Doomsday Preppers” – and you really don’t want to be on either one.

Put things in a row. I can probably find candles, light bulbs, and batteries in nearly every room in the house. Some things like these can go to one central spot. Also you may already own everything you need to assemble emergency kits for the cars, B.O.B.’s, first aid kits, or other kits, but you haven’t put them together. Assemble it and you’ll be amazed how much time it can take to do it well. Cardboard boxes can be found for free. Sure, they’re not durable, but if you’re broke, they’ll do – and they’ll help you know what size container you’ll need to buy. Also you’ll find how much easier life can be when all of your hunting stuff is together, your fishing stuff is together, and the joy of finding bulbs when a light burns out when your mother-in-law is visiting.

ASCERTAIN
You don’t know what you don’t know. Most people have Homer Simpson’s mentality that “Everyone is stupid but me”.  You need to grow in your knowledge of the areas you are ignorant.  With the internet this is overwhelming, but be overwhelmed for a while. Take a bird’s eye view of things; look at the forest before looking at the trees. Don’t just collect books, or bookmark web sites, but figure out what you need/want to learn. Go to your library and research old skills, and of course you’re familiar with the internet, right? YouTube can show you how to sharpen a chainsaw, build a solar panel, and tie knots. Someone somebody calls “grandpa” or “grandma” can probably show you some things too. But you need to prioritize what you should learn so that you’re not stuck with zero clean water, but a nice tarless gasifier and maple syrup.

Take inventory. You aren’t going to figure out where you should go unless you know where you are. Some of you may think that you have 1,000 rounds of ammunition in every caliber. You might find your estimates were optimistic, but not realistic. There are lots of ways to take inventory, but few beat a legal pad and a pen. What are your strengths? What are your greatest weaknesses?  A power outage or other smaller-scale emergency can reveal some of these things to you – but wouldn’t you rather have foresight rather than hindsight? You might find that your wife does indeed have 44 pairs of shoes, (a useful number to remind her of when she heads for that section of the store), but she might not have one pair of shoes that would be appropriate if the SHTF.

STRATEGIZE
Make lists, and then prioritize, then put them on the calendar. List things: to do, to buy, and to learn. Then pick the top three things on each the list. Don’t throw away the longer list, but make a new shorter one. Don’t be paralyzed by the long list, just prioritize. Now that you’ve got your shorter lists, put things on the calendar. Your best intentions are sweet, but useless. Figure out when you’ll have time to do something. Sure you might need to plan on missing a few re-runs of Seinfeld, but you can cross things off the list (one of the most satisfying things a literate human can do.)
Shop. Wait, buying stuff isn’t free right? Well, planning where-what-and-how much you’ll buy doesn’t take any money at all. (My wife “shops” all the time, but rarely spends any money.) Find the lowest prices, the best quality, the best seasons to buy whatever it is that is at the top of your list.  Don’t get stuck in the paralysis that comes from all of the choices out there, but do your best to find your best deal. Don’t spend 3 hours finding the cheapest can-opener supplier, the payoff is little. Spend your time researching the best values on important things.

YOUR AFFAIRS
Trust is free, but it isn’t cheap. Do you know all of your neighbor’s names? Does your spouse respect you? Do your kids come to you when you call their name?  Is your family at the brink in some areas?  Call your loved ones and make amends. Eat some humble pie.  Not because it’s TEOTWAWKI, but because it always has been important. Morals shouldn’t change because of the situation you think you’re in. Throwing or kicking a ball with your children is free, but it will always be priceless. Relationships are one of those areas of life that needs constant maintenance, but it will be more joyful than rotating your canned chicken.
We are cursed with always thinking we need more stuff, (and more money to get it with) but a higher question is: “What have you done with what you already have?” Some of us could get our lives more secure in the next two weeks by working on the “free” things, than we could if we received an extra $1,000 in the same time period.  Many of us have gathered a great pile of potential around us; we just need to add the sweat equity to it. You can curse those with more money who don’t prep, or you can do your best. Bill Gates is going to spend his money how he wants to, but what are you doing with what you have?

Long Term Preparedness: The Outer Limits of Public Health, by F.B.D.

Preparedness is on the periphery of public health. Many facets of local and federal public heath deal with disaster preparedness but almost never for preparations beyond 72 hrs. I have worked in public safety and healthcare administration in various capacities for over 20 years and the subject is almost taboo. However, it is the growing “pink elephant” in the corner of the room.

Anyone who works or deals with disaster preparation in an official capacity knows that official disaster assistance is woefully inadequate and that there are many scenarios that could trigger a “collapse, or severe problem, extending beyond 72 hours. Anyone involved in official circles knows why the subject is taboo: the government (but really politicians) cannot be seen as incapable of handling a nationwide emergency. There is also a desire to prevent panic over various societal pressure points. Some officials are actually naïve enough to believe it cannot, or won’t, happen (yes, normalcy bias can affect all levels), much like the public, whom is generally ignorant to this issue as well.

So where did this idea of preparedness come from? Some who have lived in rural or frontier areas have always done some level of it at home. Ex-military and public safety personnel have a natural affinity for it. Those who engage in wilderness survival or outdoor activities have some of the skills necessary for it. It has evolved for many out of observations that our society is degenerating and that a collapse may be inevitable. So as a result, over the years, like minded preppers have written books, developed blogs, became consultants, some conventions have sprung up, and a small niche market has evolved for various suppliers.  This is a very comprehensive and detailed body of works, if one knows where to access it.

