Year: 2022

Rainwater Harvesting – Part 2, by K.R.

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) Our Primary Rainwater Capture System When the time came for us to put in a new garage, we had the opportunity to install a larger rainwater system that could also capture snow melt, as well as store water during the winter. The collection system is an in-ground French drain running the 60-foot length of the building, between the eaves of the building and the hillside. The drain empties into a 1,000-gallon concrete underground cistern. We put in a septic tank for the toilet in the garage, so we just dropped a second …


SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This weekly column is a collection of short snippets: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters. — A useful 22-minute instructional video: Basic Radio Comms Setup for SHTF — Featuring UV5R. o  o  o Reader Tim J. recommended this video from Grunt Proof: Why do all YouTube Preppers get Political? “Bury your head in the sand all you want, but politics do have an affect on your life. Just ask …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“I used to visit and revisit it a dozen times a day, and stand in deep contemplation over my vegetable progeny with a love that nobody could share or conceive of who had never taken part in the process of creation. It was one of the most bewitching sights in the world to observe a hill of beans thrusting aside the soil, or a rose of early peas just peeping forth sufficiently to trace a line of delicate green.” – Nathaniel Hawthorne


Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — August 9, 2022

August 9th, 1831 was the birthday of James Paris Lee (August 9, 1831 – February 24, 1904). He was a Scottish-Canadian and later American inventor and arms designer, best known for inventing the bolt action that led to the Lee-Metford and Lee-Enfield series of rifles. — Some sad news:  ‘Magnum P.I.’ Actor Roger E. Mosley Dies At 83. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 102 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending …


Rainwater Harvesting – Part 1, by K.R.

Imagine that you have a 2,000 square foot cabin in the Inland Northwest and a spring rain shower thunders by that drops an inch of rain. If you were equipped to capture the rain that hit the roof of your cabin, you would have just picked up over 1,200 gallons of water. Rainwater harvesting is an easy win that can provide a significant supply of water. With a relatively small investment, you can provide a significant amount of water that you can use for gardens, washing, animals, firefighting, and–if treated–drinking. At the very least, capturing your rainwater as a redundant …


SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. We also mention companies of interest to preppers and survivalists that are located in the American Redoubt region. Today’s focus is on wildfires, throughout the American Redoubt region. Idaho Coming up on August 27th, in Stanley, Idaho (pictured above, in a photo recently snapped by Avalanche Lily): Sawtooth Salmon Festival. o  o  o Wildlife officials euthanize grizzly responsible for livestock attacks around Boundary County. …



Preparedness Notes for Monday — August 8, 2022

August 8th is the birthday of Terry Nation (August 8th, 1930 – March 9th, 1997), who was a Welsh television writer and novelist. Nation wrote two series, Survivors and Blake’s 7, in the 1970s. Survivors was re-made a few years ago. — The new SurvivalRealty listing in North Carolina caught my eye: Heritage farm with operating winery. “This heritage farm rests gently in the valley on the footsteps of the Blue Ridge just 30 minutes east of the iconic town of Black Mountain (setting of the “One Second After” series by Bill Forstchen and a few minutes to the sprawling …


Springfield Armory Hellion, by Pat Cascio

I hate to admit it, but I came to the bullpup dance a little bit late. I’m a dyed-in-the-wool fan of the AR-style of rifles, as well as the M14 (M1A) rifles. Some folks like to say I’m older than dirt – well, not quite. When I joined the Illinois National Guard in June of 1969, I was originally issued a 19-pound BAR. That didn’t cut it – I weighed only 135 pounds at the time. I quickly traded that BAR in for an M1 Garand…and as they say, the rest is history. Basic Training was my introduction to the …


Recipe of the Week: Arden’s Dutch Oven Spaghetti With Beef 

The following recipe for Dutch oven spaghetti with beef is from reader Arden K. It uses dried spaghetti, and there is no need to boil it, in advance. Ingredients 1 pound of lean or extra-lean ground beef 1 small onion, chopped 1 medium green pepper, chopped 2 cloves of garlic (or less, to taste), minced 1-1/2 cups water 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained 1 tablespoon chili powder (or less, to taste) 1 tablespoon grape jelly (optional) 1/2 teaspoon salt (or less, to taste, and to suit your diet) 6 ounces uncooked thin …


Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. Most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we look at declining oil prices. (See the Commodities section.) Precious Metals: Gold-To-Silver Ratio Rises To Highest Level Since 1990. o  o  o Gold Bull Peter Schiff Warns That This Recession Is Just Getting Started. Economy & Finance: Some creative tap dancing, by the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank: U.S. Likely Didn’t Slip …



Preparedness Notes for Sunday — August 7, 2022

August 7th, 1933 was the birthday of Jerry Pournelle. He, along with Larry Niven authored the survivalist classic Lucifer’s Hammer. Jerry passed away on September 8, 2017, at 84 years of age. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 102 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their …


Upgrading an Inexpensive Gun Safe, by PrepperDoc

Many prepared individuals have an alternate living location. It might be called a “retreat,” a “bug-out house” or simply their “vacation home.” Perhaps in a “safer” location or in a state with more favorable legal climate on important features of self-provision and security. This alternate living location will typically be stocked with valuable implements and provisions, likely including firearms, ammunition, cash, precious metals and other valuables. Sitting vacant much of the time, it might become a lucrative target even in “normal times” before the national situation has even significantly deteriorated. A thief entering the vacant home would have ample time …


JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR: To share this, you can find it here: https://www.kapwing.com/videos/62eadab5ba842000814b0fdf Meme Text: At First, It Was Pride Day, Then Pride Week, and Then Pride Month If You Do Not Display Sufficient Enthusiasm, Then There Will Be Consequences! News and Commentary: Video from Matt Christiansen: UK Man Arrested for the Crime of Sharing a Pride Flag Sw4st1k4 Meme | ‘Causing Anxiety’. A feminist’s complaint: Pride month is no longer a joyful celebration, but a symbol of something dark.