We’ve chosen the winners for Round 39 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.
But first, I’d like to mention several new prizes that will be awarded starting with Round 40:
- A new prize will be added to the First Prize package: a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear. You may remember seeing them mentioned in SurvivalBlog as suppliers of a variety of U.S. military surplus gear, including full military specification ALICE packs, at great prices.
- Three new prizes will be added to to the Third Prize package: These include: 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. (BTW, I recently bought two of their large drying racks for our use here at the ranch and I can attest that they are very sturdy and well-made.)
These new prizes bring the combined value of the top three prizes to more than $5,600. I greatly appreciate the generosity of the prize donors!
And the winner is…
First Prize goes to Jim B. for The Extreme Solar Still Concept which was posted on March 31, 2012. He will receive: 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 goes to The Gentleman Fahma in New Hamsha for A First-Timer’s Cider Making which was posted on March 7, 2012. He will receive: 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 goes to Charles J. for Melting Lead for the Meltdown which was posted on February 3, 2012. He will receive: 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.
There were also 24 honorable mention prizes. Each of these writers will each receive a $30 Amazon.com gift certificate. These go to:
- Canning Protein, by Taressa
- Traditional Tools for TEOTWAWKI, by Bill H.
- Making Your Own Gear, by Caleb E.
- Do It Yourself Gunsmithing, by Charles M.
- Celiac Disease: The Gluten-Free Prepping Challenge, by Geoff in Kentucky
- Some Transportation Alternatives, by Douglas H.
- Surviving The Cold, by The Other D.B.
- A Hiccup in the Matrix, by R.W.S.
- Picking The Perfect Hidden Retreat Location, by L.M.
- The Expat Option, by Sandy X.
- The Care and Processing of Small Livestock on the Gulf Coast, by Jessica S.
- Brain Tanning Basics, by Jared
- A Practical Utilitarian’s Take On Firearms and Calibers, by Kyrottimus
- Making Water Safe to Drink, by Paratrooper John
- Prepping on $10 a Week, by S.W. Michigan Fred
- Horseback Riding for Children and Beginners – A Primer, by Elaine M.
- Survival Basics: The Tropics, by G.S.
- Homeschool for Less Than $30 a Year, by Kathryn T.
- A Prepper’s Guide to Beginning Ethanol Fuel Distillation, by Mr. C. in California
- A Lesson From a Loaf of Bread, by C.R.
- After the Shooting, by Tupreco
- A Poor Man’s Guide to Prepping and Food Storage, by T.P.
- Your Earthquake Audit, by M.B.S.
- Upgrading Your House Window and Door Security, by Happy Hal
Note to all prize winners: Please e-mail us and let us know your current e-mail address. (The Amazon gift certificates are delivered via e-mail.) And for the top three prize winners, we will also need your UPS and USPS addresses. Thanks!
Also note that the Honorable Mention prize winners are still eligible to be awarded any of the top three prizes, in subsequent rounds of the writing contest, so so keep up the good work!
Round 40 begins today and ends on May 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.