Unfortunately, if one looks to truly thrive, and not just survive, in the coming collapse, we must look beyond ourselves, and even beyond our small groups of like-minded individuals, and get others to buy into the concept of preparedness. There are two worthwhile purposes to this mind set: to tap into resources that are present in members of the public who are otherwise ignorant of this need and, secondly, to decrease the numbers in the golden hoard (at least in your local area) by expanding the number of prepared people.
What I am suggesting is a form of social marketing. Instead of selling a product, we are selling a concept or idea, such as stopping tobacco use, or treating high blood pressure. There have also been moderately successful public health campaigns for traditional disaster preparedness. This is how we must view getting more of the public aware of the need for preparedness. Unfortunately, there will never be a public health campaign for this type of long term preparedness.

This is an activity that needs to begin now, before the proverbial “11th hr”. It is as essential as the purchase of preparedness items and weapons training. It is a distant cousin of military PSYOPS use of propaganda, but the desired result is the same: get more people informed and to be your ally.

I am going to provide a method for a seasoned prepper to plant the seed for as many potential groups as possible. What you need is a structured plan to disseminate the need and concept of preparedness to your own group (even if already established), and then be able to engage others, outside your group, in learning about preparedness. 
[First a word of caution: I am not suggesting giving away your personal preparedness secrets or plans. In fact, I am not even going to teach specific preparedness techniques in this methodology. This is solely for “getting buy- in” so that others can begin their preparedness journey headed in the right direction, and know where to get further information and resources  If you are creating your initial group, the presentation format is for use after you have some trustworthy people in which to consider group formation.]
Any marketing plan must begin with planning. This is a very extensive process but we can simplify it for our purposes here. We must discover a need and trigger for our message, and we must define our competition.

We have to define the need for preparedness. This is simple: the public is unprepared for an emergency lasting more than 72 hours. Then we must find a scenario that will be an example for the need for preparedness. This is commonly referred to as the trigger. This is the idea that illustrates the need and causes the masses to gain buy-in into your message.
Although there are many valid scenarios for engaging in preparedness, some may be too exotic, scare off others, or seem too insurmountable for many from the public at large. EMP, pandemic flu, and meteor strikes come to mind. Some such as natural disasters may seem too common and easily handled by the government-despite the evidence from aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Economic collapse is probably one the most tangible scenarios to use as a reason or be a trigger. The evidence of economic collapse is present to many in their own everyday lives, and evident in the media. Some shock factor in the scenario may be needed to get their attention.

In the case of social marketing we do not have a competitor selling a rival product. We do have competition in the form of public resistance pushing against our preparedness message. This is commonly referred to as the Normalcy Bias. The pervasive, misinformed idea that bad things will never happen, or affect our region or ourselves.

 

The Method
The marketing process follows a set of simple steps which need to be identified and defined specifically for our underground marketing campaign:
Need–             the public is unprepared for an emergency lasting more than 72 hours
Purpose–            to get local community members to understand the need for better preparedness (remember, you are not teaching prepping in depth, but planting the seed for further learning)
Message–            We live in a fragile society whose infrastructure and people are threatened by potential emergencies from which our recovery may be severely limited
Target Market– those people in your community with contact and the ability to influence others opinions- the Influentials (we will discuss them later)
Presentation–            your power points, AV aides, videos, etc
Communication Channels–            the educational sessions that you host
People–             your core group of instructors/presenters (“inner circle”)
Value and Satisfaction–            the audience gains an understanding and sees the worth in the information you provide
Buy–In–            the influentials “get it” and begin promoting the concept of preparedness to others
Behavioral Response–            your local community members begin learning and initiating preparedness activities           

People and Target Markets
If you are alone in preparedness then you will need to target an “inner circle” as your first target market. You will want to find a group of folks of a similar mind-set, or at least some interest in preparedness. Ideally, they  would have a  variety of areas of expertise. This is the group that will help you to develop your presentation and help do your presentation to succeeding groups. These will be the people that will be your core group of instructors/presenters.

These subject matter experts would include a farmer/gardener; someone from law enforcement or a military background; an RN or paramedic; a scout/ outdoorsman; and a tradesman (plumber, electrician or mechanic). This varied group would be ideal because they have knowledge directly related to preparedness topics, and could in all likelihood become your group of preppers, if you do not already have a group.
If you have an existing group engaging in preparedness then much of this will be done. This group of presenters could include members of a few different preparedness groups. Remember that not everyone is a natural teacher of comfortable speaking to groups of people, but most knowledgeable folks are willing to provide content.

Let’s discuss the next target market in a little more detail. This will be made up of the group that we called the influentials. These are the folks who are well- connected and whose opinion people trust. It allows for the greatest spread of ideas. They are likely people you already know but have not really thought of in this manner. They would include pastors or religious leaders; Boy Scout leaders; PTA Presidents; American Legion members; and/or members of Chamber of Commerce. They would then look at their friends, family and contacts in the public at large as their target markets in order to spread these ideas.
[A word of caution when involving government officials or law enforcement, you must be sure of exactly who you are including, and feel them out for awhile before you start inquiring about their interests. (As with anyone you would share this knowledge with.) Many from government will look skeptically on the concept of preparedness and might see you as a threat. Alternatively, there are many in law enforcement /government service that will readily deflect the government “party line” and may already be prepping themselves.]

The Presentation
Once you have an interested group of folks who have some interest in the concept of preparedness, or need convincing, you will need a follow up presentation that will be: concise; focus briefly on the main aspects of prepping; and most of all, convince the group of the need for preparedness.  You will want to leave them with a few practical prepping ideas that they can do immediately after your presentation. In public safety circles this level of knowledge is known as “awareness level” knowledge.
You will want to keep the presentation to about 2 hours with a 15 min break in between. Most adults do not stay awake nor stay interested beyond this point for a talk or lecture. There will also be time needed at the end for questions. A power point show is likely the easiest vehicle for the physical presentation. Photos and video clips are also good within the show for reinforcement. A seasoned teacher could assist you with creating a catchy slide show that would keep everyone’s attention and still get the point across.
You will need to be knowledgeable enough in preparedness topics to carry the presentation for about 3 hrs maximum. Your subject matter experts will be used for areas you are personally not that knowledgeable with, or to add further professionalism for more buy-in.
Some props could also assist you in making the point. An actual G.O.O.D. bag or medical bag; a water purifier; firearm examples; and/or a food dehydrator would allow some hands-on time and avoid death by PowerPoint.
The following is an example outline with major bullet points that could be used for the slide show:

Preparedness 101
Why do we need to engage in Preparedness?

  • the public is unprepared for an emergency lasting more than 72 hours
  • We live in a fragile society whose infrastructure and people are threatened by potential emergencies from which our recovery may be severely limited
  • The government will not be able to help most people- cite examples here such as Katrina
  • Any Federal response is based upon resources from the States and Local agencies

What are the risks that we potentially face?

  • Natural disasters- hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, etc
  • Economic collapse-hyperinflation of the dollar; high gas prices (emphasize impact on prices for all goods that are shipped); food and commodity shortages; civil unrest; looting
  • Terrorism-explosives; dirty bomb; martial law; rationing
  • Pandemic Flu- lack of medical services; inability to travel
  • Internet/Gas pipelines/Power grid- how our  fragile infrastructure is tied to these 3 entities & how a disruption in 1 would cause all 3 to collapse

 

The Big Risk we all face?………             Economic collapse

  • Hyperinflation: the government prints money without end & prices on everything sky rocket; spending ceases and economy grinds to a halt- a la Germany after WWI
  • Deflation: the dollar gains in value & commodities drop in value – Great Depression
  • Unemployment numbers- they are artificially low & do not represent the underemployed & those who have stopped looking
  • Banks are not lending- we have no growth in business or jobs
  • Related Social Issues-
    • The generations that survived the Great Depression/WWII grew up in modest means, had a work ethic & could sacrifice- the generations since 1945 have lived in relative opulence & had many entitlements…….…….when our economy collapses life will not be easy or nice; when a people who have whatever they want, when they want don’t get it, they will not be so easy-going & nice-  CIVIL UNREST & RIOTING
    • As of 2006, 50% of the total income in the U.S. was concentrated in the upper 10% of the population; almost 25% of the total income in the U.S. was found in the upper 1%- this is the greatest disparity in U.S. history***

The Masses are wholly unprepared for any of the previous risks
            Levels of Preparedness- 0-5*

  • Typical apt dweller; travels for employment; eats out mostly & lives out of a suitcase; the first refugees
  • Typical urban/suburban home owner; limited food; no disaster mind set or kit; likely unprotected
  • A homeowner that has 48-72 hrs worth of supplies; knows local risks; has a plan for 72 hrs; assumes help from authorities
  • A homeowner that has 3-6 months worth of stored food/water; a means of protection/security; some back- up power; has some basic medical & wilderness competence; knows help may not come for some time if ever
  • Has 1 yr stored food/water; a means to replenish food stores continually; several levels of security; has formed a group of preppers; either lives at or has a retreat location; has renewable energy in place; a continuous water supply; has a store of precious metals
  • Lives isolated, off the grid & is completely self-sufficient; unaware of many potential threats

Questions to get their minds working
Ask group where they are personally on this continuum?
Assume they know where the nearest Big Box store is – then ask where the nearest food distribution center is? How does just-in-time inventory affects us in an emergency?
Ask where they would get medicine if the pharmacies are empty?
If they own a generator, what would they do when the gas runs out at gas stations?
Looting begins by armed bandits in their neighborhood, what will they do for protection?
If they were to evacuate: When is best time? How would they do it? Where would they go?
About 80% of America is currently at Level 2 or below
The Focus of Preparedness
What exactly does “prepared” mean?
What are the priorities?
Food- “Beans”

  • Water stored and a means to purify it- a natural source is ideal
  • Nutritious canned food stored in temperature sensitive environs
  • A garden for growing vegetables; planting fruit trees
  • A means for hunting & owning/access to  livestock
  • Gaining the ability to can, dry & preserve/store food

Get-Started Point:  build a garden, start buying canned food & secure a source(s) of water- WATER ISYOUR FIRST PRIORITY
Security– “Bullets”

  • You will need guns despite the contrary views on gun ownership- criminals will use them
  • A shotgun & a rifle is a good start plus 1000 rounds of ammunition- you also need to learn how to use them
  • Learn the basics of home defense- locks; perimeter; warning devices
  • Own a medium to large size dog
  • Decide early if you are staying or leaving your home when things turn bad

Get-Started Point:  buy a shotgun & rifle then take a gun safety course
Medical Care- “Band-Aids”

  • Take an EMT course for basic medical care concepts (preferably a Wilderness EMT course)- almost any community college will offer this
  • Begin stockpiling emergency care supplies plus OTC & any prescription meds
  • A formally trained MD/RN/paramedic will be necessary once you form a group
  • Get vaccinated as needed now & get any pending dental work done
  • Prevention of illness/injury will be the watchword after a collapse

Get-Started Point:  Start a fitness routine & quit using tobacco
Homesteading- “Buttressing”

  • Organize, Acquire & begin Rotating food in a pantry (O.A.R.)**
  • Implement an alternative power source (solar, generator, etc) for a freezer, recharging batteries, radio, flashlights, etc
  • Purchase Lithium- ion rechargeable batteries in all sizes needed
  • Work out the logistics of sanitation with no power grid for your home
  • Decide where you will develop your post-collapse home/retreat before investing

Get-Started Point:  clean out your house & throw out/sell all non-essential items or junk in your possession
[“Beans, Bullets, Band-Aids”- *]
One More Thing……

  • Start & secure a stash of silver coins to use for currency in a post-collapse world

Go or Stay? -When things start to fall apart

  • This will depend greatly on where you live now: city, suburbs, or rural

Staying Put/Choosing a Retreat Location

  • City/urban–  you need to “Get Out of Dodge” (G.O.O.D.)
    • Looting/riots, fires & lack of resources
    • Evacuation needs to be done in advance at first sign of unrest
    • Sanitation & disease problems
  • Suburban-  not optimum but feasible for retreat in certain cases
    • if within 20 mi of a city, surrounded by cities and/or in a congested sub-division- G.O.O.D.
    • if closer to rural areas- assess the defensibility of your home; ability to grow produce; access to water
  • Rural/Farm–  you are likely in second best position of the four
    • How close to an Interstate are you? (refugees)
    • What is your wild land fire & flood danger- no FD response post-collapse
    • How much help do you need to defend & work the land
  • Rural/Mountains- the best area for a retreat/home in the post-collapse world
    • Montana; Eastern Idaho; Wyoming; Adirondack & Blue Ridge Mountains
    • Best access to water & natural resources
    • Limited population & far from potential urban area refugees

Evacuating

  • You need a pre-determined destination, so the previous applies
  • Caching or pre-staging supplies at the retreat location is advised as more than 72 hrs worth is needed, plus valuable family items may be added as this could be a permanent move as well as trip supplies
  • Vehicles- a crew-cab pick- up or solid SUV (set up for off-road) is the preferred G.O.O.D. vehicle
  • Fuel must be stored to allow for the trip (gas pumps do not work if  the grid is down)
  • You need to be prepared enough to go before the first signs of unrest/panic or the freeways will be impassible

Get-Started Point:  research and stock a G.O.O.D. bag for each family member in your house (use as a hand-out to the group during presentation)

How to Form a Group

  • Friends & family are the natural starting point
  • Honesty, trustworthiness; belief in God; good work ethic goes without saying
  • At least 3-4 members at a good fitness level that are good at firearms
  • You will need a medical specialist; mechanic/tradesman; gardener; someone adept at food preserving
  • General preparedness competence for all members

Resources for Further Information
SurvivalBlog.com edited by James Wesley, Rawles
*How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It by James Wesley, Rawles
The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery
**Just in Case by Kathy Harrison
Holding Your Ground: Preparing for Defense if it All Falls Apart by Joe Nobody (www.PrepperPress.com)
Wilderness First Responder Textbook by Buck Tilton
***It Could Happen Here: America on the Brink by Bruce Judson

This ends the example presentation you can use to make the help make the case for preparedness. It is important to emphasize the need for accessing further resources. I have read many within this genre and found these to be both comprehensive and accessible for beginners. (I base my opinion on teaching adults Public Safety for many years.) You can probably start with the resources listed above, but obviously there are others of similar content. It is important to have some that are comprehensive, and some that can slowly bridge from a modern life to a preparedness mindset without being overwhelming.
Getting “buy-in” and changing a mindset takes time. It is not an overnight event and needs to be fostered and encouraged. If you begin these presentations you (and your core group) will be seen as the “experts”, so having sufficient knowledge of preparedness is essential and you will need to learn more. You will also need to practice what you have been teaching, as well and be able to give advice in the future.

Letter Re: The Latest Solar Flares

David in Israel warned of a possible “kill shot” CME after the latest impact.

As quoted by UrbanSurvival.com, here it comes, possibly on Sunday night:

“SOHO/LASCO detected a full halo CME in association with the M6.3 flare in Catania sunspot group 65 (NOAA AR 1429) this morning. The CME first appeared in the LASCO C2 field of view at 04:14 UT and had a speed around 750 km/s. We expect the CME arrival at the Earth late on March 11 – early on March 12. An evaluation of the possible erupting flux rope orientation on the basis of HMI photospheric magnetograms and AIA images of the post-eruption arcade gives the south-east-north (SEN, left-handed) configuration. Due to the position of the CME source region close to the solar central meridian, we expect a nearly central encounter of the resulting ICME, which will probably be a magnetic cloud with leading southward field. A strong geomagnetic storm (K = 7 or higher) is probable.”

– J.B. in Tennessee

Letter Re: Sugar and Salt Storage

James,
In response to the article “Re: Sugar and Salt Storage” you mentioned: “You can either buy mylar liners with zip-lock tops, or plain bags, and heat seal them. (The latter method takes a special tool that is fairly expensive.)”

Mylar bags can be heat sealed rather effectively, quickly, and easily using only an electric clothes iron and a scrap piece of 2×4.   Leave enough room in the mylar bag to allow the bag to extend out the top of the 5 gallon bucket.  Lay the 2×4 on the bucket edge, and using a hot clothes iron, slowly heat seal the top edges of the bag while pressing out excess air.  I used a hot setting (such as “Cotton” setting) but not the very hottest setting.  Use it just like ironing clothes – too quick and it won’t do the job, too slow and you’ll probably make burn marks. Oxygen absorbers in the bag will do their job if the bag is sealed shut correctly.

So far I haven’t found a need for any special heat sealing tools. Thanks, – Matt S.

JWR Replies: Yes, that can be done, but you have to be very careful. Heat controls on clothes irons vary widely! It best to seal all but one inch, evacuate the air (with your FoodSaver‘s hose, or with a large straw–if you have strong lungs), and then quickly seal the last inch.

If you use O2 absorbing packets, the bag should still look “sucked down” after a week if you have indeed obtained a good seal.

BTW, it is best to buy a very inexpensive iron from a thrift store, for dedicated bag-sealing use. That will help keep peace in your family.

Economics and Investing:

Those pesky derivatives have come back to bite: ISDA: Greek Debt Restructuring Triggers CDS Payouts. Since CDS contracts are measured in many billions of dollars, the counterparty risk is huge. As previously mentioned, they are calling this default a “credit event”, since it sounds more gentle and palatable for the sheeple. (Thanks to C.D.V. for the link.)

U.S. to sell $6 billion in AIG stock.

What does an America with no middle class look like?

Items from The Economatrix:

Consumer Borrowing Nearly At Pre-Recession Level

Why Job Growth Might Mean Unemployment

Oil Up On Greece Hopes

You Won’t Believe The Real Inflation Rate

Odds ‘n Sods:

12 states on path to [concealed carry of] guns with no permits. (Thanks to B.B. for the link.)

   o o o

Cry havoc! Reader H.M. mentioned a company that gives new meaning to the familiar old Shakespearian phrase: The Dogs of War.

   o o o

A personal request from JWR: For our collection here at the ranch, I’m looking for an antique Swiss 7.5mm Schmidt-Rubin Model 1896/11 rifle with a serial number below 236,500. It must be offered by a fellow private party here in the United States. I’m only looking for one with a nice bore and in very good mechanical condition. (Model 1896/11s with serial number under 236,500 are Federally exempt antiques.) I am not looking for one in the modern serial number range. I might consider a sporterized Schmidt-Rubin Model 1896/11rifle if it was nicely done and it is priced right. And BTW, I’m also in need of 10 to 20 original brown cardboard stripper clips (“chargers”) for Swiss 7.5mm Schmidt-Rubin rifles, as well as some SIG AMT or SIG 510-4 20-round .308 magazines. I could also use some SIG PE-57 24-round magazines if they are early production, with steel followers. Please e-mail me if you have any of the aforementioned items for sale. Thanks!

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed [be] thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.

Thine, O LORD, [is] the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all [that is] in the heaven and in the earth [is thine]; thine [is] the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.

Both riches and honour [come] of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand [is] power and might; and in thine hand [it is] to make great, and to give strength unto all.

Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.” – 1Chronicles 29:10-13 (KJV)

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 39 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 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), and E.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo.

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) A FloJak F-50 hand well pump (a $349 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.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, C.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and D.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 39 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

A Poor Man’s Guide to Prepping and Food Storage, by T.P.

I started not to write this piece- not because I feel any shame about my approach to survival and prepping, but largely because I will be misunderstood or dismissed- as I have been whenever I try to enlighten friends and co-workers of the needh to have a survival plan. But I feel it may help others who are not wealthy enough to buy thousands of dollars worth of MREs or hundreds of pounds of hard red wheat and a grinder… and frankly, because I do not welcome the competition for my supply of food and supplies.

Many years ago I began prepping for Y2K. Nothing happened then, but the exercise was of undeniable importance in my life. I had been keeping a pantry for years, because being self-employed leads to a life cycle of feast or famine. At least for me.
 
I used the last of the dry goods and kerosene from my Y2K prep stash in early 2011.

I provide services for businesses now. My job involves a lot of driving, and a lot of contact with grocery stores. I discovered a long time ago that grocery stores, drug stores, and discount stores throw away tons of usable and consumable food and other necessities. Gleaning these supplies takes some work and the willingness to deal with a little mess, but for me it has been well worth it. I bet I haven’t spent a hundred bucks for grocery items in over two years- mostly for cooking oil and spices.

Just this last week I have put up 13 pints of homemade Rotel, 20 pounds of peaches, 100 or so pounds of stew meat, and quantities of canned salsa, tomatoes, etc, etcetera, all free.

As a side note: saving money on food, light bulbs, shampoo, etc., has allowed me to spend a lot more on firearms, ammo, and other important items. I now have three freezers and three refrigerators full of food- not to mention the flour, sugar, and other dry goods I have stored, all free. In the process of doing so, I have provided a lot of food to several needy families who understand what I do, and are grateful for the assistance.

As another side note, this will be the first year I have grown a garden in my new home, due to all the time I have spent on another project that took months to complete- but all I grow this year will be canned and/or shared with others. I have been saving heirloom seeds for years, and have now gathered enough old tires to grow vegetables here- the soil is shallow and requires me to do raised bed gardening.

I keep chickens for the eggs, although I get enough free eggs that I give away tons of them through the year. Cartons of eggs with one broken are thrown out every week. I wash the eggs, repack the whole ones in the cartons, and put the cracked ones in plastic tubs for immediate use as omelets or scrambled eggs or to use in batters or breads.

So, the rest of this piece will essentially be a guide to dumpster diving, and a guide to harvesting the fantastic wealth of consumables that are available to those who will seek out these sources. Understand this- if I made enough money to buy AR-15s, MREs, and Mountain House entrees- I probably would. I don’t. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t be prepared for disasters or lean times. I just had to find a way to make use of what is available to me- a willingness to do what I can to survive, and the knowledge that free food is out there for those willing to glean it. And isn’t that what survival prepping is all about? Learning to make the best use of skills and resources, learning new skills, and possibly making do with what you have when the time comes? It may not be the ideal way, but it works for me and mine, and it is what I can do. Also, there is a certain satisfaction in enjoying a fine, nourishing meal of the best kind–free.

On to the specifics.

I get tons of produce. It is generally just fine, but may have a few blemishes, like the produce you would get from an organic garden. I determined long ago that I like fruits and veggies on the very ripe side, as it tastes best. One good example- bananas with spots are much tastier than ones that aren’t much past green- but produce that needs to be used immediately isn’t saleable in a grocery store!

Another thing: veggies that are sold in prepackaged sacks, like potatoes and onions, apples and oranges, are thrown out if just one of them gets mashed or is less than perfect. All of the others in the bag are still perfectly good. Potatoes, onions, turnips, etc, that sprout are also thrown out. I get my seed potatoes and onions this way. Every time a shipment of greens- turnip, mustard, collards- arrives, the last shipment is thrown out. Greens are a vital source of vitamins and minerals in your diet! I use one of my water bath canners about twice a week to process greens for freezing.

Last year I got almost a hundred pounds of free flour that had been damaged by a fork lift. I froze the flour for two weeks to kill any weevils, then packed it in five gallon buckets for storage.

Now about meat. This will take some extra time to discuss.

Every week I get a lot of meat that is thrown out because it is near or past its sale date. Some of it is not consumable, and this I feed to the dogs. Their guts are designed by God for the purpose of consuming scavenger fodder. The vast majority of the hamburger I get is slightly brown, but perfectly useable. I freeze it, and when I get enough, can it as chili (no beans) or plain burger. The meats that require careful consideration are chicken and pork. Any that is questionable is fed to the dogs- they love it. Meats that are heavily preserved, like sausage and wieners, are usually good. Just recently, I got 90 pounds of hot dogs! I put up many quarts of pickled wieners, and made a Boston Baked Bean sauce and canned the rest with that. Add that to some cooked dry beans, and you have beanie-weanie.

Now I want to deal with the greatest source of protein that I have found. Every butcher shop throws out lots of what I call “tailings” every week. This is fresh beef and pork, and consists of cuts that are not perfect, and so cannot be sold, and the leftovers after cutting that aren’t complete enough to package and sell. This free meat is fresh and good, but does require some effort and a sharp knife to harvest. I have to trim away fat, gristle and bone to get all of it- but I get a lot of perfectly good “soup” meat this way- cut up like “stew beef”. Any hunter who has processed his own deer will know what I’m talking about. You can get the back strap, loins, and roasts easily enough, but you have to work for the remaining meat- although beef and pork doesn’t have all the “striffin” that venison does.

Unfortunately, this free meat is not best harvested all year ’round- unless you happen to be there when it is discarded. In the summer months, the likelihood of rapid spoilage becomes a factor.

Incidentally, all the venison I have harvested for the last few years has also been “free”- road kill that I have picked up. It helps to be able to tell how long an animal has been dead, and there are actually books on the subject to help the novice determine just that. [JWR Adds: But note that collecting road kill is illegal in many states.]

The last area to address is that of nonfood consumables, like shampoo and light bulbs. Like bagged produce, when a package of bulbs has been dropped and one is broken, then all are usually discarded. Drug stores and the like frequently throw out large quantities of shampoos and conditioners. I have years worth of these items stashed away- free for the taking.

Now for some details on the practicality of dumpster diving. Some stores will absolutely prosecute you for doing so. Wal-Mart is one of them. As for most of the grocery stores I hit- at one time or another I have been “caught” in the act of harvesting their refuse. I just speak to the employee in very friendly terms about how this harvesting saves me so much money on the feed bill for my “hogs” and usually they are very receptive about my future harvesting of their refuse. The “hogs” I’m referring to are, of course, of the two-legged variety. I never mention that, and it bothers my conscience not one iota to withhold that detail. My feeling is that they need know no more than that about my life and circumstances. Having to explain why you’re in a dumpster can be a bit awkward, for lack of a better word. But no more so than being caught swiping a bit of the icing off the cake before the guests arrive… In the times to come, I may be faced with situations that force decisions of even greater gravity, and if so I will feel blessed if all it costs me is an awkward moment. I’m sure everyone is eventually faced with a choice they would rather not make, but must to ensure their family’s well being. If I let a little thing like feeling embarrassed stop me from procuring supplies, I won’t be very adequate in my attempts to stop the coming tyranny from destroying my family and should join those who are relying on God alone to save them from starvation and/or persecution. Yes, I rely on Him. But I still have to do my part. Just my opinion. Your mileage may vary.

Well, there you have it. This is how I have managed to save up a couple of years of survival goods for me and mine.

I hope it provides at least one family with the insight on a way to be prepared for the worst without having a lot of disposable income.

May God be with us all.

Middle of the Road Family Embraces the Prepper Mindset by C.L.

So how does one start down this journey of becoming a prepper?  For me and eventually our family, it was a gradual transition, which included the convergence of medical, physical and political convictions.  This was not a planned journey but rather one, which we have come to embrace as our only path to survival.

We are a typical family in one sense and atypical in another.  We have led a typical life of work, play and trying to get ahead.  Where our life has veered from this typical course is the support we must provide to one of our children who has special needs.  We have a child with autism, who has been experiencing medical problems for many years.  After trying various doctors, we landed on a doctor of homeopathy.  Not only did we find a kindred spirit who also believed that typical western medicine did not seek of solve medical conditions as much as prescribe another pill.  We also found that our child had celiac disease also known as gluten intolerance to the extreme!

Learning about celiac disease, the cause or what triggers it and the need to go gluten free has rekindled the desire to grow and produce natural foods free from gluten and other chemicals, which are destroying our bodies.  Our parents grew gardens and put up canned foods but through years of grocery store conveniences, they gave up those practices. Both my husband and I grew up with home canned goods but neither of us had continued this practice.  The diagnosis of celiac prompted us to begin canning our food, and searching the Internet for recipes and outlets for whole food products.  We have found a variety of resources including Bob’s Red Mill, Whole Foods and grocery outlets in our local area to buy flours and other products, which are gluten free.  We found magazines like Gluten Free Living and blogs such as Gluten Free Girl with recipes and solutions to everyday foods, which we can no longer use.  We have made friends with our local homestead store, re-discovered useful books such as the Ball Blue Book of Preserving and sustainable recipes for everyday household needs such as Make Your Place: Affordable & Sustainable Nesting Skills, by Raleigh Briggs.  We purchase heirloom seed from Territorial Seed to grow our own garden and are learning about medicinal herbs. Several years of trial and error has led to a point where we are producing several hundred pounds of fruits and vegetables in our garden each summer.  Building the garden has also led us to learn about water catchment systems, looking for water barrels and adding a metal roof to one of our sheds in order to catch the rain water.  We also added chickens to the back yard.  We get to eat all the eggs we want, give several dozen to our neighbors and use the manure in our garden.

This should be the end of the story but it is really just the beginning.  Lack of consistent gluten free products in our grocery stores, the necessity of running to multiple locations each month to accumulate the needed groceries to round out our meals and a frustration with the lack of options began pushing our thinking toward what happens if?  What happens if there is a disruption in society’s ability to stock the local grocery store?  What happens if any number of scenarios take place including super inflation, political unrest etc.  You can imagine a variety of different scenarios based upon our current economic, political and social climates.

The result of these types of concerns has led us to begin to put away food.  Although not LDS ourselves, we discovered a local LDS Bishop’s warehouse with number 10 can sealing machines available for use. The LDS church members who assisted us were very willing to help us learn how to put up the food.  There are also several good You Tube videos that will help you with the process of storing and sealing food in number 10 cans.  We began working with other couples that have similar concerns and began buying in bulk quantities.  You can download the LDS Preparedness Manual which will give you basic recommended quantities of food, household and survival items at Abysmal.com.  It is a good starting point to determine what to put away and how much of each item.  Gluten intolerance will change some of the recommendations though.  Instead of putting away hard wheat (which could still be sprouted and used for greens) we put away more rice and corn.  In our desire to remain gluten and chemical free we search out raw food and herb suppliers such as Mountain Rose Herbs.  Fortunately there are companies which produce freeze dried gluten free foods as well such as AlpineAire, Saratoga, and Augason Farms. By talking directly with several other manufacturers we have found that many others have some products that are gluten free such as their fruits and vegetables.  We invested in food dryers and dry our own garden products each summer.  The local Costco has organic vegetables that can be dried straight from the bag with no extra preparation. 

Working together as a group of folks makes the process of locating and storing food seem to be easier and go faster, or at least it seems more enjoyable as you work together to locate resources and then prepare them together. Once per month buying trips can become an excuse for a social outing as you meet at various locations to buy food and have lunch together or put on a canning party.  It is also easy to become complacent.  When you are working with a group, the group will spur you on and keep you on track.

 We have spent hours in the evening and on rainy days on You Tube watching a variety of prepper videos and have learned a great deal about many topics as well as identifying many more topics we need to learning about.  There are so many good ones to watch but to name a few, SouthernPrepper1 and USNERDOC are just a couple that we have watched a great deal.  We are learning to divide and conquer when it comes to skills we have decided we need to learn.  While one is working on their ham radio license, another is tackling medical supplies and needed training.  We attend gun shows and prepper shows in our area.  We are reading everything we can find on the topics of food and water storage, homesteading skills and more. The popularity of prepping in the media is helping when looking for books and other resources, as local retailers are willing to stock in more items associated with prepping.  Bookstores such as Powell’s Books and the Survivalblog provide lists of books and other items, which can be useful in a variety of scenarios. Ebay and Craig’s List have also been helpful in trying to locate items inexpensively.  Remember, we are middle aged folks who did a great deal of backpacking in our twenties and thirties but have let life get in the way for many years.  We are finding that the skills do come back, just like riding a bicycle and we are having fun remembering how to do many of these skills. 

 We are learning that if we approach the prepping process step by step it does not seem so overwhelming.  We are great list makers and have lists of needed items with us where ever we go.  We divide tasks among our small group and are always looking for folks with specific skills to join our group.  We have read blogs and posts where folks are asking how to get connected.  Our answer is to be observant as you go about your daily tasks.  Notice who is looks at bulk quantities, talking a gun class with you and asking about various resources.  Sometimes you overhear a customer asking where you find a resource or explaining to someone else how to do something.  We ask probing questions and notice answers.  If we think that someone is receptive we may ask a few more questions.  We try not to draw attention to ourselves as many in our community don’t think they way we do and many don’t have to as they can eat in any restaurant or go to any store to buy their food.  We still have more questions than we do answers yet we are enjoying working together to discover the resources.  We took a gun class not long ago and found that a little competition made for some great ribbing over the next few weeks as we debated who hit the target more consistently.   The more we talk to folks we meet in our journey, the more we are finding like-minded folks who have similar concerns about our present circumstances and desires to be self-sufficient.  You too can become a prepper and find similar folks.  Just ask a couple of questions or start a conversation with the person next to you at Bob’s Red Mill as you see someone asking about bulk flours.  That’s how we started.

David in Israel on Coronal Mass Ejections

I’m writing to remind readers that the Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) that began March 8, 2012 will sweep away low speed particles clearing the way for a few days for a somewhat possible 1859 Carrington Event style kill shot should there be another large CME.  I suggest that SurvivalBlog readers keep up to date on SpaceWeather.com though utilities and emergency services will also be watching this.  Even if there is another larger CME and the utilities disconnect to save their equipment any long conductor can act as an antenna for the radio waves produced by an ionospheric event. So be ready to check electrical connections to any large metal objects, disconnect antennas and even pull removable power supplies. Good grounding is always a good idea even if there is no EMP/CME worries [since lightning is a day-to-day risk.] Purim Somayach – David in Israel

JWR Adds: SurvivalBlog reader Randy K. sent a link to a blog post at A Survival Plan with a fairly comprehensive list of very useful web links: Large X-Class Solar Flare – Resources and News. And here is an AP wire story: Biggest solar storm in years hits, so far so good

Odds ‘n Sods:

AmEx (American Expat) sent a PDF link to an expert analysis (published by Virginia Tech) on the potential impact of a major earthquake along the New Madrid Fault Line. This is food for thought, and cause to do a bit of padding and strapping down.

   o o o

FBI director: Have to check whether targeted killing rule is outside US only. It is not very reassuring, seeing men like this seated in high places. Let’s add Robert Mueller to the same list as Eric Holder. They must be forced out of office with a public outcry, as soon as possible. Both of them are clearly incompetent, morally bankrupt, and Constitutionally illiterate.

   o o o

Charming news: Uncle Sam: If It Ends in .Com, It’s .Seizable. JWR’s Comments: SurvivalBlog’s primary server is now in Sweden, and the blog is automatically posted daily to survivalblog.se. (As recommended by our Department of Redundancy Department.) And of course we publicize our dotted quad address. Please bookmark that IPV4 address: http://95.143.193.148–just in case you ever click on your SurvivalBlog bookmark and see a FBI warning displayed. I suspect that Eric Holder, et al will not stop with just seizing the domain names of bit torrent and gambling web sites. With or without SOPA, they are already on the war path against sites “identified with malware”, for instance. So what is to stop them from seizing the domain names of sites that they deem “anti-government”, or “disseminating information useful to domestic terrorists”? (We call that information preparedness and survival skills, but never underestimate the ability of a biased bureaucrat to cast a wide net.) Let’s face it: We have already been identified as “the enemy”, folks. After all, if National Pravda Radio has defined the we-they paradigm, citing their leftist “experts”, then in the eyes of The Powers That Be, it must be true.

   o o o

Yishai recommended this at the Popular Mechanics web site: How to Start Your Indoor Garden

   o o o

Choate Machine & Tool has come up with a great product for AR-15 and M4gery owners: an Essential Parts Kit that is cleverly packaged in a clear plastic tube that has the same dimensions as a stacked pair of CR-123 batteries. So this kit is a perfect fit for stowing in some of the new buttstocks, pistol grips and foregrips that have integral spare battery compartments.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"While we benefit in some ways from modern technology, I do wonder what state our world would be in if we suddenly lost the electrical power necessary to keep our communications functioning.  Would the younger generations know how to grow crops to feed a family?  Would they know how to drop anchor and wait for the catch?  Would they know how to survive by the sweat of their brow?  New is good.  Old is necessary." – Reverend Billy Graham

Notes from JWR:

SolarHam has issued another solar flare warning. This would be a good day to unplug your radios, detach your antennas, and make sure all of your spare radios are safely tucked away in Faraday cans. (If nothing else, this is good practice for “The Big One”.) Here is a related news article.

—

Today we present another two entries for Round 39 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 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), and E.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo.

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) A FloJak F-50 hand well pump (a $349 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.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, C.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and D.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 39 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.